Rudimentum: Oracle

Chapter 12

Jakob crawled over and dipped his hands in the wooden bowl in front of William. "Jakob!" said Elysia scooping him into her arms. He cooed in laughter as he clapped his dripping hands. She dried them and sat on the log beside the gentle fire, resting Jakob on her knee. She tried not to stare at William's bare chest but found no matter how long she looked out at the camped troupe, her eyes always drifted back.

William sat on his knees, a rag hanging around his neck, halfway through shaving off his entire beard. He winked at young Jakob who giggled and flapped his arms, before gazing back into the looking glass in front of him.

"Why did you decide to get rid of the beard?" asked Elysia. She was not used to seeing him with it, having lived most of her life seeing him cleanly shaven or with a fine, short growth.

He lifted his chin and swiped the small blade in short slow strokes. "It was too unkempt for my liking."

She looked to the small jar of cream and shaving brush in front of him. "Where did you get them from?"

At this he smiled and rinsed the blade. "I won it in a wager," he said. He continued with expert fingers.

Elysia laughed. "Whom against?"

"Stan," he said. "I wagered I could beat him in an arm wrestle. He wagered I couldn't."

"You knew you would win," she said. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

William shifted his head, debating it for a moment. "I had a feeling the odds were in my favour. He is a grown man he knew what he was getting into."

"Hmm. How very Swift of you." He hesitated for a fraction of a second but her jesting tone registered, and he continued unbothered.

She shifted Jakob onto her other knee and glanced at the sky. The thick heavy clouds threated rain. An uneasiness swirled in her stomach. She turned back to William, adjusting the comb he had given her in her hair. "Thank you for the lesson earlier. It means a lot."

"You are a quick learner, Lorell always spoke highly of that. But a real sword is much heavier than a stick," he said. He took the rag from his neck and wiped his chin clean.

"A real sword is also much more effective," she said.

William chuckled. "Aye. The uh—the comb looks good on you." He cleared his throat cursing his own awkwardness.

"Thank you," she said, a hot flush rising in her cheeks.

Rita sat down beside her, keeping her eyes solely on the fire. Elysia found herself staring once again at the scars and tattoo on William's chest. The tattoo of a forgotten childhood. The tattoo of a created warrior. A fine mist of rain began to drizzle upon them and Elysia shook away her dark thoughts.

Swift approached them from a neighbouring campfire. "You will not believe what I just found out," he said. He wore his bandana around his head, and he warmed himself by the fire.

"Rita," said Elysia, "can you take Jakob into the tent? You should both get out of the rain."

Rita nodded and took Jakob from her. They disappeared into the large tent behind William, just in front of the tree line.

"What is it?" said William as he slid his shirt back on. He cleaned the small blade and brush in the water and replaced the lid of the jar.

"I was talking to Henry about the Bellatore Arena, and he said there is a cure for the memory potion. He said its effects can be reversed," said Swift.

William froze. Elysia swallowed. No, she thought. Not now. Please.

"It can't be true," he said his voice drifting with his racing thoughts. "I never even considered..." He stood his fists opening and closing. "Do you know anything about this, Elysia?"