• Solo • Hangover Over

[Malcolm]

40 Vhalar 716

There had been a knock at the door the same time for the past three days and each time Malcolm had ignored it. He didn't know what the time was, what the weather was like, or what day it was in Vhalar, only that he was hungry, exhausted, and more than likely still drunk. A mighty thump jolted him from his half-sleep and Malcolm rolled over on the bed to fall out and struggle to his feet. He went down the stairs and stopped half way through the living room to stare at the front door, which had been rammed again.
"What!" He barked.
"Malcolm, its Ben, open the door!"
Malcolm closed his eyes, he didn't have the strength for visitors, his head was throbbing and he had a chesty cold that wasn't going anywhere fast. "I'm sick Ben, go away, I don't want your kids to get sick."
"Open the door!"
Malcolm swore under his breath and undid the lock to let Benjamin in. The man came in quickly and closed the door behind him, only to jump back and throw a hand up over his mouth and nose. "What in the world is that awful smell?" He batted at the air with his free hand as if that would help.
"Me," Malcolm sat down at the table.
"You smell worse than my wet socks after a three trial hike."
"That's because I haven't washed in almost seven."
"I hope you're not trying to set a record?"
Malcolm laughed despite his bad mood and horrible hangover.
Ben looked around the place, it was dusty and there were empty wine bottles in the kitchen sink and on the the mantel. "Let me guess, Elyna didn't welcome you home with open arms and a big fat kiss?"
The knight blinked slowly and inquired about the time.
"Its seven, you have class in two breaks and are on duty after lunch," Ben reminded him.
Malcolm had forgotten that he had promised to return to work today. "Tomorrow," he grunted.
"No tomorrow, right now!" Ben shoved him and got the fire going to heat some water. "You can sit in the bath while I catch you up on everything. You stink and if you want to keep your job at the university, you better shave your face and get your act together. I've never seen you like this before, and I've seen you when you're pretty low, Cap."
"She doesn't want me, she said I can see the baby but we're done."
"My woman said far worse than that to me, it's baby brain!" Ben encouraged. "That's all. They go crazy! She wouldn't even let me sleep on the bed! I'm still staying at the bloody inn!"
Malcolm smirked. "Vanessa was never like this."
"Yeah well, at least Elyna hasn't tried to poison you."
"She might as well," Malcolm hissed. "I can't think straight, I don't have any energy, and I can't face that classroom today."
"Get this done, our watch this afternoon is only short, we can get some dinner and have a drink. You can tell me all about Ne'haer."
Malcolm screwed up his face at the thought of drinking anymore. "I just want to sleep."
"Tabard off, shirt off, boots... wait, you've been sleeping in your boots?"
The knight bowed his head and found the energy to get to his feet. "Don't go up stairs, you don't wanna know where I've been pissing."
"You filthy bastard," Ben laughed. "Honey wine?"
Malcolm threw his head back and laugh, and laughed until it was hard to breathe. It was good to see Ben again.

[Malcolm]

The civil war of Saun had rocked the nation and left no stone unturned. The numbers in the lecture hall said a lot, everyone here knew someone who had been killed, injured, taken, or merely moved on. There had been civil unrest before within the kingdom, but nowhere near as many casualties as they had experienced this time around. Malcolm had started the lecture with a moment of silence for those in their class that were no longer with them, and all of the remaining students who had lost someone they had known or loved. He had been welcomed back with fond word and praise, with the knight deciding this was either down to his students relief that the war was over, or just happy to return to the sense of normality Malcolm's presence brought them.
Malcolm leaned back against his desk, arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles. He stood pondering the importance of covering the subject of history in the making, and what makes history important. The subject he wanted to bring up as an example, however, was still all too fresh in their minds, and he was sympathetic regarding their loss. Part of the man was also far away, beyond the broken city walls that littered the ground like the breadcrumbs of Giants, to the little house on the hill. It didn't feel real yet, being back here in Rynmere, going to work, preparing lectures, giving speeches and presentations, only to realise that he wouldn't be going home at the end of the day to the one place he deemed worthy of such a title. There may as well have been an ocean between him and Elyna, as he held little hope that things would be mended soon.
"Ser?" A girl sat near the front of the class smiled and slowly lowered her hand as the man looked up. "Are you all right? You've been staring at your feet for the last three bits."
"Apologies," Malcolm pushed himself away from the desk and picked up a piece of white chalk to write the word 'trade' up on the board. "Trade relations," he studied some of the faces of the students who had looked up to remember and jot down the word. "Who can tell me the difference between national and international trade?"
"National trade is what goes on within the kingdom while international trade happens outside of it with other big cities like Ne'haer and Rharne."
"I'm glad you brought those two cities up," Malcolm smiled, "because believe it or not, we don't trade with either of them currently. Can anyone tell me why?"
"Distance, Ser?" A deep voice called from down the back of the room. "The food would spoil before it arrived here or there."
"That's a very logical observation, but it's not the answer I'm looking for," he admitted, slowly sweeping his gaze across the classroom to see if anyone else was willing to take a stab in the dark at what it was he might be thinking. The knight turned around and scratched another word down 'independent'. "For a long time we have been a self-sustaining, self-reliant nation. What happens, though, during times of war?"
"We need extra resources to fund and feed the Iron Hand," someone called.
"And for repairs and recovery," the same young woman up the front spoke up. "Using up a lot of the kingdom's reserves."
"And how doesn't the country make and keep its wealth?" Malcolm asked.
"Nobles," a man quipped, and the rest of the class laughed.
Malcolm did his best not to smile though he had found the remark somewhat amusing. "I think you'll find you have more luck squeezing blood from a stone." The class laughed again. "You're half right," he acknowledged. "Some of our wealth does come from within the kingdom, but we make most of our wealth selling excess to other countries. I want you all to read up on trade between Rynmere and Rharne, and write a thousand word essay on the history of trad between our two nations, and what you predict will happen as a result of the war."
"Expected by what date, Ser?"
"Five trials from now."

[Malcolm]

"Professor?"
"Sadie," Malcolm replied without looking up from his work, marking one of the papers he had been left by the relieving lecturer from Viden. "How can I help you?"
Sadie rubbed her arm and bit her lower lip. "I..."
When the woman did not reply, Malcolm looked up to find that everyone else had left the classroom. His eyes found Sadie's and he leaned back in his chair, fists held half closed against the surface of the desk. The young woman was already crying and lifted her hands to rub her cheeks. Malcolm pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket and stood up to close it in the woman's hand. "What's the matter?"
She sprung at the man and wrapped her arms around him to press her face to his chest. Malcolm thought it was perhaps the kind gesture that had done it, women were prone to outbursts at the first sign of sympathy in his experience. He took her shoulders and sat her down on the edge of his desk. "What's happened, dear?"
Sadie's shoulders shook as she seemed to work herself into more and more of a state, sobbing uncontrollably. "They found my husband's body," she managed to say, "four trials ago on the road from Krome."
Malcolm was genuinely surprised to hear that Sadie had been married, she had always been that over eager girl that sat at the front of all of his classes, asked a hundred questions, and generally just wore him out as a professor whenever they were speaking one to one. He didn't know what to say, so he rubbed her left arm lightly and offered a reassuring squeeze.
"Without him, I can't..." she stole a shaky breath and blew her nose into the cloth. "I'm pregnant and I only have two seasons left of my course before I graduate. If I don't finish now, when the baby comes, I'll never be able to finish my studies, and with Henry dead, I... I can't afford to attend next season."
Malcolm moved around the desk and sat down, pulling the class records from the file he kept in a locked drawer. Sure enough, Sadie had paid for everything except the season of Zi'da. The knight closed the file slowly and inquired about the man Sadie had lost. "What did he do for a living?"
"He was just a carriage driver, Ser, not wealthy by any means, but he had been working extra routes to save up for my last season, I didn't want him to go, they told us that road was dangerous," she dabbed her eyes dry and blew her nose again.
"My records show that you're completely paid up," Malcolm lied, "there is nothing owing. I'll go to the head office and make sure they send you notice stating such."
Sadie blinked and her lower lip quivered. What, that can't be?"
"It's right here on paper," he said. "Come on now, no more tears, you don't want to stress out that baby of yours," Malcolm smiled and stood up again to see her out.
As Malcolm made his way towards the door, Sadie hugged him again but didn't say anything, and he wondered if she knew. On his way out, Malcolm locked the classroom and went straight to the office before leaving. "I've got payment for Sadie Helverk's last season here."
"Helverk," the office admin scanned her books. "Just the hundred owing."
Malcolm paid one hundred in gold and watched the woman count it. "Can you make sure she gets an offical notice tomorrow saying that everything has been paid for."
"Of course, Ser Krome, is there anything else?"
"Make sure the last payment is recorded as being paid in full by Henry Helverk."
"Certainly," she beamed, and Malcolm went on his way.

[Pegasus]

Malcolm

Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 0/ 5 (solo thread)
Structure: 5/ 5

Knowledge:

Ben: Persistent.
Ben: Philosopher at heart.
Ben's Philosophy: Baby crazy women is crazy.
Civil War Saun 716: Took its toll on everyone.
Teaching: Connecting with the students emotionally can really help your relationship with them.
Teaching: Start with a fairly simple question to warm em up.
Teaching: The art of the 'praise sandwich' when giving feedback
Teaching: Give them some, let them run.
Sadie: One of those students
Sadie: Husband (Henry) died.
Sadie: Pregnant
Sadie: Can't afford her final two seasons of class

Loot:

Loss of 100gn.

Fame:

+2 (give a gift), +1 (good deed: listening and being sympathetic), +1(telling her it was paid), +1(ensuring it is recorded as paid by Henry).

Magic:

These points may NOT be used for arcana

Overview:

General comments. What a fantastic thread - a real journey in perspective. You took me from feeling so sorry for Malcolm to realising that his situation, whilst bad, could be a whole lot worse. It had real resonance for me with the what could have been and therefore was a very poetic tale. Loved it!
Story Great! Your ability to paint a picture with words means that, as I was reading the thread I could smell the chalk dust. Excellent stuff.
Structure All good no problems.

Please do PM me if you've got any questions