Shadow Master (1st Book)

Chapter 6: A Haunted Past

The sound of laughter woke up Brom, as well as Alianor, who was now crying, maybe because she still hasn't eaten anything. 

Maybe they can feed her. He went out of his room carrying Alianor, remembering the paths that Ayleth took. Minutes of walking took him into what looked like the kitchen, and most of the assassins were there, drinking, rough housing and all in all, they seemed to be having a grand time.

"Brom!" A deep voice slurred out. All of them instantly gazed on him, making Brom uncomfortable, as well as slightly afraid.

"Yes?" He nervously asked.

"Come! Join us!" The deep-voiced man now revealed himself to be Fendrel who was, judging by his movements, very inebriated. The assassins laughed and all beckoned him to join in their festivities.

"No thanks," He replied slowly, not wanting to anger them, especially in that state,"I came just to ask for something to feed the both of us." Immediately, Fendrel seemed to become sober, the assassins ignored Brom again returning again to joking and drinking. Fendrel neared him,"Come, Brom. I'll give you something to eat." Brom, with a now silent Alianor in his arms (thank the divines), followed Fendrel to a room on the eastern side of where he originally entered. 

"What room is this?" He asked.

"The kitchen, of course!" Fendrel replied.

"Then," He inquired,"what room was that?" Referring to the room where he found them.

"That's just the dining room." He said lazily.

He had Brom sit down,"I'll go prepare something for you and Alianor." Fendrel walked off, doing as he himself had said. Brom only had to wait for about ten minutes before Fendrel came back, with a bowl in one hand and a plate of beef and vegetables in the other.

"Well," Setting the foot on the table,"here you go. Eat." Brom looked at the bowl, noticing it was stew that was colored green. Vegetable stew perhaps? 

"Do you have any milk for her?" Brom asked, gesturing to Alianor who was now looking hungrily at the meal on the table.

"I'll go see if we have any more." Fendrel walked out of sight again, returning wil a bottle of milk in one hand. Brom first fed Alianor the vegetable stew, before feeding her the milk. Afterwards, he began to gorge on the meal, which was surprisingly still hot. After his scrumptious supper, they stood in awkward silence until Brom finally asked  Fendrel the question that was plaguing his mind ever since he got here.

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked the older man=.

"I told you," Fendrel said calmy, though his eyes held another kind of emotion,"it was to keep you safe and unharmed."

"But why didn't you just drop me off at the orphanage? Why not that instead of dragging me and Alianor here?"

"The headmistress of the orphanage is a cruel woman."

"Liar," Brom snarled, surprising Fendrel," I know the headmistress, Helena, we were close friends. She was the nicest person I've ever met." Now Fendrel was becoming uneasy."Tell me the truth Fendrel. I atleast deserve to know after all you've done."

"Alright," Fendrel suddenly sounded so emotional,"Get comfortable because this is a long story."

Brom adjusted himself so that Alianor, who had already dozed off when he was eating, was comfortable and so was he. He looked at Fendrel expectantly as Fendrel began to tell his tale.

Years ago, in Shardizar, there lived Fendrel. He was still a young boy at that time, seeing only fifteen summers in his time. His father was a general for the army, so he rarely got to see him, and thank Morgana for that, for Ulric always abused his mother and he beat Fendrel senseless.