Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

91. Seamus' Riddle

Part 2. 

"I don't think I can help you." Seamus said to Alea.

Alea's ears fell. She had truly hoped that Seamus would, or at least could help her. "But why not?" She asked.

Seamus rolled his shoulders and tugged at the collar of his dark colored student uniform. "I have so much on my plate right now Alea, just dealing with Yamamoto has me at the end of my wits. Wendy may be able to help you better than I could anyway. If you started working at the Cafe it would help you be better disciplined. She runs a tight ship."

"Do you think that she would let me?" Alea asked hopeful.

"Just don't scare away her customers and I think it should be fine. It might be a fun novelty to have the first chair of the elemental council in a maid costume." Seamus observed.

Alea stiffened. "You mean I would have to wear a dress!" She looked down at her solid stance.

Seamus scratched his chin. "Well maybe you won't have to. Just look at the outfit Cal had her make for Achilles."

Seamus was referring to the very suit-like attire that looked very similar to a butler outfit. Complete with form fitting slacks, a black pinstriped dress shirt with a red tie, and a vest that hugged her curves. It was completed in an odd way by the samurai sword that hung at her waist and the scowl she wore every time Cal was around.

Seamus finished. "You might be able to talk her into making you a butler's outfit like that."

"That would be perfect! Thanks Seamus!" With that Alea was gone.

Seamus sighed. They were given ties to wear but he loosened his. It felt more like a noose than an accessory. He wouldn't even wear it at all if it didn't have a reasonable powerful magic defense enchantment. He turned on his heel and walked back, he needed to return to his godsforsaken familiar.

He stopped at the banister over the loft and looked over the guild. It had come a long way since he had first investigated it. It was now a proper guild hall. Cal was beneath him flirting awkwardly with Selene, rambling about something or other. Yamamoto crawled up the railing and settled near him with a short hissing growl.

This was the most tame of their interactions. Normally they were biting and clawing at each other since they couldn't communicate properly. Neither Cal nor Naomi had given him any sort of helpful advice to speaking with his own familiar. The least helpful advice he had gotten was when Cal said he just needed to 'feel it out'. Well, when he had tried to pick up Yamamoto and pet him all over he got bitten. A lot.

Cal then said that wasn't what he meant.

WHAT DID HE MEAN THEN? He was tired of Cal's cryptic riddles.

Seamus ignored Yamamoto's hiss and continued to just lean over the banister watching the scene unfold. Naomi was at table with Peter going over more paperwork but they seemed to be at the tail end of their work. According to Naomi they would be officially starting classes the next day. For now they were just kind of floundering around.

However, not everyone was lazing about like he was. Vera was standing with the other students receiving basic combat training from Achilles. Seamus wasn't supposed to be using any bladed instruments, so he was left out. Cal had told Achilles that Seamus was undergoing a special training program and didn't need to be trained in that kind of combat. He could do hand to hand and some staff exercises but other than that Seamus was to be focusing on his druidic studies...

What studies? Cal hadn't told him to study anything. At least Naomi and Yvette got books they were supposed to be reading. Cal had just run his mouth a lot to him, but Seamus just didn't get it.

Cal had said that Druidry was the opposite of being an assassin. That it would be the hardest concept for Seamus to grasp conceptually. Assassins were always hidden, but druids were out in the open. Assassin took life, Druids cultivated it.

Seamus was frustrated by the challenge. He was a genius assassin. Everything about that lifestyle came natural to him. Everything about being a Druid was confusing and hard. The only thing he really did understood was that studying his opposite was important.

Cal was an enigma. His entire life he had always admired the stories of his benevolence and brilliance. But now that he knew him personally he admired something completely different.

No challenge was too great for Cal.

He was larger than life but at the same time, he wasn't. He watched as Wendy disciplined Cal, as he bashfully flirted both Shayley and Selene, as he played with his daughter, and as he not so secretly overworked himself. Cal didn't run away from his problems. He chased them down until they submitted to him.

No challenge was too great for him, just meant that there was never a challenge he wouldn't tackle. He had openly declared to Gods that he would fight anyone who challenged him. It was like he had no fear. A cult, a warrior princess, gods. He was like a force of nature. A reckless storm of impossible brilliance and unwavering courage.

Seamus was a dark shadow that had no spark, but Cal was brilliant light and conductor of darkness.

As much as he couldn't stand Cal's antics, he couldn't help but admire him more and more every day. He wanted... he needed to be like him.

Seamus had an epiphany. He really did want to be like Cal. But which part of him did he want the most. He didn't even know where to start.

He looked down and saw Cal holding Ophelia while the micro griffon Hifumi sat on his shoulder.

What he wanted... Seamus couldn't define it as power. Cal was a Guildmaster who didn't want to be a god and was only reluctantly willing to become a king.

Courageous wasn't what he wanted either. Seamus didn't fear anyone. But he had seen Cal cower before Wendy. He was also more recklessly stupid rather than truly courageous.

What was it that Cal had that Seamus wanted?

He saw a smile on Cal's face, it was infectious. Cal had the ability to subdue anyone under him by force. He could single-handedly conquer any city with the forces and strategies at his disposal. But here he was surrounded by a random assortment of people just goofing off. He smiled so easily. Everyone around him ended up smiling. Except maybe Achilles, and the cultists.

The air in the room changed as a rotund green skinned monster with tusks squeezed his way in through the front door. His clothes looked like they might have been colorful at one point, but now they were in tatters as they hung in places on his body. If he were any taller he might not have been able to fit under the door frame. His green skin was paled and covered in grime and his long hair was matted and grotesque. And when he entered a palpable smell of body odor and sewage followed him.

Many in the café began gagging but no reaction in the café was so strong as Nyana and Yan who gasped and scowled at the smelly giant. However, that was nothing compared to Achilles who jumped forward to place herself between the monster and the rest of the guild.

"Who are you, state your business, Monster!" Achilles shouted.

The grotesque being cowered slightly at the shouting woman.

As if on cue Cal was behind her and chopped her on the head so hard that it sent a shockwave through the room. "Manners! I'm trying to run a business here!" 

** ** **

A/N

Welcome back Everybody. 

I really did need that break. I wasn't able to catch up as much as I wanted to but it was a much needed respite all the same. 

Anyway here we go back into the the fray. 

And just so I get my timing back I'll post another chapter from Pearly Kingdom tomorrow. 

And may the winds of fortune ever fill your sails. 

-The Captain.