Undorn: The Beginning

Part Nineteen

Orgon Aldrich, The Fort

"That's it. I've changed my mind."

"In all fairness, sir, you've changed your mind eleven," Mazin paused, a smile creeping up onto his lips as he counted on his hands, his eyes wandering to the ceiling as his fingers checked his math. "No--twelve times in the past seventy-two hours."

Orgon scoffed. "So what? A man's not allowed to change his mind these days? This is a life-altering decision, you know that right? Right?"

"I know that sir," Maxin's weightless voice always had a way of making things seem far less worse than Orgon knew they were. "However, you don't have to come find me every time your mind changes. Especially if it changes at 3 AM. And then again at 4!" Maxin laughed. Orgon didn't think this was a laughing matter.

Orgon fell backward onto his bed, landing on the perfectly made up comforter and pillows with a soft poof. He didn't speak for a few minutes, but Maxin didn't bother leaving. He probably guessed by this time that if he left, Orgon would call him back in a matter of hours. It was best to just stay.

"The treasury is really my biggest concern," Orgon said, breaking their silence. Maxin was probably tired of hearing the same complaints and excuses over and over again, but Orgon was going to make him suffer through it once more. Or twice.

"So you've said," Maxin replied. "Eleven other times."

Orgon ignored him. "No one would know what to do. They don't even know what our exchange rates are. This whole country would go to shit. And I know we would leave the Fort—so, who cares, you say. But we're not leaving Undorn—we'll still feel every single effect of the economy crumbling down around us."

"Orgon, I really think you're exaggerating. Besides, don't you have your assistant? You can teach him a few things before—"

"Absolutely not!" Orgon cried, trying to jump up from the bed for emphasis but instead got tangled up in a few pillows and barely managed to get up without a significant fight. He ignored Maxin's amused grin. "What on earth do you suppose I say? Oh, by the way Jack, let me give you some lessons on properly running the economy as I've got to go run and join the Resistance next Wednesday. Thanks mate, cheers!"

"Well, obviously you'd be a bit more discrete!"

Orgon rolled his eyes. "Yeah right. No one would buy that I was teaching them just for pure pleasure."

"Well, goodness, Orgon, then I suppose you shouldn't come with me, then! If you're going to put up this much of a fight—"

"Now you hold on a minute," Orgon took a few steps closer to Maxin—who had raised his voice considerably since the beginning of the conversation. "There's no way you're going alone."

"Orgon, how many times can I tell you?" Maxin stamped his foot slightly, reminding Orgon of a hot-tempered child. "I won't be alone. I'll have your mother and she says a ton of people live in the Resistance compound. I would never be alone. You don't have to worry!"

Orgon took a deep breath, crossing his hands over his chest. He had been instinctively wagging his finger at Maxin like he was the boy's father. The crossed arms restrained him from doing so. "So, you won't be alone. Fine. But then when will I see you?"

Maxin replied with a limp shrug.

"That's it! A shrug!"

"Orgon!" Another childish stomp from Maxin. "It's the Resistance, not daycare! You can't just pop in for a chat! You're the Prince of Undorn!"