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Chapter 3. The Guild Leader |
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og!” Lemony cried, her short legs making two strides for every one of the lanky mesmer’s steps. The big man paused and beamed down at her, his short-cropped ginger mane tousled by the warm spring breeze. “What der ye wan’, lass?” he asked pleasantly, a twinkle of mischief in his pale eyes. Lemony drew to a halt and caught her breath, grateful she had found him for he was clearly headed for Lion’s Arch in his emerald and brocade finery. “I was wondering… I had rather hoped…” she stammered. Now that she had his attention, she had lost her nerve. Mog rubbed his scraggly beard thoughtfully, a mannerism she knew meant he was gazing upon her as a mesmer. He was her favorite companion now that Uriel was gone and Murdi had become so bitter. Pendaran was busy being a father and when he was up and about he was attending to Teleri, or his adopted son or his newborn daughter. Mog was a kindred spirit, joyful and free to come and go as he pleased. If he had familial attachments he never spoke of them, and she very much hoped he called no other guild home. “What is it, m’ friend?” “I… want you to be in my guild, Mog. In Uriel’s guild,” she said. There, she had said it. Her golden skin turned a deep shade of crimson and she fancied the tattoos on her shorn scalp stood out in bold relief. Mog chuckled and squeezed her shoulder fondly, sensing the sadness that lurked behind her request. “Ye took it ‘pon yerself to build her dream, eh?” he said gently, “Yer a good friend, Sister.” “You don’t have to join,” she said, her voice growing meek as the big mesmer smiled down at her awkwardly, “I just… yes, I want to fulfill her dream. She wanted this so bad.” To Lemony’s surprise, the man placed an arm around her shoulder and held her close as he might a wounded child. “Of course I’ll join yeh. I ne’er been in a guild, but I can’t imagine one I’d rather serve.” “Oh Mog,” she chirped, embracing him tightly, “Thank you, I’m so happy. I got Pen to join, too. I’ll have five names on the roster now!” Mog chuckled as she hurried back to the makeshift study to record his name and put aside the funds to make his cape. Being a guild leader was not all bad, she decided, although at first she had been quite daunted when Morisedd had stepped away from the job, leaving her as the sole member. Brigit had taken pity on her and joined before departing with Armand to chase the circus. Pen had laughingly joined with Mabane. Five people in the space of a month! Surely Uriel would be proud of her. Xiang Yi, the leader of the Order of Crystal Palm, had offered to help fund her new guild. He had presented her with a locked box containing three bars of platinum. Now that she could afford it, she was tempted to change the cape’s color, but Brigit had gently convinced her that not many people would be willing to wear a rainbow colored cape with stars and flowers splashed across it. She conceded and decided to honor Uriel’s wishes and stay with black and the silvery open hand to mark their allegiance to Crystal Palm. Her work completed, she carried her newly updated roster under her arm and gathered up the coins she would need to get capes made for her friends. Mog was just stepping onto the sunburst circle of the sigil pad when she emerged from the hall, whistling happily to herself. He waited for her with a broad grin. “T’is good t’ see my Lem happy again,” he said. Lemony smiled up at him. Somehow the sun and birdsong had conspired against her grief that morning and she had risen with a little tickle of joy in her breast. She was not about to ruin it by thinking about it too much. |
