Page 37 of Quest of Fools

Finishing his meal, Warf helped to clean everything up, then carried an already mostly-asleep Kaltin up the stairs to the room they were sharing, so small the lone large bed took up nearly all of it.At least it was large enough his feet would barely hang off the edge.

Once Kaltin was comfortably settled, Warf stripped off his clothes, washed up with the water someone had left, pulled on the only relatively clean clothes he had left, and snuffed the candle on the bedside table before finally crawling beneath the blankets and settling in.

Tomorrow.Tomorrow he would finally catch up to Lady Clarkson and Marian, and that woman better pray to the Fates that she hadn't hurt him.

The Final Question

Lady Grayton smiled warmly."Your last question, Master Warf.What about the victory that could be awaiting you means the most to you?The wealth, the power?"

Warf frowned."That question feels unfair.Everyone in this tournament is already being judged for wanting the money and everything else that comes with being rich, even though we're not the ones who created the tournament, who host it, who provide +the marriages as prize.When the wealth seek money, they're ambitious.When the poor seek money, they're greedy and don't know their place."

"There is no wrong answer," Lady Grayton said."Money is acceptable motivation, of course it is.Anyone who says otherwise is, as you say, probably wealthy and has never had to struggle to buy so much as a loaf of bread.Is that what motivates you?No longer having to worry about money?"

"I think that motivates everyone in Low City, but no, that's not my biggest ambition in this tournament," Warf said slowly."It's the reading and writing."

"I don't understand."

"I can't read.I can't write.I wouldn't even recognize my own name, even though it's been written right in front of me numerous times throughout the tournament.Outside of this tournament, I'll never be able to improve my lot.I certainly can't afford schooling for my daughters.The money, the better living situation… all of that would be wonderful to have… but it is the chance to guarantee my daughters will be able to learn to read and write, and so many other things I never could or will, that matters most to me.I don’t want them working the docks or the whorehouses or any of the other unsavory jobs that are needed to keep this city moving, but which High City looks down on.I've done the docks.I've done the whoring.I've done every shitty job you can think of, or near enough.I don't want that for them.Learning to read and write will make all the difference in the world.I don’t honestly care about the rest, not really.I just want the book learning."

Lady Grayton smiled."A smart and thoughtful answer, just like the previous two.I am only the questioner, and have no say in the voting, but if I had any say, I would give you full marks.Neither am I allowed to play favorites, but you have my highest esteem, Master Warf.Good luck to you."

"Thank you, Lady Grayton."

She bowed her head and motioned he could leave through the door on the opposite side of the room.

Heart caught in his throat, head spinning with the challenge, going over his answers again and again, Warf headed out.This was it.He would win or he would lose.There was nothing to do now but wait to hear which future the Fates bestowed.

The weather, for once, cooperated.Frigid cold had turned the snow hard and crusted, but someone—likely several someones—had cleared a large swath of the path leading from the town, which was all they needed to fight their way the remaining distance.

It took a good six hours, but they'd made an early start of it, and so arrived somewhere around midday, though it was hard to tell with the sky filling with clouds once more.

The looming wall and gate of the manor had only just come into view when three men, heavily armed, stepped through it, one with sword drawn.His eyes immediately went to Warf, assessing him as the biggest threat, which was stupid, because Viletti was the trained soldier and Helia was the one with the bow and arrow.

But let them be stupid.Warf was certainly in no hurry to correct their assumptions.

"You will leave," the man with sword already drawn said."Lady Clarkson is accepting no guests, and those who aim to disobey her wishes will be dealt with accordingly."

Viletti drew her own sword, drawing three pairs of eyes to her, and stepped forward to stand in front of the rest of the party.Back behind the carriage where she'd likely gone unnoticed, Helia had her bow ready.

"I am Sergeant Viletti Wess of the Royal Guard, and I have been charged with escorting Lord Warf to retrieve Lord Marian, his betrothed by Right of Tournament, kidnapped by Lady Clarkson, at the personal request of Prince Isambard.I have been authorized to do whatever is necessary to complete this quest to Lord Warf's satisfaction, up to and including killing you.Stand down or suffer the wrath of the royal throne."

"Kidnapped," the man to the right said."She said they were running away to be together because…" He stopped as the man with the sword glared at him."Fuck this, man.I'm not pissing off the throne.Everyone knows how obsessed the royal family is with the Tournament of Losers.If this guy really is a kidnapped tournament prize, I'm not getting mixed up in the mess.No fucking way."He looked to Viletti."Can I leave?I got a horse and a few belongings to collect, then I'll be gone."

Viletti jerked her head for him to go, and Warf wasn't remotely surprised when the last one, who'd never spoken a word, went with him, leaving only the sword-happy one."Are you really going to push this for a women who is going to be hauled home and executed for more crimes than I have time to list?"

"Bah," the man said, sheathing his sword and stalking off after the other two.

"Well, that went better than I'd hoped," Viletti said, but didn't sheath her sword.

"I'll make sure they go," Helia said."You go deal with Clarkson."

"Thank you again for coming with us," Warf said."You have nothing to do with this, so I'm grateful."

Helia grinned wolfishly."Entirely selfish, I promise.Always hated that woman.Every time she shows up the town lives under a cloud.If I get to see her get what she damn well deserves, I'll consider my life well-lived."

Behind her, her sons rolled their eyes but smiled.

"Let's get this done," Viletti said."Time weallwent home."She led the way through the gates the men had left open, up a path that had been crudely cleared of snow.Helia and one of her son's split off to tend the animals and keep watch over the men.Viletti strode onward up an enormous set of wide steps that wrapped around an ostentatious fountain depicting a regal-looking woman pouring water.Warf snorted as he passed it and caught a grin of understanding from Kaltin beside him.

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