Bard: Chapter 19

There was a great deal of mirthful chattering and whispers around the main desk of the library when Laura circled around at the end of the day. The librarians seemed to be in something of an excited tizzy, even two or three other guards had been pulled in and were giggling away.

There was also a conspicuously large bouquet of flowers on the desk, which Laura assumed was the cause of all the giggling and whispering.

As Laura approached to check out for the afternoon, there was a sudden hush, and she paused, eyeing them all warily.

“What’s this about?” she asked.

Eloise grinned, sliding an arm around Laura’s shoulders and ushering her towards the desk and the bright bouquet.

“Someone sent you flowers,” she crooned. Laura’s eyebrows went up.

“Who would send me flowers?” she asked.

“There’s no note,” one of the librarians said, her voice bright. “You have a secret admirer, it seems.”

“If there’s no note, how do you know it’s for me?” Laura asked, still not quite believing what she was seeing with her own eyes.

They were lovely flowers, full and colorful and well out of season. They had to have come from a hothouse somewhere in the city. There were roses and irises, and even a sprig of baby’s breath.

“The delivery girl gave your name specifically,” another librarian chimed in. “We made sure they were looking for a guard and not a student.”

“I see…” Laura reached out and gently stroked the rose petals with her fingers. She didn’t get things like this from people, and there was no way in any hell that it was from Liam. If he wanted to give her a flower, he would have plucked it out of a garden and stuck it in her hair when she wasn’t looking.

“So who do you think sent it?” Eloise demanded, nudging Laura in the ribs.

“I have no idea,” Laura replied, turning the narrow vase the flowers had come in and inspecting it for any clues. There were no markings, and as she had been told, no note. She tried to think of anyone who might have romantic inclinations her way and came up with no one. Men didn’t make romantic gestures at her unless they expected something rather immediate, and she’d learned how to deliver a swift and unmistakable ‘no’ in those circumstances. Getting flowers, like some sort of proper courtship, was something entirely new. “This sort of thing doesn’t usually happen.”

“But you must have some idea,” one of the evening guards said.

“Not really.” Laura shrugged. She hoped it wasn’t some doe-eyed student she hadn’t noticed taking an interest. The idea of someone she hadn’t even exchanged names with sending her flower arrangements didn’t appeal at all.

“Oh, you have a message, too,” one of the librarians added, picking up a folded and sealed slip of paper from the desk and handing it over. “Not about the flowers, it’s from city hall.”

“It’s just my day, isn’t it?” Laura took a small step back from the counter and everyone’s expectant looks, and unfolded the message.

It was a request to come see the captain of the guard, at her earliest convenience. Laura quirked an eyebrow at that.

“Did anyone else get a note from city hall?” she asked. There was a general round of heads shaking and Laura tucked the note into her pocket. She hoped she hadn’t done something to get into trouble. The only interaction she’d had with any of the city officials had been signing up for the expedition north, and that shouldn’t have troubled anyone. They hadn’t even been paid, something she was still a little bitter about. “Hmm.”

Once the giggling was done, and she’d convinced everyone that no, she really didn’t have any idea who might have sent her flowers, Laura picked up her bouquet and decided to stop at city hall on her way home. It wasn’t far from the library, and it was better to know what the note was about sooner rather than later.

After a few inquiries at the front entrance of the hall, she was directed to an office near the back of the building, with a reception desk out front.

Laura stepped up to the desk and immediately wished she’d waited for a day when she wasn’t carrying a large bouquet of flowers. She’d received a few amused looks that she hadn’t minded, but was she really going to talk to the captain of the guard with an armful of flowers?

The young man behind the desk took a look at the bouquet, smirked, and then nodded to her.

“How may I help you?” he asked.

“I received a message asking me to come by and talk to the captain of the guard,” Laura said, holding the note out to him. He waved the note back, and checked a list next to his work.

“Just a moment,” he said. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“Thank you.” Laura waited as the young man stepped through a door behind the desk, it swung closed behind him. He returned just a few moments later, ushering her back into a short hallway and through another door into the captain’s office.

The captain was at his desk, and stood as she entered. Laura recognized the man from the excursion. He looked better with his helmet off, and not frosted over, with warm tan skin and short-cropped dark hair.

“Welcome,” he gestured towards the chair across from him. “Please, have a seat.”

Laura sat down, setting the flowers on the floor next to her. The captain didn’t comment on them.

“Good to see you again,” she said, and the captain nodded, extending his hand over the table.

“We weren’t properly introduced before,” he began, “I’m Captain Merk, head of the city guard, messengers, and security.”

“Laura,” she said. “That’s a lot of jobs,” she observed, shaking his hand. He had a predictably strong handshake.

“I do my best,” Captain Merk said, sitting back in his chair. He had very straight posture, though Laura noted that he wore a breast plate, even behind a desk. It probably wasn’t very comfortable to slouch in one of those. “I wanted to extend my appreciation for your assistance with our most recent excursion.”

“Oh?” Laura raised an eyebrow, maybe they were going to get paid.

“You displayed great competence in a dangerous situation,” the captain said. “You also seem to know how best to support the members of your team, and act with discretion.”

“Yes?” Laura narrowed her eyes, wondering where he was going with this. The discretion had to be not mentioning that Trista could do magic, even though it was none of her business to spread that around.

“I think you would make a fine addition to the guard,” Captain Merk said. “If you’re interested.”

“You want me to work for the city guard?”

“Yes,” he replied, taking a paper from a stack on the desk and sliding it across to her. It was a contract. Laura picked it up and inspected it.

The pay was better than the library, considerably better, and the hours were much the same, but she had no idea what working for the city guard would be like. She didn’t particularly like the idea of heckling travelers at the gate, or arresting drunks, but she didn’t know what else the city guard did.

“I quite like the position I have now,” Laura said, watching his expression. “It’s nice and quiet.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Captain Merk said amiably. “Please know you are under no obligation to accept, but the offer stands.”

“I don’t really know what you all do, to be honest,” Laura admitted. “When you’re not on emergency excursion, that is.”

“We are responsible for keeping order in the city, and working security for the hall, and visiting dignitaries,” Captain Merk explained. “We also have several specialized divisions for investigations, security escorts, messaging, and even research. If you wanted something quiet, I’m sure we could find it for you.”

Laura scanned the contract again. It was an open-ended thing. Nothing permanently binding. It was an unknown change though, and for the moment she was in a place where she didn’t have to put up with those if she didn’t want to.

“How long do I have to think about it?” Laura asked.

“I’d like to say take as long as you need,” the captain said, “but we are trying to fill several urgent vacancies, due to…uh”

“The terrifying ice monster,” Laura offered.

“Yes,” the captain smiled sardonically. “So I will give you until this time next week.”

“Are you making this offer to all the volunteers?” Laura asked. “I had some friends out there as well.”

“We are making the rounds,” the captain replied.

“I see.” She wondered how Liam would feel about the offer. The pay was much better than what he made at the docks, and he might not have to stand outside all day.

“Please feel free to inquire, either at the desk, or with me, if you have any questions.” Captain Merk waved away her attempt to return the contract. “You can keep that. Look it over at your leisure.”

“I’ll do that.” Laura stood, hefting her bouquet again.

“Thank you for taking the time.” Captain Merk stood with her, extending his hand.

“You’re not responsible for these, by chance, are you?” Laura asked on a whim, nodding towards the flowers.

Captain Merk snorted.

“No,” he said, chuckling. “I have yet to resort to flowers to recruit for the guard.”

“Just checking,” Laura said, shrugging off the shade of embarrassment she felt for thinking to ask such a thing.

“I’ll be seeing you again, I hope.”

“Be seeing you.”