Lem's growing pain

Sparking up his pipe Von sat at his window watching the early evening bustle in the streets below. He had been a solitary man his whole life, never delving into other’s business and certainly never with the intention of raising a child. At times he questioned why he had not dropped Lem off at the local orphanage, or found a woman to raise him. Von could have provided financial support, but he had not. He had made his choice the day he had returned home with him. There was something about this child.

Lem barely spoke, Von was not sure whether this was from the trauma of losing his mother, being brought up by someone who was not a father, or whether this was just the child’s nature. Although at the age of 13 Lem was practically a man, Von figured he needed to stop thinking of him as a child.

Von brought Lem up in the only way he knew how. Each morning they would meditate together, and then they would practice the ancient art of Kalaripayattu. Von would exercise each morning using Maipayat exercises which Lem would imitate. Von would stretch every muscle in the body in his routine and Lem as a small child would get up early and imitate him. At first, Von would be irritated with the distraction, however, when Lem did not desist and would continue each morning Von began offering a correction. Soon Lem was more flexible than he was. After this Von began to teach Lem the other disciplines in Kalaripayattu, combat with wooden weapons, sharp weapons and also barehanded combat. During the day Von taught Lem other skills, such as hunting, shooting, tracking and meditation. Lem was a focused child, anything Von chose to teach he would put his mind to perfect.

Von and Lem would barely communicate verbally, they fell into routines and learned to second guess each other's movements and desires. Von watched Lem grow strong, and become more silent and withdrawn. Von didn't see this as an issue, he was quiet himself and felt no need to use more words than were necessary. At 13 Lem had grown into a tall boy, strong and powerful. Lem had also learned to be unseen and could walk through a crowded street without people paying attention, he could move around without being heard and his movements were so slick he had the makings of a very proficient thief, although he never stole a thing.

Von made his money through healing and people rich and poor would call on his services, he was proficient with herbs and incantations that could cure minor ailments, he would also help with more complicated illnesses however could not always guarantee the outcome. This was the only skill that Lem seemed to have no interest in, and Von often wondered what Lem would do to support himself. He had no further skill to teach, on other occasions, Von would worry that Lem was far too proficient in combat skills and on rare occasions Von would see a darkness cross Lem’s eyes. Von would dismiss this, there was still secrecy around Lem, Von still believed that The Blackwood were not at that lakeside by accident, and did not assassinate Lem’s mother for sport.

Lem interrupted Von’s thoughts by appearing at his side with some lemongrass tea. Von took it graciously.

‘You are short on Tumeric and Flax Seed. I’ll make my way to the apothecary’

Von nodded to Lem in response. Lem calmly and efficiently swung himself over the balcony and quickly descended the tower that they lived in, nooks appearing to his hands and feet as he descended quickly and silently down the wall. Von watched as he launched himself off the tower in a graceful ark landing nimbly on his feet, pulling his hood over his head and slipping off into the darkness.

It dawned on Von at that moment that Lem could be a highly dangerous man, right now he was a 13-year-old child who excelled in martial arts, but he was going to send this child out into the world one day, who had skill beyond most others his age, and the ability to keep hidden. Von’s mind turned to the look of darkness he saw in Lem’s eyes once in a while, and pushed away a nagging thought. He may not have been nurtured, but he was also not beaten. This child was cared for.

Von returned inside, and turned to pack away his herbs and medicines. Collecting the bottles from around the table where earlier Von had treated the daughter of a blacksmith, something flashed and caught his eye. Von bent under the table and reached out. A long thin needle was lying on the floor. The end was blackened, pulling it gently between his thumb and forefinger the needle left traces of a black oil-like substance on his skin. Puzzled, Von wiped the black substance off and placed the needle on the surface of his herb cabinet.

It was a small apartment and Lem would sleep on a mat in the main room, Von wandered over to it, Lem’s space was always kept immaculate, he didn't have many belongings so it was not hard, but he had never not made his bed. Von pulled the mat from the wall slightly and found a pot of ink, he pushed it back with his toe. Why Lem would hide that he was tattooing himself was beyond him. Von had no issue with this, but it was something else that nagged at his subconscious. What tattoo would this child need to hide from him?

SItting down, Von puffed at his pipe and finished his tea, he waited for Lem to return. Eventually, almost silently Lem crept up over the balcony, the light was fading and Von sensed his presence rather than saw him. Lem walked over and placed the herbs on the cabinet, and dropped a few coins back in the pot, Von felt him pause over the cabinet. Von exhaled some pipeweed slowly.

‘Your needle is on the side, may I see your tattoo?’

Lem did not respond, he turned and walked over to his bed. Von waited, watching him. Eventually, Lem said

‘I feared those men who murdered my mother. They had a mark on them. One day I will be the one who is feared. I too can have a mark.’

‘Decided that have you child?’ Lem winced at the word child. ‘Before one day comes you will think about your words, think about how you are defacing yourself, and you will decide what man you are to become.’ Von inhaled deeply, this was no ordinary child he had taken in. ‘It is not your body that you mark Lem, it is your soul’ Lem lay down on his bed, thoughtful. For a while they both sat in silence.

‘They came for me sir, they didn't come for her. I know it but I don't know why. I do know that I will be ready when they come again.’

‘And I am certain Lem that you can navigate this path, not with a force but with moves and counter moves. This is your path then, you must understand what you were not old enough to comprehend, you must find the knowledge, and I will help you’ Von took another deep drag on his pipe and let the smoke out, he was beginning to fill the room up. ‘I promise you this though, you tattoo yourself with that crap and you won't be so subtle, you’ll be another thug with bad ink, so get rid of that shit won't you’.