{"id":57,"date":"2009-11-06T12:30:30","date_gmt":"2009-11-06T17:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atfmb.com\/Evermist\/?p=57"},"modified":"2010-02-11T21:31:06","modified_gmt":"2010-02-12T04:31:06","slug":"chapter-seven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/atfmb.com\/Evermist\/2009\/11\/chapter-seven\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Seven"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2009, Patrick Hester.\u00a0 All Rights Reserved<\/p>\n

Evermist: Chapter Seven<\/h1>\n

Elias stood before the mirror adjusting his shirt beneath his coat, hand straying to the freshly stitched patch on his shoulder; a bullseye with a small rifle laid across it and the word ‘Marksman’ in white just beneath. He couldn’t help but grin.<\/p>\n

“Okay, okay – we all know you got the Marksman’s patch!” Narut chided him as he entered their room still wrapped in his towel and fresh from the shower. “No need to rub it in!”<\/p>\n

Elias grinned. “I’m not! I’m just… I didn’t actually think it would happen is all.”<\/p>\n

“Right,” Narut said as he started dressing. “That gets you an extra half silver a month, right? I should have practiced more!”<\/p>\n

Elias laughed nervously. The pay increase had been a surprise, the average Militiaman making a silver and a half per month where he’d make a solid two. He almost shook his head at that. His allowance at home had been a silver and a half a week for the last three years.<\/p>\n

“Three weeks left before… You seeing Millie tonight?”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“Yeah…” Elias answered. The last two weeks he’d spent every moment of leave with Millie just talking, something he realized he’d never actually done a lot of with Anise. There was a way to get onto the roof of the The Widow’s Apron, through a little window in the attic, and they would lay a blanket out, chew on a warm loaf of bread and stare up at the stars, musing about where they were all supposed to have come from thousands of years ago.<\/p>\n

Behind him, Narut was drying his hair and eyeing his own clothing. “Hot water! I still can’t get over it.”<\/p>\n

“No hot water in your father’s house?”<\/p>\n

“No water period. We have a well. I had to bring bucket after bucket in for my mother every day. Now my little brother does it, I guess. We always washed up on the stones behind the kitchen. Never had hot water unless we boiled it.”<\/p>\n

Elias shook his head. Everyday he learned of something else he took for granted that did not exist outside the city of Valles. Quickly making his goodbyes to Narut, he headed out of their cramped room and into the hall.<\/p>\n

Elias looked around as Sergent Fesh called to him. He didn\u2019t want to be late for his date but he knew he couldn\u2019t just ignore the older man. Before he could finish snapping to, Fesh waved him off and smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWalk with me, Eli,\u201d he said quietly. Eli fell into step beside his sergent, who took a right through a quick hallway towards the open area and the main gates to the city. Eli smiled, remembering his arrival at those gates only a few weeks earlier. The hallway came out on the far north end and Fesh took a quick left to lead them under the Commander\u2019s office above, where he paused and looked Eli up and down.<\/p>\n

\u201cDate night?\u201d he asked with a smile. Eli wondered if everyone knew about he and Millie. Blushing he tried to explain himself, but Fesh just laughed lightly, something he\u2019d never seen the other do before.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve known that girl a long time, Eli,\u201d Fesh said. \u201cHer father served as a fort guard for two terms. Not many serve two terms, not with Evermist looming over their heads as a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a noise above them, and Fesh guided Eli beneath the stairs leading up to the Commanders office. Confused, Eli started to ask what was going on, but Fesh warned him with a look. Someone, a pair of someone\u2019s, were coming down the stairs. Eli waited with Fesh, still confused. He could hear two men talking and his heart sank with recognition of one. Fesh met his eye and nodded. When the men on the stairs were half way to the gate, Fesh stepped out from the shadow of the stairs and motioned for Eli to follow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know him?\u201d Fesh asked.<\/p>\n

Eli stared after the two men, nodding.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh,\u201d Fesh sighed. \u201cYou have siblings, then?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA younger brother and sister, yes. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Fesh rubbed a rough hand across his jawline. \u201cHe made a hefty donation to the Militia \u2013 not unusual for a wealthy man. Typically they do it to protect a child from having to go to Evermist, but-\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cHe paid to make sure I go to Evermist,\u201d Eli finished for him. Fesh didn\u2019t have to nod, didn\u2019t have to acknowledge him. He knew it was the truth. His father did not want him to come back.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful, Eli,\u201d Fesh said in a hushed voice. \u201cI like you. You\u2019re the type could be something one day \u2013 maybe an officer, save some lives. But a man like that,\u201d he waved after Eli\u2019s father. \u201cHe wants what he wants and he\u2019ll do whatever it takes to get it,\u201d Fesh looked him in the eye. \u201cAnd he doesn\u2019t want you coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eli nodded. Fesh lead him back to where they met and Eli wandered for a bit before meeting Millie. He knew that they never got along, but what had he done to make his father hate him so much?<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 2009, Patrick Hester.\u00a0 All Rights Reserved Evermist: Chapter Seven Elias stood before the mirror adjusting his shirt beneath his coat, hand straying to the freshly stitched patch on his shoulder; a bullseye with a small rifle laid across it and the word ‘Marksman’ in white just beneath. He couldn’t help but grin. “Okay, okay […]<\/p>\n

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