‘What do you mean you don’t know where they are? I leave two children in your care and you’ve lost them?’ Drystan shouted

  ‘Sorry sir, I’m just a mere functionary, if its staff that you wish to speak about I can get a staff representative’ the Man said

  ‘You’d better get someone that can either get me the children or at the very least let me know that they are safe and cared for’ Drystan continued.

  ‘Right away sir’ the functionary skuttled away.

  Drystan usually carried the utmost respect for the healers guild, a gathering of people who put the healing and care of others above all else. This he found out today was finite in that the children he left in their care had at his request not been found.

  He paced the foyer making the reception staff very nervous, this was the newest member of the council and you do not disappoint council members.

  the staff looked down the hallway at a wizened old man making his way slowly towards the irate man and they breathed a sigh of relief.

  ‘Master Galen’ Drystan said meeting the old man ‘Thank the gods, I need your help’ he held his hands out in a pleading gesture.

  ‘My dear fellow, word of your distress has reached me’ he signalled a functionary ‘Prepare a room with tea and cakes’

  The little man bowed and made his way back down the hallway.

  ‘This is no time for tea and I certainly don’t want cakes’ he said frustrated

  ‘The cakes my dear boy are for the children, I have been told that they are currently at the mages guild learning about harnessing mana, quite the studious duo by all accounts’ He smiled

  As Drystan let out breathe that seemed to deflate him altogether the old man in his brown robe lead the young man to a side room.

  ‘What is your connection to these children Master Drystan?’

  Drystan recalled his previous encounters and the subsequent misfortunes that had befallen the two.

  ‘Ahh, you have a great heart, have you ever thought of joining the guild?’ Smiled Master Galen.

  ‘Funny that I did in my youth, I dreamed of being some sort of miracle healer but alas a healing stone was not for me’ He looked down.

  There are more ways to heal than that my boy, using mind magic to help those with ailments of the brain and even treatments that require little to no magic at all’ he said proudly

  ‘Sorry Master, I think that ship has sailed for me unfortunately’ Drystan chuckled

  ‘Cant blame an old man for trying’ He said pouring out a cup of tea for his guest and then himself.

  ‘The children…’ he started

  ‘Are on the way my boy, you have no worries there. They will be with us just in time for us to finish our little conversation’ he placed the cup back on the dish.

  ‘As I said, you do have a good heart, and I can see that your proposal is going ahead regarding the more dilapidated parts of our fair city. My question for you is why?’ the old man glared

  ‘Why what?’ Drystan replied.

  ‘Why now?, why run for council?’

  ‘I, I’m not sure what you mean, I want to be on the council to help people’ he said

  ‘Please, we both know your cousin well enough that he has plans upon plans, where do you fit in?’

  ‘I don’t know’ He looked down, ‘I was promised that if I became a council member I could make change, real change. Make this city great, make it a place where people dream of coming to’

  ‘You are a dreamer boy’ Galen laughed

  ‘Sorry sir’ he blushed

  ‘Don’t be, never be sorry for dreaming my boy, you think our city was built by men who couldn’t dream, that the leader of a guild wasn’t once an orphan child dreaming of becoming a healer’ He smiled. ‘We need more dreamers on the council, to many planners and schemers, too long has our city been under the hand of unscrupulous people obsessed with amassing their own wealth and power’.

  ‘I can’t help but agree with you Master Galen’ Drystan looked down ‘I want so badly for the city to prosper, the gods know it but how? How do we set the city on the right path?’

  ‘’Unfortunately my boy we must play the schemers at their own games, how do you think I have stayed on the council all these years?’ He smiled his yellowing teeth ‘I’ve not got charm, money, power or seduction on my side, so how do I stay in my position?’

  ‘I don’t know’ Dristan said

  ‘My wits, guile and charm of course’

  ‘I thought you said you didn’t have charm?’ Drystan puzzled

  ‘Yes, and I thought you’d correct me but here we are’

  There was a polite knock at the door, and when granted access two little figures wandered in. They sheepishly entered the room the older brother holding his sisters hand as she followed him like a shadow, looking up the saw the wizened old man in his brown robe and lowered their heads immediately.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  ‘Master Galen, we are sorry for keeping you waiting’ The boy peeped out.

  ‘Not at all children, I believe the young master here was the one most eager to see you both’ Galen gave them a warm smile and gestured across his desk to the seated gentleman.

  ‘Tim, Emie’ Dristan turned to smile at their eyes widening.

  The children told them about life at the temple, how they had been brought over to the mages guild to learn about mana and to receive an education.

  Tim still had his wooden sword all be it under his pillow, he planned to be an amazing adventurer now and cast fireballs, lightning and every flash spell he’d heard of. Emie on the other hand still sporting her red coat and doll wished only to be a princess.

  After catching up a bell rang in the distance and the children where ushered off to go and enjoy their supper, Emie hugged Dristan and Tim have him the firmest handshake he could manage on a hand three times the size of his own.

  ‘So what ties do you have to these children?’ Galen asked

  ‘None really, they needed help and I was there to give it’ He said watching the two run off down the hall.

  ‘So I’m curious, why not take them into your own household?’

  ‘Well ‘ he paused for a moment ‘My home was never one for children’s laughter and I have neither the time or freedom to take them in’ he sighed

  ‘So you see money, power as a councillor, still do not allow you to do everything you would want’ Galens eyes joined his looking down the hallway.

  ‘No’ he said ‘but I’ll do what I can for them, the same as I would do for this city’ his hand clenched into a fist

  ‘Children and this city are more resilient than you think, they can bounce back from a lot if they have the right support in place’ he placed his arm guiding Drystan back towards his office.

  ‘I need to be sure that should something happen to me that there is at least one other to take my place as one with the interests of the citizens at heart’

  ‘are you ok?’ Drystan said looking the old man up and down.

  ‘Yes, yes quite alright my dear boy, but there are very trying rumours abound and I need to know that should anything happen to me you will care for my city as though it were those children in there’

  ‘You have my word Galen but please we must speak of this to the other councillors’

  Galen just looked up at the gentleman’s face now panicked with the innocence of a child, maybe he is too trusting for this, he thought or maybe he is just who this city needs.

  He closed the door, gesturing for Dristan to sit once more, opened a drawer behind his desk and drew out two crystal tumblers and a bottle with brown liquid.

  ‘I could never stomach the fancy stuff so I hope you can manage with this gut rot’ he chuckled pouring a measure into each glass, sliding one over to Dristan with the back of his hand.

  ‘I’m acquainted with the local distilleries’ Dristan said ‘My mother always said you cannot appreciate the best without an understanding of the worst’ he said taking a sip of the what could pass for accelerant.

  Galen took a sip and smiled at the boy obviously holding in a grimace ‘Wise words however not so easy to go back to less than what you have become accustomed is it?’

  ‘I guess not’ he said looking thoughtfully down at the glass in his hand before setting it back down on the table.

  ‘Don’t worry my boy, plenty for myself then’ The old man slouched in his chair.

  ‘So we shouldn’t speak to the other councillors about this then?’ Dristan’s eyes never straying from the glass.

  ‘Oh I’m sure they know I keep a bottle in my desk, probably know who put the cork in the top as well’

  ‘I meant about the other thing’ Dristan whispered

  Galen laughed ‘I’m sure they are well aware of that also, the first to know if truth be told’

  ‘Surely we can talk to Damon about this?’

  Galen looked thoughtfully at his own glass and his face pulled a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

  ‘Surely you jest?’ he said ‘I wouldn’t believe that he …’

  ‘Would?’ Galen finished the sentence ‘Could, could think about it?, conceive of it? I’m afraid so my boy’

  Dristan reached over and took a swig from his own glass barely registering the taste. He took a few moments to think about his dear cousin, the good he promised, the city he wanted to make better, the friend he’d been on the quiet nights.

  ‘Why?’ he whimpered

  ‘Because people crave more than they have, even if they have a lot there is always more, they crave, money, power, influence or respect. Every man has his vice and we are no exception we all have our sins’ Galen said taking another drink.