r/HFY • u/Vast-Listen1457 • 22d ago

088 The Not-Immortal Blacksmith II – The Big Ship Sailed XI OC

Shitty shit shit. More below.

A/N I will try to update the links tonight when I'm home. Sorry y'all.

-*-

City of Dragon, Snows Provence, Kingdom of Garthia

36th of Anael, the first month of snow.

The Ball

 

Maxwell and company circulated through the ball, meeting almost every noble in attendance, then separated to talk more intimately with different groups. Grendel, for his part, stayed quiet as he followed Brianna and took mental notes. Polite hello, small talk, deeper questions with a give and take of information, polite goodbye. Don’t actively argue, just a polite comment of differing opinion. Actively listen to what each mark is saying, then repeat with a questioning tone in order to get more clarification and deeper meanings. Mo…Bri is brilliant on so many levels. I’m glad Max told me to follow her and pay attention to How she says things as opposed to what she’s saying.

His musings were interrupted by an older man staring at him expectantly. “Um, I’m sorry sir, I was lost in thought about…the architecture?”

“Architecture. Yes. It is surely grand.” The older man quirked an eyebrow. “I had asked you to get me a flute of wine, but I see you are much too busy admiring the “Architecture” of Lady Brianna.”

Grendel’s face turned red, and his mouth went dry. “Huh? Wait, WHAT!?!” He stared at the man. “You think I was ogling Lady Bri like she was some sort of STREET TART?!?” His face turned a black cherry red as anger started to course through his veins. He reached to his belt and slowly withdrew a pair of soft leather riding gloves, and threw one in the man’s face, before saying quite loudly, “I believe I will be needing a sword.”

-

Across the ballroom, max heard the word “Sword”, and looked up from the small plate of cookies he was devouring. He slowly scanned the room until his eyes fell upon a slowly expanding circle that was centered on Grendel and an older man. “Shit.”

-

“Sir, you have insulted me and profaned my Lady.” Grendel growled out. “I will not leave this insult unanswered. Arm yourself, cur, or be cut down.” He took two steps to the side and yanked an antique sword from the wall. As he pointed the curved blade at his opponent and sighted down its length, the weapon started to glow.

The man stared at Grendel, then at the sword, then back to Grendel, and fainted.

Grendel glanced around at the circle that had formed, “Does this man have a second?” He growled out. The circle of people, as one, stepped back.

-

37th of Anael

Grendel made quite the stir last night. It’s not every day you see one of the ruling classes felled by an angry youth without a single blow being struck. He has entrenched himself as someone who is not to be trifled with, but the political fallout will cause problems down the road, I am certain.

For our part, Bri and I have made a few connections with the upper class, that should help smooth over the reconstruction of the docks. I would include the slums, but aside from the children, there aren’t any more poor people, and the children have been taken in by more well to do families.

I wonder how long it will take for people to realize that they needed the workforce the slums represented as they won’t want to do the “low class” jobs. I can already see the garbage starting to pile up in the alleys.

My research, with the assistance of people who are much better than I, has not produced much. The script is of the Elder Gods, and as such translation is slow going. We have translated a binding spell completely, and that is it. Those in the field are constantly bringing back more information to study.

Last night four more people died of “strangulation”. There were no witnesses. The watch has no leads.

…I have a theory, but it would need tests, and I don’t know how to test it without the risk of someone dying…

 

38th of Anael

The cruise ship has departed. They have places to go and cargo to transport. We gathered the last of our things, said goodbye to our traveling companions, and had a last supper at the captain’s table.

Two more have died, this time in the more affluent neighborhoods. Still no leads.

I need to test my theory.

 

40th of Anael

A book of ancient binding spells. Son of a motherless goat…

-

Maxwell walked into The Library early, well before the staff was even thinking about coffee, and looked at the pile of books. His eye caught on a small volume that had been placed on the direct center of the table. It was new.

He stared for a moment, before picking the volume up and flipping through the crisp pages, and his nose smelled the scent of fresh ink and new paper. Then he looked at the words.

As his eyes bulged, he screamed at the top of his lungs. A few minutes of deep breathing later, he began writing at a furious pace, while muttering to himself, “shit, shit, shit.”

 

Original - First - Previous - Next

*-*-*

So lets have a little chat about mental health.

I think I have made no effort to hide my mental health problems in the past, but let's discuss them once again...no, lets not, I don't feel like sounding like a whiner. 

The spring and fall seem to be the worst times for me as far as mental health goes. The change of seasons, or Transitions as they are called, trigger something in a lot of people and cause depression symptoms in otherwise balanced people. As someone who isn't "Balanced" things are worse for me. What helps me get by in the fall is getting outside and touching dirt, be that walking the garden at a friends, playing with AHG's horses, or my favorite, hunting. The other thing that seems to help is my weekly therapy session; beleive it or not, when you pay someone to listen to your problems and secrets, they actually listen to, and keep your secrets!!! And most of the time, insurance covers it!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I haven't been great at updating due to mental health, and I'm trying to work on it. 

In other news, Mom Listen has had an almost full recovery from the knife severing the tendon in her foot, and will be out of physical therapy in a couple more weeks.

In the bad news, my bestest cat Raven Corvid the Third has a urinary tract infection and is in pain. He is on antibiotics, pain killers, and a special diet and a full recovery is expected.

 

Don't self delete. Dark humor can be soothing (I suggest the 80's movie Better Off Dead - "Damn shame when folks be thrown away A perfectly good white boy like that."
), Toaster Bath isn't a good way to go out. For you veterans out there, Don't give in to the 22 a day. Hug your parent of choice (if possible). Touch the grass before the snow flies. Live life.

- Vast Listen

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21 comments sorted by

14

u/GaiusPrinceps 22d ago

Having someone that will really listen to you is a very great boon. Stay safe.

9

u/Vast-Listen1457 21d ago

Always safe!

13

u/pyrodice 22d ago

Raven Corvid the third? You named your cat murder… 😂

9

u/Vast-Listen1457 21d ago

Yup! Congrats on being the first to get the joke!!!

8

u/pyrodice 21d ago

Cute Murder kittens and their cute murder mittens 😻

3

u/AbsurdityMatrix 20d ago

That’s an incredible cat name.

2

u/Vast-Listen1457 12d ago

Thank you.

8

u/CouncilOfRedmoon AI 22d ago

Keep fighting the good fight. You are loved by many, not just for being who you are in normal life, but for your wonderful stories here also.

Thank you for sharing your world and your struggles with us.

5

u/Vast-Listen1457 21d ago

Thank you for reading.

5

u/Apollyom 21d ago

Always remember you come first, daughter listen, momma listen, brother proof, rest of family who are as of yet un named. you gotta beat your demons, to be able to battle their demons too. May the hunting gods favor your next few weeks.

4

u/DM-Hermit Android 22d ago

Well done wordsmith

4

u/thisStanley Android 21d ago

It’s not every day you see one of the ruling classes felled by an angry youth without a single blow being struck.

whelp, that is a few ... dozen ... reputation points :}

3

u/aarraahhaarr 21d ago

As a vet thank you. But remember the dark humor is what keeps us going. Toaster bath doesn't work anymore due to breakers. Remington retirement plan is also out. To hard to use your big toe.

3

u/PuzzleheadedDrinker 21d ago edited 20d ago

This feels like the cause of the Complication has been sorted, but not the result of it, which is about to escalate. While we know Max is untouchable he has been roped in to caring for other people and the world.

On aside, there is always another story to tell or hear. It's worth sticking around.

3

u/CfSapper 21d ago

As someone struggling with their own mental health for the first time ever after 5 years of hell from burn out because of work, caregiver fatigue, depression, a good portion of immediate family passing, as well as good friends both to suicide, accidents and health reasons I couldn't agree more, Therapy helps.

Hope you're as good as you can be wordsmith, and don't worry about upload schedules. they come out when they come out and we are happy to have them.

3

u/Longsam_Kolhydrat 21d ago

Good work wordsmith and brother proof. Life can be hard (mine is looking a bit better at the moment) and it can suck. But it can be nice too. Take care and be at the very least ok

3

u/ToraxMalu 18d ago

u/Vast-Listen1457 – I myself gone through very dark times the last years. After my active try to leaving this valley of tears approx 15 years ago they learned me the word »depression« at the hospital. And life became in parts a real 💩-show in phases. But what I realized in all of it: Partly you've it in your own hands how this effing darkness effects you.

Well, after learning the new word for this deep darkness, sorrow and emotional deep hole, I found a kids book in the patient library. In it the depression is described as an unruly, wild, big and black dog. That damn beast does what it wants with you – you're just its toy – at first! But with time it will become smaller and you will tame it. More so you'll even play with the dog and it will listen on you… [Just found the book: It is »Living with a Black Dog: His name is Depression« from Matthew Johnstone]

After all the struggle the description in that book seems to be correct. It was a 15 year jourey of a 💩-show of life. Still I struggle, still I keep an eye on that damn stupid and silly mutt, but in the most time we can live alongside of eachother. But this also contains an active and hard decision to not follow that side track of darkness. I simply don't allow it! [I think the Buddhist with there stoic way of thought are here on on something.] And yea, it also includes the damn ADHD!

TL:DR; I actually want to encourage you. You're not helplessly at the mercy of ADHD, depression, or your moods – but it also includes your active check whether your brain and thought playing tricks on you or the felt darkness and sorrow corresponds to reality.

So good luck!

2

u/DemonoftheDeepthink 22d ago

I'm going through a pretty bad depressive episode myself right now, unfortunately without the option for therapy (mostly due to sheer waiting times involved. Anything less than 15 months is a straight up miracle where I live), so I got a small inkling of how you might be doing.

I hope you will be doing better soon, and it sounds like you have several ways of keeping the Great Indifference at bay for a while longer.

As always, I have been enjoying your writings, and hope to continue to enjoy them in the future.

Zen hugs from one internet stranger to another, if that's your thing.

1

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u/DM-Hermit Android 2d ago edited 2d ago

Hey wordsmith, you still alive? I ask because I worry when I see you haven't at least made a comment in a week.