Finding the Right Note

by Wanderer D


Hiding Your Thoughts

Finding the Right Note

Chapter 2: Hiding Your Thoughts

By Wanderer D

The water clock’s last drop of water slid down the narrow passage under it and fell into the container below. The pressure was finally enough to tilt the mechanism, releasing a hammer, attached by its base to a threaded pole, and allowing it to spin down, gathering centrifugal force with the assistance of gravity, until at the bottom, the hammer head smashed onto a bronze gong with a really loud…

CLANG!

“Wha—?!” Angus rolled off his hay bed, landing in a startled and panicky heap next to it, looking around in confusion before his muddled brain caught on. “Ugh. I should have gotten the smaller version…” he muttered, pushing himself up to all fours and stretching his back slowly, followed by his wings and neck.

He staggered over to the clock and attempted to figure out the time. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, which finally allowed him to read the face of his Ultimate wake up MMXII waterclock. He sighed. “It’s already five…” he glanced at the other, smaller bed, where Ari was curled up into a ball of fur and feathers, clutching tight to his chest one of his stuffed animals.

Smiling a little, Angus paused by his son’s bed and gently ran a claw over his forehead, pushing back a couple of stray feathers. “Enjoy the extra sleep, kid,” he whispered before turning around,heading off to groom himself and make breakfast.

“Daddy?” a small voice stopped him, making him glance back.

Ari was still curled into a ball, but he was looking at him through bleary eyes. “Are we going somewhere?”

Angus chuckled. “As always, Ari, I’m going to work and you’re going to school.”

“Ooooh no,” Ari groaned turning away from him, tail swishing. “I don’t wanna go to school! Let’s stay home!”

Shaking his head, but still smiling, Angus sat next to his son’s bed. “I know kiddo, I’d rather stay home with you today, but you know I can’t…”

Ari’s response was only a soft snore.

Chuckling, Angus stood up and stepped out of their room.

He made his way to the kitchen to prepare a small snack when he saw the scroll that had arrived while they slept. It had the distinctive mark of the Darkvane family.

Sighing, he picked it up and opened it, wincing when he saw his wife’s name at the bottom. “What now?”

o.0.o

“I really don’t want to go to school, I want to stay home and play,” Ari mumbled on top of Angus’ back as the latter flew around and over several buildings in the lower section of Ammassalik. “I want another leather strap.”

Angus shook his head. “You already had one, Ari, and you know you can’t have more until you have a real meal.”

“I don’t like you,” Ari stated.

Angus grimaced, thinking of the scroll from earlier. “Hey kid, I know you don’t mean that but, please don’t say it.”

He felt Ari’s body settle down on his back.

“Sorry, daddy.”

“It’s okay kid, just try not to say those things.”

They arrived at Ari’s school-house, a little aviary run by an old minotaur and two of her sons, Tin and Lead Will.

Ari ran to the door and rang the bell, quickly stepping to the side, where he couldn’t be seen by anyone opening the door. “Dad! Quick! Hide!”

Angus blinked, but stepped slightly to the side. “I’m hiding, I’m hiding. Why am I hiding?”

“Shh!” Ari hushed him, making himself smaller when they heard someone approaching the door.

It opened up and Lead Will looked out the door, quickly noticing Angus, but Ari qucikly ducked between his legs and into the school, laughing all the way.

“Hey, Angus!” Lead Will laughed, glancing back to Ari to make sure the little griffin was already with the other kids. “How are you today?”

Angus shrugged. “Off to work.”

Lead nodded. “Well good luck today, see you later.”

“Not today, my mother in law will pick him up.”

“Okay then!” Lead Will didn’t miss a beat. “Have a nice day!”

And then he shut the door in Angus’s face.

o.0.o

Angus was off into the air and flying as fast as he could down to the docks as soon as the door closed. He had been lucky to find a school for Ari that happened to be on his way to work, so it only took him a couple of minutes of steady flight to reach his goal.

He slowed down and batted his wings to land softly on the pebbled ground under him, before approaching his boss, Frekr Snaptalon, a tall griffon with a scar on his beak that started just below his eye and ended at a splintered tip. He had never gotten it fixed.

“You’re finally here,” Frekr growled, glancing his way. “You’re cutting it pretty close.”

Angus shrugged apologetically, but said nothing.

He was half an hour early.

Frekr just didn’t expect any of them to go home or have time for themselves or their families.

o.0.o

The day began as always: Dragging heavy crates arriving by ship, categorizing each one of them, checking them to make sure the contents had not spoiled, and then arguing with captains, sailors and merchants about products, services and fees.

All through the day the contents of Leandra’s missive echoed through his mind, angering and distracting him. With a start, he realized his thought’s had pulled him away from reality until the customer in front of him slammed a contract on the counter.

“I demand change in price!” Belka Squirrelson—a tall, black-furred squirrel from the lands of Taiga, north of Ammassalik—growled, smashing his paw onto the table. Belka’s griffonese was a bit rusty and he sounded like a cliched foreigner, but Angus knew just how savvy and smart the squirrel was, despite his seemingly imperfect dominance of the language. “This is abuse of a good merchant’s honor!”

Angus sighed, studying the contract once more, trying to figure out what the issue was. “Mr. Belka, the contract you signed with witnesses clearly indicates that the fees for the insurance of the cargo containers would come at personal expense and not as something that the Golden Horn Docking Company would waive.”

“But these fees! They are preposterous!”

Angus briefly considered punching the squirrel straight in the snout, job be damned. “We talked over each expense on the contract. We won’t waive the fee you agreed to pay to us. If you want to do business with us again, you will honor your commitment.”

“This is absurd! I will do no such thing!”

Angus growled, making the squirrel slow his rant until he went completely quiet, watching Angus nervously and noting how the griffon’s tail swept from side to side.

Taking a deep breath, Angus slowly forced himself to calm down. “Mr. Belka, perhaps next time you simply can refuse the insurance on the crates and save us both the trouble of going through this… Every. Single. Time.”

The squirrel chuckled nervously.

“Hey, hey, Angus!” A paw rested on Angus’ shoulder suddenly, pressing softly but firmly. “Why don’t you finish those crates? I’m sure Mr. Belka is just tired, just like you. Let me take over the contracts for a little while, okay?”

Angus nodded, tearing his eyes away from Belka and casting a thankful glance at his friend. “Thank you, Skap.”

“No problem!” Skapgodr Evensight chuckled. “Mr. Belka and I go back, right? Better I remind him of the little signatures on each page by pointing them out than… well, whatever you intended to do.”

“Da.” Belka nodded quickly. “Skapgodr is right. I will speak to him.”

Angus didn’t reply, he simply left towards the docks. At this point, he was simply ready to get into a fight and maul someone.

o.0.o

The day ended as it always did.

“You should stay longer!” Frekr insisted, following Angus out of his office. “There is always more work. This is why you are behind on paperwork!”

Angus shook his head. “I don’t have your energy, Frekr, fourteen hours every day is my limit. I need to relax a little. It’s the first day in the last three weeks I have some time to myself.”

Frekr snorted, but didn’t press the issue.

Angus stumbled his way out of the office and into the fading daylight, blinking and groaning as he stretched his wings. “Ye gods,” he muttered, starting to walk down the street, too tired to put more strain on his back if he attempted flying.

Right now, he needed a drink. Or three.

“Hey, Angus!” Skap called making his way up to him through the busy streets. “Where are you going buddy?”

“Food. Drinks.” Angus muttered.

“I like the plural!” Skap chuckled punching Angus on the shoulder. “Why don’t we hit a pub or something?” He looked around. “Hey, there’s the Featherfall Inn, let’s go in. They have these amazing triple-sized beers, and you look like you could use four.”

Angus raised an eyebrow and let his eyes wander to the doors of the inn. “Huh. Sounds familiar. Why not.”

o.0.o

The drummer easily set the rhythm with a repeating ‘Dum dum-duru-dum‘, while she stepped up and, leaving the bow behind, strummed the cello.

Dum dum-duru-dum

She closed her eyes, pushing down her hat to shade her from the glare of the lights they had set up in the small stage and letting the feelings flow through her and the drummer repeat the little beat.

Dum dum-duru-dum

There’s a song in my head
Dum dum-duru-dum

And it won’t leave me a-lone
Dum dum-duru-dum

It just wants burst through ooh ooh-ooh

Dum

Dum dum-duru-dum

There’s a glint in my eye
Dum dum-duru-dum

And it’s all for you!
Dum dum-duru-dum

For you-ooh-ooh!
Dum dum-duru-dum

There’s no running no more, oh no
dum dum-duru-dum

In this place I’ll have to hide!

Dum-dum-dum

Dum

Dum dum-duru-dum

Away from stress and strife
Dum dum-duru-dum

This is where I’ll nest…

This is where I’ll die… Dum dum-duru-dum This is where I’ll live!

Dum dum-duru-dum

In a faraway land

Dum dum-duru-dum

Sing this song for you

Dum dum-duru-dum

And wish that you were real.

Dum.

The lights on the stage faded.

The room was silent for a moment, and then everyone exploded in cheers, talk and the clinks of dishes and glass resuming almost immediately after.

“Wow, that pony can sing!” Skap called out gleefully. “Yeah!” He laughed and turned to Angus, who was looking at the darkened and empty stage with a pensive look on his face. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like it?”

“Hmm?” Angus shook his head. “No. I mean, yes, Octavia’s a really nice singer.”

Skap blinked. “Wait, you know her?”

“You came.”

The voice made both gryphons stop and turn to face the mare in question, who had approached their table.

“Um, yeah,” Angus stammered.

“Where’s the little guy?” Octavia asked, looking under the table.

Angus shook his head, thinking of Ari. “He’s with his grandmother. I don’t have him until the weekend’s over.”

“Oh,” Octavia’s eyes softened. “I’m sorry. It must be tough.”

Angus didn’t reply, simply nodding.

“Hey, hey,” Skap spoke up. “Don’t get all gloomy, buddy! You know this lady? And you’re not buying her a drink? What sort of cad are you?”

Angus’ eyes went wide. “I-I’m sorry, Miss Octavia,” he stood up, clumsily pushing his chair back. “Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Skap,” he gestured at the other gryphon with his claw. “We work together.” He seemed at a loss on what to say until Skap slightly clinked the two empty glasses of beer. “Um, would you like to join us for dinner?”

Octavia laughed. “Why not?”

She took off her hat, putting it to the side and sat down to Angus’ right, placing her right in the middle of both of them. “But I’m getting a salad. I’m not sure I’m ready for a full gryphon-style dinner.”

Skap chuckled. “We’ll make sure not to make a mess.”

Octavia raised an eyebrow and Angus shook his head.

“He’s like that in real life too,” Angus whispered. “He really does say that kind of stuff. To everyone.”

Octavia chuckled. “Why don’t you guys tell me more about your day?”

o.0.o End Chapter 2 o.0.o