{"id":107,"date":"2017-10-27T19:48:16","date_gmt":"2017-10-27T19:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/?p=107"},"modified":"2017-10-31T18:28:45","modified_gmt":"2017-10-31T18:28:45","slug":"twenty-five-the-ruminant-of-roelkia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/27\/twenty-five-the-ruminant-of-roelkia\/","title":{"rendered":"Twenty-Five: The Ruminant of Roelkia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cYou\u2019re amassing quite a reputation,\u201d the Diamond Raven commented, as they made their way out of the Judge\u2019s office. \u00a0\u201cWe should hurry if we\u2019re going to catch the train today. \u00a0I know you\u2019re on a deadline here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t understand it.\u201d \u00a0Raizel shook her head. \u00a0\u201cIt has to be you, people know you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe-\u201d \u00a0He hesitated. \u00a0\u201cThe last one didn\u2019t know what I was. \u00a0They know you have a golden rope on me, but most people don\u2019t even know what that was, or what it means, or what I am. \u00a0So no, I think it\u2019s you. \u00a0You\u2019ve done some pretty amazing things, and people talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t set out to do anything amazing! \u00a0I just want-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo pay your family\u2019s taxes and get back to your little mountain town. \u00a0With me and a kitten, it seems. \u00a0Unless you were doing to drop us both in the Capital?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t thought about that, had never considered taking them home with her. \u00a0\u201cI live with my family-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I was living in an abandoned temple, as you might recall. \u00a0I know the mountains, Raizel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought you\u2019d want me to free you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a long way away.\u201d \u00a0He shifted uncomfortably. \u00a0\u201cAnyway. \u00a0You could come back to Esteronzerai with me. \u00a0I could go back to the mountains with you. \u00a0First of all, we have to get to the train.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, hello, I need to talk to you.\u201d \u00a0Someone grabbed at Raizel\u2019s arm, only to find the Raven suddenly in their way. \u00a0\u201cHello, I filled out all the forms. \u00a0You, I need to talk to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe forms?\u201d \u00a0Raizel stepped back a step and let herself look at the woman. \u00a0<\/span>Rich folk<\/span><\/i>, her mother\u2019s voice in her head said, and <\/span>can spend lots of money. \u00a0Can afford those silly clothes<\/span><\/i>. The robes looked like an imitation of something ancient, hanging from her in folds and folds and folds of fabric. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI filled out all the forms,\u201d the woman repeated. \u00a0She flapped her hand to one side, revealing someone wearing an iron collar and about half a yard of cheap fabric and carrying three miles of paperwork. \u201cIn triplicate. \u00a0Some by my own hand!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From the looks of the someone carrying the papers – and the one on the other side of her, mostly hidden by her robes – she hadn\u2019t done much of it at all <\/span>by hand<\/span><\/i>. \u00a0But Raizel couldn\u2019t disrespect work done, even if she could argue about <\/span>who<\/span><\/i> had done the work. \u00a0\u201cWhat are these forms that have been filled out?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I asked the High Priestess of Arlke what should be done, she said that I had to find the One Who Voyaged, the One Who Quested. \u00a0And I asked the Oracle of Weplen who the One who Quested was, and <\/span>she<\/span><\/i> said it was the One who Chained the Raven. \u00a0And then I went and I asked the Seer of Porfi and Pler who the One who Chained the Raven was, and she said, ah-\u201d \u00a0she turned to the slave on her right, the one not carrying the stacks of paperwork. <\/span><\/p>\n

This one, clearly female, cleared her throat. \u00a0<\/span>\u201cLook for the one who everyone wishes to speak to, although they know not why. \u00a0Look for the one who fortune seems to flock to, though it knows not its reason. \u00a0Look to the one who is blessed and cursed, clean and tainted, gifted and taken from. \u00a0Look for the one who pays more than she wishes, the one who will, in the end, succeed.<\/span><\/i>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat. \u00a0She said that.\u201d \u00a0The woman flapped her hand. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Raizel had been certain a few prophecies back that they were talking about her, although why Arlke and Weplen and Porfi and Pler were aiming some rich woman at her, she had no idea. \u00a0\u201cSo\u2026 where did the paperwork come from?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was,\u201d the paperwork-carrying person answered, \u201cthe next one, the Ruminant of Roelkia. \u00a0That one said <\/span>the forms must be followed<\/span><\/i>, and when Mistress asked what forms she was supposed to fill out – well, these appeared.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Behind Raizel, the Raven started to cough. \u00a0She ignored him. \u00a0\u201cSo a whole bunch of deities sent you to someone who might be me. \u00a0Why?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The woman flapped both her hands yet again. \u00a0\u201cNobody knows the will or the reason of the gods. \u00a0But I did everything they said, and this is where I ended up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2026 see. \u00a0But what do you <\/span>want<\/span><\/i> from me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI filled out the forms! \u00a0You have to do it! \u00a0See? \u00a0I filled them all out, every one of them. \u00a0In triplicate! \u00a0Just like the Ruminant said!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMistress wants you to bring the Blessed Sword back to life,\u201d offered the attendant not carrying the paperwork. \u00a0\u201cIt was her husband, once. \u00a0Our master. \u00a0And then – well, now he\u2019s a sword.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTemporarily! Just for a little while! \u00a0It was supposed to <\/span>save<\/span><\/i> him! \u00a0He was supposed to be <\/span>aware!<\/span><\/i> \u00a0But he just <\/span>sits there!\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cYou\u2019re amassing quite a reputation,\u201d the Diamond Raven commented, as they made their way out of the Judge\u2019s office. \u00a0\u201cWe should hurry if we\u2019re going to catch the train today. \u00a0I know you\u2019re on a deadline here.\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t understand it.\u201d \u00a0Raizel shook her head. \u00a0\u201cIt has to be you, people know you.\u201d \u201cThe-\u201d \u00a0He… Continue reading Twenty-Five: The Ruminant of Roelkia<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Side Quest Chapter Twenty-Five: The Ruminant of Roelkia\r\n \r\noooh boooy...","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-quest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Tn4Q-1J","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":65,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/08\/11\/fourteen-walking-with-the-veiled-prince\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":0},"title":"Fourteen: Walking with the Veiled Prince","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"August 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"She missed the carriage immediately, but there wasn\u2019t such a thing going from Esteronzerai to the train station for at least two days. \u00a0In two days, if she made good time, Raizel could already be on the train. She and the Diamond Raven joined a small group of people leaving\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":129,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2018\/02\/16\/thirty-one-whispers\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":1},"title":"Thirty-One: Whispers","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"February 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Raizel watched the conversations move around in circles. \u00a0They were trying to be deferential, but she was a kid by their reckoning (and they weren\u2019t far off), and she wasn\u2019t firm or authoritative enough to make it easy for them. Raven got up after a bit and went wandering, came\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":95,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/11\/twenty-two-lost-and-found\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":2},"title":"Twenty-Two: Lost and Found","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"October 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cWhy her?\u201d The Diamond Raven shifted so he was standing almost between Raizel and the Left Hand. \u00a0\u201cWhy this stranger on the street?\u201d \u201cBecause she\u2019s not a stranger, is she? \u00a0She\u2019s the one that everyone\u2019s been muttering about. \u00a0She\u2019s got you, which is interesting in and of itself. \u00a0She\u2019s made\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 3 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 3 comments","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/10\/11\/twenty-two-lost-and-found\/#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/08\/03\/thirteen-attracting-attention\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":3},"title":"Thirteen: Attracting Attention","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"August 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"She could only see the glow at first, but as she straightened back up, she could make out features - plains-people, plains-straight hair and plains-flat nose. \u00a0She bowed again, just to be safe. \u201cOh, none of that,\u201d laughed the voice. \u00a0Male, or male-like. \u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll take care of this place. \u00a0It\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":72,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/08\/22\/sixteen-the-arrow-pulled\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":4},"title":"Sixteen: the Arrow Pulled","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"August 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The Tzarin and his people wanted to leave slow and late the next day, so Raizel and the Diamond\u00a0Raven left them behind, not without some relief. The Raven was quiet as they walked, which suited Raizel. \u00a0It was early, the sun was low and rising lazily, and she wanted to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":77,"url":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/2017\/08\/25\/seventeen-crossing-cross\/","url_meta":{"origin":107,"position":5},"title":"Seventeen: Crossing, Cross","author":"Lyn Thorne-Alder","date":"August 25, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cYou\u2019re old enough to be out on your own, yes?\u201d \u201cOf course I am.\u201d \u00a0She wrinkled her nose at him. \u00a0\u201cI am here, aren\u2019t I? \u00a0Everyone may keep calling me child, but I have an apprenticeship, I am carrying the weight of my family to the capital, and I -\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Quest"","block_context":{"text":"Quest","link":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/category\/quest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions\/112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lynthornealder.com\/sidequest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}