Chapter 9: The Idiot Savant

Chapter 9: The Idiot Savant

From outside the citywalls, a statue depicting the Patron Saint Josip Adamovic of Zemliharos continued his eternal watch, staring up at the fortitude and providing his blessing for the townsfolk within it. The overgrown grass and greening trail would’ve continued their inertia, had the ground not shaken around the monument, until a simple wooden trapdoor shot out from the shallow dirt that once obfuscated it. A grimy and dusty hand held open the hatch. It extended its reach and pulled upwards revealing Jakov, now coughing up a storm of dirt and dust that he had just aggravated and inhaled. He then helped Peter regain his footing, and yanked Tinnie from off the ladder, and back into the fresh air once more.

“Congratulations, Your Grace, you’ve risen from the dead. Not many can claim that, without looking like one of our winged foes of course.” Tinnie giggled to itself.

“You seem to think this is all some sort of game,” Jakov leered once more at the creature in front of him.

“The dance of death is always a game. But what do we do when we stare death in the face? We scream, ‘Not today’”. Tinnie skipped towards the forestland surrounding the mainland of the castle.

“T-that’s great & all, but how are w-we getting to Ragusiic?”

Tinnie turned back around to face his companions. “Oh, the great Ragusiic, how many decades has it been. Oh, far too long. But first, you think those Striga are gone?”

“I don’t hear their screams.”

“But how can one be sure, first, we must lose their tracks. Come, I know a way. Jakov, you’re a brave boy, march forward until I tell you to stop.”

“I don’t take orders from you.”

Peter nodded. Jakov put his head down and led the excursion deeper into the woods. Tinnie gave orders from behind. Trees blinded the three from any sort of moonlight, and all Peter had to orient himself were the sounds of snapping shrubbery beneath his feet. Going right, then left, left, then right, right, then left…

With each step they took, the trees didn’t break. Despite the caressing summer gusts keeping the temperature cool, it didn’t stop Peter from breaking into a sweat the longer this aimless marching went on. The full moon soon waned into a descent once more and back towards the horizon from what flashes of it Peter could make out through the trees. He figured dawn would give way within a couple more hours. It was only a few minutes after they finally broke from the trees…only to find themselves right back where they began, with the statue staring back up at the city walls.

Jakov stood over the impish Tinnie with vitriol in his eyes. “You idiot, you led us right back to where we started!”

“I prefer the term…idiot savant . Besides, where would the enemy last look than where we first began. While you aimlessly marched, I covered our tracks, they won’t know where we are and they can’t freely traverse under sunlight. If we set up camp, we can even catch some rest. I don’t know about you but I’m quite tired after all this walking.” Tinnie laid down and stared up at the stars above.

Even though Peter wanted to join in on Jakov’s torment of the creature, he admitted that he was far more tired than it was worth for the extra hassle. Whether he liked it or not, he was now putting his life in the trust of this idiot savant. He went back over to where the mouth of the forest began and grabbed a stick and some dried out leaves. From what little he knew of pyrotechnics, he attempted to rub the stick aggressively for a fire. Nothing happened, despite how aggressively he tried. Jakov looked over at his lord, trying not to break into a smile.

“Your Grace, do you need some help?”

Peter had watched a couple of survival shows, but the most he’d done on his own was turning on his gas stove. He knew he’d struggle with a match, and despite his best efforts, he admitted he knew nothing about making a campfire. “...it appears I do.”

Jakov pulled out the flint and steel he used from the catacombs. “Figured we might’ve needed it for the torches.” Soon they had enough tinder for a decent fire. By the time they did, Tinnie was fast asleep, snoring up a storm.

Jakov motioned towards the snoring creature. “Are you sure about this?”

“No, but he’s kept us alive so far.”

“Suppose you’re right, but I don’t like it. It’s clearly mad.”

Peter held back some of his own laughter. “Truth be told, been feeling like I’ve been going mad m-myself these past couple of days.”

Jakov looked Peter square in the eyes. “Your Grace, I can assure you you’re not. While you’re a bit..different from the other Zrinski, I’ve served and met many aliens and men, Zemliharos needs one to thrive. We’ve nearly fallen apart without one.”

Peter looked up towards the sky, “B-believe me, I’m the last person you want l-leading this city, I can’t even lead a marketing department.”

“A what?”

“The land I’m from, i-t’s very different from here. Instead of kingdoms, we serve companies. In r-return from our labor, we theoretically can d-do whatever we want, but we can also be released at will, with nothing in return.”

“Like an apprenticeship?”

“Sort of, but anyone can also own things, cars, homes, land-”

“Cars?”

“They’re like-mechanical horses.”

“Imagine what a lord could do with a mechanical horse.”

“W-we don’t have lords where I’m from.”

“But who leads the people?”

“Whoever everyone votes in.”

Jakov dismissed the notion with his hand, “There’s no loyalty in that. A true lord's duty is to commit his entire life to his people and always knows what’s right, even if it’s unpopular. We serve, and in time, others serve us as well once we prove that we can minimize our vices and maximize our virtues. It’s how it is.”

Peter laughed, “I wish it were that simple…”