The Warrior and the Wizard
A short story, nothing huge, but with a little potential for something else down the road. Mentally stuck working on other stuff, so sometimes a short story is a good distraction to get things moving for me. Anyway, not sure if this is anyone's cup of tea, but there you go. I am starting to suspect that stories with shrinking in them are not something I can write well, and yet I keep going back...
Anyway, comments are always appreciated if you have the time, and I thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy.
The warrior paced in his cell. It had been humiliating enough that he had been defeated, but the baron's men had caught him unawares in the river, naked. However, they had left his armour and weapons on the shore, and dragged him back to the town as they had found him, with the addition of a few scrapes and bruises.
The minotaur huffed as he paced, his horns perilously close to the ceiling stones. He looked out of his tiny window, where he could see the seashore, and the men working on the ships. The view was nice because he was locked in the wizard's tower, and not the dungeon, and this caused him extreme concern.
Eventually he heard some steps from the hall, a door closing behind them. Soon a man in ornate blue robes appeared. He had dark hair, clean, well kept, and a gleam in his eye. The wizard, it would seem. "Ah, my friend, you do not look comfortable." He smiled.
"Why have you keeping me here? I have done no harm." He scowled at the wizard, but his heart was racing. He was sure the man could kill him with a touch, if he wanted. He tried to keep his temper.
"You are a trespasser, and you have committed the harm of trespassing. All trespassers on the baron's lands are his to do with as he pleases, and as the baron's most trusted advisor, I am permitted to uphold the law as I see fit."
The warrior held his tongue. He had been trespassing, but had merely sought to cross through the valley, and not take the dangerous mountain paths so close to winter. "It is true, I did trespass. But my offence was minor! I did not hunt, and I certainly do not bear arms or ill will towards your good lord. Certainly, I have committed little harm, if any."
The wizard smiled. "Good warrior, your offence was, as you say, minor. Very small indeed. But harm? The baron is grievously harmed by your presence. The law protects him from seeing you, and had you respected it, it would have protected you from him."
"Protect him from seeing me?" the warrior blustered, hands immediately on the bars of his cell. "What kind of baron is this? Minotaurs are not beasts or monsters, and the word of the king--"
The wizard held up his hand and smiled. "Forestall your tongue, good sir. The word of the king still carries the weight of the law here, but the baron's rules, despite the reason behind them, are still to be enforced. No trespassing means no trespassing, regardless of who is doing it. The law is the law, and I am trusted to enforce it, and mete punishment where warranted, else the world falls to chaos. And as your offence was exceedingly small," he said, patting the warrior on his hand, "so, good minotaur, shall be your punishment."
The warrior sighed, audibly, and hung his head. "I am relived. I had though--" But he caught his breath in his throat, as curious sensation caught his bowels and chilled him to the bone, and suddenly the cell grew outwards in all directions. He was shrinking. "But! But..."
The wizard shushed him. "It is as I said, your punishment will be exceedingly small, and I am a man of my word. It shall be exactly thus." The minotaur shrank, from his enormous, brown-furred nine foot bulk down to eight, seven, six. Briefly, their eyes were level. The warrior stared at the wizard, and saw an even temperament, no malice, but, perhaps, mischief.
Five, four, three.
The wizard opened the cell.
Two.
"Your time behind bars is over, sir, and you are free to go as you please, with my blessing, your punishment served."
One.
The wizard squatted down beside the minotaur, putting his hand behind him. "Calm, calm, my little friend. You have not been harmed. You are just... diminished." Eight inches. Six inches. "Life in the valley is hard, but fair. Justice is served, and now you may make your way." Five inches. Four.
"But I only wanted to cross the valley! Will you return my size and strength to me? Please, I beg you," the minotaur cried out, "I meant no offence!" Three. Two. One.
The wizard raised an eyebrow. "No, my little friend, I dare not. For I follow order and the rule of law, without exception. And in my position, I must set an example. Perhaps one day, should you curry favour with the right people, but until that day, no." His hand moved to engulf the warrior, and he was lifted to behold the wizard's face, looming in front of him. "As small and inoffensive as the humble mouse."
The warrior despaired. "But what am I to do now?" He sat back in the wizard's grip, relinquishing all hope.
"Shall I set you outside, perhaps? Let you make your way alone? I admit, I do fear for you, but you are a warrior at heart and I am certain you will try your best. Or perhaps... yes, perhaps I could introduce you to a man that I know. He has eccentric tastes, to be sure, but he would love a servant of your stature. And now that I think upon it further, he loves the form of the minotaur. What a strange coincidence. I think, if you are faithful to him and work hard, you will do well with him. Yes, I will introduce you to him and we shall discuss it." The wizard smiled.
And then the warrior wondered if this had all been planned from the outset.