The Blade

Calliope watched as her son tended to the small field they owned in front of their humble abode. The farm wasn't for the market, rather, one for a small variety of harvests used by Calliope in the meals she provided for herself and Adam. As the crops differed, they required much attention, but Adam was quick to learn from his mother the routines in caring for them. Similarly, other skills Calliope had brought herself to teach were also picked up with ease by her son, as if he had a natural talent for it. Seeing the young boy work diligently brought joy to her heart, but deep down, she knew she could not hold him forever. Though never outwardly expressing it, Calliope's maternal intuition could feel Adam's yearning for the world past their own boundaries, the grander scope of the land.

Calliope strolled up besides her son, crouching at his side as he snipped away at stray leaves on a plant with a small pair of scissors, precisely pruning the crop.

"You are getting better at this, Adam. How about you find some rest in the house and I will finish up out here?"

Adam took a second to make a final cut before looking up at his mother, "Don't worry, Mother, I rather enjoy this work. If it puts you at any ease, I consider this rest in itself."

Calliope's heart melted at her son's honest words. She stroked Adam's blonde hair with two delicate fingers and watched as the strands fell neatly back into place.

"I insist, Adam. You work too hard for a boy your age. If only you had a younger brother or sister, maybe things would be a little easier on you..."

Adam scrunched his lips and looked back down at the crop he was pruning. He wasn't one to argue with his mother, so with a smile, he returned his gaze to her and set the scissors down.

"While I wouldn't mind a sibling, I enjoy being the only one. It means I get to spend more time with and have you to my self!"

Adam threw his arms around his mother's neck and rubbed his cheek against hers before kissing it. Calliope and her son shared a light laugh as she squeezed his small, yet strong, frame. After letting Adam go, Calliope grabbed the sides of his head, tilted it down to kiss the top, and brought it back up to look him in the eyes, lowering a hand while patting his head with the other.

"Your words are too kind, my son. I often wonder why I have been blessed to have a perfect child like you..."

Adam winced slightly with the patting of his head, but continued to watch his mother with his radiantly amber eyes, "It's because you have always been the perfect mother. You work very hard to provide for me, so tending to chores diligently is the least I can do."

Calliope's eyes welled as she held back proud tears, once again using two of her fingers to fix the hair that she had disturbed.

"One can only hope, my son..."

Adam slowly removed his mother's hand from his head and fixed the rest of his hair on his own, rising as he did so, "If it's ok with you, Mother, may I go into the city?"

Calliope, whose trust in her son remained steadfast, nodded with a light smile, "Of course, Adam. Just wash up before you leave, okay?"

Adam mirrored his mother's nod and smile, "Will do. Thank you, Mother!"

With his chipper reply, Adam turned face and sprinted back into the house, where he obediently washed himself before preparing to leave for town. He did not tell his mother, but today, he had planned to visit the cove again with Ella and Titus for another picnic. It had been a few weeks since they made their first unsuccessful attempt, but Ella had reassured him in the time since that she was prepared for the trek. Careful as so his mother would not see, Adam had hidden a bag of money on the side of a belt over his tucked tunic and under the tan shawl he wore. There was something he had been saving up for and, though he could have easily bought it with the money he kept with Ella, he wanted to do so with what he had saved personally.

Once finding his way into the city, Adam traversed the busy streets to arrive at a high end blacksmith's shop who he had done some small jobs for in the past. Laxus, the kind, middle-aged man that ran the forge with his aged father, Lars, warmly greeted the young boy as he approached his shop. Laxus was tall, strongly built, deeply tanned, with short, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. Behind Laxus were his father and son, a boy younger than Adam named Laken, talking with a group of customers. Laken, around the age of six, attentively watched and listened to his grandfather explain his store's wares to the group of young men, whose attire and air made it clear that they were travelers, likely of the adventurous kind.

"Adam! How fares yeh today?"

Adam smiled brightly as Laxus rose from the chair that sat outside of his shop in the shade, a wooden cup in hand.

"I am doing well, sir!" Adam peered behind Laxus and into the shop. Most of the work he had done for the man had been in the storage room behind the main floor, but during the few times he spent inside, he was captivated by the array of fine weapons, armor, and equipment carried and displayed throughout.

"M'afraid I don't have any work for yeh if that's what yeh came for, Adam. But know yer extra hand's always 'ppreciated 'round 'ere!" Laxus leaned against the open door of his shop and took a drink from his cup.

Adam's eyes shifted to the side as he smiled awkwardly, "Actually, Laxus... I was looking to buy a knife, if that's okay with you..."

Laxus eyes lit up as he pushed himself off from the wall he leaned on and gestured for Adam to enter the shop with his free hand, "Ya should've just said so, my boy! A good knife is an important thing for every young man to have!"

Adam eased up as he followed after the blacksmith into his store, once again awed by the sight of glass-encased and shelved goods of varying qualities. In the main room laid low-to-medium grade equipment with a few higher grade ones displayed. Having worked around the shop a few times, Adam knew the custom and fine quality goods were securely stored in the back rooms, which is where he intended on looking.

Laxus guided Adam over to a shelf of standard, multipurpose knives of bronze and iron, turning back to him to see his reaction to them.

"Here are some decent starters for yer every day use. They're not all-too impressive, they'll get the job done, but are affordable. Did ya have anything specific in mind?"

Adam, clearly disinterested in the selection ahead of him, shook his head and pointed to one of the back rooms, "I was thinking about one of the custom ones. My mother recently started to show me how to hunt, even though I already know how to, and I wanted to surprise her by bringing my own knife! I think I already know what I want... I only hope it's still here!"

A light chuckle from Adam caused Laxus to smile warmly, elated by the boy's innocent explanation of the situation, "I see. Well come on back then, let's take a look at some more knives!"

Adam, once again, followed after the blacksmith, though this time, he was led to the back of the store. After opening a locked door with a set of keys, Laxus ushered the young boy into the medium-sized room. There was a glow present in this new setting not found on the main floor due to the gleam of pristine blades laying about. Adam rushed over to the place where he last saw the knife he had his eye on from his last visit while working and was glad to see it was still there. In front of him lay a silver-bladed folding knife, a santa smacola, with a lacquered ivory handle and golden guard. Along the back of the handle was a golden strip that served as the locking mechanism through a slit that would capture three small teeth that were cut into the bottom of the blade itself, a silver ring attached for its release.

Adam pointed at the knife, which sat on a counter at his mid-torso level, and looked back at the middle-aged man, his face glowing. Bringing his hand back, Adam reached under his shawl to bring out the bag of money from his belt, which was full of gold coins, and held it up to Laxus to receive. Laxus, unaware of how much currency was actually in the bag, already had his doubts about the payment offered to him. As he began to peer into the bag, he spoke preemptively.

"That one there is truly a cut above the rest, but I'm 'fraid this might no-" Laxus furrowed his brows as he looked into the bag of gold, expecting it to be a mixture of currency rather than just those of the highest value. With his free hand, Laxus dug around the contents of the sack to see that it was, to his surprise, all gold.

"I take that back, this 'ere is plenty. In fact, it might be even be too much, I dare say!" Laxus carefully emptied out three-quarters of the bag onto the counter besides the knife in question, leaving behind a still comfortable amount, and placed it in front of Adam. In all reality, he would have charged anyone else more for the knife than Adam had offered, but he kept that to himself. The knife crafted was a personal favorite of his, but he could never find the opportunity to sell it. It was a knife befitting of combat, but anybody who was looking for a weapon in that price range always turned to larger blades, as they should. Seeing Adam take a fancy to the knife he prized, he could not have been happier that it was none other than him to do so.

"Really, sir? I feared that it might not be enough..."

Laxus placed a strong hand on one of Adam's shoulders, "I tell yeh now, Adam, this knife is befittin' of royalty. It's clear to me now that I'd have nobody else but yeh have this 'ere beauty."

Adam looked from the knife to Laxus, then back to the knife after he removed his hand, its radiance drawing him in more and more with every look he took. Lifting it from its stand, he held it in his right hand and stroked the smooth ivory handle with his left index and middle fingers, running it up along the edge of the seamless silver, tracing a line of gold that ran through it. Familiar with the locking mechanism, Adam pulled back the ring with his middle finger and thumb to release the blade and gently pushed it down with his index. With his free hand, Adam tucked the now less-full bag of gold into his belt.

"Thank you, sir..." Adam closed his eyes and bowed his head to the master blacksmith.

"Take good care of 'er, Adam. She's a little big for you now, but you'll grow into 'er fer sure!"

Adam's chest swelled as it was filled with emotion. He wasn't about to cry, but the honor and esteem he felt to be entrusted with such a blade filled him with overwhelming humility. Though a pocket knife, Laxus had a special belt sheath for the blade. The sheath was not over the top, being of a simple faded white leather with gold fastens. With the knife he had his heart set on finally procured, Adam left the master blacksmith's shop to find his friends.