Marachius Ainsley

Lessons in Fishing

The water in the canal slapped lightly against the stonework on the sides, every now and then sending droplets into the air along the edge. As the sun shone down onto the water, light reflected and bounced around as if little faeries were dancing upon the currents. 

Marachius sat on the edge of the canal and laid his fishing pole and bucket next to him. Taking a moment to remove his shoes and set them on the wall beside him, the paladin flexed his toes and dipped them into the water below. After the moment passed, Marachius reached into his bucket and took out a small piece of bait. Taking his fishing pole and fixing the bait onto the hook, he then held the pole to the side and flicked his hook into the water.

Around him, the paladin heard the noise of the city passing by as he fished. It was his day off and he had decided to do something relaxing in the city. As boots and horseshoes marched past him, he ignored it all and watched the water and his line.

“Hey! What are you doing here?”

Marachius turned his head and saw the teenagers that he’d spoken with weeks before about bullying smaller children. “Fishing,” the paladin answered calmly as he turned his gaze back to the water.

“But I thought you were kicked out,” the teenager continued, not moving any closer. “You know, out of the city.”

“Yep,” Marachius answered without taking his eyes off his line.

“What’re you doing back?”

“Fishing.”

“I’m going to tell my dad!”

“Okay.”

The teenager, getting no reaction beyond monosyllabic answers, tapped the arms of his friends and gestured down the road. Marachius could hear them walking away, discussing all the trouble that was going to happen, but he simply shrugged as he drew in his line and cast it out once again.