Grandmother's Amulet

Rufus sat at the long table - already decorated for the holy day with dim candles and a few pewter statues of possums laboring - and stared down at his plate of roast vegetables and nuts. He knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for: the moment he could finally share his dream with his family.

He took in a breath and tapped his glass goblet.

"I know you all think I'm crazy," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "But I want to be an adventurer.” There were murmurs and sighs, but Rufus continued. “I want to see the world and have adventures and help people. I want to be a hero."

There was a moment of stunned silence, as his family stared at him in shock. Rufus's father, a gruff old possum with a stern look, was the first to speak.

"An adventurer?" he spat out. "What kind of foolishness is this? Possums aren't adventurers. We're farmers, tradesmen, craftsmen - not hares or foxes! We don't go gallivanting off on wild adventures."

Rufus’s brothers and sisters - all seven of which were twins from the same litter - mumbled: he was not the best with a sword. Or with balance. Or with wits. Certainly, he had a big heart, but...

Rufus's mother, a gentle possum with kind eyes and long whiskers, reached out to touch his hand. "Rufus, dear," she said. "We just want you to be happy and safe. Adventure is dangerous and unpredictable. We don't want you to get hurt."

Rufus's siblings nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with worry and concern, but Rufus was determined. He knew that this was his calling, and he wasn't going to let his family's fear hold him back.

"I understand your concerns," he said. "But I can't ignore this feeling inside of me. I have to follow my dreams, no matter how difficult or scary they may be. I promise I'll be careful, and I'll do everything I can to stay safe. But I have to try."

There was a long pause, as Rufus's family looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do. Finally, Rufus's father let out a sigh.

"Well, if this is what you truly want, then I suppose we can't stand in your way," he said, with a gruff nod. "We'll support you, Rufus, and we'll pray for your safety. But you must promise us that you'll be careful, and that you'll come home to us someday."

Rufus's heart filled with joy and gratitude. He knew that this was not an easy decision for his family, and he was touched by their love and support.

"I promise," he said, with a broad smile. "I'll make you all proud."

After a long and quiet dinner, Rufus was called into his grandmother’s burrow. Rufus stood by his grandmother's bedside, his heart heavy with worry and sadness. She had been ill for many months, and he knew that her time was running short.

"Rufus, my dear boy," she said, her voice weak but steady. "I’ve heard about your plans.”

Rufus began to speak, but his grandmother raised her hand. “Don’t worry my grandson, I’m not here to warn you off of it.”

She reached out her hand and placed a small, silver trinket in Rufus's palm. Within it was a beautiful red jewel with lights dancing inside. As Rufus held it, he could almost feel a slight warmth pulsing off of it.

"This is my lucky trinket," his grandmother said with a faint smile. "It's been with me through all my adventures and challenges, and it's always brought me luck and protection. I want you to have it now, Rufus. I want you to have all the luck and protection you need on your journey."

Rufus's eyes filled with tears as he looked down at the charm. "Grandma, I can't take this," he said. "It's your lucky charm. You need it more than I do."

"Nonsense," she said, with a gentle laugh. "I don't need luck or protection anymore. I have faith and love, and that's all I need. You, on the other hand, are just starting your journey. You need all the luck and protection you can get. Trust me, Rufus. This charm will be your guardian angel, watching over you and guiding you always. And one day, when your journey is done, you can pass it on to someone else who needs it."

Rufus took the charm with trembling hands and slipped it around his neck. "Thank you, Grandma," he said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'll treasure this always, and I'll think of you every time I wear it."

"Good," she said, with a satisfied nod. "Now, go on, Rufus. Go out into the world and have your adventures. And remember, my love and faith will always be with you, no matter where you go."

Rufus left his grandmother's room with a heavy heart, but also with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. He knew that he had to live up to her faith.

It had been five years since Rufus set out on his journey as an adventurer, and in that time, his lucky trinket had gotten him out of more close calls than he could count. There was the time he was chased by a pack of violent wolves, and there was the time he was trapped in a cave with no way out except for a hidden tunnel he just happened to find after squeezing the amulet tight. Not to mention the time he ran into a powerful fox archmage, who had tried to enslave him with dark magic.

Rufus had never faced such a formidable enemy before, and he had been terrified, but as the archmage approached, he had touched the trinket and felt a surge of energy and strength. He had fought back with all his might, and in the end, he had kept the mage at bay and freed himself from the fox’s influence.

Since then, Rufus had learned to trust in the power of the trinket, and he had come to believe that it truly was a guardian angel: Full of his grandmother’s spirit, watching over him and guiding him always. He had also learned to be more careful, and to think twice before rushing into danger. But he had not lost his sense of adventure or his desire to help others, and he knew that as long as he had the trinket by his side, he could face any challenge that came his way.

As the years passed, Rufus's reputation as Rufus “The Lucky” grew, and he became famous throughout the land. Everywhere he went, people spoke of his bravery and his good fortune, and many sought him out for help and guidance.

Rufus was humbled by his fame, and he always credited his luck to his grandmother's lucky trinket. He wore it proudly, knowing that it was a symbol of her love and her faith, and he never left home without it.

It was the fifth anniversary of his announcement to his family and Rufus the Lucky awoke to a new day of adventure, feeling rested and ready to tackle whatever the world had in store for him. He threw back the covers and sat up, ready to face the day.

But as he reached for his lucky trinket, his hand came up empty. Panic set in as he searched his bed, his room, and even the inn, but the trinket was nowhere to be found. He knew he must have been robbed as several gold coins had been stolen from his room as well.

Rufus was terrified. Without his lucky trinket, he felt vulnerable and exposed, as if a part of him was missing. He had always relied on it for luck and protection, and he couldn't imagine facing the world without it - not to mention the shame he felt his Grandmother would have for him if he had lost it.

He stumbled through the day, trying to find it and searching every corner of the inn. But no matter how hard he looked, the trinket was nowhere to be found.

As the day went on, Rufus heard whispers and rumors that the infamous ferret thief Farah was in town. His heart sank at the thought. Farah was known for stealing valuable and sentimental items, and Rufus knew that his lucky trinket would be a prime target.

He knew he had to find Farah and get his trinket back, no matter what it took.

The previous night Farah the ferret thief crept through the dark, silent inn, her eyes and ears alert for any sign of danger. She had heard rumors of a valuable and sentimental item being kept there, matching the description of one of her oldest and valuable jobs, and she was determined to find it and make it her own.

“Rufus the Lucky, eh?” She thought to herself as she made her way to the fanciest rooms in the inn, sidestepping the armed guard dogs that roamed the halls.

Farah - the quickest picklock in the business - managed to open the possum adventurer’s door quickly and quietly. That’s when she thought she heard a whisper..

It was the sound of wind moving over a silver amulet around the neck of the large possum, calling to her from across the room: glowing softly in the moonlight.

Deftly, and with no sound, she reached out her hand and took it slowly from around the adventurer’s neck, feeling a surge of excitement and triumph. This was it, she thought. This was the lucky trinket she had heard about, the one that would bring her luck and protection on her journey.

She slipped it into her pocket and turned to leave, her heart racing with excitement and - just as she had entered his room - exited like a shadow.

The next morning she held the amulet in her claws and admired it.

“So this is the Amulet of the Divines,” she said to herself, rolling it around in her palm and watching the multiple lights dance inside the warm, red gem - just as Szal had described years ago. 

At that moment, she heard a crowd outside and saw Rufus the formerly lucky stumbling on a misplaced cobblestone. Instinctively, she ducked, but continued listening.

“Please!” She could hear him say. “Has anyone seen my amulet?”

Farah rolled the red gem over her knuckles. She wasn’t a fan of Szal, but it was quite a bit of money. On the other paw, what would that fox use the gem for?

She had heard of Rufus the Lucky’s exploits and decided to give him a day to prove himself. She wanted to see if he was too dependent on his luck.  

Without his jewel, Rufus was useless with a sword and shield, and had lost almost all his money at a bridge table as the night began. Farah sighed, leaning against a shoemaker’s shop, picturing the jewel falling into Szal’s claws. That’s when Rufus was thrown out of the tavern onto the cobblestones, all his money gone from poor bets.

While distracted, the ferret found a blade near her throat.

“‘Allo there,” a gruff voice said. “All your coin, please.” Farah looked to her side and saw a large rat and his rat friends gathered around. Why hadn’t the luck amulet worked for her? And how in the hells did those idiots sneak up on her?

Was the amulet bad luck now because she stole it, she wondered?

“Hold there!” Rufus said, from across the street, drawing his longsword and shield. Five years of adventuring had made him a large adversary. 

Farah could feel the jewel become warmer in her pocket as he approached.

“And what are you gonna do about it, possum?” The rat leader chuckled.

Rufus, with a tremendous swing, clashed with the rat leader and easily threw him off of his parry. Perhaps he was a good swordsman after all? 

After her throat was clear, Farah joined in with her dagger, slashing two of the rats in the armpits and watching them fall to the street, clutching themselves in agony.

“Thanks,” Farah said as she sidled up to Rufus.

“You are very welcome m’lady,” he said. “Now, may I please have my jewel back? It was my grandmother’s.”

Farah grabbed the arm of one of the rats and jammed her blade into his elbow. He screamed and - like the others - fell to the street, clutching at his wound. At that, the other two looked at each other, dropped their weapons, and ran.

Farah looked at her pocket and noticed that the jewel was glowing through her pockets. Farah thought about it for a moment.

“Did your grandmother ever visit Vulane?” Farah asked as she dropped the jewel into Rufus’s paw. He hissed as he put it into his breastpocket.

Rufus smiled and wiped his paw across his bow. “Thank you, Farah,” he said. “I think I’ll be able to pay you back for your trouble: give me a few weeks in the tavern.”

Farah finally relaxed and smiled, shaking his paw and noting that he didn’t answer her question.