The Long Road To... - 12. Keeping a Little Distance

After a full day of rain and boredom. Joachim, Kjartanei, and I headed out toward Greenwater. Doriskos and Machaeon both thought we would be relatively safe going in that direction. It was not all that long before we were alone on the trail.

“What do you think is going on back there? Really?” Joachim asked.

“With the other village? Who knows? Some old blood feud maybe.” Kjartanei shrugged. “It would be good to keep a little distance. We don’t want to get involved.” He looked at me.

I nodded and wondered what Thorn was going to get us tangled up in once he got into Stag’s Pass. Having medical knowledge seemed give him the fast track to entering the inner gates. The rest of us were not as lucky. A few days away would be better than sitting in the lodge until the powers that be gave us permission. Plus, Hestian hovered about just like my mother.

Going back on the path seemed easier, maybe it was because we were headed somewhere we knew. In the late afternoon, we came upon the stream and the old fire-pit we had stopped at coming the other way.

“We aren’t going to make it to Greenwater today,” Joachim said sullenly. “Do you want to camp here?” He pointed at the old char.

Kjartanei chuckled softly, then looked around. “There is probably a reason it hasn’t been used in a while.” He scanned around us. “Still we should get settled while it is light.”

“Follow the stream.”

They jumped at my voice. I had not spoken for hours. Kjartanei nodded and led the way off road and along the water. An hour or so we walked quietly. A few gentle bends of the stream gave way to more forest and the stream veered away. I caught the glimpses of water between the trees off in the opposite direction. I pointed and we wandered away from the stream and into the woods. A large pond lay before us. The shadow of a hill loomed in the remaining light of the sunset beyond.

“There,” Kjartanei pointed. “Up there. We will not be in any animal paths like down here next to the water.”

We crossed a shallow arm of water and made our way up the side. The slope was not quite as gentle as it looked. At the top, we stood between a few trees and looked down.

“Wow, it didn’t seem so high from down there,” Joachim said. “Or that steep.”

“This is a good place,” Kjartanei said with certainty. “Animals won’t bother us and we would be able to hear and prepare if anyone comes. The trees will shield the light from the fire.”

“We could put off Greenwater for a few days,” Joachim added in suggestion.

I looked around. He was right. It was perfect. A pond below for fish, maybe, a good place to camp and hunt, maybe, hidden and private. I nodded to his smiling face.

~ ~ ~

The morning air was crisp and somehow warm at the same time. I rolled away from Joachim, exited the tent, and crossed to Kjartanei sitting on a rock near the fire.

“Morning,” he whispered.

I nodded. The only sounds came from the forest and our fire. The only smells were of green, wood, and ash. I sat and looked down at the pond partially hidden between the branches, a deer was drinking.

“There were more earlier,” Kjartanei said while handing me the water. “It will be good hunting.”

We explored the area while we tracked. Our hill was quite the find. Forested around the base, trees on the top gave it shelter and camouflage. The side we had come up on, sloped toward the pond and stream giving it a moat-like effect. The pond itself was fed from the stream. It looked as though a small marsh area sat between. No doubt in rain season water flowed through, replenishing fish and minerals. Two of the other sides of the hill were nearly shear drops of rock. The back was another slope, more forest, and, in the distance, the mountain walls of the valley to the sunset-side.

The first deer was almost too easy. Fox were plentiful along with the usual forest animals. Kjartanei noted that in his exportations the only predator tracks he saw were that of a bear and those were farther away, closer to the mountains.

On the second day, we found a small grove of trees that had an odd fruit on them. We ate some with the fish we caught in the pond.

On the third day, Joachim stopped us and leaned close to a tree.

“Is this the bark that Hestian made the tea from?” He tore off a bit and handed to Kjartanei as I tore off another.

Kjartanei sniffed it and curled his lip. “I think so.”

“Let’s bring some back and try to make some.” Joachim giggled and pulled off some more pieces and stuffed them in his satchel. Kjartanei shook his head and grinned.

The tea turned out to be similar and much less potent, even Kjartanei could stomach it with some of the fruit juice squeezed in. We gathered more the next morning in preparation to make the rest of the trip to Greenwater.

When we walked away from our hill, Kjartanei nudged me. “Do you see the difference?” We looked behind to the pond. “With the sun from this side, the hill isn’t really visible. It was a good thing we passed at sunset or we might have wondered past.”

~ ~ ~

The gates of Greenwater were open as if to embrace us as long lost brothers. The foxes that we brought were of good quality and clean enough to garner good money. The deer pieces we did bring, not as much. It was still more than enough between us.

“One could live happily out this way,” Kjartanei mused.

Joachim looked up from his beer and at Barth. “How long have you lived here?”

Barth thought for a moment or two. “Well, let see, good fifteen summers I reckon.” He looked around at the tavern. It was filling fast with the late evening crowd. “Been good to me, it has.”

The people around us were a mix of race, gender, and toughness. All were under the same roof, Barth’s roof, enjoying the night. Not a bad place to be, but a little too many faces for my comfort. On one side, a woman sang a song in a language that I did not understand. A man joined in on some instrument that I did not recognize. At another table, a group of men were gambling at dice, calling each other names and cursing in multiple tongues. Kjartanei and Joachim smiled broadly.

The night went on. People came and went. Barth refilled our drinks. Joachim drank the most, but showed it the least. Singing changed singer. The dice changed to cards and different players.

I was thinking about stumbling back to the inn where I had fallen asleep in the chair by the fire with Gibbous when a three men came in. As unfamiliar with the place as I was, I knew they were newcomers. They were a little too loud as they sat, looked around, and openly stared at us. Before long, Barth had brought their drinks and they quieted down, that was until they tried to buy into the card game.

I did not understand all what was said, most was said in a rough sounding speech. I heard Barth sigh from between Kjartanei and Joachim. “One evening without a fight? Is that to much to ask for?”

It was.

One of the three had one of card players by the shirt collar while the other two laughed. The other players looked shocked. Barth was coming around the table when I felt Joachim fly past me, directly over it.

Oddly enough, he did not go to the man with the fist full of collar. He wrenched back the arm of one of the other others. The man dropped a dagger from his stretched back hand. Kjartanei stood up with me. With reflexes faster than I thought possible, Joachim pushed the third man onto the floor with his free arm and leg pinning him down, at the same time continuing to wrench the second’s arm up in a painful pose. The place hushed. Angry glares were exchanged between the men and the players.

“I think it be time you leave,” Barth said calmly to the strangers.

The leader slowly released the card player’s collar and turned toward Joachim. In the second he took to reach for his own dagger, Joachim abandoned the two he had and grabbed the leader’s arm and wrenched it back while putting himself behind, placing the man between him and the other two.

“I think you were asked to leave,” he growled in the man’s ear before pulling up on the man’s arm again causing him to yelp.

As I watched, I could tell why Joachim was no good with a sword. He was meant for brawling. The sword kept him at distance. His strength and speed showed when he was up close and personal.

The other two now stood and looked around at the faces of the rest. Before much more thought could happen, Joachim marched the man while holding his arm at his friends. They had no choice but to back up toward the door. The push continued until all three were out and Joachim shoved one last painful time.

“Had he been trying to hurt that guy, he really would have,” observed Kjartanei. “He could have broken his arm easily.” I nodded in agreement.

He stood in the door and watched a few moments before turning and coming back to the table with us. Slowly the room came back to its raucous self again.

“Thank ye,” Barth said. “Could use a man like ye around ‘ere.” He slapped him on the back and called for more drinks.

“Where’d you learn that?” Kjartanei asked.

Joachim shrugged. “You pick up a lot working in places like this.” He smiled and took a slug from the new tankard in front of him. “Or ones rougher than this.” He grinned broadly. “I was taught to decide quickly, disarm faster, and create distance. See?” He gestured around the place. “Back to normal, more money for Barth, no blood to clean up.”

I nodded.

“What about later? Those guys?” Kjartanei gestured out the door.

“They won’t even remember it tomorrow.” Joachim smiled. “Now lets get some serious drinking done.”

~ ~ ~

Barth let us sleep in his rooms above the tavern. It was restful in spite of city noises the rest of the night and into the morning.

Fresh bread and stew greeted us when we came down for lunch. Barth and Joachim talked in the now, very quiet room while Kjartanei and I sat by the fire.

“Do you ever miss your home?” He asked me softly.

I shook my head. “No home left.”

He looked sad. “I miss mine.”

~ ~ ~

We left the next morning on the path back to the pass. Walking was slow so we left the trail back for the hill to spend the night.

Joachim dozed quietly, Kjartanei meditated on the edge of the hill facing the rising stars, and I went for a stroll. I found the tree with the bark for Joachim’s tea. The breeze came and went. I sat to think.

Could I live here? Could Thorn? Could we be happy here, together? Far enough and close enough? Alone, yet near to friends? Allies?

I dug near the roots of the tree.

I would bring Thorn. If he would be happy. That was the only way. If Thorn would be happy.

I pulled out my sack of money. It was not huge but very comfortable. I separated a portion and pocketed it. The rest I wrapped up and put into the hole. In the remaining light, I reburied the spot. Earth Father keep my possessions safe, I leave it in your hands.

I was not worried.

I had done this before, countless times.

Like promises.

Places where I had always meant to return to.

Earth Father knows how many places I hadn’t.