Chapter 11: Robbie’s Story—Quest

Walter and Edward had ceded leadership of the group to Peter and Robbie. Unconsciously, perhaps, but not from weakness, Walter and Edward sensed that Peter and Robbie were driven by something that gave them an energy and a purpose. Walter and Edward recognized, even though perhaps Peter and Robbie did not, that something called to Peter and Robbie to lead. Whatever that was, the same thing called Walter and Edward to follow.

“They are taking twenty five of our brothers to Herten,” Peter said.

“We know they are mortal, and that even the Red Robes can be killed,” Robbie said.

“We pledged among ourselves to die rather than live as slaves,” Peter said.

“Casey gave us a gift of freedom. That gift cost him his life,” Robbie said.

“I will follow the Red Robes, and free our brothers,” Peter said.

“I will, also,” Robbie said. “Will you come with us?”

Walter nodded, and then hugged Robbie. “The first morning, you helped me to stand, even though you did not know that I would help you. You gifted me with your trust. I accept that gift. Will you accept the gift of my trust and love?”

Edward’s agreement was a nod and a hug, and was no less sincere than Walter’s.

At that moment a quest that had been only a feeling in the boys’ hearts, began to form.

That night, the boys huddled under an oak tree. They were cold, wet, and miserable despite the shelter of the soldiers’ blankets. At first, Peter hadn’t wanted to take the blankets. “They’ll have hair, sweat, even piss from the soldiers,” he said. “What if the other Red Robes can follow that like they followed our hair?”

“We can clean the blankets,” Robbie said. “With boy magic.”

“Huh,” Walter grunted. “We have none.”

“Oh yes,” Robbie said. “We do. At least, I do. I can feel it. And,” he looked shyly at Walter, “I can think of no one I’d rather give it to than the first boy who befriended me.”

The bonds formed by common experience were strengthened as the boys shared themselves and their magic with one another. Robbie had been right: each boy had magic to share—and to spare. All but Robbie fell asleep on the ground soon after, exhausted.

Robbie—after all, it had been his idea—cleaned the blankets thoroughly before gently waking the other boys. “Come on. I’ve cleaned the blankets, and some of the other stuff. The Red Robe had some coins. We need to leave here.”

Hours later, they huddled in the blankets, but the rain soaked them through.

“I’m—” Walter began, to stop when Peter squeezed his hand.

“You’re wet, cold, and miserable,” Peter said. “This is not what I expected, either.”

The cool, dry air from the mountains lost its battle with the hot, moist air of the river valley. An hour of walking dried the boys and their clothes. After another hour, they were hot and sweating. Peter led them toward the north.

“We’ll go north until we find another stream that flows eastward. We’ll follow that to the road,” he said. “We’ll be behind them.”

The others knew he meant the Red Robes and their prisoners. “We’ll follow them until we see an opportunity to strike. And,” he added, “we’ll find fish in the stream.”

“At least,” Robbie said, fingering the steel dagger at his waist, “we have steel as well as flint. We’ll not have to eat them raw.” He grinned. It was the first time any of the boys had smiled since Casey’s death, and it felt good.

Peter’s prediction was correct. Early the next day, the stream they’d been following joined a larger stream that ran parallel to a cart path. Peter glanced at the sun, and pointed toward the east. Resolutely, the boys set out in that direction.

Chapter Note: This is incredibly short, but the next chapter should be up this weekend.