The Long Road To... - 32. Out and In and Out and In

I said goodbye to Leaf.

Hardly an eyebrow raised when I returned alone and boarded the ship.

I still didn’t feel my best. I napped the last few hours before arrival and might have slept through docking had the harbor bells had not woken me.

I disembarked and went to the inn that Mane had brought me to when I had been here last. I wanted a drink before searching for anyone. One drink led to another and I realized that it was too late to go to them. I made my way to a common room and slept like the dead.

Mid-morning, I roused myself back to life. I felt more like me and, once I ate, even better.

I made my way across the city to the shacks. Colt’s door was closed. I knocked once and heard a grunt. I cracked it open and saw an ancient, cross looking.

“Get out! Get out!” He slammed the door in my face.

I was startled but not surprised. Places like that, when not guarded, were lost quickly. I looked around. Too many doors to try randomly. I could not go pounding on all of them and in any case, he might not even be here. I could always try to hospital wards or… the morgue. I shuddered inside. It would be best to try my luck at the home I had followed Mane to.

I made my way back to the hovel. There was no life about it. I knocked on the door. Nothing. I banged again with the same result. I tried to door, it felt locked or barred. I peered through the corner of the window not covered by the shutters. No one.

As tempting as it was to break open the door or through the window, I decided against it. Things would not go smoothly if I charged in, especially if Mane and Petal no longer lived there. If they did not, I would have to track them down. I sat down on the ground and leaned my back on the wall. If they no longer lived here, the current occupants might know where they went.

I did not have that long to wait.

“What are you doing?” A man and a woman approached me. They seemed cautious.

“Looking for Mane. Or Petal.”

“They owe you money?” The woman crossed her arms. Another man approached us.

“No.”

“Listen stranger, you leave them alone…”

“Not like that.” My hand hovered near my sword.

The second man approached and studied me carefully.

“What do you want then?”

“Old friends.”

The woman shook her head.

“Of Mane’s father. Colt.”

The two men exchanged glances. They knew something.

“Talon?”

I turned and saw Petal approaching from down the street.

“You’re back.” She looked around me, for Foal.

“You alright Petal?” The woman asked.

“Oh, yes, yes, thank you, thank you. An old uncle.” She turned to me. “Come let’s go in. Now.”

She shoved me inside and begged off the people outside. Once the door was closed, she rounded on me. “Where’s Foal? Where have you been? I thought it was only going to be a few days…” Quite suddenly, she started to cry.

I was no good at soothing someone in her state. I had to wait until she could hear me. It did not take all that long. After the initial burst, she regained some control.

“Foal is safe. We had trouble. He is resting.”

That seemed had helped a little.

“At least that is something,” she began, “I could not bear any more bad news. Colt is dead.” I don’t think she had meant to say it like that. She looked as surprised as how I felt that she said it. I fell back against the wall.

“Sorry.” She came and appeared as if she were going to put her hand on my shoulder before she stopped. “I know he was your friend. I’m sorry. I wish I had known him.”

To know something was going to happen was very different than it actually taking place. I had not made it back in time. Colt was gone. I breathed in and out a few times and prepared myself to speak.

“Mane?”

“You can probably imagine.” She sighed. “Then with you and Foal still gone… it has been hard on him.” She paused again before forcing herself to continue in a lighter tone. “With you back and Foal safe… that should help.”

“Back soon?”

She shrugged. “No idea. He has been at Colt’s grave every day.” She stared into my eyes. “He is not the same man.”

I promised Petal I would return in in a few hours before leaving her in shambles. I could not handle straightening her out while preparing for Mane and mourning for Colt at the same time.

I purchased a single totem and went to the old temple once more.

This time it seemed quieter, more abandoned. It had to have been my imagination though I did find myself completely alone even through the approach.

I watched the Earth Father from the archway. He had no life; he was only a statue.

I removed my shoes and walked about halfway to him. I sat down softly and closed my eyes. I thought of Colt. His life from the time we had been young until now. We had shared a lot when we were young. I knew a lot about him and knew there was a lot I would never know. We had our good times and bad. We had been apart many times and would come back together as friends. He had not been the easiest of companions: the drinking, the arguing, the gambling, the womanizing, the stubbornness, but, he had been my friend.

I begged the Father to take him back into himself. Not that he would not. The Father accepted all. I only felt the need to ask for Colt, for myself.

After a long while, I decided it was time to go. I stood up and looked around, I was still alone. I crossed to the statue and placed the totem for Colt near its foot. There were no others around anymore. Probably gathered up to be burned or resold. I backed up watching the statue and totem.

I leaned against the arch and dusted off my feet. Not even a breeze to give life to this place. Maybe it truly was dead. I put on my shoes and walked slowly out. An old man passed me. He smiled briefly and continued on his errand to see the Earth Father. I nodded back and left him in peace. I did not know if I would return here again.

~ ~ ~ 

I brought strong ale back to the hovel. Maybe some alcohol would help Mane adjust to the new world he was about to enter into. If not, it would at least help me deal with Mane.

By the time I knocked on the door, the sun had begun to set. Petal opened the door.

“I already told him that Foal was safe.” Her eyes were red.

I came in and sat opposite Mane. I handed the beer to Petal.

Mane looked down. I knew that look enough from after battle. Shock. A lost soul looking for something, anything to make him go forward again. I could only think of one thing.

“Foal wants you. Both. To come.”

Mane nodded.

I looked at Petal. She nodded slowly and handed us tankards.

“Your father wanted us to go. You said it yourself,” she whispered into his hair.

He nodded and drank. He was compliant right now. If he stayed that way until we caught a boat, this would be a lot easier.

“We can finish up things a bit here then go. Would that be alright with you?” She asked lightly.

I chanced to look at her. She was looking only down at Mane, running her fingers in his locks.

He nodded again. He looked a child.

She looked into my eyes. “You can stay here while we settle up everything.”

“How long?” It was not a gentle question, it sounded harsh in my own ears.

She returned her face to that of Mane’s. “A day or two?”

Mane nodded.

“A day or so.” Her voice was more certain, more secure.

Both Mane and I raised our tankards at the same time even though he hadn’t looked up once.

~ ~ ~

The day of our departure had not arrived soon enough.

Mane was a broken man and other than sitting by his father’s grave did very little. The only life he had shown was when I asked about Claw.

“She took advantage of him! Took everything he had!” He yelled.

I had looked at Petal; she only shrugged and shook her head.

Mane returned to his silent, sullen demeanor almost immediately.

Petal, on the other hand, seemed to embrace the future. She gave or sold what little they had to neighbors or friends. The hovel was stripped nearly bare by the time we walked away.

I had found a ship going to Deep Channel but could not find one going all the way to Bastard Cove. I was assured that once at the Channel, a boat would be along. We traveled light. One small chest held everything they still owned. I wore all my possessions. We could adapt easily if needed.

Rain poured down on us upon our arrival at Deep Channel. We carried the chest to the nearest inn for our kind and got a room for them. I sought out the commons to sleep.

The morning proved drizzly and cool. One of the dock-men said a ship to the Cove would come in the next days, two or three at the most. It was overdue, not surprising to him, the rains had slowed trade down.

I stopped by the herbalist I had met when I had come with Leaf. He remembered me.

“Good to see you well. I was pleased you and your friend took my advice.”

“Thank you.”

“He left right after you did. Caught the very next boat. He asked that, if you came back this way, for me to tell you, he will look after your other friend like one of his own.”

I nodded.

“Good friends are hard to find. It seems as if you found one. How are you feeling then?”

He prattled on a bit. I smiled, made my excuses, and left.

Mane’s demeanor had changed for the better once off the boat and away from Arrowpoint. I caught up with them for a meal.

“Just being out of that depressing place,” Petal had whispered in my ear.

The vessel did not come the next day.

It was overcast but not raining. I walked around the small town listening for news about anything in the outside world. A trading group arrived from Wild Crossing and said that the Gates had been attacked again but had successfully repelled the invaders. The Cliffs were under the full control of the former-Bullmen. Now there was a rumor that our Leader was preparing to move troops in to take it back. There were other miscellaneous skirmishes scattered all over.

One piece of news piqued my interest. The place of creation had also seen problems. Our people and one of those allied with the enemy both claimed it as their own place. Thank the Father the actual location was too sacred to fight on. The areas around it had become pocketed with problems and death. Lately, it seemed to have grown worse. One of the passes leading in to it had been completely blocked.

I remembered Blade wanting to go there and wondered if he had ever made it. I wonderednif he was safe and even still alive. The odds were never good for anyone anymore, even pilgrims.

I left the men and boys from the wagons and walked down towards the empty dock. There was a commotion for one of the taverns. It was one of theirs. A large, brutish man of Joachim’s race was being tossed out the door by three men.

“Get out!” One yelled in their language.

“Let your brother take care of you!” Called another.

They shoved him so hard he fell onto me. They all looked at each other and then at me. Immediately, hands flitted to sword belts. The man leaned against my leg panting.

I stared back at the men in the door.

“What are you looking at?!” He yelled in barely intelligible common tongue.

I made to move back and go around, but the man grabbed my leg in an effort to get up. He was drunk and fell back to my foot again.

“What are you doing to him?” A voice growled behind me. I felt a sword point in my back.

The men laughed and jeered from the doorframe.

“Come to protect your big brother. Good luck with him!”

“Bran! Get up. Come on!” the voice behind me was almost begging in their own language. He continued to me in common. “You stand still, I don’t want to have to kill you.”

I stood still.

Bran tried and fell on my feet again.

“What did you do to him?”

The last of the three men laughed in the doorway.

“Not me. Them.” I relied in common so he would not know I knew his language.

Bran finally was able to get upright during the silence from behind me. He almost fell again, I grabbed him arm to keep him up. The sword-tip increased its pressure in warning.

Bran’s face was bloodied, more the marks of a fight than anything else.

“Stand still you. Come on Bran.”

A hand appeared in my side vision. He had let his sword go with one to reach for his brother.

I made the decision.

I pushed back hard at an angle and, with a twist, knocked his sword aside. I spun letting Bran drop. Between the weapon being shoved, my spin, and Bran’s fall, the man was easy prey and I had his sword before he knew it. I had the blade at Bran’s throat almost as quickly. The man stepped back.

I glared at him. He was smaller than I, much smaller. His light eyes blazed with anger. I chanced a quick check of the doorway the man standing there had his sword drawn.

I resumed studying the one in front of me. Young, agile, not a fighter, maybe a tradesman. Before he could say anything, I tossed his sword back to him. He nearly dropped it.

He openly stared at me, his mouth open. We both stood still.

Bran grunted on the ground.

I leaned down slowly to him while keeping an eye on the man. I struggled to pull him to his feet. Once there, the man gripped Bran’s arm tight. I leaned Bran into his arms. I was almost comical to see the smaller man holding up the larger one. Bran towered over him.

I backed away slowly keeping an eye on the two in the road and the group now in the doorway. When I felt far enough, I turned easily and continued walking to the dock. I heard no one follow me but still kept my hand on my short sword.

I breathed a sigh of relief once I got to the old wooden pier. I could have dealt with the brothers if I had had to, taking on the ones in the doorway would have been a challenge.

I sat for a time on the barrels and starred out over the water. I sat a long time.

Late in the day I caught sight of a ship in the distance. It was coming in from the open seas. As it got closer I felt a sense of relief and hope. It may not be headed to Bastard Cove, but at least it was movement, progress, from somewhere.

When it got closer, I could see its banners. It was coming in from Parrot Bay. It wouldn’t be going on, only back. My chest sank slightly and I leaned back on my arms. My gaze shifted. Another, smaller ship was approaching along the shoreline, just the type one would expect to go to the Cove.