The Long Road To... - 33. Bran and Boats

We boarded as soon as we could and settled together on the deck. I was happy to leave this place behind. Deep Channel was fine for the most part, but it was a powder keg waiting for its fuse to be lit.

There was some talking on the dock and I looked over at two men climbing aboard. I scowled inside. It was Bran and his brother. The smaller glanced at me with surprise. They settled on the farthest point of the ship they could as the ropes were being untied. Even from where I was sitting, I could see the bruises on Bran’s face and arms. They had been turned out it seemed.

Once away from the dock and with the land slowly becoming less distinct, I tried to settle into place but did not feel I could. I stole a few glances at the pair. Bran was out. The brother was trying to keep both of them comfortable.

Petal and Mane whispered quietly back and forth to each other. Petal was doing most of the speaking. I could not hear everything they were saying, the wind carried the words away.

Everything was going smoothly, the crew was settling in for the trip. Not much to see. I looked over at the two on the far end again. This time the brother was staring directly at me. He nodded. I nodded back as if to say “I see you” and “Let’s keep our distance” and “We will get through this.”

He did not get the message.

He got up and approached us slowly. My hand went to my sword. His hand slowly raised to me, it was empty.

“I heard, after, what happened,” he began. “I didn’t know. Thank you for not hurting Bran,” he thumbed over his shoulder. “…or me.”

My hand moved away from my sword. He held his out to me. I shook it.

“My name is Geothor, you already met Bran.”

I knew that name, it would come to me.

“We are headed to the Cove,” he chuckled. “Well, you would have known that already.”

“Talon,” I said before I released his hand.

“Talon,” he nodded. He looked to my side and the others.

“This is Mane, I’m Petal.” She smiled at him.

“Good to meet you. I didn’t mean to disturb you all.” He looked directly at me. “I just wanted to thank you.”

I nodded.

“We are going to settle in.” He smiled, nodded to the others, and walked back to his brother to sit.

“What was that about?” Petal whispered in my ear.

I shrugged. “I didn’t kill his brother.”

She wanted more and her look told me knew she wouldn’t get it. Mane hadn’t said a word, but I caught the movement of his hand sliding his short sword back into his sheath.

~ ~ ~

The boats appeared to be out for the day when we finally approached the Cove. As we drifted into the docks a small crowd gathered, watching intently.

When the first of the crew jumped down to tie off, a few of the men started talking to him. He pointed at us. Others crowded behind and close, a few children watched around the legs of the citizens.

The captain jumped down and talked to a few of the crowd gathered. More people came to the docks and they did not look pleased.

“What is going on?”

I turned to Geothor suddenly at my side.

“Deciding about us.”

The crew began off-loading goods to the dock. They seemed quite unfazed by the crowd and the indecision about their passengers.

Before long, the captain and another man came to us. A few others approached but kept a respectful distance.

“State your business to this member of the council,” the captain said and pointed at the townsman before turning away to help his men unload.

“Friends of Fin,” I stated plainly and gestured to Foal and Petal.

“Our… friend is sick. We’ve come for him,” Petal’s voice trembled.

“At Fin’s home.” I finished the thought.

The man nodded, but made no indication of his thoughts. One of the others came up next to him and whispered something. He nodded to him and the man withdrew.

“And you?” He pointed past me to Geothor and Bran.

“We’ve come for work,” he almost stuttered. “I’m a smithy. My brother, he…” He looked at his brother. Bran was still asleep, but his bruised face lay bare to the light and open to appraising looks. “He can do many things… he can fix things, farm… you name it…”

The same man leaned in and whispered.

“We already have a smith, but might be able to use another, Sir. As for you brother, by the looks of him, I am not sure if we need any of his particular… talents here…”

“Talon! Talon!” Children were weaving between the legs of the gathered people. It was Fin’s children to the rescue.

"Mama went to get Leaf,” said the girl.

“She said to bring you home,” said the boy.

I looked at the councilman. He nodded and gestured for us to disembark.

I jumped down and helped Petal onto the pier. Mane dragged their chest and I helped him get it down. He jumped down behind it.

“You two,” the councilman said, “Stay aboard. You will not be disembarking here.”

Geothor looked crestfallen. I felt for him. He was trapped. Bran, still sleeping, was dead weight. Geothor might have be able to disembark if he were on his own. He had been loyal to Bran back at Deep Channel and probably before. Wherever Bran went, Geothor would follow. He went and sat next to his brother. He frowned, his eyes red.

The children led us through the streets, Petal followed them closely, Mane and I followed with the chest.

The door nearly burst open when Leaf rushed over to meet us. Meg called out orders to the children.

I nearly dropped the chest when Leaf grabbed onto me. He hugged me tightly and whispered into my ear. “It is good to see you my friend.”

Introductions were hurried before Mane and Petal were rushed up to Foal. Leaf and I stayed behind. I heard a sharp cry before Meg came back to the fire.

“I don’t think they were quite prepared for the sight of him,” she said. “You two go get more for supper.”

We made our way to the small market, picked up a few things, and began to make our way back.

“I need to check on someone,” Leaf said and turned us toward the buildings along the water once more.

“One of the men fell off the roof he was fixing.” He nudged my arm playfully and grinned. “I ended up using white bulb on him.”

He knocked on the door and a woman answered.

“Leaf, good to see you, he woke earlier.” She eyed me up and down.

“This is Talon.”

I nodded, she nodded back.

“I will be just a few minutes,” he said before ducking in. She did not invite me to follow, but merely went in after him leaving the door ajar.

I turned toward the glimmer of water between the walls in front of me. I stalked towards it. I could hear the strikes of a blacksmiths hammer somewhere.

I looked out over the waters while I waited. I had seen so much of it in the last weeks and months and year. Always traveling over it. Using it.

The sound of metal on metal at the smithy’s pulled me back into focus. A lone fishing boat was coming in. When I had fished with Joachim so long ago, all he did was talk.

The strikes of the hammer seemed too loud. The small boat came in near the one we had come in on. There were a few men still on the dock making sure Geothor and Bran did not disembark.

The metal strike sounded like thunder. I wondered if I should find and ask the smithy to help Geothor.

Blacksmith… Geothor… Bran… Joachim… The name, it came to me, maybe I was getting old not have remembered before.

I leap up without thinking and nearly knocked Leaf over.

“Easy. Are you alright?” Concern was written all over his face.

“Can’t explain now.”

I began a fast walk to the dock. When I got there, the men were still milling about and the crewmen were making ready to cast off. Bran looked pale and cold but slept next to Geothor who looked out over the rail and over the water.

The men parted for me, but were wary of what might happen.

“Geothor,” I called over to him.

He looked up and his eyes refocused on me. “Talon?”

I waved him over. He disengaged from him brother and came over to me.

“Can we get off the boat? What’s happened?”

The crew was pulling in the plank. He leaned over the rail to me.

“Joachim…” I croaked.

His eyes widened slightly.

“Did you know a Joachim?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Mentioned you once.”

“He did?”

“I traveled with him.”

“You did? Where?”

“Past Shield Keep.”

“Really?”

“Then to Greenwater…”

“Greenwater?”

“On the other side.”

“How long ago?”

“A year.” I shugged.

His face fell.

“He liked Greenwater.”

“It is so far away.”

“Tavern called Bartholomew’s.”

“That was so long ago. He won’t be there anymore.”

“Ask for Barth.”

His brow creased.

“Trade city. Find work.”

“Maybe. It will take a while to come up with the money for passage. Still…” He looked over his shoulder. “… it might be good to get out of here…”

I began rummaging through all the linings of my clothes to where my money was hidden.

“Try there. Good start, either way.”

He nodded.

I didn’t even count the money. It would get them a long way, to Shield Keep at least, farther if they were careful. I handed it across to him.

“What? I can’t…”

“Take it.”

I dumped the coins into his hands.

“I will never be able to repay you…”

“Don’t need to.”

The captain was calling for the sails.

Geothor looked up at me, his eyes were tired.

I stepped back and raised my hand to wave. “Good Fortune.”

He was jerked to the side as the sail caught. He smiled and caught his balance.

“Good Fortune my friend,” he called over to me.

The boat began sliding past.

I saw him wave for a few more moments before crossing to Bran.

I could hear the men on the pier breaking up and walking away.

I watched a few more moments until only the rear of the vessel was visible, the front obscured from view.

I turned and found myself face to face with Leaf. He smiled and shook his head before nodding to me slightly.

“Someday, you will have to tell me.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “For now, let’s get back to the ones here who need us.”