The Long Road To... - 8. Midnights

I felt my foot being tugged and massaged gently. I opened my eyes to see Thorn smiling. I smiled back. He wagged his finger at me and pointed. Joachim was curled up against me with my arm around him. I made to protest. Thorn grinned wider and shook his head. I disengaged Joachim and met Thorn standing with Machaeon out in the common room.

“Good Morning Talon.” He shook my hand strongly. “We were just about to head out. Kjartanei is resting right now. He feels a lot worse than he looks. Just tell Joachim to keep him quiet and warm. Other than that, let him sleep.”

“Make sure they eat,” Thorn added. “Have fun.”

I watched them go and sat down for a few moments before getting back up again and looking in on Kjartanei. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully. I backed out and into Joachim.

“How is he?”

“Asleep.”

“Did they go already?”

I nodded.

We walked out to the square and bought some bread and some odd looking fruit or root or whatever it was before sitting down to eat.

“Did you know he has a family back where he comes from?” Joachim asked.

“What?” I handed the strange food to Joachim, not to my taste at all.

“A few kids. He was trying to earn enough money to buy his own land far from the wars. I would think that now he is recovering, he can get his plans back on track.”

I nodded in agreement.

“He told me how to find them if something were to happen to him.”

We finished eating and Joachim went back to the inn. I left the village and headed out into the forest. I brought a small two wheeled cart with me to gather firewood for the in. I was staying close enough to the village to feel safe but far enough away to be alone.

Thorn would be amused to know that I knew something about Kjartanei that he did not. I wondered why he had never told us and seemingly had no intention to. Never mind, it did not matter. He gave no reason for me to believe that he could not be trusted. If he chose to keep his mouth shut, that was his business. Joachim on the other hand, appeared to have no such ability.

~ ~ ~

I returned just before dusk, pulling my cart with what I could of a four legged animal that I could only describe as some unusually large black haired buck in it. As I approached the gates, the sentries ran to me and clapped me on the back at my good fortune. They told me how I must have indeed been a good hunter to get it. They said it was a rare. The locals believed it to be a sign of good luck and only people who were in the right place at the right time were able to find and kill it.

Destiny.

I was destined to be there today and the local peoples would be blessed in the next few days somehow. I left it to be processed by the butcher and tanner.

“I would get the best prices.“ I was told.

At the inn I found Joachim, Machaeon, and Thorn sitting by the fire. I grabbed an ale and sat with them trying to relax amongst the rest of the people wandering through. Somehow, I felt a few extra stares this evening.

Thorn seemed a little anxious. I knew the look. He had news and I would not necessarily be pleased. Joachim seemed happily oblivious. I sat and listened to the dealings of the day when a strange man approached us.

“You kill the Midnight Stag?”

The room went quiet. I nodded preparing for the worst. My hand flicked the end of my knife.

“Good fortune my friend!” He slapped me on the shoulder and shoved a tankard into my empty hand. There were happy murmurings in the room.

“Midnight Stag?” Thorn mused.

“Black, very rare. Hmm…” The man looked to the men opposite. “… not in what? Five, ten years?” The others nodded. “Browns and grays mostly. Great deals in market tomorrow.” He said slapping my back again.

I nodded and he backed away to the others who talked excitedly but kept looking back at me. I turned to the stares in my group. I shrugged.

“The Great Hunter, Eh? You are indeed in the right place at the right time,” Machaeon began. “Tomorrow will be a good day. But this is tomorrow already. I am going to get some sleep. You have much to discuss. I head out to the outpost at dawn if you want to join me Thorn.”

He nodded and strode away. I looked at Thorn and he shook his head. I gestured for Thorn to get it over with and tell me. Joachim looked back and forth between us.

“Mach and I were talking. He wants to head back to his home. He is overdue and is afraid of missing the birth of his first child. I told him how we had planned on heading out when Kjartanei was better. He suggested that Kjartanei would do well in a warmer climate like his homeland and the trip by ship will not be too bad. I told him I would talk to you…”

“Where?”

Thorn flushed a little and looked down. “Around the glaciers.”

“The other side of the world?” Joachim looked excited. “Really?!”

Thorn grinned and nodded.

Joachim looked at me with wide eyes. “When do we leave?”

~ ~ ~

“He never told me anything like that!” Thorn yawned. We were now alone in our sleeping compartment. “He was talkative about things, asking questions, but never going into detail. I got the feeling he had left Swordblade in a hurry. And Kjartanei! I cannot believe that he did not say anything either. A family! Wow.” He curled into the crook of my arm.

He sighed. “Well, in any case, we will be leaving here soon. Are you sure you’re ok? Warmer on the other side, better for Kjartanei. Boat over, around the glacier. Better hunting. More for us to explore?”

I shrugged and hugged him tight.

It did not matter all that much to me at the moment. We were together and that was what was important. I pulled him close.