Goblins? Is that what they are?
I see them all using weapons, blades of various kinds, although the men's blades were more uniform, as though from the same maker, and the goblins' blades looked like they had been collected from many different makers. Different signature styles. I even see one that looks very close to my own sword....
Hmm.....
I even see another man, different from the others, with long white hair and a long white beard, using not a blade, but a long staff as a weapon.
As I observe them, I think the styles of combat I see are pretty good, but then the goblins, somehow, get the upper hand and take the men captive. They're cheering their victory, then make sport of their captives, threatening to use their weapons on the now defenseless men, who now grumble at being taken prisoner. I see the men struggling as their hands are bound together by leather straps, and a couple of them get rapped on the head by the butt of a weapon for their trouble.
And then the goblins, shrieking and making an unholy noise... I don't know what they're about to do. But it looks like they're working themselves up in some kind of frenzy—
Two of the goblins can't hold themselves back anymore, and start hacking two of the men to pieces, while everyone else looks on! The men protest vehemently, while the goblins cackle with glee.
The horror! The cruelty! The monsters!
I....
My spear in one hand, bow in the other, I can no longer stand by and do nothing.
One of the goblins, who had just finished hacking his victim to small pieces, suddenly finds my spear thrown right into his throat, then the other goblin who had also hacked his victim to pieces, has an arrow go through his head via both of his ears a moment later.
Now the shrieks of glee from the goblins turn to some other awful, foul racket as they see two of their comrades suddenly fall. They look to the direction from which my attack came from, but I'm not there anymore. With my panther skills, I have already moved around to the other side of the grove of trees, staying out of the light of the fire. I sight three more goblins, and in rapid succession I fell them too as they were easy pickings with their backs to me now.
The surviving goblins, two, whirl around with their captives, screeching and shrieking the whole time. The men appear dazed, uncomprehending with what is happening around them.
I move to another area outside the grove and line up a shot, thwip! The sixth goblin is now down.
One more, and I have two arrows left. And the last goblin is really abusing his captive, I suppose making all kinds of threats if I don't come out into the open.
I can't get a good shot on him; he's backed up against a tree close to the campfire, and there's too much brush to his sides, with his captive in front of him as a shield.
I have to reveal myself... just what I don't want to do.
With my arrow on my bow and the string drawn back to my cheek, I step out into the light, lining up my arrow for a shot right between the goblin's red eyes.
Upon seeing me, the goblin narrows his eyes to just slits as he appraises me; a child, dressed in a tunic and kilt, aiming an arrow right at him, and the arrow matches the arrows sticking out of his dead comrades.
I guess he's taking me seriously, as he raises himself to his full height and addresses me. I imagine he's ordering me to drop my weapon, or else. The last goblin is holding a knife, or short sword similar to mine to the neck of his captive, shrieking and snarling away at me.
I pause for a moment, then, appearing to be beaten, I slowly lower my bow, and just as deliberately and slowly, I put my arrow back in my quiver. I drop my bow to the ground, then in one fluid motion I draw my sword from the sheath on my back, and fling it at the last goblin! Right between his eyes! He would have fallen to the ground dead, but my sword has pinned his head to the tree!
I draw a deep breath to calm myself as all goes calm again, and peace once more settles over the land. I draw my knife and proceed to cut the men loose from their leather bonds.
The men all look at me, wide-eyed with shock.... because a child had just rescued them?
After I free them and they stand to their feet, I then set about to recollect my weapons— what is that stench?! Is that the goblins smelling so bad?
Ugh! I did start to smell it as I approached this camp, and now it is just about unbearable!
I go to the goblin whose head is pinned to the tree with my sword, and discover that the handle of my sword is just too high for me to reach. I sigh, and getting a little embarrassed to find my weapon stuck and I can't free it in front of these men that I had just rescued.
Then I see one of the men's hands, the one I had saved with that sword throw, reach up and pull my blade out for me, wipe the blood off on the goblin's fur clothes, then pushes the goblin's body to the side, out of the way so it wouldn't land on me or anyone else. He holds my blade up and appraises it, seems to notice the patterns on the blade, then hands my sword out to me.
I look up to him, and see him smiling at me, as everyone else around us commence to jabber and chatter away at me. I hesitate to take it for a moment, then carefully take my sword from him, wary of any quick actions he may take. I check to make sure the blade is indeed clean, and put it away in its sheath, then go about retrieving my arrows from the other goblins' bodies. The last weapon I get is my spear, which I clean off once I have it free.
Four of the survivors I had helped are talking excitedly all around me, wanting to take my hands... to shake them, I guess. I notice the old man with this group standing off, aloof, studying me. I get that they are appreciative of me coming to their aid, but none of the sounds they make mean anything to me.
As I had said before, their methods of communication sounds like so much monkey noise to me, and I frown at them and distance myself from them as they want to touch me and keep laying their hands on me. Is this what its like for wild animals not wanting to be handled? Am I now a wild animal— boy myself? That's just fine with me!
I notice that these men also have hair all over their faces; under their noses and mouths, which looks ridiculous to me, and then to make it worse, they braid their facial hair in different ways and loops... whatever. I guess they like to express themselves, their identity, by having such differing styles from each other? But I don't seem to recognize any of these men from the couple of men that Midnight and I saw several days ago before the fog.
I go to retrieve my bags, and they follow me to where my bags are, yammering non-stop the whole time. I set my bow and spear down to put my bags on, then I pick my bow up and slip my boot under my spear, and in one motion kick my spear up into my hand.
These fellows seem to be startled by that, now they are really impressed with me....
I look around at them as they smile and chatter at me, I notice the old man standing a little apart from the others, smiling and nodding his head sagely at me, then I slip away from them through the trees and brush, heading east and effortlessly putting distance between myself and them as they call out behind me, I guess they want me to stay.... NOT!!!
So, those were villagers up close..... meh.
Chapter Eleven
A couple of days later, at about midday, I find a nice clean stream to make a camp by. I really didn't get much sleep the last couple of nights; I had lots of energy and needed to get it out of my system. I had also hunted a rabbit yesterday and had it in my food bag.
I set my camp up by a large tree by the stream, and decide to take a bath in the stream and wash my clothes. Just make it a day of rest. I need it!
For once in days, I'm starting to feel better again, like my old self as I splash about in the water (and keeping a watchful eye out) swimming around. I enjoy the sensation of the cool fresh water on my skin. Then I find my clothes I need to wash and go about cleaning them in the water. Once that's done and I'm exhausted, I hang my tan tunic, green kilt, and my black undershorts up to dry in a tree branch.
Then I take out my red undershorts from my bag and put
that on, and I put on my necklace and leather headband. I don't need to make a fire yet; the rabbit I have was already roasted yesterday. The branches on this particular tree looks very large and inviting, so I hang my food bag up in the tree on a small branch to keep animals out of it, then I go and rest comfortably on a larger branch as I wait for my clothes to dry.
* * * * * * *
A little later in the day, a couple of hours, perhaps, I awaken to the sounds of movement around me. I'm not quite sure what to make of the sounds yet, and I crack an eye open to spy—
Several men are standing around me, observing me.
The branch I'm perched on is about shoulder high to them, so they could see me as they approached.
In one fluid motion, I grab the claw necklace and whip it off my neck, instantly in the position I need it in my hand and spring to my feet, and crouch in a defensive position on my branch!
Immediately the men step back and hold their hands up, to show me they mean me no harm. I see their swords in their scabbards on their belts.
I look around to them, and I see that there are five men surrounding me! And— I recognize that these are the same men I had rescued from those goblins a couple of days ago.
How did they catch up with me so fast? Oh, right... they have horses....
Seeing that they are not going to attack me, I relax a little, not sure if I want to hop down off my perch just yet. They beckon for me to come down for several minutes, but the older man finally motions for them to stop and to give me space.
The others back away a few paces, then sit down around my camp, except for the old man, who suddenly finds an interest in my clothes hanging up to dry, and he's touching and feeling the cloth.
Do you mind???
I hop down off the tree branch and hang my necklace around my neck again, cock my head to the side and frown at the old man.
The old man notices that I have moved, then he takes my clothes off the branch they were hanging on, and hands them out towards me, still with that smiling face. He nods his head at me, reassuring me while holding my clothes out in my direction.
Cautiously, I creep forward until I can snatch my clothes from his hand. Seeing that this was not a ploy for them to grab me, I relax a little more. And seeing that my clothes are dry now, I fold my kilt up and drop it onto my clothes bag, then put my tunic on and my belt with my knife on, then I turn to face them with my back against the tree trunk. My weapons are within easy reach, but no one makes a move toward me.
What do they want?
Each of the men look at each other, muttering as they glance at me. I suppose they are discussing me; what to do with me, and after a few minutes the old man, who is still standing and observing me, says something to the others with a deeply resonating voice.
They quiet themselves, then the old man carefully approaches me until he is about a couple of paces away from me, with his staff in front of him which he grasps with both hands. I didn't notice it before, but his staff doesn't appear to be simply a large stick he picked up to help him walk. It looks instead to be a staff ornately carved out of a specific wood, with one end; the end he is holding up away from the ground, looks like it was carved specifically to carry an object, although there isn't anything in it now. A lost jewel, perhaps? And his staff isn't quite white, but almost. I wonder if that is the wood's natural color, or if it had been painted after it had been carved. Which ever it is, it appears to be of a very sturdy wood, the way he had used it a couple of nights ago. He regards me for a moment, then begins to speak slowly to me... as if I could understand him any better than the others.
Nope.
Still monkey chatter!
He stops when he sees me roll my eyes and sigh in frustration, then he sighs softly and frowns a little as he continues to regard me. Then he turns to the others and says something to them, and makes a small motion towards me.
I guess he's telling the others that I am a wild boy and can't understand them.... well, he's right!
He takes a few steps back away from me, waves his hand around to the others and mutters something to them, and they jump up and start making themselves busy all around me.
Soon I discover that they are gathering firewood and getting their belongings ready to make a camp.
They want to share my camp.
Terrific.
And they have supplies with them, too. Food. Two men are trying to get a fire going as another produces an iron pot and starts putting water and meat and, tiny potatoes? in it, and baby carrots? Making a stew? The fourth man goes to their horses and tends them, and I notice that they have seven horses.... two of them riderless now.
I turn my attention to the couple of men trying to get the fire lit using a small bow with the string wrapped around a small stick and using the bow to make the stick spin rapidly. I cock my head to the side as I watch them, expecting the fire to come to life.... any minute now...
Maybe I should help them?
I sigh again, reach into my bag and produce my flint and iron, then I go to the men at the fire ring and kneel down, and motion for them to stop, which they do. Then I rearrange the firewood for them and stuff a clump of moss and pine needles under the wood, strike the iron on the flint, watch the sparks fly and catch on the moss and needles. Then I gently blow on the embers until the pile catches and the fire comes to life. The reactions of everyone who had been watching was that of utter amazement, like I had performed some feat of magic or something. The old man just stands there silently and nods his head with a small smile.
Then I look to the two men and dip my head to them, as if saying, “There you go!”
Child warrior here, showing up a group of grown men?
Shame!
I replace my flint and iron in my bag, and bring out my whetting stone and grab my sword, take it out of its scabbard, and begin sharpening my blade as I leave the men to do... as they do for their camp.
I watch as the man with the pot brings the pot over to the fire, and the two that I had helped with the fire now set up a tripod, which the cook uses to suspend the pot over the fire.
I try to show no interest in what they are doing, as they go about setting up their camp for five now, but I find myself intrigued—
What is that delicious aroma I'm smelling? Is that coming from the pot?
I look in the direction of the pot, and the cook is humming to himself and smiling, standing over the pot and breathing in the fantastic smells emanating from it, and is sprinkling some kind of powder into it.
The powder adds to what I am already smelling, and now I find my mouth starting to water. I clear my throat and wipe my mouth with my— shoulder, as the sleeves on my tunic are not really sleeves at all.
The men start to notice that I'm trying to hide my interest in their food, and they snicker and share knowing smiles to each other.
Wait a minute! I have my rabbit. Maybe.... we could share?
I stand up, climb in the tree to get my food bag hanging on a small branch, climb back down, then open it and bring out the rabbit to the one at the pot. I offer it to him, motioning to put it into the pot, also.
He looks at me as if I had just given him a great gift, and he happily takes the roasted rabbit, proceeds to take the bones out of it, put the meat in with the stew too, and discard the bones.
I look around and see that I have everyone's attention, again.
What?! Why are they looking at me like that? Did what I just do count as an extraordinary generosity on my part? Or are they just so amazed that such a young boy such as me, can take care of myself?
I don't know.... I don't know.
I go back to my sword and whetting stone and sit down, and satisfied that it is indeed sharp, I put my sword back up in its sheath. Then I lay my head back against the tree I'm sitting up against, and close my eyes for a bit.
After a while, the stew is ready. The man at the pot ladles out some of the stew into a wooden bowl, then puts something else with it, hands it to one o
f the men, and motions to him to take it. He does, and I see that he's walking towards me with it.
I suppose he just wants to sit next to me as he eats, but then he kneels down toward me and, smiling, motions for me to take it.
Oh! He was bringing it to me. OK. Thanks, I guess. And— I recognize him as the one I had rescued from that last goblin, with my sword throw.
I take it from him, and I notice something on the brim of the bowl, like a biscuit, or something, and a wooden utensil helping to hold it up out of the bowl.
I give him a small smile and dip my head in a nod of thanks, then sample the contents of the bowl with the spoo— fork? Spork?? A wooden spork? A wooden, ornately carved spork? How do I know what a spork should be? I don't know, it just seems weird to me....
Then I pick the biscuit up and look at it, and watching the others sitting around me enjoying their meals, dip my biscuit into the broth and take a bite.
Oh! Heaven!
I sample the rest of the stew in my bowl (which is fantastic, by the way, with a nice, thick and spiced gravy in it), and the others look pleased that I'm enjoying my meal.
A cup was also brought to me, and sampling it, I see that it was just water. Good, something to drink with the meal.
And we all just sit around the fire, the sun is going down, I'm leaning against the tree standing tall over our camp, everyone else is sitting and savoring their stew, and once in a while one would mutter something to another as they ate. Otherwise, all was quiet (except for the forest noises at night). I notice that the man who brought me the bowl is now sitting next to me to my right.
So.... have I found some new friends, perhaps? I would be glad of the company, but I'm not sure if I want to stay with them. Or, perhaps, I could travel with them until I find Midnight? But on second thought, if Midnight avoided these people at all costs, I would never be reunited with him! Are these men even going the way I need to go to find Midnight?
Avarii- the Golden Child Page 6