by Jeff Gunzel
Owen and Xavier each tied their mounts to separate trees. Other than a few grunts and snorts, the hunter’s lavics seemed remarkably disciplined. Such was not the reputation of such a wild beast. Clearly, it was well trained.
Xavier began setting up camp, Owen doing little more than watching. Seated, his back to a tree, the hunter barked out a few final instructions before closing his eyes. Within minutes, bedrolls were laid out across a flattened space. The hunter’s assistant made a quick sweep of the area, collecting armfuls of wood to make a fire. Kneeling down before the pile, Xavier pulled out his flint and steel.
“Allow me,” said Liam, moving up near the pile. Eyes closed, he muttered a word or two before placing the end of his staff into the wood pile. The white-gemmed eyes of the goat skull glowed briefly, then smoke began to curl up from the wood. Seconds later a small fire was produced, sharing its warmth and light with the group. With no acknowledgment or thanks, Xavier stood and walked back to his master near the tree.
Viola had found herself a spot under another tree across the way. Leaving the fire, Liam went to where she was seated. “Are you all right, dear?” he asked, kneeling down before her. “Why don’t you come sit by the fire? I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable than sitting way over here.”
“I don’t get cold,” she replied, her vacant gaze fixed on nothing. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just fine over here.” She tucked a finger underneath her collar, tugging at it without even thinking. It had been a full day, and she was still not used to it. It was going to take some time.
“Very well,” said Liam, rising up off his knee. “I think it’s time I had a little chat with our friend.” He glanced over his shoulder, eyeing the others. “It’s time we got some answers.” He marched over to the other two, both sitting with their backs against the same tree. “Ahem,” he cleared his throat and waited. “Ahem,” he repeated, just a tad louder.
The hunter opened one eye. “It appears my attempt to ignore you is failing,” he grumbled, annoyed. “Any chance I can listen to your complaining in the morning?”
“None,” Liam replied, sitting down before him. “I told you I would have questions, and it’s time I got some answers.”
“One,” Owen replied.
“One what?”
“I will answer ye one question per day, dependent on how much longer we travel together.”
“That’s not good enough,” Liam retorted, clearly irritated by the hunter’s arrogance. “You cannot keep Viola and I in the dark like this. We need to know what your intentions are moving forward.”
“Oh, do you?” Owen said, an amused eyebrow raised. “Because the way I understand it, you no longer have a place to call home. You practically begged me to come along, not only so you could keep an eye on your little pet,” his eyes quickly flashed to the other tree, “but also because you have nowhere to go. You have no home, no true objective, and no purpose...old man. If I turn you away tonight, what will you do? Where will ye go?” Liam twitched, knowing the hunter’s logic was sound. He was in no position to bargain.
“Make no mistake, old man. For now, I’m keeping you around because you just might prove to be useful sooner or later,” he continued. “But until that time comes, you will follow my rules. Given your circumstances, I would say that my offer is rather generous. Agree?” Admitting defeat, Liam nodded. “Good. Now what is your question so I can finally get some rest?”
Liam’s expression hardened, his mind swirling with so many questions. He decided to stick with the one bothering both he and Viola. “Where are you taking us?” he asked plainly.
After a pause, Owen let out a booming laugh. He rocked back and forth, slapping his knee as he cackled. Liam was not so nearly amused. “Xavier, go entertain the girl,” Owen said, once he was able to catch his breath. Hood low, it was impossible to see the apprentice’s expression, but he turned to face them with a jerk, clearly caught off guard. “Go on now. Speak to her. Do what you can to amuse her simple little mind while the mystic and I have a chat.” The assistant rose to his feet, then went over to his horse and began tugging at a leather cord.
“I’m glad you find my question so amusing,” Liam growled.
“Oh, it’s not the question I find amusing,” Owen responded, still visibly trying to hold back more laughter. “It’s more than fair. But I’m afraid ye might have wasted today’s allowed question.” He paused. “I don’t know where we’re going,” he answered, then burst into another fit of laughter.
Liam surged to his feet. “What do you mean you don’t know where we’re going?” he boomed, livid. His obvious outrage only made Owen laugh even harder. “Surely you have some sort of plan! Are we to just roam the realm aimlessly?”
“Oh, I didn’t say I didn’t have a plan,” the hunter said, rubbing a tear from the corner of his eye. “It’s just not as specific as you might like. Now a deal is a deal, and I still intend to investigate what these reported attacks are all about. Think what you want of me, but I be a man of my word. A straight deal I made. The girl in exchange for me service. I haven’t built my reputation on swindling folks out of their coin. I’ve honored all my contracts.”
Liam paused, considering the hunter’s words. Indeed, his claims of being business savvy as well as a mercenary were most likely true. He could have never gained so many contracts had he been known as a swindler. “So if you don’t know where we’re going, how can you possibly have a plan?” Liam asked.
“I am in search of a few ‘business associates’ of mine, and at this time I be unaware of their exact location,” Owen answered, deciding Liam’s second question was just a continuation of his first, therefore he could provide some semblance of an answer. “But they always seem to find me, all right. So you see, we just have to keep moving until our paths cross.”
“And what of Viola?” Liam asked, gesturing towards her. “You know her secret as well as I. Have you figured that into your plans?”
Owen raised a silencing hand. “You’ve asked your question and I’ve answered as best as I can. Ask me nothing else.”
Beaten and frustrated, Liam flopped down beside the hunter and watched Xavier make his way over to Viola, a bag in hand.
She looked up quickly, startled. Placing the bag near her feet, Xavier drew back his hood. She gasped, seeing his face for the first time. He was so young. Shaggy blond bangs hung down over the top portion of his face. He gave his head a shake, revealing his light blue eyes. “Would you like to see something?” he asked, his soft voice sounding even younger than his boyish looks would indicate. Viola’s heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her. Voice caught in her throat, all she could do was nod.
He stripped off his riding gloves, revealing silver rings on each finger. Unlatching the leather bag, he retrieved what looked like some sort of wooden doll. The doll had large eyes with black hair. It wore a tiny set of armor, and its long nose was hooked down over its mouth. It looked like a little knight.
“This is Brom,” he said, laying the doll near her feet. In a rapid series of motion, he tapped all his rings on different parts of the elaborate toy, then drew his hands away. Visible only when catching the light just right, she could see what looked like tiny strands running from his fingers to the doll. As thin as spider webbing they were. “Say hello, Brom.”
His fingers twitched ever so slightly as the doll opened and closed its eyes. Little hands rose up to rub them as it came awake, rising up to its feet. It stretched, arms quivering in the air while its mouth opened in a wide yawn. Viola clapped her hands, an ear-to-ear grin splitting her face. To her eyes, seeing the doll come to life was absolutely magical. Brom winked, dipping down into a low bow.
The hunter shook his head as he watched his apprentice mesmerize the girl with his puppet tricks. “She has the mind of a simple child,” he grumbled.
“Not true,” Liam corrected, rather enjoying the show himself. “I find her to be quite intelligent. Although I admit she is socially underdeveloped, that i
s not the same as being simple.”
“You don’t say,” Owen groaned. “Please enlighten me, homeless mystic.”
“She’s been isolated from people her entire life,” Liam continued, ignoring the hunter’s sarcasm. “Children playing with others is crucial for their growth. Years of social development have been stolen from her. It’s like trying to grow a tree in a pot. It will start out fine, but at some point it will become woefully stunted. What she needs is time with other—” He stopped in midsentence.
“Laberaths?” Owen questioned, his sarcastic tone returning. “Human children, perhaps?” Liam fell silent. “There is a reason she’s been isolated her whole life, mystic. In truth...she shouldn’t even exist.” After a moment of silence he whistled to Xavier, who was busy making the puppet do a jig of sorts, Viola clapping in time to the unheard song. “Enough with that...toy! Time to get some rest.” He turned back to Liam. “And I suggest you do the same.”
“That apprentice of yours is quite talented,” Liam said, rising to his feet.
“I suppose that’s true,” Owen admitted, stripping off his flexible armor. “That toy of his seems to fetch quite a bit of coin when we visit the local taverns. Now you and Viola can go ahead and sleep in the wagon.”
“Then goodnight it is,” said Liam, heading away. He paused, then turned back briefly. “I’ll have another question for you in the morning,” he warned, before heading towards Viola.
“I’ve no doubt,” Owen groaned to himself, crawling on hands and knees towards his bedroll.
With the slightest twitch of Xavier’s fingers, the doll stretched and yawned, each joint moving perfectly. He truly was masterful with the toy. Brom waved goodbye, then curled up at Viola’s feet, sleepy eyelids fluttering shut. The nearly invisible strands seemed to melt away on their own. She gave a return wave, looking sad to see him go.
“He’ll visit you again in the morning,” Xavier promised, placing Brom back in his bag. She nodded, grinning eagerly. “Until then, Brom and I bid you goodnight.” He took the bag back to his horse, then slipped into his bedroll near the fire.
“He is a friendly lad, is he not?” said Liam, giving her a start. She didn’t know how long he had been standing there, and only just realized she had been staring at Xavier this entire time. She wasn’t even sure if she was capable of blushing, but her face certainly felt hot all of sudden.
“He’s nice,” she whispered in reply, suddenly unable to meet Liam’s eyes.
The mystic pressed his lips together, trying to disguise his knowing grin. “Come now. It’s time to get some sleep.”
*
Moonlight crept through the tiny rips and tears in the canvas above. Unusually bright tonight, the soft beams seemed to illuminate the inside of the wagon. Tucked beneath a blue woolen blanket, Viola trembled in her sleep. Beads of sweat spotted her forehead, her rapid panting moving the blanket in a pulsing rhythm.
With a gasp she bolted upright, red eyes flaring wide open. Her damp clothes clung to her body, the back of her neck covered with sweat. Still breathing hard, she glanced at Liam lying beside her. Wrapped in a blanket of his own, the old man continued to snore peacefully.
Still trembling, she wiped the cold sweat from her neck, then slid out the back side of the wagon. What was wrong? Why couldn’t she stop shaking and sweating? Her vision was blurred, everything around her appearing in black and white. She was so thirsty, but the thought of water made her stomach queasy.
Swaying drunkenly, she stumbled away from the camp. Her chest clenched with tightness. It was more like discomfort than actual pain. An insatiable craving that couldn’t be satisfied. Unexplainable, like body craving more air even as it continued to breath. She didn’t even know where she was going, only that she needed to get there soon. Her heart thumped in her throat, each beat a mighty thud echoing in her ears.
Branches and leaves swiped her face as she stumbled along recklessly, hardly noticing the minor cuts adding up. Feet shuffling along, her toe struck a tree root, sending her skidding face first across the leaves and dirt. Leaves stuck to her face and hair, she looked up. Growling, a young wolf stood only a few feet away. Its muzzle crinkled up, baring its sharp teeth. A long, low rumble escaped its throat, yellow eyes locked with hers. She got to her knees, staring back with a blank expression.
A shrill howl off in the distance woke Liam from his slumber. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The man was no stranger to the sounds of the woods, but feared Viola might have been startled by such a thing. When he looked to see if her sleep had been disturbed, she was nowhere to be seen. A second howl rang out, far more strangled than the first. The obvious sounds of an animal fight followed: growling, snapping, and finally a series of high-pitched yelps.
He slid from the back of the wagon, fear gripping his chest. “Viola!” he called out, moving through the camp. “Where are you, dear? Answer me!” In a flash, Owen and Xavier were at his side.
“What’s going on?” Owen asked, head darting this way and that.
“Do you not hear that?” Liam asked, only now realizing that the savage sounds had stopped. There was only silence now.
“I heard something a moment ago,” Owen replied. “Sounded like dogs fighting.” He looked Liam up and down, then glanced towards the wagon. “Where is the girl?”
“That is what I intend to find out,” Liam said, before rushing back to the wagon to retrieve his staff. Once he had it, he stormed off in the direction of the disturbance but only made it a few feet before stopping. Moving slowly, a shadowy figure walked towards the camp. It was Viola, head down with her white hair draped over her face.
“Viola?” Liam said, watching her curiously. “My dear, is everything all right?” She drew closer step by step. “Are you hurt? Say something.”
Owen began laughing, shaking Xavier by the shoulder. “I saw the way you were looking at her, boy,” he said tauntingly. “Well, take a close look at her now!”
Tears dripped down onto her shirt as she began to weep, the combination of shame and fear overwhelming her. Rubbing at her eyes, she lifted just enough hair to expose her bloodstained face. “I couldn’t control myself,” she whimpered, managing enough courage to glance up at Xavier. “I didn’t mean to—” He met her eyes briefly, then turned away in disgust. He may as well have stabbed her in the heart with a blade. Crushed by his reaction, her weeping intensified, both hands covering her face in shame.
“I said look at her!” Owen demanded, forcing Xavier’s head back towards her direction. Xavier opened his eyes, again gazing into that bloodstained face. “Take a long look, and don’t ever forget what you saw here today. Make no mistake, she is little more than a wild animal. Had she not found a creature to feed on, it would have been you!”
“Never!” she shrieked in protest, a hissing screech that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Owen paused, unsettled by the eerie way her voice echoed around like that. It was like she was all around him at once.
“Of course you would say that,” said Owen, pushing Xavier aside while moving up close to her. She shied away, backing up a step. “I distinctly heard a wolf cry out with his last dying breath,” he growled. “So what was it like? You know, killing an innocent creature of the woods?” She covered her ears, shaking her head.
“Enough,” Liam interrupted. “This solves nothing.”
“Oh, I’ll bet the blood was sweet,” Owen continued, ignoring Liam’s protest as he moved in close to her ear. “Ah, but not as sweet as the blood of a human. That’s what you truly crave!”
“I said enough!” Liam repeated, rushing at Owen.
There came a blur from the corner of Liam’s eye, and cold steel was suddenly pressed against his neck. “Do not interfere or you shall force my hand,” Xavier whispered in a voice too soft and youthful to belong to such an efficient killer. Liam barely had time to register the speed of the young man. In a flash he was just...there.
“Bah,” Owen grumbled, turning away from
Viola. Xavier stepped back, his dagger slipping back into his sleeve. Heading back towards his bedroll, the hunter gave Liam a hard nudge as he passed. “Don’t blame me when she kills you in your sleep,” he muttered. “You already knew what she was.” Like nothing had happened, he slipped back into his bedroll and appeared to fall right back to sleep.
With a fatherly gesture, Liam wrapped his arm around Viola’s shoulder. “Come now. Let’s get you cleaned up,” he said tenderly. He could only imagine the trauma she had just experienced, giving in to a savage craving she couldn’t control. Still weeping softly, she let herself be led away. She could feel Xavier’s eyes on her, but refused to look back. “Don’t listen to anything he says,” Liam said, rubbing her shoulder assuredly. “He is a cold-blooded mercenary who kills for money, not exactly the sort whose opinion I deem to be trustworthy.”
When they neared the wagon, she leaned back to resist going any further. He regarded her questioningly. “Viola, we have a long day tomorrow, and I don’t need you being difficult right now. As I already said, I need to get you cleaned up so we can get some rest.” He looked to the east, the black of night giving ground to the first signs of an orange horizon. “Daylight is almost upon us.”
“I don’t want you trapped in there with me,” she said. “What if...something…happens? I couldn’t live with myself if I...hurt you.”
Liam sighed, leaning against the corner of the wagon. “I asked you once before if you trusted me, remember? And you assured me that you do.” She nodded. “Then I expect you to take me at my word. I promise you that nothing is going to happen. Now, I need you to say the words. Tell me you believe me.”
“I believe you,” she squeaked.
“Good,” he replied. “Now, we shall talk in the morning. We’re going to figure all this out.” The two of them climbed into the wagon. After dampening a rag with the contents of a water skin, he scrubbed the drying blood from her face. When the job was finished, they both crawled under their blankets to try and salvage what was left of the night.