As he walked south, the land changed. The damp wet—lands filled with cattails, birch and bushes full of berries—dried. The trees became taller, growing pines and cedars. Even the scent of the forest changed. The lighter woodsy smells of cedar, and combinations of wild flowers, started replacing the musky pungent odors of the swamp. Nathan enjoyed the walk. As much as the northern swamplands were filled with valuable herbs and plentiful amounts of food,, they were not the prettiest or most inviting lands.
The woodlands to the south presented a much more appeasing landscape. After three days of walking south, Nathan started to recognize some of the land. He was back in familiar territory and only a day’s walk from Birchone.
Following a meandering brook, Nathan stopped at a small water pool for the day. First he built a fire, then started collecting a few items from his packs and started making some soap. It wouldn’t help his sales to come into the village smelling like he had been camping in the woods for over months.
He crushed up some wood ash to made lye. This he combined with aloe and sunflower oil, mint leaf and lavender. Nathan heated the mixture then carved out a chunk of bark to create a mold for the soap. He poured the soap mixture into the bark mold and let it cool. The lye combined with sunflower oil turning the oil into a harder, more solid bar of soap.
Nathan stripped down and jumped into the pool of water, finding it cool and refreshing. He quickly scrubbed himself down with the soap and then gave his clothes a quick scrub as well. As his clothing dried in the afternoon sun, he took one of his daggers and used the reflection of the pond to give his hair a trim. He had been getting rather shaggy.
Looking into the pond he was almost startled by his reflection. He had grown in the last months. Taller and leaner, his skin was bronzed by the daily sun. His dark hair and brown skin make his bright blue eyes stand out even more. He had not gotten his dark hair from his mother he certainly got his bright light blue eyes from her. While he was lean from constant walking, he was wider in the shoulders now. Tall and strong with narrow hips and wide shoulders, standing over six feet tall now. He would look most men in the eyes or down on them. Nathan was quickly becoming a young man.
Birchone, while by no means a city, was a much busier place than Elderwood. Being on the main trade route from the south to the east, it drew a fairly steady stream of travelers, most on route to the large cities of Progoh and Venecia. The village of Birchone had many farms in the surrounding area. They would bring their grains, vegetables and livestock to sell to the traders, who would take those goods into the larger markets to resell. Nathan had always enjoyed coming to Birchone with his mother to sell their goods.
The markets were always full of interesting things, as the profession traders were always willing to exchange goods instead of coins. Every time they sold a good in Birchone, it gave them more space to take on new goods to sell in the cities.
Besides the trading markets, Birchone was home to several businesses that catered to travelers, such as blacksmith shops, a livery, and several inns and pubs.
The Winking Mule was Nathan’s first order of business on entering the village. It was his favorite place to stay when in Birchone. The inn was a two-story building, with individual rooms upstairs and a large common room on the main floor. They served excellent meals and made rather tasty honey mead.
Nathan walked into the building and looked around, behind the bar stood its proprietor, the man known as Big Willy. Hearing his name, one might conjure an image of a large burly man with an oversized belly, but Big Willy was nothing like that. Big Willy, or William Biggs, was a small slender man in his later years. His stature may have been small but Big Willy had a large smile and was always friendly with Nathan and Velaina when they traveled to Birchone.
As Nathan walked up the bar Big Willy gave him a thoughtful look before breaking into a smile “Why hello there lad, I hardly recognized you. You have grown some since the last time I saw you." Big Willy chuckled. “But your clothes haven’t. It looks like you are going to have to spend a coin or two at the market and get some new ones.”
Nathan looked down. He had managed to do a good job cleaning his clothes the day before. But no amount of cleaning could hide the fact that his shirt and trousers were a couple inches short. “Clothes and some good shoes for sure, but first a room and meal,” said Nathan with a sheepish smile.
“Certainly, I’ll bring a bowl of stew and some fresh bread out for you in a few minutes with a mug of mead. Take the first room on the left; you will be able to see the traders set up for market in the morning through your window. You can get a peek at who has some decent clothes.”
Nathan placed two silver coins and a copper on the bar. ”I’ll want the room for at least a few nights; this should cover it and my meals."
Big Willy took the coins and laughed. “Well, I don’t know about that. It will cover the room for sure but, from the size of you, I would say you’re going to eat enough to drive me into the poor house at that rate” with a wink he slapped Nathan on the arm. “Take a seat and let me go get you some food.”
Big Willy headed back to the kitchen while Nathan took a moment to survey the room. Besides the large bar and hearth the inn’s common room was filled with an assortment of large and small tables. Most were filled with patrons finishing off their dinner while enjoy a pitcher of mead or wine. In the corner Nathan found a small empty table at which to take a seat.
Soon, Big Willy came back out with a large bowl of steaming stew and a half a loaf of fresh bread. The aroma of the fresh baked bread made Nathan’s mouth water. He took a mouthful of the savory meal and sighed contently. He enjoyed eating someone else’s cooking, especially a nice hot stew like this, full of chunks of beef and garden vegetables. A nice change from the mostly wild fruits, game and plants his meals had consisted of during his stay in the swamps and woodlands.
After enjoying the stew and fresh bread, Nathan headed up to his room. A proper bed was a winning proposition on all accounts. As Nathan got to the stairs leading up to his room Big Willy stopped him for a brief moment. “We heard what happened in Elderwood. I am sorry for your loss. Both your parents were fine people and always treated me well. They will be missed,” spoke Big Willy solemnly. Nathan thanked him and headed up to his room. The room was sparse but clean. Nathan sat down on the bed, his lanky frame filled it. This was so much better than sleeping on the ground, he thought to himself as he fell into a restful slumber.
The next morning, Nathan woke refreshed and full of energy. The quality sleep and prospect of new proper-fitting clothes did wonders for his mood. As he exited the inn, Big Willy gave him a heads up that several traders had set up in the market this morning and that he should visit the tall balding man at the north end of the street. Big Willy explained that his clothes were more expensive but they were high quality and he was the most likely to give Nathan fair value for his perfumes. Big Willy had already spoken to the man and let him know that Nathan’s family always produced goods that fetched top dollar among the royal families.
“Thank you, Big Willy, that sounds perfect. I will go right now.” Nathan was feeling sheepish about his clothing, or lack thereof. It was time to remedy the situation.
The tall balding trader was expecting him when Nathan arrived. He quickly sized up Nathan’s build and picked out several garments for Nathan to look over. Many of the tunics and pants were obviously meant for richer city folk, bright colors and intricate designs were a common theme. But the clothing was all high quality thick Morthon cotton with silk threading. Hester, the tall bald trader, had evidently been trading clothing for a while. His experience showed when the garments he had chosen for Nathan all fit perfectly.
After Nathan picked out a few that he might like, he opened his satchel to show Hester his own goods. His mother had been known for her high-quality perfumes despite the fact she did not often make them. She had preferred to spend most of her efforts on healing salves and potions, but she always got excellent value
in trade for them. Hester examined a few of Nathan’s vials looking to see how clear the oils were. Cloudy oils would indicate a low quality perfume not properly mixed. Satisfied that they were all very clear and of a good consistency, he opened one of the vials to give it a sniff.
Hester could tell right away that he would get excellent coin for the perfume. The combination of rose petals, jasmine and a hint of lavender were the notes that Hester could detect. After a short bit of haggling, Nathan traded six vials of perfume and two small pouches filled with a healing salve. He received two pairs of pants three tunics and two pair of shoes.
Once Nathan was done trading with Hester, he spent the next hour wandering the market and making small trades. He found a glass trader and replenished his supply of vials for future potions and traded several pouches of salves for a large sack of food, the cured ham, cheeses, bread and fresh fruit were a welcomed change from his previous road meals.
He sold his last vials of perfume for twenty copper coins. He probably could have received better value trading for merchandise, but having the coins would allow him to eat and sleep at the Winking Mule for as long as he wanted.
Taking all his new clothing and supplies back to his room Nathan went back down to the common room for a mid-day meal. Sitting at the same small table as the night before, Nathan looked around the room observing the different people talking and eating at their tables. At the table next to Nathan sat three traders exchanging tales of their journeys.
Nathan was not eavesdropping, but when he heard one of the men at the next table mention Elderwood that he started paying attention. “Hardly worth even stopping in Elderwood anymore, only a dozen or so villagers left. All they have now is Elderberry wine. Which is fine but hardly profitable enough to justify worrying about all the bandits that have moved into the area,” a portly gentleman spoke.
Nathan looked him over, he remembered him. The portly man was one of the many traders that would find cheap goods in the small villages, to sell in the next village or sell something from the previous village. He would dicker and deal, trade his way south or east until he got enough goods to make a profit in one of the capital cities. If traders like him were avoiding Elderwood, the village would be in trouble. Even before the devastating attack, most of food supplies for the village came from trading. Now even more than before, a higher percentage of the villagers would be relying on these traders. Nathan felt a pang of regret that he had been gone from the village this whole time. He wondered how he could help the villagers, his friends. An idea formed. He could help the remaining villagers recover from the tragedy they all had suffered.
Nathan stood and took a step over towards the men’s table. “Excuse me sir, I couldn’t help but over hearing and I just wanted to tell you that on your next trip it would be wise to stop in Elderwood.”
The three men looked at Nathan. At first glance he could be mistaken for an adult due to his tall wide frame but his boyish face and soft voice gave strong evidence of his true age. Nedd, the man who had been speaking earlier, recognized Nathan. “Ah! Hello there lad, I have not seen you in a while. You have grown. Since your parents’ deaths and the burning of the mill, Elderwood hasn’t been the same.”
Nathan relaxed, the fact that the trader recognized him would make getting him to come back to the village easier. “I’ve been gone from the village since it happened. But I am on my way back now and will be selling a lot of the same perfumes and medicines that you got from my mother."
At this, all three traders perked up. Elderberry wine was okay but perfume and medicines had much higher profit margins in the cities. “Alright, lad, if you can promise that, all three of us will make sure we come through Elderwood. “Are you looking for coin or goods?”
Nathan thought about it for a moment and decided that the best thing would be as much food as possible, and supplies such as vials and small pouches. Once the village was reestablished as a good trading post he would ask for coins. “Supplies mostly. Once we have re-established good trade. I would like more coin but to start I will need goods.”
The traders had no problem with this. Glass, leather and food were not exotic items so they would not have to make any special preparations before visiting Elderwood again. “Well, I am still not fond of the idea of taking the northern roads into Salma with all the bandit problems of late, but good perfume gives me a better paying clientele in the cities. I will come to Elderwood for that,” spoke up the other trader Nathan had overheard. The trader and his traveling companion were taking their wares south to Valencia and would be back in about six weeks. Nedd had business to attend to in Progoh and would visit Elderwood in about three weeks. Nathan was satisfied with his efforts. He would have plenty of time to organize and make potions to trade. The men had treated him as man, not a child. Indeed, he was surprised and satisfied all at the same time. He was not used to being treated as an adult. His size was deceptive. His maturity and mannerisms added to the deception. Nathan had changed greatly.
Having made the decision to return to Elderwood, Nathan returned to the market and traded the remainder of his salves and potions for additional food and more empty vials. His pack was now completely full and he had a second smaller pack of supplies. His walk back to the village would take longer with the heavy packs but would be well worth it in the long run.
With clean new clothes that fit, two full packs of supplies and a new found purpose, Nathan was ready to return to Elderwood. With eager anticipation of his return home, he quickly packed his gear, gave his room a tidying and headed back down the stairs to say farewell to Big Willy. “Once again, your hospitality has been delightful Big Willy. I believe I have gained five pounds eating here these last few days, but I am off to Elderwood now.”
Big Willy smiled; he took pleasure in having the best food in the village. “You take care, boy, I am glad you found some clothes that fit; you look like a young prince now instead of a vagabond. Be wary of strangers. The roads are a dangerous place these days.”
Chapter nineteen
NATHAN LEFT BIRCHONE with a spring in his step. A lovely day to travel, he mused to himself as he adopted a ground eating pace. The journey home on the main path would be much shorter than the winding meandering walks of the last few weeks. Eventually, the heavy packs would make the journey a very tiresome endeavor but for now he strode with purpose. With good weather and lightly burdened, the trek from Birchone to Elderwood was normally about two days, but with the heavy packs, he would not be able to keep to that timetable.
As Nathan walked, he breathed in the clear crisp woodsy air and smiled to himself as the familiar scents triggered memories of walking through the forests with Ava. By the gods, I do miss her so, he thought to himself. It seemed like forever since they last walked through the forest to sit at the pond, able to enjoy each other’s company without a care in the world, before their innocence had been prematurely stolen by the tragic events. Vivid flashbacks invaded Nathan’s mind as he walked. Memories of her infectious laugh, the gentle caresses followed by swift punches, the way her lips felt on his skin… He knew the decision to go off and be alone was the right one. He felt much more at peace with himself having had the time and space to properly mourn the loss of his parents. Yet the whole time he was away, he never stopped thinking about Ava. He wondered how she felt about him and how they would interact when he returned to the village.
With his thoughts bouncing from scenario to scenario, the miles and hours moved quickly. That first day he covered a great distance before the heavy weight of his packs and the nonstop jaunt took its toll. Finally, he gave in to the desire to rest for the evening. He ate a quick meal and slept the night away dreaming of a certain girl. The next day Nathan continued his stroll towards home. The journey was uneventful; with the roads being mostly deserted, he encountered no travelers. But nightfall would reach the land before Nathan could make it all the way back to the village. He would need to spend one more night on the road before reaching his destinat
ion. Nathan remembered a nice camping spot a short ways up the road that would make an excellent place to sleep for the night. It was a spot where the creek came close to the road, fresh water would let him clean up a bit before completing his journey.
Not much later, he found the spot from his memory. From where the creek lie, it was only five miles to Elderwood. He would be home the next morning. Grateful that his journey was almost complete, Nathan set up his camp, making a fire and washing up at the creek. Later that night, while Nathan sat beside his fire, staring up into the stars, musing his upcoming return to Elderwood, he heard a twig crack; someone or something was coming from the road towards his fire. It was not unheard of for travelers to be on the main path this late at night since Elderwood was a couple hours away. But the custom of the road was always to yell a greeting before walking up to a stranger’s fire. Whatever or whoever was out there was not friendly.
Nathan was sitting on the creek side of the fire opposite of road so who or whatever lurking out there would look into the fire to try seeing him. Nathan slowly and as quietly as possible grabbed his daggers. He slipped away from the fire into the darkness of the trees besides the creek. There he crouched and waited. Dark forms made their way towards the fire. Two armed men were standing beside his fire: bandits!
“Come on out, boy. We saw you walking up the road. No point hiding. We know how heavy your bags are, and we just here to help you out. We will be taking those bags for you, along with any money you have,” said the tall bandit beside the fire. His rough voice left no doubt, that while his words were almost pleasant, this was a robbery. Nathan calmly thought about the situation. Many of his father’s lessons about combating multiple enemies came to his mind. He readied himself for what was to come.
As the first bandit moved closer Nathan analyzed his opponent. Against the light of the fire, Nathan saw his rough leather clothing and iron sword, at least this one was not well armed. Nathan took another step back into the trees. His body disappeared into its shadows. As he waited beside the tree, he watched the second bandit circle the fire. Once the bandit was outlined by the fire, Nathan spied a double-sided ax and a large dagger on his belt. Well put together and soft moving, this one was the danger.
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