RMW
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Knotty Pub
~SV~
Knotty Pub, Black Forest Village, Morning, 677, 28th, October
Whitey likes being the one in charge. Rather than being unwilling to serve Kolo, he enjoys doing his bidding and hopes to be rewarded with the dark gift of becoming a vampire. He was nice to Tik hoping to get the gift from him, but recent events have Whitey suspecting Tik is incapable. He rushes into ‘The Knotty Pub’, a place favored by woodsmen of the Black Forest. As Whitey enters, Lurky looks up from his empty cup and calls out, “Whitey!”
As he sees them, Lurky adds, “Buy me a drink?” Kolo’s man comes over to Lurky and his two men. Bull and Weasel smile as the guard nears their table. Whitey nods at Bull and Weasel. Cautiously, Whitey asks Lurky, “How would you like to earn a coin bag, and I buy all drinks when you return from a simple job?” Bull shouts, “How simple?” A man at the bar loudly says, “I told you to stop yelling!” Ignoring the threat, Bull roars, “I might be willing.”
The man at the bar demands, “Get out now!” Whitey tells the trio, “I need all three of you.” Standing, Bull smirks, “Wait.” Bull goes over to the man who told him to leave and slams the man’s head into the bar. Bull easily carries him to the front door, and tosses him out in the dirt. Some of the men stand up, to confront Bull, and it becomes a brawl. Whitey starts to rethink his bright idea of even asking these three, as he backs up to a corner and waits for it to end.
~*~
Pitsville Village, Morning, 677, 28th, October
Prince Rorik yells at the Hexing Hag, “Fine, just stop pulling me!” She cackles, “Ya do not demand nothin’ of me, boy.” Rorik huffs, “It was a stupid stinking jar that you left on the filthy floor!”
The wicked Witch mocks, “Twere not yer jar now twas it?” His silence has her jerking the Prince again, “Huh? Me does not hear yer reply boy?” Rorik fumes, “Yes, it was your bloody bottle I broke!”
The old hag glares, the mist darkens her eyes again, “Me do not care for yer tone boy! Now ya gots no choice, but ta pay yer debt ta me. Me aint worried, me hexed ya up real good. Ya are gonna have ta work off whatcha broke.” He snorts, “I will pay you for the pathetic jar and extra too. What else do you want?” Her cat rubs her leg, she picks it up, whispering in her familiar’s ear, “He has got nothin’ ta pay with. Me took his coin bag, while he were sleepin’.”
The Hag lets the cat feed from the third nipple on her shoulder, as she cackles a little, then scoffs, “Ya are also payin’ for bein’ disrespectful. Ya should count yerself lucky. It could be worse.” Rorik feels molested by her, sneering, “I sincerely doubt that!” Giggling, until she coughs, it only makes Rorik angrier, “You will regret this, no one treats me this way, my father, the King will-.”
Gleefully, the Witch cuts in, “Ya tis naïve boy, and cannot be tellin’ no one, it was in me hex. And me knows how to make it worse. Me can cut ya up, just a bit at a time. Burn yer ends, so ya do not bleed out. Te Necromancers will buy yer meat, payin’ me good. Tey will eat ya in their stew. Me will let it kill ya real slow, takin’ a few weeks before me gets ta yer organs. Or leave a month in between so it takes ya a year. Now tat is worse, right?”
Rorik is near retching with fear, as the Hexing Hag taunts, “Tere will be nothin’ for anyone to find of ya. Huh, am me right boy? Me tinks it will be worse. Speak up, me Precious Prince.” Horrified, Rorik rushes to apologize, “Yes, that is worse. Sorry I broke your bottle and was disrespectful.” She smirks, “Oh, now tat tis a nice bit of sweet ta me ear. Yet ye stay hexed!” Smirking she finishes, “Yer not gettin’ out of workin’ yer debt ta me off.”
The Hag laughs, “Ya will be a good Precious Prince and quit yer whinin’ boy, or I will have ya snivelin’ like a baby!” Rorik groans at his plight, unsure he will ever get away from her.
~*~
Not many in ‘The Knotty Pub’ are left standing after the three were done busting it up. Whitey is cautious, as he just had a reminder of Bull’s very large size, and extremely mean temper. Bull gives him a grin, “Now tell us of the coin.” Whitey replies, “I need you to find the Princess.” The men laugh at the easy job, as sternly Whitey adds, “She has taken off, we do not know where. I was given a bag of coins and the task of hiring three men, to hunt for her-.”
Snickering, Weasel cuts in, “Show us the bag.” Whitey pulls it out of his cloak and lets it drop onto the table. Lurky moans, “Ohhh that is a lovely sound.” Whitey says, “The Master told me you are to bribe people into telling you if they saw her. Especially talk to the local fishermen who have time to watch and hang around, pay them to look for her. Check all carriages. Hit towns with an inn, stable, or wharf, all the way down toward the ocean.”
Bull groans, “That sounds like too much time in the saddle.” Weasel agrees, “No thanks.” Whitey says, “I have three horses from the Castle, even one big enough to hold you.” Bull sniffs, “Tell us more.” Whitey assures him, “They are first rate fast horses, no nags; you will be riding in comfort for this job.” Weasel admits, “Tis sounding a bit better.” Whitey tells them, “If you find her, bring her back, and keep her in the forest. One of you comes to get me.”
Whitey proudly adds, “I will keep her for his men and I will pay you.” Weasel snickers, “I am in if Bull and Lurky are.” Lurky says, “I am waiting to hear if the carrot is good. Since this bag is apparently not ours, nor is it the King who is hiring us.” Whitey states, “If you get to the sea without finding her, come back to report what you have learned. I will give you each a bag. If you find her, you get twice as much.” Bull slams his mug down, “I will go.”
Lurky asks, “What is the stick?” Whitey risks all, “If you run off with the horses and coins, you will be hunted down, and killed, in an unpleasant way.” Weasel says, “Nope, nope, no way tis too grave. I am out. I do not need coin that bad!” His threat, entertains Bull, “You, kill me? It will be amusing to see you or anyone else, try!” Lurky asks, “So do you trust this Master of yours?” Whitey nods, “He really wants her, and gave over this bag with no hesitation.”
Bull nods, as Whitey adds, “I say he is worth the coin, and will pay what he claims, or I never would have risked asking you three.” Lurky picks up the bag, “So we look for a girl?” Whitey holds a hand at her height saying, “Princess Sidonia Vlasac, fifteen, green eyes, coal black hair below her waist, very pretty. You two catch up with the Ferry to find out if she is on it or in any coach you see.” Lurky nods, “When do we start?” Whitey says, “Now.”
They grumble, as Whitey finishes, “Lurky, you keep hold of this bag and pay to hear if anyone saw her at each pier, at all inns, and check if she rented a coach from any stable.” Weasel sees Bull and Lurky get up; he groans, “Fine I am going too.” Whitey shows them the horses and watches them head out of town to find Sidonia.
~*~
Rorik walks up the hill in an angry silence, furious that he has become the Witch’s slave, all because his mum wants him to save Sidonia. He grumbles, “I will probably get killed doing it, too.” The Old Crone scoffs, “Me doubts it. Nothin’ deadly about diggin’ up graves, long as they are older.” She brags, “Me do it all te time.” He tries to charm her, replying, “I was talking of the task my mum wants me to do. Say, I do not recall you telling me your name?”
She says in a pleased smug voice, “Jacque.” He is surprised as it sounds rather fancy and Rorik cannot see anything elegant as he looks at her. She earns a name like Hag, Moldy or Snotty. Still, he tries to sound pleasant, “That is a very pretty name. So, Jacque, why are we going to dig up graves?” She says in a superior tone, “Me creates Spirit Jars.” Rorik fears what she is getting him into.
Assuming, he finds fault, “We are going to get spirits out of their graves? I am pretty sure they move on, so we will not find any in an old graveyard!” She snorts, “No, boy. Me not say ‘spirits in jars,’ just te ‘Spirit Jars’. We are getting’ some ‘coffin nails’ and ‘grave dirt’ not just graveyard dirt, most mistake tat” He groans, “Why do you need them?” She mocks, “Tey are wat keeps the spirit in te dark magic jar.” Half hour later they enter into a grove of trees.
After a short walk up a slight path, they come to a long forgotten old graveyard. Rorik gasps at the sight. There are a couple of dozen collapsed caskets all above ground. Rorik demands, “What in the Dark Realm happened here? This is some scary evil doings!” Proudly, she says, “Me dug those up meself.” She adds, “Now ya are gonna dig me up some more graves, while me pulls out nails.”
She turns to point, “Me is getting the ones tat are left in those coffins.” She tosses the shovel she was carrying at him, “Get ta it. Trust me, ya do not want ta be here when te sun goes down! Cause yer wrong, some spirits do still hang around here! Now tat tis some real spooky evil doin’s tat will scare ya, into snivelin’.”
~*~
Crooked Bend Wharf, Mid-Morning, 677, 28th, October
Each time the Ferry nears a pier, Sidonia watches the boarding passengers and all on the shore. She keeps her hood hiding her face, quickly reading their thoughts until satisfied they mean her no harm. At the next five wharfs, they let people off, but no one boards and none are seeking her. Slowly the Dark Princess begins to relax, watching as they pass fields, seeing peasants bringing in their fall harvest. Sidonia’s thoughts drift toward her plans.
As they near the Crooked Bend Wharf, a group of passengers get on, and the Ferry leaves. Sidonia sees two men ride to the pier and fears that they are seeking her. One man is very large and the other is very skinny. She almost relaxes as they are not Castle Guards. She says aloud, “Maybe they wanted to get on.” The Ferryman wonders if she knows them. She reads their thoughts, ‘I hope we find the dark-haired girl at the next wharf.’
Sidonia gasps in fear; the Ferryman offers, “Well they are out of luck. It will be a week before I head back down again.” Sidonia asks, “There is only one more wharf?” The Ferryman chuckles, “I only meant that I doubt they will make it to the following piers before us. We will not stop unless there are waiting passengers… until we get to the Old Oak Tavern. The Old Oak Tavern is where we will take a short break; it is possible that they might make that.”
The Ferryman adds, “After the Old Oak Tavern, the only road that connects to the piers is more than a bit inland. They will be unlikely to make any of those unless they keep going to Half Moon Bay’s pier. That is where we dock for the night.” Sidonia sighs, “Oh, I see. Thank you.” Knowing they are Kolo’s men, she hopes the Ferryman is right; otherwise, she is in serious trouble.
~*~
Samala wakes, does a vision, and contacts her son, “Rorik. Where are you? I see you fail to be with her!” It startles Rorik and he stops digging, as he says, “I ran into a snag, while trying to find a witch willing to let me use her Dark Door. She is forcing me to work before I can use her stupid door. I cannot say anymore right now, she is watching me. Can you do a vision to help me find you?” Queen Samala hisses, “Do you ever listen? I cannot find out where I am.”
She mocks, “It never should have taken you this long! You could have walked to Blackstone Castle by now.” He huffs, “More like, two weeks with no sleep and a few horses!” His mother mocks, “You are too late! Sidonia left.” Prince Rorik says, “Good, she no longer needs my help.” Samala hisses, “Listen. Sidonia escaped on the Ferry, of all things. Right out from under Kolo and his men’s noses. And out of reach of you as well because you were sleeping.”
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He groans, “I was not sleeping!” The Mad Queen huffs, “You rode all night? I think not, you need to catch up to that Ferry.” Rorik fumes, “Why involve her, to find you?” Samala hisses, “I do not have the energy to argue with you or see what you are really doing. I just learned she will be at Half Moon Bay tonight; get to her before Kolo’s men. Make her tell you if she has Anthony’s book. I desperately need you to learn if she found it and take it from her!”
Rorik huffs, “It was bad enough when I thought I had to save her, now I am doing all this for a stupid old rotting book! Why in the grave do you want it?” Queen Samala sneers, “Yes, the one Kolo asked you to find for him, I am certain you recall that encounter!” Rorik groans, “Oh, demons. I did not realize he was Kolo! I should have killed him, not Mol.” Samala says, “If she does not have the book, find out if she located it, and what she read or learned from it.”
Rorik groans, “I nearly died over that book, once already-.” The Mad Queen threatens, “I will contact you later. Do not fail me again!” He feels his mother go, just as the old witch yells, “Me do not hear ya diggin’. Shall me remove yer favored nuts?” The Prince starts digging, and the whole thing seems hopeless, believing he will never get away from this angry, vicious, and very ugly hexing hag.
~*~
Kolo’s men, Bull, and Weasel, arrive in a cloud of dust at the Crooked Bend wharf. They have joy as they see a few on the pier waiting to board, Weasel says, “We finally caught up to them.” Then they see these people are fishing off the wharf, rather than waiting. Bull points, “The Ferry is out in the river!” Weasel grumbles, “Crap. We are too late and I am thirsty.” Bull points to the tavern, “We deserve an ale.” Weasel agrees, “Or two, and some food.”
Lurky arrives and sees their horses, with the Castle’s brand, tied up outside of the tavern. He asks the men fishing on the pier; none saw anyone that matches her description. Yet he is a bit suspicious because they do not accept his coin to keep watching for the Princess. They do not like the look of Kolo’s man and so they decline the coin, believing it is cursed blood money. Angrily, Lurky goes into the tavern; just as Bull and Weasel finish their ales.
Finding his men, he huffs, “You two better be done, right now! We ride on, and this time when I ask around, you head on down the road. No stopping for a drink either. You should have been far ahead of me! Make sure you check every carriage and catch up to that stupid Ferry, to find out if she is on it or not!” Weasel moans, “I was thirsty.” Lurky hisses, “I do not need you two robbing me of my coins or getting me killed because the girl slips through our fingers.”
Weasel sneers, “How will they ever know that we stopped?” Bull agrees, “I am hungry too.” Lurky bribes, “That is not the point. It is a bigger reward if we find her, and then you can drink and eat all you want after the job is done.” Bull, Weasel, and Lurky get on their horses heading to the next wharf town. Once there, Lurky gets off to ask around; but threatens them first, “If you two screw this up for me, I will make sure as death, you pay for me all winter long!”
Bull and Weasel ride off at a fast gallop down the road.
~*~
Prince Rorik stops to wipe the sweat from his eyes; hearing silence, Jacque yells, “Me warned ya once, boy get diggin’, or me will make one of yer tiny testicles shrivel up! Hear me, Precious Prince?” Rorik calls out with disgust and fear, “I am shoveling! I got you three creepy caskets out of the ground already and nearly a fourth putrid one. How many more gross gory boxes, do you need?” The Hag yells back, “Do not be usin’ tat tone, boy.” He moans.
Jacque threatens, “Or me will make ya dig te whole stinkin’ graveyard up! Ya digs until me am too tired ta pull any more coffin nails, tats how many!” Rorik groans, realizing he forgot to be nice, so that she will let him go. He is always digging himself into a hole. After a bit, she comes to sit by the grave watching him work. He asks in a nicer tone, “So why do you need nails and dirt?” Jacque does not mind repeating herself this time, “Me creates Spirit Jars.”
The Hexing Hag, adds, “Me makes em, with te empty wine bottles. Tis not te easiest thing either, imagine me in tat hole.” She cackles until she coughs, “It takes a bit of work and spellin’, but when me am done; me takes ‘em ta te Dark Market ta sell ‘em. I hope ta be out before te first snow.” Rorik stops digging to look up at her, cringing as he asks, “Really, you sell at the Dark Market?”
She giggles, “Oh, ya have heard of it, huh?” Rorik nods, “Yes. I have never gone though.” He goes back to work, feeling a bit more afraid of her. Jacque sniffs, “Me has a regular Necromancer, Goth, and Warlock clientele.” Rorik gasps with respect and fear. He sees in this light her face is shriveled and her hair is a frizzy red. Rorik admits, “You must be good, to sell to them.” Jacque says, “Tis not just a bottle neither; me dip te top of te bottle in lead, too.”
The Wicked Witch proudly snorts, “Me gives ‘em a lead lid ta seal te shade in with, as well. Me has me own forge back of me shack. Me also provides te ‘grave dirt’ and ‘coffin nails’ needed for te spell to work right. Tis not so easy ta get te nails; guess ya learned tat, right? Me has ta tell most ta think about it! Tey do not expect tis down deep. Me pulls ‘em from used caskets too.” This annoys him, as clearly, he knows that part. He looks at her to say so.
But Rorik is distracted, as he sees that Jacque is sucking against her tooth with her tongue and it brings the Prince’s attention to it; causing Rorik to notice the old hag only has one tooth in front. The missing teeth, darkened eyes, lips, and tips of her fingers, make her look more than just a bit ill. She appears to be dying slowly, he assumes it is caused by working with the poison and lead.
Apparently making poison has a deadly cost even for a witch. He forces himself to reply as he admits, “Before this, I did not understand that the coffin nails need to be used ones.” She snorts, “Tis a typical mistake ta think ya can use any old nail, even a new nail tat can be used in a coffin or just stealin’ it from a coffin maker. Well, when yer spell fails, other witches will claim te shade is just too powerful.” She cackles and it makes him cringe.
Jacque boasts, “And, me guarantees mine. Ya now sees why me gets ‘em out of used coffins.” He says, “I am surprised you are up to it. I can swear to it being hard work.” She snorts, “Ya got tat right. Me also gets te dirt tat lays on te buried coffin. Me knows tat others are lazy, tey just go ta the outer edge of te graveyard. Tis not even real grave dirt! Or te spells would say road dirt by graveyard.”
Reluctantly, Rorik admits, “I might have done the same, not understanding the terms meaning, before you explained it.” She snorts, “Tis lazy and ya do not want tis sort comin’ back, ta get their coin from ya, when it goes wrong. Only part others make a mistake of doin’ and it causes te whole spell ta not work, tis te Blood Magic runes on te bottle. Tis not tat me am afraid of doin’ it in blood, cause me aint afraid of nothin!” Rorik smirks, “I believe it.”
She ignores it, “Tis cause it needs ta be tied ta te witch who is conjurin’ te spirit. Te fools are muckin’ it all up, not even knowin’ tat; but me made sure me knows it. Me tis a bit tuckered out from doin’ a dozen jars yesterday, but last night gave me te oomph, me is needin’. Me should be able ta finish up me stock by te end of te week now. Yer really helpin’ me get out of here before te snow comes.” Rorik asks, “Why lead, I would think you would use iron?”
Snorting she mocks, “Shows what ya know. Iron repels te spirits from te bottle, where lead will just lure ‘em in and then keep te spirits in te jar.” Prince Rorik nods, “I did not know that before this. Sounds like you really know what you are doing.” Jacque yawns, “Then next week me am off ta te Dark Market with Spirit Jars; Poison Pellets and Ampules. Me hopes ta sell ‘em all.”
She sighs, “After tat me will be takin’ a Holiday in te islands for te winter.” He envies her holiday. Rorik pushes the coffin out of the hole and sees why she picked this graveyard. They were only buried three or four feet down, not the usual six or seven feet.
~*~
Kolo’s Mansion, Before Noon, 677, 28th, October
Kolo arrives home; drinking an enriched blood mix that will speed his recovery. Feeling only slightly better after the grueling carriage ride, he is too weak to see, and lights a lamp. Going to his bookshelf, the Evil One unlatches it, and slides it aside revealing a tunnel. He carries Lola’s ashes in, and closes the entryway. The flame causes the shadows to dance as he goes into the bowels of the darkened catacombs beneath his home.
He unlatches the hidden door, lighting a few torches. Kolo gets a beautifully decorative glass bowl from his well-stocked shelves, to place Lola’s ashes in it. He sets the bowl and cloak in the center of a long table within his oblong Craftroom. Kolo walks under one of three decorative archways to enter the largest space, his Throne Room. The walls of the catacombs are layered in golden, red, and brown dirt; some of it sparkles with bright white specks.
Kolo pours a blood drink, placing it and the carafe upon the table by his throne. Being up during the day weakens him; however, his sorrow keeps him from sleeping. Around his large finely carved wooden throne, are five stone caskets. Their feet are nearest his chair, as they circle it. Kolo pushes the stone lids back, for only three of the five tombs. He opens them enough to reveal the upper half of his three captives. Kolo worries, as it is risking his safety.
He has not raised this many, when by himself. Yet he dares it now, so he can get what he desires in time. He starts the process to bring the chosen three back to life, pouring a cask of blood into each tomb, until they are submerged. The Evil One scoops his pre-spelled plant and oil mixture, from a barrel. He mixes it with blood, pouring it in their mouths and tosses a scoop over their bodies. He enjoys studying and practicing spells pertaining to life, death, and vampires.
Kolo uses a spell now, to bring his victims to life quicker; usually so he can kill them again, he will use them first, this time. He has less witch power than Lola; requiring a powerful Sorcerer’s Stone, for his spells to work. At his throne, he lifts his magnificent staff; they are both made of a dark walnut wood and carved in an elfin theme, by a Light Elf of the Mystical Realm. The Elf placed the very potent crystal, at the top of the elegantly carved staff.
Groaning with pain from opening their tombs, Kolo waves his staff over the three captives. The Evil One watches the crystal’s enchanted green glow cover the three tombs and considers himself a self-taught Sorcerer. Kolo’s dark moss mist comes and his murky green ruins swirl within. His power bars are more faded and are as weak as he is. It pains his face, as Kolo speaks the words to bring them back to life. The Evil One slowly chants,
“I take these deaths offering them, for your might.
Gift essence and life into these undead this night.
Spilt blood, cut plant, and dug root with cursed knife.
Earth and blood, fire, and spirit, breathe air of life.
Replenish these bodies of all drained fluid and tissue.
Heal these harmed ones let them live as though new.”
~*~
Rhein River, Noon, 677, 28th, October
Five hours after fleeing, Sidonia thinks she has managed to escape Kolo’s men. As she watches cows in the river going up onto the bank, her exhaustion takes over. Yet, the dark girl fears being vulnerable, then the Dragon turns and nods to her. She falls asleep, believing he will wake her, if danger is coming. The Oracle goes into a dream-vision, seeing the Lake Bled Rambler, Kristopher.
As Krist enters the crypt, he smiles at the Vampire, Leticia. They begin kissing; the Princess wakes herself, groaning, “I still do not want to see this. I sense Fate wants me to help them, yet she is not helping me out of this mess. I dare not go back toward Blackstone Castle, in order to travel to Lake Bled.” The dark girl, manages to fall back asleep, hoping to restore her energy.
~^~
Going back to his Craftroom Kolo sits at the table with a fine brush. The Evil One uses the brush to gently remove every particle of ash and dust from the guard’s cloak; careful to get all of Lola’s essence that it was holding. Once he has all of Lola’s ash and dust in the glass dish, he leaves the bowl on the table, and gets another blood drink. Kolo now strolls into the Throne Room, and looks at the first tomb, which he had opened.
It has beautifully painted Egyptian hieroglyphs upon it. The next open one is painted in a Rambler theme of wagons in a circle and the clan around a fire, as a female dances. The final tomb he had opened has a glorious theme of the Greek Gods, a temple, and garden. The Greek tomb is different from the rest; it has a small glass square above the occupant’s face, so that he can always see her. Also, its occupant is not Greek, yet she is royalty.
He always enjoys reading of the Greek Gods, and likes their statues, temples, and gardens so he painted it in their honor. It is better than having two tombs painted in the same theme.
Kolo goes to the two neglected tombs, behind his throne and runs his fingers down them. To his left is a Chinese theme stone casket. The final tomb, he had painted with dark haunted screaming ghouls, his version of her prison realm. He taunts them, “You will both have to wait until January. See what happens when you two continue to displease me? Perhaps one day you will learn.”
~*~
Satan’s Spit Rambler’s Camp, Noon, 677, 28th, October
Zara climbs off her horse as Hazel teases, “Did ya find a man?” Zara brings the supplies over, cutting the string as she replies, “I was not looking for one.” Their leader, Endora says, “If interested, I will give you a reading.” Zara is used to their need for her to be married. Unwilling to admit it, she is close to seeking the answer, rather than waiting for the right man to enter her life.
Staying calm, Zara says “Thank you, I can do a reading, if I want.” Endora corrects her, in a kind tone, “Zara, you are less likely to get answers for yourself, than we are-.” Hazel cuts in, “Aint that the truth!” Smiling, Endora finishes, “Trust me, if I need the sight in my life, I will ask one of you to do the reading for me. It keeps us from doing selfish things with our gifts.” Zara already knows this; she is just uninterested in others knowing about her personal life.
She holds the wick in the mold, pouring the melted wax around it; now Zara asks, “How many candles do we need?” Hazel states, “Well, last Samhain we made thirty and ran out.” Sighing, Endora states, “I felt the dead were too near, so I intend to double it. I want our All-Hallows-Eve Celebration to be bright.” Frowning at Zara, Hazel says, “I would get lonely without my husband.”
Irritated, still Zara only smirks, “It is better to wait for the right man, than be with the wrong one due to loneliness or wanting him for a night.” Endora wisely agrees, “It is not worth the risk of having a child with a weak bloodline.” Hazel nods to the furthest wagon, saying, “I worry for young Charles; it will be a shame for Myrtle if her son takes after his father.” Hearing a noise, they turn and see Jon is drunk and stumbling, towards camp.
Darkly, Hazel says, “Speak of the devil and Jonathon shall appear.” Endora gasps, “Is Myrtle working today?” Zara replies, “Yes, I saw her at the trading post.” Hazel groans, “Oh, Dark. We should have been checkin’ on the wee boy.”
~RMW~