Sandoron stretched yawning at the sun like a dog howling at the moon. He scratched then leaned in towards the remnants of last night’s fire to poke it with a stick and looked over at his grandfather who was still asleep. “Four days, right. Not if we sleep till noon every day. Are you delaying us on purpose or are you just being lazy about getting to town? You used to sell our grain in less than a week. If you traveled like this every time it’d have taken a month.” He spoke to the gnomes sleeping form not expecting a response and started when he got one.
“You’ve not traveled like this much. If we tried to get there in the time I normally would alone your blisters would have blisters. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way though, “ he groaned leaning up on his arms and rolling to a sitting position. “I can stop pretending to sleep so late laying on the ground for so long every day is taking a toll on these old bones.”
Sandoron grunted, “If you can take the pace old man, so can I.”
“Oh ho ho, if that’s the case douse that fire and pack up we’ll leave immediately. I normally eat breakfast on the road.”
And like that they were off. It only took moments to make the camp safe to leave and put their bags back on the wagon. As it began rolling down the path again Sandoron turned to his grandfather. “You know, I’m really excited to see the town again it’s been what 10 years since I last went with you to sell the harvest? Has it changed much?”
“Not much, the people have gotten older, there are some new faces, and some older ones that are missing. The walls have gotten a dirtier and two years ago they started constructing another set further out to encompass the newer slums. In time those will move out of the walls again and whats there now will become a thriving district of it’s own.” For those of us longer lived races the changes in one small town over a short decade don’t seem too grand. Though I suspect you won’t recognize much when we get there yourself.
“I don’t know why, it just feels like it’s time. That now is when I should be going back to see the town. It’s like I’m being pulled by some strings of fate or something as silly as that.” Sandoron pondered missing his grandfather’s sharp, and worried look as he stared at the sun.
Gramps reached into his vest pulling out an ornate silver pocket watch to check the time. Clicking it closed he said “We’ll need to hurry if we are going to make it to the drive to the Alaphon farmstead before noon. We might get lucky and run into one of the family heading out. They usually don’t until the morning chores are all complete.” He clicked the watch closed placing it carefully into his watch pocket.
—
The sun was high in the sky before they made it to the fork in the path that lead to the Alaphon farm. And as luck would have it, there was a lone rider heading down the path toward them. Kasner brought them to a stop waiting for the rider to make it to them. “Ho, Rider” he called, waving happily.
He climbed down glancing at his grandson, “Stay there I’ll see who it is and if they want to join us. Road etiquette is for the larger party to always send one out on foot to greet the smaller to show they are not a threat.”
As he walked down the path toward the rider Kasner considered his options. Noting the approaching figure was the oldest son of the family probably heading back toward their own farm rather than town.
“Ho, Bennett son of Alaphon. It is I Kasner of The Farm.” He said formally once the rider drew up close to him, they were too far for Sandoron to overhead them, but close enough that he waved happily back to let his grandson know all was well.
“Ho, Kasner, I am indeed Bennett son of Alaphon.” The youngster who could only be 40 years replied. “You keep the old traditions well old man.” He said with a smile in his eyes. “I’ve not been addressed as such by any other than my father in near on two decades. My father tells me you are leaving the farm for a time and need someone to take care of it. I was just heading that way.”
“Good, good, so Aelene has already passed though. I was sure she must have I have kept the pace slow. Did your father explain any more of the situation to you?”
“Only that there were ill tidings, and that I should pray to the divinities to keep your family safe.”
Kasner nodded. “I suspected as much. I will have to impose on you then. Please, hold still. He began waving his fingers toward the boy “ecno reviled ton lecar egassem ekat” he intoned with his magics keeping his back turned to his grandson to hide what he was doing. “I have cast a delivery spell on the boy, he will not recall it’s contents only that he turned back after meeting me. There are ill tidings. The Call may already be at work. Sandoron is drawn to the town. Prepare to send what aid you can muster.” He snapped his fingers a sealed letter appearing in his hand. “Please, take this letter to your father immediately. It is most urgent.”
He waved at the boy as he turned back the way he had come. Shouting “Good tidings upon you, tell your father I met you well and hope well of your family.”
—
Sandoron watched the odd interaction with his grandfather and the man who must have been Alaphon’s eldest son the resemblance was striking. Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying he noticed when the man tensed up suddenly listening intently for a few moments before quickly turning his mount and galloping back the way he came.
As his grandfather approached Sandoron asked, “Was that Bennet? And why did he gallop back off toward the farm was he not on his way to town?”
“Yes, that was Bennett. He was actually on his way to visit us. When I told him you and I were off, he got it into his head that someone needed to help your grandmother. So he’s returning home to speak to his father about spending time at our farm.” The old gnome replied, wiping some sweat from his brow.
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Sandoron nodded “It would be good if grandmother had some help, she is so spry but I worry sometimes she starts singing these weird songs and I’ve heard her talking to some of the shadows like they could understand her.” He laughed.
“Yeah… It would be best if she wasn’t at the farm alone. I love your grandmother but she can be scary when you leave her to her own devices too long.”
“What now Gramps?”
“We need to get moving again, we’re keeping my normal pace now right? We won’t be stopping until we reach town. I usually do this in a two day trip, and we have some catching up to do.” Gramps replied, with a glint in his eye and a poorly concealed smile. “Banya, triple time!”
Sandoron rocked back on the bench, nearly falling into the wagon as Banya took off at a pace he hadn’t seen her move before. Was his grandfather whispering under his breath?
—
It was close to dusk when they started seeing the smoke. Gramps cursed, language he almost never used. “Banya, stop.”
“Gramps! What’s going on why is there so much smoke?”
Gramps twisted his beard, in worried whispers looking this way and that towards the shadows. He seemed to spot something he was looking for because he leapt from the wagon shouting over his shoulder. “Stay on the wagon, if you I’m not back in 10 minutes turn around and head back to Alaphon’s farm and tell him I sent you back alone.”
Sandoron sat back on the wagon watching his grandfather disappear into the darkness of the forest around them. What was going on? Should he follow and find out? The smoke ahead was black, and so thick. It was like a hundred silos were on fire at once. He’d never seen anything like it except for the time their own silo burned when he’d dropped a lantern as a kid.
He was turning Banya around when he heard a noise in the woods from the opposite side of the road from where his grandfather had disappeared.
—
Kasner strode from the wagon, following a moving shadow into the darkness. “Aelene” he said coming to a stop. “How bad is it?” he knew with smoke like this she had already ran ahead and scouted the area before coming back to them.
“It could be worse.” She started slowly chewing her lip. That was a habit he hadn’t seen for a very long time, things must be bad.
“Well? How could they be better?” he pushed.
“How were things last time you were in town, that was just 4 months ago right?” She was stalling.
“Things were fine, there were complaints about the increased taxes and temple tithes but nothing was burning in the streets. Now what is happening!” He snapped back quickly. “We’ve only got a few minutes before the boy heads back to Alaphon’s place alone.
She sighed. “That… might not be a bad thing.” She paused. “Dear, they’re chanting your name. Calling for you to be strung up. Rioting in the streets. It appears someone has put the blame for the increased costs of the town and temple on us.”
“An agent? Spies of… “ he trailed off looking around above them. “Well, spies?”
“I don’t know I didn’t stick around. Once I heard them yelling for you and confirmed the cause of the riots I returned where I knew you’d first see the smoke to wait.”
“Gramps!” there was a shout from the road.
They both spun toward the road, paling with a glance at one another. Aelene stepped into the shadow of a tree disappearing. Kasner chanted under his breath “em netsah” and took off faster than his legs would seem to carry him.
—
Sandoron turned toward the sound, reaching beside the bench for the cudgel he had only ever trained with. Staring into the darkness where the sound came from. He realized too late he should have kept Banya moving instead, as two figures sprinted in front of her blocking their path.
“Who are you, and what do you want?” he shouted. They were covered in soot, the short one on the right had a cut that was bleeding over his face. Both had short sabers.
“We ain’t want’in much old timer.” What, him old, had they never met his grandfather? “Just your packs there, and that cudgel.” He paused. “Oh, and all the gold you’s got.”
This was not going well. He was supposed to have turned back a few minutes ago but he’d delayed hoping his grandfather would return. Now because of that these thugs had caught him. He tightened his grip on the cudgel, shooting a worried look at Banya. He noticed she seemed to be giving one the stink eye.
The tall one, spit on the Cronkose “Stop looking a me like that you filthy beast.”
He had to think, but as he delayed they started getting closer to Banya, one even reaching for her harness. He couldn’t let them reach her. He shot to his feet, “Gramps!” he shouted not turning from the, thugs, bandits, what did you call guys like this? He shook his head not time to think.
He lunged, jumping over the front of the wagon and stepping on Banya’s back, sorry girl! As he got over the Cronkose he realized he didn’t know what to do from there. He started swinging his cudgel down, he’d ended up on the side with the shorter fellow Banya had been ignoring. Before he got far he realized why his grandmother had always told him all his leaping “practice” was not real fighting training. The guy he was falling toward had his sword up lined up to skewer him long before he’d be able to reach him with his shorter cudgel.
Suddenly, the man’s blade whipped to the side away from him. He continued to fall, his cudgel landing on the man’s unprotected head. They landed in a heap, the man in no shape to fight with his blade flung from his hand.
As they came to a halt on the ground he heard a strange whining scream. Had the other one attacked Banya? He staggered to his feet, grabbing onto the harness for support and moving around the animal to try to protect her.
What he saw when he got there stopped him in his tracks though. The man was hanging by his britches from the Cronkose’s teeth his face wet with, was that spit? Banya held him there looking smug, her lips pulled back showing her teeth tightly gripped on the man’s rope belt.
Sandoron stepped forward, swinging his cudgel down on the man’s hand first to dislodge the ineffective saber. Cronkose fur was as good as a gambeson thankfully.
“Good girl, “ he said, patting her on the shoulder before stooping to pick up both sabers. He gave one a good look, was that a… kitchen knife sticking out of the hilt?
Gramps showed up moments later with his red hair looking like a fox leaping from a bush at incredible speed. He landed on the short fellow’s back and looked under Banya at us.
“Hi Gramps.” Sandoron paused unsure how to continue. “These fellows popped out of the woods from the direction of town and asked for our things.” He shrugged. “I know you and Grams always taught me to be nice and help those in need, but these two were waving blades and were rude to Banya.”
He held up the sabers, the one still sporting it’s kitchen knife.
Gramps sputtered when he saw them. “Well, at least they’re idiots. Grab some rope, and tie them up. Throw the sabers in the back but hand me that knife, it looks nice. I bet your Grams would love to use this in the kitchen.”
There was a sound from the woods like a deer snorting.
Once the prisoners were secured and their wounds tended Gramps turned to Sandoron “We need to head back, there’s nothing we can do for the town with what we have. We’ll have to go get supplies and your grandmother.”
Sandoron nodded sadly, “Whatever they’ve got going on two more people won’t help much and we can bring food and tools.” He leaned forward rubbing his backside. “Though with this pace I was ready for an inn and a comfortable seat.”
Gramps chuckled, reaching under the bench and pulling out a long pillow. “I wondered if you were actually going to make it all the way to town before asking how I manage to do this ride and still walk straight the next day. I think I’m starting to get blisters.” He got a wistful look on this face, “I’ll have to have your grandmother tend them”
Sandoron blushed, tuning out his grandfather to watch this prisoners.