Foldrin hated sleeping in the open, sleeping in trees he abhorred though one was better than being eaten. Looking down he could see the torn earth, the only remnants of the Worngers from the night before. Nasty things, though they were useless at climbing. Untying himself and his belongings he dropped to the ground. Stretching he gazed around him. Slipping his pack on his back he started towards the town he had seen the day before.

Some would call him a young man placing him around twenty years of age, the fact was he was a bit under that, though when they saw his blue eyes they saw the burden of many years or some great sorrow. He had a cold intensity about him that others found disconcerting. Those who had loved him would say he had forgotten how to smile.

His stomach rumbled in protest and his pouch swung empty at his side. In the middle of the town, he came across the town square where there were two fountains and a well. Several women were washing their clothes in the larger less ornate one, approaching an elderly woman who had just set her finished load over her shoulder, he offered his services.

“Hello my good woman, would you care for any assistance?”

*****

Karrina had been daydreaming, watching the red and blue swirls twist and twirl, thinking about the world outside her town and the adventures that awaited those brave enough to seek them, when the stranger had descended upon them. He always seemed to greet everyone friendly enough, then when he didn’t get what he wanted he would let loose with mockery and scathing remarks. She had gathered up her family’s clothes before he had reached her. She ran home fearing that he had spotted her and would follow her home. Slamming the door closed she hurried over to the shutters and peered back the way she had come not seeing anyone she let out a sigh.

“What’s got your skirts all ruffled up?” a man said.

Spinning around she saw her father sitting by a pot on the fire. Swallowing a scream she gasped out, W-w-what?”

“You’re all out of breath and looking out the window. Are the Cromlin boys after you? You know their father still owes me after stealing that ram.” Her father said as he stopped his carving to point his knife at her then in the general direction of the Cromlin household.

“What no!” Karrina said. Kallem the youngest Cromlin was nice to her and around her age, she didn’t want her father roughing up another group of boys. “There was a man in town.”

“A what! Who? One of those vagrants?” he said as he got up and stormed over to look out the door up and down the street. “Do I have to teach this man a lesson? Did he touch you?”

“No, he didn’t even look at me.” Karrina now regretted bringing up the stranger. Her father had always been overly protective of her after they had lost Darin her brother but it had gotten worse a few weeks back when they had to sell the last of their sheep. “He was just looking for work. He tried to get some of the women to pay him to carry their laundry.”

“Hm, let me guess he either was handsome and got you all tongue-tied so you ran when you caught his eye or he smelt worse than the Kippings dead hog.”

“Dad! Why is it always these things with you?”

“Don’t know how your mind works, just trying to keep you out of trouble.” He said scratching his scruffy jaw. Walking back over to his stool he swept his wood shavings into the fire with his foot. “Now I just remembered I need something from Old Espen but I had told your mother I would watch her pot. It’s been cooking so long that I no longer know what it's supposed to be. If you watch it I can go pick it up.”

“Sure. If you ruined it I’ll see if I can fix it.”

He threw his coat on with a huff at that, “Now, I don’t want you walking around when there is a stranger in town.”

“He didn’t seem dangerous.”

“Karrina, humor me, at least till I say so.”

“Alright, till you get back.” She said with a sigh.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“That’s my girl.” He said as he kissed her head.

*****

Foldrin wiped the spit from his eyes, “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to share some of that jerky.” He grumbled. ” He was hungry, his back hurt, and everyone was rude.

He had asked to help several people already, when they heard him ask for some food or a few coppers in exchange they would act as though he had insulted their mother. In short, he was losing his temper.

“All I want is to help!” He shouted after the man.

Looking around he saw the woman in the town square hurrying their wash and leaving. ‘Did he smell? Was there something on his face?’ He thought as he wandered over to a now unoccupied fountain. His hair was fine though a little long, his face was clean, nothing wrong there. His clothes were a bit worn but he had washed them the other day.

Marching toward what looked like an inn, pushing open the door. He was met with cold stares from the room’s occupants. Letting their gazes pass over him he approached the large man who seemed to be the proprietor. “My good Sir, I would like to inquire into the cost of a meal.”

“A plate is ten coppers.” The man said grimly.

“Ten! Are you seeking to rob me? Please be honest and tell me what you give the locals.”

Setting down the mug he had been cleaning beside the others on the bar he leaned toward him, “Listen, you are new here, I will give you some advice, get out of here while you can. Look around you, do you see anyone eating? You insult me to my face, I am an honest man but I have no qualms about throwing you out. I sell the goods that my friends bring in and in return, they give me food for my family. What they are drinking here is theirs. There is nothing for you here.”

“Well if you are in the business of employment then maybe you can let me know who needs work to be done.”

“Ha, that is everyone.” The man laughed curtly, “Everyone has work that needs doing. It is the payment that folks are lacking. Now you had best be running off to wherever you came from.”

“You know people can do with a bit more charity around here. I am surprised that the Wongers haven’t eaten everything that walks within eight miles.” He said mockingly as he kicked the door open behind him.

Hours later Foldrin sat on the edge of the fountain. The women had finished their laundry, the children had come to water their flocks and now few people came and went busy with their troubles of nothing. It was after helping a withered old woman fix her roof with some rags, mud, and hay that he was able to wrestle an old hunk of stale bread from her. It was not even the size of his fist and barely edible and yet the woman treated it as if it were the last piece of bread in the whole world. Even though he could smell food cooking on her hearth. He dipped a piece of the bread in the water and that made it more chewable but it gave it a nasty taste. He sighed, “What am I even doing here? Everyone wants my help but is too poor to pay for it.” He gazed around him. It was a rather chilly day. He looked into the sky and saw the red and blue swirls battling for dominance in the sky. Every day it was a different color or group of colors. “If only you would stay one color I might hope things could stay the same. Maybe it would even get better.” He said to himself. “Though maybe not today”

“What was that young man?” said a man that was passing by.

"Oh, nothing. I was thinking aloud to myself." Said Foldrin.

"Well, I don't remember ever having seen you around here. You better find a place for the night before the darkness comes." Said the man with a worried expression.

"I am not afraid of the darkness. And whatever is plaguing your town can not bother me."

“Well don’t say I didn’t warn you!” the man said as he hurried off.

‘Good riddance to you!’ thought Foldrin. ‘Though I should have asked him what is plaguing the town.’ he shivered in the cold.

*****

With the empty water bucket, Karrina slid the latch on the door. She had tried waiting for her father to come back but knew he wouldn’t be home for an hour or so till dark. The soup had boiled down to porridge and her father had forgotten to fill the water bucket before breakfast or after for that matter. Her mother was still at Melissa’s probably planning on spending the night, sewing on buttons or knitting socks trying to eke out as many pennies as she could. She wouldn’t be able to make it back till after light-fall if she waited any longer. The wind followed her as she made her way to the square, pulling her hood up, she gathered her cloak closed. Her house was on the north side of town, among the last of the newer rougher built homes that the village had thrown up eight years ago. As such it was quite a hike to the town square which was set up to the south at the entrance to the village. No one was around as she lowered the bucket down the well, she allowed her thoughts to drift as she worked the wheel. She thought of Kelmu the son of Vermund and how he was able to strike down an army of warlocks by hiding in their well. With these thoughts of evil and good, she made her way home, imagining herself in the story.

Nearing the newer section of town she passed by the Cromlin’s place. Seeing their offering placed out by their door she was tempted to take it. That the bucket’s handle was already digging into her hand helped her make up her mind about leaving it there, she just had to hope that their offering would be enough. As she was turning to leave she heard a noise, looking back she saw a light spark through the shed’s door. Thinking that it might be Kallem she went over to say hello.