Faenella, Eganene
It was a nice day and the trip to Charlie’s house did not take long. The cottage rested in a cleared field, smoke from its chimney trailing into the still air. Mounds of snow rose from the earth, dotting the field like a rash on an ivory thigh. This was the only place Carl had ever seen with this topography, a strange phenomenon he meant to ask his friend about.
Charlie was outside chopping firewood, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt and a pair of overalls. They were still a ways off, but Carl could make him out. His arms were heavy slabs of corded muscle and great puffs of air exploded from his mouth. The maul he was holding was almost as large as the child, the heavy iron falling again and again to divide the logs. Leather boots protected his feet and gloves covered his hands, but the heat still rose into the air, surrounding him in a white cloud.
The girl hid behind Carl as they approached, her expression covered by his hood. She was frightened of the man or maybe the maul. Charlie was the size of a bear, his face covered in a heavy beard that turned dark and rust by turns. Curly, brown hair lay long on his neck, pulled off his face by a leather thong. With each blow, a grunt escaped his lips.
Carl felt the child tug on his shirttail. “Hush, girl,” he soothed. “That enormous man is a friend of mine. And one of the kindest people I know.”
The child did not meet his eyes.
“Truly. I swear. He might look fearsome, but he is as gentle as they come.”
Thunk, thunk, came the sound from the house. The girl’s little footfalls kept time with the maul, the crusty snow breaking as she stepped into the space between Carl’s footprints. Her feet made holes the size of pinecones.
“I’ve known him since we were young,” he continued. “We met in the market. My father was selling his wares, as was Charlie’s father. This was before the war, you know, back when Saturday market was more like a fair.”
“I was seven, maybe eight. It’s hard to remember now. But one of the games I loved was slap-dash. All the kids, it didn’t matter if they were merchant’s sons, farmer’s kids or if they were from out of town, all would line up near the town’s entrance. I don’t remember how we knew it was time or how none of the kids were needed that moment, but all of a sudden we would all be moving to that tree line.”
The girl glanced at him curiously.
“Since I was one of the town kids, I sometimes got to call the start. It was exciting, we were all there at the edge of the forest, hearts racing, waiting to hear the yell. You might wonder what the point of the whole race was, and to be honest, I don’t think I could tell you, but it didn’t matter. A couple dozen young lads and a few of the faster girls would line up. No one wouldn’t speak a word. And no one was turned away, either. It didn’t matter where you were from.”
Another glance from the girl. Carl felt himself smile.
“That moment before we started was always the best. It seemed like everyone breathed in at just the same second. Your ears were filled with the market, but all you saw was the green forest. It was beautiful, girl, the forest in the summer.”
She looked confused.
“It’s all green in the summer here, you will see, all shades of green. Lighter moss on the ground or the sides of the tree trunks, evergreen needles bushing out, and then you have the maple trees. They’ve got these huge leaves, about the size of my hand, and they are green like…Well, like Melody’s eyes, but you’ll meet her in a minute.”
“Anyway, all of us kids were lined up there, ready to race. You didn’t look at anyone else, didn’t watch their eyes. There was only the forest, the wall of green and brown and the sunlight coming through the gaps to make things glow. I can remember it being hot those days. We were all worn out. We had helped our folks loading and unloading the wagons, setting up the wares and selling them the whole day gone, but it didn’t matter. Everyone knew what they were really there for. Kids came to the market to help their family, but they really came to the market to race.”
Carl smiled, “I’m sure you might still be wondering why we were racing. Unfortunately, I can’t remember that part, truly. There wasn’t any prize at the end, nothing special to take home with you. There was just the path and the race and the glory when you were done.”
“Still,” he sighed, “the thing could be dangerous. Fastest time anyone ran the course had to be around an hour, about. But it wasn’t like we were headed straight through the wood where all we had to look out for were some fallen branches, thick roots or a rabbit hole. No, the race path took you straight down one of the most dangerous ravines around these parts, through a cave, up the side of a mountain and along the rocky cliff beside the falls.”
“Enough kids ran with you, and the race was competitive enough, that cheating just wasn’t possible. Sure, some tried it, but it never worked. And those poor idiots never got to race again.”
“So,” Carl continued, gesturing down the path towards Charlie, “that’s where I met my friend there. He might be huge, but when that man was younger, he was fast enough.”
“Did he beat you?” the child asked.
Carl laughed, “No girl. Neither of us won that day.”
“But, you said he was fast.”
“He was!” Carl agreed, “and a good thing, too. He and I were neck and neck as we came out of the cave and onto the path along the falls. We were kids. We knew the drop was a long one, but none of us thought we would fall. I remember I got to the path first. It was late summer, the air turning as the night got closer. It hit your nose as soon as you left the damp cavern. The spray from the falls was thick, covering the ridge in grey and hiding the others racers.
You could still hear them calling out, especially when they were hit and went down. You see, slap-dash was a contact sport. Some kids threw their weight around or used sticks or rocks to slow their opponents. Others didn’t race that way, preferring to concentrate on dodging and speed.
I came out of the caverns first, a few feet in front of Lie. He was as big as I was. We were both big for our age. Some of the other kids had a decent lead on us, not enough to secure their win, but enough to make us worried. I glanced behind me, only for a moment, I swear. But that was all it took.”
To this day, Carl could still see it. One second he was flying along the ledge of the cliff, bare feet treading across the mossy rocks, and the next second the world spun, the green and gold of the trees swinging by in a sickening lurch as the rocks and water rose to meet his face.
“The drop had to be at least sixty feet, maybe more. I don’t know anyone who ever measured it. At the bottom, there were these huge boulders, where the river’s height was not quite enough to cover them.”
“But, you’re ok!” squealed the child, pulling his leg hard enough to make him stop. He kneeled next to her, suddenly aware that he may have frightened her.
“Of course, girl,” he breathed, patting her side and holding her close. “I had Lie there to save me. No sooner had I slipped, then that giant of a man leapt for me. He must have been damn close because another second and I would have ended up against those stones.”
“He caught you?”
“He did,” Carl agreed. “It was a race. He should have run right by, but he didn’t. Instead, he stopped. Risked injury for me and saved my life.”
“Carl!” he heard his friend yell, his voice booming into the open forest air.
Waving back, Carl regarded the girl, “This man is good people. His wife is kind and nice. I promise you.”
She grimaced, pulling her head back into his hood.
“Carl!” Lie shouted again.
“Seriously, girl,” he said, pulling her closer and peaking beneath the hood. “They are kind and nice. If you know what is good for you, you will try and be on your best manners. I don’t have a lot options for you and these are my good friends.”
He stopped speaking and watched her. From the corner of his eye, he could see Charlie drop the maul and enter the house, probably to fetch Melody. He shook the girl gently. “Do you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”
Silence.
“You know you can’t stay with me, right. I told you about my job.”
An imperceptible nod.
“Charlie, Lie, we call him, is a good man. Just give him a chance.”
“Carl!” came the roar again, and he spun to meet his friend. Before he could dodge, Charlie had him. The big man lifting him easily off the ground as his deep laugh boomed in Carl’s ears.
“All right, Lie! Put me down, you brute. I’ve got someone I want you to meet.”
As his friend returned him to solid ground, Carl saw Melody. She was as beautiful as ever, her long, brown hair swept back into a thick braid and her green eyes watching the child.
“Who is this now?” she asked, kneeling in the snow. She wore a long woolen dress, the hem embroidered with white flowers.
“She won’t tell me her name.”
Melody looked up sharply, “I see. Well, why don’t you and Lie catch up? I’ve got some fresh cranberry bread and butter waiting. Go on in.”
“Come on,” Lie laughed, pulling him towards the door. “If she is willing to part with fresh bread, then we might as well get moving. I swear, Carl, I think she likes you more than me. I’ve been asking for a piece all morning, and she just kept telling me ‘no’.”
He saw that the child had let Melody push back her hood. The girl’s crazy curls were sticking up in all directions.
“Melody will keep an eye on her,” Lie soothed. “You have nothing to worry about. For Wul’s sake, that woman’s been trying to love every kid she’s seen for the last two years. Your girl will have a wonderful time.”
Carl grinned and slapped his friend’s broad back, “All right then. Cranberry bread it is. Please tell me you still have a few of those stouts hidden away in your cellar.”
Lie grunted, “I’ve got a few left. You go cut the bread. I’ll be back in a minute.”
The kitchen smelled like heaven. Several loaves of fresh bread sat cooling on the counter and there were spices tied in tight bunches along the wall. Strings of peppers roped their way along the tops of the hand-hewn cabinets, the shelves filled with jars of pickled vegetables, preserves and jams.
A candle burned beside the dry sink, but most of the light came from the wide window that ran the length of the eastern wall. There was a warm fire burning in the hearth and a boiling pot above the flames. It smelled of cabbage, potatoes and venison. Carl took the carving knife from the counter top, grabbed a loaf of bread and a cutting board, and set to work. When he was done, he sat in one of Lie’s chairs and admired the view.
No one had a window like they did. Lie was a wood-worker by trade. The mahogany table and cabinets with intricate, carved flowers attested to his skill. A few years back, Charlie had gone to the markets in Delphi to sell his finest works and returned with an enormous piece of glass.
Sitting in the warm kitchen, buttering a slice of bread, he admired the view. There was a white field bordered by evergreen trees and mountains. It was beautiful. It was home. He took a bite of the bread, enjoying the warm taste.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“Ah, there she is,” Lie said from the doorway.
The child had finally taken off Carl’s coat and traded it for one of Melody’s long sweaters. It fit her like a dress, the black and red wool stitched with care into a zigzag pattern. In her hand was a wooden hoop, a sapling that had been bent as it dried, the one end notching into the other to form a perfect circle.
Melody made them, using sunflower oil to keep them from breaking. Once they cured, she carved flowers into the lengths, sometimes even wrapping them in ribbon. She sold them at carnivals and fairs. A terrible amount of work went into each piece, from the oiling of the wood to the bending and the carving, but she always let the children play with them.
Carl watched as Melody stepped into the hoop, the hot air of her breath puffing into the cold. The child did the same. Carl saw that she had her feet wrapped in new leather. “Melody made her some footwear,” he commented as Charlie sat.
“Of course. You didn’t think she would let the child run about in those rags, did you?”
Carl handed him a piece of bread. “I suppose not. I guess I’m not surprised the kid’s taking to your wife either. She has such a way with people.”
Charlie smiled, “I know.” He scooted closer to the table and handed Carl a dark bottle of beer. “How have you been, friend? You haven’t stopped by in a while. Not since before I went south and that was last summer.”
“Things have been good,” he replied, watching Melody spin the hoop. Surprisingly, the child was able to copy her movements. Maybe they had this game where she was from. “I’ve kept busy enough. Got your message and dropped the weapons to Austin.”
Charlie nodded, “I’m glad. And the child? Where did you find her?”
Carl retold the story quickly, finishing the beer before he was halfway done.
“Xia,” the larger man cursed. “Good you were there to kill them.”
Carl frowned, “But now I don’t know what to do with her. She won’t tell me anything of her name or her town.”
“Perhaps she just needs to time to open up.”
“I don’t think so, Lie. She is a strange one with strange customs.”
“Like what?”
“Her mother said to never tell anyone her name.”
Charlie took another piece of bread. “Then how are you supposed to find her family?”
“I don’t know. To be honest, I have a doubt she has any living relatives left. By the way the wagon was stacked, they were carrying everything they owned. Looked to me like they were running from something. I don’t know.”
“Family?”
“Maybe. They are the ones who killed them. But it sounded more like the caravan was in just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“The girl won’t tell you anything?”
“Nothing.”
“But then what are you going to do with her? The kid can’t follow you around the forest.”
Carl looked at his friend, pushing his braid off his shoulder. Their eyes met, and the big man didn’t look away.
After a few moments, he said, “You know I’m headed back down south in a few months.”
Carl nodded, “There isn’t anyone else.”
Charlie’s eyes tracked his wife and the child across the meadow floor. Carl could hear them giggling. His poor friend didn’t stand a chance. Lie scratched at his beard and adjusted his shirtsleeves. Carl felt a moment of pity and squashed it. Carl and Melody lived a good life and needed for nothing. This was a good place for the child, probably the best place for her, and they had been childless for years.
“I’ll have to talk to my wife.”
“Once she hears the circumstances, you know she’ll say yes.”
Charlie grunted.
“I wouldn’t ask if I had other options. You know that.”
The woman and child came in a few minutes later, stopping at the door to unwrap the fur-lined leathers about their feet. Melody was in the midst of telling the child a story when she caught sight of her husband, or more specifically, her husband’s boots. “Not again!” she wailed. “Lie, how many times do I need to remind you!”
The big man’s cheeks flushed, “Gods, darling. I didn’t even think. Carl was here and I....”
“Well, I know you didn’t think,” she complained. “We talked about this. You know how much I hate mud and snow on my kitchen floor!”
“Yes, sorry, honey,” he murmured, standing up. “I’ll go take them off now...”
“Oh, please!” she grumped. “You want to track it all the way back across my rooms, do you? Sit down,” she ordered.
Charlie complied immediately.
“Come, girl,” Melody beckoned. “Sit at the table there with Carl, while I clean up this mess.” Quickly, she stripped off her husband’s boots and carried them to the door. She got a rag and wiped up the snow and mud. Then she came back and fixed Carl with a stare. “And you, Carl, you know better, too.”
“Sorry,” he said, pulling his boots off and handing them to her. “Won’t happen again. I promise.”
The child climbed into the chair beside him. He turned and cut her a piece of bread, layering it with fresh butter. He noticed that Melody had worked on her hair. Many of the sticks and leaves were gone, and her curls were bigger.
“Eat. It’s delicious,” he coaxed. “Looks like you were having a lot of fun with Melody’s hoop.”
“She is very good,” Charlie’s wife, replied. “Are you two staying for dinner?”
“If you’ll have us. I need to head out tomorrow, though.” He thought about what Jasper had told him and grimaced. He had to tell someone. Perhaps Faenella’s smith would be a good choice.
“What’s wrong?” Lie asked.
He should have known that Charlie would want to help, especially if it involved Family. “You noticed the movement lately?”
“Of course. Those xi...” Lie caught himself, glancing at the girl. “More men in the woods. What’s going on?”
“A couple of things,” Carl answered. “I think they’ve got some kind of camp set up across the mountains west of here. A lot of girls are being taken out that way.”
“My gods, for what?” asked Melody, taking a seat at the table.
“I’m not sure yet.” He glanced at the girl.
“And if you find it, what then?”
Carl shook his head. “I’ll let Jamison know. We can figure it out from there.”
“Good,” Lie agreed, relaxing a bit. “I don’t want you doing anything stupid.”
“Me?” Carl asked, innocently. “I’ve got to be the most reasonable person you know.”
“You are. Right up until the point you’re not.”
“What would you have me do instead?”
“Come south with me,” the big man replied, the words ready on his tongue.
Melody smacked her husband’s shoulder. “Not this again, Lie. You let Carl be. He just got here. The last time you two argued about this we didn’t see him for almost a year. Now, let’s get this pretty little child a bath. Then it will be your turn, Carl. If you’re going to have dinner here, you’ll be clean for it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Charlie built up the fire, and Carl brought in the heavy, wooden tub from behind the house. While Melody tended to the girl, he and Lie took a walk. He shot a few doves and strung them through his belt. Neither of the men wanted to talk about what was most on their mind, so they spoke instead of days long past. There would be time and whisky in the evening.
“Will you ask her?” Carl asked, as they approached the house.
“Yes, I’ll ask her,” his friend replied. “You take your bath. We will take the girl to see the stream. I will ask.”
“Are you sure? I can’t promise I’ll find any of her relatives. She might be with you for a long time.”
Lie nodded. “I know you don’t ask lightly. She can’t stay with you.”
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“I’m not sure how to explain it. I don’t even know if it means anything.”
“Well, what is it, then?”
Carl stopped, frowning. “Last few nights, the girl’s been doing something strange.”
“What?”
“Well, I wake up and she is sitting beside me, her hands over my head humming.”
Charlie laughed, “That is strange, all right. Did you ask her why she’s doing it? Maybe it is some custom her people have.”
“She said was making me better.’ ”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know. But, I haven’t had a headache since I’ve met her.”
“Looks like she’s good luck then.”
“Maybe. Or maybe it is...”
“No,” Charlie interrupted. “Even if it is, it isn’t. You know I’m not scared, but there’s no point in bringing it up.”
“But if she is going to live here...”
“Then Melody and I will handle it.”
Carl nodded, satisfied. If Lie said he would handle it, then that was good enough for him.
When they returned, the child was dressed in the red and black sweater. Melody sat beside the fire brushing out her hair with a wood comb. The child looked somewhat miserable, and Carl laughed. “Sorry, girl. No one gets between Melody and cleanliness. Best if you just give in.”
Melody shot him a look, “All right then. You and Lie pull the tub into our bedroom. You can bathe. I put two buckets of hot water in there already. You dump them out and put them back above the fire for some more.”
Carl and Charlie did as she asked. Soon, the girl’s hair was brushed and dried. There were still dark circles beneath her eyes, but all the dirt and grime was off her ebony skin.
“My, don’t you look beautiful?” Charlie praised and Carl watched as the child smiled shyly. “Since you’re all cleaned up, do you want to take a walk? We can go see the little stream. I’m pretty sure there are a few nolly bushes that have grown out there. We can pick some for the table.”
“Come on, wife,” he continued. “I’m going to need you, too.”
“But dinner...” she moaned.
“Carl brought down some doves. He’ll put them in the oven before he gets in the tub. Won’t you, Carl?”
“Sure thing.”
“Ok, then,” Charlie’s wife agreed, confusion creasing her brow. “Let me fetch my basket. Maybe we can find some nuts for roasting.” Pulling Carl’s coat from a wooden peg by the door, she wrapped the child tightly in a scarf. “There now, let’s get those wraps on your feet.”
Charlie left with a wink and Carl had the place to himself. Inhaling deeply, he let out a breath of air. It felt good to be alone. The little house filled up with four people in it. He dumped the boiling water in the tub and then reset the pots. While the water warmed, he set to cleaning the doves. Once they were de-feathered, he added salt, pepper and some spices to the skin. Finally, he put them in the clay baking pot with some root vegetables and water. His stomach growled. He was starving.
Pouring the last two pots of steaming water, he stripped off his clothes and squeezed himself into the tub. He wondered how Charlie fit. His friend was even bigger than he was. Taking the horsehair brush, he set to work, scrubbing. He lost track of time, but when he was done, the water was cool and a distinct shade of greyish-black. Quickly, he stepped back into his sweat-stained long pants. Once he had on the hide hair and leather pants, he wouldn’t be able to smell the under-layer anymore. He hoped Melody wouldn’t notice.
He inspected his fingers and fingernails. They, at least, looked as clean as she could wish for. Dinner was almost done. He set the table, enjoying the peaceful silence of the house. He wondered what Melody said when Lie asked her about the child. Charlie has never broached the topic of children, but the silence he loved so much in their home might be a heavy one.
Dusk had descended by the time the couple emerged from the forest, hand in hand. The child skipped in front of them, her arms filled with a heavy basket of nolly. Carl took this to be a positive sign and felt his shoulders relax. Lie saw him through the window and waved.
“You’ve been planning,” Melody said, fixing him with a stare. Deftly, she pulled off her wraps and then the child’s. Carl noticed that Lie didn’t need any reminders to take off his boots.
“Smells good in here,” was his friend’s comment.
Tugging on the scarf, Melody unwound the child and handed the basket to her husband. “Off with that coat, now. We’re going to need to make you a new one soon.”
“Thank you,” Carl said.
She shook her head, obviously not willing to discuss it. “Go wash your hands, then,” Melody chided and then looked at him. “You’ll never believe how many nuts the girl found. You’d think she had some kind of special sense for them.”
“Really? What kinds did she find?” Carl asked, not pushing the issue. If Melody didn’t want to discuss the situation, that was fine by him.
“Mostly veri nuts. More than fifty.”
“My goodness, that is a lot,” he praised, watching the child’s grin grow.
Melody smiled, too. “You know, she is so good at finding them, maybe we should just call her Veri from now on.”
The girl’s expression didn’t change, she just continued smiling.
Carl nodded. “I think that is a great idea.”
Once the meal was through and Melody had cleared and cleaned the dishes, the husband and wife put the little girl to sleep in their bed. Charlie returned with three glasses and a tall bottle of amber liquor. Carl nodded. Melody was never one to be left out of discussions.
“What were you thinking?” Melody volleyed, sitting at the table.
“Soft, wife. It’s not his fault.” Lie attempted. “The girl was the only one left alive. Carl found her and finished the men who did it.”
Melody glared at her husband and Carl realized he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen them argue. She turned her rage on him. “Carl. What were you thinking making that child walk here in those rags? You should have found her some decent clothes in Faenella.”
Carl held up his hands, “I was only there for a night and then we headed straight here.”
“One of the town’s women...”
“We left this morning, even before the women were out. I need to get on my way as soon as I can.”
“The camp...”
“Yes.”
Lie poured them all a glass. Carl took it gratefully. “I need to see if I can find anyone. Then, I’ll come back for help. If there were other caravans and if those women were captured, I need to get there as soon as I can.”
Melody grimaced, fine lines flashing into existence at the corner of her lips. “Those poor people. Even the Family couldn’t be that cruel.”
“I think you know better than that.”
“But women and children? For what?”
“I don’t know, but if the gods are good, I’ll find out. Lie, can you talk to a few of your friends? See if who would be interested in coming back with us. I don’t doubt that Jamison will help. Smitty, probably Tobius and Sam.”
His big friend nodded, “Sure, but that’s about all the folks I know who are as like-minded as we two.”
“I know, but it might be time to call people’s hands. If they are kidnapping women and children, we need to do something. There is no telling if six will be enough.”
“All the men you named are good with a sword.”
“And in truth, you’re more like two men,” Carl returned.
“None of us fight like you, though,” Lie answered. “Maybe Jamison, but he is old and that leg of his might not even get him to where you are going.”
“The old man can handle himself just fine.”
Melody poured them all another glass, “I don’t like the idea of you going by yourself, Carl. If something happens to you, no one will find you. Maybe Lie should go with you.”
Carl grunted, “Your husband may be many things, but he isn’t quiet. I’m not going to do anything stupid, I promise. I need to go as quickly and quietly as possible. I don’t know the woods northwest of the range. Charlie can help me when it is time...”
He was about to say more, but shrieking erupted from behind bedroom door. Melody was on her feet in an instant, rushing to the child.
“Night terrors?” Lie asked.
Carl shrugged. “Not that I know of. Kid has been pretty calm at night, besides what I told you about.”
“Charlie!” his wife cried. The child’s screams filled the cottage.
He got up went to her.
“Carl!” came Charlie’s call a moment later.
He tipped his glass back, emptying the contents down his throat before heading for the bedroom. The child was writhing on the bed, her little hands balled into fists and her mouth open in an ear-piecing scream. Melody and Charlie were kneeling beside her. The child’s eyes showed only their whites, the candlelight exposing a face covered in sweat.
“What’s wrong with her?” Melody cried.
“I don’t know,” Carl said, climbing on to the bed and gathering the child into his arms. “Hush, now, girl. It’s all right.” He rocked her slowly back and forth, but her body remained rigid. The only change came when she sucked in air before screaming again.
“Get a cold cloth,” he told Melody.
Laying it gently on the child’s forehead, she and Lie held hands. On and on the child yelled until her voice became hoarse and only a painful, silent scream remained.