“You’re not still planning on staying here are you?” Dave asks from where he stands at the top of the stairs.
“Hardly,” he replies. “Let’s bury the dead and then get out of here.”
Dave stops him at the top of the stairs and asks, “Why?”
James looks him seriously in the eye and says, “I can’t believe you just asked me that.” Brushing past him, he goes downstairs to find a shovel.
They find several out back by the house and commence digging one large communal grave. Once it’s large enough, begin to fill it with the dead from the inn. During the process, the mind dead wander around aimlessly, one actually falling down the stairs and ends up breaking her neck. So they pick her up and add her to the grave.
When at last all the dead are buried, they have a moment of silence and then get mounted. They ride for an hour before pulling off the road and making camp near a small stream. Exhausted beyond measure, James finds a good spot to rest while the others volunteer to see to his horse. He no sooner gets his head on his pack than he falls asleep.
Early the next morning when the sun begins to rise, he wakes to find Fifer on watch. The others are sound asleep and snoring up a storm. He gets up and comes to the fire and sits down next to him.
They break out some of the food which was appropriated from the inn back in Willimet and have breakfast. It isn’t long before everyone is up and eating. Dave is the last one to rise.
“Are we heading home now?” Miko asks him.
Nodding, he says, “That’s the plan. Need to talk to Ceryn about something then may be going on another trip.”
“So soon?” he asks.
“Yes,” he replies. “Have to find out what Ironhold is and where. Ceryn’s been around so I’m hoping he may know something about it.”
“We’re probably two or three days from The Ranch,” interjects Illan.
“Can’t wait to get back,” Jiron says. “Tersa must be worried sick about me.”
Just then from the north, they see a dozen or so riders coming their way. When they get close enough, they see that they’re part of the Cardri cavalry. James comes to his feet as they approach and the officer comes forward and says, “Heard there’s some strange happenings going on around here. Have you seen anything out of the ordinary?”
Nodding, James says, “An hour or so to the south is an inn. We found the occupants slaughtered and several mindless people wandering around. Buried the dead and left the mindless to continue wandering.”
“Slaughtered you say?” he asks.
“That’s right,” he replies. “Same thing was happening down in Willimet. Those people down there need some help that’s for sure.”
The officer waves over a subordinate and has a few quiet words with him which James cannot make out. When he’s done, he turns back to James and says, “Thanks for the information.”
“You’re welcome,” he says.
The officer then calls for his men to begin moving and they double time it down the road.
“Looks like those people are going to get help after all,” remarks Fifer.
“Maybe,” says James, “if they don’t just kill them.”
“True,” adds Illan. “At least it’s not our problem anymore.”
James nods his head as he returns to the campfire and finishes eating.
On the road again, they continue their northerly course, anxious to get home. Setting a quick pace they manage to reach the city of Guellin by the night of the second day. The sheep ranches come into view long before they see the skyline of the town. Shepherds are out among them, minding their flocks. Some wave a hello while others pointedly ignore them.
As the road enters town, a large three story building sits on their right with a sign of a sleeping sheep hanging by the front door.
“Looks like a good spot,” says James. The grounds are relatively free of debris and the inn has an overall look of having been well maintained.
“Shall I see if they have any rooms?” Jiron asks.
Getting down from his horse, James stretches his sore muscles and says, “Sure. See if they have four. I’d like one on at least the second floor.”
“You got it,” he says as he goes up and enters the door.
“Just another day to Trendle,” Illan tells him as he comes to stand next to him.
“Good. I’m tired of riding,” he admits.
Miko gets down and has the last of his tarts in his hand. James can’t believe he’s still eating them. Last night they seemed a bit off but Miko wasn’t swayed by the chance of food poisoning. James tried to explain it to him but the concept was simply too far beyond his understanding. He couldn’t see how something which doesn’t smell or taste bad could be. So James just shrugged and hoped for the best.
“James, look,” Says Miko as he points across the street.
A woman walks along the far side of the street with a small girl behind her. His eyes widen and a smile comes to his face when he sees the little girl carrying what has to be one of Tersa’s teddy bears. He nudges Illan and nods in their direction.
“Guess you really had something there,” he says.
“I’m going to go find out where she got it,” James tells him as he steps into the street. Making a beeline for her, the mother soon becomes aware of his approach and stops. She puts herself in front of her daughter as he comes close.
“Excuse me,” he says and then points to the teddy bear, “but could you tell me where you got that?”
Visibly relaxing, she replies, “Argoth’s down the street has them.” She then points to the right.
“Thank you,” he says and gives her a nod as he leaves.
“Be right back,” he hollers over to the others as he makes his way to Argoth’s. He barely takes four steps before Fifer, Qyrll and Miko join him. When he looks questioning at them, Fifer says, “Illan doesn’t want you out alone.”
He glances back to see Dave standing with Illan, a sullen expression on his face. “Very well then.” They continue down the street until they see a store with a large window. Four of Tersa’s teddy bears are displayed there. He grins to Fifer when he sees them.
Walking in, he finds a portly man organizing small pouches into a neat pile. As they enter, he turns to greet them. “Good day to you gentlemen,” he says with a warm smile. “How may I help you today?”
James gestures to the teddy bears in the window and says, “I saw a woman with a little girl who had one of those and wanted to find out about them.”
“We just got them in a few days ago,” he says. “At first I didn’t really think they would do much, but so far I’ve sold half.”
“People really like them?” he asks.
Nodding, he replies, “The kids do. The trader lady who sold them to me suggested that I give one away and just see what happens. I thought that a rather foolish thing to do so before she left, she gave one to a little girl. After the girl left, she said, ‘If you sell all those in a week, you pay me for the one I just gave away.’ Of course I told her I would, but I didn’t think it would work. But sure enough, I sold three more that day just from people whose kids saw the little girl with hers.”
He looks to James and asks, “Are you interested in buying one?”
Shaking his head, he says, “No. I was just curious. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” the shopkeeper says as they turn to leave.
When they’re back outside the shop, Miko asks, “Why did you want to know about them?”
“Just doing a little market research,” he says. He smiles at Miko’s blank look of not understanding. Who would have thought Mr. Edward’s class on economics would have come in handy here. Unable to stop himself, he breaks into a short laugh.
The others look at him a bit oddly.
Back at the inn, they find Jiron has already arranged for their rooms. Taking their horses around back to the stables, they get them settled in for the night before returning to their rooms.