“Would you have wanted an easier life if it meant not having been with your husband?” he asks her.
Smiling a sad smile, she answers, “No, I wouldn’t.” Chuckling a little she adds, “In fact, my mother was dead set against me marrying him, but I was in love.” Sighing a little, she continues, “We snuck out one night and got married in the next town.”
“Oh, you should have heard my father erupt when he found out what I had done,” she says with a wistful laugh. “We stood our ground and after awhile, they came to understand that we were meant for each other.”
He motions over to the campfire that Sheila has built, “It looks like she’s her mother’s daughter.”
Shawna turns and discovers that Rylin has found his way over to where Sheila is preparing the meal. He sits not far from her sharpening his sword while she slices vegetables for the stew pot. Sheila has a smile, a glow about her that only being near the one you love can bring. Miko found his way over there as well, trying to engage them in conversation, but is being completely ignored.
As she turns toward James, he can see that she now has a look of understanding, “It won’t be easy for them, especially her.”
“Since you will always need guards for you caravans,” James explains, “make him the lead guard and you’ll always have him near. She wouldn’t have to worry about what he is doing, or if he’s getting hurt.”
“Perhaps you are right,” she concedes and then makes her way over to the campfire.
Miko comes over to James and says, “No one is paying me any attention over there.”
James continues to look at Sheila and Rylin as he says to Miko, “They only have eyes for each other.”
“Why don’t we travel with them all the way into Trademeet?” Miko asks him.
“It’ll take too long. Besides, I want to find that temple quickly,” he explains. “There’s a war over there and if it should move north, I would like to be done with what I need to do before it gets there.”
Nodding, Miko says, “I hope we can find it fast.”
“So do I,” agrees James, “so do I.” He then goes over and joins the others by the fire.
After supper, they settle down around the campfire, Rylin and Sheila sit together, sharing a blanket. Shawna’s gaze is no longer one of disapproval, but a wistful one, remembering when she was young and in love with her man.
A strumming of a musical instrument from the soldiers’ area reaches them through the night. They decide that an evening of music would be exactly what they all needed, so they make their way over and join them. They find that one of the soldiers has a mandolin like instrument, upon which he is playing a quick, lively tune. He accompanies it with a deep bass voice, not nearly the caliber of Perrilin’s, but still pleasant to hear. The soldiers make room for them and they spend the rest of the evening listening to the music and socializing with each other.
In the morning after breakfast, James and Miko say their goodbyes and head down the road.
Chapter Twenty
James and Miko make good time as the terrain continues to be primarily flat plains. After the first hour, the land becomes increasingly more cultivated, with the occasional farms and orchards lining the road. Farmers are out in the fields working their crops, some wave a friendly greeting to them as they pass, though most simply ignore them.
A little before midday, a town of some size appears out of the horizon further down the road. As they continue toward it, James spies an orchard of fruit trees abutting the road ahead. A family of three generations is working hard harvesting its fruit, baskets already filled with the reddish-yellow fruit are stacked on a nearby mule drawn wagon. James slows and leaves the road to approach them.
As he nears, the family quickly takes notice of his approach but continues to gather their fruit, except for an older gentleman who must be the farmer’s father, that walks over to greet him.
“Good day to you sirs,” the old man says in a friendly manner.
“A good day to you too,” James replies. “I was wondering if you could tell me the name of the town that is up the road,” he asks pointing to the town on the horizon.
“That is Lornigan,” the man explains, “the agricultural center for this area.” He eyes James and Miko warily but relaxes somewhat when all they seem to want is information. The family behind him, though they cast repeated glances their way, continues harvesting.
“Lornigan?” questions James. When the old man nods, he says, “Thank you.”
“Any time good sirs.”
“I don’t suppose you would part with some of your fruit?” James asks. “Maybe just four or five?”
The man’s face broadens into a smile and he says, “Of course sir, it’ll be only a copper.” While James digs a copper out of his pouch, the man goes over to the wagon and picks out six of the fruits. He then brings them back to James and hands them over as he takes the copper.
“Six?” James asks. “I only wanted five.”
“I know” the farmer said, “but six is what a copper is worth and I wouldn’t want to cheat you.” He gave James a wink, “Besides, since there is but the two of you, six is easier to divvy up than five.”
“I appreciate that,” James says as he gives three of the fruits over to Miko. Eyeing the fruit longingly, he says, “And thank you for allowing us to purchase them from you.”
“No trouble at all sir,” the man assures him. “Actually it happens quite often. There are many travelers on the road to Lornigan, it’s the last large town before the long road to Trademeet.”
“Would you know of a place in Lornigan where we could get a bite to eat?” James asks.
“Sure,” the man replies, “try the Grinning Specter.” When he sees the look on Miko’s face at the name, the man continues. “Don’t let the name bother you boy, there’s nothing scary about it. The food there is good and fairly priced. You’ll find it along the road a little after you enter the town. Look for the sign with the smiling ghost.”
“Thank you, we’ll do that,” James says appreciatively. “You have a good day,” he says as he begins turning his horse back toward the road.
“You too, sir,” Hemdal replies before returning to aid with the harvesting.
Finishing his first fruit, Miko says, “Thanks for the fruit.”
Smiling, James says, “No problem, fresh fruit is at times hard to come by. Besides, you never know what you are going to find out by talking to the locals.” He takes a bite out of one and enjoys the sweet firm flesh of the fruit. “Reminds me of a nectarine,” he says.
“Nectarine?” Miko asks.
“It’s a popular fruit from where I come from,” he explains. “My grandfather always had some in the house whenever they were in season.”
“They are good,” agrees Miko, as he bites into his second.
They continue on toward Lornigan, munching on the fruit as they gradually approach the outskirts of town. The buildings here have been kept up well overall, though a few do show signs of their age and neglect. The usual hawkers are there to greet them as they pass the first several buildings. They crowd around trying to get James and Miko to buy their goods, but when they show little interest, relax a bit. Despite the lack of interest from James and Miko, some do continue to exclaim the virtues of their wares to the annoyance of both.
Passing several more buildings, they come to a three story structure with a sign out front upon which was painted a grinning ghostly apparition. “This must be the place,” James says.
“Yeah,” agrees Miko, “not what I expected though.”
Turning to Miko, he asks, “And just what were you expecting, a creepy, scary place?”
“Sort of,” Miko admits.
James chuckles at him, “Never let the name of a place give you the wrong impression.”
They hitch their horses out front and then go inside. The interior of the place is neat and clean, with a good aroma of cooking food coming from the kitchen. Most of the tables are filled with midday eaters, several servers scurry from table to table, delivering their orders and otherwise being helpful.