by Andy Marr
guess what I found.”
“What?” Kaiver said.
“Water!” They laughed possibly the journeys tiredness waring on them, they were pretty keen to relax after escaping an empire into perilous terrain n'all.
They were now all moseying about camp, the light growing dim, shadows on the natural curvature of the rock walls dancing from the camp fires puttering, food as well as banter being thrown about.
In the back of their minds, some more than others, the question of Fyodor’s past lingered. They had decided early on as they always did to treat it as a worst case scenario in every sense. Since losing two of their comrades they knew a thing or two about wounds and made note not to push him about it and just concentrate on being vigilant it’s not like they didn’t know who the Exgruin were. This may of been why they took a liking to Fio from the get go.
Around the campfire: “We will be heading onto Eschotia Fio in about five days. It’s a village turned way point for travellers." Brewr said as he tore some meat.
Pell rubbed his knees with excitement. “You’re gonna love it.”
Kaiver added "We all do, it's bustling with folk from distant lands. There are the regulars of course doing good trade. I have seen a whole army march through there with the greatest of respect for that place.”
“It's a fine town good food to.” Brewr chipped.
"Ha!" Pell said clapping his hands eyes all starry. “Oh, I really need some sleep.”
Kaiver lay on his back looking up into the dawn sky silky clouds slithered like trails of smoke swimming the depths of the oceans shimmering in the moon light. He put his hands behind his head small bats streaked the sky every so often. A small bird flit past and shooting stars still were visible amongst the clouds.
The rustle and chime of the birds accompanied the morning.
Fyodor awoke and looked around to see the others had headed out already as usual. His neck was stiff and he could feel his body aching all over from the climb. He stretched for about 20mins and then got on with it; finishing off the camp hoping to move onto getting some crafting done.
The hearth was given a spit and drying racks even though he wasn't sure what kind of animals might be caught up this high he gave it a few lower notches than usual. Come late afternoon he wandered off into the gulch below, he found a good spot for a toilet as the drop was deep between the rocks.
Fio never did mind his work as a slave once he showed value and avoided negative attention this made things okay. However it has to be said that drawing attention was what got him his craft.
He was cutting wood as usual but he showed such efficiency in doing it one of his masters suggested to the others lament that they put him with a carpenter. Fio took to crafting with wood like a duck to water or rather a quail to long grass he would produce things faster by the day. It was his craftsmanship that caught their attention but this wasn’t what would eventually make the emperors find out who he was.
It was a stormy night the rain was lashing about in the cart ruts and footprints of the alleyways. The flashes of lightning embodied the torrent of rain. It was a muddy scene to behold. The door to the workshop radiated enough heat coming from the hearth to churn and diminish the moist air coming through its entrance. Fio stood at a lathe the fire warming his back with his shadow standing over him. Fio stood feet flat not moving just crafting his hands constantly moving about with purpose as the timber was crafted to his will. It was a process where he would churn ever so slightly hunching over more, more and more his swaying fixated and ever focused on exerting the most excruciating detail from the wood of whatever he was making over and over. Force and delicacy combined. And then he would pause run his fingers through his hair giving a deep breath or relief. His whole body now shirked of passion to relax in what looked like an exonerated sigh and aura of achievement. His left hand placed a piece of wood on the table he yawned both hands flat on the bench only to regain composure and do it all again and again...
Late is when he worked best the rain helping even more to sooth his mind. He felt a gentle caress on his right shoulder that of a woman’s but it was cold and wet. A voice spoke softly both trembling and beckoning in Fyodor’s ear; “It’s a little late don’t you think.” Fio did not hesitate throwing his leathers to the side and turning slowly moving earnestly he scooped her sternly with his arm and then he climbed sternly atop the bench. Clothes shifted and fell, grabbing caresses were firm, she was now noosed in an almost V shape between Fyodor’s arms. Her head would move from side to side, and chest would heave, and bodice constantly squirming with desire. Her arms fidgeted and grasped as her finger tips exerted pleasure. Fyodor was doing what he did best but with his pants around his ankles.
This relationship went on for a while and soon other women started showing up until a guard showed up one night putting an ornate piece of wood through his upper left shoulder. Fio being in more than enough battles by now turned instantly with a chisel cutting open half the man’s neck who then fell to the ground screaming in a stream of blood. Fio seeing who it was tried his best to patch it and called for help even though the thought passed his mind that he would lose his head for this. That night Fio was beaten locked up and beaten again and was then released several days after. And from then on without a word being spoken worked beneath one of the grand buildings amongst the master craftsmen. This workshop was the like of something he had never seen before every inch of it was filled with majestic earthy timbers and great sheaths of iron, everything was made with such beauty. Even more new to Fio was its location below one of the great halls which was visited out of enjoyment by the emperors. They would make requests of any number of things to be fashioned. Whatever was made in the workshop was in their words; more divine than nature itself.
A large part of being a master craftsman was the permission to undertake research albeit always under supervision.
Fio managed to gain even further attention when the request for a bow to be fashioned for a hunter who had served his masters well came directly to him. He set to it putting about a month’s worth of research into finding the best timbers, the curvature of the bow, and the treatments of the wood, which eventually lead to him stumbling upon how to make an incredibly superior bow. At which he was given five well trained craftsmen and an order for 200 hundred more.
“Thud, plop-plop.” A few small but fat lizards and a snake dropped from above. “Not too bad, considering I hadn’t intended to hunt! Ay Fyodor?” Kaiver said as he came into camp. “I managed to find some yabbies in Pells stream hopefully they will be in my traps before dinner.” He said as he approached the fire picking up the dead animals he looked about; “Fyodor you never cease to amaze me. I like what you have done with the place” He said putting a hand on his shoulder still looking around. The camp now looked like a fully-fledged encampment with compartments for everything even a few decorative touches to things as simple as the log seats.
“Thanks” Said Fio; scratching the back of his neck. “Are you back for a bit? I wouldn’t mind going on a bit of exploring myself.”
“Not a bother, just let me know where and for how long of course."
“The gulch." He pointed to it looking. "I am guessing about an hour, it’s really rough terrain so I doubt I will be going far.”
“Go for it.” He waved nonchalantly. “Be done roasting by the time you get back.” Kaiver clapped as he sat down. As Fio sunk down into the gorge Kaiver was left sitting there one hand turning the spit legs limp and outstretched.
Fyodor moved purposefully with his muscles still sore . Clambering downwards until coming upon a dried up creek bed of which he followed collecting pebbles as he went to use as markers.
The gorge grew wider at one point but then moved into a section that divided it into three more winding paths which upon exploring all seemed to head back into the same path once more. The river bed came to an end as it turned into more of a sharp drop which when stepped closer to was more than enough to erase any conte
mplation of following this route any longer. The rock face to his right happened to be admirably climbable good holds with an efficient ascent. Fio enjoyed every minute climbing this chunk of mountain until the earth started to sway beneath him. Now atop a flat section he took a look around not being able to see too much still mostly cornered by stone walls. He dropped a few pebbles watching them roll across the stony surface then decided to climb another section to the right of him. Grabbing a hold over the cliffs crest to help leaver himself up he slowly craned himself onto another open rock slab. Taking a breather and letting the adrenaline subside he then headed across the flat stone surface then stepped off into scrub jumping down a section but not before leaving a noticeable trail of pebbles. Now amongst trees and steep slopes criss-crossing this way and that he pressed on in his current direction, which was the only direction that didn't look to cause calamity. The bird life amongst the trees was an intermittent orchestra of exotic sounds, the ground was littered with a soft thick layer of leaves which when disturbed added to the aroma of the air. Coming across a small ledge that slightly deviated from his perceived path he turned to it. It had a slight incline alongside a now present south westerly (he presumed) facing
