by Lloyd Baron
Peering through tall grass into Barra Sid’le’s back yard, Darwin’t manages a nervous smile in Danlynn’s direction. His friend stands on the top of her outhouse with a bucket of muddy water, trying to prop it up against the door frame so that it will tip when opened, an old trick, though one of the best. They have never been caught but they have not done it for a few suns and they are both bigger and heavier than the last time. Danlynn has already put a foot through the thatch and almost fallen. How had he let himself be talked into doing this? Danlynn is just hard to say no to sometimes. He holds his breath as Danlynn releases the bucket and it does not fall. Then his friend jumps to the ground, a loud thud echoes across the air and both of them run away. By the time they have reached Riochald’s garden they are acting normal, just two young men out for a walk. Danlynn stops at the gate with a sad expression masking his usually happy face. Riochald sits on the step leading into her house; an embroidery hoop untouched rests in her skirts. She stares at something that only she can see somewhere in the distance.
“She is always like this around feast days and the shrine,” Darwin’t puts in. “Canace says she cries herself to sleep some nights. I did not tell you that.” Danlynn nods solemnly. Both of them watch her for a few moments longer before Danlynn pushes the gate open and strides in. Darwin’t tries to grab at his friend’s sleeve but misses and finds himself following close behind. Riochald can be very grumpy if she is disturbed without a good reason. She has been known to hit people for asking how she is.
Riochald stands abruptly and turns to glare at them both before they have covered half the ground to the step. “What do you two want?” She barks angrily. “Go away.”
“No thanks,” Danlynn calls from where he has stopped. He’s not stupid enough to approach her in this mood. “I want to know how you are today. You looked sad and I am concerned about you.” He takes a small step. Darwin’t does the same.
Riochald holds their gaze for a few seconds before hitching up her skirts and striding towards them. “I am fine. I have work that needs to be done and you, Darwin’t Utsa, have the shrine to get ready for. Now please get out of my garden!” Danlynn smiles back at her, though does as she asks. He brushes past Darwin’t but stops when he does not follow. “What, boy?” She says through gritted teeth.
Darwin’t stands his ground even though his insides are trying to escape. He takes a deep breath; this could go very badly indeed. “I miss you, Riochald. I want you to come to the shrine as my handmaiden. It would mean so much to me if you would bond me to Canace.” He braces himself for verbal and possibly physical abuse; but instead she smiles and opens her arms wide, engulfing him. She is only slightly shorter than him, though in her boots she matches his height. When she steps back her large, sad green eyes are sparkling with unshed tears. Her full stern lips are trembling fighting back the sobs that must be waiting behind them. For the first time in three suns she looks on the verge of being happy. “Is that a yes?”
He does not see her hand fly at him until it is too late for him to move, the force of the slap sends him into a bush. “I will not be rushed, Darwin’t Utsa.” She turns her glare on Danlynn and he flees out of the garden. “But as the feast is tomorrow and I do not have time to think it over then I will answer now.” She drags him out of the bush and brushes down his shirt. “I would love to. Thank you for asking me. I will see to Canace right away. A handmaiden must get everything ready. I’ll see you tonight, just before the sun falls. Be at your house, I do not wish to be traipsing all over searching for you.” She brushes her hand across his cheek before shoving him out of the garden.
“Boy,” Danlynn mutters under his breath. “You must be brave or stupid.” He clasps Darwin’t’s shoulder. “That was a kind thing you just did. I have not seen her that happy for a long time.” Danlynn suddenly laughs as if he has thought of something funny. “But I am glad I’m not you when Riochald starts the dressing in the morning.” Darwin’t grimaces. He had forgotten that the handmaiden must wash him clean and dress him for the shrine. He will probably have so many bruises by the time he reaches the shrine that he will not even be able to sit. He groans all the way back to the wagon.
3
A HAND or a CHAIN
As they approach the wagon they hear a scream from some distance away followed by loud curses for their skins. Barra Sid’le must have opened that door. Danlynn bursts into another fit of laughter and slaps Darwin’t across the back. His mirth is short-lived however when the old woman stalks around the corner waving the bucket over her head like some kind of weapon. However, she goes right by them with only a slight look of disapproval. Darwin’t hears her mutter the name “Tarfleam.” He grins to himself.
Aunt Maida should be finished selling her stock to Charlotte and most likely will want to head back to the house, preparations for the feast and all that. As they walk into the clearing outside the shop they hear voices. Maida sweeps into the sun like a queen, if queens wore dark brown wool, and places herself in front of the two of them. Following behind her is a tall young man of chunky build. His broad shoulders, thick arms and chest bulge through his shirt. He has short, spiky black hair and dark brown pools for eyes, a wide mouth set into a square jaw and high cheekbones, which seem to be permanently flushed. He has bushy eyebrows that almost join above his wide nose and draw a line under his broad forehead. But even with his apparent strength, he looks docile and kind. A handsome man who has caught most of the girls’ attention. He would be a rival for Florence Bloom if he were to be going to the shrine.
Derry’n Pyrena is not from Gressgs; in fact he is not even from Hillsbough. His family were travelers from somewhere in the North-east and had died in an accident while moving into Hillsbough. He had only been a baby then and was taken in by the Pyrena family. By law they could not keep him once he reached the age of twelve suns unless he wanted them to. He chose to stay as their son but to search for his birthplace once he reached adulthood. For that reason he was not to be bonded, not unless he decided to stay or a bonded was willing to leave with him.
Darwin’t nods in his direction as the man places his aunt’s shopping onto the wagon. They have never really spoken to Derry’n. He has slow wits and is too nice and proper to join in with any of their pranks. He was a friend with Fairhold Dru for a while before Fairhold was bonded. After that they drifted apart and Derry’n became somewhat of a recluse. He gives Darwin’t a nod back as he walks inside the shop.
“A nice young man,” Maida says staring after him. She sighs openly at his beauty and mutters something about if she were younger. Darwin’t shuts off his ears. Maida abruptly cuts off mid-sentence as Derry’n reappears with another box. He begins to load it onto the back of the wagon while Danlynn and he stand watching. A string of guilt snaps inside Darwin’t and he rushes to assist the tall man in his duty; once the box is loaded they part without muttering a word. Derry’n ducks back into the shop and after giving them a disapproving glare Maida follows. Realizing there must be more boxes and Darwin’t’s intention to help load them; Danlynn makes an excuse and casually strolls out of the clearing, whistling a tune.
Darwin’t stops himself following his friend and shuffles sulkily into the shade of the shop. Instantly his senses and overwhelmed. Color shimmers from every angle, from hundreds of tiny candle flames behind stained glass. A multitude of fragrances blend into the colors almost as if the colors themselves give off the scent. Cinnamon from the brown glass, Honey from the yellow, Apples from the green and lavender from the purple. There are other fragrances mixed in, though those are the ones that assail his nose. They are almost too overpowering, and he places his hands to his stomach in the hope of preventing it from spinning.
The room is dark at first, the small flames not giving off much illumination, but his eyes soon adjust and it seems as light as it is outside. He browses the shelves as he passes on his way to the back of the shop. Down one side to his left the wall is lined with various rolls of cloth, mainly in dull shades o
f green, brown and blue which would be used for dresses for the village women and breeches and coats for the men. Most of the cloth is thick and heavy for the cold winter months, although there are some lighter ones towards the back. Right at the end of the shop are the expensive brightly colored rolls of cloth for making curtains, tablecloths, cushions and feast day outfits. Lace and colorful thread for hems and embroidery hang beside the cotton rolls with bowls of buttons and badges below. The other side is more varied. The top shelves are full of boxes and jars of grain, corn, rice and flour. They were lucky to have the rice in this part of the world. It only comes from the wetlands in the north, but a traveling peddler had a wagon load and what’s more a broken wagon. They purchased half his stock for the price of a new wagon and had decided it was best left for feast days. Below the jars are fresh apples from the orchard across the hills towards Tet's town, picked only a few days before. They are still shiny from the polishing they would have received by Charlotte on arrival. He grabs one and takes a bite into it, wiping the juice from his chin; they are still crisp and it crunches nicely. Apples are his favorite and rare at this time of the sun, and expensive—this one will cost him what he makes in a whole day working for his aunt. Sacks of potatoes, cabbages, carrots, onions and lettuces line the floor, fresh and still soiled. They will be for a couple more days and then Charlotte will wash them, lower the price and advertise them as non-fresh. That is when most people in the village will buy them. However, some with higher incomes or the owners of the larger farms would always get fresh. That was the way it worked. The farm which supplied the vegetables paid nothing for the goods; however they had to make sure they were fresh or they could incur a charge. They also had a discount on all the other items within the shop. They were not paid for supplying to the village and so have to sell outside. It is the method that has worked for over a hundred suns. It keeps the village in fresh food each week and provides an income to the shop and large farms. Smaller farms and traders such as the bee keeper and weavers sell their goods directly to the shop for a one-off payment. However, they do not get a discount at the shop, and most trade only with outside towns. The exception was his aunt Maida. She does not pay for anything. She works so hard mending the villagers’ clothes, making the drapes for the inn, curtains for every house, cushions, tablecloths and even feast gowns that the village decided that instead of paying for the deeds they would support her with their products. She agreed and is now entitled to shop for free. However, Maida does not take advantage of her position. She only takes what she and Darwin’t need and no more. Her outlook is that without her, the village would be so dull and colorless that it is her right to have what she wants. Hard words, yet he has seen her on many occasions handing the last apple or cabbage to someone else or even giving a whole bucket of milk away.
As he reaches the back of the shop a new aroma blends into the rest. A bitterness which fills his mind with memories from his childhood, memories of sickness, pain and feverish nightmares. It happened when he was ten suns old. Danlynn had been at the river fishing with his father to the north of Gressgs; Canace was out at a farm learning how to milk cows and Riochald was studying herbs. Darwin’t had been bored of being alone; his own studies with his aunt had finished for the day. He began to walk out of the village, south into the woods. He fell and hit his head. Something he still cannot remember happening, and if it was not for a scar behind his left ear, he would never have known it had happened. He was knocked unconscious and lay in the woods for seven days. The village divided into search parties and hunted for him across every inch of Gressgs. The children were left in the care of Val Midigon while this was happening. Somehow they knew where he was. Canace, Danlynn and Riochald had to sneak away from the Schoolhouse and trekked into the woods where they found him, half buried under leaves. Riochald stuffed his mouth full of herbs to bring down the fever that had settled into him. They were at a loss how to get him back to the village. They could not carry him and were frightened that if they left him he would die before they got back. However, almost as the thought had ended Tarfleam and Derry’n arrived, leading half of the adults from the village. Eighteen days later he woke, unable to remember a thing about the accident.
He passes the herbs quickly and drops his elbows onto the counter beside his aunt. “You need any more help?” He asks, his tone begrudging.
“No no,” she replies sharply. “You are too ill to work. Young Derry’n is plenty help. I will be tipping him grandly for all his work.” Derry’n’s gentle features tighten into a grimace of embarrassment, which he hides by grabbing another box, tall enough to cover his face. Darwin’t rolls his eyes and follows him back outside. The sunlight blinds him for the second time that morning, triggering a memory of the dream he had last night. He shivers at the thought and tries to forget it.
“I like your aunt,” the tall wide man says as he lowers the last box onto the wagon. “She is very kind.” His voice is deep and slow, a reflection of his wits perhaps. He looks uncomfortable while he waits for Aunt Maida to arrive at the wagon. They stand in silence. Darwin’t whistles a few bars of a tune but stops when he sees Derry’n watching him. He smiles at him and is about to speak when Maida scurries into the light. He does not hear what is said, yet Derry’n looks extremely happy as he disappears into the shop. Within an instant Danlynn reappears with a cheeky grin and dirty hands. He winks at Maida which earns him a shake of her head and a tut-tut.
“Maybe we should head home?” Darwin’t suggests with a shrug. “It is the feast and everything tomorrow.”
“No need to be all hasty. There is plenty of time to get ready and I still have a few things to do in the village. Besides you will be in my way. I still have to let out your best coat and cook the Before-feast Meal.” She rubs her hands together gleefully. “I am ever so excited. You two boys have some fun while you can.” At that she clambers into the wagon seat and pulls the reins hard. Snowflake trots slowly out of the clearing; the rumble of the wagon fades and then there is only silence.
“Did you hear that?” Darwin’t says deflated. “Have fun while you can! It is like after tomorrow my life will be nothing but work, sleep and children. Not really what I want from my life.” He turns to his friend and regards him with open arms. “We will still play pranks and sit under the stars drinking ale or cider when I’m bonded, wont we?”
Danlynn nods enthusiastically, yet the smile that beams on his face does not reach his eyes. “Always, my friend.” Darwin’t is thankful for the lie. “I guess you are worried that it is a chain you are putting on around your neck and not a hand to hold.” It is not a question and more a statement, though he nods anyway. “My father says it is like both, a hand and a chain. Says that it is the best and worst thing in the whole world to be bonded to one forever. He loves my mother and will do anything to make her happy and she will do the same. However there are times when both of them need space. They have been bonded so long that they know each other’s minds and know when to give and take the space. It is the same with all bonded, so he says. He still sees his friends sometimes. He goes for a drink twice a month and every week plays coins or dice. He is very happy.” He puts his arm around Darwin’t’s shoulders and leads him away from the shop. “What I am saying is that we will not see each other as much, though when we do it will be so much more important and special. Plus you will have Canace and everything that goes with being bonded.” He pats Darwin’t’s stomach playfully. “You will be a busy man. But Canace will help you. You know she is not the type to sit back and let you do everything, like some bonded can.”
“I know,” Darwin’t admits.
“And you and she have been friends for a long time and know what each other likes and dislikes. She won’t expect you to do things she knows you cannot and you will not to her. It may take a while to get used to it, though it will be so good for you in the end. No?” He stops and turns Darwin’t to face him. “You will be happy with her, my friend.” He beams suddenly, and then releases
Darwin’t’s shoulder. “Come on there is still time for a trip to the well.” He turns and runs without looking back. Darwin’t watches him vanish over the crest of the hill before giving chase. A heavy feeling descends on his heart.
4
THE WELL
Darwin’t crests the hill moments after his friend to find him gazing down to the old well within Isas Lucius' field. One quick glance to make sure he is being followed and Danlynn heads off once more. “Wait,” Darwin’t calls breathlessly, staggering to a halt. “Danlynn, wait!”
“For what? This is the last chance we will see the old place.” He does not slow as he shouts. “Now come on and stop delaying. We have lots to do.” At that he clambers onto the wall of the well and stops to wait. It only takes a few seconds for Darwin’t to reach the well and by the time he does his friend is already scrambling down the inside. He hesitates before climbing onto the wall and lowering himself down.
The brickwork is old and dry, small pieces and dust come away under his fingers and boots but holds well enough for him to reach the bottom. The small pool of sunlight he stands within feels cold, so far down within the earth. It must be noon for the sun to be directly overhead and Riochald will be very angry if he isn’t ready for her when she arrives at sundown. He sighs and leaves the circle of light and enters the shadows, shivering at the instant chill that races down his back. Danlynn stands waiting a few paces away, no more than a dark mass within the darkness.
“Come on then,” Darwin’t whispers stepping past his friend. “Let us make this quick.” Danlynn catches his arm firmly and tugs him back.
“There will be no rushing this visit to the cave, it’s the last...”
