Part 3 (1/2)
”I don't seem to recall anything like that going on,” Jiron says as they finally wind down. You can say a lot about their stories, but dull and uneventful are not among them.
”Of course not,” Scar says. ”This was before we met.”
”That's right,” adds Potbelly. ”It's not like events concerning this sort of thing are talked about. These sorts of people don't take kindly to their affairs becoming public knowledge.”
”That was the biggest piece of trash I ever heard!” Jorry says from where he sits across the fire from the pair. Uther nods in agreement.
”True or not,” Illan says as he gets to his feet, ”it's time for us to turn in. We still have many days ahead of us before we reach Lythylla.”
As everyone but those pulling sentry duty begins turning in, the two pairs eye each other with silent intensity. It seems a rivalry has begun between them and things, not to mention tales, are bound to get more outlandish.
James heads for his tent and can hear Uther say to Jorry, in a voice loud enough to be heard by everyone, ”You'd think if they were going to make up a story, they should at least make it entertaining.” Rolling his eyes heavenward, he enters his tent and gets ready for bed.
Lying upon the cot, he stares at the roof of his tent as a smile plays across his face. If nothing else, at least things won't get boring. If nothing else, at least things won't get boring.
The gra.s.s covered rolling hills extend ahead of him until they disappear in the horizon. A beautiful day, sun high in a crystal blue sky, the odd fluffy white cloud drifting by. The scent of wildflowers is borne upon the breeze as it brings a welcoming coolness to the heat of the day.
Small animals race by as he walks, seemingly completely unconcerned by his pa.s.sing. A deer, or something very similar actually comes right up to him. He reaches out his hand and it allows him to stroke its neck before darting off.
A sense of peace and tranquility fills him as he walks through the gra.s.s. He doesn't walk long before the sound of a carnival reaches him. Scanning the horizon, he can see the top of the Ferris wheel behind a hill off to his right. Intrigued, he turns in that direction and hurries along.
Topping the rise behind which the carnival hides, he sees a sight he's seen played out many times before. Whenever spring and summer come, so did the carnivals and fairs. This one is just like all the others, carnies working the crowds, enticing them to either buy or play one of the overpriced games.
A smile comes to him as he walks down the hill. The sights, the smells, all remind him of home. Off to one side he sees his favorite amus.e.m.e.nt park treat in all the world. Cotton Candy. Oh man does he love that. Of course it has to be the pink variety, none other is nearly as good. Reaching into his pocket for money, he realizes he didn't bring any. All that he produces is a single ride ticket, good for any of the rides. Saddened by being unable to buy the cotton candy, he still walks his way through the midway enjoying the sights and sounds.
It suddenly occurs to him that he is the only one there other than the carnies. He stops in his tracks and gazes around but no one other than himself is there. At least he'll not have to wait in line to use his ticket.
As he walks along, he looks at all the different rides available to him. Of course there's the roller coaster, the funhouse and the inevitable carousel. What would a carnival be without one of those?
”One ticket!” cries out the carnie in charge of the carousel. ”One ticket is all it takes.”
Shaking his head, James says, ”No thanks.” Moving on he comes across the b.u.mper cars, he likes them but by himself they would be little fun. Then comes other rides, one by one, all of which he doesn't have any interest in. Most are the kind that tends to make you throw up by spinning around and around.
Continuing to pa.s.s from one ride to the next, he suddenly catches out of the corner of his eyes a flash of blonde hair moving in the aisle on the other side of the rides. Turning to look closer, he sees a girl roughly in her teens moving along going the opposite way.
”Hey!” he hollers to her but she fails to respond. Moving quickly, he pa.s.ses between two rides and enters the aisle in which he saw her. Looking down the direction she went, he sees her getting into a boat.
”Wait!” he calls to her. Why he needs to reach her isn't clear, just that he must. Breaking into a run, he hurries toward the ride she's about to enter. It's the Tunnel of Love.
A large single story building sits atop a stream. Several boats are lined up behind her and a carnie is just finis.h.i.+ng securing her in and then throws the lever. Her boat begins to float with the current and moves to enter the opening.
James starts to get into the next boat but the carnie stops him, ”Ticket please.” Reaching into his pocket he discovers the ticket is gone. ”I've got to follow her!” he cries.
”You can't get on without a ticket,” the carnie states.
Not knowing what else to do, he stands there and watches as she disappears into the Tunnel of Love.
”Sir?” a voice says, bringing him back to consciousness.
Opening his eyes, he glances over to the tent flap and sees Devin there. ”What?” he asks.
”Illan says we need to be on the road soon,” he replies.
”Alright,” James tells him and then lies back as the tent flap closes again. Trying to catch the fleeting remnants of the dream, he begins to be unable to recall the details. Sighing, he gets up and starts getting dressed. The one thing about the dream he recalls is that the girl was in some way familiar. Why, he's not sure.
By the time he's dressed and leaves his tent, the memory or the dream has faded completely and all he's left with is a feeling of having lost something.
Chapter Three.
In less than an hour they're up and on their way. The sun rising over the Sea creates a truly dazzling display as the waves upon its surface sparkle in the early morning light. Leaving the city of Pyrtlin behind, they take the east road along the northern sh.o.r.e of the Sea.
Not long after Pyrtlin disappears behind them, they come to a crossroads where they can either continue along the sh.o.r.e to the east or take the road to the north. They continue along to the east.
”We should arrive at Sh.o.r.e Town sometime before the evening meal,” Illan explains to James. ”There we'll need to take the northeast road out of town.”
”Wouldn't it be quicker to stay next to the Sea?” questions Jiron.
Shaking his head, Illan says, ”There's a mountain range on the eastern sh.o.r.e of the Sea which we will have to ride around.” To the east they see the peaks of the mountains silhouetted against the sky in the distance.
”How long will it take us to reach Lythylla?” James asks.
”A week or so,” he answers.
The rest of the day pa.s.ses fairly quickly and just as Illan predicted, they reach Sh.o.r.e Town shortly before the evening meal. They find an out of the way inn where they stop to have a bite to eat. Having been on the road for many days and eating their own cooking makes them all long for a real meal.
The mood here in Sh.o.r.e Town isn't nearly as harried and anxious like what they found back in Pyrtlin. Probably due to the fact that before they're going to be attacked by the Empire, other cities will have to fall first. Everywhere there are signs of preparations being readied in the event the Empire makes it this far.
From where they sit having their meal in the inn, they watch a group of boys who are put through drills, similar in nature to those Illan had the recruits doing back at The Ranch. When James asks a local at a nearby table about the drills, he's told that Madoc has called for a levy. All able bodied men and older boys are required to present themselves for training in the defense of Madoc.
”Look at that,” Caleb says as he watches the lads. ”They don't even know how to hold a sword.” Others offer their observation as to the boys' lack of skill.
Illan turns to them and says, ”You weren't much better before I got a hold of you.” He then winks to James and gives him a grin.
A quick meal of roast duck, bread and ale and then they're off. They travel several more hours, putting as much road behind them as possible before they decide to call it a day and make camp.
The next day and a half finds them reaching the northern edge of the mountains and skirting along the foothills before coming to a town known as Raider's Doom. It sits on the banks of a river flowing from the north where two main roads intersect. Illan tells them that after they cross the river they'll turn southward and follow the eastern side of the mountains until they come to an end. From there it's only a day to Lythylla.
Raider's Doom is a quiet, little town, not nearly the metropolis one would expect to sit on the convergence of two main arteries. Not a small town to be sure, but the people there have a quiet calm about them that's been lacking in the other towns they've pa.s.sed through. It almost seems as if they are not concerned about the war coming in their direction.
”They don't seem to care about what's going on to the south,” Uther states as they pa.s.s through.
Kids playing in the street, ladies taking their time in their daily routines, no one seems worried or concerned about what the future might hold.
”Hope they can stay that way for a long time,” James replies. He hopes someday every town could have that same carefree att.i.tude.