Chapter Fourteen - Wanderer
Two large boots fell softly on the dewy grass. They made little to no sound and seemed carefree in their pace. All around the morning sun illuminated a world of rolling hills and scattered trees, farm houses and an odd city in the distance that jutted out of the ground like a mountain.
The boots stopped on top of a hill, the man taking a deep breath as a smile crossed his face. The smell of wet grass and dirt filled his senses, a wonderful delight that made the coming day so much brighter. He fixed his plain trousers and tunic after a large gust of wind ripples through the field, a coolness that sent a mild shiver down his spine. It was amazing, and he knew that the day would be hot, so he cared not that it was a little colder than he liked.
Off to his left the winding cobble road made it's way to Grey Stone, his destination. Though he cared not for roads, for set paths. He often thought such structure would lead one to complacency, to make one lose their spark of curiosity and adventure. He spotted an old merchant sitting on his cart with his horse, sighing as he watched the slouched fellow and his meager wares slowly make their way to the city.
His smile returned though, as he took in the rising sun in the East. Always there, so stunning. Yet most wouldn't dare to lift their heads and revel in the majesty of it. The common folk toiled away, focused on their small lives. He didn't blame them though. The world was full of problems and gratitude was the last problem on most people's lists.
Instead he pressed on himself, making his way down the hill, wondering just where the day would bring him. He hoped it would be something exciting, something new...
...
Alder woke up hungry, very much so. Though he felt well rested for once. Awkwardly he exited the small shelter, stretching his small muscles as he looked around. The rising sun blinded him, and he frowned slightly, at both the chill and the coming heat. He liked neither.
Ahead in the river the fish were leaping, and he looked about for his spear. He found it leaning on the side of the large willow, with it's green mossy leaves and curled limbs, like some ancient old man who longed for a good rest. He took up the wooden stick and was beginning to turn when a sight made him stop.
"Huh?.." he thought, spinning around to see a tall figure make their way down the hill towards his camp. Fear crept in and he dashed for his knapsack, pulling out the small dagger. He hid behind the trunk of the tree and waited.
"Come now lad... If someone wanted to kill you they would not be so bold as to walk up on you would they?" A gruff voice said, to which Alder simply waited, saying nothing.
"Aah well I suppose I will have to enjoy this breakfast alone then... I was sorely hoping for some company. The day looks to be a good one, not a cloud in the sky, and this honeyed bread is quite delicious.."
Alder felt the saliva in his mouth as he wondered at what this person wanted. There were no good folk beyond his village, as far as he could tell. The hunger pushed him to danger though as he lowered the dagger and rounded the tree, "what do you want?" He asked plainly, coming face to face with a kind eyed man.
The brown haired fellow gave him a warm smile and beckoned for Alder to join him. He was sitting on a felled log in plain garb, eating a piece of bread. "Nothing more than to hear your story boy..." He held out a hunk of bread dripping with honey, which made Alder's mouth water.
He inched forward and took it from the man, stepping back a few feet while he gripped the dagger and bread in his one hand. "Thank you..." Alder muttered. The fellow simply nodded and gave him a smile through his scraggly beard. The young boy studied the man, trying to find a motive, of why he would give him such a delicacy. He couldn't tell. He also couldn't tell his age precisely. At times he seemed to be in his 30s, other times in his 60s. It puzzled Alder, as he tore into the bread.
Oh the taste. The absolute bliss, "So good..." he said. He had been eating fish for over a week and welcomed the sweetness of the honey mingled with the crunchy-softness of the baked bread. The man laughed and said, "there is more where that came from..."
Alder seemed confused, the fellow wasn't carrying any sort of pack and he didn't spot one lying nearby, but didn't give it much thought as the man continued, "Aah but of course I must know your story... life is all about stories, and the story of why a boy with no hand is living in the wilderness by himself."
Alder chewed and swallowed his bite, unsure of what to say. He was wary to give too many details, especially about the Earl, but told a basic tale of killing the goblin, the death of his parents and friends, being taken to a home where he was kicked out of for stealing.
"I do not see you as the thieving type, and I've been around quite a while..." the man said, his brown eyes piercing and soft. "Hmm how about this young Alder..." he said, "Take this parcel to the city, to the Mage's Guild... Tell them Vadien told you to bring it. You will get quite a fair bit of coin from them and,"
He said, tossing a silver piece to Alder, "This to get yourself a meal and a bed for the day... Sounds like you have been through a lot. Consider this compensation for your story..."
Alder nearly cried. He could tell that the man had no ulterior motive. Nothing compared to the other people he had run into. The man simply wished him the best. "Aah now I must be off..." the fellow said, "seems my business here is settled then, and the world calls! So much to see! So many stories!" He started off into the distance, smiling. Alder was perplexed by his behavior, by his optimism. He turned to walk away and Alder said,
"Thank you... I will deliver this package for you for sure. You have been... you have been the only person to be kind to me since... the village..." he said.
The old man waved him off and said, "think nothing of it... what is the point of being an Elder if not to aid the youth, to empower humanity's future... Now off you go, I assume it will take a two days walk to reach the city, if you hurry... Try not to be longer than a few days, or the Guild May be cross with you..."
Alder nodded and thanked him again before watching the nice old man walk back over the hill he came from. The whole event was so abrupt and strange so early in the morning that Alder barely had a chance to process any of it.
He stared at the brown paper parcel in his hands, feeling the weight of whatever it was inside. A box no doubt. The whole thing tied with some odd red string. It dawned on him then, "wait the Mages guild? The city?..." he turned to look at the walled city in the distance, a feeling of anxiety and fear filling him.
"How am I supposed to go there by myself..." he wondered. Just walking down the streets with Helda was a challenge, let alone figuring out his own way. The silver coin on top of the parcel gave him a little courage though. He knew he could get quite a few stays in an inn with it, and some decent food. He glanced again at the package and thought, "whatever it is... it must be quite valuable... but why me?" He thought. He was after all only an 8 year old kid, with one hand that admitted to "stealing"... Even if that part was a lie.
He shrugged as he couldn't find a reason for it, chalking it up to either good will, or some sort of twisted game. The kindness in the old man's eyes spoke to the former. They reminded him a lot of his father's...
Alder made his way back to the makeshift camp as he gathered up his things. He felt somewhat nostalgic for the makeshift shelter and the fire he so painstakingly made, but knew he had to move on... That was not where he was meant to stay.
He placed the parcel in his knapsack as well as his knife and the coin before throwing it around his shoulder. A moment later and he was off, making his way towards the road to the city. As he neared it he noticed the bridge from before, and the estate of the Earl in the distance.
His nub throbbed at the memory and he spat in the direction of the house before turning down the cobblestone path towards the city. He breathed in the cool morning air and waited for the warmth of the sun to come, wishing that the cold from the night would dissipate. It was quiet, and calm, and he knew that the city would be quite the opposite. So he prepared himself, and began his training anew as he chanted, "aaraf nafsik"... Feeling the depths of his body as he moved down the path.
At first is was hard, to focus on both, but eventually he got used to it and kept repeating the spell. Each time he felt like he could see the strange sphere in his center, near his solar plexus, a little more. As if it became a tiny bit clearer. It made him smile, the smile of accomplishment, of change, as one foot after the other took him closer and closer to the city...