Chapter 2 :

It wasn't until the following afternoon that Isaac finally managed to catch a couple of rabbits in their burrow. And he was proud to take them home with him.

- So much effort for rabbits that won't even last three meals. he grumbled.

On arriving home, he saw that his cousin was still in the field and decided not to disturb him, going straight to his aunt.

- Isaac, darling, you're home early for once. she said sarcastically.

- Sorry, Auntie, the hunt wasn't very successful.

He showed her the two rabbits, a little ashamedly, but the smile on his aunt's face didn't disappear, no trace of disappointment was present. She was just happy he'd come home safe and sound.

Isaac felt his heart clench. He knew his aunt cared about him, but it always made him happy when she showed him.

- By the way, Auntie, rabbits aren't my only catch. I found a rather beautiful stone in the forest.

Intrigued, his aunt beckoned him to show it to her.

Isaac opened his bag and took out the pretty stone, which still rippled blue and purple in the candlelight.

- So pretty. murmured his aunt. 

She carefully took it from Isaac's hands and tapped it a few times. The stone emitted a lovely melodious sound.

Both gasped in surprise.

- What the hell was that? Isaac exclaimed, holding his heart, which had nearly given itself a heart attack in surprise.

- No idea, we'll go and see the jewelry dealer who should be arriving this week. 

- Weren't they supposed to arrive last week?

- They're late compared to last year and the villagers are worried. It seems that the ghoul raids are becoming more numerous and this is only the premise of something bigger in the making, my child.

- What do you mean, Auntie?

- You'll understand later, let's go! Go help your cousin in the field! 

- But...

- No buts, young man! Do it!

The young man reluctantly got up and went to his room to change. He placed the pretty stone on top of his bedside table and set off for the field. 

That evening, while they were eating, his cousin Altair spoke up:

- Isaac... he began

Isaac was about to take another bite of the delicious rabbit, but stopped halfway.

- The merchants should arrive in a few days, and I'll go back with them to Thilorn. A blacksmith has agreed to take me on as an apprentice, and I'm more than old enough to leave home.

Isaac was surprised by this news. He and Altair had always lived together, playing the 400 rounds, supporting each other and so on.

- But who's going to help out in the fields, who's going to take care of the animals, who's going to look after Auntie?

- You'll be a man in a few days, and I know you're strong enough to take on these tasks for me.

Isaac was silent; what he said was true, but it meant that he would have to get up much earlier and go to bed much later. His life was going to be a living hell, and without his cousin he would be bored to death.

- Isaac, my child, eat quickly and go to bed, tomorrow you have to get up early.

Isaac nodded silently and quickly finished his meal.

The next day, his cousin returned from the village.

- Not yet," he said. he replied to his mother's gaze.

Tension mounted in the household as time passed without any sign of life from the merchants. Words were rarely exchanged; worry and disappointment gnawed at them.

The merchants were vital to supplying their village; without them, winter would be harsh.

A few days later, news of the merchants arriving in the village reached them and they organized a day to go.

Isaac, his aunt and his cousin had been living away from the village since his aunt and uncle had had a major irreconcilable quarrel with some of the villagers, so they had settled a few miles away.

- The big day!" said his cousin as he left his room. 

Isaac nodded in silence.

The sun hadn't risen when they loaded the cart with their surplus. Aunt Amélie took her money, the fruit of a year's work, and put it in a leather purse, which she fastened carefully to her belt. Isaac wrapped his stone in cloth to protect it, then wedged it between the grain sacks. This way, the gem wouldn't roll away at the first bump.

After a hastily dispatched breakfast, the three harnessed their horses and set off down the road. The merchants' carioles had already broken through the snowdrifts, saving time for the three travelers. By midday, Carléone was in sight. 

Bathed in daylight and resounding with shouts and thunderous laughter, the little village nestled at the foot of the mountains was a far cry from the obscure place Isaac had passed on his way back from the forest. The merchants had set up shop in an abandoned meadow on the edge of Carléone.

Wagons, tents and campfires were scattered across the wasteland, colorful specks against the white of the snow. The four troubadour tents stood out from the rest: they were extravagantly decorated. A human cordon linked the camp to the village, gliding along the stalls.

Crowds of shoppers lined up around the colorful marquees and in front of the merchants' stalls, which had invaded the main street. Horses whinnied, frightened by the noise. The snow had been trampled and packed down; in places, it had even melted in the heat of the campfires. The rich scent of roasted hazelnuts added a pleasant note to the symphony of scents that greeted the curious.

Aunt Amélie tidied up the wagon and unhitched the horses; then she took out a few coins from her purse:

- Here, this is for you. Altaïr, you have free time, but be at Horst's in time for dinner. Isaac, take your stone and follow me.

Horst was the village blacksmith, one of the only villagers Amélie liked.

Isaac smiled at Altair as he pocketed the money. He was already thinking about how to spend it. With a shrug of her shoulders, Amélie made her way through the crowd.

The women were examining the clothes they intended to buy; their husbands had thrown themselves at the stalls selling tools, hooks and locks; the kids were running up and down the road, chirping with excitement. Here, knives were sold; further on, spices, rows of gleaming pots or leather harnesses.

Isaac watched the merchants with curiosity. They seemed less prosperous than last year: their clothes were patched, their children looked frightened and distrustful.

The men ostentatiously sported swords and daggers. The women themselves were armed with cutlasses, which they wore on their belts.

"Something must have happened, in addition to the storm, to explain their attitude... and their delay", Isaac mused. His memories of them were full of laughter and good humor.

This year, one would have looked in vain for traces of joviality among the merchants.

Amélie went down the street in search of Arlock, a merchant specializing in jewels and rare precious relics.

She spotted him in a shack where he was displaying a variety of jewels to a crowd of women who marveled at each piece he presented.

The excited customers prevented Isaac and Amélie from approaching. So they resolved to sit and wait until the merchant was free.

As soon as Arlock was free, they jumped on him.

- And what can I do for you gentlemen ? No, no, wait, I sense a desire for protection, I've got just what you need. Amulet or lucky charm? Here you go! Take a look at this.

With a deft flick of his wrist, he pulled out a noble-looking amulet. 

- All I ask is 2 silver coins.

- We're not here to buy, we're here to sell. Amélie told him in a gentle voice.

Arlock immediately took the amulet from his sleeve and stared at them:

- I see... Please, come in. he said.

Isaac and Amélie followed him into his tent, while Arlock closed it after them.