early morning fog that had settled on the marshes
was starting to lift. Despite the thinning fog, the wisps that still
remained swirled around his feet, as bubbles of gas popped
from the waters all around.
This became less frequent as he neared
his destination. The higher ground was replenished with water, not from the river,
but from the rain that slowly seeped off the hill. The water here
was fresher, the soil healthier and home to some edible plants, like
flote grasse, saxifrage and fennel. The latter a herb they traded so
often, their land had become synonymous with it to outsiders.
Whilst in certain areas of Fennelbek, Kormak walked with
diligence, here he was on much more familiar ground and strode with more confidence. This part of the trail he used daily, and it was
already rising higher than the surrounding marsh as he neared the
gate.
Approaching the entrance to Ochre Hill he was met by a familiar
face, Palfrey, his closest friend, who greeted him warmly.
"Kormak, you made it back safely. How did it go?"
Palfrey said, giving him a welcoming hug.
"Good. I bought something expensive," he said
holding up the bag, "but worth it I think."
His friend eyed the bag warily, "I thought you were
getting us equipped, swords, shields, helmets the works."
Palfrey said, looking at the leather bag and trying to guess at its
contents.
"The herbs wouldn't stretch that far, not unless it
was rusty junk, then I saw these iron grippers, well Alyssa found
them, and I knew they were what we needed."
"Iron grippers? Well, I trust your judgment—"
Palfrey broke off and looked around. "Where is Alyssa?" A
hint of worry in his voice.
"She lost her necklace and stayed to look for it,"
he said casually, "come on let's get back home, I've been up
all night," walking nonchalantly towards the gate. Palfrey
waited for a moment, seemingly not sure if he'd heard right.
Kormak reached the gate, where Deorwine was on duty.
"Busy night Kormak? Something to show for it I
hope?" The man said, opening the gate and spotting the ornately
embroidered bag he was carrying.
"Not bad," he replied noncommittally, wanting
to keep this among his friends for now.
"Nice leather work there I see, must contain
something a bit special," Deorwine said, raising his voice as he
and Palfrey continued past him and onto the hill.
Kormak half-turned, and smiled coyly, but said nothing.
He expected the old ferguth would be along later to see what he'd
got. It wasn't everyday something was brought in from up near the
pass. As he continued along the lower tier of the hill, he felt
Palfrey move closer until their shoulders were touching.
"What do you mean, she stayed behind?" his
friend half-whispered, half-seethed.
Kormak stopped. "She thinks it's on the ground
somewhere, so she's retracing her steps back to see if she can find
it," he said, before moving on again.
Palfrey grabbed him before he could take another step,
"And you didn't stay and help her?"
"It was getting light," he said, touching his
tattoo, "and I offered to come back with her later to look,"
he raised the bag and his voice, "and I wanted to get these back
here. Satisfied?"
"Not really, no. Where did you last see her?"
"At the bridge. She'll search for a while and then
come home. I'll get some rest first, then we'll go back and look
again," he said wearily, before walking off again.
"Assuming she doesn't find it you mean,"
Palfrey called after him.
"Of course. If she finds it, then all's well."
24
The woodshed that backed onto Tansley's hut was like
many of those found in the foothills of the mountains. The cold
winter weather meant the stoves and hearths needed a constant
supply of dry, seasoned wood. Easy access to the shed was essential,
especially during snowstorms, and the door from the shed lead
directly into the back room of the trading post.
Gregario and Aegis left the woodshed and entered the
store room. Gregario may have been familiar with Tansley's appearance
and the fact that
was starting to lift. Despite the thinning fog, the wisps that still
remained swirled around his feet, as bubbles of gas popped
from the waters all around.
This became less frequent as he neared
his destination. The higher ground was replenished with water, not from the river,
but from the rain that slowly seeped off the hill. The water here
was fresher, the soil healthier and home to some edible plants, like
flote grasse, saxifrage and fennel. The latter a herb they traded so
often, their land had become synonymous with it to outsiders.
Whilst in certain areas of Fennelbek, Kormak walked with
diligence, here he was on much more familiar ground and strode with more confidence. This part of the trail he used daily, and it was
already rising higher than the surrounding marsh as he neared the
gate.
Approaching the entrance to Ochre Hill he was met by a familiar
face, Palfrey, his closest friend, who greeted him warmly.
"Kormak, you made it back safely. How did it go?"
Palfrey said, giving him a welcoming hug.
"Good. I bought something expensive," he said
holding up the bag, "but worth it I think."
His friend eyed the bag warily, "I thought you were
getting us equipped, swords, shields, helmets the works."
Palfrey said, looking at the leather bag and trying to guess at its
contents.
"The herbs wouldn't stretch that far, not unless it
was rusty junk, then I saw these iron grippers, well Alyssa found
them, and I knew they were what we needed."
"Iron grippers? Well, I trust your judgment—"
Palfrey broke off and looked around. "Where is Alyssa?" A
hint of worry in his voice.
"She lost her necklace and stayed to look for it,"
he said casually, "come on let's get back home, I've been up
all night," walking nonchalantly towards the gate. Palfrey
waited for a moment, seemingly not sure if he'd heard right.
Kormak reached the gate, where Deorwine was on duty.
"Busy night Kormak? Something to show for it I
hope?" The man said, opening the gate and spotting the ornately
embroidered bag he was carrying.
"Not bad," he replied noncommittally, wanting
to keep this among his friends for now.
"Nice leather work there I see, must contain
something a bit special," Deorwine said, raising his voice as he
and Palfrey continued past him and onto the hill.
Kormak half-turned, and smiled coyly, but said nothing.
He expected the old ferguth would be along later to see what he'd
got. It wasn't everyday something was brought in from up near the
pass. As he continued along the lower tier of the hill, he felt
Palfrey move closer until their shoulders were touching.
"What do you mean, she stayed behind?" his
friend half-whispered, half-seethed.
Kormak stopped. "She thinks it's on the ground
somewhere, so she's retracing her steps back to see if she can find
it," he said, before moving on again.
Palfrey grabbed him before he could take another step,
"And you didn't stay and help her?"
"It was getting light," he said, touching his
tattoo, "and I offered to come back with her later to look,"
he raised the bag and his voice, "and I wanted to get these back
here. Satisfied?"
"Not really, no. Where did you last see her?"
"At the bridge. She'll search for a while and then
come home. I'll get some rest first, then we'll go back and look
again," he said wearily, before walking off again.
"Assuming she doesn't find it you mean,"
Palfrey called after him.
"Of course. If she finds it, then all's well."
24
The woodshed that backed onto Tansley's hut was like
many of those found in the foothills of the mountains. The cold
winter weather meant the stoves and hearths needed a constant
supply of dry, seasoned wood. Easy access to the shed was essential,
especially during snowstorms, and the door from the shed lead
directly into the back room of the trading post.
Gregario and Aegis left the woodshed and entered the
store room. Gregario may have been familiar with Tansley's appearance
and the fact that
Similar Books
