This walk to gather the horses was insightful to what the rest of the trip would be like. It seemed I could expect my companions getting embarrassed on my behalf for the looks I was getting while it did not even phase me. I did not really get why they would be embarrassed for me when I did not care. But mortals did strange things.
Gray turned off the road at a small house almost completely surrounded by fenced fields. A tall and strong looking man several years older than Gray with dark hair that was just starting to turn gray could be seen leading a horse to the barn from the field. He was quietly talking to the horse as they walked. The man had his back to us so he did not see us approaching. "Gram, we are here to pick up our horses," Gray called to the man before he could enter the barn.
The man turned around looking for who was speaking. Seeing us a large smile spread over his face. "Gray, I was hoping to see you. I told my man that if you came while I was out to hold you up and rush out to find me."
"Is there something wrong with the horses?" Gray asked cautiously. I could see a flash of fear in Gray's face. If we did not have the horses there was no way the mortals could keep up with me. Gray, I am guessing, realized this problem too.
"They needed to be reshod, but I already took care of that for you," Gram said, still smiling.
"Thank you for taking care of that for me. How much do I owe you for the shoes?" Gray sighed in relief. I guess horse shoes were common. But horses did not wear shoes, at least not like people. Was that what they called that piece of metal on the bottom of their feet?
"Don't worry about the money. I owe you so much more than a few sets of shoes."
"I take it that she is doing better then," Gray said, with a smile spreading on his face too. "Though I really should not have doubted." As he fell silent, I realized he was looking over at me.
It seems that Gram did not look at me properly before he and Gray had fallen into their conversation. Gram's eyes went wide and the reins in his hands dropped along with his jaw. The horse seemed to notice its chance for freedom and started at a trot to…. The grain stash. I guess freedom was not on its mind, but why not give Gram a little hand. I caused a vine from a bean plant to shoot up and grab onto the horse's reins.
"You are… Are you the one who made the medicine for my daughter?" Gram asked, seeing the small flash of my powers. I nodded reflexively to his statement, not really knowing what he was talking about. "How can I ever repay you? You have blessed our family so much."
It took some time to remember what I could have done that would have caused Gram to feel so indebted to me. Then I remembered that Gram had been one of Emily's best customers and that I had given Gray some of my medicine to use as payment for the horses. As I put these pieces together, I realized that if anything I still felt indebted the Gram. We would not have gotten anywhere near as far without the horses.
"You already have. We desperately needed your horses. Emily said you were often buying medicine from her. I do not carry money so medicine was the only way to pay for the horses." Gram did not seem satisfied with this statement. I guess he really felt like he had to do more. Well, there was one thing I could think of that would make everyone happy. "If you really feel you have to do something for me, buy some of Emily's teas."
Gray and Gram both looked at me trying to figure out how that would help. "I can not have Emily saying that I have taken away her business. I would never hear the end of it for the next few hundred years."
I probably should not have said that in front of Gram. No one knew that Emily was not technically a mortal. The best thing I could do was push that thought out of his mind. "Is your daughter fully recovered? Let me know if she needs another dose."
"She has never been better," Gram beamed at me. "Tekka, come on out here," he called into the house.
"What is it Father?" A girl about…um, 12 years old stepped out of the house. By the amount of flour on her clothes I had to assume that she had been baking.
"This is the Lady that gave us the medicine that made you better. I thought you should meet her." At her father's words the girl bounced off the porch of the house and plowed straight into me.
"Thank you so much big sister!" the girl said, beaming up at me while she wrapped me in a hug.
"Big sister?" I could not help but question.
"You are so much prettier than any of the 'ladies' I have seen in town, and you helped me, so you must be a big sister," she said bouncing on her feet while still wrapping me in a hug. "I was so tired of being stuck in that bed." She stopped bouncing for a moment and I could see her brain processing something. I could see something in her mind click and then she gave me a big smile, "Since you're my big sister do you want to come and play with me?"
"I am sorry, we are in a hurry and I do not have time to play now. Once we gather our horses we will be setting off to find my friend." The smile on her face dimmed a little at my words. I felt my heart break just a little seeing her sad eyes and knowing I had caused it. "Have your father tell you when Gray comes back with the horses. We can visit once I have things settled." Before I could think better of it the words had already slipped out of my mouth.
But the bright smile that spread on her face mended my freshly broken heart. It would not hurt to spend some time here once my home was back in order.