Standing on top of the small log, I studied the encampment in the distant field.
"Knights," Melody said.
Rather than the small army in front of me, I was more surprised to hear the distaste in that single word she had spoken.
"Looks like it," I said.
She wasn't up on the log like I was, but I had only done so to play the part. To make it seem like I was doing my best to see them.
I didn't need to. My sight was obviously far better than she could ever know.
Stepping off the log, and standing next to Melody, I looked over to our little group. The wagon had been guided off the path a short distance, and the two horses that had done so were now being allowed to graze freely.
"Their flag is that of the northern lord. They're probably just on a scouting patrol," I said.
"The blue checkers?" Melody asked with a surprise.
I nodded.
She whistled as she squinted while covering her eyes, trying to block the high sun. "You have a strong pair of eyes," she said.
"If you disagree you may alter our path," I said.
"No. If it's the Knights of Willows then we have nothing to fear. They won't even ask us for a fee or donation," she said with a chuckle.
Typical merchant.
While Melody happily smiled at her situation, my eyes found Renn. She was with the youngest woman of their group, near the cart. They were both kneeled down next to a small box. Renn was watching her look for something.
"She's a gentle girl. I'm thankful for her. The rest of them are too worried my daughter will break at a mere glance, so have been kind of ignoring her," Melody said.
I nodded. Humans were like that. "Renn probably just knows what it's like to be with such a schmuck," I said.
Melody laughed and patted me on the back. "Right?" she happily laughed as she nodded.
"I'm going to check the boxes. Keep an eye on those knights for me will you?" Melody asked as she headed for the wagon. She chuckled as she left, seemingly more than happy to enjoy my comment for some time.
It was a little insulting for my little joke to be taken so seriously. Did I seem like that bad of a man to her?
Maybe I did.
Studying the other women, I wondered if the youngest near Renn was the only real daughter. Melody called them all daughters, but it was obvious only the youngest was an actual one. They looked like splitting images of each other.
Yet the oddest thing was…
"Mother I'll help!" a woman who Renn called Kathy hurried over to the wagon, once she noticed what Melody was doing.
Yes. That wasn't just the actions of an employee. She wanted to help, not just because it was her job… but because she worried for Melody. She was too old to be doing anything too strenuous. At least in their eyes.
The two near the horses nodded, pleased to see their sister helping their mother.
Something told me that this little band had a long history. More than just typical friends or family. Melody was their mother in more ways than one.
Still…
Looking back to the knight encampment in the distance, and the large tents that housed what was probably fifty odd soldiers… I tried to imagine how such a close-knit family had broken apart so easily.
I had expected the unfilial son to be a story. Or at least, not the whole truth… but after listening to Renn and the women talk for most the day, I now had no choice but completely accept it.
The man had married the young daughter, and had been something of a bastard ever since. Not only were none of them very surprised at his departure and abandonment of his wife, a few had even voiced happiness over it.
They were happy she was free now, of a stain.
Maybe that was why Renn was sticking with her so closely. Maybe she really did relate to her.
After all, Renn should have had at least a few relationships over her years. By her counts she was two-hundred or so? Yes. Plenty of time for more than a few. And enough time too, for a few of those to have been just as disappointing. Maybe she's had someone leave her in a similar way.
Or maybe I was just reading too much into it.
Walking away from the log, I headed for the woman in question. She was picking the box that the two had been picking through up, to put back onto the wagon.
Melody's daughter noticed my approach and went still for a moment. She looked quickly at me, and then to Renn, and back at me. As Renn handed the box to the woman helping Melody, the daughter made an odd noise and nodded a bow at me. Then she turned and hurried off, to the other two women near the horses.
"Palm did you see the—" Renn stopped talking as she turned around and found me and not the daughter.
She frowned and quickly looked around and found the girl, who had run away.
"Did you scare her away?" She accused me.
"No?" I defended myself with a frown.
"Hm…" Renn didn't seem to believe me, and I sighed.
I gestured for her to follow me, and she nodded. She glanced at Melody and the other woman, but neither noticed us walk away. They were engrossed in their work.
Ignoring the stares from the daughter, I took Renn back towards the path.
"We're not leaving are we?" she asked worriedly as we stepped onto it.
"No. Do you want to?" I asked, hopeful.
"Of course not. I finally got Palm to tell me the bastard's name," she said with a huff.
"Bastard?" I asked.
"Her husband. The man who broke her heart and ran away. His name is Jacob. I'm trying to find out his last name, or something I can use to find him. She thinks he went back to his family in the capital," Renn grumbled as she spoke about him… as if…
Staring at the woman who looked, and spoke, as if it had been her who had just been abandoned… I wondered what I was going to do with her.
Why was she so enthralled by them?
"So? What's wrong then?" Renn then asked, suddenly calming down.
"Nothing?"
She frowned. "Then why did we walk over here?" she asked as she glanced to the wagon. We were far enough now that none of them should be able to hear us.
"Just so I could get away for a moment," I said.
"Huh?"
"We're husband and wife. It'd be weird if I didn't try to get some alone time with you. Just play along for a moment," I said to her.
"Huh… oh… yeah," she nodded, suddenly not bothered anymore.
"What's her name again?" I asked. She had said it earlier, but I had forgotten it already.
"Palm. She said it's the name of a tree in the south," she said.
"A palm tree. Yes. She is scrawny," I said, that made sense.
"She lost a baby a few months ago," Renn whispered.
Ah… she did look sickly, or maybe as if she had just recovered from something distressful. I had assumed it was just from the lack of sleep and her emotions.
"Is that why he left?" I asked.
"He's the cause. He beat her," Renn said stiffly.
"Well…" Wish I hadn't asked.
Renn then suddenly smiled.
"Hm?" I looked around. Had something happened? No. The wagon and its owners were fine.
"Nothing's wrong. I just found your look pleasant," she said.
"My look?" I asked. What look had I worn?
"Melody. Palm. Kathy is the one helping Melody right now. The two near the horses are sisters, Tiffany and Criby," Renn said with a point at each as she spoke of them.
"I tasked you with talking with them so that I didn't need to bother with such things," I said.
"I know," she nodded, yet still smiled gently. She seemed to be enjoying this. Not just our current tasks… but this moment too.
She really did like humans. Maybe it was certain types.
Maybe it was just the women.
"We'll be passing those knights soon. I want you sitting on the wagon when we do," I said.
"Hm? Okay?" Renn didn't seem to argue, but she did seem to want to ask why.
"Just in case something happens," I answered her.
"Oh… okay," she nodded as her smile finally died down.
"Remember… they're only human," I said to her.
"Of course they are?"
Taking a small breath, I wondered what to do or say to her. I couldn't tell her what to think, or believe… but sometimes I really wished I could.
I didn't need to tell her that I'd slaughter them if they found out about her ears or tail. I didn't need to tell her that I'd abandon them to protect her in a heartbeat. She knew all that.
Yet still, she was more than happy to not only risk it… but also invest in them. To become friends with them.
"They really did buy the spices by the way. I overheard the sisters worrying over a debt. One they took to buy it all," Renn then said.
"I see," I said. I honestly didn't care much for such information.
"But they're oddly not upset we're taking a share. I think we're getting what Jacob was going to get, for being the guard," Renn said.
"We're taking the daughter's share?" I asked and glanced over at her. She was brushing one of the horses.
"Oh. No. I don't think so," Renn said.
Good.
Renn stepped closer, and I tilted my head at her as she gave me another smile. "You just thought that was a good thing, didn't you?" she asked.
"I had," I said honestly.
She chuckled and stepped away, to cover her mouth as she laughed.
Watching her giggle, I wondered why she was covering her mouth. Her smile looked great on her.
"I'll make sure we're not. For you," she said.
"Hmph."
Renn giggled some more, seemingly happy to see my discomfort.
Pointing at the tents in the distance, I decided to change the topic. I didn't like how she seemed to be so amused and happy over my contradictions. "Those are the knights of the northern lord of this nation. Melody had called them the Knights of Willows. Willow is probably the lord's name, I just don't remember it. I recognize their flag though, so it's been around for a long time," I said.
"Oh?" Renn glanced at it, her eyes focusing on the tents.
"As I mentioned before, these lands are safe. Patrolled. Controlled. But…" I glanced at the wagon. It was a small fortune. Most of the wagon was full. The boxes were about the size of Renn's waist, and stacked four tall. Each loaded with a spice that was worth its weight in gold.
"But there is definitely something else at play. Yes. I agree. Palm is more concerned over her… husband… but the rest are worried over something else. Criby keeps looking over her shoulder. And not at me, or you," Renn said.
I nodded. I didn't know her name, but I had noticed her actions. They all had done the same.
"It could be nothing. It could just be them worrying over this Jacob. Maybe he threatened to get revenge for something," I said.
"It's… possible… I don't think so though. As I said, they talk ill of him. Hated him. Even Palm hates him, obviously, even though she's depressed," Renn said.
"Hmph. See if you can figure it out. When you do let me know," I said, and took a single step back towards the wagon.
"I will… are we done already?" Renn asked.
I stopped and looked back at her.
"You complained I took you away from your new friends," I said to her.
She shrugged as she nodded. "I did. But… It'd be strange if a young wife didn't want to try and keep her husband ensorcelled, after learning that a man could just up and go all willy-nilly, wouldn't it?" she asked.
I blinked at her words, and wondered how much of that smile, and that tone she had spoken with, were her teasing… and her being serious.
"Willy-nilly," I said.
"Well, he didn't. It had obviously been a rough last few months for them. I just…" she shrugged; suddenly her face was a little red.
Smiling at her, I wondered how she could be so confident one moment than lose it all only a moment later. It made her… somehow, more human. More real. More adorable.
"Honestly any man who could abandon you like that, is no man at all," I said to her.
Renn froze, but I didn't wait to hear her response. I stepped away, for real this time.
Heading back to the wagon, to help them finish re-arrange whatever they were working on as to get us back on the road.
It was time. The horses had gotten enough rest. As had the women. And I knew Renn was far from exhausted yet, and not just because she was so jubilant. I was starting to recognize the signs of her growing tired. As hard as they were to notice, since she always seemed to try and hide them from me.
"Jeez!" Renn complained loudly behind me and I smiled as a few of the women glanced at her. Odds are they saw a very red face.
That'd solidify our own story.
Now they just needed to solidify theirs.
But honestly did I care if they did or not?
After all did it matter? Whether this trip was uneventful, or full of disaster...
It'd not matter.
Renn and I would survive. We'd reach the Cathedral in due time.
Yet…
"Mister Vim, would you move this box for me? It's a little heavy," Kathy asked as I approached the wagon.
I nodded, glad to be invited. It meant they too wanted to hurry it up.
Hoping up onto the wagon, I noticed the way it creaked. Hopefully my weight wouldn't break it. It was already carrying a lot, after all.
"Which one?" I asked her.
Kathy pointed at a box a little bigger than the rest. It was closed up, and looked…
Bending down to pick it up, I recognize both the smell it gave off and the sound of its contents clinking as I moved it.
Weapons. Swords probably.
And not one or two. Half a dozen at least.
Melody guided me to where she wanted it. Up near the front, behind the driver's seat.
"If something happens, that box has swords in it," she said as I put it in its new position.
I nodded, but didn't say anything about it.
After all I didn't need a sword. But they didn't need to know that.
"Alright girls, get the horses back into harness!" Melody shouted, and it seemed we were done. They had just been waiting for me to help them move that single box.
Odds are the entire re-arrangement of the boxes was simply for it.
Hopping off the wagon, I glanced at Renn. She was walking back, and was glaring at me.
Yet her glare was accompanied by a silly looking smirk.
I smiled at her and she hurriedly looked away, and mumbled something I couldn't hear thanks to the horses neighing next to me as they were attached to their harnesses.
With a sigh I nodded. It probably hadn't been very nice.
"Back on the road girls! Let's move it!" Melody shouted, taking command.
"Aye mother!" they all shouted.