Fergus Farringdon the Second.. Rene Darker

you Fergus,” Alarice began. “Being an honest lad that you are. You have to be aware. I mean the lands beyond here, well, every second man you meet will try to rob you of your belongings.”

      “Why is that?” Fergus asked.

      “Because beyond here many a man works hard for what they own. They always want more though for their efforts, because they are robbed of many taxes by the Royals. This leads them to drink heavy and fight hard. They do not have a conscience. They only see what they see. If it appeals to them. They will then fight for it with all their might and if successful in their robbing’s, they take and run.” Alarice explained. “Life can be hard and it is very much chaotic.”

      Fergus all a sudden felt disappointed. He had only known the dishonesty of a couple of his fellow man from the Gully. Only, not to the extent Alarice was describing. Fergus began to wonder why he should continue on. Especially when it was not too late to go back to his Gully, and be happy with Quinn.

      “How long did it take you to get here,” Alarice asked.

      “Only a short time,” Fergus replied. “Four hands length from shadow to shadow.”

      “How exciting, you have the marvel of ‘Celestial Travel’. It allows you to cover much ground in little time without even noticing. It will only happen when you are on your own though,” said Alarice with much interest. “I guess you have never heard of Celestial Travel before? You would have never walked far enough to discover it yourself.”

      “If it only happens when on my own, then what about with owning an animal?” Fergus asked.

      “Why, do you have one?” Alarice asked.

      “Yes,” Fergus answered.

      “Well, I guess you would still experience it then,” said Alarice.

      “How do you know of Celestial Travel, anyhow?” Fergus asked.

      “There are many beliefs which man may experience. I hear telling’s throughout these grounds. I imagine you have been sheltered throughout your life. Leaving you to know little,” Alarice answered in a matter a fact voice.

      “That is not true,” Fergus snapped back.

      Fergus felt uncomfortable. Hearing Alarice say he sounded as though he knew very little.

      This saw Fergus to boast, “I come from a cottage that holds the biggest of libraries.”

      “The biggest library,” Alarice replied.

      “Yes, it is three doors wide and ten shelves high,” Fergus said. “It has everything a man needs to know.”

      Alarice changed the subject knowing how she upset Fergus with her words.

      “So, what brings you to the farming lands if you own the biggest library?”

      Looking to his feet, Fergus said, “I heard stories about other lands from my friend’s Uncle and my Grandfather. My Grandfather recently passed. So, I had little reason to want to stay in the Gully,” said Fergus with it being a somewhat honest explanation.

      “Well, it would not be wise to continue this time of day.” Alarice suggested. “You have not heard about the Royals. They live many days away. Anyhow, this time of year their Cavalier travel the lands. To gather taxes from the many hard-working men and women. They should be passing here in two more hands, from shadow to shadow,” Alarice explained. “That is in normal time, and not Celestial Travel. Also, if you have anything of worth in your sack there, I would hide it now.” Alarice warned Fergus. “And, do not mention Celestial Travel either. That would not be wise.”

      Taking note of Alarice’s words, Fergus saw how she was being sincere. He did not question her, and he followed her every move.

      “I only have clothes and some food and coins,” Fergus told Alarice.

      “Your coins, let me hide them. I will place them where I hide mine.” said Alarice holding out her hand.

      Feeling he could not deny Alarice, Fergus dug deep into his sack. He gave Alarice his money bag. Alarice then told Fergus to follow. Together, they turned a corner away from where the river was. Fergus saw a medium sized community of many shacks and cottages. The place had been kept immaculate. Not a thing appeared to be out of place. You could also smell many pleasant and different scents. All coming from the many towns folk’s cooking. This reminded Fergus of his Grandfather’s herbs. Thyme and basil drifted past his nose. Fergus continued to follow Alarice behind a nice little shack. Where there was a thriving vegetable garden.

      “My Aunt lives here and she allows me the freedom to garden my vegetables. It feeds both her and I.” Alarice explained. “Her vision has always been poor. She is blind in her left eye and partially blind in her right. I have been here to help her since the age of eight. I am more than happy to care for her. She loves me. She reminds me every day how she wished she could see my pretty face,” said Alarice. With what sound like a lump in her throat.

      Alarice stepped over some of the vegetables then walking to a pile of gathered wood. Looking about to see no-one was watching. She lifted some logs where she pulled a wooden box from beneath the land.

      “Come, put your money bag in here,” Alarice encouraged.

      Fergus did so, and Alarice placed the box back in its hiding place. Alarice stopped still for a short moment. She then said to Fergus how she could hear in the distance, the many a Cavaliers where coming on their horse. Alarice then went about covering her face with a shawl. Explaining to Fergus how she did this. Because her looks are becoming to many a man, and this made it very threatening for her.

      Fergus did not question what was happening. But before they could arrive back to the river. Where Alarice said, it would be a safe place to be, as the Cavalier rode fast by them. The men were hairy and quite dirty. Yet, they still appeared to be decorated in their leather tunics. Along with their golden belt around their waist and who were all armed with a buckler.

      Alarice explained to Fergus how the Cavalier represented the Royal’s. It was those Royals that Alarice explained to Fergus. How they took much from the average cottage dwelling people of taxes and food. The Cavalier were very rowdy, deafening, and garish. They gathered the towns men, women, and children into a bounded group. With the Cavaliers horses keeping all huddled together. Fergus was very alarmed and upset at what he was witnessing.

      One Cavalier who looked stronger than the others, took hold of a boy by one ear. The boy was all the age of ten. Looking at the boy. The leader tells the boy in his deep roughed voice. How he should grow up strong and join the Cavalier in their expedition. The Cavalier tossed the boy aside where his mother embraced him. Fergus had never experienced such a disgraceful act of man. Alarice grabbed Fergus’s hand because that very leader of the Cavalier, now looked to Fergus.

      “You boy, I have not seen you in these woods before. Why would that be? Where did you come from?” the Cavalier leader asked.

      Alarice stepped forward looking to the ground. And said, “he comes from the South beyond the borders. He does not know of these lands. He only wanted to trade seeds and salt. He is to stay here one day till he returns home.”

      “Why do you look to the ground?” the leader of the Cavalier asked Alarice. “What are you hiding?”

      “Look to me,” the Cavalier ordered.

      “Sorry Sir, I have cysts all over my face. They will torment your memory for many a day to come,” Alarice explained. “And by showing you, you can grow them on your face too.”

      The Cavalier moved further away from her.

      Before Alarice could say another word, Fergus stepped forward to defend her. He tried hard to sway the Cavalier’s attention from Alarice.

      “Well, look what we have here. A fine, brave, young lad he is. We have an opening for a new man to join our expedition,” the Cavalier stated.

      “Oh no,” said Alarice, being somewhat protective of Fergus again.

      But