Dark Shores of Salvation, page 32
part #3 of Travails of the Dark Mage Series
Several days after the berry patch, she managed to wrangle herself and Kenny out of garden duty by using her preferred method; making themselves scarce. If they couldn’t find them, they couldn’t be sent.
“Are you sure Master Kermudge will take us back to the berry patch?”
She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m sure he will, if we can find him.” He hadn’t been in class learning his letters which had brought the plan to find him for berry picking to mind. It would be the perfect ruse to work on Kenny.
Jira had learned early on that berries, or just food in general for that matter, was the best method to get him to go against his better nature. Now that the berries were ripe, that was the carrot yielding the best results. For after all, berries were a short-lived indulgence that if one failed to take advantage of, would be missed.
“Where would he be?”
Shrugging, Jira ducked behind a building and rested her hand on one of the two wooden knives strapped around her waist. She wished they could be her real ones, but these made her feel better and were the only ones her mother would allow.
“Might be in the orchard,” she replied.
Stepping from behind the building, she spied three women approaching and came to a sudden halt. Grabbing Kenny with her left hand, she pulled him back behind the building.
“Come on,” she whispered as she turned and raced the other way.
Kenny was hot on her trail.
At the far end of the building, she cast a look around the corner saw the area clear and dashed over to the side of the mess hall. The aroma of baking bread and cooking meats filled the air.
“I’m hungry.”
She glanced to Kenny and sighed. Of course he was. “Let’s find Master Kermudge and then we can get something to eat.”
“Okay.”
After moving along the side of the Mess Hall, they crossed a central open area to where several storage buildings stood at the edge of The Ranch. If they could make those, they were home free for the orchard began not far beyond them.
They made it across to the buildings. Jira brought them to a halt for a moment as she glanced back to the open area. No one seemed interested in them. Grinning, she led Kenny between two storage buildings toward the grassy area beyond. The orchard began about thirty yards from the buildings.
As they reached the end of the buildings, the odor of smoke became apparent. More acrid than wood smoke, this assailed her senses and made her nose wrinkle in distaste.
Three lads came into view as they cleared the last building. The way they got startled when she and Kenny appeared indicated they were up to no good. The air around them held quickly disappearing wisps of smoke.
“What you up to?” asked Alain.
The youngest of the trio, Alain was also the meanest. Dark hair cropped short and standing a head shorter than the other two, yet could summon sufficient meanness for a boy twice his size.
The other two were Hodgrin, fifteen, and Belarius, seventeen. Belarius tended to be the one in charge of the trio. He had been at The Ranch the longest and as the oldest, was the nominal leader.
“Nothing,” Jira replied.
The boys glared at them as she took Kenny’s hand and headed for the orchard.
“Come here,” Alain said.
Jira ignored him and continued heading toward the edge of the trees.
“Hey!” Alain shouted. “I told you to come here!”
“Run, Kenny!”
He squealed and took off. They’d had a run-in with Alain before and it never turned out well.
Still having hold of his hand, she raced with him. It wasn’t that she was scared of the boys, but her mother warned her on more than one occasion not to cause trouble. She found that whether she started the trouble or not, her mother would not be pleased.
After twenty paces she cast a glance over her shoulder and found the boys to still be in the same spot. Alain glared at them as he raised a rolled bit of weed, sucked on it and exhaled more of that acrid smoke.
She didn’t slow her pace until they were deep within the orchard and they were out of sight.
“That was close!” Kenny exclaimed.
Jira grinned and nodded. “Let’s find Master Kermudge.”
“And the berries.”
“Yes, Kenny, and the berries.”
Though where to start looking for him was a mystery. He could literally be anywhere. Most times when not in class he could be found among the trees tending to them. If he wasn’t there, she would have to figure something else out.
The trees were in full bloom. Apples were a late season fruit and the air was filled with their wonderfully sweet bouquet. The boughs hung heavy with white and pink blossoms.
They hunted through the trees, calling his name from time to time all to no avail. But she didn’t care. It was a warm sunny day, the air was blessedly fragrant, and she wasn’t working in the fields.
Then all of a sudden in a small clearing up ahead, a deer emerged.
“Kenny,” she whispered as she laid a hand on his shoulder and pointed. “Look.”
“Oooooh,” he whispered. “Can we get closer?”
“Better not,” she advised. “We might scare her.”
The doe was beautiful as it stood with head cocked to the side. It looked in their direction, probably trying to decide whether or not they were a threat.
She could tell Kenny’s enthusiasm was barely being contained. Excitement nearly caused him to dart forward when the doe turned its head off to their right and then bounded off in the opposite direction.
“Oh, rat poop,” Kenny exclaimed.
Jira felt the same. She had enjoyed watching the deer even though she knew it could only be a fleeting experience.
The cracking of a twig drew her attention to where the doe had last cast her glance.
“Well, what are you two doing so far from home?”
Dressed in his worn homespun tunic with a belt of various tools now secured around his middle, Master Kermudge cast a disapproving gaze upon Kenny, then a sterner one upon Jira as he approached.
“It is not safe so far from The University,” he advised. “Especially for ones so young.”
Jira jutted out her chin, put her right hand on one of her wooden knives then said with all the conviction her few years could muster, “We can take care of ourselves.”
Kenny, oblivious to the subtle interchanges going on blurted out, “We wanted to find you and get more berries!”
Master Kermudge’s stern gaze turned full upon him and he withered slightly. Then Master Kermudge broke into laughter and all was again well with the world.
“Today is not the day for berries, young Kenny.”
Kenny’s face fell and disappointment simply oozed from every pore.
“However, I could use your help if you have the time?”
“Yes,” Jira happily said. “We have the time.”
“But,” Kenny said to no one in particular, “I wanted berries.”
Jira ignored him. “What are we to do?” For some reason, she felt an adventure was in the offing.
“It won’t take too long, I’m sure. Follow me.”
Turning he led them from the clearing and back amongst the trees though not along the same direction by which they arrived.
“What do you do out here?” Kenny asked.
Master Kermudge chuckled. “This and that. Sometimes more of this and less of that, but not often.” He paused and cocked an eye at the confused young lad and laughed. “I care for the trees. I see that they grow tall and strong, young Kenny.”
“Oh. How?”
“Do you truly wish to learn the many intricacies of root, trunk and leaf?”
Before Kenny could reply, Jira answered with a firm, “No.”
“As I thought. Come along, the day is wasting.”
They passed amongst the trees for some time before reaching the end of the orchard and the beginning of the wilder, untamed Dark Forest of Kelewan.
“Mama said we aren’t allowed in the forest,” Kenny said. Also, his daddy had told stories of scary wolves and other dangers that he had encountered there long ago. It wasn’t a place Kenny particularly wanted to go.
“I’m sure she won’t mind,” Jira replied. “We are with Master Kermudge after all.”
“It isn’t much farther,” he explained.
Jira grabbed Kenny’s arm and pulled him along.
He went grudgingly and cast wary looks about the trees.
“The Forest is only dangerous if you fail to respect it,” he explained. “Every plant and creature that makes up the Forest has its purpose.”
“But, the wolves!” Kenny insisted. “Daddy says they are dangerous.”
“And they are. But, if you respect their territory, and give them a wide berth, they will not bother you.” When Kenny did not look the least bit assured of his safety, Master Kermudge added, “They are far off. We will not encounter one today.”
Still unconvinced, Kenny continued casting glances to the farthest reaches his sight could penetrate.
Unlike Kenny, Jira was having the time of her life. Exploring and adventure, that was what she longed for. And there she was, in the Dark Forest with naught but her wooden knives against the evil monsters that dwell within. This sure beat pulling weeds or removing rocks.
After a bit she could tell that they followed the faintest hint of a trail. Perhaps naught but a game trail, it did make the going slightly better.
“How much farther?” Kenny asked.
“Almost there.”
The trail came upon a babbling brook where it turned to follow it upstream. Sounds of water splashing could soon be heard then the trail opened up onto a small clearing wherein loomed an out-jutting rock formation. Before the rock formation was a large pool of water some thirty feet across from which the brook originated. Water cascaded down from the outcrop’s top to splash into the water below.
“Here we are, young ones.”
Kenny squealed with glee and raced to the water’s edge.
“It’s so clear,” he exclaimed.
With the sun still high enough to warm the clearing, one could see the myriad of the rock studded bottom some eight feet below. Small fish swam in it.
“What is this place?” Jira asked.
“Just what it appears,” Master Kermudge replied. “The water is uncommonly warm. It suits an old man’s creaky bones.”
Kenny bent low and placed his hand in the water. “It is warm.”
“Warmer water bubbles up from below.”
“Can we swim in it?”
“That is why I brought you,” Master Kermudge explained. “I could use the help of a couple of quick swimmers.”
Jira screwed her face up as all kids do when a grownup says something they don’t understand. “You need help with swimming?”
“With swimming, no. But, if you look at the bottom of the pool closely, you can see many bluish stones.”
Kenny looked and did indeed see stones that were slightly bluer than the others lining the bottom.
“I would like for you two to gather fourteen of the stones for me. I’d get them myself but this old body doesn’t do too well in such endeavors.”
Not needing much encouragement, Kenny shucked off all but his small clothes and with a running start, hit the surface several feet from the edge. The resulting splash peppered Jira who grimaced.
When his head broke the surface, he exclaimed, “C’mon, Jira!” With that, he dove for the bottom.
“What do you need the stones for?”
Grinning at Kenny’s enthusiasm, Master Kermudge turned toward Jira. “I enjoy beautiful things,” he explained. “I’m a bit of an amateur artist and thought to decorate my home with them.”
Jira nodded then glanced back to the pool when Kenny broke the surface. His hand gripped one of the bluish stones. “Like this one?” He asked then threw it toward the shore. Treading water, he waited for a reply.
Master Kermudge picked it up and examined it. It was three inches in diameter and had a smooth surface.
“Yes, Master Kenny. If you could find more just like this one, that would be fine.”
He bobbed his head then dove down for another.
“Do you not wish to join him?”
Jira shook her head. “No.”
Kenny resurfaced and tossed stone number two. It was only a little smaller than the first. Before it reached the shore, he was already heading down for number three.
“Are you going to soak those old bones of yours?”
Master Kermudge chuckled. “Not today. Today is for the stones. Besides, I like peace and quiet when so occupied and I don’t think I’ll have that today.”
Breaking the surface, Kenny hollered, “Here’s another.”
“Good job!”
“No,” Jira replied, “I don’t think you will.” She knew Kenny and being quiet was not one of his strengths though she worked on that daily. Can’t sneak away if you are noisy.
Silence hung in the air while Kenny gathered another, broke the surface to hurl it to shore, then re-submerged.
“Were you not supposed to be working in the gardens?”
She sighed. “Well,” she hedged, “no one told me to go to the gardens.”
“I see.”
Another stone hit the shore; a splash and Kenny dove yet again.
“But you knew they would want you to?”
She lowered her gaze and traced a lazy z in the dirt with the toe of her shoe “Maybe.”
“Jira, it wasn’t right to hide from your duties.”
“But I don’t like working in the gardens. It’s boring.”
“If you do not, then someone else has to.”
She turned a gaze tinged with a bit of guilt upon him but said nothing.
“Nothing is without consequence, even so small a thing as ducking out on your responsibilities for an adventure.”
“But we got your stones for you,” she argued. “Had we gone to the gardens, then you would not have them.”
“That is true. However, it wasn’t right to skip out on your responsibilities.”
She didn’t answer.
“Understand?”
Digging her toe farther into the dirt, she mumbled, “Yes.”
“Okay then.”
The next stone bounced along the rocks until it came to rest next to her shoe. Picking it up, she gave it a close examination.
Quite a plain rock, Smooth and rounded from its time at the base of the waterfall. The stone itself was slightly blue in color with several small veins of a darker hue running through it.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Unusual, isn’t it?”
“I like it.”
He smiled. “I thought you would.”
Holding up the stone, she asked, “You are going to make something with this?”
“It and its brothers. I believe they will look very nicely arranged.”
She shrugged. “I guess.”
Once Kenny gathered the last of the stones Master Kermudge required, he splashed and swam to the waterfall. There he giggled as the water rained down upon him.
Jira finally gave in and she too shucked off her outerwear and joined the fun. She swam out to where Kenny let the waterfall hit him where she instigated a splash fight.
Master Kermudge decided a little noise would not infringe too far with the soaking of his old bones and did the same. He went to a spot along the pool’s edge that held a gentler slope and there he eased his body into the water.
The kids laughed and splashed and dove and had a great time until the sun sank a bit too far and no longer warmed the clearing. At which time, Master Kermudge pulled himself out of the pool, bones creaking. It took some doing to get Jira and Kenny out, but when he did, they headed back.
Master Kermudge carried a cloth sack that now held fourteen of the bluish stones.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lying quietly in the dark wasn’t too hard. Feigning sleep so her mother would leave her alone was a bit more challenging. Some nights she could, others she could not. Her mother would check on her, then if she was successful in faking sleep, her mother would close her bedroom door. What would happen next would determine if her plan was fully successful.
One of two things would happen. Nothing, and that was the worst possible situation. Or, she would hear the front door open and close indicating her mother and aunt were not going to be home. Where they went, she didn’t know or care. All that concerned her was that she could sneak out for a bit and see her Little Brother.
There had only been one time since their arrival that she had successfully snuck out and met him. The times when all the stars align in the proper order for her to make a successful dodge out of the house were few and far between. But, tonight may be her lucky night.
The approach of her mother’s footsteps prompted her to quickly turn away from the door, pull the covers up to about mid-face and grow still.
Steady and even breathing…. That’s what it would take. Attempts at feigning snoring never worked for some reason. Though excited and impatient, she steadied her breathing and relaxed.
The footsteps paused a moment, then her door creaked slightly open.
“Jira,” her mother whispered.
For some reason, her mother thought such a basic and simple ploy would work on her. But she was way too smart and clever to be so taken in by such a ruse. She kept still and worked to maintain even breathing.
After another couple moments, the door closed and her mother walked down the hallway.
