The horse ride to the Townsend Cornfield in West Bree was barely quiet. Townsend and Welstan hadn't seen each other in several years, and either of them left on unfinished terms. At the end of it all, they were still friends, of course. They reminisced of their more happy memories, and even the sad times. For them, they were just happy to speak of being around each other again.
The fields, as they get closer to them, shined in a gold and green color, the foliage lit with the colors of the sunrise. The sounds rising in the slightly misty air due to the rising warmth and the recent rains are the trilling of morning birds, the grunts of wandering oxen, and the gentle clopping of their steeds as they take their relaxed steps down the cobble and dirt road toward the farmhouse in the distance.
"I've honestleh missed th'farm, though... All th'memories made out 'ere. Chasin' th'girls in th'mud, just 'cause... Usin' sticks as swords with you 'n' Rod, like we were soldiers in some army..." Towns would say, giving a small, nostalgic smile. "Just wish the folks coulda just stayed. I like bein' 'round them all."
Welstan remembered those early days, before the Watch, when Bree-town felt like some far off land of legend. Townsend was spot on of course, except for the part where, more often than not, Welstan was making the weapons and not swinging them. He took a deep breath, soaking in the smell of fresh rain on farmland. There was something special about the way Bree farms smelled after rain, something that just didn't smell the same in Ered Luin. Was it the animals here or the crops? Probably a mix of both.
It would be good to see his sister again. He would be happy to see Rodereck and Melonee as well. They weren't blood, but they may as well have been. After his parents died, the Townsend household became synonymous with family, at least in his mind. Heck, he and Towns had even joined the Watch together. Then Rodereck married Sophia and made the whole thing official. They were family now, for good or ill. Of course, the farm they had grown up playing on, Town's parent's farm, was gone now. Welstan paused for a moment to consider what might happen to the land they had spent so much time playing on. Perhaps the bandits would finally take it over. Yeah, that seemed the most likely thing.
"Maybe we can whack Rodereck around with a few sticks for old time's sake, eh?" Welstan chuckled. Of course, it was unlikely that any such event would occur. They were adults now. Besides, Sophia would never allow that kind of horseplay on /her/ farm. He checked his saddle to insure the gift was still attached, it was. Townsend and him had bought a few potted plants for Melonee and Sophia's garden. Oh the things two men will do for their sisters. The farmhouse was just ahead and Welstan could not help but feel nerves starting to crop up, tightening a knot in his stomach. It had been over two years... "You think the girls will like our gifts?"
Townsend wears a smile, as always, laughing when the suggestion of whacking around his brother was made. He interjects, "I'd rather hit him with the blunt of my spear, just 'cause I can..." before Welstan asks his next question.
Garret would look over his shoulder, where two potted daisy plants were strapped with twine on his javelin pack, and he would then look back at his friend. "Yehhh. With the way Melonee was goin' on 'n' on about their new garden in fronta the farmhouse, I'm guessin' she was tryin' t'hint at gettin' a gift like it." He winks, as if trying to reassure his friend in the kindest of ways.
"Besides, anything that smells good, the girls will like, you know that." Garret smiles wide now. His eyes fill with adoration every moment he mentions the two girls.
As Towns looks at him with that perfect adoration, Welstan can't help but feel just a little jealous. How long had it been since he was that certain about a person? There was Towns of course, but he was just a giant ball of honor and family. There wasn't anyone quite like him, at least nobody that had shown up in Welstan's travels.
Welstan looks back at the pots one last time, trying to take comfort in Town's re-assurance. "In any case..." he thinks "...it's not like we can take them back at this point." He speaks, trying not to met the nerves show in his voice but feeling like a squeaky mouse, rather than an experienced constable. "If things take a turn for the worse, I may need you to hold Sophia while I run for it.." he says, letting out a chuckle which seemed rather forced, even to his own ears.
"Ha... Your sister is of your blood, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold her very long. Besides, Rod would clock me before I touched a hair on her head, anymore." He then feels awkward about what he just said, blurting with feigned nervousness, "Not like I would want to! You'd be on yur own, bud!" He laughs, flicking his reins lightly to bring his horse to a faster pace. They were getting close, and the rather dark-wooded farmhouse was starting to look pretty inviting, as it had been quite a while since he slept, and his spotty topic switching was starting to show it.
"Again, Welstan, they'll love 'em..." Garret would say, though his eye catches sight of a horse at a hitching post near the farmhouse door, and he squints lightly, his smile fading only slightly. "Hmm."
Welstan followed suit, picking up the pace as he closed in on the farmhouse. Towns was right about Sophia of course. Rodereck didn't need to worry about her any more than he needed to worry about Towns. She could handle herself in a brawl. She fit in better with Town's family than she did with him. As a child, only one of them had taken the elocution and etiquette lessons seriously and it had not been her. She had been far too busy climbing rocks or wandering off to catch small lizards. Meanwhile, he had listened to father lectures about the proper usage of this or that word.
The fatigue was starting to wear on him. The last night's patrol had been uneventful, but he had not pulled a late night patrol in several years and the time change was playing tricks with his head. Still, he noticed the horse at the hitching post at nearly the same time as Townsend. "Did Rodereck or Melonee mention anything about having other guests over today?" he asked Towns, suddenly sure that they were about to interrupt something unintentionally.
Garret frowns a bit more, though the expression melts as he assures himself more than Welstan, "Eh, no. I'm sure they just... bought a horse, insteada usin' the ox they usually ride 'round with inta town." He gives a smile, though a sudden sort of dread is failing to hide behind his eyes. He leads his horse onto the property road, and gulps lightly, riding for the hitching posts by the door.
He squeezes his reins nervously, though continues to wear a soft smile that could be easily taken as a frown. He mutters something about 'confusion' and a 'mistake'.
That knot in Wesltan's stomach grows tighter when he sees the concern on Town's face. Whatever he sees in that horse, it isn't good. He rides up behind his friend, getting ready for whatever might be inside the farmhouse. "It's possible." he remarks "They may bave decided to go with something a bit faster than an ox."
When the two men reach the hitching post and Welstan brings his horse to a stop and grabs the reins and he dismounts, tying it to the post with a quick, fluid motion. He unlatches the potted plant from its holster, clearly planning to bring it in with him. "Is there something you think I should know Towns?"
Towns smoothly dismounts, and hitches his horse. He checks his pack for the two pretty pink daisies he had potted for the girls, and avoids the question for a few seconds. He makes sure his horse is all set, and then finally turns to his friend.
"Ehhhh--" is all Garret can get out before the farmhouse door is thrown open. It's Melonee! Her long ash blonde hair, matching her brother's hair color, streams behind her as she runs in her long golden flowered dress to tackle Towns, and he very much lets her, though not to the ground. She giggles, squeezing him near to death, and he holds her close, like holding the dearest person in the world to him. With the emotion of this reunion he's showing, it might even be true. He closes his eyes and holds his sister for a moment, and they share mumbled words back and forth, and she lets off a giggle here and there.
Rodereck, steps out with a dark cloak and light armor, watching his siblings embrace with a thin-lipped smile. Talking can be heard in the house, however, so there were at least a couple others still inside. Rod nods his head to Welstan, if he looks.
Welstan steps to the side, careful not to be overrun when the young Melonee rushes Towns. He watches the two embrace with a smile. He sees Rodereck and gives the man a nod in return. It is the most he can manage at the moment.
Another figure appears from behind Rodereck, a woman of medium build. Her dark hair held neatly in place via a system of ties and ribbons, Sophia steps out, holding a rag of some sort and wiping her hands on it. "That Towns? He been taking his sweet...." her eyes catch a glimpse of Welstan "...You whore son! Where you been? Ain't seen you in two years 'n' here you go an' show up on ma porch. Best have a good reason fer that!" She gazes at him with intensity for a few moments and then loses her composure, breaking into a laugh.
Welstan is frozen at first, but when Sophia begins to laugh, he sighs a breath of relief. "It is good to see you again as well, dear sister."
Having not completely been tackled to the ground, Towns had staggered a bit, but he holds his sister tight. She pushes away from him saying, "--And then we put a scarecrow in the garden 'cause all them ravens had passed by the farm fer some reason. Buuuut they're gone now."
"Well," Towns would say, adjusting his poor lopsided hat, "That's good. 'N' I have somethin' ye might like, a couple friends t'join yer flower garden."
As he's unthreading the twine from around the flowers, Melonee is squealing happily at him in her energetic way. She takes them rudely from his grasp, hugs him roughly again, and then dashes off to the other side of the front of the house, where indeed there was a scarecrow and a small little garden. Towns laughs, scratching at the back of his head.
Sophia walks up to Welstan, wrapping her arms around him gently and giving a solid squeeze. "Towns told us what happened... Ya all right now?"
He places the arm which is not full around her back, reciprocating the hug. "I don't expect I will ever be the person I was before. But, I will be alright I think. Here, I got these for you." He says, gently pushing her away so that he can bring the potted plant between them. "Towns said you were building a garden... I thought maybe you would like these."
Sophia purses her lips and looks down at the plant in front of her. "Well, look at that! I think that will work perfectly big brother." She motions to Rodereck with a wave. "Don't stand back there looking like it's a funeral! Come say hello to yer brother in law!"
Rodereck steps forward, his grim expression fading as he heads over to offer a handshake, trying his best not to seem some kind of emotional. It would seem Rod knew what happened, and he cared as deeply as his brother Garret. "It's good to see you again, brother." His voice was a bit more educated than Melonee, Garret, and Sophia, having gone to officer training at one point in his life, before deciding to start the farm with his sisters.
Towns walks over to the garden, using his foot to slightly lift her gorgeous dress out of the dirt as she plants her new flowers. "Yer gettin' it all dirty. You look so pretty fer seein' me today..."
Melonee giggles as she gets the two daisy plants in the ground, and then she wipes her hands and says excitedly, "I'm not the only one tha' dressed nice for ya!" She gives a shit-eating grin, and then calls out through the door of the house, "Sammy! Yer man is here!"
Instead of looking all excited, Towns freezes, and then looks straight at Welstan, as a sort of 'ohdeargodhelpme' expression.
Welstan cringes a bit when Melonee calls out for 'Sammy'. If that was who he thought it was, Townsend was not going to be happy... He nods to Rodereck, giving a slight bow at the neck. "Indeed it is. How have things been on the farm?" He glances over at Towns and sees the face he is making and shrugs. Trying to show his sympathy.
Rod answers briefly, "They're actually pretty good right now.."
Sophia takes only the slightest notice of all this, as she has her full attention on the door, awaiting the arrival of the person in question. "Sammy! You deaf? This boy done rode out here to see ya, least ya can do make an appearance now!"
A beautiful red haired girl with freckles and deep red and black robes pulls into the doorway, and she smiles gently, in her shy little way, at Towns. Her ruby encrusted jewelry and clothing speak of her riches, and preparing for his arrival as much as the Townsend's did.
Towns looks her over, his expression showing he still thought her beautiful, though his face gains that pained look when betrayed by someone. He speaks quietly, "Hello, Samantha."
She smiles, though gives him a confused expression when he looks hurt. He never called her that, and boy was she convincing with this confusion. He squints a bit, and looks back to Melonee, and asks as if Samantha wasn't even there, "Ye like yer daisies? I remembered ye like pink." Melonee hesitates at the tension filling the air almost tangibly
Rod looks between Samantha, Sophia, and Towns, picking up on the tones of possible drama that might rise, and he gets quiet again, as is his thing. He looks at his wife, furrowing his brow.
Melonee finally answers his older brother, who is the eldest in the family, "Uh-huh! I love them! They're perfect. Are... you okay?" Towns nods; it was his turn to hesitate.
Samantha looks hurt now, stepping a bit away from the doorway, back into the house. She holds a small gift, wrapped with twine and rough paper. She pulls it closer to herself, looking away.
"Uuum, Towns? You got somethin you wanna share with the rest o' the class? What was /that/?" inquires Sophia, one eyebrow cocked in a curious fashion. She releases Welstan completely and walks over to where Garrett and Melonee are standing, placing her hands squarely on her hips. "Cause best I can tell, that pretty lady came out here to welcome you home an you just gave 'er the stink eye. Care to explain that one?"
Welstan could not help but smile. Sophia was never the kind of girl to stay out of things. He looks at Rodereck and shook his head in a manner that said 'glad that's not me right now' then looked to Garrett expectantly, curious to see how he was going to wiggle out of this one.
Sophia, never the kind to wait too long for an answer was already launching her follow up questions at Garrett. "You think jus' cause you got yer fancy Watch position back, yer too good fer 'er? That it?" She inquired, now clearly on the offensive, even though she doesn't know the reality of the situation.
Towns spoke low to his sister-in-law, in no way trying to get out of answering even though he looked all sorts of uncomfortable, "I-uhhh... ehum. Accordin' to 'er letters, she's seein' another man." He looks over Sophia's shoulder at Samantha, squinting a bit again, as if trying divine her motives with his mind. Rod passes a glance from Sophia, to Towns, and then to Samantha.
Melonee too had heard what Garret said, and she opens her mouth wide in awe, and she too looks at Samantha, who is now looking deeply hurt and slinking further into the house and away from the door.
Wesltan can't help but cringe again, awaiting the chaos which is sure to follow. Perhaps he should have waited just a few more days before coming to visit. On the other hand, he was not the center of attention either and that was something to be grateful for at least. He looked around at the frozen faces of Rodereck, Melonee, and Garet. Nobody seemed quite sure how to handle this bit of information. Garret, of course, had already known. However, he hadn't expected his old flame to be waiting at the family estate. Neither had Welstan for that matter.
Sophia meanwhile was calculating something in her mind. Her lips pursed for a moment before she turned her attention back to the door. "Sammy, what in the blazes is he talkin' about? You seein' someone else now?" She asked, her hands still on her hips, anger visibly under the surface of her young face.
Samantha, almost out of view, shakes her head, the makeup at her eyes starting to run with the tears that are coming to her eyes. Melonee looks at her, and then back at her older brother, not saying a word yet.
Garret scoffs, tugging at his pack's straps, "I beg yer pardon! Ye sent me a letter all 'bout it! I know yer handwritin', and it had yer seal."
Samantha drops the small gift she had for him, and covers her face to sob. She then takes off after her horse, and starts to unwrap her steed's hitching, crying frantically now.
Towns looks all sorts of confused, and his cheeks flush red with pure embarrassment. He clears his throat, now starting to look a bit deflated as Samantha starts to try and make her way to leave, but the leather strapping holding her horse down is preventing her from leaving.
Garrets says nothing, a bit of sweat at his brow now. He walks over in a few brisk steps, tugs on the knot on the post which releases the wrapping, and steps back. Samantha say nothing, mounts her horse, and takes off.
Garret gulps lightly, holding one of his straps of his pack, and looking as though he has seen a ghost. Rodereck heads over and picks up the small package Samantha dropped.
Melonee leans close to Sophia, and asks in bewilderment, "What was that..?"
Sophia speaks to Melonee only quickly and without really facing her "Beats me sugar..." She turns her attention to Rodereck "Give it to 'em hun. Perhaps whatever's in there can shine some light on this little situation. Fer now though, let's leave it be an get all you folks inside where I can put some food in ya! Ye look starved!" She looks at Garret. "You let us know what happens will ya?"
Welstan takes the cue from his sister, edging past Rodereck and Garret with his eyes low to the ground. "What I wouldn't give for a bandit attack right about now," he thinks to himself as he enters the house.
Rod hands off the gift to Garret, who looks deflated, though the expression is quickly fading. The man was hardly ever sad, or at least, he never really showed it. Towns would follow them inside, after looking over his shoulder.
Samantha's black and red lacey and thick fabric robes trail in the wind as her horse gallops away, as frantically as she was crying. He sighs, getting quiet, tearing the paper open. Melonee trails behind her quiet brother, watching around his arm as he unveils a silver-chained pendant that depicts a bronze man (of the bust of this man) throwing a spear. Towns frowns lightly, knowing she had made this for him, as she was a skilled jeweler.
Melonee takes Garret's arm with hers, trying to cheer him up with a smile as she leads him inside. Rod would follow his wife, thinking much like Welstan was right about now.
Sophia came in near the back of the group, letting Rodereck pass her so she could close the door behind him. "Don't everyone crowd near the door now! There is a place for sitting just up in front of ye," she says, clearly looking at Welstan for that last part.
He nodded his head silently, walking towards the area she had pointed to, a family sized table. Welstan picked a seat and sat in it, not wanting to be the first one to break the silence. Somehow, Sophia just didn't count.
Sophia looks at the rest of the people in the room, giving them wave that said 'go on now', even as she headed into another room. "I fetch us something to eat, you folks catch up." With that, she was out of sight.
Melonee and Garret sit at the table together, and Rod sits near Welstan, offering a nod again. Melonee watches Garret lean forward on the table, fingering the gift he was to be given, looking thoughtful. Not a shred of sadness was left in his expression, but he still looked thoughtful. Melonee looks to Welstan, and smiles brightly. "I'm glad your back, brother. We've all missed you."
Rod nods, agreeing with this. "Hasn't been the same without you both," he adds. "Too quiet for my taste."
Welstan watched his friend with interest, then looked up at the other two. "Indeed, it is good to be home. I have spent far to much time among strangers as of late." He returned his gaze to Garrett he speaks in a low tone, looking towards the direction Sophia went. "Are you alright my friend? Does that pendant mean something to you?"
Garret pulls his journal out, and then stuffs the pendant in the middle of the book. "She made it for me. Asked for something like et b'fore I left for Kingsfell. So, I guess that means somethin'." He offers a pained smile, and then stuffs his book away. He regains his cheery composure. Out of sight, out of mind.
Melonee smiles brightly when he picks up in happiness, and she looks back to Rod and Welstan. "Crops have been growin' with some luck, the past couple years. The freezes haven't killed hardly any of our seedlings!"
Rod nods. "The bandits have been a bit scarce, too, so we've been making a bit more profit than before."
Welstan nods at this, happy to bring the conversation back to the topic of work. "Makes sense. My understanding is that the bandits have begun to move into Bree-Town itself. The Watch has dwindled quite a bit since we were last around. We've hardly enough to go around, much less to make a show of force."
At about this time, Sophia re-emerged from the kitchen area with a platter full of drinks and some food. She placed it on the table in a quick fashion, having done this many times since becoming a Townsend. "Right! I got food and drink here! Don't be shy now."
Welstan reached almost without thinking. He picked up one of the tankards and drank deep.
"Thankye, sister," Garret would say, taking up some bread and nibbling on it. He also grabs a drink, though he just sets it in front of him, listening to the conversation around him.
Melonee beams at her sister, taking food and drink for herself, as does Rodereck.
Rod continues the conversation. "If I had the mind to do it, and my farm didn't need my attention, I'd head right over to the jailhouse and let them recruit me. I keep hearing about the horrors of the bandits in the streets, these days. I'm glad you guys are back here to help out though. I'm sure both of you could both do as much work for the three of us, if needed." Rod smiles, nodding to his brothers.
Melonee is thoughtful, and then she tugs on Garret's duster. "Ohohohohhhh! I've been practicing with a knife! Rod is showing me. He's a great teacher." Towns would smile at her, muttering, "So I heard."
Rod smirks. "I keep waiting for her to cut herself. She hasn't yet. Well, not badly anyway!"
"Hey!" Melonee would shoot at Rod, though they both laugh in their own good-natured way. Garret is quickly getting happier and more excited in this atmosphere.
Welstan interjected here. "You know, I would very much like to see this knife skill of yours. I've heard great things from Towns about it.." He looks over to Rodereck "If you're the one teaching her then I am not surprised she is doing well. You were always good with a blade." He looked over to Melonee now. "So, how about it, care to give us demonstration of your famous knife skills?"
Sophia took her own seat at the table now, watching the conversation and smiling, but not adding anything of her own to it.
Mel stands up quickly, pulling a small sharp blade from somewhere within the folds of her dress. She bites her tongue, as if to help her think, and tosses the blade. With a fluid motion, the blade spins and sticks into the mouth of a stuffed bear's head over the fireplace.
Garret laughs, clapping now. He is clearly impressed. Rod join in on this laughter, placing his hands on the table. When the cheering would die out, he would say, "She's extremely accurate, like you are with a spear, Towns."
Garret smirks standing up to give Melonee a side-hug. "Spear-Arm Number Two. That's what we'll call you," he jokes. She giggles, leaning into the hug for a moment.
Welstan considers this for a few moments. "No, we can call her Villages.." He looks around at the blank faces for a moment before completing his thought ".. you know, little Towns?"
Sophia stares at him blankly. "That has got to be the dumbest thing I have heard in my life."
Garret would have furrowed his brow at his brother-in-law, and then burst out into chastising laughter, Welstan's comment both confusing him and amusing him. "That... that was weak. So weak." He chortles, and Melonee giggles with him.
Rod would only just face palm, "Wow..."
Melonee chimes, "I thought it was funny."
Welstan looked around with a big smile on his face "Well, I didn't hear anyone else coming up with anything." He said while laughing. He turns his attention to Melonee "Thank you Melonee. At least one person in this family has a sense of humor!" It felt good to laugh. Welstan suddenly realized how long it had been since he had laughed so honestly. As he did so, he began to wonder why he ever left home in the first place.
Sophia had, of course, joined in on the laughter. It was impossible not to at this point. It was infectious and pure. The kind of laughter one can only share when gathered with the people closest to you. As the laughter died down she reached over, giving Welstan a sideways hug. "We've missed you big brother... Even if your jokes are about as funny as a mule's back side!"
Melonee beams at Welstan from the other side of the table, sitting down. With her eyes, she tells him she means the same as Sophia, but she didn't want to say it aloud. Garret sits back down, now working on his mug that was brought to the table.
Rod then clears his throat, starting on a new topic out of curiosity. "I heard you two moved into the Goldstoke village, in the homesteads. I hear that's where the Bree-town Watch barracks is."
Garret nods to his brother as he drinks, though he looks to Welstan, as if letting him speak.
Welstan, having caught the look given to him, took the opportunity to answer Rodereck's question. "Aye. We have and it is. In fact, you can see the Watch building from my new front yard. Plenty of shade as well." He knocked on the table as if just realizing something. "In fact, I should like to have you all over some time. I'm up on a hill and the view from there is magnificent." He pointed at Garret. "Towns here lives just across the street from me actually. It worked out quite well."
"I think we could do that," said Sophia, looking at Rodereck and Melonee for confirmation. "Like Rod said, the bandits have been less of an issue of late. I see no harm in leavin' the farm fer a day. So long as we wait until after the harvest. It's not long off now."
Melonee and Rod would both nod to Sophia, letting her know they would like to visit them.
Melonee now speaks, "We're s'posed t'ave a great harvest this year. Gonna need a lotta farmhands! I'm so excited!" She squeals at her family, her eyes bright with joy.
Garret then speaks, "Yeh. We oughtta have a block feast or somethin' like tha', just t'get 'em to visit 'n' familiar with our new places. The neighborhood is wonderful, the houses are really well built." Garret then nods to Welstan, as if to get his approval next.
Rod then says, "Yeah, Sophie's right. We'd have to do it soon or in the next few months. And Mel's right too, we're going to be pretty busy with the crops."
Welstan nodded in agreement at this point. "The houses are wonderful. Fantastic craftsmanship. I like the idea of a block feast, that would give us a chance to know the neighbors as well." His insides actually knotted at the sound of this. Not that he wasn't a fan of having a feast with his family, but the idea of advertising where he lived did not sit well with him. As a man of the Watch, not everyone was your friend, no matter how hard you might try.
With that, Sophia gave a hearty clap. "Well, that about settles it then! We'll set up for a feast over at yer place in the next few weeks. 'Course, givin' the distance, we ought to do it early in th'day. I don't like the thought of bein' out on the roads at night, 'specially not with you boys goin' on bout bandits in the streets."
Garret nods, looking excited now, "I love th'sounda that." He smiles at all of them. And then he frowns slightly. Melonee quickly catches onto this, and then stares at him, expectantly.
Garret stands, finishing off the bread and drink. He then says. "I /really/ hate t'cut this short, but me 'n' Welstan had a long night, and I haven't slept in a while. I need t'head back, but I really enjoyed the small time I got with ya guys."
Melonee looks away, getting a bit sad. Rod then says, "We'll see you at the feast then, if not beforehand." Garret nods to his younger brother, and pops his gloved fingers.
"Thanks fer havin' me, all o' ya." Garret makes it for the door, only slightly seeming like he was rushing himself out.
Welstan stood up, following Garrett towards the door. "Aye, he is correct. We shall need our sleep if we are to go back on patrol this evening. But, it was lovely seeing all of you again." He bows, heading for the door.
Sophia calls after the pair, "See ye real soon boys! You be careful out there ya hear?"
"Yahyahyah..." Garret would say with a small laugh, opening the door, and leaving it open for Welstan to walk through.
He of course did, heading straight for the post where his horse was tethered and releasing the latches....
