A cool autumn sun was hanging low in the sky, a deep orange orb on a backdrop of purples and dark blues. Taraborn sat looking out at the red and pink clouds near the horizon, admiring them for a moment before his gaze returned to the road. Nothing moved, this road was barren for the most part. Occasional merchants traversed the land, but they were not many and it was possible to travel for weeks without seeing anyone else.
Taraborn was accompanying one such merchant, with a mysterious cargo he was not allowed to know of. He wanted to sneak a look, but Edward kept one of his two sons, Allyn and Jack, with the cart at all times.
Taraborn’s gaze shifted from the road, and back down the hill he was perched upon to their little camp. There was a small fire, and Edward was cooking dinner. Allyn was sat with him, fletching a couple of arrows. He was a hunter, or claimed to be one. Taraborn felt his skills in the art were somewhat lacking, and Allyn was barely able to match him. He was no true hunter, not like the copper haired woman Taraborn was doing his best to forget. He shook his head, removing such thoughts from his mind.
He sighed and looked down at the group, the two lads were good natured, friendly and he had spent many hours talking with them on the journey. He had taught Jack a little bit of sword play, and hunted with Allyn. Perhaps at the end of the journey he might consider calling them friends. Edward was similar in nature, though kept Taraborn at a distance. They worked together and that was it. Whatever it was, Taraborn didn’t feel like he could trust the older man.
After a few hours of watching, it was time to come down. He always kept a look out on the road whenever they made camp for a night. Anyone who may have been following them would have passed them by, or tried to find their camp and as per usual, there was no one.
He strode down the northern slope of the hill, and down to their camp where he joined his two companions by the fire to tuck into their food for the night, a rabbit stew courtesy of Allyn’s bow. It was good, Edward was an accomplished cook.
“Anyone follow us?” The merchant asked as he passed across a bowl.
“No, as with every night.” He responded before digging into the food, “We should make the bridge by midday tomorrow, we’ll be able t’ find a food camp in the woods a little way further on.”
“Aye? How far from there to the mountain pass?”
“I couldn’t rightly say, maybe another week or two, I’ve only been this way a couple of times, and it were a while ago last I came.”
Edward nodded, though he had been the way before, it had been a long time ago, before his sons had been born, “Then we will leave at first light, I want to make Dale before Yule.”
Taraborn finished his bowl of soup, and stands up. “Then I will get a good sleep, I believe I have second watch?”
“Aye, I’m on first,” Allyn answered, “I’ll wake you around midnight.”
Taraborn nods his thanks, and disappears off to lay out his bedroll and curl up in the warm coverings. He spent a lot of time wondering what was in the cart, but he decided it was better not to know. Edward probably had a good reason for keeping its contents a close secret, and Taraborn had no intention of finding out what it was.
Aside from pondering this, Taraborn spent a lot of time resolutely not thinking of Narys. He wanted nothing more than to see her again, but it also pained him to think of the distance that had grown between them, both in the world and emotionally. He hoped that if he ever returned from these adventures he might see her again. But till then, he shouldn’t be thinking of her.
