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Post by stormaf on Sept 17, 2005 14:38:29 GMT -5
It had taken a very long time to get this far. Years in fact; so many that he had forgotten how long he had been on the road. Was it ten, twenty or fourty years? Hard to tell.
Not that it mattered any now. He had said goodbye so very long ago. His family, his friends... his lover. All gone.
The road passed under his feet. Pavement, dirt, stone cobbles, even no road at all, just grass bent under his steps. They were all merely another way to run away from what was and could never be again.
The scenery was ever changing. He'd passed towns, mountains, cities, deserts, never staying anywhere long enough to know anyone. If you didn't get to know others, then you never had to say goodbye when you left. He was always leaving.
Now he walked a dirt road over flat grasslands. That it was well-traveled he could tell. Ruts were dug into its edges a wagon's breadth apart. Dried dung made the walking interesting, to say the least.
Ahead of him, a small town parked on the prairie, like a mosquito bite on a scalp of long green hair, right where the road parted it. He kept to his regular pace, one honed by years of foot travel.
Prairie changed to ranches, ranches bordered the outskirts of town where the poor people stayed, their tiny gardens providing sustenance for their children and spouses. A wall divided the dregs of humanity from the town proper. He joined a line-up, everyone waiting to pass between the towers that stood to either side of the road, now cobbled with a grey stone. Peeks of the town came to him as he waited.
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 17, 2005 16:39:40 GMT -5
Just in front of him was a girl and her dog. Both of them looked as if they hadn't eaten in a few days, but the truth was, they had eaten just yesterday. The dog growled slightly when the man came up behind them, but the girl hushed it quickly, not even glancing back at the man. The line moved forward slowly, and they were still around 100 yards away from the gates into the city
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Post by stormaf on Sept 18, 2005 12:50:53 GMT -5
He looked down at the dog and gave it a smirk. With an admonishing expression, he wagged a finger at the animal.
He settled down for a long wait. Government could move so slowly and the guards were no different. Taking names was tedious and every name needed to be noted down, along with the whys and wherefores of the visit. Merchants could expect taxes to be applied even before they made a sale. He sighed and shucked his heavy pack, dropping to the dusty stones at his feet.
Eventually the sun and the line moved along. Several travellers, perhaps having been here before, rummaged through their baggage for lunches and ate while they stood in line. He had no food with him and toughed it out while his stomach rumbled. Even the dog was beginning to look good enough to eat, when the line had shrunk to three before him.
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 18, 2005 13:46:06 GMT -5
Having nothing for either herself or the dog, they stood quietly, at times, the dog would sit or lay down. Finally, it was almost time for them to be let in, the dog stood up, and the two of them waited patiently for the person in front of them. It was a young mother with her new born child, and the guards were giving her a hard time.
"Name?" the guard asked. "Elizabeth and Sarah" the woman answered nervously. "Reason for being in this town?" the guard asked. "We need a place to stay for the night." she answered. "I'm sorry, but all the inn's are full tonight" the guard replied and the woman looked devastated.
The girl took a step forward. "Sir, she could stay with me in my house" she offered. The guard looked at her with disgust, but the woman looked grateful. "Name?" the guard asked. "Samantha and Royal" she placed a hand on Royal's head. "Reason for being in this town?" the guard asked. "My father lives here." she answered. "He wouldn't mind if i took her in for the night. Please, let her through" she begged, waiting for the guards answer
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Post by stormaf on Sept 18, 2005 18:08:27 GMT -5
When the guard told the girl before him that the inns were all full, the traveller straightened up.
"How can that be so?" He asked loudly, "This is hardly a hub of commerce! You have let others in who are obviously travellers, why not the woman and child?"
And, he thought to himself, me?
The guard dithered, annoyed that his word had been questioned. His questioner was large and seemed well-built. He looked like a man who could take care of himself under any circumstance, not like one to antagonize needlessly.
"It is Harvest Fest," the guard returned, "All of the merchants from seven other towns and every farmer and rancher is in town this week. All of the inns are booked and have been for weeks."
"Wonderful," the tall traveller grunted.
There was no one behind him, every other person had vanished back along the road a half a candle ago. The traveller, with no where else to go, had remained. Camping outside the walls did not seem a good idea. The locals looked hungry and more than willing to take on a hapless traveller like himself.
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 19, 2005 9:07:49 GMT -5
Royal growled slightly at the guard, but once again, Samantha hushed him. "Guard, i will take both these travellers into my house. Please let us through" this time, Royal growled, and she didn't hush him.
The guard seemed undecied, like he wasn't sure if he should let them through or not. But at the sight of two angry people, he gave in. "Fine, they may enter with you" and he moved out of the way of the gate. "Thank you" Samantha said, and began to usher Elizabeth and Sarah into the city, knowing the man would either follow or not
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Post by stormaf on Sept 22, 2005 20:58:08 GMT -5
The traveller did follow. Once inside, he could probably scrounge up a place to stay, even if it was under the eaves in some dirty alleyway.
He caught up with his benefactor, long strides taking him no time at all to do so.
"Thank you for your help," he said, "I have no place else to go and staying outside the walls seems foolhardy."
He studied the buildings and businesses they passed. It did seem as if every inn was full.
"If you have a spare room I might rent, I would be more than pleased to take it. I do have a bit of coin and I have a sturdy back for working."
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 24, 2005 17:27:09 GMT -5
She nodded slightly to him, "There is a room you can stay in. There are many rooms. It will be a while 'til we can make it to my house." she patted Royal on the head. "Royal, dear, go ahead and let father know we have guest for the evening" and Royal barked, and ran off.
From then on, she walked in silence, keeping an eye on the young mother, making sure she didn't get seperated from them. People made way when she was walking through the street, and made way for her companions as well. After a few minutes, Royal came troting back to the group again, tongue lolling from his mouth. "Mission accomplished?" she asked, and Royal gave a small bark. "Good" she said with a smile
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Post by stormaf on Sept 25, 2005 8:53:38 GMT -5
"I take it that your family has some pull in this town?" The traveller asked with a smile.
He shifted his pack and when the young mother dropped her pack, he stepped up to carry it for her. Baby in her arms, the woman gave him a thankful nod.
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 25, 2005 8:57:25 GMT -5
Samantha nodded. "Yes, my father is the mayor of this town" she stated plainly. She smiled at the woman, and offered to hold the child. At first, Elizabeth hesitated, but then, handed Sarah over. Samantha cradled the baby gently, and the mother sighed in relief to have use of her arms again.
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Post by stormaf on Sept 26, 2005 10:33:20 GMT -5
The traveller peered at the baby with interest. He didn't offer to take the child from Samantha, nor did he try to play with the infant. His scrutiny seemed entirely scholarly.
The baby's brown eyes finally fastened on the traveller's stormy blue ones. For a moment, it looked as if the child had gas and then a terrific squall came out of her. The traveller blinked with embarrassment and dropped back, red-faced.
The young mother trotted past him with a glare in her eye aimed directly into his.
"Children don't like me," the traveller stammered, "Never could discover why...."
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 27, 2005 7:12:41 GMT -5
Royal growled lightly at the traveller, but that was all. Samantha soon had the baby back into her mother's arms, and Elizabeth soon had Sarah asleep. Elizabeth glared at the traveller again, angry to have to hold the young one again when she was doing so good in Samantha's arms. Samantha smiled at it all. "No harm done. Babys just generally like me. There are exceptions to everyone though" she said, giving Royal a pat on the head.
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Post by stormaf on Sept 27, 2005 8:12:37 GMT -5
Turning his attention to the town as it passed by, the traveller found much to see. The place wasn't as small as it had appeared when he had first spotted it sitting on thte prairie. From the gatehouse, the main street rolled along for at least a mile and a half and it had quite a few smaller streets branching off. Stores took up most of the frontage to either side; milliners, grocers, cobblers, dressmakers -- in fact every trade was represented.
Down the sidestreets, he could see inns and pubs and houses, all sharing the cobbled roads. Children played, drunkards slept off their benders, mothers hung laundry and the sounds of a quarry filtered through all the chatter and noise.
Carriages and horsemen passed him. Taxis pulled by service men wheeled by with members of the local gentry seated under the colorful awnings of the little two wheeled vehicles. Pedestrians strolled by chatting. Others, in more of a hurry, ran by and the place was full of children of all ages. Wagons waited in front of the grocers' and dry goods sellers. It was a vibrant and busy place.
The young woman who had rescued him and the mother with her baby now kept a fair distance away from him. He felt like a leper. It wasn't his fault that children were upset by him. He'd never had any brothers or sisters and both of his parents had died so very many years ago he lost count.
He never stayed any place long enough to keep friends or lovers. He was always saying goodbye and it was never easy. If he didn't allow himself to like people, the less he missed them when he inevitably moved on. People like him were always on the road. He'd said so many goodbyes and they were always the same.
"Hey! You!"
A shout from a nearby wagon startled him out of his sad reverie and he looked about seeking the one who called. A burly man strode towards him from the grocery, a frown beetling his brow. He pointed directly at the traveller.
"You! Yes, you! Don't I know you from somewhere?" The man planted his feet directly in front of the traveller and he wagged a short finger at him.
The traveller halted, his height allowing him to almost tower over the man.
"No," he smiled, "I've never been here before. You must be mistaking me for someone else." He sidestepped the balding fellow.
Again the man placed himself in the traveller's way. "I'm sure I saw you in Frankville last month. There was this festival and then there was a riot. I'm sure I saw you being hauled off to the jailhouse."
"I'm afraid you must have seen someone who looked like me," the traveller assured him, "I've never been to Frankton."
"Frankville."
"I've not been there either."
The traveller moved to pass the carter, who stood firmly in the middle of the cobbled street with his hands on his hips.
"I'm certain it was you," he accused, "I've never seen anyone as tall as you before."
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Post by shadowfax on Sept 28, 2005 7:23:10 GMT -5
Samantha heard the commontion, and looked back. Seeing the man she was with, and Aaron, the grocery man, shouting at him. Samantha shot one look at Elizabeth to make sure she knew that it was happening too before she began to trot back, Royal at her heels. She came to a walk when she just about reached Aaron and slowly walked around him. Royal sat on the other side, just in case.
"Aaron, why are you pestering this man?" she asked as she came to a stop, standing next to the traveller.
Aaron was surprized to see Samantha. "Miss Samantha! I am not pestering this man, i am simply asking him a question!" he sputtered out.
Samantha glared, "Oh really? Well, if you were 'simply asking him a question' when he answered it, you should have let him by" she stated.
Aaron nodded in agreement, "Oh course Miss Samantha, but you see ma'am, he didn't answer the question with the right answer. He say's he hasn't ever been to Frankville! But i'm certain i saw him there last month, getting hauled into the jailhouse!" he accused, looking at the traveller again.
By this point, Samantha was getting agitated. "That is the last straw Aaron! I will not allow you to accuse a guest in my house hold! My father will be hearing of this! Now get back to your stand!" she ordered, and Royal growled for the first time
Aaron stood shocked, but once Royal growled behind him, he hi-tailed it to his stand, and stood behind it, watching the two.
Royal moved to Samantha's side, and Samantha turned to look at the Traveller. "Are you alright?" she asked, as Elizabeth and Sarah came over to them as well
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Post by stormaf on Sept 29, 2005 18:40:50 GMT -5
"Of course, my lady," the traveller said, "He is guilty of no more than being forceful when it came to his opinion. I have never been to this Frankplace."
Not lately, he thought wryly, and when he was there, he hadn't caused the riot. Not exactly. The riot had sort of happened around him, through no fault of his own.
The carter stood with the grocer at the little stand that had been set up before the store. Both men stared at him accusingly, but wouldn't dare to bother him with the girl and her dog at his side.
Elizabeth sheltered her baby from him as they moved off. The traveller trailed along behind the women and the dog, silent and thoughtful. Trouble followed him just as surely as the dog followed the young girl.
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