Andrew
He woke from a dream of his mother again. Sunlight had barely bled through his closed eyes as it rose from over the horizon, but that was not what drew Andrew’s attention right now. In his dream, her mother had been talking about random things she’d been up to for as long as he could remember, food shopping, the best time to pluck potatoes from the earth, how to keep watch over a large farmhouse with only six people.
Potatoes? Farmhouse? Six people? His dream collapsed as his better senses caught up to him. The strange talk her mother was having about a farm blended into an ongoing conversation a woman was having.
Not my mother’s then… it did not sound like hers or even Natalie’s. Sophie did not fit the cadence either.
“-We’d often start around this time of year, though it’s been slow going,” she continued. Andrew recognised the voice now. It came from the woman who spoke behind the door last night. She was in the middle of having a pleasant chat with Sophie. But…
But what was she doing out here? He’d thought that if the girl on the roof did not shoot them dead in their sleep, then she’d at least keep everyone in the house as far away from them as possible. It was then that Andrew caught the whiff of something that turned his empty stomach into growling knots. Andrew's stomach growled so loudly, he was surprised the woman didn't stop talking to look at him and-
“-is… something the matter?” the woman asked. Sophie must have heard him. Andrew dared not move a muscle.
“You’ve not had it easy,” Sophie said. She continued the conversation as if she had never dropped it.
“It’s been tough,” the woman sighed. “I’m just glad that Gracie is watching over us.”
“You mean the archer? “ Sophie asked. The woman must have nodded since she continued onwards without confirmation.
“He promised to be back the same day. It’s been three days since then. If she’d left with my husband along with the others…” He could imagine the woman looking off into the distance, eyes heavy with worries. “She doesn’t say it, but she’s also worried about her folks, too.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Sophie said.
“She has every reason to leave here and fight alongside them,” the woman said.
“And yet she remains here,” Sophie said to herself. “No wonder why she seems so… prickly.”
“She’s a sweet girl. She’s just got a lot on her plate at the moment. Don’t take her approach to how she handled your guys too personally. If we’d known that you are a Rune Smith sooner than-”
“-Like I said, it’s ok. She did the right thing.” those words seemed to have removed some tension in the air Andrew was unaware existed until then.
“I just thought I’d best mention it before your long stares from across the field cause a full-on storm.” She laughed nervously.
“If you’re still uncomfortable, then we can leave,” Sophie said.
“Nonsense! This has got nothing to do with trust-not anymore! It’s just…” she took a deep breath. “Even knowing that you are not a threat does not lessen the burden of our current situation.”
“You said that your husband had to rush to the village. What happened?” Sophie asked. Andrew could feel the empathy in her voice. As if she took those words more to heart than even the mother herself.
“Beyond going to the village about the wolves’ odd behaviour, I’m not sure. No news had reached us since he left.”
“So this change just sprung out of nowhere?” Sophie asked. The farm woman sighed soon after.
“It’s been like this for months now.” She said. “First the traders outside our village stopped taking the main road, then reports of wolves coming down Mt.Karaki spread. I dismissed them as an odd seasonal phase until we consistently heard wolves howling near our land. Ever since then, things have just got worse.”
“And nobody’s done anything about it?” Sophie said. That may have been the most surprising sound he’d ever heard Sophie sound.
“We told them what was going on. We’d asked them for a little more security on the farm, just in case. Instead, they issued an order to bring back all active hunters. My husband went there to argue our point. Had Gracie listened also, it would just be me here with my son.”
“What could have changed so much that they’d abandon you like this?”
“It might have something to do with that fancy new machine that the dragons issued to watch over us… I forgot its name,”
“Sentinel,”
“That’s the one! The village made a deal with the empire for its protection. I’d often seen it pro-trolling on up high. Scary how fast it can move through the sky. Like some soulless giant eagle. I told Colt that we cannot trust them.”
“Did it cause any trouble?” Sophie asked.
“It did worse than that! Right when it could have been good for something, it just wandered off! The council spoke high about the wisdom incorporating the Dragon’s technology into our daily lives would be. But I say bargained the fool’s choice with this one.”
“Do you have any idea which way it went?” Sophie asked.
“It apparently flew northward,”
“I see,” Sophie said, again she sounded troubled. Andrew’s blood froze.
”Colt promised that he’d be back once he’d understood the situation,” Andrew heard her voice crack just at the end. A pang of pain hit him suddenly as he imagined his own mother crying, standing there in wait for him and father to come home. Ten years, and what has he got to show for it? The sound of the farm lady sniffing back tears pulled him back to the now.
“Sorry. it’s just, I have this bad feeling,” she said.
“I’ll head over to the village soon, see for myself what’s happening. Maybe find your husband in the meantime.” Sophie said.
“Will all of you be going?”
“I’m not yet sure,” Sophie said. “But if you feel it’s safer with some of us here, then we will work something out. ”
“Thank you.” a sigh of relief and silence followed as Andrew heard footfalls coming towards him.
“I’ll tell Gracie the good news,” the farm lady said, her voice more distant.
“If I run into Colt, is there anything you want me to relay to him?” Sophie asked.
“Ask him what’s the holdup,” she huffed. “And Chase misses him.” mumbled soon after. Andrew heard her footfalls fade off into the distance. Hearing her leave, Andrew could finally-
“-I know you’re awake,” Sophie said. Andrew sighed a moment before shrugging to himself. He opened his eyes to see Sophie gazing down at him. With the wisp of an amused smile on her lips, she nodded her chin to something behind him. Turning over, he sees a small assortment of food and fruits all just within arm’s range.
Grabbing an apple, Andrew rubbed it on his vest. Before he could bite into it, he noticed the ashen remains of a previously burning campfire. He recalled trying to gather sticks to make one. A warning shot from the huntress atop the roof stopped him… didn’t it? Uncertain, and eyes unmoving from the burned-out campfire, Andrew took a careful bite of the apple. The sweet twang of the fruit kicked his senses into order.
“No ‘good morning?“ Sophie said, distracting him from his running thoughts.
“I figured you knew,” Andrew said between munching. “Not like I was trying to hide it from you,” Sophie simply replied with a chipper ‘mhhmm’.
“How long did you know?” Andrew asked. Sophie simply smiled as he took another bite from his apple.
“I know I won’t need to repeat the important parts again,” she said.
“This part was not important?” The spread of food the lady gave them was generous indeed. A piece of roasted lamb sat on a large plate surrounded by onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and roast potatoes. And although it was on one tray, there was enough on there for all of them.
“This was Iris’s way of saying sorry for last night, as well as thanking us,” Sophie said. Slowly eating his apple, Andrew nodded to himself.
“Can’t say we did anything worth thanking,” Andrew said. His stomach, however, rumbled in rebellion. Sophie raised an eyebrow as Andrew frowned his lips before nodding to himself. “But… I’m not above a tasty gift every once in a while, “As Sophie chuckled, Andrew tore a small piece of lamb and ate.
“Where are the others?” He chewed.
“Natalie went to sleep an hour ago. Flynn’s over there. He’s taken over Natalie’s watch. I came to relieve you of your duties, but it seems like you relived yourselves of them for some time now.” Andrew grunted. Even if Natalie had said that it was okay for him to rest, that did not wash away the shame he felt at being caught slacking. Between his rumbling gut and being caught sleeping, they’d think that he lacked the discipline to do anything. Feeling shame reach his face, Andrew scratched the back of his dreadlocked hair in slight frustration.
“It had been a long day, “ he said.
“Indeed, it had been an arduous day for all of us.” Sophie nodded reassuringly. “But to fall asleep whilst on guard duty is-”
“-Natalie and me, we have this system and…“ stropping his shoulders, he sighed. No excuses. “I’m sorry,“
“So long as it works then I don’t care how you go about things, just… let me know in advance next time, ok?” Andrew nodded, it was fair. They were travelling with them now, after all. Finishing his apple, Andrew looked longingly at the meat and potatoes on the plate. He thought that he would be ok for now, but eating the apple somehow made that smell more enticing. Just as he was about to reach for it, however, Andrew stopped himself.
“Me and Natalie sometimes eat at different times because of one reason or another.” it was mostly true. He was not sure how to explain Natalie’s lack of hunger to Sophie right now. Sophie looked at Andrew silently, an unreadable expression etched on her face. For a second, Andrew thought he was the one on the plate being diced and quartered. Like she’d cut him open and was dissecting what he was. Right then, he could not help but recall again what Natalie had said about Sophie.
“Sophie is kind of crafty,”
Gritting his teeth, Andrew continued. “I don’t mind it honestly, just thought I’d let you know.”
“Intriguing,” Sophie said, which drew Andrew’s eyes into a frown.
“What’s intriguing?”
“Oh! Nothing, I won’t pray.” That cheeky grin was back on her face now. It was the kind that made you stop what you were doing to check if there was something funny stuck to your face.
“More pressing than that is who’ll come to the village with me. Although they have Gracie, I’m sure you’ll agree we cannot leave them alone like this,” Sophie said. Carefully taking a piece of meat from the tray, Andrew nods. Maybe he could trust Sophie like Natalie clearly had, but that would not make him any less suspect of her every word she uttered.
“So you’ve already nominated yourself?” he asked. She nodded.
“There are a number of things I hope to arrange when I get there, gather news on Aqua Falls, as well as hiring a boat to reach there.”
“Then why not go with Flynn?”
“It would make the most sense on a normal day. But this way will benefit all of us a lot more.”
“How so?“
“You’ll just have to trust me on this one, Andrew,“ Sophie smiled. Again, Andrew fought the urge to touch his face.
“Cool, then I’ll stay here and keep watch with Flynn,” he said.
“Oh come now, you cannot pretend that you are not a little curious,” Sophie said.
I am very curious!
“Not really,” Andrew said, “As long as it helps me keep my word and get to Aqua Falls soon, then I’m fine missing a few details.” Sophie pouted.
“You are no fun,” she said. Andrew simply turned the piece of lamb around in his hand. His mind awash with thoughts.
“Their father is not here to watch over them.” Andrew began. “Can’t imagine their ‘trust’ in us came out from complete freedom of choice.“ Faced with being out here with little protection or the risk of accepting help from strangers was almost no choice at all. The meat in his mouth suddenly tasted bitter.
I left mum alone for ten years…
“Least I can do is hang around until either this blows over,” Andrew said.
“I understand,” Sophie sighed. Although Andrew kept most of his thoughts to himself, he still got the feeling that Sophie truly understood what he was saying.
“Besides, maybe this way you can talk to Natalie about what you saw…” Andrew made an effort to continue eating as he said it. He did not want to make this out to be that big of a deal or anything. It shouldn’t be in all honesty. Natalie herself made a small remark on it last night. But being with Natalie for as long as he has Andrew really wasn’t sure.
“Ok. Then I’ll ask her to come with me,” Sophie said. Andrew nodded, his eyes frowned soon after.
“You mentioned something about a ‘Sentinel’?” Andrew asked.
“You know of them?
“A little, never seen one though,” Andrew said. “It’s some new dragon tech, right? A machine that can apparently surpass even the most powerful pentagon knights’ put on record,” Andrew almost chuckled as he tore a chunk of meat in slight frustration.
“You think the rumours are overblown?” Andrew took a moment to chew on that thought. His recollection of facing the Nova alters some preconceived notion. Yes, man-made machines indeed had strength, but…
“I’ll give them a point on raw strength.” He sighed before shaking his head. “But I highly doubt that some bucket of bolts could completely outmatch us in skill and instincts,” the Nova he fought, no matter how strong it was. The Nova owed all its skill to the man controlling it.
“All sentinels’ fighting experience comes from years of battle data collected by the D.D.W deep within the empire’s home base,” Sophie said. Andrew paused.
“‘D.D.W’?”
“‘Dragon’s Den of Wisdom’ think of it as one giant brain that stores all ‘pentagon knights records’ as you say, with it gaining endless amounts of experience from many sentinels observing combat around the world in an instant it can process all the data it has collected and use the most optimal means to win.” Andrew tried to imagine looking thought countless lived experiences of battle only to feel his eyes lids drop over from sudden fatigue. Pushing the thought aside, he sniffed indifferently.
“I guess that’s kind of impressive,” he said. It came out more dismissive than he’d hoped.
“Oh good, denial is the neighbour to anger,” she smiled.
“I’m not angry!“ Andrew said calmly. “I’m just a little annoyed…“ As the silence stretched on with Sophie simply watching him from the corner of his eye, he rolled his eyes and shrugged. He was not angry, but even so…
“It just stupid. Some bot waking up being able to do what it took years of training for us to do. I mean, I’d understand if this was some type of accent high demon that could do it, but how does that make sense?“ he said. Sophie nodded in understanding. Her smile, however, faced as she looked off towards the mountain.
“Between that and the Dragons getting a hold of two of the demon king, which one would you rather be true?“
“I’d rather pick something else I’d have a shadow of a chance of standing up to,“ Andrew gave a side glare at Sophie. She, however, simply stropped her head in agreement.
“It is a scary thought,“ Sophie said. “They already use the demons’ king’s energy to power their city and recreate forgotten tech. They parade their new toy like it’s some overpowered toy. Who’s to say how much they achieve they keep hidden?“ Andrew pinched his nose. No, he’d rather not think about it. He was barely coming to terms with losing to Nova the other day. And the only way he could accept it was due to the fact that the Nova was ultimately controlled by a man. Hearing that a fully automated sentinel had the potential to stop him was the last thing he needed to hear right now. Sophie must have seen something about the look on his face because she gave a recent surge.
“Maybe what I said was an overblown calculation,” Sophie said. “But they do learn fast and they don’t need rest. Several iterations have come out in these last few months alone. What may have been impossible for them one day might just be improbable the next.” Sophie said Andrew had nothing to say, to which she nodded to herself.
“It’s not sweet news, but at least now you know,” she said.
“It’s going in the same direction as us,” Andrew pushed out. Recalling Sophie’s worried voice when he heard this almost made him too scared to even bring it up. The reluctant silence that came soon after did not help.
“It’s probably unrelated,” Sophie said.
“Probably…” Andrew agreed, he continued eating. Suddenly, Sophie rose and dusted herself.
“I’ll wake Natale up in the evening,” Sophie said. Andrew nodded, knowing Natalie she’d likely be up and about some time before that.
“They say that there is no better protection than the Sentinels. If its goal now is to protect your home, then you better believe that the place has likely got no better defence against trouble.”
“Thanks, Sophie,” Andrew said, although he grinned as she parted. Something about how she left made Andrew wonder. There was a guarded feeling about her. As if unsure of something. Although he did not know Sophie for too long, Andrew was sure that she was holding on to something. Was it about the Sentinel going east? The more he thought about their conversation, however, the less that made sense.
~#~
The sun had emerged from below the horizon by the time Iris and the boy returned to talk to them, Iris apologised for how things turned out last night. Although Andrew told her that it was no big deal, the woman insisted. Her son, meanwhile, hid behind her. He was a small kid, perhaps four or five. His eyes watched Andrew with careful curiosity as he held his wooden sword tightly in one hand. It was a battered old thing, its size and length a perfect fit for him.
It got a lot of use in a short amount of time…
Andrew would have dismissed it as a simple branch carved out in the fashion of a sword had he not noticed the pattered detail on the hilt. For the past half hour, Andrew watched the boy swing it around right by the front door of the farmhouse before Iris came out and approached them.
“Go on Chase, say hello,” Iris said. The boy simply nodded at him as he edged himself away from his mother’s skirt.
“Are you a knight?” He’d asked.
“I should hope so,” Andrew chuckled to himself. “Who made that for you?”
“My Da, it’s for practice,” he said.
“Practice this and practice that. It’s all he prattles on about,” Iris said.
“I blame the kid,” Andrew said. “Can’t think of much else worth talking about,” Andrew said.
“I certainly can,” Iris huffed before smoothing her son’s hair. “If you want to get him started, then be my guest, but don’t say that I did not warn you.”
“I don’t know, I’m sure that I can humour him a while, “Andrew said as he gave the boy a knowing wink.
“I humoured his sword talk at first, and now I wished to be cushioned with arrows,” Andrew had to do a double take at the mother. He was all for humour. He just did not expect her to say something like that.
“Well…I’m sure stories about me being a knight will help kill his boredom,” Andrew said as he slowly recovered.
“So long that’s the only thing you’re killing,” the voice came from Andrew’s side. Groaning to himself, he reluctantly glanced towards them with a plastered on smile. Gracie sat off to one side between them, her long ruby hair displacing some of the guarded stares. The death gleam faded like smoke the moment her brown eyes looked back at Chase, her unspoken warning replaced with a warm smile. With her bow resting across her lap, and her hands playing around with the tip of her short sword, Gracie gave the appearance of being strung at the ready, her posture looking threatening even when sitting.
“Nobody is going to kill anyone, right, Gracie?” Iris said. She made an effort to keep her eyes on Andrew as she strained to call her name. Gracie simply shook her head to herself before focusing on her short sword.
Andrew took another look at the boy. He noted how he held his wooden sword. It was a firm grip, but with a loose wrist and a relaxed grip. It pulled back memories of his time learning the blade. The nostalgic thoughts put a smile on his face.
“Looks to me like he’s picking it up quicker than I had,” Andrew said to himself.
“Your welcome,” Gracie said, her eyes still glued to her blade as she tossed and twirled it around. Pushing her comments aside, Andrew kneeled down to be on Chase’s level.
“How long have you been practising?”
“Since last summer,” he said, he seemed to have some trouble looking at him at first, but that faded as he continued talking. “I’ve been training for the awakening. One time, I felt like I was getting close, but when I tried to reach it, the feeling goes away.” he seemed disappointed, perhaps a little frustrated. It only reminded Andrew of his time learning how to awaken to his power.
So desperate to grow up, and not even knowing why he’s so desperate. He’d been so keen on proving his worth that it blinded him to the path that took him. Now, being away from his mother all these years, he wonders if he could have done things differently. Instead of choosing to go with his father, he somehow convinced him to stay at Aqua Falls with mother.
“Most people don’t even realise what they are feeling enough to try to reach for it. I have to say, that’s pretty advanced stuff for someone your age.”
“He had an excellent teacher,” Gracie said off to the side. This time, Andrew did his best to pretend that he did not hear her.
“I’m going to be hanging around for a little while. If you want, I can share with you what I’ve learned.” the boy’s face lit up. The moment was perfect until Gracie interrupted once again.
“Teaching him how to look broody while carrying around an oversized sword doesn’t count as experience,” Gracie said.
“Jealous?” Andrew sniffed as he looked at her short sword. She had it coming.
“What’s there to be jealous of?”
“Chasing two heirs bags you neither. You an archer, and yet still fall back on the old reliable blade. Can’t be doing much good splitting your potential like that, right?.”
“Speak again about potential when I shave your head bald with my bow.”
“That’s enough from the both of you!” Iris cut in. Their argument fell to the wayside at her word. With silence left, she turned to Gracie.
“I understand that you have your reservations, but that doesn’t mean that you snap at our guests,”
“Easy for you to say. You are not the one responsible for keeping you alive.”
“So I’m a poor judge of character, is what you telling me.” Iris said, her arms folded she gazed at Gracie. She did not look pleased. Gracie met her gaze, but deflated under them soon after.
“Your judge of character is not the problem,” Gracie mumbled. “It’s just…” A sense of understanding crossed Irises features then.
”We’ll talk about this later,” Iris mumbled. Gracie responded by simply sheathing her short sword. Feeling the awkward mood set in between them, Andrew wreaked his brain for something else to work out.
“If you want to practise with me, then let me know.” he turned to Chase.
“Really?” Chase’s eyes widened.
“Sure thing,” Andrew smiled. Back in the dojo, Andrew helped his father train the other kids.
“Only if your mother is okay with it.”
Chase looked up at Iris with wide, hopeful eyes. It did not take his mother long to relent.
“Sure sweety, but only if-”
“-Can we have that talk now, please?” Gracie interjected. Iris sighed before nodding for Gracie to follow her back towards the farmhouse. Chase was about to follow suit until his mother told him to stay behind. Gracie looked to be on the brink of objecting until she followed Iris’s gaze. Curious, Andrew also turned around to see what she was looking at, only to see Sophie approaching them. Seeing Gracie’s shoulders relax, Andrew understood her initial reaction.
She trusts Sophie over me. It made a degree of sense. Sophie’s uniform alone informed others of her prestige and respected background. In comparison, Andrew might as well be some vagabond bandit. But even then, her attitude was off. As his mind ran over what transpired, Andrew watched Gracie and Iris walk into the house as Sophie came in line beside him.
“Hey there, little one,” Sophie said to Chase, “What might your name be?”
“My name is Chase,” the boy said. Andrew was so lost in thought that he’d almost forgotten that Chase was even beside him.
“I’d spoken to Natalie. She said that she’ll be up and ready soon.”
“That’s good,” Andrew said, his gaze still transfixed to the house.
”The fact she’s up already so soon doesn’t surprise you tells me a lot,” Sophie said.
Oops… Andrew frowned. He was so distracted by what was being said by Gracie that he neglected to be more tactful with what came out of his mouth. She hardly had much sleep, and yet she was already ready to tackle another day. It would stand out as odd to her.
“Oh! That,” He said, feigning innocence. He knew it failed the moment he opened his mouth, but what was a guy to do? ”She’s a light sleeper,” he said. Sophie just nodded, an amused look on her face. She knew it was fake, and yet she did not push for an answer. Instead, Sophie looked onwards at the farmhouse. Andrew could just about make out Gracie and Iris standing beyond the half-open front door. Although he could not make out what they were saying, it was clear to everyone that it was not a pleasant chat.
“What happened?” Sophie asked.
“I think I’d struck a nerve with the huntress… What’s with that look? I didn’t do anything!” Andrew said. He made an effort not to look at her. Soon Sophie sighed to herself in surrender.
“Mayhap’s you are telling the truth, but know that she’s got a lot on her plate right now,” Sophie said.
“Don’t we all?” Andrew mumbled. Sophie simply looked at him, making Andrew want to grumble.
“I get it already. I’ve not been in the best of moods lately. It’s… ‘possible’ that we brushed off each other in the wrong way. But I was not the one who took their issues out on others,” Andrew said. The continued silence Sophie left open was deafening and soon he felt that he had to retract his statement. “Though I guess I’d also be a bit snappy if someone just showed up out of nowhere at my place of work, but I would not go around looking for trouble.”
Silence… Andrew groaned.
“What do you want me to say? That I should have not reacted to her prods? I mean sure but… damn it, whose side are you on here, anyway?”
“Side?”
“You’ve done nothing but excuse her actions, like I’m the only one who had control of myself during the whole situation.”
“Have I?” she said, her amused smile saying otherwise.
“Maybe not out loud, but this whole silence business you got going on sure as hell screams that.”
“Sounds to me like you have a guilty conscience,” Sophie said.
“So you were not implying anything with your silence just now?”
“I was. I’m just impressed that you picked all of that up. Kids sure are smart these days.” She chuckled to herself. Andrew just glared at her, unamused.
‘Crafty,’ she said. Natalie was right. He wanted to say that out loud but held off from doing so instead, saying: “So long as you ‘tell’ Gracie the same things you told me, then you’re forgiven.”
“I will when I get the chance,” Sophie said. Andrew frowned at that.
“So you haven’t talked yet?” he asked. Sophie frowned.
“Kind of hard to do that when you’re asleep,” Sophie said.
“Really?”
“Besides, last night you’d be the first amongst us with a chance to talk to her directly.” Sophie said, except he was not. Andrew took another look around the grass field. That camp fire was not there before he went under. And then there were the arrows that she’d shot. None of them were anymore. It was possible that Gracie took them some time after Natalie went to sleep, but had she taken them during her watch then...
“Gracie didn’t talk to him first,” Chase said. Andrew and Sophie both look down at Chase, which makes him shrink back a little.
“What do you mean by that little one?” Sophie said as she kneeled down to his level. Her face had a soothing smile.
“Gracie spoke to the lightning lady before him,” he said.
Lightning lady? Andrew blinked. The fact that he made the connection between Natalie and lightning did not bode well for them.
“Did you hear what they said?” Andrew asked. The young boy shook his head.
“Gracie said that it was a secret,”
“A secret, huh?” Andrew said. That just left him with more questions.
Sophie kept Chase occupied as his mother continued to discuss things with Gracie. Chase was a rather chatty boy once he got going. He fancied himself a pretty superb swordsman. Fancied himself a fast runner, too. He spoke about how he once outran something that was chasing him in the wall of wheat fields.
“It was proper after me! But I kept running, and running and before I knew it, I flew back to the house. My cheat was pounding, but I never told Mum.” when Sophie asked what it was that chased him, he could not say. It was something big that brushed through the tall wheat and it wanted him dead was all he let on. Andrew guessed that it was a large rodent of some kind. Just to joke with him, Andrew suggested that it was one of the wolves that chased them to the farm, but the response he got was surprising.
“The guardians love us and would never do that!” Chase’s face had turned red, he looked like he was on the verge of tears, not sure what to make of that Andrew just pretended to be too busy looking at the farmhouse to see it. Sophie (thankfully) diverted Chase off the wolves before sobbing began, but even that failed to distract all of them from the occasional whisper of shouting that was happening at the farmer’s house. Feeling that they would be together for a while, Andrew opted to check up on Natalie before she left for the village with Sophie.
She got up from sleep no sooner had he come ten paces to where she rested. That was hardly a shock to him. When asked if he’d come to check up on her, Andrew pretended to have more interest in how much of the food was left. Picking out one of the remaining lamb’s legs, he inspects it.
“It’s a little cold now but, if you want me to take it then I-” Natalie snatched the meat he held in his hand, and before he could protest, she was already eating. With a sigh and a shake of his head, Andrew got back onto his feet to look out over Sophie and Chase standing before the farmhouse.
“Wolves should not be an issue today,” Andrew began. Natalie, still eating, shrugged.
“So?”
“So, Sophie is going to go visit Progmanfest, see if she can’t get us transport to Aqua Falls,”
“She’d already mentioned that,” Natalie said. “And?” That made Andrew do a double take.
“Just like that?” Natalie looked at him for the first time since waking up before getting back to attacking her food.
“You want to get to Aqua falls as soon as possible, right? This is the quickest way.”
“Fair enough, but that doesn’t explain why you are eating so fast,”
“The sooner I eat, the sooner we go, the sooner we go, the sooner we come back here and reach your mother,”
“It’s not like Sophie is about to leave right now, is she?” Andrew turned to see Sophie still talking with Chase. He seemed to be absorbed in telling another lofty tale.
“I’ll convince her,” he heard Natalie raise up from the sport before he saw it. Baffled by her urgency, Andrew called out to her.
“If we are going to be stuck here, then we might as well do all that we can in the meantime. I fail to see why that’s odd,” Natalie said over her shoulder.
“This has got something to do with Gracie, right?” Andrew asked. Natalie’s sudden break in pace said more than words could have. Now Andrew had to know.
“The two of you spoke about something last night, and now all of a sudden you are in a rush to reach the village, so what was it? Did you say something embarrassing and can’t stand to look her in the eye?” silence filled the space before Natalie’s shoulders slumped.
“Maybe ‘stupid’ is a better word here,” she mumbled.
“What?” Andrew asked. Before he could ask, however, Gracie and Iris walk out from the farmhouse. That only made Natalie increase her pace to reach Sophie and Chase before Gracie could. Before he knew it, Sophie was nodding to something that Natalie said and picking up her staff, began making her way towards the path that led to the village. Natalie was beginning to walk towards the wheat field until she noticed Sophie going the other way. As Gracie and Iris approached, Andrew saw the hesitation in Natalie’s posture as she turned to catch up with Sophie.
“Natalie?” Andrew called. She was doing all that she could to keep from looking directly at him. Gracie, meanwhile, looked at Natalie with open disbelief.
“Natalie and I will be heading to the village now,” Sophie said.
“I see. Safe travels then. Don’t forget what to tell Colt if you run into him!” Chase walked over to hug his mother’s side as Sophie simply nodded to herself.
“So you’re going too?” Graice said to Natalie. Natalie looked standoffish as she stared at something far in the distance. With her arms folded, she talked off in a direction that nobody occupied.
“It’s not because of what you asked,”
“I understand, but even so… thank you for listening,” Gracie said. That seemed to grate on Natalie. Saying nothing, she simply began to walk in the direction of the path that leads to the village. Not satisfied with how she was about to leave things, Andrew followed her up the path. He stopped as Natalie suddenly turned on him. Seeing this, Sophie gave them an understanding smile before walking a little way beyond them. Natalie watched her go with a look of longing in her eyes. Andrew sighed.
“I get it. The sooner you go, the sooner you get back, right?” he said.
“So what’s the holdup?” she asked. Her eyes failed to meet his.
“You were really just going to leave me with no goodbye?” her eyes widened when she realised what she had done. There was an honest apology within them. That relieved Andrew. And as much as he’d loved to see her all flustered and stammering to explain herself, Andrew put a hand up, making her stop.
“I think I got the picture. Just tell me: She did not trick you into doing what she asked, did she?” Andrew jabbed a thumb behind him, although he knew that both Iris and Gracie were there he did not need to explain who it was that he was talking about. Looking over her shoulder, Natalie took a tighter hold of her arm and bowed her head.
“No,” she sighed. “In fact, it’s the opposite. She’s been very kind. I’m the one being the ass.”
Andrew furrowed his brow. Maybe he did have to clarify who he was pointing to. Natalie must have seen the confusion on his face because he sighed to herself.
“If not that then…”
“I can’t explain right now, but just go easy on her, and don’t get attached. Goodbye.” Before Andrew could question what she meant, Natalie had already turned and was walking up the path leading towards the village.
~#~
That afternoon, Flynn showed up from the location he’d been patrolling to come and eat his shear of the food that was left for them. He explained that he’d seen the odd track of wolves on the outskirts of the farm but given no sign of livestock being taken he gathered that they were not an immediate cause for concern, Andrew would have objected had he not seen how the people here revere the wolves. He claimed to have discovered a lake to wash and drink from nearby.
It would have all sounded like very constructive survival information had it not been said within the confounds of a farm. It also did not help that Flynn dished this information like it was en epic discovery. When Andrew made this fact apparent to Flynn, he simply nodded and continued to talk about his patrol around the farm like the daredevil exploit it apparently was. Personally, Andrew was just annoyed that it took him a moment too long to realise that Flynn was indeed clowning with him this whole time. He wanted to call it out, tell him that now was a bad time. How can he be so nonchalant when his partner is out there tracking who knows what? Having enough, Andrew told Flynn that he would go exploring, too. It was something to do to keep his mind off other things.
“How long will you be gone for?” Flynn asked.
“I’ll be back as soon as you forget what else it is that you wanted to tell me,” Andrew said as he got up and wiped himself down.
“Damn, then I better get this out of the way now,”
“Flynn look; I appreciate you distracting me from worrying about Natalie and all but-”
“-You’re going to want to hear me out on this one, trust me.” his tone sounded serious. Andrew looked up at him. As he leaned up from his nonchalant pose under the tree to get close to him, Andrew noticed the mirth that was in his eyes was gone. For a long moment, he said nothing, just stood there, eyes lost in thought.
“Well… what is it?” Andrew asked carefully. Flynn blinked, his eyes not looking directly at him.
“We’ve been meaning to tell you since joining up, but didn’t have the time,” Flynn said. He looked like he was about to say more until a thought hit him. “She’s right, better that they all know about this, saves me repeating it.” Nodding to himself, he walked past Andrew, baffled. Andrew followed him as he made his way towards the farmhouse. It was as if something possessed him. Gracie watched them intently as they approached, giving him questioning looks, but as they got closer and Andrew shrugged his shoulder at her, she frowned. Knocking on the door, Iris greeted them. Flynn explained that he needed to tell them all something very important.
“I got news from the village,” he said matter-of-factly. Andrew looked at the man, puzzled, along with Iris, who then looked around him at the field outside.
“Is Sophie back already?” she asked.
“No, but she was able to send me a message,” Flynn said.
“I didn’t see you receive any missive, no hawk, or carry pigeons, nothing…” Gracie looked directly down at them now from atop the roof. She held the bow at ease, but it was still locked and loaded. Firing them from that position would be like shooting fish from a barrel. “What are you playing at?” nine out of ten beats Andrew knew that if she got trigger-happy he would be the first one she’d shot at. For a second, Andrew almost put his hands up in surrender and felt all the more stupid for it.
“You know, for once, Gracie, I’m with you. I wish I knew what he was playing at too!” he gleaned accusingly at Flynn. Why did he follow him here? Flynn, however, did not look back at him or Gracie up on the roof. His serious face held as he met Iris’s eyes.
“I don’t expect you to believe me right away. But perhaps some of what I’ve been told by Sophie could help prove to you my honesty.”
“Why would that change later on?” Gracie asked.
“All I ask is a moment to hear me out. Despite the risk we are taking speaking about this, we feel it’s important that you hear about this directly.”
We, as in me and him, or him and Sophie? Andrew just looked at him incredulously. A silent, intense moment dragged on. As the rumble of thunder echoed overhead, Iris sighed to herself.
“Guess it would have been here or the barn anyway,” she mumbled to herself. “Hurry on you two, I’ll fix us some tea. Any objections, Gracie?” Gracie blinked. She had put the arrow away, Eyes transfixed on the fast-approaching storm. When she looked back down at them, her features were more curious than suspicious.
“Guess I can do with something warm to drink,” she said mumbled to herself. She put her bow away, dropped off the roof beside them, and walked through the front door before glaring back at them. “You have until the storm passes over to drink yours,”
Andrew
He woke from a dream of his mother again. Sunlight had barely bled through his closed eyes as it rose from over the horizon, but that was not what drew Andrew’s attention right now. In his dream, her mother had been talking about random things she’d been up to for as long as he could remember, food shopping, the best time to pluck potatoes from the earth, how to keep watch over a large farmhouse with only six people.
Potatoes? Farmhouse? Six people? His dream collapsed as his better senses caught up to him. The strange talk her mother was having about a farm blended into an ongoing conversation a woman was having.
Not my mother’s then… it did not sound like hers or even Natalie’s. Sophie did not fit the cadence either.
“-We’d often start around this time of year, though it’s been slow going,” she continued. Andrew recognised the voice now. It came from the woman who spoke behind the door last night. She was in the middle of having a pleasant chat with Sophie. But…
But what was she doing out here? He’d thought that if the girl on the roof did not shoot them dead in their sleep, then she’d at least keep everyone in the house as far away from them as possible. It was then that Andrew caught the whiff of something that turned his empty stomach into growling knots. Andrew's stomach growled so loudly, he was surprised the woman didn't stop talking to look at him and-
“-is… something the matter?” the woman asked. Sophie must have heard him. Andrew dared not move a muscle.
“You’ve not had it easy,” Sophie said. She continued the conversation as if she had never dropped it.
“It’s been tough,” the woman sighed. “I’m just glad that Gracie is watching over us.”
“You mean the archer? “ Sophie asked. The woman must have nodded since she continued onwards without confirmation.
“He promised to be back the same day. It’s been three days since then. If she’d left with my husband along with the others…” He could imagine the woman looking off into the distance, eyes heavy with worries. “She doesn’t say it, but she’s also worried about her folks, too.”
“It’s unfortunate,” Sophie said.
“She has every reason to leave here and fight alongside them,” the woman said.
“And yet she remains here,” Sophie said to herself. “No wonder why she seems so… prickly.”
“She’s a sweet girl. She’s just got a lot on her plate at the moment. Don’t take her approach to how she handled your guys too personally. If we’d known that you are a Rune Smith sooner than-”
“-Like I said, it’s ok. She did the right thing.” those words seemed to have removed some tension in the air Andrew was unaware existed until then.
“I just thought I’d best mention it before your long stares from across the field cause a full-on storm.” She laughed nervously.
“If you’re still uncomfortable, then we can leave,” Sophie said.
“Nonsense! This has got nothing to do with trust-not anymore! It’s just…” she took a deep breath. “Even knowing that you are not a threat does not lessen the burden of our current situation.”
“You said that your husband had to rush to the village. What happened?” Sophie asked. Andrew could feel the empathy in her voice. As if she took those words more to heart than even the mother herself.
“Beyond going to the village about the wolves’ odd behaviour, I’m not sure. No news had reached us since he left.”
“So this change just sprung out of nowhere?” Sophie asked. The farm woman sighed soon after.
“It’s been like this for months now.” She said. “First the traders outside our village stopped taking the main road, then reports of wolves coming down Mt.Karaki spread. I dismissed them as an odd seasonal phase until we consistently heard wolves howling near our land. Ever since then, things have just got worse.”
“And nobody’s done anything about it?” Sophie said. That may have been the most surprising sound he’d ever heard Sophie sound.
“We told them what was going on. We’d asked them for a little more security on the farm, just in case. Instead, they issued an order to bring back all active hunters. My husband went there to argue our point. Had Gracie listened also, it would just be me here with my son.”
“What could have changed so much that they’d abandon you like this?”
“It might have something to do with that fancy new machine that the dragons issued to watch over us… I forgot its name,”
“Sentinel,”
“That’s the one! The village made a deal with the empire for its protection. I’d often seen it pro-trolling on up high. Scary how fast it can move through the sky. Like some soulless giant eagle. I told Colt that we cannot trust them.”
“Did it cause any trouble?” Sophie asked.
“It did worse than that! Right when it could have been good for something, it just wandered off! The council spoke high about the wisdom incorporating the Dragon’s technology into our daily lives would be. But I say bargained the fool’s choice with this one.”
“Do you have any idea which way it went?” Sophie asked.
“It apparently flew northward,”
“I see,” Sophie said, again she sounded troubled. Andrew’s blood froze.
”Colt promised that he’d be back once he’d understood the situation,” Andrew heard her voice crack just at the end. A pang of pain hit him suddenly as he imagined his own mother crying, standing there in wait for him and father to come home. Ten years, and what has he got to show for it? The sound of the farm lady sniffing back tears pulled him back to the now.
“Sorry. it’s just, I have this bad feeling,” she said.
“I’ll head over to the village soon, see for myself what’s happening. Maybe find your husband in the meantime.” Sophie said.
“Will all of you be going?”
“I’m not yet sure,” Sophie said. “But if you feel it’s safer with some of us here, then we will work something out. ”
“Thank you.” a sigh of relief and silence followed as Andrew heard footfalls coming towards him.
“I’ll tell Gracie the good news,” the farm lady said, her voice more distant.
“If I run into Colt, is there anything you want me to relay to him?” Sophie asked.
“Ask him what’s the holdup,” she huffed. “And Chase misses him.” mumbled soon after. Andrew heard her footfalls fade off into the distance. Hearing her leave, Andrew could finally-
“-I know you’re awake,” Sophie said. Andrew sighed a moment before shrugging to himself. He opened his eyes to see Sophie gazing down at him. With the wisp of an amused smile on her lips, she nodded her chin to something behind him. Turning over, he sees a small assortment of food and fruits all just within arm’s range.
Grabbing an apple, Andrew rubbed it on his vest. Before he could bite into it, he noticed the ashen remains of a previously burning campfire. He recalled trying to gather sticks to make one. A warning shot from the huntress atop the roof stopped him… didn’t it? Uncertain, and eyes unmoving from the burned-out campfire, Andrew took a careful bite of the apple. The sweet twang of the fruit kicked his senses into order.
“No ‘good morning?“ Sophie said, distracting him from his running thoughts.
“I figured you knew,” Andrew said between munching. “Not like I was trying to hide it from you,” Sophie simply replied with a chipper ‘mhhmm’.
“How long did you know?” Andrew asked. Sophie simply smiled as he took another bite from his apple.
“I know I won’t need to repeat the important parts again,” she said.
“This part was not important?” The spread of food the lady gave them was generous indeed. A piece of roasted lamb sat on a large plate surrounded by onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and roast potatoes. And although it was on one tray, there was enough on there for all of them.
“This was Iris’s way of saying sorry for last night, as well as thanking us,” Sophie said. Slowly eating his apple, Andrew nodded to himself.
“Can’t say we did anything worth thanking,” Andrew said. His stomach, however, rumbled in rebellion. Sophie raised an eyebrow as Andrew frowned his lips before nodding to himself. “But… I’m not above a tasty gift every once in a while, “As Sophie chuckled, Andrew tore a small piece of lamb and ate.
“Where are the others?” He chewed.
“Natalie went to sleep an hour ago. Flynn’s over there. He’s taken over Natalie’s watch. I came to relieve you of your duties, but it seems like you relived yourselves of them for some time now.” Andrew grunted. Even if Natalie had said that it was okay for him to rest, that did not wash away the shame he felt at being caught slacking. Between his rumbling gut and being caught sleeping, they’d think that he lacked the discipline to do anything. Feeling shame reach his face, Andrew scratched the back of his dreadlocked hair in slight frustration.
“It had been a long day, “ he said.
“Indeed, it had been an arduous day for all of us.” Sophie nodded reassuringly. “But to fall asleep whilst on guard duty is-”
“-Natalie and me, we have this system and…“ stropping his shoulders, he sighed. No excuses. “I’m sorry,“
“So long as it works then I don’t care how you go about things, just… let me know in advance next time, ok?” Andrew nodded, it was fair. They were travelling with them now, after all. Finishing his apple, Andrew looked longingly at the meat and potatoes on the plate. He thought that he would be ok for now, but eating the apple somehow made that smell more enticing. Just as he was about to reach for it, however, Andrew stopped himself.
“Me and Natalie sometimes eat at different times because of one reason or another.” it was mostly true. He was not sure how to explain Natalie’s lack of hunger to Sophie right now. Sophie looked at Andrew silently, an unreadable expression etched on her face. For a second, Andrew thought he was the one on the plate being diced and quartered. Like she’d cut him open and was dissecting what he was. Right then, he could not help but recall again what Natalie had said about Sophie.
“Sophie is kind of crafty,”
Gritting his teeth, Andrew continued. “I don’t mind it honestly, just thought I’d let you know.”
“Intriguing,” Sophie said, which drew Andrew’s eyes into a frown.
“What’s intriguing?”
“Oh! Nothing, I won’t pray.” That cheeky grin was back on her face now. It was the kind that made you stop what you were doing to check if there was something funny stuck to your face.
“More pressing than that is who’ll come to the village with me. Although they have Gracie, I’m sure you’ll agree we cannot leave them alone like this,” Sophie said. Carefully taking a piece of meat from the tray, Andrew nods. Maybe he could trust Sophie like Natalie clearly had, but that would not make him any less suspect of her every word she uttered.
“So you’ve already nominated yourself?” he asked. She nodded.
“There are a number of things I hope to arrange when I get there, gather news on Aqua Falls, as well as hiring a boat to reach there.”
“Then why not go with Flynn?”
“It would make the most sense on a normal day. But this way will benefit all of us a lot more.”
“How so?“
“You’ll just have to trust me on this one, Andrew,“ Sophie smiled. Again, Andrew fought the urge to touch his face.
“Cool, then I’ll stay here and keep watch with Flynn,” he said.
“Oh come now, you cannot pretend that you are not a little curious,” Sophie said.
I am very curious!
“Not really,” Andrew said, “As long as it helps me keep my word and get to Aqua Falls soon, then I’m fine missing a few details.” Sophie pouted.
“You are no fun,” she said. Andrew simply turned the piece of lamb around in his hand. His mind awash with thoughts.
“Their father is not here to watch over them.” Andrew began. “Can’t imagine their ‘trust’ in us came out from complete freedom of choice.“ Faced with being out here with little protection or the risk of accepting help from strangers was almost no choice at all. The meat in his mouth suddenly tasted bitter.
I left mum alone for ten years…
“Least I can do is hang around until either this blows over,” Andrew said.
“I understand,” Sophie sighed. Although Andrew kept most of his thoughts to himself, he still got the feeling that Sophie truly understood what he was saying.
“Besides, maybe this way you can talk to Natalie about what you saw…” Andrew made an effort to continue eating as he said it. He did not want to make this out to be that big of a deal or anything. It shouldn’t be in all honesty. Natalie herself made a small remark on it last night. But being with Natalie for as long as he has Andrew really wasn’t sure.
“Ok. Then I’ll ask her to come with me,” Sophie said. Andrew nodded, his eyes frowned soon after.
“You mentioned something about a ‘Sentinel’?” Andrew asked.
“You know of them?
“A little, never seen one though,” Andrew said. “It’s some new dragon tech, right? A machine that can apparently surpass even the most powerful pentagon knights’ put on record,” Andrew almost chuckled as he tore a chunk of meat in slight frustration.
“You think the rumours are overblown?” Andrew took a moment to chew on that thought. His recollection of facing the Nova alters some preconceived notion. Yes, man-made machines indeed had strength, but…
“I’ll give them a point on raw strength.” He sighed before shaking his head. “But I highly doubt that some bucket of bolts could completely outmatch us in skill and instincts,” the Nova he fought, no matter how strong it was. The Nova owed all its skill to the man controlling it.
“All sentinels’ fighting experience comes from years of battle data collected by the D.D.W deep within the empire’s home base,” Sophie said. Andrew paused.
“‘D.D.W’?”
“‘Dragon’s Den of Wisdom’ think of it as one giant brain that stores all ‘pentagon knights records’ as you say, with it gaining endless amounts of experience from many sentinels observing combat around the world in an instant it can process all the data it has collected and use the most optimal means to win.” Andrew tried to imagine looking thought countless lived experiences of battle only to feel his eyes lids drop over from sudden fatigue. Pushing the thought aside, he sniffed indifferently.
“I guess that’s kind of impressive,” he said. It came out more dismissive than he’d hoped.
“Oh good, denial is the neighbour to anger,” she smiled.
“I’m not angry!“ Andrew said calmly. “I’m just a little annoyed…“ As the silence stretched on with Sophie simply watching him from the corner of his eye, he rolled his eyes and shrugged. He was not angry, but even so…
“It just stupid. Some bot waking up being able to do what it took years of training for us to do. I mean, I’d understand if this was some type of accent high demon that could do it, but how does that make sense?“ he said. Sophie nodded in understanding. Her smile, however, faced as she looked off towards the mountain.
“Between that and the Dragons getting a hold of two of the demon king, which one would you rather be true?“
“I’d rather pick something else I’d have a shadow of a chance of standing up to,“ Andrew gave a side glare at Sophie. She, however, simply stropped her head in agreement.
“It is a scary thought,“ Sophie said. “They already use the demons’ king’s energy to power their city and recreate forgotten tech. They parade their new toy like it’s some overpowered toy. Who’s to say how much they achieve they keep hidden?“ Andrew pinched his nose. No, he’d rather not think about it. He was barely coming to terms with losing to Nova the other day. And the only way he could accept it was due to the fact that the Nova was ultimately controlled by a man. Hearing that a fully automated sentinel had the potential to stop him was the last thing he needed to hear right now. Sophie must have seen something about the look on his face because she gave a recent surge.
“Maybe what I said was an overblown calculation,” Sophie said. “But they do learn fast and they don’t need rest. Several iterations have come out in these last few months alone. What may have been impossible for them one day might just be improbable the next.” Sophie said Andrew had nothing to say, to which she nodded to herself.
“It’s not sweet news, but at least now you know,” she said.
“It’s going in the same direction as us,” Andrew pushed out. Recalling Sophie’s worried voice when he heard this almost made him too scared to even bring it up. The reluctant silence that came soon after did not help.
“It’s probably unrelated,” Sophie said.
“Probably…” Andrew agreed, he continued eating. Suddenly, Sophie rose and dusted herself.
“I’ll wake Natale up in the evening,” Sophie said. Andrew nodded, knowing Natalie she’d likely be up and about some time before that.
“They say that there is no better protection than the Sentinels. If its goal now is to protect your home, then you better believe that the place has likely got no better defence against trouble.”
“Thanks, Sophie,” Andrew said, although he grinned as she parted. Something about how she left made Andrew wonder. There was a guarded feeling about her. As if unsure of something. Although he did not know Sophie for too long, Andrew was sure that she was holding on to something. Was it about the Sentinel going east? The more he thought about their conversation, however, the less that made sense.
~#~
The sun had emerged from below the horizon by the time Iris and the boy returned to talk to them, Iris apologised for how things turned out last night. Although Andrew told her that it was no big deal, the woman insisted. Her son, meanwhile, hid behind her. He was a small kid, perhaps four or five. His eyes watched Andrew with careful curiosity as he held his wooden sword tightly in one hand. It was a battered old thing, its size and length a perfect fit for him.
It got a lot of use in a short amount of time…
Andrew would have dismissed it as a simple branch carved out in the fashion of a sword had he not noticed the pattered detail on the hilt. For the past half hour, Andrew watched the boy swing it around right by the front door of the farmhouse before Iris came out and approached them.
“Go on Chase, say hello,” Iris said. The boy simply nodded at him as he edged himself away from his mother’s skirt.
“Are you a knight?” He’d asked.
“I should hope so,” Andrew chuckled to himself. “Who made that for you?”
“My Da, it’s for practice,” he said.
“Practice this and practice that. It’s all he prattles on about,” Iris said.
“I blame the kid,” Andrew said. “Can’t think of much else worth talking about,” Andrew said.
“I certainly can,” Iris huffed before smoothing her son’s hair. “If you want to get him started, then be my guest, but don’t say that I did not warn you.”
“I don’t know, I’m sure that I can humour him a while, “Andrew said as he gave the boy a knowing wink.
“I humoured his sword talk at first, and now I wished to be cushioned with arrows,” Andrew had to do a double take at the mother. He was all for humour. He just did not expect her to say something like that.
“Well…I’m sure stories about me being a knight will help kill his boredom,” Andrew said as he slowly recovered.
“So long that’s the only thing you’re killing,” the voice came from Andrew’s side. Groaning to himself, he reluctantly glanced towards them with a plastered on smile. Gracie sat off to one side between them, her long ruby hair displacing some of the guarded stares. The death gleam faded like smoke the moment her brown eyes looked back at Chase, her unspoken warning replaced with a warm smile. With her bow resting across her lap, and her hands playing around with the tip of her short sword, Gracie gave the appearance of being strung at the ready, her posture looking threatening even when sitting.
“Nobody is going to kill anyone, right, Gracie?” Iris said. She made an effort to keep her eyes on Andrew as she strained to call her name. Gracie simply shook her head to herself before focusing on her short sword.
Andrew took another look at the boy. He noted how he held his wooden sword. It was a firm grip, but with a loose wrist and a relaxed grip. It pulled back memories of his time learning the blade. The nostalgic thoughts put a smile on his face.
“Looks to me like he’s picking it up quicker than I had,” Andrew said to himself.
“Your welcome,” Gracie said, her eyes still glued to her blade as she tossed and twirled it around. Pushing her comments aside, Andrew kneeled down to be on Chase’s level.
“How long have you been practising?”
“Since last summer,” he said, he seemed to have some trouble looking at him at first, but that faded as he continued talking. “I’ve been training for the awakening. One time, I felt like I was getting close, but when I tried to reach it, the feeling goes away.” he seemed disappointed, perhaps a little frustrated. It only reminded Andrew of his time learning how to awaken to his power.
So desperate to grow up, and not even knowing why he’s so desperate. He’d been so keen on proving his worth that it blinded him to the path that took him. Now, being away from his mother all these years, he wonders if he could have done things differently. Instead of choosing to go with his father, he somehow convinced him to stay at Aqua Falls with mother.
“Most people don’t even realise what they are feeling enough to try to reach for it. I have to say, that’s pretty advanced stuff for someone your age.”
“He had an excellent teacher,” Gracie said off to the side. This time, Andrew did his best to pretend that he did not hear her.
“I’m going to be hanging around for a little while. If you want, I can share with you what I’ve learned.” the boy’s face lit up. The moment was perfect until Gracie interrupted once again.
“Teaching him how to look broody while carrying around an oversized sword doesn’t count as experience,” Gracie said.
“Jealous?” Andrew sniffed as he looked at her short sword. She had it coming.
“What’s there to be jealous of?”
“Chasing two heirs bags you neither. You an archer, and yet still fall back on the old reliable blade. Can’t be doing much good splitting your potential like that, right?.”
“Speak again about potential when I shave your head bald with my bow.”
“That’s enough from the both of you!” Iris cut in. Their argument fell to the wayside at her word. With silence left, she turned to Gracie.
“I understand that you have your reservations, but that doesn’t mean that you snap at our guests,”
“Easy for you to say. You are not the one responsible for keeping you alive.”
“So I’m a poor judge of character, is what you telling me.” Iris said, her arms folded she gazed at Gracie. She did not look pleased. Gracie met her gaze, but deflated under them soon after.
“Your judge of character is not the problem,” Gracie mumbled. “It’s just…” A sense of understanding crossed Irises features then.
”We’ll talk about this later,” Iris mumbled. Gracie responded by simply sheathing her short sword. Feeling the awkward mood set in between them, Andrew wreaked his brain for something else to work out.
“If you want to practise with me, then let me know.” he turned to Chase.
“Really?” Chase’s eyes widened.
“Sure thing,” Andrew smiled. Back in the dojo, Andrew helped his father train the other kids.
“Only if your mother is okay with it.”
Chase looked up at Iris with wide, hopeful eyes. It did not take his mother long to relent.
“Sure sweety, but only if-”
“-Can we have that talk now, please?” Gracie interjected. Iris sighed before nodding for Gracie to follow her back towards the farmhouse. Chase was about to follow suit until his mother told him to stay behind. Gracie looked to be on the brink of objecting until she followed Iris’s gaze. Curious, Andrew also turned around to see what she was looking at, only to see Sophie approaching them. Seeing Gracie’s shoulders relax, Andrew understood her initial reaction.
She trusts Sophie over me. It made a degree of sense. Sophie’s uniform alone informed others of her prestige and respected background. In comparison, Andrew might as well be some vagabond bandit. But even then, her attitude was off. As his mind ran over what transpired, Andrew watched Gracie and Iris walk into the house as Sophie came in line beside him.
“Hey there, little one,” Sophie said to Chase, “What might your name be?”
“My name is Chase,” the boy said. Andrew was so lost in thought that he’d almost forgotten that Chase was even beside him.
“I’d spoken to Natalie. She said that she’ll be up and ready soon.”
“That’s good,” Andrew said, his gaze still transfixed to the house.
”The fact she’s up already so soon doesn’t surprise you tells me a lot,” Sophie said.
Oops… Andrew frowned. He was so distracted by what was being said by Gracie that he neglected to be more tactful with what came out of his mouth. She hardly had much sleep, and yet she was already ready to tackle another day. It would stand out as odd to her.
“Oh! That,” He said, feigning innocence. He knew it failed the moment he opened his mouth, but what was a guy to do? ”She’s a light sleeper,” he said. Sophie just nodded, an amused look on her face. She knew it was fake, and yet she did not push for an answer. Instead, Sophie looked onwards at the farmhouse. Andrew could just about make out Gracie and Iris standing beyond the half-open front door. Although he could not make out what they were saying, it was clear to everyone that it was not a pleasant chat.
“What happened?” Sophie asked.
“I think I’d struck a nerve with the huntress… What’s with that look? I didn’t do anything!” Andrew said. He made an effort not to look at her. Soon Sophie sighed to herself in surrender.
“Mayhap’s you are telling the truth, but know that she’s got a lot on her plate right now,” Sophie said.
“Don’t we all?” Andrew mumbled. Sophie simply looked at him, making Andrew want to grumble.
“I get it already. I’ve not been in the best of moods lately. It’s… ‘possible’ that we brushed off each other in the wrong way. But I was not the one who took their issues out on others,” Andrew said. The continued silence Sophie left open was deafening and soon he felt that he had to retract his statement. “Though I guess I’d also be a bit snappy if someone just showed up out of nowhere at my place of work, but I would not go around looking for trouble.”
Silence… Andrew groaned.
“What do you want me to say? That I should have not reacted to her prods? I mean sure but… damn it, whose side are you on here, anyway?”
“Side?”
“You’ve done nothing but excuse her actions, like I’m the only one who had control of myself during the whole situation.”
“Have I?” she said, her amused smile saying otherwise.
“Maybe not out loud, but this whole silence business you got going on sure as hell screams that.”
“Sounds to me like you have a guilty conscience,” Sophie said.
“So you were not implying anything with your silence just now?”
“I was. I’m just impressed that you picked all of that up. Kids sure are smart these days.” She chuckled to herself. Andrew just glared at her, unamused.
‘Crafty,’ she said. Natalie was right. He wanted to say that out loud but held off from doing so instead, saying: “So long as you ‘tell’ Gracie the same things you told me, then you’re forgiven.”
“I will when I get the chance,” Sophie said. Andrew frowned at that.
“So you haven’t talked yet?” he asked. Sophie frowned.
“Kind of hard to do that when you’re asleep,” Sophie said.
“Really?”
“Besides, last night you’d be the first amongst us with a chance to talk to her directly.” Sophie said, except he was not. Andrew took another look around the grass field. That camp fire was not there before he went under. And then there were the arrows that she’d shot. None of them were anymore. It was possible that Gracie took them some time after Natalie went to sleep, but had she taken them during her watch then...
“Gracie didn’t talk to him first,” Chase said. Andrew and Sophie both look down at Chase, which makes him shrink back a little.
“What do you mean by that little one?” Sophie said as she kneeled down to his level. Her face had a soothing smile.
“Gracie spoke to the lightning lady before him,” he said.
Lightning lady? Andrew blinked. The fact that he made the connection between Natalie and lightning did not bode well for them.
“Did you hear what they said?” Andrew asked. The young boy shook his head.
“Gracie said that it was a secret,”
“A secret, huh?” Andrew said. That just left him with more questions.
Sophie kept Chase occupied as his mother continued to discuss things with Gracie. Chase was a rather chatty boy once he got going. He fancied himself a pretty superb swordsman. Fancied himself a fast runner, too. He spoke about how he once outran something that was chasing him in the wall of wheat fields.
“It was proper after me! But I kept running, and running and before I knew it, I flew back to the house. My cheat was pounding, but I never told Mum.” when Sophie asked what it was that chased him, he could not say. It was something big that brushed through the tall wheat and it wanted him dead was all he let on. Andrew guessed that it was a large rodent of some kind. Just to joke with him, Andrew suggested that it was one of the wolves that chased them to the farm, but the response he got was surprising.
“The guardians love us and would never do that!” Chase’s face had turned red, he looked like he was on the verge of tears, not sure what to make of that Andrew just pretended to be too busy looking at the farmhouse to see it. Sophie (thankfully) diverted Chase off the wolves before sobbing began, but even that failed to distract all of them from the occasional whisper of shouting that was happening at the farmer’s house. Feeling that they would be together for a while, Andrew opted to check up on Natalie before she left for the village with Sophie.
She got up from sleep no sooner had he come ten paces to where she rested. That was hardly a shock to him. When asked if he’d come to check up on her, Andrew pretended to have more interest in how much of the food was left. Picking out one of the remaining lamb’s legs, he inspects it.
“It’s a little cold now but, if you want me to take it then I-” Natalie snatched the meat he held in his hand, and before he could protest, she was already eating. With a sigh and a shake of his head, Andrew got back onto his feet to look out over Sophie and Chase standing before the farmhouse.
“Wolves should not be an issue today,” Andrew began. Natalie, still eating, shrugged.
“So?”
“So, Sophie is going to go visit Progmanfest, see if she can’t get us transport to Aqua Falls,”
“She’d already mentioned that,” Natalie said. “And?” That made Andrew do a double take.
“Just like that?” Natalie looked at him for the first time since waking up before getting back to attacking her food.
“You want to get to Aqua falls as soon as possible, right? This is the quickest way.”
“Fair enough, but that doesn’t explain why you are eating so fast,”
“The sooner I eat, the sooner we go, the sooner we go, the sooner we come back here and reach your mother,”
“It’s not like Sophie is about to leave right now, is she?” Andrew turned to see Sophie still talking with Chase. He seemed to be absorbed in telling another lofty tale.
“I’ll convince her,” he heard Natalie raise up from the sport before he saw it. Baffled by her urgency, Andrew called out to her.
“If we are going to be stuck here, then we might as well do all that we can in the meantime. I fail to see why that’s odd,” Natalie said over her shoulder.
“This has got something to do with Gracie, right?” Andrew asked. Natalie’s sudden break in pace said more than words could have. Now Andrew had to know.
“The two of you spoke about something last night, and now all of a sudden you are in a rush to reach the village, so what was it? Did you say something embarrassing and can’t stand to look her in the eye?” silence filled the space before Natalie’s shoulders slumped.
“Maybe ‘stupid’ is a better word here,” she mumbled.
“What?” Andrew asked. Before he could ask, however, Gracie and Iris walk out from the farmhouse. That only made Natalie increase her pace to reach Sophie and Chase before Gracie could. Before he knew it, Sophie was nodding to something that Natalie said and picking up her staff, began making her way towards the path that led to the village. Natalie was beginning to walk towards the wheat field until she noticed Sophie going the other way. As Gracie and Iris approached, Andrew saw the hesitation in Natalie’s posture as she turned to catch up with Sophie.
“Natalie?” Andrew called. She was doing all that she could to keep from looking directly at him. Gracie, meanwhile, looked at Natalie with open disbelief.
“Natalie and I will be heading to the village now,” Sophie said.
“I see. Safe travels then. Don’t forget what to tell Colt if you run into him!” Chase walked over to hug his mother’s side as Sophie simply nodded to herself.
“So you’re going too?” Graice said to Natalie. Natalie looked standoffish as she stared at something far in the distance. With her arms folded, she talked off in a direction that nobody occupied.
“It’s not because of what you asked,”
“I understand, but even so… thank you for listening,” Gracie said. That seemed to grate on Natalie. Saying nothing, she simply began to walk in the direction of the path that leads to the village. Not satisfied with how she was about to leave things, Andrew followed her up the path. He stopped as Natalie suddenly turned on him. Seeing this, Sophie gave them an understanding smile before walking a little way beyond them. Natalie watched her go with a look of longing in her eyes. Andrew sighed.
“I get it. The sooner you go, the sooner you get back, right?” he said.
“So what’s the holdup?” she asked. Her eyes failed to meet his.
“You were really just going to leave me with no goodbye?” her eyes widened when she realised what she had done. There was an honest apology within them. That relieved Andrew. And as much as he’d loved to see her all flustered and stammering to explain herself, Andrew put a hand up, making her stop.
“I think I got the picture. Just tell me: She did not trick you into doing what she asked, did she?” Andrew jabbed a thumb behind him, although he knew that both Iris and Gracie were there he did not need to explain who it was that he was talking about. Looking over her shoulder, Natalie took a tighter hold of her arm and bowed her head.
“No,” she sighed. “In fact, it’s the opposite. She’s been very kind. I’m the one being the ass.”
Andrew furrowed his brow. Maybe he did have to clarify who he was pointing to. Natalie must have seen the confusion on his face because he sighed to herself.
“If not that then…”
“I can’t explain right now, but just go easy on her, and don’t get attached. Goodbye.” Before Andrew could question what she meant, Natalie had already turned and was walking up the path leading towards the village.
~#~
That afternoon, Flynn showed up from the location he’d been patrolling to come and eat his shear of the food that was left for them. He explained that he’d seen the odd track of wolves on the outskirts of the farm but given no sign of livestock being taken he gathered that they were not an immediate cause for concern, Andrew would have objected had he not seen how the people here revere the wolves. He claimed to have discovered a lake to wash and drink from nearby.
It would have all sounded like very constructive survival information had it not been said within the confounds of a farm. It also did not help that Flynn dished this information like it was en epic discovery. When Andrew made this fact apparent to Flynn, he simply nodded and continued to talk about his patrol around the farm like the daredevil exploit it apparently was. Personally, Andrew was just annoyed that it took him a moment too long to realise that Flynn was indeed clowning with him this whole time. He wanted to call it out, tell him that now was a bad time. How can he be so nonchalant when his partner is out there tracking who knows what? Having enough, Andrew told Flynn that he would go exploring, too. It was something to do to keep his mind off other things.
“How long will you be gone for?” Flynn asked.
“I’ll be back as soon as you forget what else it is that you wanted to tell me,” Andrew said as he got up and wiped himself down.
“Damn, then I better get this out of the way now,”
“Flynn look; I appreciate you distracting me from worrying about Natalie and all but-”
“-You’re going to want to hear me out on this one, trust me.” his tone sounded serious. Andrew looked up at him. As he leaned up from his nonchalant pose under the tree to get close to him, Andrew noticed the mirth that was in his eyes was gone. For a long moment, he said nothing, just stood there, eyes lost in thought.
“Well… what is it?” Andrew asked carefully. Flynn blinked, his eyes not looking directly at him.
“We’ve been meaning to tell you since joining up, but didn’t have the time,” Flynn said. He looked like he was about to say more until a thought hit him. “She’s right, better that they all know about this, saves me repeating it.” Nodding to himself, he walked past Andrew, baffled. Andrew followed him as he made his way towards the farmhouse. It was as if something possessed him. Gracie watched them intently as they approached, giving him questioning looks, but as they got closer and Andrew shrugged his shoulder at her, she frowned. Knocking on the door, Iris greeted them. Flynn explained that he needed to tell them all something very important.
“I got news from the village,” he said matter-of-factly. Andrew looked at the man, puzzled, along with Iris, who then looked around him at the field outside.
“Is Sophie back already?” she asked.
“No, but she was able to send me a message,” Flynn said.
“I didn’t see you receive any missive, no hawk, or carry pigeons, nothing…” Gracie looked directly down at them now from atop the roof. She held the bow at ease, but it was still locked and loaded. Firing them from that position would be like shooting fish from a barrel. “What are you playing at?” nine out of ten beats Andrew knew that if she got trigger-happy he would be the first one she’d shot at. For a second, Andrew almost put his hands up in surrender and felt all the more stupid for it.
“You know, for once, Gracie, I’m with you. I wish I knew what he was playing at too!” he gleaned accusingly at Flynn. Why did he follow him here? Flynn, however, did not look back at him or Gracie up on the roof. His serious face held as he met Iris’s eyes.
“I don’t expect you to believe me right away. But perhaps some of what I’ve been told by Sophie could help prove to you my honesty.”
“Why would that change later on?” Gracie asked.
“All I ask is a moment to hear me out. Despite the risk we are taking speaking about this, we feel it’s important that you hear about this directly.”
We, as in me and him, or him and Sophie? Andrew just looked at him incredulously. A silent, intense moment dragged on. As the rumble of thunder echoed overhead, Iris sighed to herself.
“Guess it would have been here or the barn anyway,” she mumbled to herself. “Hurry on you two, I’ll fix us some tea. Any objections, Gracie?” Gracie blinked. She had put the arrow away, Eyes transfixed on the fast-approaching storm. When she looked back down at them, her features were more curious than suspicious.
“Guess I can do with something warm to drink,” she said mumbled to herself. She put her bow away, dropped off the roof beside them, and walked through the front door before glaring back at them. “You have until the storm passes over to drink yours,”
