Chapter 3
1555 Words
3
I didn’t need to ask for just outside the cluster of short dwellings stretched a tall bell tower. The tower was attached to a lofty stone church with a high-peaked roof made of terracotta tiles. The tall, wide stain-glass windows depicted scenes from the works of Gad and His followers. I wasn’t familiar with any of them, but I could admire the beauty of the glass as the setting sun lit their colors better than any artist could hope to do.
We walked to the other side of the village and turned left into the churchyard. Farther along the path and separated by a short fence was a graveyard of new and old stones. Neatly cut grass grew among the memorials and a few even had fresh flowers over their placards. I noticed Caius’ gaze settled on a spot close to a row of trees that bordered the far side of the graves.
“Your family?” I guessed.
He gave a nod. “Yes. All but Marcus.”
I recalled that fateful night so many years ago when the knock came at the door, and my heart ached for him. “I’m sorry.”
He closed his eyes and shook his head. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. They lived the best they could.”
“And they were good people for it,” Father Ferrero added as he, too, looked off in the distance. “The best a man of the cloak could hope to teach, and be taught by.” A sad smile graced his lips as he shook his head. “I always regretted not being able to master your mother’s cooking.”
Caius grinned. “Maybe if you wouldn’t burn things. Marcus and I wondered if you weren’t trying to bring avyss upon us for whatever we’d done that week.”
“That day,” Ferrero corrected him with a wink.
A small cottage sat close to the church, and it was to this comfortable dwelling that we were guided. Caius helped the father off the unicorn and he leaned his weight against my dragon shifter. Ferrero smiled up at the beast who had bore him home. “I’m afraid I don’t have a stable for these fine steeds, but there is a livery across the road. The church will pay for any expenses, if you so desire.”
Sage bowed his head. “We do not desire so, but we thank you for the offer. Bee and I will see to their stalls and will join you in a few minutes.” My grandparents disappeared into the growing darkness while we went inside.
The stone walls and thatched roof were as the other houses, but there was only two rooms to those larger homes. Ferrero noticed my curious eyes and smiled. “You wonder at my simple abode. I look to the church as part of my home, and as such I have plenty of space.”
“And that old cauldron, too,” Caius quipped as he led him over to a chair by the dark hearth. A large cauldron hung over the charred remains of a fire.
Ferrero was eased into the seat and winced as he adjusted his injured leg. “I believe it will outlast time itself.”
Caius knelt in front of the hearth and arranged some fresh kindling from out of a nearby bucket. “I’m surprised it hasn’t got any holes in it yet from your cooking.”
Ferrero took a fire stick that leaned against the hearth and bopped the tip on the top of Caius’ head. Caius whipped around and grabbed his head, but the father smiled at him. “I had missed doing that.”
Caius rubbed the sore spot and grinned. “I guess I kind of missed it, too.” He paused and looked at a chair that stood against the wall to the right of the hearth.
Ferrero noticed where his gaze lay. “Marcus’ chair, and yours once. You should use it before your pretty young bride has to pick you up off the floor.”
Caius’ good humor fled. “I’m fine.”
The good father chuckled. “I’ve known you since you came into this world. I can see that you’re in a great deal of pain.” His gaze fell on Caius’ back. “What could have hurt you so bad that you wear those bandages?”
Caius reached behind him and set his hand over his bandaged wound. “Would you believe a god?”
Ferrero arched an eyebrow. “There is but one god, but I would like to hear this tale when there are less important matters to deal with.” Caius’ face fell. “I’m sure your brother is safe. The messenger from the baron assured me he was.”
Caius scoffed as he used a light to ignite his stack of kindling and paper. “Like avyss they’d say anything except what their master wanted them to say.”
Ferrero whacked him a little harder on the top of the head. “Such blasphemy, and so close to a house of Our Lord. Did I teach you nothing?”
Caius grinned and shifted out of reach. “You taught me to mind where I knelt.”
The good father sighed as my grandparents entered, but they weren’t alone. A man of thirty followed after them. He had sandy brown hair and a cheerful face. His rough hands showed a lot of work for such a short lifetime. Tucked under one arm was a small box wrapped in brown paper.
“This young man is from the livery,” Sage announced.
Ferrero smiled at the gentleman as the stranger walked up to him. “Jacob, it’s a pleasure to see you. What can I do for you?”
“I have a deliver for the manor,” Jacob informed him as he held the package out to the good father.
Ferrero looked from the package to the young man’s face, and shook his head. “I don’t understand. Why bring the package to me? Why would Joshua not take it to the manor?”
“He had another of his attacks the last time he went there and believes the manor is what’s causing them,” Jacob explained.
“Attacks?” I asked him.
Jacob pursed his lips. “He’s been having fainting attacks, and they always occur when he goes to give the package to the baron.”
“Is he really sick or just lazy?” Caius wondered.
Jacob shook his head. “I would never describe Joshua as lazy. He’s always worked very hard at the livery and is always one of the first ones up in the morning to feed the horses and clean the stalls.”
“Where are my manners?” Father Ferrero spoke up as he gestured to us. “These are my newly arrived guests. Sage, Bee, Jane and Caius, a former resident. My friends, this is Jacob.”
“You may as well know that my last name is Mechta, since everyone else already knows about my family connections,” the young man added.
I furrowed my brow. “Mechta? Like the baron?”
A bitter smile slipped onto his lips. “He’s my uncle, though I doubt he cares about it. I heard he was sick and came here to see if I could do anything for him, but he already had someone helping him. When he heard about why I came he sent me packing, and here I am.”
“Your kindness was poorly rewarded,” Ferrero spoke up with a shake of his head.
Jacob shrugged. “I don’t really blame him. He probably thought I was just here to get his estate after he died.”
“So why are you still here?” I wondered.
He sheepishly smiled at us. “Truth be told, I have no where to go. My uncle is the only family I have left and I don’t have an eld to my name. Anyway-” He held the package out to us. “He really wouldn’t like to see me around the place, so I thought you could take it to him, Father.”
Father Ferrero smiled up at Caius. “Perhaps this may be the key you need to find Marcus.”
Caius nodded and accepted the package. “We’ll take it for you.”
“Might I inquire of the contents?” Sage spoke up.
Jacob shook his head. “Nobody’s quite sure. We just know the baron gets them once a month, or did until today. This one’s two weeks early.” He paused and furrowed his brow. “You know, I do remember Joshua mentioning that one of the packages was ripped once and a terrible smell came out of it. He got it over to the estate as quick as he could and the baron was really mad to see the package torn like that. He nearly threw Joshua out, or would have if he’d had the strength.”
“Did he describe the odor?” Sage wondered.
Jacob nodded. “Yeah. He said it smelled like death. Anyway, it’s getting late and I have some chores left to do. Goodbye, Father Ferrero. It was nice to meet you all.” We bid our farewells and Jacob left.
Ferrero bowed his head and sighed. “The young man truly did mean to nurse his uncle, but I fear not even the gentle touches of Fen will save him from the fate of all men.”
“Fen?” I asked him.
“The woman who attends to the baron,” Ferrero explained. “She arrived soon after his illness struck him. We assume she was called in for her expertise for against all predictions by the aged of the village the baron still clings to life.”
“I don’t care how he is,” Caius spoke up with his eyes glued to the package. “I just want to get Marcus out of there and back here.”
Bee and Midge leaned toward a window and inspected the sky. The setting sun warned us there was only a few hours left until night. “We should hurry before we intrude on his dinner.”
- Writer
