《Enlightenment》


 Chapter 1: Try, try, try again

    Li stood and stretched the aches out of his back. A warm drizzle washed his face and he grimaced as yet more water made it way down past his collar. You would think he could not get any wetter. Bending back down to the weeds his sigh drifted across the field and got lost in the gentle hiss of the rain.


    As he bent down he spied a face in the gloom. About time. He smiled encouragingly and kept weeding. The sidhe were fickle. He had been leaving the usual offering of milk and bread for this spirit for weeks. He had even tried to be clever leaving other foods to see if they might work better. After weeks of work the spirit had begun following him. He would be working on something and look up and see the distinctive little face in the shape of the branches of a nearby tree. Or in the bubbles in a stream. Or once, memorably, in the tangle of his brother¡¯s hair. Not that that was too surprising. The spirits all loved his brother.


    But this was to be the real test. It would take hours for Li to work this field unaided. The spirit could do it in seconds. He just needed the spirit to understand what needed to be done and to want to help him. Li was hopeful the little being was going to help. You could not always tell with the sidhe - some could be dreadfully lazy. But this spirit had always seemed bright and cheerful and seemed to appreciate what Li had given it.


    Bending back to his task Li tried to feel enjoyment in the work. Zen said that that always helped. A sidhe might like to help but they did not understand our world. So they would wait until the found you working on something you enjoyed and then lend their aid. At least they would if the mood caught them. Everyone agreed the Sidhe could read the emotions of those around them as if they were laid out on parchment. Although they also agreed that the Little Ones were as fickle as they were powerful and could be very easily distracted.


    The spirit drifted a little closer and Li tried to hide his mounting excitement. His plan was working. With this field weeded and ready the two bothers would have fulfilled their obligating to the village for the month. Li had been working every hour, even skipping school, in order to fulfil not just his duties but his brother¡¯s as well. It was his wedding gift to his brother: enough time for his bother to fashion a gift for his bride. Li had seen the work in progress. A beautifully carved and shaped table that would sit at the centre of the couple¡¯s home and their life together. Zen had always been obsessed with family and this table would be where his new family would gather. Where the would build a life together. He was putting all his considerable skill and gifts with the spirits into crafting something worthy of that dream.


    And Li was going to give him all the time he needed to do it. Even if it meant he was dropping back in classes again. Li loved his brother and was in awe of his soon to be sister in law. Some day maybe he would meet someone too although he wasn''t sure how since none of the village girls seemed remotely interested in him. He quickly pushed down on those thoughts. Now was not the time to be distracted. He needed to concentrate on the job at hand.


    The sidhe had been floating beside Li for a few minutes. Gently the little face began to smile and a glow surrounded it. It was still only an outline of a figure, mostly just the face, made of leaves and specks of dirt caught as if in a swirl of breeze. But slowly it gained form. In front of Li the weeds in the row he was working began to shrivel and die. Li held his breath trying to tamp down his excitement. It would not do to distract the creature now.


    A sudden cry made Li glance to the left. A hawk had appeared in the mists, a young pigeon in its claws. Bearing it to the ground the powerful bird began ripping feathers from its prey. Li watched enthralled for a few seconds before realising his mistake and glancing back to the sidhe. It had stopped glowing and was already drifting off, its interest in the weeding dimmed.


    ¡°Come back you foolish creature¡± Li yelled at the departing spirit. ¡°Come back. I need you!¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    But it grew even less distinct before vanishing completely.


    Li grunted in frustration and hurled a sodden handful of weeds into the basket beside him.


    Why did this always happen? He had put so much work into impressing that sidhe and now it was for nothing. He looked at the carefully tilled rows of the field as they disappeared into the misty rain. This was going to take all day to finish. He kicked at a rock at his feet. Stupid bird. Stupid spirit. Why could nothing he did ever go right?


    The sound of slow clapping came from behind him. ¡°Well that was amazing. I see you live up to your family¡¯s name for magic¡±.


    Li¡¯s heart sank. As if things weren''t going badly enough.


    ¡°Get out of here and mind you own business, Simon.¡±


    ¡°But thats just it. It is my business. This is a village field. We all need the food here to grow. Its all our business that it is being done properly. Carefully. Not by some ignorant peasant trying to take shortcuts they haven''t earned.¡±


    Li gritted his teeth. He scrambled to his feet and turned around. As expected he saw Simon and his usual hangers on. Simon had a cruel twist to his lip as he looked at Li. It grated at Li that even standing at his tallest he ahd to look up at Simon. Simon was one of the tallest boys in the village. Tall and strong and son of the village chieftain Simon got his way with everything and no one but Li seemed to mind.


    ¡°What is it Simon? I''m busy here.¡±


    Simon laughed. ¡°Just trying to get some insight in the sidhe from the village¡¯s magic expert. I¡¯m a bit surprised you scared off your spirit. But I¡¯m sure someone as knowledgeable and careful as you has your reasons. Probably part of the deep magical knowledge handed down to you by your parents. I''m guessing wherever they are they are so, so proud of you.¡±


    The others began to snigger and Simon turned to grin at them.


    Li could feel his jaw clenched and his pulse beating strongly in his ears. He wasn''t going to react things time though. He had gotten in enough trouble in the past.


    ¡°I''m busy Simon, get out if here.¡± He turned back to his work.


    There was a brief pause as the sniggers died out. Li felt Simon step closer and hiss at him. ¡°Can¡¯t even get a spirit to weed a field for you? You are useless. Completely pointless. All those stories of your parents dancing on treetops. Of magic without the sidhe. I always knew they were lies. Nothing your family did could ever be special. I don¡¯t know why my father ever put up with a worthless orphan like you. And your brother. What a waste. I thought he at least knew his place. But he is marrying well beyond himself. Scroungers both of you.¡±


    Li whirled to face Simon both hands held in front of him to strike. But with a grin Simon danced back out of range. The others looked on in shock. They hadn''t been close enough to hear what Simon had said but they could read the rage on Li¡¯s face. More than a few judgemental looks were cast his way as Simon sauntered back to the group and away though the mists.


    Li turned back to the field. His stomach burned with bile. He could take take any abuse Simon hurled about him. Spirits knew he had gotten enough over the years. But it was different when the insults were aimed at Zen or his family. His brother Zen had raised Li from an infant after both their parent had died. To this day no one knew what had killed his them although the rumours persisted of a savage beast they had been hunting in the deepest forests. Thy were not the only stories about his parents.


    No one in the village believed the tales of his parents running on tree tops and building their stone hut in an afternoon, but Li did.


    Li had been so young when they died that those stories were all he had of his parents. He could only remember a pair of warm arms around him and the sound of a woman¡¯s voice. And his father¡¯s smile. But other than the hut and the stories and those bare few memories nothing else was left. So Li held on to those stories as tightly as he could. His brother would sometimes talk to him about his parents and he remembered every word. Zen believed the stories as well but didnt really care if anyone else did. Unlike Li.


    Those stories were important to him.


    The people in the village might not believe in any of those tales and some like Simon might heap scorn on him because of them but what did they know? His parents had travelled from a long way away. Even further that Bolann. What would a bunch of ignorant villagers know of lands so far away?


    And he didn''t care how many sneers and jeers he got from the other village boys. Or how many fights he had had becasue of his beliefs. They were all just fools. Those stories were real. There must be a better way of channelling magic. The sidhe couldn''t be the only way. His parents¡¯ must have known how. And one day he was going to find it.

 Chapter 2: Dinner with the family

    Many hours later Li was walking home. Pain ran up both legs and his back was stiff from the long hours bent over in the field. But at least it had stopped raining. Already the days were getting longer with the new Season and Li smiled as the dying rays of the sun lit the new leaves on the trees. It felt like the whole world was coming back to life after the long winter. The smell of new growth was everywhere and the calls of the birds grew day by day as the earth slowly warmed again.


    He had worked by himself for many hours in the field until eventually the Sidhe had returned. And it had even helped, a little. Li had hoped to get it to clear the whole field for him but had to be content with a few extra rows of weeds destroyed. Still it means he was finished before sundown and that was cause enough to be cheerful.


    He pushed open the door to the hut he shared with his brother and was immediately surrounded by the sights and smells of good food cooked well. His mouth watered as he recognised the rabbit stew he particularly liked and the lovely warming aroma of a fresh loaf of bread. Some of Zen¡¯s customers must have finally paid up. Li had seen Tim Og with a bag of flour earlier in the day. He guessed he was smelling the result right now.


    ¡°Hey Zen. Got the top field weeded¡± he called out as he pulled off his shoes. Zen was obsessed with keeping things clean and would be very unforgiving if Li tracked mud across the floors.


    ¡°Sounds like a long day¡± came a female voice from behind him.


    Li turned in surprise and then grinned as he recognised his soon to be sister in law Shauna.


    ¡°Didn''t realise we got to see you today¡± he said tuning back around to pull off his other boot.


    ¡°Just for dinner. I''m giving Zen a hand with the bread¡±.


    Li smiled even wider. Zen was a great cook but his baking left a lot to be desired. Shauna on the other hand produced the softest breads. They practically melted in the mouth. Li¡¯s stomach rumbled as he looker forward to a great meal. And not just this one. In a couple weeks, after the wedding, this would be the new normal.


    Finished with his boots Li went over to his alcove. The hut was bigger then the name suggested. A central space with a hearth was surrounded by three nooks - not quite separate rooms. Two of those were used by the bothers for sleeping with the last being a storage area, There was a separate small kitchen space through a low door and a privy in the garden. It was warm in the Summer and cold and drafty in the Winter but it was still home.


    Li reached in behind his sleeping mat and shoved his knife in with the rest of his bundle. He had been getting ready to go fishing for some time. The plan was to take himself off for a two weeks after the wedding and go fishing at the big lake. He could use the smoking shack there to keep the fish and it would give the newly weds some time alone together before he came back. They would all be living in his parents¡¯ house after that. Zen and Shauna both had made it clear that this would remain his home and he would always have place there. But Li knew a few weeks of just the two of them together would be good for them both. And he was planning on trying to build his own place sooner rather than later to get out from underfoot.


    Zen called that dinner was ready from the kitchen and Li turned back to the hearth. As usually when Shauna was here Zen had pulled over a third seat in front of the fire and soon the three were tucking into big bowls of spicy stew with thick slabs of bread and butter that Shauna had cut for them.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°So how was your day Li?¡± asked Zen in his deep rumble.


    Li smiled over at his brother who as always couldn''t take his eyes from his betrothed. Shauna sat glancing over at him now and then while make a big display of looking at Li. The two of them were great together and even as wrapped up in each other as they were Li knew that both his brother and Shauna were always going to be there for him. They were family.


    ¡°It was long. That thieving Sidhe is getting fat on all the gifts Ive left it and yet it still wont do what I want it too.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡± said Shauna nodding her head like an elder. ¡°Yes. Of course the wee ones are known for their diligence and obedience¡±.


    Zen laughed loud and long and Li joined in. Shauna managed to keep her face straight for a moment before laughing along with the others.


    ¡°OK. OK¡¯ said Li. ¡°I know what you are going to say. But I ended up weeding most of that field by myself. And it could have done it in seconds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. And it could have grown the plants faster to or just made food appear out of thin air. But just because it can doesn¡¯t mean it will.¡±


    ¡°Says the man who spent the day carving a table in a fraction of the time because of his legion of Sidhe helpers¡±.


    Shauna gazed fondly at Zen. ¡°He has got you there love¡±.


    ¡°Well¡­ They do help but you know as well as I do they could be gone in the morning. And anyway the table is special. We three will sit there and share our meals for years into the future. The small folk pick up on things like that and are quicker to share their strength.¡±


    ¡°They are always quick to share with you¡± said Shauna. ¡°Must just be that you love your work.¡±


    Zen looked up from his bowl to reply but paused as he caught sight of Li¡¯s face.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong. What happened to you? Were you fighting again?¡±


    Li squirmed. His brother cold always read the guilt on his face.


    ¡°Not fighting. It¡¯s nothing. Simon came by the field and we had a few words. And, well, nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Again Li? You can¡¯t keep getting into fights. I know those kids are no good but it doesn''t help you always losing your temper. Don¡¯t react. Don¡¯t give them a reaction and they will less interest soon enough.¡±


    Li looked down into his bowl, his stomach souring. Zen meant well but he only saw a fraction of what went on in the village. As someone with a gift for both woodwork adn with the Sidhe he was held in high regard. No one was going to risk offending him. But that respectability didn''t rub off on his younger brother.


    ¡°Li. You have to learn more control. Don¡¯t let them get to you. And definitely don¡¯t let them prey on your mind. It¡¯s no wonder you are having trouble with the Sidhe if you are steeping yourself in those kind of negative emotions.


    And speaking of small folk - have you left a gift this evening Li¡±


    Li gave a glare at his bother from the side of his eyes. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll do it now.¡±


    ¡°No - relax and finish your dinner.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it now¡±.


    Li got up and fetched a slice of bread from the sideboard and filled a cup with milk. He also took a few of the sweet biscuits he had baked earlier in the week. They weren''t great - bad baking seemed to be a family trait - but the sidhe seemed to like them.


    Pulling on his boots he went outside adn walked around to the back of the hut where a low table stood open to the wind with the view out to the woods. He put the food on the table stepped back and concentrated on the face of the Sidhe that had helped him during the day. After a few moments a group of leaves blew form a nearby bush and swirled around tm make the image of a face. It smiled and eyed the food. With elaborate courtesy Li gestured to the gift and stepped back as the Sidhe swept forward and surrounded the food which glowed briefly before fading away like mist. As always there was an electric feel to the air as the Sidhe gathered its meal. Li nodded to the Sidhe and felt an answering wave of contentment before the it faded away, the leaves that had been swirling in place to trace its features falling back to the ground.


    Sighing Li took a moment to soak in the view. He shouldn¡¯t be arguing with his brother. But there was no way he was going to let the rest of the village push him around his whole life. There had to be more to life. He found his eyes pulled in the direction of Bolann. There were leaned men and women there who would know the answers to all his questions. He stood gazing into the distance for a few more minutes before the chill of the evening breeze had him hurrying inside to finish his meal.

 Chapter 3: Early Start

    Li stretched and yawned as he slowly woke up the next morning. He always woke early and this morning he could see that the sun was only starting to shade the eastern sky. He had gotten into the habit of quietly moving around getting breakfast for him and his brother as the sun rose. Zen always slept late so this time was Li¡¯s alone and he usually took his porridge out to watch the sun rise.


    This morning was bit different though. He had lessons this morning and a lot of work do first. So he stretched one last time then swung his legs out of bed into the cold morning air and got dressed quickly. Crossing tot he kitchen he poked the fire back to life and pulled a scoop of the oats from the pot where they had been sitting overnight. Before long he had a steaming bowl of porridge which he was quick to eat, wincing once as he burnt the tip of his tongue on the hot mixture.


    Moving quietly he headed outside and over to the village. He had promised the village baker a few hours of his labour this morning in return for the work he would be doing for the cakes for the wedding and he needed to be there early. As it was the baker would have been up for hours kneading and proving the loaves. Li was only going to be there for the last of the baking and the cleaning afterwards.


    By the time he reached the village the sun was just lifting over the horizon. He took a moment to admire the stillness of the morning. There was a fresh breeze coming down from the mountains blowing some black clouds before it but the sun was still rising into a sky that was mostly clear. Li filled his lungs with the crisp fresh air full of the scents of Spring.


    Four hours later he waved to a smiling baker and strode over to the Town hall. It was time for the weekly lesson.


    The town hal was a big strucutre with one echoing. Although there were windows far up the walls it was alwasy dark and still in the room, especially compared tot he hustle and bustle of the village life outside. He was first to arrive. That hadn''t been his intention: he usually tried to arrive perfectly on time to limit the interactions with the others in the class. But Brom,the Baker, had been very pleased with his work this morning and had insisted on sending him off early and loading him down with bread and some of his favourite sweet buns. Being ffirst Li started pulling chairs and desks from the corner inot the irrgualr straighlt lines they used for the class. Finally he made his way to the seat at the far side of the room where he always sat.


    Hearing footsteps in the corridor he kept his head buried in the sack he carried, trying to keep up the appearance of being busy to avoid having to deal with whoever was coming in. Most of the other kids his age were fine and he was on good terms with most. But Simon and some of his hangers on often came early and he didn''t want to get into another argument. He was feeling good after putting In a few hours productive work and it not even lunchtime. He didn''t want to wreck that mood.


    But it wasn''t Grady who walked in. He was the Brehon of the village, the leader and lawmaker. Grady was a middle aged man with a smiling face and a round stomach. He was also one of the few people in the village who had always seemed to be on the side of Li and his brother. Li knew that some of the villagers had felt that Li had not earned his place in the lessons. That the two bothers did not do enough for the village commons and that they were only ¡°blow-ins¡± - their family had been here for generations. But Grady had always stood up for them. His had always been the voice of reason and mercy in the village. Of course that his job, as judge and lawmaker the Brehon needed to be seen as fair, generous and wise but it was also obviously what the man believed and Li had always respected him for it.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Brehon¡± said Li, nodding to the older man.


    ¡°Li¡± said the older man, looking up form a sheet of notes. ¡°And how are you today? Did I see you at the bakery this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just helping Brom out. He is going to be doing a lot for the wedding so its the least I can do.¡±


    ¡°Ahh yes. The wedding. It seems like its all I¡¯ve heard anyone talk about this week.¡±


    ¡°Well, it is a chance for a celebration. And it was a really long Winter¡± said Li, straightening hunched shoulders and trying not to sound defensive.


    The older man looked up from the notes with an eyebrow raised. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong boy. Ive very happy for your bother and very much looking forward to the celebration. And I''m very much looking forward to cake!¡± He chuckled and rubbed his stomach. ¡°But there are only so many times any man can stand to hear the same conversation about whether the weather will hold or whether this early in the year is good for such a celebration. And whart the groom and bride will exchange as gifts.¡± He grinned.


    Li laughed. He had had some of those same conversations enough times that he knew what the Brehon meant.


    The classroom had been filling while they were talking. Grady waited for the last few stragglers, frowing at Simon who sautered in last, and then brought them to order.


    ¡°OK. Today we are going to be talking re-covering laws and traditions of our village and our country.¡±


    Grady gave a couple of lessons a year. Usually about the laws and due respect to the lords and king. The subject may have been dull but the Brehon managed to make it all seem interesting. His classes were always popular. And always very well behaved. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of the highest authority in the village.


    Grady turned to look at Li. ¡°I guess with the wedding coming up we can start with that.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn''t even be a wedding¡±.


    ¡°Who said that¡± said Grady looking around.


    No one met his gaze but Li could see Simon smiling at the other side of the class. His fits clenched and his face flushed as he stared across the room at him. Simon started back, a mocking smile on his face.


    Grady went to carry on but Simon raised his hand.


    ¡°Do you not need to have something to your name to get married. What if you are just miserably poor with no prospects and no name?¡±


    Grady turned and stared at Simon. ¡°Everyone can marry as well you know lad. There needs to be a gift from bride to groom and groom to bride to signifying all that they give each other. And those gifts are usually special as this is a special day. But anything will do. As long as the gifts are given and the promises exchanged then the law is clear that the marriage has taken place.¡±


    Simon smiled and nodded his thanks to the teacher, as always the picture of the perfect student. Grady couldn''t see the smiles and muffled laughs coming from the rest of the class and all pointed Li¡¯s way.


    Li could feel the beating of his heart loud in his ears again. Why did he always have to put up with this. Why should anyone have to spend day after day of being badgered by the likes of Simon. Grady carried on discussing different forms of ceremonies and contracts that were used in village life. Simon tried to concentrate but couldn''t. Simon¡¯s taunts kept going around in his head.


    If even one of the other kids had stood up for him it might not have been so bad. But they all fell in line whenever Li was the target. Li knew that he was partly to blame. He had had a few friends in the village. But over time they had drifted away. All the kids were busy but Li and Zen had always had to work particularly hard. Zen always said that their family weren''t from around here and the village had been good to take them in. They needed to work extra hard to repay that kindness.


    But Li locked at it differently. They worked hard while the others got an easy ride. Their parents had died defending the village. But that was never mentioned. Over the years his resentment had grown and he had had trouble keeping it from the others his age. He had lashed out again and again, even to those who thought of him as a friend. And over time that had left him being isolated and alone in the village. And so Simon felt free to pick on him whenever he pleased. He knew no one was going to come to his aid.


    The rest of the lesson passed in a blur for Li as he spent the time thinking of what might have been. His only solace was the coming wedding. It could not come soon enough.

 Chapter 4: Fire

    Later that week Li was walking back from another hard day working the fields. He had bypassed the village and was following the track by the river. He knew that avoiding the people in the village was not a good idea in the long term. But today he just couldn''t face any of them. He had had enough of taunts and jeers for one week, if not for a lifetime.


    The track did pass near the village at one point though and as he hurried along he caught the sounds of shouting. He had been walking shoulders hunched gazing at the path in front of him but now he looked up and his mouth fell open. A cloud of black smoke was coming from the village.


    Breaking into a run Li ran straight towards the smoke. He ran through the woods branches catching his clothes and whipping at his face and with his breath ragged in his throat. Finally he burst out into the clearing where the village sat to see a scene of horror. His brother''s workshop was ablaze.


    Sheets of flame were shooting from the workshop and great roils of greasy back smoke stained the sky above it. Li ran even faster to the workshop and the mass of villagers around it.


    ¡°Zen! ZEN! My brother, have you seen him?¡± he shouted at the mass of people in front of the burning building.


    ¡°Li! Over here. Come help.¡±


    Li took what felt like his first breath in hours as he saw his brother at the head of the chain bringing water buckets from the well. He ran over and inserted himself in the chain near his brother.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Zen grimaced. ¡°Don''t know. I was binging a piece over to the Rafferty family when we heard a shout. Got over to discover the place already on fire. No one inside thank the One. But we couldn''t get the blaze under control. It just kept getting hotter and hotter.¡±


    ¡°Its the dark ones touch.¡± said the old man next in the chain. ¡°Your brother has done well by the Sidhe but his gifts have made the dark court jealous. This is the price that must be paid. Be thankful it is so little¡±


    So little? Li goggled at the old man. That was his brother¡¯s workshop. With all his tools. It would take months to rebuild everything and the goodwill of most of the village to support them while doing it. And this old fool thought it was a small price? Then a horrible thought occurred to Li.


    ¡°Zen. Shauna¡¯s table. The grooms gift? Was it¡­¡±


    Zen shook his head frowning at the ground even as his hands kept up the methodical work of passing buckets. Li felt his eyes fill with tears. That table had been Zen¡¯s obsession for months. It was to be his gift to Shauna, his gift to the family they were to become. And it was to be his Masterwork.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Zen. We will rebuild. We can make it all again.¡±


    Zen kept his eyes on the ground, his hands continuously moving the buckets. He said nothing.


    Li looked around the crowd trying to put out the fire. there must be something they could do. Some way he could help his brother. And then he locked eyes with Simon. He stood across the square, hands in pockets talking with some of his friends. None of them were helping. And Simon, seeing Li looking at his direction, smirked and said something to his friends. They all started laughing, a hard braying laughter that had nothing to do with enjoyment and everything to do with causing others pain.


    Li¡¯s eyes darted from the group to the fire and back. They couldn''t have? Not even Simon would stoop that low? Simon sneered once more at Li and then turned and left, the rest of his band following in his wake. And Li stood rooted to the spot, even forgetting to pass buckets in his shock. He had done this. Simon had burnt down the workshop. Simon was had destroyed Zen¡¯s groom gift. And Li needed to do something.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


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    A couple hours later the brothers stood in front of the ruins of the workshop. Very little remained. Li couldn''t believe that a structure so big and full of memories could have burnt down to this small collection of jumbled stone and ashes.


    One of the villagers, Sean Ti, came lumbering up, his puffing breath preceding him and as always seeming to roll rather walk his big bulk.


    ¡°Zen. A quick word if I may?¡±


    Zen looked over, his dark eyes shadowed.


    ¡°Well Zen, it''s a sorry mess isn''t it.¡± said Sean, gazing at the ruins. ¡°But listen. I¡¯ll be having need of some new bed frames in the next few months. The kids are growing up.¡±


    Zen blinked. ¡°But Sean, as you can see¡­¡± he waved at the smoldering wreck behind him. ¡°I''m not sure if I''m going to be doing any work now¡±.


    ¡°Nonsense, nonsense,¡± said the big man. ¡°Now as it happens I have some lumber behind the house. Had been planning on using it for the new barn. But that things never going to get done. So I¡¯d take it as a kindness if you would take it. See it put to some use. Can''t have it taking up space on me any longer. Rory will be over alter today with it. And I¡¯d appreciate you keeping him on a few days to help with the rebuilding. Lazy mite could do with some real work.¡±


    Zen stood still and then shook his head. ¡°Sean. I appreciate what you are trying to do. But it''s going to take a lot more to rebuild and I''m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, nonsense. As I said Rory will be over. And I''ll be expecting you at the house before the end of the week to measure for the beds and set a price.¡±


    With that the man turned and lumbered off.


    Zen exchanged a quick confused look with Li before a second figure stepped in front of them. ¡°Zen, you''ve always been good to this village and good to us. I''ll be along later today as well well. Well have the place back together in no time. And I''ve a few old tools you can take to get you up and running again.


    Looking up Li realised a line of people had formed. All from the village. All with smiling faces. Each came up and had a few quick words. Tools were pledged and strong backs. Orders were placed - Zen took more orders in an hour then he had previously had in a month.


    Li looked on. This was how things should be. He saw his brothers as the others saw him. Not an outsider, one of them. A man about to get married. A member of the community that had had a bit of bad luck. But nothing that they the village wouldn''t be able to overcome. He felt a choking sensation in the back of his throat and had to blink back tears. Zen seemed dazed, baffled, but as the stream of people kept on and onhis back straightened and a smile spread across his lips.


    The last in the line was a smiling Shauna. Zen stiffened and looked to the ground when he saw her.


    ¡°Shauna, I''m sorry. The gift. It''s going to take¡­¡±


    Shana shook her head and strode up, throwing her arms around her fiance. ¡°Now what would I care about something like that,¡± she said. ¡°Listens to me Zen. You and I are getting married. We are going to have good days, we are going to have bad days. And I''m going to be there at your side for each and every one of them.


    Zen looked up and met her eyes.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he gazed at her, lost in her eyes. Shauna just smiled and kissed him. A muffled cheer rang out from the crowd still milling around and the two broke apart, Shauna blushing and Zen with eyes on the ground.


    ¡°Now, now, enough of that until the wedding¡± said Grady from the side of the square. ¡°Zen, the council has met and decided that your business is important for the town. As such its rebuilding will be a town project - we are all going to chip in to help. Work starts this evening. Lets try to get you up and running by the end of the week.¡±


    Li watched his brother stumble over his thanks. He was glad his brother was happy and that things were picking up for him. He was amazed at the people of the village. But he could not get rid of the feeling that this could have been worse. What if Zen had been trapped in the building. Or someone else. And why was no one trying to figure out what had happened? Li was sure he knew. This had been Simon¡¯s work. And if nothing changed then he would just do it again.


    Li was surprised and glad at how generous people were being to help his brother rebuild. But he also knew there could be limits to that kind of generosity. If the workshop burnt down again things might be very different. Well Li would have to find Simon and make sure that didn''t happen. He thought of going to Grady with his suspicions but he had no proof. No better he dealt with this himself.

 Chapter 5: Fighting

    Two days later Li was late for weapons training. All the villagers were expected to defend the walls in case of attack. Not that that had happened in years but it was required. However those Li¡¯s age didn¡¯t mount a proper patrol. Instead every week they were expected to spend time to train in basic weapon skills. And occasionally they would be brought out through the wilderness with a party of hunters.


    They met in one of the north fields - whichever was being kept fallow that year. Sean, the instructor, was busy setting up the fifth of five stuffed dummies they would be using for target practice. The rest of the class was gathered around waiting for him to start the lesson. Some of the boys were already picking through the small rack of spears. A solid majority of the boys were convinced that some of the spears were special - touched with magical power. Every week there was a competition amongst them to see who would get the best one. Li didn''t really see the point. None of the spears were very good. And he very much doubted any sort of magical artifact would be found in a training rack.


    Li tried to catch his breath as he jogged across the field. He was a few minutes late. Luckily no one seemed to be paying him any attention. He had spent the last few days helping Zen salvage what they could from the shop and helping with the process of rebuilding. It had been going well. There was a lot of help from the villagers. Li was still surprised at how good they were all being, he kept waiting for it to stop. But even at first light there had been a small crowd of people lending their skills to the effort of rebuilding.


    Li looked around as he reached the edge of the group. The boys were still jockeying over who got what spear while the girls were making a great show of ignoring them. The boys were being very careful though. Li vividly remembered the only time he had ever seen Sean angry. He had heard Li claiming that one of the other boys had only beat him while sparring because the other boy had a special spear. He had spent ten minutes explaining at the top of his lungs that there were no such things as enchanted swords or magic weapons. There were some who could put some of their own energy into a weapon but the weapon itself was just a tool. And that anyone who claimed otherwise was just covering up for lack of practice. After which he had had Li training the spear well into the night. It was a lesson Li had taken to heart but unfortunately the same could not be said for the other boys.


    Later Lisa, one of the local wise women, had explained things a bit further to him. She explained there were four types of power. Works done by the Sidhe - strong but fickle. Those contained within the body - every breath you took and every step you made was with those powers but some few could concentrate them to gain great strength and do great deeds. The heroes of old were all said to be skilled at these arts. Then there were the external powers. As Sean had said a very few could reach power out into tools. And not just weapons. Part of the reason that Zen was so good with wood was his ability to channel power into the use of his tools and the forming of the shapes he carved.


    Lastly there was the power of the seers. Some like the wise women would find meaning in the signs of nature all around. What would be just a flock of birds flying overhead to some would to a seer become some knowledge of the future. A sign, an omen.


    Li still wasn''t sure if he believed all that Lisa said. He knew of Zens skill and at times it really did seem magical. And the sidhe were all around. But he had never seen anyone who could run like the wind as the old stories told or do any of the other feets attributed to magic. And while the wise women often claimed to have seen signs of this and that event as often as not time proved them wrong.


    But most of all none of that explained the powers his parents must have had for his brother''s stories to be true.


    Li looked up from his musings to see Sean had finished with the dummies and was counting heads. He frowned for a minute and then shrugged and started the lesson. In theory everyone Li¡¯s age should have been at training but Simon and a number of his friends had found that if they just didn''t show up Sean didn''t care enough to do anything about it. Li was both happy and annoyed at this development. He didn''t have to put up with Simon but it rankled that Simon could get away with things like this when no one else could. He still hasn''t found any way to show that it was Simon that hard burnt down the shop but he was sure it was only a matter of time. The more he thought about it the more annoyed he became. It was just not right. Simon could get away with anything. He could feel his teeth grinding a little and then realised that some of the other kids were casting worried looks his way. Embarrassed Li looked down at his feet and sighed. I must look like an idiot. Why could things never go his way?


    The class started like all the rest. Sean demonstrated some simple thrusts with the spear and then showed how you could use it to block. Each student then grabbed a spear and took turns standing in front of the dummies and practicing a stab. The motions were simple but quickly grew tiring and monotonous. But Sean kept pacing around encouraging them and saying how the only way to get good was to practice while having them repeat the sequence over and over again.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Remember, try to feel the spear as an extension of yourself. You should feel as if it is a part of your body. Let it flow with you as you lunge and then THRUST¡± he said, demonstrating on one of the dummies. Sean¡¯s staff was a blur as it flicked forwards, almost seeming to sizzle through the air before being buried in the chest of the dummy.


    Li gritted his teeth and kept going. Some of the boys and girls were acting up in front of each other and not really paying attention. But Li didn¡¯t need any more arguments with Sean. He kept doing the simple routine, trying to get the positioning of his feet and the movements of his body right. Li figured he must be more tired than he thought though - as he was repeating the sequence he began to feel a warm sensation coming up through his feet and into his legs. He tried moving his feet and the feeling went away but a frown from Sean had him moving them back to the correct position. After a while the warm feeling came back but Li barely noticed. He was too engrossed in hitting the dummy as each strike seemed to hit just a little bit harder than the last. He figured he must be doing something right.


    By the end of the session everyone was exhausted. Sean snorted as he looked at them.


    ¡°Same time in two weeks. Try to get some practice in before then¡±. A general graon was his only reply. He scowled at that and turned to go but nodded to Li as he brushed past him.


    ¡°You are starting to get it kid. Keep it up. We will be starting with the bow soon. I think you will like that¡±.


    Li smiled. Praise? From Sean? The world just kept getting stranger. And the bow? Li had had a chance to use a bow a few times but had never had one of his own. A good bow was just too expensive. He was really looking forward to using one of the village weapons though.


    **************************************************************************************************


    Li was walking home from training. He felt happy after the words of praise from Sean but was tired bone deep. He hadn''t felt like this in a while and it was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other as he trudged home with his head down. Which is why he didn¡¯t see Simon and the others until he was almost on top of them.


    ¡°So Li, how¡¯s your brother? So sad the wedding won¡¯t be going ahead now¡± said Simon grinning around at the other boys.


    Li¡¯s face tightened but he kept his head down and just kept walking.


    Simon paused for a second but when he didn''t get a reaction said ¡°I said, How is your brother Li? It¡¯s OK. I know an orphan like you might not feel he can talk to his betters but I give you permission. At least just this once¡±


    Simon turned back to his friends again but Li just kept walking. One of the other boys turned to his neighbour and fake-whispered ¡°Looks like Simon is losing his touch¡± and both boys began laughing.


    Simon swung back to Li.


    ¡°Hry you, I''m talking to you¡± hre said and shoved Li hard in the shoulder just as he was passing. Tired from the training and not expecting the shove from the much bigger boy Li tumbled backwards and landed flat on his back, all the air squeezed from his lungs.


    ¡°Look at that. Poor little orphan can¡¯t even stay on his feet. And they say his parents had powers to walk on trees. What lies. As if anything that spawned something like that could be anything but useless.¡±


    Simon turned back to the other boys again grinning triumphantly and so did not see the grimace on Li¡¯s face. Li had had enough. He had put up with the taunting, the jeering and the physical attacks from this boy and all the others over the years.  He had kept his head down and just tried to go about his life And now here he was. Flat on his back while the boy who had burnt down his brother;s shop and ruined Shauna¡¯s wedding gift was laughing at him. The boy who now had not just attacked him but insulted the memory of both his parents. Something in Li finally snapped.


    Heaving in a deep breath his hand scrambled over the ground and came up with a gnarled stick. Jumping to his feet he fell into the stance he had practiced all afternoon and lashed out. As he did he felt a great wave of heat coming up through his feet and down his arms and with a roar he slashed out at the object of his anger.


    Simon started moving as he sensed the movement behind him but didn''t have time to turn completely before he was hit in the face by something that felt like a boulder. Li slashed again and again hearing a crack that he took to be the branch breaking but nothing slowed him down as he kept striking over and over again, his anger finally being given a way to vent.


    The other boys stood shocked and horrified for a moment or two before they ran forward and grabbed Li lifting the smaller boy by the arms and off his feet and pulled him back away from the screaming form of Simon. Li struggled briefly but then relaxed and finally his mind cleared enough to actually see what he had done. Simon lay shaking and screaming. His face a bloody ruin and one of his arms hanging at a horrifying angle. As he looked at him Li felt sick in his stomach.


    What had he done?


    The shock of the other boys seemed to be turning into anger. A few began to hurl stones and spit at him while a smaller group gathered around the stricken form of Simon. Then two of the older ones intervened grabbing Li and pulled him back down the path and up to Grady¡¯s front door. Along the way they lost no opportunity for a sly kick or a jab to the ribs but Li barely noticed.


    How was he going to face Grady? What was he going to tell his brother?

 Chapter 6: Waiting

    Li spent a long night in the basement of Grady¡¯s house. He sat in the quiet and went over and over the events leading up to the fight. After some time his thoughts ranged wider and she started going through every interaction he and Simon had ever had.


    Things had never been good between them.


    Even from an early age Simon had always tried to turn everyone else against Li. Li wasn''t sure why. He couldn''t remember ever doing or saying anything to him to provoke such behaviour. Simon had always stayed well away from Li, often leaving groups when Li joined. But sometimes he didn''t leave. And that is when the taunting and the name calling would begin.


    It started small. Snickering with his group when Li came nearby. Or boisterous laughter if Li did something stupid where they could see. But then it got uglier. Name calling and taunts about his family. Always his family, again and again Simon would attack Li¡¯s dead parents. And Li would leap to defend them. And sometimes Li didn''t even wait for Simon to attack. In the early hours this cycle of attack and attack became clear to Li. And the inevitability of what had happened.


    And then those memories began cycling through his head. The sickening noise when the branch hit Simon''s face. The initial violent surge of elation as his enemy fell. And then the dawning horror over what he had done. The whimpering from Simon - still only very young when you stood back and looked at him. The blood streaming down Simons face. And the looks from all the others. The revulsion. And finally sitting in the basement and realising the little spots all over his arms and face were the blood of his victim.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Simon¡¯s stomach turned and he heaved up his last meal when he realised that last.


    Sitting on the edge of the cot Li shook his head with his face in his hands. He hadn''t meant it. Or maybe he had. But he really wished he hadn¡¯t now. And not just because of what would happen in the morning. Li hoped Grady might be lenient but he was realistic enough to realise the punishment was going to be severe. Months of back breaking work. Loss of trips to the market. There was going to be a lot of unpleasantness in Li¡¯s future. He knew it. But that didn''t matter. What he had done was wrong. Very wrong. And he would pay the price. He just didn''t ever want to feel like this again.


    And then his thoughts cir led back to the fight. The rush of blood, the exhilaration and then the horror. If only he had just gotten up and kept walking home. Or had hit a little less hard. He could have come out of this the wronged party.


    Alternating between guilt at what he had done and day dreams of what could have been Li finally slept as dawn was approaching.


    Two hours later there was a knock on his door and Grady came in.


    ¡°Its time¡±, he said.

 Chapter 7: Judgement

    Li followed Grady out of the basement and out of the house into the light. It was mid morning and Li blinked his eyes against the brightness of the Spring sun. He looked around. The square was full as he had expected. He scanned the faces and found the two that mattered. Zen was standing grim faced beside Shauna who was stroking his arm consolingly. They both looked pale. It looked like they had not slept much either last night.


    Grady led him to the plinth that was used for judgements. Li could only remember four times in his life that Grady had sat in that chair. The enormity of what had happened and what was to come swept over him again. His head started buzz and a sense of unreality surrounded him. It felt like everything was happening to someone else and that he was just a witness to it all. Li spied the Sidhe who had been helping him ina  swirl of dust at the edge of the crowd and wondered If this was what it felt to be like that sprite. Present but unaffected. There but not a part of his surroundings.


    Grady called for attention and Li''s eyes swept back to him.


    ¡°Can the victim step forward.¡± His voice was deep and resonant. The voice of the Brehon. There would be justice here today. There might even be mercy. But all trace of his normal jovial self was gone. When Grady spoke like this all listened and all obeyed.


    There was shuffle from the crowd and Simon and his father pushed through. The crowd milled around bend them. The O¡¯Keeffes were not well liked but clearly Li was in the wrong here. So while the crowds did not line up behind the two it certainly did not spurn them.


    ¡°Name you accusation and your price.¡± Grady Spike the traditional words. It was up to Simon and his father to show how they had been wronged and then claim the appropriate punishment.


    ¡°This boy consorts with the Dark Court.¡± Said Simon¡¯s father. ¡°He did wreck fire upon his own brother¡¯s workshop just two days past. And when my lad did try to thwart him from more wrongdoing he set upon him and rip¡¯d the eye from his head.¡± Simmons Father pushed his son around so everyone could see the blood stained bandage that wrapped half his head. Another supported his arms and he walked hunched over, the bandages around hsi ribs showing clearly under his shirt.


    Simon found he could not look at the boy. His revulsion over what he had done was to great. He felt tears in his eyes and strove to keep them from falling. He could not cry in front of the whole village.


    ¡°This attack was unprovoked and stems from the evil in the child and of all his family¡± continued Simon. Mutters and jeers rose up from the crowd but a grim look from Grady silenced them. ¡°We demand the blood price for the loss of an eye. Twelve hides of land and ten head of cattle. Such is the law and such we will get. That or the child will admit that he and his family have been led astray by the evil of the wild court. If they renounce the help of the sidhe and never more seek their aid, if they renounce the heresies of their parents then we will be at peace.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    A shocked silence descended on the crowd. The blood price was an ancient tradition that was joked about but never used in these times. Something from the stories, not for the everyday. And yet it had been spoken. Spoken in front of the Brehon. And it was the traditional law of the land. Li turned to stare at Grady and his stomach dropped as he saw the man sitting with eyes closed and fists clenched, frustration etched deep in his face.


    A moment or two passed and then Grady turned to Li. ¡°And what do you say boy. What could have caused you to do such a thing. To blind a boy. Surely some malign force caused it. Say it clear boy, some spirit took you¡±.


    Li stared at Grady. He knew the man didn''t believe any spirit had had a hand in this. He knew that Simon had tormented Li for years. Simon might not have deserved what happened but he had been the one to spark the tinder on this fire. And yet Grady was all but commanding Simon to say it was the spirits. Forcing his bother to stop using the spirits help would be like lopping of his arm. His craft, his life, his passion would be horribly maimed. How could Li do that? Worse yet how could he spit on the memories of his parents by saying such a thing.


    ¡°No. No it wasn''t, Brehon. This boy has made my life a hell for years. I regret he lost his eye but there was justice there too. It was Simon who burnt my brother¡¯s shop. Simon who laughed about it afterwards and Simon who started the fight. I''m sorry he was hurt adn I went to far but this came from his actions.¡±


    Grady closed his eyes, his face greying. ¡°No Li. It is I who am sorry. Simon was with me the whole of the day of the fire. There is no way he could have caused it. No. Now admit it as the spirits so we can out this behind us all. Please, lad.¡±


    ¡°No. I wont dishonour my parent¡¯s memory¡±.


    Grady nodded once, twice and then stiffly got to his feet. ¡°Then here the ruling of the Brehon. A blood price has been sought and no defence has been given.¡± Grady shot a look at Zen who was staring blank eyed back. ¡°The family having no way to pay such a price the boy Li will be considered banished. He will have two hours to gather what items he may and leave this place, never to return unless he may pay the debt against him.


    A shocked gasp rippled throughout the crowd but Simon¡¯s father pushed forward. ¡°No. No. No I say. That is not the law. I will have my price or I will have his head¡±


    ¡°Be quiet you old fool¡± said Grady and he stood tall, every inch the law in this place. ¡°I have made my ruling.¡±


    Simon¡¯s father sucked in a breath and then moved back into the cored, Simon trailing behind him. The cored opened wide to let them pass and Li exchanged one brief look with Simon. He seemed less somehow. Smaller. And he cringed away from what he saw in Li¡¯s eyes, skittering along after his father.


    Grady looked over at Zen. ¡°Take him and go. Josh and his family will no doubt be checking to see he is gone. Make sure that he is.¡± He turned to look back at Li and seemed abut to say something but then sighed and and stumped back to his home.


    Loud conversation broke out amongst the crowd as the Brehon left. Li could feel many eyes on him. But he felt himself disengaging from his surroundings once again. This could not be real, this could not have happened. He would have to leave. He would have to turn his aback on everything. He would miss the wedding. He would have to leave his brother. How could he live alone? He had always wanted to travel. To see far away places. But that had been something for the future. Some far away time. Not now. And not forever. He felt Zen¡¯s arm enfold him.


    ¡°Come on Li. We haven''t got much time¡±

 Chapter 8: Leaving

    Li found himself gradually becoming aware of his surrounding again. He had been walking in a daze beside his brother who kept shooting him concerned looks. They were back at the house now though and Li had to figure out what his next steps were.


    He stood in the centre of the main room gazing around at the only home he had ever known. This was the last time he would be standing here. The thought seemed too big. He felt panicked, threatened, like he should be running away from something. But there was nowhere to run. Or he corrected himself there was nowhere to run to. He had nowhere to go.


    Zen had already moved to Li¡¯s alcove. The camping bag that Li had intended before his fishing expedition was all ready to go. Zen began stuffing it with anything else that looked useful. Some extra knives and a plate. Some extra clothes. As much dried food as he could fit. Lastly, he walked over to a corner of the room and pulled up a flagstone that Li had never seen moved. From underneath he pulled out a small sack that contained some small coins. He stuffed that in as well.


    ¡°Wait¡± said Li. ¡°I can¡¯t take that. You are going to need all you can get to rebuild the workshop and for the wedding.¡±


    Zen looked at his brother, his face still grim. ¡°Not as much as you will need it. Now take the bag. You go straight to the road and follow it. Hunt when you can, you have your sling. But stay away from people on the road. There is no law until you get to the city and you need to look after yourself. Keep going until you get to Laoire. You have a strong back and a good heart. You¡¯ll find something there. Just¡­ Stay safe little brother.¡±


    With a lunge he pulled Li into a fierce bear hug and Li was shocked to feel the shaking of his brother¡¯s sobs. His eyes were streaming too by the time they pulled apart.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be forever¡± said Li. ¡°I¡¯ll make the money. I¡¯ll find a way and I¡¯ll make the money and I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Just you do that¡± said Zen, voice thick and choked.


    Shauna came in, glanced between the two men and then crossed to Li and pulled him into an embrace. ¡°Be safe Li. And remember, when you come back there will always be a place in front of the fire for you here¡±.


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Li nodded, throat tighteneing at the certainty in Shauna¡¯s voice that he would be back. She went and stood beside Zen, putting her arm around him and leaning her head against his shoulder as they both looked at Li.


    So, this was it. He had to go now. Simon¡¯s family would be here soon to be sure he was gone. And Li didn¡¯t want to face that. He needed to be gone, clean and simple.


    ¡°Wait¡± said Zen. He moved over to the fireplace reaching up and took the sword that hung over the fireplace.


    ¡°Thats father¡¯s. That should stay with you Zen. You are the oldest. I don¡¯t even know how to use it and¡­ and I¡¯m not sure I should have something like that. Not after what happened with Simon, Zen. I. I dont think¡­¡± Li could feel his hands shaking.


    Shauna was frowning as well.


    Zen stayed silent for a moment but then nodded. ¡°Take it Li. It might scare off some would be robber on the road to see you armed. Just be careful. Dad always said the only way to win a fight was to not have one in the first place. So anytime you take the sword from its sheath you have already lost.¡±


    Li took the weapon from his brother. He had held it a few times over the years, playing at soldiers when Zen wasn¡¯t around. The perfect balance of the blade made it feel lighter than it really was. He slipped the sheath on to his belt and looped the cord around his shoulder. The road ahead as going to be long and dangerous and he woould be lying to himself if he didnt recognise he felt a little better with the comforting weight at his side.


    He spent a few moments more adjusting the way the sword hung, delaying the inevitable. Then he turned a looked at the couple who had been the centre of his life and whom he might never see again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try and send a letter with the merchants.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll definitely write back. Be safe brother¡± said Zen.


    The three embraced one last time and then Li marched out the door, down the path to the king¡¯s road. Afraid to look back, he missed the last view of his childhood home nestled in the forest. Instead he locked his eyes on the horizon and set off to get to Laoire.

 Chapter 9: Fever Dreams

    Li didn''t travel far that day. He camped near the road at a spot he had used many times before on his way to the lake. Strange to think he would have been doing that anyway in just a few weeks time but in such different circumstances if things had gone differently. After a night without sleep and the stress of the day he needed rest. So he sat on a convenient log and swallowed some bread from his bag. He knew he should be careful with the rations his brother had packed but today was not the day to start hunting. After forcing down some food he curled up in his blanket and slept as if dead.


    He woke with a start. It was still late. The sun not yet staining the sky. and he was still tired with an aches in every part of his body. But something was moving in the woods near him. The sword, where was it? He scrabbled around at his pack trying to be quiet but also trying to be quick. Finally he found the hilt and clutched it desperately even as he bent all his concentration to listening to the night around him.


    He stifled a yelp as a voice split the silence, seeming to come from only feet away. ¡°No sign. He must not have stayed here. We should move on down the road. I want to make sure the sinner feels the touch of my cane before he leaves.¡±


    Simon¡¯s father¡¯s voice. He was here in the woods. He was hunting Li. And he wasn''t alone.


    Li cowered under his blankets, sword clutched to his side. He had bedded down at the base of a tree and thankfully his dark blanket helped him blend in to its contours. He stayed where he was while the sound of footsteps faded into the distance.


    When they had finally gone, and he had gotten his shaking muscles back under control, he stood and gathered his pack and other belongings. His sword he kept in his fist, sheathed to avoid a stray reflection giving him away, although he knew a club would probably be a better weapon given his lack of knowledge. Quickly he made his way deeper into the woods, away from the road and then started following the trail of a nearby river. He knew these woods well and would be able to put a few miles between himself and the camp before dawn.


    He pushed himself the next day as well, stopping only briefly to eat and never lighting a fire. Not that he needed it in the fine Spring sunshine but the aches in his body had gotten worse during the night as he made his way through the cold wet trees. As the day went on his throat ached and he wished he was back in his bed. In his home. With his family. He clamped down on that line of thought before it could get too far.


    That night he threw himself down and struggled into his blankets without even bothering with food. He woke in the night parched and convinced that there were people in the forest. A panicked march through the darkness stopped when a misstep found him plunging into the cold water of the river. Soaked, cold and thoroughly miserable he crunched under the cover of some bushes for two hours shivering and flinching at every sound. But never once did he hear any of his pursuers.


    Eventually tired, sore and wet he fell into a troubled sleep.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    *********************************************************************************


    The next two days went by in a blur. Afterwards Li could remember pulling himself to the river in search of water at least three times. There were nightmarish memories of hiding from giant deformed men armed with cudgels who were stalking him through the woods. And there were visions of twisted misshapen Sidhe that leered and called from every shadow beneath the trees and whose jeers and catcalls were carried by the rustle of the breeze in the trees.


    But through it all his Sidhe, the one who had stayed with him so long, stood by his side. A soft light bathing its features as it kept silent watch beside him.


    Li was never sure if any of it had been real. It didn''t seem likely that any Sidhe would stay by his side for so long. They were known as flighty creatures and it seemed unlikely for one to stick to any task. But on the third morning he woke up back where he had started, in the dip beside the river. He was tired but clear in his head and after a few moments he looked around and took stock.


    He was still by the riverside. Most of his belongings had been scattered around him and he was ravenously hungry. But otherwise he was fine. Li knew that a fever like that while alone and without proper shelter could have been fatal. He had been lucky. Very lucky. He wouldn''t be able to depend on luck like that again.


    He repacked his bag, taking careful note of everything he now possessed. Food for a week if he were careful. His water bottle. The sword. A few coins and some clothes that had seen better days. There was his bedding and a tarp be used as a tent as well as his knife and fire-making kit.


    He also had his sling. He had spent many days hunting rabbits while walking the fields around the village and had gotten quite good with it. He would keep it to hand and if chance presented itself he might be able to feed himself on the way.


    Job done he refilled his water bottle at the stream and set off in the direction of Laoire. He would travel with the river for a few more days. It was bringing him roughly in the right direction but well away from the road. When he had passed by the lake he would angle back to it. That was as far as he had ever gone on his own wanderings and he would be surprised if many from the village had gone as far.


    For a second he thrilled with the thought of going so far and the tales he would tell his brother. And then he realised once again that he would not be seeing his brother. And heart sinking he plodded on his way.


    Two days later he was making his way back to the road. Following the river had been uneventful. He had startled a couple of deer and a rabbit - the latter had made a great stew - but had seen no sign of any pursuit. Still he had kept his guard up and the sword was always in easy reach at his side. He had decided that lighting a fire in the evenings was essential while he was still recovering but he had been careful to dig a deep fire pit and shield it well from all sides so as little of the light as possible was visible away from the camp.


    It had been lonely the last few days but it had also been liberating. He was his own master, there was no Simon to taunt and jeer at him. He had a task ahead of him - get to Laoire - but it was a task he could do. And when he got there? Well he would figure out what he would do when he got there. Li had never been to any other village beside his own, had never been anywhere near a major city. So he only had the stories of the merchants and some few of the villagers who had travelled for guidance. He knew it would be big. He knew it would be busy. But he would have to take the rest as it came.


    Now he needed to rejoin the road and make sure he stayed away from any other groups he might find. He doubted there would be a lot of traffic. The village was at the northern end of the empire, well away from anything else and there was little of interest this far north. The road was mainly used by the merchants coming to buy cops and sell their wares. And they would not be expected for some months yet.


    Still as he came to the edge of the trees he cast a careful look up and down the road. Seeing nothing he walked out onto the road and started along in the direction of Laoire. According to what he had heard in the village it would take him another full week to walk to the city. His food would barely last that long so he was going to have to break off from the road now and then to forage. But he could do this. He had to.