HERE'S A TASTE OF MARABELLA'S NEXT ADVENTURE.
Belle neared Falls
Bridge. “I need to stop and get some supplies to replace the things I gave
to the men in the woods.” She wordlessly communicated to Sebastian. She could
sense his presence as he skirted the village. “There’s a tavern on the north
side of the bridge.”
Sebastian’s deep purring voice sounded in her mind. “I will
have to find a place to cross the river. I will meet you on the north side. You
may linger for a time if you like. Traveling at night is preferable, at least
until we get into the wilds. I would like to hunt before we leave the river. I
enjoy the fat fish that swim here and it will be some time before we reach
better hunting grounds.”
“Agreed. I will meet you north of the tavern just after
dusk.”
“Agreed.” Belle could feel Sebastian pull his mind back to
his task of finding a good place to fish. Though he no longer directed his
thoughts to her, she could still sense his presence. She touched the ring on
her finger still amazed at the increase in her power.
She dismounted and walked Bess toward the bridge. Koros’
guards milled around the bridge stopping some travelers, waving others through.
“Who are you and what’s your business to the north?” A mush
mouth guard with tight curly hair and dark skin grabbed an old man by the
jacket.
The old man seemed annoyed. “I come across this bridge every
day. Where’s Simon? He knows me. My daughter cooks at the tavern. She’s making
beans with smoked pork today.”
“Simon’s been reassigned. He got too chummy with folks. Went
soft.” He shoved the old man against the railing. “Now what’s your name?”
“I’m Aravor.” The old man grumbled, trying to shake off the
guard’s grasp. “I’ve lived here all my life.”
The guard shoved Aravor again, harder this time. “Aravor.
That sounds like a Demalion name to me.” He cracked a cruel smile.
As Aravor began to struggle against the guard, Belle
approached. “Aravor. Good day. I hear it’s beans with smoked pork today.
Shouldn’t we get going?” She smiled as though everything was fine.
The guard released Aravor to bar Belle’s progress across the
bridge. She gave him a sweet smile. “Good day.” He looked down his nose at her.
“Who are you and what’s your business?” He barked in her
face.
Belle stepped close to the guard. She touched his arm and
looked up into his dark eyes. He was caught in the power of her emerald gaze.
“I’m going across with Aravor to have beans and pork at the tavern.” She stated
brightly. Leaning in she added “and you need to be kinder to the people who
cross this bridge.”
“Move along then.” The guard waved Belle and Aravor through.
“Good day Aravor.” He smiled.
Belle led Bess across the bridge falling into step with the
old man. “I don’t know what you said to him, but thank you.” Aravor smiled at
Belle. “There’s getting to be more guards every day. Say they’re here to
protect us from the Demalions but never needed no protection before. Never had
no trouble with Demalions before…which is more than I can say for the guards.”
Aravor ambled inside while Belle tied Bess to a post by the water trough.
Entering the tavern Belle spied Aravor standing at the end
of the bar speaking with a plump girl wearing a stained apron. There were
several tables of hungry patrons already hovering over bowls of hot beans.
Three men stood at the bar chatting over tankards of ale. A tall woman in a
faded blue dress and white apron delivered plates of hard bread to the tables.
A boy poked at the fire in the large fireplace and added wood. A hooded figure
sat hunched over a tankard at a table in the back, his face turned to the wall.
Belle sensed a familiarity about him. Her inspection was interrupted when
Aravor approached with two bowls and a plate of bread. “Here’s yours.” He
smiled. “You did tell the guard we was havin’ beans and pork. Nobody makes ‘em
better than my Trudy.” He nodded toward the plump cook who was headed back to
the kitchen. “Got to git here early though, whilst there’s still meat in ‘em.
Tavern owner is a good man. Lets Trudy feed me as part of her wages.” The old
man gestured to a nearby table and Belle followed.
As she sat down, she noticed the hooded figure sneaking a
look in her direction. Belle reached out with her mind and caught a stray
thought from him. “Belle”.
He knows me. She
thought.
But Aravor’s lively chatter distracted her again. “I told
Trudy to do us up right. She put a slab of butter on the bread for us. Makes it
softer, since I ain’t got many teeth left.” He grinned widely revealing a gummy
smile. “Horse kicked me years back and knocked out the front ones. Had to pull
a few more when they went bad.” Belle chucked. He placed the bowls on the
table. They were filled with creamy brown beans and several chunks of smoked
pork so tender you could cut it with a spoon. “Been a while since I had a meal with a young
lady.” Aravor grinned at her again. “Where you traveling to?”
Belle looked at the sparse gray hair pulled back in a
ponytail and the scraggly beard that covered half his wrinkled face. She saw
kindness and honesty in his pale blue eyes. “I’m meeting up with some friends
to take a long journey.”
He gave a wink. “Yeah, some of my friends ain’t so welcome
in town anymore either.” He looked around to see who might be listening. “This
Koros has stirred up a whole mess where there just ain’t no need. Magics…no
magics…who cares?” The door opened and one of the bridge guards walked in. He
looked around the room and walked up to the bar.
Belle quickly changed the subject. “So Aravor. That is an
unusual name.”
“I’s named after a storybook dragon, if you believe it.” He
giggled.
“A dragon? Really?” Belle was intrigued.
“Yep.” Aravor continued. “Now I don’t have much education. I
do read a bit. My Pa, he couldn’t read none. But my Ma, she read everything she
could git her hands on. She passed on when I was a little nubbin. Anyhow, she
named me for the great dragon in a story she read.”
“The Great Dragon?” Belle raised her eyebrows and peered
over at the guard who was busy with a bowl at the bar. “The Great Dragon in the
Demalion stories?” She whispered.
“Yep.” Aravor grinned proudly. “Truth is dragons ain’t real
anyhow. And if they was, they wouldn’t have names.” He laughed.
“But it is a fine name, just the same.” Belle smiled at her
companion. The old man kept up a lively conversation during the meal. When he
scraped the bottom of his bowl, Belle pushed the remains of her bowl over to
him. “I can’t eat another bite.” She assured him. He proceeded to dig in. “You
said you’ve lived here your whole life, so I’d wager you know everyone.”
“Yep. If they be local, I likely know ‘em. We do git a fair
amount of travelers though, cause this bridge is the only safe way to cross the
river for miles. Don’t git as many as we used to.”
“Do you happen to know that fellow in the hood?”
Aravor shot a look toward the back table. “He ain’t from
here. Been here since yesterday, strange fella. The servin’ girl, Agnes, told
Trudy he’s all scarred up. That why he keeps that hood a’coverin his face. Says
he talks funny. But he’s got coin and don’t cause no trouble so she don’t care
a whit.” He pushed the second empty bowl away and leaned back in his chair. “I
better head back home. I feel a nap comin’ on.” He slipped the remaining piece
of bread into his pocket. “You and your friends be careful now.” He gave her a
wink and slipped out the door, waving to his daughter behind the bar.
Belle approached the cook. “Trudy, how much for meal?” She
pulled a few coins from her front pocket.
“On me.” Trudy smiled. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back
in a long braid. Her round face was red from the heat of kitchen and her pale
blue eyes, much like her father’s, were kind. “You did my Pa a kindness. Least
I can offer is a meal. Hope he didn’t talk your ear off.”
“Thank you, Trudy. And no. I enjoyed the company.” The door
opened again and several patrons poured in. Trudy nodded and went back to work.
When Belle turned she noticed that most of the tables were full. She made her
way to the back, concentrating on the hooded figure alone at the corner table.
