OChapter 3
(Talk of Turl’s convo with Rythe)
Clal keeps river scene in his heart.
Clal walked slowly to the cart, climbed in, then caught a glimpse of Ansa still smirking. He shook his head and looked away.
When the cart started moving again they all returned to their own thoughts. The clip-clopping of the horse’s hooves on the wooden planks of the bridge that spanned the river echoed against the trees. They reached a clearing and the hot sun beat down on the three of them. The cart continued to climb and soon reached the top of a small hill.
“Eldan Vyum,” Nareete announced.
“Clal look,” Ansa said. “Eldan Vyum! It’s enormous.”
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“Look at that,” Clal said, “it goes on for miles and miles and miles.”
Clal and Ansa had never set foot in the great central city of Eldan Vyum. They had never seen such a place. They had only pieced together in their minds depictions of what it might look like from stories and conversations over the years.
The sun sank lower and lower toward the horizon as they continued to talk about their plans while in Eldan Vyum. Rythe planned to head straight home after the examinations to care for his mother. He mentioned, though, that he promised to visit Clal and Ansa before he departed for home.
“I’ll be talking again to the blacksmith so I will most assuredly be visiting you Clal.” Rythe said.
They continued to talk and hardly noticed how dark it was getting. Though it was dusk, there were many people still walking along the streets who filled many of the buildings.
“It’s the examination,” Rythe said. “It brings people from every corner of Illia.”
Before they left the main road into the city, Dalbus stopped the cart then said, “Okay, children.” Both Dalbus and Nareete stood up then walked down from the front, onto the ground, to the back of the cart.
“This is where we say our goodbyes,” Dalbus said. “If you’ll walk the rest of the way, we have a long journey ahead of us before we sleep.”
“Mother!” Ansa hopped down and embraced Nareete. “I will miss you.”
Nareete smiled, “Ansa, you’re going to do wonderfully.”
Clal jumped down from the cart then Rythe did the same.
Clal turned to his Father. “Does this mean I’m finally a man, going
to work in the blacksmith’s shop making swords and all?”
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Both Dalbus and Turl burst out laughing. “Well, Clal,” his father said, “at thirteen I believe you’ll be there soon enough.” His father looked at Clal and winked.
“In fact, when I was your age I was...” his father started to say.
“...building one boat a week for the Illian naval fleet, living on my own, free as can be.” Clal and Ansa both finished his sentence in unison and they all four burst out in a fit of laughter. Rythe just watched.
After they said their goodbyes and watched as the cart turned a corner into the trees, Rythe asked, “Where to first?”
“To Gwynn the seamstress. It’s on the edge of town near Ordon’s wood works.” She said, “Do you know where that is?”
“Yes,” Rythe said, “I do.”
They meandered around the streets of the city, dusk having turned into night. They eventually stopped in front of Gwynn’s shop door.
<< left off here: 9/11 >>
Through the window two candles were burning on a large wooden table in the middle of the room. An old woman was needling away at some fabric. She looked up, noticed she had visitors, then stood from her chair and approached the door. She opened the door, then said addressing Ansa.
“Hello. Are you Ansa Winden?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I have been anxiously awaiting your arrival.” Gwynn smiled
widely. Ansa hesitated.
“You’ll be fine,” Clal said as he embraced his sister. “We’ll visit
each other often.” Clal smiled then winked. “I’ll be back in just three days from now to see how you’re getting along.”
Ansa looked up into Clal’s blue eyes, “Okay, Clal. That’s not too long from now, I guess.” Ansa said.
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Ansa gave Clal another squeeze then walked toward Gwynn. She turned and waved to Rythe who smiled back.
“Don’t forget to come see me before you leave.” She said winking.
“You?” Rythe smiled, “I wouldn’t miss it, Ansa.”
Gwynn walked toward Ansa and wrapped her arm around her and said, “I have no doubt you and I will become fast friends.”
Ansa smiled, “Oh Gwynn, I like you already.” Ansa turned and waved again to Clal then she disappeared behind the shop door.
Rythe turned from Gwynn’s door and Clal followed. “So, you know where the blacksmith shop if from here then, Rythe?” Rythe nodded as he took Clal down a city street where many other boys were running rampant with laughter and great excitement. They turned down several streets and passed many short and tall buildings.
It wasn’t long before Clal said to Rythe, “I miss her already, Rythe. Can you believe we’ve never been apart until now?”
Rythe looked down and nodded slowly, “You are good to her, Clal. A true friend.” He smiled.
Then Rythe stopped walking and looked at Clal. “Something tells me though, Clal, that she’s made of iron, your sister. And that there’s more to her than what one might see from the outside looking in.”
Rythe clapped Clal on the back as they resumed their journey through the streets of Eldan Vyum.
As they passed by endless buildings and walked by nameless faces, all that Clal could think about was his beloved twin sister, Ansa, and how right Rythe was.
Ansa was an incredible individual and they were truly inseparable. Their days had been spent, not climbing apple trees in their orchards, surprisingly, but fighting dragons in the clouds and escaping shapeless thieves in the forest shadows. Sticks became
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swords and leaves became golden coins. And the great Crescent- Keep Mountain was their castle fortress.
They knew each other’s thoughts and often felt each other’s feelings. And, though he resented her for her witty ways and overly keen abilities, those really were the things he liked most about her. Clal smiled as he remembered the rock with the seaweed as hair, and how he had fallen for it.
“My, Ansa,” Clal whispered. He shook his head and chuckled.
A few more feet and they arrived in front of the blacksmith’s shop. “This is it,” Rythe said, “though it is all dark inside. I’m sure this is the place. I’d know it anywhere...”
Both Clal and Rythe stood in front of old shop with their mouths wide open. Clal walked toward Tallon’s shop and knocked on the door. They waited, then Rythe knocked, but the result was the same. Silence.
“I don’t think there’s anyone here, Rythe.”
“No,” Rythe said, “it looked so different from when I was here last.” Rythe looked through the dirt laden front window. Clal walked around the side of the building then came back in a moment.
“Rythe, I don’t know the last time anyone has been here.” Clal said. “What am I to do now?”
“You can stay with me at the inn until we figure out what you’re going to do.” Rythe said. “The inn, Clal?”
“I suppose,” Clal said reluctantly.
“Right then. The inn is this way,” Rythe said pointing.
Rythe heaved his pack on his back then began to march down
the cobblestone road. Clal was at his heels. There were less people now and more dark windows as they ventured through the city during the night hours. They soon reached the inn. Rythe turned the doorknob of the front door and they both entered.
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They spoke with the innkeeper and purchased a room with two beds for the night. There were boys everywhere, in the hallways, on the stairs and in the dining area.
“We must have taken the last available room.” Rythe said.
Clal and Rythe reached the end of a hall and stood by a door. Rythe unlocked the door with the key the innkeeper had given him. He opened the door and they both entered the room. It wasn’t long till there was a knock at their door.
“Who is there,“ Rythe said.
“Morry, the innkeeper.”
Rythe opened the door to the room revealing a short middle
aged man with a round face.
“Pardon the interruption sirs, but one of you dropped your pack
when you came in a moment ago?”
Sure enough, Rythe’s pack was missing. He was the one who
talked with the innkeeper. He must have set it down.
“Thank you, Morry.” Rythe said.
“My pleasure,” Morry said. “I’ll be off now. Good evening.”
The door had almost shut when Rythe shouted, “Wait, Morry!” Morry’s head popped back in the room.
“Tallon the blacksmith, have you seen him? Has he come to your
inn lately?” Rythe said.
“Old Tallon?” Morry said. “Oh, no. I haven’t heard a tall tale from
him since...” Morry scratched his beard, “...since three months back. And he used to be my best customer, too.”
“Thank you,” Rythe said and Morry closed the door behind him.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Clal said. “It just doesn’t make any sense. How can I be an apprentice to a missing blacksmith?”
All Rythe could do was shake his head. He laid down, rolled onto his side and was breathing heavily in a moment.
Clal, on the other hand, refused to sleep. He remained sitting up on his bed looking out at the night sky. The crescent moon that hung
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from the star speckled sky reminded him of Lyrune, and he slipped away into dreams of Crescent Keep Mountain where the days were innocent and free.
ELDAN VYUM - 65 MILES AWAY
Ch 1
Apple Cart - 6 mph - 11 hours (including 1 watering stop at the river)
Day 1 - August 5th - Leave at 8am - 5pm = 8 hours = 48 miles
- sleep at the river
Ch 2
River lady of light
Ch 3
Day 2 - August 6th - Leave around 6am again
3 hours 17…18 miles to Eldan Vyum.
What else comes up?
——the twins open up their wooden boxes in front of Rythe…???
The roll into Eldan Vyum around 9am - still morning
Setup early to get best spot.
Take 2 hours.
11am…They leave the three (Turn, Gree, Mina)
Go to Gwynn.
Greetings and leave Ansa.
Go to Blacksmith. Not there.
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