Chapter 8: The River Crossing
The next morning, at breakfast, Kessa noticed Rowan sitting by himself, silent and withdrawn. The clothing he'd been given seemed to hang loose on him. She approached him and said "would you like to walk with me and David today? The Nisse sometimes take a bit of getting used to, maybe you'd be more comfortable with us." Rowan nodded, seeming relieved.
As the party prepared to head out, Kessa noticed Arthan arranging his quiver, and went up to him. “I wanted to thank you for sharing the dessert with us last night, it was really good.” “You are quite welcome” he replied. “I am glad you liked it. You may not be aware of it, but one of the older women travelling with us is my grandmother. Even if I had not wished to share the pear compote, she would have had a few choice words for me had I forgotten her teachings about hospitality to guests."
“Seems your people are really serious about that, especially with what happened with Rowan. He might still be in shock, but I'm sure he's appreciative and will say so when he's ready. David and I certainly are. Especially when it comes to medical help. If Caelen hadn’t found us, I’m sure I’d be dead now. If it’s ok, can I ask you something about him?”
“Certainly. Go ahead.”
“Last night, you called him ‘revered.’ I know you were teasing each other, but it sounds like what you said was true, too. David told me how everyone here seems to respect him, and I’ve seen a little of that myself. It’s one reason I’ve been surprised he's wanted to join us for meals, we’re not really anything special. But it seems he is. Is there anything we should or shouldn’t do around him?”
"Ah, you need have no concern about that," Arthan said with a sly grin. "Caelen -excuse me- Master Caelen is remarkably easy to get along with. The only problem will be if you ignore his medical instructions, such as by failing to take a potion he has prescribed, or if you overexert yourself after being cautioned not to. I tried it once, the winter after he had completed healer training. I was dealing with a minor infection, was impatient, and attempted to return to my studies before he felt I was ready. He just kept repeating himself—‘rest, hydrate, don’t push it’—until I finally gave in. Your ears might be more resistant than mine, but I wouldn’t recommend trying it.”
Kessa smiled, then thought for a moment. “That’s something else I’ve been wondering about. Caelen was very careful to make sure I rested after I got bit by the wriathling, even though he pretty much removed the venom the first time he saw me. If your people’s medicine can cure things almost instantly, why the recovery period?”
Arthan considered for a moment. “My kinsman, or any healer, could explain it better, but I think of it like stringing a bow with a new string. It is unwise to go straight from the spool to full draw. You have to condition it carefully, let it settle into its tension, or it will snap—or at least never perform as it should. A healer's craft repairs the damage, but your body needs time to resynchronize its rhythms with those of the world around us, especially if an illness or injury took a toll on your natural strength. Push too soon, Gaiathorn will push back, and the healing charm may be less effective than it should be."
At that moment the camp steward signaled they were ready to depart. Kessa and David chatted as they trekked. Rowan, though he stayed close beside them, remained withdrawn and didn't seem to want to talk much. They did their best to give him some space. Lyara was with Caelen, walking beside some of the older Nisse, so he could give her a few pointers on what symptoms to watch for when travelling with older individuals, ensuring that any issues could be addressed before they became serious.
It was about an hour before midday, and the forest was giving way to more parklike terrain, when they began to notice signs of a large water source nearby. There was the scent of damp earth, the faint hum of a distant waterfall, and the change in vegetation to taller, lusher grasses along slight depressions in the ground. Half an hour later, the Hollowrun River came into view, stretching roughly 350 feet wide. In the relatively flat meadowland, it flowed smoothly, yet the deep blue color at the center revealed its depth.
The party turned and headed south along the bank, heading toward the Shadowbank Bridge, a well-maintained crossing point Lyara had mentioned as being used by the many travelers and traders that passed this way in the warmer months. Today, however, it didn't look like their party would be using it any time soon. Pilings stood as tall and strong as they should, but on the nearside, about 10ft from the bank, where solid planks should have been, there was a wide gap. Workers at the treeline were using a large saw to cut a freshly felled log into replacement planks, while others were pulling ropes from a wagon to replace those that had apparently been chewed through by a water animal, allowing the boards to float away. It looked like they’d just gotten started.
The Nisse camp steward went on ahead and spoke to the human who seemed to be in charge of the repair efforts, then returned to them. He informed the group that the repairs were expected to take several hours. The steward had offered the skills of the Nisse craftspeople, but their help had been refused, since allowing them to assist would lower the worker’s pay. Kessa groaned inwardly; she'd never been good with waiting, especially for indeterminate periods of time. However, she could see by the worker's fluid movements, and the ease with which they handled their tools, that they knew what they were doing.
Caelen had already called Lyara away to show her the proper technique for grinding some of the dried herbs he used in his profession. Arthan was was speaking with a young Nisse, apparently showing her how to hold a bow. David said he wanted to stretch and maybe do some sketching, and Kessa knew her introverted friend well enough to know that meant his ears needed a break from conversation. The Nisse were a kind and considerate people, but she wasn't comfortable approaching total strangers just yet. Nor did she want to pester Rowan to talk if he wasn't ready.
Soon, though, something drew her attention away from worrying about potential boredom. There was a small group of humans already present at the crossing point, their children playing in the autumn leaves, the adults milling around as humans tended to do when waiting for something. Seeing the Nisse travelers arriving, most of them smiled and nodded politely, with a few hands raised in greeting. The Nisse answered with what Kessa had observed to be their customary greeting gesture, placing their hands over their hearts and bowing slightly. It was clear that the two species generally enjoyed good relations with each other.
As they got closer to the humans, Rowan's head snapped up, and he shouted "Uncle Edran!" One of the humans turned, then walked quickly toward them. "Rowan, what are you doing here? And with the Nisse? What happened?" Rowan hesitated, but before he could answer, Elyndra approached them. She explained what had happened to the village where Rowan had been staying, and that he'd been on his own in the woods for two days. She concluded by saying "he showed considerable courage and resourcefulness, fending for himself for so long at such a young age. We are honored to aid such a one, and thankful we happened to camp in a place he could find us."
David and Kessa glanced at each other. Elyndra had not been dishonest, but she had refrained from mentioning what Rowan had been up to when, as she put it, he found their camp. Rowan, who had been looking at her, noticeably relaxed. Rowan's uncle tussled his hair. "I was just thinking my journey was going to be quiet. Then you turn up. Trouble always knows how to find me." Rowan smiled. "I'll try to behave, but how come you're with this group? I didn't think you had planned for having an entourage for the trip home."
Edran smiled back, then spoke of how he had encountered this group of humans by chance, and, as they were going the same direction, asked to travel with them. "It seems the Celestials guided your steps, so that our new friend would be able to return to his kin without having to wait for word to be sent to them" said Elyndra.
"It seems so" said Edran. "I am grateful for what you have done for my family. I will ensure word of the fire is sent to the nearest human habitation, so that a search party may be sent out to look for any other survivors. I would like to offer something to repay you for the care you extended to my nephew. I notice you have archers among you. I am a metal worker and have some new hunting tips with me. May I speak with whoever is in charge of weapons, and see if he or she could make use of them?"
"We do not ask for anything in return for rendering aid to one who required it, but humans often value equivalent exchange. If it would relieve any anxiety you may have about being indebted to us, certainly" said Elyndra, then called Arthan over. Within a few minutes, the Nisse archer and the adult human were deep in discussion of the merits of specific hunting tips and their best uses. Rowan looked far more at ease now that a member of his family was close by. It occurred to Kessa that he might also be relieved the Nisse had protected his reputation, had not spoken of what extremity had driven him to do. Once Edran and the Nisse archer had finished comparing notes, Edran handed over some of the arrow tips he had mentioned. Then he and his nephew moved off to join the other humans, but Rowan said he'd make sure to find Kessa and David to say goodbye once the bridge was fixed.
About an hour later, another person arrived. Unlike the knot of humans resting under the trees, he didn’t seem happy to see the Nisse at all. He was a small, gaunt man in a blue robe, with sharp eyes and a ragged sandy brown beard. He arrived walking beside a heavily-loaded donkey, and his face had darkened noticeably when he saw Nisse. He looked at them with a suspicion bordering on repugnance, and Kessa saw how he kept his distance from her graceful friends, tying his animal to a tree as far away as he could while staying within earshot of the humans.
Kessa watched as he removed a wooden object from the pack carried by his donkey, and started to unfold it. It was a foldable wooden table, and he placed a fine cloth over it, then began arranging a variety of small trinkets on it. Curious, she moved slightly closer to look, and the trader, after glancing quickly at her ears, ignored her while he arranged his wares. There was something familiar about most of them, something she couldn’t place at first. Then it hit her; they were almost exactly like the items offered by the cheap jewelry stores at the Aurora mall, badly plated fittings holding cheap glass gems. She was sure one of those rings would turn your finger green in a week.
About fifteen minutes later, the soft rustle of the leaves and the gentle murmur of the river, punctuated by the soft conversation of the travelers, were abruptly shattered by the first calls of the trader. The volume startled her after several days with the quiet, gentle Nisse. It didn't help that his voice was harsh, nasally, exactly the kind of tone that most grated on her nerves.
“Finest baubles for the keen eye! Hand-smithed rings, glimmering stones, charms that catch the light just so—silver and gold, set with amethyst, citrine, jade, and aquamarine. Worth every coin, finest to be found in a week’s travel!
Kessa watched him, lips pressed together and jaw tight, wishing he’d keep it down a bit, not to mention stop exaggerating, and wondered how long the bridge repairs would take. But then, she noticed a young human girl, who could not have been older than Rowan, step towards his table. She had auburn hair, bright curious green eyes, and a spray of freckles across her nose. She seemed enchanted by the sparkling bits and baubles, her eyes lingering over a silver broach with blue stones, and Kessa saw her hands move to her belt, untying the strings of a money purse.
Kessa felt pressure in her chest, her brow furrowed, and her fingers curled into fists. Oh heck no.
She strided over the merchant’s table, placing herself in front of the seller’s wares and in the teenage girl’s direct line of sight. She looked directly at the grizzled face of the merchant, and in a voice louder than was strictly necessary said “do you have any that aren’t fake?” She heard a small gasp from somewhere nearby, but she was too angry to look around and see who had made the sound.
Kessa picked up the ornament that had fascinated the teen, turning it over. “See” she said, still addressing the merchant. “It’s only silver on the front, the back’s all coppery. I don’t know if the stones are real, but I’d guess not. My aunt has an aquamarine necklace, it’s like a piece of the sky. These look like stagnant pond water. How about you stop trying to rip off children, huh?”
The teen’s eyes widened; she clutched her money purse, turned on her heal, and quickly walked away. The merchant’s brows knit, eyelids lowering until his dark eyes were like slits, and his jaw stiffened, but before he could reply, Lyara had appeared at her elbow. With exaggerated cheerfulness, she said “there you are, I’ve got something I want to show you!” The Nisse woman grabbed her arm and guided her away from the merchant’s table, more strength in her grip than a friendly gesture required, though not enough to hurt.
Lyara bent close, using the pretense of adjusting Kessa’s hood to whisper in her ear “that merchant is well known to us. He always carries a dagger at his side. You could not have been certain he would not have used it.” Kessa felt her stomach drop, her face turning hot with fear and embarrassment. “I…I didn’t even notice that.”
Lyara’s gaze softened, seeing the depth of Kessa’s hurt. “Your instinct was sound, but a quieter touch could have achieved the same outcome. Perhaps offering to show that child a bauble of your own, thus drawing her away without provoking the merchant’s anger. You could then have explained his attempt at deception without risking yourself.”
Kessa swallowed hard, then, looking in the direction the teen girl had retreated, saw something that made her grin.
“That would have been safer, but it looks like it wasn’t a total loss. Look!” Kessa inclined her head to the small gathering of humans, where the young girl was speaking excitedly to an older woman who had the same auburn hair as the child, pointing to the merchant’s table. The mother’s face darkened, she put an arm around the girl’s shoulder and gently guided her over to a group of young people about the girl’s age. Then she spoke with a well-armed man, also with auburn hair, and Kessa smiled as she saw him striding toward the merchant.
At about that moment, David came running up. He hadn’t observed the entire encounter, but he did notice Lyara hurrying her away at a pace faster than was usual for the Nisse, and their expressions told him something was wrong. Kessa explained what had happened, laying considerable -and repeated- emphasis on how she just wanted to make sure that teen girl wasn’t going to get duped.
David glanced at the merchant’s table, and saw the tall, powerful auburn-haired man speaking to the grizzled old merchant. His stance was calm and deliberate, but radiated authority, like an army officer dressing down a foolish subordinate without ever having to raise his voice. The merchant stood with hunched shoulders, looking small and insignificant, and shortly thereafter, quickly packed up his things and headed down the path, back the way he had come.
David grinned. “Well at least someone who knows how to take care of business dealt with that guy. That was great!”
Turning towards Kessa and sensing the tension still hanging about her, David changed the subject. “By the way, Tavi, one of the younger Nisse, saw me sketching in my notebook and offered to show me some of her drawings. She looks like she’s in elementary school, but her work...it's incredible! Like at the level of a master’s degree art student. I bet she could give Professor Urich a run for his money. Come see!”
Kessa, still a little raw from Lyara pointing out how foolish she’d been, which hurt all the more because she’d been right, was grateful for his efforts to smooth things over. She readily agreed to join them. Kessa, like David, enjoyed drawing, though she tended more toward pencil sketches of natural environments while he worked primarily with technical illustrations. By the time the bridge was safe to cross, Tavi (who had generously offered Kessa some of her drawing materials) had given her a few pointers, improving her technique more in one afternoon than Sketching and Drawing 201 had in an entire semester.
Kessa had been so engrossed in her confrontation with the merchant and her subsequent conversation with Lyara and David that she didn’t notice Arthan had been watching the entire time, taking in every gesture, his bow in hand, arrow on string. When he saw David lead Kessa away to the area where the youngsters were enjoying their artistic endeavors, Arthan returned his arrow to its quiver. Caelen, who stood close by, was also watching silently, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Before they crossed the bridge, one of the Nisse offered to put a charm on the ropes, which would make them distasteful to water rats without harming them, an offer which was gratefully accepted.
True to his word, Rowan approached to bid them farewell as the two groups prepared to go their separate ways. Kessa, though she was happy Rowan was back with his family, was sorry to see him go. She had hoped she'd be able to get to know him a bit better, and felt protective toward him as one of her own species who had been as lost as she and David had been. Kessa and David wished the young human well, and he told them he hoped their paths would cross again.
The rest of the day was uneventful, but as Kessa settled in for the night, a familiar unease lingered. The party expected to reach Saltswreath before dark the next day. She was still worried about stumbling over unfamiliar customs or saying the wrong thing, as she had the day Caelen healed the little girl with the broken wrist. She resolved that on the final day of their travel, she'd ask Lyara or Caelen for some cultural pointers. Maybe that would keep her from making a fool of herself again.
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