The right decision
You were 14 and me 15, it was a beautiful day of spring. We were exploring the area north of Bree, next to the Greenway. Another of our imaginary adventures, i remember : we were gold seekers this time. I'd stolen two old dishes from the kitchen and we were furiously inspecting the sand of the little river with in the eyes the dream to find THE piece of gold which would make us instantaneously richs. We had found only crap, it's crazy what people can throw in a river...
"Lhak ? What is that ?"
I raised my nose from my dish, and followed the direction your cute muddy finger was showing me.
There was a corpse, half on the grass, half in the water.
We looked at each other, and approached, without speaking, as so often, we were understanding eatch other without words.
It was a man, obviously dead. It was not the first time we were seeing a dead person, In Combe, like everywhere, when an old or ill villager was dead, everyone was paying a last visit, and the children were mostly accompanying the adults.
But this was very different from a clean corpse laying peacefully on a bed, the eyes closed like sleeping quietly.
This was a corpse dead violently. The left half of his head was full of blood. He was certainly not dead since long, he was not stincking yet.
I was afraid, and sad, and was watching you in the corner of my eye, to see if you were all right. Courageous little Kuzgun, i know that you were doing your very best to not show it, but i was feeling your trouble, in the way your hand was holding my shoulder a bit too strongly, when i bent over him.
"Look, he has no shoes, no jacket. But his clothes are good, i don't think he was a vagrant. And this wound on the head...
- He's been attacked, you said
- And not by an animal, i answered
Another look exchanged
- By bandits ! we whispered at the same time"
Our first reflex was to look all around us, to see if they were still there. But we just needed a few seconds to realize that if bandits had killed and robbed this guy, they would certainly not stay next to the corpse... especially now, in the middle of the afternoon...
This must have happened last night...
"What are you doing ? you were asking me
- I'm seeking in his pocket, maybe he has papers, something which could identificate him...
noding slowly, you squated down and started to inspect the corpse.
- Lhak ?
- Yes ?
Silently, you show me the paper in your hand, shivering a bit
-It was in the side pocket of his trousers"
It was an envellope. with a red seal of wax representing a crown and a bird.
Happily this part of the body had not been in the water, and the document seemed intact.
Next to the seal was a stamp. It was written "Royal Messengers"...
The Royal Messengers ! Even if there was no king since long, this legendary corporation had lived until nowadays, bringing news and document between administrative and important people.
On the other side of the envellope, we could read : "To the captain Trotter, Trestlebridge"...
"What do we do ? you asked
- Maybe we should call the guards of Bree, and give them this letter too, it seems important...
- The guards are just a bunch of idiots ! They will lose the paper and say it was a tramp dying of too much alcohol, you know how they are ! you said with a pout.
Then after a pose :
- What if...
- I know what you will say, Kuz... But this is not a game anymore, we can't...
-We can't what ? This letter is for the Captain Trotter in Trestlebridge, no ? What difference does it make if it's us or them who bring it ?
- Well, first it can be dangerous. I pointed to the corspe. And then, we can't let him rot here, someone must be warned.
- Dangerous... Yes, maybe, if you stay on the road... Lhak, we always wanted to go to Trestlebridge ! Come on ! now we have a true mission !
I was watching you with a mix of fear, admiration and amusement.
- Okay Kuz, we will go to Trestlebridge, to bring this letter to its addressee. And seeing your smile then your mouth wide open, i added prompty : but i propose that we do that tomorrow.
- Tomorrow !
- Listen, it's already getting late, Trestlebridge is far, we have no food, no blanket, nothing, and as you said, by the road it's obviously dangerous, we must plan our travel. What if we prepare today, and we go tomorrow morning ? with a bit of luck we could even be back home before the night falls. And today, we can also warn the guards in Bree that we have found a corpse.
- And the letter ? you asked.
- The letter ? You just said that you want to bring it yourself.
- Don't be silly, they won't let us keep it
- If we tell them, no, they indeed won't let us keep it.
I love so much your smile in these moments
- Oh i'm so excited, Lhak, you realize ?
- I'm not sure if i want to realize, i answered, ticking you gently."
It was dawn when we departed. We had planned our route carefully. In these times, although not so far, there was not so much bandits or dangerous animals in Breeland. But we had choosen to go by the Eastern Bree-Fields, and our adventures had never brought us so far before...
And this time, it was not an imaginary adventure : we were the Royals Messengers, with a true letter, for a true captain...
Normally, it takes long to reach the Eastern Bree-Fields, be it by Bree north (part which we wanted to avoid) or by Far Chetwood. But we were young, and could do with a bit of acrobaties. It was not the first time that we were climbing the cliff around Archet to reach the plateau.
But then the travel started really, and it was a long one. Walking on these plains, our backpacks full of bread, water, cheese and apples, we felt, for the second time in our lives (the first was when we went to Bree without any adult, for the first time, you and me), that our universe was suddenly becoming bigger.
When the sun reached its highest point in the sky, we paused, in a meadow, in the shadow of a shrub. Our sandwiches had an even better taste than usual, a taste of freedom, and were smiling while munching.
It happened at this moment
It was first one butterfly, landing on your shoulder, then a second, i still remember, on your hand, then one more, and one more, and soon a dozen of them were on you.
We've never understood why on you only, and not on me... maybe they were thinking that you were a giant flower, with your red hair which were litterally in flammes in the sunlight
You were giggling, not daring to move, looking at me then back at the butterflies, the eyes wide open
My heart was shouting "I LOVE YOU Kuzgun !" I wonder how my body has not exploded under the pressure of such a strong feeling. But my mouth was staying desesperatly shut, only able to smile back at you. I bet i was looking stupid.
Then the butterflies left, one by one, and our eyes were following them in the blue air of this wonderful day in your company
But it was now time to set off. I was trying to keep this image in my head, to print it forever in my soul, i would have so much wanted to be able to paint it...
When we arrived in Trestlebridge, the afternoon was slowly giving way to the evening.
Of course, we did not enter in town by the main door, guarded by soldiers which were looking even more dumb than the guards of Bree, you said.
When we asked the woman who was carrying a basket full of clothes where we could find the captain Trotter, she looked at us curiously, and pointed at a man, in uniform, in front of a house, without a word.
If captain Trotter was surprised, he didn't show it much, when he invited us in his office.
After listening to our story (we had decided to tell him the whole truth, and he has chuckled when you were talking about the guards of Bree), he opened the seal, and red quietly the letter, noding sometime, looking at us with a mysterious expression.
"And so you live in Bree, you both ?
-In Combe sir, eh, captain. we proudly answered together
That's a long way... and how do you intend to go back home ? You realize i hope that it's almost night. I can't let you go like that.
And anyway you've been very courageous and helpful to bring me personaly this envelope. I will invite you for a good supper at the tavern, then we'll find you a comfy bed for the night, and tomorrow at the first light, we will escort you halfway, then you should be safe enough to return home...
- But sir ! and our parents ? they will be worried !
- That, my youngs, you should have thought of it before... now you're here ad it's too late to go back, so you choose, you're my guests tonight or my prisoners ? He was laughing loudly, but we were looking at each other, not sure if he was just joking about the prison...
Ah, and i will write a letter of apologizes for your parents, explaining that you've been very helpful and that they should not be angry. Ao, let's go for a good meal, i bet you must be hungry after such an adventure !"
At first we were not really hungry, but then, the good ambiance, the music, and the pleasant company of the captain Trotter, opened our appetite enough to become little ogres
I was secretly dispointed when they gave us two separate bedrooms.
This night you were sleeping closer than you ever had before, and yet, your absence was such a burning pain.
The way back to Combe has been quiet, even if we were afraid of our parents' reactions. We had never left for a night, before...
And though, we decided to not show the letter which the captain had written for them. We cut it in small pieces and offered them to the wind.
It was OUR adventure, and we didn't want to share it with no one else, even if we had to endure one of the biggest anger a child of Combe has ever suffered in years...
-------------------------------------------------
The Prancing Pony, Bree, a few weeks ago.
Barliman Butterbur put his thick hand on my shoulder.
"Lad, i don't want to be rude, but i'd like that you stop to annoy my customers. What are you doing exactly ?
- I'm trying to sell my paints. I answered. I'm sorry, i didn't mean to annoy anyone.
- Your paints ? What kind of paints ?"
I gave him the two paints i was trying to sell for enough money to buy some new colors and maybe a supper.
"So, what do we have here... ah, a little girl running in a meadow, it's cute that. Oh and the other one is a girl too, but not a child, a woman. Hmm, she's smiling and she's full of white butterflies hehe. Is it the same girl ? they both have red hair.
I noded affirmatively.
- You've painted that ?
Once again i nod
- When you were child ?
- Ah no, i have painted them recently, from my memories.
- Oh, but they are not signed ?
- No... to be honest i've never got the idea to sign my paints...
- Hmm i see... and how much do you ask for them ?
- I try to get ten silvers by paint. You know, i have to buy new colors, and paper... and to eat a little bit when i can.
Butterbur watched the two paints a bit longer.
- I like them, both, i wish to buy them to decorate a bit more this old dark tavern. I give you 50 silver for the two paints, and you're my guest for tonight. What do you think of that ?"
I accepted heartilly this unexpected offer. And promised myself to offer him one day a paint of his tavern.
The morning after, the body rested and the stomach full, i was about to leave the Prancing Pony when i saw my two paints on the wall of the main room, in good place.
I really thought he was buying them by pity, but no, i was wrong, he really seems to like them !
I felt quite surprised... maybe it's possible to make a living from painting, after all...
Ah, and he said i should sign my paints next time...
With a little smile on my lips, i left the tavern, it was time to buy some new colors.
