A new morning had risen over the cozy and small Uhmakian village of Kalekanka, and by the time the morning cranes made their call, most houses had a loaded carriage waiting outside, and those that didn't, had their folk loaded up in someone else's carriage. One house that had an almost carriage but wasn't ready to go was the house of the competitive brothers and their family. The other house belonged to the wicked wizard's daughter who knew that as an outlander she wasn't welcome to the Uhmak tribe's yearly Bloom festival anyway.
In the house of the brothers everybody except Yilka had woken up and started the process of loading the carriage. Two beakmounts had been reined to the carriage and the butchered remains of the hornbeast and the large bird, a basket of bread, a roll of rope, spears and Venamo's own sword which he had named "Defiance" had been loaded in. Also in the carriage old man Vaino was entertaining little Varma with old stories from the past and Venamo was feeding the beakmounts and the lady of the house Suiv had just put a large chug of water in the carriage.
"Are we ready to go?" Varma asked her mother while sitting in the carriage.
"Somebody still needs to be awakened. I remember telling somebody to wake him up but there he is still snoring." Suiv replied and gave Varma a judgmental look.
"I forgot. Sorry." Varma said and acted innocently.
Suiv only sighed and went indoors. She grabbed two pots and hit them together hard right above Yilka's face. He woke up frightened and rolled out of his bed and stood up.
"Time to get dressed and get up in the carriage. You can wash yourself and have a breakfast while we ride. And your shirt doesn't smell anymore." Suiv said and pointed at Yilka's shirt at the end of his bed.
Yilka put on his shirt that was cool from being outside all night before somebody had brought it inside. Something else was also at the end of his bed. His Beast Slayer now had a much smoother surface, the little branches had been cut off from it, and the tip was also less rough. It looked more like a weapon now, and a verse had been carved on it on the Uhmakian script.
"No beast too fierce, no forest too dark for the hunter whose work is never over." The verse read.
"Who did this?" Yilka said and held the cudgel upright.
He spun it in his hand, felt the grip and took a few swings at the air.
"This has a good feel to it now." Yilka said and grinned at his improved weapon.
He swung with it again and did a spin and the tip of the cudgel stopped mere centrimetres away from Suiv's face who was still there. Yilka and Suiv stared at each other with wide eyes while the tip remained close to Suiv's throat.
"Well, how long are you going to stay in here?" Suiv asked.
"Right. Are we ready to head off?" Yilka asked and hung his weapon to his belt with the little hook that had been attached to it too.
"We've been ready for a bit now." Suiv replied
"Right. Let's head off then." Yilka said as they both left the house.
Everybody who hadn't jumped on the wagon, did it now. Yilka sat down next to Varma who was proudly looking at the new and improved Beast Slayer on Yilka's hip.
"You did this, didn't you?" Yilka asked and looked down at Varma.
"I may have. This morning I also finished this necklace at last. Found a few feathers in the fields. Just in time." Varma replied and proudly showed the string around her neck that was decorated with bird feathers.
"It looks really nice. And I knew it was you who carved the verse into the cudgel. You have an ear for the poetic. I like what you did. But why the verse?"
"Do you not like the verse?"
"Even if I didn't, it'd be too late now. It's carved into the wood. I prefer the verse you carved into Vena's sword better however." Yilka said with slight jest.
"I couldn't give both of you the same verse. And besides, "So long will the tribe warrior keep on striking as the defiance in his sword lasts." would not fit you. You're no warrior." Varma replied with equal jest.
"I will be. I. Will be." Yilka replied and looked proud.
"Let's hope you never have to be. But a man who values peace, must always be prepared for war. I'd advise you to practice your archery more, and acquire a sword, rather than swing a stick around." Venamo chipped in.
"How about you use your master swordsmanship and skewer me a few pieces of bread from the basket?" Suiv said from where she was driving the carriage.
"Aren't those for the community table?" Varma asked with confusion.
"No, I made those for the journey. The meat and the bird is for the table." Suiv replied.
"Grr, even if I was allowed, I wouldn't eat the birdo. But we were allowed to eat the bread the whole time?" Varma asked for clarification.
"That's why I made so much of it. Go ahead and feed yourselves, right after you've chucked me a couple." Suiv told everyone.
Varma immediately stuffed a round white bread in her mouth, and Venamo handed two to Suiv. Yilka was about to grab one before old man Vaino stopped him.
"Clean yourself before eating." Vaino reminded Yilka of the religious custom.
"Sorry. Of course." Yilka humbly said and took some water from the jug into wooden bowl.
With a few bowls he washed his hands and his long hair and then allowed himself to eat. As the carriage rode through the village, the houses were empty and no smoke was coming from anyone's chimney, aside from the one on the tall hill. Once the carriage passed the tall hill, Yilka looked far up to the top of the hill, trying his best to see if Nofa was outside. Venamo grunted angrily and gave Yilka a serious look. He didn't have to say anything, because Yilka already understood and looked down.
"Why shouldn't she go with the rest of the folk? At this point she should be one of us. Maybe she doesn't want to be, and doesn't care about our traditions. I should have at least asked."
"You know, brother by my side. I reckon that the same woman who made my life saving repellent could also make something to help your hand get better." Yilka suggested.
"Out of the question." Venamo simply replied.
"What harm can it be if I asked?" Yilka asked.
"Every time you talk with the wicked, you get more wicked yourself. I will not let her corrupt you." Venamo insisted.
"I want to help you and your hand."
"I will not let you do it at the cost of yourself. My hand will heal."
"As a one handed hunter, you won't be able to provide for the family."
"I did it yesterday just fine." Venamo stubbornly insisted.
Yilka sighed with frustration and jumped out of the wagon. Venamo and Suiv shouted his name as he ran up the long stairs leading up the hill, but he didn't turn back. The carriage stopped and Venamo also jumped out to chase Yilka. Because Yilka had a head start, he made it to the top before being caught, even if Venamo was faster than him. At the top he arrived at the small humble shack of Nofa that had a tombstone outside of it. Around Nofa's shack no grass grew and next to the shack was a dead standing tree. Yilka knocked on the door of the shack and heard his brother's steps coming up the hill. Right as Venamo's hand yanked the sleeve of Yilka's darkened white shirt, a small lid opened on the shack's door on the height of the men's chests.
"I thought everybody left the village already. But what shall it be?" Nofa's voice said from the other side of the open lid.
"We need something for big wounds. Got anyt..." Yilka was saying until Venamo blocked his mouth with his hand.
"Something for wounds? And do I recognise your voice?" Nofa asked from the other side.
She peeked through the lid and saw who was outside. She opened the door and looked at the two brothers with slight confusion as Venamo still kept his palm on Yilka's mouth to block it.
"Uhh... Hello, Yilka and..." Nofa greeted them, curious as to who the other man was.
Venamo remained steadfast and refused to talk to the Wicked woman. Yilka removed the hand from his mouth.
"Look at his hand. We need something for it." Yilka said and showed Venamo's wrapped hand.
"Ow. That's bad. But lucky for you, I have..." Nofa began to say.
"We are not talking to this woman. Let's get back already." Venamo insisted and started dragging Yilka by the sleeve.
"Let's hear her at least!" Yilka insisted back and stayed put.
"Whatever she has to offer is a fraud. Don't fall for her tricks just because she's friendly to you." Venamo said.
"How about I give you what I have and you pay once it works?" Nofa suggested with a confident smirk.
"That works! What do you want in return?" Yilka answered eagerly.
"Well, since you'll most likely stop by Reutsa. I know they have some fine salts there that I want to experiment with. Does that sound like a fair trade?" Nofa asked in a friendly manner.
She only looked at Yilka while talking and completely ignored the other man.
"We can make that happen. But what do you have?" Yilka answered with no hesitation.
"And with whose money would we pay for any fine salts?" Venamo asked his brother sternly.
"We can... work on someone's farm for a day if Suiv doesn't have enough." Yilka threw out an idea.
"We? This is your deal. I didn't agree to this." Venamo argued.
"But the medicine is for you." Yilka argued back.
"I don't even want her medicine. It's most likely poisonous anyway." Venamo stubbornly insisted.
Nofa sneered at Venamo with her arms crossed.
"If that's what you think of me." Nofa said quietly.
"I'll work alone for a few days on somebody's farm to afford the salts. Does that sound good?" Yilka asked Venamo.
"It's not about that." Venamo insisted.
Yilka ignored Venamo's points and took a step closer to the front door. Venamo grabbed Yilka's shoulder to yank him back. Yilka turned around quickly and shoved Venamo back almost like it was instinct. Venamo looked at Yilka and felt dumbfounded about his insubordination.
"Don't touch me there!" Yilka warned seriously.
Venamo noticed which shoulder it was that he touched Yilka in. He felt bad about it and didn't stop Yilka from stepping inside the hut this time, but he didn't let him enter alone. He followed Yilka and Nofa inside the hut to make sure that nothing was done to Yilka.
Inside Nofa's hut the most striking detail was a table that had glass bottles full of colourful liquids, bowls of spices, two thick books and a blue butterfly whose wingspan was about as wide as a man's fist. Against one wall was a bookshelf and against another one was a fireplace and a furnace. On corners of the hut were all sorts of chests and crates as well, one wall had little doors on it, and the floor also had trap doors.
"Look, Blueberry! Customers came inside for once! What do you think they need? You think they might be looking for something like... hmmm..." Nofa talked to her butterfly and opened a chest at the foot of the table to start searching through it.
"Customers usually don't come in?" Yilka asked.
"Well, soon after coming here I learned that these folk don't want to look at me, for whatever reason and that's why I made that lid in my door to exchange goods without exchanging eye contact." Nofa explained while digging through the chest.
"Why would they not want to look at you?" Yilka asked curiously.
"Well isn't somebody trying to flatter me now?" Nofa replied and chuckled to herself.
"I didn't... mean..." Yilka was stuttering.
"I don't know why they don't want to see me. Maybe they think I bring bad luck. I know that at least... some of you... really don't like me." Nofa said and seemed to have somebody very specific in mind.
Yilka side eyed at Venamo after that comment.
"Anyway. Found it! Here. Look at this." Nofa said and took a bag out of the chest.
She walked over to the brothers and poured the contents of the bag on her own palm. A disgusting blob of soft red meat fell out of the bag. It seemed squishy and not at all solid while jiggling in Nofa's hand. Both brothers looked disgusted at the sight of it.
"What is that cursed thing?" Venamo asked.
"This is what I call feign flesh." Nofa told them proudly.
"You created this?" Yilka asked.
"And what does it do?" Venamo added.
"Well, you just rip out a piece of this and put it where you're missing flesh, and it will grow into you. Basically patch you up." Nofa explained.
"So if he puts this in the hole in his palm, this thing will fill the hole and grow into his flesh?" Yilka asked.
"Precisely. A great invention, don't you think?" Nofa asked proudly.
"A horrible abomination that only Rari's people could create." Venamo replied.
"We'll take it." Yilka said with certainty.
"Does it even work?" Venamo asked.
"Folk always doubt it. That's why I can show proof." Nofa said and opened a trap door on the floor.
What Nofa took out of the particular trap door was a board with a dead branch hopper nailed to it. In its gut was an area that didn't match the creature's green skin, but rather the colour of the feign flesh.
"Now if you were to just look at this. I made a hole to the body of the little beast and filled it with feign flesh. Take a closer look. It has become one with the flesh of the branch hopper. No stitches anywhere. It usually takes ten days or more for it to properly patch a wound, but it works. So do we have a deal?" Nofa explained and asked.
Venamo rudely took the board out of Nofa's hands and inspected the dead creature on it. He took a knife from his own pocket and stabbed the feign flesh on the creature. The knife didn't go as deep as it would have on actual flesh, which impressed Venamo.
"Good stuff." Yilka commented.
"I suppose it's better than the piece of cloth that I need to keep changing." Venamo commented, still a bit uncertain.
"So a piece of this for us, and a bag of fine salt for you? I agree to that deal." Yilka said and looked at Venamo.
"Fine. We'll take the deal." Venamo finally agreed.
"Excellent! Now unwrap that hand so I can see how big of a piece you need." Nofa said.
Venamo did as told and let Nofa see his hand after he unwrapped it. Nofa cut a piece of the flesh blob and inserted the meat into Venamo's hole. He cringed at the stinging pain but it was over in a moment.
"There. Keep it there for ten days or more and it'll be a part of you. Just remember that you still won't have any bones in that spot. They're broken for good." Nofa told them.
"Well, I've already accepted that. I can't feel my fingers, but I can manage with one hand." Venamo replied and then turned to Yilka.
"We should head back already." Venamo then said to his brother.
"You're right." Yilka replied.
"Happy travels." Nofa wished to Yilka only.
The brothers left the humble hut and returned to the carriage where Suiv and Vaino were looking disapprovingly at the brothers as they arrived.
"What were you doing in that wizard's home?" Suiv asked Yilka especially.
"And why did it take so long?" Varma asked with boredom.
Yilka already knew what his family thinks about lying, and that Venamo would expose any lie he would think of.
"I thought that she might have something for Venamo's wounds. So I went to ask her." Yilka replied, not telling the whole story but not lying either.
"And I brought him back." Venamo added and climbed back in the carriage.
Once everybody was in the carriage and it was moving again, Yilka gave a questioning look to Venamo, as if to ask him why did he go along with the plot and not tell the whole truth. From Venamo's face it was clear that he felt ashamed to have made a deal with a Wicked one and didn't want anyone to know.
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Around late afternoon the carriage arrived to the outskirts of Reutsa, the only major township between the village of Kalekanka and the border wall known as The Wound where the annual celebration is always held. After the carriage passed the sign bearing the town's name, three men in fine looking long coats hailed at Suiv, signalling her to stop the carriage. She stopped the carriage and looked more annoyed than worried.
"Halt, travellers! Show your entry seal before you enter the city!" One of the men shouted at Suiv who stopped the carriage when she saw the sheathes on the waists of the men.
"How funny. Last year three men who look like you scammed me out of my money and then later the town's road watch went around telling folk that anyone asking for an entry seal is a fraud." Suiv replied to them.
"That may have been the case last year, but the town's new lord demands an entry seal from anyone looking to enter, and we have been appointed to enforce this rule." The apparent leader of the men assured her.
"And let me guess, you sell these entry seals, just like last year." Suiv said.
"That is correct. For just..." The supposed enforcer was explaining when Suiv made the carriage move again, not intending to entertain them anymore.
Woah woah woah woah! Not so fast!" The enforcer shouted and ran to the carriage along with the two other enforcers.
They put their swords on the necks of the beakmounts pulling the carriage and gave a serious look to Suiv.
"If anybody tries to jump out of the carriage, your mounts are dead, so pay up. The head enforcer threatened.
Suiv only let out a disappointed sigh and tossed a coin to the men.
"Last year you had four medium ones." The enforcer said.
"Well, that was last year. Thanks to you, I now have one. We don't deal with money in the countryside so it's hard to get my hands on any." Suiv explained.
"Such backwards people you are. You've got to have more than that. Shake her up a little." The head enforcer said.
"Fine! Fine! I have more." Suiv said and threw her entire bag to the men.
One of them picked it up and poured all three medium coins from there.
"It's still not much but it's enough. Let them pass." The enforcer holding the money said and lowered his sword, as did the others.
The carriage passed the men and continued its way towards the township along the dirt road. Suiv was boiling inside but didn't let it show or be heard.
"What are we doing? Let's go get her money back from those guys!" Yilka said to Venamo and clutched the Beast Slayer hanging from his belt.
"Three of them, and only two of us have a weapon. And only one of us can fight with a weapon." Venamo replied.
"Are you saying I can't fight with a weapon?" Yilka asked and felt insulted.
"You have never even trained. At least not with anyone who knows what they're doing." Venamo reminded Yilka.
"And did those fools look like they could fight?" Yilka asked.
"Boys, forget it. We don't need to get into trouble. We can do without the money. We're only passing through the town because it's safer than going around it." Suiv said while controlling the carriage.
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When their carriage passed the gate of the town, it was easy to see that this place a favoured pit stop for many travellers on their way to The Wound. It was impossible to get the carriage to move quickly, since the main street going through the township was bustling with carriages, caravans and walking parties going about their own matters, such as buying food for the community tables in hopes of a bountiful summer, going in and out of inns and taverns, and just passing through.
"The road watch wishes to remind all travellers and guests, that anyone asking for a entry seal outside of the town is a fraud and a thief. Do not let yourself be fooled. The lord has not hired anyone to enforce a policy around any entry seals!" A town crier shouted while standing on a box.
"I hate this place. Always so busy." Varma complained.
"Would you rather bump into folk like those three outside over and over again?" Venamo asked her.
"At least out there we can see the crooks coming. Here they blend in. And we can't get out of here quickly." Varma said.
"That's why you in the back should keep your eyes peeled and not just nap the whole way." Suiv reminded.
"And that applies to you too, Yilka." Vaino said to Yilka who was just looking into the distance and daydreaming.
"Hm? I am. All the time. Like... umm... those fellows there look sort of suspicious." Yilka said and quickly focused and noticed two men threatening a woman while grabbing her by both shoulders and holding two short daggers to her sides.
Venamo and Varma looked where Yilka was pointing too.
"They do look sketchy." Venamo added.
"Why are we just looking? Let's help her!" Varma demanded.
"She's right. We can't just pass by when we see something like this." Venamo said and grabbed the Defiance.
"Go get them." Suiv added.
Venamo hopped out of the carriage while holding his sword by its blade, and Yilka followed with his cudgel on his belt. Varma also hopped out of the carriage while holding a throwing spear.
"Not you, Varma!" Vaino shouted, but Varma was already on the heels of her two older cousins who were pushing through the crowd.
When Venamo and Yilka reached the two crooks, they saw the scene where two gray bearded men were holding a lady with a white sleeveless robe and arms covered in golden rings and hair so white it almost shone. Venamo put his blade on the wrist of the hand that holds the dagger and Yilka hit the dagger out of the other man's hand with his cudgel.
"You better leave the lady alone and go far away from here." Venamo threatened.
"That's right! You better!" Varma shouted while she was still pushing her way through the crowd and the only part of her that the others could see was the tip of hear spear sticking up from the midst of all the travellers and townsfolk.
She eventually found the scene of the crime and pointed the spear on the throat of one of the crooks.
"The situation was already under control! You shouldn't risk yourself doing this!" Venamo shouted at Varma.
While Venamo was shouting at Varma and being distracted, the criminal he was threatening ripped an ear ring from the earlobe of the woman being held, and then ran away and disappeared into the crowd. The other criminal made a run for for it too while Yilka was distracted by the other one running away.
"And now they both got away without facing justice." Venamo said in disappointment.
"At least the lady is safe." Varma said.
"Your act of courage and kindness will not go unappreciated." The lady said in a calm manner with her soft voice.
"Are you well, lady?" Venamo asked.
"She seemed oddly calm the whole time." Yilka pointed out quietly.
"I am well, and I am grateful." The lady said.
She put her finger on Venamo's forehead and looked at him.
"You are deserving." She said.
She then looked at Yilka and was about to put her finger on his forehead as well, but he stepped back, not feeling quite sure about the odd lady.
"We had to help. We see it as a duty." Yilka said.
The lady then looked down at Varma.
"You were brave too." She said and was about to put her finger on Varma's forehead before Yilka pulled her out of the finger's trajectory.
"Are you of the Holy people, perhaps?" Venamo asked the lady, noticing her unusually bright hair and her fashion that certainly wasn't common in the land of Uhmakas.
The lady looked at Venamo and got a slight smile on her lip.
"Yes, you could say so. Though I don't see any people as holier than any other. I look at people's deeds, not their blood." She said.
"That is a noble way to think. I bid you a safe journey in our land, and wish no more folk like that come your way." Venamo said to the lady politely.
"I bid you safe travels as well and a happy day at the Bloom festival and a bountiful summer." The lady said.
She gave everyone one last look before she turned to leave. Once she had turned around, the sound of something metallic hitting the cobblestone road caught the attention of Venamo, and he looked at the ground. One of the big rings around the arm of the lady had fallen off. Venamo picked it up.
"You dropped this!" He shouted at the lady who was about to disappear into the crowd.
The lady just looked behind her and gave Venamo a reassuring look and then disappeared into the crowd.
"I suppose she doesn't want it." Yilka commented.
"Hey, with this we can make back what we lost to those nasty men outside of town!" Varma commented.
"About tenfold! And with what we can sell this for, we can pay back the thing we bought this morning." Yilka then added and looked at Venamo.
"What thing? Did you buy something this morning?" Varma asked.
"That's not for you to know. Let's get back to the carriage." Venamo said and changed the subject.
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