salstookonwow
17-04-2009, 06:51 AM
For how many days had it been raining now? Trishna rested by the windowsill; the expression upon his face was as gloomy as the shadows cast by the overhead clouds. He had been sitting by that window for what had seemed to be six hours or so, and he had seen one sole bear trudging along outside his home. For Maclure Vineayards--a land brimming with young bears, stonetusk boars, and its fare share of rabbits--the sighting of only one bear over a time-span of even more than thirty minutes made it quite clear that the outdoors were currently far from preferable.
The front door opened and shut in one very swift movement. Trishna’s cousin Maybell shook her head with fervor as her sopping wet locks sent water spritzing every which way. “AH!” she exclaimed, as she removed her coat and draped it over the back of a chair. “Getting to town was seriously a hassle. You had best be grateful that I care enough to feed you the generous amounts that I do.” Trishna got up from his seat of self-pity to help Maybell remove her left boot. It seemed to be glued to her foot at fault of a very wet sock, and the exasperation of the walk to and from Goldshire in an utter downpour had already been a bit too much for her to handle.
“How about I make dinner tonight?” Trishna offered, as he slowly maneuvered the boot around Maybell’s ankle, and then off with its pair to in front of the fireplace. Maybell grinned and closed her eyes, resting her back against the support of her chair.
“The boar meat they had today was incredibly fresh. To be able to simply enjoy it and not have to slave over it as well would be lovely, thank you.” Trishna gathered up Maybell’s backpack and carried to the stovetop. He might as well help out. It might help to get his mind off the fact that it’s been days since the last time her saw her.
“Oh! Trishna!” Maybell sat up a bit. “I saw Adele Fielder in Goldshire. She asked if you would be willing to come and give the kids a few lessons tomorrow. It’s supposed to clear up outside by then. You’ve become a regular there, you know. The kids won’t take fishing advice from anyone else.”
Trishna grinned and nodded. “I’m more than willing.” Maybell laid back and rested her eyes once more. Trishna proceeded to cut the meat and cook it, dicing and mixing vegetables and sauces, all the while smiling more than he had since the rain had started up a few days before.
* * *
The overflowing clouds were prominent throughout the entire kingdom. On the East side of the kingdom, Clara was one of the many defias bandits currently on duty to keep watch over the Brackwell pumpkin patch. Despite the raging winds and pelting rain, she held her ground, arms crossed and feet planted, directly at one of the entrances to the fields. The day had been for the most part very uneventful. Only two humans and three dwarves had attempted to enter the bandit’s premises. On a day as dreary as this one, most people were making the logical decision and staying inside with the warm, the food, and the family.
Clara, however, wasn’t thinking too much of the rain. Her stance was bold and intimidating, but her thoughts were far off elsewhere. She thought of the calm water and the dock, the children as they struggled with their fishing poles, and his smile. She could envision that grin and his laugh and his eyes as if the scene were occurring right there, directly before her eyes. Clara heard her name and reality fell heavy upon her.
“Clara?” The blissful vision along the water-side vanished, and there instead stood Henryk. “Your shift is through. Why not head on inside and get warm?” He looked her up and down and his glance told of concern. “You’ve seemed distant the past few days. Has anything been bothering you?” Henryk placed his hand on Clara’s shoulder and instinctively she pulled away the instant the contact was made.
She laughed. “Oh, it’s probably just the rain! I think my mood fluctuates with the weather.” Henryk nodded. Not once did his gaze stray from her eyes. “Thanks for your concern though. Good luck out here!” Clara hurried off and Henryk mumbled a farewell under his breath.
Clara entered the house and laid out on the wooden floor. She stretched her arms and legs across the boards and moved her head from side to side. This was boredom at its finest. She faced the door, she faced the wall, faced the door, the wall. Clara then turned to confront a pair of shoes immediately beneath her nose. She jumped back and let out a yelp. The figure looming above her laughed and fell to the floor beside her.
“Surena! Where the hell did you come from?” Clara was now laughing along as well.
“I’m just super sneaky.” Surena smirked. “Good thing, too. Because I come bearing news.” Clara’s eyes lit up. If it was news from Surena, it was news concerning him. Clara took Surena’s hands, begging her to reveal what information she possessed. Surena cleared her voice.
“You know, Clara. I have a quest for Marshall McBride that I’ve been telling him I’d complete for weeks now.” She spoke loud enough so that any passerby might catch word. “I really think I’m going to try to get on that tomorrow. Would you mind taking over at Adele’s place for me? Just for the day.”
Clara wrapped her arms around herself and gleefully spoke. “It would be no trouble at all, my dearest Surena.”
Sure enough, by morning-time the rain had sprinkled down into nothing, and the sun rose to illuminate the pink and orange clouds which had extinguished the grey. Clara awakened to early morning and took a morning shift guarding the land. That way she could easily be pardoned to go and help out in Goldshire at Adele’s. Clara approached the pumpkin patch, hopeful that the next few hours would pass quickly. Spotting Henryk, she realized this probably wouldn’t be the case after all. The instant he noticed her approaching, Henryk walked toward Clara. “You’re not often awake at this hour!”
Clara half-smiled. “I’ve got a big day ahead of me. I thought it would be best to get my duties out of the way early so I can head to Goldshire around noon.”
Henryk contemplated something for a moment. “Actually, there are a few things I need to get fixed in Goldshire. How about I escort you there?” Clara cringed. Escort. It had been this way for years now. Clara glanced up and as expected, Henryk’s eyes were there to meet hers. He never looked away. He never stepped back. He never gave up. Henryk had never once out and said it, but his demeanor and his actions spoke oh so clearly of how he loved her. Clara was convinced that once he had met her, he had never again been even remotely interested in anyone else. It was flattering, however, Clara was clearly not interested.
She finally responded to his pleading stare. “You can tag along if you’d like.” He visibly cringed. Tag along. “But we’ll go our separate ways once we get to town. I won’t be lingering there for long.” Henryk took what he could get. Clara waved goodbye and crossed the pumpkin patch to guard a different entrance.
The trip to Goldshire was moderately lengthy and so Clara was sure to step quickly. The less one-on-one time she had with Henryk, the less uncomfortable she would feel. Her strides were long, and as she was almost as tall as Henryk, he stumbled a few times in attempts to keep up with her pace. “Clara, you’re moving awfully quickly. Where is it that you’re so excited to get off to?” He was gasping for air.
“Oh, I just told Surena that I would take over looking after the kids at Adele Fielder’s place today.” She sighed. He’d be there today. He’d be out on the dock. The rippling waters always made his skin sort of shimmer in a way that was so beautiful. “I just love kids, ya know?”
“Well, I guess that could be fun.” Henryk agreed for the sake of agreeing, and obviously so. Clara didn’t mind. She did enjoy time with the kids, but they weren’t the true reason she was going to Adele’s.
It wasn’t long before Clara and Henryk arrived in town. The two stopped in front of the shop so that Henryk could go inside and get his notched shortsword and hunting bow fixed by Corina: the weaponsmith there. “Thanks for walking with me! I guess I will see you back home.” Clara waved and walked away before Henryk could say another word. He watched her head north for few moments before he stepped into the shop.
Clara walked a bit along the road towards Northshire, off to the right, and to the little house there beside Crystal Lake. Adele and Helene welcomed Clara at the front door, and then Adele was out of sight in an instant. Helene giggled a bit. “She has been rushing all over the place for the past half hour. She has a lot of people to transfer messages to and from today, all over the kingdom. Unfortunately, she has misplaced some of them.”
As Helene finished her statement, Adele came scuttling back into the room. “I have misplaced nothing. The children on the other hand...” She released an exasperated sigh and hurried into another opposite room.
Helene lowered her voice. “She’s always got an excuse with them around.” Then she smirked and winked at Clara. “Anyway, we’ll be gone for a few hours today. I know there are a lot of kids, but Trishna is here already. He can keep them occupied every so often out on the dock, so you won’t always be responsible.” Helene noticed Clara’s slip of a smile when she mentioned Trishna’s name. “Yeah, yeah, Trishna. You two always seem to be here on the same days. Isn’t that coincidental?” Of course Helene was well aware of why Clara and Trishna always came at the same time. But of course, she would never mention why so out loud. It was a mutual understanding and Clara nodded gratefully in response.
Dana rushed down the stairs as soon as she caught a glimpse of Clara. Her soles hit the floorboards and her body bolted up into Clara’s arms. “She’s here!” Dana yelled to those who were still upstairs. Jose, Aaron, and John poked their heads over the railing.
“Hi Clara!” Jose and John said in unison.
“So what?” Aaron grumbled.
Clara slit her eyes at him. “Hello Jose and John. And I love you too, Aaron.” He blushed. It was well-known that Aaron had a little crush on Clara. Trishna always being there when she visited didn’t help much his contempt towards the unrequited attraction. It was at this very moment that Trishna entered the front door: Matt and Cameron at his heels.
“We set everything up and realized that we had absolutely no bait so...” his gaze fell on Clara and his eyes instantly seemed softer. “Oh, hey.”
Clara transfered Dana’s weight from one arms to the other. “Oh, hey.” John made kissy noises from upstairs and then booked it back into his bedroom. Clara and Trishna just laughed. Adele had finally gotten everything together and she and Helene set out on their day’s journeys.
Trishna spent most of the day outside with the boys who wanted to fish. Clara, with Dana practically glued to her hip, occupied the other kids with hide-and-seek and baking. A few hours in, the children’s eyelids were growing heavy and Clara took all but one upstairs to nap for a while. Matt wanted to stay outside and fish a bit more. Clara walked outside to relax with he and Trishna on the dock.
She sat down beside Trishna, making sure her arm rested against his. “Are the fish biting?” Clara asked Matt. She received no response.
“He is very focused.” Trishna whispered. “He is convinced that today is the day he’ll catch a murloc.” Clara raised her eyebrows, held her chin with her fingers, and nodded with approval. Trishna giggled and put his arm around her shoulder. He kissed Clara on the cheek. “I’ve missed you.” he told her.
“You’re disgusting.” Matt interjected.
Standing beside the house, with his finely repaired bow and sword stored in his traveler’s backpack, Henryk stared wide-eyed at the couple cuddled on the dock. Shocked and angered, he turned his back and headed southeast. The spiced wolf meat pie slice he had intended on bringing to Clara was tossed to the side of the road.
* * *
Henryk stormed into his home and began to pace the floor. His palms were sweating and his eyes were blood-shot. Yes, Clara wasn’t his but she might as well be. For years he had been by her side: doting on her and helping her and loving her. Henryk realized that it was foolish to assume that she would love him, and if she had fallen for another bandit of their Defias clan, he would have had to have dealt with it and moved on. But to fall for a human? A mere human? Henryk thought her to have gone insane.
Not only was it a demoralizing move on Clara’s part, but it was strictly against Defias code. Intermingling with those who consistently trespassed across their land, those who intended to steal from the Defias bandit land and even kill members of the clan, was disrespectful to Defias friends and family. Henryk contemplated whether or not to inform someone of higher authority. He wondered whether or not he should tell Clara’s family of her actions.
However, the fact of the matter was that Henryk did still love Clara. To inform the clan of her affair with a human would destroy her reputation and could even possibly lead to exile from the Defias Bandits. Henryk disapproved of what Clara was doing, but he did not want to ruin her. His only choice was to take care of the matter himself.
When Clara arrived home the sun was setting and the trees cast glorious fading rays across the tall grass. The bears and rockhide boars were at rest beneath the branches, and all of the bandits were seated and eating and drinking: all but one that is. Clara noticed a frame seated atop the fence from a bit off in the distance. She only realized it to be Henryk when he stood and began to approach her. “I saw you today.” he said.
Clara was confused. Of course he had seen her today. They had both stood guard in the morning and they had walked to town together. Her silence made the misunderstanding clear to Henryk. “I saw you on the dock. I saw you, and him, and the boy.”
Clara’s eyes grew wide and fury seemed to be the only emotion she could muster. “You were spying on me? What the hell were you even doing there?”
Henryk kept his composure: his arms crossed at his chest and an expression of solidity upon his face. He had practiced for the past hour in order to seem as if he wasn’t emotionally obliterated. “I had picked up a pie slice for you. I thought you might like a small snack while you were working.”
Clara had no response for that. His intentions had been good. She shouldn’t have shown affection for Trishna out in the open that way. It’s just that nothing bad had ever come of it before. She had assumed that they would be safe. Clara was well aware that a relationship with anyone outside the clan was highly frowned upon and practically forbidden. Now that she had been caught, she was at Henryk’s disposal. “So, what do you plan to do now that you know?” She spoke softly. Her eyes were heavy.
Henryk was pained to see her so frightened. But he had also been pained by her actions, and most significantly, Clara was disrespecting the entire clan. It was only proper for Henryk to step in. “I won’t tell anyone.” he stated. Clara looked up and hope quivered where her lips met her cheeks. “But you are to never look after the children at Adele’s ever again. That place is serving as a safe-haven for illicit affairs.”
Clara’s heart skipped and then jolted from her chest to her stomach. She had nothing she could say in response. She hated Henryk for the restriction he had placed upon her. However, he was kind for keeping her secret. Clara had to be grateful to the one she now hated. She inhaled a deep breath, nodded to Henryk, and briskly walked away. Henryk let his spine relax, his head hang, and stared at the dust and pebbles surrounding his boots.
By the next day Clara had compiled a letter for Surena to bring to Adele’s, from which it would then be passed on to Trishna. Clara did not stand guard that day. She had barely slept and she claimed to feel very ill. Henryk stood post the full day. He said that he merely had nothing better to do. The two not once came in contact. Trishna, however, received the letter from Clara the very same day that it was written. Surena had felt so badly about the situation that she had traveled all the way to the Maclure farms in order to deliver the note directly to Trishna.
He read her note over and over again. Trishna knew exactly who Henryk was from stories Clara had told him, and he was convinced that his actions were driven strictly by jealousy. Clara wrote that she wasn’t sure how she could see Trishna anymore. Henryk would likely go out of his way to walk to Goldshire with Clara anytime she went, and traveling at night at her age would be suspicious to other bandits. She told Trishna that she loved him, but she worried that they might not be able to continue their relationship any longer. He re-read and re-read while Surena stood beside him, unaware of what she should say to comfort him.
Trishna finally looked up at her. “I will travel to her.”
Surena immediately shook her head and pointed a finger at him. “No, you wont. Those bandits are all superior to your level. Not only that, but they always travel in groups. You go on their land and you will die.”
Trishna stood and looked out the window. The sun had recently set and the sky still shone more blue than black. “I’m going. I need to.” Before Surena could say anything else, Trishna picked up his commoner’s sword and chainmail armor and stormed out the door. He knew where Brackwell Pumpkin Patch was, but he had never traveled to the area alone and he had certainly never trespassed on the land before. Trishna realized that his rash decision was an unwise one, but he would not accept Henryk’s conditions. He needed to see Clara.
The fields were dark and the animals were prowling. Trishna could fight the rockhide boars of the area but avoided the bears at all costs. They were far too large, and Trishna needed all the health he could maintain before reaching the Defias land. He had no idea who might attack him. Trishna was stealthy and made sure to creep soft and low between trees. When he finally reached the Brackwell Pumpkin Patch, Trishna’s heart was beating heavily. He was afraid for his life, and justly so. The land was scattered with bandits: all in groups, armed, and aware.
Clara was not on watch. Trishna noticed a cabin not too far from where he was. He stealthily crept into massive bushes located beside the building and peeked in through the window. From what he could see, there was no one in the room. He hated to admit it, but there was no where else he could safely look. Trishna had to abandon his quest to see Clara that night. It was far too dangerous.
As Trishna exited the bushes and ducked behind a tree, one of the bandits noticed the unfamiliar movement. Used to animals prowling about the area, Henryk stood his ground and waited to see what emerged from behind the tree. As soon as he realized that it was a human, he dashed forward. Then suddenly he stopped in his tracks. He recognized that figure. Henryk waited until the human dashed from one tree to another. Yep, that was him alright. That was the boy Clara had been with.
Henryk wasn’t sure whether to attack him then and there or not. He moved forward quickly: dagger in hand and ready to strike. But then he slowed his pace. Henryk wanted to make the boundaries, rules, and regulations clear to Trishna. However, he didn’t want to address the situation when other bandits could possibly step in and overhear what was going on between the human and Clara. Not only that but Henryk would rather not rough him up when there was the possibility of Clara walking out. Tomorrow Henryk would approach Clara’s lover, and he knew just where to do it.
Trishna got home safely, though frustrated with his failure to even see Clara. Disgruntled and with too much on his mind, it took a few hours of staring at the ceiling before he finally passed out. Morning arrived in no time. Trishna woke up, ate some breakfast, and then headed out with a hoe to work in the vineyards. He exited his front door to face a group of eight Defias bandits standing shoulder to shoulder. Henryk had gathered a group of friends from the clan located nearest to Trishna’s home. This way, his clan to the East wouldn’t have to hear a thing about Clara and Trishna’s relationship.
Henryk stepped forward. “My name is Henryk. I don’t know your name, and I don’t care to ask. I know who you are and that is all that matters. I’m here to make a point.” He drew his recently sharpened commoner’s sword and held it so the sunlight reflecting off of it glared directly into Trishna’s eyes. “I’m going to make this point very, very clear.”
The front door opened and shut in one very swift movement. Trishna’s cousin Maybell shook her head with fervor as her sopping wet locks sent water spritzing every which way. “AH!” she exclaimed, as she removed her coat and draped it over the back of a chair. “Getting to town was seriously a hassle. You had best be grateful that I care enough to feed you the generous amounts that I do.” Trishna got up from his seat of self-pity to help Maybell remove her left boot. It seemed to be glued to her foot at fault of a very wet sock, and the exasperation of the walk to and from Goldshire in an utter downpour had already been a bit too much for her to handle.
“How about I make dinner tonight?” Trishna offered, as he slowly maneuvered the boot around Maybell’s ankle, and then off with its pair to in front of the fireplace. Maybell grinned and closed her eyes, resting her back against the support of her chair.
“The boar meat they had today was incredibly fresh. To be able to simply enjoy it and not have to slave over it as well would be lovely, thank you.” Trishna gathered up Maybell’s backpack and carried to the stovetop. He might as well help out. It might help to get his mind off the fact that it’s been days since the last time her saw her.
“Oh! Trishna!” Maybell sat up a bit. “I saw Adele Fielder in Goldshire. She asked if you would be willing to come and give the kids a few lessons tomorrow. It’s supposed to clear up outside by then. You’ve become a regular there, you know. The kids won’t take fishing advice from anyone else.”
Trishna grinned and nodded. “I’m more than willing.” Maybell laid back and rested her eyes once more. Trishna proceeded to cut the meat and cook it, dicing and mixing vegetables and sauces, all the while smiling more than he had since the rain had started up a few days before.
* * *
The overflowing clouds were prominent throughout the entire kingdom. On the East side of the kingdom, Clara was one of the many defias bandits currently on duty to keep watch over the Brackwell pumpkin patch. Despite the raging winds and pelting rain, she held her ground, arms crossed and feet planted, directly at one of the entrances to the fields. The day had been for the most part very uneventful. Only two humans and three dwarves had attempted to enter the bandit’s premises. On a day as dreary as this one, most people were making the logical decision and staying inside with the warm, the food, and the family.
Clara, however, wasn’t thinking too much of the rain. Her stance was bold and intimidating, but her thoughts were far off elsewhere. She thought of the calm water and the dock, the children as they struggled with their fishing poles, and his smile. She could envision that grin and his laugh and his eyes as if the scene were occurring right there, directly before her eyes. Clara heard her name and reality fell heavy upon her.
“Clara?” The blissful vision along the water-side vanished, and there instead stood Henryk. “Your shift is through. Why not head on inside and get warm?” He looked her up and down and his glance told of concern. “You’ve seemed distant the past few days. Has anything been bothering you?” Henryk placed his hand on Clara’s shoulder and instinctively she pulled away the instant the contact was made.
She laughed. “Oh, it’s probably just the rain! I think my mood fluctuates with the weather.” Henryk nodded. Not once did his gaze stray from her eyes. “Thanks for your concern though. Good luck out here!” Clara hurried off and Henryk mumbled a farewell under his breath.
Clara entered the house and laid out on the wooden floor. She stretched her arms and legs across the boards and moved her head from side to side. This was boredom at its finest. She faced the door, she faced the wall, faced the door, the wall. Clara then turned to confront a pair of shoes immediately beneath her nose. She jumped back and let out a yelp. The figure looming above her laughed and fell to the floor beside her.
“Surena! Where the hell did you come from?” Clara was now laughing along as well.
“I’m just super sneaky.” Surena smirked. “Good thing, too. Because I come bearing news.” Clara’s eyes lit up. If it was news from Surena, it was news concerning him. Clara took Surena’s hands, begging her to reveal what information she possessed. Surena cleared her voice.
“You know, Clara. I have a quest for Marshall McBride that I’ve been telling him I’d complete for weeks now.” She spoke loud enough so that any passerby might catch word. “I really think I’m going to try to get on that tomorrow. Would you mind taking over at Adele’s place for me? Just for the day.”
Clara wrapped her arms around herself and gleefully spoke. “It would be no trouble at all, my dearest Surena.”
Sure enough, by morning-time the rain had sprinkled down into nothing, and the sun rose to illuminate the pink and orange clouds which had extinguished the grey. Clara awakened to early morning and took a morning shift guarding the land. That way she could easily be pardoned to go and help out in Goldshire at Adele’s. Clara approached the pumpkin patch, hopeful that the next few hours would pass quickly. Spotting Henryk, she realized this probably wouldn’t be the case after all. The instant he noticed her approaching, Henryk walked toward Clara. “You’re not often awake at this hour!”
Clara half-smiled. “I’ve got a big day ahead of me. I thought it would be best to get my duties out of the way early so I can head to Goldshire around noon.”
Henryk contemplated something for a moment. “Actually, there are a few things I need to get fixed in Goldshire. How about I escort you there?” Clara cringed. Escort. It had been this way for years now. Clara glanced up and as expected, Henryk’s eyes were there to meet hers. He never looked away. He never stepped back. He never gave up. Henryk had never once out and said it, but his demeanor and his actions spoke oh so clearly of how he loved her. Clara was convinced that once he had met her, he had never again been even remotely interested in anyone else. It was flattering, however, Clara was clearly not interested.
She finally responded to his pleading stare. “You can tag along if you’d like.” He visibly cringed. Tag along. “But we’ll go our separate ways once we get to town. I won’t be lingering there for long.” Henryk took what he could get. Clara waved goodbye and crossed the pumpkin patch to guard a different entrance.
The trip to Goldshire was moderately lengthy and so Clara was sure to step quickly. The less one-on-one time she had with Henryk, the less uncomfortable she would feel. Her strides were long, and as she was almost as tall as Henryk, he stumbled a few times in attempts to keep up with her pace. “Clara, you’re moving awfully quickly. Where is it that you’re so excited to get off to?” He was gasping for air.
“Oh, I just told Surena that I would take over looking after the kids at Adele Fielder’s place today.” She sighed. He’d be there today. He’d be out on the dock. The rippling waters always made his skin sort of shimmer in a way that was so beautiful. “I just love kids, ya know?”
“Well, I guess that could be fun.” Henryk agreed for the sake of agreeing, and obviously so. Clara didn’t mind. She did enjoy time with the kids, but they weren’t the true reason she was going to Adele’s.
It wasn’t long before Clara and Henryk arrived in town. The two stopped in front of the shop so that Henryk could go inside and get his notched shortsword and hunting bow fixed by Corina: the weaponsmith there. “Thanks for walking with me! I guess I will see you back home.” Clara waved and walked away before Henryk could say another word. He watched her head north for few moments before he stepped into the shop.
Clara walked a bit along the road towards Northshire, off to the right, and to the little house there beside Crystal Lake. Adele and Helene welcomed Clara at the front door, and then Adele was out of sight in an instant. Helene giggled a bit. “She has been rushing all over the place for the past half hour. She has a lot of people to transfer messages to and from today, all over the kingdom. Unfortunately, she has misplaced some of them.”
As Helene finished her statement, Adele came scuttling back into the room. “I have misplaced nothing. The children on the other hand...” She released an exasperated sigh and hurried into another opposite room.
Helene lowered her voice. “She’s always got an excuse with them around.” Then she smirked and winked at Clara. “Anyway, we’ll be gone for a few hours today. I know there are a lot of kids, but Trishna is here already. He can keep them occupied every so often out on the dock, so you won’t always be responsible.” Helene noticed Clara’s slip of a smile when she mentioned Trishna’s name. “Yeah, yeah, Trishna. You two always seem to be here on the same days. Isn’t that coincidental?” Of course Helene was well aware of why Clara and Trishna always came at the same time. But of course, she would never mention why so out loud. It was a mutual understanding and Clara nodded gratefully in response.
Dana rushed down the stairs as soon as she caught a glimpse of Clara. Her soles hit the floorboards and her body bolted up into Clara’s arms. “She’s here!” Dana yelled to those who were still upstairs. Jose, Aaron, and John poked their heads over the railing.
“Hi Clara!” Jose and John said in unison.
“So what?” Aaron grumbled.
Clara slit her eyes at him. “Hello Jose and John. And I love you too, Aaron.” He blushed. It was well-known that Aaron had a little crush on Clara. Trishna always being there when she visited didn’t help much his contempt towards the unrequited attraction. It was at this very moment that Trishna entered the front door: Matt and Cameron at his heels.
“We set everything up and realized that we had absolutely no bait so...” his gaze fell on Clara and his eyes instantly seemed softer. “Oh, hey.”
Clara transfered Dana’s weight from one arms to the other. “Oh, hey.” John made kissy noises from upstairs and then booked it back into his bedroom. Clara and Trishna just laughed. Adele had finally gotten everything together and she and Helene set out on their day’s journeys.
Trishna spent most of the day outside with the boys who wanted to fish. Clara, with Dana practically glued to her hip, occupied the other kids with hide-and-seek and baking. A few hours in, the children’s eyelids were growing heavy and Clara took all but one upstairs to nap for a while. Matt wanted to stay outside and fish a bit more. Clara walked outside to relax with he and Trishna on the dock.
She sat down beside Trishna, making sure her arm rested against his. “Are the fish biting?” Clara asked Matt. She received no response.
“He is very focused.” Trishna whispered. “He is convinced that today is the day he’ll catch a murloc.” Clara raised her eyebrows, held her chin with her fingers, and nodded with approval. Trishna giggled and put his arm around her shoulder. He kissed Clara on the cheek. “I’ve missed you.” he told her.
“You’re disgusting.” Matt interjected.
Standing beside the house, with his finely repaired bow and sword stored in his traveler’s backpack, Henryk stared wide-eyed at the couple cuddled on the dock. Shocked and angered, he turned his back and headed southeast. The spiced wolf meat pie slice he had intended on bringing to Clara was tossed to the side of the road.
* * *
Henryk stormed into his home and began to pace the floor. His palms were sweating and his eyes were blood-shot. Yes, Clara wasn’t his but she might as well be. For years he had been by her side: doting on her and helping her and loving her. Henryk realized that it was foolish to assume that she would love him, and if she had fallen for another bandit of their Defias clan, he would have had to have dealt with it and moved on. But to fall for a human? A mere human? Henryk thought her to have gone insane.
Not only was it a demoralizing move on Clara’s part, but it was strictly against Defias code. Intermingling with those who consistently trespassed across their land, those who intended to steal from the Defias bandit land and even kill members of the clan, was disrespectful to Defias friends and family. Henryk contemplated whether or not to inform someone of higher authority. He wondered whether or not he should tell Clara’s family of her actions.
However, the fact of the matter was that Henryk did still love Clara. To inform the clan of her affair with a human would destroy her reputation and could even possibly lead to exile from the Defias Bandits. Henryk disapproved of what Clara was doing, but he did not want to ruin her. His only choice was to take care of the matter himself.
When Clara arrived home the sun was setting and the trees cast glorious fading rays across the tall grass. The bears and rockhide boars were at rest beneath the branches, and all of the bandits were seated and eating and drinking: all but one that is. Clara noticed a frame seated atop the fence from a bit off in the distance. She only realized it to be Henryk when he stood and began to approach her. “I saw you today.” he said.
Clara was confused. Of course he had seen her today. They had both stood guard in the morning and they had walked to town together. Her silence made the misunderstanding clear to Henryk. “I saw you on the dock. I saw you, and him, and the boy.”
Clara’s eyes grew wide and fury seemed to be the only emotion she could muster. “You were spying on me? What the hell were you even doing there?”
Henryk kept his composure: his arms crossed at his chest and an expression of solidity upon his face. He had practiced for the past hour in order to seem as if he wasn’t emotionally obliterated. “I had picked up a pie slice for you. I thought you might like a small snack while you were working.”
Clara had no response for that. His intentions had been good. She shouldn’t have shown affection for Trishna out in the open that way. It’s just that nothing bad had ever come of it before. She had assumed that they would be safe. Clara was well aware that a relationship with anyone outside the clan was highly frowned upon and practically forbidden. Now that she had been caught, she was at Henryk’s disposal. “So, what do you plan to do now that you know?” She spoke softly. Her eyes were heavy.
Henryk was pained to see her so frightened. But he had also been pained by her actions, and most significantly, Clara was disrespecting the entire clan. It was only proper for Henryk to step in. “I won’t tell anyone.” he stated. Clara looked up and hope quivered where her lips met her cheeks. “But you are to never look after the children at Adele’s ever again. That place is serving as a safe-haven for illicit affairs.”
Clara’s heart skipped and then jolted from her chest to her stomach. She had nothing she could say in response. She hated Henryk for the restriction he had placed upon her. However, he was kind for keeping her secret. Clara had to be grateful to the one she now hated. She inhaled a deep breath, nodded to Henryk, and briskly walked away. Henryk let his spine relax, his head hang, and stared at the dust and pebbles surrounding his boots.
By the next day Clara had compiled a letter for Surena to bring to Adele’s, from which it would then be passed on to Trishna. Clara did not stand guard that day. She had barely slept and she claimed to feel very ill. Henryk stood post the full day. He said that he merely had nothing better to do. The two not once came in contact. Trishna, however, received the letter from Clara the very same day that it was written. Surena had felt so badly about the situation that she had traveled all the way to the Maclure farms in order to deliver the note directly to Trishna.
He read her note over and over again. Trishna knew exactly who Henryk was from stories Clara had told him, and he was convinced that his actions were driven strictly by jealousy. Clara wrote that she wasn’t sure how she could see Trishna anymore. Henryk would likely go out of his way to walk to Goldshire with Clara anytime she went, and traveling at night at her age would be suspicious to other bandits. She told Trishna that she loved him, but she worried that they might not be able to continue their relationship any longer. He re-read and re-read while Surena stood beside him, unaware of what she should say to comfort him.
Trishna finally looked up at her. “I will travel to her.”
Surena immediately shook her head and pointed a finger at him. “No, you wont. Those bandits are all superior to your level. Not only that, but they always travel in groups. You go on their land and you will die.”
Trishna stood and looked out the window. The sun had recently set and the sky still shone more blue than black. “I’m going. I need to.” Before Surena could say anything else, Trishna picked up his commoner’s sword and chainmail armor and stormed out the door. He knew where Brackwell Pumpkin Patch was, but he had never traveled to the area alone and he had certainly never trespassed on the land before. Trishna realized that his rash decision was an unwise one, but he would not accept Henryk’s conditions. He needed to see Clara.
The fields were dark and the animals were prowling. Trishna could fight the rockhide boars of the area but avoided the bears at all costs. They were far too large, and Trishna needed all the health he could maintain before reaching the Defias land. He had no idea who might attack him. Trishna was stealthy and made sure to creep soft and low between trees. When he finally reached the Brackwell Pumpkin Patch, Trishna’s heart was beating heavily. He was afraid for his life, and justly so. The land was scattered with bandits: all in groups, armed, and aware.
Clara was not on watch. Trishna noticed a cabin not too far from where he was. He stealthily crept into massive bushes located beside the building and peeked in through the window. From what he could see, there was no one in the room. He hated to admit it, but there was no where else he could safely look. Trishna had to abandon his quest to see Clara that night. It was far too dangerous.
As Trishna exited the bushes and ducked behind a tree, one of the bandits noticed the unfamiliar movement. Used to animals prowling about the area, Henryk stood his ground and waited to see what emerged from behind the tree. As soon as he realized that it was a human, he dashed forward. Then suddenly he stopped in his tracks. He recognized that figure. Henryk waited until the human dashed from one tree to another. Yep, that was him alright. That was the boy Clara had been with.
Henryk wasn’t sure whether to attack him then and there or not. He moved forward quickly: dagger in hand and ready to strike. But then he slowed his pace. Henryk wanted to make the boundaries, rules, and regulations clear to Trishna. However, he didn’t want to address the situation when other bandits could possibly step in and overhear what was going on between the human and Clara. Not only that but Henryk would rather not rough him up when there was the possibility of Clara walking out. Tomorrow Henryk would approach Clara’s lover, and he knew just where to do it.
Trishna got home safely, though frustrated with his failure to even see Clara. Disgruntled and with too much on his mind, it took a few hours of staring at the ceiling before he finally passed out. Morning arrived in no time. Trishna woke up, ate some breakfast, and then headed out with a hoe to work in the vineyards. He exited his front door to face a group of eight Defias bandits standing shoulder to shoulder. Henryk had gathered a group of friends from the clan located nearest to Trishna’s home. This way, his clan to the East wouldn’t have to hear a thing about Clara and Trishna’s relationship.
Henryk stepped forward. “My name is Henryk. I don’t know your name, and I don’t care to ask. I know who you are and that is all that matters. I’m here to make a point.” He drew his recently sharpened commoner’s sword and held it so the sunlight reflecting off of it glared directly into Trishna’s eyes. “I’m going to make this point very, very clear.”