"Are these your children?" asked a man nearby. It was a tree, and he had been speaking to it before being interrupted.
"Huh?"A
d
okles replied:
The tree asked: "Are these children yours?"
A
d
When okles looked, he saw children hanging heavily on the branches. They were hung by ropes from their feet, hands or necks, and they were all twisting in pain.
Someone kicked him lightly in the side. He sat up in shock, then remembered where he was. That tree is a dream.
"I woke up. I woke up. Weaver, what a dream." He was sure that this image would stay with him for half the morning.
"I'm sorry, master, but you wrote to wake you up, so I wrote," someone said. adults. male. friendly. A
d
okles wanted to open his eyes, but the bright light prevented him from doing so.
"Yes. Thank you! Glad you could read. Gods, I could sleep another day and not notice." He sighed. "If they are still sleeping, don't wake them. I have to get them some breakfast. Staff of Arcos, it's cold!" said Androx. He felt more tired than when he slept, and body temperature was not working.
"The sun is just coming up. Running around with no shirt on this cold night," the man said.
"Or pants," Androx replied, thinking of the suit.
"Yeah, or pants, but your skirt looks warm. What's wrong with your thigh? That's quite a bit of blood."
"I was bitten by something," Androx replied sourly. "Last night, on my way here."
"Well. You came back too late. We all slept like the dead before you snuck in. I'm glad you were so friendly. Here, let me help you up," the man said, holding out his hand.
"Thank you," Androx said, trying to regain consciousness in his eyes. He took the hand and stood up. Then I immediately regretted it. It's too early for this pain. Arms, legs and back. god.
After a while, he saw it. The sun shines gracefully on the evergreens and just over the gentle hills to the east, filling the area with sunlight suspended in dust. The man who woke him was a soldier or guard, with a heavy club hanging from his waist and a shield slung on his back. However, his arms look a little weak and not suited for that kind of work. His pale skin and light eyes suggest that he is some sort of northerner, although he appears civilized. The man patted him on the back and said, "Master, you seem to be shaking a little. Are you okay?"
Trying to put on a friendly smile, Androx said, "I'm good enough. I stayed up late, but it's not easy to rest on the road. It's time to get up."
"Then I assume these kits are yours?" No offense, Master. I only ask because they are Skywalkers and you are not. said the guard, in a tone that made Androx suspect he meant to disarm, but gave a suspicious air.
"I found them on the way here. I was looking for their parents. Have you ever seen a thunderbolt? Do you know where to find it? Maybe a trader like you? Androx said, trying to listen Sounds less hopeful.
"No, I'm afraid not. I haven't heard of it this far to the northwest, but I wonder where those came from." The guard said with a grin.
"Well, that's too bad, but I guess that would be too easy, wouldn't it?" And I suspect they popped out of the rocks, so there must be more around. Anyway, they are hungry and sick, and I need to buy some food and clothes, if your master wants to sell them. Androx said, stretching his arms, hoping the fog would clear some of his head. It was too soon.
"We have dried mutton, hard biscuits, plenty of beans, and young wine and fermented wine if you want to buy it. Salt. What do you want?"
"I'd like to take some of it all if you could give me something to hold it in. Now, all I need is young wine and some crackers. And pots, spoons, cups, bowls, whatever. Do you have any vinegar? Or sugar." ? Androx said.
The guard replied: "No sugar, but I have honey. No vinegar as far as I know. Do you want to buy the pot, or borrow it?"
Androx paused to think for a moment. He'd have to find a way to take it with him, but he figured it was still a few days until the next town, so he'd have to cook again. Maybe a few times, since it took over a week for the luggage to be ready, and he didn't enjoy carrying them around. The thought of doing it again made him tired.
It's not like he had a week free to just sit around. He didn't have time to catch up with Della, she ran faster than he expected. maybe skytha
de
Will show up in the next few days, but maybe not, leaving him to take care of the kit. Maybe the merchant wanted to take them? He had to test the person's wishes.
"I think I'll buy weed, if you have a bag I can put in it." First thing I want is a big chunk of honey and a lot of new wine to dissolve it. I also need a pot to heat it up so it goes down easily. By the way, are there any robes or anything that would fit these outfits?”
"I could make some robes, but I want cut fabric. Before I do that, I need to see a coin," the man said. Beneath his bronze helmet, which didn't quite fit him, his hair was cut short, almost shaved. Most of the guards wore their hair in braids like soldiers.
"Wait a minute," Androx said. "You're not a guard, are you?" You are the owner of the company. After a rough night, he thought he was a bit clever for figuring it out so quickly. It was strange, though; businessmen often prided themselves on hiring others to commit violence and dress up to display their wealth.
The man grinned. "You got me," he said. "This is a wild place, so I dress like a guard. The bandits don't know who to kill."
"That makes sense," Androx said. "Then why do you want to break your own camp?"
The merchant chuckled softly. "I usually get up earlier than these thugs I hire. They're not in as much of a rush as I am."
"That's not fair, Master," said a deep, deep male voice near the stove. "Well, the thug part is fair." Then he let out a big yawn.
"Don't wake the children!" said Androx angrily.
"Keep your voice down, Turga," said the merchant. "He's my customer."
"Okay, okay, I'm as quiet as a mouse," Turga said, standing. There he stood, about the same height as Androc but twice his weight. He was a tall giant, fat and red, with dirty, red hair and beard.
"This is a first time," the businessman said with a smile. Then he turned to Androx and said, "Well, master, give me some copper coins and I'll give you what you need. I can even quietly wake up these bad guys and help you get things started and help you a little." Busy. I just need to see some copper or silver."
Andrew thought for a moment. Did the man distrust him? Or did he just want to see how much money Androx had? He said, "All I have is gold. There's a quadruple and I need you to take it apart. I think you have some change." Bar?"
"I...I'm sure I know. Of course I know. Can I see that coin?"
Maybe I'm too tired, but A
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Okles couldn't help but start to feel a little wary of this businessman. Who ever heard of a trader who was unsure about his money? But he could have cut his own throat this morning if he wanted to, so he's probably not a threat. possible.
A
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Okles opened his wallet, took out the coins, showed them to the merchant, and then put them back. The man gave him a smile that seemed greedy, and then replied: "That's no problem. Give me some time to get things ready." He turned to leave, stopped and asked: "Hey, master, you Do you mind letting me see the kids?" I've never met Skytha
de
equipment. "
Androx looked at the man appraisingly, trying to decide if he was too wary of him to leave the children in his care. He said: "I think I should check if they are injured, so please come over and have a look." The businessman nodded.
They walked towards the place where the little penguin slept. In the haze of sleep he placed the children between Turga and the merchant, and now that both were up he had plenty of room to work. A
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Okles unbuttoned the bottom of his cloak and unwrapped the boys. He frowned at all this; he had more or less expected them to be in bad shape, but in the early morning sunlight they were a real mess. The businessman whistled softly and asked again: "So, where did you find them?"
They were covered almost from the tips of their ears to their toes with scrapes, scrapes, bruises and a lot of dirt. The black one had several swollen wounds around his ankles, and they both had rashes from wearing the dirty bags as shirts. The hair on their tails and heads is messy and dirty, like the hair of a sick dog.
Ankrex noticed bruises where they had held each other for warmth at night, and a lump began to form in his throat. It reminded him of his friend Acolius, whom he had held close to him more than once during surgery and recovery. This man was closer than a brother before he died. Androx cleared his throat, not wanting to spend too much unnecessary emotion on the kit.
Last night, the white one was just tall enough, with the tips of its ears already reaching Androx's chest, and the two eaglets were equally tall. Now that he could look at them again, as far as he could tell, they didn't appear to be stunted. This meant they only starved for weeks, not years. If they recover, they will grow normally instead of being stunted and useless.
Weakness and hunger made the pups less responsive to the cold morning air. They were so emaciated they could have been mummies. The black one is indeed worse since the thickest parts of his body are the joints, but the white one is about the same. Their feeble breathing seemed to shake them. Raphael's corpse-eater probably thought he had a snack on the way.
"I brought you the child you wanted, Della."
"Huh?" the businessman asked.
"I'm talking to myself," Androx replied, standing up. "I found them on the road, about three hours' walk that way," he pointed. "The white one tried to stop me, and the black one hid under the bushes. They said they were lost." Then, with a dark smile, he added: "I wouldn't use the word 'lost.'"
The businessman nodded thoughtfully and said: "Your story is unbelievable, but I have seen too many warriors to know which ones you don't doubt." Then he patted Andrew on the back and said: "You will Get everything you need and more. I have ointments and clean rags and some ointments. I probably have a bunch of good stuff too. Let me check."
What did the merchant mean by this? What did you not doubt? Androx suspected that he deserved to be insulted. He knew he looked a little ragged now, but he was a member of the Legion of Honor and a veteran at that.
The merchant went about his business, quietly waking the others. Among the group of businessmen was a serious-looking woman. This is strange, but not unheard of. Not all women can take care of their children at home.
After wrapping his gear to keep him warm, Androx watched as the merchant rummaged through his shopping cart for supplies. It took longer than he expected, almost like he was seeing it all for the first time. Andrew frowned, growing more wary. He found himself absentmindedly wiping the point of his sword.
The woman slept on her leather armor, tidied herself up, and walked over to see the guests. Her torso looked bony and stiff, and it looked like she couldn't get the armor to fit no matter where she pulled. Her face was narrow, and her light brown hair was tied into a braid beneath her leather helmet like the others. She put her hand over her mouth and gasped when she saw the boys.
"They look so thin!" she muttered angrily. She walked up to Androx, looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Are those children yours?"
He almost replied, "No, they fell from the sky, I've never seen one before." But he didn't want to offend anyone before buying what he needed. He couldn't help but wonder how many more times he would have to answer this question. Trying not to sound too aggressive, he said: "Pretty much. I found them and decided to bring them back to life."
"You have to feed them better. They're just kids," she said. Even though she kept her voice flat, Androx could sense her frustration and stubbornness.
"I found it last night. As it turns out, it was very late. Your master gave me a new jug of wine and a cup, and I planned to feed them." Androx met her gaze and said. She didn't look away. He knew maybe one in ten people would stare at him.
"Why new wine?" she asked, never looking away.
"Anything that's fermented will kill a hungry man, so this is young wine," Androcks said.
"Open the blanket and let me see," she ordered.
"Why?" he asked angrily. He couldn't tell what was going on, but he always felt that something was wrong, and being tired would not make his character cheerful.
He had every reason to be wary; he didn't know if the men would rob him now that their master knew how much money he had. If they decide to kill A
d
okles, take the kids to sell, no one will ask for proof of ownership, leave Skytha
d is not far. In fact, he would be lucky if he could get back the equivalent in gold coins.
The woman shrugged and said, "It's up to you." Then she went to hang the bedding to dry. A
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Okles decided to keep an eye on her.
Since he had nothing to do until the merchant found his goods, Androcles began to heat the fire again. Someone had picked up a small pile of rough logs, with an ax resting on it. He walked a few steps away from his sleeping bag with an ax and a log and started building a fire. He shaved handfuls of hair-thin hair, then thicker and thicker, to make a fire.
He almost jumped when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and saw the serious-looking woman in front of him, with no hint of pride in her giggle. "Here you go," she said, and handed him a sparkler. He didn't hear her approach, nor felt her presence at all. No doubt she did it on purpose, to show him her skills. Turns out she really is dangerous and wants him to know it. He decided he had to be polite. and caution.
The fire was almost ready when the merchant finally showed up with a jug of new wine and some honey. The businessman set a tripod over the fire and said, "I'll come back with more. Give me a minute." ” He returned to his car and continued to look at his goods as if something was wrong with them. A
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okles stirred the pot a bit to make sure the honey was well dissolved and to make sure it wasn't too hot before feeding the little bees.
The woman, still standing behind him, said, "Theodoric told me what it's like down there. Do you know what to feed those who are starving to death?"
"Of course I do. I learned it in the army," Androx said. "I learned a lot in the military." Hopefully she senses my threat.
“There’s a poem that goes like this,” she said. "The first week is wet, the second week is meat, and then the rest is safe to eat. Or is it wet the first week, the second week is bread, and then the meat is safe to eat?'"
"That's the second one. The first week is no salt and no solid food. The second week, you also soften the bread. Don't give them anything chewy until the third week or they'll get sick." Then he blew air on the base of the fire to make it stronger. "The third week, you can feed them whatever you want. Fatten them right up."
"All your experience isn't going to be of much help if you don't start treating them better," she said.
"I found it last night. I said it. Think about it. A final good night," Androx said. Then he turned his head and gave her a hard look.
After a while, she said in a gentler voice: "So that's it. I think I was distracted. I have never seen the equipment of the beastmen. Ignore me." Then she walked away again, walking briskly and calmly.
The honey has begun to dissolve in the young wine, but it is still too cold for them to drink. This will take some time. Androcles thought for a moment as he considered what he would do if these men tried to summon Sewell to kill him. No matter how many years he spent in the military, six men was a tough fight for one man, even if he didn't have a proper shield. He began to look at them furtively, considering who he would kill first if they attacked.
The merchant returned with a bottle of ointment, a pouring bowl, and a bundle of clean square cloths. He looked into the pot, nodded, and set the items on the ground near the tool bag. He turned to Androcles and said: "Turga will come any moment and bring you half a bucket of water from the brook. Do you want to wash with oil or with water? I'm afraid I don't have a scraper."
A
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Okles replied: "It's just water. When they get so thin, a scraper can tear them apart."
The merchant replied: "Smart people. I will ask the people to bring out some fabric for robes. Or do you prefer a tunic or a shirt and trousers?"
"What did all the boys wear in the town you went to last time?" A
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okles asked. "I haven't been paying attention."
"We came from the east, from Cherry Wool. There were a lot of Southerners like you there. Most were shirts and pants, but some wore tunics or skirts, and usually a cloak to keep out the cold. Robes were warmer, and in They make good bedding in a pinch, but they're cumbersome. "I wonder if you've ever tried wrapping a child in a robe before, Master, but they've never been tied down. said the merchant helpfully.
"I want the robes. I don't want these kits to do a lot of fidgeting and climbing trees before I stash them away safely. Master Merchant, I don't seem to catch your name. I'm Pa from Dikaia
amo
os son A
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okles,” he said.
"I am Theodoric of the Blue Merchant. "It's a pleasure to do business with you, Mr. Androcks. "The businessman stretched out his hand and said. A
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okles shook it vigorously.
"Sounds impressive. Are you sure you don't know about the Skywalkers in this area? I'd pay for good information."
"I'm afraid not, Master Androx. This is the first time I've been so far away. I want to open a route to the Keltha people north of here. I know they spend a lot of money on cloth and spices, replied Theodoric.
Androx raised an eyebrow at that. What kind of businessman would blindly enter unfamiliar territory? His friend Nikon might beg him to strike first while they let their guard down. But Nikon is dead, and despite the strange circumstances, the businessman seems to be doing okay. Maybe things will work out eventually.
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