Valiant Valerie (the Ballad of Valerie of Mor Book 1)

Chapter Nineteen

They had said their goodbyes to the inhabitants of the Dravon Monastic Sect, stocked with provisions and a map which should lead them to the wizard's home, provided the information was not made up by some hopeful past monk.

Jonathan had spent the last week of travel assuring Valerie that he had double checked all the information in the library and from the monks, and he was almost certain he knew where the wizard should be. He had not been able to promise her the wizard was real but, if he was, Valerie was sure Jonathan was the person to help her find him and she felt closer to her goal than she had ever before.

Jonathan had let her do more to set up camp when she offered and she knew that was a key sign he was still healing. One sparring session may not have burst his wound again, but Valerie was pleased that Jonathan was taking Gabriel's warning to not overdo it seriously.

She was still not allowed near Perry's saddle bag, but Jonathan was more than happy to sit and watch as she set up their camp, lit the fire, or cooked their food. Sometimes he disappeared for just long enough that she started to worry, but he was always wandering back to the fire as she resolved to go and look for him.

Getting closer to Valerie's goal meant that she was beginning to feel nervous about what they might find.

"We might find nothing," she reminded herself.

"Or we might find exactly what we need," Jonathan told her.

"Or he's not real."

Jonathan sighed. "Can we not stop believing now?"

"I'm not...not believing. I'm just–"

"Can I help you?"

Perry and Manon both stopped short and Valerie looked at the little boy who seemed to have appeared on the path ahead of them as if from nowhere. His hair was light brown and he wore a long tunic over his leggings.

Valerie looked around, wondering where he had come from. "Perhaps. We are looking for a clearing to the west of Dravon–"

"There's plenty of clearings west of Dravon, miss," he interrupted. "You'll need to be more specific."

Valerie looked to Jonathan, who gave her a look and spoke for her. "It sits by a stream with a small hut."

The little boy rubbed his chin. "Well...that does narrow it down somewhat. But not by much."

"We're looking for the wizard," Valerie said hurriedly.

"Hm. The wizard or a wizard, miss?"

"Is there a difference?" Valerie asked.

"Is there a difference?" the little boy chuckled. "Miss, that's like asking if there's a difference between summer and winter." He shook his head with a wry smile. "Is there a difference, indeed."

"We're looking for the wizard," Valerie answered.

He peered up at her, then up at Jonathan. "The wizard, you say?" he asked and Valerie nodded. "Well, I don't know much about the difference between the wizard and a wizard, but I can show you to a place that might be the one you're after."

Valerie was not sure if the little boy was being contrary on purpose or if he was just too young to really be any help. Still, any help they could get would be better than none. At worst, they might lose some time in their search. At best, they might find the wizard.

"Thank you. That would be most kind," she said, slipping off Manon's saddle and Jonathan followed suit.

"What's a little kindness, huh?" the little boy said cheerfully as he started skipping away. "Costs nothing to give, and everything to receive. For some that's all we've left in the world."