The Taleweaver

On the road, part two

Again days came and went, two eightdays in total, and Arthur, true to himself, made an effort watching what grew, flew and walked in the landscape. He still wasn't sure about plants and trees, but most animals previously unknown to him turned out to have wings with the exception of a large six legged lizard brought in for food.

He spent a couple of hours each day trying to talk with the drivers and the men in the escort, but he made most progress with mother and daughter Termend. They weren't as preoccupied as the rest, apart from when Chaijrild had cooking duty of course, and Lianin showed real interest in his questions. One even led to her taking up part of her old occupation as well. A complaint rather than a question, if he was honest, and recognizing an opportunity in the absence of taverns she converted one of her wagons into one.

Knowledge is good for business, she once explained to him with the help of Harbend. Arthur liked them both, even though he found Chaijrild to be just a little bit too much of a flirt, but he gave her the rights of youth.

The caravan passed through the entire length of Vimarin. They never saw anything larger than a village, but also very little real wilderness. Almost always farmed land was close by with the main difference from Keen being fewer horses and oxen used as beasts of burden instead.

The dry yellow of late summer gave way to glittering gold and red of autumn. Then the landscape changed again, small groves in the open farmland became forests as they crossed yet another border.