Jarvit

Jarvit Ch7 p2

The next few days travelling passed quickly for Jarvit. But all the time he hoped to see the blackbird or some other black creature join them. He convinced himself that he had killed the bird. There was no contact from the voice in his head, although he had on occasion tried asking it a question. The weather improved and they were walking along a dusty lane when a black mule wandered up to them. It fell in beside Jarvit. He was so surprised to see it that he fed it the remains of the apple he was eating before he realised.

‘Someone will be looking for that animal,’ said Slats patting its side. ‘Good strong beast that. Got a bit of a limp though.’ Jarvit looked and saw that the mule did limp on its front right leg. It was the same limb as had been burnt in the fire.

‘I don’t think anyone will be lookin for it,’ said Jarvit and he hugged it around its neck. ‘Thanks for coming back. I’m so sorry,’ he whispered to it.

‘What do you say we get it to pull the cart for us instead of Bender?’ Stretcher looked round at them all.

‘I’m all for that,’ said Bender, stopping and standing upright. Jarvit did not feel it was right that Lady D’Braggatio’s son should be harnessed to a cart. But he could not say anything and so the mule was employed. Jarvit walked along beside it from then on. He brushed flies away from bothering it and he made sure that every time they stopped the mule had water and food.

‘You’ve made a bit of a pet of that mule Stew, regular animal doctor you are,’ Slats observed as he saw Jarvit rubbing the mule’s bad leg next morning.  Jarvit smiled, he felt he was making up for causing the injury.

‘I’m really sorry,’ he whispered to the mule as they walked along. ‘I know you were trying to help, but it was an accident. I wouldn’t knock anyone into a fire like that. I’ve been feeling awful because you saved my life. Please say you forgive me.’ But the mule would only blink its eye and amble on pulling the cart.

‘Look, I understand you are upset with me but please at least tell me, speak to me.’ Jarvit tried again. The mule remained silent.

‘Oh please yourself!’ snapped Jarvit, ‘don’t speak, see if I care!’ But he still made sure the mule was well tended.

            They came to the top edge of the rim of a wide flat valley and Jarvit could see a line of blue in the far distance. There was a large collection of houses bordering it.

            ‘That’s where we are headed. Porthky,’ Bender pointed to the town.

            ‘What’s that blue?’ asked Jarvit.

            ‘Why lad, that’s the sea. A large area of salt water,’ Bender added seeing Jarvit did not understand the word ‘sea’. ‘Have you never seen it before? Wait ‘till you get to the beach, you’ll understand better.’

            They descended the sharp escarpment by a zigzag road that was cut into the face. The sun began to set as they went downward and Jarvit watched as it sat on the horizon before sliding from view. Darkness came swiftly after and so the four made camp for the night at the base of the hill. Jarvit tethered the mule.

            ‘There you are. Sorry but I have to, they wouldn’t believe me if I said you wouldn’t wander off.’ The mule sniffed and snorted, then put its head down to graze. ‘Look I wanted to ask, this place, this Porthky, what do you think? I mean will D’Braggatio find me there? It has a school, with books on magic I could-’ Jarvit stopped he realised he was forming a plan to try and fight the archimage.

            ‘I’m stupid,’ he said. ‘Stupid, by the time I learn anything he would be an old man. I can’t even read.’ Absent minded he patted the mule, but the mule said nothing.

            Stay, learn, it is for the best. Knowing something you may prevail, knowing nothing you will surely fail.

            ‘You again,’ Jarvit said and hung his head. He felt there was nothing he could do to stop the voice from intruding when it wished. There was no reply. All was silent, except for the sound of the mule chewing. Jarvit went to lie down and sleep. He gazed at the brilliant stars that filled the sky above him for some time before he dozed off.