Merciless Hunter

4: Staging betrayal

The Hoaglye farm is not large but well kept. The timber of the houses are the deep black of wood that sees fresh tar every year, as well as the robust and neat fences. The fields are meticulously mowed, not a single stalk remaining, and the trees in the orchard are pruned to nearly identical sizes and shapes.

On the porch of the man-house, a couple of men sit carving at something, possibly rake tines. As she gets closer, she sees that they look like brothers, one of them with the short hair of a hallowman. He looks rather young for a hallowman, not much older than her eldest brother at home. He also looks honest. Promising all in all, but looks often deceive as she has learnt all too well.

Her pulse picks up as she realises that this might be the moment that her plans hinges most on. Assuming her most demure attitude, she walks the last bit down the lane. When they notice her, she stops.

"I beg your pardon, good sirs, is this the Hoaglye farm?"

"It is indeed, young miss," the other man says and rises. "I am Rownan of Hoaglye. What may your name be and how can I help you?"

"Pleased to meet you, good sir," she says and curtsies. "I am Ardele and I was told that the hallowman of Lewden might be here."

Rownan chuckles. "He is indeed," he says and points with his thumb at the other man. "That would be my brother, Herndel."

Herndel puts the knife down and rises, brushes some wood shavings off his tunic and makes a slight bow. A humble smile graces his lips.

"Oh!" Wrenne exclaims and curtsies even deeper. "I'm sorry, your grace, I should have understood... but you're so young! I mean, I apologise, but all the hallowmen where I come from are..."

"Don't apologise, miss Ardele! I hear that all the time," he reassures her, waving his hands dismissively with a lopsided smile. "I was only a boy when I felt the call, spent all my spare time in the temple bothering the old hallowman, and when he died I took over, temporarily at first. And as time..." he interrupts himself. "But here I go, talking about myself. You say you sought me?"

"I did, your grace," she says, curtsying again and willing a blush to her cheeks. "I came here from the east and mean to seek work at the Solbeck farm, everybody tells me to ask there, but I feel a little nervous and would feel so much better if I could go with the blessing of the Good Herder." She fumbles with the piece of string tying her little hoard of coins into the waist of her skirt. "I'm afraid I have very little to offer for it, but I had a bit of luck at the market..."

"Oh, please," Herndel interrupts, frowning, "I'd be ashamed to take money from a poor, hard-working girl. You came from the east, you say? All alone?"

She gives him a nervous laugh. "Not all alone, I had company on the road but they moved on. Why, everyone keeps wondering about that." She makes her lip quiver a little and looks at him with large, anxious eyes. "Was it wrong of me to leave, your grace? We were starving..."

"Oh, by no means," Herndel replies and smiles at her, "and please don't call me your grace! Say Herndel. No, I think everyone is simply impressed. I think there are not many girls that would be brave and resourceful enough to go on such a journey."

"You're much too kind, your grace... I mean Herndel," she mumbles with a shy smile, dropping a third curtsy.

Rownan, looking back and forth between the two, clears his throat. "I'll just get back to work here, don't mind me." He sits back down, grabs his knife and resumes carving.

Herndel looks quizzically at him for a moment, then remembers where he is. "Oh, I'm sorry brother, I'll be right with you." Then he turns again to Wrenne. "Ardele, would it be alright with you to receive my blessing here instead of at the temple?"