Deltora Quest Jasmine and I

Chapter 12: Crossing The River

We stayed hidden in the cart waiting to see what would happen "You two are late if it happens again there will be consequences" said one of the Grey Guards to the Rockour's "Well I apologize we had to deal with this situation" said the Rockour's "I don't want to hear any excuses and you better have brought as much food as you're supposed to this time" said the pods leader "Of course we did it's all in the cart" said the Rockour "So the Rockour's give the food over to the Grey Guards and then what?" said Leif Tom then came out of his shop "Well good morning to all to my lords and my lady Rockour a fine day isn't it" he said "Look it's Tom" I said 

"Enough small talk we're already late because of these fools" said the Grey Guard "That's not good sure you don't have time for a cold drink Tom we'll see to the chaining of the beasts you should relax before continuing your journey it's a long drive way back to Del" said Tom "There going to Del" said Leif "It all makes sense now all that food from Noradz doesn't get thrown away it's taken to the palace in Del which means that the Rockour's inspection is actually for the Shadow Lord" said Barda "It's also worry the people of Noradz's are just being used what would Tara think if she found out that her people are actually slaves" said Jasmine "The Shadow Lord the Grey Guards the Rockour's  I'll never forgive them and especially Tom when we came into his store before he acted as if he supported the resistance but now his laughing it up with a bunch of Grey Guards" said Leif his outburst didn't go unheard "Hey what was that noise" said the Grey Guard Kree started to called out "Ugh that pesky black bird again it followed us all the way from NORAD's" said the female Rockour Tom recognized Kree and look back at the cart "This isn't good Tom's seen Kree before hasn't he?" said Barda "Yeah he has and I'm pretty sure he's smart enough to figure out the rest" I said 

The Grey Guards entered Tom's shop "Please enjoy yourself at Tom's shop" he said he then turned back to the Rockour's "Hmm by the way I must give you some bad news unfortunately there are no beasts for you ride back to NORADZ's so you'll have to walk "How can that be?" said the Rockour's "Tom is very ashamed but the Mudleads would be set aside in the barn for your return have been stolen by four wicked and crafty travellers" said Tom "You should have taken more care we found the beasts trying to get back into their field at NORADZ they must have thrown them off at our front gates" said the Rockour's "I see and the travellers?" asked Tom "They brought evil to our halls they'll be staying in our dungeons for good" said the Rockour's "Good news indeed as for right now why don't the three of you go into Tom's shop and relax there's some work outside that Tom needs to finish but it shouldn't take long then when the Grey Guards have left perhaps the three of you will enjoy a drink with Tom" said Tom "Yes that sound like a fine plan" said the Rockour's "He can't be trusted when we went to his story fooled us just like his fooling them" said Leif 

Once the Rockour's were out of earshot Tom turn back to the cart "To anyone who cares to listen if you wish to leave a cart unobserved and run to the bushes by the shop then this would definitely be the time to do so old Tom is the only one around who would notice right now" said Tom "What kind of trick is he up to?" said Lief "I think he's trying to help us he's saying we should go hide in those bushes over there" I said "Do you really think we should trust a word he says?" asked Lief "I don't trust him anymore then you do but we can't stay here" I said "Yeah come on" said Barda seeing no other chose Leif agreed we made a break for the bushes and crouched down behind them 

Tom walked over to them "Tom almost forgot that these bushes needed to be trimmed today" said Tom "Tell us Tom what exactly is going on?" asked Lief "Just business as usual my young friend" said Tom "Business huh" said Lief "That's right Tom is but a poor shopkeeper who simply looks after the needs of all his customers" said Tom "That a lie and you know it you sold those Mudlead that belonged to the Rockour's and then you told them that we stole them from you all you care about is money" said Leif Barda grabbed Leif shoulder "You may be right about him but now is not the time" he said Tom laughed "How right you are my young friend for Tom admits he finds hard to resist the allure of easy gold" said Tom "Thanks to you we almost spent the rest of our lives rotting in a dungeon" said Jasmine "That's not true what happened after you left Tom's shop was entirely your fault not his if you had taken the left hand path as Tom advised the beasts would  never have caught the scent of there home and bolted like that" said Tom "But your still a liar you pretended to be against the Shadow Lord and the resistance but we saw you today talking those Grey Guards as if there were old friends of yours" said Leif "Obviously the four of you never cared to notice" said Tom gusting to the named Tom on top of his shop TOM was spelled vertically "TOM's name looks the same whichever side you're on it's the same way they were approached from the west or the east it's the same whether you are inside his shop or outside and TOM himself is exactly like his name" explained Tom "It's all about money" said Leif "Certainly TOM's never said otherwise has he he's the same Tom to all who pass through his shop he never choose to take sides this is because he's is not interested in things that are not his concern" said Tom "Your a traitor" said Lief "Not true don't forget Tom saved your lives and because of that you are able to fight other day" said Tom "But that's in the past right now Tom is the only one who knows you're here and he suggests you leave while you have the chance Tom will not take any responsibility if the Grey Guards pick up your trail so go quickly and quietly and be sure to take all of your belongings with you even your garbage" said Tom he walked off laughing "Let go" I said