And Such Are Stones

9. Ben, son of Bene

Ben, son of Bene, son of Buen, was from a long line of herders and farmers. They were robust and strong people of medium-tall build. With their light brown skin, dark curly hair, and chiseled features, they were always rich and lucky with love ... but his family was always a little poor on the money side.

There had never been anyone considered to be wealthy in the family's genealogy, except maybe for that cousin who made a name for himself while running with a gang of bandits. It didn't end well for him. The story was told that he had been caught by mercenaries after a caravan raid and had been bound and left in the road with a sign on him so that the Drakes of the next caravan to pass would trample him to death.

It wasn't like King Suntis ever sent any soldiers to guard the roads this far out from the Wheel. Mercs were about the only way to get any real security. Chances are, the caravan leaders joined together to pay the cost of the mercs. The townspeople sure weren't going to be able to come up with it. They were all trying to get by and barely doing that.

Ben's family lived in a small stone Dom near the town of Rivers End. It wasn't really the end of a river. It was more like the end of the merchant road, the place where goods and services from the cities along the coast flowed. From this point on, the locals used small trails to go from farms in the surrounding countryside to town and back. There was nothing any wider than a hand cart could navigate.

Ben had been sweet on Raya for years. Raya was the daughter of the breadmaker. She was always smiling. It wasn't one of those smiles where her mouth would smile but her eyes said something else either. When Raya smiled, it was like the room warmed up, and those around her had no choice but to smile, too.

Ben finally got up the nerve to ask her mother if he could court her, but he was put off for a full year. Before he was given the go-ahead, he had to do lots of chores and carry a whole bunch of baskets of food. He might have given up altogether if it hadn't been for that smile ... and the tender kisses shared secretly when no one else was around.

Ben's family farm was about two miles from Rivers End. His father, Bene, had passed away several years ago, and his mother continued her daily routine while Ben worked the farm. They were able to trade enough milk and eggs to acquire the things they couldn't produce on their own.

Ben's little sister liked staying with the sheep. The dog that had adopted her when she was little helped her round them and protect them from the coyotes and wildcats. The dog was mostly dark black with streaks of dark brown and had solid black eyes. She named the dog Shadow ... and he acted like one, too.

Shadow hardly ever barked, and he rounded the sheep, moving like a silent darkness on the wind. When he hunted with Kat, he would point, round, and hold the prey ... and bring back whatever she shot with the bow. They had a very close bond and seemed to understand each other completely.

Winters were mild enough here that Ben's family didn't have to store hay and grain for the stock. They tried to keep grain on hand for the chickens and to keep the milking cows happy. They would rotate grazing areas and bring the animals in for the evenings.

Fear of the dragons had produced a whole different way of living out here in the Fringe and was the only thing keeping most people away. In the Wheel, they had castles and garrisons. Here, they had the Doms, but if the herd was in the field and a Dragon was sighted, they would try to make the cover of the forest or the nearest Dom.

Dragons were hunters like eagles or other large predator birds. They could see for great distances and liked their meals fresh. The forests of the steppes and lower hills were not lush canopies, but they did offer an escape from direct attack. A dragon would have to be very hungry to attack in the forest. There would be no way to swoop down on their prey without risking injury in the branches and boles of trees. There would also be no room for them to spin around to keep their weapons towards an enemy.