Child of Conquest

Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Merton

Merton was a small port town to the north of Raeburn it was a safe haven for small ships, smugglers and shopkeepers. It was better known as Serpents Mouth because of the way its river split into two forks towards the sea.
For a small town it was always a hive of activity, especially under the cover of night. There were a variety of livings to be made in such a place, some more respectable than others but generally; it was a trading town.
The path to Merton was dusty and uncomfortable and it is upon this road that Trantor and Seraphina were now travelling.
Seraphina had persuaded her mother into letting her go in proviso that her responsible friend Aldwyn accompanied her.
Trantor delivered goods to Merton twice yearly, only with each passing winter it seemed to be getting harder to make the northerly journey.
Oberon had gladly let someone go in his place. Trantor was in truth relieved to have more amiable company, although it grieved him to think like that of his own son. They had been travelling for two days now and Seraphina had appeared to enjoy every minute. She seemed to thrive the further they travelled into the hillside, she sat for hours listening to his stories around the camp fire.
It was a pleasure to have the company of people who didn't resent your presence. For this reason Trantor was pleased to leave his wife and son behind, even the arthritis in his back wouldn't keep him from this long journey away from home.
The thought of having to stop working terrified him, at home he would never have any peace. He looked at the young girl laughing with her friend and smiled, youth was so fleeting. If he could do it all again he would have fled from Raeburn the moment his wagon had empted it's goods. Yet here he still was, married to a woman who's only pleasure was to make his life miserable. He felt a familiar heaviness in his heart, a lifetime of guilt had made a home inside his chest and his wife had no intention of him ever removing it.

Seraphina looked at Trantor who had suddenly become melancholy, he seemed to notice her looking at him and broke out of his moon. He suddenly stopped the horses at the crest of the hill.
"What's wrong?" she asked
"Nothing, I just wanted you to see something." He pointed to the top of the hill.
"What am I supposed to be looking at?"
As the horses rode over the top it became clear what Trantor wanted her to see. She had been limited to the constricted vision of the valley and now her eyes were drinking in the pleasure of the landscape before her. Seraphina gasped; before her now was a landscape of colours, a patchwork to purge the shadows cast by grey mountains. There was a huge town in the distance but what was more wondrous was the endless background of blue which endlessly ran into the sky.
"Aldwyn, look." Seraphina said excitedly hugging her two companions.
"Thank you Trantor for bringing me."
She leant over and placed a kiss on his old wrinkled face as he loudly protested.
"That over there is Fineas mouth, most commonly known as Serpant's mouth. It leads straight up into the open sea"
"You mean the sea is bigger than that?"
"Oh my goodness yes, this is merely a puddle in comparison."
With that he cracked the reins and the horses began to move down the other side of the valley.
Coming from a small village, the first thing that Seraphina noticed was the noise. There were so many voices that it made the sounds of home seem like a mere whisper. There were people everywhere hurrying and scuttling along like insects, it felt like a competition for the very space she occupied. Seraphina had always loved the peace and quite, choosing the wind and the creaking of the trees over conversations. There were too many voices to filter out; remnants of conversations assaulted her ears. Although she had always being tall like her father, she suddenly felt incredibly insignificant and surprisingly this made her feel liberated in some way.

Nobody was interested in what she was doing, she did not have to worry that all of her actions were being scrutinised and gossiped about. Aldwyn seemed similarly impressed with his new surroundings taking in the sights and smells. They travelled through the small narrow streets where a smell consisting of sweat, rotting vegetables and manure intruded their nostrils.