Travellers

A Reclusive Mad Scientist

Calvin's eyes flicked to the side as Amber stepped out from behind Alex.  Taking her first proper look at the man, she saw a sturdy built man, whose body was used to a lot of hard manual labour.  His clothes hung untidily about his broad frame, and his blue-grey eyes looked back at her with undisguised interest.

"You are the dreamwalker."

There were gasps of surprise from everyone as Amber took a large step back and Alex snarled and took a threatening step forward.  "You don't know what you're talking about," he growled.

Quickly holding up his hands in a surrendering gesture, he took a step back.  "Easy, Alex.  I don't mean her any harm.  I'm here to help."

"Why - why would you think that?"  Amber's quiet voice sounded from behind Alex, but Alex made no move to let Calvin see her.  Cautiously stepping to the side, Calvin once again looked at the exotic young woman Alex was protecting.

"Your mother."

Amber's eyes widened with surprise and she began to move forward.  Growling a warning, Alex reached out and grabbed hold of Amber's arm, ready to yank her aside at the first sign of danger.

"You've seen her?"

Calvin nodded gravely.  "Yes, I've spoken with her."

"And just how were you able to do that?" Alex questioned harshly.  "The duke isn't the sort of person to just let anybody close to his most valuable prisoner."

Swallowing nervously, Calvin turned back to the large warrior that could easily dispose of him if he felt inclined to do so.  "This is the part that you're not going to like," he muttered, almost to himself.  Raising his eyes, he boldly looked his one-time friend in the eye.  "I've been working for the duke for the last two years."

Alex let out a roar of outrage and Calvin didn't have time to react before he felt Alex's hand close around his throat.  Ignoring the cries of alarm from everyone in the watching crowd, he gripped him tightly and pulled him closer so that they were eye level and face-to-face.  "You good-for-nothing traitor!"

"It’s-it’s not what you think," Calvin managed to choke out as his face got redder and redder.

"Then tell me how it is, and tell it fast!"

"Alex!"  Amber tried yanking on his arm as she saw Calvin struggling for breath, but for her it was like trying to pull a huge tree up from its roots.  Impossible.  "Alex, let him go."

Alex ignored her as he continued to stare at Calvin.

"I'll t-tell you," Calvin managed to gasp out, "just l-let g-go."

Alex held him there a moment longer before giving a snort of disgust and pushing him backwards.  Calvin fell back into the dirt, his hand rubbing his sore throat.

"I needed the money," he finally managed to say once he had gotten enough air back into his system.  "My family needed the money.  I didn't like having to work for him, but at the time I had no choice."

"Is money all you ever think about?  You know the duke is a murdering swine; you know what he's done.  And yet you willingly go to work for him!"

"Would you have rathered my family starve?"

Alex drew his lips together as he looked down at the pathetic man he had once viewed as a close friend.  "No," he finally said quietly.  However he now viewed Calvin, he still thought of his mother with the utmost respect.  She had almost been like a second mother to Alex once his own mother had passed away.

Getting unsteadily to his feet, Calvin faced Alex and looked him straight in the eye.  "I know you no longer trust me," he began, and Amber could detect the regret in his words, "but I swear to you that I'm telling you the truth this time.  The duke and some of his men are on their way right now, and there is no way you can fight them all.  You will be greatly outnumbered."  Calvin glanced around at all of the watching faces and saw a sea of desperation.  "You have to run," he repeated with emphasis.  "It is the only way."  He took a deep breath before expelling it.  He knew that Alex was not going to like what he had to say next.  "There is something more that you need to know.  The duke sent me ahead to try and kidnap the girl before he got here.  That way when he arrived, all his men would have to do is torch the village and deal with you.  He thought that once he had her, dealing with you would be easier."