Liberty's Heirs

Chapter 32

"She's a beautiful horse," said Daevik as he stroked the horse's muzzle. The air still contained the fragrance of apple blossoms but not as heavily as when he was here before.

"Her name's Lightning," said Blion. "At least that's what I call her. I don't know what her real name is but she's gotten used to Lightning."

"She's yours now," continued Blion handing the reins over to Daevik.  "But I need your help.  And we need a cart.  Do you have one?"

"No.  It wouldn't do us any good since there's no decent road between here and anywhere else."

"Hmm." Blion stroked his chin.

"Mom makes the yarn out of the sheep's wool using the spinning wheel.  We put it into sacks and I load them on the back of our donkey, Grey.  We've got almost everything we need here, thankfully, since we don't have easy access to the market.  But there is a family up north where the road is better that does have one I could borrow if I had to."

"I'm glad you were here.  I need your help.  Let's get that cart and then we need to go to Grimsby."

Lightning was left to be cared for by Daevik's parents and the two young men set off on foot.  For two days they walked with Gray following dutifully behind them.  Since their travel was not on a main road, really not even a road at all, they saw no soldiers.  Ever vigilant, Blion had plenty of time to explain to Daevik that he was a wanted criminal, that he needed to stay out of sight, and that the sphere he was carrying was the most valuable possession of the United States government. 

The road was in decent shape here and Daevik went to get the cart from the little white farm house with green trim.  Meanwhile Blion stayed hidden in the woods a little farther along, well out of view.  They had arrived well before noon and Daevik expected to be back in an hour.  After two hours had passed and Daevik had not returned, Blion was getting quite worried.  Perhaps Daevik had been caught.  Perhaps Blion's whereabouts had been divulged under torture.  Blion decided to give Daevik another hour and then start heading toward Grimsby alone, but he was not comfortable with the decision.  No deadline had been arranged and it seemed like a betrayal to leave without saying anything.

Another hour passed and still Daevik had not appeared, Blion decided to go.  He got down from the tree he was sitting on and went to the edge of the grove where the farmhouse was visible.  He could see no people, but since it was a good distance away, perhaps there were soldiers that he couldn't see.

Just then there was a faint rattling in the distance but no voices.  Blion was panicked.  If the soldiers had dogs, there would be no place to hide.  He had to hope that there were no dogs.  He found a eucalyptus tree and began to climb.  It was the best tree in the vicinity but the branches were too vertical and it made climbing difficult.  The rattling got louder and louder until from his vantage point high in the tree, he could see what it was: Daevik trying to hurry Grey along and a cart with wooden wheels moving noisily along behind.  What a relief!  Daevik began looking around confused since he didn't see Blion at the appointed meeting spot.

"I'm up here," Blion yelled, hands waving.