A Million Roads to Nowhere

On the Road

Sixteen days ago, Patrick was watching the Castle Verthollow burn. A couple months ago, he was running around the forest with Lena. Before that, Patrick had never been outside of Vertbank save for one trip to a nearby town with his father when he was ten. Now, as Patrick sits hunched over while eating week-old bread, just at the base of the Pink Mountains, he doesn't know what to think. It's a surreal feeling, being in a place Patrick could only have dreamed of when he was little.

"I can't believe we're finally here and you don't even get to see it," Patrick sighs.

"One day," Lena says, but Patrick can hear the bitter note in her voice. Lately, she's been bitter about everything.

"Cheer up," Aithne chirps as she walks past, reaching over to pat Lena on the head like one would with a beloved dog.

"Will do." Patrick nods.

"How could you not?" Aithne responds in a chipper tone. "Elinmylly is just down the road."

"A day away," William calls over.

Aithne snorts. "Semantics."

"We just overshot a little, it's fine," Aodhan buts in.

Patrick finishes up his mid-day meal and stretches out on the grass, yawning.

"Tired already, love? The day's not hardly done yet." He hears Aodhan's voice laugh from above him.

"I could just sleep on the horse," Patrick answers.

"I'm afraid you'd fall off."

"I'd tie myself down."

"That doesn't sound terribly comfortable," Aodhan says, sitting down next to him.

"I suppose not," Patrick concedes, throwing an arm over his eyes, shielding them from the sun.

He hears Aodhan laugh, in the lovely bell-like way that mimics his accent. As Patrick's never travelled, he's not familiar with it, save for the similarities between Aodhan's and Morwenna's gravely lilts.

"Where are you from?" he questions. "Your accent is really nice to listen to."

Aodhan graces him with another sweet laugh, says, "Ynneawl."

"I've never heard of Ynneawl."

"It's in the northern part of the Pink, but the edge. It's one of the towns where the travelling people stay and perform shows."

"It sounds nice. Vertbank doesn't have anything noteworthy."

"Don't you miss it?"

"Yes," Patrick admits. "I'm happy to travel, though. It's what Lena and I've always wanted to do."

"Is it living up to your dream?"

"Well, it's not exactly what we expected."

"I wouldn't have thought so." Aodhan's laugh chimes.

"Nay!" Lena calls over from Patrick's left where she's wandering around, trying to learn the new terrain, but only succeeding in looking quite smashed. "In our dreams there was a lot more singing and a lot less bad stuff."

"I can sing for you," Aithne cheers. "It won't be good but I know a few songs."

"Don't do that. You sound like a bird that's just been pierced with an arrow," Aodhan quips, coming over and standing next to Lena.