The Tale Teller

Ch 10

Despite Branoff naming Vaun as the one who knew these roads, and therefore, their navigator, he had insisted on turning up a narrow lane that brought them to what felt like nowhere. It travelled north towards the forest just west of Appleton, before turning towards the town itself. He had called it a shortcut, but to Vaun, it seemed anything but.

It was a road so barren and unkept that if Vaun was to sleep and then wake, he may believe that he had been transported to the abandoned west of the country.

If he outstretched a hand, he could touch the trees as they passed by, fingertips brushing the deep green pines. They hung low, slamming down on the roof of the wagon. Each time they did, a squeak was heard from within.

Vaun had yet to see Lissy, but as another branch came straight towards them, missing Vaun's ducked head, and thumping against the wall of the wagon, her presence was heard once again.

"Do you think she's frightened?"

"Heh. Perhaps. It's her first time off the mountainside after all."

First time, huh? Vaun was sure it was quite the experience. It did make him wonder why she was squeezed into the back of the wagon, and not up front to witness all the new sights and sounds. He thought about asking Branoff, but decided not to query.

Instead, he looked ahead to where the road twisted harshly to the right, almost coming back upon itself. The horse gave a rather human-like snort as it slowed down in preparation to round it. To look at the turn, any man would sit up straight, heart in his throat, worried at just how the wagon could make it. Vaun didn't blink at the sight, for this was the fourth time now. If he was truthful, there were too many things on his mind today to care much for the obstacles the road brought.

Branoff had commented on his silence, but thankfully, hadn't pressured him when Vaun answered with nothing but a weak shrug. He didn't want to admit the truth of just what was circling his mind, but he hadn't the strength to lie either.

After a large rumble of Vaun's stomach not long after they had set out, a thumping of Branoff's fist on the wagon wall had the shutters opening, and Lissy's hand passing through a small bag full of bread rolls. Vaun had taken one with gratitude. It had helped perk him up a little, but he knew it would take more than one semi-decent night's sleep, a hot meal last night, and a bread roll, to fix how roughly the road had begun to shake him.

Celise.

He couldn't stop thinking of her.

One minute it was memories of when they first met, when she was a girl and he was still no more than a boy himself. The next moment his mind was shifting to how her face had lit up with joy when she had seen him last, how she had rushed to hug and hold him. Her smile. Her dancing eyes. Damn, was she beautiful.

The horse came to a sudden sharp stop, jolting the wagon behind it. It cut off Vaun's train of thought, and for that, he was grateful. This was the last thing he needed to be thinking about. He regretted hurting Celise, sure, but it was too late now to dream of the past, or even what could have been. As much as he tried to deny it, the thought of what if was entering his thoughts far too often today.

"Come on!" Branoff gave Vaun's sleeve a tug, before jumping from the bench onto the rough uneven ground below them. It was overgrown with weeds, some so tall that they reached Branoff's thigh.

Vaun glanced at him as he waded through them, before back to the horse whose head was practically in the hedge, unable to manoeuvre anymore with the length of the wagon behind it. Hopping down to join Branoff, Vaun realised the width was an issue too. He was met face to face with a tree, whilst his back was practically tight against the step up onto the bench.