What Lies Beyond the Ocean

Chapter 28

I scrambled my thoughts together as I began my stroll back to Alyard and Elfin. I walked by a blacksmith who was smothered with ash from his forge. His suitable grey eyes scanned me as I passed by.

With an hour or two to spare, since it was late afternoon, I figured Alyard and I could go shop around in the market. Alyard was stroking Elfin's mane, swatting bugs away as well. Noticing my approach, he let out a smirk. 

"So," he stood up, swiping a strand of hair out of his face. "how'd the 'interrogation' go?"

I brushed his comment aside. "Al, that was Feralo's mother and sister. Mari and Faustina-"

"Oh, where are they? Didn't you tell them about Elfin?" he gestured Elfin, who flicked his tail, scaring a little dog wandering by. 

"I paid for her necessities," I titled my head towards Oakley's, the baker, direction. "They were trying to barter with him, so I decided to offer. Mari invited us to dinner. We're requested to meet her in around an hour or two at Deaila's Inn. She left before I could respond, but it's imperative we do attend."

"I hope we do rest their worries about Feralo," Alyard's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he anxiously gulped. "But once we tell them the context, they perceive in a multitude of light, considering we did escape all together."

"We can't control how they interpret it," I said. "We just have to tell the truth, and hope for the best."

"Yeah," he slouched against the wooden beam behind him, shadows covering half of his face. "To ease our minds up, how about we stroll around for a bit? There's a pub just right behind us, we could get some drinks to pass time."

I laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. "Maybe Helivi isn't the one who truly needs lay off the booze." 

"Not wrong, I suppose." he shrugged, rolling his eyes. "Actually, there's a piper that was performing not too long ago, let's see if he's still doing it!"

Like an eager child awaiting for his allowance, Alyard grasped my hand, Elfin lingering behind us. 

~

Alyard and I slithered our way to the surprisingly populous audience. Guards were casually drinking ale or mead, chatting away about their boring days within the overall low-profile city. The sun was beginning to swallowed up by fluffy clouds, but caused the sky to bloom into colours of rich hues of red, orange, and purple. Crisp, cold air greeted me along with the nostalgic smell of fire ascending from the pit. 

The piper winked at the crowd as he set his flute down to sip some of water. 

"Thank you all for attending," his eyes widened with pride as he saw more observers drop their coin into his basket. 

"Erline," Alyard sighed happily as he sat up, lending a hand to pull me up from the cold ground. "I'm glad we got to do something rather more 'normal' together." 

"He's quite the piper," I smirked, glancing at the piper shingle his coins. "Just sitting here with you and not worrying about what step is next was refreshing."

Alyard's brown eyes shone like the copper coins in the firelight as they widened. "Oh, we should be heading down to go meet Mari!"

I looked over his shoulder and saw the infamous inn standing before us. Two shadows emerged, faces becoming more comprehensible as they prodded their way towards us. 

"Erline!" Mari trotted up, smoothing her thick locks in which were tucked away in an intricate bun. Before observing, I admired the detail.

"Ah," she blushed turning away. "I wanted to polish up a bit, so I had a friend do my hair... does it look okay?"

"You look stunning," I reassured her, placing my hand on narrow shoulder briefly. Alyard signaled Elfin over, catching Mari's attention immediately.

Unknowingly, she stumbled back, grasping her daughter, forcing her behind her. 

"You liar!" she hissed. "You're having us sent away-"

"No!" I interjected, placing a hand on Alyard's wrist. "This is Alyard, my partner. We'll introduce you to the pony as soon as we're done providing you the context of Feralo's fate."

Mari relaxed her shoulders and loosened her grip on her daughter's minuscule hand, Faustina began sucking on her thumb as soon as her mother forced all her attention on us, specifically Alyard. 

"Usually when I see a burly man with a horse," she gulped. "I immediately jump to conclusions. I apologise... if you are not what I think you are, dear Alyard."

"Don't sweat it," Alyard smiled reassuringly. "I understand. We'll protect you from those trolls."

Faustina chuckled, but quickly began sucking her thumb once she caught my amused stare. 

Mari sighed and gently swatted her daughter's thumb. "Faust, please... not in front of our guests. Erline, Alyard, uh, pony, please follow me. My... 'home' is located right just outside the city gates, towards the farms that lie southward."

~

The silhouette of an old, decaying building of some sort emerged as we progressed our way through the abundant damp marshes, the scenic farmhouses further away from the marsh fading away.

As I squinted, I noticed that this withering building was not home to just Mari's family, but an array of peasants that were most likely shooed out of the cities.

"I forgot to mention this is where most of us peasants live," Mari mumbled, hiding her face from showing her embarrassment. "It's home at least. Better than living out in the marshes themselves."

She swept her daughter in her arms as she led us through the entrance. 

"Mari!" a croaky voice echoed. A fragile lady with grey hair that looked like hay ran up towards us- greeting her good friend and quickly took notice of her company. I politely smiled, but as soon as I made proper eye contact, her washed out green eyes melting into mine, I stumbled back. I bumped into Alyard who caught me by the arms in order for me to obtain my balance. 

"Its you, again!" she hissed. "I was hoping I'd never see your bedamned face again!" 

"Lagertha!" Mari shrieked, grasping her slender arms, pushing her away. 

"They're going to execute us!" Lagertha tried to push herself out of Mari's grip, but failed to do so.

"Calm down," she helped Lagertha, the demented lady we first encountered upon arrival in Geartha, onto a rotting stool. 

"These are friends," she patted the lady's trembling hand. "Erline, Alyard, they came to have dinner with my family and I. You're still welcome to join us, of course."

Lagertha fell into a spell of a witch's laughter. "Friends!?! I'd rather eat with my husband- who's been dead for 60 years because of this corrupt city. Now, excuse me as I go eat mud with my dear Fendrel." She swatted Mari away from her, sneered at Alyard and I, then finally proceeding towards the back entrance. 

"You two, how do you know Lagertha?" she raised an eyebrow, letting Faustina toddle over to the rest of her family, that were nestled over in a dimmed corner. 

"Well," I grimaced as I swivel back to first arrival into this city, Legartha being this first individual I bumped in to. She seemed worried, lost, something of the sort, and I only wanted to offer her help, but was only to be attacked and swept away by my 'knight-in-shining-armour,' Scott. "When we first arrived here, months ago, she was the first person I saw. She seemed rather distraught, so I offered her help... but she attacked me..."

"That's when you were taken by Scott, correct?" Alyard inquired. 

"Unfortunately," I validated.

Mari nodded and sighed. "She... has been through a lot. She's been impoverished since girlhood. She is super cautious of everybody who resides outside of her bubble," she pointed to the floor that was surrendering to the marshes. She glimpsed over her shoulder, then meekly smiled. "Anyhow, let's get some grub, yes?"