*The Chronicles of F.R.E.E. Earth's Knight - Ruth Watson* Part 2 - NARTHWICH

Chapter Three - Saying Goodbye

*Watson's POV*

The next morning, we all woke and dressed ourselves in black. None of us had the stomach for breakfast, so we just sat in the sitting room, quietly waiting for the time to leave for the funeral. Green sat in her usual armchair hugging her knees, I sat next to her leaning forward with my elbows on my knees as I bit my nails, Dean sat back next to me and Goodwin sat bolt upright in her armchair with her hands wringing in her lap. None of us acknowledged each other, we were all deep in our own thoughts. Green was the first to break the silence.
"I think it's time we should leave. We don't want to be late..." she muttered.
We all stood up slowly. I glanced at Dragonwrath that hung on the wall next to the fireplace, but decided against picking it up. A funeral is no place to wear a weapon.
We trudged our way into the town, joining Ashdown at the entrance, and went to join the other townsfolk in the Hall. We chose our bench about halfway in. Green first, then Goodwin, Dean, myself and Ashdown sitting in the aisle seat. Narthwich flags of red and yellow stripes hung from the ceiling with black flags in between them. The front rows had been reserved for those who had had relationships with the deceased, and the rest was for the rest of the town.
The ceremony went smoothly and beautifully. Needham mostly took the lead, speaking of how much the fallen had had an impact on all of us, and how we will never forget each and everyone of them. Some that had lost their husbands or wives stood and paid tribute to how much they loved them, sharing their happy memories. McAdams was personally mentioned by Needham as he was the only shop owner to have passed on, and Dean let slip a small sob. Goodwin and I each gripped her hands, giving her our support. There wasn't a dry eye in the entire hall.
Afterwards, we all spilled out onto the high street where the tables were placed along the road, ready for the wake. Goodwin, Green, Dean and Ashdown chose seats in the middle again, but I hung back. I waited for Needham to emerge from the hall and sat next to him. He looked at me expectantly.
"I just wanted to say that that was the perfect tribute to them all. Well done." I said to him.
He gave a small smile. "I wish I wouldn't have to do it at all. That this never had happened in the first place." He lowered his eyes to the plate in front of him.
"I know. We will make it home, mate. I'm sure of it." I reassured him.
He looked up at me again, but his eyes looked sad, like he didn't believe me. "You will, Watson. But I don't think I will."
"What do you mean?" I furrowed my brow, confused.
"It doesn't matter. I was just blabbering." He shook himself out of his thoughts and raised his glass. "Here's to our community."
"Here here!" I said, raising mine as well before taking a sip.
The food was delicious. Roast meats with roast vegetables. 'Green must be happy with this food choice' I couldn't help thinking, and looked up the table towards them. I didn't get that far as something caught my eye.
An asian woman was sitting a few seats away from me, her eyes wide, staring me up and down. I had never noticed her before. She had perfectly straight black hair, a very pretty face, brown eyes, and perfect pale skin. She had a small amount of makeup on and wore a black suit, which made me all the more curious. She looked to be more in her mid forties than a mere teenager like the rest of us. I started to become suspicious as to who she was. I stared back at her but she held a gaze. She gives me a pleading look, as if she was saying 'I need to talk to you'. I frowned back, not understanding what was going on. Suddenly, she mouthed "I found you."
"Watson, are you listening?" Needham said.
I started and whisked my head round to look at him, my face blank. "Sorry, what?"
He chuckled. "I was asking if you felt ready for your mission tomorrow?"
"Oh," I looked back to where the lady had been, but she'd disappeared. "Uh, yeah I think so."
"Great. You think you need anything else to help you prepare, at all?"
"No. I don't... Um. Who was that?" I pointed to where the lady had been sitting.
"Who?" Needham asked, taking a sip of Astrovia wine.
"There was a lady in a suit. Like, a tailored suit!" I said, staring at him.
"A lady in a tailored suit?" Needhams eyes widened in surprise for a split second, then closed and he shook his head. "There was no one with a tailored suit, Watson."
"Yes there was. I saw her. We looked at each other." I was positive I had seen her.
"Who was she?" He started to look a little concerned.
"I don't know. I had never seen her before, that's why I'm asking you."
"But you know everyone, Watson. One person couldn't have slipped past you. Or me for that matter." He thought aloud.
"No I had never met her before, she didn't look like she had been here before." I thought maybe she was someone from another town perhaps.
"Watson, are you feeling ok?" He asked leaning forward. "No one wears suits here, hun. It's not like we're at home."
"N-no... I s-suppose," My brow wrinkled together. Had I imagined her? I was sure she had been there.
After another hour of making small talk with Needham, I felt like I needed to get home. The lady I had seen was still going over in my mind. I felt like she was important. That I needed to find her and speak to her. That she was trying to tell me something, but didn't get the chance to. Like how to get home maybe? And what did she mean when she mouthed 'I found you?' At the same time, I did feel like I had imagined her. But why would I have imagined someone dressed like that in a place like this?
I got home, but realised I didn't have the key to get in. I groaned and kicked the railing post in frustration before sinking down to sit on the steps. I didn't want to go back to the wake. I wanted to have some alone time. To think things through. Try and work out who that lady was.
"Someone forgot the key, didn't they." Green called and appeared from the direction of the town holding up the key.
I stood up and held out my hand for it. "Yes, thanks G."
"Why have you come back so early?" She held the key back, wanting an answer.
"I just wanted some alone time, that's all." I kind of lied.
"Yeah, ok." She rolled her eyes. "I know you better than that, Watson. I watched you leave. You had that look like something was bugging you."
It was my turn to roll my eyes. Nothing ever gets past these girls, I swear.
"Ok, fine. I am kinda freaked out." I admitted and sat back down.
"Why?" She approached me and sat on the steps with me.
"I saw... I saw a lady." I said.
"Rriiiiight?" Green pushed.
"She was wearing a suit, G. A smart, black, tailored suit." I looked her dead in the eye.
"What? An actual suit?" She blinked.
"Yeah, like she was heading to work or something. It was weird."
"Did you point her out to Needham? He knows everyone." She asked.
"I did, but she had already disappeared when I pointed her out to him. He didn't know who I was on about. Just reminded me that we weren't at home and no one wears a suit here." I put my head in my hands. I was starting to get a headache, but continued on. "I felt like she knew me. I also feel like I need to speak to her about something... Important, somehow. I don't know if I'm going mad or something, but I've got a hunch she may be able to help us get home. I know that's a long shot, but why else would she be dressed differently to the rest of us."
Green listened to me quietly. "That's very strange."
"I do also think she must have come from another town. Swindmore possibly? That's the more likely option, right?" I looked at her.
"Yes, that's most likely. But it still wouldn't explain this suit." She frowned in thought.
A thought came to mind. "I may head to Swindmore when we leave tomorrow. I need to find out who she is!"
"Ok, it's your call." She said reluctantly. I quickly pulled her into a one armed hug.
"I never thanked you for agreeing to come with us. It wouldn't have been the same without you, G." I mumbled.
"Yeah, well" She muttered back. "Just remember, I don't really want to be doing this. But I also don't want to be left behind without knowing my friends are safe. I do want to make a request though."
I looked at her, my eyebrows raised. "Go for it."
"I want to go back to Ozryn."
"What?!" I blanched.
"Not to stay," She retracted a little. "Just so I get to see Perkins." she mumbled sadly.
My eyes softened immediately. "If that's what you want, then we'll go there!"
"Really?" Her eyes glimmered at the thought of seeing her beloved. I could kind of get wha she was feeling but of course, my man didn't know it yet.
"Yeah, I still need to hook Goodwin up with Hunter." I winked at her and she laughed.
"And you want to see Hodgson" She nudged me and winked back.
"Yeah, mmmmmmaybe." I hinted, laughing. "I just hope we make it back there." I mentally slapped myself for saying that. I said it without even thinking about it.
Green's smile faltered. "I am determined to make it back to see him," She sounded defiant with her words. "I need him to know how much I love him. I can't die before he knows that!"
"And I can't die a virgin," I joked making her snort. I joined in with her infectious laughing.
"What on earth are you two laughing at?!" Dean and Goodwin were standing staring at us, both looking unimpressed.
"Oh... errr" I had forgotten we had just come from a funeral. This probably didn't look very good. Green and I got to our feet.
"Watson has promised me we will go back to Ozryn so I can see Perkins again and she won't have to die a virgin," Green explained. I gave her a look of disbelief.
"That was only meant to be between us two, you grass!" I growled.
Dean and Goodwin laughed.
"Well, yeah that does make sense. Watson has been gagging for Hodgson since we left." Goodwin laughed.
"Fuck you!" I retaliated but couldn't help the smile stretching across my face.
"Yeah, yeah. We all know how much you luuurrrvve Hodgson." She starts to imitate me in a high pitched, squeaky voice, flouncing herself around pretending to be romantically wooed. "Oh, Hodgson. Love of my life. Take me, I'm all yours."
"Ha ha. Alright, that's enough." I start to walk towards her, making her stop.
"Whatcha gonna do, Watson? Make me?" She starts bouncing on her toes, arms bent in front of her, looking like she's getting ready for a boxing match.
I put on a menacing grin, widen my eyes and advance further.
"Will you two stop mucking around?" Dean says, making me stop in my tracks.
"Why?" I ask, frowning.
"We need to head to Ashdown's to pick up our armour, she mentioned it's all ready to go now. Then we need to start preparing. If you want to get to Ozryn and pop your cherry, then we have to start getting ready if we're going to leave in the morning." She put her hands on her hips.
"Oh, yeah. Ok." I say. "Come on then, girlies!"
I lead the way to Ashdowns Blacksmiths shop. It may only be midway through the afternoon, but everyone has returned home after the wake finished. Everything had been cleared away and the town was quiet. I opened the door to the shop and stood back allowing the others in first.
Ashdown stood by her table, which proudly displayed four sets of armour, alongside three other girls who had been helping her for the past few days.
Each set consisted of an elongated chest-piece which would come down to our knees, a pair of gauntlets and greaves, with matching helmets. They were mostly gold with red sections, the same colours as the guards of Narthwich, but one set was black. That was obviously mine. They all followed the same patterns except mine had similar celtic patterns bordering the edges to match my baldric and Dragonwrath.
The helmets weren't what I had been expecting at all. They covered the whole head as well as the back of the neck, rather than surround the hair line to the neck like the helmets in Ozryn. It encompassed the neck round until it met the jaw, then coursed itself down in the middle towards the nose, creating a protective bridge with arches allowing you to be able to see properly. The only unprotected part was the throat, eyes, mouth and chin.
We all stood there in stunned silence, staring with wide eyes
"What do you think?" Ashdown shuffled her feet, waiting for our approval.
I took a step forward and lifted the black helmet to feel the weight. Surprisingly, it was relatively light compared to what I thought it would be.
"Dude, this is sooo cool!" I couldn't help the toothy grin as I looked at Ashdown. "Thank you!"
Goodwin, Green and Dean each picked up different parts of their armour too, each reflecting the same grin on their faces.
"Want to try them on?" Ashdown asked, relief flashing across her face with our reactions.
"YEAH!" We all chorused together and we were pulled into separate rooms.
Ashdown took me, while her three helpers each went to help Goodwin, Green and Dean with their armour.
Ten minutes later, I stood in front of a floor length mirror, clad from head to toe in my brand new armour.
I had been expecting it to feel weighty and clumpy to wear, but once again, I had been proven wrong. It felt comfortable, the strong, riged, thin metal had been moulded in such a way that it didn't restrict our bodies joints and it hugged tightly to the body. It allowed us to move freely while still giving us the sense of safety and protection needed for our journey. Even the helmet wasn't getting in the way, and fit perfectly.
I checked out the stranger in the mirror. 'What would mum think of this?' I mused, looking at myself up and down. I turned to look at the back and my face fell slightly. I wish I hadn't left Dragonwrath at home, I needed it to complete the look. I flashed Ashdown the same toothy grin from earlier.
She looked so proud of herself, and so she should be! It looked amazing. I felt powerful, strong, and even invincible in it.
"You look awesome... If I do say so myself." She grinned.
"So you should say so yourself!" I complimented her. "This is more than I could have imagined. Thank you, it's perfect." I turned to her and grabbed her into a tight hug.
She reached around my waist and hugged me back. I heard her sniff and pulled back, concerned.
"Sorry," She wiped her nose. "It's just you four have become the first real friends I've really had since arriving here. Promise me you'll make it back safely."
I looked her right in the eye, brow raised. "With this armour, we will definitely make it home again." I assured her.
I was led back out to the main room to see Goodwin, Green and Dean in their protective gear. The red and gold looked good on them. Gold was the main colour with the edges, shoulders and rims red. If it wasn't for their height differences and standing positions, I never would have been able to tell them apart. They looked like triplets.
"Whoa, Watson... You look..." Goodwin was lost for words as she took a step towards me.
"Incredible? Awesome? Powerful? Bad ass?" I rambled off some suggestions jokingly.
"No... Yes... But you.. You look..." Her mouth frowned as she tried to find a way to explain herself.
"You look like you were born to do this," Green injected.
Green's words threw me. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know. Just, seeing you stand there wearing it, you give the impression that you've found where you belong. Like you were meant to be a knight or a warrior." She was also struggling to explain it properly. She bit her lip.
"Oh, well thanks!" I had to admit, I felt like myself in this armour. Like I had somehow, somewhere, done this type of thing before.
"There's something else too." Ashdown went to a small chest in the corner. She pulled out what was inside it. They looked to be dead badgers.
"The winter season is going to arrive soon, and you'll need ways of keeping warm." She explained, handing out the fluffy garments.
They were furry sheaths. Black and white in colour and so soft to the touch. I draped mine round my shoulders and tied up the strings at my chin. It created a cloak. Long enough to reach the floor, and it was certainly very warm and cozy to wear. I nuzzled my cheek against it instinctively, savouring the comfort it gave.
"Ahhhh, bliss." I mumbled quietly.
"I hope all four of you keep safe, and for gods sake, please make sure you make it back alive." Ashdown looked torn as she pleaded with us.