FE: The Sharlan Curse

Chapter 4: Talks Along the River

     As the rain continued to pour down outside, Miles steps back inside the charred house alongside the short, ruddy-haired girl.  With her bow on her back she carried two small, hand-woven baskets at her side, one in each hand.  She sets them down on the floor and then glances over at Alyssa and Vivian before turning her attention to Miles.
     "This is your company?  One's a whelp covered in mud and the other's white as a sheet."  She says bluntly.  "I figured you'd have escorts being prince and all.  Don't tell me you three plan on going to the capital yourselves."
     "We had actually."  Miles sighs.  "Sadly I haven't been able to make any sort of contact with my retainers, and even if I could, there's no guarantee that they haven't been cursed as well.  Fortunately we've managed to do all right on our own, Lyssa and Vivian are stronger than they appear."
     "Is that right?"
     Miles nods.  "I couldn't ask for better company."
     Alyssa sighs and looks at the florid girl.  "Be as that may, I believe some introductions are in order.  Milo, just who is this?"
     "I'm really not sure myself.  I guess we've all yet to be properly acquainted, haven't we?"
     "Folks 'round here call me Reed."  The girl says.  "And you?"
     "Alyssa Lebeau, dark mage and former faculty at the Aude School of Magic."
     "You can call me Vivian."  She says.  "Your name's Reed?  Isn't that a boy's name?"
     "Maybe where you're from.  All the people here in Ambre have real simple names.  There was Ivy the tailor, Daisy was the farmer's wife, I reckon the only one who really stood out much was old man Thom."  She sighs.  "I wasn't born here, but the folks treated me like I was there kin anyway, even gave me a name.  I reckon they picked Reed because they found me down in the cattails out by the river."
     "And where is everybody?"  Vivian asks.  "You're the first person we've seen who wasn't a soldier."
     "What do you think?  Either they're buried out in the river sand or on the run.  Many have gone towards Marchand seeking shelter, but from what I've heard there's soldiers down that away too.  I guess I'm the only one still here, for the time being anyway.  Come sun-up I'll probably be in Marchand too."
     "So you'll join us?"  Miles asks.
     "Hell no."  Reed scoffs.  "I'm only going because there's nothing left for me here.  All I've got left of this place is old man Thom's bow here and the clothes on my back.  Hmph, I guess we can walk the same road together, but don't think for a minute I'm going to be helping some royal and his crew.  You seem nice enough but it's because of your family that everyone else's is suffering."
     "Hey now," Vivian interjects.  "Miles has nothing to do with this.  He's trying to help."
     "No, she has a point Vivian."  Miles says.  "Father's never exactly been very kind to the people of Sharla, cursed or not.  Neither has his father, or the father before him.  None of our vassals have been kind, I'm not surprised that she sees the same in me.  At the very least, allow me to wish you good luck in your travels Reed, may you reach Marchand safely; and, if you'll have it, please take my condolences as well.  It's always hard to lose the ones close to you."
     Reed sighs and shakes her head.  "You can keep your luck, I don't need it.  It'll take more than that to avenge the dead."
     A quick peal of thunder fades away as the rain outside stops, strengthening the now awkward silence inside.  Reed lifts up the baskets and steps outside, leaving Miles and company alone.  Looking up through the torn roof, Miles could see the silvery clouds parting to reveal a whispy purple sky.  Night would soon be upon them once again.  Reaching for his sword, Miles looks at Alyssa and Vivian.
     "It'll be dark soon.  You two stay here, all right?  I'll be back in a moment."
     "And where exactly are you going?"  Alyssa asks.
     "To the river.  I don't imagine you two want to go to bed hungry."

     As the thin yellow sliver of a moon inches upwards into the sky, Miles found himself on the sandy shore of the Blaine River.  As the night grew closer, the river's raging waters seemed to grow more placid, transforming from an indomitable torrent into a still, bubbly froth that lapped against the sand.  Looking towards the sky he could see a pillar of smoke stretching towards the stars.  Sitting at the water's edge was Reed, a fire at her feet.  She had skewered several fish on hand-carved wooden spits and watched as they roasted, whistling a faint tune to herself as she watched the flickering orange flame.  Looking back, Miles saw a small stretch of land where the grass met the sand and frowned.  There were at least twelve wooden markers driven into the ground, each one with a different name rudimentarily carved into them.  Hearing his boots squelch into the sand, Reed looks back and sees Miles.
     "Here to fish?"  She asks.
     "You could say that."
     Reed smiles.  "Then I hope you have a rod in that sheathe of yours, because you won't get catch much with a sword."
     "It can't be much different from fishing with a spear, can it?"
     Miles walks over to the river's edge and stares into the murky water.  Seeing the shadow of a fish, he thrusts downward into the water, but misses and struggles to reclaim his blade from the muddy banks.  Reed laughs and grabs the spits, removing the fish from each one and placing them into one of her baskets.
     "Having a hard time?"  She smiles.  With a sigh, she closes the basket and uses the other to lap up some water.  Extinguishing the fire, Reed stands up and walks over towards Miles.  After removing his sword, he sighs and sticks it back into the water to try and wash away the mud.  "It'll be morning if you keep that up.  Look, the goddess has blessed me with more than enough fish to eat for one night.  I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to share."
     Miles smiles.  "Thank you Reed."
     "Hmph, I'd just hate to see your friends go hungry is all.  Didn't you all bring anything before you started your travels?"
     "We did, but it wasn't much.  I figured we'd eat in rations until we could get to Marchand, with all the stores there I'm sure we'll be able to round up enough for our trip to the capital."
     A cold breeze blows across the shore.  Hearing a rustling, Miles looks over and sees a mass of slender plants by the water.
     "Cattails."  Reed says.  "Thom and his wife found me in a patch like that a bit further down the bend."
     "'Cattails?'  I suppose that's one name for it, back home we always called it bulrush."  He smiles and then shakes his head, chuckling a bit as a feeling of reminiscence hits him.  "Gods above, now I've got myself feeling homesick..."
     "You know, I really can't imagine it's all that fun living in a castle."
     "True, being out here certainly gives me some freedom."  Miles sighs.  "But I'm beginning to miss my mother and sister, living with them seemed to make the dreary marble halls just a bit brighter."
     "You have a sister?"  Reed sounded surprised.  "I don't didn't know this kingdom had a princess."
     "Not many do, save for myself and a select few."  Miles says.  "Truthfully I don't believe Father likes her nor Mother very much, cursed or not.  Mother's always been a mere political tool to him and, well, he just plain ignores Lina.  If it wasn't for Mother's pleading I'm sure he would've abandoned her long ago."
     "And what of you?"
     "I've been groomed for kinghood for as long as I can remember, I don't imagine that's changed any.  This curse will come to pass--goddess willing--and I imagine I'll take the throne in his stead."
     "Well, maybe you'll be a better king than ol' Carolus."
     "I'd like to think so.  I'll see to it that things are set right, Sharla's been ripe with problems for generations now, this curse is just more icing on the cake.  As prince, it's my duty to protect my people, and I plan on doing so until the bitter end if it must come to that."
     Reed smiles faintly.  "You know, for a noble, you're not all that bad.  I reckon you've got what it takes to fix things, if anyone can.  I just hope no one else has to die.  I've lost enough, and I'm sure you have too."
     "There's no guarantee."  Miles sighs.  "The way Lyssa talks, this curse practically turns its victims to zombies.  Killing seems to be the only way to sever them from its dark roots, though I wish it wasn't so.  Better then letting them suffer I suppose..."
     Reed lifts the baskets of fish with a quiet grumble.  She looks up towards the sky before looking over at Miles.  "Our dinner's getting cold sitting here, we can talk back in town.  C'mon."
     "Right."  Miles nods and sheathes his blade.  Following Reed along the path towards Ambre, the pale moon began to crawl upwards into the dusty dusk.  The river, once raging, was now a languid, frothy stream bubbling under the stars.