12 Years Ago - Part 6

Night had completely fallen by the time we arrived at the caravan.

We were greeted by a somewhat plump fellow dressed in upscale attire as we pulled into the camp. My mother and I sat on the front seat of the carriage, while Valk had opted to walk.

The man raised an eyebrow as we pulled in. "Quiet an impressive carriage you got there." Apparently the ornate nature of our vehicle caught his eye.

"Thank you." was all my mother said. If the man had wanted to wring some information out of her he did not succeed.

He looked my mother and I up and down with an appraising eye. He then turned to Valk, "You say you folks are researching business opportunities?"

"Yes," Valk said. "Timber interests."

Valk and my mother had gone over the story while we traveled towards the camp. Valk had told the merchants that we were from Aldergreen, a logging community to the south. We were traveling north to research opening up a new lumber camp in the north. My mother was "the money", while Valk was our bodyguard.

It really wasn't too far from the truth.

"Timber eh," the merchant seemed to think, once again looking at the carriage. "I'll have to look into that myself."

The man bowed and gestured to the open field. Wagons, horses, tents, and cooking fires lay scattered about in a rough ring. Men stood at evenly paced intervals, staring into the night. Guards.

"Just find yourself an open spot." The man grinned. He looked to Valk, motioning to his injuries. "Like I mentioned, if you want to get those looked at, there's a healer. Just find yourself the green tent."

"Thank you." Valk said.

My mother flicked the reins and Regal and Majesty clopped forward. We quickly found a spot nestled between two vardos.

Valk began to unhook the horses when my mother stopped him. "Go and get yourself looked at by the healer. The last thing we need is for you to get an infection. I can take care of this."

"Are you sure milady?"

My mother looked around. "We're surrounded by a ring of paid guards. We should be fine, for a little while at least."

"I will be back as soon as possible."

"Just make sure that they look at you... thoroughly." My mother said.

Valk nodded and started walking towards a green tent in the distance.

My mother helped me down from the front of the carriage. She then opened the door and indicated for me to step inside.

"I'm going to unhook the horses and get them tied up. Stay in here OK?"

"OK." I said.

She closed the door. The inside of the carriage was dark. I could hear my mother working to unhitch the animals. After a few moments, the carriage shook slightly as the two horses were decouple and lead away.

I sat down on one of the benches and hugged my knees. I closed my eyes.

The sounds of the camp echoed through the night. I could hear men laughing loudly, women talking, fires cracking, and children laughing.

Wait? Children laughing? There were other kids here?

Growing up in the castle had be nice, but it was a bit lonely. Aside from my parents and my tutors, I hadn't really had much interaction with other kids. My father did have a distance cousin visit last year. He and his wife had a child, but it was only an infant at the time. Not much fun for a three-year-old to interact with.

I got down from the bench and opened the door to the carriage. I peeked outside, attempting to determine where the sound of the laughing children was coming from.

"Samantha!"

My mother had returned. "I told you to stay put! What are you doing!?"

"I... I heard other kids." I said meekly.

In the firelight, I saw my mother's heart melt.

"Oh honey," she said as she bent down to eye level with me. "We've had a really long day, maybe you could meet them later OK?"

She ushered me back aboard the carriage and entered behind me.

"We've just met these people," my mother said in a voice close to a whisper. "They seem nice, but sometimes you need to take a little time just to be sure that they REALLY are nice. Do you understand?"

I thought about it. I knew that bad people like that man in the green robes existed. I had never really MET a bad person before though.

"I guess so."

"We may be travelling with them for a few days, so maybe you can play with the other kids when we make camp tomorrow night OK?"

"OK."

"Alright, let's get you ready for bed."

I started yawing at the word bed. Despite sitting for most of the day, I was extremely tired.

My mother went to the back of the carriage and retrieved some blankets that she spread out on the floor. She then took some of the pillows that lined the carriage benches and place those down as well.

"Now," she said holding up the edge of a blanket for me to crawl inside. "Get some sleep OK?"

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I'll be right under the carriage." she said.

"Oh," I said.

My mother seemed to sense what I was going to ask next. "I'm too big to sleep in here!" she gave me a smile. "I'd be all scrunched up, like a ball!"

That made sense to me. There was only really enough room for me to stretch out on the floor. My mother would have been way too big.

"Ok." I said.

My mother opened the carriage door and stepped outside.

"Mommy?"

"Yes honey?"

"Will daddy be back with us soon?"

"I hope so honey."

My mother closed the door and I was once again enveloped in darkness. I felt the carriage shift and she sat on the step below the door.

Then there was something that I had never heard before in my life.

I heard my mother cry.