Dwellers of the New World Chapter Eleven ( Pt 6 ) Seeking for to Find

That very same day, Brad had decided to go back to his travelling friends, to let them know he'd not discovered where Cinnamon was and also to fetch River his dog. Walking back along the cliff top path, Brad pondered as to why the girl would run off, when she knew the travellers would take her home. 'Surely going home and seeing her family was the most important reason for staying!' he thought to himself.

As Brad approached the bay, he recognised some men talking to Rue, they were the same guards from the barracks that had moved them on from the forest. Quickly he ducked down behind a rock to hide, watching carefully what was going on. There seemed to be a heated discussion between Rue and the men.

Brad wondered what they wanted and became concerned that they could be trouble, that was the last thing he wanted, especially as they were in the bay. For now he decided he'd stay where he was and just watch and wait, perhaps soon they would leave. He hadn't seen Tawny either, the owl had flown off that morning after he'd left for the bay. Looking up to the skies, there were no birds to be seen, which was a sure sign of bad weather, not what he needed at this time, especially when he had to look for the girl.

After a while Brad became inpatient, he felt he couldn't wait any longer, needing to find out what was going on, although he had a good idea. Getting up from behind the rock, he made his way down to where the travellers were congregating. As soon as Rue saw Brad, he approached him, an annoyed expression on his face. “At last your back...thank goodness.”

“What's the problem?” Brad enquired, pretending he was unaware of why the men were there and what they wanted.

“We're leaving!” said Rue in a matter of fact way. “I've told the others to get packed up and on their wagons as quickly as possible.” Rue paced up and down as he spoke, looking ready to explode.

Brad stopped him, “Who are these men...what do they want?” he was anxious that Rue should calm down.

Rue looked Brad in the eyes. “They want to search our wagons...they seem to think we're hiding a girl.” As he spoke, he winked at Brad, knowing he would understand this was about Cinnamon.

Brad grinned at Rue and placed his hands on Rue's shoulders and whispered. “My friend...let them search the wagons they won't find anything.”

Rue became confused, Tansy hadn't had time to tell him that Cinnamon had escaped. “I will not have these men coming into our wagons and searching through our belongings. We would never be treated like this further up North, we just want to be on our way.”

Brad stared over at the strangers, a calm expression on his face. “Let me deal with this Rue...then you can be on your way.” As Brad was about to approach the men, Simon jumped from Ida's wagon. “Father...father where have you been?”

Afraid the boy would give away the fact they'd had Cinnamon in their wagon, he quickly told the boy he was busy and to go back to Ida. Simon couldn't understand why his father was so abrupt. He turned and walked back to the wagon sulking and kicking the stones around him, he felt discouraged, wanting to tell his father about the dream he'd had, he was fed up of being fobbed off and left with Ida, this trip was meant to be about him and his father, 'it just wasn't fair,' he thought to himself.

Brad felt bad that he'd snapped at his son, but he needed to sort these men out. Giving himself a look of confidence, he made his way over to where the men were standing looking very impatient. “My name's Brad and I believe you're looking for a girl...or so my friend tells me.”

The tall gruff looking leader declared angrily. “Yeah! She belongs to the barracks. The girl went missing a couple of nights ago, we've searched the area and the forest thoroughly.” He then pointed towards the open space the travellers had covered. “We've also searched the moors, but found nothing. You and your travellers were camped in the forest and Gregor our leader believes you have her and are hiding the girl, if we find her here, you'll all be arrested for harbouring one of his workers.”

Brad became annoyed now. “I have no idea what you are talking about, I can assure you there's no strangers in our camp, but you're welcome to search, as long as you understand these are peoples homes...please show some respect.” Brad tried to remain good-tempered, but actually was seething inside.

The big man turned to his men, determination in his eyes that they would find the girl. “You men search the wagons, don't leave any hiding place untouched."  He then turned back to Brad smiling. “If she's here, we'll find her.”

Rue came over fuming. “Are you insane? I'm not having them rooting through our belongings, they'll wreck our wagons.”

Brad understood Rue's anxieties. “Look...let your men go with them, to make sure they don't cause any damage.”

Still Rue wasn't convinced. Brad took him to one side and whispered. “It's okay...Cinnamon's run off, I've no idea where she's gone, but I've been looking for her. Let them search they'll find nothing.”

Rue seemed a touch calmer. “Why didn't you tell me instead of leaving me in the dark?”

“I can't understand why Tansy didn't tell you, she was the one who discovered the girl missing.”

Wiping the tiredness from his eyes, Rue yawned, irritable and wishing for some more sleep, still not quite awake he replied, “I haven't seen Tansy, I just got woken from my bed by these men.” He looked around at his people. “I'll go round up the men...we'd better get the women and children out of the wagons while they search, don't want to frighten the young ones.”

Leaving Rue to sort out the men, Brad made his way over to Ida's wagon to explain the situation. He still wondered where Tawny was, but he knew the bird would come back eventually. Lifting the curtain back, Ida was making some tea, while Simon was sulking on the bed with his dog.

“Sorry I snapped at you son...we have problems and I had to sort them out.” Brad went and sat on the bed next to his son. “Now what did you want to tell me?” Simon didn't speak, he just shrugged his shoulders. “Look Simon I know I've not been there for you lately, but when the travellers leave, we'll have all the time in the world to be together.” He turned and looked at Ida. “Thank you for being there for Simon, you've been a real true friend.”

Ida smiled back. “Well you know Brad, you've been a great help to us on this journey down here, but I can't help feeling that it was a mistake coming down this far, it's not really the kind of place we would want to come to again, I'm so missing the forest and the people.”

Brad understood. “I'm sorry Ida, but I've got one more favour to ask of you.”

The woman looked suspicious, wondering what Brad meant. “You're not going to spring more surprises on us are you?” she said looking at Simon.

“The men outside that have come into the camp...they want to search for the girl Cinnamon, but we must pretend we don't know anything about her. She's gone and I don't have any idea where she is, but the men outside insist on searching the wagons to look for her. I'm so sorry Ida we haven't any choice...just let them search and then they'll be gone.”

“Well!” said Ida. “I don't know if I like the idea of strangers going through my wagon.” She busied herself with a rag, not really sure of what she was doing but she needed to be busy.

Brad could see the woman was anxious and tried to give her calming words. “It's okay some of the travelling men will watch them to make sure they don't go rummaging around, other than looking for the girl.”

“Come on then we'd best get this over with.” She stepped from her wagon, while Simon, River and Brad followed. The travellers stood around, women and children gossiped about these men who came into their camp demanding to search their wagons, they were not happy at all and gave the men a look of disdain.

Gregor's men looked in every available hiding place, but found nothing. Feeling satisfied they'd done their job properly, It was agreed the girl wasn't there and so they marched off back across the moor to inform their leader that still she had not been found, Gregor would not be pleased.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Eleven ( Pt 7 ) Finding Accomodation | ABCtales