Dwellers of the New World Chapter Ten ( Pt 8 ) Meetings

Bracus stood outside Brew Cottage, chatting with Varg, Jason and some of the other men. Varden sat at one of the wooden tables watching pensively as the men became louder and louder.

The boy realising he was going home, had promised Bracus he would not try to escape, if only he would release him from his shackles.

Bracus said that he would give the boy one chance, but if he did try to make a break for it, that he would be caught and kept tied up in his cabin till they set sail.

Varden sipped at a wooden tankard of ale, not really liking the taste, but it was all Bracus would give him, so the boy made it last.

A woman who had been watching the boy from her cottage, noticed how thin and forlorn Varden looked. Dishing up a bowl of her soup from a pot over an open fire, she broke some corn bread and made her way over to where the boy sat. “Here boy...you look alf starved, a nice bowl of soup is what you need.” She placed the bowl and bread down on the table, as Bracus looked on.

He wasn't too bothered, as long as the boy didn't try to escape. “Where's mine then woman?” he said, eyeing her up and down.

“The boy looks hungry...if you be responsible for im, then you should be looking after im better. I knows you Bracus and you can fend fer yer self, yer great ugly brute that you are.” She turned her attention back to Varden. “Now come on boy...don't you be shy, this food is good for yer.”

Bracus laughed at the woman's comment, giving her a wink of his eye and feeling pleased with himself. Varden couldn't believe his luck and thanked the woman. As he ate, his thoughts turned to Gregor's men, he hoped none of them came down this way, otherwise he'd be in big trouble, there was no way the boy wanted to be back in the doom chamber, especially now he was going home, that was all that mattered for now.

As he was finishing the soup and bread, Varden happened to glance up, noticing some children down on the beach chatting to the two men with horses, he thought they looked familiar, then realised where he'd seen them before, they were the two men from the forest, though he couldn't remember their names, he wondered if they'd found the couple they'd been looking for.

Just at that moment the calm ocean became turbulent, as waves began to rise, the white – foamy surf rising as the ocean dwellers looked on. Hundred of fish suddenly flew into the air, their multi-coloured fine gossamer wings spread as they took flight. Ben was in shock as he watched the spectacle. “What's going on Jay? I've never seen anything like this before.”

Jay smiled as they were walking towards Brew Cottage. “It seems the fish are heading out to sea, looking for the Summer lands far away. They cannot survive the winter here and look for warmer climates to mate and lay their eggs, but they will be back come Spring.”

“I didn't know fish could fly!” Ben uttered as he watched with fascination.

“These fish can...you see they need to fly, as they could never survive the swim to these Sunnier climates, due to the many creatures that occupy the environment further out to sea.”

“What kind of creatures?” asked Ben.

Jay could only relate what he'd been told by the many people he'd spoken to, that had made journeys that far and survived. “There have been many tales of huge monster creatures that live in the deepest part of the ocean, they can live in darkness very deep down, but if they are hungry they will rise to the surface and devour anything and everything in their path.”

Ben suddenly decided that going on a ship across to Wild Whistling Isle, didn't seem like such a good idea. But then he saw the boy sitting at the table eating and immediately recognised him. “Jay...look! It's Varden, the boy from the forest, what's he doing down here?

Jay gazed in the direction Ben was pointing and wondered himself. “Perhaps he's found work down here...after all he didn't seem to have much luck in the forest.”

“Let's go up and speak with him,” declared Ben, suddenly the flying fish weren't important.

Varden watched as the two men headed his way, he wasn't so sure that he would know what to say, but he couldn't very well ignore them. 'I'll just have to be careful, I don't want to give too much away.'

As Ben and Jay went to approach the boy, Varg suddenly took his eyes off the flying spectacle, recognising Ben and Jay. “Hey! Jason, look it's those two men that spent the night in our cottage.”

“Oh yeah!” replied Jason, taking a sup of ale. “Quick tell Bracus...I think he'll be interested in meeting these two.”

Before Ben and Jay could say anything, Varg was upon them. “Hello you two, so you found Brew Cottage then?"

Ben suddenly felt unsure of this man with his black teeth and foul breath. “We were told by your mother, that if we came down here, we might find the people we're looking for.”

Varg looked at his brother, then over at Bracus. “Hey...boss!”

Bracus stared over to find out why he was being called. “What do you want? can't you see I'm busy talking.”

Varg felt pleased with himself. “Boss...you know those men I was telling yer about...the ones looking for that couple yer know?” He turned back to Ben and Jay. “What was there names again?”

Jay spoke this time, Ben still staring at the boy. “We're looking for my parents Evelyne and Nathen, we were wondering if anyone had seen or heard of them around the bay.

Bracus suddenly became interested, walking over. “Yeah! I've heard of them, they be on Wild Whistling Isle, went over on one of the ships that was heading there.”

Jay felt worried, he didn't know if this was a trap, or whether Bracus really did know where his parents were.

“I'll be taking me ship over there in a day or two, if yer interested in sailing with us?” Bracus winked at Varg and Jason. “We be having some fun fer now, if you'd care to join us in some ale?”

Ben suddenly spoke up. “No we're fine...we just wanted to have a word with the boy over there.”

“Why you wanna speak to him? He ain't nothing but a boy,” declared Bracus.

“No reason!” announced Ben. “We just want to see if he knows anything.”

“The boy don't know nothing...you ain't gonna go bothering him, he's with me...ain't nothing he knows that I don't.”

Jay felt they needed a new line to come up with, if they were ever going to speak to Varden. “I'm a priest and I recognise the boy, I just want to talk to him, find out how he's getting on.”

Bracus became suspicious, but knew that if this man really was a priest, he couldn't very well say no to him. “Okay! I'll let you converse with him, but I've got me eyes on you and nothing goes on that I don't know about...so don't go trying anything.”

Jay thanked the big man and made his way over to where the boy sat. “Hello Varden...it's good to see you again, Ben and me were so worried about you...how come your down here?”

Varden watched as Bracus eyed him up and down. “I can't say much, but a lot has happened since I last spoke to you and now I'm going away with Bracus. I heard he wants to take you over to Wild Whistling Isle, you should go...cause I can help you when we get there.”

“Help us with what?” asked Jay, turning to welcome Ben, who was still fascinated by the flying fish.

“With yer search for yer family of course,” replied Varden.

“So you really think they're over there on this island?” asked Ben, suddenly interested in the conversation.

“Too right they're there, but don't worry you'll be safe with me.”

Ben and Jay gazed at each other, wondering what the boy meant and how he could save them.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Ten ( Pt 9 ) New Beginnings | ABCtales