The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR6/CH5- The Place of Succour and Womanly Wisdom

And so they rode on, this strange gathering of souls, the two women now so at ease in each other's company, and the boy slowly, but less fearfully, warming to them both. He began to offer help whenever they stopped for food, or for their night's rest, and seemed capable in his ways.

He would chop wood, though they feared for his fingers as he swung the large axe over his head before bringing it down to split the fuel for the fire.

On the fourth day, Auriel brought down a hare with her bow, and he readily skinned and gutted it, dicing it up for the pot, before peeling the few vegetables they still had, and adding them to the mix. He asked for seasoning and herbs, blending them skilfully, looking to them eagerly for praise when they partook of the food.

He also showed them the way of unleavened campfire bread, baked between hot stones, though he of necessity, had first to pick weevils from the flour.

On the seventh morning, as they bathed in the river, one standing guard, Auriel noted that Simeon was smiling, something not seen until that moment, and she said a silent prayer of thanks for the resilience of children, that they could be treated in such a vile manner, and yet come back from it.

He washed himself alongside her, after removing his clothes and folding them neatly into a pile, then when he was clean, he splashed her playfully with the cold water, laughing out loud with the sheer joy of it.

As they dressed themselves Persephone said,

"By God, he mends, already he mends, can it take so little time to heal such terrible wounds of the soul and body?"

"His body may recover," said Auriel, "but the scars will remain, and his mind will take a mite longer I think, if I can but give him a sense of family, he will have the boyhood so cruelly taken from him. I swear he will never know fear again, not while I draw breath!"

"A fair haired child amongst auburn and dark haired brothers and sisters," said Persephone, "he will stand out in their presence. How will they take to this usurper in their midst?"

Auriel smiled, and the face of Mordred came to her mind. Her dead boy, so brave in defence of her, so loved, and so very missed, especially by his Papa.

"He will not be the first usurper as you call him," she said, " They welcomed our first adopted boy, and grieved for him when he died. They will welcome this unfortunate little one in the way of all children."

" Loving curiosity will come first, and then lasting kinship. I know it! And my sweet man? he will make no difference between them in his affections, that is not his way."

As they travelled ever northward, Auriel began to fear that her journey would not be fruitful. She knew that the miles they had travelled thus far, exceeded the number estimated by Persephone at the start. But she was a woman of stubborn disposition, not given to complaining, and so they rode on.

Twenty seven days after they had left the farm, they met a well set up man on the road. His horse and saddlery spoke of moderate wealth, and his manners were civil. After introductions, they conjoined their supplies of food, and young Simeon summoned a tasty supper from what seemed like an odd assortment of ingredients.

There was little meat to be had, but there were eggs and cheese, along with the bread he had made that morning in the embers of the fire. The stranger whose name he had said was Bartholomew, praised the child, and asked the two women which of them was his mother.

"He favours neither of you in looks, " he said, " and I find myself unable to place him as your kin. A boy so fair with one auburn and one dark haired companion. He is also a child who knows the way of preparing a sound supper."