As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

5- ☾☾ ☾☾

The day continues, Sky so crowded up

with greys that hide the sun behind their clouds

that ev'ry shadow cast across the light

erects our Pilgrim's hairs upon his neck

before he turns to see no one is there.

When most the tents are set except their own

our Pilgrim now suggests toward the Spouse:

"Perhaps thou wouldst prefer to sleep within

the walls of town tonight? As well, we could

try tracking down a sailor who could take                10

us past the sea to lands of farther North."

She hesitates to answer, but concludes

our Pilgrim is the only person she

can place at least an ounce of trust within,

for even though he hathn't answer'd yet

the question whether wishing leave or stay

with her, she knows at least he will not harm

her in her sleep as once it seem'd he might,

whilst she is not so certain anymore

performers can be held to standard same.                20

And so she nods her head, so whispering:

"We'll go discuss arrangements, but I'll have

ye know that should the animals return

and Tamer's capture come about whilst we're

in town, I'll still not want to leave this crew."

Our Pilgrim sneers, but nods acknowledgement,

and so they journey to the city by

the winding road that's carried them so far

and ask the city watch where may they find

a tavern where a sailor'd find a drink,                30

to which the guards on duty look them up

and down with stifled laughs before they give

directions to a tavern by the docks

where many sailors go when resting up

between their journeys over Middle Sea.

They thank the men—though neither are impress'd

by th'rudeness here display'd—and carry on

through more a rustic town than th'one before,

yet only slightly smaller than the one

that granted entrance to the mountain range,                40

which by and large was biggest of the South

they saw before they cross'd the Spine and found

these coastal cities, prosperous and grand.

As well, this city smells of better scents

than th'one of excrement before the Spine,

if only slightly, for it smells of fish