Wardenheart

Morning

The merest sound of a branch snapping threw me abruptly and crudely in to consciousness. I looked at the grassy hills, the sun rising slowly in the sky, and I was afraid. I, for a moment, had completely forgotten about the wizard, the new world, the mark on my palm, and those who had saved me. A strange, groggy, diluted fear took me for a second or two before releasing me back in to my proper mind, as if it had now decided to think back to what had transpired mere hours ago.

I stood up, making sure to keep my cloak (which was my only article of clothing) tightly wrapped around me for modesty's sake. It would not do to expose myself, a wizard of class and culture, to these people without any sort of reason or invitation. Not that I was expecting them to ask, anyhow.

"G'mornin' to ya, scrag!" Hark said, the sentence initiating brutal sensory overload even though it was only five words (well, four, if you counted the contraction as one word. And three if you did not think 'scrag' was a real word).

"Good morn, Jolly." I replied with slurred speech. I then looked around me, noticing Hark coming back from behind some bushes.

"I scouted up ahead!" he said excitedly, taking on a demeanor unusual for a scout: one of unbridled and unprompted joy. "No bumpers, Jolly! Oh, it looks like Theris is finally awake. Good morning, Theris!"

"Then I'm guessin' we should ride soon." Jolly said, stretching his arm casually. "Lemme talk to Thelma, she's got the final word."

"Golly, sure hope it doesn't rain today." Hark said, looking up at the sky. "I wanna get back home soon."

"Don't we all, Hark." Thelma said, walking over to us. Her gray hair was tied back in a long braid this morning, and its tail flowed in the breeze. "Yer finally awake, wizard."

"Good morn, Miss Thelma." I said respectfully.

She looked at me and smiled wide. "I'm guessin' yer real nobility, eh?"

"I know to respect my elders, if that is what you mean." I replied carefully. I still did not trust these people, not fully.

Hark seemed like a nice boy, innocent. That meant he was a stranger to combat in a classical sense. Jolly, he seemed like he could have been anyone who was not well-bred. He could have been anything from a highwayman to a carpenter to a farmer to a baker to a poet, but there was nothing about him that seemed too askew. Thelma, she seemed to be a kindly older woman, one who had a high chance of having grandchildren. I thought it very likely that she had been separated from her children or grandchildren when the wizard separated this part from the rest of the world. I knew, to a degree, what she felt like.

"Thelma, Hark says we won't see no bumpers. Should be smooth all the way t' Clemence." Jolly said.

"Let's get t' movin' then." Thelma said, turning to me. "Scrag, you'll be walkin' today. Ye don't 'ave the appropriate gear I'm afraid. We'll ride slow, so don't ye fret. Now, I'll 'ave t' tell ye one thing before we get movin'."

"What is that, Miss Thelma?" I asked her.

"This may be shocking to ya, but ye can't be usin' no magic. Doesn't work here, anyhow, and all it does is bring the bumpers to our doorstep. I dunno why, but that's just how it works 'ere. Ye understand?"

Though Jolly had told me this the night previous, I still nodded my head and answered affirmatively.

"Before we get t' leavin'..." Thelma said, taking off her boots and offering them to me. "They ain't yer size, but they're better than nothin' at all."

"Not only have I been put in this fine company's debt through the saving of my life, but then one of its members offers me her boots. You should all be in charge of a well-priced inn with this kind of hospitality in your hearts. Thank you, Miss Thelma."

I then took the boots and put them on my feet, and though they were a bit small for me, I still fit in to them well enough. With every passing moment, my doubts and fears about these people lessened. Although it was still wise to keep my guard up, I felt as if I had very little in reality to worry about with them. From the way it sounded, as well, Thelma was the leader, and her generosity did not go unmarked in my mind. I smiled happily.

A little while later I was walking alongside three warriors on three horses, and though we plodded along seemingly without aim, after a while I began to notice that the grass on which the horses were walking was pre-trampled. Later, I began to notice large rocks along the way, acting as markers, forested areas with trees scratched and scrawled with directional arrows pointing this way or that way, and remains of campfires as well. All in all, the realm, or at least the part through which we rode, was rather empty and peaceful. The 'bumpers', I knew, had to be more of an issue than I suspected they were at this point in time, but then an odd thought came across my mind.

This would be a wonderful place to start a family.

The dark once more began to overtake the sky, and the view of the sunset was beauty incarnate. As if the concept of attractiveness had become part of the world. It was almost as beautiful as Margo. I wondered if starting a family in a strange new realm that was the product of a rogue wizard's ambitions was truly a realistic, or intelligent, idea, but I was optimistic. Who knew, perhaps, after I had finally found Margo, we would be able to make good on our contract and live out the rest of our lives in a better world than before.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading this chapter of Wardenheart! I really, really appreciate all the interaction with this story, it makes me look forward to seeing my rankings every day. You're all really awesome :D Please vote and leave your feedback in the comments below. Thanks again!