Waiting for Spring - Part I

Chapter Twelve

A maid so sweet I met in the harvest fayre, her name I can't remember

She put a spell on me and my marry men, now captive to her beauty

Some say that love is in the air, and it is a heat much like burning embers

But I know best to grab my ink and quill pen, yes it is but my duty

So I tell you know, you will see her once

And she'll entwine you, you are but a dunce

So listen I'll say, and take me for my word

You won't believe it, for the truth is quite furred

She is but a wolf in sheep's clothing

-The harvest fayre maid, verse one, Carl-Jon and his merry minstrels.

A friendly face was all that appeared when April opened her eyes and behind it the morning sky with its cotton clouds. She rubbed her bleary, heavy eyes and slowly the surroundings came to her.

"What? Where am I?" she asked in the middle of a yawn before trying to sit up. She was certain that she had fallen asleep in her tent, but now she was lying on her bedroll out on the frosty grass. She looked around and Darnell stretched out his hand, covered with a plate glove, towards her.

"I packed your bag already. Mira is impatient, she wants us to move so that we are sure to reach Journeyman's Gate before midnight," he said with a smile, baring his white teeth.

The sun was on its way up over the horizon and April had no idea for how long she had been asleep. She rose with a helping hand and slung the bow over her shoulder, strapped the quiver to her belt and put on the backpack before finding Mira and Theron along with Darnell. Apparently she was the last one up.

They continued marching again, just like yesterday. It was all the same too, with Theron up front and Mira not far behind and finally April and Darnell at the back. Mira ate an apple and suddenly April felt how empty her own stomach was. She regretted that she did not eat more the night before. Her hand rummaged the backpack for some food. The military backpacks had everything you needed for a weeklong journey or at least that was what Darnell stated. She ate some bread and drank from the waterskin while slowly walking forward, trying to keep up with the others.

When she looked up on the cloudy sky she began to doubt that they were on the right course. Everything looked the same; everywhere she turned it was all grass as far as the eye could see. The old tree had disappeared behind them as well. She knew better than to question it though.

A bit later the talking between the two younger party members had begun once again and all signs of yesterday's frame of mind were gone. They talked about most things at first, but after an hour or so the conversation had led to a discussion about the lore again.

"The oldest book that is still readable is kept in the library under the Idwallian Castle in Wall. It's estimated to be over 2000 years old, but I don't really know. It's called the Codex anyhow; it's sort of a holy tome. It contains history and prayers and everything you can imagine. The book have been in the castle since forever and all major events have been recorded in it until recently," Darnell explained when the discussion had been on-going for a while. April nodded.

"But how come you all seem to know so little then? I mean..." She didn't have time to say much more before she was interrupted.

"Well. Thing is that the Codex only contains text concerning the life around year twenty of the first era. We don't know much about the rest, there is some scattered information about our history but that's it..."