8 New Friends

Duncan meets the rest of the group.

NEW FRIENDS

 

 

    "Son, wake up and get dressed. We're going to town." Paul yelled to his drowsy son from the kitchen.

        

    "Right away Pa!" Duncan sat up, fully awake, a trip to town was rare and was not to be missed.

Dressing quickly, he ran outside and started helping his dad load the wagon.

        

    "Go see if you’re Ma has some breakfast for us," Paul told his son after Duncan had loaded the last of the supplies.

 

    "Hey Ma! You got us some food?" Duncan yelled as he entered the house.

        

    "Stop your shouting or you won't get nothing," Gwen said jokingly to her son. "Here take this. You can eat on the way." She handed her son a lunch basket.

 

    "Thanks Ma," Duncan said as he hugged his mother.

        

    "Wait, I have something else for you," Gwen said stopping her son. "I've been saving this for you. It's not much, but it's something." She walked back into her room and returned with something in her hand. She placed the item gently in Duncan's large calloused hand.

 

    "No, this is too much. A whole silver? I can't take this." Duncan said. Trying to return the coin to her hand.

        

    "Take it! Buy yourself some new clothes."

        

    "I won't spend all of it."

        

    "Yes you will. Now get going, before your father leaves without you."

 

    "Goodbye, Ma."

        

    "Goodbye, Son."

 

    As Duncan shut the door he thought he heard a faint sob and was about to open the door when his father yelled for him.

        

    "Hurry up, son. It's a long way to town and I want to get there before dark." Paul yelled when he saw him hesitate at the door.

 

    "Coming Dad," Duncan turned and headed toward the wagon. Paul looked back at their small house and a sadness touched his eyes. Then, firmly setting his jaw, he turned back around and clicked at the horses to get them moving.

 

    The journey to town was uneventful and Duncan spent most of his time talking to his father. The hours seemed to fly by and before he knew it Duncan was staring at the town as they came over their last hill.

 

    "I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing this place," Duncan said to his dad. "It's so big, and all the people!" Duncan was so enraptured by the sight that he didn't notice his father shaking his head.

 

    "This is nothing, son. You just wait. Some day you'll get to see the capital. Now there's a big town."

 

    "Have you seen the capital, Dad?"

 

    "Yes."

        

    "Well, what is it like?"

        

    "The buildings tower over you. The streets are filled with a river of people, and the shops last for miles."

        

    "I want to see it so bad! When were you there?"

        

    "A long time ago. There are bad sides to the capital too. Thieves rule the alleys. The town guards are nothing but drunken louts. Paid off by the thieves to do nothing."

 

    The rest of the trip was silent as Duncan thought of the future and his father thought of the past.        

 

    “That’ll be one copper for a night,” The stable boy said to Duncan.

        

    “Here you go,” Replied Duncan as he handed him the copper. “Take good care of them, please.”

        

    “Rest assured, sir. I will.”

 

    Duncan turned to leave, but as he turned around, he ran into a boy about his age who was heavily drunk and was just able to grab hold of his robes to keep him from hitting the floor.

 

    “I’m terribly sorry. My friend here is a little drunk, and I can’t keep him balanced very well. By the way, my name is Thomas,” Thomas said to a very surprised Duncan as he extended his hand in greeting.

 

    “I’m D-Duncan,” Duncan managed to stutter as he held out his big hand, easily holding Aaron up with the other.

        

    “Would you mind holding my friend here while I take care of some business?” Thomas asked Duncan as he shook his hand. He had thought Aaron was big. This boy looked as if he could snap him in two if he so desired.

        

    “No, not at all. Go right ahead,” Duncan said with a warm smile.

        

    Thomas smiled in return and then turned to deal with the stable boy. After some haggling, Thomas paid the man and told him he would pick up the horses in the morning.

        

    “Duncan, I’m afraid I have to ask you another favor,” Thomas said to a patient Duncan.

        

    “Sure, What is it?”

        

    “Would you help me carry Aaron? He is a little too heavy for me, and he can’t walk himself,” Thomas asked Duncan as he looked at Aaron's drunken smile.

 

    “Gladly, Where are you staying?” Duncan asked as he picked up Aaron and slung him over his shoulder.

 

    “I don’t know yet. We have to meet up with my other friends first,” Thomas replied as he stared wide-eyed at his new friend. Aaron weighed about twice what Thomas weighed, and Duncan had lifted him up over his shoulder as if he were no more than a sack of grain.

        

    “Lead the way,” Duncan said with another smile. He had seen the look of awe in Thomas’s eyes and was happy to receive praise from one of the Wearers of The Robe.

        

    After a short journey through the darkening streets, the three arrived at the meeting place where they found Thomas’s friends already waiting.

        

    “This is all I needed,” Gen said as he saw Aaron’s limp form over Duncan’s shoulder.

        

    “Greetings friend. Thank you for carrying our companion,” Gen said as Duncan set his burden down on a nearby bench.

        

    “Greetings. My name is Duncan,” Duncan smiled as he shook Gen’s offered hand.

 

    “My name is Gen, and this is Meeka,” Gen said to Duncan as he gestured to Meeka.

        

    “Greetings,” Duncan murmered to Meeka, a faint blush across his cheeks.

 

    “Pleasure to meet you,” she answered cordially.

        

    “Thomas told me you were in search of a place to spend the evening. My father and I are staying at The Green Candle Inn just down the street from here,”

 

    “Sounds like a good place to me. Would you accompany us there?” Gen asked.

 

    “My Pleasure,” Duncan bent over to pick up Aaron once again.

 

           “Don’t bother picking him up, Duncan. I’ll do it,” Gen said stopping his new acquaintance.

 

    “Are you sure?” Duncan asked, looking at Gen’s body and doubting he could lift a pillow let alone the big drunk.

        

    “Yes. Go on ahead; we’ll catch up,” Gen said as he started incanting a levitation spell. Gen completed the spell and was pushing a floating Aaron down the street when he heard Duncan gasp.

 

    “How did you do that?” Duncan asked wide-eyed.

 

    “Magic. Maybe I’ll show you some day. Now, come on it’s getting dark,” Gen said as he continued down the street. Shortly after, Duncan caught up and led the way for them.

Author's Note

Once again this is incredibly rough. I'm only uploading these to get them out there and to get some motivation to finish and improve them. So any comments or constructive criticism is welcomed.