Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

Jayden finally had to make a choice. “I cannot be in two places at once. They need me to provide what I can give them down at the main camp there. They are ready to move while you stand, questioning whether this is the right choice. Look around you. Morgan is everywhere, and I must find a safe place for all of them.

“I am not abandoning them. I just cannot be here to do what you want me to do while others are suffering, and I can help them. I am not Derrick and am doing my best with what I have. I am sorry, but that is my decision. You can stay and look if you like, but I am leaving with the last group with you or without you and will return when I can.”

With great sadness, he walked away into the caverns with Sir Drealin. “The last group is just about ready, sir; I found some extra clothes for the boy, and they are dressing him now. As you ordered, he will be in the middle with the rest of the children in the wagon, next to his aunt and two sisters.”

Lily looked at Jayden as she handed her son over to his Aunty M, then took the boy, lifting him over the other children. “Man, graces alive. You have gotten light, boy. What have they been feeding you … corn stocks?”

Sylen laughs. “No, Aunty M, just bad water and rotten old bread,” he whispered in her ear because he was unsure. He could say anything aloud.

“I got just the thing.” She said, pulling out a bag of apples and passing them around in the wagon to each of the children, whispered back. “I have an extra one just for you,” setting him gently on her lap and yells. “All is ready back here, Captain Tweed.”

Jayden helped Lily up on the seat, and his men opened a gate to the camp. Jayden took one last look before going in behind them and waved to the five wizards, the Queen of the Pixies, one Kenee-a-bees, and two wood elves standing under a lean-to.

It was rough as Jayden looked out among his people, scattered into separate groups, but at least they were all together in one place. The air was clean, and the sun was still shining. If he was guessing, they had a good four hours, five tops of sunlight left in the day. Though some of the main tents were torn from a recent battle, the overall scene looked much better, with green trees and grass covering the fields.

The key things he had learned off and off the field were a man’s will to survive, how to act, and what needed to be done. He was no soldier, not by a long shot, but he knew how to survive on his own. A man needs food and shelter are his fundamental goals, and everything else is secondary.

Again, he has the same problem when he looks around at the people; they have a lost look in their eyes. Jayden paces around the camp, kicking rocks into the creek below and watching the ripples. He thinks of his old friend Derrick and this task he left him to do.

This time, another friend comes and puts his arm around him, not saying a word; he just looks out into the distance. Finally, he said, “Well, Jayden, we keep coming back, don’t we?” Arken replies.

Jayden smiled. “Yes. Except your farm is clear over there in shambles last, I heard, and New Downing is not a pleasant stay either.”

“Yes, but they do have one thing over there in that town that might be useful for these folks. If you are willing to say, borrow them awhile.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Tents.”

Jayden’s eyes lit up. “That’s right, the old farmer’s picnic. Those tents are still in storage.” Then Jayden’s face went blank. “But I can’t send you to get them.” Looking at his reflection, “or your boys, in fact, half my people, they are not what you would call country folk, not from here. They are more Elvin folk nature.”

“Yes, but Margaret’s not,” Arken said.

“I am not what?” she says as she passes by hearing her name being mentioned, filling buckets of water for the cookstove.

“Elvin,” Jayden replies.

“Graces, no, I am not. Thank you very much,” she said, almost leaving in a huff.

Jayden and Arken caught up with her. “That’s why you would be perfect for this task,” Jayden intoned.

“What task?”

“We need someone to go into New Downing and retrieve as many tents as possible that were left behind from the farmer’s picnic,” Arken said.

“You’re joking?” Margaret said, setting the bucket down. “The last time I was there. I barely escaped with my life. Now you want to risk it again.”

“Well, it was just a thought, anyway. Well, we will go with Plan B and send ten or twelve soldiers in with wagons; that should do it with your boy’s help and you, Arken, since you know where they are.” Walking away from Margaret, getting ready, calling his Captain over, “Captain Rig’s?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Can you ―?” Jayden was getting ready to give the order.

“Wait. I will do it for the children.” Margaret said, looking down at the ground.

“Yes, sir, you need something?” he asked.

“Yes, Margaret here needs a wagon or two, and anything else she needs. You are to make sure that she gets it.” Jayden smiles. “Thanks, Margaret,” he said, walking away, watching her nip at Captain Rigs’ heels as he moved quickly. “Carry on, Captain. I want this camp running like a well-oiled machine.”

Arken smiled as he salutes Jayden and barks orders at his men. “Now then.” Jayden walks, hands clasped behind his back, watching with more careful eyes, ensuring he always knows where the boy is. Panic strikes him, looking in the crowd, not seeing him, his mother, or the spy, for that matter. As he weaves through the throng of people in the field, Jayden takes a moment to breathe deeply, finally finding her and the boy peacefully reclining on a blanket.

The spy stood on the other side, speaking with another group of people, eyeing the boy and Jayden. Sir Drealin walked up to Jayden from behind, scaring the living daylights out of him. Tapping him on the shoulder, he said, “Sorry, sir, to bother you with this, but the question has been raised around the camp: are we still going to have tonight’s festivities considering all that has happened? One must wonder if that is still the case, noticing that the two wizards you assigned are not among the group.”

Jayden cracks up, thinking of all the things people need to worry about. “My good man, Drealin. You tell them if they ask, it will be a show they will never forget.” Jayden laughed, walking over to Mrs. Tweed and Sylen.” And how are you holding up? He asks.

“It’s just fine, Jayden. Thank you. It’s just a little lonely, but we will manage, won’t we, son?”

“You bet, Ma, now that I see and feel the sun again,” Sylen replies.

“Well, for the lonely part. I need your sisters and Pa, but I will see if I can get your brothers and find you some books to read, but it will be dark soon, anyway.” Jayden makes his way around the camp the best he can, gathering little bits of information here and there about what he planned to do for the night and the next day or so.

Captain Rigs counted heads, bringing him all the names of all the parties in every group. “We have a total of three hundred and fifty people, sir, counting all children and soldiers,” he replied.

“How many did we leave behind?” Jayden asked.

The captain shakes his head. “Best guest seventy to a hundred?” Jayden hated this part, looking at the numbers, knowing there was a small chance they would find them tomorrow in the other caverns hidden by the other sect, or they would all die without suffering. He looked towards the west, cursing Morgan’s name for all the senseless killing as he tried to save what was left of his people.