Brian Pratt - The unsuspecting mage

“We were past the enemy lines and ran all night and all day, hiding whenever we heard someone approaching. We did that until we saw some of our soldiers coming from the City of Light. We waved them down and told them where we were from and what had happened. They told us to head here, saying we could find refuge and safety.”

“Remarkable story,” James says. About that time, Silas returns with the rest, two women, an older boy and two smaller children. All have the lost look of those who have had their lives torn asunder.

James stands when the ladies approach and says, “Welcome to our campfire. You are welcome to stay here the night if you wish. We don’t have a lot of food, but what we do have we will gladly share.” Turning to Miko, he says, “Get the rest of the food out of the bags and pass it out, they look as if they could use it.”

The two families situate themselves on the ground around the campfire and wait for Miko to distribute the food. As it happens, there is enough to go around, maybe not enough to stuffing their bellies, but sufficient to still their hunger.

“By the way, my name is James and this is my companion, Miko,” he says, indicating Miko.

“We sure thank you for this, James” Silas says. “The kids were getting awfully hungry and the food that the soldiers were distributing had run out by the time we made it to the front of the line.”

“I don’t think the soldiers had planned on this many making it here,” Bellon says. “They said a caravan was on its way from Trademeet but wouldn’t be here until later tomorrow or possibly the day after.”

“We passed a large caravan coming this way early in the morning,” Miko tells them. “It will most likely be up here sometime late tomorrow.”

“That’s good news,” Silas says.

“James and I plan on going on through the Pass to Madoc in the morning,” Miko tells them.

James gives him a look that says, ‘Don’t tell strangers our business’. Miko has the good sense enough to blush at his mistake.

Silas’ wife says, “You mustn’t go there!”

Holding his wife’s hand, Silas says, “I agree, it’s not a good place to be right now.”

“Well, we don’t plan on going anywhere near Saragon,” James says.

“Still, the Empire’s men are terrible foes,” Bellon states.

“Why are they so terrible?” Miko asks with apprehension.

Bellon looks at him and says, “They kill just for the pleasure of it. If they can capture you, you become their slave and they take you back to their Empire to sell you at auction. When Saragon fell and we were running through the streets to get to the smuggler’s route, we saw the slavers taking people, tying their hands behind their backs and stringing them in slave lines. If they were too old or an invalid, they just slit their throats, leaving them to lie in the street and bleed to death.”

Bellon’s wife puts a hand on his arm, and when she has his attention, shakes her head and indicates the children. “Oh, sorry, maybe this is not the time or place to be talking about such things,” he says.

“I think I get the idea,” James says, understanding. “But there is not much we can do, we have to go.”

“If you must go,” Silas says, “then stay as far to the north away from Saragon as you can. No one was sure if the Empire would stop at Saragon or push further north.”

“We will, I promise,” he assures them and then turns his attention to the vacant eyed younger children. “Now who would like to hear a silly song about a bunny?” he asks.

They kind of perk up at that, at least the younger two do. One of them says very timidly, “I do.”

So James begins to sing. “Little bunny Foo Foo hopping through the forest…” While he sings, he pantomimes the little bunny hopping along with the rest of the cast of characters.

For the remainder of the evening he sits and sings all the old silly songs he once sung as a child and even throws in a couple of poems. The children sit in rapt attention and after the first two songs, begin to smile a little and even clap along. The adults, seeing life returning to their children, begin to clap along as well with tears in their eyes.

Eventually, James’ voice begins to crack and he has to stop for a while. Miko, surprisingly, begins a song about a lord who can’t find his slippers. It’s a silly song, but obviously one that the children have heard before because they begin to sing along with him after the fist chorus.

The rest of the night is full of singing and silly tales. For a time at least, the memories of what happened and what their futures might hold are forgotten. All that mattered this night was that they had brought joy back to the children.

The following morning when the sky begins to lighten, even before the sun rises over the mountain peaks, James and Miko make ready to get through the Pass.

Silas, Bellon and their families gather around, shaking hands. Silas’ wife even goes so far as giving James a kiss. “Thank you so much for last night,” she says with tears in her eyes.

“I wish you all well,” James says as he mounts his horse with Miko following suit. James reaches into his shirt and pulls out a bag of coins and tosses it toward Silas who catches it. “Take this and start a new life,” he says.

“We can’t accept this,” Silas says and makes to hand it back.

“No, you keep it,” James says, refusing to take it. “Money I have plenty of, what good is it if you can’t use it to help out your fellow man.”

“How can I ever repay your generosity?” Silas asks.

“Before the year is out, help two people who are less fortunate than yourselves,” James explains. “Also, ask them each to help two people within a year. Start a chain of giving, who knows where it might lead.” When all is ready he mounts up as does Miko.

“We will,” says Bellon, the rest of the adults nod their heads in agreement.

James reaches down and shakes hands with Bellon and Silas, “Good bye now, and good luck.”

“May the gods speed you on your way,” Silas says.

“And be careful,” his wife adds.

With a final wave, James and Miko turn to head back toward the summit and over into Madoc. Behind them, James can hear one of the little girls begin to sing, “Little bunny Foo Foo…” With a tear beginning to well in his eye, he hurries along toward the way stop.

They don’t get far before they are once again challenged by a soldier, a different one than the day before. “Travelers are not allowed beyond the way stop,” the soldier tells them.

“We can take care of ourselves,” James assures him.

“Be that as it may, my orders are clear. No one and I mean no one is to be allowed to endanger themselves by traveling into the Madoc area.” He stands there and bars their way, staring at them.

“What if we just ride around you and go anyway?” he asks.

“Then the soldiers further east will stop you,” the soldier explains. “If you persist after that, they will arrest you and place you in jail for your own safety until you realize that it’s not safe for you to go there.”

“Damn!” James mutters under his breath. Turning his horse around, he heads back toward the west. As they return, they find that Silas and Bellon have already returned to the refugee area with their families.

James glances at Miko who is looking at him with a questioning look on his face. “Don’t ask me!” he says to him.

“I wasn’t,” Miko replies innocently. “I am simply waiting patiently to find out what we are going to do now.” Smiling, he continues to look at James.

“I don’t know,” he says. “I certainly don’t want to waste the time backtracking all the way to Trademeet and then going north through the Dragon’s Pass. That will add days to our travel time.”