Lawrence Watt-Evans - Relics of War

Ishta glared at him for a moment, then said, “Fine. Garander, this is my friend Tesk. Tesk, this is my brother Garander.”

“I am pleased to meet you,” the stranger said. Garander had never before heard anyone pronounce simple Ethsharitic so strangely.

“Yes,” Garander said, rather than making a polite response that would be a lie. “Tesk, is it?”

The stranger smiled. “Ishta calls me Tesk. My real name is Tezhiskar Deralt aya Shatra Ad’n Chitir Shess Chitir.”

Garander listened to this jumble of meaningless syllables and said, “Tesk it is, then.”

“Yes,” the stranger said. “Gorandaar?”

“Garander,” Garander corrected him.

“Garander. Yes.”

“Why are you here?” Garander asked.

The stranger glanced at Ishta. “Here? Where do you mean?”

“In these woods. What are you doing here? Who are you?”

“I live here.”

Garander looked around for a house, or shed, or lean-to, or tent, or even just a hole in the ground or a hollow tree. He saw none. “Where?” he asked.

“Anywhere,” Tesk replied. “I do not have a shelter. I sleep in any tree that is handy.”

“In a tree?”

“Yes.”

“Any tree?” Garandar was trying to make sense of this bizarre claim.

The stranger did something with his shoulders. “One that is strong enough to hold me, with branches to climb,” he replied. “That one, for example.” He pointed to a nearby oak.

Garander wanted to be sure he understood this. “So you don’t have a home?”

“I do not.”

Even if that was true-and Garander was not yet convinced-it left the stranger’s origins a mystery. “Where did you come from, then?” he asked.

“I do not know. I do not remember. I have always lived in the forest.”

Garander frowned. “I don’t believe that. You must have come from somewhere .”

“Garander, you’re being rude,” Ishta said.

“He merely wishes to protect his family,” Tesk said. “That is good of him.”

“He doesn’t need to protect me ! He stole my talisman!”

“ I didn’t steal it! The Baron of Varag did.”

“Well, you gave it to the baron!”

“Father made me!”

“But you did it!”

Garander glared at her helplessly, then turned to Tesk. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s a family disagreement; we shouldn’t be speaking of it here in front of you.”

“I am not troubled,” Tesk answered. “I am glad to hear human voices. I have been alone a very long time.”

“You have? How long?”

Again, the stranger made that curious movement, lifting his shoulders and then dropping them. “I do not know,” he said. “Several years.”

“That’s why he talks funny!” Ishta said.

“Is that right?” Garander asked.

The stranger hesitated.

“He’s forgotten how to act normal!” Ishta insisted.

“Or he wasn’t normal in the first place,” Garander said. “It sounds to me as if he grew up speaking another language, and hasn’t learned Ethsharitic very well.”

The stranger smiled, a tight, humorless little smile, but he did not say anything; he neither confirmed nor denied Garander’s guess.

“If you’ve lived alone in the woods for years,” Garander asked, “how do you keep your clothes so neat? Why haven’t they worn out?”

“They were very well made to begin with,” Tesk said. “I am careful with them. I wash them and I repair them when necessary.”

“Who made them for you?”

Tesk stared at him without blinking for several seconds before replying, “I do not remember.”

“You don’t know where you got that hat?”

“No. I have had it for as long as I can remember.”

“Stop asking him silly questions!” Ishta said, stamping a foot. “He’s my friend , not some stranger who’s planning to steal our things.”

“How do you know he isn’t?” Garander asked.

“Because he hasn’t done it yet! Garander, he’s been living out here for ages , but he hasn’t taken anything.”

“So what does he eat ?” Garander demanded of his sister.

She looked at Tesk, who said, “I catch animals for meat. I gather berries and nuts and apples when they are in season.”

“You can live on that?”

“I do not need much. I do not exert myself needlessly.”

Garander had no evidence that this was anything but the simple truth, and in any case it didn’t really matter. He dropped the subject and got to the important point. “What do you want with my sister?”

Tesk looked surprised. “Nothing,” he said. “We met by chance. We spoke. We enjoyed the conversation, so she has returned several times to speak again.”

“That’s all ?”

“I have been alone a long time. Any human contact is welcome.”

“Then why haven’t you come out of the woods and found a place for yourself among other people?”

Tesk blinked. He took several seconds to consider before answering, “I do not know.”

That surprised even Ishta. “You don’t?” she asked.

“I had not thought about it.”

“You can come home with us!” Ishta exclaimed.

“Hold on,” Garander said, before Tesk responded. “I don’t know about that. Father probably doesn’t want us bringing strangers home.”

“We could ask him.”

“Please do not,” Tesk said. “I am content as I am. I do not wish to intrude on your family.”

“I don’t-” Garander began.

“Are you sure?” Ishta interrupted.

“I am quite certain, Ishta. I do not wish to inconvenience anyone.”

“If you’re willing to work, it might not be an inconvenience,” Garander suggested.

Tesk shook his head. “No. I am content living in the forest.”

“I should tell our father you’re here-” Garander began.

“No!” Ishta and Tesk exclaimed simultaneously.

“I do not wish to worry anyone,” Tesk added. “He would be concerned about my presence.”

“He’d want to drive Tesk away!” Ishta said.

Garander could not argue with either of these statements, but he said, “I don’t like keeping things secret from him.”

“ I do!” Ishta said. “You saw what happened when you showed him that talisman! You still owe me for that, Garander, and I want you to promise not to tell Father about Tesk!”

Garander bit his lip as he glowered at his sister.

“You won’t do anything stupid?” he asked her.

“No!”

“You’ll tell me if Tesk does anything he shouldn’t? If he steals anything, or tries to hurt anyone?”

“I promise.”

“I will not steal anything or harm anyone,” Tesk said. “But I understand why you do not take my word.”

Garander glanced at him, then turned back to Ishta.

“And after this we’re even? No more apologies or demands or anything?”

“If you keep this secret I’ll forgive you for the talisman. I’ll even owe you a favor!”

Garander smiled. “Then how can I refuse? But I will tell Father all about Tesk if you go missing, or anything.”

Ishta glanced at Tesk, then nodded. “That’s fair.”

“Then we’re all set.” He turned back to the black-clad stranger. “So what’s your native language? You don’t sound as if you grew up with Ethsharitic.”

“I have not spoken much,” Tesk said. “For as long as I can remember, I have had no one to speak to.”

That did not actually answer the question, Garander noticed. This Tesk apparently had some secrets of his own. “I’m told that up in Sardiron people mix their Ethsharitic with the old Northern tongue,” he remarked.

Tesk looked puzzled. “Sardiron?”