Richard Parker - The Black Horseman

It was completely dark before anyone arrived. Tar Bnall came upon them first on horseback. Vio, riding double, was holding tightly to his waist, guiding the way. Earlier Kostek had ordered Krys to build a large fire some distance away in the sand, so it was, in fact, very easy to locate them. The fire was large enough to provide warmth and light even at a distance. Krys continued to feed the fire even as they arrived.

Bnall pulled his mount up short and dismounted. Vio jumped smoothly off the back of the horse then grabbed the reins, though she truly wanted to run and see how the boy was doing. Patiently she led their mount to a clump of thick grasses and hobbled him before running back to satisfy her curiosity.

“The wagon should be arriving within an hour. Tar Amon has Endid driving it so we will have to hope it gets here in one piece,” she heard Bnall explaining. Amon was the High Tar of the Island and Endid was the youngest Tar, in only his first year and the first new Tar in nearly seven.

Kostek smiled at Vio. “You’ve come quickly. You must have run very fast.” He said studying her. She nodded, glancing from the Tar to the boy.

“He’s stable and should survive,” he reassured her. “Now I need you to watch over him while Tar Bnall and I, bury the other unfortunate.” Vio nodded, grateful for the confidence her Tar was showing in her. She immediately sat down and took the water from her master, who smiled once more, then rose and left to do more grizzly work.

Vio wet her fingers and placed them on the boys’ lips, fascinated by him. A shipwreck survivor! She could hardly believe it. Her eyes moved down his body, which was still naked and seemed to be glowing red in the firelight. She could see goose bumps rising as the wind blew softly across his skin.

“Krys,” she said. He was still busy feeding the fire. “Fetch the blanket from Naddy.” Naddy was the horse she had arrived on. “I think his burn is making him cold,” she explained. Krys threw the piece of driftwood he was carrying onto the fire and then moved off to do as she asked. He returned in a few moments and helped her unfold and cover the boy.

“Who do you think he is?” Vio asked and Krys shrugged.

“There’s no telling,” he answered.

Vio dripped water in his mouth again and the boy groaned softly. “I’ll bet he’s someone important. Maybe he was on his way to the Temple Island to see the King.”

Krys laughed. “More likely he was just a scullion working on some merchant ship.”

Vio said nothing, just studied the boy. “His hair is sure cut nice for a scullion, and look at his nails.” The boy’s nails were well trimmed and Krys had to admit if the boy was a commoner he was a particularly vain one.

Tar Endid and the wagon arrived just before Kostek and Bnall entered the firelight, both tired from digging in the sand by hand. Vio stepped back and watched as they loaded the boy into the back of the wagon, then she climbed up next to Tar Kostek and Krys for the return trip to Sol.

Gwaynn woke two days later just before lunchtime. He found himself in a small room that held only a bed, a small end table and a cart with a pitcher of water on top. There was one window, a large one, along the south wall of the room. It was open and warm air flowed in carrying the smell of flowers and the sea. Gwaynn studied his surroundings. He was alone for the moment, but didn’t really mind. His thoughts were occupied with his recent past and it was nice to have a moment to try to absorb all that had happened to him. He had no idea how he had gotten to the room, the last thing he remembered was floating with Karl on the sea, and being extremely thirsty. As a matter fact, he was still thirsty now.

He tried to sit, but found he was too weak, so he dropped back onto the pillow, and waited. He passed the time by gazing out the window at the clouds moving across the clear blue sky. He waited for nearly a half an hour and tried to rise several times before he finally succeeding in hoisting himself to a sitting position. He was happy with his accomplishment, but did not know how he was going to reach the pitcher of water. He was still going over his plan when two people abruptly came into the room. An old man and young woman entered, both stopped short when they saw him. They appeared to be as surprised as he was by the sudden meeting.

“Excellent,” the old man said with a genuine smile. He walked over to Gwaynn, his back slightly hunched with age. “How do you feel this morning?”

“Thirsty,” Gwaynn answered in raspy voice.

“Yes, yes of course. Forgive me,” the man added and poured Gwaynn a tall glass of water. Gwaynn drank it in one breath and handed the glass back for more. The man obliged.

“I’m Pugg,” the man said by way of introduction. “Doctor.”

Gwaynn nodded but said nothing; he just continued to drink his water, this time a little more slowly.

“And this is Vio,” Pugg added, curious about the boy before him. “She was the one who found you…saved you actually. You would not have survived if she had not happened by.”

Gwaynn looked at the young woman. She smiled at him. He nodded but did not smile back. Pugg waited for the boy to introduce himself but was disappointed.

“Are you hungry?” the doctor finally asked.

Gwaynn thought about it a moment. “Yes, I’m famished,” he replied.

“Famished,” Pugg repeated. “Vio, could you tell Alynn to fix up something for…our guest. Say what is your name?”

Gwaynn hesitated for a moment, a hesitation that both Pugg and Vio noticed, but he could not think of a good reason not to tell them…at least his first name.

“Gwaynn,” he finally said.

“Please to meet you Gwaynn,” Pugg said smiling again.

Vio turned to go to the kitchens, but stopped at the door. “Nice to meet you Gwaynn,” she said, echoing Pugg’s thoughts.

Gwaynn was silent for a moment and she turned to go once more. “Nice to meet you both,” he answered. “And thank you,” he added. She smiled and left. Gwaynn finished with his glass of water and felt infinitely better. He held the glass out for more, and Pugg refilled it once again.

“How do you feel?” The doctor asked.

“Much better,” Gwaynn answered feeling stronger by the moment. He leaned over, fighting a brief dizzy spell and set the glass on the table near the bed. He sat back up slowly. His back felt tight and there was still a bit of pain from it when he moved. He put up a hand and reached around. His skin felt hot.

“You have a severe burn, but it is healing nicely. The pain should subside in another couple of days. How long were you in the water?”

Gwaynn tried to recall exactly how long, but he couldn’t really remember much of it, including how or when they ever reached land. “I’m not sure,” he finally answered.

“I don’t even remember getting to the beach.” Gwaynn struggled to remember and then it hit him. “Karl…where’s Karl?”

“Karl?” Pugg repeated though he suspected the boy was referring to his dead companion.

“He…he was my friend. He was with me when the ship went down in the storm. We floated on a raft together.”

The doctor hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give the boy the bad news while he was still so weak, but when he looked into his eyes he realized there would be no getting around this subject.

“We don’t know how long you were on the beach before Vio and Master Kostek happened by. You were barely alive, and frankly I’m surprised you are recovering so quickly,” he began. Gwaynn had aged immensely over that past week and immediately realized what was coming. His face must have betrayed his thoughts.

“I’m…I’m sorry. He was already dead when we found you. It was over before we had a chance.”