Michael

  Michael led his horse along the main road of the village of Rodford, reaching one of the last houses on the east side. It was an old two-story dwelling made with straw and mud, and plastered with lime. It had a stone path that led to the front door through a large garden where wooden tables and benches lay about. The door was open, and Michael saw people inside. The place was popularly known as Mary’s Tavern, though the original Mary died long ago, leaving her granddaughter, also named Mary, as the new owner. The tavern was the only establishment of its kind in the entire village.

  He parked his horse in front of the tavern and got off. He’d considered going straight to the village library, but he didn’t know how long his heartfelt chat with Denis would last. He wanted to avoid leaving his horse unattended for too long, so he thought it best to leave it with Mary. She and her people were trustworthy, friends of the family. Eric and Natalia often stopped by the tavern for a few beers on the weekends.

  Another horse pulled up beside him, and the rider, a lovely little girl of ten, with fair skin and long blond hair braided into two pigtails, looked at him with her big green eyes and then at the tavern, as if wondering what they were doing there. But unlike her older sister, she knew that answers come on their own if you are patient. She got off her horse and waited for Michael to speak.

  “Let’s leave the horses here and go,” he said.

  The little girl nodded.

  It was his faithful squire, Julie Hunter. She wore boots, trousers, and a shirt. She had changed out of her green dress so she could ride her pony and accompany him to the village. She was a lively, curious, and adventurous little girl, a common trait among children who haven’t lost that insatiable curiosity about the world and how everything works. Julie was the only Hunter still allowed to have long hair. Her mother and Elsa didn’t count, since they had joined the family through marriage. In a few years, she would lose that right, forcing her to wear it short like her sister, aunt, and cousin after undergoing the coming-of-age ritual that every Hunter must face on their twelfth birthday.

  From inside the tavern, a freckled young man came out to greet them. Michael handed him a few coins and asked him to keep an eye on the horses for a couple of hours. The young man took the reins and led the animals toward the stables behind the property.

  “Let’s go to the library,” Michael said to his little cousin.

  “Yes!” Julie shouted excitedly and broke into a big smile. Then she turned and walked briskly ahead of him.

  He enjoyed being with the little girl much more than with Esther or Helena. Julie rarely refused his requests, such as helping him with chores or accompanying him on errands. She always answered with a loud and clear “Yes.” However, the little girl was clever, too clever for her age, and never forgot anything. Favors came at a price. She kept a tally in her little head of all the favors she hadn’t been paid for, and when it was time to collect, her whims were either expensive, involved a lot of work, or fraught with problems. It was useless and unwise to try to change her mind, because she never forgot a payment made incorrectly.

  The afternoon looked like one of those summer days where the sky is a deeper blue than usual, the grass shines with the greenness of a fresh apple just picked from the tree that held it, and the sun is warm and gentle with its rays. Michael looked around longingly, feeling a pang of regret at having to let such a beautiful afternoon slip away. Something inside him told him to forget what he had come to do, to turn around and walk straight down the dirt road to where it ended, leaving the village and his duties behind, and go to where the river flows eastward. There he would find the shadiest tree he could find and relax beneath its branches while watching the calm waters of Rosbrik flow south. Julie would surely love the idea.

  But he couldn’t. Agnes entrusted him with a task, and he could not disobey. What torture in this life could be more inhuman and horrifying than eating porridge for a week? The image of such a horrible fate made him tremble.

  The wind blew warmly along the path. The air smelled of earth, wheat, and freshly baked bread wafting from the small house with its windows open nearby. The place served as a bakery, and from the street, they could see inside a table laden with all kinds of bread. There were also cookies and cakes, both whole and already sliced. Julie glanced toward the house, turned around, and looked Michael in the eyes.

  “I want something sweet,” she said.

  I got a good deal today, Michael thought. “Remind me to buy something before we go home.”

  The little girl nodded and kept walking.

  The village seemed empty. Few people walked the dirt road or lingered in front of their houses, whether sitting on their porches or working in their gardens. It was barely three in the afternoon, and the day’s work was not yet over. Rodford was a farming village. Most of its people made their living working in the surrounding fields, even the children. As soon as they turned five, they were considered adults, and it was time to help the family with the farm work. Julie and Michael were fortunate to have been born into a wealthy family and to have a small army of workers to tend their fields.

  Michael and Julie walked past the village green, which was also deserted, except for the two men trimming bushes—villagers hired by the Temple of Idnus to maintain the grounds. The grass was always kept short, and the stone paths gleamed spotless thanks to them. Passing through the birch tunnel, until reaching the middle of the green, rose the statue of the water goddess, Esliana, and behind it, mounted on a large stone platform, lay the village shrine. Its concrete columns and roof gleamed pale in the sunlight. The library was just a few steps to the left of the green. Michael and Julie stopped at the entrance.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  It was a two-story house made of red bricks and tiles, with glass windows and a white fence. It had a pretty garden full of pink roses and blue bellflowers by the entrance. The house served not only as a library but also as a school and clinic. The library and school were on the ground floor, while the clinic operated on the first. Next door was another house with a similar appearance and garden, as though they were sisters made from the same mold, though this one served as a residence. It was where Emma lived, along with her apprentice priest, Richard, and his wife, Celeste. Both houses, the shrine, and some would even say the green itself, belonged to the Temple of Idnus, the largest religious organization in the world.

  ?“What are you thinking about?” Julie asked. Michael was staring at Emma’s house.

  “Nothing,” he replied. “I was wondering if Emma is already home, or if she hasn’t returned from her daily walk yet.”

  “I think she should be back by now. Are you going to do what you said?”

  “That’s why we came here, right? I need to talk to the Idiot about your sister; otherwise, your mother will condemn me to purgatory and then to one of the nine hells. Can you help me with this?”

  “What’d you want me to do?”

  “I need to be alone with him; no one can set foot in the house.”

  “But I wanted to see you smash his face in,” Julie protested.

  Michael smiled and stroked her hair. “I’m not going to hit him, silly. I just want to have a talk with the turdhead.”

  “Something tells me you’re lying.” Julie narrowed her eyes.

  “I’m not lying. Believe me, I have no intention to hurt him.”

  “Then why are you armed?”

  “And who told you I’m armed?”

  “It’s not cold, but you’ve buttoned your coat all the way up to your neck. You’re definitely carrying something underneath.”

  Michael grinned from ear to ear. It was getting difficult to keep things from Julie. “I’ll use it as a backup, in case the man decides to get stubborn. We’ll see… Look, someone’s coming.”

  ?They saw a man walking down the narrow alley that separated the two houses. The man stopped suddenly, took a flask from his pocket, drank a swig, then another, put it away, and continued walking straight ahead. The expression on his face indicated that he hadn’t noticed that Michael and Julie were watching him.

  “Rook!” Michael yelled. “What’s that you’ve got there, old man?”

  Rook jumped at the sound of Michael, and even more so when he saw Julie beside him. “Hey, my lad. What brings you here?” he said, blushing slightly. He walked over to the two of them. “I see you’re with company. Hello, little one.”

  “Hello,” Julie said.

  “Ain’t a little early to be drinking, old man? Then you go around complaining that Luke’s got his foot on your neck,” Michael said.

  “And why can’t I?” Rook snorted and waved a hand. “You’re not my father. I can do whatever I want. Besides, I’ve already figured out how to handle the boss, so don’t cry about me. I’ve got that sorted out.”

  Rook was an old man with gray hair, light brown eyes, and a face marked by time and hard work under the sun, though he was clearly in good shape despite his advanced age. He had arrived in the village the previous winter, looking for work and shelter to survive the cold season. Luke, a carpenter and owner of the village’s only general store, gave him a job on the farm he had in the south. Michael didn’t know much about him. Rook avoided anything related to his past. Whenever Michael asked him about it, he would just shove his flask in his mouth and suck it dry, getting too drunk to talk. Luke had told him several times not to drink so much, that it would kill him, but Rook wouldn’t take the advice. He just said that is what he hoped.

  Michael watched him. He was wearing old, faded trousers, a patched white shirt, and a frayed wool hat. His clothes looked old and mended, but they were clean, almost freshly laundered, and he himself looked as though he had recently taken a bath.

  “What were you doing back there?” Michael asked.

  “I was using the toilet.”

  “And drinking too, I guess.”

  “Are you going to keep going on about this?” Rook pursed his lips. “Even Luke isn’t this annoying.”

  “Speaking of him, where’s your boss? Shouldn’t you be working with him in his workshop?”

  Rook became quiet, then looked behind him. “He’s in there, doing something or other. He wouldn’t tell me. It must be something important. Why don’t you go in and have a look? You might catch him in a compromising position or something.” Rook started to laugh.

  “And where were you going? Aren’t you supposed to be with him? That’s what you’re paid for, right?”

  “Damn, you don’t miss a thing, do you?” Rook shook his head. “The boss’s busy with something weird in there, and he doesn’t want me around, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to sneak out. I’d better get going, or you’ll keep asking me questions and complaining. Have a good day.” Rook gave an awkward bow and walked off quickly, taking the dirt road to the east. Michael kept watching him until he lost sight of him.

  ?“What are you thinking about?” Julie asked.

  “Luke’s shop is in the opposite direction; he’s probably going to Mary’s.” Michael looked at her. “What did you think when you saw him?”

  “Nothing, he’s just a drunk.”

  “Nothing else? Tell me the first thing that comes to mind.”

  Julie arched her shoulders. “I don’t know what to say. I see him the same as always.”

  “Same as always…” Michael muttered.

  “And?”

  “Nothing, that’s all. I was surprised he wasn’t dirty. Forget about him and let’s get back to what we were talking about. I need you to warn me if anyone comes to the clinic while I’m talking to Denis.”

  “And what about Luke? He’s already in there.”

  “I’ll take care of him. I’ll cancel everything if I can’t be alone with Denis. Anyway, I need to know if you can handle the job, soldier.”

  Julie stood up straight and made a salute. “Yes, sir,” she said loudly.

  “Very well. Stay outside and walk around the place. If you see anyone coming, go in through the back door to let me know.”

  “Yes, sir. No one can see you strangling Denis,” Julie said, laughing.

  “I’m not going to… Forget it.” Michael turned around and went inside the house.