Julie

  Michael and Julie rode on their horses from Whitehill to the village of Rodford. He seemed lost in thought, probably reviewing the last details of what he would do in the village and at Luke's house. Julie watched him silently so he could concentrate.

  She knew they were going to do something dangerous at the village, and this excited her, unlike her cousin, who was brooding about it. She saw the blue sky, the shining sun, the fields that surrounded her, and saw herself at the start of a new, incredible adventure. She recalled the books about knights and princesses she and Michael had read, and thought they were writing their own. They all started with the knight and his squire wandering in the countryside above their horses, searching for adventure. Just like she and Michael were at the moment.

  “What’s wrong?” Michael asked. “You’ve been quiet the whole way.”

  Julie shrugged. “Thinking.”

  “Nervous about what we’re going to do?”

  She nodded.

  “Don’t be. Think of it as a new adventure.”

  Julie smiled widely and looked at him.

  He laughed. “I imagined that was what you were thinking. We’re kind of on an adventure as well, right? Want to hear a short story as we ride?”

  “Yes!”

  “Alright… Perhaps thinking about something else will help me with my headache." He looked around him. “How about I use what we see as the basis?” He cleared his throat, and began the tale:

  “The loyal squire, known as The Crissol of golden wings, noticed that the day had changed. The warm weather of early morning only needed a couple of hours to turn into one of intense heat. The bitter sun blazed hard on the dirt road, making the world look so bright that it burned the eyes. The earth was dry under her horse’s hooves, raising dust and hot air into her lungs. She watched the tall, wide trees about her and imagined them as green giants offering sweet shelter beneath their branches. She looked at her lord, the renowned Knight of Good Fortune, riding his steed ahead, and wondered if he wouldn’t mind taking the giants' offer.”

  Michael stopped his horse and gestured to Julie to do the same.

  “The Knight raised his hand, ordering the horses to stop in the middle of the lonely road. He gave no reason for the sudden halt, but his squire guessed it was to rest and reflect on the day's mission.

  “Early in the day, a lovely princess asked for the knight and squire's help. She wished for them to infiltrate the property of one of her rivals, some old carpenter living in the town of Rodford, and discover if the man had some evil schemes against her and her kingdom. The Knight of Good Fortune and his loyal squire accepted with honor her urgent request.”

  Michael stopped talking, noticing a bird flying in the sky. He pointed at it.

  “The knight spotted movement above and alerted his squire with a whistle. It was an eagle. The bird looked like a black speck in the distance, drawing long loops across the field. The animal then changed course and flew straight north, following the same path they had traveled. The eagle immediately returned, circled above their heads as if it were looking at them, then flew straight south.

  “The knight complained about the sun and how it could ruin their mission. He planned to sneak into the property of the princess’s enemy instead of forcing his way inside. But under the gaze of a sun as radiant as the one rolling above, it seemed like an unviable option for someone of the knight’s stature. Any peasant or Idnusian of little faith could spot him a mile away, as easily as a cow can be seen passing through a field and stopping to graze.

  “However, failure was a word that had never come out of the knight’s mouth. The squire was sure he would find a way to accomplish his task and save the day.

  “The squire recalled how difficult it had been to leave the Castle of Whitehill after their interview with the princess. Unknown to her, there were servants in her own home who constantly plotted against her wishes.

  “One of these ruffians was the great she-wolf, infamously known as the Wolf of a Thousand Nights. Her job was to guard the castle grounds and the enchanted forest nearby from any threats.

  “The mission was a secret known only to the princess, the knight, and his squire. However, the she-wolf suspected them, whether by intuition or by being an idiot with nothing better to do, and set out to stop them.

  “She waited for the knight and his squire at the great iron gates of the castle entrance and commanded them to dismount with a roar.

  “But the Knight of Good Fortune confronted the rabid beast. He raised his hand high and sang in his melodious voice the pure and honest reasons for his departure.

  “The Wolf of a Thousand Nights saw herself overcome by the powerful will in the knight’s voice, and stepped aside with her head low.

  “But as the resentful spectre of the night she was, she spat warnings at their backs as they left, telling them to wait for her, for she would soon hunt them down.”

  Michael stopped talking and took out a canteen from his horse's saddlebags and drank a bit. He then passed it to Julie. He continued talking as the girl drank.

  “From his horse's saddlebags, the knight took out a waterskin and drank a sip of water, then offered it to his squire. The precious liquid was warm, and she could feel it numbing her parched throat. The squire took off her straw hat and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The heat was truly unbearable.

  “She drank more water while cautiously observing the surroundings, watching for any enemies that might jump out of the bushes, or for the Wolf of a Thousand Nights to carry out her threat. She could be there, hidden in the tall grass, spying on them with her wicked eyes, waiting for the moment when their guard drops.

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  “But the knight sensed his squire's fears and assured her not to worry, for he would protect her from the foul beast.

  “End of the first chapter.”

  Michael became quiet, looking at Julie as if he was waiting for her to talk.

  “What happens next?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll see. The day hasn’t finished yet.”

  “Will you finish telling me the story later?”

  “I will. Come, we’re running out of time.” He asked for his canteen back and ordered his horse to go on.

  Julie followed him behind.

  ?Rodford began to emerge on the horizon. A gentle breeze arrived, bringing some coolness to their faces. Michael smiled as he breathed in the fresh country air. The road seemed deserted, but around them, there was life, both animal and human. People were working in the fields. The wheat and rye were almost ready for the summer harvest, and the farmers were busy preparing for the event. After Pact Day celebrations, Rodford would be flooded with vagrants and labourers from all over the province, seeking short-term work as farmhands.

  Michael stopped his horse. He said he heard someone shouting his name. Julie closed her eyes and heard it as well. In one of the fields to their right, an old man came briskly towards them, as fast as his advanced age allowed. Behind him ran a small, red-nosed boy. The old man waved his hand in the air, calling for Michael's attention.

  “Who is he?” she asked.

  “He’s one of the old folks who hangs out with Milton at the Grandhouse,” Michael said. “He’s a friend.”

  “Hey, Michael! Wait right there, lad!” the old man shouted as he approached.

  “How's it going, old man? Working hard?” Michael asked.

  “Naw! I’m too old for that now. My bones aren’t as strong as they used to be, so I don’t want to overdo it. I work as a babysitter now, see?” The old man patted the little boy who was holding onto his pants.

  “At least you have someone to keep you company.”

  “That’s right. Are you goin’ to the village?”

  “Yes, I’m going with my little cousin. Do you need me for something?”

  "It’s the priestess. She’s lookin’ for you. That's why I called you."

  “What for?

  “I don’t know. She didn’t say.”

  “But she came here, to your farm, right?” Michael asked.

  “Of course. She was here not long ago. I thought she was goin’ to scold me for skippin’ Mass, but she just asked about you. She wanted to know if I’d seen you.”

  Julie looked toward the village. There were at least two miles left to reach it. It was suspicious that Emma had walked so far just to ask if anyone had seen Michael. Someone must have informed her that Michael was on his way. Otherwise, she wouldn't have bothered.

  “How long ago did you see her?” Michael asked.

  “Hmm, I don’t know. About fifteen minutes, or less. She’s probably looking for her little helper,” the old man said, letting out a laugh. His mouth was missing several teeth.

  “I see,” Michael said thoughtfully.

  “If you see Milton, tell him I'll come to see him in a little while, after my granddaughter comes to pick up her child.”

  “I will… Hey, can I leave the horses with you? I always ask Mary, and I feel like I’m taking advantage of her.”

  “Why not? It’s not the first time you’ve asked me. I’ll see you at the entrance.”

  ?Michael and Julie continued on foot toward the village after leaving their horses behind. He seemed anxious. He walked so fast that she had trouble keeping up with him.

  “We have problems,” he said. “The Eagle is out hunting.”

  “It seems so. But why? Could it be that my sister told her you were going to the village today?”

  “It’s possible. But what I can’t understand is why Emma is looking for me. I don’t think your sister told her about what we were going to do.”

  "So what do we do now? With her looking for you, everything gets tricky."

  He suddenly stopped and turned to her. “There’s a change of plans, so listen carefully.”

  She stood up straight and gave a salute. “Command me!”

  "The first order doesn't change. I need you to go to the shrine and see if Luke and the people who work at his house are there. Do you remember who they are?"

  “Yes, I know. His nephew, Bastian, the man who is always with him, Justin, and the woman who comes every day to clean the house, Elisa.”

  He nodded approvingly. “Your new order is to keep an eye on Emma, ??but be very careful, or she might notice. And if she asks about me, don't say a word. Once you've spotted Luke and the others at the shrine, go to where I told you I'd be waiting. And make sure Emma doesn't follow you.”

  “I can do it. Trust me,” she said in a clear voice.

  Michael saw the road to the village. “Damn it. I feel naked,” he murmured.

  He was wearing a white shirt and brown trousers. He had considered wearing his coat so he could carry his prized knives underneath. But he gave up the thought when he noticed it was getting hot. The only weapon he had was a dagger strapped to his right leg, under his trousers. He took out his pocket watch and checked the time.

  “It’s 11:08,” he said. “The mass should have already ended, and the meeting started. And if everything goes like last year, I’m sure it will last a while. Our problem is Emma.”

  "What if she decides to go to the carpenter's house on her own? What do we do?" Julie asked.

  “I’ll take care of her if that happens.” Michael clicked his tongue. “I wanted to avoid seeing her today, that’s why I asked you for help. I feared that if I ran into her, she'd ask me to help her with something.” He laughed. “And it seems I was right after all.”

  “You think my sister is right about the carpenter? You haven’t said anything about it.”

  "And what about you? You haven’t said anything either."

  She shrugged.

  Julie wasn't sure what to believe yet. She didn't know the carpenter well enough to know if her sister's suspicions about him were true. To her, Luke was just another person in the village. She hadn't heard anything bad about him so far. She didn't agree with searching his house, but her sister never respected her opinion because of her young age.

  “You think it's a bad idea too, don't you?” Michael asked. He looked into the distance. “I think the same, but your stubborn sister believes that by searching Luke's house, we'll find out why he was so interested in Denis. If I don't do it, she'll surely do it herself.”

  “I thought this was about some boxes?”

  “It is, but in the end, it’s also about Denis. She can’t forgive Luke for kicking him out of the village.” He looked at her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Do you remember all my instructions?”

  "Yes, sir."

  “Very well. And don’t forget that under no circumstances should you enter Luke’s house,” Michael said in an authoritative voice. “I’m doing all this so your sister doesn’t get into trouble. And this goes for you as well.”

  “And what about you?”

  Michael shrugged. “It doesn’t matter if I get caught. I’ll survive the punishment. It will hurt, but I’ll survive.”

  She gave him a big hug. She thought he needed it. “Everything will be alright,” she said softly.

  He laughed. “You know, sometimes you’re more mature than your sister and Ale. Come on, we’re going to be late. You go to the shrine, and I’ll go to Luke’s house.”