The Forum 2007 |
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A
Time of Learning:
By Markus Thyme
Come morning, Damon the
traveler took his leave.
“I be with you most
fully,” he told Bruce. “It be time. I will send others to you as I
find them. I will learn as I can and return to you in two moons time.”
“It be good,”
replied Bruce. “Go now and good journey.”
Mathew and Bruce watched
Damon depart by the south exit.
“Now, it be time to
plan Mathew,” said Bruce.
“What be your
thoughts?” queried Mathew.
“I have two thoughts
Mathew. I have the though that we should have a man watching the Invaders at
the Ruins of
Raleigh.”
“I
so believe,” agreed Mathew. “Mayhap
“Indeed,” agreed
Bruce, “even if in mean danger and hardship, he would go. He has not yet
fulfilled his need for a settling of scores.”
“There be danger in
that.”
“Indeed, Mathew. There
be danger for whoever goes, but
“That be true,”
agreed Mathew.
“Let us call a meeting
of the folk and we will see,” smiled Bruce.
“What be your other
thought, Elder?”
“I think, when the cold
has passed, we must needs send a man to the Ruins of Denver. I would learn more
of these wise ones. Mayhap they have tools we might use against the
invaders.”
“Aye Elder. That be a
good thought. I be with you.”
Then let us call a meeting of
the Elders and seek agreement.”
“I be sure, they will
agree,” said Mathew.
“I too be sure, Mathew.
Then we may call a meeting of the folk and seek full agreement.”
“That be good,
Elder.”
As predicted, the Elders
listened to Bruce’s plans and quickly agreed.
“Who shall travel to
consult the wise one?” asked Thomas.
“I think we must need
ask the folk, both for the wise ones and for watching the Invaders. There be
danger in both these tasks. I would not demand it of any of the folk.”
“Yet, it must be
done,” said Robert.
“Then let us call the
folk to the main hall now,” said Bruce.
******
As soon as all were in the
hall Bruce explained his plan to watch the Invaders. Bruce the Younger began to
stand, but he was not swift enough.
“I must needs be your
choice,” he said with a smile. “I have been there. I know of their
habits as much as anyone.”
“Indeed you do,”
agreed Bruce.
Not to be bested, Bruce the
Younger stood quickly and said, “Mayhap, there should be two watchers to
go. One could watch as the other took rest. Is that not so?”
“It be so,”
laughed Bruce the Elder. “It be so.”
“Then I must needs be
the second,” declared Bruce the Younger.
Several other young men had
stood by this time demanding to be the second. After a bit of bartering the
elders agreed to send Edward the Younger of Ashville.
Bruce the Younger was openly
upset. “What of me father?” he queried. “Shall I be at home
like a man’s mate to cook and care for children?”
Bruce the Elder could not
contain his mirth. He laughed aloud as did some of the others, and Bruce the
Younger was even more upset, but also embarrassed.
“It be not to make
light of you, my son,” soothed Bruce the Elder. “There be other
things we must needs do and your thoughts have caused me new thoughts.”
“What new
thoughts?” asked Mathew.
“I have a thought that
we must needs have more than two watchers for these Invaders.”
“Would that not
increase our danger of discovery?” asked Robert.
“Indeed, if we sent
many at one time. I am thinking another way. I am thinking we might change
watchers by the moon.”
“How so?” Asked
Robert.
“I believe we might
sent two watchers to begin. In one moon we might send one other watcher and one
who was there would return. Then the new watcher might learn from the one who
remained. And, each moon we might learn what has come about from the one
returned.”
“Yet there would always
be two watchers,” grinned Thomas.
“And we might learn
much,” said Mathew. “It be a good thought.”
“Then I will be a
watcher at the next moon,” insisted Bruce the Younger.
“So you shall,”
agreed Bruce the Elder, “and others will be watchers too.”
“Let us now speak of
your second plan,” said Thomas.
“Yes, my second plan is
also about learning,” replied Bruce the Elder. “I believe we must
needs learn what the wise ones at the Ruins of Denver can tell us. Mayhap they
have tools we might use against these cursed Invaders. I would ask perhaps two
men to travel to the Ruins of Denver and seek learning.”
Immediately, several young
men leapt forward clamoring to be selected. Bruce smiled with pride at this
response.
“It is good,” he
said. “With such as you, we might yet gain the strength to best these
Invaders. I admire your daring and will.”
“I be ready to go
now,” exulted one.
“That be good, but it
be my thought that we might wait three moons for good traveling weather. It is
said the Ruins of Denver have harsh storms in the cold months.”
“Indeed,” agreed
Robert. “There be no need to take risk.”
“And, while we wait, we
may learn more of this Invader we have,” said Bruce the Elder. “Is
he mending Harold?”
“Indeed,” replied
Harold. “He is of a young age and did mend well.”
“Mayhap, we can teach
him to speak our way,” said Bruce.
“That, he be learning
even now,” smiled Harold. “The children be plaguing him and he
learns our words to curse them and beg them.”
“He curses and
begs?”
“Aye, Elder. The older
children bring his food, but he must ask for it ere he receives it.”
“I see,” smiled
Bruce.
“Aye, Elder. I does
help that he has a taste for Donald’s Elderberry wine.”
“Yes, and who does
not,” Laughed Bruce. “I myself have such a taste.”
“As do many of
us,” agreed Harold.
“So, he learns quickly
when the children show it to him?”
Indeed,” agreed Harold.
“Then, let us continue
his lessons. Mayhap, when we send our men to the Ruins of Denver, we will have
something to share with the wise ones.”
Later, in the eve, Bruce the
Younger came to his father.
“I beg you forgiveness,
father” he said. “I spoke hastily and brought shame upon myself. I
be truly sorry.”
“I fault you not, my
son,” replied Bruce the Elder. “No one will fault you for wishing
to be the first and the bravest. There will be time for all of us to be tested
ere this ends. Now is a time to learn and gain strength.”
“As always father, you
speak with the wisdom of time. Thank you.”
So it was, as the cold months
wore on, that the folk began to gather news and knowledge of their own strength
and of their enemy.
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