Agreeing to the offer won, and therefore your voyage continues. So, about that candy in the van...
2.5 Leaving Grace
In spite of all of Reik's perceivable flaws of character, you decided that it would be for the betterment of your pilgrimage to agree to his offer, however untrustworthy it might had appeared. He cheered you on that and bade you to be present in the river-side dock next morning, for Notker was not keen on waiting and rather he wanted to presently, to deliver his men and missives to the city of Breakers. Having told you that, he immediately departed, to see to his own preparations.
Your last day in Grace you spent mostly on idling; you made some efforts to find priest Ethal, but he was nowhere to be seen, so it seemed to you likely that was still standing in vigil by your father's bed of misery. By chance, while looking for Ethal, you found a house of baths, from the times of White Wall, and entered it to wash yourself, for a next chance would not be offered to you in some times. Having thus refreshed your body, you returned to the hospice to there spend the last hours of the day and as well make your goodbyes to the monks tending to it, for they were the most gracious hosts.
In the night, no new visions or dreams were imparted on you, and you slept soundly, and waking up before prime, you gathered your belongings, and without stirring others from their slumber, you left the hospice and then the city's walls, and made yourself presented in the docks, where Notker's barge was waiting. You boarded it along with Reik and others, and were soon on your way, farther still into the unknown world.
3.0 Sailing River Charm
The river Charm, although said to be blessed, was of foreboding colour, for the waters were grey like iron; and the sky above was shrouded in clouds and of similar character, and it seemed to set everyone ill at ease. As the undertow tugged the boat onwards, you left the lands inhabited by man, and now by your sides, on the banks of the river, there were only thick woods, dark and swampy, and from them noxious fumes rose to the sky, and truly if there was to be land where a hill that contains a route to the infernal regions could be find, it had to be this swamp.
As there was little to do on the barge, Notker and his each sought their own amusement. The king's man himself opted to find a spot on the boat's prow and brood there, or perhaps keep vigilance; and to approach him or speak to him was to receive a very sharp and unkind rebuke. His men – who did not introduce themselves to you, so you were not sure of their names – instead turned to other ways to make the time pass more quickly. Some, particularly an older, keen-eyed man who was apparently called Richbert, took on bows and competed in shooting the water-fowl which was greatly abundant over the river, although that competition was cut short when Notker, having noticed it, commanded them to stop, for they were wasting arrows. They obeyed him without hesitation, and it seemed to you that he was like father to them, such was their submission.
Then they instead sat on the deck and talked about many matters; although women and war seemed to be the most prevalent. They each boasted their prowess and mettle; Cifi from the Thistle Islands, who spoke the language of the Lief people in a strange fashion, spoke about how he had impaled three sea-farers on his spear in one thrust, and at that, he was challenged by Sigbert (who was recognizable for he had lost one ear in battle), who told how he once put a lance through five People From Beyond The Mountains at once, all while they were on horsebacks, to which Cifi said that it was no feat, for the cowardice of those people is well known, as is the leanness of their horses, and each Seafarer is worth three of them at least, particularly since they go into battle in mail hauberks and are therefore impervious to mundane blows, to which Sigbert only spat. Then another man (whose name you did not catch, but who was remarkable in that he carried on himself no gold nor silver) spoke of how on the king's war he once captured the concubines of some traitorous lord. There, his story became awful to listen to, and the raucous laughs of other man grating, particularly since you felt like they were looking towards you in doing so, so you turned away from listening and instead considered other matters.
A very strange thought came to you then, as you watched the water flow, that is that you were in possession of yourself. That is, of course, your father still held your
mundium, that is the principality over your and over your life, which is the father's prerogative – if he still lived. If not, it would pass to your brothers, who were in captivity, or next of kin, which would make it Rado the Old. But all of them were very distant, and would only become more distant, and therefore, their rule over you could not extend to command you in actuality. You were no
rachinburga, and did not know the laws of Liefs all that well, but such state seemed to you a very peculiar one and perhaps even a bit lawless. Such thoughts passed through your mind.
Then, something else grabbed your attention, and that was one of Notker's man finding a different sort of amusement for himself. He was a lad still, with red hair and thin limbs, and he took in his hands a javelin, and leaning towards the river, skewered fish onto it with great agility, and other man seeing that cheered him, from which you learned that they called him Cu. And thus, with his nimble spear, he captured twelve fishes in the span of half of an hour, if not shorter, and even to you, it seemed a great feat.
As the night was drawing near, Notker sent one of his men to be on a look-out for a place to land and make camp, which was promptly found and the barge was steered towards the river's bank, and you landed. Quickly, Notker's men went on to prepare a fire, while you and Reik were commanded to work on the fishes that were captured by Cu, and when the tradesman complained that he was being set to a womanly work, Notker hit him on the face, after which he would not complain more.
Afterwards, in the time of nightfall, after you had you eaten, you all gathered around the fire, readying yourself to sleep (aside from the man that drew the short lot and was therefore sent to stand guard over you during the night). Notker's men again returned to their favoured stories, although they spoke less of war and mettle now, and more about stranger and more outlandish things, such as men-eating witches who were said to inhabit the bog in great number, or about the wickedness of the men of the city of Pillars.
You sat near them, and they seemed to pay you no attention, until the one called Cu approached you with a wide smile. And he spoke to you, in similar fashion to Cifi the Islander.
"Methinks that I fancy the spot you have by the fire."
Having heard that, the others hushed their stories and looked all in your direction, while Cu smiled still.
Said Cu:
"Methinks that you should sleep in the dark, not by the bonfire."
Saying that, he thrust his javelin in the ground between your legs.
You…
[ ] …obeyed him and moved away from the fire.
[ ] ...did not obey him, and stayed where you were.
[ ] …reached for the javelin, to defend your place.
