I started walking toward them, at first thinking the situation stemmed from kids just being kids.
“Better watch out for him,” one said, mocking Zadok. “Father’s a baby-killer they say. Gods know what that makes him.”
“He’s not a baby-killer,” said Zadok. “He’s a hero!”
They laughed.
“Look at them. They’re both trash, just like their ma,” said another. Spit flew from his mouth with the insult.
“Hey!” I boomed, picking up my pace as I stormed toward them.
They wheeled, didn’t like what they saw in my eyes, and spouted curses as they took off-all before I could add anything. It was probably for the best. I was so hot I would have either made a fool of myself or done something I would have later regretted.
I turned to Myra. “What happened? Why weren’t you by the door where I asked you to stay?”
She turned away without answering.
“It was my fault, Pa,” said Zadok, jumping into my line of sight. “They asked me if I wanted to play a game of dice. But it was a joke. Myra was trying to bring me back when you came out.”
I tilted my head in the direction the kids ran off. “Does that sort of stuff happen a lot?”
“Well, we hardly ever come to town anymore since Ma died.”
“But when you do?”
“Yeah, mostly.”
“And what do you normally do when that happens?”
He shrugged. “Walk away if we can. But sometimes we can’t. So, I talk back.”
“And you fight too?”
“I try, but I’m not very good at it. I haven’t won one yet.”
I thought about those five boys, all older and stronger. “Against those odds I’m not surprised.” I looked to Myra. “Is this all true?”
“What?” she snapped. “That everyone treats us like dogs? Of course it is. The choices you and Ma made aren’t exactly ones people would approve of. Why do you think I don’t want to stay here? Even for another day.”
I noticed she had dodged my question, but given the venom spat at me, I decided to ignore it. It really didn’t matter what had caused the confrontation with the boys anyway.
I scanned the town, three quarters of it unlike anything I remembered and most of it populated by individuals I didn’t know and had no love for. Most of the people I knew in my youth had either joined the army and died, gotten old and died, or just moved away. Even then, they weren’t without fault. Ava’s complaints of her childhood came to mind.
“You’re right. And considering the luck I’ve had in getting what we need to travel, maybe we should have gone straight to Tamra as you suggested.”
“We did get some food from the feed store though,” said Zadok as he tried to look on the bright side.
I snorted. “We did. And we’re already here now so we might as well continue on while we wait for your clothes to be ready. C’mon. We still have a couple places left to try.”
“And if they act the same as most others?” asked Myra.
I tried to make light of the situation. “Then we won’t have to worry too much about our burden as we travel, right?”
She scowled. She wasn’t buying the joke.
I sighed. I hoped Ira and Dekar were having it better than me.
* * *
The pungent smell of limed cowhide permeated my nostrils as we neared the tanner. A blacksmith was always far from any inns due to the noise generated there. But a tanner was kept far away from just about anyone because of its reek. Strong winds would move some of the stench toward the town center, but at least it would have a chance to dissipate by then.
I stepped from the wooden sidewalk to the dry earth. The kids were a step behind. With a glance down the side of the building I saw large hides hanging on hooks, drying like laundry on a line. Except in this case, lines were replaced by thick dowels of wood to handle the extra weight. Big barrels sat nearby-some empty, some filled with water, some filled with lime. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what filled others.
After crossing the fifty feet separating the last building to the tanner, I stepped up to the small porch preceding the door. Unlike many businesses in town enticing customers with the latest fashion, potion, or tool, there was no window to lure shoppers. Anyone who went to the tanner did so out of necessity.
I grunted to myself, eyeing the exterior. Not even a sign. The stink announced the business on its own.
The door abruptly swung inward causing me to jump. The slender man I had recognized when I entered town with Ira and Dekar stared back at me. Nason looked unsettled and frustrated, different than the man I had seen the day before.
“It’s about time,” he said.
“Huh?” A befuddled look was the most I could manage.
“Quit gaping,” Nason said sharply, “and get inside.”
I entered, not sure what else to do. Myra and Zadok followed. Nason closed the door quickly.
“Gods, it took you long enough to get here,” he said, as he locked up.
I gathered myself. “Well, the way you ignored me when I came into town, I didn’t think I would be welcome.”
“So you didn’t come because you thought I was mad at you?” he asked, turning. “That’s ridiculous. We were best friends when we were kids.”
“I thought so too. But most everyone else is ignoring me or berating me because of my time in the army. It seems like doing business with me drives customers away. I figured I’d wait to see you until less people were around so not to make you more angry with me.”
He smiled. “I appreciate you considering me like that. I really do. And I’m sad to say there is a bit of truth to what you said. I’m not mad at you by any means, but I do need to be careful with how I talk to you. Showing kindness to you is a sure way to bring trouble. Jareb has been the most vocal in his opposition to the war and those who served. He’s the most powerful person around here now. I’m sorry, but I can’t afford that trouble. I got a family now,” he said, nodding to Myra and Zadok. “I have to think of their safety first.” He paused. “You know, some people have started going around warning others you might stop by just so they’d have a time to think of how to turn down your business.”
“Well, I’m glad to know that your reaction wasn’t because you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“C’mon Tyrus. Like you said, we were best friends growing up. Gods, I had a crush on your sister.”
That staggered me. “What? I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you say something? Ava would have-”
“-likely thought I was lying. Besides, I wasn’t about to confide in you about her. You were too much of the overprotective big brother.” He paused, finally taking a breath. “Where is Ava anyway? She didn’t. .”
I shook my head. “She chose not to return.”
He nodded. “I understand.” Finally, a small smile formed on Nason’s face. He came in and embraced me tightly. “It’s good to see you, Tyrus. The stories were that you died.”
“So, I heard.”
I embraced him back. It felt good to connect with an old friend, someone familiar from my past. It also felt good knowing that not everyone in town held an awful view of those in the military. They just simply did not have the guts to stand against the popular opinion and Jareb.
He pulled away, looking at the kids. “Apparently, you haven’t heard everything,” he said, walking away. He began digging in drawers. “Otherwise, you’d be gone by now.”
“Huh?”
“That thing you pulled with Jareb just reached town a couple minutes ago. If anyone was feeling sympathetic toward you, it’s going to be harder to show it with what you did to get your children back. Not that I can blame you. But you shouldn’t be here. The sheriff is at Jareb’s farm now talking to him about you stealing his servants.”
“I stole nothing. I paid him more than what was called for in the contracts.”
“But he claims you broke them early.”
“Details. I did what I had to do to get my children back.”