A Moonlight Escapade

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 23rd November 2017

Characters: R'fal
Description: Renfal and his father go on a late night escapade
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 2, day 6 of Turn 9

Night had fallen, and deep shadows fell across the courtyard from the barn
towards the small farm hold, growing and fading as clouds passed over the moons.
Since Thread was not due, the shutters were wide open in the hope of catching
cool breezes to stir the humid air. One by one, lights went out as glow baskets
were closed and the kitchen fire banked for the night. All was still, the only
sounds being the chirps and hums of insects and the soft rustling of small
animals...until a dark curly head peered out from a window at the back of the hold.

Seeing nothing moving, it drew back, then first one leg, then an arm and then
the rest of a slight figure emerged into the night. The boy reached back inside
for a bag, then ran softly across to the back of the ovine barn.

"Da?" he whispered.

The man who slid out of the dark interior of the barn was broader and taller,
but he shared with his son an identical wicked grin. "No one saw you?"

"Ma looked in, but I pretended to be asleep, and Kerril's been snoring for
hours." Renfal slung the bag over his shoulder, trying not to fidget in his
excitement. He'd not had a chance for a late night expedition with his father
for what felt like ages. It required a dry, moonlit night and ideally a restday
following so it wouldn't seem suspicious that they slept late and were drowsy
over morning chores. Ma had to be safely in bed, not up with the old aunties or
his younger brother, and Da had to be sober enough not to trip over his feet in
the dark.

So far, tonight, conditions were perfect.

With a last cautious glance back at the farmhold, which remained dark and still,
they set off down the track that led between the pastures and down to join the
long road which would eventually lead a traveller to Emerald Falls Hold. Renfal
had spent many idle hours as a child sitting on the fence and gazing down that
road, looking hopefully for the dust thrown up by a tithe wagon or, better yet,
a trader's caravan. His father had been all over the Hold as a young man, before
the Pass began. He'd even been to the Gather at Emerald Falls itself, and often
told stories about the fine Lords and Ladies he'd seen, and the stalls and the
dancing and the marks he'd won there betting on the races.

Renfal wondered if he would ever see such things himself. From what his elders
said, Thread would fall for Turns and Turns, until he was far too old for
adventuring. The furthest he'd ever been was to his uncle's farm for fostering,
which was less than a day's journey away.

"Da?" He kept his voice low, though they were now out of earshot of the hold,
and waited for his father's head to turn. "Do you think - now I'm sixteen, I
could travel with the tithe next time?"

"Hm?" Terren glanced at his son, clearly distracted by other thoughts. "Well,
maybe. We'll see what your mother says."

It was true - Renfal's mother did usually organise the tithe and select the
farmhands who were to accompany Terren with the goods. Perhaps he'd be on extra
good behaviour for the next few sevendays...starting tomorrow.

***

Knowing that he was somewhere he definitely wasn't supposed to be made Renfal
feel partly guilty, but mostly deliciously thrilled. His mother had told him and
his siblings in no uncertain terms not to go into their neighbour Galveden's
woods without asking - and that was just to play. Setting traps for wild
wherries probably hadn't even crossed her mind.

However, he was there with his Da - it couldn't be that bad. Could it?

The best part was that they'd have to go back within a night or two to check the
traps. Then his Da would trade the catch with one of the neighbouring holders -
maybe even the unsuspecting Galveden - and he might share the proceeds with
Renfal. The boy had a handful of small-denomination marks hidden in a bag under
his mattress. Not that there was anything to spend them on here, but the next
time traders came - and if he got to go with the tithe wagon, he'd have a chance
to use the marks even sooner. He'd like a pack of dragon poker cards with
pictures that didn't date from before he was born, or perhaps a pretty necklace
to give to Holder Lewin's eldest daughter. Maybe then she'd notice he existed...

Or perhaps his father would just trade their catch for spirits. Even so... He
watched as Terren reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a flask, took a
sip and breathed a contented sigh.

"Da...?" He put on his best pleading look.

The older man pretended to hesitate, then handed him the flask. "Go on then -
just a nip! Don't tell your mother."

Renfal took a cautious sip - the first time he'd tried his father's brew, he'd
choked on the harsh, burning liquor. The taste still made him wince, but its
warmth spread down his throat, giving him a pleasant, muzzy sensation. He'd have
liked another, but caught the older man's look and reluctantly handed back the
flask.

"We should head back soon, so we can catch a few hours' sleep before sunrise."
His father got up from his crouching position, rolling cramped shoulders, and
felt in his pocket. Renfal thought he caught a glimpse of a tattered scrap of
hide. "You just wait a minute here, son, while I take care of something. Don't
move from this spot, understand? I don't want you getting lost..." Before the
boy could respond, he'd picked up one of the bags and was gone.

Renfal blinked. What was that about? A call of nature? But he'd taken the bag,
and there was something left in it. Another wherry trap, perhaps, but then why
had his father told him to stay put? As if he'd get lost in Galveden's wood.
He'd been coming here to play hide-and-seek with his sisters and eat their
neighbour's fruit since he could walk. Their mother's prohibition had not been
without cause.

Taking care not to make a sound - he didn't want to get caught and miss out on
any future trips - he got to his feet and stole after his father.

To his surprise, after a few minutes of stealthy pursuit, the tree cover started
to grow thinner and the shadows grew sharper in the moonlight. They were at the
edge of the wood, by the side of the road but further along than where they'd
entered it, a fair distance beyond the turning for their farm. Renfal hung back,
spotting a man kneeling by a needlethorn bush. His back was to Renfal so the boy
couldn't quite see what he was doing. Gathering thorns? It seemed a strange
thing to do at this time of night, and his Da was no healer. Or... Was he digging?

As he watched, the man turned and reached behind him for the bag. He took
something out - Renfal still couldn't see what - and pushed it into the earth
under the bush. He thought he caught a muffled curse as a spine scratched
unprotected skin.

Was his father burying something precious, that he didn't want found? But if so,
why hadn't he picked a spot closer to the hold, and away from the road? He
wouldn't be able to get at it by day; anyone could come by and see him.

Confused and vaguely worried, Renfal backed away and retraced his steps. One
thing was certain - he'd have to get out here in the daytime and investigate. He
wouldn't take anything - but he had to know what his father was hiding that even
his son - and accomplice on illicit night-time hunting expeditions - couldn't
know about.

Last updated on the December 10th 2017

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A Moonlight Escapade