SEVEN
(Wanted)

Rowen once again woke to tapping on the window above her head. Leland had returned from his second over-night journey to Dunhaim, and Rowen could see that Thoth had taken the time to respond to her letter. She bit her lip, her stomach flipping in anxiety of the words she might read from her old mentor.

Crossing the room to the door, a small piece of parchment caught her eye. She looked to see Blair’s familiar scrawl; Completing the chores in town – will be home before dusk.

With Leland inside, Rowen took the parchment from his leg and watched with a frown as he perched on the mantel of the fireplace rather than closer to her. Remembering that she had mentioned his odd behavior to Thoth, she turned her attention to the letter in her hands.

Blessings from home, Young Lady;

I, too, have noticed Leland’s odd behavior. Even here at home, he seems almost withdrawn. Never doubt what your instincts tell you, whether you’re inferring from the actions of people or animals. The latter are much more intelligent than most would realize.

As to why he’s behaving in such an odd manner…

The only thing I can reveal to you as fact is that, while you may have faith in your houseguest’s intentions, I believe our friend’s opinions may differ from yours. Perhaps his actions are a way of getting your attention – he may be on to something, Rowen, and it’s in your best interests that you play more attention to what he’s trying to tell you.

Now, let’s draw the attention towards the dreams you’ve told me about.

It’s somewhat difficult to interpret the dreams – the relationship between you and the person you interact with in the dreams in important. If it’s someone you know in life, it differs from the meaning of someone you don’t know at all. Based upon what you’ve told me, I’ve based the interpretations as though you don’t know this person at all.

The act of making love in a dream is more often than not related to affirming a close relationship with your lover. When one appears nude in a dream, it often means they’re unprepared – perhaps you’re unsure of how to go about handling your new charge? Whenever one has an argument in their dreams, it often means they have a battle going on within themselves – think of it as trying to make up for things left unsaid in the past.

I hope I’ve been of help to you, and remember to keep an eye on Leland.

Blessed be, Young Lady.

Rowen put the letter down and watched Leland carefully. The bird seemed to be looking at her from the corner of his eye, as if weary that whatever Thoth had written might have angered her. On the contrary, Rowen felt a bit relieved at the insight Thoth had given her.

We did bring Alastair up that night, Rowen mused to herself, moving towards the icebox in the kitchen. And I have been wondering what I would say to Alastair should I ever see him again… It seems as though that is my problem.

She smiled as she leaned into the small chest, picking out two small pieces of ham for breakfast. She took a few small logs and put them in the fireplace, lighting a fire and placing a small metal plate over the flame.

“What are you trying to tell me, my dear little bird?”

Leland was looking at Rowen from his perch on the mantel, but offered nothing in the way of a response. He stood still when Rowen reached to scratch his head, and watched her with a blank stare when she frowned.

“I know you don’t like him,” She mumbled to him, pulling him into her arms whether he was angry with her or not. “I’m not so sure of him myself. However, we can’t just leave him to himself while he’s in this condition. As soon as he’s able to fend for himself, we’ll send him on his way.”

The expression in the bird’s eyes finally changed. He stared at her rather incredulously. It’s when he leaves that worries me, he seemed to be telling her, and it caused Rowen to sigh as she placed the ham over the fire.

“I can’t be sure that he won’t tell anyone where I am,” She confessed, “And it worries me a bit, as well. He doesn’t know my true name, though, and I doubt anyone but the ruler of Sizmon knows what I look like.”

Leland’s wings lifted and lowered, as though he were shrugging. Rowen sighed and smoothed his feathers, watching as the ham cooked.

“I suppose we haven’t any choice in the matter except to see what the Powers have waiting for us,” She mumbled, more to herself than to Leland. “Well, with that decided, I suppose we’d better take our patient his breakfast.”

Leland climbed onto her shoulder, and Rowen smiled slightly, glad that his odd behavior had worn off. She went to the kitchen and took two plates, along with utensils, from a cabinet on the wall. She picked the ham up with the forks, and, with Leland on her shoulder, she climbed the ladder with the two plates.

When she first reached the landing, she almost dropped the plates; Gareth wasn’t lying on the bed. A flash of motion in her peripheral vision caused her to turn her head, and she saw Gareth standing with his back to the room, staring out of the window.

“You’re moving around.”

Gareth turned with a smile towards Rowen, opening his arms as if emphasizing her statement. Rowen smiled in return, and moved towards the bed, sitting against the footboard and holding out one of the plates. Gareth crossed the room to the bed while Leland perched on the footboard behind her.

“I don’t remember the last time I had fresh meat,” Gareth sighed in awe, taking his plate from Rowen.

“It isn’t really fresh,” She admitted, cutting into her own food. “It’s been frozen for a couple of days.”

“What’s that matter?” He asked before shoving a large piece of meat into his mouth. “It’s better than salted pork for every meal.”

Rowen nodded thoughtfully, but said nothing. She watched in amusement while Gareth finished his food in four bites. He leaned his head back against the headboard and sighed with satisfaction, smiling at Rowen as she finished her own food.

“I assume you were hungry,” She observed with a smile.

“Ravenous,” He replied, and then added, “For real meat.”

Rowen laughed, and then looked outside; the leaves were just beginning to turn colors. She looked back at Gareth, who was also looking outside. Their eyes met and she smiled, tilting her head towards the window.

“Do you feel strong enough to walk outside with me?”

Gareth nearly jumped off of the bed again, but he seemed as though he knew his body couldn’t handle that sort of exertion just yet. He stood straight, placing a hand on the headboard and extending the other towards the ladder.

“After you, m’lady.”

Rowen nodded her head once, smiling as she held her arm out for Leland. The hawk climbed onto her shoulder, and she winced as talons she normally didn’t feel stuck into her skin.

“You must be getting clumsy in your old age,” She muttered to the hawk, who rewarded her with a sharp pull of her hair.

“You talk to him as though he understands you,” Gareth mused, following Rowen towards the ladder.

“I think he does, most of the time,” Rowen smiled, remembering what Thoth said in his letter. “Animals are much more intelligent than most humans believe them to be.”

If Gareth made some gesture of response, Rowen didn’t see it before she climbed down the ladder. Instead of waiting for Gareth, she found a quill and an inkwell, scribbling her own whereabouts on the bottom of Blair’s note, incase the older woman should return to an empty home.

“Where shall we travel today, my friend?”

Rowen looked over her shoulder to see Gareth leaning against the doorway, his arm holding the door open. She shrugged coyly and ducked under his arm, feeling Leland fly out of the house and land on her shoulder. He pulled at her ear gently, letting a soft noise leave his beak.

“Everything will be alright,” She promised him quietly. “We won’t go far from the house.”

Leland settled himself on his perch, seeming satisfied with her promise. She slowed her pace, allowing Gareth to catch up to her without overexerting himself.

“Where did you find me?”

Rowen felt an eyebrow rise, and she pointed ahead and to the left.

“Not too far ahead, over on that side of the path,” She replied. “You were lucky we found you at all, you were so far back in the brush.”

Gareth nodded thoughtfully, bending over to pick up a long stick lying on the ground. He moved it in practiced patterns in front of him, and Rowen was almost relieved to learn that he remembered something from his military life. Gareth caught her gaze, smirked, and turned to her.

“En garde.”

Leland’s wings lifted in defense, but Rowen reached a hand back to sooth him, and then laughed. She held up a hand, and shook her head.

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to fence,” She confessed sheepishly. “My father was strict in his belief that young ladies shouldn’t touch weapons.”

Gareth looked shocked, and shook his head in disbelief. He then looked around his feet, and when he saw a stick decent for his purposes, he picked it up and tossed it to her.

“Unlike your father, I believe young ladies should learn how to protect themselves,” He explained. “Come – I’ll teach you to fence.”

Rowen winced a bit when Leland’s talons gripped her shoulder a bit tighter, but she lifted him from her shoulder, and looked him in the eye with sincerity.

“They’re only sticks,” She muttered to the bird, and then raised her voice so that Gareth could hear. “Besides – I doubt an injured man will be much of a match for even an inexperienced girl.”

Gareth scoffed in defiance, but Leland’s tittering laugh reached Rowen’s ears before the hawk settled himself on a branch not too far overhead. Gareth drew a circle in the dirt with the tip of his stick, and stood on one side of it, pointing for Rowen to stand on the other.

“When I say ‘en garde’, it means ready yourself for an attack,” He explained. “You can attack, or parry an attack. Valid targets are the shoulders, the torso, the head, and the back – but let’s avoid the torso for today.”

Rowen smiled, and watched as Gareth moved one leg behind the other, placing his free hap on his hip. He signaled to Rowen to mirror his position, and he smiled.

“I’m going to attack you now,” He told her, “And you’re going to attempt to block it.”

“Seems simple enough,” Rowen mused, and Gareth laughed.

Gareth lunged forward, and Rowen had to step back to avoid being touched by his stick. She threw her arm out, smacking his stick away and losing her own in the process. Gareth stood straight and laughed.

“You can’t simply flail your arms about,” He laughed softly. “That will surely get you killed.”

For the next hour, Gareth stood beside Rowen, teaching her the correct footing for each move, how to avoid being stuck if she couldn’t parry the attack, and how to confuse her opponent enough so that they couldn’t read her moves. When he seemed satisfied enough with her structure, he took his position on the other side of the circle, and smiled.

“En garde.”

There was a moment to catch her breath before Gareth lunged at her again, but this time Rowen was prepared. She sidestepped and lifted her stick, knocking Gareth’s to the side. They carried on for a few acts, lunging and parrying and attacking again. Finally, Rowen’s stick was knocked from her hand, and Gareth prodded her stomach gently with the tip of his.

“Touché.”

Rowen smiled graciously, accepting her defeat with ease, and held out an arm for Leland, who landed and climbed to her shoulder. Gareth tossed his stick aside, and watched as Rowen lifted a hand to smooth the feathers on Leland’s back. He noticed how comfortable she seemed with the bird, and he felt his brow furrow.

“You don’t get the chance to be around a lot of people, do you?”

Rowen looked over at Gareth and shrugged the shoulder that didn’t serve as Leland’s perch.

“Why do you assume that?”

Gareth lifted a hand and motioned towards Leland.

“You seem more comfortable interacting with him than you do interacting with a human your own age.”

Rowen stared at him blankly. I don’t think I can explain without seeming suspicious that Leland and Blair are the only company I’ve had for two years, she frowned softly to herself. I suppose it’s best to not acknowledge his comment at all, then, isn’t it.

“It’s getting late,” She observed, turning away from Gareth to hide her blush. “Blair should be home soon. Let’s be there to greet her, shall we?”

--

It seems that the more time I spend with Gareth, the more I miss home. I suppose the simple explanation would be that he does remind me of Alastair, and of everything I miss from my life in Dunhaim. There’s something familiar in Gareth’s eyes - they couldn’t be the same – they don’t have the same… chilling effect that Alastair’s always had upon me. Perhaps I’m just looking for a reason as to why my mind keeps turning to my dear old friend.

Thoth believes that my dreams about Meadow are a reflection upon things left unsaid, and that I’m trying to affirm a close relationship. Perhaps I’ve been feeling guilty about the last words I said to him. Could it be that I’m trying to relieve the guilt by assuring myself that Alastair and I were as close as I believed us to be?

I can’t help but wonder what he thinks of me now – if he even thinks about me at all, that is.

Isn’t it strange, the things your mind dwells upon?

I’ve been praying to the Consorts much more in the recent days than I have in the past. I never know exactly what to ask for – at the manor, we were always taught to never be selfish. In one moment, I’d like to ask that Gareth never remembers where he comes from, and that he chooses to stay here – I wouldn’t mind at all if I were able to keep my new friend. As this is a very selfish prayer, I instead ask that the Lovers bless him with health, and that he’s able to get on his way soon.

This is also a selfish prayer, for I’m not sure how much longer I can keep up with this façade. Perhaps my isolation from humans has made me too trusting – there are times I feel as though I could tell Gareth the entire truth, and he wouldn’t betray me. However, it seems as though Leland knows my thoughts – whenever that certain one crosses my mind, he stares at me with those interesting eyes of his, and the thought is gone.

There is one prayer that I always offer to the Consorts – I thank them every moment I can that my dear friend is no longer acting as though I’m a stranger.

I believe I hear Blair nearing, and since our house guest has worn himself out, I must go greet her. Until next time.

Rowen closed the small book just as Blair walked into the small house. Instead of acknowledging Rowen’s presence, she moved immediately to the kitchen, setting her parcels on the counter. She began sorting through them, placing whatever meat she needed into the icebox, and setting aside items to be taken to her room.

Leland, who was sitting on the arm of the couch beside Rowen, cocked his head in curiosity. Rowen frowned softly and scratched his head before standing and making her way into the kitchen.

“Do you need any help?”

Blair jumped as though something had spooked her, and she turned to Rowen with a blank expression. The younger woman frowned, and even Leland seemed concerned; he settled on the counter, and pulled at the sleeve of Blair’s blouse. The Elder smiled, but it was laced with mourning.

“Oh, dear Blair,” Rowen frowned. “I’m sorry for Malone’s death, as well.”

Blair shook her head, and then looked around the small room. Her eyes traveled towards the loft, and then back to Rowen.

“Is he asleep?”

Rowen nodded, and gathered Leland into her arms.

“I’ve some grave news for you, Young Lady.”

Rowen frowned. There’s more despair? I don’t believe I can take anymore bad news from home.

“What is it?” She placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Did something happen to Thoth?”

“No, darling, it isn’t Thoth.” Rowen sighed with relief, but Blair’s voice set her on edge again. “It’s that man upstairs.”

“Gareth?” Rowen frowned. “He just fell asleep – he’s fine, really.”

“Rowen,” Blair frowned, and her voice was stern. “Rowen, dear… Gareth’s a wanted man.”

Rowen’s hand dropped from Blair’s shoulder, and Leland pulled on a strand of the girl’s hair.

My Gareth? Rowen’s eyes flashed towards the loft. My Gareth is a wanted man?

“What… what has he done?” She asked softly, moving towards the ladder to the loft. “He couldn’t have done anything – he’s been here. They must have the wrong man.”

“I don’t believe it’s something he’s done while he’s been in our house,” Blair offered in a way of consolation. “I know that you wanted this man to be good-hearted, dear, and I wanted to believe in him with you.”

Rowen frowned softly and looked up the ladder, but there was no sign of Gareth being awake. She pressed her free hand against the bridge of her nose, and moved to sit on the couch. Leland made a soft noise and settled on her knees, looking at her with a concerned look in his eyes.

“What do we do now?”

Blair sighed and put the parcel in her hands on the counter.

“There are men in town waiting to take him back to his home,” She responded, not meeting Rowen’s gaze. “I saw the warning posted in the market, and I told them I knew where to find him.”

Rowen started so badly that Leland’s flew from her knees.

“You told them where to find him?” Rowen had to control her voice before she started to yell. “You told them where to find us?”

Blair waved a hand.

“I told them to wait in town, and I’d send him on his way tomorrow morning.”

Rowen frowned, but nodded. She stood without another word and walked up the ladder, wondering how to confront Gareth about him being a wanted man. She couldn’t wrap her mind around the man in her room doing anything to warrant a reward on his head. She took a deep breath when she reached the landing, and looked towards the bed, but –

“Oh,” She started as Gareth turned. “You’re awake.”

The man nodded, and looked over the railing towards the living room.

“The shouting downstairs from one certain young lady woke me.”

Rowen hung her head, a sheepish and sad smile painting her mouth.

“I suppose you heard everything then?”

She looked up and saw Gareth nodding. He didn’t meet her eyes, and she didn’t have the heart to ask him what his crime was. Instead, she stood still while the man crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.

“Forgive me,” He whispered to her, his voice heavy with emotion. “Forgive me for not being honest with you from the start.”

“We all have secrets,” She replied, lifting her arms to wrap around his body. “Perhaps one day I’ll be able to tell you mine.”

Gareth pulled back, and looked at Leland who flew upstairs. He turned back to Rowen, smiled softly, and pressed a finger against her nose.

“Your secret,” He began softly, “Is safe with me, Rowen Odin.”