Unexpected Encounters

"Lying? I... uh... what... do you mean?" Charlie tried to deflect but it was painfully obvious that he was hiding something.

He was squirming like a mouse had crawled into his pants and decided to go for a climb.

'How much does she know?' He asked himself. 'She can't know George is dead already, it's impossible!" Thoughts churned in Charlie's head and the only plan he could come up with on the spot was to play as dumb as possible.

Mayor Slocum tapped her heel on the cobblestone path and looked down at Charlie disapprovingly. "I don't understand why you insisted on keeping such a thing to yourself. You may think you're being a good friend but in the long run it's always better to own up to one's mistakes. To face them head on and become a better person for it."

"Uh...?" Charlie didn't know how to respond, the conversation was going in a direction he had not expected. 'I'm being a good friend? To Rebecca? What is she talking about?'

The mayor's face lost a bit of it's edge and she patted Charlie on the shoulder. "I appreciate you trying to shield my son, but Peter already told me everything. Since you are the victim I will take your wishes into account and not publicise his wrongdoing, but rest assured he will make amends. Starting by seeing you through your recovery."

Charlie put two and two together and was beginning to see the light. "Peter... that's right... he told you about how I hit my head yesterday!" Charlie felt a wave of relief that this was all she'd been referring to.

"Exactly." She stood and started to walk again, clearly expecting Charlie to follow. "I could tell that fool son of mine had something on his mind this morning. Then when you went missing he totally lost his composure and admitted everything." The imposing woman scoffed at the memory of her worried son.

Charlie followed along and listened as they left the side street and walked into the village's central square. They made their way around the edge of the square's centerpiece; a fountain that had broken during the cold months and was still not running.

Charlie didn't know how to feel about this new information. His grudge with Peter seemed so childish after what happened in the forest but years of being at odds in the nursery and then the schoolhouse made it difficult to view Peter's admission in a positive light. 'Did he come clean because he thought one of the other kids would tell and he might as well get it over with?' Charlie wondered suspiciously.

Mayor Slocum rounded a bend and turned down the widest lane off the town square, Charlie at her heels. The square and other streets were in varying states of disrepair after the harsh winter but this lane was the clear exception. Even cobblestones lined the way hemmed in by a perfectly manicured hedge. No stray rubbish or debris was in sight.

It was an orderly road for an orderly person and the mayor walked down it like she owned the place, which in a sense, she did. This lane only led to one location, Mayor Slocum's ancestral home. Her great-grandfather (who had also been mayor) had originally built the sprawling estate and every subsequent generation added something of their own. In Penelope Slocum's case it was the garden. Once unruly and overgrown, the plant life was now cultivated with care. She'd brought in a landscaping expert from Border Town to permanently manage the upkeep.

Her favorite addition to the garden by far was the hedge maze, she'd insisted on it being included and designed the evey turn and dead end herself. Each morning before work she'd take a hot cup of tea and make it to the center and back before it cooled off.

Charlie had never had any reason to visit what was known in the village as the mayor's manor (mayor was of course an elected position but the vote every five years was nothing but a formality, it wouldn't be Clearspring Village without a Slocum as mayor). If he wasn't too tired to care, entering through an ornate gate complete with well dressed manservant, might have left him feeling out of place.

Another manservant waited at the front door but before they entered the mayor stopped to speak to Charlie. "You'll be my guest for the week and will be treated with every courtesy. Ask Peter or any of the staff if you have any requests. My son did an inexcusable thing when he lashed out at you and it is only right that my family facilitate your recovery."

Charlie had trouble keeping his eyes open but tried his best to give such solumn words a serious response. He knew at this point there was no talking his way out of staying at the mayor's.

"Thank you, I really do appreciate it." He meant what he said. The verdict was out on Peter and the mayor did terrify him, but he was in awe of her rigid sense of duty and touched by her concern

She nodded, satisfied by the conclusion to their conversation. "If you'll excuse me I need to return to my other guests. Henry there..." She pointed to the manservant at the door. "...will take you to your rooms and Peter will be over shortly."

Charlie stifled a yawn and nodded as the mayor began making her way along a path that presumably led to some other entrance into the house.

Before she walked far two people rounded the corner of the house, coming in their direction.

The first of these two men commanded attention. It was Commander Lawrence, dressed in leather armor and looking as gloomy as ever.

Charlie had never seen the Commander but he was so striking that he didn't see the other man before they had made it very close.

Charlie instantly recognized the telltale forest green armor and felt a tremor go through his whole body. 'Wyrms!' He shouted in his head.

"Commander and Sir Thomas, I hope you aren't leaving because I've been a neglectful host? You're more than welcome to stay the night." The mayor offered, sounding genuinely disappointed to see them go.

"Not at all." Lawrence replied. "Our dinner was delightful but for people like ourselves, duty must come before pleasure. As such, I must head back to my troop. I hope everything turned out for the best but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't." Lawrence looked up with a frown as if they sky would fall at any moment.

The mayor pushed her glasses up. "It was a close thing but our lost children made it out of the woods safely." She pointed out Charlie to the pair. "Charlie has had quite an ordeal so he'll be resting here at the manor."

'Immortals no!' Charlie thought, 'do not bring me into this conversation!'

Thomas gave Charlie a look of friendly concern from behind Lawrence who stepped forward and offered his hand.

Charlie took the hand and Lawrence shook politely. Charlie pinched his own thigh with his free hand to try to stay calm. He dearly hoped that Lawrence couldn't hear how fast his poor heart was beating.

"I wish you a speedy recovery young man. Danger should not befall someone as young as yourself but the world is cruel and uncaring." Lawrence said with a frown.

Charlie wasn't sure what to make of such grim well wishing. "...thank you sir." He managed to reply.

Mayor Slocum placed her hand on Charlie's shoulder and spoke to Lawrence. "Charlie should head to bed. I'll see you both out."

Charlie wanted to kiss Mayor Slocum for giving him an out. Well... he didn't really... but he was grateful!

"Nice meeting you." Charlie said and proceeded to the front door without turning back.

Lawrence watched Charlie for a moment as he walked off, the frown on his face as inscrutable as always.

...

A short while later on main road leaving Clearspring Village. Thomas held a bright torch that illuminated the dirt road leading back to the Wrym's camp. Despite the inherent dangers of riding at night they spurred their horses on at a much faster pace than when they arrived that afternoon.

"Why the rush, commander?" Thomas broke the relative silence to ask. "I thought we were planning on staying the night."

"Did that boy we just met seem strange to you Thomas?" The commander responded with a question of his own.

"Strange? He looked pretty bruised and put of sorts but I can't say he was strange." Thomas gave his honest opinion.

Lawrence's frown deepened. "Out of sorts? He practically jumped out of his skin when he first saw us. No... first saw you. Have you ever met the boy before?"

Lawrence shook his head. "No sir, this is my first Clearwater Village assignment and as you know tonight was my first visit to the village proper."

The rythmic cadence of galloping horses echoed in the night while Thomas waited patiently for Lawrence to continue.

It didn't take long. "The boy also had a distinct cut on his left cheek. All my years of training would be in vain if I couldn't recognize a knife wound." Lawrence took another pause.

"A child who was terrified seeing you but not me, had a knife wound on his cheek, and who was lost in the woods all afternoon...Yah!!" Lawrence yelled and his horse took off down the path. Thomas hurried his steed to keep up.

"THOMAS!" Lawrence shouted.

"YES SIR!" Thomas didn't hesitate to respond as he held his reigns right.

"When we return to camp send an order to have those wretched excuses for mercenaries return immediately! If I find that any Wyrm under my command attacked a villager and a child no less... they'll beg for death by the time I'm done with them." Thomas couldn't see the commander's face and his tone was as calm and cold as always but Thomas had spent enough time with the man to know he was absolutely furious.

...

Charlie was lying down in the largest and softest bed he'd ever slept in. Henry had just led him to his quarters and Charlie was so tired and disoriented from his meeting with the mercenaries that he wouldn't be able to retrace his steps through the sprawling mansion if he tried.

When he'd entered, the room was lit by the soft light of a single lantern on the bedside table. Charlie hadn't spent anytime examining the luxurious room before flopping into the bed with a soft impact.

When he opened his eyes Charlie was surprised to find that the room was totally dark. He looked around, Henry was nowhere in sight. Charlie felt bad he hadn't thanked him.

It had been a day that felt more like a year and all the ups and downs Charlie had experienced in the last couple hours had taken absolutely everything out of him.

He couldn't think... didn't want to think... or worry... anymore. Charlie closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

"Big Bro..." Charlie whispered unconsciously just as he drifted off.

A moment passed before a breath of wind appeared in the still room and tousled the sleeping boy's hair.

"Boo... Hahahahaha." Said a phantom voice, carried on the breeze.