The wall is finished. Troops, be they
guards or soldiers, are undergoing vicious training. Backup leadership is in
place if it's needed. Pubton's not as ready as it should be - its head
carpenter isn't here, and a big chunk of the workforce is elsewhere - but it's
as ready as it's going to be. Let the Non come, if they're going to come.
My job in Pubton is finished, I guess. I
have business elsewhere. Business I've been putting off for too long.
After finishing my rounds of the town -
gods, Pubton is so BIG! - I went home and fetched Eve. I asked Julius to give
us a bit of privacy (he's been on or around me constantly since he helped save
me), and though he remained in sight of us, the little spider silently agreed to
let Eve and I have a moment alone.
We had a picnic.
I've picnicked with Eve before. Once, long
ago, when I was still living back at the old castle. Logan, bless his crazy
little heart, was trying to bring Eve and I closer together. He seemed to understand
her better than most, and he thought it fit that her father understand her,
too.
As I recall, Eve departed the picnic by
leaping off of the walls of the castle and murdering a mammoth. I think that's
what happened, anyway. It was a crazy time.
This picnic was not so mad. Eve is much
better behaved these days, having spent a lot of time reading under Robert's
tutelage and learning to play the lute with Ed. She's become quite proficient
in the latter - Edmund says she's almost better than he is, after only a few
weeks of progress. She's a whiz like her mother, she is.
We sat down under the golden tree to have
our picnic. I laid out a blanket and some cut meat and veggies in baskets while
Eve stared at the tree, running her hands along the bark.
"It's big," she commented
quietly.
"It is," I agreed, plopping down
onto the blanket and inviting Eve to do the same. "I swear it's bigger 'n
when June planted it. Did I ever tell you 'bout that, kiddo? The first day we
were here?"
"Yes."
"Ah. Well. Won't bother ya with it
again. Was a… weird day, thinkin' back. Was all wilderness. Only thing up… was
this tree."
I shoved a carrot in my mouth and chewed.
"Yeah. Weird day."
We ate. Eve is not nearly as voracious as
before, and her portions are far smaller. She's also no longer strictly a
meat-eater, and will happily scarf down salads. I'm glad of it. Meat and only
meat ain't good for the tummy, my mom used to say. The poop doesn't come out
right.
"You're going away?" Eve asked
after finishing a cucumber-and-turnip sandwich.
A little taken aback, I nodded. "Uh.
Yeah. Just for a bit, though."
"Where?"
I pointed over the wall, over the trees,
over the plains. The peak of a lumpy mountain loomed behind a cluster of
clouds.
"Oh." Eve touched the tree again.
"Mommy?"
"Yeah. Mommy."
"And… brother?"
"… yeah. I guess so. Him too."
She scooted in close, resting her head on
my shoulder. "Can I come?"
"No, it's too dangerous. Bora'll look
after you."
"Bora…"
I hugged my daughter. "It's gonna be
okay. Somebody there can help me find them. I don't think she'll hurt me."
"…"
"I'll be okay." I smiled,
brushing the hair out of Eve's eyes. "You're the only one allowed to kill
me, kiddo. Anybody else is just wastin' their time."
That would've sounded horrifying to any
other family, but I think Eve's had her fill of murdering me for one life. She
smiled, leaned in, kissed me on the cheek, and napped on my shoulder.
Gods. The golden tree, it's grown so large.
Sincerely,
Dragomir the Co-Mayor
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