Boundora: The Beginning

ลำดับตอนที่ #2 : Homeland

James Collin – 23^rd March, 1034

Homeland

Megan woke me up in early, to a brisk, clear morning.  She waited at the dining table, nervously, she seemed.  Or angrily.

"I told you not to drink.  See what happens?"

I wiped my eyes clear, but things still seemed blurry.

"I'm not drunk, dear."

            She tightened her grip on the broom she was holding.  Or was she about to hit me with it?  I sat down, where soup was left cold in front of me.  I raised the spoon.

            "Looks just good.  You should go work in the Lord's kitchen."

            She only sniggered, before moving away to the unlit fireplace.  The morning was cold in many ways, but we were used to it.

            "Talking about the Lord.  Helen next door just came to tell the good news.  Our men are coming back from Poly."

            "And how does that relate to us?  All these political stuff."

            "James, it's not political.  And our friend Edmund is on his horse too."

            "We barely know that bloke.  And his son just robbed from the granary.  He deserves it."

            I heard nothing else.  A pause ran through quickly and chilled my courage.  I looked back at my soup and smelt it carefully.  It was a carrot smell, with herbs, perhaps.  I hated them.

            "Take young Jacky with you to-day, would you?  There's wood to get, or we'll be freezing to-night.  He can help you," said Megan, "I don't want him running around at home, yelling for a hug every two minutes."

            "Meg.  He's going on ten.  He doesn't yell for hugs," I said, looking out at the window, to see Jack running around the field with a long spear-like stick, "And he doesn't chop wood.  He's just going to slow me down."

            "You wouldn't know.  James, I'm carrying another baby now.  You wouldn't know how hard it is to be all over the house cleaning up all the mess you two make."

            "OK.  But just this morning."

            "Just this morning."

            I finished my breakfast, gave Megan a hug, as before I left the house.

            Jack waited for me in front of the house.  His blue eyes reflected in the sun.  He carried his long stick as if he was about to be off hunting.

            "Put that down, Jacky.  It'll do nothing more but slow us down.  We have work to do, lad."

            Jack dropped the stick.  His yellow hair glowed in the morning sun.  I ruffled his hair softly, walked ahead into where the forest was seen.  Trees, pines, big trunks.  Behind the purplish mountain reflected in sunlight.

            "Come, Jacky.  Daddy's got something to show you," I said.  Jack seemed exciting, only that we were taking a walk before hard work would pour on our backs.

             We stood far up the hill, on the dirt.  Down below on the plains the cows and sheep were just tiny little dots.  I looked at the castle.  Its great wall.  Then I turned around, in amazement, an army seemed moving stretched as far as the horizon would.

            In shock I realised Jacky had not seen it.  I called him down, carried him and ran down the hill.  I was fast I would slip, but it did not matter.

            Megan came out at the hovel's door, on the dirt to see me coming quickly at her.  "They're here," I said.

            "Who?  Who, James?  Who's here?"

            I didn't know.  But what I did know: something was happening.  Something.