It was a quiet in the wilderness of Olenia. The sky of early morning began to reclaim of the sky as the wind’s relentless howl finally started to fade. In a clearing sat a wooden tavern with a changeling truck and officer vehicle from the local garrison sitting out front. Overlooking this scene laid two Olenians with rifles trained and eyes searching for their target. Their skis set nearby for a quick escape.
“So I never did ask the Big Doe. How do you know he will be here?” Jalo asked.
“There is nothing for miles except this tavern and Heina itself. Trust me. Heina is boring as snowfall.” Vindar explained.
“You know this place well Vinny?” Jalo asked.
“ I was raised here.” Vindar said.
“You were raised here? Really?” Jalo asked.
“Yes why?” Vindar asked.
“Oh well…I assumed you were from Manty Creek. You know since we found you over that way.” Said Jalo.
“No. Sorry to disappoint but it is Heina’s primary export.” Vindar joked.
“Oh it is not that bad…it has…rustic charm.” Jalo sputtered out.
“You clearly haven’t met the locals.” Vindar muttered
Jalo laughed, Vindar didn’t.
“So Vinny? Why did we leave.” Jalo asked.
“Same reason were here.” Vindar said.
The silence lasted till the morning's light cut thru the trees. As the melting the previous night snowfall began Jalo wondered how he got himself into these kinds of situations. Jalo had a nasty habit of collecting the stories of his fellow resistance member. Most of the time this made him fun around the campfire when the heroes in his stories were off elsewhere. However, on more than one occasion it had gotten him into trouble with the various protagonists of his embellished tales, or said heroes never returned but most often they simply refused to speak to the load mouthed deer. However on rare occasion Jalo received a tale he realized was not worthy of the bonfire nor good company and his natural curiosity refused to let him drop a subject.
“So …who-“ Jalo asked.
“My mother. She was supporting us after Father died in the bombings. He worked away in Vaverfront.” Vindar cut him off.
“Ah…so she…?“ Jalo asked.
“Yes. Here.” Vindar spat.
“You sound angry Vinny.” Jalo said.
“I am only angry at three people Jalo.” Vindar answered.
“Oh…I’m not one of them am I?” Jalo joked.
For the first time since they received their orders and left camp Vindar looked up from his rifle to smile Jalo.
“No you silly skald.” Vindar returned his sights to the tavern.
“So…let me guess Vinny…one of the three is our target?” Asked Jalo.
The smile melted from Vindar’s face. Returning to the usual frown.
“Yes, Jalo and don’t worry. He never changed. So he is here. We aren’t freezing for nothing.” Said Vindar.
“What a comforting thought. So…how did it happen Vindar?” asked Jalo
“I told you father died in the bombings of Vaverfront.” Said Vindar
“No Vinny…how did she go?” He asked.
“Love extraction” Vindar answered.
Jalo tilted his head befuddled.
“Love extraction doesn’t kill people Vindar.” Jalo said.
“No it doesn’t. But it can leaves the drained weak and near powerless. More so than people realize. Even to the point body cannot defend itself.” Vindar explained.
“Sickness huh. Was there anything the doctors could do?” Jalo asked.
“They weren’t very keen on helping the son of a collaborator to save said collaborator. I don’t damn them for it. They had reputations to uphold.” Vindar said.
Jalo felt the note of bitterness within Vinny’s acknowledgement. He wasn’t sure himself what he would have done in the doctor’s hooves. He thought about stifling the question on his mind…
“So…did you try to get the changeling's help? Surely they had a doctor or a medic with them.” Jalo asked.
Vindar let out a big sigh and expelled a breath of steam into the harsh morning air.
“I tried. What son would sit there when your mother dies before you? I tired but the circumstances of the situation had changed.” Vindar said.
“Oh? How so?” Jalo pushed.
“ Partisan’s were raiding the roads more frequently back then. Medical shipments were not exempt from targeting.” Vindar said.
Jalo’s heart skipped a beat and he stiffened. A pang of guilt built in his throat as he remembered leading one of the many roadside raids long ago. It was a personal favorite story he loved to tell at the campfire. His sole moment of command. How often had Vindar listened to him?
“Besides, medicine distribution required officer approval.” Vindar said.
“I thought her and the officer were…on good terms…” Jalo asked
“Perhaps. I never pried into exactly how far the arrangement went. But an officer can’t exactly send out treatment to some dying deer with medical units when the conquering leader’s wife is in town.” Vindar said. “I think she was one of those civilian administration types back in the hivelands.”
“Scandalous, Vinny.” Jalo was reminded of pre-war romance rags next to the daily newspapers. “ So who are the other two people your upset with? Are they nearby? We could pay them a visit?”
“They are me and her.” Vindar said.
Jalo looked away from the tavern, tapped his rifle a few times, sighed and then looked over at Vinny with a expression of a man who felt like he had heard this story before but told better.
“Really?” He asked.
“I’m angry at her for doing it and myself for not stopping her.” Vindar said.
“That’s it.” Said Jalo.
“About the size of it.” Vindar said.
“You can’t blame her for trying to carry your family thru this Vinny.” Jalo reasoned.
“No.” Vindar admitted. “But I can blame her for not realizing it was destroying her. For not realizing that every day her stride slowed. Her cough worsened. Her eyes dulled. That her just sitting there ready to cough up more blood was not normal…and I didn’t say anything…and she’s gone now.”
Jalo let the silence that followed stand. Eventually Jalo’s need to know overwhelmed his better judgment.
“And yourself ?” He asked.
“Do…you remember when you all found me.” Vindar asked.
“Starved and frostbitten.” Jalo said.
“I learned I was too stubborn to just die…” Vindar said.
Jalo couldn’t help but smile.
“Now that I believe.” Jalo said
A sudden tenseness rippled thru Vindar.
“Movement in the building. The Windows.” Vindar said.
Suddenly a commotion was heard as changeling woke from their stupor and began to move about inside the building. A sole changeling exited from the side door and began to check on the command vehicle.
“There’s his driver. You take the front door. I’ll watch the side door.” Jalo said.
The two sat watching as the squad got work making preparations to leave. Some laughed, others grumbled, another talked with the driver, and most importantly orders came from inside the building.
“Jalo?”Said Vindar.
“What Vinny?” asked Jalo.
“This stays between us. Not sure how the others or the Big Doe would take me being a…you know .” Said Vindar.
“Sounds fair.” Said Jalo.
The tavern’s front door swung open…
Author's Note
Author's Notes : Thank you first off for reading this and I hoped you enjoyed it.
I don't write often but I decided to try my hand at it again after a lapse and recent events in my life make this story a bit more personal than I'd like. If you have any critisims be sure to leave them and I will remember to read them and scream at my computer screen for an hour as I try to reconcile myself with them !
Again thank you and have a nice day.