Fantasy Tales From Distant Lands

[Wendigo_]

If one were to be honest, there was nothing quite special about humanity. The race's collective actions and capabilities were what a rational observer could only describe as primitive. Emotionally charged. Severely limited. Maddeningly predictable. It was therefore seen by the remainder of the world's inhabitants that their domination over humanity was simply the natural course of things. This unanimously held view bestowed an apathy in regards to humanity amongst the other races. Unbeknownst to the likes of simple country folk, an international tension was building. Rumors of imminent war rolled off the tongues of generals and traders like the wheels of a hearse, carrying the fate of an entire people within it. But for the time being the world was, relatively speaking, in a state of peace. There was no place more peaceful than that of a small village in the Human Empire named Haven in which, coincidentally enough, is where our story begins.

The expansive and pervasive sea of green fields was interrupted only by a negligible spot of dusty brown and khaki. The breeze that was pure bliss on Elias's skin stirred great waves of motion within the field in which he laid while islands of cotton white drifted leisurely in the rich blue sky above. The sounds of work and life could be heard a little ways away: the dragging of a plow, casual conversations of farmhands, and the noises of grazing cattle managed to find the ears of distant listeners. The young boy could not help but find it amusing that the very tasks he was shirking served as the ambient noise to his extended siesta. In this place, he was free to ponder whatever came across his mind. It was not uncommon for him to lose track of time and place, becoming lost in his own imagination. Common dreams of his involved himself in sitting in school or wandering the streets of the legendary capital city, the sort of things the occasional traveler discussed but he himself had never experienced firsthand.

Elias was stirred from his contemplations only by a stray thought that captured the entirety of his attention. "The book", he remembered aloud. The boy shifted to his side, withdrawing from his pocket a small leather-bound book. He had found it years ago hidden away in the property owner's trunk. Whether he ought to have been sifting through his caretaker's possessions or not was besides the point, what mattered was that it became the subject of most of his curiosities for a good deal of time to come. Being where they were in the world, Elias and those on the farm had never been taught how to read. He sat there for some time, attempting to decipher the words that communicated no more to him than the lines engraved within the bark of a tree.
​

Equusheart

​

 

[Equusheart]

The tiny bundle of legs wiggled about in Hava’s arms as she ran a cloth over the lamb’s coat. Even though it was only a few hours old, the little thing was feisty and seemed to have the strength of a lamb maybe twice it’s age. That was good though. It was a sign that the lamb was strong and healthy.

“Oh, hold still you little devil,” Hava said as she adjusted the lamb in her arms. It gave a bleat of protest as she continued to dry off the lamb. When she was satisfied Hava set the lamb on its feet and gave it a gentle nudge towards its dam. “There you are, go on now.”

The little gave another soft bleat before toddling off to join its mother and sibling. Hava smiled and placed her hands on her hips as she watched the trio. Twins. One of her ewes had given birth to twins putting her at five lambs so far this season with only one ewe left to drop her lamb. Hava closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun, sending a silent prayer of thanks to whatever deity was listening to her. Maybe that gamble she had made in buying that ram would pay off after all. Though there was still quite a while yet before she could take the lambs to market. She just hope they would be able to make it until then.

She bent over to retrieve her shawl that she had discarded before turning to walk towards the gate to the small pasture where she had kept her flock until they finished having their lambs. She would have move them to the big pasture soon. As she opened the wooden gate she gave a whistle.

“Come along, Pip,” she called out. A shaggy brown and white collie jumped up from he had been laying and trotted after her. Hava shut the gate behind them and made sure it was latched before making her way down the lane. What was she to do with the rest of the day, she thought to herself as she walked. Perhaps she could take a bucket down to the beach and see if she could dig up some clams and mussels for supper. Maybe she could even dip her feet in the water while she was there. She smiled and softly began to hum as she went.

 

[Wendigo_]

Naturally, with Elias's impatient demeanor, he grew helplessly frustrated in his examination of the coarse pages. The boy lurched upright while simultaneously clapping the book closed. It must have been at least an hour since he slipped away from the other workers, so it would not be long before angry shouts from Old Man Kormak shattered the delicate ambience. "Let him be mad," Elias thought to himself as he got up, wandering farther from the farm and deeper into the pasture, "The world will still go on if the hay is not bailed for now." He did not know precisely where he was wondering off to, but that was a minor detail in the face of a few more moments of freedom. Gradually, the sounds of labor were replaced by those of grazing animals.

Elias picked at the thick blades of grass as he walked along, fixing them between his hands and blowing into them. The boy couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the seemingly annoyed expressions that the sheep trodding off in the distance displayed in response to his whistle. "Hopefully," he said with a sarcastic grin to one particularly close and unfazed sheep, "you will pardon the intrusion." Elias reveled in this simple and seemingly mundane venture from his home, taking in the world he so often felt deprived of. He had no way of knowing at the time that a simple glance in the other direction would end up becoming such a resounding memory.

He had heard her voice before he had seen her. The hum of a gentle tune was ferried by the wind so that it could be heard while the rays of the afternoon sun danced on the curls of her dark hair. He felt as if he had caught sight of something terribly rare. An eclipse of some sort. She led her small entourage with a certain grace, one which he lacked the words to properly describe at the time.

The best way to describe the boy's thoughts would be to say he was intrigued. New faces typically conveyed this sentiment to him, but not quite to this degree. For the moment, he could only find himself capable of looking on, hoping he did not disturb her work with his whistling.​

 

[Equusheart]

Hava continued to softly hum her tune as she walked down the lane. Yes, she thought. A trip to the shore would be nice. She'd stop by the house, grab a bucket and spade, and then make her way to the sandy beach. She closed her eyes and took in a breath. She could already smell the sea.

A whistling coming from a short distance away made Pippin stop and raise his head. His brown ears perked forward and his nose twitched as he smelled the air, trying to find the source of the whistle. It wasn't his mistress that had whistled, but someone else.

When he saw the boy he let out a couple sharp barks. Hava's humming stop as she paused and turned to the collie.

“What is it, Pip?” she asked. Her eyes lifted to scan for what Pippin had been barking at. When her gaze landed on the boy she paused in surprise as her smile dropped.

“Oh,” she said with a slight gasp. “Hello there.” Her smile then returned to her face as she greeted the boy.

 

[Wendigo_]

Elias's trance was broken abruptly by the barking of the shepherdess's hound. As he could sense the surprise in the girl's reaction, a hint of some unnecessary guilt tugged at his gut. Fortunately, he was put back at ease by the return of her smile and her pleasant greeting. Unencumbered by his own internal quandaries, Elias forced himself back into his livened state.

"Hello!" he called out to her in his uniquely friendly tone, closing some of the remaining distance between them with a skipping sort of run. "Sorry, it wasn't my intention to startle you," he said as he forced himself to a halt in front of the unfamiliar shepherdess. Elias kept a wary eye on the hound at her side, hopeful that he would accept the sudden intrusion of a stranger. Although he was confident in his speed, something told him the dog would have no difficulties catching him if it chose to.

Although he tried as he may, he could not recognize the face before him. "I think this is the first time we've met. My name is Elias." The boy extended his hand to her as the corners of his mouth rose to form a smile that matched her own.​

 

[Equusheart]

“That is quite alright,” Hava said as the boy approached her. “I simply wasn't expecting to see anybody else here today.” The collie at her side eyed the stranger warily and gave a soft warning growl. Hava glanced down at the dog and made a sharp gesture with her hand.

“Pippin, that'll do!” she scolded. “It's alright, he's a friend.” Pippin glanced up at her with a soft whine, but nonetheless let off his growling. He laid down still keeping a close eye on Elias. Hava turned back to the boy with an apologetic smile.

“My name is Havilah,” she said reaching out to take his hand. “But you can call me Hava if you'd like.” As she looked over Elias trying to think if she'd seen him anywhere before, but couldn't place him. “Yes, I do believe this is the first time we've met. Do you live nearby?”

 

[Wendigo_]

"Pleased to meet you, Hava," Elias said as he took her hand momentarily before crouching down to extend his own out to the collie; which was his best attempt at a demonstration of good faith, "and you as well, Pippin." He rose back up to his feet after a few moments, subsequently placing his hands on his hips and taking on a more relaxed posture.

"Yes actually, I live and work on the farm just over the other way," gesturing towards the north, which led away from the shores. "Old Man Kormak owns it, if you happen to know of him," he leaned in a slightly, whispering as if to hide his comments from imaginary eavesdroppers, "and if he's a stranger, keep it that way. He might just try to work you to death like he does the rest of us."

Elias, still grinning from such simple interactions, opted to turn the conversation towards her. "How about you? Are you settled in this area?" It was a fair question, seeing how she was evidently a shepherdess and the boy had never seen her before. Considering this, he managed to assuage his responsibility for possibly being unobservant.
​

 

[Equusheart]

“And I'm pleased to meet you as well Elias,” Hava said, her smile brightening. When he told her of his employer, Hava giggled. It was a light sound and it's cheerfulness seemed to match the light that shone in her sea colored eyes.

“I can say I do not know the man,” she said. “But I shall be careful not to cross paths with him.” Hava then turned and pointed down the lane ahead of them. “My Papa and I live in a cottage down that way a bit. We moved here…” Hava put a hand to her chin as she thought. “...about a year and a half ago, I think. Papa had a bit of an accident so we moved our flock here to help make things easier.”

 

[Wendigo_]

Havliah's smile was like the sun; its rays spread warmth across his skin and were reflected in his own eyes. Elias ran one of his hands through the side of his sand-colored hair, unintentionally fixing it in place behind his pointed ear. He listened to her as she spoke, but no chord of familiarity was struck by her words. He thought to himself that this, however, ought not to matter. The two of them were cut from the same ragged cloth that country folk wore, and so unfamiliarity would only be a momentary obstacle.

"You said your father had an accident," Elias mentioned as his brow raised with a hint curiosity, "Does that mean you manage your flock by yourself?" Ignorant as he was about the finer details of a shepherdess's duties, the boy could still tell that if such was the case, it was no small burden.

Realizing he had been impeding the shepherdess in her procession, Elias took a few steps up the path as he side glanced Havilah, cordially asking, "Do you mind if I accompany you?"​

 

[Equusheart]

At the movement of his hand, Hava caught sight of Elias’ ears. She felt interest and curiosity rise within her. Due to spending most of her life in the highlands with their flock, Hava had never seen an Angelian before. Though Elias didn't seem to have the full features of the race. Perhaps he only was partly Angelian.

Still, Hava remained silent to that fact. A soft smile tugging at her lips as she politely removed her gaze from his ears.

“The flock and everything else,” she said, answering his question. “Papa broke his leg trying to regather a bunch of sheep that had wandered off into a rocky part of the mountain. He can't really get around that easy anymore so I've taken over the care of everything.” When he asked to accompany her, Hava gave a nod of her head. “Of course you may.”

Truth be told, she was finding that she enjoyed his company even though they just met. If Hava's mother had been alive to see it she might've scolded her daughter. But for some reason Hava felt that she could trust Elias.

 

[Wendigo_]

Elias walked alongside Havilah, occasionally glancing over at her as they proceeded down their path. He could have sworn he saw her grin before averting her eyes as if she had something on her mind. The boy could only begin to imagine what could be occupying Hava's thoughts at the moment. He could not have known at the time, but this was a topic of pondering he would revisit many times to come.

The young shepherdess's explanation both inspired awe for her capabilities and pity for her father within him, and he measured his response accordingly. "You have quite a bit of responsibility put upon you, don't you?" He said, more as a matter of fact than a question. "Your father must be very thankful to have a daughter as responsible as you."

Or at least he should be. Truth be told, Elias wouldn't know whether her father would be grateful or not. For all he knew, maybe it was unquestioningly assumed by all parents that their children ought to abandon their carefree years if they needed such of them. This was the case for an orphan such as himself, so in truth he was ignorant on the reality of the situation, just as he was with many other things.

"If you ever need help with anything, please don't hesitate to come to me. I might not know much about taking care of sheep, but I could always learn." Elias punctuated his offer with a smile that conveyed all of the sincerity he had within him. He subconsciously felt that his newfound acquaintance was not so unlike himself, and as such reasoned that he could express himself freely.​

 

[Equusheart]

“I suppose I do a little,” Hava said as they walked. Though Hava didn’t really mind. She had been used to doing her part of the tending since she was a young girl. It had only been recently that things had gotten harder. Nevertheless, when Elias offered his help, even though he didn't know anything about sheep, Hava turned to him with a grateful smile.

“I would most appreciate it,” she said. “Though I wouldn't want to cause you any trouble with Old Man Kormak.” She paused a moment before speaking again. “We don't have much, but if you'd like… maybe… perhaps I can repay your help with some stew or chowder every now and then.” She felt heat rise in her cheeks and she tucked her head to hide them.

 

[Wendigo_]

It was times like these that were most unfortunate for someone of Elias's upbringing. Having grown up almost exclusively around farmhands, all of which were both male and older than him, he lacked even the smallest semblance of social awareness beyond what to or what not to say in conversation. In fact, most communication took place in the form of nonverbal gestures or physical contact. So when Havliah's face suddenly turned scarlet and her eyes fled towards the ground, Elias's first impression was that perhaps she was coming down with a cold. "Being outside as much as she is," the boy thought to himself, "that would not be so abnormal."

Elias reached his hand out to Hava, patting the top of her downturned head. "Don't be too concerned for me, I have my ways of getting around the Old Man," he stated in a mischievous voice, his expression matching that same sentiment. His voice and demeanor softened as he considered her offer. "That would be a pleasure. Be careful though, if I find it to be a bit too good you might not ever get rid of me," he joked, retracting his hand from the top of her midnight hair before allowing it to fall leisurely at his side.​

 

[Equusheart]

Hava gave light chuckle at Elias’ words about the old farmer. Still, she hoped that he would find himself in trouble because of her. She tilted her gaze back up to his face.

“Would that be so bad?” Hava asked with a smile. “After all one could always use a good friend.” When she turned her gaze to look down the lane her smile vanished and she stopped.

“Oh no,” she said, her words not really directed towards Elias. Or anyone else for that matter. Hava's cheerful demeanor had been replaced by that of dread.

Down the lane sat an old country cottage looking like it had seen better days. The stonework was partly crumbled and was overgrown with moss. The outer shed and barn were dilapidated and looked like the slightest wind might cause them to collapse like many cards. The sight that worried her most was a finely bred bay gelding standing with one back leg cocked and it's reins tied to the post.

“Why today?” she said a hand going to her mouth as she started to walk again. “Why did he have to come today?”

 

[Wendigo_]

"There are worse fates you could meet, I'm sure," Elias said with a slight snicker behind his words, "But ones far more enjoyable than putting up with an annoying farm boy as well." He continued to laugh for a moment or two at his own expense. The serenity of the moment only made the sudden turn of events all the more jolting.

"Hava? Is something wrong?" Elias said when he realized he had overtaken his companion. He turned back to face her before attempting to find the subject of her gaze. He caught sight of the disheveled cottage, but observed nothing particularly unusual at first and remained perplexed. Still, the unmistakeable look of anguish on Havilah's face could not be missed, and he was momentarily frozen in place. It was only well after that she had overtaken him that he realized she had began again towards the cottage, and Elias had to jog momentarily to catch up to her side.

Once they got a bit closer, Elias could pick at least one thing out of place. The steed tied outside of the house was surely not owned by the same person who owned the building. If the assumptions he had made turned out to be correct, then he was sure only trouble could lay in wait.​

 

[Equusheart]

Hava almost didn't hear Elias as they approached the cottage. Her stomach churned into knots the closer they got. Why? Why did he have to come here now? She hadn't even the chance to take the freshly woven yarn and linens to market yet. Hava took a breath to help fortify herself before she stepped inside, leaving the door open for Elias to follow.

At the table sat two men, each with the a hot cup of herbal tea in their hand. One man was clearly older, with greying hair and slight wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes. A hand rested on his right thigh and every now and then his fingers would flex and rub the meat of his thigh as if it pained him.

The other man seemed very much out of place in the simple cottage. He was in about his mind thirties and one might call him handsome upon first glance. He wore a fine claret velvet coat of a rich blue and fine doeskin breeches, far fine than anything Hava ever owned. His hair was a dark brown and he had steely blue eyes that when turned on Hava, held the look akin to a wolf eyeing a prized lamb. When his eyes moved to Elias they hardened as they looked over the boy before returning to Hava, dismissing Elias entirely.

“Ah,” the older man said as he caught sight of Hava. He seemed to share the same features as Hava, but not entirely. “There you are Havilah, my Little Bird.” Hava gave a small smile to the older man.

“Papa,” she answered in greeting. Her smile fell again when she looked to the other man. “Mister Byrne.” The man tilted his head and gave her a smile that was meant to charm.

“Havilah,” he said, his voice deep with a slight purr. “How many times have I asked you to call me John?” Hava didn't answer, but shifted slightly under his gaze.

 

[Wendigo_]

Elias followed his companion, steadying himself for what was to come as they passed through the entrance of the building. The interior of the cottage was nothing to brag about, but its welcoming aura was far richer than anything that would take its place. The old man's greeting of Havilah brought a warm smile to his face momentarily as he closed the door behind the pair and took his spot next to the shepherdess.

The nobleman, however, was best described as a blight upon this scene. His appearance was outright ostentatious, and Elias found the man's blue coat grotesque, like a nasty bruise his eyes refused to observe. The tone and manner in which he addressed Havilah started the gradual construction of his suspicions while the look he gave Elias was pure ice. Rather than return in kind, the boy retorted with a deceivingly pleasant smile.

He did not want to make Havilah respond to the man's remark. Instead, Elias stepped forward towards the old man, offering his hand. "I take it you're Havilah's father, I hope you will pardon the intrusion," he said respectfully as they grasped hands, "My name's Elias, I was just accompanying your daughter home. It is a pleasure to meet you." He retracted his hand, turning then to the nobleman. Elias spoke with the same tone with which he had addressed Havilah's father, but his eyes were sharp enough to cut through even the icy glare he had previously received. "The same for you as well, John," he stated out of necessity, but being sure to make his final word bite.

Elias then stepped back next to Havilah, although unsure of precisely what was going on, was prepared for it nonetheless.​

 

[Equusheart]

The older man stirred as Elias approached and introduced himself. He nodded and smiled as he reached out to take Elias’ hand.

“Oh, yes, thank you,” Hava’s father said. “Pleased to meet you as well young Elias. Please, call me Peric.” As Hava watched the exchange between Elias and her father a soft smile tugged at her lips. It faded, however, as soon as she looked back to Bryne. The man had narrowed his eyes at Elias and regarded him with the same look one would give a bug that had just crawled into view. Once again he seemed to dismiss Elias, ignoring him entirely as he looked back to Hava.

“So, Hava,” he began. “Your father has told me you have some new additions to your flock.” Hava gave a nod, looking almost as if she'd been caught off guard.

“Y...yes,” she stammered out. “Twin lambs born just this morning.” Bryne smiled at her and chuckled as he turned to her father.

“Looks like your little flock will become a bit more prosperous after all,” he said. Hava's father returned his smile and nodded.

“Yes, indeed.” Peric turned his gaze to his daughter and while he still smiled, something shifted in his eyes. “John has come for the rent, love.” Hava silently nodded. She had known that was the reason why Bryne was there, though she had hoped against it.

She moved over to the hearth and took a coffer box from the mantel. She bite her lower lip slightly as she opened it and looked inside. There was only coin enough for half of the rent. She took them out and moved over to where Bryne sat.

“I know it's not the whole amount,” she said handing over the coins. “But I had intended to go to market today to get the rest, but I had to take care of the new lambs. And you arrived sooner than we were expecting you.” Bryne frowned as he stared down at the coins in his hand.

 

[Wendigo_]

Elias listened intently to the conversation unfolding before him, noting each detail that he could gather from the exchange. It was plain to see that something was twisted about the man, and it pained Elias to see the expressions Hava instinctively made when talking to him. He just hoped that the man would be on his way soon, never to return.

Elias's hopes were dashed by Peric's explanation of the landlord's presence. "Ah," the boy regretfully thought to himself, "So this is what's going on."

He had seen the landlord's type before. In his early days on the farm, it was still a rented property, and there had been many instances in which the farmhands came up short. It was a fairly regular routine, up until one particularly prosperous year had allowed for them to buy the land outright. Still, until that day had come, Elias had bore witness to the nobles's insatiable avarice and their unforgiving nature.

Despite the cruelty of what occurring, there was always one silver lining that existed by nature of a landlord's wants. They could always be dealt with as long as they feel like they stood to profit in some way. So, when John looked hungrily at the coins in his palm, Elias spoke up. "Surely, there's another way to make the payment. What would it take for you to clear the charge?"​

 

[Equusheart]

Hava turned to Elias with a slightly stunned expression. She hadn't expected him to speak up on her behalf. And truthfully, he really didn't have to. Why, he was still practically a stranger to her. Part of her was thankful to him and another part was beginning to worry, for the look Bryne gave him told that he was quickly becoming irritated with the boy.

“Well,” he said cooly, tilting his head in thought. “There is that proposal I made to her father. But that matter isn't really any of your business, boy.” The last word was said in a growl as he glared at Elias.

Hava was confused by his words. Proposal? When the realization dawned on her, Hava turned to stare at her father. The older man dropped his gaze to the table.

“Papa?” she asked, her voice quiet. Peric was silent for a moment, still refusing to meet his daughter's gaze. Finally, he sighed.

“Havilah,” he said. “You are at the age that you should start looking for a suitable husband. Someone to take care of you.” He paused before continuing. “John Bryne has asked for your hand.” Hava didn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't noticed when Bryne stepped closer to her, his face lowered to look at her directly.

“You're far too pretty a lass to live in a hole like this,” he waved a hand at the inside of the cottage. “I can offer you a life where you would never want for anything. And you would never have to get dirt on that beautiful face of yours.” He raised a hand to caress her cheek with his knuckles and it was all Hava could do to keep from shuddering. Finally, Bryne finally removed his hand and stepped away.

“However, I am a patient man and your father has assured me that the final answer rests with you. I shall return in a fortnight for the rest of the rent or your hand. Or both.” He gave a slight bow to Peric. “Good day.” Bryne then turned for the door, purposefully knocking into Elias’ shoulder as he passed. When the door had shut and latched behind him, Hava turned on her father.

“Please, tell me you didn't agree to this?” she begged.

 

[Wendigo_]

Elias was irked by the man's entire demeanor, and this sentiment was only exaggerated by his final remark. Their mutual animosity was both assured and sealed with Bryne's final glare towards the boy.

The next words that came from the man's mouth dulled the edge within Elias's eyes and forced them to widen in horrific awe. As Bryne went on to describe the arrangements he and Peric had laid out, Elias began to feel disgusted by the whole affair. The entitled manner with which Bryne spoke and the appeasing silence of Havilah's father angered the boy so much so that he couldn't have possibly understood how the shepherdess herself must have felt. It had almost reached a boiling point when he saw they way in which Havilah shrunk away from Bryne's touch, but Elias steeled himself.

When he and Elias collided, the boy didn't even bother trying to resist. He simply ignored the man, glad to be rid of him for the moment when he heard the latch of the door catch. Elias was jolted back to reality by Havilah's disbelieved pleading, and his mind scrambled to accept the reality of what he had witnessed.

"My Little Bird..." Peric began sorrowfully, "It was all I could do. If I hadn't, we both would have been doomed. It is best this way. He has wealth and can give you a far better life than we could ever manage on our own. You have to understand."

The old man shrunk further into his seat with each word he spoke. In some way, Elias pitied him.

Everything within Elias screamed for him to interject, but he couldn't find the nerve within him. He was an outsider, and had no right to speak on such a significant breach of trust. All he could do was stand and watch, his left hand clenched with frustration.​

 

[Equusheart]

Hava stared at her father in disbelief. How could he have done this? Without even asking what she thought of the situation. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she desperately tried to blink them back. She wouldn't cry. Not here, not now.

“I came back to get a bucket and spade,” she said, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “The… the tide should be low enough for me to dig up some clams for supper.” Unable to stand being there any longer, Hava turned away from her father. She pushed past Elias and it the door with Pippin close at her heels

 

[Wendigo_]

Havilah's footsteps against the cottage's wooden floorboards seemed to be deafening in the otherwise silent room. Once again, the latch clicked, as if it were signaling the sealing of a fate. Now, only the desperate old man and the arrogant boy remained, steeped in a perpetual but necessary silence.

Elias's first instinct was to follow her, but an uncertainty tugged at his conscience. "Why am I even here?" he selfishly pondered, "I've only met this girl just now. It was rude of me to get involved in the first place." The idea of simply calling it a day seemed to grow more appealing by the second. Why deal with a burden that wasn't his to bear? Wasn't that exactly what he did everyday when he abandoned his duties at home?

On the verge of caving in to his instincts, he recalled the tone of Havilah's voice as she left, and was flooded with images of his early childhood. Elias vividly remembered the chill of the stone floor upon which he slept. The fear of another trouncing from the older orphans. Above all else, the inescapable and punishing solitude, and the certainty that it would last forever.

"If she's forced away, no one will be with her. She will be all alone, with no hope of escape." This simple realization was enough to force Elias's feet to action. He no longer cared if he was meddling, or if she would hate him for being unable to stop Byrne. He simply knew he had to find her.

The only thing he offered Peric was a look of absolute disappointment as he turned and passed through the door. Elias was unaware of how much time had passed since Havilah left the house. He figured his best bet was to follow the last thing she had mentioned, and as such went to scour the beach.

"Damn nobles. He looked like a damned blueberry," he mumbled to himself as he trod through the pastures towards the shore.​

 

[Equusheart]

The spade had been speared into the sand and the bucket placed nearby, but there was no girl. Hava had only used the clams as an excuse to get away from the house. She couldn't stand to be there a moment long. The weight of the revolution of her pending marriage to a man that saw her more as a prize item had started to suffocate her.

A pair of footprints, followed by paw prints, lead further down the shore towards the water where Hava sat on a large rock staring out at the sea. Her cheeks were wet with tears and her hand slowly pet the top of Pippin's head, which the collie had placed in her lap.

“Maybe it is for the best,” she said glancing down at her friend. Pippin’s brown eyes glanced up at her as he gave a soft whine. He didn't really understand why his mistress was sad, still he offered a sympathetic ear. “He would be able to take care of me. And I wouldn't have to worry about what would happen to us.” Besides what was her happiness compared to a life lived in comfort. Still, the thought brought fresh tears to her eyes.

 

[Wendigo_]

Night had descended upon Haven in full now. Elias's eyes strained to make out the path that would lead him to the shore, but they were soon relieved by the lanterns that hung outside the scattered homes of the village's humble residents. He made sure to walk a keep a fair distance between him and the farm as he passed it; the task at hand was too time sensitive to allow himself to be dragged away by his own Old Man.

The moon's light glistened off the rippling waves of the sea and the night air seemed to take on an ethereal hue. The sight of the shepherdess's bucket and spade gave Elias the lead he needed, and so he slid his beaten canvas shoes off, adding them to abandoned the pile of items.

The boy followed the trail left by the two fugitives, leaving behind his own in the soft and cool sand. It only took a few moments for Elias to catch sight of the lamenting shepherdess. He approached fatefully, and for some reason had the sense that with each step forward he took, he would be venturing farther into a future from which he could not return.

Elias rounded about the back of the rock, raising his voice carefully to greet Havilah. "Hello there, stranger," He said with an understanding smile, "Would you mind if I joined you?"​