A Strange Nun's Pilgrimage

A clatter of metal outside the tent caused Laysie to shoot awake in a start. Heart pounding in fear, in bleary dissonance trying to scan the dim surrounding of the cramped little tent. Squinting at the light filtering through the thin fabric of the tent she pawed around the floor to find her sheathed dagger. Though she’d never used it, and likely in the pinch still couldn’t it was of some comfort to her to have it around as even a minor deterrent to would be assailants.

Hearing the clatter again she undid the loops holding the tent’s door closed and pushed it aside quickly. Only to be hit with the afternoon light like a slap in the face, she recoiled back inside the shaded confines of the tent, panting slightly and rubbing her face and arms. As Laysie recovered rubbing her eye she heard a grunt outside the tent that she recognized Mackswell.

Sheepishly she called to her companion “What time is it?”

Mackswell looked up at the sky. “Little after noon, I’d say.”

She hadn’t figured it to still be that early in the day, but between her tent and the shady glade.

“Then why are you waking me up?” Laysie asked, “You know I can’t travel during the day.”

“Can’t be helped.” Mackswell said, making more noise as he packed up the camp. “Vale Guards are on the march, and we don’t want to get caught on restricted grounds,” he said. “Won’t be a good time.”

“I’ll just explain to them that I can’t travel during the day and we’ll leave as soon as the sun sets.” Laysie said.

Mackswell chortled, “Have fun trying to get all that off your lips before they turn you into compost.”

“Then what are we going to do?” she asked. “I can’t travel during the day.”

“Can’t or won’t?” he asked, his voice distracted by his task.

“Well…” she said, “It hurts to travel during the day.”

Mackswell scoffed, “More than being run through with spears?” he asked.

“Perhaps…perhaps travelling for a few hours during daylight does not sound so bad,” Laysie said.

Mackswell grunted, “Perhaps not.”

Defeated knowing there was nothing to be done about it she pushed her way out of the tent. Eyes closed shut as she could manage to the point her forehead hurt, and her shoulders scrunched up trying to keep her head low, even with the habit on she could still feel the sun’s unrelenting heat, even if it was partly in her head. Laysie made it to the cart and quickly found her bag digging through blindly until her hands brushed the cold metal, and supple leather bundle inside. Pulling them out she worked quickly to pull her habit up just enough to fit the brass and leather goggles under and over the top of her head, tucking the strap on top of her ears and pulling the strips of leather tight against her fast, sighing with slight relief as she looked at the world through the black dyed lenses. The light from the sun still made the exposed skin of her face tingle but was provided some relief by her eyes feeling somewhat more normal, aside from the bulky weight of the goggles.

Blinking a few times and doing last minute adjustments she hoisted her pack on the cart pulled by Mackswell’s mule Barthoumule, she walked to the front and gave his head a scratch. “Sorry to make you carry my burden.” she said, giving him a pat on the head.

Mackswell finished packing the cart and grabbed Barthoumule’s lead, “Come on, double time.” said, and then whistled Griffin landed on the cart. A sharp-shinned hawk. It squawked and Mackswell gave him a bit of meat. “We gotta get moving," he said , pulling the lead and leading them back to the path.

–

About an hour away from their illegal camp the Vale Guards caught up with them. They didn’t know about the camp, and travel along the path wasn’t illegal, but if stopped they would be questioned, and it was best to answer questions.

“Oi, you two stop.” a booming voice called out to the pair, Mackswell pulled on Barthoumule’s lead to stop him. “In the name of the Vale Guard, we’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Mackswell's spine straightened as he let out a sigh hearing the crunching of the Guards feet on the leaves scattered on the road. “Just let me do the talking.” he said to Laysie.

“Ahh…” Laysie started but was cut off.

“No, ahhs. Just let me handle this.” Mackswell said in a whisper before turning to face the man.

The man in question was a rather large man, at least in comparison to Laysie, a full brown beard with a few streaks of grey denoting his age. The other 4 men looked nearly identical aside from age and the difference in helmets. The older man’s sporting antlers from some animal the younger mens were bare.

“State your business in the Vale.” the older man said.

“Passing through.” Mackswell said, “Trying to get through as fast as we can.” he added, to which the leader nodded.

“Have you hunted anything during your travels through the Vale?” He asked the next question eyeing Laysie, then Mackswell.
“Perhaps a field mouse.” Mackswell said not able to lie since he wouldn’t know if Griffin had hunted. “That is to say my hawk Griffin may have hunted.”

“An animal hunting is acceptable, however the question was, did you hunt?” the man asked.

“We did not hunt.” Mackswell said, “We had no need to hunt, as provisions are ample enough for the trip,” he added. “The only thing taken was,” Mackswell gestured to Laysie, “her hand sized, handful of berries, she was feeling faint and needed something sweet. The bush was plentiful in fruit. We did no harm to the plant and left it as we found it.” he finished.

The man turned to his group and they conferred in a language neither understood before the leader turned back, “We find the answer acceptable but…” he glared at Mackswell. Do not take more than you can eat. “One final question. What will you do if night falls before you reach the end of the Vale?”

“Continue to push through and only rest once we are away from the Vale.” Mackswell said.

“Acceptable answer.” The Leader said, “I Joden of the Vale Guard allow you passage through the Sacred Vale. Should you break our rules and your promise, punishment will be swift.”

“Thank you.” Mackswell said, “are we free to go?”

“Make haste, The sun does not hang in the sky for long and The Vale is dangerous at night.” Joden said, waving a hand in a swirling gesture to signal his men to head back the way they came.

Once they were out of earshot, Mackswell breathed a sigh of relief like he’d just come up for air after a long time underwater.

“That went well,” Laysie said, “you made them seem scary.”

“They know our faces…” he said, rather glibly “We need to get going…now.”

The two continued their march through the Vale, Mackswell taking glances over his shoulder now and then making sure they were alone.

TBC