บท 5: Fergus
The small group walked as fast as possible on the deserted road. The scorching heat of the day made it impossible to travel during daytime, therefore they got into the habit of moving at night, in the starlight. At the front of the group, Fergus was keeping a breakneck pace and even the ever patient and stoic Nikodem ended up complaining. Fergus always listened to his second-in-command carefully and respectfully. As was often the case, the latter was right, they had to slow down because their horses wouldn't be able to keep up this pace until they reached the main camp. And their riders wouldn't, as well.
The sun had risen not long ago. The first hours of the day still retained the night coolness favorable for journeys but instead of pushing forward, it was wiser to find a shelter and prepare for the rest of the day. Therefore, they started to look for a place to settle and arrange their makeshift bivouac.
They came to a halt at the top of a hill in order to scan their surroundings. Nikodem took his sweet time to thoroughly observe every direction. Not a shadow could be seen on the horizon. The dry soil, burnt by the sun day after day, had turned into fine and barren dust akin to ash. Even the Lichen, one of the hardiest plants, couldn't grow here and had to give up. The only benefit was that no enemy could possibly remained unnoticed and attack them by surprise. Everything was visible from the hilltop. No hiding place, nor secret camp could be found that escaped their watchful eyes : for as far as the eye could see, the whole land was an inhospitable and desolate desert.
Checking his compass and his map, Nikodem pointed at the road to reach a nearby river where they would be able to water their horses and refill their stock. Several flasks each was barely enough to fend the heat off. He always signed when he wanted to talk, as if he didn't like the sound of his own voice now that it started to break. Consequently, Fergus examined the route on the map held by his second-in-command.
The terrain was slightly uneven near the shore, not enough to hide but they might find a couple of boulders able to provide shelter from the sun. It seemed to be a good place. Fergus reckoned the time it would take to get there to be about two whole hours at least. At nightfall, just by following the river bank, they would be able to reach the main camp of their tribe, where their families were waiting for them.
Fergus strove to be a brave man. He was the leader of the gang and the eldest in the group. None of the members had passed twenty years yet, but they already had a strong experience of wandering life and fights with other tribes. The most sought-after waterholes were the cause of countless strifes. It was a hard life, especially when they had to part from their people.
Every one of them was eager to go back home. Their mission had been, once again, a major failure. They struggled and fought, faced a great number of dangers and in the end, they didn't managed to get the coveted alliances, nor the support they hoped for. As head of the delegation, Fergus was on the front line and he was the most affected. No one blamed him. He only wanted, just once, to live up to the hopes his tribe placed in him. Dejection threatened to overcome him but he had no time to indulge in despair. He had to be strong and set an example for the younger ones. However, deep down, he really needed to be comforted by his grand-father as if he was still a little boy. Sighing, he put away his pain and gave the signal to depart towards the river. He still had the duty to safely bring his friends back to their families.
On the map, the river seemed huge. During their journey towards Brittany, they crossed several others of similar size, seemingly wide. This map was an old one. Rather than large rivers, it was often only small streams. Sometimes, the gang rode in the middle of a dried-out riverbed, as hard as stone.
Water was cruelly lacking ever since the great drought. Grand-father liked to tell his childhood memories, when water flowed in stream and people wasted it, even playing and spending it without restraint. He carried far more books than clothes in his luggage and children, Fergus included, were filled with wonder looking at pictures of fabled animals. They couldn't believe the old fogey when he claimed that they once existed. They suspected the old man to tell tall stories but they didn't mind : the paradise he described was incredible and beyond belief, just like a fairytale.
In order to spare their mounts for the long road before they reached water, they set a slower pace. The horses were short and sturdy. They were used to eat Lichen which could be found in most places. The sedentary tribes could grow grass for their herds. It was an unaffordable luxury for Fergus' tribe. They had to make do with raising goats and horses. They were poor and few in number, which was the reason why they desperately sought to form alliances.
The tribe had great hopes regarding this journey to Brittany. Fergus was supposed to meet Lana, the youngest daughter of the leader of a vast sedentary tribe. It was agreed that if both young people liked each other, their betrothal would seal a pact of mutual assistance, much needed by Fergus' family. The agreement was clearly in favor of Fergus' tribe. Lana was the favorite child, if she fell in love and wished to get married, nothing would be too good for the "little darling". Her new tribe would therefore have to live up to the young lady's standards.
Fergus knew for sure that it would be a difficult endeavor and that he wouldn't be the only one trying to win the beauty's heart. However, he had a small advantage : Lana's father was a scholar and wanted to gain access to Fergus' grand-father's books at all costs. Of course, he cared about his favorite daughter's happiness but if, in addition to that, he could browse the much sought-after volumes, he was willing to turn a blind eye on the size and wealth of his son-in-law's tribe. It was unheard of, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like that might never come again.
While riding, the young man searched through his pocket and retrieved a small bracelet. On a romantic beach in Brittany, he clumsily gave her this gift and his heart as well. When she looked at the wooden pearls, she burst out laughing. It was, however, a rare and exceptional jewel made out of trees that no longer grew. Black wood from ebony, light-colored from larch, dark golden from mahogany and even rosewood, these tree species hardly existed anymore. Each pearl was finely carved in a shape of flower. This precious bracelet had belonged to his family for ages, even before the drought. Fergus' grand-father received it from his own mother, and treasured it ever since. How could Fergus give it back because Lana thought it was worthless ?
After such a humiliation, Fergus almost threw the bracelet in the sea. But he didn't do it, clenching his fist in shame and anger until the pearls left a flower mark, red with blood as his nails dug in his palm. He could still hear Lana's cruel laugh, especially when she showed him her own jewelry full of precious dazzling gems. In some places, subsoils were still rich with gems if people wanted to extract them.
He felt like a fool hoping to charm this rich girl with his small wooden bracelet. Even now, chagrin and shame made him blush. Luckily, both were alone on the beach at that time. However, Lana hurried to tell the ridiculous event to every single soul she met afterwards. Fergus' delegation had to leave hastily and even then, they were already the laughing stock of most of the sedentary people.
Fergus remembered that on the day of their arrival, Nikodem told him rather bluntly that Lana looked like a little pest and that she was definitely not for them. From the very beginning, he had been right. He always showed great wisdom, which was never belied by his young age. Nevertheless, Fergus had tried his luck, he had no other choice and could only lament his powerlessness bitterly, now that his pride had been crushed.
At last, they reached the river. More than two hours since sunrise, the sun was already high in the sky and the heat was starting to kick in. Without being a large river, its flow was sufficient to provide water to the city upstream, which was currently before the contemplative eyes of Fergus, Nikodem and others. Nomadic tribes carefully avoided getting in contact with city dwellers. The latter were very aggressive towards strangers.
The presence of sedentary tribes on the outskirts of the last cities created a lot of tension between the two populations. The human parasites called "Outcasts" mostly fed on the trash dumped by the townsfolk and didn't think twice before plundering whatever they found. Given half the chance, they wouldn't shy away from skinning, butchering and roasting the careless people who let themselves be caught, not without first having humiliated or even raped them.
Small nomadic tribes, like Fergus', were therefore keen on avoiding these Outcasts. Fighting to get access to water resources was already hard enough without having to fight for their lives against bloodthirsty and sadistic predators.
Unlike all the cities they had seen before, this one seemed alive. It didn't display the morbid hallmark inherent to past and decrepit glories.
The bright light emanating from its heart was probably the main reason why the city was not a dead ruin. It was even brighter than the sun. At a distance, the group of friends could spot the tallest buildings sticking out higher than the city defensive walls. Some of them were merely dark backlit silhouettes drawn by the intense light.
Still blinded, Fergus decided to sit down in the shade of a boulder. He slowly scanned his surroundings. It was the perfect place to spend the day and wait for nightfall. While leisurely observing his friends, he could still see a superimposed image of the illuminated city.
Olek had come to join him in the somewhat cool shade. Nikodem's younger brother had grown up well, but he remained the little one whom everyone wanted to protect. Nikodem and Olek's parents had died near a waterhole during the attack from a bigger nomadic tribe. There were many casualties, most of them were Fergus' friends, almost like family. Therefore, Olek was like a little brother for him too.
In the shared shade, Fergus was sitting cross-legged on the ground. He rummaged in his pocket to straighten it up. Something was annoying him when he was in this position. He took out Lana's wooden bracelet. In his mind appeared the redheaded girl with a scornful gaze and icy demeanor. This image was followed by the memory of this same beauty laughing at his clumsy attempts and trampling on his budding feelings. Out of spite, disregarding his family heirloom, Fergus resolved to definitely get rid of this jewel. He couldn't think of any other solution. The bracelet would forever be associated to the humiliation of that day. He needed to make a fresh start and move forward. Pretending to put the jewel in another pocket, he let it slip in the crack between two rocks. He then waited a little while and stood up to meet Nikodem. They needed to organized the camp and divide up tasks.
As soon as Fergus had turned his back, Olek retrieved the precious bracelet.
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