A New View

Wagon Ride and a New Boy

Some time into the journey I was carefully watching Sage. I had been doing so for some time now when I finally noticed his eyes open slightly. He caught my eye for a while before I pulled away, my cheeks heating. I heard Latamer coughing and felt the cart jostle. Knowing Sage was looking at Latamer, I checked on Roden. I was slightly confused when he was looking in the opposite direction of Sage. so, I nudged his foot with mine, and when he looked at me, I nodded toward Sage.

'Forgive me, Sage.' I think trying to send a telepathic message

"He's awake!" said Roden

Then Cregan who was sitting across from Sage crawled across the cart to slap him in the cheek. Sage swore at him, then winced as he yanked him into a sitting position.

"Not too rough," Conner called from his seat. "He's a guest, Cregan."

I noticed how Sage and Cregan Were staring at each other with such intensity the cart could light on fire.

"You've met Cregan," Conner said, then added, "Mott is our driver."

Mott glanced back to nod a hello at Sage. I noticed how Sage was assessing Mott and Cregan. I had to stifle a laugh with the way he glared at the two vigils.

Conner motioned to the two other boys. "That's Latamer and Roden."

Sage assessed the boys, then he moved to look at me. I looked away knowing he wouldn't ask about me because he knew who I was.

"I'm hungry," he said moving his attention away from me. "I'd planned on having roast for dinner, so whatever you've got had better be good."

Conner laughed and tossed an apple onto his lap, which sat there because his hands were still tied behind him.

Roden reached over, snatched the apple, and took a big bite of it. "One of the rewards for not having fought coming along. I'm not tied up like a prisoner."

"That was mine," said Sage.

"The apple was for anyone willing to take it," Conner said.

There was silence for another moment, except for the sound of Roden eating. Sage stared icily at him,

I almost laughed again at the scrutiny Roden was getting from Sage

"None of you fought Conner?" He asked Latamer, Roden, and me.

Latamer shook his head and coughed. He didn't have the strength to fight. Roden leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his legs. "I saw the orphanage you came from. It was ten times the place I lived in. Then Conner comes and says if I cooperate, I could get a big reward. So no, I didn't fight."

You might have given me that nice speech instead of having me hit over the head," Sage told Conner. "What's the reward?"

Conner didn't turn around to answer. "Cooperate first, then we'll talk reward."

Roden tossed his apple core from the cart. I could sense Sage's hatred for Roden.

"You can untie me now," Sage said. It probably wasn't going to be that easy, but there was no harm in asking.

Conner answered. "Mrs. Turbeldy warned me that you have a history of running away. Where do you go?"

"To church, of course. To confess my sins." 

Roden snorted a laugh, but Conner didn't seem to find the same humor. "I can starve that blasphemy out of you, boy."

"Why are you here," Sage asked me 

"My family needs the money," I shrug. "So when I ran into Master Conor I asked for a job."

Accepting my reasoning Sage leaned his head back and closed his eyes.