Four Unfortunate Souls

Chapter 5

"where has he gone?" Chard looked around looking for ghosts that Reren left behind, a sign which direction he took. But to his dismay it was as though the boy had disappeared completely.

"Pardon" Amanita stopped in front of young woman, holding a child in her arms that might be her kin. "have you seen a boy pass here? Blonde hair , carrying a lute"

The woman turned around to face a small dirt path that seemed to lead into a thick forest in the distance.

'"Is the boy running away from you?" She asked rather too surprised. " a thief?"

"no-" Chard blurted " no at all"

She looked at Chard with squinted eyes, not expecting him to answer with such conviction. "Well-"  her eyes panned towards Amanita " he took that road towards the forest. The forest is thick and many men had entered there and took hours to find their way back. Thief or not , if you are after the boy,  I believe it is best to follow him with haiste"

"thank you lady" Amanita dashed into a sprinting walk. Seemingly gliding in the air. The dust of the dry , cracked dirtroad fogging behind the heel of her boots.

Chard took large steps behind her, matching her speed,  his fingers wrapped around the sling of Reren's bag, by the weight of it as it hanged on Chard's shoulders  , he concluded that the boy haven't brought too muh.

Maybe it was only the gold coins that he spent on him that had noticable weight and value.

The dirt road ended and greeted them was the forest, the branches above and the bushes below sat frozen in front of them, a gaping mouth welcoming them into the darkness of it's lush, green depths.

A ray of light stretched from the open spaces of the thick carpet of leaves that almost replaced the sky entirely. Trunks and shadows merged into one big blurr filling the forest with an unfamiliar dim glow comparable to that glimmer of twilight.

"this woods is too thick" Amanita muttered under her breath, eyes looking around, hoping to catch any part of the boy that ran and left them.

"I can see why many men had been lost in this seemingly endless sea of trees" Chard said, not caring whether Amanita would answer him back or not.

" we need to find him the soonest"

Slashing the sword in front of her to clear their way, they advanced through the forest,  branch by branch they managed to get through the knot of trees that more than willingly tangled themselves altogether.

The woods finally thinned out. Trees slowly grew more apart and distant , light now pouring down on them, reaching the dry brown leaves, and emerald grass that layered the forest floor.

"did you hear that?" Amanita asked, eyes striking from left to right.  Looking for just any sign.

" I didn't, What is it?"

"it's faint but I he-"

A faint distant note from a plucked string traveled through the silent shadows of the forest.

"that way!" Amanita broke into a run, down into a slope, where the light from the sun showered generously.

Chard ran behind her, a relieved smile bloomed on his lips as his eyes cought a distant figure slumping on a rock at the bank of small lake, connected to a small stream. Plucking and strumming his lute.

" Reren!" Ammanita's loud voice boomed in the air.

"Nita!" He turned back, Hair golden as sunlight, smile radiant as a young dawn.

He reached for her palms and squeezed it tight. Eyes glued on Amanita. He looked at her with so much glee. Perhaps he was glad they found him. He shot a smiling gaze to Chard that he paid nothing with.

" I'm sorry , I wasn't thinking. Have I worried you too much?, I Might have wasted your time" he let go and turned to the lake, kneeling down to look at the boy reflected on the water's surface, He sunk even lower, Studying his own self. His fingers blindy strumming on the string of his old lute.

"what happened?" Amanita asked behind him, setting her bag down the large rock.

Chard sat Reren's too, Beside Amanita's. His old crusty pants crumpled when he decided to rest and sit on the rock.

" I- I was too scared" Reren glided a finger on the water's surface, sending ripples across the lake, contorting their reflections.

" but why? A bard should be ready for any performance afterall" she asked , quoting the old man from the tavern.

"I am not a bard Nita" he looked at her with strong eyes " I may have a lute but a bard is everything that Isn't I "

He slumped down the rock, Leaning his back against it " a bard is a charmer, a beacon of confidence and poise, one that has actual skill of playing their instruments"

"but you are all that" she said following him to the rock.

Chard had to agree,  the boy really is a charmer, afterall he is the reason they arrived at Blubrim with a carriage.

" I can't play in front of a crowd that laughs at me Nita"

" someday you will be able to.And someday no one will laugh at you anymore" she smiled and looked around. " well, the sun will be setting in a few hours, Let's make camp here, the town is too far away we can't go back. And none of us have enough money to buy beds for the night anyway"

Amanita pulled out her sword and trimmed branches from nearby trees to make camp, one that is covered with leaves.

Reren bounced around , picking dry branches and not too long he had a pile of firewood that would be suffiient for them throughout the night.

"what could I do?" Chard asked, pressing his face through the leafy walls of their makeshift tent.

"If you could please bring the bags inside here sir, thank you"

Chard knodded and went towards the large rock where the bags laid on top. The boy's lute as well leaning on it. He pulled the bags up and the lute so carefully, bringing it inside the sursprisingly spacious tent.

" this could protect us from direct winds ,let's just hope it won't rain tonight"

The opening rustled, Reren pushed himself in ,holding his palms together, cupping it.

A smirk on his lips " I found wild strawberries" he held out his palms and indeed there were strawberries in them. Some very red, some rather pale.

The sun quickly setted, just after Amanita had cought a fish, one that is big enough for them to share , it won't be filling but still will be feeding them eitherway.

"you should teach me how to fish" Reren said over the fire at dinner. Holding his slice of fish inside his palms, wrapped in a large leaf.

They found wild vegetables that they grilled over the fire, not the best way to prepare it. But no one complained.

"soon "she smiled, bringing a handful of the green leaves up her mouth.

After dinner, Chard and Amanita took their spots inside the tent. Thinking it is best to rest.

Reren's footsteps whispered outside, the soft rustle of grass blades disturbed the silent night.

He plucked his lute, producing a foreign sound, one that is 'musical' . He plucked another, and another. And strummed. His fingers worked their way, producing a song by just strings.

Reren kneeled down, seeing a toad hop by. He smiled, now playing the song for it.

"hi little frog , twirl for me" he sung.

Amanita chuckled " that frog won't twirl for you , so you might just as well come here and sleep already"

Reren chuckled back, pushing himself inside their canopy of leaves.

"you played well Reren, you are a great bard to me" she said as he take his spot beside her. Laying betweem Amanita and Chard.

" thank you Nita"

Chard must agree, He thought the boy played really well. But he won't say he is the best bard for him .