Futile Endeavors

Chapter 2

In fits of laughter, the boys continued their mud fight. They slid around, chucking balls of mud at each other. Some hit their targets, some did not. Both of their outfits had been thoroughly slathered in wet dirt and fecal matter. Neither boy complained or really noticed much, though the stench alone was enough to have Ferlin inspecting. Astegan looked towards the man knowing immediately that Ferlin would be upset. Playing on the job was fine. Scaring the pigs was not.

And if the agitated squeals of the swine were any indication, Tegan guessed they were startled.

"Boys," Ferlin's voice had gotten raspy with each passing year. "What have I said about scaring my pigs?"

The animals gravitated to the man's gentle voice and calm demeanor. The boys hung their heads in shame. "Apologies, sir." Tykern was always the one to apologize first. Maybe it was an age difference thing.

"Have your mud fights in the oasis. It's much cooler there," Ferlin smiled, turning to head back to his hut. "Dinner at sundown. Clean up."

"Yes sir," the boys said in unison. They both went to collect their fresh clothes and bathing oils from the slopshed. It was a hut much like Ferlin's: circular, small with two beds pressed close together covered in furs and blankets; a shelf with bathing oils, towels, and extra clothing sat near the beds. The only difference was the large pile of decomposing food sitting to the left of the front door.

"Killjoy," Tykern mumbled to himself.

"He is not. He just doesn't like the pigs getting to excited. Something about tough meat." Tegan grabbed his own belongings, more than ready to wash the day's grime away.

A grunt of annoyance from Tykern and the boys were walking to the oasis. The sun was already setting in the distance, casting angry shadows along the plot of green. Sand gave way to green grass and a thick canopy of trees. In the center, the bathing hole rested. The water was heavenly at this hour; not too cold, not too hot. Clothes were discarded, oils were placed on ledges and clothes were set in the setting sun to warm up. Dirt swirled around them, making the clear water a murky brown. They scrubbed themselves vigorously trying to wash the ick off of them.

"You got any new stories for me, Ty?" Tegan always looked forward to Ty's oasis stories. Something about the place just made Tykern a better storyteller.

"What do you want to hear about tonight?" Tykern rubbed a palm of oils into his scalp.

"How about your escape?"

"You've heard that one before."

"But it's my favorite!"

"Fine," Ty grumbled, stepping from the pool to dry off and dress himself. He'd always had a perfect body, muscular, handsome, a figure of strength and health. Tegan had always envied that. "It was cold that night. We were at dinner, my mother, father, and younger brothers were all gorging ourselves. The goat and carrot stew was so good that night and the fire in the hearth was roaring. I had just finished my stew when a man ran in. No one was allowed in the dining hall, but here he was, sweating worse than one of Ferlin's pigs. I'm surprised my father didn't throw him into the fire right then."

Tegan hung onto each word. "After the man appeared, my father stood from his seat. He looked ready to smite the man where he stood. Every breath in the room was halted as the man fell to his knees before his king. He told my father something that had my mother looking green and my siblings trembling.

"He told my father that some grave monster was at the castle gates, demanding payment. I didn't know why the monster wanted payment, but then the man told my father what he wanted as payment. The king's firstborn. I, of course, stood at my father's side more than ready to take on whoever this monster was. I was barely a man, still hadn't made my first kill, but I knew I was ready. I could fight beside my father."