Night came more quickly than he had expected as the sky was red and the sun was gone over the hillside. Darious realized that in his haste to leave his home, he had forgotten to bring with him provisions to make some kind of shelter. This was a problem. Darious stopped his horse and
reached into the pouch that was tied to its side.
After a bit of searching in the dark, he pulled out a lantern and lit it. Light poured out from the lantern illuminating some of the darkness. Feeling a little more comfortable about being out at night, he decided that it would be best to find a farmers house and ask if he could stay for the night. The only problem was that he had not seen a house for some time.
He mounted on his horse again, holding the lantern in one hand and continued to ride. However, the dark fields were unyielding. There was still no sign of a house. No light, no campfires, no people. Of course he had given up on seeing people on the path hours before.
Darious was becoming increasingly tired. He shook his head back and forth a few times, trying to shake the sleep away, but this did not work. Everything, from the horse’s slow walk, to the continuous chirping of nocturnal insects seemed to cause waves of lethargy.
Darious stopped his horse and dismounted. He reached into the pouch where he had retrieved the lantern and grabbed some food. Hopefully the food would help keep him awake. It was doubtful, but he was determined not to fall asleep until he was in a bed of some kind. Worst comes to worst, he would tear away some wheat from the field and make a spot to sleep.
As he ate some bread from the pouch, Darious glanced around the dark fields still looking for some sign of human life. A slight shining from the left caught his eye. It was a little flicker in between the stalks of wheat. He grinned a little to himself as he realized that he just might be looking at light from a lantern.
Darious finished the bread off quickly and mounted his horse, in hopes that he would be able to see over the stalks. Sure enough, a man was walking through the field carrying a lantern. He seemed to a little on the tall side, and he wore a brimmed hat. He seemed like a normal farmer.
“Hello there!” Darious called.
There was no response. The figure kept walking.
Darious’ grin disappeared a little. Again he called out a greeting.
The man kept walking and was less than twenty feet away from the path. Darious realized that the man may be trouble, and drew his sword from his sheath. His grin was gone, and replaced with a frown.
“Friend or foe sir?” Darious asked.
The man kept coming, but did not increase his pace.
Finally the man broke out of the field, the wheat stalks collapsing as he walked through them.
Darious looked the man in the eyes. The man’s face was neutral. Finally he spoke. His voice was raspy.
“I’m sorry sir, my voice is all but lost. It happens every once in a while…that is why I could not call back to you.”
Darious was definitely not smiling now. He was not angry with the man, but a bit frustrated because he had almost killed the farmer.
“Can I help you?” Darious asked.
The farmer looked away in the fields for a few moments and then turned back to face the knight.
“Well sir, I saw you walking out alone tonight. I figured you might know something. I know this may be unimportant to you, but I have not seen anyone out today. You are the first person I have seen all day. I’ve been looking out at the path since noon when I noticed that one of my friends had not arrived like she was suppose to early in the morning.”
“I suppose,” Darious, said,” that the usual carts and the sort that pass in between the farms have not come as well?”
“Correct sir. I don’t understand why. I’ve been afraid to go out looking for anyone all day.”
Darious felt fear creeping into his heart. This was unusual indeed. However Darious felt the need for sleep overwhelming him again, and his need soon over-powered what little fear he had.
“Do you think I could spend a night at your home? I’ll sleep on the floor of your kitchen if need be. In the morning I suppose I could search the surrounding farms for your friend.”
The farmer looked somewhat relieved. Apparently the disappearances of his fellow farmers had spooked him quite a bit more than Darious had thought. Now that he had someone with good fighting abilities as a companion, even if for a short time, he could tend to other things.
“Yes sir,” the farmer said, ”I’ll let you use my bed, and I’ll sleep near the stove. I probably won’t be sleeping tonight anyway. Just follow me sir.”
With that, the farmer began to walk back to his home. Darious, even though he was higher up (since he was on a horse after all), he could not see the house. How the man had been watching him from the fields, he had no idea. The main thought on Darious’ mind at the moment was to get to bed, no matter the cost.
Darious’ allowed the man to get a few feet away before he told his horse to follow. Obediently, Atlas, the horse, followed the man.
Sensing that his horse may be a bit uneasy about being out a night, Darious patted its neck and reassured it.
“Good boy. Good Atlas, don’t worry we’ll be somewhere safe very soon.”
Within minutes they were at the house. The house was, like some of the other houses near the fields, made of logs. It looked like it had been built quickly. The roof looked the worst. It had been patched together quickly out of some flat stones. The logs holding the house up were slightly uneven, but not so much that the house would fall apart during a strong windstorm. Near the house there was a stable, which also looked hastily built. The craftsmanship of farmers was obviously not that good. But Darious did not expect anything grand from a farmer anyway. They spent most of their days in a field and no doubt some of them ended up dying in the fields.
What a boring life, Darious thought as he pulled up to house.
“I’ll take the horse for you,” the man said as Darious dismounted.
Darious gave a grunt of acknowledgement and entered the house. Once again, he mentally kicked himself. He should have asked the man if he could enter first, or at least wait for the man to enter the house.
The interior of the log house was no better then the outside. Although the man had made some attempt to make it comfortable. A small little table sat in the middle of the room Darious was in. On the table there was some bread (half eaten) and a cup. A candle was lit in the middle of the table. There was one door to the far left of the room, and that was obviously the door to the bedroom. To his immediate right, there was a stove, which the man would be sleeping next to tonight. The stove, at the current time, was dark and cold. Aside from the things mentioned, the room was bare. The only windows were at the front of the house, looking out over the fields. Seconds later, the man entered, closing the door behind him.
“There’s some bread left if you’d like,” the man said, and then grabbed some logs that sat a few feet away from the stove. As the man was retrieving the logs, Darious walked over to the table and sat down. It was an ugly table, all worn and a little rotted. He was not used to the low quality of the possessions of the peasants.
“I’m fine thank you. I’m just tired. Is there a place were I can put my arms?”
The man grunted as he picked up a rather large log and shoved into the mouth of the stove. Then he stood up and looked at Darious quizzically and said:
“Arms sir? I’m afraid you can’t take your arms off. They are attached to you…”
Darious chuckled to himself. “No, not my limbs. My sword and armor. Is there a place where I may put it?”
“I’m sorry,” the man said,” it’s been a long day. You can set them underneath the table if you wish.”
Darious removed his armor and gave it a quick glance. It was a little worn out and dull looking from lack of use, not that it mattered much. He set it underneath the table. Then he laid his sword against it. Finally he took off his helmet. Darious’ dark hair was matted against his head. He was sure it looked terrible, but at the moment he didn’t care.
With a final grunt, the man finished loading logs into the stove.
“I need to rest a moment. I’ll light it when I’m ready to sleep,” the man said, more to himself than Darious, and then he sat down, resting his back against the side of the stove.
“I forgot to introduce myself,” the man said wiping the sweat from his brow, “my name is Brian Malloy.”
“And I’m Darious, a Knight to our Lord Thomas Wyrnn the second. I thank you for allowing me to stay here for the night.” Darious paused for a moment. “Now tell me, for I’m curious, do you have any idea as to why your fellow farmers would not be seen on the path today?”
The man rested his face in his hands for a moment. He looked very tired. “I’m afraid I can’t say sir. Like I’ve said, it’s unusual. The only time no one goes out is when there’s a terrible storm. But the weather has been nice for the past week. I can’t think of any good reason. It may be evil spirits, but I don’t think any of the farmers around here are capable of reading very well let alone summoning some kind of demon.”
Darious let out a long sigh and then yawned. He closed his eyes slowly and laid his head back.
Brian continued to talk. “I do remember my friend complaining about a pain behind her eyes, but I think that’s from when she dropped the bail of hay and some dust got in her eyes. Maybe there’s some left. I don’t think anybody else had any trouble. But old man Jaimus was looking a little ill. But then he is old after all….”
“You sure talk-“ Darious began to say, but caught himself. He was becoming grumpy.
Brian looked up at the Knight. He seemed a little hurt. “I’m sorry Darious. I talk a lot, I know. Everybody tells me that.”
“No I apologize,” Darious replied,“ I’m very tired and I need to get to sleep.”
The farmer nodded and smiled.
“I’ll search for your friends in the morning if you’d like me too.” Darious offered again.
“No that’s ok.” Brian said and then stood up. He turned to get some flint and stone to light the fire. “I’m sure things will be fine later on tomorrow.”
“If you wish. I thank you for your hospitality. I’m going off to bed. I have a long journey ahead of me tomorrow.”
“Good night sir.”
***
Darious woke up the next morning feeling rather refreshed. Birds chirped outside (a good sign if the day was going to go well), and he could hear the wind blowing through the fields of wheat. No doubt the sun was out shining brightly. Darious was thankful that his muscles were no longer sore; even if they never really bothered him it was good not to have the constant dull ache. If it weren’t for the fact that he was going to Stormwind keep, he would go out this fine morning and search for Brian’s friend.
Darious rose out of bed and opened the door to the next room.
Brian was sitting at the table finishing off the bread that was there the night before.
“Good morning sir,” Brian said without looking up. His eyes were half closed.
“You look tired friend,” Darious said.
“I’m not used to sleeping on the hard floor sir, it hurt my back.” Brian replied and then yawned. He had not gotten much sleep last night.
“That is a shame…” Darious with as much compassion as he could muster for someone he did not know.
Brian laughed, seemingly at his own misfortune, and then said: “I suppose you’ll be going soon. Once again, do not worry about my friend. She and everybody else will turn up.”
He got up from the table, almost tripping over Darious’ armor.
“Sorry about that,” Darious said, and retrieved his armor from underneath the table.
“I don’t know how I managed to trip over that,” Brian said, wiping sleep from his eyes,” Oh well, I shall get your horse from the stables. I will be a minute. Oh, and if you’d like some bread, there is some in a breadbox near the table.”
Darious put on his armor and helmet and sheathed his sword, grabbed some food from the breadbox, then stepped outside of the house. A rather uplifting sight greeted him. The sun was up above the fields. The day was absolutely beautiful. The skies were blue and a breeze gently moved the stalks of wheat back and forth. His dark eyes scanned the fields a few times. It was unbelievable. How could such a beautiful day have anything bad about it?
Darious smiled. Such were the simple joys in life…
Moments later, Brian was walking the horse towards Darious.
“Here he is sir…a good horse he is. Before I went to bed last night I fed him some carrots and hay. He should be fine for a while.”
“Thank you, I thank you again. I wish the best to you and your friend.”
“Here wait a moment,” Brian said and then ran into back to the stables.
Darious waited, gently petting Atlas on the side of the neck, barely roughing up the horses short gray coat of hair. His horse was silent. How odd…Atlas had been unusually quiet. He hadn’t really noticed it until now. His horse was rather noisy most of the time.
Darious watched Brian emerge from the stables carrying a small sack of something.
He said: “Here Darious, I’ve got a pick of oats here for your horse. I figure you have at least one more days travel to wherever you may be going. Am I right about it being a days travel?”
Darious smiled, taking the sack of oats from the farmer.
“Why yes,” Darious replied as he tied the sack to his horse, ”It is a day’s travel. I’m going to Stormwind Keep to attend to some business.”
Brian studied his feet for a few moments, and then he looked up. He seemed to want to say something. Finally, after Darious finished tying the sack of oats down, he managed to get it out..
“Is there going to be a war soon? It’s none of my business, but I can’t help but to wonder. I saw some knights riding down the path the other day. I hope we aren’t going to war, my farm will fall apart if I’m not here to take care of it!”
Darious looked at the simple home and then agreed with the man. Things would fall apart from neglect.
“Don’t worry about it now friend. I know that’s easy for me to say, I’ve been trained for combat. But I assure you; our nation will pull through. We have the finest armies in all the world.”
Darious hoped these words, whether they are fully true or not, would help calm this poor man’s nerves. Brian smiled and thanked Darious.
“I suppose I’ll be going now. I hope things go better for you.” Darious said. He mounted his horse.
“Good bye sir. Good luck.”
When the next day had past, Darious’ journey eventually took him away from the farmlands and into a more populated area of Azeroth.
The dirt path ever so slowly turned into cobblestone. More and more, Darious had to be on the look out for walking peasants, carrying sacks over there shoulders, or a carriage taking passengers to some destination unknown to him.
Stormwind Keep appeared to rise out the ground as the day went on. Its huge stone battlements loomed over the farmlands, homes, estates and it was a startling contrast to the rather poor looking homes he had just seen.
Darious looked at the top of Stormwind Keep and saw many white flags placed at each corner of the battlements. Each flag had the face of a lion staring calmly back at the viewer. Darious felt a pride like no other in his heart.
