Company

I really hope that I was just overthinking it. We were both at the hut and I needed the water, even if I didn’t need to sleep there specifically. Though I’d rather sleep somewhere comfortable than on the ground under furs.

“A family trip? To where?”

“Where’s gonna see the Westher Falls!” the older child answered, bouncing. She jumped out from behind the parents. They had a wide eye staring up at me. I didn’t think I was very interesting, but maybe they’ve never seen a Speaker before? Not that we’re unique from anyone else.

But then I came back to their destination. “Westher Falls, that’s on the other side of the capital. That’s a long travel isn’t it?” I honestly didn’t know the distance. The Falls themselves were quite famous within Ject. Being the tallest waterfall known and surrounded by supposedly a vast rainforest of glowing flora. It was a popular destination. Though hardly something that still got many visitors due to the effort to reach it.

And why were they going now when it would take weeks to get there, I think. Didn’t they hear the Conveyance? I would have thought that they would remain home rather than travel.

He nodded to me looking over at their cart. “Bought a cart and horse for the trip.” That’s not cheap, did they actually run a business? I think because I kept giving them strange looks, he looked over to his wife. “Why don’t you start unpacking for the night? I’ll talk with her.” The father motioned subtly to me with his head and eyes. He wanted me to step away from his family.

Now I’m the suspicious one? It was all very confusing, but I wasn’t about to start a scene with this family. I just wanted water. So I followed him out by the road. We were still in sight of their cart, but definitely out of range of hearing. “As Speaker, you heard the word. So you should understand.” Oh so he is going to explain what’s actually going on. I leaned in a little. “I’ve got two kids and the end of life isn’t a positive thing to have them grow up in. So we’re traveling the kingdom letting them see things that they’ve never seen before. Keeps their minds from asking questions.”

I nodded with much more intent this time. “I see.” That makes a lot more sense, if not a little depressing to consider. But looking back over at his family. I couldn’t disagree. He wanted them to have happy days rather than ones spent in constant fear. In a way, it was healthier.

That certainly dispelled the suspicion for both of us. Though there was something that replaced this expression now. A firmer, more intense one. Looking back to his family and at me, I think I understood. “I won’t say anything.” I guess because I was a Speaker that did with a risk.

“Thanks.” He flipped back to a smile now waving back to his wife. I guess that was the all clear. “You planning on staying the night?”

“It is getting late, even if with some light still, I’d rather not head out if there’s a hut.”

“Then you can share a meal with us.”

“I’ve got rations, you don’t need to worry about me.”

“Nonsense, you’re welcome to join us.”

He put his arm around me even as the pack sort of knocked me around a little. “Ameria, she’s having dinner with us!”

As he walked me back to his wife, she looked our way paused with a pan and a couple of cooking utensils. “Wonderful! I’ll have it started shortly!” I guess I didn’t get a choice in it. They seemed like a nice family with the air of suspicion removed. If a bit pushy, but I could deal with that. I haven’t seen anyone since the last village. And who knows when I’d see someone until I got to the capital.

I volunteered my services for meal prepare. Mother was a far better cook than me, but I still at least knew my way around a knife. However, that was where my aid ended. She didn’t need two people hovering around a boiling pot.

Stepping away, I sat down by the hut. With little to do until dinner finished, I went through my pack. There wasn’t much in the way of luxuries, but I had my texts still. It wasn’t something that I hadn’t already read, but I enjoyed reading through the past.

I only made it through a couple pages before I heard a young voice. “Whatcha reading?” Turning a little, it was the younger girl, though surprisingly I didn’t see her sister following her. The two seemed to do everything together.

“What book is that?” I jumped nearly out of the seat. There she was. The sister appeared on my other side grinning and equally curious.

Once I calmed down my heart, I closed the book. “It’s a record.”

“Record? Of what?”

“Ministra’s prophecies and what became of them.”

“Doesn’t that belong to the temple?”

“Still you steal it?”

“I’m a Speaker, I’m part of the temple. It’s my duty to know this.”

“Duty? What is a Speaker?”

They don’t know what a Speaker is? I guess they’re young, but I would have thought that their parents would have explained how things worked by now. They weren’t babies anymore. I would assume that they go to the Conveyance. “I listen to Ministra’s word and interpret Her prophecy so that others can understand it.”

“But that’s only once a year right?”

“We stay home each year it happens.”

I see, I guess that would explain their lack of understanding. Why would their parents not let them know about Ministra and the bounty of Her knowledge? Even if they can’t do anything with it right now, it’s a good experience for the future. It was a good experience.

As my thoughts wandered, I caught myself getting more quiet and remembering their father’s words. I forced a small grin back on my face for them. “That’s true. But the rest of the time, I’m just a regular acolyte.”

“Acolyte? What do they do?”

So many questions. “I study history for one because of my role. But the rest of the time I help the temple in working with the community. Sometimes it’s just providing support to someone in trouble or giving aid like helping with building or making meals. It’s mostly charity work.”

“Charity?”

I sighed a little. That was supposed to end the answer, not extend it. Especially since it’s just a concise way of saying it. “Being free to help .”

“Clena and Youwa?” Saved at last! They both bounced up to see their mother calling. It seemed that dinner was ready. I put the book back in my pack and encouraged them to move on ahead of me. They eagerly spirited off looking for food. Their curiosity is going to be the death of me.

Dinner ran smoothly and night came for us. I found myself sleeping a little easier that night. And I awoke feeling more rested than I had in a week. It felt easy to forget, but it hadn’t been that long since I left home. And yet it still seemed so long ago. Each day took so long to pass when I just walked.

The family loaded up in the cart as I finished putting my pack together. I still had more than a week ahead of me to the capital, so it was a nice change of pace.

“Speaker.”

I turned to see the father a little off from the cart handing over the last of their camping wares. “Yes?”

“Would you like to join us? Part of the way? We’re not going through the capital, so we couldn’t take you all the way, but we could speed up your travel.” A free ride where I didn’t have to walk? That sounded almost too good to be true,

“I don’t want to be a burden for you.”

“It’s no burden. You help others in times like these, right?” I felt like there was more meant by what he said than I was understanding. But I guess it wasn’t uncommon for people to give aid to members of the temple. We served selflessly for everyone else. So I guess it was a fair return.

I slowly nodded to him. “If that’s what you wish.”

“Please. My daughters will enjoy your company as well.” And now I felt like there was an ulterior motive slipped in. He wasn’t trying to pawn off babysitting to me while they sat in front? It wouldn’t be the first time that I had to look after a child. Not that I was very good at it. They always seemed to get bored of me or cry. It was deflating.

I can thank Ministra for some good fortune.