The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Blue Sky, Night Thunder: The Fool's Errand

Susan Delgado · 10-29-2002, 12:49 AM

Peering into her face, the boy suddenly remembered Blind Tobey and the other little kids back at the camp. He remembered his mother's face before she went away, when he'd been happy. He remembered a time when he was very young, before Blind Tobey had come, when he had watched in astonishment as his slender mother grew suddenly fat and then thin again and how she'd cried when she told him he wouldn't have a sister after all. He remembered the desolation he'd felt when he'd returned home and found her gone without a trace. And in the midst of this string of memories, he realised that this woman was looking for her own daughter. She and he were on opposite sides of the same gulf, staring at each other. If he'd known the terms, the boy might have said their feas were intertwined. As it was, all he could do was sit there and stare at this woman he'd never met, but whom he knew better than anyone in the world.

Eolinda got none of this, of course. All she saw was the boy staring at her wide eyed, saying nothing. It was very unnerving. She glanced around at the others, but it seemed she was on her own; Dineniel was studiously staring at the ceiling and Remdil nursed his ale as if it were the last he'd ever have. She cleared her throat to speak, but before she could, the boy woke from his revery.

"I'll go with you," the boy said, garnering the full attention of Remdil and Dineniel as well as Eolinda.

"You will?" Eolinda was a bit surprised. The boy had been so reticent!

The boy nodded. "I'll help you find your
daughter. But you have to help my family too."

Remdil snorted. "Can't be much of one, on the street," he muttered under his breath. One of the women kicked him under the table, causing him to wince.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Dineniel asked more politely.

"I want you to give food to Blind Tobey and some of the other children in the town."

The others stared at him.

Eventualy, Remdil broke the silence. "Food...for all the children in Neniant?"

"No, no, only a dozen or so. The ones that're under my protection. Look, do you want my help or not? This is my condition." He sat back and waited for the others' responses.

[ October 29, 2002: Message edited by: Susan Delgado ]

10-29-2002, 12:49 AM	#211
Susan Delgado The Perished Flame Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: behind my eyes Posts: 1,096	Peering into her face, the boy suddenly remembered Blind Tobey and the other little kids back at the camp. He remembered his mother's face before she went away, when he'd been happy. He remembered a time when he was very young, before Blind Tobey had come, when he had watched in astonishment as his slender mother grew suddenly fat and then thin again and how she'd cried when she told him he wouldn't have a sister after all. He remembered the desolation he'd felt when he'd returned home and found her gone without a trace. And in the midst of this string of memories, he realised that this woman was looking for her own daughter. She and he were on opposite sides of the same gulf, staring at each other. If he'd known the terms, the boy might have said their feas were intertwined. As it was, all he could do was sit there and stare at this woman he'd never met, but whom he knew better than anyone in the world. Eolinda got none of this, of course. All she saw was the boy staring at her wide eyed, saying nothing. It was very unnerving. She glanced around at the others, but it seemed she was on her own; Dineniel was studiously staring at the ceiling and Remdil nursed his ale as if it were the last he'd ever have. She cleared her throat to speak, but before she could, the boy woke from his revery. "I'll go with you," the boy said, garnering the full attention of Remdil and Dineniel as well as Eolinda. "You will?" Eolinda was a bit surprised. The boy had been so reticent! The boy nodded. "I'll help you find your daughter. But you have to help my family too." Remdil snorted. "Can't be much of one, on the street," he muttered under his breath. One of the women kicked him under the table, causing him to wince. "What exactly do you mean by that?" Dineniel asked more politely. "I want you to give food to Blind Tobey and some of the other children in the town." The others stared at him. Eventualy, Remdil broke the silence. "Food...for all the children in Neniant?" "No, no, only a dozen or so. The ones that're under my protection. Look, do you want my help or not? This is my condition." He sat back and waited for the others' responses. [ October 29, 2002: Message edited by: Susan Delgado ] __________________ "Man as a whole, Man pitted against the universe, have we seen him at all 'til we see that he is like a hero in a fairy tale?"