The Road of Thoughts

The old man let them sleep in the loft, which turned out to be much larger than Malik would have assumed at first glance. Each received their own beds, covers, and pillows. Malik, after the tea, slept like a baby. Waking up in the morning, he felt better rested than he had felt in a long time; maybe ever. 

The old man fixed them breakfast, helped them pack food and water onto Callie and Sally, and then handed coins in a bag filled to the brim. He did not allow them to protest the sum; he waved it off like it was a gesture anyone would have provided. 

Malik remembered only taking a few steps before he turned back to get a last glance at the cabin, but when he looked the cabin was no longer there. He mentioned this to the others who were just as confused, but after walking in the sun for much of the day, no one had the energy to focus on it. 

“We should stop and set up camp,” Mollie said. 

No one protested, even though they could have walked for a few more hours in the sun’s light. Their destination could have been an hour away or a year. Malik felt that the longer it took, the more days he had left to live. Once they got there, wherever there was, there was no telling what they would find. 

Malik unloaded Callie and Sally and let them graze the grass near the camp. Khris started the small cook fire, and Mollie prepped the meal. All the while, Embre watched, trying to find a role in the group. Malik had not noticed the unspoken unity he, Mollie, and Khris had gathered. 

“What did you normally do in your camp?” Malik asked, stepping in beside Embre. 

Embre looked around the camp. “This is nothing like my village,” she said. “There, I did nothing to help myself. We had herders for the animals, workers for the tents and fires, guards for protection, and kitchen help for food. This is all new to me.” 

Malik tried to think of such a sheltered life, but it was hard for him to grasp. Abrie had him toiling away since the first day. He had known how to start a fire, cook, and brush down the mules by the end of the first week. To be this age and know nothing of the effort it took to survive, surprised him. 

Then again, what had Khris known when they had escaped his village? Embre would learn in time; if they had time. 

“Here, I will help you learn to put up the tent. It is a pleasant night and normally we could just sleep under the stars, but it is a wonderful skill to know, in a pinch,” Malik said. 

Embre did not balk at the task. Malik handed her a bag and instructed her to find the smoothest area around the fire. They ended up having to clear small pebbles and rocks away from a small dirt patch, but it allowed Malik to lose himself in the work. Embre struggled and grunted beside him, and Malik laughed at her efforts. He was not making fun of her, just amazed how someone found something so simple a laborious task. 

“Did you never have to do any work in the village at all?” 

Embre stopped what she did, sweat dripping down her forehead. Malik tried to hide his smile. 

“I was not to soil my hands, dress, or face,” Embre answered. 

“If you could not help with the tents, food, cleaning, or any of the other chores around the camp, then what was it you did?” Malik asked, trying not to sound offensive. 

Embre stopped trying to tie the rope to the tent stake. She had been fiddling with the task for almost ten minutes. Every time she thought she got the hang of it; the knot would come undone and her side of the tent would inevitably fall. Malik tried to help her several times, but she was adamant that she would learn the task and be of help to the group. 

Malik glanced over his shoulder to see if the others finished with their tasks. Khris sat beside a small cook fire, and Mollie stared a dagger through the back of Malik’s head. He tried to remember what he could have done to make her mad this time, but it could have literally been anything. 

“Sometimes my mother would allow me to sing.” 

Malik turned back around. Embre was vigorously trying to tie the knot around the stake again. Malik was overjoyed the night sky would be clear, and the tent was just a distraction. 

“At taverns?” Malik asked, wondering if they had ever played in the same place before. 

Embre was already shaking her head. “Mo, never quite that ambitious. Mother would not engage with the innkeepers or the barmaids. She said that they were below our standards of company. She traded with them all the same. Their coin must have been to our standard.” Embre gave a soft, scornful laugh. 

“I am sorry about your mother,” Malik added, as an afterthought. He was not sorry about her mother. At least, he was not sorry she died. He was sorry because he figured Embre would need to mourn. 

Embre did not tear up, look sorrowful, or even frown at the mention of her mother’s death. Not to say she looked happy, she just looked indifferent. 

“She was not a kind person. Not in the way you want your parents to be. She was my mother, however. Not my favorite person, but she gave me birth. She fed me for several years, she clothed me while I was young, and she always kept me sheltered; sometimes too sheltered. I will not miss who she was, but sometimes I fear I will miss what I wanted her to be.” 

Malik had loved his parents. He cherished their memory, but he understood the sentiment. He longed more for what could have been with his family, rather than what had already been. 

“Did you have anyone you were close to in the village?” Malik asked. 

He could not remember most of his fellow village members. Sure, he knew a handful of names, he could almost remember some faces, but mostly he just knew their screams. Embre had been much older than him when the Tempre had come. She would be more akin to Mollie in her plight. 

“Just my brother, Timbre,” Embre stopped tying, again. She still did not have the knot down, but Malik could see she moved closer. “Timbre was an unselfish person. I cannot name a lot of righteous acts he did, he was not a hero. He was not great with words, even if he fancied himself a poet. He was simply good in his heart. He would do what others would not. He would not balk at helping or lending a hand. I just miss having him to talk with.”

Malik thought Embre looked sad now. Her eyes downcast, and her shoulders slumped. She did not cry, but Malik knew that was for everyone else in the camp.

“He was a hero to us. He saved us from Sweet Tongue. He is the only reason we got into the camp. Without him, we would never have saved you.” Malik put on a smile. 

Embre did not look at him, but he hoped his words had helped even a small amount. 

“I got it,” Embre said, laughing a genuine laugh. 

Malik stopped starring at her and looked down to the rope. Sure enough, Embre had tied the knot exactly like he had shown her. With her stake tied, the tent was fully up. It had taken much longer than Malik would have liked, but it had also distracted him for some time. 

“Outstanding job,” Malik said, laughing with her. 

“Maybe tomorrow I will put it all up by myself,” she said. 

Malik looked down again at the knot. It held, but it was not pretty. He did not have the heart to ruin it for her. “Yeah, maybe you will.” 

“If you two are finally done, you can come eat this cold food we left for you. If not, I will eat the rest,” Mollie yelled to them. 

Malik turned around, looking directly into Mollie’s eyes. She was definitely mad about something. Malik thought it better if he ate. Maybe later he would ask her what it was he had done, but then again, maybe he would be smarter and wait until she was not so angry about it. 

Mollie and Khris had made up some scrambled eggs, bacon, and biscuits. The old man, who had given none of them a name, made sure they would not run out of food for some time to come. Malik was most thankful for that, even though he was the reason they were even on this foolish journey. 

Malik scarfed the food. Even cold, it tasted amazing. He could have eaten four or five plates if they had it. Sadly, he only got a single plate and a reprimand from Mollie when he asked for a second helping. 

“You would have us eat our entire stores in a single day?” 

Malik had not fought her. There was plenty of food and coin to buy more, but there was something else eating at her, and so he left it be. 

“Embre,” Malik called after eating. 

She looked up from her own plate, still full. “Yeah?” 

Malik knew an upset stomach was the leading sign of sadness. Embre could not eat, not without calming herself. She would eventually grow hungry, but it may be some time yet. 

“Would you like to sing a few songs with me? I do not think we mentioned it, but I am a bard. The man we are looking for, Abrie, taught me how to play the lyre years ago. He also helped me train my voice and taught me a few songs.” 

Malik played down his skills. He knew thousands of songs and been playing since he was a child. There were few songs he could not figure out. If he did not know it, it was only a matter of a few lines before he could pick it up. Abrie had taught him well over the years. However, he wanted Embre to be impressed when he started. If she thought him only okay, then when he played, she would be amazed. 

“I am not sure,” Embre said. 

She gave him a small, closed lipped smile. 

“I think it would be good to practice,” Mollie said. 

Malik looked back at Embre, who still did not look ready to add her voice to his song. He saved her the trouble of refusing. “Actually, I think I am tired,” Malik said. 

Mollie stood over him, hands on her hips, and she whirled around, stomping off without a word. Malik watched her storm over to the other side of the camp. 

“What is her problem?” 

“You don’t know, do you?” Khris asked. 

Malik shrugged. “I guess I don’t. Inform me, smart one.” 

Khris just shook his head. “For all the travels, wisdom, and cunning you believe you have, you sure know little about life.” 

Malik did not reply. He investigated the flames. He had more important things to think about than the fact Khris did not like him. Khris got up from his seat and walked over to Mollie. Malik could not hear what they said, but he figured it negative words about who he was. 

Malik looked back to Embre. She watched the stars. Malik figured he had already lost her to thought. There was no one else to converse with in the camp. Sally and Callie already hunkered down for the night in a deep slumber. Egg never detached from Mollie’s arm. That left Malik with no company but his own thoughts. He shuddered at the thought of it. Over the last few weeks, he wanted to be anywhere but in his own mind. There was nothing comforting about the images and ideas swirling there. 

Malik wondered if Abrie lived. He wondered if they would be too late to save him. Were Sweet Tongue and his crew, even now, torturing him? Why did Sweet Tongue even want Abrie? What could the Tempre want with an old bard? There was nothing Abrie could give them. Not unless they were in search of a thousand and one philosophical sayings. Malik chuckled aloud, thinking about Abrie converting each Tempre away from anger and brashness. Sweet Tongue may soon regret taking Abrie when he systematically destroyed them with words from the inside. 

“What are you laughing about?” Embre asked. 

Malik was not sure how long she had been watching him, but she was no longer staring up at the stars. Malik cleared his thoughts of Abrie. 

“Just thinking about a friend.” 

Embre did not press him. “I am getting tired.” 

Malik would spare her a watch. On her first night, she would need to get all the sleep she could. He would take double the watch and Mollie and Khris could split the rest. When he expressed this to the others, Mollie scorned the idea. She went on about how everyone should do their turn in a group. She complained so loudly Embre had no choice but to deny Malik’s help. Malik insisted on first watch. He suggested Embre go second, but Mollie was smart to his plan. Malik had thought to skip Embre and wait until the third watch to wake up Khris or Mollie, however, Mollie volunteered for the second watch and offered to wake Embre up for the third. 

Malik had no choice; he would have to allow Embre to take her turn. Maybe it would do her some good. It would help her feel like she belonged. He did not want to be Simbre and overprotect her. 

Everyone slipped into their bed rolls and their breathing steadied. Even Egg, who curled up next to Mollie, slept. Malik wondered if the creature ever stayed awake more than a few minutes at a time. He could not complain though. The longer Egg slept, the less likely it was to eat anyone. 

Malik spent most of his time thinking of Abrie, the Tempre Warriors, and his family. He broke it up by worrying about Mollie, Embre, and even somewhat Khris. He was not all too fond of Khris, but the boy did not deserve to watch his village eaten alive by a monster; no one deserved that fate. 

At about midnight, Malik walked over to Mollie and gave her a gentle shove on the shoulder. She awoke with wide eyes and clenched fists. 

“It is just me,” Malik said. 

“I don’t know if that is any better at this point,” Mollie said. 

Malik felt the sting of the words. 

“What is your problem?” 

He had racked his brain but could remember doing nothing over the course of the day to make Mollie so angry. Whatever it was, she had to be holding onto it from another time. 

“It is none of your concern,” Mollie said, sitting up out of her bedroll. 

Malik was close to shrugging it off. Sleep called for him, it had been a long day, and he would need some sleep. However, something tugged at him, and he sat down beside Mollie instead. 

“What is going on with you tonight?” 

Mollie looked at him with anger brewing behind her eyes. 

“Maybe you should ask Embre what is bothering me. You seem to think she is the most important piece of this puzzle,” Mollie spat. 

Malik had never been great at reading signs. He needed things spilled into his lap before he realized they were there. Abrie used to say he floated with his head in the clouds. Malik felt Mollie’s anger had just popped his bubble. 

“Is that what this is all about?” 

He was not sure if he should feel relief to find out the problem or scared to know Mollie was not just angry, but also jealous. Those were never a pleasant combination in people. Malik was a bard who played in taverns. He knew both emotions well. 

“Like I said, don’t worry about it.” 

It was hard to forget sometimes that Mollie would have feelings. She spent most of her time hiding those feelings down deep. She spent the other half wielding a sword bigger than Malik’s body. Looking at her now, Malik could see that she was just like any other normal human. She felt silly things like jealousy and gigantic things like anger and sorrow. She had not known Abrie for as long as Malik had, but Abrie had saved her life too. He had not stopped to think Mollie could have been hurting just as bad as he was. It was easy to get caught up in his own emotions and forget the rest of the world still moved around him. 

“I am sorry,” Malik said. He truly was. 

Mollie looked up to see if Malik mocked her, but he tried to put on his best face. 

“I really am sorry for not checking on you. I should have reached out to you. I am sure this is no easier for you than it is for me. I forgot to check on you and I understand why you are angry with me for it.” 

Malik reached out his hand and placed it on Mollie’s. He had not thought about doing it, he just kind of reached out and did it. Mollie’s hand was warm, and she did not pull away from his touch. 

“Abrie was my friend as well,” she said in an almost whisper. 

“I know,” Malik replied. 

Mollie looked at him directly in the eyes, and she leaned in toward him. “I don’t want to lose anyone else.” 

Malik was sure he saw actual tears building in her eyes. He reached out to her and drew her in close to him. She did not resist his embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder and curled her chin under his own. There Malik could feel her heart beating against his chest. He could feel the heat from her body. He could smell the sweet smell of her sweat as he tucked his nose into her hair. 

“I will make sure you do not lose anyone else,” Malik said. 

In that moment he felt brave. In that moment, he thought he could fight the world for her. He thought just maybe he could have killed a man. 

“You should get some sleep,” Mollie said, pulling away from him. 

Malik looked toward the moon. There would be only a few hours of sleep in it for him. He opted to stay up with Mollie instead. He scooted right next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Egg woke up and curled between them. They did not speak much throughout the second watch, but Malik figured they did not need to speak to say the things they needed to say. 

The next morning Malik arose stiff and tired. He stretched the sleep from his muscles and rose to his feet. Khris had cooked up some extra bacon during the remnants of his watch. It waited for them in a small cook pan by the fire. 

“Thanks,” Malik said, sitting down by the remaining coals. 

Khris nodded without saying a word. 

Mollie woke after a few minutes and came to sit across from Malik. They did not speak of the night before. 

“Did you sleep well,” Khris asked Mollie as she took a few pieces of the bacon. 

“I slept just fine, considering,” she said. 

“Did you know that there are people in the eastern ridges of the known world that do not sleep? They are humans with no eyelids, and they had not heard of sleep until explorers arrived in their village.” Khris tried again to get them excited about history.. 

Malik was not interested in more strange myths. They had their fair share of them already. There was absolutely no reason to go on adding more. 

Khris continued with the story to Mollie. Embre woke up because of his animated voice and came to sit next to Malik. 

Malik glanced at Mollie, who met his eyes and gave him a nod. 

“How was your first ever watch?” Malik asked, handing Embre the last slices of bacon. 

Embre looked tired. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks were blotchy, and there were bags forming from lack of sleep. 

“I am not used to sleeping outside. I am also not used to waking up in the middle of the night to sit there and stare out into the darkness.” 

Malik could not hold in his laughter. He looked at the crazy hair and the barely open eyes, and he thought of his first few nights on watch. Abrie did not always set a watch during their travels, but if they had been near dangerous brigand areas, he would have Malik take his turn. The first few nights, Malik looked exactly like Embre did now. 

“I would love to tell you it got better, but it doesn’t. It is always horrible. You never get enough sleep and most of the time, at least the lucky times, you see nothing beyond the dark,” Malik said. 

Embre reached up, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “I thought it would help me feel useful, but I just feel tired.” 

Malik chuckled again. “Welcome to the life of a real traveling group.” 

Embre did not look impressed by the prospect of rough living. She had probably grown up believing she was a real traveling woman. However, the rough nights on the ground, with little sleep and scarce food, would soon show her that her life was much more sheltered than even she believed. 

“Do you think the Tempre will disperse once we get the relic?” Khris asked Mollie across the dying fire. 

“I think the Tempre will not give it up easily,” Malik said. 

Khris cut his eyes toward Malik, as if he had just interrupted something sacred and pure. 

“I was asking Mollie,” Khris said. 

“And I was giving you an honest answer.” 

Mollie stuck her hand into the air. “Let’s not start the bickering before breakfast has had time to digest.” 

Malik looked away, toward the open plains stretching before them. He tried to prepare himself for the walk ahead. Like yesterday, he did not know where it was, they were actually going, and so it made it difficult to prepare for. He could walk only an hour, or he could walk the entire day, maybe the entire month. There was no way of knowing. 

“The book says it is in the outskirts of Luberg and that means we still have awhile to go before we get there,” Khris had started up his conversation with Mollie again. 

“Then we had better get started,” Malik said, hopping to his feet. 

Malik extended a hand toward Embre and helped her up. Then he extended his other to Mollie, before leaving Khris alone on the ground. Malik did not offer to help him to his feet. 

“Don’t worry about me, I will get up just fine on my own,” Khris yelled after them. 

Mollie let out a chuckle and turned to help him. Khris was already up before she reached him. 

Malik repacked the mules with the help of Mollie. Before the sun reached its morning peak, they were off down the path, in the direction Egg pointed them. 

The day before had been easy walking. After leaving the mountains of Opallum behind several days ago, they were in the plains. Khris told anyone who would listen that they could walk these plains for several days after leaving Twin Rocks, before they reached the capital city of Gray Waters. From Gray Waters it was another week’s march to the other side of the kingdom. 

Malik did not know how much time they had to beat the Tempre to the relic, but he doubted Abrie would make it another two or three weeks with Sweet Tongue. Sweet Tongue may have not kept him alive at all. 

Malik tried to distract himself with the scenery. There was nothing he could do for it. They did not have horses, they did not have carts, and they could not fly. 

All that surrounded them was grass, sparse amounts of trees, and wide-open spaces. There were animals here and there and Malik thought of hunting them, but he could not find the motivation. The old man had packed them full with food and there was no need to exert himself. 

He had no need for anything. He felt like a mindless corpse, just walking forward at the whims of a little monster. At night, he did his portion of the chores and then sat alone at the fire. During the day, he walked with his eyes facing forward. He and Mollie did not share another night like the one they had their first night back on the road. Khris, every morning, made sure they had no time to talk before they set out. 

Malik talked sparsely with Embre, but even she had withdrawn into herself. Malik lost track of the days since Sweet Tongue took Abrie. He knew it had been over a week. That had to mean they were at least five days past Twin Rocks. 

“We should probably stop,” Khris said. 

Malik looked up from his dazed thoughts. They had been traveling the better half of the morning and had seen only a few straggling farmers here and there. None of them were close enough to worry about hiding from, and none of them seemed to want to chase them down. 

“What is it?” Mollie asked, jogging up next to Khris. 

Khris lifted his hand and pointed out against the bleating sun. “Just there, about a quarter mile.” 

Mollie took a moment, blocking out the glare of the sun with the back of her hand. Malik did the same and did not need Mollie’s words to tell him what he saw. 

“Well we know where the mercenaries are camping,” Mollie said. 

“At least some of them,” Khris added. 

“Can you imagine how many of them there are? We can’t even see the city walls and they are packed up next to one another like spawning fish,” Malik said. 

If Malik had to venture a guess, he would have said there were seven thousand men and women just a quarter mile ahead of them. 

“Do you think they have scouts out?” Khris asked. “I read in my war history books that armies always place scouts to find spying eyes and attacking armies.” 

“I don’t think they care about us,” Malik said. 

Although, he was not fully confident about that; he would have never guessed Sweet Tongue would know and want Abrie. 

“I still think we should keep our eyes open,” Mollie said. 

Malik scanned their immediate area. He did not see any stragglers, scouts, or sentries. There was not a single soul watching this pathway up toward the city. 

“I wonder how King Bently is enjoying his newfound company?” Malik chuckled. 

Even a king would be nervous at a foreign force this close to his castle walls. 

“I can’t imagine he was too comfortable when the Tempre told him about their plan,” Malik added. 

“I do not know the king, but I do not think this would have occurred without his blessing,” Khris said. 

Malik had seen King Bentley several times during his life. Abrie had played in Gray Waters hundreds of times and Malik had joined him on several of those occasions. He had never directly talked with Bently, but he had played on stages where Bently had been present. Bently was of medium stature, not imposing, but no slouch either. His face had been baby smooth the last time Malik had seen him. His hair was slicked back and kept short. Malik tried to imagine him fencing with Sweet Tongue and the other Tempre, but found it hard to imagine. 

“We have to avoid the city gates and this mob,” Mollie said. 

Malik had no intention of running headlong into this massive group of mercenaries. He also had no intention of riding off into the city gates of Gray Water, but something told him Abrie would probably be there. 

“What if we can save Abrie?” Malik said. 

Mollie turned to him. She shook her head, but not to reprimand him. It was more out of sorrow. “I don’t think that will be possible. What we can still possibly do is retrieve this relic before the Tempre do. Maybe then they will leave Luberg behind.”

Malik shook his head. “How exactly does that help Abrie?” 

“I don’t know how that helps Abrie. We would save hundreds, maybe thousands of others though. Wouldn’t Abrie want that?” 

Mollie was probably right. Abrie was self-righteous and pious. He was practically a Saint himself. 

“I don’t know what Abrie would want because Sweet Tongue took him. He is not here to ask his opinion. I know if it were me in that same predicament, he would be there by my side. You all don’t have to agree with me, or come, but I think we should at least find out if Abrie is in the city.” 

No one spoke for several minutes. Everyone looked out into the horde of mercenaries only a small way away. Even Malik knew the thought was crazy. He doubted they would get within ten miles of the city at this rate. He knew many of these people would never see the tournament, let alone be a part of the festivities. Still, he wanted to try. At least to say he had given it his best effort. There was no use getting everyone killed for a pointless mission, but what were they on now? A mission no one had a clue about. They had received word from a strange, old man in a cabin and then they scurried off to do his bidding. Maybe the old man was right. Maybe the fate of the world depended on the Tempre not retrieving some historical relic, or maybe the old man was crazy. 

Malik knew for sure, even if he did not know where, that Abrie existed. Abrie was a real person who was in trouble. A person who also was his friend, Malik could not bring himself to just leave it. 

“You all can carry on,” Malik said. “Maybe you can beat the Tempre to the relic and then you all can save the world. I do not know if that will happen, but I will not stop you. I need to do this though. Abrie is the only reason I am still in this world. Without him, I would have died a long time ago.” Malik did not look toward the group. He was not sure he could keep his emotions in check if he did.  

Malik did not expect anyone to come with him. There was no reason for Khris or Embre to join him. Neither of them even knew who Abrie was. Even Mollie⎯who had liked Abrie⎯had no major reason to sacrifice everything for him. 

“I will understand,” Malik said, letting them all off the hook. 

“I will go.” Embre stepped up beside Malik. “I do not know Abrie, but I will go. Family is important. I only wish I had could tell Timbre goodbye. I hope you get the chance to see Abrie again.” 

Malik held in his smile. Embre would not be of much help. He was glad she had volunteered, but he knew she would only be emotional support. 

“I am not sure it is an outstanding idea,” Khris interjected. “I am not trying to be rude but is Abrie more important than the fate of the known world?” 

Malik could only answer the question for himself. To him, Abrie was more important than any other living soul. Abrie was the one parent figure he had left. 

Khris looked to each. “I mean I am sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry,” Mollie said. “It is a genuine concern. However, it is not a question I need to answer. I know what it feels like to lose those I cared about to the Tempre. Malik, I will go with you, we have already lost enough to them. At some point, it becomes pointless to save a world that you yourself have already lost. I want to act like I am a selfless hero, but I started this with one goal in mind, to kill the Tempre for what they did to my family.” 

Now Malik smiled. He could not hold it back. “Thank you, Mollie,” he said, turning toward her. 

“Don’t thank me yet.” Mollie was still overlooking the horde before them. “We may not make it out of this alive.” 

Malik knew it was the truth. Abrie may not even be in the city or near it. He may be hundreds of miles away in any direction. He may even already be dead. There was no way to know, but he still needed to check. Malik still needed to know for himself. 

“What do you plan then?” Khris asked, with a defeated tone. 

Malik laughed, not because of the question, or the situation. He laughed because he had finally seen Khris on the other end of the numbers game.