I woke to the smell of bacon and the sound of chatter. Brook and Asprey had both risen before me, and were busying about breakfast, and a large iron pan was now resting over the fire, fat rashers sizzling. My stomach, knowing its own mind very well, instantly pulled me full awake.
“Morning, sleepy.” Brook said on noticing me stir. He stepped over and planted a chaste kiss on my cheek. I was surprised to see him so bouyant after the night, but then he was resilient. His mood and his greeting helped to sweep some my own fears aside for the moment, and I responded by pulling him into a real kiss, feeling that it had been too damn long since I had held him close to me, and for a moment we forgot that we weren’t alone. Asprey cleared his throat good naturedly before things got impolite, and I reluctantly released Brook.
After we ate, Asprey and Brook sat in the light from one of the windows and Asprey carefully copied Brook’s tattoo onto a fresh sheet of paper. As he worked we discussed the vision I had witnessed with Brook.
“It was so strange.” Brook said of the two figures. “It was like I knew them, but didn’t. I felt they were familiar, but I did not know their faces nor could I tell you their names or anything about them. All I know is what you saw, Jack.”
“The tall one.” I said. “The one who….he called you ‘Highness’.”
Brook was silent at that, thinking on it.
“I wish I knew what that meant.” He said, finally. “Beyond the obvious…”. He smiled a little at that. “Don’t worry, I won’t make you call me that.” I smiled too, reaching out and taking his chin in my hand, angling his face to the light.
“I think a crown would suit you.” I told him. “Very regal nose.” He laughed.
“And what does that make you, my loyal bodyguard?”
“There are worse things to guard.” I said, my hands now following the line of his shoulder.
“Please,” interrupted Asprey. “I promise we will be done shortly, and then you can act out your play at your leisure.”
I took the point and reluctantly left them be, taking the time to check on Bess, who was in front of the house investigating the strange graveyard of half finished machines. I found a piece of driftwood and, with little prompting, tempted the old girl into a game of fetch. A while later Brook emerged from the house and came to stand with me.
“Asprey says he will get to work on a translation straight away, but it may be a few days before he has any answers.” He looped his arm in mine. Bess ran over with the stick and dropped it in front of Brook.
“Traiter.” I growled, and she wagged her tail.
“What are we going to do now?” Brook asked. I put my arm around him and thought for a moment, looking out across the lake to the horizon.
“We should head back to the inn. Get some use from the room we haven’t paid for.” His arm snaked around my waist.
“What kind of use?” He asked with that sly smile of his and I knew like me he was picturing that big old bed.
“How about we find out?” I said, then leaned in to kiss him, and felt the life in him invigorate me, shoving my worries aside. A gull cawed in the distance and the lake lapped at the stoney beach.
After saying our farewells to Asprey, promising to visit again in a few days’ time, Brook and I walked the five or so miles back to the village. The day was clear and fresh with a cool breeze coming in over the lake, and Brook and I walked slowly, talking more about what we had seen the night before.
“Why do you think it left me, the creature?” Brook asked. This had been on my mind too.
“Could be it was laying a false trail.” I mused, recalling how Pa would lay false scent trails when training a hound. “If whoever is after you is following that thing, it’s a smart move to hide you and then lead them away.” Brook thought about this.
“Do you think it left me with you on purpose?” I remembered how the creature had looked into me, had examined me. At the time it had seemed like an attack, but what if it wasn’t?
“I don’t know, Brook. It could be I was just the nearest soul around.” Brook took my hand and I looked at him.
“I don’t think so.” His eyes were earnest. “I think you were meant to find me, Jack.”
I had never thought much about fate or destiny or any of those things folk sometimes called the gods, but looking into Brook’s eyes, so serious now, I couldn’t help but feel that we were more than just an accident.
“That’s how it feels to me too.”
We arrived at the inn that afternoon to find it more crowded than the day before. Glancing around I saw faces I did not recognise, more travellers from the north, or so I guessed from their finely patterned cloaks and dark hair. George was in his usual spot, looking genial but for an edge of nerves only someone who knew him would notice. Brook and I came and sat at the bar and asked for two jars, and passed some time talking with the old innkeep.
“Did you find the old crack-pot?” He asked, meaning Asprey.
“We did. Our apologies for skipping your hospitality last night, but it became too late to return.” George smiled and shook his head.
“Not to worry. Room’s yours as long as you want it. Truth is, it’s a comfort having you here.” He glanced around the room at the strangers. “You’ll have heard of the troubles.” I nodded grimly.
“We have. Seen some of it too.” I told him of how things had been at the outpost, of the pitiable souls passing through there, hoping for refuge in the King’s Lands, and I told him of Knock Wood and the derelict farmsteads we had passed. Wanting to change to subject to less grim matters I asked George if Vera had fixed anything for dinner.
“The lake provides.” It wasn’t almost a motto for the village. “The boys brought in some fresh bass earlier, so Vera is baking it with some roots, even gathered some greens if you fancy.”
Fancy we did, and dived on our plates when, a long hour later, Vera brought them smiling from her kitchen.
“Here you go, boys.” She said, and we both told her our deepest thanks and meant it. A second trip and she returned with a bowl of leftovers for Bess, who was equally grateful.
Ten minutes later we were burping over empty plates, a fresh jar in front of us. The bar had become crowded now, with the local folk coming in after the day’s work, so Brook and I said our respects to George and took our cups to our room. When I closed the door behind us it was like I was closing the door on our worries. Suddenly all that mattered was each other and being there together.
Brook placed his cup on the table and with a sigh of satisfaction he fell onto the bed, his body sinking into the soft mattress. I kicked off my boots and joined him, my weight causing him to roll towards me. We lay face to face in the honey coloured light of the of the early evening, his breath sweet in my nose, his lips a tempting inch away. I brushed them gently with my own, dropping kisses soft as summer rain onto his skin. I could hear the dull murmer of voices from the bar below, but they seemed to come from another world, one we shut behind the door.
I peeled away his clothes, slowly unwrapping him, kissing his belly, his chest, his arms as each was bared. Brook had closed his eyes and his head was tilted back and he shivered as he always did under my touch.