laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

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Lericanin stood inside the barn looking around at the mess the horses had made. He was tired of always cleaning up after his brothers. Buckets, brushes, even shovels were strewn about the floor, dropped wherever they were last used. It never seemed to make a difference when he asked them to pick up after themselves, “You can clean it up” was their typical response. Not today he thought. Times were about to change.

Lericanin stood outside of the barn and looked around. The road to town carried its usual traffic of farmer’s wagons and livestock heading to and from the market. Looking the opposite direction revealed empty fields lining the road with his family’s orchard on both sides. No one was around except for him. His mind drifted to the memory of Galaya Meryon, the beautiful daughter of Anderslough’s smith. They had shared a loft the precious day and her scent still lingered in his mind. As appealing as the memory was he knew better than take too many trips to the well so he shrugged it off and decided on something a little more quiet.

Sneaking inside the house was as easy as usual. Slipping into the kitchen, Lericanin managed to scrounge some cheese and bread as well as several slices of ham which remained on the serving tray from breakfast. A quick scan of the pantry resulted in a bottle of wine and some grapes. He wrapped the food in a cloth and tucked inside his shirt and carried the wine. Lericanin took short, careful steps managing to avoid his mother who remained at the front of the house beating a rug with her broom. He knew if she caught him he would be the one receiving the beatings and not the rug which hastened his movements. With a cautious glance back to the front of the house he ever so carefully slid through the back door and stepped outside without a sound. When he turned around to begin his getaway he froze.

Tied to a nearby tree was his father’s horse and with it stood a merchant from town, Mastersmith Meryon. Lericanin looked around but could not find his father and quickly realized if his father emerged from the barn he would be discovered, as he was completely in the open with a bottle of wine no less. Deciding quickly that discretion was the better option, Lericanin moved quietly but quickly to the edge of the house and crouched behind some shrubs, while keeping a watchful eye on the smith. A voice filled his mind reminding him not to stare directly at his quarry as people had a sixth sense about such things so he used his peripheral vision and began to move along the shrubs while mentally thanking his grandfather for his training.

Several long minutes had passed before he had managed to clear the house and slip into the orchard. The blossoms on the apple trees signaled a good year was coming to the farm for which he thanked The Lady. He may not enjoy the life of being a farmer but disrespecting the one who brings the bounty was unacceptable in his grandfather’s eyes. Lericanin had found that out the hard way as a tingle passed over his rump to remind him of his punishment that day. He was a large boy, no, man, he declared in his mind, but his grandfather was bigger still and knew how to gain respect from a child. He was almost of age so that would stop soon and besides he had enjoyed the company of not one but several of the girls in town so that sealed his manhood right there. Satisfied with his argument, Lericanin pulled the cloth from his shirt and removed a piece of ham. He ate as he walked while enjoying the sounds of nature all around him.

The day couldn’t have been more perfect for a getaway anyway. Clear blue skies with a light breeze blowing from the west caused his long black hair to flail wildly in his face before he tied it back in a ponytail. The smell of the blossoms clung to the air and filed his nostrils with the smells of spring. He brushed his hands off before raising and arm and caressing several leaves in the trees as he crossed the threshold from the grove to the forest nearby. The sounds changed as leaves crunched underfoot with every step. The musty smell of decaying plant matter mixed with the heavy smell of pollen as the myriad of flora filled the air with the hope of a continued existence. In the darker areas shaded by the massive oaks and hickory he could spot ponds of dew resting upon the bright green leaves of the ferns. There was a sudden flash of movement as a small rabbit shot out from under a shrub and took refuge down a hole under another nearby. Lericanin watched but decided to leave it alone. He marked the location for future hunts but decided that today was the animal’s lucky day. The Lady shines upon you my friend, he thought as he continued deeper into the forest.

Several hours passed before Lericanin arrived at his favorite destination. A clear spring formed a small pond near a formation of flat moss-covered stones. The water was perfectly clear and was incredibly sweet to drink. Creatures from all over the forest gathered here to drink and refresh themselves throughout the day. He had gotten to the point with some that they would ignore is presence as they lapped at the cool water. Even while thinking it a small pack of wolves walked into view led by a large, mostly white male. The animals took note of the human as they crept ever closer to the crystal blue water and slowly bowed their heads to drink. The alpha maintained eye contact with the young man, its emerald green eyes fixed on him as if reading him somehow.

Their gaze remained locked for several minutes before the leader broke it to move to the waters edge and drink. The remaining animals took up watching as their leader drank. When he finished he cast a quick look towards Lericanin and then led his pack back into the dense forest without a sound. The young man watched the animals disappear before removing the cloth from his shirt and laying it gently on a nearby rock revealing the contents. It didn’t take long to finish off the bread and cheese while taking sips of wine in between bites. After savoring the last bite and licking his fingers clean, Lericanin leaned back against one of the larger rocks and began watching the birds flutter from tree to tree. His stomach was full and the wine began taking affect as he rested completely satiated. It wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep with dreams of glorious battles and the calls of maidens seeking to congratulate their hero as he returned from a far off land with riches beyond imagination.

Ahrus had other plans…