Our Destiny: Bearers of the Dagger

Impossible, Part 13

It looked like Aston wasn't just the best swordsman in the village. He was like the mayor or sheriff or something. Sophie didn't really understand how things were run in this tiny settlement, but basically, she reckoned he was in charge of protecting the people here, so that meant he had the biggest house.

He lived in a longhouse, an elongated cottage made of firm wood walls and decorated with ironwork around the entrance. It had a very rustic feel. The interior was decorated with wooden shields and spears that were cracked or corroded, making Sophie wonder if these were family heirlooms.

She didn't know. She didn't care really. The history of Aston's family wasn't important to her. Only her own future. And her stomach, which thankfully were going to be given its first full meal in days!

Once the battle was done, the group helped carry the dead villagers to the local burial grounds. It wasn't pleasant and Sophie hated it, but it was the least they could do. Most of the dead were young parents or children and the survivors were loved ones who couldn't bear to look on their mangled corpses, much less bury them. As for the Tengura? They stripped them of armor and weapons and then they piled them outside the village. Aston had set fire to their corpses and the blaze burned high into the sky in a thick black cloud.

With that business dealt with, Aston had invited the group to a feast in his longhouse. A thanksgiving offering for the saving the villager's lives.

It was strange. Sophie hadn't tried to save anyone but she did. And while she was grateful for the feast, she did feel a little proud of herself for helping the villagers. She had done a good thing. All of them had.

The longhouse was filled with a giant table, usually used for meetings but now covered in platters of roast meats, vegetables and fruits picked from the village orchard. Wooden and iron goblets were laid down around the platters along with jugs and vases of fermented grain and grape beverages. Essentially beer and wine, if you ignored that weird, mouldy smell.

Benches were put down on either side of the table and joining Aston and the nine teenagers were as many of the village as they could fit inside. It was a tight fit and several stools and tables were bought in for everyone. The elderly had to make do with sitting on cushions in the corner of the longhouse but they were smiling and humming away happily as the villagers cheered and fed themselves with the amazing food.

It looked like roast poultry but the bird was grey, like greyish blue, but it's was steaming and juicy so Sophie assumed it was safe to eat. The other villagers tucked in happily and once Luke tore a drumstick off and gobbled it up, the rest of the group soon followed him.

'Tastes like chicken,' he remarked.

The other meats were more confusing. There were spit-roasted hinds and steaks that still showed remnants of oddly coloured fur from the animals they belonged. Were those the pigmy elephants she saw outside? And those stag creatures? The vegetables too were weird as hell. Root type plants with bulbous stalks and flowery foliage poking out every which end. Was it a turnip or an aubergine?

Sophie chose not to think too much about what the food was and just enjoy having hot, succulent nourishment in her mouth.

Oh god it was good.

She had to admit she never realised how hungry she was until she started gobbling down everything she could get her hands on. Was that a whole bird she ate? A whole bowl of those potato-tasting starch roots? Oh, what did it matter. The feast was for them and she was hungry as hell.

Before she could start on her second helping, Aston rose from the table. The other villagers went quiet and the group slowly copied them, carefully removing any loose food from their lips.