Entering the village wasn't anything grand, the first wooden houses appearing on the sides and the smoke from the chimneys rising straight into the cold morning air.
Briarwood was small. Just a few hardened dirt streets, a handful of houses grouped around the storehouse, the smithy, and the communal hall. Even so, after three days of travel and spending twenty in a camp, this felt enormous.
Some neighbors looked up when the convoy appeared on the main path. A man stopped chopping wood to watch us, a woman came out with a bucket in her hand and stood still for a few seconds, evaluating whether we had returned complete.
They didn't ask questions, it wasn't necessary, if someone were missing they would notice it already. The carts advanced toward the shed where wood and supplies were usually stored. Two workers who hadn't gone on the trip came out immediately to help with the unloading.
The sound changed instantly: wood hitting wood, short orders, the impatient neigh of a horse that already recognized the place. Although the vast majority of logs had been taken little by little by other caravans, we brought the last batch.
A whistle was heard, it was Serin, who had stood on top of a bench and signaled for all of us to come closer, or at least the guards. "You all did very well, boys, you can go rest now, next week you'll be paid what corresponds."
It was a bit exaggerated to stand on top of something to gain height while speaking, since she wasn't addressing the whole caravan, only the guards, who were fewer than two dozen.
Most dispersed quickly, they were exhausted from the trip. Once the place cleared out Serin approached my group. "You also did a good job," she focused her gaze on Claire and me, "you two included."
It was obvious what she was referring to, although on my part I didn't agree, when the moment came to do what I had to do I couldn't…
Suddenly something hit my forehead, which made me instinctively put my hand there, pulling me out of my thoughts, "stop overthinking things. I'm not referring only to the battle when we arrived, but to all the work in general, not everything is fighting." Serin lectured me, "Now go home, the old man must be waiting for you."
She said goodbye and then left.
Leofric, who had been waiting to the side, approached me, "I'm going home too, see you."
"Tell your mother that tomorrow I'll take the day off, I'm exhausted," I sank my shoulders.
"No problem, knowing her she'll probably make you take the whole week," he laughed as he turned around to leave.
Claire adjusted her belt before starting to walk.
"Are you going to stand there much longer?" she asked without looking at me.
I shook my head and caught up with them.
The village continued with its usual rhythm. A smaller cart passed beside us, loaded with sacks of grain. From the smithy came a bright spark followed by the dry strike of a hammer. Someone was arguing about the price of some planks near the storehouse.
When we turned onto the next street, Edric's house was already visible. Large, made of dark wood, with the roof slightly leaning to one side and a surprisingly well-kept front garden. Without a doubt it was the best house in the village.
We all entered together and saw no one, it was strange that the old man wasn't waiting for us. "Grandpa, are you here?!" Daren shouted using his hands to amplify the sound.
Claire hit his back, "Don't shout so loud idiot, if he doesn't answer it's because he's clearly not here."
Daren rubbed his back and looked sideways at Claire with some resentment. After that each of us went to our room.
As soon as I entered I took off my boots and moved the sheet before throwing myself face-down onto the bed. "Row, wake me up when there's food."
"Okay," he answered simply.
I released all the tension in my body, relaxed and closed my eyes.
***
"Yaaawn… I was so sleepy," I said rubbing my eyes while getting up, when I looked through the window I could tell it was still daytime, "That's strange, did I sleep so little?" without giving it much importance I got up, put on my boots and left the room.
Everything was quiet, it didn't seem like anyone was around, until I heard a sound in the kitchen and decided to get closer. "Oh, Luke, you're finally awake, come," it was Edric who seemed to have already returned.
"Uncle, you're already here, where are the others?, we barely got back a few hours ago, I thought Row would wake me up for dinner." I said while taking a glass and filling it with water.
"A few hours ago?, what are you talking about boy, you returned yesterday, I only arrived in the early morning." Edric turned around and looked at me with a strange expression.
I stared at the glass and lifted my gaze, "Y-yesterday?... don't tell me I slept almost a whole day."
He let out a laugh, "God boy, you're quite something," he took a chair and pointed at it so I would sit with him. I took a seat and waited for him to speak.
"Your brother and my grandchildren are training in the back yard, and when they woke up he told me what happened to you on the trip."
"I see," I nodded and avoided his gaze.
"There's nothing strange about what happened to you Luke, you shouldn't be ashamed of it," he sighed and continued, "Not everyone reacts the same the first time, look at Claire, something similar happened to her, although she was able to fight, she couldn't deliver the final blow."
"It wasn't the first time I held a sword."
"No," he answered firmly, "but it was the first time outside of training."
That made me fall silent for a moment, but then I replied, "And what about the time you found Rowan and me on the road, that time… at least I managed to do something."
He shook his head, "I wasn't there from the beginning that time, but it's not the same, there your life was in extreme danger and from what I could see from a distance you saved your brother at the last moment."
"But…"
He interrupted me, "I spoke with Serin too when I arrived, she told me first what happened before Rowan did. She already told you everything that needed to be said, this will take time Luke, you won't overcome it in just one day or with simple training, only real experience will help you," he stood up from the chair, "Now go with the others, I don't care what you did on the trip, here it will be as always."
I laughed lightly and nodded before going to the yard. On the way I thought about what he and Serin had told me, and I decided to follow their advice.
When I arrived I saw Claire testing stances in front of Daren, when she saw me she turned and rested her elbow on the handle of her sword and smiled, "look who we have here, I thought you had started hibernating," after her comment Daren also laughed.
"Ha, ha, very funny," I rolled my eyes.
"Hey," Rowan spoke in my direction, when I turned to look at him he threw a wooden sword in my direction. I understood what he meant without him saying it, so I got into a fighting stance.