The Wintervale Knight: Episode 49

It was the first light of day when Jasmine awoke to a rooster’s crow, greeting the rising sun.

“Why can’t that thing ever shut up!” she growled. “Or at least come with a snooze button!”

Just when her eyelids closed in a blessed silence, the older rooster sounded again followed by a cockerel as he learned the ropes of being a male chicken.

Jasmine’s eyes shot open and she groaned,

“Now there’s two.”

She sat up in bed and looked around.

“Jonah,” she called.

Her husband usually woke her. If he didn’t, she knew he was out somewhere helping someone. Jasmine was thankful that Jonah took on so much responsibility around the village, but she liked waking up with him beside her.

She lay back against the pillow and considered all the ways she was going to kill the neighbor’s roosters. After a few moments, she rose from the bed with a grunt, grabbed her robe off the chair where she had tossed it the night before, and slipped her feet into red fuzzy slippers.

A few minutes later, she was outside on the porch watching Daniel her oldest child play with a group of kids. When she looked out over the village, she saw no sign of Jonah.

“Daniel!” she called out.

Daniel stopped playing at once and ran over to his mother.

“Yes, ma’am?” he said.

“Where’s your daddy?” Jasmine asked.

“I don’t know, Mama. He was gone when I woke up,” Daniel said.

Jasmine nodded and sent Daniel back to his friends. She spotted her father Paul standing opposite the clearing, keeping an eye on the villagers as he always did.

Near the lake, Jasmine spotted Sir Thomas talking to Scarlett. Jasmine liked her. She was the kind of woman who knew what she wanted and went for it. Although she was a little more reckless than Jasmine considered wise, Jasmine liked her fire.

Holding onto the porch railing, Jasmine walked carefully down the steps and headed for Scarlett.

“Scarlett!” Jasmine called as she approached.

“Hey,” Scarlett said with a smile as she turned toward Jasmine.

“Have you seen Jonah?” Jasmine asked.

“Yes. He wanted me to tell you that he went into town and he’ll be safe,” Scarlett said.

The last words sent a shiver down Jasmine’s spine.

Jonah never said he’d be safe if he was just going into town. The words “I’ll be safe” were Jonah’s way of saying he’d be careful.

Jasmine thanked Scarlett and turned toward her father. He was standing in the exact same spot, but now he was watching her.

“Something’s not right,” Jasmine thought.

With all the strength she could muster, Jasmine stomped towards her father.

“Dad!” she called.

“Yes, dear?” Paul replied, staring past her.

“What is going on?” Jasmine asked.

“I’m keeping an eye on things while my pregnant daughter is eyeballing me and asking questions,” Paul answered.

“Dad!” Jasmine pressed.

“I don’t know what else I’m supposed to say,” Paul said.

Frustrated, Jasmine stomped her foot and snapped,

“Daddy!”

“Fine,” Paul said. “I was going to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Jasmine asked.

“Concerned for your safety and the safety of the village, Jonah went to Montgomery Clairbourne’s house.”

Jasmine felt her blood run cold.

“Montgomery Clairbourne works for Bishop, doesn’t he?” Jasmine asked.

When Paul nodded, Jasmine felt faint.

Paul reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

“Thomas,” Jasmine murmured.

* * *

The rising sun slowly broke through the trees, casting its light on the clearing. The wind had ceased to stir the rusted weather vane, and it stood motionless atop the gloomy house of Montgomery Clairbourne. The birds hushed their song that greeted the dawn, and the still forest trees held their breath in the silence.

With a graveyard quiet, fog rolled in from the edge of the forest, wrapping the house in a ghostly grey blanket. Suddenly a black horse carrying two riders galloped through the mist. The horse came to a halt and holding up his head and neck, he patiently waited for the riders to dismount.

Scarlett jumped gently to the ground followed by Sir Thomas carrying Winter’s Light in one hand and a large shield in the other.

“I do not see Jonah,” Sir Thomas said.

Scarlett peered into the fog and after a moment, she said,

“There.”

They hurried over to Jonah’s blue Chrysler. Scarlett checked the interior then backed away from the car.

“I was hoping we would find him before he entered the house,” Scarlett said.

“Why would he venture inside alone with no help?” Sir Thomas asked.

“Because he felt one man could slip in unnoticed,” Scarlett suggested. “Or he’s an imbecile.”

Full of doubt and apprehension, Scarlett walked towards the front door. She couldn’t forget the look of fear in Jasmine’s eyes. If Montgomery Clairbourne was the man of ice in Esma Horlock’s warning, Scarlett hoped she had meant he was cold-blooded and not able to summon ice out of thin air.

“This place is creepy,” Scarlett said, stepping up to the front door.

“It is not so strange a place,” Sir Thomas disagreed. “This dwelling is old, but it is strong and surely has sentimental value to someone.”

Suddenly the front door opened, and a man dressed in a butler’s uniform appeared. He wore a look of panic and frantically motioned to Scarlett and Sir Thomas.

“What’s wrong?” Scarlett asked.

Sir Thomas walked up to the man and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you able to tell us what is wrong, sir?” he asked.

His eyes filled with terror, the man looked at Sir Thomas and shook his head no.

“Then please show us,” Sir Thomas added.

The man turned and walked inside the house as Sir Thomas and Scarlett followed.

Just as the door closed behind them, a branch in the forest cracked beneath the feet of the passing drifter Simon.

He stepped out of the woods with a leather bag slung over one shoulder. Removing his sunglasses, he stared up at the house with copper eyes flashing in the morning sun.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” he said. “I’ve come a long way for you.”

As he slipped his sunglasses back on, he said,

“This is going to be one long overdue reunion.”