A Journey Never Begun Pt. 08

"Yes...Muddle," she replied with evident hesitancy between those two words.

"Good," he replied. "Now the High Elder requested me to ask you to show me what I need to know to avoid getting myself killed on the first day on the road. Can you do that?"

She nodded and took Muddle's hand and led him to the wagon. A quick tour around the wagon left Muddle very impressed. Everything on the wagon had a function; even the things that he always assumed were just decorative.

Daniell was an excellent teacher and as we all know, Muddle was an excellent student. After an hour or so of wagon lessons, Muddle asked, "Can we take a break? I need to retrieve my backpack and some other things and you can show me where to stow them."

Daniell nodded and said, "I need to go to the meeting of drivers to sort out our order, if that is acceptable with you?"

"Perfect," Muddle said his eyes twinkling. "If any question why you are there, tell them to come see me and I'll kiss them on the forehead and they can wear my mark."

Daniell looked horrified for a second and wiped her forehead with her sleeve. Muddle broke up laughing at her antics and finally said, "It's alright. I was just kidding. And the mark has almost completely faded."

She looked at him for a moment and then stomped off angrily yelling, "That was not funny."

Muddle chuckled and watched her hips swaying as she stomped off. He shook his head and thought to himself, 'Enough of those thoughts young man.'

He went off and retrieved his backpack, bedroll and staff. Several people gave him strange looks and a thought came from his familiar, ('Master, several people came to look at your staff, but it sent them away before they could touch it.'). Muddle quietly said, "Thank you Mr. Frog."

As they approached the wagon his familiar reached out to him and asked ("Master, if it is not too much trouble can I get some water. It is very hot in here.'). Muddle stopped and said, "I'm very sorry Mr. Frog. I didn't think about you all this time. Yes, I will see what I can do for you in a minute."

When Muddle opened the door to the wagon, he was struck one again how much a tinker's wagon was like a home on wheels, granted a very small home on wheels but a home nevertheless. He put his pack down out of the way and got a small bowl from the cupboard. Taking the bowl down to the stream, he said aloud the words of greeting and waited for a moment. Not seeing a reply from the naiad, he filled the bowl part way with water and then added some moss knowing that in a swaying wagon there would be no way to keep water from splashing around.

As he was turning to head back, a shimmer caught his eye and the head of a naiad popped up. "Good morning Muddle," she said.

"Good morning my lady of the water," he replied. "You look a little different, but unless my eyes deceive me, you are the lady of the stream that flows behind my house in the woods to the east of here."

"I do not know this east you speak of," she said brightly, "but, yes, that is my stream there also."

By this point, a number of people had gathered along the stream washing clothes and filling water skins. All were staring at the naiad.

Muddle noticed this and turned to them. He raised his voice so they could all hear him, "This is the lady of this stream," he said, "She is a naiad, a water nymph. She is the protector of this waterway and a good friend. If you remember the stories of the nymphs, you should also remember that they will not harm you if you treat them with respect. The easiest way to give them respect is to use the old words as you come to a body of water,

"Lady of Nature, protector and sister of this stream, I humbly ask your permission to approach and partake of the blessings of your home."

As Muddle watched, a little girl came forward and repeated the words slowly. Muddle helped her when she stumbled over them, but at last she finished.

The naiad clapped her hands and more of her appeared until she was standing on the surface of the stream just in front of the little girl. "What is your name my little one?" the naiad asked.

"Marta," was the reply.

"Marta, my name is," here the naiad paused and gave Muddle a little smile, "Sparkle. I thank you for pleasant words and for coming to see me today."

Sparkle raised her hand and gently left a wet spot on Mart's nose. Marta giggled and Sparkle stepped back sinking down into the stream. Before she disappeared she called out, "Thank you for remembering the old ways. All of you may take as much water as you need, it will be fresh and pure." And she was gone.

Muddle walked over to Marta and bent down to kiss her forehead. Half expecting to see glowing lip prints, he was relieved to see nothing this time.

"Come Marta, let's go get you back to your family," Muddle said while holding out his hand.

"She was a very pretty lady, even if she wasn't wearing any clothes," Marta said.

"Yes, Marta, she was very pretty," agreed Muddle.

By the time Muddle found Marta's mother the story had spread through the camp like wildfire. Waving goodbye to Marta, Muddle hurried to his wagon. As he opened the backdoor, Daniell appeared. Looking at what he was holding, she asked, "What is that and why do you think it belongs in my house?"

When she realized what she had said she muttered, "Oh dear," and quickly clasped her hands over her mouth. Clearly fearing the worst, she looked like a cornered animal trying to decide if she should fight or flee.

Muddle put the bowl on the floor of the wagon and sent a thought to his familiar, "('It's alright, I brought you some water')."

Turning to the girl, he saw her eyes get huge and a scream was forming on her lips. "Daniell, look at me," Muddle said in a very commanding tone of voice.

"Daniell, you have heard the story of how I met Ronton and Lenore?" he asked. She nodded. Her eyes were still very big.

"Then you know that I am a wizard?" Muddle continued. She nodded, finally looking at him.

"Wizards sometimes have familiars, animals that help the wizard," he said.

Daniell looked into his eyes and asked, "And that is your familiar? A frog?"

Muddle sighed and said, "Yes. Wizards don't choose their familiars. The familiars choose the wizard. Mr. Frog chose me."

"Mr. Frog?" Daniell asked and then started giggling hysterically. "You couldn't give him a magnificent name like Frogus, or Frogwa, or Amphibicleas? Just Mr. Frog?"

Muddle blushed and then said, "I never really gave it a lot of thought. I called him Mr. Frog before he was my familiar and it kind of stuck."

By this time Daniell was past giggling and was into manic laughter that finally wound down with tears running down her eyes and racking sobs.

Muddle didn't know what to do so he just held out his arms and she jumped into them. Closing his arms around her he began stroking her hair and softly telling her that it was going to be alright. Jonton was headed towards them, but saw what was going on and headed off on another errand with a big smile on his face.

"Watch what you are doing," Daniell snapped at Muddle breaking his reverie and snapping him into the here and now.

She grabbed the right rein pulling back so that horses turned a little to the left to miss a pothole in the road.

"Thank you," Muddle said. "I apologize. I was just thinking back to this morning. Trying to figure out how I ended up here with you."

"Well, when driving a wagon, you need to stay in the here and now or you will end up busting my," Daniell paused for a heartbeat and then continued, "your wagon before the first day is through."

She hung her head down and then said softly, "I'm sorry. I am trying but it is hard for me to think of this as your wagon now. It has been my home all my life."

Muddle switched the reins to his left hand and reached over to rub Daniell between her shoulder blades.

"It is alright, Daniell," he said. "This is still your home and you are entitled to call it that. I am just it's caretaker for now, just as I am only your caretaker. I am not your father. I am not your master. I am just here to help. When the time comes, I will relinquish these holdings to you."

Just then Muddle looked up and asked, "What is going on up ahead? Why are we stopping?"

Daniell just shook her head and jumped down and ran ahead.

A few minutes later she came back and climbed back onto the wagon and held out her hand. "Give me the reins," she said. "Jonton asked if you could come up and speak with him."

Muddle handed over the reins and in a complete opposite of Daniell's graceful exit from the wagon, Muddle ended up in a heap on the ground.

Daniell leaned out and asked, "Are you alright? Do you need help?"

"No," Muddle replied with some embarrassment. "My leg cramped from sitting and I didn't feel it until I tried to put some weight on it. I think I'll be ok now."

Muddle slowly got to his feet and limped off to the head of the column cursing his leg and cursing himself for looking like a fool in front of Daniell.

When Muddle reached the front of the wagons, he saw Jonton standing with a large swarthy man. Jonton saw Muddle and waved him over. A look of concern crossed his face as he saw Muddle limping.

When he got there, Muddle addressed Jonton in a quiet voce, "It's nothing. A muscle cramp from sitting too much."

Jonton nodded then began, "Muddle, this is Chrisfot. He is the head ferryman here at the ford. Chrisfot, this is Muddle, despite his age, he is one of our wise ones." The two men shook hands, each impressed with the other's grip.

Jonton continued, "Apparently the bridge washed out and the local lord has been too busy," here Chrisfot made a coughing noise that sounded like "boozing and women".

Jonton paused then continued, "Too busy to give the necessary orders to rebuild the bridge. So Chrisfot and his men are ferrying all traffic to the other side. The issue is that the water is running a little high and wild right now and he is afraid that the weight of our wagons and horses might be dangerously heavy and capsize their rafts. Is there anything you can think of to help calm the waters so to speak?"

Muddle caught on and while stretching his sore leg, he said, "I will be more than happy to take a look and make what suggestions I can."

"That is all I ask," said Jonton.

Muddle went upstream to 'scout the lay of the land' as he put it. In reality it was to be able to have a quiet conversation with the naiad of this river without scaring the ferrymen.

Carefully reciting the words of greeting, he approached the river. When he got no response, he repeated the greeting in the ancient tongue. Some naiads were picky that way. After an hour of pleading and getting no response, Muddle got up on a rock, took out his manhood and started pissing in the river.

He had just finished and was shaking the last drops when he heard a low sound of surprise. He turned and there downstream was a middle aged woman lying belly down in the shallows. Her shoulders and head were up out of the water supported by her arms. From the cattail leaves that were her hair, Muddle knew he was seeing the naiad of the river.

"Greetings fair lady of the river," Muddle began. "I am very happy to see that you have come to talk with me today."

"Actually," said the lady in the water. "Talking wasn't the first thing that came to mind when I found you peeing in my river."

"My apologies my lady," said Muddle. "I have been out here for a while trying to get in touch with you and, well, you know how water is, it goes in through the mouth and it has to come out somewhere. "

She laughed and said, "Yes, but most of the time is does not find such an amazing vessel to flow through. That is the only reason you are not breathing water right now."

"For that, I thank you my lady," he said. "I find it extremely difficult to breathe water and talk most of the time."

"So what was so important that you needed to talk to me about?" she asked.

"As you probably know, just downstream, the only bridge for miles around was washed out recently. Since that was the only way to cross your magnificent home without hurting you, we find that we are on this side and need to go to the other side. The ferrymen are afraid that you might get angry and destroy their rafts. So we are stuck until we can get a sign from you that it is safe to cross."

"Hmmm. That does seem to be a problem," she said with a smile. "Since it was I that pulled down that bridge. Too many people were crossing without paying me tribute or even a second glance."

"That is their loss, my lady," Muddle said. "For you are truly magnificent and beautiful to behold. I have talked with many of your smaller sisters and while they have a childish charm, I can see that you truly are the lifeblood of this area."

"Thank you sir wizard," she said. "Yes. Don't deny it I can see your aura. You are not the most powerful wizard that has crossed me lately, but you are certainly the most gallant and most pleasant of company. I did not care for that last one. Dark was his heart. As dark as yours is pure."

Muddle's eye went wide but he held his tongue.

"Very well sir wizard, if you will pay tribute to my beauty, I will hold back the waters for a day and let you and your friends pass," she said with a gleam in her eye.

"And what would my lady require for her tribute," Muddle asked even though he knew the answer.

"Your seed, wizard," she said, confirming Muddle's suspicions, "I require your seed sprayed across my waters."

"If I do this for you now, will you promise to let us water our horses and wash clothes and cook with your waters?" Muddle asked.

"Yes, yes," she said and Muddle could see the need growing in her eyes.

"And you will hold back your waters to make it safe for my friends and I to cross starting in the morning?"

"I promise," the naiad said. "And now, no more questions. I want your seed."

"Very well my lady," said Muddle moving back onto the large rock where he had been before.

It was the work of a moment to slide his pants down and release his engorged manhood. Taking it in his hand, he began to stroke it.

"Slowly," she called to him.

"Perhaps you can come out here in front of me so that I can gaze on you to help me?" Muddle called back.

Like a dolphin she slipped beneath the water and reappeared before him. She slowly dropped the frock of river foam and stood like a statue naked in the water from the waist up.

"You are magnificent my lady. Your beauty inspires me," Muddle said while thinking 'not to mention that I haven't had any relief in weeks'.

It wasn't long and he was shooting his seed out over the water. By chance a few drops flew far enough to splash on the naiad's watery breasts. She squealed and shook and seemed to be enraptured.

As she melted back into the river and Muddle flicked the last drops off the end of his cock, he heard her say, "Thank you wizard. You have kept your end of the bargain and I will keep mine. Starting at dawn you will be able to get your friends and yourself across as long as you are done by nightfall."

Muddle pulled up his trousers and hurried to tell Jonton the news.

When he returned to his/their wagon he found that Daniell had watered the horses and hobbled them in a field near the wagon. She had also foraged some firewood and had a small cook fire going with a stew ready. There were even two short logs on their sides to sit on.

She apologized for not having any bread saying that the last of their bread had gotten moldy when it was so damp during the rains. Muddle told her not to worry and went to find his backpack. She had placed it in a bin inside the wagon and had even found a way to keep his familiar's bowl from rolling around. He retrieved a small loaf of bread from the bag of holding and brought it out to her.

"Where did you hide that?" she asked. "I looked all through your backpack and didn't find anything to eat."

Muddle raised an eyebrow and Daniell suddenly became meek, "I'm sorry. I didn't think you would mind. It is part of my job as your handmaiden to know what resources I have to bargain with or to use for meals. I should have asked. I am sorry. It won't happen again."

"Daniell," Muddle said slowly. "It is I that should apologize to you. Tomorrow I will help you get an inventory of the food that I have so that you won't need to beg for scraps to make a delicious stew such as this again. I have been alone for so long, I am having trouble realizing that I have someone who depends on me and who is there to help me. Please forgive me. And let's eat. My mouth is watering so bad I'm ready to drown."

She giggled and filled a bowl for him.

He saw that she made no move to get a bowl for herself. He looked at her and said, "Please eat."

She dropped her head and said, "I cannot. Not until you are finished. I cannot eat until you have had enough, in case there is only enough for you."

"Is this because you are my handmaiden?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Would you eat with me if I was your husband?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Would you eat with me if we were two friends sharing dinner?" he asked.

She paused and then nodded.

"Good," he said. "We are now just two friends having dinner. Together. At the same time."

She looked at him as if he had grown horns. So he reached over and grabbed her bowl and put a healthy ladle of stew in it and put it in her hands.

"There," he said. "I have some. You have some, and look there is still some in the pot, in case either of us is still hungry after these bowls."

Looking at her stricken face, he softened his voice and said, "Look, when I was growing up, we shared everything. If one of us managed to steal a sausage, we all had sausage. If one of us stole a loaf of bread, we all had bread. So if I there is something to eat, we share it. Together."

She looked at him with big eyes, "Steal?"

"Yes. I was an orphan on the streets. That is where the Mud in my name came from," he said.

She put her bowl down and came over and sat in his lap, put her head on his shoulder and started to cry. He put his bowl down and put his arms around her, rocking her and saying soothing things. After a while she sniffed loudly, wiped her eyes and said, "I think I can eat now."

She stayed sitting on his lap while they ate in silence. He refilled her bowl and then she refilled his. There was just enough.

When she got up off his lap, Muddle just sat there. She rinsed the cook pot and then started to bank the embers so there would be a fire in the morning and looked over. Muddle was still sitting there.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine," he said. "I am just admiring your beautiful body in the firelight and to be perfectly honest, I can't feel my legs. They went numb while you were sitting on me. If I stand up right now, I will fall flat on my face."

Her hands flew to her mouth, "Oh no. Can I get a healer?"

Muddle started to laugh then groaned, "No, the feeling is coming back slowly. Oh that hurts. I will be fine in a couple of minutes."

He pushed himself up and was as unsteady as a newborn calf for a couple of minutes. By then the two of them were laughing like a couple of idiots. Muddle helped as best he could to clean up, but Daniell did most of the work.

When they went back into the wagon, Daniell lit a small candle which provided just enough light to see.

When Muddle unrolled his bed roll, Daniell asked, "What are you doing?"

Muddle looked at her confused and said, "Getting ready to go to sleep. That is still what people do at night, isn't it?"

"Of course it is, silly," she said. "But your bed is over here."

She turned and pulled a latch and caught a wooden platform and lowered it down until it sat horizontal across the wagon. On the platform was a mattress that felt soft.