A Bend in the Breeze by Valerie Sherrard

Author:Valerie Sherrard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV001010 JUVENILE FICTION / Action Adventure / Survival Stories JUV022000 JUVENILE FICTION / Legends, Myths, Fables / General JUV039060 JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Friendship
Publisher: Cormorant Books
Published: 2022-04-16T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

The Lookout’s Account

Xander’s chest swelled as he savored the crowd’s reaction. Every eye was on him, and every ear was listening to his words. With growing pride he launched into an impressive narrative of how he had searched tirelessly until at last he’d located the small vessel that had brought their guest to TeJÉ. It was a fine story and would have been a credit to him if only it had been true.

In fact, he had stumbled on the boat by accident while he was looking for stones for the house the villagers had erected for Irina and Gabor. The couple would be moving into it on their Union Day, which was fast approaching. This was the first new home built since Xander had become the Lookout, and everyone expected him to produce especially beautiful stones, given that his job took him along the shores every day. And truly, he had intended to begin looking weeks ago, but it had slipped his mind.

Xander finished giving his fictional account of how he’d found the boat and then bowed, first to the Elders, and after that to the villagers. Often, a grand announcement was met with applause and there’s no doubt that is the reaction Xander expected, but that is not what he heard next.

What he did hear was the sound of Pascale Chardon bursting into tears. Her sobs sounded through the whole room and brought Elder Moon to his feet.

“The boy said he found your boat,” he called as loudly as his ancient vocal cords would allow.

If his intention was to clarify, it was a wasted gesture. Pascale had heard and understood Xander’s words perfectly well. But, in the moments it had taken for her to be brought from the Riverstone home to the Place of Matters, she had once again allowed herself to think, or at least to hope, that she was about to hear the welcome news that someone had come searching for her. When they’d reached the meeting hall and she spied the village Lookout there with the Elders, she had felt sure that was the case. Now, with her hopes dashed, her disappointment was terrible.

What good was it that the boy had found the boat that brought her to TeJÉ? That made no difference in her present circumstances. An empty lifeboat could do nothing to help; what she needed was a vessel crewed by rescuers.

Gulping in several deep breaths, Pascale tried very hard to stop crying, but the tears continued to flow. This added to her distress because she knew she was being watched by everyone in the room.

Mrs. Riverstone and her children were no exception. They had followed close behind the party which had come to fetch Pascale before the Elders. As they’d hurried along, Mrs. Riverstone had expressed her great displeasure to Vimal and Sofia for the way they had treated Pascale moments earlier.

“I shudder to think of what will happen if Pascale tells the Elders the things you two said to her,” she said, keeping her voice low so that others would not overhear.

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