Welcome to Blade's Rest (Blade's Rest Omnibus Books 1-3) by Tom Watts

Author:Tom Watts [Watts, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-08-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

I found myself strolling to the edge of Blade's Rest, my mind wandering as I left the commotion of the tavern behind. My thoughts turned as my feet carried me away from the hamlet and through the plains and pastures of Gobbler’s Creek, walking but not looking, hearing but not listening. Before I knew it, I came to an old watchtower a mile west of Crookshack Woods.

There, I spotted a solitary figure perched on the edge of the crumbling structure, silhouetted against the soft glow of the setting sun. As I got closer, I recognized the familiar outline of Derby the mapmaker, with his bushy beard and straggly grey hair flapping in the breeze. Spread in front of him was a half-finished map, ink, and a large feather quill.

"Out here to see the old tower?" Derby said, his gruff voice cutting through the afternoon stillness. He patted the spot beside him, inviting me to join him.

I obliged, clambering up and settling down beside him.

"I was just walking," I said. “I don’t usually come this way.”

Derby produced a square tub from his shoulder bag. “Sandwich?” he said. “I always have Hercule make me some before a hike. Let’s see…I have roasted pepper and hummus, or cheese and pickle.”

“I’ll take the cheese, thanks.”

“Good man. Roasted pepper is my favorite. Cup of coffee?”

“That’d be great.”

We sat for a while in silence by the old watchtower, the mapmaker and I. Chewing on our delicious sandwiches, sipping our coffee. Distant windmills, miles and miles to the south, turned in the breeze. Crows and thrushes made lazy laps overhead, weaving in and out of the softly drifting clouds.

“Are you married, Derby?”

“Aye.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, since I’d never seen his spouse, and that couldn’t be a good thing. After all, there must be a reason he was living alone in Blade’s Rest. In fact, I didn’t know why I’d asked the question, since I’d led myself into a dead end of conversation.

Luckily, the mapmaker navigated me out of it. “I have dozens of wives.”

“Uh, right. Are those legal marriages, or…”

Derby pulled out a rolled-up piece of parchment from inside his coat. He spread it out on his lap, the recently inked lines slightly damaged in places.

“Here’s one of my wives, in fact. Meet Bessie.”

“Oh, a map,” I said, relieved.

“Do you have any romances on the horizon, Josh?”

“I guess it’s way down on my priorities. Actually, to tell you the truth, I’ve never been all that interested in committing to something like that. I just want to be able to do my own thing.”

“Familiarity breeds contempt. That includes keeping too much of your own company.”

“I’ve got friends.”

“Fair enough. You know," he began, his finger tracing the winding streets of Blade's Rest on the map, "I've seen places change a lot over the years. Buildings come and go, people move in and out. Nowhere stays the same. Even the best map finds itself outdated by the winds of time. You didn’t do anything wrong, trying to adjust your sail to capture the wind.

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