Bryan Smith - The Southwick Peacock

by

Bryan Smith

FirstEdition

THE SOUTHWICKPEACOCK

Written andEdited by: Bryan Smith

Cover Designby: Bryan Smith

Images licensedfrom: Fotolia

FirstPublished: March 2015

Language:British-English

CopyrightNotice:

This work hasbeen made free by its author and all rights remain with BryanSmith. Permission is given to distribute the work through differentchannels as long as it remains free of charge, is not altered inany way, and credit clearly given to the author.

Copyright 2015 Bryan Smith All Rights Reserved

PoliteNotice:

As this storyis free of charge, it has not had the benefits of a professionaleditor, and so some typos may have slipped through. If you find arogue word or typo, the author would appreciate knowing where thecritter is. Contact details are available through his website andthe link to that follows the story. Thank you.

My name isAydin and Im not likely to live for much longer. I hope you dontmind, but Id like to tell you the tale that led me into this mess.I seek to garner no sympathy from you, because I deserve none, butinstead my tale may serve as a warning to others.

Im currentlyhiding in a small building with my back against the front door, andthe reason Im hiding is to try and escape from four angry men.They were chasing me because they want to inflict some serious harmupon me. One of them is brandishing a sword, two are wieldingknives, and the fourth is waving around a rusty meat cleaver.

This messoriginated when I was walking along a road named Mystwyck Mells.For those of you who are unfamiliar with it; the road runs betweenRedstone, my home town, through to Southwick, the town I washeading to.

The reason Ileft Redstone is for the simple fact I couldnt find anyemployment. Its not an easy life being a cheese-man, and so Idecided to venture farther into Undelund and head beyond the limitsof where I grew up. When I pondered the idea to leave, there weretwo choices: travel north to Latchford, or east to Southwick. Mygood sense told me to go north, and so I chose east.

Sothere Iwas, strolling along in the late-autumn sunshine. I had reached thewestern outskirts of Wisping Woods and sought to deprive agooseberry bush of its fruit. Whilst seeking out a fruit-bearingbush, I noticed the sunlight reflecting from something green andmetallic at the bottom of an embankment. I edged closer to the sideof the road, peered down, and it took me a few moments to realisewhat I was looking at. To my surpriseand lying motionless at thebottom of the ditchwas a man wearing the armour of a Jade Guardsolider.

I checked tosee if anyone was coming along the road that may be able to help medrag the man from the ditch. I gazed east and west, but realised Iwas on the road alone. I worried that if I descended the embankmentto help the soldier, I may become stuck myself; however, it dawnedon me that if I helped him, a reward may come my way. Perhaps hewould furnish me with a coin or two, or buy me supper at a tavern.With the thought of being rewarded lodged firmly in my mind, Idescended the steep bank to help him.

The soliderwas roughly thirty summers of age, with blonde hair and stubble tomatch. He would have been considered handsome by some, if it wasntfor the fact he was dead. By the state of him, he hadnt been deadfor longmaybe a day or two. There were no visible wounds on himinflicted by blades or fists. How he died I did not know, but thefact still remained he was dead, and I would not gain a reward forhelping.

I stood there,dumbfounded, like one of the monuments in Undelunds townsquaressilent and unmoving. What could I do? Could I benefit fromthis unfortunate fellows demise in some way? I was poor andhungry, and he was dead. Surely we shouldnt both suffer? I checkedfor his purse to borrow some coins. If I didnt take the money thensurely someone else would. Why should they prosper and not me?

To my dismay,the man had no purse. All my efforts had been in vain. As I scannedfor the easiest route to ascend the steep embankment, alife-changing idea struck me; why didnt I borrow the dead mansarmour and sword? I could then travel to Southwick pretending to bea Jade Guard soldier who had lost his purseand exploit thesympathy of a stranger.

Undelundsoldiers are well paid and well regarded. If I show up in Southwickwhere no one knew my name, I was sure I could find a kind soul whowould give me food, drink and lodgings whilst in the town. Theydknow Id have the means to repay them once I was paid my wage fromthe Crown.

What a cleverplan I had conceived!

Pulling thisruse would only buy me a few days worth of living costs; but,after I had been fed and watered during that time, I could ditchthe armour and travel to another town and resume my life as acheese-man. Perhaps I could also secure a loan of a few silverpieces with which to tide me over during lean times.

I didnt wastea further moment. If I dithered for much longer, someone else maydiscover me standing over a dead soldier, and that wouldnt be goodfor my already questionable reputation. I stripped the man of hisarmour, underclothing and weapons. I removed my clothes and dressedmyself with hisand him with mine. We had swapped places. I was asoldier of the Jade Guard, and he was a poor man who had sufferedmisfortune.

The armour wasuncomfortably heavy and the sword would take some getting used to.I now had a reasonable explanation if someone saw me climbing outof the ditch. If they noticed me and the dead man; I would simplysay he attacked meand I swiftly killed him.

To improve mychances of being believed in Southwick, I practised keeping my backstraight, my chin up, and my chest puffed out. I needed to appearand act like a soldier. I needed to have the mind-set of a manready to fight for his queen and country. I needed to be brave,bold, decisive and confident. By sunset, the town of Southwick willhave a new visitor; a loyal soldier of the Jade Guard who hadhappened to have lost his purse.

* * *

The moment Iwalked into The Goats Gruff tavern I was set upon by a prettyserving woman. She was in her mid-twenties with long, curly,copper-red hair, and eyes as green as those in Princess Derdanasemerald tiara. The young woman was a fine, shapely ambassador forwomankind, and her eyes lit up at the sight of my armour and sword.She clearly thought me a soldiera man to be feared andrespected.

I introducedmyself as Thobias. That was the name of my former employer, and itwas the first alternative name I could muster. I quickly explainedto her I had mislaid my purse along the road. I put on my bestdisplay of a down-on-his-luck soldier, and said I was hoping for amug of water and scraps of food to fill my innards.

The youngwoman rushed off to speak to the proprietor. I found a table to sitbeside, and glanced over at the serving woman who was deep inconversation with a huge, thick-armed man aged in his late forties.She gesticulated to me and he nodded. I sat and waited.

Several otherpatrons glanced over at me to acknowledge the soldier in theirmidst. I simply nodded back as if I received this kind of attentionall the time. This was an act, and I had to play my part. Afterwhat seemed like the tenth Good evenin soldier, from a patron,the serving woman returned.

She introducedherself as Breetria and said her father, Santo, had agreed I was toeat and drink whatever I pleased for the next few days.

My plan hadworked.

I wasdelightfully happy, but had to suppress a smile. The corners of mylips kept trying to curl upward, but I fought hard to keep themdown. With a calm head I acted like this kind of generosity wasbestowed upon me wherever I went.

Breetria and Idiscussed what hot food was available. She ran through what theyhad, and I asked for a dish of roast beef, steamed vegetables andmashed potatoes. I requested they add extra butter and cheese tothe mash if they had it. She said they had, and that shed bringover a tankard of ale for me to enjoy whilst the food was beingprepared.