Part Two: The Traveler

Chapter Three

Chris barreled towards the door — right into Leo, who had risen to step outside. He caught Chris by the shoulders.

"Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"Who is that?"

"As I said, Alaric. He's a stone mason from the village — and a witch, like Aldith."

"A witch? He is not. He's a demon, or maybe a warlock. Or an evil witch at least."

This was clearly nothing that had ever entered Leo's mind. He frowned, nonplussed. "I don't see how that could be. He and Aldith have worked together for several years, battling demons, saving innocents …"

"Then he's fooling you. I know he's evil. I saw him attack one of my friends."

"I'm not certain you have the right man … Christopher!" Leo followed after as Chris charged outside and over to Aldith and the newcomer. The dog, who had been some yards away keeping company with Robert, bounded over to meet Chris and bark briefly at Leo. The commotion the dog created and the boy's determined march drew Robert away from his work.

"Without active powers," Alaric was telling Aldith as his eyes flickered in the direction of Chris and the others approaching, "there's no possibility that I can defeat this demon. You must join me, and we must leave for the mill quickly."

"Could I defeat the demon alone?" Aldith asked him.

"Possibly. Probably, why?"

"Because I have another mission already. Perhaps you can take on that task. Meet Christopher — he needs to be escorted to Merlin."

"No!" Chris interjected with horror. Everyone, even Robert, whose own dislike of Alaric was evident to Chris, looked taken aback. "I won't go with him. I'll only go with you," Chris told Aldith. "I don't trust him."

"You know him?"

"I haven't really met him but —"

"Christopher, I don't have time to explain this, but there is an innocent person in danger who needs my help. You would be safe with Alaric."

Leo said to Alaric, "He thinks he's seen you before — attacking someone."

"There must be some mistake. I don't know this boy. I've seen Merlin a few times, so perhaps —"

Chris interrupted, "Leo — why can't Leo take me?"

Leo said nothing, but Chris was surprised to hear Robert back him up. "That's not a bad idea."

"If bandits were all to concern us," Aldith said, "then Leo would be a fine guardian for you. But these woods are infested with evil — a demon band that we have been warring with all this winter. Leo cannot fight them. Alaric can."

"He just said he doesn't have any powers. What use would he be?"

"He can still use potions and spells. There's a reason Merlin called on me."

"Right. He called on you. Not him."

"Aldith, this is a pressing matter …" Alaric said in an undertone.

"I won't go with him," Chris declared. "I'll go alone first."

"What if I went along as well?" Leo asked. "With you and Alaric. Would you accept that?"

Leo was only a mortal at this time, and had no magical powers to call on. But he had regular weapons at least, and undoubtedly knew how to use them. Chris hesitated, but he saw little choice if he wanted to get to Merlin and get home. He reluctantly conceded. "I'll go if Leo goes too."

"Thank you," Aldith said tartly.

Great, Chris mused, now past Prue hates me.

Alaric, on the other hand, was not showing hostility or even irritation — only bewilderment. To Aldith, he said, "The three of us can hardly travel on one horse, so you take her. You'll arrive more quickly." He handed a vial to her. "Here is the vanquishing potion you'll need."

"I'll go gather my gear," Leo said, and headed back to the cottage, Chris at his heels.

As Leo collected his weaponry, Chris noticed among the equipment a crossbow and reflexively recoiled, conditioned since he was small to recognize the weapon of choice of Darklighters. When it was something that could kill her husband, sons and sister, Piper was always hyper-aware of their presence anywhere near. But Leo was no Darklighter, and Chris reminded himself that these arrows were unlikely to be infected with a slow, painful and fatal magical poison. And in any case, he wasn't a Whitelighter just now.

He looked out the window again. As Alaric stood alone, Aldith and Robert were sharing private words as she mounted the horse.

"Your cousin doesn't seem to trust Alaric either. Why?"

"Robert is not entirely comfortable with this magical calling of hers," Leo answered. "And Alaric is part of that."

It had to be more than that, Chris was sure. Robert had expressed no dislike when Chris had shown up, delivered by Merlin. But Chris only asked Leo: "Does it bother you? I mean, the magic stuff?"

"She's not my wife."

"But you live here. You're taking me, so I guess you're okay with helping her out."

"We both help with what we can. Robert knows that her calling is a worthy one, but it is also very dangerous. Especially now."

"Why now?"

"They're not certain yet, but they believe she is with child."

"She's going to have a baby? Cool." Would the baby be my cousin? Kind of, in a way? He must have looked as puzzled as he felt, judging by Leo's amusement. With a wry, crooked grin, Chris changed the subject. "How come you're not married? Did you even want to? Get married, have kids?"

He was gentler, quieter as he replied. "I was married. She died in childbirth — the baby too — fourteen years ago."

Chris inwardly winced; he couldn't have asked anything more wrong. "I'm so sorry …"

Leo just shook his head and gave a comforting, melancholy smile as he shouldered his archery equipment. "Are you ready?"

Now that it was fully light, Chris took a moment as they walked outside to look around the muddy clearing, which was mostly taken up with plots of gardens, now dormant in the winter. Aldith was gone, and Robert had returned to his work, repairing some kind of farm equipment.

Alaric approached Leo and Chris with a resigned expression, and said, "Shall we go?"

"Hang on," Chris said, feeling embarrassed that he had almost forgotten. He ran over to Robert. "Thanks for letting me stay here."

Robert looked slightly surprised, and once again Chris felt aware of the difference in their garb – he wondered if Robert was unaccustomed to thanks from someone who appeared to be of a station above him.

"You're welcome any time," Robert said.

Chris gestured sheepishly to the equipment — a plow? — that Robert had been repairing. "Sorry I didn't help out much. At all."

"Come back in spring or summer," Robert chuckled, "and you can work all you want."

"Maybe I will." It wasn't a promise he could keep, but he could hope his past self might. "And tell Aldith thanks, too. I don't know what would have happened to me if she hadn't found me in the woods."

"You would have been eaten by a hell beast, according to her."

Chris laughed in agreement, and then followed Robert's gaze to see Alaric emerge from the house, carrying a knapsack, and begin to chat with Leo. Alaric, Chris now noted, was dressed as well as Chris, maybe even finer.

Watching his cousin and Alaric, Robert nodded grimly to himself. "Christopher, you will be safe with Leo. You made the right decision."

He knows something is wrong about Alaric, Chris thought. He knows. There was nothing either of them could do about it, but it was comforting to have an understanding with someone. Chris found himself wishing Robert were back in Chris's own time, in the future. Someone to back him up there, when he got home.

Leo waved Chris over. With calls of farewell to Robert, the trio, with the dog trotting alongside, headed into the woods.