The Last Leaf Chapter 3
The bright yellow sun in the sky had left for the night and rose just as quickly to the surface of the world burning vibrantly just as Warren fell asleep and woke up ready for another day prepared to continue his eternal search. He awoke on the floor under a sheet, and looked up at the boy resting in his bed. Not sure what the day would bring he went into his garden, picking and eating some raw green beans. There wasn't much in the garden, and he didn't have any seeds to plant it. Quite frankly he didn't have any money to his name that could be used to buy seed or food. Warren's most valuable assets were his sword and his cross. The blade is a saber his father gave him. The saber was symbolic because his older brother's name was Saber. When the war first broke out Warren's father was enlisted in a local army and he was dragged away to fight to the death. Before he left he entrusted two swords to his only sons. Warren and Saber were left with there mother who struggled to take care of them both. Some days they went without eating. Some days they scavenged for food, just as Warren does in the present.
"Mom, when is daddy coming back?" Warren used to ask.
"Soon, son. First he has to stop the fighting."
"Mommy, when will the fighting stop?"
"When one kingdom takes over the other."
"Mom?"
"Yes, Warren?"
"When are we going to have money?"
And Warren's mother used to sigh and look up at the sky.
"Warren... Our family doesn't have the money to buy physical things like food or clothing but we have a different type of wealth."
And she used to point up to the clouds and say, "Up there, Warren, we have another house. We can't get to it yet but up there we have more money than we will ever have down here?"
"Mommy how do we find that house? When can we go to it?"
"Don't worry about finding the house. As long as you look for it down here, you'll find it up there. Always look."
"I miss daddy."
"I know, Warren. I know."
Warren looked at the child sleeping in his bed and thought about his mother and where she was now. Dragging his hand through his hair, he strapped his father's saber to his side and got his heavy boots on.
"Zeke, wake up. It is time to search for your parents."
The boy stretched out, opening his eyes. He kicked off the covers while yawning and looked around the window. After a few moments of confusion, Zeke looked around the room frantically.
"Mister where did you put my sword?"
Warren led the boy outside and showed him the broad sword leaning on the logs of his house. The boy lifted the sword with great difficulty and started dragging it along as Warren went into his garden and got a few greens to give to the boy.
"I don't like those." The boy kept dragging the sword as he moved away from the cabin.
Reluctantly, Warren went through his backpack and took out his last apple.
"Have this then. I'll hold your sword as we walk."
The boy traded off his sword and they began to town.
"Zeke, tell me, why did you climb up the cliffs where I was at yesterday. Why didn't you stay in Creole?"
"I was walking through the town market and I tried asking someone for help but everyone walked past me so I went back to my home, got my daddy's sword and as I left town I saw you up on the cliff. I thought maybe you would have money so I could buy food."
"Why didn't you ask for it instead of trying to take it?" They climbed over a fallen tree and continued on. Warren was careful the boy didn't slip while climbing off as he answered Warren's question.
"I saw someone else do that near my house and he got a whole bag of gold."
"Zeke, some people work very hard to earn their money. It isn't polite to try and take other people's money."
"Why do other people do it then?" The boy had finished the apple and threw it into nearby brush.
Warren looked for the words inside him to explain that people were desperate and starving and had no other path to walk down.
"They don't know it's wrong to take money."
"Oh... Hey, mister?"
"Yes, Zeke?"
"What's your name?"
"My name? It's Warren." Warren sighed feeling his childhood memories returning as he walked.
"Warren...What does it mean?"
" It means guardian or watchman."
"Guardian? My mom told me Zeke is Luccan and means, "Strength of God."
"Maybe that's why you can lift this heavy sword!" Warren lightly tossed the sword in the air and as it fell the hilt landed in his hand.
The boy looked up at Warren as Warren juggled the sword around in his hand with dexterity. Zeke asked, "Warren why do you live in the woods all alone? Where are your parents?"
Warren, caught off guard by this question and almost dropping the sword in midair, opened his mouth to answer but found no words. He thought of how he resorted to thievery himself to get by and how the town had a bounty on his name. One thought led to another and he wondered how he was going to help the boy find his parents when people knew his face in town.
"I..." Warren thought twice before deciding what he wanted to say.
"I like living in the woods..And I don't know where my parents are either just like you." Warren looked up from the grass as he answered and saw the town was in front of him.
"Zeke, do you know where you live?"
"Yeah, sure I do."
Warren looked at his dirty attire and at his sword. He took a deep breath and walked alongside Zeke as the boy led Warren to his house. It was early. Not many people were up, and those that were up were in the market or at their job sights making their living. Chickens roamed the streets and children chased them with small sticks, laughing cheerfully. Wives were sweeping off the front steps of their houses minding their own. Smoke rose from the chimneys of many houses as morning meals were being prepared. Zeke took Warren down an empty street aside from a boy bringing a bucket of water to his house from the town's well. In the neighboring town, Ridgevale, there is a great lake the villagers can rely on but in Creole, the inhabitants rely on rainfall to fill the well.
Zeke pointed to a house around the bend and they entered it. It was empty as Warren suspected.
"Is this how it was left yesterday, Zeke?"
"Yes, Warren."
"Do you know any of your parents friends?"
"No, I don't know their names, just that they used to go hunting with my daddy."
Warren sighed. There was a hunter's guild he could consult about the parents, but most everyone in Creole was a hunter or farmer seeing how we were near no trade routes that supply food. He grew anxious at the thought of confrontation with the townsfolk.
As he exited the house he noticed a group of men circled the doorway. He knew the men wanted him. They must have spotted him as he walked down the street.
"What are you doing with this boy?" One of the men surrounding him asked this. The man was older and looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks. He held a pitchfork.
"The boy, lost his parents and he came to me for help. I look for no trouble."
"Where were you when he found you?"
Warren didn't want to disclose the whereabouts of the cliff he took watch at or give away the location of his house in the Forest of Tier.
"I was on the edge of town." Warren took a step outside of the doorway onto the dirt road. The ones surrounding him took a step back.
"Preparing to steal some more food I presume?" The one with the pitchfork did all the talking. The others watched intently and guarded the speaking man.
Zeke looked up at Warren. "You stole from them? You told me taking things was bad!"
Warren looked down at the boy with an open mouth then back up at the men. He felt ashamed that the trust he built up with the boy had already been broken.
"Can you help the boy find his parents? He said they were missing since yesterday morning."
"Send the boy to me." The unshaven man motioned for the boy to come into his arms. Warren handed Zeke his sword gently. As Zeke walked right to the townsman with the heavy sword dragging him halfway to the ground, Warren took a step to the left. Warren backed himself away from the crowd and got out of the position where he was between the house and the people. As he walked into the center of the road all eyes were on him.
"Warren you need to come with me." The man motioned to follow.
"I cannot. I must decline." Warren said this and took another step back.
"You're wanted for thievery...assault...murder. You're wanted dead or alive and the reward is 500 copper pieces."
"And you would take my life for the money? Would you not be committing the same crime as myself? You are selfish." Warren turned his back on them not wanting to see the expression of the boy. They took a step toward him.
"My wife and kids need food on their plates. I can't let you leave without slaying you or taking you in. I need the money."
Warren looked over his shoulder just enough so his eye met contact with the townsman's.
"You mean to attack with a piece of farm equipment?"
The man looked at his pitchfork then at Warren.
Warren began to walk away.
"Take care of the boy."
The unshaven man yelled down the dirt road at Warren.
"This isn't over, get back here."
Warren opened his mouth to yell how he gave up his life of murdering a long time ago as he walked toward the forest, but closed his mouth and his eyes as well. He bowed his head and thought of his mom and the treasure that was waiting for him elsewhere.