Author's Note: Thanks as always for the wonderful feedback.  This will be the last part for a while, I'm afraid, as I'm having surgery within the next month and am going to be a bit distracted.  But not to fear, I will be back…insert evil laugh sound effects here KT

PART TEN

Farcus was a solitary man, not necessarily by choice, but by fate and circumstance.  He raised pigs, an honorable enough occupation, but not particularly glamorous or desirable to others.  But the big man was untroubled by loneliness.  He had his work, his livestock, the surrounding woods, and a loyal, if profoundly ugly, dog to fill his days with tasks and companionship.  He had originally trained as a healer, but a love of the outdoors and a burning need to be an active part of the cycle of life, took him from his quickly growing medical practice to this isolated farm outside the town.

He'd bought the farm from an extremely elderly woman, who had grown too frail to run it any longer.  She stayed with him for a couple of months, until they were both certain he knew everything he needed to in order to keep the animals alive and healthy, and during that time she'd also taught him more about the local herbs and folk remedies than any other teacher he'd had.  With her information, on top of what he'd already learned, he had an impressive base of knowledge to draw from.

Will was the fortunate, if unaware, beneficiary of that knowledge.  He had a vague memory of a gentle giant carefully sitting him upright and insisting he drink a bitter brew, after which he didn't remember anything until he woke up the next morning in a small room wrapped in soft blankets on a narrow bed.  The young man very carefully maneuvered himself into a sitting position and took stock of his physical condition.

His back hurt abysmally, every movement awakened a burning, pulling, tearing pain that brought muffled gasps of pain from the slight blond.  The rest of his body hurt as well, he pretty much felt like one continuous bruise, and suspected if he looked he'd find that wasn't far from the truth.  He realized he'd been stripped completely, carefully bathed and his injuries slathered with a soothing salve.  He had only the vaguest recollection of Jason's arrival in the Black Knight's dungeon, and snatches of a miserably painful ride to wherever this place was.  One thing did stand out clearly; Jason promising he would return for Will, no matter what.  That thought brought an incredible measure of comfort, helping assuage the pain of the others' anger. 

He should have known better, should have expected they would shun him if they knew his secret.  It was hardly the first time it had happened; a potential friend turned away because of his being Outcaste.  He wondered about the big man who he thought belonged in this place. Would he want Will gone now that he was awake?  Will hoped not, he still hurt far too much to savor the idea of riding his horse for any length of time, assuming, of course, that he still had a horse.

So many questions.  So many possible problems.  He'd never get it figured out if he stayed in bed, so he reluctantly rose unsteadily to his feet and looked around for his clothing.  He found them neatly folded on a chair; clean and neatly mended.  He ran his fingers over a tidily mended section of shirt and wondered who had taken such efforts, it was better than some of the repair work that he'd seen on Jason's clothes, and he had those done professionally.  Gratefully he dressed, pausing often to rest from his labors.

"What do you think you're doing, young man?" the voice startled Will as he walked into the larger, main room of the home.

"I...I thought I should at least get up," Will stammered, looking up at the much larger man with some trepidation.  If this guy took it into his head to hurt him, Will would have no way to defend himself.

"If you want to sit out here and visit a bit, that's just fine.  Anything else is out of the question," Farcus said sternly, pointing toward a comfortable looking chair near a cheerful fireplace with a resolute expression. 

Too sore and intimidated to argue, Will gratefully sank into the comfortable cushions with a sigh of relief.  He was already beginning to regret getting out of bed in the first place, and it was all he could do to sit upright.

"Here, drink this.  It'll help the pain and make you feel a little better," Farcus instructed him, handing over an earthen mug filled with a grassy smelling concoction.

"What is it?  And, I'm sorry, but I don't know your name," Will added, holding the warm mug in both hands and sipping cautiously.

"That's a special brew made from a variety of herbs that grow locally, and my name is Farcus," the man grinned, holding out a hand for Will to shake.

Will reached out and shook the big hand with a mild sense of wonder.  The man had bathed and bandaged him, it was a foregone conclusion that he knew of Will's caste, yet he was treating him as if he was a normal person.  Will found it quite confusing and he looked up at his benefactor expecting to see condemnation, and instead only saw kindness and sympathy.

"Thank you for taking care of me," Will said past an unexpected lump in his throat.  "Though I don't remember exactly how I came to be here."

"Tomas brought you.  Well, Tomas and your other friends.  They went on to South Sapphire, but will be coming back for you in a couple of days," Farcus reported serenely, settling down on a chair opposite and busying himself shelling peas.

"And you don't mind?"

"Not at all.  Tomas did a great boon for me; this is a small favor to ask.  Besides, I always felt, as a healer, it was my place to help others, regardless of their situation.  And you definitely needed a healer.  Mind if I ask how that happened?"  Farcus barely glanced up at his guest, but appeared to concentrate on his mindless task.  Somehow his seeming lack of attention made it easier for Will to talk to him, and slowly the story of his exposure to the others, and his capture and subsequent torture was told, the grim tale oddly out of place in the peaceful room.

"You were very brave, to risk yourself like that," Farcus observed mildly.

"We had to do something, and I had every intention of getting out of there without being caught.  But I messed it up," Will muttered, staring at the fire moodily.

"When they were beating you, did you give in? Tell them where your friends had gone?" Farcus queried.

"I told them that Jason and the others had headed toward North East Garnet, toward Skullavich.  It was all I could think to do."

"So, let me see if I understand this.  You placed yourself in danger to let the others get safely away, then under extreme physical torture, you lied, further protecting them.  And yet you still seem to think it is odd someone would take you in, care for you?  That's a strange attitude, Will."  Farcus shook his head in a puzzled manner as he spoke.

"I'm Outcaste," Will mumbled, unable to look up at his companion.

"So?  Will, from what you've said, and what I saw, Jason, at least, doesn't care about your caste.  I suspect, from what I saw of Tomas and the others, and what you've told me, that they feel badly, very badly, for how they treated you," Farcus waited until Will looked over at him before continuing.  "I know caste matters to most people, but not to me.  You're safe here, Will.  And welcome to stay for as long as you need to."

Will felt a tightness in his throat, a surge of emotion he was in no condition to fight, and he turned suddenly misty eyes toward the fire again.  "Thank you," he whispered unsteadily, not trusting himself to say more.

Farcus seemed to understand his guest's situation, and didn't press further, but instead rose and went to the small kitchen area.  He rattled around for a bit before returning with a steaming mug of hearty soup. 

"You need to eat.  Build your strength back up," he informed Will, handing him the mug before turning to build up the fire a little more.

"Where is this place?  I never figured a healer's place would look like this," Will asked, gratefully sipping his soup and looking around curiously.

Farcus told his guest how a healer came to end up a pig farmer, then asked about Will's past adventures with Jason.  Between trading stories and a lively discussion on different aspects of the healing arts, the day passed very quietly and pleasantly, but by the time the sun sank behind the trees Will was more than ready to go to bed.

Fortified by more of the medicinal drink Farcus gave him, Will let the big man treat his back and other injuries, before falling into a deep, healing sleep.  When morning arrived the young man was pleasantly surprised to find his back was significantly better, and getting up and dressed was not nearly the ordeal it had been the day before. 

A hearty breakfast further increased his physical condition, so when Farcus suggested a short walk in the nearby woods, Will was quite amenable to the idea.  The larger man made sure his injured guest was warmly bundled up, then led the way to a well worn path, which led to a pristine pond surrounded by white flowers.

"It's beautiful here!" Will gasped softly, his eyes wide with wonder at the serene beauty of the area.  

But there was more to the spot than just beauty, there was an atmosphere of peace, a harmony that enveloped Will and brought solace to his wounded spirit.  He seemed to soak in the ambience, becoming more relaxed as the minutes passed.  Then came a subtle shift in the environment, a feeling of anticipation, of waiting for...something.  Will looked around, suddenly unsettled, unsure, until he saw what had caused the change, and time stood still as wonder overcame his mind and for a seemingly eternal minute he forgot to breathe.

It was so white it glowed, even in the deepest of shadow, and its movements were so graceful and light it seemed to glide rather than walk.  The single horn shone with it's own white-blue light above eyes that were luminous with a timeless wisdom.  The unicorn stood a few feet away, observing Will, who was sitting on a fallen log, and Farcus, who stood leaning against a nearby tree.

"I...I'd heard they existed...but I never...never expected to see one," Will stammered softly, afraid to move for fear he'd frighten the unicorn into leaving, and he was hoping to be able to watch it a while longer.  Forever, if possible.

"I see him from time to time," Farcus said, just as softly.  "And every time, it's like the first time."

"He's incredible," Will agreed.

The unicorn seemed to finish its internal debate, and he took a delicate step toward the seated Will, pausing as if unsure of the young man's reaction.

Will forced himself to sit still, his eyes drinking in the sight of the mystical beast, vainly hoping he would be able to remember every curve and shape, yet knowing he wouldn't, and already grieving that loss.  He kept expecting the unicorn to stop, to turn away, but he kept approaching until he was close enough to touch. 

Holding his breath in anticipation, Will reached out a timid hand, and placed it hesitantly on the side of the proudly arched neck, over the gossamer silk of the unicorn's mane.  They both flinched a little at the contact, but neither moved away, and Will was vaguely aware of Farcus's sigh from behind him.

How long they stayed that way was impossible for Will to tell.  A heartbeat, a lifetime, or somewhere in between, it didn't matter.  There was no time, no other world, nothing but the infinite wisdom and compassion that shone from the limpid eyes that gazed into Will's very soul. 

At last the unicorn broke the contact, only to lay its horn against the side of Will's vulnerable neck.  The spiraled horn began to glow more brightly, the luminance enveloping Will in a ghostly white-blue shroud, which seemed to be absorbed into the damaged body of the young man.  Then the beast stepped back, gave Farcus another meaningful look, then bounded off into the woods, leaving an indescribable emptiness in his wake.

"Are you okay, Will?" Farcus asked, stepping up to the still mesmerized younger man.

"That was incredible," Will said, turning bedazzled eyes to his newest friend.  "I can't believe that happened."

"I've never seen him touch anyone," Farcus admitted.  "But, I guess you are the one I've been waiting for."

"Huh?" Will started to ask Farcus what he meant when an expression of amazement crossed his thin features.

"What is it?  What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  Nothing is wrong.  Oh, my Gods, it's gone.  The pain.  It's gone.  All of it.  I feel...I feel good," Will's eyes were wide with wonder when he turned to Farcus.  "I'd heard that unicorns had that power, but..."

"Let me see.  Turn around," Farcus requested, lifting Will's shirt when the young man complied.  "Your back is healed," he said softly.  "There are scars, but they're completely healed.  I'll be darned."

Will sank slowly back down on the log.  "Why did you bring me here, Farcus?  And what did you mean that I am the one?" he asked after some thought.

"Come back to the house, and I'll tell you about it," the portly man invited, urging his guest to stand.  "I have a lot to tell you. And something to give you."

~*~

"I bought more than just the land and the animals from the old lady who sold me this place.  Daphne, she'd had a fascinating life.  In her youth she'd fallen in love with a powerful wizard, they traveled together doing 'random good deeds' as she called it.  Anyway, they had a great time, until their last adventure, some forty seasons before I even met her.  She never gave me all the details, but I guess he went up against a dark wizard, and managed to defeat him.  But, the victory came at the cost of his own life.  But, before he died, he passed on something to Daphne, gave her a duty to fulfill in his place.  Which she did, for forty long, lonely seasons, until she passed it on to me.  That's why she stayed with me for a while, to see if I was worthy to take over her duty.  Guess I passed her test, or whatever, because she trusted me."  The big man looked around the comfortable room with a pensive expression. 

"Her lover was not only a great wizard, but had the gift of prophecy.  And years before he had acquired a very powerful talisman, which his visions told him had to be kept safe until the right person came along, the one for whom the power was intended.  The person had to be pure of spirit, according to his vision.  Anyway, since she was simply a kindly woman, not a wizard or prophetess, she wasn't sure how to tell if a person was pure of heart.  Then she saw the unicorn.  And kept seeing it.  Finally, she started bringing folks who she thought might qualify out to the pond, including me.  I saw the unicorn, but it wouldn't let me touch it.  That was the acid test, according to Daphne.  Anyway, to make a long story short, today you proved it.  You are the one that was foretold."  Farcus smiled at the shocked expression on Will's face.

"But, Farcus, I'm nobody.  It can't be me," he protested, looking shocked.  A lifetime of 'invisibility' had not prepared him for this.

The portly man chuckled fondly.  "Of course it can be you.  Here, let me get it," he said, heaving himself from the chair and crossing to the far side of the room.  He removed a false panel on the wall and reached in to remove a cloth wrapped bundle, then sat back down before unwrapping it, holding it up to for Will's incredulous inspection.

The third Portent Orb was nestled in the large, meaty hand.

"This is yours, Will," he said, holding out the orb for the young man to take.

"Mine?" he whispered, taking it gingerly.  It immediately glowed a soft, muted blue in his slightly trembling hands.

"Do you know what that is?" Farcus asked curiously.

"It's a Portent Orb; we had been looking for them," Will murmured, inspecting the orb closely.  "But we thought it was in South Sapphire, though."  He looked up with a startled expression at Farcus's burst of laughter.

"Oh, my," the big man chuckled.  "I'm sorry, Will, I really am.  I should have asked where and why they were going, I could have saved them a trip.  They must never have been to South Sapphire if they didn't know, but I guess that's possible, it is pretty remote and off the beaten path," Farcus rambled.

"What are you talking about?" Will wondered.

"Ah, Will, sorry.  See, the Portent Orb in South Sapphire?  It's a bar.  Sort of famous, in a strange way, since only...ahem...unusual patrons frequent it."

"'Unusual patrons?'" Will prompted him.

"Well, some folks, they like to date, well, folks like them.  You know?" Farcus hedged.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Will confessed.

"Some men like to date other men, and some women other women, you know?"

Will blushed in realization, he'd heard of such things, but didn't know there were special places for them to go.

"I see you do understand.  Oh, boy.  I bet your friends got a heck of a shock," the big man couldn't help but grin at the thought.

"I should take off tomorrow, before they spend too much time looking for something they won't find," Will decided, realizing it was too late to start toward the town that day.

"I'm not sure, Will.  I did promise to keep you here."

"Until I was well, which I am.  I have to go, Farcus, surely you see that," he argued, not wanting to offend the man who had done so much for him.

Farcus sighed heavily.  "I do, actually.  Very well, but tomorrow, and with a good meal in you," he agreed.

~*~

As South Sapphire slowly faded from view behind them, the five teens tried to ignore the niggling idea that somehow they'd blown it.  They had entered the town determined to find the third Portent Orb that was reputed to be there, only to find the rumors apparently referred to a bar with a unique clientele.

It was a disheartened group that rode away from the town after spending a frustrating day and a half trying to find any clue, any hint, of the Orb they sought.  Finally they were left with no option but to admit defeat and hope that they would find the 'missing' Orb during the remainder of their quest.  It was a faint hope, at best, and their morale was lowered still further by the setback.

There had been no discussion of the decision to return to South Turquoise to check on Will, they had simply started back, using the main road this time.  They had seen no hint of pursuing minions of the Black Knight, and concluded that Will's deception had been successful, so the main road would be safe enough.  Even though it was the primary route between South Sapphire and South Turquoise, it was virtually deserted; it was not unusual at all for someone to travel all day and not see another person.

"We'll just ask more questions along the way, maybe starting in South Turquoise," Zackary commented, trying to restore some semblance of hope to the group.

"Might be a good idea," Trini mused.  "It seems like there was supposed to be an Orb in every province except two."

"Yeah," Kym muttered, her hand fluttering over the collar, as was her habit when discussing the Orbs.  It was well above her collarbones now, though still very loose.  But there could be no doubt in any of their minds that it was indeed shrinking a bit more every day.

"You can't give up hope, Kymberly," Tomas insisted, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.  Kymberly almost always rode at Tomas's side these days, seeming content in his presence.

She gave him a wordless smile of thanks before turning her attention back to the road ahead.  "Someone's coming," she noted.

They all looked up to see a solitary rider approaching at a quick clip, the figure somehow familiar.  It wasn't until he got much closer that they recognized him with considerable surprise.

"Will!"  Jason called out, riding up ahead anxiously.

"Jason," the blond greeted his friend, his smile lighting up his face.

"Are you okay?  How...how..." words failed the burly prince as he waved an expressive hand in Will's direction.  The others had joined them, looking equally amazed at the obvious health of the young man who'd been left battered and barely conscious two days before.

"I had an encounter with a unicorn," Will said shyly, coloring slightly.  "He...he healed my injuries."

"You saw a real unicorn?" Kymberly asked incredulously, her eyes shining at Will's nod.  "I always wondered if they were real."

"That's not all.  It seems Farcus had a special duty, and decided I was...worthy...of this."  He glanced around to see if they were being observed, then reached into his pouch and pulled out the Portent Orb, holding it out to the others.

"Oh, man, this is wonderful!" Tomas exclaimed, beaming at Kymberly happily.

"I wanted to get to you before you took too much extra time looking for it in South Sapphire," Will explained, handing it to Jason with a wistful smile, before turning away quietly.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to use the horse until I get home, and you could pick it up on your way back to King Caplyn's?"

"No!  That's not what we want," Tomas said sharply, startling Will who paled a little.

"Okay," Will said mildly, moving to dismount right there.  "It's really not that far."

"Wait! What he meant is that we don't want you to leave," Zackary put in, moving closer to stop Will from dismounting. 

"It's okay, I know what I am, how things work.  I'm sorry I deceived you, I should never have done that," Will said softly, unable to meet their eyes and see the condemnation there.

"Will, please," Trini said calmly, but with a firm tone that stopped the young man in mid-dismount.  He turned curious green eyes to her, his expression one of intermingled fear and hope.

"We're sorry, all of us, for what we said, for how we treated you," Kym told him gently.

"Yeah, you'd think we knew better than to judge you that way, but..." Zackary trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"You caught us by surprise, but that's no excuse," Tomas added.

"We'd like you to stay, let us make it up to you, if we can," Trini concluded.

Their voices had intermingled some, overlapped at times, but the message was clear, if very unexpected, and Will looked around at the others a little dazed before meeting Jason's smiling eyes.

"I...I'd like to stay," he said at last, smiling a little tentatively.  The pain that had lodged around his heart faded to nearly nothing, leaving another scar on an already bruised soul.  But the joy that evolved from that pain made it all worthwhile.

"Then do," Zackary suggested with a deadpan look that cracked the others up.  The laughter helped wash away the awkwardness, and with their worries about Will set to rest, and the third Portent Orb in their possession, they set out toward South West Rose Quartz with renewed hope.

~*~

Camp that night was livelier than it had been in a long time; laughter rang out often as now familiar chores were completed.  It seemed that Trini, Zackary, Tomas and Kymberly were determined to show Will in action, not just in words, that they truly were sorry for their earlier actions, and the sense of coalescing grew stronger as it stretched to encompass Will.

The quiet young man had joined in the good-natured fun without hesitation, but, being unused to a lot of social interaction, was grateful to leave camp to check that the horses were secure.  The quiet was soothing, to his slightly frayed nerves, and he was so intent on ensuring the horses were properly tied that he didn't realize Jason had joined him.

"You okay?" the prince asked, stepping back when Will jumped in surprise.

"Yeah.  But I'd be better if you didn't sneak up on me," Will answered, breathing a bit heavily as his heart started to slow down toward normal again.

"I didn't realize I was sneaking," Jason smiled in reply.  "I just wanted to see if you were really okay."

Will looked at Jason over the back of Tomas's horse.  "I'm fine.  Was just lost in thought, I guess.  I really didn't think they'd want me to stay.  What'd you do? Threaten them?"

"I didn't do anything, Will.  They felt bad, very bad, about what they said.  I told them to go on without me, I was planning to get you out alone, but they wouldn't let me.  They insisted they go as well, which was a good thing since I doubt I could have done it without them."

Will looked down, moving to check Trini's horse before he again caught Jason's eyes with his own.  "Thank you, Jason.  For coming back for me," he said simply, his eyes shining with the gratitude he couldn't find words for.

"I promised you years ago I would always come back, didn't I?  I meant it then, and I mean it now.  You're my friend Will, I won't desert you."

Will colored a little, turning his attention to the horse he was checking.  "It was that thought that helped get me through," he confessed.

"You shouldn't have had to wait," Jason grumbled, following Will as the smaller teen moved from horse to horse.  "I should have gotten you back long before you were taken to the Black Knight's stronghold."

"You had to get the others out.  That was the whole idea," Will pointed out reasonably.  "Besides, it all worked out fine, I got healed, and got the Portent Orb."

"Yeah, worked out just great," Jason growled, looking away with a frown.  "I hate when you get hurt, Will."

"Well, Jason, I can't say I like that either.  But it's over with.  Let it go.  Please.  It was my choice, my decision, that got me captured.  My decision to hide my caste from the others.  Nothing that happened was your responsibility."  Will's quiet voice was very sure, and despite himself Jason found he was feeling better.  He kept Will company until all the horses were secured, then the two of them rejoined their friends in the warm circle of light provided by their campfire.

tbc