Post by John Harding on Aug 15, 2011 4:09:05 GMT -5
Jonah was glad that the large man offered his assistance too, since lifting the carriage, to put on the wheel, was probably going to be at least a three-man-job anyway. Jonah could tell by the way the man spoke to his daughter that he wasn't a bad guy, and he didn't look at the Akaiyan with the same suspicious eye the driver kept casting upon him.
To the coach driver, he replied,
I was headed for Wistvale but am currently on the look out for food. How about you? Where were you going?
The man shook his head in acknowledgement of what Jonah said then replied, "I'm just doing my job. This man is also heading toward Wistvale--"
He was interrupted by an excited, "Me too!"
The man cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, I can't imagine why anyone would want to go this far west. There's nothing of any redeeming value over here--but, I do what I get paid for and this is the only coach that goes to Wistvale. Most others won't go past Westdale."
The man was ready to replace the wheel. Jonah was instructed to lift on the front end while the father would pull off the old wheel and the driver would put the new wheel in place. The plan was to do this quickly then help Jonah slowly lower the coach so there would be no damage. After the coach was sitting on it's new wheel, the driver would secure it so it would be ready for travel.
He admitted he'd probably have to spend a night in Wistvale so he could make sure the coach could make the rest of the journey back the next day.
"Ready? Right, lift on the count of three. One, Two, three."
Last Edit: Aug 15, 2011 11:02:29 GMT -5 by Legault
As he lifted, the father heaved and pulled the old wheel off of the axle. The driver quickly and skillfully positioned the wheel over the axle and push it into place. He and the father both put their hands under the carriage to help him lower it safely and without causing any more damage.
The driver nodded to and thanked Jonah before going back to get the tools he needed to tighten the wheel and secure it in place.
The father reached out a hand. "My name is Garret Ironson. You said your name was Jonah?"
Post by John Harding on Aug 16, 2011 4:30:44 GMT -5
Jonah shook the father's hand firmly and nodded.
Yes. Jonah Pureheart, of the Akaiyan people. I've been on the road to Wistvale for almost a month now.
What about you, sir? What's waiting in Wistvale for you? I've heard the town borders on lawless, perhaps not somewhere you'd want to take your daughter.
Garret turned to watch his daughter who was picking a flower along the treeline.
"It's true. Wistvale is known to have no laws, but it's the only place she'd be safe now. In Wistvale one can disappear. The rest of the world forgets that you exist. That's what I seek--to disappear from the rest of the world. Why do you seek Wistvale?"
"The man's expression hardened. "Someone," he admitted, "but I have already said more than I should have."
Before anyone else could speak, Garret's daughter ran up to him and pulled on his pant leg, "Daddy! Daddy! It's raining!"
Sure enough, as soon as he looekd up Garret felt a couple rain drops hit him. Jonah also felt the rain and what little of the the sky above they could see, looked quite dark and ominous. It was going to be tremendous and heavy storm.
"Quick men! Help me seal these bolts in place. We need to get moving before the rain turns this road to mud!"
The driver, who still had not offered his name, shouted, "We need to get these six bolts into place to keep the wheel from sliding. That wheel broke because it was missing those bolts and I won't let that happen again!"
Garret had secured his daughter in the coach while the driver was speaking. He now approached the wheel and asked, "How can we help?"
"Take these bolts and start pounding them into the small holes in between the spokes," said the driver as he handed the bolts and hammer to Garret. "Pureheart! You hold the wheel in place as he puts the bolts in. I'll start the horses taking a few steps at a time to rotate the wheel after each bolt goes in." With that, he ran up between the horses and soothed them in preparation.
Garret got down to start putting the first bolt in.
Post by John Harding on Aug 17, 2011 5:28:52 GMT -5
Jonah may have helped fixed the carriage but he wasn't fooling himself into thinking that Garret would open up to him. He was still a stranger to these people after all, so he shrugged it off.
Then it started raining.
The tribesman cast his gaze towards the heavens, catching a few droplets on his tongue. Jonah loved a good downpour. Back home, he would spend hours standing out in the rain, letting each bead of water kiss his skin. Refreshing.
But not everyone shared Jonah's enthusiasm for the wetter weathers, and these people clearly didn't want to get stranded here, so he followed the coach driver's orders. He took a tight hold on the wheel and waited for Garret to hammer in the bolts...
The first few bolts went it easy enough-- with the driver carefully leading the horses forward only a few steps at a time. However, by this time the rain--no, it seemed like the very sky was falling with a tremendous downpour. It was almost like the rain fell as one solid object of impossible height. Spectacular displays of lightning crashed across the sky and once or twice they saw the lightening hit taller trees in the forest around them. Tumultuous thunder, as a great and mighty lion roaring with all of his strength, boomed, rumbled, cackled and smashed through the thick and blackened sky above them. Garret had just finished pounding in the fifth bolt when...
"I AU-- EH!" Garret was shouting something at Jonah. He wasn't angry he was just trying to be heard. He yelled louder when he realized no one could understand him. He had his hands in the mud and was moving them around in it He looked directly at Jonah and yelled once more, "III LOOO-- WUUUUU--!!!" Perhaps Jonah would be able to tell from Garret's lips what he was actually saying. Regardless, the man gave up his search and slammed a hand over where the hole was and the bolt should go. "DUUUH-- LEEE-- GOOO!!!" The man motioned for them to move and the driver ran back around and climbed up into his seat. The horses started off at a trot so Garret had to get in while it was moving. He motioned for Jonah to join them. It was an offer. He could choose what to do with it.
Post by John Harding on Aug 17, 2011 16:51:18 GMT -5
Jonah wasn't entirely sure what Garret had tried to tell him but, from what he could see, it seemed he had dropped one of the bolts, meaning the carriage wheel may not be as secure as it could be.
Either way, the carriage was moving away and Jonah wasn't looking to stay behind. Moving quickly, the tribesman climbed in after Garret.
The driver let out a whoop nearly as loud as the lightning and pushed the horses into a faster pace. He was determined to keep the coach from sinking into the mud. The horses protested at the conditions but obeyed their master.
Meanwhile, within the coach, Garret was attempting to dry off as he sat next to his daughter. She was not all that wet since she had been placed in the coach before the downpour had really begun. He was using a dirty shirt (most-likely from a previous day on the road) as a towel. He mostly just worried about his arms, hands, face and hair--thankfully he didn't have too much hair to worry about. "Hi there!" said a cheerful voice. Across from where Jonah sat, the smiling face of a young girl was beaming at him. She had wavy golden locks which went down just below her shoulders. She was missing a tooth and it may have been the first of her baby teeth to go. The girl giggled before speaking again, "You both look very silly all wet like that." Her silver-blue eye sparkled as she simply looked at him for a moment. "My name is Mily," she beamed her smile at him again, "What's your name?"
Her father didn't do anything to stop her but simply smiled at his daughter's antics.
Post by John Harding on Aug 18, 2011 4:11:00 GMT -5
Jonah used his hand to wash the rain out of his hair and sat back to enjoy the - albeit bumpy - ride. It was good to be travelling via horse-draw carriage again. Back in the Valley, Jonah's people used caravan's to travel to and from the nearby towns, to trade in fruits and vegetables that the Akaiyans themselves grew.
The little girl's cheery voice brought Jonah out of his revery. He smiled.
Hello, Mily. My name is Jonah.
He gave a rather over-the-top chivalrous half bow from his seat, one that maybe a little girl playing princesses and knights would appreciate. Jonah knew how to act with children. Back home he'd adopted the role of big brother to all of the Akaiyan youngsters; they especially loved Jonah throwing them into the river that ran through the Valley.
Are you enjoying this little adventure?
Last Edit: Aug 18, 2011 4:14:37 GMT -5 by John Harding
"Oh yes, very much so," Mily was soaking in the attention for all it was worth. Jonah's bow seemed to please her greatly as she acted as one who was accustomed to deserving such behaviors. She giggled again.
This time Garret spoke up, "So tell me Jonah, if it's not intruding, what made you decide to travel to Wistvale? You said it was just another stop in your life's journey, but now I'm curious why your life's journey has lead you this far west?"
"Oh!" Mily piped in,"Are you going to tell us a story?" She smiled at him expectantly and her eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement.
Post by John Harding on Aug 18, 2011 18:33:50 GMT -5
A story, eh? Well, let's see...
Jonah thought it through, deciding how much of his tale to divulge.
I grew up amongst a tribal people - the Akaiyans - who dwell in the Vulkurian Valley, far away in the Yonderlands. My parents had come from a place even further away and chose to live with the Akaiyans before I was born.
I spent most of my youth learning about my surroundings; the forest and the fields, the animals and the plants. My mentor taught me how to survive alone in the wild. Master Farroh; a very wise Vulkurian.
Remembering his teacher, who had been such a huge influence on his life, brought a smile to Jonah's face. He missed the old man but it was because of him that Jonah had left the tribe.
Well, as I got older I began to visit many of the nearby towns with the traders of my tribe and I was amazed at all the different people and places I came to see. Towns and villages with their taverns and schools and law enforcements. So strange and new to my young-boy eyes.
He laughed.
And that's where my love - and curiosity - for travel and adventure began. I told Master Farroh everything; how much I wanted to see the rest of the world, learn all I could. So he encouraged me to set out on my own, to start my journey.
And so Wistvale is the next step.
It may not have been the answer Garret was hoping for but that was all the Akaiyan was going to give...for now.