Ashe Hawthorn - A tale of redemption.

[mrieder79]

Doubt flooded Ashe's mind as he strode slowly toward the small farming settlement. His idea of educating the local farmers began to seem like foolishness. He looked over his shoulder at the wisps of smoke rising from Beregost half a day's travel to the east and considered turning around. The old fears clutched him as twisted hateful faces swam before his mind's eye, spitting and pointing damning fingers toward him. Then came their voices.

"Demon!"

"Devil!"

"Hellspawn!"

He stopped walking and closed his eyes, slowing his breaths until his chest barely stirred. Slowly the memories dissolved as Ashe emptied his mind until there was nothing beyond the chirping of a bird overhead, the babble of a nearby brook, and a pair of approaching footsteps.

Ashe whirled to see a pair of human children approaching, siblings from the look of them: a brother and his younger sister.

The boy's eyes focused on Ashe and he stopped. His gaze flitted to the horns protruding from Ashe's brow and fear passed over his face. He took a step backward, pulling his sister with him. She looked with curiosity at Ashe.

He smiled at the children, careful to hide his sharp teeth, and produced a copper coin in his left hand. With a flick of his thumb, the coin jumped up and flipped into his right hand. He flicked again, and again, and the coin danced from hand to hand, seeming to fly as it glinted in the midday sun.

The boy stopped his reatreat and a smile broke out on his sister's face. They watched, entranced, as the coin danced from the palms of Ashe's hands to the back, then rolled up one arm and down another.

With a flourish Ashe flicked the coin one final time and it disappeared. Slowly he advanced, careful not to startle the children. Bending down, he reached behind the little girl's ear and with a flick of the wrist, produced the coin and handed it to her.

She squealed and clapped her hands and even her brother's surly face broke into a grin.

"I'm Jill," said the little girl. "And this is my brother, Max. Who are you?"

"My name is Ashe Hawthorn, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

The girl looked up and down the road then back to Ashe. She frowned. "What are you doing here, mister Ashe? Only people who come down here are farmers and the men who take daddy's taxes." She drew back with a gasp. "You aren't here to take money from my daddy, are you?"

Ashe smiled. "No. I am not here to take anything. I have come to share knowledge."

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's when you know stuff, dummy," said Max.

Jill stuck her tongue out at Max then turned back to Ashe. "What kind of stuff are you here to share?"

"Reading, writing, arithmetic, and other things."

"Writing? What's that?"

"Pictures that tell stories," said Ashe with a smile.

Jill's eyes shone with interest. She opened her mouth to reply but a shout made her jump.

"You get away from my little girl."

Ashe turned to see a tall, broad shouldered man flanked by two younger men advancing from the direction of the settlement.

Jill brightened. "Hi daddy, this is mister Hawthorne and he's here to--"

The man held his hand up sharply and Jill fell silent. He looked at Ashe hard then his face went white. "Jill, Max, you get away from him!"

Jill opened her mouth to protest.

"I sait git!" The man slapped his hands together and the children raced behind him. He turned his face to Ashe again, red with anger. "Bobby McClintock said there was a demon running around Feldenpost's. Guess he was right. I don't know what you're doin' here and frankly I don't give a damn. You just turn your goat head around and keep walkin or we'll hang you from the willow tree, demon."

The two younger men brandished cudgels eagerly and stepped forward.

Ashe's face burned and his fingers slid toward the kamas at his belt. Anger burned within him and his pulse thudded in his ears. Then he saw Jill.

She peeked around her father's leg eyes wide and sad, clutching the copper coin in her hand. She waved bye to him before following her brother back to the settlement. The men remained, faces hard, feet planted on the path.

"I'll go," Ashe said quietly. He turned and began the long walk back to Beregost.