Ch: 59  By the Light of the Silvery Moonshine

Flintspire town stood on a rocky hill, overlooking a swath of fields and orchards that, even in mid winter, seemed bustling and lively. Sheltered from the wind by the high bluffs all around, the sloping land was rich and well tended. 

Cabbages, broccoli and other winter crops flourished in beds among the empty fields, while neatly tuned rows awaited their next occupants. 

The orchards were pruned back and waiting eagerly for spring, while cattle and sheep roamed among the trunks, chewing placidly on silage as they fertilized the trees.

 

The children managing the herds and flocks waved to the noisy band as they danced down the road. Their music wound down as they neared the gate, slowing to a more sedate pace.

“Flintspire’s guild yard is small, but they should be able to accommodate us.” Luna sang along to ‘Baby Elephant Walk’ as Winslow pranced in time. “I like this music.” 

She swayed in her saddle in counterpoint to Wilslow’s steps, entertaining everyone around with her fierce, yet whimsical appearance.

 

They clattered over a high, stone bridge, past the small dock ward and into town without trouble. Happy residents waved as they passed, calling their wares and occasionally shouting “Thank you Adventurers!” or some such. Once out of the dock ward, they passed a very nice stable, then up slope into Flintspire proper.

The town fairly stank of groundworm, grilled, stewed, broiled, roasted. It was not just on the menu it was the menu. Even the dogs and cats looked sleepy and plump.

 

Gilbert met them at the entrance to the guild compound, it was little more than a small stone office and a parade ground, with a dormitory building. 

Flintspire had no orphanage of its own, the dorm housed traveling Adventurers and the small number of pensioners that kept the guild running. 

“We haven’t had an active Adventure party in town in years, our townies might not know what to make of you.” Gilbert said with a grin. “They all have the meat sweats right now anyway. There was a bit of a feast when we dragged all that worm into town.”

 

Liam chuckled along with the old warrior. “Don’t bring it up, we have a ton of that in store… we are gonna be eating and wearing groundworm for a while.” 

 

Becky groaned dramatically and clutched her stomach. “No more… fried worm nuggets were the last straw.”

 

“Tonight is another of Gary’s foreign dishes. Cornbread and chili… groundworm chili.” Ivy said with a cruel smile.

 

“We still have about thirty pounds of crawdaddie too.” Gary said, around a groundworm kabab from a stall by the gate. Shai and the kids were gnawing on them too, chomping eagerly on the grilled monster meat with pickled vegetables on a tzatziki slathered pita. 

He held one out to Becky, who sighed and began tearing into it. “I’m always hungry now, I blame you guys.” She complained while chewing lustily.

 

“We plan on staying overnight, then heading back to Wheatford in the morning, may we camp in the guild yard tonight?” Liam asked casually, with a broad wink he learned from Otho. 

Gilbert pointed the Bathers at an empty section of the compound and grinned. “You guys do whatever you do. We have plenty of dorm space…” 

He shrugged as he walked away. “We owe you big, whatever the duke pays you is not enough as far as Flintspire is concerned.”

They knocked the house up on Gilbert’s vacant lot, taking advantage of the meaty naptime situation gripping the town to complete the process nearly unnoticed… Romping through an acoustic rendition of ‘Our House’ with the whole band drew a few old timers to watch from the dormitory building.

“I like this town!” Gary enthused. “We should stay a day and check out the scene.” As he shook his rump at a grinning old lady on her balcony. 

He slipped into a little James Brown, unleashing some  buttwiggling and fast footwork.

 

Huh! 

Get on up! 

Get on up!

 

Stay on the scene…

Like-a sexmachine…

 

“Gary, the house is done…” Luna called, as the band kept going. Tallum had his bass slung so low on his body it was almost obscene when he strummed and strutted. 

Dannyl had the chaotic rhythm guitar part wrapped around his fingers, turning the music this way and that with a whim. Gary chanted nonsense, mixed with exhortations for the watchers to dance and demands for additional ‘funk’, while Shai sawed joyous music from her violin and hips... 

 

Poor Luna smiled and tapped her toe, once, twice, thrice and felt something new bloom in her heart. She joined Shai’s inevitable dance, kicking and leaping along with Becky. Khan shrugged and stepped into the fray, allowing himself to be flung from one partner to another as the children were plucked from his arms by dancing friends.

Annie let out an amused huff as the horses and ponies put themselves in the stable under the gate house.

#

 

The Bathers were sprawled out on the patio, resting up after an impromptu show, witnessed by a few highly confused pensioners from the dormitory. Gary and Tawny were still noodling around, working on a pleasant sounding number. 

 

“What is that Gary? I really like it…” Becky murmured, tickling her harp gently, trying to join in.

“Christmas.” Wilford announced with utter finality, pronouncing judgment from Liam’s arms.

 

“Yes Wilford, very good, it’s Vince Guaraldi, ‘Linus and Lucy’, this is the gateway to jazz…” Gary’s blather was cut short by a troop of armored warriors stomping through the gate.

 

Two dozen knights in heavy plate, men and women in the red armor of war cultists and a scattering of Order knights in burnished steel marched in through the gate. Even afoot and spattered in mud they were an intimidating group. 

A dozen more warriors in red reinforced leather followed after with bundles of gear and lances over their shoulders. The force was led by Anglin of War, his scarred lower face concealed by a chainmail coif and veil.

 

Gilbert came trotting up, dressed in common winter clothes and grinning. “Anglin, welcome brother, we were expecting a force from the front line…” 

 

“Flooding down river, causeway washed out. They are riding the long way round through the upland road. Poor buggers, weather is shit on the pass right now.” His growly, no nonsense timbre still clashed with his relaxed and easygoing manner. 

 

His gaze fixed on the band, still strumming and tinkling awkwardly. “Word at the gate is, these kids ended the worm, size reports must be wrong. Not much evidence at the trail end.”

Gilbert chuckled and strolled up to the patio, where the band had fallen silent. As the two men approached, followed by the troop of knights and warriors, a sudden yelp rose from the back of the musicians.

“Oww! Darnit Shai! Liam’s the leader!” Gary shouted, while Shai gripped his ear.

 

“He is, an a good one. Tis your guests ye shall greet, nae hide an skulk like a wee bairn. Fie! ’Tis mostly kin and folk frae Wheatford an all.” She pushed him forward and held him there by the hand, while he rubbed a sore ear.

 

“Anglin.” He said, still holding his battered lobe. “Don’t just stand in the cold, we don’t have room for everybody in the house but the bath is open, go get clean and warm up…” 

 

Before ten minutes elapsed, the garden wall was lined with neat racks of armor. Weapons and gear, packs and baggage resting beside each, in orderly lines. 

Grizzled veterans, pensioners and young troopers mingled freely in the big pool, lounging in the warm, swirling liquid.

 

Gilbert’s musclebound second was holding the bath captive with his tale of daring do.

 “…Pop! Meat and blood everywhere! Poor old Gilbert couldn’t handle the serving size, he had to take a nap.” Angus went on, telling a fanciful tale of how they tricked the worm into kebabing itself and climbing over a fire. He started to lose credibility before long. 

“The hardest part was talking it out of its skin and getting it to roll in my secret spice blend.” He proclaimed. 

“That was when we realized we hadn’t brought any bread or condiments… Luckily these kids were there with plenty of naan and harrisa…” His almost grotesque muscles flexed as he spoke, animating his body in hilarious ways. He pantomimed and japed his way through a heroic tale of sandwiches and his personal battle with a dangerously spicy sauce.

 

Anglin sighed, relaxing back in the bath. “So, Khan… what really happened?” He rumbled. “Angus’ tale was the more believable of what we have heard so far. A walking stick fought it… the worm exploded… yet there was little to show from such a battle. I could easier believe you had a picnic and ate the whole thing.”  

“The carcass is gone, because we were asked to remove it. The details of how this was done are… confidential.” Khan’s mustache wriggled abominably as he tried to conceal his amusement. “Really Anglin, we have the only cultist of Secret along… enjoy life’s little mysteries.”

#

 

The Wards strolled through Flintspire’s small market district, enjoying a warm winter afternoon under cloudy skies. Cold gusts told of more weather coming, tugging at their clothes like an impatient child.

Becky was watching a burly young man in a shop wield a huge cleaver, cutting perfect noodles with effortless grace from a mass of folded dough. A towering column of steam rose between gusts, redolent of ginger and herbs. 

“Yeah, we’re just up from Wheatford, sightseeing.” Becky held Amy up so she could watch the fellow work as she chatted. “Is that a roasted chicken broth? We are gonna need extra noodles with that. What’s fun in town?”

 

“This week end is the sauerkraut festival, I wouldn’t call that ‘fun’ though. I hear there are adventurers in town! Watch out for them,”  He leaned in closer, gossiping over his steaming kettle. “I hear they are dangerous and violent.”

 

“Oh no! Adventurers, how awful. I certainly hope we don’t meet any. Extra tofu too!” Becky and Amy joined Shai at the dumpling stall, while Gary and Wilford set out a table and camp chairs in a vacant booth space. 

 

Passersby paid little attention to the strange family’s antics, as they spent a tranquil afternoon seeing the sights and trying new things. 

“Pickled cabbage dumplings… not awful, but I don’t think we will be needing the recipe.” Gary chugged his soup broth with obvious pleasure. “The noodle soup was the star of the show, that was good!”

# 

 

When they strolled back in through the Adventure compound gate, the inn was feeling rowdy. Gary and Becky took the kids upstairs through the house entrance and got them nestled into bed for a nap with minimal argument.

Shai was not faring as well. 

“What be all this then?” She barked firmly when she strode into the common room. Men and women were singing, dancing poorly and generally having a grand time.

Ivy was behind the bar, tapping an unfamiliar keg. “Shai, thank the gods! This stuff tastes awful, but they don’t seem to mind. Can you bring another barrel up from the basement?”

 

“Fie, that be nae beer, tis Gary’s ‘wash liquor’! Praise Joy ye dinnae find his awful jug of…” Angus staggered by, holding one of those damnable brown jugs, looking dazed. 

Shai sank into a chair with a sigh. “Nae more of that Ivy, tis nae fer drinking. Git yer Tallum tae wrestle that jug frae Angus ‘ere he becomes a menace.”

 

She slipped upstairs and dragged Gary down by his wrist. “See what yer alchemy hae wrought? Ye could hae made beer, cider, or wine… now we hae this mess.” She grumbled. “Vanish that keg, ‘ere summat vomits on this floor ye do so prize.”

 

Gary sighed and hopped up on stage. “Hey gang…” His voice slipped in from all around, along with the music of his twelve string guitar. 

“Let’s all mellow out. Angus, let Tallum have that jug please, that’s an alchemy experiment, not a beverage for humans.” He softly chanted over the soothing music, as his gift wandered the room.

“I would like to apologize for the hangovers that you will all be enjoying, coffee and tea will be coming around soon.” Groans and good-natured boos shook the room, until Tawny stepped up and began playing along on the pianoforte.

With a wink and nod they dropped into ‘Linus and Lucy’, while Shai and the others circulated, stealing jugs and mugs from the unwary and distracted.

 

“I do have beer, wine and cider, they aren't ready yet.” Gary grumbled later, over dinner with the Bathers. Several of their guests still nursed delicate constitutions in the pool. 

“It takes time,and practice to make something drinkable. This stuff is a mix of all my shitty practice brews…” He shuddered, remembering ‘pruno’ from his time in juvie. “Nobody will enjoy drinking my experiments.”

 

“An it’s swill whae keep it, dump the barrels in yer pool and be done.” Shai demanded. “Summat foolish were bound tae happen, yer brown jug be dangerous enough.”

 

“Yeah, don’t drink that. Angus is in for a rough evening. We should drop him in the private bath and let him soak.” He shook his head sadly. “That swill becomes moonshine when I work my alchemy on it. Nothing human will enjoy the results right now, but Sol and Maria can’t resist it.”

 

“It were that book! Fie, I dinnae ken it were on the making of poison. Keep yer noxious experiments locked away boy.” She grumbled happily. 

“An ye make summat fit fer human throats we shall do a bonny fine trade!” She was going over her cash box with notable glee. “They did pay good coin fer mugs of barrel wash an muck water.”

 

“Is this ‘moonshine’ some invention from your home Gary?” Dannyl asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

“Nope… well yes and no, Shai found a book with complete instructions and recipes for brewing and making liquor, so you guys must have had it here.” He shrugged hopelessly. 

“There’s plenty of beer and cider going around, it seems like you all just forgot about distilling.” He sighed wearily. “Really, on the list of things you guys have forgotten, that’s pretty far down the line.”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Becky shot him a dirty look. “Who put you in charge of keeping secrets? …Oh, ok. You got me with that one.”

Gary grinned at his sister and winked. “If I have to be an abolitionist, you guys can stay sober till I’m done. Literature and music first, then whiskey if you prove you can handle yourselves.”

Amy and Wilford looked over the shabby grownups still scattered around, nursing sore heads. “They should have taken a nap too.” She announced too loudly, while Wilford nodded in agreement.

 

Gilbert found quarters in Flintspire’s dormitories for most of the Wheatford force, leaving Anglin, his second, an Order knight named Frikks and a familiar face to bunk in Shai’s inn.

“Patel of Healer, nice to see you again.” Gary said, welcoming the slightly stout, jolly man when the crowd thinned out. “Sorry I missed you in the crowd.”

 

“You are not the only one gifted with the ability to be sneaky, young man. You were a handful on our last meeting, I thought it best to remain in the background.” He smiled and shook hands warmly, clearly enjoying having his host on the back foot.

 

“Fair enough, we will be pulling out and heading home tomorrow, for tonight, be our guests.” Gary said to the three, while Shai gestured and coached him from behind them.

 

They seemed not to mind sharing a room, considering the alternative was the dubious comfort of the dormitory or one of the two mundane inns the town boasted.

 

Seventh bell finished ringing only a moment before a knock came at the residence door. Shai slid back the peephole and flung the door wide with a grin.

“Master Yost!, tis fine tae see thee, come ye visiting I hope, tis nae a hour fer business.” Her obvious pleasure at Gary’s discomfort amused the wily merchant.

 

“A visit indeed, I introduce Ally Preven, my wife.” Sturdy, sunbrowned Yost’s companion shared little in common with her solidly built husband. She was tall, ebony dark and willowy, while her warm smile shattered the evening gloom. 

Her jet black hair shone almost wetly in the lantern light, braided tight to her scalp and decorated with colorful glass beads. Even in simple winter clothing she exuded class and effortless style.  

“It is a true pleasure to meet you, Yost told me only that the pair of you operate an inn made of magic. I would have dragged him to Healer and had his skull examined, if not for that chocolate.” Her shudder of delight was obvious and involuntary. 

 

The rest of the women in the group shared her frisson of delight. “I’m just glad there isn’t anything that effects men that way…” Liam remarked, while stuffing his long pipe. “What?” He asked, when every female eye drilled into his soul.

The boys all nodded in agreement, while watching the pipe filling process eagerly. “Gary and Liam always grow the best…” Tallum sighed.

 

“Next stop, cannabis chocolate. That should end the war of the sexes.” Gary announced when the group finally eased into the bath. 

“Innkeeping is for the birds. I’ve been on my feet all day with nothing to show for it but happy people.” He grumped cheerfully. 

 

“It’s fun on the road, but in town… best we stay on the sunny side of the law.” Tawny said. “You are not licensed as a public house.”  

 

“If I find you on the road, you will have my custom… Miriam would never forgive me in any case. She is visiting in your stable as we speak.” Yost said, bubbling slightly since he had partially dissolved into the pool. “You kids have no idea how good this feels.”

 Ally might have said something, it was hard to tell from her position entirely under the waterfall.

#

 

In bed that night Shai snuggled up into his shoulder and stopped his hand just as he brought a wad of pollen to his lips. “Ye still use the dust boy, would ye nae visit Thirp and Ducky wi us?”

 

“It’s Joy, she keeps sending thirsty messages everywhere I look, she wants me really bad.” His sassy grin made her unsure whether to kiss or slap him, so she settled for both. 

“I can’t give the pantheon any more access to my insides, till we get some movement on the whole selling your sweet boy as a slave thing.” He rubbed his cheek while licking his lips and grinning.

 

“She do hae her ways of making her point, does lady Joy.” Shai growled softly, biting his neck and running her fingernails in very distracting patterns. She stopped suddenly, bringing a gasp from her man.

“Oh, she do be tricksy… I shall let ye be.” She whispered.

 

“Uh uhh…” He grunted around a mouthful of fae dust. “She started something, we finish it… and I’m dusted already!” They giggled and ticked their way into slumber, bodies still entwined as their minds went separate ways. 

#

 

They rode out into a cold gray morning, Gilbert, Angus and a few of the Flintspire warriors saw them off into the fog. Once clear of town, Shai limbered up her violin and began a sweet cheerful number. 

Swift, chiming notes scattered into the mist, reminding the listeners of doves taking flight at dawn. Becky’s harp joined in the upper registers lifting sweet birdsong into the sky.

 

Gary felt his gifts unwinding at Shai’s command, he sat back among the blankets with the kids and laughed while they sped down the road.

 

They traded off the entire journey, one in the cart with the children, one running alongside and playing, while their friends and family devoured the miles. They paused for lunch in Solange’s glade, enjoying a brief visit with the sleepy spirit.

“This enchanted stone of yours is the only reason I am able to remain awake at all. By summer my strength should be returned, I will be far more vigorous then…” She sighed, while having tea with Wilford and Amy beside her sapling. 

“Word of this new thing will spread quickly among my people, as the trees and forests awaken in spring. Hope is a liquor my kind have not tasted in centuries uncounted. It is intoxicating…” She whispered over her cup of ‘special spirit tea’.

#

 

“…so as long as you guys stay at a canter or slower, I can refill your stamina and mana passively, I just leave the horses mostly alone so they get a nice run out of it.” Gary said in the bath that night, while Wheatford’s light gleamed in the distance. 

“Thats why your heart rates and such go up, but you don’t get tired. My gift keeps topping you up, I cut the juice towards the end of the day or we’d be up all night.” 

Tallum perked up at that, he opened his mouth to ask and got cut off. 

“I tried it, I know it sounds good, but it’s super not fun. Your brain and soul need sleep.” Gary yawned enormously and gathered the kids into his arms. “Bedtime for us, busy day tomorrow.” 

 

“Whae do make the morrow ‘busy’, boy o mine? Hae ye plots afoot?” Shai demanded, while they were putting jammies on the little ones.

 

“I’m gonna summon Plumeria again tomorrow, try and have a chat with her. I feel guilty just keeping her in my Pockets! all the time.” He smiled wistfully. “Grandpa loved fairies and tales of the fae. He taught me the songs and rituals with my first music lessons.”

“It do please me that ye hae knowledge of the fae in yer home. Solange did say t’was her kin brought men here first, through dreams.” She shook her head in wonder. “Townsmen do hardly credit the fae and seldom see or recognize their works. Yet ye do.”

 

“It’s all old hillbilly family lore, just like mom loved tarot cards and filled my head with them… I miss the cards.” He mused, though he was only pensive for a moment. “How did a nerd like me wind up with a girl like you?” He grinned over Wilford’s sleepy head at her, as they climbed the stairs.

 

“Thou art uncommon fortunate, tis all.” Her smile and twinkling eyes never failed to work their subtle magic.

#