The next morning Gerig went back to work as if nothing happened. For the first time since his mother passed away, he locked the front door to his cabin and took the key with him, to protect the dwarf and at least give him time to hide should someone come over for a surprise visit. Gerig also left a note on the door stating that he was out on the fields, another thing he hadn't done since his mother was alive. Not only had Gerig wanted to finish his crops to prevent the monarch from suspecting his departure, he also wanted to use his own share of the crops to feed himself and the dwarf for what he assumed was going to be a very long journey. Gerig was planning to take his cart and fill it with the dwarf, supplies and some items that he could live without just in case his departure was permanent and he would never return. Because the horses were the property of the monarch, they were collected whenever the harvest was finished, which mean Gerig would be the one pulling the cart himself, something he had done before when the horses went ill one year but that was nothing compared to the journey he was planning to make. Gerig also set up more traps, eager to catch more wild game because he was allowed to keep everything that he captured. More meat for the journey would make it a little easier, he thought to himself as he set the traps up.

     When Gerig returned to the cabin after a long day in the fields and the forests, Marrec was not only hopping around on one foot, but was working to make his own keep around the house, much like Gerig's mother did before her passing. He had tidied up the cabin as much as he could, and even had something cooking over the fire, something the man didn't recognize.

     "What is that?" Gerig asked as he looked over it.

     "It's a stew." The dwarf said as he walked over and threw some chopped carrots into it. "You've never heard of a stew?"

     "No, I haven't." Gerig said as he looked into the bowl of hot water. "You put some of the meat in here too?" he asked as he stirred the spoon around.

     "Trust me lad." The dwarf said as he tried to reassure the confused man. "The meats and vegetables will infuse flavors and make for one very tasty meal. This is also a good one to eat on cold days like today. It sticks to your belly and keeps you warm."

     "It looks like a soup." Gerig said as he stirred it with a big spoon.

     "It's like a soup, but it gets thicker and more filling because I let it reduce with constant heat." Marrec said as he took the spoon away from Gerig to prevent him from spoiling his appetite. "This is my wife's recipe. I think you'll like it."

     "The first time I didn't have to cook in a while, so you'll get no argument from me." Gerig said as he walked over to the other side of the cabin and took a seat in his favorite chair.

     "How long has it been just you here?" Marrec asked.

     "A few years." Gerig answered, "Since my mother passed away."

     "Sorry to hear that." Marrec said as he tended to his stew. "Losing a parent can be hard on a person."

     "Especially when that person is the only one you have." Gerig added as he relaxed deeper into his chair. "I never knew my father. It was just us as far back as I can remember."

     "I see." Marrec said as he finally poured some of he stew into a small bowl. The small dwarf tore a peace of bread off a loaf and hobbled over to serve his new friend. "Here ya go, lad. Give that spot a try."

     Gerig took the bowl and tried to thickened soup. He looked back up at the small man with a shock on his face. "This is really good!" he said while stuffing another spoon full into his mouth.

     "I do it no justice. If we make it, me wife will make a bowl that will change the way you look at food forever." Marrec said, beaming with pride.

     "I look forward to giving it a try." Gerig slurped back.

     "As to do I." Marrec agreed as he looked out the window.

     Their journey wasn't going to be a pleasant one, but the man in the small house with him was his only hope to ever getting home and seeing his loved ones again. He had no choice to trust this peasant, who seemed to be a loner in a village that really didn't have too many. The young man was his only hope or he might be the next little man to be tormented, ridiculed into insanity. Marrec sat down on a small stool and tried not to think of it. The harvest was almost done, they would be leaving soon.