Part 15 In which Jack and Marlot go to the village

Players:

Marlot
Someone who wishes for nothing more than for someone to care about her

Jack
A golem who sees nothing bad in the world


Marlot filled one basket with the herbs and vegetables she had in her garden that she was positive she wouldn’t be able to eat before the frost hit. Anything she was going to keep was already stored away for the winter. Jack also had a basket that was almost spilling apples it was so full. Marlot wasn’t sure she had ever seen him so happy, his black robes dancing around his legs and he looked like nothing more than her apprentice as he staggered under the weight of the basket.

“Where are we going first Marlot?”

“The general store, we should be able to sell most of this there, if they will take it.”

“And then where?”

“I’m not sure Jack, wherever you want to go.” She figured he would be skipping if he wasn’t weighted down.

It was almost an hour later before they arrived at the outskirts of town, two little girls were playing in the garden of the closest house and Marlot saw their mother usher them inside when she laid eyes on the witch, and the green haired man beside her.

“This is going to be fun.” Marlot muttered to Jack.

“Don’t worry; I know they will like you.”

“Your positive streak is almost sickening.”

It only took a few minutes until they found the center of the village, the square lined with shops of all kinds and Jack actually dropped a few apples as he stood in the center spinning around trying to look at everything at once. Marlot looked around too, and saw people staring at them from every window and door around them. “Come on Jack, let’s get this over with.”

“Marlot, this is better than I ever imagined.”

“Jack, come on, aren’t those apples getting heavy.”

“Not really.”

“I know for a fact that when that basket is full I can hardly lift it. Your arms should be screaming out in pain from the weight by now.”

He leaned in close to her, still trying to look around as he whispered, “But I’m a golem.”

“And an amazing one at that,” she linked her free arm through one of his as she swung her considerably lighter burden from her other hand, “come on my handsome golem, this way.”

She let go and led the way into the general store, the occupants of which ran back to their duties as the witch and golem came closer. No one said anything as she crossed the threshold. They all seemed wary, as though each of them thought that she would hex them if they dared say a word. She was amazed when an older man behind the counter finally did speak up, “May we help you miss witch.”

“Yes, we would…” Suddenly from behind her Marlot heard a loud crash and almost tripped over the mass of apples that now rolled around her feet. “Jack!” she ran to her friend’s side, her robes billowing around her as she dropped to the floor. “What happened dear, are you alright?”

“I fell.”

“Over what? You silly boy, were you not watching where you were walking.”

“I’m sorry Marlot, I was looking at all the pretty colors and things that you don’t have in the cabin and I didn’t see the step, then when I stepped up I think I stepped on my robes…”

“And then you fell, Oh my poor Jack.” Marlot pulled the guilty garment out of the way hoping that he hadn’t sprained an ankle when he fell and to her surprise noticed that both of his bare feet were covered in scratches. “Jack, your feet, why didn’t you tell me?” She gently ran a finger over one of the deeper scratches.

“Tell you what?”

“Right, you don’t know about shoes.” Marlot looked up to see that the old man from behind the counter was now standing surprisingly close holding one of her apples. “Please sir, do you have any bandages, or socks for my friend here, I didn’t know that my garden had been so wicked to his tender feet.”

“Of course miss, I will send one of the lads to find some.” He turned and nodded to a boy standing in the dark doorway to a back room. “Now about these apples miss, my wife says they make the best pies.”

Marlot, still sitting on the floor next to Jack, smiled up at the man, “I have heard that, and I must say, I agree, but I’m sure your wife’s pies are far better than anything a lonely witch could cook up.”

“The witch doesn’t seem to lonely,” the old man smiled down at Jack and then offered his hands out to them both, “please friends, you are blocking the doorway and your apples, I’m afraid, are all over the shop.

“I am so sorry about that.” Marlot dropped back to the floor and started gathering the apples, piling them into the basket she had formed out of her robes.

“I’ll help Marlot.”

“Thank you Jack.”

“You are very kind to him.” The man was kneeling next to Marlot and handed her an apple.

“You mean for a witch I am very kind to him. But yet, he means the world to me, my closest and dearest friend.”

“Your apprentice then.”

“Something like that.” Marlot smiled at the man and took the apple he offered in exchange for her hand. As he helped her to her feet she said, “I’m Marlot.”

“Samuel. It is a pleasure to finally meet you Marlot; I have heard stories since I was a young man, but I always believed you were far kinder than you let on, or children would go missing far more often.”

“I once made a mistake of giving candy to some children that wondered past my cabin, my reputation took a dreadful drop that day.” They both laughed and out of the corner of her eye she saw Jack flash her his lopsided smile.

“See Marlot, I told you they would like you.”

“Thank you dear.”

“Now about these apples,” Samuel helped Marlot place the ones in her makeshift basket back with the ones Jack had gathered. “I can give you,” he counted a stack of silver coins into a small leather bag, “this for the whole bushel, and I will throw in those bandages.” He nodded to the boy, who was once again hiding in the shadows of the doorway.

“But sir, they have all been on the ground, and are probably bruised…”

“And make the best apple pies for miles around. I will have the whole basket if you are willing to part with them. Did you have anything else, it looked like there were more than just apples in there?”

“Actually yes, thank you so much.” She handed over the smaller basket that was full of herbs.

Samuel looked through it and added to the pile of coins on the counter. “I think this will be enough, do you agree?”

“More than enough sir. Thank you so much. Jack, what do you say to some new clothes, so you won’t trip anymore, and shoes while we are at it,” she looked down at his scratched up feet again, “But before we go anywhere let’s patch your feet up before you get an infection.”