Shorn: Chapter 18
“At least she’s not afraid of you.” Shorn turned and saw Dale. From the older man’s expression, it was clear he’d had a few ales.
“This is good,” Shorn agreed.
“I think the rest of them are coming around.”
Shorn looked around. People averted their eyes when he looked at them, not wanting to be caught staring. But for the most part he didn’t see fear in their eyes. That surprised him. And made him feel hopeful.
“You saved the town. People won’t forget that.”
“No. You saved the town. Everyone did. I only showed you how.”
“However you want to put it, you still look like a savior to me. I guarantee I’m not the only one.”
That made Shorn feel uncomfortable again. He was saved from responding by Kit, who ran up to him breathlessly.
“I’ve eaten nothing but pie!” he exclaimed, then looked around. “Don’t tell Mama.” He burped. “This is my happiest day ever. I think I’m going to be sick. I’m going to have another piece. They just brought out a new one.” He ran off before he’d finished talking.
Dale beamed. “That right there. That’s what we were fighting for. Happy kids.”
Shorn agreed with that. “Yes.” He liked it when the children were happy. He liked the sounds they made. He’d rarely heard such things from Themorian children. Childhood there didn’t last long. They were forced to grow up fast. It was odd how he’d never questioned it. The thought of putting Kit and Pol into the academy to face what he did outraged him. He’d fight to keep that happening to them.
Around sunset, Melda came looking for Shorn, who was seated on a barrel, watching the party.
“Are you ready to go?” she asked.
He stood up. “I will get Kit.”
He found Kit with two other boys around him. They were watching him with big eyes. “I’m telling you, I ate a whole pie today.” He burped, his eyes crossing a little. “I’ll eat more too. Who dares me?”
“Time to leave,” Shorn said.
“Not yet. I’m—” Kit yelped as Shorn picked him up and tossed him over his shoulder.
Melda was at the wagon with the other children. Shorn set Kit in the back of the wagon.
“One more piece!” Kit tried to jump out, but Shorn caught him and put him back.
“You ate nothing but pie, didn’t you?” Melda asked.
Kit hung his head, smiling slyly. “Maybe.”
She sighed. “If you get sick, get it out of the wagon.”
It was after dark when they got home, and the children were all asleep. Shorn helped carry them inside and put them to bed. He and Melda took care of the chores and then sat outside looking up at the stars.
“What a great day,” Melda said. “We all had a good time. We made some friends.”
“I enjoyed it more than I thought.”
She reached over and squeezed his hand. “First you saved my family. And then you saved everyone’s family. You’re a real savior. Thank you.”
There it was again, that word. Savior. Shorn wasn’t sure how he felt about it.
“The Takare called me savior.”
Melda turned toward him. “Who are the Takare?”
“They live on the Landsend Plateau. Or they once did, before Tu Sinar awakened, and they fled. When I…crashed here, one among them found me. Shakre. She is Netra’s mother. A powerful woman with a strange connection to the wind.”
He paused while he collected his thoughts. Melda stayed silent, knowing he needed time.
“The Takare had once been legendary warriors, but they renounced violence long ago. They did not fight back when Kasai’s followers invaded the Plateau. They would have been slaughtered. I returned just as it began.
“I killed many of the invaders and drove the rest away. But then some among them called me savior.”
He was silent for some time.
“I was not a savior. I did not fight to save them. I cared nothing for them. I fought because I had lost everything. I fought because I needed an enemy.” He drew a long, shuddering breath. “I hoped for an enemy that would kill me.”
“Oh, Shorn.” Silent tears rolled down Melda’s cheeks.
“I turned my back on them. I left them to face their doom alone.”
Again, they sat in silence. Melda spoke first.
“You didn’t leave us.”
Shorn nodded.
“You’re not the same person you were anymore. You’ve proven that, again and again. I hope you realize that.”
He pondered this, then said, “I do. I was not…prepared to hear that word again.” As important as Shorn’s role in defending Qarath against the Children was, there were many others who were heroes in that war, Netra, Rome, and Quyloc chief among them. The people of Qarath never saw him as a savior. Today was the first time since the Takare.
“Right now, they call you savior. But I think in time the people of Sweetwater will call you friend.”
Shorn took a moment to absorb this latest new idea. Friend. The Themorians had a word that roughly translated as friend, but it was understood that this was a temporary situation, more of an alliance against a common enemy than true friendship.
“I would like that. I do not know much of what it means to be a friend. I may need your help.”
She laughed. “Okay. But I think you’re doing great on your own.”
(If you're interested in reading more of Shorn's story from the time before this current one, go check out Wreckers Gate. It's book one of Immortality and Chaos, the series where we first meet Shorn. I will warn you that he doesn't appear until book 2, though!)
Leave a comment