Spice & Wolf XII (DWT) Page 9

  “Oh?”

  They ran into a huge tree root blocking their way, so Lawrence climbed onto it and pulled Holo up beside him.

  “It’s a story about the northern marches.. all travelers hear about it at some point.”

  He paused.

  “But it’s related to the Church, so please don’t tell Cole.”

  Holo pulled in close to him, smiling mischievously.

  “It is nice to have our own little secrets.”

  Lawrence smiled wistfully and continued upon her urging.

  “On one of the northern marches, a famous band of knights was losing a battle with pagans as the sky turned red. The sun was setting, so their commander prepared to retreat – and just then, a huge shadow spread out before them. The knights looked up, confused, and guess what they saw? The emblem of the Church, covering the sky in white!”

  Lawrence looked up as he related the story, making Holo look up as well. She muttered to herself as she lowered her head.

  “..Birds?”

  Damn, she was clever. Lawrence nodded and continued.

  “Yup, birds. But to the knights, it was a miraculous sign that they were sure to win. So they fought with renewed fervor and won before the sun even finished setting. When they later established a new nation, its flag was the Church’s emblem in white on red and.. bam! It went down in history as a miracle.”

  The angel, too, was likely just something natural. Fran probably believed that as well.

  “So how can we coax the angel to reappear?”

  They finally made it to the top of the slope after a final turn, and looked down at the lake so far below them.

  “What a beautiful sight!”

  Holo said so breathlessly, despite not being short of breath, even after all that climbing.

  The surface of the lake was like a mirror reflecting the mountain peaks of the surrounding view; the one solitary cloud that was reflected seemed almost depressed somehow. Small black rocks dotted the shore, peeking up through the snow. There were no reeds or seaweed under the water, making it extraordinarily clear. Catching fish on a boat here would be effortless.

  “Suddenly I wish it was summertime.”

  Anyone would have shared her sentiment.

  “Oh that’s right, you know how to swim.”

  “I do. It is lovely to feel so weightless.. so comfortable.”

  He found it hilarious to picture the image of this huge wolf, able to swallow a man whole, jumping into the lake like a dog.

  “But your wolf form is so big.. wouldn’t all of the water spill out of the lake if you jumped in?”

  Even the waterfall caused a hole underneath it, so he meant it as a joke.. but she seemed to be taking him seriously.

  “But seeing me jump in with this body would make you spill something.”

  Hearing her turn his jokes around was normally like having a boulder land on his foot, but right now he was too busy breathing in to chase certain thoughts out of his mind. Wandering around this serene landscape was quite the luxury for a busy merchant.

  “Cole has gone quite far.”

  The footprints they were following seemed to go around the lake entirely, to the other side covered in fog where a taller mountain loomed.

  “Hmm?”’

  Holo suddenly muttered to herself and looked back at the waterfall.

  “What is it?”

  “That waterfall is probably quite new..”

  “What?”

  She turned to him upon hearing him repeat himself, and nodded.

  “Not recent in your terms, but see.. this cliff should have collapsed entirely.”

  She pointed at the path they had just taken, and Lawrence realized what she meant.

  “But the rocks that fell only blocked the waterfall.. even though the lake is surrounded by mountains it is in a bowl.”

  She formed a bowl with her hands, showing off just how differently a person living in the mountains for hundreds of years might think.

  “And that’s why the river level dropped..”

  “Yes, just like how pouring less water into a sieve only means that less will come pouring back out.”

  So there had been a rockslide that divided the waterfall in two sometime after the lake below had formed. That would explain the “angel” everyone had seen.. but not entirely. After all, who would mistake falling rocks for white feathers?

  “Or perhaps it was made by the angel as it flew up.”

  Lawrence was quite happy to have thought of that, but Holo simply sighed and moved away.

  “Well, at least you have a vivid imagination.”

  * * *

  Fran and Cole finally returned long after supper was prepared. They were soaked, like two children that had been playing in snow all day, and only their upper halves had any warmth left in them. In fact, they were practically frozen. Holo held Fran’s hands and placed her feet on Fran’s; certainly not what she wanted to do, but there was no faster way to warm her up. Likewise, Lawrence placed Cole’s hands under his own shirt and held his feet to warm them.

  “Well, what did you find?”

  Their leather boots were drenched and heavy as lead. They must have wandered through thick snow, so Lawrence figured they had a good reason. But Fran simply shook her head, looking exhausted. He didn’t miss the tinge of sadness in her expression.

  “Let’s eat when you’ve warmed up.”

  At first he thought Cole was nodding, but he had nodded off. His tiredness had probably caught up to him in the sudden warmth. Lawrence pulled his wet coat off of him and wrapped him in a dry blanket. Lifting him up, he noticed he was even smaller and easier to lift than Holo was. He also shared Holo’s musty scent; a good reminder of just how much time he spent with her.

  Now warm, Fran thanked Holo and moved away.

  “He should be alright. He’s been on the road with you for a while, hasn’t he?”

  She questioned Lawrence as he handed her a bowl of soup. Lawrence smiled and replied, recognizing that she was talking about Cole’s exhaustion.

  “He’s been quite helpful, yes, but he also seems to be a little short on stamina.”

  Cole seemed frail, but then he’d also been traveling in haggard clothes in the middle of winter. His endurance was probably no worse than Lawrence’s.. in fact, it might be better. Actually, Fran seemed to be the strangely energetic one.

  “..on second thought, maybe not.”

  Fran proceeded to drink her soup. Even while eating, she seemed the same as always. Anyone would wear a look of relief after a long jaunt through the snow, but not her. She was as alert as a woodland creature.

  “By the way, we thought about the legendary angel a bit.”

  She stopped eating.

  “Have you ever seen the flag of the Torhiert Republic?”

  As expected, Fran looked up at him with interest.

  “..You know about them?”

  “Only a bit.”

  Her interest suddenly vanished, and she resumed drinking her soup as if to calm herself. She even carefully ground the bits of meat in her soup before eating them. And yet, she did so smoothly and efficiently, not like some noble meticulously nibbling on their food. She ate more like Cole, who had the dignity of a wandering student despite being in the same class as a thief or beggar. Perhaps when she’d told Hugh she was a slave, she hadn’t been lying.

  “I think it was just snow being blown around.”

  Just as Vino suspected. It was the most common-sense answer.

  “Maybe that’s all it was.”

  Fran smiled at the joke.

  “Of course, that makes the most sense.. but..”

  “You’ve investigated many legends.”

  Fran’s smile vanished and her eyes closed. She looked like she was breathing in slowly to keep from getting angry, but Lawrence could tell she was actually trying to keep from laughing. That was confirmed when she finally exhaled and her face became gentle again.

  “I have. Most we
re just lies, some were just illusions. But there have been special cases, where no matter what you think there is something special about it.”

  “Is that the case here?”

  She shook her head. Was she implying that she didn’t know? She soon turned away and gave a proper reply.

  “Someone I know once heard this myth somewhere else.”

  Lawrence was surprised; he didn’t expect to hear that. Fran seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and smiled in embarrassment as she peeked up at him.

  “He didn’t remember where, but it was the same legend.”

  It seemed to be a sad memory. The fire lit up her face, making her look even sadder.

  “He exaggerates, but never lies. It’s been many years since he told me.”

  “And now you’ve finally found it, haven’t you?”

  As she nodded, it felt like a bit of the wall between them had crumbled away. Lawrence offered her some wine; wine always made it easier to discuss the past. Fran graciously accepted it.

  “I don’t think this angel legend is faked.. I feel it might exist, still today. She..”

  Fran shot a look at the room with the animal skin curtain.

  “That nun thought so too.. that’s why she came here.”

  The nun had come to be known as a witch because of her extreme conviction. But the fact was that without that conviction, she wouldn’t have been chasing such legends. There were just too many legends to sit still in one place for so long.. only someone truly dedicated could to that.

  “I think he saw it too.. the angel.”

  Fran stared at the ground. The sad smile on her face couldn’t have just been a trick of the firelight.

  “But he’s so stupid.. he witnessed something like that, yet forgot where he saw it.”

  Fran’s nostalgic smile was the kind that could drive a man to jealousy. She must have loved him, and covered up her embarrassment by calling him a “person she knew.” She wasn’t just chasing this legend because she loved silverwork.. she had a real reason behind her shadow-laced smile.

  “Such a useless man..”

  She set her wine down to one side. She hadn’t drunk much; perhaps she couldn’t, or perhaps she was too scared of saying too much. After a moment, Lawrence broke the silence.

  “Why tell me this?”

  Fran replied almost instantly.

  “As an apology.”

  “Apology?”

  “Yes.”

  Lawrence was too surprised to ask her any more; he spun around to Holo, who eyed Fran suspiciously.

  “You see, ever since we met in the company..”

  Did she have anything to apologize for? Something so bad that warranted an apology? It was an awkward moment, and Lawrence just sat there unable to think. He just stared at her, until Fran finally turned her eyes to her wine and continued.

  “I’ve been cold because I thought you were just another greedy merchant.”

  “Huh..”

  “I thought you were only after a map of business routes in the north.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. He’d told her last night that he was helping Holo, and that was why he wanted the map. But she wasn’t apologizing for her behavior, just her presumption. What an odd character. Lawrence was at a loss, so Holo jumped in.

  “What was that sudden gust of wind?”

  She was clearly still upset, but still willing to go along with the happy mood. At least Lawrence thought so when he stole a glance at her and saw her smiling. Fran intentionally hunched her back and watched Holo in silence. The two of them seemed to be communicating with only their eyes.

  “So you wish for our help, yes?”

  Fran nodded after a moment. Lawrence’s mind was still blank, but he snapped out of it when he heard the word “help”. Holo continued.

  “Well, I shan’t refuse.”

  The ease with which Holo consented made him remember how easily Fran had suckered him at their first meeting. But Holo smacked his back to take his mind off of it.

  “After all, we are asking for help as well. It would be silly to remain forever upset.”

  Holo seemed to be at her happiest whenever she got to wear a mask saying “well, there is nothing I can do.” Fran smiled at her, giving Lawrence no choice but to agree even if he didn’t understand what was going on.. so he simply nodded.

  “Then..”

  Fran whispered, her eyes bright with intellect.

  “Do you also find the people of Tarsig strange?”

  “As a merchant?”

  “Yes.”

  Lawrence nodded and continued.

  “They have a powerful waterfall, yet still grind their flour by hand.”

  Fran kept her eyes glued on him. He figured he knew what she wanted to hear, so he continued.

  “In the springtime when the water levels rose, they would not have far to walk. But the landlord has some reason to not set up a watermill. Either that, or..”

  “The villagers themselves resisted the idea. That is why.”

  She leaned over and pulled an old book out of her luggage. It was so old and haggard-looking that it might as well be called a stack of paper. The pages rustled as she turned back to face him and Holo.

  “They used the legend of the angel as an excuse to prevent the building of a watermill.”

  Fran had suddenly begun to spill everything.

  “But that’s..”

  “The landlord wants them to build a watermill, because of the northern marches.. he wants to protect himself, and he’s even willing to pander to the Church by promoting the legend of the angel to do so.”

  That was really all a landlord could do if he had no money or force of arms.

  “But things have changed.. the northern marches were canceled.”

  Lawrence nodded and agreed.

  “If the Church still has influence here, even when they’re on the decline, then you can’t blame him for that.”

  “Exactly.. the village made money selling supplies to the northern marches, but they don’t care anymore. They have no faith in God, and just want to stay out of things. As you’d expect, there are other pagan landlords in the area, so its a bit dangerous to obey the Church.. in a way this was bound to happen.”

  True, if a rope was too long it had to be wrapped around, and survival wasn’t exactly a bad motivation.. even if it was a bit disgraceful.

  “The landlord thought about it for a while and finally found a way: accuse the nun of being a witch.”

  Lawrence breathed in deeply, but Holo’s face didn’t so much as flinch. She knew the hearts of humans.

  “It would be a problem for him, making himself an enemy of the Church, but he’d save face among his people. The villagers were satisfied, because with a witch in the forest they had a reason to not build a watermill, and didn’t have to be taxed for one.”

  That also explained why salt became so rare. But Lawrence was hardly satisfied.

  “..Where did you learn all of this?”

  Fran handed him the book, which looked like it had been written by a man.

  “The diary of Sister Katerina Rucci.”

  So this was the book that had been missing from the shelf.

  “Perhaps one of the villagers felt guilty and took the book away. Lucky me, because I know someone who finds these kinds of books.”

  She stared at the book while turning the pages, but she wasn’t reading it. She seemed lost in thought.

  “But if all this is true, why are you telling us? No, why even..”

  He trailed off, realizing that if Fran knew this much, she wasn’t just hunting for the legend. He eyed her darkly.. she had lied to them from the start. She smiled.

  “Sooner or later, Church bells will ring.”

  He sighed. When bigger fish swam around in ponds, their tails whipped the water around drastically. This world was just a pond to those with power.

  “So it’s Diva Company?”

  Fran was stunned, but soon nodded.<
br />
  “So you even know.. yes, it’s as you surmise. The Church is on their way, and this witch fiasco will soon become a disaster. This place isn’t safe anymore.”

  “No kidding.”

  This was an incredibly dangerous situation. Fran’s stubbornness couldn’t solve it alone. She turned to Lawrence.

  “The villagers and landlord are terrified. They surely suspect the Church will attack the north once again, and will start by sending someone with the pretense that they are only interested in the legend.”

  “So you’re saying we just have to calm them down by proving them wrong?”

  Fran smiled, seemingly unused to this kind of discussion. But before anyone else could smile, she spoke.

  “I came here once before, but I was being watched the entire time.”

  And that’s why Fran gave up. Lawrence wanted to sigh, but knew better.. nothing was free in this world.

  “Of course I don’t want to keep you here forever, just until spring. I suspect the legend only appears in the winter.”

  “And you’ll draw us a map of the north in return?”

  She nodded.

  “So will you help me?”

  If they didn’t pack up and leave now, they’d be stuck. Fran had them cornered, yet she’d phrased it as a request for help. Her gall was impressive; almost like a general on a battlefield. She left Lawrence no option. After all, he needed the map, and Hugh would never talk to him again if he left Fran behind on her own. And it wasn’t like leaving her behind was something he could bring himself to do.

  It might be a long time before spring arrives, but at least over time he might find a way to bargain their way out of this. Holo sat still, clearly having made up her mind, so he did all he could do.

  “Of course we will.”

  He replied flatly.

  Chapter 4

  On the second day of their stay, Fran took Cole back to the lake. Lawrence was a bit concerned about their safety, but Fran shrugged it off.

  “It’s not like it’s any safer in the hut.”

  At least this way, it would be obvious to anyone watching them that they were trying to confirm the legend. Lawrence understood that, but it seemed foolhardy to go nonetheless. And yet, Holo held him back. She even insisted that Fran take Cole with her, rather than going alone. Cole didn’t want her to go on her own either, so he immediately accepted.