A Gathering of Mourners

(Swords with Souls)

Fantasy Fiction

By Dan Watt

(Author of BARD: Bearer of the Gemstone)

Cover by Darren Joy

(Author of the Plagueborn series)

– Adult content –

A Gathering of Mourners

Everyone but Sir Oliver and the carnival crew depart down the path.

“I’d like to offer my services,” Sir Oliver says as he walks up to her.

“Thank you,” she says. “You can help carry my grandfather to the boat. His body has already been prepared.”

Cowled figures of all sizes step out of the carnival wagon. She knows most of them. The bearded lady, the dwarf named Ellis, the humpback, the tattooed man, the fire breather, and the woman who can pierce her skin without feeling pain or lasting injury. Over the years others had come and gone. The two-faced boy worked well until a customer discovered the other face was just a realistic looking mask. But it’s with the carnival owner, Haashir, and the giant Jedreck she is closest to.

Over the years Haashir had brought her grandparents many books. He could not read very well but he always listened intently when her grandmother read to him. Once, when the carnival wagon was parked on the property for a few days, she saw him bathe in the pond. Hidden behind reeds just as the sun was about to set, she swears she saw a jagged scar along the centre of his chest. As for Jedreck, he would give her rides on his shoulders so she could see farther than even on the back of a horse. If she was cold, he placed one of his hands over her head; a warming hand for a hood. If they were talking, he placed her upon a low tree branch or high rock. There is a lilt to his baritone voice that she has always adored.

“If you would each help hold a section of the stretcher’s poles,” she requests.

“I will carry him alone,” Jedreck tells her with a reassuring smile.

She still sits atop Aminah, and yet must still look up to see Jedreck’s face. His cheekbones are high like Ippakness’s but all the rest of him, including the long and thick auburn hair, and piercing blue eyes remind her of the ones who came from the north-west. Similar to Sir Olaf but not quite.

“And we’ll assist if he should get tired,” chirps up Ellis. His broad, dwarven face smiling toothily up at her. She hears the other carnivalers concur.

As her grandfather’s wilted body is carried out in Jedreck’s arms, a flood of memories bite into her heart. He’s dressed only in his blue nightgown. Her grandmother and her sister have washed him and placed ointment over his body so he won’t smell of death. She dismounts and Aminah kneels down so her grandmother can climb on. The mare stands up and she mounts behind her grandmother. Glancing back, she sees Gwen lift Ganesha onto the saddle of Hami, a destrier stallion very protective of both her sister and nephew. Earlier they brought food and drink to the bank of the pond. Few went near the horse with the midnight blue coat and white pasterns. Both horses make their way past the walking carnivalers to walk near Jedreck and the soulless corpse of her grandfather.

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