Page 124 of Tiger's Trek
The black knight bowed and climbed on his waiting steed. “I’ll ride on ahead and prepare the way,” he said.
“Yes, yes. Off with you.” She lifted the heavy stirring wand, and the two of them rose in the night sky. Veru looked back at Danik, who stood at the open door, staring after them. She hoped he understood what she wanted him to do. As she strained to hear the sound of notes coming from the little house, they picked up speed and were soon high above the ice-covered trees. The door slammed shut, locking Danik inside and sealing off the light coming from the house.
The wind was freezing cold. Veru ducked down inside the deep bowl as they journeyed through the sky. She missed the warmth of Danik’s arms holding her and looked up at the stars above, making a wish that they could get out of this witchy woman’s web. All too soon, they landed, and after Yuga awkwardly climbed out, Veru followed.
The ground was crunchy and hard where she stepped, though there was no snow in the place they’d arrived. Two large silos sat near an open field. A portal opened, and the black knight appeared, pulling up near them.
“All is ready,” he said, dismounting and walking them over to the first tank. He pulled a lever and opened it up, and grain spilled out and over their hands, pooling around their feet. Before too much fell, he quickly closed the hatch, sealing it off and locking it once more.
Yuga laughed, holding out handfuls of grain to Veru, and said, “There you are, young woman. Are you satisfied, then?”
“Oh yes. You have a lovely bin full of fine corn.”
“That’s right,” Yuga said. “It’s the finest. The best corn...” She trailed off. “Wait, what?” She bent down and scooped up a handful and smelled it, then tossed it aside. “You idiot,” she said to the knight. “This is the wrong silo. Take us to the other one.”
The black knight thumped his head and offered her his arm, but she shoved it away and made her own way, following the sound of his armor. When they were in position again, he pulled on the lever, opening the hatch, but nothing came out. Sumerki frowned and peered inside. “I-I don’t understand,” he said. “It was all here. All the wheat. It was entirely full just a few hours ago. I promise you.”
“You durak! What happened? Can you not follow the simplest of instructions?”
“But I did, mistress! I promise you, I did.”
Veru clicked her tongue. “How very vexing and strange. I wonder whatever did happen to the wheat we harvested, then?”
Yuga shook her head. “Come along, girl. I’m tired. We’ll play more of your games another time.”
“But don’t you want to know what happened to the wheat?” Veru asked, trailing behind the woman as she made her way to the stone bowl.
“It’s likely still in the field and you never collected it in the first place. Either way, I win. I’ll get it myself later. There’s time for that another day. As for you,” she said to the black knight as she climbed into her bowl, “begone for tonight. I’ll think of a fitting punishment for you another day.”
Nodding his head, he climbed into the saddle and turned his horse around. As Veru stuck her leg into the bowl and glanced up at the knight, she noticed the tiniest flicker of a smile cross the edge of his lips. She took it for a good sign and kicked off the ground not a moment too soon, because Yuga uttered a spell that caused her bowl to lift up before Veru was even aboard. She fell awkwardly into the basin, bruising her cheek and hip before righting herself.
Yuga was in a terrible mood by the time they arrived back at the little cottage, and it showed by the abuse of the stone basin on the porch. It bounced hard three jaw-shaking times before coming to a stop and took out several boards as it did. The front door blew open with a bang, and she heard a cautious meow come from Max.
Veru poked her head up as Yuga was muttering and climbing out and saw that every corner of the house was filled with sheaves of wheat. She could not only see it but smell it. Danik stood. She hadn’t seen him before. His hair was as golden as the wheat. But now her eyes were fixed on him, and Veru realized for the first time how much she’d come to depend on him.
His eyes were tired, his lips were chapped, and his limbs were trembling with exhaustion. She knew how much effort he’d made to get all this wheat moved in the time they’d been gone. It was one sacrifice of dozens—no, hundreds—he’d made on her behalf since she’d met him. Danik was just... amazing.
Spasibo, she mouthed to him.
He simply nodded in return.
It was time to put her game face on. Yuga and Veru entered the house, and Veru exclaimed, “Oh! Oh my! Well, look at this. Isn’t this just a shocking turn of events?”
Yuga stopped and turned slowly around the room, then lifted a finger and trailed it down a shaft of wheat. Softly, she sighed and sank into her chair.
“Very well. You win. Never let it be said the great Yuga is a bad loser.”
Veru snorted.
“Tell me, what is it we agreed to?” Yuga said. “Hurry up, before I change my mind.”
“You promised that once our tasks were complete, we will have won our freedom, the promised gift, the freedom of the knights?—”
“Yes, yes...” She rolled her hand, then looked at the fireplace. “Do you really want to leave me?”
Danik and Veru looked at one another. Veru asked, “Who are you speaking to?”
“Shhh,” the old woman said to them and turned back to the fireplace. “We’ve been together so long. I can’t imagine it’s been that hard. I know I’ve been difficult, but I can change.”
