'Time to face the tune,' Tam thinks to himself as he urges Maude towards his home and the inevitable 'talk' with Isabella. He sighs to himself and spurs his favorite mount forward and into the wind, "Come on girl. The sooner we get there, the sooner you're stabled and eating hay." The horse trots off along the familiar way home.
Approaching the estate, Tam stops to plunk off a cluster of Beautyberries growing in the patch he planted years ago. Pocketing the cluster, he leaves the vast majority remaining for the birds who visit during the short days to feast upon.
After stabling the horse, he instructs his stablemaster Garl, "I've got to head back out tonight. So, keep 'er warm, but saddled."
"Yes Guildmaster."
Tam pulls his hood up and makes his way along the path to the back entrance, his cloak blowing in the wind.
"You're home." His wife, Isabella announces and greets him with a kiss to his cold face. "You're also frozen. Come. Sit by the fire and I'll fetch you a
warmy."
"No time. I wanted to talk to you, grab a bite and then I'm off again."
Just as she'd suspected. Her suspicions confirmed, she curtly asks, "Where to this time? Hmm..? Standing guard and letting the snow collect up around your boots? Or is it a tavern to watch the beer and wench titties flow from their dresses?" Her tone is even more icy than the wind.
"No Madam. I've a special assignment." He paused before adding, "And Thomas is coming along as well." Isabella snapped her head around to face her husband.
"Oh no he's not. It's too damn cold out there Tam Smith. I cannot remember the last day the water didn't freeze solid in the well bucket and you are
not taking my baby out on one of your thief catcher ghost chases. I'm not having it! No."
After waiting for his wife to finish saying her piece, Tam reminds her, "Madam.
Your son is a member of
my guild.
I am his father. He goes where
I say." Taking off his cloak, he lowers his tone and adds, "Cut the apron strings Isabella. He's grown into a man. He can't be clinging to your skirts his whole life."
"So you say."
"Because it is so. I came here tonight because I wanted to tell you myself and not from some damn message. I've got a whole team and we're leaving tomorrow before dawn. It's very, very secret and I don't know when we'll be back, but it is like to be after the holidays." Removing his gloves he adds, "And it's high time the boy does a bit of growing. I've gotten word he may not have enough...
spine to be a member of the guild. He's been trained and has worked with others. Now I'm going to find out for myself."
Switching tactics she almost shouts, "My son?! Not brave enough? Who says such lies?"
"I said
I will find out for myself. If I think it is so, then I'll find something else for him. Not all sons follow along their fathers paths. Besides it's probably just rumors started by the jealous. He's a good looking lad. Combine that with having a guild master father and a director grandfather, and he's bound to irk some up on that soupbucket city." He stamps his boots to remove the crusted snow on them. "Even the strongest stallion can be battle weary it's first time out. I will know one way or another and besides, he'd be far more likely to get hurt dealing with the cutpurses and the factional in-fighting during the holiday."
Mollified, his wife returns to her original argument with her husband, "Great. Yet another holiday I'm left here alone." She moves to the cabinet. Reaching into it, at the same time she tells her husband, "You know Tam, one of these days you might just return home only to find me no longer here..." She looks over her shoulder to see her husbands reaction to her statement. Seeing the lack of raise to her bait, she adds, "Or perhaps my bed will be kept warm by someone more appreciative and willing to stay at home with me."
Without a pause Tam replies, "Just make sure he leaves some coins on the night table to pay for the cleaning of the sheets, woman." From the fire he walks up to the table where they've eaten so many of their meals together. It's not the first argument of this kind they've had and Tam. His heavy gloves and cloak begin to steam in front of the fire. He continues, "I came here to tell you goodbye and to let you know about the plans."
Ladling a bowl of soup into one of her prized bowls, she places the full bowl on the table at Tam's seat, as the big man pulls the chair back to sit down. The house is warm, the food is delicious and Tam longs to travel along the rises and falls of his wife's full body.
She moves her own chair next to him and grabs his cold, scared hand. "Don't go Tam. Stay here with me."
"I must go, my love."
"Why must you?"
"Duty. Honor. Guild."
"Guild before our marriage?"
"I'd love to say it wasn't so, but you know it is." Taking his hand from hers he reaches up and lightly clasps her chin, guiding their faces together. The kiss is quick but full of affection. She notices his lips are warm, but his nose quite cold. Her eyes well up with tears.
"You'll catch your death in this cold."
"Well everyone must die of something." Tam takes a bite of the hot, savory vegetables on his spoon. Swallowing he adds, "However I had hoped it would be on top of you, all sweaty and following a prolonged bout of matrimonial wrestling."
"Well Mr. Smith, you can damn well believe that stall is closed off to your stallion from now until the near future."
Tam laughs at his wife's quick wit. "I expected nothing less, Mrs. Smith. Don't worry. I'll pay my penance as quickly as I may. Then I'll see if I can't pick the lock to the barn door."
"It's tied up tight and the cost to cut it will be a heavy price." Smiling she stands to move away to fetch a hunk of the dark bread her husband enjoys. However before she can take a step, a seated Tam grabs her wrist spinning her around, pulling her to his lap. They kiss deeply and passionately. After all of these years and all of the water which has passed under their '
marriage-bridge', they still are deeply in love.
"And the cost to open up that door will be worth every crown, Madam."
Their foreheads touch as she nestles into his lap. She lays her head onto her husband's shoulders, "Just come back to me and with Thomas whole. Please."
"I will do everything I can to ensure it, my love." The big, tough Thief Catcher Guildmaster strokes his wife's hair and she begins to weep.
"I know you will," she sniffs to her beloved.
"I must go now."
"Yes, of course. Be safe and come back... soonest."
"I will." They embrace. Breaking apart Isabella leaves the room, as she begins to cry in earnest. Tam watches her go.
After she has gone, he sighs and reaches down, picking up the bowl. He tips the bowl to his mouth and pours the remainder of the food into his mouth, chewing it up as he moves to set the bowl into the foamy wash bucket. Moving back towards the fire, he reaches into his vest pocket and removes his worn copy of
Saint Cuthbert and Common Sense.
He stops and stands in front of the fire, briefly enjoying the warmth. He reaches down to his steaming cloak and removes the handful of purple Beautyberries from the inner pocket. While holding out the leather-bound book in his left hand, he moves the hand holding the enclosed berries to rest it on top of the book, with his arms stretched out before him.
Closing his eyes, Tam prays aloud, "Oh mighty Cudgel. Hear my prayer. I ask you for you divine support and the power of your zeal to make this journey as quick as possible. Please watch over those in my heart and those of whom I lead. I ask also you take these Beautyberries and make them
good in your holy name. I ask as your faithful warrior, oh
praepositus hospitum. I pray thee mightiest, St. Cuthbert."
From within his closed right hand, a light quickly glows and fades. Opening his hand, Tam finds almost all of the purple berries have turned white. He slides the book back into its well-worm place in his vest pocket. He plucks one of the white berries and places on the table at his seat, for his wife to find later. The rest are returned to the cloak pocket. He dons his heavy cloak and gloves. He leaves the room and exits the warm home to face the wind and blowing snow. The sun has almost set.
"Tick! Babe! To me!" Tam shouts over the wind. In a moment two of his favorite dogs run up to him. Each vies to place their paws on his shoulder, as he rubs their heads. "Come on boyos. We've a bit of traveling yet do." The dogs fall in behind Tam as he moves to the stable to retrieve Maude, for the cold ride back into Greyhawk.
