The Fragile Fall At Tallow Bridge (The White Blood Chronicles Book 1) by Mark G Heath

and he pulled a rag from the belt about his ample girth and dabbed at the sheen.
    “ I thought I would see how you are faring and to save you from the gibberish that she talks,” he grunted jutting his jaw at his daughter.
    “ I am steadily improving thank you landlord,” answered Thaindire as Kathryn placed her hands on her slender hips in mock outrage at her father’s insult.
    “ Good, good. There is no rush for your recovery we encourage visitors to stay. We’ll soon have you on your feet again and doing your mapmaking.”
    “ Samael needs writing materials to do that, so I am going to get some from Ilberd,” explained Kathryn.
    Dromgoole gave a grunt.
    “ Good luck with that,” he snorted, “ his door rarely opens as it is.”
    “ He will open it for me,” retorted Kathryn twirling a locket of hair about her finger.
    “ Aye well I’ve not known any man not let you in my girl, that’s my worry.”
    “ I don’t want to cause any trouble if Ilberd is difficult to deal with,” interjected Thaindire.
    “ Oh, he is just reclusive not difficult,” affirmed Dromgoole returning the rag to his belt and running his hands across his apron.
    “ Still, he does me no harm so I wish him none.”
    “ I was able to reach the window earlier and look out on the village,” continued Thaindire, “ I noticed there is some kind of tower in the forest to the south.”
    Kathryn shot him a pained look at his raising of the tower a second time.
    “ There’s no tower out there sir,” reassured Dromgoole.
    “ I am sure I saw a coned roof, amidst the tree tops,” pressed Thaindire.
    “ No you are mistaken. Other than the church, the entire village is in one place, around this square. Nobody would live out in the forest, it is too dangerous.”
    “ Dangerous?” queried Thaindire.
    “ Aye, you know, such as those beasts which attacked you,” responded Dromgoole.
    “ The wolves?”
    “ Aye the wolves,” affirmed Dromgoole, “ and heaven knows what else that lurks amongst the darkness of the wood. I have heard some strange and eerie sounds floating from the depths of the forest in my time. No, give me the warmth of the hearth and the flow of the ale over what lies out there. The world beyond does not belong.”
    “ I see,” retreated Thaindire, “ I must have been mistaken. Maybe the blow to my head is affecting my vision.”
    “ Maybe,” said Dromgoole.
    “ I will need to apply the compress to that later this afternoon, to relieve the swelling,” explained Kathryn patting the back of her own head.
    “ Right, I have barrels to change. Come on you; leave Master Thaindire to eat his meal in peace, “ ordered Dromgoole. He turned and lumbered out of the room, his daughter following.
    “ I shall see you anon,” she remarked before gliding through the doorway and closing the door behind her.
     
    Thaindire consumed his lunch and spent the afternoon resting with his only interruptions being the arrival of Kathryn to apply a cold compress to his head, the icy mass providing him with a sweeping sensation of relief and then later Kathryn again when she brought him an evening meal and a flagon of wine. They spoke little for he felt dizzy as the compress was applied and he was more or less face down as she administered it, thus his positioning not lending itself to conversation. Kathryn had confirmed that she had attended on Ilberd’s dwelling but he had not answered so she was without writing material although she assured him that she would try again the following day. When he was left alone he had the urge to make his way around to the window again to try and find the conical rooftop as he was torn between what he believed he had seen and the categorical denials of the Dromgooles. Unfortunately, each time he tried to sit up he was overwhelmed by a light-headedness, which forced him back to his pillow and thus thwarted his attempt at further observation. Accordingly, the sun made its way across the southern half of