Day 13

This is probably soon after Aleth and Etana leave her village.

On their way, they met a group of travelling players. Aleth spotted them first, and hailed them. One of the children at the back of the wagons jumped off and ran towards Etana and Aleth. When the boy was close enough to be easily recognizable, Aleth laughed and waved at him. The boy let out a yell and sprinted the rest of the way.
"Heya Mr. Aleth!"
"Hi, Birom." Aleth playfully messed up the boy's hair. "How'd you manage that? You've grown shorter since I last saw you!"
Birom stuck out his tongue at Aleth. "I'm taller and you know it!" Then he noticed Etana's presence. "You're travelling with a girl! Who is she? Are you married yet?"
Aleth spluttered at that last comment. "We're --" he cut himself off. "What makes you think we're married?" He looked more discomfited than Etana had seen him before. Usually he was very calm and collected.
"Cause my ma said that when a guy and a girl get married they have to go off and travel and you're a guy and she's a girl and you're travelling!"
Etana decided to rescue him from the over-inquisitive youth. "We're not married. I'm travelling with him because he's agreed to help me."
"Help you with what?"
"A friend of mine is really, really sick, and we're going to find a cure."
"Oh, okay. Well, I should tell the rest of the troupe to wait up for you cause you'll probably want to stick with us for a while. My ma says there are bandits around here!"
"You do that, then," said Etana, and Birom raced off towards the wagons. Etana turned to Aleth. "I'm guessing you know them."
Aleth nodded, but refused to say anything else. After a moment, he finally spoke. "Why don't you ask them about it? I don't feel like explaining the story to you." It was the kind of statement that Etana might normally have taken some offense at, but something in the way he said it made her think that he might have good reasons for being evasive.
They caught up to the wagons quickly enough, and what looked to be the head of the troupe came down to greet them. He was a large man with a prominent black moustache and beard.
"Ah, Aleth. It's good to see you again!" He clapped Aleth on the back heartily, staggering him.
"How have you been?" Asked Aleth.
"Good, good! Met a playwright in Daisyhill and got a couple of plays off him. Picked up some new people, lost some old ones. The usual." The man turned to Etana, swept off his hat, and bowed. "Greetings, fair lady. I am known as Dacore, and I am the head of this humble troupe of players. May I know your name?"
"I'm Etana."
"You have a beautiful name to match your beautiful features." That made Etana blush a little; the last person to call her "beautiful" had been Moren.
Aleth nudged Dacore. "I don't think your flirting has embarassed her enough yet," she heard him whisper.
Dacore nodded, and backed away a little. "In any case, you're welcome to accompany us as far as you wish. We're headed to Fernhom next. This stretch of road is known for bandits and other ruffians, but we can handle any of them that come our way. They know we're not easy targets, so they usually don't attack. You two travelling alone, though, would make a much better target."
"Is there anything we can do for you in exchange?" Asked Etana.
"Oh, no worries about that. Aleth is always welcome with us, and so are any of his friends."
Etana noticed that Aleth seemed a little bit embarassed, but she couldn't imagine why. "Thank you, then. We're actually headed for Bridgewater, and Fernhom is on the way."
"That's convenient, then! Aleth can help us when we perform in Fernhom. Right, you old whistler?" He clapped Aleth on the back again, more gently this time.
"You know how much I hate playing for you," said Aleth, but his tone was playful and teasing. There was something about the interaction between Aleth and Dacore that seemed odd, but Etana couldn't put a finger on it.
"Well, anyways. Why don't you go back over there" -- he pointed -- "and talk to Ma Belda about the two of you joining us for a spell."
Aleth nodded, and started walking. Etana said goodbye to Dacore and then followed him.
Ma Belda was an old woman, just as large as Dacore, who wore a huge apron. She greeted them exuberantly, squished Aleth in a hug, and insisted that he was still too skinny and needed to eat more. She was about to treat Etana the same way, but at a gesture from Aleth, restricted herself to a big smile and a very quick embrace.
"So you're Aleth's friend? Good! What's your name?"
"I'm Etana."
"Your name means 'strength'. Did you know that?"
Etana shook her head. "No, I was named after my grandmother."
Ma Belda put a finger under Etana's chin and lifted it to see her face better. "I think the name suits you." She grinned. "Want your fortune told?"
(cont next day)

Much later, Etana realized something that had failed to register earlier. Aleth seemed much more comfortable talking with Dacore, and with most of the troupe, than he did talking with her. The thought bothered her for some reason.