Wynter's Tales

Jorge

River and Trout, summer days past. Afternoon drinks and fire pit talks.

That could only mean one thing. Everyone was at Nellie’s preparing for his birthday tea and were waiting on him and his trout

Jorge whistled as he strolled down Gwaine Wood’s main street, thinking that as far as birthday’s go, he had had a good day, spending most of it fishing. He even managed to catch several trout he was sure Nellie would barbeque. His smile deepened when he noticed The Owl Toad Mole Curio Store was closed. That could only mean one thing. Everyone was at Nellie’s preparing for his birthday tea and were waiting on him and his trout.
It was gone five, but the day was still hot, and it would be several hours before the sun set. The gift store was not the only store closed. The residents of Gwaine Wood intend to make the most of the summer, and the storekeepers were on their way home to sit in their gardens, to enjoy afternoon tea in the sun as the evening breeze brushed against them as they chattered with family and friends.

As he fished, Jorge had met many well-wishers during the day, all wishing him a happy birthday. Earl had stopped by, and together they enjoyed a bottle of Mrs Earl’s rhubarb wine. Now, as he thought of his birthday tea, which was meant to be a surprise, he wondered if Nattie had baked his favourite cake, double chocolate chip, with chocolate butter cream, covered in chocolate frosting. He licked his lips. He could taste the chocolate already and his feet picked up speed, skipping in places.

He knew he was lucky. He had good friends in Gwaine Wood. His home for longer than he could remember down by the river. Over the years, over the centuries they had fallen into a peaceful lifestyle. Here, there were no wars. No bitterness to attack the people. A bitterness that had torn his original home apart. Neither was he blind. There were changes occurring. Lavender left the village more often. Nellie had visited Robin’s Down. She had been absent for three weeks, and when she returned, she had been quiet. Her thoughts taking her elsewhere, lost to the conversations going on around her.

The chatter from the local tavern caught his attention. He was warm. The evening was early. He had time for one drink before going on to Nellie’s, he decided. After all, wasn’t he the birthday boy, entitled to a little leeway if he was late, he thought as he passed under the archway leading into the tavern.

‘Hi Caspin,’ Jorge said as he strolled over to the landlord of The Lamp and Fire. ‘Can you store these for me until I leave and take a couple for you and Bella.’

Caspin Stout smiled as he accepted the fish. ‘Bella will enjoy the fish. What is it – Trout?” he asked as he stepped away.

‘Trout.’ Jorge said as he glanced around the snug to see who was in and up for a chat. ‘Busy?’ he asked Caspin when he returned with Jorge’s fresh beer.

‘People need a place to relax. Somewhere they can have fun after a busy day,’ Caspin said. ‘And it might as well as be here as at some other hostelry.’

Jorge nodded as he spotted Fallon sat in the far corner. ‘I’ll be back for the fish,’ he said, turning away. ‘Fallon – What brings you into the village?’ Jorge asked as he sat on the seat opposite the gamekeeper.

‘Not much. Eabha is cleaning the cottage – Lavender and Cyn are calling round. And I don’t want to be about while they talk village business. You know. The autumn gathering and all.’

Jorge took a long sip of his beer. The cool liquid slithered down his throat, and he licked his lips. ‘I’m surprised Nellie’s not attending,’ he said.

‘Nellie visited last Sunday, and when she arrived, she didn’t stay long.’ Fallon frowned. ‘Eabha was not happy after her visit.’

‘And I suppose you didn’t stay to find out the gossip,’ Jorge said.

Fallon chuckled. ‘If you need to know. Talk to Nellie. After all, she is your sister.’

Jorge chuckled. ‘You know what she’s like with this council business. Never says a word.’

‘But you know she’s returning to Robin’s Down. That she and Ruby are due to leave soon.’

Jorge stared at Fallon, filing away this piece of information. Then he finished his beer and stood. ‘I’m off to Nellie’s now. She’s making tea in celebration of my birthday. Why don’t you join us, I have trout. Caught fresh today. There’s plenty for everyone.’

Fallon shook his head. ‘I’m taking a wander in the woods.’ He stood and winked. ‘The women visiting Robin’s Down is not the only strange thing happening around here,’ he said.

Jorge watched Fallon as he left. Then he returned to the bar. ‘I’ll have my fish now Caspin,’ he said. His gaze went round the snug. All the faces familiar to him. ‘Have you noticed any unexpected visitors. Strangers around Gwaine Wood? he asked.

The landlord passed Jorge the fish he had stored in his ice box. ‘None. We haven’t had any new visitors since the summer solstice.’ He scratched his head. ‘Strange – Don’t you think?’

Jorge thought about what Fallon said about strangers in the wood. ‘Strange indeed,’ he said to the landlord.

Jorge opened the garden gate to Nellie’s cottage. The babble of voices reached out to him, and he smiled as he strolled down the path to the rear garden. Although the summer sun was still strong, Nellie had the fire pit lit, and the aroma of jacket potatoes reached out to him, and he smiled as he looked at his guests. ‘Hello, everyone,’ he said.

‘Jorge. Where have you been? We expected you hours ago,’ Nellie said as she approached him, leaning into him as her green eyes stilled to study his face.

‘Down by the river, Old Girl - Caught several trout,’ he said, holding the fish out to her. ‘Lost track of time. You know what it’s like. You get to thinking and time slips by.’

‘Dreaming you mean,’ Nellie said.

Tristan came running and grabbed the fish. ‘I’ll go prepare them,’ he said to Nellie.

‘Ask Molly to help you,’ she said.

‘It’s a beautiful evening isn’t it, Nellie. Is that why Cyn and Lavender are visiting Eabha? ‘Jorge asked.

‘Eabha hasn’t been well,’ Nellie said.

‘Really, Fallon never mention it,’ Jorge said.

‘He didn’t. And when did you see Fallon?’ she asked.

About to say he bumped into him at the Lamp and Fire, Jorge shrugged. ‘He was off to the woods to check them out. I passed him as I left the river,’ he said.

Nellie smiled. ‘Come Jorge. Let’s not argue. Not on your birthday. Your guests are waiting for you,’ she said. ‘We’ll soon have the fish on the fire pit, and they shouldn’t take long to cook.’

Jorge nodded as he followed Nellie. Then spotting Earl, he trotted over to him. ‘No Mrs Earl?’ he asked when he reached him.

Earl took a long sip of his beer. ‘No. She’s visiting Pricilla and Drucilla. They’re in charge of this year’s autumn procession. And Happy Birthday,’ he said.

Jorge nodded. ‘I think I might visit court for a few days. I haven’t visited in a few years,’ Jorge said.

‘Why? You know how dull the palace can be. No days spent idly fishing,’ Earl said.

Jorge smiled. ‘I do love to fish. But it’s been a few yeas since I’ve been to court. – I might ask Sorrel to come with me. Catch up with the latest gossip.’

‘You’ll not find anything out,’ Earl said.

Jorge smiled. ‘I’m a great fisherman, Earl. I sit for hours on the riverbank. Not a sound to be heard but the occasional bird chirp, the pop of flies dancing across the river and the buzz of dragonflies flitting from leaf to leaf.’ He sighed. ‘The fish. They elude me. Stay beneath my line. As I wait, I daydream and sometimes remember.’

‘Remember. Remember what?’ Earl asked.

‘About those early days.’ Jorge looked around at his surroundings. Nellie lived in the village. ‘When we first came here. The lands were empty, and we were recovering. It was good then. But now we forget.’

‘Forget what?’

‘The reason why we came here.’

‘You know why we came.’

‘And I want to return home. To the place where I was born.’
‘Jorge.’

Jorge shook his head. ‘This is how it started, Earl. The secrets. The lies. The meetings.’

Earl took a long sip of his beer. ‘The meetings.’

Jorge chuckled. ‘You know what the meetings are about.’

‘They’re just council stuff. You know – Will there be enough food to get us through the winter. That kind of thing.’

Jorge glanced around the garden. Tristan stood by the fire pit carefully placing the fish Jorge had caught on to the edges. Molly and Nattie danced while Ruby played the flute. Azura talked to Nellie while Violet stared into the flames. Her gaze sombre, lost in her own thoughts or visions.

Jorge had had lunch with Violet two days ago. She had been quiet, and he had not stayed long. He then called into Sorrel’s. Laural, her sister, had been out, on a visit with Fallon in the wood. Scattered on the floor were streams of parchments which Sorrel had been riffling through quickly, placing them in piles.

Startled when Jorge coughed to announce his presence, she had led him into the garden, where they drank lemonade and ate plum pie with ice cream. The chatter had been idle, and he learned nothing of importance from her.

‘And do I have a gift?’ Jorge asked.

Ruby chuckled. Her eyes gleamed. ‘You’ll have to ask Molly and Nellie,’ she said.

‘I can smell the fish from here. I’ll go help myself to a piece,’ he said. The edges were crisp, and the insides were flaky. Tristan had done an excellent job cleaning them, Jorge praised silently as he swallowed the perfectly cooked trout.

He chose to sit in a chair just in front of the fire pit. The sun was going down. Evening was turning into night. His birthday had been a good one. As he wondered what he would be doing for his next one, his stomach twitched.

Violet shrugged. ‘When did you start to worry so much? I saw flames. I saw dancing, and I heard singing,’ she said. ‘And I saw a man arrive late for his birthday tea.’

‘And you never used to lie to me,’ Jorge said.

Violet placed her empty plate on the ground. Then from her pocket, she pulled out her cards. ‘It’s your birthday, and as a gift, I thought I would give you a reading,’ she said.

Jorge glanced at the cards. He loved a reading, and Violet refused to do many for a person. Insisting too many interfered with a true forecast, and nothing would be revealed. He wondered when he had his last reading, and chuckled. It had to be New Year’s Eve. ‘Just a short one tonight. I’ll call round tomorrow and you can give me an in-depth reading then,’ he said.

A light flickered in Violet’s eyes as her lips pinched, but she nodded as she handed him the cards. ‘Shuffle them and pick three,’ she said.

‘Jorge – Jorge,’ Molly said as Ruby stopped playing the flute, and Violet slipped her cards back into her trouser pocket. ‘Time to open your gift,’ she said.

‘Don’t read too much into what the cards said. Remember, a choice you make could affect the prediction,’ Violet said as she rose from her chair.

Jorge nodded as he strolled over to his friends. As they gathered in a semi-circle, Nellie held his gift out to him. Her smile bright.

‘Happy Birthday, Jorge,’ she said. As she leant over to kiss his cheek, his friends chorused the sentiment.

Jorge nodded, and the other guests took this as their cue to leave. Once they left, he looked around the garden. The card reading came back to him, and he wondered how Violet knew he was planning a journey. Until he mentioned it to Earl this evening, he had not thought about leaving the sleepy village of Gwaine Wood. As he turned to the cottage, he knew he would ask Violet, and not Sorrel to accompany him.

©Wynter B Aodh 24

The Owl Toad Mole Publishing House™

BT66 8EY 2025 ©