《Hero's Song - A Novel in Verse》Chapter 14 - The Friend
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The hero looked in shock to see his friend in such a state
he’d missed the merchant’s sharp blue eyes, but couldn’t celebrate
“don’t suppose you’ve any gold for one who’s near his end
if you don’t, I’ll ask you for some luck, my little friend”
He took the old man in his arms and said with teary eyes
“the last time that I saw you, you were more than twice this size”
the merchant’s young assistant had grown up since they last met
the merchant though, was skin and bones, a portrait of regret
As he turned to take the merchant somewhere warm and dry
he heard an angry voice resound from in a shop nearby
“you put down my slave or I’ll report you to the guards
you could hang for stealing things off other peoples’ yards”
With bloodshot eyes the hero simply asked the man “how much”
then tossed a shining silver coin to him, too hot to touch
“that should do” he said with burning hands “yes thank you sir”
the merchant sighed and said “you overpaid, you amateur”
“working in the mines was fun, but there I lost a leg
I was lucky I survived with strength enough to beg
later on I wound up back in chains in that there store
since then I’ve been basket weaving there upon the floor”
The hero almost laughed at how absurd the story was
such a rich man working like the poorest worker does
“here I thought my luck and friends had seen me off to hell
I guess I had a little left, and you’ve been doing well”
The hero told the merchant of his life since last they met
they laughed and cried for friends they’d known and times they won’t forget
then he took the merchant to an inn and paid his board
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and bought his old friend every luxury he could afford
“I finally have gold with which to clear my oldest debt
but we’re still not even for the help you gave me yet
now I have the power to make fortunes with my blade
come and let me care for you until my debts are paid”
“You’ve paid me back in freedom now, and that’s enough for me
charity is painful for a merchant proud as me
minus what you bought me for, and I remember well
you just owe me one gold coin as far as I can tell”
The hero tried to give him more, but couldn’t change his mind
he tried to give his slaves away, but those too were declined
“let me tell you how I made my fortune in my youth
it might seem a little strange to some but it’s the truth
I was just an orphan but I put my faith in luck
and always listened closely to my fate when I was stuck
I learned early on to trust the road that fate prepares
holding on to friends and trusting luck with my affairs
Yes, it’s true that luck and friends will save you til you die
and sometimes it’s the luck of friends on which we must rely
but yours is not a fate I share, beyond this happy day
to struggle against everything that fate has thrown your way”
“What about the pirates who attacked us out at sea
are the scars that we both carry luck or destiny”
the merchant looked with kindness at his frustrated young friend
proud he’d grown to be a man on whom he could depend
“Boy, I saw you struggle with your fate for several years
fighting up the current, never weakened by your fears
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I can see you’ve made some luck yourself while on your quest
one day when you’ve lost enough, I hope you find some rest”
The merchant understood that he could never tie him down
he’d be restless whether in a prison or a crown
the hero looked away and sighed for he had made his choice
but still it made him happy once again to hear his voice
“I wish that I could help you more, but this is where we part
I’ll prove that I was meant to be a hero from the start
just because I wasn’t put upon this path by fate
doesn’t mean a farmer’s son must sit around and wait”
The merchant laughed and reassured his friend he’d be okay
“with this much gold to work with, I’ll be rich again some day
you get back to work now and don’t worry about me
when we meet again I’ll be more rich than you are free”
Bittersweet the meeting was, and soon it had to end
the optimistic merchant cheered and sent away his friend
as if the meeting was a dream, the hero then returned
continuing along the path for which he’d always yearned
In the end he had no doubt the merchant would do well
Indeed, his faith in luck and friends had seen him out of hell
and so his mind came back to thoughts about the task at hand
keeping safe the merchants with his mercenary band
When he found the merchants though, they weren’t prepared to leave
could there be some profit, still which they’d yet to achieve
he asked another mercenary, “what’s with all the fuss”
quietly the man replied, “the queen has come for us”
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