• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

“That’s the mayor’s wife,” Jiron says amused.

“Glad I’m not married to something like that,” James says.

“She’s nice enough though,” Jiron states.

Nodding, James watches her as she steps in through a door and then returns to the street a moment later. They continue through town, eventually leaving her behind. When they get to the edge of town where they last saw the mayor and his buddies, James glances over and finds them still there.

“Ahem,” clearing his throat loudly, he gets their attention. He then jerks his thumb back behind them as he continues riding.

One of the men looks around the building and sees the mayor’s wife coming down the street. “It’s your wife John!” he exclaims.

“Thanks James!” the mayor hollers as he and the others move quickly around the other side of the building to avoid being found.

“I suppose it keeps his life from getting dull,” Jiron says with a grin.

Laughing, James replies, “I guess so.” Glancing back, he sees her get to the edge of town and stop after passing by the last building. With hands on her hips, she looks both ways and then turns around as she begins combing the other side on her way back.

Ahead of them playing among some trees near the side of the road are five young children, three boys and two girls. When they see him coming, they group together and stare at him approaching. Several of them whisper among themselves and finally one of the younger boys is pushed forward. Glancing back to his friends nervously, James sees the others prompting him to come forward.

Turning back to the road and James, the boy steps forward nervously. As James comes to him, he asks, “Are you the mage what lives outside of town?”

Nodding, James slows down and comes to a halt. “Yes I am,” he tells the boy. He can see he’s nervous so gives him a reassuring grin.

Glancing back to the others, the boy sees them nodding at him encouragingly and then turns back to James. Shuffling his feet back and forth, he asks, “Could you do some magic for us?”

James glances to Jiron and then looks around to see who else may be watching. Not seeing anyone, he turns back to the boy and nods. He holds out his hand palm up. The other kids edge closer when it looks like he may be doing something. Suddenly, his orb appears and the little boy says, “Oooohhhhhh!”

He throws it up into the air and it splits into three. The three orbs hang there suspended for a moment as the other kids approach. Slowly at first, the three orbs begin circling above the heads of the children. Gradually picking up speed, the swirling orbs begin looking like a circle of light above them.

Then the orbs suddenly explode in a burst of sparkles and disappear. “Wow!” one boy says. “Do it again!” a girl exclaims.

Grinning he says, “Sorry. I must be on my way. Maybe next time.”

“Bye!” the kids say as he begins riding away.

Jiron glances at him and sees the grin on his face. “Why did you do that?” he asks.

“Just having some fun is all,” he replies. “Why?”

“Now they’re going to spread even more stories about you,” he warns.

Sighing, James says, “I know. But sometimes you just have to do what you want and damn the consequences.” Turning to him, he says, “It’s for the kids.”

“You have a soft spot for kids don’t you?” he asks.

“I do like to make them happy,” he admits. “I love to see their faces light up.”

“You’re a good man,” states Jiron.

“I try to be.” Glancing back, he sees the kids still standing there watching him. One waves when he notices James looking back. Giving them a wave in return, he then turns back and hurries down the road.

Back at The Ranch, he finds Uther still at the shack. “Tired of guard duty yet?” he asks.

“That’s a dumb question,” retorts Uther. “Of course I’m tired of it. All you do is stand and do nothing. Cant’ go anywhere…”

Holding up his hand, James stops his tirade. “Alright, sorry I asked,” he says. Moving down the lane, they leave Uther behind and come to the house. The morning practice