William lay quietly on the bed, eyes wide open, staring at the wide exposed beams on the ceiling as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. He had enjoyed everything about the city, but the memory of the magic show left a complicated, unsettling weight in his chest. Unlike the other children, he hadn’t felt a single shred of awe or exhilaration. Instead, the performance felt like a mirror pointing to two stark realities: it was either a glimpse of who he would have been if he had never met the old man in the forest, or a warning of what he would eventually become if he never found a way to learn true magic.
“Kid, hold your thoughts for tomorrow," John said from the darkness of the room, his voice carrying a heavy, worn edge. "We have to leave for the village early in the morning.”
He looked toward William, a shadow of worry crossing his face as he adjusted their packs by the door. William didn't answer. He simply turned away, closing his eyes until the day's exhaustion finally crept up and pulled him under.
The next morning, William woke up feeling refreshed. A solid night of sleep had done wonders to clear the heavy cloud from his mind and the ache from his limbs. Walking down the stairs, he found John at the counter, haggling with the young innkeeper to buy a supply of jerky for the road.
As the innkeeper headed into the kitchen to fetch the rations, John caught sight of William. A flash of relief washed over his face. “Kid, grab your bag and wait for me by the stables. I’ll be out in a minute.”
William headed out to the stables, his eyes instinctively searching the stalls for the beautiful white mare or Betty. Instead, he found their spaces occupied by two strange mules. He walked over to their own wagon, where their mules were happily chewing on feed. He didn't know why, but they looked exceptionally ugly to him today.
After a few minutes, John emerged from the inn carrying a small paper parcel of dried meat. He tossed a few pieces of jerky to William and studied the boy's face. “You okay, kid?”
“Yes,” William lied softly. “Just a little homesick.”
“Well, let's get you home then,” John replied with a hearty laugh, clapping him on the shoulder.
As their wagon rolled past the massive city gates, William noticed a line of old, weathered wagons parked a short distance down the road. John pulled their team up close to the group, exchanging quiet, knowing nods with several of the drivers. They waited for a few more minutes until three additional wagons joined the line, securing their numbers before the caravan finally set off toward the village.
The journey back to the village was entirely uneventful. For William, the only scenery consisted of the weathered wagons in their caravan and the ancient trees, which seemed to grow larger and denser the further they traveled from the city. Occasionally, they encountered lone wagons traveling in the same direction. A few chose to join their line for safety, but most preferred to be left alone, passing them by in silence.
William sat on the hard bench, quietly chewing on his piece of jerky. John glanced over at him, turning his head slightly. “Kid, you still thinking about that magic show?”
William shook his head. “No. I was just wondering how many people would actually believe me if I told them about the old man. To most people, magic is just a trick to entertain children.”
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John paused for a second, his expression shifting as if he were unsure how to answer. Finally, he let out a long sigh. “Those are some big thoughts for a little head, kid. Better leave those for the future you, William.”
William silently agreed with John. These questions weren't something he could solve right now anyway, so he decided to leave them for his future self to figure out.
After a while, the caravan reached the end of the paved highway. John steered their cart toward the path to Ashbrook, giving a thankful nod to the other drivers as they split up. William's lingering thoughts were abruptly rattled out of his head by the violent jolting of the wagon on the unpaved dirt road. Feeling the sudden bumps, he thought back to the city toll; his aching backside thoroughly agreed that the fee for smooth roads was entirely justified.
Fortunately, the final stretch of the journey was short. As soon as the small village appeared, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, a deep sense of security welled up in William's heart.
The moment they rolled into Ashbrook, John steered the wagon straight toward the forge. Rob was there, pacing anxiously back and forth between his workshop and the village lane. When he finally spotted John and William waving at him excitedly, a profound wave of relief washed over his worried face.
William ran toward Rob and threw his arms around him, and Rob warmly hugged him back. As John walked over, Rob stood up and thanked him sincerely for looking after the boy. John gave a gruff nod, waving his hand as if it weren't a big deal at all.
As Rob and William began walking toward their house, William started to eagerly describe the city, but his uncle cut him off with a chuckle. “Better save it for the house, kid. Your aunt has been worried sick. Besides, your cousins are practically vibrating with excitement. Matt has been complaining about why he wasn't allowed to go, seeing as he’s the oldest.”
The moment they stepped in front of the house, his aunt came bursting through the door. She wrapped William in a hug tight enough to squeeze the air straight out of his lungs, only releasing him when she realized he was turning blue. Once they finally sat down inside, she immediately barraged him with an endless stream of questions about his well-being.
Fortunately, before he could be completely overwhelmed, Matt and the younger kids burst into the room like a localized hurricane, completely cutting off their mother's interrogation.
"Did you see the high walls?" Matt demanded, shoving his way to the front, his eyes burning with envious curiosity. "Are they really as tall as three houses?”
“Did you bring anything back?" Emma chimed in, tugging relentlessly on William’s sleeve.
“The market! Did you see the market?” Craig interrupted, forcing Matt out of the way. “Dad said there’s stuff there from the far lands!”
William blinked, momentarily overwhelmed by the sudden barrage of faces and shouting. Recovering quickly, he reached into his bag and pulled out the fruit candies he'd brought back. The children cheered, instantly distracted by the treat, and little Emma happily chewed on hers with wide eyes.
Looking at their eager, expectant faces, a strange sense of relief washed over William. For the next hour, he threw himself into telling them about the city. He described the luxurious noble carriages, the towering stone walls, the jarring noises of the market, and the beautiful white horse he had seen at the inn.
However, he didn't say a word about the magic show. He didn't want to explain how hollow and fake it had felt. If he told them the truth, he would only shatter their excitement and force them to see the world the way he did. He kept it to himself because he didn't want to be the odd one out—the only kid who didn't feel anything while witnessing the act.
By the time he finished, Matt’s eyes were practically green with envy. Craig sat quietly, utterly lost in his own imagination of the massive city, while Emma kept sleepily muttering, "Beautiful horse..." over and over again.
William could see a deep curiosity on the faces of his uncle and aunt as well, though it was far better hidden than the children's. By the time the stories finally wound down and his aunt forced the kids to get ready for bed, William felt physically drained but mentally insulated. His family's excitement had acted as a perfect shield.
Later that night, as the house finally grew quiet, William lay in his own familiar bed. The mattress didn't smell like the city inn, and the comfortable, rhythmic breathing of his cousins filled the room.