At noon, the howling wind scram against the pub's porch, the door barged open revealing a slim man's silhouette every one observed as he dragged his feet against the polished plank floor, edging to the counter.
One unbelievably bald man yelled from within the crowd, "hey! It's Leavis the wise!" the crowd burst into laughter, Leavis was dressed in a tattered dark-green robe that exposed his right bosom, bruises running along his skin, his grey hairs unkept and scattered on his head.
He paused and his green eyes scanned the faces of the men and women in the bar, then his eyes locked with those of an innocent by stander and the laughter died out, everyone knew him for his sharp words and wished not to be topics till the next victim, he chuckled and continued to the counter top where a slightly short red haired man with a huge nose which was visible from afar stood behind, dressed in a suite cleaning a glass.
Leavis lay his malnourished bony arms atop and let out a long sigh, in a hoarse voice he whispered "ah! how I've longed for a spill of your wine, Gaskarth" the man behind the counter chuckled "Leavis! Our most.... loan owing customer, when are you paying us back?" Leavis rolled his eyes" I've told you many times" "I'll pay you when the gods provide" they harmonised.
"Yeah!... I've heard that line since early spring 3years ago, it's getting kinda old, old man!" Gaskarth glared at Leavis hard and long, Leavis bitterly closed his eyes formulating a new lie then proposed "I see... there's a lottery I'm competing in you see!" he grinned at the disinterested Gaskarth as he lay a glass onto the polished surface, "go on" "well you see, I happen to know one of the judges... they promised to pull some strings, he he!"
Gaskarth studied his expression long before commenting "How much is the price?"
Leavis chuckled and sighed "Enough to make you.... a millionaire" he raised his glittering green eyes and they locked with those of Gaskarth as his face molded into a bright smile, exposing a gap where his incisor should be and stained teeth "well! I'd hope you win"
'otherwise', he whispered. "Wine, was it? "He inquired as he zipped around and pulled a big red wine bottle from his cellar and read out "Kiss of the gods, my personal favourite" he turned and popped its lid off.
Leavis smirked proud with his persuasive tongue ad the gifts it brought his, Gaskarth paused studying his face in distrust "I sure hop you're not lying, Leavis..." Leavis' grin faded away, he added in a serious tone"... for if there be a thing on earth the gods know well, it's that I hate liars" Leavis swallowed hard, then Gaskarth poured it into the glass as it produced a swirl and quenching sound till it filled. "Booms away Leavis.... enjoy" he commanded, without a second to spare Leavis leeched the cup and slurped the sweet thick substance and let out a satisfied sigh, "Indeed... this was a kiss of the gods" he complimented, wiping away the remains with his tongue. He inhaled deeply" Well then, I bid you a fair well", Gaskarth chuckled and grabbed the used cup from Leavis' arm.
Leavis spun around, all eyed on him, then from the crowd one shouted out "leave us some words of wisdom!"
the crowd chuckled and then Leavis cleared his throat and extended an arm forward as though he were a preacher at a sermon, the crowd grew silent, giving him there un divided attention, a beam of light steeped in from a crack in the walls and he spoke in a clear voice
"This... I have prepared for all those men who laughed at me" his voice echoed "Keep your wives hind away from the gaze of other men... for just as a dog stare at the hind of a bitch... he marks his territory so does... a man!"
the crowd was filled with chuckles, applauds and the Grambling of men, filling all wise, Leavis marched to the entrance where he carelessly placed one foot before his mobile leg and clumsily fell to the floor, his hind facing the crowd.
Once again, the crowd burst into laughter "keep thy hind!" one man yelled out causing the laughter to grow louder....
*********************************************
Leavis made his way down a muddy road into a foggy dark cold forest, his teeth chattering and his body shivering as he gasped for air.
"s-shit! This place is still cold as hell!" being wanted by the royal highness for his infamous debts, he run into hiding 3 years ago, with three of his long-time friends taking refuge in this forest.
"Ah! finally.... *phew*, thank the gods!" he gasped. He dragged his worn-out soles against the muddy floor, by passing a fire place and reaching the porch of their wooden cabin, with two broken glass windows and a firm door. He nudged it open and saw them, Stanley and Martin were in doors.
Warming up at the fire place, seated on their tattered couches to the side, as the flames cast an orange hue on their sleeping aged faces.
Leavis smiled briefly, happy to see that his friends were safe "I sure did delay" slowly night drifted in, drenching the capital and the forest in a vast darkness alighted by the shimmering moon and stars.
The three were now outdoors inhaling the crispy cool air seated on rocking chairs by a camp fire, their faces luminated by the orange hues of the flame, Stanley broke the silence.
"Say! Have any of you heard from Penso?' his whisper faded into the silence, as he reached his wooden fork into his plastic green bowl and played with the thin piece of meat.
Penso had been forcefully abducted from their abode the previous week and nothing, not even a whisper of his existence had been heard since then, this troubled Stanley who was more sensitive to impulses of danger.
"Worry not lad! I'm sure he's alright, maybe... just a little scared to come back." Leavis replied and raised his wooden bowl and gulped the sauce in it. "Ah!" he sighed.
"Martin sure does cook better than my wife he he!" he turned to face Martin, whom, despite his friend's efforts to communicate sat silent, his gaze into his bowl and his eyes wide with fear, and his hands trembling as he clenched a bronze bowl.
Leavis was concerned but kept it to himself, to be honest, Martin wasn't the only one frightened, the villagers had started making their lives a living hell... but there was something else that seemed to be looming in the air, a bad omen they all felt.
Leavis chuckled and blurted out "Oi! I managed to pull another trick on Gaskarth", he slapped his thigh in excitement "The young fool just can't think that I'm fooling him, it's hilarious!"
Martin's gaze shifted to Leavis and he whispered "One of these days..." he pressed his bowl in fury his bony arms trembling "You'll get us killed" he added and returned his gaze to his bowl.
Leavis knew this but disregarded his friend's warnings because, to him making a name for himself was his drive and desire, regardless of whether he was called a mad man, or a wise man.
They sat quietly, listening to the wind as it made the flames trickle and Stanley decided to switch things up a little, "say! Have you guys heard about the cave of wonders and treasures?" he inquired.
Leavis and Martin's interest were intrigued by this. They shook their heads, disapproving Stanley who added "well, It's a really strange and old tale.... and it goes like this."
Leavis in truth had heard rumours spread by gossip queens, but never really bothered to listen, but tonight, he would. He believed not in coincidence thus seized all opportunities.
Stanley preached "Say! Judge me not, I might not recall it exactly as it was told to me... but I believe I have the details correct... now then, I shall proceed"
his voice commanding as he told, "Far in a beep forest, there is rumoured to be a cave cursed by an unknown force, a little girl, the daughter to a local Farmer was out collecting herbs and flowers for her sickly mother, but as she did, she soon realised that she was standing before something. When she faced it ... it turned out to be a wide tall dark opening"
"It was a cave, one that reeked of a bad omen, frightened she was at first, but soon, she felt an invisible force pulling her to explore, and she did" Stanley paused and studied the anxious faces of his audience.
He found that of Leavis blank of all worldly awareness, as though expecting the legend to be true, as he sat and listened attentively. It is this side of Leavis that his friends fear... his ambitious side.
Martin kept his cool and loosened up, this comforted the story teller, and he thus continued
"In the cave, it was cold and dark, it's floor slippery but she kept moving until... she saw something sparkling golden, she was shaken but endured and reached it, soon to discover..."
"That it was a tiny fairy, hoovering in the air, but something about it was off. She couldn't tell what exactly, but she could feel it. The fairy spoke out to her, saying..."
"If it is power you seek, then I can grant it to you!" Stanley cautiously studied Leavis, who now looked even more attentive than ever before as though plotting something... Stanley's plan had worked.
He continued, "The girl asked for eternal influence, the Fairy spoke of the conditions it desired and granted her request to...". Leavis interrupted" What were the conditions?" he commanded. Stanley smirked a little and whispered carelessly "I don't remember ..."
Leavis didn't believe him but kept his skepticism on a leash and allowed him continue.
'Power, eternal influence, if I could find this cave, I too could ask for... eternal youth' Leavis thought to himself. As Stanley continued "When the girl left the cave, everyone felt a change in her, something almost divine ... she grew to the age of marriage, was sought out by the king and later married him."
"She was the greatest influence on the king and kingdom, but nothing lasts forever, she died after giving birth to twins, the cave was discovered and its existence kept secret till this day..." and with that he concluded.
Leavis was puzzled, so many unanswered questions lingered on his mind. But as of now, his most dominant thought was to acquire power, the cave.
Stanley stood from his seat and moved around the fire to Martin, supporting him. He paused and from the periphery of his eye observer the contemplating Leavis.
"Say! Don't think too hard about it buddy!" he sounded, "it's just a silly tale my grandma use to enjoy babbling... try to get some rest" he concluded, grabbed a stick dipped it in the campfire and proceeded to the door with Martin at hand.
Leavis observed them silently, once they entered the cabin, he turned his head and faced the forest. "The cave of wonders... You don't say" he whispered to himself. For a few minutes, he stared into the distance.
Rose up and poured a bowl of water over the fire, it smoked as he stretched and proceeded to the Cabin, into their room and onto his bed at the far corner of the small room, Stanley's bed in the centre below a huge window the allowed moonlight into the room.
On his bed he turned, unable to stop thinking about the cave 'I have to start tracing it.. maybe late at night tomorrow when everyone is asleep'
If there is one thing in this world Leavis couldn't share, it was power and he isn't willing to share this power, not even with his closest friends, he shut his eyes, awaiting the day break...