Outside the Camp

"Can we get started now, Dek," a small child of unknown racial background asked the taller Dek. Dek was 14 and one of the older children amongst their band of Rovers. As such, he was placed in charge of this small group of children from the Rovers as they headed south from the camp towards Nyermerys. He remembered the excitement from his younger days, and smiled to himself. To be honest, he too was feeling rather excited about this. They were close to where he knew he was born and maybe he'd get the chance to look up his mother's family again.

Dek smiled down at the boy, and said "yes, we can get started, stay in pairs, and move around the streets here. You all know what we are saying, don't you?"

He was met with a chorus of "Yes," from the younger children and he watched as most of them dispersed around the city. He smiled when he saw who was with him. Wengerim, one of the more promising performers from the troupe, the boy had come to treat Deklitch as a kind of older brother. Wen's story was even sadder than Dek's ... Dek at least knew who his father was and had stories of his mother ... Wen didn't even have that. He was in an orphanage and was rescued from there by the Rovers one day. The boy's precise age was unknown, but he was presumed to be 6 or 7 years of age now.

"Where to Dek," Wen asked.

"This way, Wen," Dek replied, "want a piggyback?"

Wen nodded and Dek bent down for him to get up on Dek's shoulders.

"Ready to start, Wen," Dek asked after they took a few steps in that way.

"Yep," the younger boy said.

Both boys started their chant,
"Hey, there! Hoop-la! The Rovers are in town!
Have you seen the actors? Have you seen the clown?
Have you seen the dancers leap without a single care?
Have you seen the gymnasts balance high up in the air?
Have you seen the juggler toss knives both up and down?
Hoop-la! Hoop-la! the Rovers are in town!"

"Mind getting down now, Wen?" Dek asked.

Wen shook his head, stood up on Dek's shoulders, balanced himself before jumping down to the ground, landing safely.

A small group of people had gathered around them and applauded the younger boy.

"All are welcome to join us in our meal this evening. Eat under the stars! Sit around the campfire!" Wen declared, after he gave an elegant bow.

"Hey, will Rover Nancy be there?" a bearded fellow asked.

"Indeed she will be, Sir," Dek replied, "she's ready to meet all men folk who come to her carriage. Just remember her saying ... if the carriage's a rockin', don't come a knockin'!"

The fellow who asked the question and a number of others around the group of people who had gathered to see the boys laughed uproariously at the comment, and after it had settled down, Dek and Wen started again.

"Hey, there! Hoop-la! We're the Rovers troupe!
Hear musicians and singers performing in a group.
See the half-tamed ogre with the green and orange fan,
The beardless dwarven maiden and the half-orc half-man.
See the friendly elf shooting targets through a hoop.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! We're the Rovers troupe!"

Wen then said, "we're performing soon, everyone. We're just north of the city. Come and watch us! Let us entertain you!"

"Will we lose any items of value if we do so," another fellow asked, and another bout of laughter started up.

"Well, that depends," Dek replied, a grin on his face.

"On what," the fellow asked.

"on whether or not you leave it lying around where anyone could pick it up easily, of course," Dek replied, with a further grin.

Laughter went around the group again, and Dek said, "remember, all are welcome. A small donation to our show is all we request. We are here for a week or so. Come on, Wen."

The two boys walked off, and Wen looked up at Dek, "Dek, I don't understand something."

"I'll help you if I can. What don't you understand?" Dek replied.

"What does 'If the carriage's a rockin', don't come a knockin'' mean?" Wen asked.

"Well ...," Dek began, and then he cleared his throat, his face going bright red, redder than his hair, "well it means that umm ..."

And the pair walked back towards the camp.