The Past is Talked Of...

Leon is straightening up the infirm, and making sure to take his daily check of the stock of supplies and check on the couple beasts that’s here before he heads on outside.

Taran walks into the infirm with the aid of a cane and watches Leon as he finishes up in the infirm, "Hey" He says softly.

Leon looks over and gives a nod "Hello..dad, I seen you got up when you should of rested more. your only make the leg worse if you walk on it too much, even with the cane there is still some weight on it"

Taran sighs as he shakes his head" Ok ok I get the picture, you’re an expert on the matter and I dislike the infirmary ok"

Leon asks, "Why is that? You can heal better and be watched"

Taran says, "Well, so can a normal bed boy" He is starting to sound a little annoyed. "I..."

Leon listens "You what? And fine as long as you let me check you least one a day"

Taran answers, "I spoke to Benar and he said I could stay as long as I follow the rules and I was welcome here if came in peace"

Leon nods "Well, that is true and do you? I mean I am glad you spoke to Benar, but are you really staying or just..."

Taran frowns "I..think." He sits down "I started to come back after I left a couple weeks ago and would of if I had not be taken captive, you..believe me right?"

Leon says, "I don’t know, you said you stay before and you left..left in the middle of the night without a goodbye and admitted you had thought of not coming back, cause I lived here..those were your words to me. I am glad you’re alive and that you’re not a captive anymore and I honestly was worried you was going to die. But..Why say you’re staying and then leave? I am unsure whether to believe you or not?""

Taran shakes his head "Your still stubborn arnt you, still think you have all the answers, that’s what got you in trouble before when she died"

Leon takes a deep breath, "That’s the past and what’s it have to do with now..nothing. And I know I don’t have all the answers."

Taran shakes his head "Just, I don’t know guess if you had better knowledge then..your sister would of lived and not died"

" Your still blaming me for that aren’t you? I thought that was put aside? It wasn’t my fault about the river and losing the herbs in the storm, I got more...she was very ill before that and you know it, it may not of saved her even if I got there sooner."  Leon says as he looks at Taran.

Taran shrugs, he then frowns seeing himself , he is doing it again, and so he  looks away "I am..sorry, it’s just..I don’t know. It was a very bad day that day, yours was probably better"

Leon blinks "Whoa whao..MINE was better? How was it better you kicked me out..."

Taran nods "At the time I thought it was the right thing, I...look just whatever you have to say, get it out..rather hear it now than later after what..how many seasons..7?..8..lost count."

Leon takes a deep breath "You kicked me out, out of the village and out of your life. I was 6 seasons old..6 SEASONS. I mean you didn’t even let me see my sister or say goodbye...or to do anything, get anything. You pointed your sword at me and acted like I was a vermin, no supplies or anything and I did leave I ran and ran till I couldn’t no more and passed out by the river. I was alone and scared and you know what I may of been ill also" Tears start to form now.

Taran listens to all this and frowns more" I..was a fool, I am sorry"

Leon shakes his head and backs up "The shrews found me..they helped me. I stayed with them a week and they gave me food and water and supplies and I was on my way, where? I didn’t know I was alone and forced to grow up faster than I would of liked, guess it’s good Angelo had taught me some on healing and good and bad plants for a season huh..."

Taran frowns as he listens "Angelo wanted to look for you, I..Forbidden it"

Leon listens, well this is new "You didn’t want me..found! WHY!" He starts to back away and head outside.

Taran says, "I..I..look it was then, ok, I felt" He sighs the truth" I felt it was a punishment and you were banished. I now know I was wrong and shouldn’t of done that to you"

Leon asks, "What else are you not telling me?"

Taran frowns deeply now, "I lied, I said I go find you and I really just did nothing, I said you fell in the swift river and died so no one would brother me on looking for you. It’s why Angelo was so angry at me not telling him you were here, let alone alive all these seasons. I stayed away from the villagers, couse they picked Quetzal to replace me, we fought and he won I was no longer village leader. A lot of mean things was said, mainly me telling them to forget you so I probably deserved being forced to step down as leader and at the time losing Angelo’s friendship"

Leon looks at Taran as if he is, well he is in shock "You told them...how you could!" And now tears come, bottled up feelings, new feelings as he listens to all this. "Why?"

Taran sighs, normally one would feel good getting all the truth out, "I..don’t know, I was foolish and looking for someone else to blame for your sister’s death, and ..look I feel horrible now and want a new

start and maybe living here can do that we can be a family. I told you everything and I even left the village to try and find you"

Leon says, "But you seemed..annoyed the first time I was here, annoyed that you found me even, the 2nd time oh you were passing threw and needed supplies and what this time..guess healing."

Taran says, "I am sorry, this time I do mean it...trust me"

Leon is quiet and then "A friend of mine said Trust is earned...its gained and can take a while, excuse me I need to check on Dorarose and my dibbuns" He doesn’t brother to wipe away any tears, if Dora asks he will tell her, he then walks on out of the infirm leaving Taran there.

Taran reaches over and then sighs watching Leon head off and sits on a cot looking down at the floor

Leon makes it to the cottage and walks into it and just sits in a chair unsure what to think. Trust or not trust, he just lets the tears come, they seem needed right now.

• • • • You can read this old log to get an idea of what happen that long ago day…in a small infirm…in a village…far from Redwall…. [1] *******