Chapter 7: Laughter

Laughter is the best release the body can provide
when the option of sex is not available.

A Fool's Book of Wisdom

As the sun began to rise over the treetops, the footsore threesome trudged along the dusty country lane on their way to the train station. Helen shrugged her pack from her shoulders and swung it gently onto the ground. She stretched her arms straight over her head and groaned.

"Damn! I need a short rest. I am most definitely getting too old to be walking all night and then, to add insult to injury, I have to carry my own pack. Erik, this is it! I just cannot do this any longer. After all these years of blistered feet, I have earned this luxury. I am really going to do it! First thing I am going to do when we get back home is write to Khalid and take him up on his offer. So, my young friend, you best start drawing up plans for a place for Edgar to stay because once we reach home, I refuse to walk another step."

Helen paused and cocked her head to look over her shoulder at a bemused Erik and a confused Christine.

"Hmmm ... Do you think they will allow Edgar on the train? After all, I will only require him when there are no tracks leading to the place we need to go. And, it simply would not do to leave him boarded with strangers. I shudder at the thought of something untoward happening to him. What if someone were to mistreat the poor dear? Khalid would kill me. Erik? How do you think a Persian would murder someone? Disembowelment? No. Poison? Hmmm ... A definite possibility, but he probably would not allow me a quick death, would he? No. Khalid would have to find a way that would allow him to take his time. A slow acting poison, perhaps ... yes, he would draw out the torture, probably tie me down, slowly poisoning me, until the exquisite end."

The old woman's eyes had taken on an almost dreamy look and Christine could not decide if the look resulted from a memory or her imagination. Erik chuckled and Christine gasped.

"What the hell? My God! Please let this be a very strange attempt at humor."

"Edgar? Khalid? Torture? Poison? Wait! Wait!"

The words issued from her mouth in a choked voice as Christine's mind spun. Her hands moved to hold her head as she vainly tried to sort through the dizzying concepts and grasp onto a single thought.

"I cannot deal with the idea of torture or murder, but ... wait..."

Her mind calmed. She dismissed the notions of torture and murder as absurd, but found she could not rationalize the least horrifying idea of the bunch. She had heard the words come straight from their mouths. She had no choice, but to address the one concern she could not dismiss as ridiculous.

"Are you saying that you plan to buy someone? How could you?"

Christine blurted. Her voice a hiss as she turned her shocked eyes to Helen. For a moment, all three stood in the middle of the dirt road staring in stunned silence. Then, Erik began to snicker softly as Helen shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Why you dirty, son of a whore! How dare you laugh at me? I demand an answer ... now!"

The young man's lone visible eyebrow rose as he heard the words the girl spoke and saw her outraged gaze rake over his tall, lean form. He shook his head, attempted to speak, but the sight of Christine's apparent fury pushed him past the point of no return. Erik began to laugh. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand, but it only served to muffle the sound of his laughter, not stifle it.

"I do not find this in the slightest bit amusing, Monsieur de Seul. And, you had best let me in on exactly why you find this so amusing or you shall find my boot up against your bony arse!"

His laughter ceased immediately and his hand dropped from his mouth. He stared at the girl as he bit his lip and, after a moment, frowned.

"No need to fling insults about my posterior, Mademoiselle. I do not laugh at you. I laugh over the cause of your concern. Perhaps, Helen, you should enlighten dear Mademoiselle Wolner over what Edgar, in fact, is."

Both the young man and woman turned their attention to the older woman. Helen remained silent as she studied the two faces turned towards her. Christine stood with her hands on her hips, her cheeks flushed, her breathing quick and shallow. The girl seemed to stare directly at Helen, but the older woman noticed that her eyes darted furtively towards Erik. Erik, on the other hand, did not attempt to hide how his eyes slid along the girl's form. Helen saw that beneath his annoyance, his eyes burned with another unfamiliar emotion. The old woman inwardly gasped as she felt the race of his blood through his veins and knew there was no mistaking how the man felt about the young woman.

"My God! What on earth is happening here? Am I really sensing their feelings correctly? How did this happen so quickly? Oh, Erik! I have often hoped for you to fall in love, but I do not know if Christine is a wise choice. She has had a difficult life thus far and her future does not look any easier. Well, I suppose we cannot choose the person with whom we fall in love. Especially, not when it is love at first sight. I only hope that the two of you realize you are in love before you break one another's hearts with your stubborn and obstinate ways. Well, time will tell."

Helen cleared her throat and began to speak softly.

"Christine, really! Please calm yourself! Do I look like a person that would peddle in human flesh? Does Erik? Edgar is not a person. Edgar is a mule."

The girl stood staring first at Helen, then at Erik and then back to Helen for almost an entire minute before the light of comprehension dawned in her eyes. The blush exploded across her cheeks in considerably less time, but Helen swore she could feel the heat of it from where she stood several steps away.

"A ... a mule?" She stammered.

Erik nodded. Helen tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"I am afraid that is the truth of it. Edgar is one of Khalid's pack mules."

"Oh ... oh, my dear! Oh! I am so sorry! I feel so stupid for overreacting, but you must admit that the things you said were quite misleading. However, that is no excuse for me not to give you the benefit of the doubt before losing my temper. Please, Helen, Erik. Can you accept my apology?"

"Good heavens, child!" Helen laughed. "There is nothing for which you need apologize. If you think about it for a moment, it is really quite amusing and if you knew Edgar, well..."

Christine's brow wrinkled in confusion.

"How can you know a mule?"

Erik caught Helen's eyes and winked, before answering Christine's inquiry.

"You will understand once you meet him."

The girl was less than pleased with his answer as she thought it a rather cryptic remark. Turning his attention to Helen again, he continued.

"I am quite certain that Edgar has more of a personality than Khalid does. He is certainly more charming, has impeccable taste, wonderful table manners, a lovely singing voice and is definitely much more accommodating than Khalid is. And, Edgar is definitely not anywhere near as stubborn as Khalid is. I almost forgot. Edgar is highly intelligent, too. Whereas, on the other hand, Khalid..."

Helen pursed her lips and with a glare, stopped Erik before he could finish.

"Erik! Be nice! Khalid is not here to defend himself."

"Oh, Helen, I would never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man. Even I am not that cruel!"

He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.

"He looks rather pleased with himself." Christine mused.

The old woman slapped his forearm sharply and frowned. Erik turned away from the woman and rubbed at the spot she hit.