They camped right in the town square beside the carriage. They thought it best not to move the patient, and some of the buildings looked quite dilapidated. A few had even fallen in. Marchan dug a fire pit while the footman and coachman found wood for a fire and got water from the well. Dana continued to sponge the patient and they warmed rocks in the fire before moving them into the carriage to keep its occupants warm. While they warmed their supper Marchan got to know the two servants.

The footman's name was David and his companion was Samuel. They had served the Duke for many years. David was hoping to one day become the Duke's chamberlain, who managed all his affairs. The current chamberlain was old and could no longer travel. David thought his time with the Duke while travelling might help him, but he said soberly, 'But that'll all be for naught if the Duke dies or is unable to hold his own. His heir is a wizened old man who has his own chamberlain and children who have their own butlers! I'll never get another opportunity with anyone else.'

'Relax, lad,' said Samuel. 'You've got a long life ahead of you. Serving isn't the only life, you know. You could always join the army. Plenty of officers who'd like someone to shine their shoes and polish their brass.'

'Not quite what I had in mind,' replied David. 'Besides, I'd miss the old Duke terribly. He's done so much for me. I want to be able to give something back to him, you know.'

'Now that I believe,' said Samuel. He turned to Marchan. 'Did you know, that the Duke helps people all the time. Rich, poor, it makes no difference to him. I was actually suprised he waited as long as he did to let your mother into the carriage. Just last week he provided a full pig to a family. The father had just lost his position with the mill. Lost a finger you know, and they don't let injured people work there, looks bad. Anyway, when they had thanked him for the pig, he offered the man a job at his stables. He raises race horses. These four beauties we have here are just a sample. Turns out the father had always loved horses! And the pay turned out better for the man than he'd had at the mill. The man will be getting plenty to feed his family, and doing something he loves much more than his old job at the mill. The Duke had been looking for some extra help at the farm, but it looks like he'll get back his own with this fella. Anyway, it freed me up. I'd been hired under not to different circumstances and I've worked hard. I'm sure he's made more from my work than he's ever given me, but I'm happy to give all the more because I know he does stuff like that. Now he has two coachmen, and the other one can take some time to be with his family while I run the carriage.'

'Yeah,' said David. 'I was a runaway, you know. My parents were slaves in another town. I got a change when I was 13 and a I ran for it. I was starving in the Duke's town. He invited me in and sat me down in his dining hall and told me to eat with his guests. I think he offended a number of them, but he didn't mind. At the end of the meal, I bow my thanks and say I can't possibly repay him. He waves that aside and asks where I was going. I tell him "Away." He says, well, if that's what I want I knew where the door was, but if I wanted food tomorrow, I could stay. Next day, the same thing. After a week, I let him know I was a slave and kept the house clean. He says if I'd like I can do that for him. He'd feed me and pay me a bit. A few days later he asks about my parents, finds out they're still slaves and goes to their master and buys them. Just like that. Sight unseen. Sets them free and tells them they are welcome to work for him if they want work. Well, ever since then, I've served him to the best of my abilities.'

Soon after Samuel wondered off and watered the horses again and put blankets on them after rubbing them down. Marchan and David put more hot rocks in the carriage. The Duke was sweating, but was shivering from cold. Dana kept up her work. When Samuel came back, he, Marchan and David bedded down and were soon all asleep.

The next morning, Marchan woke first. He got up and wandered over to the well. It was very still in the town, even David's snoring died out a short distance away. Marchan let the bucket down into the well and pulled it back up. In the early morning light it appeared that something was in the water. He poured a bit out onto the decaying brickwork of the well and looked closely at it. The wet parts of the brick suddenly seemed to come alive, like thousands of tiny little ants moving in sync. Quite quickly the liveliness moved into the well and disappeared. Marchan looked into the bucket again, then back at the brickwork and decided he wasn't that thirsty after all. He dumped the bucket back into the well.

He wandered a bit farther away and found an old blacksmith's forge. He tested the bellows. They worked quite well. He gathered some wood from a nearby woodpile and started a new fire in the forge. He found some charcoal and added that into the fire, soon developing a very hot fire. He found a pot nearby and carried it out to the well. Again dipping the bucket he filled his pot. He carried this back to the forge and quickly brought the water to a boil. He let it boil for several minutes before using the tongs to remove it. He dumped the water onto the anvil. It crackled and snapped. As it cooled, Marchan inspected it very closely. The anvil did not come alive as the brickwork had done. He ran his hand over the anvil. It felt very slimy. He took his pot back to the well and dipped the bucket again, then thought better of it. He untied the end of the rope and let the bucket go into the well. He looked around and saw a large stone not far away. He approached it and found he could move it, just like the stones from his father's fields. He rolled it over to the well and pushed it in. It almost didn't fit. It only fell halfway down to the water level.

Just then, the Healer appeared. He approached Marchan.

'Hello,' he said. 'I don't recall ever seeing you before.'

'No, you said yesterday that you wouldn't,' Marchan said calmly. 'Are you familiar with any kind of creature that's too small to see but lives in wells?'

'Lives in wells?' the Healer pondered. 'Ah, no, actually. Well, I suppose some sort of germ or something might be.'

'I was thinking of something a bit bigger,' said Marchan. 'Just below what you can see.'

'Hmm, an attack by the Great Enemy?' the Healer suggested. 'I seem to think that is it. A new creature that lodges in the brain and absorbs men's minds.'

Marchan thought this over for a second. 'Yes,' he said. 'That would be it. Come we must leave.'

'Leave?' The Healer said. 'But this is the only place I know. I just woke. I haven't explored the world at all.'

But Marchan was already walking back to the carriage.

'David, Samuel, wake up.' He shook them awake. 'We must leave, now!'

'What is it?' David said. 'My, my, you're a dwarf!'

'Yes, we went over that two days ago. Come on, we must leave. There's something in the water that eats your mind. We must get away from here and hope it's a temporary thing.'

'Eats my mind?' Samuel was awake now. He got up and harnessed the horses. Marchan looked around and noticed the Healer looking around bewildered. Marchan walked over to him, grabbed him by the hand and walked him over to the carriage.

'You, get up on top beside the coachman's seat. You'll be most comfortable there. Move! Now!' Marchan ordered the Healer.

He obeyed and Marchan noticed David putting himself into position at the back of the carriage. Marchan climbed into the carriage making sure not to wake his mother or the duke just as Samuel finished with the horses and prepared to climb to his own seat as coachman. They were off almost immediately. As they approached the next village, Marchan stuck his head out the window and called to Samuel.

'It should be okay to stop here. I doubt the creature is in the water here.'

Samuel pulled up in the village square. A castle overlooked the village from a nearby hillock. A clock read that it was half past seven in the morning and church bells began ringing atop the village church calling the faithful to prayers. A few of the devout were congregating near the church. In all a quiet village, well kept up and no sign of anything sinister greeted their eyes.