Work Text:
Sean could not say why he offered the little bed to the family that took up housekeeping in the abandoned shack on over the rise that summer. He guessed it was because of the boy. He'd found his way over first and for a while he was showing up pretty near every day, shadowing Viggo and watching the horses until Viggo put him to work in the barn. When his folks came round he and Viggo offered what they had to spare out of neighborliness, though Sean didn't think they'd be neighbors long. Shiftless, Sean thought. Or just tired.
The man came by again in the autumn to see what help he could get for his family to keep them through the winter coming fast. The boy came with him, too thin and growing out of his jacket, and when they left that corner of the big bedroom was bare again. Sean didn't miss those boards much. He never looked over there anymore.
No one came visiting after the surprise blizzard melted away, neither worn out couple nor eager boy. As soon as they got their place in order Sean and Viggo rode out for a look. The shack still stood, leaning tiredly, empty. There was a rough circle blackened into the dirt floor and no stick of free wood remained about the walls and doors and window frames. Sean wondered if they had noticed the moment of warmth as the bed frame burned. He looked at Viggo and Viggo turned away, and he followed him into the open. They walked around the shack in widening circles but found no marker or disturbed ground. It was some comfort though not much.
~ ~
After supper had been cleared away Sean fetched the second best harness into the kitchen and worked it over carefully, oiling the leather and mending worn sections. Viggo sat whittling at the edge of the lantern's circle, his forearms resting on his knees. On the table were lengths of straight branch waiting to be spoons. The harness rustled and chinked, the knife whispered through the wood, and Grullo snored under the table.
At last Sean could drag out the work no longer. He set the harness on the floor and stood. Viggo looked up, watching Sean light a candle from the kitchen lantern and nod good night, then held out his hand. The room was still a long time as Sean looked at the carven image of the little bed standing in Viggo's palm and Viggo looked at Sean.
~ ~
Sean sat on the edge of the big four-poster and stared at his hands, turning the carving slowly without seeing it. The flicker of the bedside candle caught on the tiny headboard and the outline of a horse's head.
~*~