‘Why?’ asked Erik.
‘The way you two moved … it was a sight. When I last saw Rupert he was a scrawny kid barely able to keep himself upright while he pissed, but now he looked downright lethal when he knocked out that soldier. Where did you learn to handle yourselves that way?’
Roo and Erik exchanged glances. Neither needed to be reminded of the network of spies already established in the Kingdom by the agents of the Emerald Queen. Distant cousin or not, Roo had no illusions about the man’s honesty. ‘Here and there,’ said Roo.
‘That’s some Isalani open-handed fighting, or I’m a cow’s new-born,’ said Duncan.
‘Where’d you see it before?’ asked Erik.
‘As I said, I just returned from down in the Vale. You see a few Isalani there as well as some other Keshian-born who know the tricks.’ He leaned forward, and his voice lowered. ‘I hear you can crack a man’s skull with your hand if you know how to do it.’
Erik said, ‘That’s easy. Just make sure you’ve got a smith’s hammer in the hand when you hit him.’
Duncan stared at Erik a moment, then burst into laughter. ‘Good one, lad,’ he said as he dug into his meal. ‘I think I’m going to like you.’
They continued to chat as they ate, and after, Erik went to check on the horses. When he returned, the three men retired for the night to the common sleeping area upstairs, so they might get an early start in the morning.
The village seemed at once unchanged and smaller. Roo said, ‘Nothing’s different.’ They rode at a walk, having taken the bend at the road that put them within sight of Ravensburg. They had been passing familiar farms for the last hour, both vineyards and fields of oat, wheat, and corn. But in the distance they now at last were in sight of the small buildings at the edge of the town.
Erik remained silent, but Duncan said, ‘Doesn’t look any different to me and it’s been years.’
Riding past familiar landmarks, Roo thought that he was wrong. Everything had changed, or at least he had changed and therefore how he saw things had changed. Reaching the Inn of the Pintail, Erik said, ‘Few things in Ravensburg ever change, but we have,’ echoing Roo’s thoughts of a few moments before.
Duncan said, ‘That’s always true, I guess.’ Erik had taken a liking to the affable man, and Roo was pleased, for he liked his cousin as well, though he barely trusted him; he was an Avery, and Roo knew what that meant. There had been a distant uncle, John, who had made a terrible reputation for himself as a pirate, long before Roo had been born, and more than half those uncles and cousins who had died since Roo’s birth had been hanged or killed during a robbery attempt. Still, there were a few Averys who had turned a hand toward honest labor, and Roo thought that gave him a chance of getting rich without having to resort to murder or robbery.
As they dismounted, a boy ran from the stable and said, ‘Care for your horses, gentlemen?’
Erik said, ‘Who are you?’
‘Gunther,’ said the boy. ‘I’m the smith’s apprentice, sir.’
Erik tossed the reins to the boy. ‘Is your master about?’ asked Erik.
‘He’s taking his midday meal in the kitchen, sir. Should I fetch him for you?’
Erik said, ‘Never mind, I can find the way.’ The boy took the horses and led them away.
Roo said, ‘Your replacement?’
‘So it seems,’ said Erik shaking his head. ‘He can’t be more than twelve or so.’
‘You were younger when you started helping Tyndal around the forge,’ reminded Roo.
Roo followed Erik as he moved to the rear door, the one that led directly into the kitchen. Erik pushed open the door and stepped through.
Freida, Erik’s mother, sat at the kitchen table talking to Nathan the smith. She looked up as Erik came through the doorway. Her eyes widened and her color drained away. She half stood; then her eyes rolled up into her head and she swooned, caught by the smith before she fell to the floor.
‘Damn me,’ said Nathan. ‘It’s you. It really is.’
Erik hurried around the table and took his mother’s hand. ‘Get some water,’ he instructed Roo.
Roo got a pitcher and filled it from the pump at the sink and brought a clean kitchen rag, which he wet and placed upon Erik’s mother’s brow.
Erik looked across his mother’s still form at the man with whom she had been eating and saw the smith regarding him with amazement in his eyes, which were brimming with tears. ‘You’re alive,’ he said. ‘We didn’t know.’
Erik swore. ‘I’m an idiot.’
Roo took off his travel cloak and sat down, motioning to Duncan to do the same. ‘Rosalyn!’ he shouted. ‘We need wine!’
Nathan shook his head. ‘Rosalyn’s not here. I’ll get us a bottle.’ As he stood, he said, ‘There’s a lot to be talked of, it seems.’
A moment later he returned, with Milo the innkeeper a step behind. The innkeeper said, ‘My gods! Erik! Roo! You’re alive!’
Erik and Roo both exchanged a glance, then Roo said, ‘Well, it was a secret, wasn’t it?’
Nathan said, ‘Are you hunted?’
Roo burst out laughing. ‘No, Master Smith. We are free men, by the King’s own hand. And prosperous ones, as well.’ He jingled his purse significantly.
Nathan pulled the cork of the wine bottle he carried and poured a round of drinks while Freida regained consciousness. She blinked and said, ‘Erik?’
‘Here, Mother.’
She threw her arms around his neck and started to cry. ‘We were told you were tried and convicted.’
‘We were,’ said Erik softly. ‘But we gained our pardon and were set free.’
‘Why did you not send word?’ she asked, a slight note of reproach in her voice. She touched his face as if uncertain of his substance.
‘We couldn’t,’ said Erik. ‘We were in the Prince’s service and’ – he glanced around the room – ‘we were not permitted to let anyone know. But that’s all in the past.’
She shook her head slightly in amazement. She touched his cheek, then kissed it. Resting her head on his shoulder she said, ‘My prayers are answered.’
Nathan said, ‘She prayed, lad.’ He wiped away a tear. ‘We all prayed for you.’
Roo saw that Erik’s own emotions were starting to rise, but Erik forced them down, never having been one to show his feelings openly. Roo took a deep breath, suddenly feeling self-conscious over the moisture gathering in his own eyes.
Erik asked, ‘What of you? How are you?’
Freida sat back and took Nathan’s hand. ‘There have been changes.’
Erik glanced from his mother to the smith. ‘You two?’
Nathan smiled, ‘We wed last summer.’ Then his expression darkened. ‘You’ve no objections, I take it?’
Erik let out a whoop and leaned across the table and seized his stepfather in a bear hug, nearly knocking the wine over; only Roo’s quick reflexes saved it. ‘Objections! You’re the best man I know, Nathan, and if I could have named my father, it would have been you.’ Sitting back he looked at his mother with an unashamed tear rolling down his cheek, then he took her in another bear hug and said, ‘I am so happy for you, Mother.’
Freida blushed like a bride. ‘He came to me and was so sweet when you fled. He saw to my hurt every day, Erik.’ She touched Nathan’s cheek with