ã€ŠEuphemistically Yoursã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Lakesedge

    Despite the viewpoint of children and peasants, riding horseback over long distances is actually slower than walking. A horse gets tired and needs frequent breaks for water, food, and rest. On the other hand, there are advantages. For example, in my case, a warhorse is a symbol of status and power. As a free squire, I was representing the interests of my liege lord, so I needed to look the part.

    After six days on the road, I wasn¡¯t sure it mattered. A beadle or herald of the duke would normally be accompanied by a group of servants and retainers. They would travel slowly and arrive fresh at their destination. In contrast, a little errand like mine didn¡¯t demand such expense. Instead, as a lesser retainer, I was traveling alone. The sweat and dirt from the road was caked on. When I rubbed a hand through my beard, I could hear the crackle of dust breaking free.

    My poor horse, Honey, was no better. She was tired and irritated. Even now, I had to keep one eye on her at all times or she¡¯d take a nip out of my arm. She was trained to be aggressive, so I¡¯m glad she was such a sweetie. A meaner warhorse would be likely to kick or stomp.

    ¡°You¡¯re my first love, Honey. It¡¯s not far now! You can sleep in a barn tonight!¡±

    In response, she blew out a sad sigh, almost a groan. About the same reply I¡¯d get from my wife or children given the same foolish promises.

    Instead of her familiar stables and paddocks, she¡¯d been picketed each night. Rather than hay and oats, her diet consisted of whatever scrubby grass we¡¯d been able to find. Finding water several times each day has been just as difficult. I didn¡¯t blame her for being snippy. After all, how was I going to explain that the return trip would take another six days?

    At least I could be thankful that this trip was in LowAutumn. The weather was nice, the fields were nearly ripe, and there was even an occasional drizzle. If I¡¯d had to take the same road in the heat of MidSummer or the snows of HighWinter, I feel like Honey would have given up on me.

    This expedition wasn¡¯t fair at all to her. Considering Honey was my most expensive possession, I¡¯d tried my best to keep her happy the whole way. As long as nobody was looking, I walked beside her. This removed most of the burden, while also showing that we were in this together. I¡¯d rather wear out my boots than Honey¡¯s patience.

    Finally, as the sun was falling on the sixth day, I could make out the first signs of the hamlet ahead. This was my destination. Like most outlying settlements, it didn¡¯t even have a name on the maps. In fact, it didn¡¯t even appear on the maps at all. From the letter received at the Lord¡¯s castle, the locals apparently called it Lakesedge. There was some debate whether that was meant as ¡°Lake¡¯s Edge¡± or ¡°Lake Sedge.¡± If I really cared, I suppose I could ask the village headman.

    ¡°Time to mount up.¡±

    She wheezed a bit as I stepped up into the saddle, but she had her own sense of pride. She stuck out her chest and held her head higher. She knew she was a proper warhorse and she wouldn¡¯t let serfs think any less of her.

    As Honey handled the last leg into town, I brushed off my mail hauberk and shook the dust out of my cape. My pot helmet was calling to me from where it was stuck on the horn of my saddle, but there were limits to my endurance. Donning it would just make me hot, sweaty, and miserable. Besides, I wanted to present a friendly face.

    The center of town was defined as the spot where two paths crossed. The largest houses huddled together at that point, set apart from the shacks, huts, and hovels in the surrounding fields behind me. If I kept going forward, the slope of the land fell off, leading down into the village¡¯s so-called lake.

    As Honey and I walked into the center square, various personages of the hamlet stepped out of their front doors to take a look. I could easily distinguish the outfits and hallmarks of a butcher, a grocer, and a tinker smith. The last was a bit surprising for a village this size, but that was no concern of mine.

    After waiting a moment, an elderly man stepped out of the largest house and made his way over to my position. From his finer clothes and attitude, I could guess this was the village headman. His thin white hair formed a cloudy halo around his head, but his eyes were sharp and mean.

    At his approach, I took an instant dislike to him. Honey, somehow sensing my emotions, whuffed out a breath and turned her head to get a look. She was ready to bite his face off. Luckily, I had my hands on the reins, so the man was spared the indignity and the agony.

    I stared at him. He stared back at me.

    This went on a while, as if there was a contest of wills. I suppose he was trying to build up his local reputation by facing off with me. Unfortunately, I knew my place and my duty. If he didn¡¯t bow to me soon, I¡¯d be forced to remove his head. After all, I was wearing the green and blue colors of the Duke.

    I was only a squire, but even at that, I greatly outranked a mere headman of some outlying hamlet that I''d never heard of. Comparing the two of us was like comparing the sea to the sky. Furthermore, as a representative of the Duke, I had more than just my own honor to uphold. If I let a village elder get by without proper obeisance, it would reflect badly on my liege and my country.

    In the end, he gave in and knelt down on one knee. ¡°Hail to thee, Sir Knight! We welcome thou to our humble Lakesedge. We stand ready to serve.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t a sir or a knight, he wasn¡¯t humble, and he wasn¡¯t standing. He¡¯d also mixed up his thees and thous. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at everything he¡¯d done wrong. But, I was glad I wouldn¡¯t have to kill him, so I decided to consider it a good enough effort.

    From the top of my horse, I looked around the square. ¡°My name is Deft, in service to the Duke. I have come in response to a message that arrived from here, borne by a merchant¡¯s hand.¡±

    The elder regained his feet, ¡°Thine humble servant¡¯s name is Apt. I serve as the humble village headman. The message sent thou was written by mine humble hand.¡±

    High heavens! How proud can a person be of his supposed humility?

    Unfortunately, his words explained a lot. The writing and verbiage in the letter were so poor that the scribes couldn¡¯t quite make heads or tails of it. I¡¯d seen the letter myself and pitied the officials if receiving such messages was common. It had mentioned some sort of trouble or emergency, but it wasn¡¯t clear at all. Something to do with a foreigner and something to do with one of the village women.

    ¡°Now that I am here, could you explain the problem in more detail?¡±

    Apt gave a nod, but then pointed back the way I¡¯d come from, ¡°Thou eyes should best behold the strangeness for theeself.¡±

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    I stifled a giggle at his continued failed attempts at outdated courteous speech before I could reply. ¡°First, tell me a bit more. Your letter wasn¡¯t precise. Also, you may speak normally. It¡¯s enough that I can tell you were trying.¡±

    His gums flapped open and closed, unsure where to start.

    I didn¡¯t like the man, but I just wanted some straight answers so I could go home again with a good report. How could I get him to simply talk straight to me? I considered it for a moment, then decided that it might help to get down with him on his level. Staring down at him from atop my horse must have seemed like an angry lord on his throne.

    Apt scrambled away as I dismounted from Honey. I made sure to step off on his side, because I could tell that she was edgy and wanted to chew on something. I¡¯d rather she took a bite from my armored shoulder than the old man¡¯s bare head.

    Once I was on the ground, our heights weren¡¯t that different. He was bent over from age, but he¡¯d probably been taller than me when he was younger. The demands of our difference in status meant I couldn¡¯t clasp his hand to bridge the gap, so instead, I reached out to grip his shoulder.

    ¡°Just explain the situation from the beginning. What happened? Why¡¯d you send a letter?¡±

    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s not my fault! I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±

    I guess the closer proximity and the shoulder grab scared him even worse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Apt. You¡¯re not in any trouble.¡± Of course that was a lie. I¡¯d need to decide whether he was in trouble or not once I knew what the actual problem was.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the serf farmers¡¯ wives, Diligence. She took in a stray child - a foreigner.¡±

    ¡°A stray child, you say? How did you know the child was foreign?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t speak a word of sense and her face and hair are ¡­ different.¡±

    ¡°She? It¡¯s a girl? How is the girl so different?¡±

    ¡°Her hair is black as night and her face is as ugly as sin.¡±

    By my estimation, all serfs are ugly. Missing teeth. Crossed eyes. Knock knees. Poor hygiene and poor nutrition. Coming out to the boonies like this is like seeing the worst dregs of humanity.

    However, black hair is pretty unusual. Looking around, the other people in the village all had typical light colors - brown, blonde, white, ginger. If a stray child showed up with black hair, that must mean there were foreigners lurking nearby. At worst, that meant raiders from the northern plains.

    Unfortunately, that suspicion didn¡¯t make any sense. Lakesedge bordered the western swamps. There might be bandits or rebellion, but this was the peaceful back end of the duchy. There¡¯s no reason and no way that a group of raiders could or would have made it this far south.

    If this was all a giant waste of time, I wouldn¡¯t be removing the headman¡¯s head, but I¡¯d definitely be collecting some extra ¡°taxes¡± to justify my trip to the Duke. Still, something just didn¡¯t add up.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s a foreigner girl. That¡¯s hardly enough reason to send a message to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s a magician. Isn¡¯t that important?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I could feel Honey twitch behind me at my sudden change in tone.

    ¡°She¡¯s a magician. That¡¯s what I wrote in that letter!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ right.¡± I¡¯d read that whole letter, and I didn¡¯t see where he¡¯d ever suggested that idea.

    Either way, this must be some rural superstition. Girls aren¡¯t trained as mages, only men. Furthermore, children aren¡¯t mages at all. It requires years of training and practice.

    Not that I was an expert. I¡¯d met a mage once when I¡¯d traveled with the Duke to Kingseat. The man was a knight and personal retainer to the Duke of Northold. Even then, I¡¯d never seen a bit of his so-called magic. It was too precious to be spent on frivolities.

    ¡°She¡¯s a mage!¡± Apt insisted again.

    ¡°All right. Suppose she is. Why¡¯d you write the letter?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t mages important people? Is there a reward for finding one?¡±

    Oh! He thought there¡¯d be a reward. I tilted my head to consider my options. Obviously, if she was an actual mage, the Duke would want to take her as a retainer. But, the odds of that reality were low. From what I¡¯d heard, most magicians couldn¡¯t even muster up enough power to blow out a candle. The few that could move the wind were the outliers. Furthermore, there¡¯s no way a female novice would ever be accepted as an apprentice to receive training.

    Seeing my reluctance, Apt pointed back down the road again, ¡°You should see for yourself! Here she comes now!¡±

    My eyes followed the line of his trembling finger to fall upon a family walking along the path into town together. In the middle was the mother, a woman with her hair pulled back in a scarf. At her side was a younger man, probably her son, with the fine hairs of his first beard coming in. On the other side were two smaller children, a girl and an even smaller boy.

    The sun was setting behind me, so the colors were muted. Not that I expected bright hues. But, even at this distance, I could see that the little girl had quite normal blond hair.

    ¡°That girl? I thought you said she had black hair.¡±

    ¡°She''s right there!¡± Apt insisted, pointing again.

    ¡°Huh? But her hair is golden blond. What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Not her! That¡¯s Cheer! She¡¯s Diligence¡¯s natural daughter. That other girl.¡±

    I looked back at the group on the road again, ¡°What other girl?¡±

    ¡°The one¡­ wearing pants.¡± Apt¡¯s voice fell quiet, muffled by a sense of shame.

    ¡°Oh! I see! Hmm¡­¡± Even I was embarrassed. Girls don¡¯t wear pants. It was an affront against nature and common decency! Furthermore, the girl I¡¯d mistaken for a boy had her hair cut short, not even reaching her collar. I would have never guessed her sex without being told. On the other hand, she did indeed have very dark hair. As she got closer, I agreed you couldn¡¯t really call it anything except black. Furthermore, her face was just¡­ weird. It was thin and pale, with sharp edges and a tiny jaw.

    When I went on a campaign, I¡¯d fought against the northern plainsmen. They were naturally tan all over their whole body as if they¡¯d spent their whole life naked in the sun. They also had broad faces and large teeth. It only took a glance to see that this girl was something different. She was strange, exotic, and looked impossibly fragile. I had no idea where such a person would come from.

    At a guess, based on her height, she was about two hands old, maybe more, maybe less. She¡¯d need three hands to be considered a woman, so she was young, but not really a child either.

    The worst part was the way she glared back at me. I hadn¡¯t even said anything, but she¡¯d apparently singled me out as her enemy and opponent. When I looked toward Apt, he was skittering away as if something terrible was about to happen.

    Wait a second! He¡¯d said she was a mage, right? In practice, a warmage dons armor to fight on the front lines. But, in the legends, a powerful magician had such control of the winds and stars that they could call down lightning. In fact, weren¡¯t there some really vengeful women magicians in the old tales? I felt the hairs of my neck prickling up as she approached. Suddenly, this seemed like a dumb way to die.

    Honey, sensing my change of mood, moved around to support me and stomped her front hoof as if preparing for battle. At the same time, I noticed that my hand had fallen to rest on the pommel of my sword. Realizing I¡¯d best appear confident, I moved both hands to the sides of my belt instead.

    While the family was still far out of reach, the mother bowed down to me face first on the dirt. That was indeed a good start. The woman obviously had some sense. Apt said that her name was Diligence? The son and the daughter quickly followed suit, but the foreign girl stopped to stare at the others in confusion. Then, she turned her gaze back to me, and narrowed her eyes angrily.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do, but then Diligence reached up and grabbed the back of the girl¡¯s head and shoved her down hard to match with the others. I could hear a small cry of surprise, then a smack as her face was stuffed into the dirt. That was followed by some indignant burbling and whining.

    From behind me, I could hear the butcher give out a deep laugh, followed by several others. After a few moments, I matched it with a smile. The danger of an imminent confrontation melted away. If a serf woman could do that to the supposed mage, then the girl wasn¡¯t actually dangerous.

    At least, that was my thought for the moment.

 Chapter 2 - Euphemism

    Once it was clear that the whole family acknowledged my authority, I motioned for them each to stand and then stepped forward to address Diligence, the mother. ¡°My name is Deft, in service to the Duke. I¡¯ve been told that you took in a foreign girl.¡±

    She kept her eyes down, in deference to my higher status. ¡°Sir. I must beg forgiveness for my temerity to speak in the place of my dead husband. He was lost while serving as a levy two summers ago.¡±

    I nodded, giving my approval. Once again, I was impressed with the woman¡¯s behavior. She must have been well raised and taught. She was better suited to nobility than many in my wife¡¯s circle of friends.

    ¡°My name is Diligence, these are my children, Vigor and Cheer.¡± She motioned first to her son and then her daughter.

    I nodded again, acknowledging each one as they were named.

    ¡°And¡­ this is the girl that we sent word about.¡± She held out a hand toward the last of the group, the strange looking girl-in-pants. That one still had an angry glare for me, but with mud smeared across her pale face, she¡¯d lost her prior aura of impending doom.

    I tried my best to keep a smirk off of my face. ¡°The village elder¡­ ahh¡­ Apt ¡­ he said that she was a mage?¡±

    ¡°Sir. Yes. That is undoubtedly true. I don¡¯t know what else it could be.¡±

    That didn''t go as planned. ¡°What do you mean? Can you explain?¡±

    ¡°Sir. No, I can¡¯t, but I can show you.¡± She pointed back to the girl, whose attention was switching back and forth between us as we talked.

    ¡°You will show me?¡± I asked Diligence for clarification.

    ¡°Sir. Yes. I will!¡±

    Oops. She took my question as a command? I supposed that was still fine. Whatever they were experiencing, apparently she could make it happen again. This seemed like a good plan, so I stepped back to watch.

    First, Diligence stepped in front of the girl and waved at her to focus her attention. The girl gave one last scowl at me, then brightened as Diligence started speaking directly to her. ¡°Can you do that thing you do again? Whoosh? Floof? Fwoof!¡±

    ¡°Fwoof?¡± I heard the girl ask. Her voice was small and squeaky. Furthermore, she had a terrible accent. Not that ¡°fwoof¡± was a word, but it sounded like she was grinding rocks in the back of her mouth.

    Diligence nodded at her and gave a big smile, spreading out her arms. ¡°Fwoof!¡±

    ¡°Fwoof?¡± The girl pointed at me with a vicious grin. ¡°Fwoof YOU!¡±

    My hand went to the pommel of my sword and I stumbled backwards a step.

    ¡°No, no, no! Don¡¯t fwoof him!¡± Diligence waved her hands around, then pointed at herself. ¡°Fwoof me!¡±

    ¡°Fwoof.¡± The girl nodded in agreement and pointed at Diligence, ¡°Fwoof you!¡±

    Diligence smiled again and stepped closer to the girl for some reason. In response, the girl closed her eyes and clasped her hands together as if she were praying.

    Nothing happened. I watched in growing annoyance. Then, I noticed everyone else moving further away.. Apparently, something had happened in the past?

    Suddenly, there was light. I don¡¯t know exactly how to describe it because I¡¯d never seen anything like it before. It looked as if the two of them were contained in an eggshell. All the same, it was mostly transparent, like incredibly clear glass. Except it was glowing white? So many contradictions! Inside, I could see the two of them with their hair blowing back and forth as if they were caught in a gale. I could even hear the rush of wind. Despite all that, not even a breeze reached to where I stood.

    It only lasted for a few moments. I blinked and it was gone. But, it had definitely been there! Furthermore, I could see the aftereffects. Both Diligence and the girl¡¯s hair were mussed about wildly. In addition the dirt that had been covering the girl¡¯s face had been wiped off perfectly without a scratch on her skin.

    I stood still with my mouth gaping open. A few of the observers gave grunts of amusement.

    Diligence turned back to me. ¡°Sir. It is as you see. Is she a mage?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ no ¡­ err ¡­ yes? Yes. Yes! She¡¯s definitely a mage.¡± After all, what else could it be? She could move the wind, so she must be a mage. As for the egg-of-light, I had no idea. That was just strange. Not even the old tales mentioned something like that.

    ¡°Sir. What now? I¡¯d be glad to keep her, but should I?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ a good question.¡± I paused to think while everyone watched me. As a representative of the Duke, I had the authority to make any ordinary decision as necessary. But, I had no idea what he¡¯d want me to do in an extraordinary case like this.

    ¡°Sir. My daughter, Cheer, enjoys having a new little sister, but my son and the village headman tell me that a mage should go to serve the Duke.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. What she said was true. A mage is a weapon. A single skilled magician could turn a battle on its head. I¡¯d never faced one or even seen one in war, but it¡¯s said they could crush metal by breathing and blow away flying arrows with a laugh.

    Unfortunately, there was a bigger problem. If the girl was dangerous, I didn¡¯t want her anywhere near the Duke. Furthermore, I didn¡¯t like the look she was giving me. It¡¯s like she was sizing me up and deciding where was best to insert the hypothetical knife.

    I needed to get more information. ¡°Diligence, where did she come from?¡±

    She pointed at the young man standing with her daughter, ¡°Vigor, my son, found her near the edge of the forest while he was mending our fences. She was hungry, lost, and quite nearly naked. She was wearing mostly mud and leaves. I took her in. It¡¯s only natural to be hospitable to strangers.¡±

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    ¡°So you''re the one who gave her a shirt and pants?¡± I asked the critical question off-hand.

    ¡°Sir! No! I would never do such a thing!¡± She blushed deeply and waved her hands about in a panic. I¡¯d just accused her of a pretty significant and immoral crime.

    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t she have a decent outfit?¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t wear one! When we tried to put a skirt on her, she tore it out of our hands and started screeching like murder.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t convince her?¡±

    ¡°When she was asleep the first night, I switched the pants she¡¯d chosen for a skirt and then hid the pants in the vegetable storage. That didn¡¯t work either.¡±

    ¡°Why not? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ well¡­¡± Diligence lowered her gaze even further.

    When she faltered, the son, Vigor, spoke up, ¡°Sir. Uhh¡­ the fault there is mine. She attacked me and stole my pants.¡±

    ¡°That little girl beat you down and stole your pants?¡±

    ¡°She was quite angry and she fights dirty. Plus¡­ she hit me when I wasn¡¯t expecting it¡­ and¡­¡± He trailed off and shuffled his feet.

    I tilted my head and gave a look to the girl we were discussing. She responded with her own explanation, ¡°Fwoof! Pants!¡±

    ¡°I see. Ahh¡­ I suppose I can sort that out with the Duke. More importantly, I must ask where she came from. I can¡¯t just say she came from the woods.¡±

    At this, the daughter, Cheer, stepped forward, ¡°I think she came from faerie!¡±

    In other words, she came from a fictitious fantasy land? The other two didn¡¯t have a better explanation, so I sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask her?¡±

    Diligence responded, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve tried and tried. But she doesn¡¯t understand speech. We¡¯ve managed to teach her a few words, but it¡¯s hard.¡±

    ¡°But, she knows the word ¡®pants¡¯. Was that such an important concept?¡± I gave a chuckle.

    ¡°Sir. Yes. As you might imagine, there were several long conversations about clothing and propriety. She also knows the words for dress and skirt.¡±

    ¡°No dress! No skirt! Bad!¡± The girl growled.

    Diligence¡¯s face twisted in embarrassment and shame. ¡°She also knows the words ¡®no¡¯ and ¡®bad¡¯. She picked up those two pretty quickly.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ to summarize¡­ she¡¯s a foreigner and a mage. You don¡¯t know where she comes from or why she¡¯s here. She¡¯s learned a few words, but she won¡¯t wear proper clothing.¡±

    ¡°Sir. Yes. Should we send her to serve the Duke?¡±

    I looked over at my horse, Honey, and she looked back at me. No help there, but it did help to settle my thoughts. A horse¡¯s view of the world was pretty simple. Despite all that, if it came to a choice, Honey was reasonable and would probably prefer a skirt to pants.

    Thinking it through, I realized that I¡¯d missed something obvious. ¡°What¡¯s the girl¡¯s name?¡±

    Silence.

    I looked straight at Diligence who was avoiding my gaze.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know her name?¡± I sighed in exasperation.

    ¡°Sir. I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s ¡­ ahh¡­¡± she whispered something, but I couldn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I mustn¡¯t say it.¡±

    I stared at her, but Diligence shook her head. At that point, I guess the strange girl felt like my questioning was threatening Diligence. She stepped between us, snarling like an angry dog.

    ¡°I just want to know your name,¡± I looked down at the girl.

    ¡°Name?¡± She paused in her growling and tilted her head up at me.

    Oh! She must know that word too! I pointed at myself, ¡°Name Deft!¡± Then I pointed at her, ¡°Name you?¡±

    ¡°Sir! No! Please! Don¡¯t!¡± Diligence objected.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? I just want to know her name!¡±

    ¡°Name?¡± The girl pointed at herself with a question in her eyes. Diligence backed away and covered her face.

    Suddenly I sensed some new sort of danger. I looked around, but it was just me and the little girl looking up at me.

    ¡°Name ***EUPHEMISM*** !¡±

    Except that¡¯s not what the girl said. I heard her name quite clearly, and It¡¯s not fit to repeat. The sound was like a horde of stones crashing together inside her mouth. There were no tones for the vowels and the rest was a jumble of hissing, spitting, and angry consonants. Despite that, I could clearly make out words. The meaning was foul like a cesspool! To explain more accurately, it was a long collection of curses rivaling the worst insults among an unholy coven of furious prostitutes.

    This was the little girl¡¯s name? Oh, high heavens!

    There was silence. Looking around, I saw Diligence holding her hands over her blushing face. Her son, Vigor, was using his hands to cover his little sister¡¯s ears.

    My own ears were burning in embarrassment. How could I fix this? Surely it was a mistake.

    ¡°Can I call you Eu?¡±

    ¡° Name *EUPHEMISM* !¡± She repeated the same exact phrase as before and then glared at me like I was stupid.

    I waved my hands and said something she would understand, ¡°No name! No name!¡±

    She huffed in exasperation and stomped her foot, ¡°Name *EUPHEMISM* !¡±

    I stepped away and waved my hands again.

    ¡°That¡¯s her name.¡± offered Diligence. ¡°We tried to give her a new name, but she wouldn¡¯t accept it. If you keep bothering her about it, she¡¯ll start screeching it out louder.¡±

    There were some chuckles from the people in town, as well as some children who¡¯d appeared to enjoy the spectacle. Apparently this same scene had happened at least once before.

    ¡°Well¡­ ahh¡­ hmm¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°What should we do? We can keep her here if you want. She¡¯s a good girl. She helps around the house and she¡¯s learning gardening. She¡¯s even tried to help with the cooking.¡±

    I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Her name ¡­ didn¡¯t really matter. Her origin ¡­ didn¡¯t really matter. Her pants ¡­ would need to be addressed, but that could be handled later. The important part was her magic. The Duke would want to see it for himself.

    ¡°All right. I suppose it¡¯s obvious. I¡¯ll take her to the Duke for a decision. If he doesn¡¯t want her, I suppose I can bring her back.¡±

    At this, the village headman came skipping over. ¡°Will there be a reward?¡±

    Surprised at his sudden approach, I pulled my sword halfway from its sheath, then pushed off Honey when she tried to take a bite out of him. Did the old man not sense how close he was to losing his head or if not, his nose?

    Once I¡¯d calmed down, I gave him my best frown. ¡°You want a reward? No. There will be no reward. But, I can pay for your expenses.¡±

    From my pouch, I passed him a silver moon to offset the heavy cost of paper, ink, and the merchant¡¯s favor in delivering the letter. The value of the single coin was generous, a whole month''s unskilled labor. I didn¡¯t want to hear any complaints.

    He breathed a pleased sigh and backed away. At the same time, I noticed Euphemism¡¯s eyes had turned into deadly pools of fury. Clearly, she liked the headman even less than I did.

    Obviously, this was a bad omen. To get back to the seat of the Duchy, there was a six day trip ahead of us. I had no idea what her magic could do. Though, if looks could kill, I¡¯d be dead already.

    On the other hand, maybe I could change her opinion?

    ¡°Ah ¡­ just a moment, Diligence, if there was a reward, it should go to you. You put up a stranger in your house and unknowingly served the Duke with your actions.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Sir. Please, no! I did nothing more than give hospitality to a lost child.¡±

    I ignored Diligence¡¯s protests and pressed two silver moons into her hand. At the same time, I was watching Euphemism¡¯s reaction from the corner of my eye. I could see her brighten immediately and give a pleased nod to herself.

    A strong sense of justice? That was a good start. I could work with that.

 Chapter 3 - Respite

    By the end of the discussion, the sun was setting and I needed somewhere to stay. In a pinch, I could camp out again, but I¡¯d promised Honey a barn, and it was important to keep your promises. Especially when Honey was involved.

    I didn¡¯t like the idea, but I decided that the headman, Apt, had the best house. Besides, I¡¯d already given him some money. He owed me, right?

    ¡°Headman Apt. As a traveling servant of the Duke, I¡¯ll be exercising my right to demand board and quarter.¡±

    As expected, his face fell and his eyes started twitching around like the weasel that he was. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d offer my house, but¡­ my wife is ill.¡±

    That was a lame excuse and we both knew it, ¡°She¡¯s ill? What does that have to do with it?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s very sick! It could spread! It could be a plague or pestilence!¡±

    Internally, I sighed. ¡°Very well. You seem like a wealthy man. Put me up in one of your other properties.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I could see him struggling to think of some new way out.

    Given the pause, a new voice spoke from behind. ¡°Sir Deft. You could stay with us!¡±

    Turning around, I saw the offer had been made by Vigor, the son of Diligence. I supposed he was the man of the house, so his overture was valid. Regardless, I gave a look to his mother for confirmation, but found her nodding along in agreement.

    At that point, I considered the two different alternatives. I could easily force the headman to provide somewhere for me to sleep and probably some food as well. If not, I could teach him proper respect. However, that all seemed like a big pain and a waste of effort.

    In contrast, staying with a willing serf family wouldn¡¯t be comfortable for them or me, and it would detract from my personal honor as well as the reputation of the Duke. More importantly, I¡¯d worry about what it would do to their finances. Honey could eat like a full platoon and never knew when to stop.

    On the other hand, I already had high regard for Diligence and her family. Although it might lower my own reputation, by staying with them, I could improve their standing among the townsfolk. In addition, I could force an extra silver moon or two into the family¡¯s hands - and maybe earn some more favor with Euphemism before the upcoming trip.

    With my mind made up, I gave a nod to young Vigor and motioned for him to lead the way.

    As we walked off, I heard the headman huff at us. I suppose he expected me to pay for lodgings? As much as I liked the idea of taking some petty vengeance, it just wasn¡¯t worth my time. Clearly, the village didn¡¯t think much of their headman. It was a position decided by social consensus and practice - not hereditary, nor by commission. He wouldn¡¯t last much longer.

    In fact, given the way things were going, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find Diligence herself soon in the same role. This was especially likely considering the coins I¡¯d given her probably made her the wealthiest serf in town. Not my intent, but it was a nice thought.

    Vigor walked beside me and Honey. He was grinning broadly, which was infectious. I knew what it was like to be a young man hosting an important guest. If I had to guess, he probably still had dreams of weapons and armor and proving his valor in honorable warfare. For his sake, I hoped his boyish dreams would forever stay untainted by reality.

    ¡°You¡¯re a squire?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes. A free squire in service to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡®free¡¯ squire?¡±

    ¡°A squire isn¡¯t just a career, it¡¯s a social class or a connection between families. I outrank a gentleman, but not a knight. I¡¯m called a free squire in that I don¡¯t personally serve a knight. Naturally, I did when I was young, but now I¡¯m one of many that serve the Duchy by choice instead of by obligation.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± He was mystified, but I¡¯d probably feel the same if he explained how to grow radishes.

    The three women followed behind us along the path, as fit their status. I could hear them talking quietly among themselves. I couldn¡¯t make out the words, but I could definitely catch the grinding accent whenever Euphemism added a word to comment on the conversation.

    From listening, her accent had two major components. The first was an overemphasis and hardening of all of the consonants. The second how she often used the wrong tone on the vowels. Combined, you had to listen carefully and parse meaning from context.

    In any case, she didn¡¯t say much, so I spent my time discussing the weather, geography, and local news with Vigor. In no time, we¡¯d arrived at our destination.

    Diligence¡¯s farm and house fit her name. Even though she was a widowed serf, everything was kept clean and tidy. The fences were tight and strong to keep out foraging animals. The fields were straight rows with vegetable crops on the verge of harvest. The house was small, but kept in good repair.

    Unfortunately, while there was a chicken coop, there was no barn. As we approached, I patted Honey¡¯s neck, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking to your horse?¡± Vigor peered over at me.

    ¡°I promised her earlier that she¡¯d sleep in a barn tonight.¡±

    ¡°She prefers sleeping inside?¡±

    ¡°Actually, no. She doesn¡¯t. But, a barn implies quality hay and treats.¡±

    ¡°Oh! We can do that!¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯d hate to impose. You have no idea how much she can eat.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ well, I bet she¡¯ll be getting some treats anyway.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°My sister, Cheer, loves animals. If you let her have her way, your horse will end up fat.¡±

    I gave him a grin, ¡°Honey would love to be fat.¡±

    Honey gave a huff of agreement, which made us both chuckle.

    The grass around the backside of the house was thick and green, and served well as a temporary horse paddock. There was some concern she might come around front and stomp on the crops, but Vigor told me not to worry about it. Instead, he helped me out while I took off the saddle and baggage.

    Cheer arrived shortly thereafter with a bucket full of carrots. Apples were Honey¡¯s favorite, but carrots would be a close second. My only concern was the amount, but I figured it was too late. Honey had seen them offered, so she¡¯d punish me later if I tried to restrict her intake.

    In exchange, I gave Vigor and Cheer some pointers about how to approach and care for a horse. Honey knew all the tricks to getting the best treatment, so it was pretty easy. There¡¯s no teacher quite as effective as a horse that sighs when you rub her itchiest spots.

    In the meantime, Euphemism watched the proceedings from a distance. She didn¡¯t seem the least bit curious. In fact, I could see her wrinkling her nose as if telling me that I was stinky. She was right of course. I¡¯d been on the road for too long and I only had one extra change of clothing. Now that the trip out was done, I couldn¡¯t wait to get back home and head to the public bath house.

    When Diligence called us in for dinner, we all squeezed into the tiny house. The walls were formed from branches of wood tied with brambles and vines, then sealed with mud. At least, I hoped it was mud. The so-called roof was simply hay held up by supporting rafters. The only furniture consisted of piles of straw surrounding the central cooking fire. Those lumps clearly served as chairs, but also as bedding.

    I looked around, realizing that it was rougher than I liked, but still better than I expected. In any case, it would be better than another night in the rain with a leaky tent on hard ground. I would have preferred a bed, but better this than putting up with that awful headman.

    Supper was served in earthenware bowls. The contents were a mix of boiled grain and vegetables. I recognized carrots, radishes, cabbage, plus other edible leaves and simple herbs for flavor. A typical meal for peasants. In fact, they were probably splurging on my account. Obviously, I didn¡¯t complain. I¡¯ve eaten worse and gladly!

    As a polite guest, I decided to spice up the occasion by handing out portions of some of my salted meat. Each piece was worth more than what I was being fed, but it raised my spirits to see the sparkle in their eyes. Meat was a luxury and they knew it.

    The meal couldn¡¯t begin without a blessing. Logically, that responsibility fell on me. By priority, it went to the eldest highest-status male adult. In other words, as an adult, Diligence would be picked before Vigor, but not for much longer. However, as an adult male, I outranked all of them. The exception is if I gave the honor to a younger male for their own training. In this case, as if he were my own son, I motioned for Vigor to speak for us.

    After that, conversation was non-existent. It was already late and the coals of the fire were dimming. Peasants go to bed with the sun. The exception in all of this was Euphemism. Her stomach was growling loud enough to hold a conversation all by itself. Yet, she picked at her meal, inspecting each spoonful before approving it to be eaten. The grain and carrots seemed to pass inspection, but everything else large enough to identify was left in the bowl. On the other hand, she accepted my cured meat and devoured her portion almost instantly.

    Her manners were atrocious and I gained another measure of respect for Diligence¡¯s forbearance. The girl behaved like the picky princess of a fairy tale.

    Wait just a moment ¡­ that image could actually explain a lot!

    With that concept in mind, I watched her more carefully. Unfortunately, the idea only partially fit. Her posture was awful. Her gestures were slovenly. Her etiquette was entirely lacking. Even so, I could see she had certain mannerisms that would only fit among the nobility. For example, while dipping soup from the bowl, she would always dip away from herself. Likewise, she only used her right hand, while keeping her left hidden under the bowl in her lap. In contrast, the others picked up their bowls and scooped directly into their mouths.

    Interesting. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t know what to do with it. If she was a lost noble, she¡¯d been well trained, but made no effort to keep it up. What I saw was just the remnants of habits, probably learned from when she was even younger. Either way, it gave me another avenue to approach her. Maybe I¡¯d try some experiments once we were out on the road together?

    Once everyone had finished their bowl - or at least pushed the remnants away in Euphemism¡¯s case, Diligence explained the sleeping arrangements. I had my own pile of straw, set apart from the family. The closest person to me was Vigor. The others were all on the far side, which fit status and custom. As an outsider, it wouldn¡¯t be proper to put me in proximity to any of the womenfolk, no matter their age.

    As the last light faded from the sky, I could hear the family¡¯s breathing settle as each one of them fell asleep. I was about to do the same, when across the room, I heard Euphemism stir and rise.

    I stayed silent to watch, but the motion was enough to wake Diligence. She sat up, saw it was Euphemism headed for the front doorway, then laid back down, seemingly unconcerned. In fact, I could hear her grunt out a few words to herself. ¡°Again? Every single night?¡±

    From that, I could guess this behavior was common. On top of everything else, the girl must be a poor sleeper? I could count on my fingers how many annoyances I was signing up for. No, it took more than just my hands. I needed my toes too. This trip was going to be a nightmare!

    As I was busy wallowing in my own pity, suddenly there was a familiar light from outside. If I hadn¡¯t seen it before, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized it. But, it had the same color and brightness as her magic.

    In response, I sat up and leaned over to look through the open doorway. There she was, twenty paces down the front path, standing in place with her eyes closed, hands clasped, and her hair blowing about wildly. The light was enough to illuminate the whole vegetable garden. The sound of wind was soft, but clear even at this distance.

    I stared as she blasted her magic out for no perceptible reason. What was she doing? What did this accomplish? And she did this every single night? Wasn¡¯t magic power precious?

    In contrast to her display this afternoon, the effect didn¡¯t disappear again after a single blink. Instead, it went on and on and on. In fact, I could see moths and bugs gathering around the false moonlight and trying to land on the egg¡¯s surface, but failing. From that, I deduced that although it was visible, it had no form or substance.

    Suddenly, the light ended. In the sudden darkness, I was blind. For a long moment, I couldn¡¯t even see the starlight leaking through the doorway. But, over time, my eyes adjusted as I strained to discern anything at all.

    Euphemism was standing there in the opening, looking down at me. Her eyes weren¡¯t angry, but her lips were pursed and she held up a finger to her mouth, signaling for me to remain silent. After that, she crawled quietly back into her own pile of straw and laid down.

    I waited, but nothing happened.

    Eventually, I could hear her breaths slowing as well. I supposed she went right back to sleep just that easily? It wasn¡¯t fair!

    At some point, I laid back down and tried to get comfortable.

    I couldn¡¯t sleep. My mind was racing. I had a lot to think about, but I had no idea where to start.

    I started to plan out my return trip. There were surely strategies and plans that could make it all easier. I started to count out a few ideas on my fingers before I drifted off to dreamland.

 Chapter 4 - Departure

    In the morning, it was raining. It wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d call a storm, but it wasn¡¯t a drizzle either. One look out the front doorway was enough to ruin my morning. All I could see was dark clouds from horizon to horizon.

    A nice rain is pleasant enough when you are relaxing at home or casually walking about town. When you are on the road, it¡¯s nothing less than miserable. Water adds weight to your gear, makes each movement difficult, soaks your beard, and sticks your clothing to your skin. I was lucky that my mail and cape were freshly oiled when I left the capital, but that only goes so far.

    Regardless, I¡¯d overstayed my welcome. Besides, I was eager to get back home. As Diligence prepared an extra serving of soup, I checked over my gear. Vigor and Cheer were busy packing a bag for Euphemism, while she watched. Given her reaction, I supposed nobody had told her she was leaving with me? But, if she didn¡¯t speak the words, how could we explain?

    On the other hand, once her bag was ready, she shouldered it up without complaint, and looked to me for guidance. Apparently, she¡¯d figured out what was going on by context. Though, when I gave her a smile, she didn¡¯t respond. Small victories - at least she wasn¡¯t angry.

    Once we¡¯d finished our portions of the gruel, I pulled out another silver moon for Diligence. ¡°This is to thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    She backed away from my coin. ¡°Sir. Your generosity is far too much.¡±

    ¡°I was glad for a peaceful rest. Likewise, Honey ate her share in carrots.¡±

    ¡°You have already given us a reward yesterday. It was only fair.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I imagine your daughter, Cheer, will miss her new friend.¡±

    ¡°A friend cannot be replaced by any amount of coin.¡±

    She had me there. In fact, she¡¯d rejected my offer three times now, so pressing further would break polite custom and tradition. I returned the coin to my pouch, but couldn¡¯t bear leaving Diligence empty handed. After a moment¡¯s thought, I instead pulled a ring from my right hand.

    She immediately saw what I was doing, ¡°Sir! No reward is necessary!¡±

    ¡°This is no reward. It¡¯s a promise. The metal is only copper. The price is less than the coin I offered. However, it bears my mark. If you ever find yourself in trouble, bring that to the seat of the Duchy and if I still live, I¡¯ll do my best to assist you.¡±

    Diligence still looked unsure, so Vigor stepped forward to accept it. ¡°Heavens forbid that we ever need it, but we¡¯ll keep it safe. It will be the treasure of our family!¡±

    I grinned in response, ¡°A treasure is meant to be used. If it serves you better, you may sell it - but scratch out the mark if you do.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I understand.¡±

    I gave him a nod of approval. If he were of higher birth, I would have held out my upturned wrists for him to clasp.

    Diligence stepped forward with a package wrapped in leaves. ¡°This has dried berries and fruits to hearten you on the road. It may also improve the girl¡¯s sentiment. She adores sweet things.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°Just like my own daughters. You have my thanks!¡±

    There was no need for farewells. I¡¯d likely never see them again. Though, Euphemism moved to give each one of them a hug.

    Cheer even tried to kiss her ears as a sign of kinship, but Euphemism giggled and pushed her away. From her response, she didn¡¯t seem to understand the meaning of the gesture. Poor Cheer was heartbroken, interpreting it as some sort of rejection.

    Once we were ready, the group of us trudged out into the falling rain. There was some delay as I cinched up Honey¡¯s saddles and baggage, so the rest stayed under the cover of a nearby tree.

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    We hadn¡¯t even set off, but I could already feel the mud sticking to my boots. It was simple to predict that Honey would be miserable and crabby by the end of the day. Worse, if she had to carry an extra burden, she¡¯d be even more irritable. But, looking at the girl¡¯s wooden shoes, I could guess that she¡¯d develop blisters before walking even the time span between two bells.

    In the end, I decided the best solution was to lead the horse while letting the girl ride. If anyone saw me, it¡¯d be shameful, but I wasn¡¯t actually concerned about rumors from a few serfs out here in the boonies. Besides, to them, the sight would be more amusing than disgraceful.

    Unfortunately, there was one last unexpected wrinkle. Euphemism was terrified of Honey and wouldn¡¯t even come near her. Now I understood why she¡¯d kept the horse at a distance yesterday. When I picked her up and carried her toward the saddle, she froze straight and solid like an icicle. Her eyes opened as wide as they could go and I could feel her trembling underneath my grasp. This wouldn¡¯t work - Honey would be sure to bite her at this rate!

    Trying to calm the girl down, I spoke to her gently. She may not understand my words, but I hoped she¡¯d get my intent. ¡°I¡¯m going to put you on top of Honey. She¡¯s a sweetie, but if you keep flinching like this, you¡¯ll upset her.¡±

    ¡°No! No! Bad! Bad!¡± She flailed her arms and kicked out her legs as I carried her closer.

    I sighed sadly. I considered sweet-talking the horse instead. It might work for a while. Honey might listen to me for a time if I asked, but in the end, she¡¯d do whatever she wanted.

    I stepped back to count off the different alternatives on my fingers.

    Option one: I could stay another day and wait for the rain to end. Everybody would be fine with that except for me. I wanted to get back home! Option one, nope!

    Option two: The girl could walk. Honey would be happy. The girl¡¯s feet would end up like raw meat. Option two, nope!

    Option three: I could force the girl to ride. Oh! I could tie her onto the saddle like baggage! In fact, if I tied her over the top face-down, I wouldn¡¯t even have to look at her. Although I felt like this was the best option so far, I was still concerned about her magic. Option three, nope!

    Option four: I could carry the girl. She was tiny, thin-boned, and probably weighed no more than a feather. If Honey carried my gear and the girl¡¯s bag, it¡¯d be fine. The problem then would be the hit to my reputation. If anyone I knew saw me, the Duke would be asking questions. Option four, nope!

    Option five. There was no option five! At least nothing that I could think of. I¡¯d have to choose one of the other four. In fact, I felt my resolve failing as I stood here undecided. The whole family was watching me!

    ¡°I have an idea!¡± said Cheer. ¡°You could give my sister some carrots!¡±

    Euphemism was her ''sister'' now? How awful! Hmm¡­ still, the idea did have some merit. Honey would love more carrots. If it came from the girl¡¯s hand, Honey would treat her well afterwards. At the same time, it would teach Euphemism that there was nothing to fear.

    It didn¡¯t take long to make a decision. ¡°Carrots it is! Could I purchase a bucket full? I¡¯ll hand them to the girl one at a time.¡±

    Cheer shot off like an arrow toward the front garden. In the meantime, Vigor found the bucket from yesterday and brushed it out. A few moments later, we were ready.

    I hunkered down on my heels to face Euphemism at her eye-level with the bucket at my feet and a single carrot in my hand. ¡°Watch me. This is easy.¡±

    Euphemism¡¯s eyes were wide as I approached Honey from the front. This much was obvious, because horses don¡¯t like it when you sneak up behind them. I extended the carrot, waving it slowly in front of her nose. Honey gave a look at me, a nicker of amusement, and then snatched it out of my hand. ¡°Crunch crunch crunch.¡±

    ¡°See? Easy!¡± I walked back to Euphemism and forced a carrot into her hand. She shook her head back and forth, but I moved behind her and pushed her slowly toward the horse.

    ¡°No! No! No!¡±

    It was all going well until Honey, seeing the carrot, took a step forward. At that point, Euphemism started flailing around so hard that the carrot flew out of her hand. That wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, except the resulting trajectory was unfortunate.

    Honey does not like it when carrots stab her in the eye.

    If you¡¯ve ever heard a warhorse roar, you¡¯d understand why we both leaped backwards. More accurately, I stumbled backwards pulling Euphemism away. The girl had fainted outright.

    In a way, Euphemism¡¯s collapse was a good thing. First, she didn¡¯t see Honey rearing up and stomping her hooves into the ground. I had no doubt that wouldn¡¯t improve her opinion of horses. But, more importantly, I could now tie the girl to the saddle without any complaints.

 Chapter 5 - The Road

    A short while on the road, and Euphemism started whining. I knew she¡¯d been awake for some time, but she had held her tongue. She was tied face-down, with her head and legs hanging down on opposite sides from the top of the saddle. I¡¯d never suffered such an indignity myself, but I could guess that it wasn¡¯t comfortable.

    The falling rain pattered down on her back, soaking her clothes and dripping from her hair. She looked miserable and I didn¡¯t blame her for complaining.

    Hearing her whimpers, I approached more closely. I¡¯d considered gagging her as well, but realized that would make this look even more like a kidnapping.

    ¡°Do you want me to untie you?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    She probably didn¡¯t even know what I was asking.

    ¡°Do you want to yell about it?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    ¡°Do you think I care?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    I sighed. Honey seemed happy though. She flicked her ears back at the girl occasionally as if amused by her supposed punishment.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you there until you get tired of yelling.¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    ¡°After that, I¡¯ll try sitting you up in the saddle. Maybe you¡¯ll be used to Honey by then.¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    This went on for a while. Occasionally, I would ask her silly questions just to chuckle at her absurd responses. Knowing what she was going to say made it all too easy.

    ¡°Are you unhappy?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    ¡°Do you feel mistreated?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    ¡°Do you want to say anything else?¡±

    ¡°NO NO NO!¡±

    When she started crying instead, I realized that I¡¯d done a very bad thing. All the same, from my experiences with my own children, I didn¡¯t want to reward her tears. It was heartbreaking to hear her sobs, but I figured I could wait until she was done.

    Unfortunately, the crying never stopped. Each moment seemed like an eternity had passed. In the end, my guilt and shame won out, and I moved to release her.

    The ropes weren¡¯t especially tight, but they were cold and wet and left chafe marks on her wrists from her struggles. Likewise, she winced loudly when I sat her up. I¡¯d put my blanket and spare clothes under her to pad the saddle, but being carried like that was not a proper sitting position.

    ¡°Can you sit in the saddle?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she just burbled at me. Her face was a mess of tears and snot and her wet black hair was stuck to her cheeks and forehead.

    ¡°High heavens! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry!¡±

    She seemed to understand my tone of voice, even if the words didn¡¯t reach her. In response, she nodded at me. Strangely, she didn¡¯t seem angry. It¡¯s as if she had already forgiven me. It was an incredibly mature response, so it caught me by surprise.

    ¡°That was really stupid of me!¡± I bowed my head to her.

    She nodded again. ¡°Bad.¡±

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    ¡°Very bad. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Bad. Sorry.¡±

    Oh! She knew the word ¡®sorry¡¯ or maybe she¡¯d just learned it? Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t tell if she was apologizing or if she was just agreeing with me that I was sorry.

    ¡°Sorry. Bad.¡± I agreed with her, no matter what she was thinking.

    She paused while looking at me, then expressed herself further, patting Honey¡¯s neck. ¡°Sorry Honey.¡±

    ¡°Ahh! You¡¯re sorry for hurting Honey?¡±

    ¡°Sorry Honey.¡±

    I pulled out the package of carrots that Cheer had packed into the saddlebags. ¡°Want to give Honey a carrot?¡±

    ¡°NO!¡±

    ¡°Maybe later. Don¡¯t you worry. Honey¡¯s a sweetie.¡±

    ¡°Honey bad.¡±

    Honey flicked an ear back at us. This wasn¡¯t going well. I shouldn¡¯t have brought out the carrots unless she was going to get one.

    ¡°All right. You just sit there in the saddle. I¡¯ll lead the way and give Honey a carrot.¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get it. Yes. I¡¯m still sorry.¡±

    Considering what had happened, now my hands were trembling from the guilt and shame of what I''d done. I hadn''t meant to hurt the girl!

    In any case, Honey was happy to get a carrot. Luckily for Euphemism, Honey didn¡¯t hold long grudges. Once she felt you¡¯d been sufficiently punished, she¡¯d forget the whole incident. Plus, she probably thought the carrot-in-the-eye was some sort of freak accident. After all, it was! Wasn''t it?

    We continued like that down the road. In fact, we were making good progress despite the rain and the soft ground. The roads this far out were mostly overgrown, so there wasn¡¯t enough dirt to really call it mud.

    One big advantage in our trip was that I¡¯d just come this way the day before. I recognized the landmarks, so I knew where to find water, and I knew a good spot to take a break. There were even some hanging trees to give cover from the rain.

    Honey could have gone further, but since I knew there were days to go, it was important to take frequent breaks. She needed time to take on water and graze. I also could have gone further myself, but the biggest issue was Euphemism. She¡¯d never ridden a horse before, and I could tell that she was already getting tired.

    When I lifted her off the saddle, she gave another pained wince like before. She was wearing low-quality pants hand-woven by serfs. The straw-based cloth was rough and uneven, and was probably scraping the inside of her legs. She didn¡¯t know how to sit in the saddle correctly, and there was no way to explain through the language barrier. I knew that even suggesting the idea was a lost cause, but she¡¯d be more comfortable wearing a skirt.

    Obviously, I had to find a solution now. If we kept going like this, her skin would blister or even develop welts. At that point we¡¯d need to worry about bleeding and infection. At this rate, I was worried the Duke would receive my possibly precious cargo at the point of death.

    Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t think of anything to help. My best idea was to carry the girl in my arms like a princess. I didn¡¯t think even that would work. I was strong enough to pull it off, but considering her wet clothing, it would only change which area was being chafed.

    I hunkered down beside Honey and sighed loudly. It wasn¡¯t even noon on the first day, and we were already beaten. The only option seemed to be to stop here for a longer rest. I had enough food and other provisions. In fact, the carrots intended for Honey could be repurposed for human consumption. Honey would do just fine eating grass.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll set up camp. First, we need a fire and ¡­¡±

    I was interrupted by Euphemism letting loose her magic. She was seated on the grass a few feet away, but like before, she¡¯d closed her eyes and clasped her hands together as if she were praying.

    The egg-of-light sparkled brightly, just beyond the reach of my hand. If I had leaned forward, I could have touched it. Instead, I drew back. That seemed like the best choice. I didn¡¯t know what she was doing or why. Apparently she had magic to spare? But what purpose did this serve?

    The sound of wind matched her hair blowing back and forth. Blowing? It was flying freely around her head as if it had no weight. As if it were dry?

    When the glimmering light ended, I stepped closer to confirm my suspicions. Her hair was mussed around from the winds, but otherwise dry and glossy. Her clothes weren''t even damp. In fact, the last signs of snot were cleared from her face.

    ¡°Fwoof?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Fwoof!¡± I responded with enthusiasm.

    This changed everything. If she could keep her clothes dry, that would make a huge difference. I had a few tight-knit bandages in my supplies. If I could instruct her on applying them to her inner legs, we should be able to travel freely again.

    Unfortunately, my enthusiasm was misinterpreted. Apparently, she¡¯d taken my statement as a request. She moved closer to me and the egg-of-light reappeared along with the winds.

    ¡°No! No fwoof! No fwoof!¡± I shouted, but her eyes were closed and it seemed like she couldn¡¯t even hear me.

    I stumbled backwards out of the light without being harmed. My hair was blown around, but otherwise, I didn¡¯t see anything different.

    She continued for a while before opening her eyes again. Seeing my wild-eyed expression, she pursed her lips and huffed, ¡°Fwoof? Fwoof bad?¡±

    I didn¡¯t really have a sure answer. It had not harmed me. But, at the same time, I didn¡¯t appreciate anything that I didn¡¯t understand. In the end, I gave her a shrug.

    ¡°Fwoof Honey?¡± She offered.

    ¡°No! No! No!¡±

 Chapter 6 - Education

    Before we set off again, I gave Euphemism the bandages from my pack and explained with hand motions where they were supposed to go. She wasn¡¯t my own daughter, so there was no way I could apply them myself. Instead she snuck off into the woods to handle it while I brushed Honey down and checked over our gear.

    The rest of the day fell into an easy routine. I¡¯d put her on top of Honey, then lead the way through the rain. Each time we were completely soaked by the endless rain, we would take a rest, she would ¡°fwoof¡± herself, then we¡¯d repeat the process.

    Every single time, she¡¯d offer to ¡°fwoof¡± me and Honey as well, but until I understood it better, I opted for the better part of valor. From what I could tell, her magic seemed to blow the water and dust out of her hair and clothing. Convenient, I suppose, but pointless overall. If I had magic, I¡¯d be disappointed if that¡¯s all it could do!

    The skies were dreary and depressing. The road was empty except for ourselves. Eventually, I tried to start up a conversation. The problem was that Euphemism only knew a few words, so there wasn¡¯t much to talk about. On the other hand, there were so many things I wanted to know.

    I supposed I¡¯d start back at the beginning. While walking beside her on the horse, I pointed to myself, ¡°Name Deft.¡±

    ¡°Deft.¡± She nodded. She mangled the pronunciation, but I didn¡¯t mind. She had the idea.

    I pointed at Honey, ¡°Name Honey.¡±

    ¡°Honey.¡±

    I pointed at her, ¡°Name Eu?¡±

    ¡°Name EUPHEMISM!¡±

    It was the same collection of shameful words. On the plus side, we were alone on the road, so she wouldn¡¯t be tainting the ears of the innocent. I pointed at her again. ¡°Name Eu?¡±

    ¡°NO! NO! NO! Name EUPHEMISM!¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No. EUPH bad. HEM bad. ISM bad.¡± Of course, I used the actual words she was saying, not the replacements. My lips trembled, my tongue burned, but I had to demonstrate that I could indeed say her name¡­ if only in parts.

    ¡°EUPHEMISM bad?¡±

    ¡°Bad! BAD bad!¡± I looked her in the eye for emphasis.

    ¡°Bad? Sorry? Bad? No?¡±

    Maybe she didn¡¯t understand what ¡°sorry¡± meant after all?

    ¡°Eu is all right. EUPH is bad.¡±

    ¡°Name Euphemism.¡± She paused. ¡°Deft name Eu. Bad sorry Deft sorry name!¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what all that implied, so I asked for confirmation. ¡°Name Eu?¡±

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    She grumbled at me, ¡°Name Eu.¡±

    Progress! Maybe I could teach her a few more words while I was at it?

    I started by pointing at various obvious objects and naming them. Grass was easy enough, because I could pluck it up and show it to her. Rain and water were more difficult to distinguish, but I think I got across the idea by using hand gestures. It helped that I had my water skin to demonstrate. Sadly, I couldn¡¯t figure out how to communicate the difference between sky and clouds. After all, the sky was completely overcast.

    In the end, there wasn¡¯t much to work with until I started pointing at body parts and naming those. Foot, leg, arm, hand, fingers, nose, eyes, mouth.

    She picked up each new word quickly and started combining concepts. ¡°Honey mouth grass?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Honey eats grass.¡±

    ¡°Honey mouth Deft? Honey mouth Eu?¡±

    ¡°No. Honey doesn¡¯t bite. At least, not normally.¡±

    After that, we started working on my gear and articles of clothing. My sword, my helmet, my hauberk, my cape. Unfortunately, this reminded her of another controversial topic. ¡°Skirt bad! BAD bad!¡±

    Obviously, I had to pick my battles, but I didn¡¯t want to agree with her, so I just shrugged. Her insistence upon immoral clothing could be addressed later. In fact, if I had to, I could introduce her to the Duke as if she was a boy. If all else failed, I could claim ignorance.

    ¡°Pants is-all-right?¡± she asked. She¡¯d even picked up some new words from our conversation. On the other hand, she ran the new phrase together as if it was all one word.

    Unfortunately, if I agreed with her, I¡¯d be lying. Wasn¡¯t there some middle ground? I decided to circumvent the conflict by using an alternative expression. ¡°Pants ¡­ is not all right.¡±

    She glared at me, ¡°Pants NO is-all-right? Name EUPHEMISM!¡±

    Oh, high heavens! Was she blackmailing me? Apparently, I had to pick one or the other?

    ¡°Name Eu?¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Skirt bad!¡± She replied.

    I paused for a long time, putting one foot in front of the other as we continued along the road. This wasn¡¯t a valid long-term choice. I¡¯d have to introduce her in front of the Duke. Which was worse? Her name or her pants? In the end, I conceded. I hadn¡¯t put the pants on her, so I wouldn¡¯t be blamed. Well¡­ I would. But, it was still better than letting her spout profanity in the throne room.

    ¡°Name Eu. Skirt bad ¡­ for now ¡­¡±

    ¡°FOR-NOW?¡± She parroted my added words back to me. She was taller than me up on top of the saddle and she was even leaning over me as if to enforce her will. If she¡¯d been one of my own daughters, I would have pulled her down and given her a good scolding.

    ¡°Skirt bad ... for now,¡± I repeated myself.

    ¡°Pants is-all-right?¡± She asked for confirmation.

    ¡°Pants is all right ¡­ for now.¡±

    She gave out a big harrumph and then looked away.

    I gazed up at the afternoon sun peeking through the falling rain, ¡°Five more days of this? Today isn¡¯t even done!¡±

    Honey nickered at me. I guess she thought this was my punishment for some unknown slight.

    ¡°Carrot Honey!¡± Eu pointed a finger at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I looked back up toward her. Apparently, she¡¯d learned the word ¡°carrot¡± from the discussion this morning. On the other hand, now she was using it as a verb.

    ¡°Carrot Honey!¡±

    ¡°Is that a command?¡±

    ¡°Carrot Honey!¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯ll let you carrot Honey later when we take a break.¡±

    Eu sighed at me as if I was stupid.

    Unfortunately for me, she was right. Honey is a very smart horse. Honey understood exactly what had just been offered and then denied. Now, by Honey¡¯s calculations, punishment was due.

    ¡°Owww!¡± I cried out.

    ¡°Honey mouth Deft! Hahaha! Bad Deft! Mouth Mouth MOUTH!¡±

    ¡°Owww!¡±

 Chapter 7 - Winnowheat

    The next two days were about the same as the first. I¡¯d choose a campsite each night. We¡¯d eat from my dwindling provisions, then we¡¯d sleep on the ground under the stars. Of course, she¡¯d rise each night shortly after lying down to do her standard magic ritual.

    I had a small tent, but unless it was raining like the first night, it wasn¡¯t worth putting it up and taking it down. Instead, it served as padding underneath me when resting. For Eu, each night, I¡¯d cut down some grass to serve as hay. She was smaller and lighter, so it was good enough.

    The carrots ran out on the first morning. In fact, I overheard Eu while she was stuffing them into Honey¡¯s bottomless maw. ¡°Honey mouth Deft! Honey is good horse! Honey is smart horse! Hahaha!¡±

    "Are you rewarding Honey for biting me?"

    At this, her instructions became quieter. Instead, she spent her time whispering her wicked exhortations into Honey''s ear.

    Speaking of which, she was learning words at a colossal rate. In fact, she started demonstrating experience with grammar and syntax in ways that I¡¯d never even considered. She would say sentences backwards and try putting words together in weird ways. For example, ¡°carrot grass¡± was indeed an accurate way to describe the green leaves at the top of a carrot. ¡°Carrot boot¡± was not so evocative, but that was her description for her wooden shoes.

    Clearly, she had her own language before. If you could call it that. When she offered her own words for things, it sounded like a bunch of pops, clicks, cracks, and scraping rocks. I couldn¡¯t even distinguish where the words started and ended.

    On the third day, she managed to ask me what my name meant. Unfortunately, deftness wasn¡¯t easy to explain without more abstract helper words. I tried showing her a complicated dance and waving my hands around, but it only left her mystified.

    After that she started asking me the hard questions. For example, she wanted to know why her full name was such a problem. I wasn¡¯t about to explain perverse imagery to a child her age. Even if I had such a depraved character, where would I even start?

    In the end, I just shook my head and waved my hands uselessly, ¡°Bad!¡±

    ¡°Bad? Honey bite Deft bad?¡±

    I shook my head. I didn¡¯t have any way to explain symbolic concepts. Instead, I fell back on simple repetition and emphasis to try to get across the idea. ¡°BAD bad!¡±

    That didn¡¯t work. I could see her eyebrows drawing together in confusion. ¡°Honey bite Deft bad?¡±

    That¡¯s an idea! Absurdity for the win! ¡°Carrot bite Eu bad! BAD bad!¡±

    ¡°Oh! BAD! Bad BAD bad bad?¡±

    She still looked unconvinced, but I supposed I¡¯d gotten the point across. Someday, maybe I¡¯d be able to spell out the nature of the problem. On the other hand, I didn¡¯t want anything to do with it. By then she might hear the words of her name used in context. This wasn¡¯t my issue to solve!

    Luckily, she moved on to the next question. ¡°Not grass. Not tree. What?¡±

    Since she was pointing ahead down the road, my eyes followed the line of her finger to note the outer wall of a town in the distance.

    ¡°Oh, finally. That¡¯s the town of Winnowheat.¡±

    ¡°Town? Winnowheat?¡±

    ¡°Town is ¡­ what it is. Name is Winnowheat.¡±

    As we got closer, the wall became more obvious, as well as some of the outlying buildings. Beyond, I could see the taller wooden walls of the local earl¡¯s fortress. Eu didn¡¯t ask for more clarifications, so the idea seemed to be self-explanatory.

    For my part, I felt a grin rising to my face. The Duke¡¯s Seneschal had given me some coins for lodgings and food during my trip. Tonight, we¡¯d stay at the same inn that I¡¯d visited on the way out. I could ask for lodging with the Earl, but that would take longer and he¡¯d surely ask questions.

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    In any case, the thought of a fresh cooked meal and a bed were calling out to me. Honey also had a jaunt to her steps. She probably remembered the stables. For her, that meant fresh hay and new treats. It also meant spending some time with some other horses. After all, horses get lonely.

    Unfortunately, this was also a moment that I was dreading. As a squire, I couldn¡¯t be seen leading my horse into town with my proper seat taken by a peasant girl. We¡¯d need to switch. I pulled on the reins for Honey to stop and then lifted Eu down out of the saddle.

    ¡°Town. Deft on Honey. Eu on feet.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh?¡±

    I tapped my armor, ¡°I¡¯m a squire of the Duke. Honey is my horse.¡±

    She gave me a smirk, ¡°Deft bad. Deft sorry. Sorry sorry Deft.¡±

    ¡°Are you calling me sorry?¡±

    ¡°Eu on feet. Sorry Deft on Honey. Sorry sorry Deft.¡±

    I sighed aloud, but by this point, I didn¡¯t care. When I mounted up, Eu took the reins as if she was the one leading me into town. When I grabbed the reins back, she giggled. Honey nickered along with her.

    When we got closer, I saw that there was a soldier watching the gate. He¡¯d probably seen us switch positions out on the road, but I just glared at him, daring him to mention it. In the meantime, Eu had turned the situation into a song, ¡°Bad sorry Deft! Bad sorry Deft! Deft carrot water, sorry Deft!¡±

    Once we were through the gates, the streets were more populated. Her song continued and eyes started drifting my way. ¡°Can¡¯t you be quiet? I¡¯m not sorry! I¡¯m not carrot water either!¡±

    ¡°Not-sorry Deft! Not-sorry Deft! Deft carrot boot not-sorry Deft!¡±

    I rolled my eyes, but she was definitely getting to me. How could she be so frustrating using so few words? Luckily, the inn was near to the gate, so I hopped off at my first opportunity and passed the reins to the waiting stablehand. It didn¡¯t help that he was smiling brightly at her stupid song.

    When I laid my hand on top of her head, the song stopped. Perhaps her skull bent a little under the pressure of my fingers. Perhaps she could see the blood in my eyes. Perhaps she realized that Honey wasn¡¯t here anymore to back her up.

    She looked down at her shoes, ¡°Eu bad. Eu sorry.¡±

    ¡°Eu sorry? That means you won''t do it again? Good! Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    The interior was a small room, tight with the bodies of road merchants and pilgrims. There were a few tables, but most of the interior was reserved as a common sleeping area for guests. The better rooms with beds were at the back.

    I¡¯d been here just a few days ago, so the innkeep recognized me. I recognized him too since we¡¯d shared a few war stories last time. He was an old soldier with a bald pate and an eyepatch.

    Last time, I¡¯d rented a private room, which meant wealth, so he moved quickly to the front of the hall to greet me. ¡°Welcome back again to the Boar¡¯s Bedding! You''ll have dinner and a room? The stew¡¯s fresh since yesterday and it comes with a side of barley-bread.¡±

    ¡°Can I get the same room as last time?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s open.¡±

    ¡°All right. Dinner then for me and the girl there.¡± I handed over the coins to pay.

    ¡°Girl?¡± His hand froze before taking the coins. Instead, he peered down at Eu and I suddenly realized that I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. She was still wearing pants! With her small frame and short hair, you really couldn¡¯t tell the difference.

    ¡°Boy. She¡¯s a boy. I mean¡­ he¡¯s a boy.¡±

    Obviously, I¡¯d blundered that one too. The innkeep folded his arms and gave me his worst scowl. I could see the suspicion hardening in his eyes. ¡°Will this ¡®boy¡¯ be staying in the same room as you?¡±

    A few of the nearby travelers raised their eyes to observe the discussion. Obviously, I didn¡¯t need the extra attention! Furthermore, from the innkeeper''s expression, I¡¯d fallen from the enviable position of a degenerate scoundrel to the absolute bottom rung of humanity. He was probably weighing whether to call for the town guard.

    It was time to pull out the lies, and if you have to lie, lie big!

    To start, I leaned in close to him so only he could hear my whispers. ¡°You KNOW me! You can see the colors I¡¯m wearing! I serve the Duke! Look at her. It¡¯s a disguise! See that hair? It¡¯s black as night, right? She¡¯s a captive princess taken from the Plainsmen. We¡¯ve been holding her for ransom and she¡¯s on the way to the exchange.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I see! Of course!¡± He nodded in agreement, instantly switching his stance. ¡°Should I bring your meal back to your room?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s too small and weak to run off. We won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±

    In the meantime, Eu was watching our exchange, but we were talking too quickly and quietly for her to follow any of it. Even so, I could see her wrinkling her nose. She could tell that I was up to something dodgy.

 Chapter 8 - The Table

    The innkeep slapped my shoulder, then pointed over toward the people at the nearby tables. ¡°I¡¯ll get your food right out. Most of those lumps are already done eating, and they aren¡¯t renting a room, so feel free to push them off if you need a seat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± I nodded and turned to survey the room.

    As he said, all the tables were full. I could quickly pick out the merchants from the pilgrims. The problem was choosing which was worse. The merchants were a known quantity, and I could pull rank on them to take their seats. However, they had sharp eyes, and Eu was sure to get into some sort of trouble. In contrast, the pilgrims came from all walks of life. One table might be serfs taking their once-in-a-lifetime trip to visit some holy shrine. But the next might be the family of a knight or even lesser nobility.

    Thinking it over, I decided to place my bets on the most pitiful and bedraggled table of pilgrims. The quality of your clothes says a lot about your wealth and status. In other words, I should easily outrank them.

    ¡°Well met. My name is Deft, a free squire. Can you spare a seat for me and the boy? We¡¯ll eat quickly and be gone.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Well met!¡± There were four of them, two men, two women. Status and custom demanded that the women would give up their seats to stand, while the men shared the table with me. This proceeded nicely, and I nodded my thanks.

    Almost immediately after we had our seats, our meals arrived. As described, these consisted of earthenware bowls with stew, plus a small, hard loaf of barley-bread for each of us. There was also a mug of ale both for me and for Eu.

    I noticed that Eu waited for me to give the blessing. Another sign of a good upbringing. In fact, she even bowed her head and repeated the ¡°Amen¡± at the end. I doubt she understood one word in ten, but she must have understood the purpose of the ritual.

    The stew didn¡¯t have any meat large enough to detect, but the background flavor was definitely there. The bread was stale, but no worse than expected. For me, it was a fine meal considering our circumstances, but Eu picked at her food as usual. She slurped at her stew and made faces. She nibbled at her bread, then dipped it into the stew to soften it. As for the mug of ale, she took one sniff, then pushed it in my direction.

    ¡°Your boy knows good food from bad.¡±

    I looked up at the older of the two pilgrim men. Probably the father, while the other was his son. The fact the he was speaking to me at all was a surprise. However, he had a smile on his face, so he clearly thought he was making a joke.

    In response, I carried along the thread of the conversation. ¡°I wish the boy would eat more, but his mother was a Plainsman. You can see that from his hair.¡±

    The man nodded, ¡°Plainsmen don¡¯t even know good food when they see it.¡±

    I could laugh along with him, but the better option would be to end the conversation. My deception wouldn¡¯t hold up if they looked too closely. As such, I just gave a shrug and turned back to my stew. The faster it was gone, the faster we could get out of here.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re a squire? You must have some money then. Do you have any to spare? We¡¯re trying to reach Southump, but we¡¯ve already run dry.¡±

    Southump was several days¡¯ journey away, maybe even a week. Why they¡¯d be headed there was anyone¡¯s guess. I didn¡¯t know of any specific holy shrines there, but really, it didn¡¯t matter. The name itself was awful - was it South hump or Sow thump?

    If I gave them a coin, it would shut them up, so I pulled out a brass sun and pushed it across the table. It had the value of a day¡¯s wage, so pretty good for beggars, but not so much that it would be noted.

    ¡°I bet you have more in there. Would you like to dice for it? You might win more back than you started with.¡±

    Suddenly I understood the situation. These weren¡¯t pilgrims at all. Or if they were, that wasn¡¯t really their end goal. This was a group of drifters and gamblers. In fact, the man I¡¯d assumed was his son didn¡¯t look young enough to be sired by the elder.

    ¡°Sorry friend. I¡¯m hungry now and up before dawn tomorrow. I''ve got no time for games of chance.¡±

    The two nodded sadly, then turned to each other, pulling out their cups of dice. As I finished my meal, I watched as the two played for bit stakes against each other. At the same time, I kept an eye on their women. Considering the company they kept, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were pickpockets as well.

    Eu had already finished her meal. Her bread was half-eaten, her stew even less so. I didn¡¯t mind the extra food, nor did I want to insult the innkeep. With a quick hand, I switched my empty bowl with hers and continued taking it in.

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    That turned out to be the wrong choice. Eu seemed to be fascinated by the dice game. The two men were playing High-Low, which was simple to learn. You¡¯d each shake your cup of dice, then set them face down onto the table. After that, whoever won the last roll would guess whether or not his pair of dice was higher or lower than his opponent¡¯s. If the dice happened to be the same, it was an automatic loss - unless you called ¡°same¡± which was a fool¡¯s choice.

    After watching a few rounds, Eu poked me in the arm and pointed at the game. I winced under my breath, but it was too late.

    ¡°Your boy wants to play?¡±

    ¡°He really shouldn¡¯t. He¡¯s seriously stupid. He''s so daft, he can¡¯t even talk right.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon man! How will he ever learn?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be better off just giving my money away.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! At least give your poor boy a chance.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± I passed a single tin star to Eu. Valued at only a tenth of a sun, it was the smallest coin. In fact, it wasn¡¯t even round, just a thin sliver of unmarked metal. A star was only enough for a single bet, so it would let her play once. In other words, it¡¯d give me just enough time to finish the meal.

    She pushed out the tin star onto the table and the younger of the two men matched hers with his. After that, the older man pushed his cup of dice across for her to use in the game.

    As the newcomer, she was treated as the prior winner, so she¡¯d need to call. This put her at a disadvantage, because even though the same number was the least likely of the three options, it still tilted the game in the defender¡¯s favor.

    After they rolled, she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together. With a start, I realized what she was doing. Of course I recognized that pose! She was casting magic!

    I moved to grab her arm, but nothing else happened. She reopened her eyes, grinned, and stated her verdict. ¡°Low¡±

    When the two uncovered their cups, I saw that she¡¯d won by a single pip. She¡¯d rolled a total of six, while he had seven. Now, she had two stars, and she pushed them both forward, raising her bet with a further challenge.

    I couldn''t say anything. I knew she was cheating somehow. The confidence sparkling in her eyes told me how foolish this was. It was obviously magic! Yes, it was different from her nightly ritual, but definitely cheating! At a guess, she was using the wind to move the dice around. But in that case, how did she know that she only needed a six to win?

    In any case, I could see that this situation wouldn¡¯t end well. She was facing off against professional dice sharks and hoping to beat them at their own game. I set down the last of my stew and stood to leave. ¡°C¡¯mon boy. It¡¯s time for bed.¡±

    The gamblers complained. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not fair! At least give us a shot to win our coin back!¡±

    I was about to object, but Eu picked up her cup and rolled before I could get the words out of my mouth. After they rolled, she did the same quick ritual again. ¡°High.¡±

    Of course she won. There was never any doubt in my mind. Now she had four stars and it was time to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Enough games.¡±

    ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t leave when you¡¯ve got us down!¡±

    ¡°Fine. You folks take the coins. We need to go to bed.¡±

    This only riled them up. ¡°You think we¡¯d cheat you like that? We¡¯re not dishonest!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. In my experience, only a liar tells you that they aren¡¯t lying. Of course, they didn¡¯t know they were being cheated themselves. ¡°One last game, but I roll, not the boy!¡±

    ¡°One last game. That¡¯s reasonable.¡± The two nodded to each other.

    I pushed Eu to the side to grab the cup. I wasn¡¯t stupid and I¡¯d noticed that they¡¯d rolled a seven both times so far. Clearly, they were using trick dice. No matter what I guessed, the odds were against me. The question was how to lose on purpose. If I said ¡°high¡± or ¡°low¡±, I might win by accident. Instead, I decided to call out that the dice were the same. Knowing they were cheating, I knew they had a seven, so my odds of winning were one in six.

    I rolled, he rolled, and then I called ¡°same¡± with a grin. Naturally, there were some raised eyebrows. In fact, the neighboring table was leaning over to watch, but they just scoffed at me. My smile got wider. Eu never had time to do her little trick, so the odds of my rolling a seven were¡­

    ¡­ one in six! I couldn¡¯t help but hang my head. The odds were only one in six, but I¡¯d rolled that awful seven. I couldn¡¯t lose even when I tried! Now, I had eight stars that I didn¡¯t want.

    The tables beside us gave a loud shout and moved in to watch the game more closely.

    I didn¡¯t know what Eu had done this time, but she was grinning at me and jumping up and down in her excitement.

    ¡°I already said that was the last game! We¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Awww¡­¡± the audience complained, but I¡¯d had enough.

    I grabbed Eu¡¯s arm and she whined aloud as I pulled her out of the main hall back to our private room.

    ¡°Deft is bad! Deft is carrot water!¡±

 Chapter 9 - Rest and Risk

    The rooms at the back had beds for rent, but only a few were private rooms like mine. In the others, you¡¯d pay by the bed and share the room with whoever else did the same. Even so, the room had no door, just a hanging curtain to block out the babble from the main hall.

    Despite all that, the room was a tight fit with both of us. There were two narrow mats on the floor with just enough space to stand between them. A chamberpot stood against the wall next to the curtain at the doorway and that was it. The only lighting came from a tiny window slit open to the outside air.

    My hauberk came off as quick as I could shrug it over my head. My baggage went under the window, on the floor furthest from the hall. If someone tried to rob us, they¡¯d have to come all the way in. That served as my only real insurance for the night. After that, I sat down onto the thin mat and heaved out a sigh.

    Sleeping on the roadside meant constant worry. You never knew what might happen out there, so you had to stay alert. Although there might be rabid dogs or wild animals, the biggest fear was other men. Someone could always be trailing you. It¡¯s even worse when you¡¯re escorting someone small and defenseless.

    ¡°Deft?¡± Eu hadn¡¯t settled down yet. She was still standing in the middle of the room.

    ¡°What? Sleep now.¡± I pointed to her bed.

    ¡°Deft. Grass? Water?¡± She pointed back out the doorway and wiggled back and forth. She was trying to tell me something, but she didn¡¯t have the words.

    I watched her for a while when I suddenly realized the motions she was making. I¡¯d cared for my own children and I knew the various poses they would make when they needed to use the chamberpot.

    ¡°Ahh¡­ gotcha.¡± I stood up to leave, but she grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Grass? Water?¡±

    I pointed at the chamberpot and understanding dawned on her face, followed by rejection. ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Not again. You¡¯ve never used a pot before?¡±

    ¡°No! No! No!¡± She shook her head back and forth, tears in her eyes.

    I shrugged. There was no getting around this one. We were in a town. There was no grass or leaves for needs like this. If I asked around, I could probably find an outhouse, but odds were she¡¯d refuse that too.

    She held onto my arm pleading, but I pointed at the pot again and pushed her off. ¡°You need to go? I can¡¯t help you. You¡¯ll need to figure it out yourself. I¡¯ll stand guard outside.¡±

    Once the curtain was closed, I could hear some whimpering and fumbling inside. I didn¡¯t think that using a chamberpot was too complicated, but I couldn¡¯t even remember when I¡¯d learned the best methods. I guess someone had been there to teach me? Furthermore, it must be different for women than men? Mystery...

    I could clearly hear the clinking of the lid when she was finished, but I allowed her extra time to clean herself off. Just when I thought she¡¯d had more than enough, my expectations were shattered by the abrupt arrival of blazing light and the sound of rushing wind.

    ¡°Wh-wh-what are you doing?¡± I pulled back the curtain to see her standing in the center between the two beds. The brilliant glow of her shining eggshell stretched from wall to wall. In fact, in the dark room, it seemed to be even larger and brighter than before.

    Apparently, she couldn¡¯t hear me over the wind it made, so the scene went on and on without interruption. Men from the neighboring rooms started crowding around behind me to catch a glimpse of the maelstrom inside. Thinking quickly, I pulled the curtain closed again, swiveled around, and tried my best to give a smile.

    ¡°What was that?¡± The first man asked.

    ¡°What IS that?¡± Another amended since the sound and light was still leaking out behind me.

    ¡°The princess is a mage?¡± That was the innkeep. He¡¯d lost his common sense, shouting out my fabrication for anyone to hear.

    ¡°PRINCESS?¡± The room exploded in a shout of excitement. Even more men pushed into the hallway, completely blocking the exit.

    Personally, I thought the revelation that Eu was a mage should be the larger shock. Our kingdom had more princesses than capable magicians. But, I suppose the thought that a princess would be staying in an inn like this had already exceeded plausibility.

    Then, just to add to the chaos, the light behind me winked out and I heard the curtain slide open. ¡°Fwoof done. Sleep now.¡±

    ¡°PRINCESS!¡± the crowd roared.

    ¡°But, why¡¯s she wearing pants?¡± asked one insightful soul.

    There was a long pause as the group in front of me considered the question.

    ¡°It¡¯s a disguise!¡± I belted out to preserve my honor.

    With that, the mob pressed forward, but I put my hand on the pommel of my sword and took a fighting stance. ¡°Back off! Give some room!¡±

    That stopped the rush, but even more people were gathering in the room beyond those here in the hallway.

    ¡°Deft sword now?¡± Eu asked.

    I didn¡¯t want to kill anyone. That much should be obvious. But, I was here in service to the Duke. Failure was not an option. On the other hand, if the local earl caught wind of this, there would be all sorts of delays. He¡¯d want the mage for his own retinue. He might even stage a kidnapping.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    I could try to argue my way out, but I knew that wouldn¡¯t work. With the excitement and spectacle, the scene was approaching the state of a riot. Nobody would pause long enough to listen. The men in front were pushing back to get out of the reach of my weapon, but those behind them were pushing forward to get a better look. There was only one way I could see out of this¡­

    ¡°Eu! Fwoof! Now!¡±

    ¡°Fwoof?¡± she echoed with a note of surprise.

    ¡°Fwoof?¡± said the crowd.

    ¡°FWOOF!¡± I repeated.

    Suddenly, that familiar light sprang again into place behind me. I couldn¡¯t take time to look at it, but the mob blocking the hallway gasped in terror and scrambled away.

    This was my chance to get out of here. However, I had three things I needed to pick up. The first was my sack of gear at the far wall behind me. The second was my hauberk lying on the floor. The third was Eu. The question was whether she could continue ¡°fwoofing¡± while I carried her.

    Worse, in order to do any of that, I¡¯d be forced to go straight through Eu¡¯s fwoof shell. I¡¯d experienced it once before and hadn¡¯t felt any lasting effect. Likewise, Diligence hadn¡¯t seemed concerned at all when Eu did the same to her. In other words, it was safe, right?

    Steeling myself, I charged back into the room. The wind inside the light was stronger than I remembered, but I could still see well enough to grab my bag and hauberk. The first had a strap that went over my shoulder. The second was more difficult. I didn¡¯t have time to pull it over my head, so I draped it around my left arm, clenching onto it with that hand.

    When I grabbed Eu and picked her up, I was moving full speed. With just the one arm, I swept her up at the knees. The other arm, full with the mail hauberk, steadied her falling body so that her head flopped over onto my bicep.

    Her eyes flickered open and the winds fell away. ¡°Deft? What?¡±

    At least for the moment, we had a clear shot to the main hall, so I didn¡¯t even spare her a glance. Instead, I bounded forward, headed straight, pressing for the exit. The few men that were in my path leapt sideways to avoid a collision. Without any other obstacles, we barreled through the front door and spilled out into the street.

    A crowd had already gathered out here as well. However, I¡¯d already bypassed those who had personally seen the incident inside, but there was no end. Instead, these people were milling about and peering into the doorway. One helpful fellow reached out to steady my balance. ¡°Is there a fire?¡±

    ¡°No. Nothing like that. Just a little trouble with one of the guests.¡± I spoke truthfully, referring to the girl in my arms without looking at her.

    Unfortunately, I only had a few moments before the guests behind me would come boiling out as well. As much as I wanted to set her down and pull on my mail, if I didn¡¯t move quickly, I¡¯d never get out of this mess. With that conclusion, I headed straight for the stables.

    ¡°I want my horse. I¡¯ll be leaving immediately.¡± I passed two brass suns to the ostler. The first was the standard payment to cover the costs and his work as a stable hand. The second was ¡°hurry up¡± money.

    Even for an experienced ostler, readying a warhorse isn¡¯t a quick business. The saddle is heavier and more complicated, plus there are extra straps to hold it all in place. Given the time to wait, I set Eu down and donned my mail shirt by pulling it back on over my head.

    The ostler and another stable hand arrived shortly thereafter into the yard with Honey. But, at the same time, Eu was repeatedly pulling at my sleeve to get my attention. Following her worried gaze, I saw the same group of gamblers from earlier following my path into the stables. Their position put their group between me and my horse.

    ¡°You cheated! She used magic to flip the dice.¡± The older man accused me.

    ¡°I was trying to LOSE! I didn¡¯t even want to play!¡±

    ¡°Likely story! But, let¡¯s just call that water under the bridge, shall we?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I put my hand onto the grip of my sword and stepped free of Eu to give myself room to maneuver. There were four of them. I didn¡¯t see any weapons, but I had no doubts that they had knives underneath their pilgrim robes.

    The eldest held out his empty hands while the other three backed away. ¡°There¡¯s no need for conflict. Our goals are the same. We can help each other.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± My hand tightened on the sword.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that girl isn¡¯t your daughter, but she¡¯s caused you a bit of trouble, now, hasn¡¯t she?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t exactly deny that, and he grinned when he saw the flicker of resignation on my face.

    ¡°We¡¯d be glad to take her off your hands! In fact, if you give us a while to gather our backers, we could offer you a sizable reward.¡±

    ¡°Backers?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. In fact, it¡¯s better that you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You mean the Earl. His name is Triumph and I¡¯ve met him before.¡±

    ¡°All right, so you know¡­ but it¡¯s still a good deal, right?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I serve the Duke. He¡¯ll want the girl for his own retinue.¡±

    As we spoke, I saw Honey pull free from the ostler and make her own path toward the open door. Even so, my focus was on the wheedling man in front of me. He was still trying to negotiate. ¡°The Duke doesn¡¯t need to know what happened here does he?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way he won¡¯t find out.¡±

    ¡°All you need to do is move your lodgings for the night from the inn to the Earl¡¯s castle. The incident just a while ago gives you plenty of reason. Clearly, you can¡¯t go back to the inn.¡±

    I could see that he was right. Once the Earl had the girl, he could delay giving her up and make complaints to the king. After all, if you squinted at the map, she¡¯d been found in the Earl''s territory, not the Duke¡¯s. However, Honey had her own thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°Ahh, that sounds nice, but ¡­¡± I paused in my rebuttal, watching as Honey approached the man from behind.

    ¡°You still have objections? Maybe I can sweeten the...¡±

    ¡°Uhh. No, it¡¯s fine, but¡­¡± I held up a hand to warn him. Honey was looming up behind him.

    ¡°Why do you keep interrupting? I¡¯d expect you to be more polite!¡±

    ¡°No really! Uhh¡­¡± I gazed in horror as Honey opened her mouth. Beside me, Eu shivered in anticipation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work out a ¡­ Wh-wh-wha ¡­ Aaaoowww!¡±

    Eu jumped straight up into the air, arms swinging upward. ¡°Honey MOUTH!¡±

    Usually, when Honey takes a bite out of someone, she gives a simple nip to express herself. This time, she grabbed him up by the shoulder and didn¡¯t let go. She didn¡¯t have any reason to chomp down, but the man was completely at her mercy.

    His three friends moved to assist, but she drove them back with a few showy kicks. None of them connected, but the flash of her hooves was enough to discourage approach.

    ¡°Honey FOOT! Honey BOOT!¡± Eu¡¯s praise was followed by another dance of joy.

    The whole scene was an embarrassment. But, seeing my chance to escape, I grabbed up Eu and sprinted across the short distance.

    While Honey pirouetted around to bring her front hooves to bear, we swung up into the saddle. I set Eu in front of me and she grabbed onto the reins for balance.

    The poor man hanging from Honey¡¯s mouth was still wailing pitifully. At this point, he was lucky that she hadn¡¯t stomped on him. His three friends had abandoned him, cowering against the walls.

    ¡°Honey. Be nice. Let him go.¡±

    ¡°No! Honey MOUTH!¡± Eu shouted out her disagreement.

    Given conflicting orders from her two riders, Honey paused a moment to consider before obeying mine. The old scoundrel fell to the floor and crawled away while moaning. I could see Eu¡¯s countenance fall in disappointment, but Honey was MY horse, not hers. Honey knew which of us paid for her treats.

    Unfortunately, the crowd outside the inn was drifting in our direction, hoping for the opportunity to see even more havoc in one night. If I waited, they¡¯d block the yard, so it was time to go.

    I had all my gear and Honey was ready for anything. However, I¡¯d already had too much humiliation for one day. On the spur of the moment, I reached out to grab my helmet from the saddle horn and plopped it onto my head. Nobody would see my face as we galloped away.

 Chapter 10 - Stars and Sand

    The east town gate hadn¡¯t been closed for the night, though we did get an surprised look from the soldier on duty. He could have stopped us, but a man in armor with a warhorse typically outranked a city guard. I could see the despair in his eyes as we rode past. Given the unusual situation, he was sure to be questioned about it later.

    Once we¡¯d left the town behind, I reined Honey back to a normal walking speed. After that, I dismounted to walk alongside to spare her the extra weight. She was strong enough, but my mail shirt and other gear added several additional stones to her load. Furthermore, she''d already been walking all day.

    Considering the fallen sun, it would take quite some time for the Earl to receive the news and organize pursuit. Assuming we continued into the night, he¡¯d never catch us. Even if he did send riders after us, all we had to do was keep running. The next town along the road fell within the Duke¡¯s territory.

    Obviously, Honey was worn out. She¡¯d already done more than I expected. On the other hand, she was riding high from the excitement of biting someone without being scolded afterwards. Eu was about the same, wiggling and fidgeting in the saddle. Instead of resting, she stayed busy patting Honey¡¯s neck and whispering words of praise.

    ¡°Good horse! Smart horse! Mouth mouth mouth!¡±

    Unfortunately, in the fading light, finding a spot to rest and take on water was much more difficult. In the sunlight, I could have found landmarks and signs that I recognized. Instead, I was forced to pull off my helmet again and peer out into the falling darkness.

    In the end, we continued walking deep into the night. Eventually, I heard the burble of a stream ahead. The sound was familiar, and I suddenly realized we¡¯d walked as far as the border bridge, the edge of the Duke¡¯s domain. Once we¡¯d crossed over the stream, I immediately called a stop and set up camp. At some point, Eu had fallen asleep in the saddle. More accurately, she was lightly dozing while barely maintaining her balance.

    I pulled Eu off and set her on top of my laid out tent. In the meantime, Honey waded down along the incline at the side of the bridge to take on water. We only had a few bells left until morning, but we all needed the rest. My feet were killing me, but more importantly, I was exhausted from the tension of a narrowly avoided battle. Where my limbs had been tingling, now they were shaking from withheld effort.

    In addition to my concerns about pursuit, I could make out other travelers'' camps in the clearing around the bridge. This location was a common stopping point for merchants and pilgrims. In effect, that made this area even more dangerous, not less.

    Since I couldn¡¯t expect Eu or Honey to keep watch, I left my hauberk on and settled down against the side of a tree. I had no doubt that I¡¯d fall asleep, but this pose wouldn¡¯t let me go too deep. With one hand on the pommel of my sword, I¡¯d be able to jump up at the first sign of trouble.

    As I closed my eyes, Honey came to nuzzle up beside me and nibble at my hair. In other words, she was telling me that she¡¯d be keeping watch too. Not that I trusted her. A few moments later, she was breathing evenly, sound asleep. A few breaths afterwards, I joined her.

    <hr>

    The first sign of the coming dawn was the stirring of the merchant caravans in the camps nearby. The teamsters shouted out encouragement as each wagon yoked up their horses and prepared to leave. The sky overhead was still dark, but when I looked up, I could see the brightening blue of twilight before the rise of the sun.

    Once I realized where I was, my eyes flicked to where I¡¯d laid out Eu on top of the tent cloth. There was an impression in the oiled canvas where her body had been, but no sign of her.

    ¡°High heavens!¡± I leapt to my feet and scanned around the area.

    Luckily, she was nearby. I saw her crouched down at the water¡¯s edge playing with the river sand.

    As the adrenaline faded, I shook my head in relief and walked down the slope to join her. ¡°Don¡¯t drink that water. You''ll get sick.¡±

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°No water. Dirt!¡± She pointed at the small pile cradled within her hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s sand. The word is sand.¡±

    ¡°Sand! Big sand!¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a lot of sand¡­ I guess?¡±

    ¡°No! BIG sand!¡± She brushed the dust off of her palm revealing a small, sparkling crystal.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡± I approached to take a closer look.

    ¡°Sand!¡±

    ¡°You found that in the sand?¡±

    ¡°No? Yes! Sand fwoof!¡± She seemed to be awfully pleased with herself.

    When I reached out, she handed over the crystal. It had a regular, but unusual geometric shape. The six long sides were flat, but the two ends each had a tapering hexagonal pyramid. The length was about the same as my thumbnail.

    ¡°Huh? You fwoofed the sand?¡±

    ¡°No. Not fwoof sand. Sand fwoof!¡± Her words were so helpful... just like always.

    When I held it pinched in my fingers up to the sun, I could see that the crystal was glassy clear. In fact, I couldn¡¯t see even the smallest scratch. The light sparkled through it, sending out rainbows of color. I had to admit that it was pretty. In fact, I could probably sell it in the market as a gemstone.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sand fwoof!¡± She repeated herself.

    I looked behind her to where she¡¯d been working and I saw a collection of scribbles drawn into the riverbank. ¡°You found this here? Who did this?¡±

    ¡°No. Sand is ¡­ word is sand!¡± She smiled.

    ¡°Yes. Sand. That is indeed the word.¡±

    ¡°No! Sand not word! Word is sand!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    She pointed at her scribbles, ¡°Word!¡±

    I hunkered down to take a closer look and I realized what she meant. The marks in the sand weren¡¯t drawings at all. They looked more like writing, but not with any alphabet I¡¯d ever seen. The characters were arrayed in neat lines from top to bottom with careful spacing breaking phrases into groups.

    I shook my head as I considered the situation. The grooves matched the size of Eu''s finger tips. In other words, this served as further evidence that she must have noble blood from some foreign country. Who else would have taught her to write? Almost anyone can read a few letters and sound out words, but writing sentences and arranging them? That¡¯s one of the final steps of true literacy.

    Regardless, I couldn¡¯t deal with this now. It would serve as more information to relay to the Duke once we¡¯d arrived. More important at the moment was the crystal that she¡¯d given me.

    ¡°What is this?¡° I showed her the so-called sand-fwoof again.

    ¡°Sand fwoof!¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t help at all. Whatever. I guess it¡¯s yours?¡± I handed it back to her, but when she realized her pants had no pockets she pushed it back again to me.

    ¡°Yours ¡­ for now.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. I¡¯d used that same qualifier on her before. I could only surmise that she¡¯d understood exactly what it meant from the context. ¡°Uhh¡­ thanks?¡±

    She had a sweet smile, which she followed with a surprise attack by pointing behind me. ¡°Honey MOUTH Deft!¡±

    I ducked down and rolled forward in my panic, but was pleased to see that there were no horses sneaking up on me. Honey was still sleeping at the top of the slope near our camp.

    Eu started giggling, so I smirked at her, ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve got a mean streak!¡±

    ¡°Honey carrot?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re out of carrots, but I can buy some in the next village. We should be there before noon.¡±

    ¡°Village? Noon?¡± She repeated the words, but I had no time to explain.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Picking up the campsite was simple. I hadn¡¯t even opened my bag of gear the night before. That meant we¡¯d be eating cold trail rations as we walked. As I searched through my shrinking sack of supplies, I discovered the last of the dried fruit and berries that had been gifted by Diligence. That treat made the morning more bearable.

 Chapter 11 - Halfaway

    The next village was named ¡°Halfaway¡± which denoted the distance between the Duke¡¯s seat at Emberwell ahead of us and the Earl¡¯s seat at Winnowheat behind us. It was larger than the hamlet where Eu had started, but not by much. The most important part was that it had another inn with a stable.

    As we approached the outskirts, I laid down the law. ¡°No fwoofing at the inn. Got it?¡±

    ¡°No fwoof inn. Fwoof now?¡±

    ¡°Do you HAVE to fwoof?¡±

    She pursed her lips. ¡°Fwoof is good. Eu is good. Fwoof is smart. Eu is smart.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself Eu. You sound like a baby. You should say ¡®I am smart¡¯ to refer to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Deft is smart?¡±

    ¡°No, err¡­ YES! But, I am Deft. I am smart. You are Eu, are you smart?¡±

    It didn¡¯t help that her new name was pronounced almost the same as the second-person pronoun. I watched as she considered my sloppy explanation. But, I had to admit she was intelligent. She could figure out new words and concepts almost instantly. At the same time, as her vocabulary increased, her accent of hisses, clicks, and pops was disappearing. She was even learning the right vowel tones.

    ¡°I is Eu.¡± She shook her head and corrected herself. ¡°I am Eu. I am smart. I am good.¡±

    ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± She had figured out the proper grammar at the same time. Even if I disagreed with her last assertion, she was making progress.

    ¡°Fwoof is smart. Fwoof now?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    In response, she sighed at me as if I were stupid. ¡°Fwoof is good.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t going anywhere, but a little time lost wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°All right. That''s fine. Now is good.¡±

    I looked around to find a concealed spot by the roadside and then reached up to lift her off of the saddle, but it was already too late. She¡¯d folded her hands and closed her eyes. Before I could even grab her, the light blazed forth and the winds rushed around me.

    It was definitely bigger now! I clearly remembered the first time that she¡¯d done it for Diligence. Back then, it had just barely covered the two of them. But now, it surrounded Honey, plus me, plus a stride in every direction. It was brighter too.

    When I heaved her up, the effect ended and she opened her eyes. ¡°No fwoof?¡±

    I looked around, and breathed out a sigh of relief. Although there were some merchants on the road ahead of us, they were headed in the other direction. It seemed that nobody had seen this latest explosion. I tried my best to explain.¡°No fwoof! Fwoof is secret!¡±

    ¡°Secret?¡± She didn¡¯t know that word and I had no idea how to explain it.

    ¡°No fwoofing!¡±

    She glared at me, ¡°I am Eu?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Name is Eu?¡±

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    ¡°Are you blackmailing me again? No fwoofing!¡±

    ¡°Fwoof is smart!¡±

    I set her down on the ground to look her in the eye. ¡°Do you HAVE to fwoof?¡±

    She tilted her head and considered it. After a moment, she answered. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Was that a lie? Do you even know what I said? You¡¯re just guessing at the right answer!¡±

    She folded her arms and looked straight back at me. ¡°I HAVE to fwoof!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Arm water! Leg sand!¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying.¡±

    She sighed and threw her arms to the side. ¡°No fwoof. No fwoof.¡±

    ¡°What is arm water?¡±

    She huffed loudly and pointed toward the village. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    When had I taught her that phrase? She was learning quicker than I could fathom. Even so, I had to be sure we had an agreement. ¡°No fwoof? Secret?¡±

    ¡°No fwoof.¡±

    I suppose that was the best agreement that I¡¯d get. However, there was another problem to address as well. As a representative of the Duke, I couldn¡¯t walk her into town.

    ¡°I''ll be riding Honey now. You walk.¡±

    ¡°I walk. Deft is carrot water.¡± That was her complaint, but she seemed to remember the same situation from yesterday, so she set off down the road. At least this time, she wasn¡¯t singing about it.

    On the way to the inn, I looked through the market and found a few carrots. Honey deserved a reward for the harsh treatment she¡¯d been getting, but doing so also made Eu happy. My finances were getting dangerously low, but a handful of carrots wouldn¡¯t make much difference.

    The inn was significantly smaller than the one from the night before, but it had a stable. The two of us loaded up Honey with the freshly bought carrots before sending her off with the ostler. He¡¯d remove her trappings, brush her down, and let her sleep for the rest of the day.

    Since we were checking in not long after noon, the building was essentially empty. The innkeep, an elderly woman, sized me up and immediately latched on to the potential of a wealthy customer. ¡°Here fer a meal, are ye?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like a private room for me and the ¡­ the boy.¡± I caught myself before I blundered again.

    ¡°Ye can rent the smallest room at the back. It¡¯s got four beds, but if ye rent ¡®em all, the room¡¯s yers until sunrise.¡±

    I dropped four brass suns into her hand, one for each bed. It was overpriced, but worth every star. At the last second, I tried to haggle a bit. ¡°We¡¯ll get meals with that? For me and the boy?¡±

    The coins were already in her pocket, but she gave me a smile and a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll rustle somethin¡¯ up for the two of ye.¡±

    It was quick, but small. Boiled vegetables in a stew so thin that you might as well call it water. At this point, I didn¡¯t really care. She also set out a mug of ale for each of us.

    Eu sniffed at the ale and then pushed it in my direction. After that, she began inspecting the soup. Given how she picked at each piece, I was done long before she was, so I was left watching as she squished the majority around in her bowl trying to find bits that she approved of.

    By now, I¡¯d noticed a pattern. First, she¡¯d spoon up all the liquid and drink it down. After that, she¡¯d only eat things she could identify. Bits of carrot seemed to be her favorite. The rest was all suspect.

    ¡°Carrots for Eu? Carrot water Eu?¡± I teased her.

    ¡°Carrot is good.¡± She agreed without acknowledging the joke.

    ¡°You know, I could have just bought carrots in the market. It would have been a lot cheaper.¡±

    Obviously, that was too many new words at once, so she shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll eat whatever you won¡¯t deign to touch.¡±

    In the end, she pushed the bowl over to me and I wolfed down the rest as fast as I could. The innkeep watched our exchange from across the room. ¡°Yer boy needs to eat more. He¡¯s too spindly.¡±

    I gave her a knowing grin, ¡°Don¡¯t you know it! He¡¯s got his mother¡¯s bad manners.¡±

    ¡°Plainsman?¡±

    That earned a sigh as if the memory was painful. ¡°He¡¯s got her hair too.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. If it wasn¡¯t fer his hair, he¡¯s got a nice face. Girls¡¯d be huntin¡¯ him down.¡±

    That statement was directed toward Eu, but she didn¡¯t seem to know the difference. The woman was speaking too quickly, plus her accent was so thick even I had trouble following it.

    ¡°Thank you for the meal. We¡¯ll be resting until dinner.¡±

    She waved toward the back hallway. ¡°Sure. Sure. Off with ye.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Dining with Dice

    Dinner was the exact same boiled mush as at lunch. When I saw our bowls set out before us, I felt cheated. I¡¯d already eaten two bowls of this goop, and now I¡¯d be eating another two - minus a few bits of carrot.

    Eu took one look at the offering and pushed her bowl toward me. ¡°Not food.¡±

    That was a fair assessment, but at this point, I¡¯d already paid for it. I¡¯d eaten worse serving in far campaigns, so I could force it down. My larger concern was Eu. Since she wasn¡¯t eating, her eyes drifted around the room, focusing on a group of merchants near the front door that were playing dice.

    ¡°No dice, Eu.¡±

    She set her head down on her arms atop the table. ¡°Deft is carrot water.¡±

    ¡°Is that the best insult you¡¯ve got?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I gave her a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve never even heard that phrase before. You don¡¯t even know what I asked.¡±

    She shrugged and ignored me. A moment later, I noticed tears gathering around the corner of her eyes.

    ¡°Oh, no! I didn¡¯t mean it! You did fine. It was a proper, powerful insult. The humiliation I feel now is unbearable!¡±

    ¡°Not food.¡±

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s true. You¡¯re hungry?¡±

    Thinking back, I realized she hadn¡¯t had a full meal since I¡¯d picked her up. In fact, she hadn¡¯t even eaten seriously when Diligence had served dinner. The exception was the dried meat I¡¯d had back then. About the only thing since that she¡¯d eaten willingly were the dried berries. She was already dangerously thin. This couldn''t be good for her health or future growth.

    ¡°Tomorrow, we can go buy some more carrots.¡±

    ¡°Carrots!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late today. The market will be empty.¡±

    At that, she shrugged again.

    I leaned back in my chair. How could I eat while a child was starving beside me? My own children had learned to never turn down a meal. What you didn¡¯t eat wouldn¡¯t be there tomorrow. Hunger makes the best sauce, right? But, Eu didn¡¯t seem to care. Just what sort of parents had raised such a child?

    I called over to the innkeep. ¡°Do you have any bread?¡±

    She looked around the room, ¡°Do ye see any bread?¡±

    Everyone here was eating the same thin soup - if they were eating at all.

    ¡°Is there a bakery in the village?¡±

    ¡°A bakery?¡± She scoffed at me. ¡°Ye payin¡¯ other folks to cook yer bread?¡±

    Eu had only eaten half of the barley-bread offered yesterday, but that was better than nothing. Giving her bread would at least assuage my guilt. But, I had to remember where I was. Although a bakery held a certain niche in a larger city, out here, there was no need. Instead, each family tried their best to be self-sufficient. Not that they really had a choice. Any other strategy would be spendthrift luxury.

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    I was stumped. Even if the market was still selling, the best I could get was fresh produce. You might expect to get bread served at an inn - or you might expect to get a thin soup. I suppose I could go hungry too as a show of sympathy. But what would that accomplish?

    Thinking back, didn¡¯t Diligence say something about Eu liking sweets? Maybe I could buy some fruit tomorrow. In fact, I''d be willing to bet that one of the traveling merchants had ¡­

    My eyes flicked over to the group of merchants playing dice at the front of the room. None of them were eating the inn¡¯s food. That meant they must have something better!

    ¡°C¡¯mon Eu. I¡¯m going to get us some real food.¡±

    She looked up in amazement, suddenly excited as I made my way toward the dice table. In a flash, she jumped up from her seat to follow behind me.

    Two men were playing high-low as usual while the others watched. When I reached the table, I set down a brass sun onto the wooden surface. Since most play high-low for bit stakes, this was a statement of intent, and it drew their eyes. The game stopped cold as the two players considered my challenge.

    ¡°Not me,¡± said the first.

    ¡°Me either,¡± agreed the other.

    ¡°Too much, ehh? How about this? I just want to play, so I¡¯ll wager my coin against food. Something tasty. Fruit or sweets.¡±

    The crowd chuckled around me, but a few started digging through their baggage. ¡°I¡¯ve got a plum.¡±

    ¡°Deal! Let¡¯s play! In fact, I¡¯ll let my boy here call the shots.¡± After all, I''d need Eu''s help for this to work.

    There was more laughter, but one of the observers offered me his seat. The dice were passed in my direction and my opponent set his plum onto the table.

    Eu was grinning like mad. If I had to guess, she was more interested in the dice than the plum. After the roll was down, but still hidden under the cups, I looked to her for guidance.

    She did her usual routine, closing her eyes and clasping her hands. ¡°High!¡±

    As expected, I won the wager and passed the plum to Eu. She immediately bit into it, spilling juice down her chin. This caused more laughter. I suppose to them, the situation seemed like a fun amusement.

    ¡°Anybody else? I¡¯ll challenge any of you that are willing to play.¡±

    To benefit from Eu¡¯s skill, I needed to keep my role as the challenger. On the other hand, this appeared to give my opponents the advantage since they¡¯d normally win ties. Furthermore, the stakes were absurdly mismatched, so I had plenty who were willing to try against me. The next fellow set down a pair of dried figs as a queue of competitors lined up behind him.

    After a few more rounds, I¡¯d won both figs, three small apples, and a pear. I¡¯d even won a few carrots after the fruit supply ran out. Eu had stuffed her mouth so full I couldn¡¯t clearly hear the calls she was making after each roll. In other words, it was time to lose gracefully.

    The next man in line set a radish onto the table. I chuckled, but nodded my acceptance. We both rolled and I waited for Eu to swallow down her latest mouthful.

    ¡°Low!¡± she sputtered while taking another bite.

    ¡°Low?¡± I held up my hand to pause for the benefit of the crowd.

    ¡°Low!¡± she reiterated.

    ¡°Are you sure? The last two rolls were low. Shouldn¡¯t it be high now?¡±

    ¡°Low!¡± she glared at me.

    ¡°No, this time around we¡¯re going high.¡±

    Eu gasped in astonishment as I changed her call right in front of her.

    The group leaned in close as the cups were lifted. I¡¯d rolled a five, but my opponent had rolled a six. I gave a fake groan, leaned over backwards into my chair, and then pushed my coin across the table.

    A cheer went up and the young man received a flurry of congratulations and claps on the shoulder. I laughed when he pushed the radish across the table to me as a consolation. He knew his stakes had been unfair, but he didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d been practically cheating.

    ¡°Naw! You won fair and square!¡± I pushed his radish back. When it rolled over, I discovered that it had a mushy spot on the bottom.

    This elicited another round of laughter, so I picked it up and tossed it out the open front door. That earned me a rousing cheer of agreement.

    Counting my winnings, I¡¯d done pretty well for a single brass sun. I¡¯d gotten exactly what I was after. Furthermore, everyone in the crowd had been pleased, even when they lost. Looking around the room, everyone was happy except for Eu. Her face had been stuck in surprise ever since I had changed her call.

    She kicked my shin under the table. ¡°Deft is carrot water!¡±

    ¡°Oww! Yes, yes¡­ carrot water... I know, I know.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Home

    The next morning, we rose well before the sun. In fact, trying to sleep so much in one day left me feeling tired and grumpy. It was even worse for Eu. I could hear her tossing and turning on her bed throughout most of the night. We were both awake, so there was no reason to lay there any longer.

    Emberwell, our destination, was only a day¡¯s walk away. Leaving this early, we would arrive well before sundown. My anticipation was building, but I knew the task wasn¡¯t complete until I¡¯d divested myself of the cargo. The Duke wouldn¡¯t be available on short notice, so even if things moved quickly, I¡¯d need to wait for that until tomorrow. On the other hand, home meant seeing my family and sleeping in my own bed. After two weeks on the road, that call was pulling me forward.

    Since we were leaving so early, there was no opportunity for breakfast. Not that I expected anything worth eating, but it was entirely too early. In fact, since Honey was in the stables, we had to wait for the ostler to wake before we could depart. His cot was intentionally set to block the door to prevent horse theft.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big hurry? It¡¯s pitch dark!¡± he whined.

    I passed him a brass sun to cover the fee, plus a few stars as thanks. ¡°Eager to be home.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Get on then.¡± He helped me up into the saddle, then settled back onto his cot.

    By this point, Eu knew that she didn¡¯t get to ride while we were in the city. As I did a last check over my gear, she set off down the road. Once we were out of earshot, she turned back, ¡°Home?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be there tonight. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°I will see ¡­ for now.¡±

    I sighed and rolled my eyes. Did she have to make everything difficult?

    Once we¡¯d passed through town, we switched places. Eu was a child, so she couldn¡¯t possibly walk as fast as me. Besides, Honey was glad to have me off of her back.

    ¡°What is Deft home?¡± asked Eu.

    ¡°It''s a small house. I¡¯ve been granted that and the attached holding.¡±

    She tilted her head. I hadn¡¯t taught her any of those words, so it probably sounded like gibberish.

    ¡°I have a wife and three living children - one son, two daughters.¡±

    ¡°What is a-wife?¡±

    ¡°My wife is like ¡­ Diligence?¡±

    She pursed her lips, confused.

    Perhaps it would be easier to explain the whole family at once? ¡°My son is like¡­ err¡­ what was his name? That boy back in Lakesedge. Uh... Vigor? My daughters are like his sister Cheer. My wife is like Diligence.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Deft wife is mother. Deft son. Deft daughters. Deft.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± I was surprised she was able to figure anything out from my stumbling words. Apparently, she¡¯d already learned the word, ¡°mother¡±, probably from interaction with Diligence¡¯s family.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± She mulled over my explanation.

    Actually, now that she seemed to understood family relationships, I had important questions! ¡°Eu¡­ is daughter?¡±

    ¡°I am Deft daughter?¡± She looked shocked.

    ¡°No!¡± I shivered in terror. Heavens forbid!

    ¡°I am ¡­ Deft ¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°No! Not me! You are daughter of¡­ who is your mother?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Mother name is ***GENTEELISM***¡±

    Of course, that¡¯s not what she said. I covered my ears in shame and tears leaked out of my eyes. Her mother¡¯s name was just as disgraceful as her own! No, it was even worse! Likewise, Eu¡¯s voice had softened in the last few days, and she¡¯d learned to use vowel tones. I¡¯d forgotten how harsh and guttural her native language was.

    Regardless, she¡¯d understood my question and answered. I was making progress!

    ¡°Where is your mother?¡±

    She shrugged, then pointed up at the dark sky, ¡°Cloud¡±.

    ¡°You mean the sky?¡± Distinguishing the two had been a problem earlier when teaching.

    ¡°Sky. Cloud.¡± She shrugged again.

    ¡°Is she dead? She¡¯s in heaven?¡±

    ¡°What is word dead?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ not alive. Mmm¡­ sleep in ground.¡±

    She shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Dead¡­ for now.¡±

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    What did THAT mean? ¡°What about your father?¡±

    ¡°Father? What is word father?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ like a mother¡­ who is a man. Like¡­ me and my wife. I am the father. She is the mother.¡±

    ¡°My father? Dead. Dead.¡±

    That was different. One was sort-of dead and the other was dead-dead? ¡°You¡¯re an orphan?¡±

    ¡°What is word orphan?¡±

    ¡°Someone with no father and no mother.¡±

    She thought about it and eventually nodded, ¡°I am orphan.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you are going to the Duke. He¡¯ll decide where you belong.¡±

    ¡°The-Duke?¡± She combined the two words into one.

    ¡°The Duke is ¡­¡± I paused since I was stuck. How do you explain noble ranks without using any complex words? I thought of the relationships she knew and came up with one possible solution. ¡°I am like ¡­ the Duke¡¯s horse.¡±

    She laughed, ¡°The-Duke is Deft. Deft is Honey?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    She smirked at me, ¡°Deft bite The-Duke?¡±

    ¡°No. The Duke gives me carrots.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°My house is one of the Duke¡¯s carrots.¡±

    ¡°Deft home is carrot!¡± She laughed and patted Honey. "Honey eat house?"

    ¡°You¡¯ll see. It¡¯s a pretty nice carrot.¡±

    <hr>

    By noon, the amount of traffic on the road was picking up. Small paths merged into larger ones like streams of water into a river. Eventually, I realized that this close to home, someone I knew might see me. I switched with Eu again, moving into the saddle. Likewise, I brushed off my armor, straightened my beard, and shook the dust out of my cape.

    There was still a long way to go, and I could see that Eu¡¯s wooden shoes didn¡¯t have a bit of padding. In sympathy, I took frequent breaks. Honey didn¡¯t mind that at all. On the other hand, she knew the smell of home, and I could see her gazing ahead to the horizon.

    That afternoon, I caught the first glimpse of the outermost borders of the town. Since my estate was out here in the outskirts, the distance remaining got shorter and shorter. It wasn¡¯t long until we turned onto the path leading to my front gate. This close, the fields on both sides were my property, as well as the serfs that were working them.

    The holding wasn¡¯t large by any means. If you had to choose the lowest ranking squire in service to the Duke, you¡¯d probably point at me. But, it was enough to live comfortably. The house was wooden, but well-built and practical. I only had a few household servants that lived in the nearby huts. Instead, most of the daily tasks were handled by my family.

    An example of this was my son, Grit, who rushed out the door as I arrived. He was nearing three hands old, training to become a squire himself. He was right on the verge of manhood. After all, as my only son, he was the heir. Taking care of Honey was one of his duties. ¡°Father. Welcome home.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to be home.¡± I swung down from the saddle and handed over the reins.

    ¡°Was your task difficult?¡± He pointedly ignored Eu because she was dressed as a peasant. In return, she pointedly ignored him. Instead, he greeted me as kin first by laying his hands out on top of mine, then by kissing me on both ears, while I did the same in return.

    I gave him a smile. ¡°Difficult? You have no idea, but I am no worse for wear. Is your mother in the house?¡±

    ¡°She is with my sisters, in the middle of lessons. She will be glad to see you.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯d best go see her first thing.¡± With that, I motioned Eu to follow me as I went in through the front door. At that point, Grit¡¯s eyes narrowed to examine Eu more closely, but I waved a hand at him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is the Duke¡¯s business.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± He turned away to focus on Honey. However, I could guess that his curiosity was burning a hole between his ears.

    Honey followed him eagerly toward the paddock. After all, she was glad to be back with her friends, our two mules. I could only wonder what tales she would tell them.

    Once inside, I hung my sword belt on the hooks at the front door and moved deeper into the house. As Grit had said, I found my wife, Constance, in the main hall reciting a passage from the holy scriptures to my daughters for memorization. Like Grit, all three of them had the same light brown hair and fair complexion nearly identical to mine. However, as women, they had grown their hair as long as possible, binding it in a braid to keep it manageable. When I entered, each one rose to their feet to give their greetings.

    My wife¡¯s greeting came first. ¡°Husband. Welcome home. The house and holdings are in good standing.¡±

    Since it was custom for the wife to manage the estate and finances, this was a standard report. After all, the family¡¯s finances were secured by her dowry. Even so, she didn¡¯t even really need to say anything. I knew that I could trust her to handle money better than myself.

    After I gave her a nod, my daughters followed. Progress was the eldest, only one year younger than her brother. ¡°Father. Welcome home.¡±

    The youngest was Swift with her bright smile. She¡¯d just passed her first hand of years, but I was happy to see her behaving like a small adult. ¡°Father. Welcome home.¡±

    The three approached so that we could each clasp wrists and kiss each other¡¯s ears in turn. I had to lean down pretty far to reach Swift''s ears, but that only made her even more pleased to see me. Once that ritual was complete, I could turn my mind to the next important matter.

    ¡°I am glad to be home and glad to see each of you. Wife, we have a guest for tonight.¡± I turned to find Eu peeking out from behind me. ¡°This is Eu. I will be taking her to see the Duke tomorrow.¡±

    Eu bowed her head gracefully, while chaos erupted on the other side of the room. Each member of my family had a different concern.

    ¡°Husband. I could have prepared if you¡¯d sent word that we would have a guest.¡± Constance was controlling her expression, but I could tell she was furious. Furthermore, I could read her well enough to know that her stated complaint was a facade for her actual concerns. Unfortunately, I was left mystified by the reason for her reaction.

    ¡°Father. You said ''her'' ... why is she wearing pants?¡± Progress was scandalized. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Eu in horror.

    ¡°Ewe? Why is a boy named after a mama sheep?¡± Swift was so lost she didn¡¯t even understand the implications of what had been said. On the other hand, she had a very good question.

    Even more concerns sprang forth to follow the first, but I held up my hands. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived and your brother, Grit, should be here for such discussion. Let¡¯s hold off until after dinner.¡±

    That would give me time to come up with better answers. I could hear the clink of plates from the servants in the dining room, so I immediately set off in that direction.

 Chapter 14 - Inquisition

    Dinner was awkward to say the least. I ordered an extra seat prepared for Eu, though I had to explain that she was a noble in disguise before the servants could overcome their shock.

    Grit was running late, doubtless busy caring for Honey. This gave me time to remove my cape and armor. Normally, I would have waited for him to help me as a squire-in-training, but the coming meal already promised enough trouble.

    When he arrived, he did a double-take. Seeing a guest at the table dressed as a peasant, he didn¡¯t know how to react. But he¡¯d heard me say before that it was the Duke¡¯s business, so he recovered and took his seat without complaint.

    After I gave the blessing, our plates and drinks were served. Looking over the meal, I could feel my hard days on the road draining away. There was quality bread, roast fowl, and a hearty soup with beans. It smelled like home.

    My family remained silent, waiting politely for me to take the first bite. That would also signal the start of conversation, so I gestured with one hand for the servants to leave us. I could already guess that there would be issues discussed here that weren¡¯t fit for their ears.

    In fact, it was pretty obvious that this meal was going to serve double-duty as an interrogation. I didn¡¯t need to be a wind-reader to see that clearly. In other words, I had to keep my mouth empty, ready to respond. As such, I tore off a tiny piece of bread and brought it to my mouth as the symbolic beginning of my trial.

    ¡°Husband. Please explain your actions and our guest. Also, if you would answer our daughters¡¯ questions, that would assuage their curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Yes. First off, since Grit was not there for her introduction, this is Eu. She will be our guest for the night.¡±

    Grit choked on his drink as he was shocked once again. The peasant boy that he''d expected turned out to be a girl.

    ¡°Yes. She is wearing pants, but there is a good reason for that¡­¡±

    I had to carefully weave a path between the pitfalls ahead of me. I knew my wife could read me like a book. She¡¯d sense the truth and lies within each statement. However, I also knew she was a practical woman. Her greatest concern was not the pants. In other words, I was free to fabricate whatever story would please my children.

    ¡°Yes. You see, Eu is in disguise. You can see from her hair color that she¡¯s a foreign noble from the lands beyond the northern Plainsmen. She¡¯s here to see the Duke in secret. Quite tricky, wouldn¡¯t you say? None of you even suspected?¡±

    All of my children nodded in agreement. Progress even gave a consoling smile to Eu. Unfortunately, Eu ruined the moment with her own revelation. ¡°Pants are smart!¡±

    I swooped in to regain control, ¡°Yes! Pants are smart¡­ for her disguise!¡±

    Constance narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but my children continued nodding their heads. In fact, now I could see Progress glowing with sympathy.

    ¡°Now then, as for her name. The word ¡®Ewe¡¯ is indeed the same as a mama sheep. But that nickname is actually a shortening of her full noble title. Since it all comes from a foreign language, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to us anyway.¡±

    ¡°Can we give her a real name?¡± asked Swift, innocence in her eyes.

    ¡°Ah¡­ you can try. But do NOT bother her about her name. She¡¯s ¡­ very picky about it.¡± I could only hope my emphasis was enough to avoid an imminent profanity-bomb.

    ¡°Eu¡­ eu¡­ eulogy!¡± Swift spouted out her first idea and then blanched when she realized the dire meaning of her suggestion.

    ¡°Yes, dear! Very good. But let¡¯s discuss it with Eu later.¡±

    Swift grinned back at me, pleased with the praise. Unfortunately, Progress missed the hint and started adding her own suggestions, ¡°Unity? Euphoria? Euphony?¡±

    ¡°Later! Later!¡± I could see Eu¡¯s eyes flicking back and forth. The last suggestions sounded even closer to the beginning syllables of her actual name.

    Finding a moment to interject, Grit took control, ¡°Father. You said she¡¯s of foreign nobility. But what rank? Should she kneel to us or should we kneel to her?¡±

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    ¡°Ahh¡­ hmm.¡± That was a good question, but it had completely blindsided me. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that to the Duke. I must admit, I don¡¯t know the answer myself.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± He looked back at Eu and examined her for clues. It didn¡¯t help that she was picking at her soup, inspecting each bean before rejecting them one after another. On the other hand, her posture this time was perfect. She was seated solidly with a straight back and her left hand hidden under the table.

    ¡°What country is she from?¡± asked Swift.

    ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± I replied. If I¡¯d said she was living with peasants in a hamlet in the western marshes, that would have raised all sorts of terrible questions.

    Suddenly, I realized I could use this situation as a lesson to inspire my own children. ¡°I mentioned she was a noble, right? Though she¡¯s still learning our language, in her own tongue, she already knows how to read AND write!¡±

    This was met with gasps of surprise. Grit, of course, could read. But, he was a full hand Eu''s senior. Due to the difference in educational emphasis for girls, Progress¡¯s reading was spotty at best and Swift had just started learning her letters. The ability to write was a step above and beyond all of them.

    Progress sniffed loudly, embarrassed at being so clearly outclassed, ¡°Can she recite holy scripture?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± At least I certainly hoped so! No matter how far she came from, that only seemed reasonable. Oh wait, I¡¯d said she came from beyond the Plainsmen? Hmm¡­

    ¡°How many scriptures can she do at once?¡± insisted Progress.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to ask. She only learned the word for ¡®grass¡¯ a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Progress looked down her nose at Eu.

    Fortunately, Eu seemed to be oblivious to the conversation as she was busily eating. At the moment, she was working on the roasted bird. She had rudely picked it up to eat with her fingers. It didn¡¯t present the best picture.

    Constance looked away, embarrassed at the sight. ¡°Her manners need some ¡­ improvement. Is there anything else we should avoid?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ don¡¯t play dice against her. She¡¯s got some crazy luck.¡±

    ¡°Dice? Did you say DICE!? Did you teach a child to gamble?¡± Constance¡¯s voice hardened with anger.

    ¡°No! Of course not! She already knew how!¡±

    The children all giggled together. They could see I¡¯d blundered.

    Luckily, Grit rescued me with a more interesting topic. ¡°Will she be wearing those pants to meet with the Duke? We surely have some dresses that we could lend her.¡±

    Eu¡¯s eyes flicked up. ¡°No dress! Dress is bad! Pants!¡±

    ¡°The Duke¡­ instructed me to keep up her disguise.¡±

    That was a clear lie, and I could feel my wife¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°Oh? Then we just need to disguise her differently! Perhaps some bows in her hair? Or a bonnet? After all, that black hair gives her away more than a dress ever would.¡±

    Eu looked back and forth, seeming to catch the intended meaning if not the words. Finally, she looked at me with a glare. ¡°Dress is bad! Name is Eu? NAME IS EU?¡±

    High heavens! The girl was threatening me right in front of my family!

    This situation was one step away from disaster! Thinking quickly, I came up with an excuse. ¡°Eu¡¯s been told by her parents to wear pants for her disguise. Would we have her disobey her father?¡±

    That did the trick. Obviously, my wife could tell I was lying, but my children all fell into place. They knew the holy scriptures from a young age. Disobeying your parents was one of the largest prohibitions. Encouraging someone else to do so would make you an accomplice - or worse, a servant of temptation.

    Of course, lying was an equal or even worse anathema, and I was doing it right in front of them. It gave me pause to see their pure, innocent hearts on display while I wallowed in guilt. But, I¡¯d done it for their own protection! My behavior was justified!

    Luckily, my thoughts were interrupted when Grit asked a question. ¡°We know Eu¡¯s name, but does she know ours?"

    To answer that, I looked at Eu. After all, I knew how quick she was to learn just by hearing. In response, she gave me a smile.

    ¡°Father is Deft.¡± She pointed at me. ¡°Son is Grit. Daughter is Progress. Daughter is Swift. Mother is My-Wife.¡±

    All three of my children plus Constance giggled at Eu¡¯s mistake.

    Naturally, I¡¯d never called my wife by her name. It wasn¡¯t customary to do so, especially not in front of our children. In fact, it was a little rude, but this was a special case. ¡°Her name is Constance. Constance is MY wife, not YOUR wife.¡±

    Eu corrected herself. ¡°Mother is Constance, Constance is my wife¡­ err your wife.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± As expected, she figured out how to turn the possessive pronoun around.

    After that, the conversation turned to questions about my trip. The girls wanted to know what I¡¯d seen, what I¡¯d eaten, and any rumors or excitement from afar. Grit was more interested in the logistics of where I¡¯d stayed, what dangers had appeared, and how I¡¯d kept myself safe.

    Finally, I turned to Constance. I could see in her eyes that she still had questions, but she sent me a false smile, ¡°I am glad you are home. Surely you are tired with all of these questions. Eat now. Let us discuss more later.¡±

    In other words, she didn¡¯t want to undermine my authority in front of the children. Unfortunately, that meant the real interrogations and possible execution were delayed for later.

 Chapter 15 - Arrangements

    Despite my worst fears, Eu seemed to know enough manners to remain seated until the meal was over. On the other hand, this was the first time I¡¯d seen her eat so much. As usual, she avoided most of the soup, but downed two chunks of meat plus all the bread on her plate. Her wine was left untouched, so it wasn¡¯t just the sour ale at the taverns that she rejected.

    To finish the meal, the servants brought in a plate of small sweetcakes. We each took one, leaving enough for breakfast in the morning. However, after one bite, Eu snagged another one off the plate before I pulled it away from her and laid a cloth on top.

    She didn¡¯t object strongly, but I could see her eyes linger on the plate resting in the middle of the table. At the same time, I recognized her expression. It was almost the same as if Honey had been denied a carrot. Luckily, I¡¯d yet to see Eu bite anyone.

    Once everyone was visibly finished, my wife stood from her chair, indicating the meal was complete. At that signal, my children filed out of the room. They would each attend to their own affairs and put themselves to bed. However, Eu watched the two adults for directions.

    ¡°Husband, why did you decide to bring this girl to our home?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I was reluctant to talk right in front of our topic of conversation. ¡°Perhaps we should find her a bed first? She may not understand everything we say, but she¡¯s learning fast.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Constance beckoned Eu to follow her, so the three of us moved to the guest room. It was meant for unexpected visitors of similar status to our own. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t the most expensive room in the house, but it was large enough for a family with two beds and space for more to sleep on the floor. It also had a cabinet.

    In comparison, as the heir, Grit had his own private room, but it was much smaller and utilitarian. Since Progress and Swift were female, their lesser status meant the two shared a room and a single bed of similar size to Grit''s. Progress often complained that Swift kicked her in her sleep. As her parents, we knew it was good training for the day when she¡¯d be married and have her own children.

    ¡°Eu won¡¯t soil the bedding?¡± asked Constance.

    ¡°She¡¯s not a Plainsman." Though, I knew those rumors weren''t true at all. If anything, they were cleaner than we are. Constance could see my hesitation, so I amended my statement. "Like I said before, she¡¯s a noble.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ so you say.¡± Constance smirked at me. She could tell my statement was a half-truth.

    ¡°She didn''t caused any trouble during the trip.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Her eyes narrowed. I suppose THAT statement was an outright lie.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t soiled any bedding so far!¡±

    Constance watched my face for a moment before nodding her consent. Then she directed Eu inside, showed her the chamberpot, and finally moved to close the door.

    Unfortunately, Eu had one objection, ¡°Fwoof here? Fwoof now?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ no. No fwoofing.¡± I shook my head.

    ¡°Fwoof where?¡± She insisted.

    ¡°We¡¯ll handle that tomorrow. I¡¯ll find a good spot for you.¡±

    ¡°Fwoof sand fwoof?¡±

    ¡°You want sand?¡± I grimaced as Constance watched our strange conversation.

    ¡°Sand! Yes!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll handle that tomorrow. Sleep now.¡±

    Eu sighed as if I was betraying her, but consented, ¡°Fwoof tomorrow! Sand!¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow.¡± I closed the door and gave a silent prayer that there would be no further trouble.

    Of course, my prayer couldn¡¯t account for trouble that was already in progress. ¡°Now then, husband, please tell more details about your trip.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have much to tell. Let us retire to our own room.¡±

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    The walls were thin, but our room was on the farthest corner of the house, sharing an inner wall only with the stone bricks of the storage pantry. Across the hallway was Grit¡¯s room, then my daughters'' shared room. As an outsider, the guest room was on the opposite corner of the house, with closed doors between.

    The master bedroom, for myself and Constance, had two chairs plus a table for business and work. These also served as a spot to review topics such as this. As the woman of the house, she had to wait for me to be seated before she could sit to face me. However, as the man of the house, I had to gracefully endure her questions - assuming I wanted a house to come home to tomorrow.

    There was a bowl of water and a cloth laid out on the table. The servants must have noted that I was covered in dust and left that there for me. With a sigh, I began wiping the worst of my travels off of my face and beard. After all, it¡¯s easier to wash a cloth than your whole bed.

    ¡°Husband. I¡¯m sure you have many reasons for your decisions. I assume the girl is important to the Duke somehow. But why did you bring her here?¡±

    I blinked at her as she shifted in the opposite seat. She didn¡¯t seem to be concerned about Eu¡¯s strange name or her terrible choices in clothing. Yes, she already knew I was lying about some of that, but it didn¡¯t bother her. This left me confused, so I tried venturing forth with the truth, ¡°We needed somewhere to stay. I couldn¡¯t bother the Duke this late in the day. Nor did I have enough funds to pay for another inn. Did I choose poorly?¡±

    ¡°You could have slept on the road, could you not?¡±

    ¡°I suppose, but then I would have appeared before the Duke bedraggled and dusty.¡±

    She nodded along, ¡°I see your reasoning. I also see your lack of consideration for our family.¡±

    ¡°Consideration? Family?¡±

    She gave me a small smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I''ve already forgiven you. But, you didn¡¯t think about it, did you?¡±

    ¡°Wha? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ let me tell you a story about my neighbors back when I was a girl. The man of the house, a squire much like you, came home with a young peasant-girl in tow. He brought her into the house, introduced her to his family, and then let her eat at the table. What do you think of that?¡±

    ¡°Uhhh¡­ OH NO! High heavens! What have I done?¡±

    In response, she shook her head. ¡°You could see it when it was my hypothetical neighbors, but not when it was yourself.¡±

    Of course I could see it now! The obvious conclusion was that I¡¯d brought home my illegitimate daughter to join my family. The servants would be gossiping with their not-quite-so-hypothetical neighbors tonight. My peers would hear about it tomorrow and the Duke not long after that. Our status and respect would be ruined. Marriage prospects for our children would dry up. In other words, it was a disaster.

    ¡°But¡­ I didn¡¯t. Oh no, no, no ¡­.¡±

    ¡°You see the problem.¡± She reached out to hold my hand.

    ¡°But her black hair! That girl couldn¡¯t be my child!¡±

    ¡°You think not? The rumors will invent stories of your dalliances with a Plainsman prostitute.¡±

    ¡°Plainsmen don¡¯t have prostitutes! They¡¯d flay alive anyone they even suspected!¡±

    ¡°Prostitute, princess¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. The girl¡¯s hair color will just make the story more exciting.¡±

    I dropped my head to cradle it in my hands. ¡°Agh!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be taking the girl to the Duke tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll never see her again!¡±

    ¡°Will that fix this situation?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯ll be taking her in. She¡¯ll be his problem, not ours.¡±

    ¡°Will he? Won¡¯t the same situation and suspicions apply to him?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­ they would normally, but there¡¯s one more detail I haven¡¯t mentioned yet.¡±

    ¡°She actually IS of foreign nobility? I was almost sure you made that part up.¡±

    I tilted my head at her question, but I wasn''t sure of my answer. ¡°She might be? She¡¯s learned manners and reading and writing somewhere. But, as for her rank, I don¡¯t know what she is.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ ? Why is the Duke taking her? Ransom?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s a magician. More powerful and strange than any that I¡¯ve ever heard of except in the legends. If you want to see her ¡®fwoof¡¯ tomorrow, I could arrange that. Maybe we could even set it up so the servants could see it too.¡±

    ¡°A mage?¡± She paused to think that through. ¡°Then that¡¯s what she meant by ¡®fwoofing¡¯? She was going to use magic INSIDE our home?¡±

    I waved my hands. ¡°She wanted to. But I¡¯m not stupid. That¡¯s why I told her to wait.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ hmm¡­ I haven¡¯t decided yet about that ¡®stupid¡¯ part.¡± She smiled at her joke. It was an unexpected jab from her, but she knew I¡¯d let it slide since it was said in jest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best with the Duke.¡± I said with a wink.

    ¡°I trust you will. In fact, I have an idea that may help.¡± After that, she outlined her plan.

    I could trust always trust her judgement. She was constantly measuring potential profits against losses. After all, as per custom, the woman of the house holds the purse strings. I may be supported by the Duke, but any gains went into my wife¡¯s coffers. In fact, it was up to her to decide my allowance each week. Lucky for me, Constance wasn¡¯t the greedy penny-pinching sort. She had our family¡¯s standing behind each of her decisions. Given the situation, she was trying to find a way to turn it into an advantage.

    After hearing her plan and weighing the options, I could help but agree. It¡¯s impossibly hard to catch the Duke¡¯s eye when you¡¯re one of his many free squires. About the only way to be granted a favor was by exceptional service in battle. On the other hand, battlefield honors depend on the opportunity - not to mention leaping toward danger is a good way to get yourself killed. Handling an unexpected situation and offering a magician to the Duke¡¯s retinue? If anything, it was BETTER if the rumors said that Eu was my bastard daughter.

    I could see the sparkle in Constance''s eyes. If we handled this right, it would ruin my reputation, but I could very well be knighted!

 Chapter 16 - Declarations

    The next morning followed a long night full of planning. Constance allowed me to sleep late while she rose early to prepare the household for breakfast and the coming changes to our daily routine. Unfortunately, my instincts woke me up the moment she left the bed. The hope of returning to peaceful rest skittered off behind her.

    By the time I reached the dining room, our strategy was already in play. While Eu watched from her seat while eating, Constance was giving directions to our children. ¡°Grit, check over the house and holdings. You and your sisters will be accompanying me into town with your father.¡±

    ¡°Of course mother. What about¡­ Eu?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be coming with us.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± The look of curiosity and confusion on his face indicated otherwise, but he had no reason to ask. Instead, he wolfed down his meal, eager to prove himself capable.

    Since he was leaving as I entered, I slapped him on the shoulder and gave him a nod. I knew he¡¯d make me proud. After that, I took my seat and filled my plate.

    Breakfast was fresh bread from the kitchen, slathered with butter, then topped with slices of cheese. Looking over at Eu, I could see her working on a second serving. I was glad she didn¡¯t pick at her food today, because I didn¡¯t want her stomach growling when we met the Duke.

    Once I¡¯d taken portions from all the usual platters, I moved to the plate of cloth-covered sweetcakes, only to discover that they were all gone. ¡°You didn¡¯t save one for me?¡±

    Constance pursed her lips in frustration, ¡°They were already gone when I got here.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± My gaze swiveled to my daughters.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t get any either!¡± protested Swift. Progress nodded along with her.

    My eyes turned to the doorway. ¡°Grit ate them all? How strange.¡±

    ¡°He was the first one here,¡± said my wife, though she had a hard look in her eye. Apparently there was some further issue to discuss.

    Strange¡­ if Grit was going to take all the sweetcakes, I¡¯d expect him to tell us why. But, he wasn''t present to explain himself.

    In any case, I had more important business, so I began to reveal our plans for the day. There were certain obstacles that had to be overcome now before we presented ourselves to the Duke. ¡°Girls, after breakfast, I¡¯ll be asking for your help. Your mother as well.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Father!¡± My daughters were eager to help. On the other hand, their enthusiasm was just as likely a matter of escaping the normal daily routine. Either way, it brought a smile to my lips and I gave Constance a nod of approval for her skill in their discipline.

    Our planning still had one last stumbling block, so I waited for an appropriate moment when Eu¡¯s mouth was full. ¡°First, we¡¯re going to choose a dress for Eu.¡±

    As expected, she sputtered. In fact, some of her half-chewed bread actually fell onto the table. I couldn''t have asked for a better reaction. It was a perfect setup!

    ¡°Oh dear! What a mess!¡± complained my wife. Her tone was false, but I doubted that Eu would sense the trap that we were laying for her.

    I saw Eu blushing at the wasted food that had splurted out. Despite that, she focused on her main concern. ¡°No dress! Dress bad! Pants!¡±

    ¡°Eu. Your manners are lacking. You should apologize for the mess. Are you sorry?¡± I motioned to the sludge on the table.

    ¡°Eu is sorry!¡± Then she paused to correct her grammar. ¡°I am sorry! No dress!¡±

    ¡°Are you sorry for the mess?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry!¡±

    ¡°ARE you sorry? Your pants will be a bigger mess.¡±

    She gave me a deep frown. ¡°Name is Eu?¡±

    I held up a hand, ¡°Men wear pants. I wear pants. Grit wears pants. Women wear dresses or skirts. My wife wears a dress. Progress wears a dress. Swift wears a dress. You wear a dress.¡±

    ¡°No no no! No dress!¡±

    ¡°Are you a man? How will I present you to the Duke?¡±

    ¡°Duke wears pants! You wear pants! I wear pants!¡±

    ¡°No. You need to wear a dress for the Duke. At least ¡­ for now.¡±

    She paused at that to consider. ¡°Fwoof? Sand?¡±

    That sounded like a request, so I tried to negotiate by nodding. ¡°Fwoof soon. Sand too.¡±

    ¡°Dress¡­ for now?¡± She was still suspicious.

    ¡°I have an idea. Trust me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know those words, but my smile seemed to get the concept across. ¡°Dress for now.¡±

    In the meantime, my daughters were watching our exchange with interest. Unfortunately, the conclusion meant the beginning of a new and unexpected danger when they started giggling. ¡°Oh! We have some of our own dresses that should fit! We¡¯ll dress her up!¡±

    ¡°Choose a town dress for her. But later today, we¡¯ll need a fancier dress for the Duke.¡±

    Within the moment, Eu was dragged away from the table by the laughing hyenas. The last I saw of her was her terrified eyes looking back at me. Unfortunately for her, I was a member of the same pack, laughing aloud once she was beyond earshot.

    The fitting took some time, more than one bell. There was much wailing and weeping from the other side of the house, but I knew my daughters could handle the situation by themselves. Despite that, Constance held my hand as I twitched. I had the distinct feeling that I¡¯d done something terrible again. In fact, I kept getting flashbacks of Eu¡¯s teary face after I¡¯d tied her to the top of the saddle.

    While we waited to see the results, I sent Grit to procure a bucket full of dry sand. Neither of us were sure where to look for it, but I presented the task as a quest and a test of his resourcefulness. I even gave him a few small coins in case he needed to hire a guide in town.

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    When Eu finally appeared, she looked like a different person. The town dress that my daughters had chosen was fit for that of low-ranking nobility or a wealthy merchant family. In addition, they¡¯d tightly braided her short hair around the sides of her head and hidden it under a fashionable cloth bonnet. In other words, nobody in town would even notice her - as long as she didn¡¯t call attention to herself.

    Progress and Swift both had similar outfits for themselves. The even nicer dresses to see the Duke were folded inside a basket, including one they''d chosen for Eu. Obviously, they understood what the next step would be. You wouldn¡¯t be able to change from one dress into another in town except at a bathhouse. In other words, they could sense that we were splurging for the occasion.

    Eu was biting her lip in anger and looked to me for reassurance. ¡°Dress for now! For NOW!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Only until the Duke. I¡¯ve got an idea after that.¡±

    ¡°Fwoof? Sand?¡±

    ¡°Soon!¡± In fact, the next moment, I heard the front door open and Grit came in carrying the bucket.

    ¡°Father, I¡¯ve got the sand and I didn¡¯t spend a single coin!¡±

    ¡°Good job! How¡¯d you find it?¡±

    ¡°I asked some of the serf children. I guessed that they¡¯d know where to find it. They pointed me to a flat spot beside the river bank.¡±

    I nodded as he handed me the bucket along with the coins I¡¯d given him.

    ¡°Sand! Fwoof now-w-w?¡± whined Eu.

    ¡°Yes¡­ err¡­ no. Let¡¯s go outside first!¡±

    With that, I led the whole family out the front door to stand on the front path. Looking around, there were a few serfs in sight, but at this point, I didn¡¯t really care who saw. I¡¯d kept her magic secret long enough, and the more people to know only solidified our plan.

    ¡°All right! Everybody move back and give Eu some room!¡± I put the bucket of sand in the middle of the path, then took five steps backward as an example to the others.

    Eu let out a sigh of apparent relief and moved to the center of our little circle. When she closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, my children all looked to me for guidance. That was the same moment they learned the truth.

    The glassy glowing egg popped into existence. I was watching closely and it didn¡¯t expand or fade into place. Instead, it wasn¡¯t there, then suddenly it was. The sound of wind and the motion of it blowing her clothes arrived the moment afterwards.

    With his youthful reaction speed and exceptional balance, Grit stumbled backwards in surprise, caught his heel on a rock and tumbled onto his rump.

    Progress and Swift, lacking any sense of self preservation, stood in silent awe, their eyes wide and jaws hanging open.

    My wife had been forewarned, so she only gave a small smile as she patted my hand. Apparently, although she trusted my word, seeing it for herself confirmed that I hadn¡¯t gone mad.

    The strange display continued on for a while, allowing time for questions.

    ¡°She¡¯s a magician?¡± That was Grit, who was busily picking himself up.

    In response, I gave him a smile.

    Progress regained her dignity and sniffed in derision. ¡°What good is that? You can¡¯t be a woman magician. Women don''t go to war!¡±

    I replied immediately since Constance had prepared me for that concern. ¡°Are you sure? Is that forbidden in the holy scriptures?¡±

    Progress pursed her lips in the same familiar expression usually worn by my wife. Obviously, a woman going to war wasn¡¯t forbidden the scriptures. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have asked. Even so, Progress still objected. ¡°It just ¡­ it ... isn¡¯t right!¡±

    On that point, I had to agree with her. But, her shallow reasoning wasn¡¯t any better than my own. I knew from history that countries in which women went to war fell apart and collapsed. Certainly, they might win the battle, but the next generation depends on women to produce as many replacements as possible. In contrast, men were relatively expendable.

    In other words, even though the idea wasn¡¯t ¡°wrong¡± intrinsically, in most cases, it was foolish for a society to train women for battle. The mere thought was so outlandish that it required careful thought to overcome my initial knee-jerk reaction. Constance had convinced me last night, so now it was Progress''s turn.

    ¡°What about in the old tales?¡± I pressed. ¡°There were women magicians in the legends.¡±

    ¡°Those are ¡­ cautionary tales. An example of what NOT to do!¡± Progress insisted.

    I felt my eyebrows rise. That was a good argument and surprisingly logical coming from someone of her age and education. In fact, my glance swung over to Grit. as a future squire, I would have expected him to be more offended. However, he was too busy just staring while Eu¡¯s magic kept on swirling around endlessly.

    In any case, Progress''s explanation didn¡¯t fit our plan and narrative, so Constance stepped in. ¡°I don¡¯t recall the old tales so well myself, but I don¡¯t remember any of those women magicians doing anything so bad. When they were wronged, they might be vengeful or spiteful, yes¡­ but malicious? No.¡±

    Progress sniffed again. She didn¡¯t have enough evidence and she knew it.

    In the meantime, Eu¡¯s magic suddenly stopped, which cut the discussion short as we all turned to look at her.

    ¡°Fwoof good!¡± She exclaimed and stretched out as if she¡¯d just woken from a nap. Unfortunately, her magic wind had blown her hat off and somehow unbraided her hair as well.

    Progress and Swift groaned in annoyance as they moved to restore the work of their disguise.

    Grit moved over to me, ¡°Father, did you know she was a mage?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Ahh¡­ and we¡¯d best discuss something else as well.¡± I spoke loudly to call the attention of my whole family.

    My daughters moved behind Eu and then turned her around so they could work on her hair while also watching me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking Eu later to introduce her to the Duke. We¡¯ll also be keeping her since her parents put her into my care.¡± That part was a lie, but it was necessary. Or was it really even lying? She was an orphan, so in a way, her parents HAD put her into my care.

    Grit furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°Does that mean she¡¯ll be living here?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, and as you can guess, that¡¯s going to cause some problems. Many people will assume that she¡¯s my illegitimate daughter. You all know that¡¯s not true, but it¡¯s probably for the best. After all, the bastard daughter of a squire is still better than an orphaned serf, right?¡±

    Progress responded instantly with a glare, ¡°Father, would you have others speak ill of you?¡±

    I waved a hand. ¡°I know what¡¯s true and false. Their words can¡¯t hurt me.¡± Of course, at the moment, I felt a distinct pain in my midsection.

    ¡°But why?¡± This was Swift¡¯s question. Luckily, she¡¯d be the easiest to convince.

    ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do! What do the scriptures say about orphans?¡±

    ¡°Oooh! We¡¯ll be taking care of an orphan!¡± Swift¡¯s innocent smile was tearing a hole in my gut.

    Despite the pain, I could still nod along. ¡°Exactly! Our reputation may suffer, but it¡¯s righteous suffering!¡±

    Even Progress agreed with that logic. She¡¯d always been inspired by the endurance of the martyrs. Now, she¡¯d been swayed by that heroic feeling of unjust persecution. From here on, I guess she¡¯d get a chance to experience some righteous suffering herself?

    Swift piped up, ¡°Eu¡¯s story is SO sad! But she¡¯s SO good! We should be like her!¡±

    I felt the hairs on my neck prickle up in revulsion. Swift had no idea what she was saying! Just where did she get these ideas?

    Luckily, Constance could see that I was lost, so she patted my arm and took over. ¡°Grit, Progress, Swift - this is important! People may say bad things about your father. But you know the truth! Just let them say it. If you argue the point, it will just make Eu¡¯s life even harder.¡±

    All three of them nodded along with their mother. Their trust in me was complete. In contrast, the shame I felt was overwhelming. I swayed on my feet as if I was about to black out.

    Eu, of course, had been watching the whole situation with a bewildered look. But apparently, she felt that this was her moment to join the conversation, ¡°Deft is father!¡±

    No! I am NOT her father! A scream of disgust was rising within me, but I held it down.

    I could tell she was just commenting on the discussion. She didn¡¯t mean anything by it. But, could she have chosen words that were any more awkward? She might as well have stabbed me.

    I felt my wife¡¯s grip clamp down on my wrist, but I knew how to handle this. ¡°Yes, Eu! I¡¯ll be the father ¡­ for now. At least, we¡¯ll say that I am.¡±

    She looked confused, but nodded along.

    Oh, high heavens, forgive me!

 Chapter 17 - Emberwell

    The first step was complete. My family was now aware of our plans to ¡°protect¡± Eu. With that debacle passed, we gathered ourselves for our walk to town. However, Eu held back and started digging into the bucket of sand.

    ¡°Sand fwoof!¡± She held up a small crystal, practically identical to the one I had in my pocket.

    ¡°That was in the sand?¡± I looked at Grit.

    ¡°No! I got that sand from the riverbank using my hands! I would have noticed!¡±

    ¡°Mine¡­ for now?¡± I held out my hand to Eu, and she deposited the crystal into my palm.

    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Swift, standing on her tiptoes to get a better look.

    ¡°A pretty crystal.¡± I answered. ¡°I think she makes these using her magic somehow.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Are they magic?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±

    ¡°Sand fwoof!¡± insisted Eu.

    ¡°Fwoof is her word for magic, so I guess so?¡± I interpreted for the others.

    ¡°Fwoof means magic?¡± asked Grit.

    ¡°It¡¯s her word for magic. Although I think it¡¯s actually the sound of the wind.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± all three children agreed since they¡¯d seen and heard that same wind so recently. Then Swift added, ¡°It''s like whoosh or swish!¡±

    ¡°Right! But, it¡¯s her word for magic.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡± inquired Eu, tilting her head.

    ¡°Fwoof is magic. Err¡­ the word for fwoof is magic.¡± I corrected my grammar.

    ¡°Oh! Magic is word!¡± Eu added emphasis to her newest discovery.

    I smiled in relief, realizing that I may never have to hear the word ¡°fwoof¡± ever again.

    ¡°Cloud magic? Sand magic? Fwoof? Fwoof?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you are asking.¡± And ¡­ I guess my prediction was wrong. Fwoof was indeed still a word.

    Annoyed, she stomped her foot. ¡°Fwoof is magic. Sand fwoof is magic. Fwoof is not sand fwoof!¡±

    Just how many fwoofs could be in one sentence? ¡°Fine, fine¡­ let¡¯s discuss that later. Let¡¯s go!¡± A headache was developing, and we were wasting time. I could already tell that today was going to be painful enough already.

    Grit, as my son, walked beside me. There was no reason for concern, but we kept our eyes out and watched for trouble. After all, that was our duty as the men of the house. Since we were going into town, there was no need for swords or armor, but we both had our daggers in our belts.

    The four womenfolk, as fit their role, walked behind us in a group. The eldest two walked on the sides to protect the center. A trip into town was interrupting the usual daily lessons, so instead Constance used the time by having the girls recite scriptures as we walked. Obviously, the antiquated language threw Eu for a loop, so she didn¡¯t have anything to add.

    The path from my front door led to the road and then led to the beginnings of the cobbled streets flowing into Emberwell. Originally, a central keep had been built on the hill above the convergence of two rivers. Since then, walls had sprung up and a city within. In the past, anything outside the walls were considered outside the city proper. Now, with decades of peace and prosperity, it had become too crowded to pretend anymore.

    Once buildings and housing became more prevalent, the streets fit into that patchwork, becoming increasingly narrow and twisted. Structures were placed without any rhyme or reason beyond who purchased each piece of land. The city''s traffic was forced to flow through that pattern.

    The west side of the town followed the western branch of the river as it led toward the center. As a result, there were a few small riverside docks and associated merchant and trade houses. Despite that, the majority of commerce was local. There were several smiths, masons, and carpenters, but also small businesses such as chandlers, bakers, brewers, and weavers.

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    One of these small businesses was my first goal, a sword smith. The front of the shop had large shutter doors, currently slung upwards on a hinge and propped up by poles. His wares were displayed within, resting on top of cloth.

    When he saw me approach, he came out through the door to kneel down, as fit our difference in status. However, he was an old acquaintance, so I lifted him up again.

    ¡°Deft! My friend! Here to sharpen your sword?¡±

    ¡°Not today. I¡¯m buying a new one. You mind if I look?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± He watched as I moved over to the shorter swords.

    ¡°A second blade? Trying out a new style?¡±

    ¡°Nah¡­ it¡¯s a gift for a child. In fact, do you have anything that is ¡­ blunt?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Worried the kid will cut his own leg off?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± I took a look at Eu whose eyes were glittering with excitement at the sight of the weaponry. If anything, when buying a sword for her, my main concern was for myself!

    ¡°How about this one?" The smith asked. "It¡¯s cheap, it¡¯s light, and I haven¡¯t sharpened the edges down yet. Perfect for a child¡¯s first sword.¡±

    I took a close look, focusing on the crossbar and the pommel. After all, I didn¡¯t even care about the blade itself. ¡°Hmm¡­ do you have something that looks fancier?¡±

    ¡°You want something pretty, huh?¡± He pointed to a longer blade. ¡°I made this for a merchant, but his home burned down and his business crumpled. I had to keep it since he couldn¡¯t match the deposit.¡±

    I took a long look at it. The sword fit well with my concept for Eu as a mage, but for best results, I decided to ask the opinion of the recipient. ¡°What do you think Eu? This sword is for you. Is it too big?¡±

    She hardly even glanced at me while scanning over the weapons, ¡°I want¡­ THIS one!¡±

    Her pointing finger stopped on the stupidest looking thing in the whole display. I stared at the monstrosity she had chosen. Was it even a sword? The blade was about half the normal length, plus the front edge was covered in serrated spikes with back facing barbed hooks. It was ridiculous! More importantly, it was ugly.

    ¡°What IS this?¡± I looked to shop owner for help.

    Naturally, he was confused that I was buying a sword for a girl, but he only took a moment to regain his professionalism before responding. ¡°It¡¯s a sword-breaker from the Alliance of Cities across Southsea. I bought it in a trade and it¡¯s ... a good example of how different cultures lead to different designs.¡±

    I couldn''t help but smirk at his attempt to redeem this disaster. ¡°Sword-breaker? It can break a sword?¡±

    ¡°No. Well ¡­ I seriously doubt it. But the idea is you can catch a blade within the enclosures there on the front edge and then hold it or twist it away from your opponent.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ I see.¡± Of course, what I actually saw was the shopkeeper''s desperation when he saw a chance to foist off this farcical weapon on me. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on actual swords.¡±

    I caught Eu''s attention and gestured again to the long sword with the fancy hilt. ¡°Eu. This one, is it good?¡±

    ¡°Hmmph! Good¡­ for now.¡±

    After a bit of haggling with the shopkeep, we settled upon a price for the sword as well as the matching decorated sheath and a sword belt. Strangely, the fact that I was buying it for a young girl helped me haggle even harder for a good price.

    After we strapped it around Eu¡¯s waist, she immediately tried to pull it out of the sheath. Fortunately, the blade was too long for her arms, so it got stuck halfway out. Perfect!

    ¡°Deft! Help sword!¡± she whined.

    ¡°Oh? Is it too long?¡±

    ¡°Deft! Help sword!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only there for show. Put it back. Besides, you shouldn¡¯t pull out a sword in the street.¡±

    ¡°Deft is carrot water!¡± she complained, but then she slid the sword back in.

    ¡°What is carrot water?¡± asked Grit.

    ¡°It¡¯s some sort of insult. I¡¯m not too worried about it.¡±

    However, Eu, realizing that her insults weren¡¯t reaching me, decided that now was the perfect time to explain. ¡°Carrot!¡± She pointed at my crotch. ¡°Water! Ssssss!¡± She then made the sound of a stream of water.

    Naturally, my jaw fell open. Grit stepped back a few paces in horror. Constance covered her mouth in shock. Even Progress understood the reference and turned her face away, blushing in her shame. The worst, though, was Swift who sweetly asked, ¡°What does she mean?¡±

    I coughed and looked to Constance for help. She pulled my daughters aside to practice some more of the holy scriptures. Grit moved back to the shop to look at the other swords. That left me to talk to Eu.

    I bent down to look her in the eye, ¡°Eu, that was very rude.¡±

    ¡°Rude? Hmmph!¡± She stomped her foot and glared at me.

    ¡°We don¡¯t say words like that or point at people¡¯s ¡­ err ¡­ carrots.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph!¡± Now she wouldn¡¯t even look at me.

    ¡°Are you sorry?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should take the sword back. After all, you¡¯re acting like a child.¡±

    ¡°No! My sword!¡± her eyes flashed toward me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even draw it!¡±

    ¡°Sorry! Not carrot water! My sword!¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t call me carrot water again?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Then, you can keep the sword. That is¡­ unless you break your promise.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t call you carrot water!¡± she repeated my words back to me.

    I nodded and stood back up.

    ¡°Call Grit carrot water?¡± She smiled.

    I could only sigh.

 Chapter 18 - Town Proper

    Now that Eu had her sword, it was time for all of us to change clothes. In other words, the next stop was the public bath house. To do that, we had to cross the outer wall into the city proper. This meant another bell spent traversing the twisty streets and climbing ever upwards toward the upper town.

    Of course, even though she was wearing a dress, Eu was now wearing her sword as well. We received a few strange looks and a few laughs. Her frame was small enough that the consensus seemed to be that she had a fake sword in order to imitate her father. Still, the sight of a girl in a dress with a sword was unusual enough for some to stop and stare.

    When we finally reached the gate, the two guards there gave me a nod. Obviously, they recognized me as a squire of the Duke. In fact, the younger of the two rushed over to offer greetings. Since he was only a guard, of lesser status than a squire, he knelt down before speaking. ¡°Deft! It is good to see you and your ¡­ household?¡±

    He had stalled when he spotted Eu in a dress with her sword. I grabbed his focus back by calling his name. ¡°Will! It¡¯s been a while. How is your family?¡±

    ¡°Father is doing well. My brothers are busy training each day.¡±

    His father served as a soldier and guard like him. Since sons usually followed their father¡¯s profession, the fact that they were training hard was a good sign. ¡°I see you¡¯re serving as a gate guard now. You must be doing well yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I was chosen. I also get an extra day off each week.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I leaned in to whisper. ¡°Were you offered a raise as well?¡±

    He blushed. My question might be considered unfriendly, but I could tell what he was after. ¡°I did. The extra coins are helpful. Perhaps next year, I¡¯ll be looking to move out of the barracks and rent a residence.¡±

    I gave him a pleased smile. He knew that he was a longshot candidate. Progress would reach her third hand of age in less than two years. Since she was the daughter of a squire, he was thinking about moving up. Likewise, as my eldest daughter, she¡¯d receive twice the dowry of her sister Swift. I¡¯d want Progress to marry someone of her own social class. But, you never know¡­

    Naturally, the two had never spoken to each other. But, as we left, I could see his eyes meet hers across the distance. Good, good! They¡¯d noticed each other. I sent a small smile to Constance, but she only pursed her lips. Apparently, she had her own thoughts on the matter.

    Unfortunately for Will, he should be sending intermediaries to my wife, not talking to me. In fact, proper etiquette would have his mother as the messenger. On the other hand, he was doing his best to present himself in a good light.

    In any case, we left him behind at the gate, and moved toward the bath house. Except for the castle and the great sanctuary, it was the largest structure in the upper city. Local legends said that it had been built even before the castle.

    Since the town was situated on a river, the flow of water provided enough force for water mills to lift some of it to a higher elevation. However, moving enough water to satisfy the needs of a bath house would still have been prohibitive. Luckily, the town was famous for its hot springs - in fact, that¡¯s where the town¡¯s name Emberwell had supposedly come from.

    A large stone building had been built over the site, surrounding the source of the spring on all sides and closing it in. The price to enter was a single tin star coin per person. In other words, even the lower classes could afford it if they tightened their belts. On the other hand, for a price, the business offered various additional amenities such as fresh towels, laundry services, and even scented soaps and oils.

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    As we entered into the front archway, Grit and I split from the womenfolk and headed toward the men¡¯s side of the building. The others went the opposite way, giggling among themselves in excitement. Though, when I glanced backwards, I noticed that they had to pull Eu along behind them. For some reason, she was reluctant, shaking her head back and forth.

    There were two large bathing pools in the men¡¯s section. The smaller one was the hot pool from the thermal vents. Steam covered that area, rising upwards into the air. The other pool was cooler water meant more for swimming, exercise, or just chatting. After all, the bath house was one of the social centers of the city. Regardless, one was required to wash themselves at the wooden benches before entering either pool.

    The whole enclosure was surrounded by a barrier of rocks and boulders, open to the sky. The corresponding women¡¯s bathing pools were separated by a high wall of heavy bricks. You could hear voices over the wall, but it was muted by the distance and the blockade.

    Seeing one of my comrades in the cooling bath, also a free squire like myself, I hurriedly washed off at the bench and settled into the water nearby. His name was Brawn, and he matched his name with a large frame and bulging muscles. He was getting older, and I could see streaks of gray in his beard.

    ¡°Deft? Is that you? I heard you¡¯d been sent out with a message to the outskirts.¡±

    ¡°Hey Brawn! That¡¯s right. I just got back yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Good trip?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    He laughed along, ¡°Hahaha! Glad to be back then?¡±

    ¡°No kidding! Is there any news?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ well¡­ the Duke¡¯s gone to Kingseat in conference with the other Dukes.¡±

    ¡°What? Oh no! I came into town to present my findings to him!¡±

    ¡°Suppose you¡¯ll have to wait then! Hahaha!¡± He laughed some more and slapped me on the shoulder, which stung since my skin was bare.

    ¡°Any idea when he¡¯ll get back?¡±

    ¡°Not a clue! Hahaha! You know how those trips go.¡±

    I sighed. All my wife¡¯s plans were falling apart.

    ¡°You could go present yourself to the Seneschal,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not. If I did that, he¡¯d take all the credit when he relayed word to the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Ah? Credit?¡± Brawn peered over at me. ¡°So¡­ you found something important?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ maybe? It¡¯s up to the Duke to decide.¡±

    He slapped my shoulder again. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re so young. Full of dreams and wishful thinking!¡±

    I could guess there was a red hand print on my back now. I tried to move a bit further to be out of his reach. ¡°Well¡­ I have my children to think of. Grit¡¯s almost three hands old and not long after that we¡¯ll be preparing a dowry for Progress.¡±

    ¡°Sure! Sure! I remember those days!¡±

    ¡°Your children are all off and married!¡±

    ¡°Yep! Course, I had it easy! Four sons. No dowries from me!¡±

    I gave him an exasperated groan, but it was drowned out by an argument on the other side of the separating wall. I could hear several women shouting at each other. Unfortunately, I recognized my wife¡¯s voice mixed in with them.

    ¡°What do you figure¡¯s going on?¡± Brawn asked while cocking his ear.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like your wife.¡±

    ¡°Surely not!¡± I tried to deflect his attention by splashing a bit of water around.

    Of course by this point, I could also make out Eu¡¯s high-pitched voice from the other side. ¡°No no no! No water!¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha! Sounds like someone¡¯s getting their first bath!¡± Brawn chuckled.

    I didn¡¯t respond, trying my best to keep an amused smile on my face.

    ¡°The water¡¯s safe!¡± That was Progress¡¯s voice. ¡°We¡¯re not going to drown you! But you need to wash your hair!¡±

    ¡°No water!¡±

    What followed was the noise of a extended struggle followed by a large splash and a lot of burbling.

    ¡°Hahaha! I wonder who that was? One of your daughters?¡±

    I¡¯d given up pretending already. I could feel my face burning so I tilted my head back to stare at the clouds in the sky.

 Chapter 19 - Lounging

    After Grit and I had plenty of time to soak in the baths, we changed into the more formal clothing that we had packed. At this point, it didn¡¯t matter since our plans had changed. If the Duke wasn¡¯t in residence, there was no point in going to the castle. But, there was no way to carry that news to my wife and daughters. I wouldn''t want them to feel out of place.

    The foyer of the bath house served double duty as a waiting lounge and a fancy ale house. Since our womenfolk were taking their time in the baths, Grit and I settled into seats at a table and ordered some appetizers. It cut into my allowance for the week, but it let us hold down a table until the others arrived.

    ¡°Father, what will you do now?¡± Grit asked.

    ¡°Not sure. I¡¯ll discuss the situation first with your mother, she¡­¡±

    I paused when a server arrived carrying a wooden platter with our order. This consisted of crisp baked flatbread along with dollops of jellied fruit and cream. There were also small knives to spread the toppings as desired. To be clear, I''d ordered enough for my whole family since I knew to save most of it for my wife and daughters.

    The server boy carrying all this was no older than Swift, but his balance and etiquette were flawless. Grit gave him a smile and a nod. In response, the boy knelt briefly to our higher status and then retreated.

    ¡°You were saying¡­¡± said Grit once the boy was gone.

    ¡°I want to wait for your mother¡¯s advice. Oh¡­ and here she is!¡±

    The rest of my family arrived through the archway, and many heads in the room turned to look. Each of them were dressed in their finer clothing, complete with bonnet hats, ready for a trip to the castle. Eu¡¯s hat completely covered her hair, which disguised her strange appearance. Constance led the others in, though she was dragging Eu along with a firm grip on her ear.

    ¡°Husband, you didn¡¯t tell me she hated baths.¡± Constance complained.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I felt her unspoken words. A single sound from Constance was more than effective to communicate her displeasure. Yet, without voicing any actual meaning, her sentiment didn¡¯t cross the line of her supposed respect for her husband.

    Progress was walking behind the two of them, but she was holding one hand up to cover her face. ¡°Father... that girl! She¡¯s vicious!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°She poked me in the eye! With her finger!¡±

    When she temporarily removed her hand, it revealed the angry red outline around her swollen eye. I¡¯d seen worse on the battlefield, so I looked closer to appraise the damage. ¡°Not too bad. Looks like she punched you, not a poke. If you can see fine, you¡¯ll have a black eye tomorrow, but it will heal.¡±

    Progress glared at me, ¡°Father, this is your fault!¡±

    ¡°What? Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault,¡± she repeated herself. ¡°I want an apology!¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯m sorry. I regret that I didn¡¯t see this coming.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph!¡± Progress took her seat.

    Simultaneously, Swift sat down beside me, and whispered into my ear, ¡°Eu is amazing!¡±

    ¡°Wh-what? How?¡±

    ¡°She fights for her honor like a knight!¡±

    I looked over at Eu, trying to meld the two concepts, but failed. Regardless, Swift nodded to herself and looked quite confident with the assessment.

    ¡°Husband, I see that you ordered food. That was well considered.¡± Constance still held Eu by one ear as she took her seat. Then, with her free hand, she picked up one of the crisps and dipped it into the fruit jelly. Eu was left standing, well¡­ actually crouching beside the table.

    I decided to ignore the strange scene and concentrate on my own wording, ¡°Of course I ordered food! I could hear the altercation from the other side of the bath house wall, and I supposed that you would like some time to relax.¡±

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    ¡°Indeed. You were right.¡± Constance popped the flatbread into her mouth. ¡°Perhaps we should order lunch. We lost more than a bell bathing and changing clothes.¡±

    One of Eu¡¯s hands snuck out toward the table to grab a piece of bread. However, this was slapped away from her by Progress. ¡°You little beast! You don¡¯t get any!¡±

    I winced as I saw Eu¡¯s vengeful glare. Those two were not going to be friends.

    In the meantime, Swift had prepared one of her own to eat, but paused, watching the other two scowling at each other. ¡°Is this Eu¡¯s punishment?¡±

    ¡°Punishment?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No lunch for her! She can go hungry!¡± suggested Progress.

    Grit objected, ¡°Aww¡­ she¡¯s just a little thing! We should at least give her some bread!¡±

    Progress rounded on him, ¡°You¡¯re one to talk! You ate all of yesterday¡¯s sweetcakes!¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! What makes you say that?¡± he gaped at her.

    ¡°You ate them all before I arrived for breakfast!¡±

    ¡°They were all gone before I got there!¡±

    ¡°Then who do you think ate them?¡±

    All of our eyes swiveled to Eu. After all, we all remembered how she¡¯d stared at them after being denied last night. Constance asked the critical question, ¡°Eu¡­ did you eat the sweetcakes?¡±

    ¡°No-oo-oo!¡± The middle tone of the word was higher, indicating emphasis and a sense of betrayal. She even gave out a sad whimper and tried to make an innocent face. If I didn¡¯t know better, I would have guessed that she had been unfairly accused.

    ¡°Husband, this girl is a thief and a liar.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s amazing!¡± added Swift.

    ¡°Uhh¡­ I¡¯ll make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again?¡± I offered. On the other hand, I could see the scheming look on Eu¡¯s face. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    ¡°Yes. That sounds like a good idea.¡± Constance pulled down on Eu¡¯s ear, forcing her to kneel beside the table. ¡°Now then, since she¡¯s had plenty of sweetcakes already today, I think nobody will object to her missing lunch?¡±

    Since all of our eyes fell on Grit as Eu¡¯s prior defender, he waved his hands, ¡°No objection! In fact, it seems like a light punishment! Indeed, a fair exchange for the loss of our sweetcakes!¡±

    Although I agreed with the decision, I could see that Eu did not. Her eyes had narrowed to pin-pricks of rage.

    Since I was busy watching her to see what Eu would try next, I was surprised when the server boy arrived. Apparently, Grit had waved him over. Once again, I was impressed by the boy¡¯s professional attitude. His eyes barely flickered to Eu, who was whimpering at the far side of the table.

    ¡°Ah¡­ yes. We¡¯d like to order lunch. What do you suggest?¡±

    ¡°We have a very popular soup, though considering your family¡¯s status, I would suggest the glazed lamb roast with mushrooms, squash, and parsnips.¡±

    I nodded along. Wow! That was a smooth delivery! He¡¯d given me the option, but then by flattering me, I didn¡¯t have much choice but to take his offering. I was only a squire, but this was a chance to show off. After all, we were already dressed up fancy. On top of all that, it sounded tasty! If not now, then when?

    ¡°We¡¯ll have the soup. Four servings.¡± Constance intervened, rescuing me from my prideful ruminations, and then nodded her chin toward Eu to indicate which of us wouldn¡¯t be getting any.

    ¡°Yes, of course, my lady,¡± the boy retreated again.

    Unfortunately, it was too soon to relax. I still had some bad news to relay, ¡°Now then, ahh¡­ there¡¯s been a change of plans. I was hoping to see the Duke today, but he¡¯s gone to Kingseat. No telling when he¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Constance nodded. ¡°No sense in talking to the Seneschal.¡±

    Her opinion of that man was about the same as my own. Trouble.

    Progress was pressing her fingers against her bruised eye socket. From her face, she was mortified at the thought of a blemish. ¡°I for one am glad we¡¯ll be going back home. I wouldn¡¯t want anyone to see me looking like this.¡±

    Grit and Swift didn¡¯t seem to have an opinion, although Swift seemed to be paying more attention to Eu than any of the words of our discussion. In fact, I saw her loading up a crisp flatbread with plenty of fruit and cream and then she snuck it under the table to Eu¡¯s waiting hand.

    ¡°Swift! Stop that!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡± Her face fell in shame. Clearly she knew she¡¯d been doing something wrong. But, we hadn¡¯t warned her previously, so her acknowledgement was enough.

    Unfortunately, Eu already had a firm hand on the treat and the whole thing went straight into her mouth. She swallowed it down quickly, as if afraid we might pull it out of her jaws.

    I sighed loudly, but Grit chose that moment to ask a question, ¡°Father. What about me?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°If you are going home, may I spend some time in town.¡±

    ¡°In your nice clothes? What for?¡±

    ¡°I could visit the home of some of the other squires¡¯ sons.¡±

    ¡°Oh ho!¡± murmured Progress. ¡°Showing off for their sisters?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± He protested, but the blush on his face told a different story.

    I looked at my wife and she looked back at me. There was no harm in it. In fact, it was good to let him spread his wings and socialize a little. ¡°You may go. But don¡¯t get your clothes dirty and be back home before sundown.¡±

    ¡°Of course, father!¡± HIs smile was beaming.

    Unfortunately, not everyone could be so happy. I could hear Progress¡¯s sniffle and guess that she too was looking forward to showing off a little in her nice clothes. But, as a daughter, she had no room to complain and no expectation of going anywhere alone. Furthermore, considering her hurt eye, her hopes were already dashed.

    In contrast, her sister, Swift, seemed entirely too impressed by the whole situation. ¡°Amazing!¡±

 Chapter 20 - Amazing

    Lunch took almost the whole time from the fifth to sixth bell, so we finished around noon. I tapped Grit to say the blessing, but that was only a small part of the time. The rest was spent enjoying the food and discussing small things such as the news and our plans for the coming winter.

    The so-called soup was thick with vegetables and broth. Furthermore, there was a hearty loaf of bread served with each plate. In fact, the amount of the portions was too much for Swift¡¯s small stomach, so we divided some of her bread among the rest of us.

    In addition, the meal included an ale for each of the men and a spiced cider for each of the women. The server boy must have felt sorry for Eu, because he even brought out an extra cup for her. She sniffed at it carefully before guzzling it down.

    I knew it was expensive, but since my wife was here, it came out of her purse instead of my wallet. Sadly, she saw my scheming expression and shut me down. ¡°We won¡¯t be doing this again.¡±

    Once everyone was finished, we paid for the meal and made our way out. Although Grit was planning to visit his friends, it was too early in the day. They would be embroiled in lessons and training. Instead, he tagged along with us on our way out of town.

    Progress wanted to go straight home. Swift wanted to walk along the riverside and take in the sights. Constance seemed to be ambivalent. Eu wanted to do anything that would have her ear released.

    In the end, we settled upon a compromise. We would head home, but following the path of the river. Progress was the only one wary about this plan. ¡°Mother, if we see any of my friends, can you tell them I¡¯m sick? I can keep my hat low, so they won¡¯t see my face.¡±

    ¡°But, you aren¡¯t sick. Are you asking us to lie?¡± questioned Constance.

    ¡°My eye is injured! Isn¡¯t that like being sick?¡±

    ¡°No, no it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll tell them that you aren¡¯t feeling well. That¡¯s more vague. From that, they can reach whatever conclusions they want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, mother!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    We hadn¡¯t gone far when I noticed a shop along the riverfront that might shed some light on other questions. I motioned to my family, and we moved toward that side of the street..

    The wooden sign above the door showed a flying bird carrying a crown in its claws. The label below read ¡°Magpie¡¯s Fortune.¡± Although it claimed to be a jeweler, I knew that it was just as much a pawn shop.

    ¡°Welcome to Magpie¡¯s!¡± The proprietor, a hearty man about my age, first knelt to my family''s status. Then, he took one look at the group of us and gave a broad smile. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯d like a ring to be given by your son?¡±

    I felt my eyes slide to Grit¡¯s face who was shaking his head. The womenfolk behind us tittered along at the humor. ¡°No. Not yet. The girl¡¯s family is still weighing their other options.¡±

    ¡°G-g-girl?¡± Grit stuttered, but I ignored him.

    ¡°Ah? Too bad. He looks old enough you could be a grandfather by now.¡±

    I laughed along, while Grit demanded, ¡°Which girl? Who?¡±

    This only caused more giggling from behind us, and I saw Grit¡¯s ears flush pink.

    The shop keep smiled at us, his happy customers, but he didn¡¯t have time to amuse us all day. ¡°So what are you looking for then?¡±

    ¡°Not buying or selling, I don¡¯t think. But I¡¯d like to have your expertise on something I¡¯ve found.¡± With that, I pulled out one of Eu¡¯s crystals and set it on his counter.

    He bent down to look closer without touching it. ¡°Hmm¡­ hexagonal rod with corresponding points on both ends. That¡¯s easy! It¡¯s quartz. Small, but a very nice specimen. The shape is perfect and the clarity is exceptional. I¡¯ll give you a brass sun for it.¡±

    In other words, it was a pretty rock. On the other hand, it was pretty enough to be worth a day¡¯s unskilled labor. Not bad. If Eu could make one every day, she¡¯d never go hungry. But, it wouldn¡¯t be significant to the Duke. He¡¯d be more interested in funding his kingdom.

    ¡°Would you like to sell it?¡± asked the proprietor, although I¡¯d already said that wasn¡¯t my goal.

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    ¡°Umm¡­ not today. Maybe later.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a bad offer. You won¡¯t find better.¡±

    Oh, he thought I was trying to haggle? ¡°That¡¯s not the issue. The stone isn¡¯t mine to sell. I just want to know more about it.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Well, if you change your mind, I¡¯ll be here. Or if you want that ring? I¡¯ve got some pretty enough to heat up any girl¡¯s heart.¡±

    Beside me, Grit hid his face. He was nearly three hands old, so It¡¯s true that we¡¯d need to nail down a marriage contract for him soon. However, our family¡¯s actual status didn¡¯t match our rank. Worse, our reputation was sure to fall given recent events. We might not find many good choices waiting for him.

    Once we made it back outside, Grit excused himself from the continued giggling to take his own path. Undoubtedly, he wanted to escape from the womenfolk and their merciless teasing. Unfortunately, that left the rest of us in town, wearing fine clothes, and no plans for the day.

    Luckily for Progress, we didn¡¯t run into any of her peers. After all, womenfolk don¡¯t walk around alone without a guardian. On the other hand, we did cross the path of several young men. When she squeaked and moved to the far side from them, we used the same excuse each time.

    Considering the constant fear of sickness, pestilence, and plagues, it wasn¡¯t hard for her to avoid contact. The idea that she wasn¡¯t feeling well was a powerful deterrent. If anything, the potential suitors moved away too quickly, betraying their true feelings on the matter.

    The exception was Will, the young guardsman. We¡¯d already seen him earlier today when passing in through the gate. Even so, we ran into him again on our way out. After hearing the usual excuse, he approached more closely. ¡°Please tell her that I hope she recovers soon. In fact, I have a family remedy for a sore throat that I could bring to your house later.¡±

    I tried to keep the smirk off my face. ¡°It¡¯s not a sore throat.¡±

    ¡°But she looked very ¡­ healthy earlier today! Would she appreciate visitors later?¡±

    Healthy, hmmm? I was about to break out laughing, so my wife stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would appreciate a visit. Though, even then, you should keep your distance.¡±

    In response, I could see Progress shivering from nerves. Considering how she had tittered at Grit earlier, it was amusing to see the same situation turned around with her as the focus.

    But then, Eu decided to ruin everything and join the conversation, ¡°Her eye is a plum.¡±

    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Will staggered in confusion.

    ¡°I poked her eye. Her eye is a plum now.¡±

    At this, Constance grabbed Eu¡¯s ear and pulled her away for a good scolding. Progress continued to shiver, but the reason seemed to have shifted all the way from anxiety to rage.

    ¡°Who was that?¡± asked Will, looking at me and then Swift. ¡°I thought you only had two daughters.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ umm¡­¡± I stumbled, trying to remember the correct excuse to use.

    Of course, Swift decided to help out, ¡°She¡¯s my new sister! Her name is Eu! She¡¯s amazing!¡±

    ¡°New sister?¡± Clearly, Will didn¡¯t know what to say. He was probably still processing the newly revealed information.

    I sighed. The cat was out of the bag. Even if it was a fake cat, it sure mewed loud enough!

    About then, seeing the situation over here devolving, Constance returned. ¡°We should introduce her to you. Her name is Eu. Eu, say hello to Will.¡±

    ¡°Hello to Will,¡± she repeated the words verbatim.

    ¡°Umm¡­ nice to meet you. Eu?¡±

    ¡°Eu is short for Euphoria,¡± supplied Swift. Admittedly, none of us had agreed to that, but it was as good a name as any.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a real name." He looked relieved. "Nice to meet you, Euphoria.¡±

    ¡°My name is Euphoria?¡± Eu asked while tilting her head.

    ¡°That¡¯s what ¡­ that¡¯s what your sister said.¡± Will sputtered.

    ¡°Swift is my sister?¡±

    Constance pulled Eu away again by the ear for some more scolding.

    Will seemed to be turning blue from holding his breath. The whole confused situation was more than a young man like him could deal with. I stepped in to help, ¡°She¡¯s, umm¡­ still learning the language.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± His voice trembled.

    ¡°Yes, umm¡­ she was raised by¡­ nuns. In a convent. They only spoke the old tongue.¡±

    He nodded carefully, by which time Eu was pulled back again for proper introductions.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Will. I am sorry. I was bad. Swift is my sister.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡± he glanced at me.

    I didn¡¯t want to lie. But at this point, what choice did I have? The dice were already cast. ¡°Eu is my daughter.¡±

    There was a long pause as everyone let that settle in.

    Then, the silence was broken by Eu¡¯s rising scream. ¡°WHA-A-A-T? No!¡±

    Apparently, this morning, during the conversation on this topic, she was only confirming that I was indeed the father of my family. She had not agreed to any such relationship for herself.

    ¡°I should go now,¡± said Will as he backed away slowly.

    Progress crumpled to the ground. I didn¡¯t blame her, but at the same time, I knew that she¡¯d regret it later when she had to wash the dirt out of her dress. Clothes were expensive, since everything was tailored by hand. Her nice dress was doubtless her finest possession.

    Swift had her own comment on the situation, ¡°Eu is amazing!¡±

    Once he was beyond reach, Will turned to flee.

    ¡°Was Will afraid of Eu?¡± Swift asked me.

    ¡°Yes, dear. Eu is too amazing. We need to be careful with her.¡±

    ¡°He was so amazed, he ran away!¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ amazing!¡±

    Was this her new favorite word?

    ¡°When I grow up, I want to be amazing, just like her!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond to such an innocent declaration of misguided intent. Since I didn¡¯t have the words at hand, I said nothing. Was this was going to be a problem?

 Chapter 21 - Problems and Solutions

    Our arrival back home meant that I could take a brief moment to rest in the main hall. My wife shooed the three girls off to their rooms and sat down to join me.

    ¡°Husband, today did not go well.¡±

    ¡°No kidding!¡±

    ¡°You are right to be concerned, but there will be some growing pains as we adjust.¡±

    ¡°You always wanted more children.¡± I gave a deep sigh, then winced after I realized what I''d said.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I could sense the icy prickle in her voice. No matter our wealth or what precautions we took, life was hard. Each pregnancy we¡¯d gone through was a risky endeavor and many children didn¡¯t make it past their first year. After the loss of our most recent son, even though he¡¯d made it past his second birthday, this was not a topic that I should raise.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That was ill-spoken.¡± I hung my head and knelt down to her on the floor to indicate the sincerity of regret after my harsh words.

    Her tone shifted. ¡°You¡¯ve had a difficult day. This is not how I expected things to go either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m most concerned for Swift. She¡¯s forming a dangerous fascination with Eu¡¯s misbehavior.¡±

    ¡°It is a passing fancy. I can nip that in the bud.¡± She seemed confident, but I saw her eye twitch.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. I wouldn¡¯t want to hear of her wearing pants or poking people in the eye.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think Swift would fall that far?¡± She laughed.

    I paused to consider, ¡°No, but I don¡¯t doubt she¡¯ll learn some bad habits from all of this nonsense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give her some more time memorizing the scriptures then.¡±

    At this I smirked. ¡°Be careful. You know the old proverb and you know it¡¯s true: the children of a priest are the first to draw the tempter¡¯s eye.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t deny it. After all, we¡¯d seen it too many times. The children with the strictest education were often the first to fall to their own confidence or pride. Perhaps they thought themselves immune due to their family relationships? Or perhaps they felt trapped by their strict upbringing.

    After a moment, I retracted my warning, ¡°Let¡¯s see how things go. I can¡¯t imagine Swift taking it too far. She¡¯s your daughter.¡±

    At this, Constance smiled and patted my arm. ¡°Swift will be fine. If anything, I¡¯m more concerned for Grit and Progress.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ yes.¡±

    ¡°Arranging marriages for them will be difficult now.¡±

    ¡°Grit is a grown man. He¡¯s also turning out to be a fine squire. His horsemanship is impeccable.¡±

    ¡°But his pedigree is now suspect. Would you marry Progress to the son of a squire knowing that his father is a philanderer?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but wince. ¡°Maybe we should talk to my aunt for Grit. Some of my cousins have daughters. They wouldn¡¯t mind getting a leg up in the world.¡±

    This produced a scowl. ¡°Husband, while we know that YOU aren¡¯t guilty, I¡¯m not so sure about your cousins.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    That was unfortunately true. My branch of the family held the title and the land. The other branches had become merchants and I¡¯d heard some unsavory rumors.

    Unfortunately, our planning was interrupted at that point. I could hear Progress stomping her feet down the hallway toward us in the main room.

    ¡°Father, this isn¡¯t fair!¡±

    ¡°Daughter. Speak calmly. What is your concern?¡± I looked at her injured eye, expecting that to be her complaint. It had indeed swollen up, and changed color from red to purple. Eu¡¯s comparing it to a plum was becoming more and more apt.

    However, at least for now, that was not the reason her protest. ¡°Grit has his own room with his own bed. Swift and I share a room and bed of the same size as his. But Eu has a whole room to herself with TWO beds and a RUG!¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ you¡¯re right. If she¡¯s not a guest, then we can¡¯t give her a better room than her brother or her sisters.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have another room though,¡± said my wife. ¡°Our house is only so big.¡±

    The three of us pondered over the dilemma, but Progress already had an idea. ¡°You could move Swift and me into the guest room where Eu is, then Eu could have our prior room.¡±

    That would work, except it wouldn¡¯t. We couldn¡¯t give them a better room than Grit¡¯s because he was male and the heir to the title. If we did that, it would indicate disfavor with him as my successor. I was stuck, so I looked over at Constance for guidance.

    Progress saw the look on my face, and proposed another strategy. ¡°How about we move Grit into the guest room? He¡¯s about to come of age. The celebration of his third hand isn¡¯t so far off.¡±

    I nodded along. ¡°Then we could move Progress into Grit¡¯s room and Eu into the current room with Swift. Err... no, no, no! That won¡¯t work!¡± I shook my head. We¡¯d just discussed our need to isolate Swift from Eu¡¯s antics!

    ¡°Why not?¡± whined Progress. She¡¯d very nearly gotten her heart¡¯s desire - her own room and bed to herself.

    My wife ignored her question to present a different idea, ¡°How about putting all three girls into the guest room? Split three ways, it isn¡¯t that big.¡±

    I thought about it, but was left shaking my head again. ¡°Like Progress said, that room has a rug! Not to mention a chest of drawers! Giving that to our daughters would be an insult to Grit.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ if that¡¯s the problem, we could move the rug to his room and the chest¡­¡± she paused in mid-sentence. His room wasn¡¯t big enough to hold more furniture.

    We each fell into silent contemplation. There didn¡¯t seem to be a good solution.

    Suddenly, Progress perked up, ¡°Eu could sleep in the stables! It¡¯s where she belongs anyway! After all, she¡¯s not much better than an animal!¡±

    ¡°Progress! I¡¯d expect better of you!¡± The voice was mine, but I saw the same expression of horror on my wife¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s true! Just look at my eye!¡± She pointed to it with a finger.

    She had a good argument, but if Eu was my daughter, we wouldn¡¯t be keeping her in the stables. Besides, there was a bigger issue. ¡°She may act like an animal now, but if we treat her like one, do you expect her to improve?¡±

    Her gaze fell. ¡°Well, you have to do something! Giving her the guest room isn¡¯t fair!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already agreed with that point. We¡¯re still trying to figure out a good solution.¡±

    Constance raised a finger, ¡°Grit could move to the guest room, Progress could move to Grit¡¯s old room, Eu could move into the girl¡¯s room, and Swift could sleep in our bed with us!¡±

    I felt my hackles rising. If Swift was sleeping in my bed, that would curtail all of our privacy. Our bed might have three warm bodies, but it would be a cold, lonely bed. On top of that, I''d heard that Swift kicked in her sleep. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t express that concept right here in front of Progress. Instead, I chose another tack, ¡°Swift is too old for that. Sleeping in her father¡¯s bed at her age? What would our neighbors say?¡±

    After thinking about it, Progress was likewise scandalized, so Constance dropped that proposal.

    Once again, we fell into silence as we fished around for ideas.

    Eventually, Progress raised her earlier suggestion again. ¡°What was wrong with putting Swift and Eu together? They¡¯re the two youngest daughters. It makes sense.¡±

    I could tell that her real goal was still getting her own room, but she was right. Under any other circumstances, it would be the obvious choice. I couldn¡¯t see another solution. Likewise, I knew that Grit would be pleased to get the guest room. Better yet, he deserved a reward considering how the recent change to our circumstances would ruin his marriage prospects - and possibly the rest of his life.

    But there was still the other problem ¡­

    My wife looked at me and patted my arm. ¡°More time memorizing scriptures?¡±

    ¡°Right! More time memorizing scriptures.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Feast and Festivities

    Thankfully, the rest of our afternoon passed uneventfully. We changed out of our nice clothing to keep them clean and proceeded with our usual schedules.

    I spent some time talking to the head serfs representing the families that lived and worked on our land. My wife was in charge of the household servants since they were paid, but the land itself was my responsibility.

    The womenfolk moved into their usual lessons and did their best to include Eu. From what I could see, she listened well and only spoke in order to learn new words.

    Grit arrived well before dinner. His clothes were immaculate, so I knew he¡¯d been careful with them. On the other hand, his face was dark. ¡°I heard there was an incident with Eu near the river.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Yes. She made quite a scene with Will, the young guardsman.¡±

    ¡°Someone said that she''s your bastard daughter, and that I should be ashamed.¡±

    ¡°As we mentioned this morning, you know that¡¯s not true. But it¡¯s better for Eu if we let people believe that.¡±

    He paused and gave me a long look before asking the big question. ¡°Why is Eu so important?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I pulled him aside away from the servants. ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question to answer. Obviously, we do want to help her since she¡¯s an orphan, but it¡¯s not just altruism. Your mother and I discussed it, and we saw this as an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°An opportunity? How could this be worth it?¡± His face was still angry.

    ¡°Really, if anything, it¡¯s for YOUR future, Grit.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You saw how Eu has magic? That means the Duke is likely to give her a knighthood to ensure her connection to him and her loyalty, right? But a woman can¡¯t hold land, so it would become the responsibility of her father and family.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ so in the end, to match her status, you¡¯d advance to become a knight too¡­ and as your heir, I¡¯d be a knight!¡±

    ¡°Right! But, if she wasn¡¯t actually my daughter? What would happen then?¡±

    He folded his arms. ¡°The Duke¡¯s charity protects orphans.¡±

    ¡°So, in effect, she¡¯d be the Duke¡¯s child, right? We''d get nothing.¡±

    Grit spent some time thinking about it. ¡°Father, I understand your reasoning now. Even so, if I had to choose, I¡¯d rather remain a squire, or even lose my title. It¡¯s not worth your name being dragged through the mud.¡±

    I ruffled his hair, ¡°My name doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve done a lot of awful things in my life, but at least this time, I know I¡¯m innocent.¡±

    He returned my gaze and then nodded with a smirk. ¡°Let them say what they will.¡±

    That was a nice sentiment! In that moment, I couldn''t have been prouder of him. Grit was growing up into a fine young man.

    As we waited for dinner, he and I moved inside to watch as the girls recited what they had learned for the day. Since I¡¯d been gone for nearly two weeks, this was an important moment for me, but also for them. I could see both Progress and Swift working hard to prove themselves to me.

    Constance had chosen scriptures for the day that focused on peace, tranquility, and cooperation. Obviously, Progress had noticed the pattern, and was trying her best to speak the words without grinding her teeth. In contrast, Swift¡¯s words spilled out with the sincerity of her innocent heart.

    When it came time for Eu to demonstrate her work for the day, we were all surprised at her diction and accuracy. Unfortunately, when we asked her questions about what she¡¯d learned, it became clear that she¡¯d memorized how to string the words together without knowing what they actually meant.

    This required some thought. I rubbed at my beard and looked at my wife. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s good enough for now. Later, as she learns more words, she¡¯ll¡­¡±

    I was interrupted by a knock at our front door. Since we weren¡¯t expecting guests, I sent Grit to check while we all listened.

    ¡°Grit! Hahahaha! You¡¯re getting bigger every day!¡± It was Brawn and his whole family - meaning his wife, his four sons, their wives, plus their grandchildren. Altogether, there were more than thirty guests at our front door. I lost count because so many of his grandchildren were interchangeable.

    ¡°Brawn? What brings you here?¡± I rose from my seat to greet him.

    ¡°My wife told me that you had a new daughter! That calls for a celebration!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ she¡¯s not so new.¡±

    ¡°Whatever!¡± He laughed it off. ¡°We brought a picnic with us!¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Looking at the baskets and rolled up tarps, I could see that his family had prepared quite a spread. In fact, I even spied two of his sons carrying kegs of ale over their shoulders. If it wasn¡¯t for their infectious smiles, I would have been angry. But, Brawn had been a true friend for many years.

    ¡°Brawn, you rascal! You should have sent word. Our servants are already cooking dinner!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Don¡¯t worry about the small stuff! Just bring that out too and add it to the mix!¡±

    It took some doing, especially after Constance asked us to carry the dining table outside. Naturally, my children had already run off to interact with Brawn¡¯s children of similar age. The exception was Progress who had disappeared, probably to hide her injured face in her room.

    By the time we¡¯d all settled down on the tarps on the lawn, it was growing dark. Fortunately, Brawn¡¯s sons were expecting that and had already started a campfire, as well as a jaunty tune on a lute. The flickering light danced around, revealing all of our smiling faces. I couldn¡¯t help but join in as the night became suddenly festive.

    The baskets contained fruits, breads, cheeses, and a selection of smoked sausages. Not quite equivalent to that celebrated for a new birth, but certainly more than I expected. The most surprising part was the sheer quantity. On the other hand, watching his sons eat, I could see that Brawn knew what he was doing.

    Naturally, I sat at the table with Grit, Brawn, and his first son. As two squires plus the heirs of our houses, our statuses were all similar, so we could easily interact as comrades. His other sons and grandsons sat on the ground around us, socializing among themselves as we talked. The womenfolk formed their own circles nearby, separated by age groups.

    ¡°So where¡¯s your new daughter? I hear she¡¯s a fighter! I suppose she takes after her father?¡± Brawn slapped my shoulder.

    I scanned around, but initially I couldn¡¯t see Eu in the flickering light. It wasn¡¯t until I caught sight of her sneaking a peek into the dessert baskets that I pointed her out. ¡°There she is. Trying to get an early start on the sweetcakes you brought.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look that tough to me." His thick eyebrows bristled at her. "Why is she carrying a sword?¡±

    ¡°It makes her happy.¡± I tried my best. When in doubt, be vague?

    ¡°Sort of spindly, wouldn''t you say? My wife described her as ferocious ... like an angry bear.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°She may be small, but she gave Progress a black eye at the baths earlier. It was probably that.¡±

    ¡°Her hair¡¯s awfully dark. Half-plainsman? How¡¯d you swing that?¡± Now his eyebrows were bristling at me.

    ¡°Uhh¡­ I¡¯d rather not say.¡± That way, I wouldn¡¯t have to lie. He could assume whatever he liked.

    ¡°Hahaha! Didn¡¯t think you were that sort!¡±

    I felt myself blushing. Luckily, the flickering firelight would conceal it.

    Then he leaned in closer to whisper, ¡°In fact, Deft, I KNOW you¡¯re not that sort. What¡¯s the story?¡±

    His statement of support came as a relief. A true friend would never doubt my character so easily. ¡°Er¡­ I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s a secret. But, I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±

    He slapped my back. ¡°Of course you are! Now eat some more! This is a feast, right?¡±

    I did my best to live up to his expectations, but there¡¯s only so much I could stomach while keeping an eye out for trouble. Of course, trouble comes in ways that you least expect it.

    ¡°No sweetcakes for Eu! She¡¯s already had her share!¡± That was Progress, who¡¯d finally arrived, wearing a hat and a veil to disguise her injury.

    Unfortunately, she was too late. Eu scurried away carrying a sweetcake in each hand. Not that big a deal, but Progress clenched her shaking fists and went chasing off after her.

    ¡°I¡¯d better put a stop to that.¡± I stood up to excuse myself.

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t. Let them hash it out themselves. My sons were fighting each other nonstop. It makes them tougher, right?¡± He turned to the side and slapped the shoulder of his eldest son. I was glad that for once, he slapped someone other than me. At the same time, I saw that he¡¯d been holding back when smacking me. His son, a full grown man, was knocked off the bench onto the ground.

    In any case, I didn¡¯t have time for that. I was already running. Strangely, I wasn¡¯t that worried about Eu. She¡¯d already demonstrated enthusiasm and experience in conflict. Instead, I was worried that Progress was about to learn a hard lesson.

    When I came around the corner of the house, I discovered that my predictions were correct.

    Eu had somehow grabbed onto Progress¡¯s arm, twisted it behind her and held it up in a lock. In contrast, Progress was kneeling down, facing the other way, and quivering in rage.

    In a moment of clarity, I noticed that one of the sweetcakes was lying half-eaten on the grass. The other was held in Eu¡¯s free hand. She was half the size, but she¡¯d beaten Progress using only one hand? Luckily, she hadn¡¯t even touched her sword.

    Unfortunately, it appeared that Eu wasn¡¯t done. That night, I discovered the fact that sweetcakes aren¡¯t just food, they are implements of shame. Since she had Progress at her mercy, Eu brought the sweetcake to bear and started smearing the sticky bread into Progress''s face and hair.

    ¡°Nooooo! Blech! Pffft! You win! You win!¡± Progress had kept on struggling silently until that exact moment. I guess that was the point at which she¡¯d given up hope. Sweetcakes were scary!

    ¡°Eu! Stop!¡± Even though I was running, I still arrived too late to help. Progress was weeping openly by the time I could grab Eu and force her hands open.

    Only after I had turned her around to face me, I saw the fingernail scratch-marks running down Eu¡¯s face. Apparently, Progress hadn¡¯t fought fair either.

    ¡°You two! You¡¯re both in BIG trouble!¡± I¡¯d never had to pull my children out of a fight before. I had no idea what came next. Usually, the children¡¯s discipline was handled by Constance.

    Progress didn¡¯t even respond. She just stood up and walked away. I¡¯d seen the same thing happen on the battlefield when someone had been mortally wounded. She was probably in shock.

    In contrast, Eu was grinning as she called after her, ¡°Cake face! Cake face!¡±

    I picked Eu up, threw her over my shoulder and carried her inside the house. Since we¡¯d already decided she¡¯d be sleeping in the girl¡¯s room with Swift, I threw her in there and shut the door. Then, I moved a table to block the entrance.

    When she opened the door to examine her new prison, I realized that she could simply crawl through under the table. So, I caught her again and slammed the table over onto its side, facing the door. She could probably still go over it, but that would be harder.

    The door didn¡¯t open again. I guess she finally got the message?

    I stood there for a moment, and found myself repeating Grit¡¯s words from this afternoon. ¡°How could this be worth it?¡±

 Chapter 23 - Warnings

    By the time I returned to the picnic, the food was gone and the kegs of ale were empty. Brawn¡¯s family were packing up their things while Constance was giving out thanks and promises of a return favor.

    Thankfully, Progress was nowhere in sight. I could only imagine that she was hiding somewhere, picking sticky bits of cake out of her hair. Grit was giving his farewells to Brawn¡¯s grandsons of similar status. Everything seemed to be going well until I noticed Swift regaling the girls in her age group with a story of the ¡°bath house brawl¡± as she called it.

    ¡°... and then, the malicious rogue moved to grab our hero around the neck, like this¡­¡± She demonstrated the described maneuver by bending over backwards and choking herself with her own hands.

    The surrounding group of girls were watching with wide eyes as the unlikely tale of valor proceeded. Since I was a grown man, I couldn¡¯t barge into their conversation without a good reason. I looked around for Constance, but she was occupied with the older women.

    Without anyone to stop her, Swift continued on with her tale. ¡°But nay! Brave Euphoria was strong! The foul grip of an underhanded bandit could never overpower her! She leapt out from the water, pushing the villain underneath the restless waves.¡±

    Bandit? Villain? Just what criteria was Swift using for these descriptions of her sister? Obviously, she was imitating the standard heroic vocabulary from the great epics. I sighed in exasperation, watching Swift¡¯s reenactment of the battle continue.

    ¡°Did she have a sword? A shield? Nay! Our champion needed no such implements! Her hands were hard, her clenched knuckles sufficient to the challenge. Rawwr! Kersponk! With one slash, she put the outlaw down! The great beast fell back clutching at its ruined face. As always, righteousness stands triumphant! Thus, with such bravery, never again do we need to fear such creatures of the dark!¡±

    Luckily, Progress wasn''t present to hear about her ruined face or her ignoble end. The other girls clapped at the conclusion of her account and a few of the younger boys began wandering this way to see what the commotion was about.

    Seeing that her story was complete, this was my chance to interrupt. ¡°Swift. Give your farewells. Your friends must go soon and it is time for you to get ready for bed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, father!¡± She beamed at me, obviously pleased with her performance. However, she was just as eager to excel at her current duties. She moved off into the house, relieving me of one of my worries.

    Brawn was the last to leave. In fact, I was beginning to wonder if he would ever go. His booming laughter continued as he extolled my wife¡¯s ageless beauty. This was followed by compliments regarding our children and the state of our house and lands.

    In the end, knowing my old friend, I clapped him around the shoulder. ¡°Your wife is waiting for you. Did you drink too much? Should I walk you home?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Since when are you looking out for me? Are you saying I¡¯m too old for this?¡±

    ¡°Your beard is turning gray.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the color of iron! It shows how tough I am!¡±

    ¡°Iron rusts, old man. You should have said granite instead. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Not before I kiss your pretty wife¡¯s hand!¡±

    ¡°Off with you both!¡± Constance gave us both a smile as she shut the front door in our face.

    Once we¡¯d turned around, I added my own analysis. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you drink that much. You¡¯re acting like a child.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± he smirked at me.

    I opened my mouth but then shut it again, giving him a curious look. All of this foolishness was a clever act! I knew from prior experience that his bravado was a facade for the keen mind underneath, but he always managed to surprise me.

    Due to his strategy, his family was now walking well ahead. The two of us were bringing up the rear, far behind the others. In other words, he¡¯d figured out a way to speak to me in private without anyone even noticing.

    ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± I spoke quietly.

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    ¡°I¡¯ve got a favor to ask.¡±

    ¡°Just name it! You know how much I owe you!¡±

    ¡°Stay away from the castle.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for your own good. There¡¯s trouble.¡±

    ¡°The Seneschal again?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. It''s about money, as usual. In other words, it''s for the Duchess. He¡¯s levying extra taxes on the free squires."

    "More taxes?" I sighed. Constance would be livid.

    "Nothing immediate. It''s written as an addition to our heriot duty, so it''s not due yet. I suppose he thinks nobody will notice."

    Heriot taxes were due at the time a vassal died, unless they died in battle. Originally, the idea was that you''d be returning the gear your lord had given you. For example, each of the serfs working my land owed me their tools if the man of the house passed away. That way, I could give them to the new family that moved in.

    Unfortunately, the original meaning had long been lost on us squires. For example, if I died today, I''d owe the Duke a full hauberk, a sword, a spear, plus my horse, Honey. None of those had been given to me by the Duke, so it was effectively just a tax on dying. More reason not to die?

    "What is the Seneschal thinking? An increased heriot duty?"

    "Since we don''t owe loyalty to a knight, he''s going to set the heriot for free squires to be the same as if we were knights."

    "H-h-how would we ever pay that? A knight has more land to support himself!"

    "Obviously, there¡¯s some pushback, but it¡¯s better for you to stay clear. Without the Duke here to speak for us, what can we do?¡±

    ¡°I see. Uhh¡­ I wasn¡¯t planning to go to the castle until the Duke was back anyway.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Your wife¡¯s got a good head on her shoulders.¡±

    I smiled at his indirect compliment. ¡°Smartest thing I ever did was marry her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, of course. But that¡¯s not the only thing¡­¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ your new ¡®daughter¡¯ is your own business. But, you chose a bad time to get into trouble. I¡¯d stay out of the castle for a while, even after the Duke comes back.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you know something.¡± I glanced over at him while we walked. "What''s going on?"

    ¡°When¡¯s the last time the Duke rode off to Kingseat without planning it all out beforehand?¡±

    ¡°It was an unannounced trip?¡±

    ¡°He hardly had time to gather his retinue. I¡¯m guessing the king is ill.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Yeah. That would be a problem.¡± I put a hand up to hold my aching forehead.

    ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s more like a disaster. He¡¯s chosen his son, the Duke of Easthane as his heir.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ that¡¯ll mean another war.¡± I looked up into the starry sky and sighed.

    ¡°Unless the other Dukes fall into line, but you can bet that they won¡¯t. The half-brothers have never been his allies or friends. They weren¡¯t even raised in the same house.¡±

    Our little kingdom was sandwiched between natural barriers and the plainsmen to the north. You¡¯d expect us to prosper, but historically, we always turned upon ourselves. In this case, the first prince was a child of the king¡¯s first wife. But after she passed away, his second wife bore him three more sons. The four duchies were split among them. At this point, it was a question of legitimacy versus strength.

    I shook my head. ¡°All we can do is pray.¡±

    ¡°Pray¡­ and stay out of trouble. You wouldn¡¯t want to be chosen as part of the vanguard, would you?¡±

    ¡°Not me! We both know it¡¯s more gore than glory!¡±

    He clapped an arm around my shoulder, ¡°None of my predictions may come true. None of this may happen. Or¡­ it may not matter anyway. Or¡­ it may be that your son needs more riding lessons. How¡¯s his horsemanship?¡±

    In other words, Grit would need to be ready to ride to war. ¡°He¡¯s doing well, but we only have Honey! Grit can''t ride a mule into battle!¡±

    ¡°Then, you should be looking to get another horse - and soon!¡±

    That was indeed good advice. The odds of survival for cavalry were much higher than that for footmen. Mainly because if a battle went badly, the cavalry could ride away while the footmen would get chased down and captured for ransom. In the worst cases, they''d simply be killed and looted.

    ¡°Maybe I should be looking for TWO more horses.¡±

    ¡°Ehh? Why? Horses are expensive.¡± He peered at me.

    ¡°You saw that Eu was wearing a sword?¡±

    At that, he gave me a deep frown, ¡°What¡¯s that about? What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a magician.¡±

    ¡°Oh! OHHH! Now, THAT changes things!¡±

    The conversation paused as I saw him thinking things through.

    When he looked back at me, I asked him for more advice, ¡°How much does a horse cost? My father bought Honey for me before he passed away.¡±

    ¡°Too much. You¡¯ll need to talk to the money lenders. On the other hand, the cost of a pony is nowhere near that of a trained warhorse. They¡¯re easier to keep too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true! Eu is so tiny! A warhorse would be too big for her anyway.¡±

    He rubbed a hand through his beard. ¡°If she¡¯s a mage, what can she do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ it¡¯s all weird. I¡¯m no scholar!¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should find one. I¡¯ve got a fellow I can recommend to you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! Oh, but what about the Seneschal? Can this scholar hold his tongue?¡±

    He grinned back at me. ¡°That depends, but I know this fellow''s weak spot. I¡¯ll help you out.¡±

    ¡°Please and thank you!¡±

 Chapter 24 - An Eventful Evening

    Arriving back home again, after talking to Brawn, the lights were out and the house was quiet. In fact, the front door was barred, so I had to knock to be let in. Luckily, Constance had waited up for me, though she had changed into her nightclothes.

    When I opened my mouth to speak, she covered her lips with her finger. In other words, the children were asleep so we would need to whisper.

    ¡°What did Brawn want?¡± Apparently, she had seen right through his act.

    ¡°He gave me some good advice. Nothing we can do right now, so I¡¯ll explain it all to you in the morning.¡±

    Together, we made our way through the main hall, back through the hallway to our bedroom. Unfortunately, there was someone already there, sound asleep.

    ¡°I put Swift in our bed for tonight,¡± she explained.

    ¡°Why? Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°There was a table blocking the front door to her bedroom.¡±

    ¡°Is it still there?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t move it. I wanted to hear the whole story first.¡±

    ¡°Right! What about Progress? Did you check on her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in her room, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s asleep yet. She¡¯s still brushing her hair.¡±

    ¡°Was it that bad?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ not really, but she¡¯s still imagining things that aren¡¯t there.¡±

    ¡°You could take her to the baths again tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°... or I could wash her hair in a bucket. No reason to waste money if we don¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°Right. Good thinking.¡±

    At the end of the discussion, I found myself eyeing Swift¡¯s sleeping body in our bed. For some reason, she¡¯d pivoted around the center until her body was lying horizontally across the mattress. Her head was on Constance¡¯s pillow, while her feet were on mine.

    ¡°Progress says she kicks in the night.¡± I watched her toes as she twitched.

    ¡°Would you like to sleep on the floor?¡±

    I considered the option. It¡¯s true that Swift was too old to be sleeping in the same bed as her father. But, it was MY bed, not hers. ¡°I could pick her up and carry her back to her bedroom.¡±

    ¡°She might wake up.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll go right back to sleep.¡±

    ¡°The table is in the way. You¡¯ll need to move that first.¡±

    I nodded and made my way back down the hallway. However, when I arrived, I noticed that although the table was still in position, the door was strangely ajar. Peering inside, the room was pitch dark since the wooden shutters were closed. Despite that, I could see that the bed was empty. In other words, Euphemism was missing.

    I sighed to myself. ¡°Now what?¡±

    First, I stopped to listen, but there was no sound louder than my own breathing. The front door was barred. The back door would be the same. Unless she¡¯d gone out a window, she was still in the house. Progress was in her own room, and I hadn¡¯t heard any sound of a struggle. Likewise, I couldn¡¯t imagine her sneaking into Grit¡¯s room. That left the store rooms, the kitchen, or the dining hall ¡­  the leftover sweetcakes!

    To better sneak across the house, I removed my shoes and tiptoed barefoot down the hallway. When I reached the doorway to the dining hall, I slowly brought one eye around the frame of the door and waited for my eyes to adjust to the lighting.

    There was no movement, no sound, but I noticed that while the plate of sweetcakes was still present, the covering cloth was flat down against the plate. So, my guess was correct. She was right back to her sweetcake stealing ways!

    The next question was where she had gone after that. Obviously, she¡¯d taken the prize with her. There was no way she could devour a whole family¡¯s share of sweetcakes that quickly, but where would she go? Would she hide them somewhere?

    Just as I was preparing to turn and continue the search, I heard the soft smack of someone chewing with their mouth open. This was followed by a soft murmur. ¡°Mmmm!¡±

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    Focusing on the sound, I located the source directly in front of me. She was hiding right there underneath the dining table!

    This time, I¡¯d caught her red-handed. Perhaps the better analogy was that I¡¯d caught her with cake on her face? No, I think that¡¯s eggs¡­ whatever.

    Regardless, it was time to put a little fear into her. Without further ado, I walked into the room. In fact, I felt like a monologue. It fit my feelings at the moment, so I described my prior thoughts, ¡°Now where is Eu? She wasn¡¯t in her room. And what happened to the sweetcakes?¡±

    The furtive sounds of chewing ceased. I could guess that she was holding her breath while watching my knees. After all, I couldn¡¯t see her face, and she couldn¡¯t see mine. But, that was about to change.

    Using both hands, I grabbed my end of the dining table and tilted it up into the air. Naturally, Eu was revealed, her eyes wide, a pile of sweetcakes held in both hands.

    ¡°I FoUnD YoU!¡± I gave her an evil smile.

    ¡°Eeeeee!¡± She skittered sideways out from under the table, headed toward the kitchen door at my left. Some of her stack of sweetcakes fell to the floor, but she kept a grip on two of them.

    ¡°YoU CaN¡¯t GeT aWaY!¡± Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t true. I had to set the table back down carefully, or it would slam into the floor. Even though she was making enough noise now to wake up the whole house, I didn¡¯t want to break anything.

    In a moment of clarity, I wondered why I was chasing her. The easy answer? Because she ran.

    By the time I¡¯d reached the kitchen, she was nowhere in sight. On the other hand, there weren¡¯t many places to hide. We had a few cupboards and shelves, but all of them were too small for her to fit. The same logic followed for the cauldrons and pots. That only left the box in the center of the room that doubled as a prep table. It was just big enough that it would block my line of sight.

    I stomped my bare feet straight toward her hiding place and then leaned over, only to discover that she wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Huh?¡±

    Turning around, I caught a glimpse of her form scurrying back through the open doorway into the dining hall. I had to admit, I was impressed. She¡¯d avoided the obvious hiding place and pressed herself against the wall beside the door to avoid notice. In the dark, her clever ploy had worked perfectly.

    ¡°Wait! Come back here!¡± I charged after her, but she was already gone, sprinting out of the dining room into the hallway.

    I rounded the corner to see her slipping between Grit¡¯s legs. He¡¯d probably jumped out of bed after hearing my voice. He was wearing his night clothes and rubbing his eyes, but he was holding his sword. Luckily, it was still in the sheath. Otherwise, with the speed that I ran into him, the sword I got in the gut would have impaled me.

    ¡°Father? Wha ¡­ aaagh!¡± Grit bowled over like a top-heavy pot and collapsed backwards, his head slamming into the wall. Of course, my own feet got caught up on his windmilling legs, so I landed on top, crushing him. This time, the pommel of his sword jammed him in the eye. ¡°Oww!¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time for apologies, so I leaped back to my feet and raced after Eu as she scrambled over the table blocking the door into her bedroom. ¡°Eeeeee!¡±

    Down the hallway, I saw the door to Progress¡¯s room fly open. ¡°WHAT is this madness?¡± She yelled. Then, hearing my snarl, she shuffled backwards and slammed her door shut again.

    By this point, I was done playing safe with the furniture. The table at Eu¡¯s doorway was an obstacle, so it had to go. I ripped it away with one hand, while I pushed into the room with the other.

    The small bedroom inside was no longer dark. There was light streaming in through the open window frame. However, the shutters were suspiciously absent. Had she jumped straight through without even pausing? When I looked outside through the opening, I could see her running barefoot in the moonlight across the grass toward the stables. And yet, even as she ran, I saw her take a bite out of one of her sweetcakes. Cheeky brat!

    The window was too small for a grown man, so instead, I turned and ran through the house toward the back door. By this point, my wife was standing at the door to my bedroom, with Swift, fully awake, peering around from behind her. As I passed, I distinctly heard the word, ¡°Amazing!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show YOU amazing!¡± Well¡­ actually, I wouldn¡¯t. I had to stop to unbar the back door. I couldn¡¯t just burst through it. The outer doors were thick enough to fortify the house against the unlikely event of a rebellion by my serfs. Regardless, by the time I got outside, Eu was nowhere in sight. But, I¡¯d seen where she was headed!

    When I arrived at the stables, I slowed just outside the open doorway. She¡¯d tricked me once before, so I looked to both sides to make sure she wasn¡¯t hiding along the walls.

    After that was cleared, unfortunately, the stable had lots of spots to conceal yourself. We had a couple of hay bales already waiting, staying dry for the coming winter. Beyond that, there were several internal walls for Honey¡¯s stall and then more for our mules. To the side, there was also a tack stand and racks where the saddle and cloth barding were stored.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re in here. Why don¡¯t you come out and we can talk about it?¡± I guess I¡¯d calmed down a bit. After all, Honey was looking at me as if I was stupid. There¡¯s nothing quite like your horse mocking you to make you realize how silly you look. I don¡¯t normally come to the stable at night, and never without my shoes, so I suppose she had the right idea.

    In any case, there was no answer to my query. That meant Eu was hiding or she¡¯d already moved on to somewhere else. On the other hand, Honey was already fully awake when I arrived, so something had obviously woken her up.

    ¡°Honey, sweety, have you seen Eu?¡±

    ¡°Whuff!¡± She waggled her big horsey lips at me, but didn¡¯t otherwise respond.

    Of course, I knew that was an act. I was all too familiar with exactly how Honey would react to a silly question like that. Acting like she¡¯d seen nothing? That was clearly a lie! Furthermore, I could see a string of drool hanging down from her chin. In other words, she¡¯d been bribed! With a smirk, I stepped closer to take a better look.

    The stable was dark, but we had built it with open windows high up on the walls to let in the moonlight. These openings also let out rising hot air, providing ventilation. This was a standard design, common to the area. This way, it would be cooler during the summer. When winter came, we¡¯d board up those windows to prevent drafts.

    I had just enough light to see an extra pair of legs standing on the far side of Honey. Even though I was staring right at her, Eu stayed completely still. Did she think I couldn¡¯t see her?

    ¡°Eu, I know you¡¯re there. You can¡¯t hide your legs.¡±

    ¡°Eeeee! Honey! Help!¡±

    ¡°Honey isn¡¯t going to save you!¡±

    ¡°Honey! Here, sweetcake! Help!¡±

    ¡°Don''t feed desserts to my horse!¡±

 Chapter 25 - Plans and Summons

    ¡°Now, you look even more like siblings.¡±

    For some reason, at breakfast, my wife was amused by the matching black eyes on Progress and Grit. Each injury was even on the same side of each face. The bruised color had faded somewhat on Progress, becoming more of a gray. Grit¡¯s was still purple and shiny from swelling. He also had a lump on the back of his head from where the wall had coshed him.

    Swift had been warned not to add her own commentary. Emotions were simmering just under the surface, mine included. Instead the two of us were calmly eating our broth, although Swift¡¯s eyes kept straying to the empty plate of sweetcakes that remained on the table.

    Nobody had yet mentioned the vacant spot where Eu should be seated. Constance and I had decided that she could eat alone in her room as punishment. At least, that was the story. In actuality, we were more concerned for her own safety were she to call someone ¡°cake face¡± or ¡°plum eye¡± as she had last night.

    Strangely, once I¡¯d gotten Eu back into her room, she¡¯d settled down and gone right to sleep. The rest of us had been awake most of the night discussing our next steps. Even Swift had some fascinating and insightful suggestions such as, ¡°if you give her more sweetcakes than she can eat, then she won¡¯t try to steal more.¡±

    Once the children were all asleep, with Swift back in Progress¡¯s bed again, I¡¯d relayed the news and advice offered by Brawn. As expected, Constance winced at each revelation. By this point, we had regrets about claiming Eu, but it was far too late to back out now. The damage was already done.

    Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough time in a single day to go to both a horse trader and a scholar. We had to choose one or the other, and the best choice was unclear. Constance had left the verdict to me, since, in her words, ¡°the man of the house needs to make these sorts of decisions.¡±

    Really? In other words, she just wanted someone to blame when everything went inevitably wrong. In that case, I¡¯d do what I wanted to do! I¡¯d go to the horse trader. On second thought, if I did that, she¡¯d claim I was just pleasing myself. So, I should go to the scholar? It wasn''t fair! ¡°Arrrgh!¡±

    ¡°Husband? Are you injured?¡± Constance was using sarcasm to tell me not to make strange sounds at the breakfast table. After all, groaning aloud was a bad example for the children. On the other hand, I WAS hurt! My ribs were aching from where Grit had jabbed me with his sheathed sword. But, I¡¯ve never been one to complain about little things. No! Never! At least, not so obviously.

    Regardless, I¡¯d made my decision. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking Eu into town. We¡¯ll need to dress her up again, since she changed into pants at some point during the night.¡±

    ¡°Where will you be going, Father?¡± offered Grit. ¡°Will you need any help?¡±

    ¡°How about dropping her off at the orphanage?¡± muttered Progress, but I chose to ignore it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to visit a friend of Brawn, a scholar. Perhaps he can help us understand Eu¡¯s cultural differences so we¡¯ll know better how to teach her discipline and self-control.¡±

    All four of them nodded in agreement, although I heard Progress muttering again.

    Once I¡¯d made my choice, Constance took charge, gathered my daughters, and then, despite some struggles and screaming in the back rooms, put Eu back into her town dress from yesterday. When the three of them came out carrying Eu between them, she was a limp body in their arms.

    Her face had five pink lines stretching from her left cheek, running down to her chin. Apparently, Progress had gotten in one good swipe before Eu had seized her arm and taken control. The scrapes weren¡¯t deep enough to draw much blood, but it was still ugly. On the other hand, she didn¡¯t seem to mind that at all compared to her other concerns.

    ¡°Deft, skirt is bad,¡± Eu whimpered.

    ¡°No, you need to wear a dress today. I¡¯m taking you into town again.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Skirt is bad. Pants later?¡±

    ¡°When we get back home.¡±

    ¡°Fwoof¡­ err¡­ magic now?¡±

    ¡°You can do that outside.¡±

    ¡°Sand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we still have the bucket from yesterday.¡±

    This was the third time, but her morning routine for making quartz crystals didn¡¯t seem to hurt anything. In fact, I could bring the sand with us to show the process to the scholar. Maybe he¡¯d have some idea what to do next.

    Wow! What a great idea! I¡¯m so smart! The feeling of one small accomplishment made me smile.

    "Deft is stupid." Eu gave her own commentary, but I laughed it off as a joke.

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    Since I would be traveling alone with only my ¡°daughter¡±, I opted to wear my armor and my sword. This close to town, I didn¡¯t expect any trouble, but it¡¯s a father¡¯s duty to protect his family. Worse, since I was relatively wealthy, that made Eu an even bigger target for kidnapping or ransom. Skullduggery like that was rare in the extreme, but I didn¡¯t want my day to end as a cautionary tale.

    Once I¡¯d kissed the ears of each one of my family, we were ready to set off. However, this time, Swift moved to kiss Eu¡¯s ears as well. Unexpectedly, Eu responded normally and returned the gesture. I guess she¡¯d seen us go through the ritual enough times, so she knew what to do. On the other hand, Progress stomped out of the room, while Grit looked queasy at the idea of kissing someone new.

    Just as we were headed toward the front door, there was an unexpected knock. Since my hand was already on the door handle, I opened the door immediately, giving the visitor a surprise. The way he leaped backwards gave me a chuckle, but it was only a young boy, a page from the castle.

    ¡°Free squire Deft. You are summoned to report to the Seneschal. You are expected at the fourth bell at the audience hall in the castle.¡±

    In other words, I was in trouble. I could feel the hairs on my head prickling up in terror. I nodded that I¡¯d heard his message and the page went running off. Then, I turned to face Constance and shrugged. There was no getting out of this one.

    Fourth bell would mark the fourth span after sunrise, so I only had a short time to get there. That still left some big open questions. I asked Constance for advice. ¡°What do you think? Should I take Eu with me?¡±

    ¡°You might as well. If you don¡¯t, he¡¯ll just send you back home to fetch her.¡±

    She was right, of course. She usually is. That didn¡¯t make it any easier.

    ¡°All right. I suppose we were going into town anyway. Though, we¡¯ll need to change her into better clothing. No sense in thumbing my nose at the Seneschal.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± She motioned to our daughters, and they pulled Eu back into the backroom for another round of tortured screaming.

    By the time Eu was dressed again and ready, time was running short.

    ¡°Sand? Magic?¡± She whined.

    ¡°No time! You can do that when we get back.¡± Instead, I grabbed her hand and started walking. We needed to move quickly.

    ¡°Deft! I need sand magic!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Magic is ¡­ carrot water. Need to ¡­ carrot water.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you mean.¡±

    She grumbled at me as we sped along the path toward town. ¡°Magic is carrot water inside. Need¡­ pot. Let it out!¡±

    ¡°You mean you have to let it out? Like into a chamber pot?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Let it out! Sand!¡±

    ¡°Oh, huh¡­ and what happens if you don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Bad. BAD!¡±

    ¡°Can you hold it in for a few more bells? We¡¯ll come straight back home again.¡±

    ¡°What is a-few-bells?¡±

    ¡°Until noon¡­ when the sun is straight up.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°I can hold it ¡­ for now.¡±

    I took a long look at her face. Fortunately, I¡¯d seen the exact same expression yesterday when she''d denied eating the sweetcakes. Her eyes were tearing up and her lower lip was trembling. In other words, she was lying to me! But, why? About what? And what was the underlying truth?

    Regardless, she''d said she could ¡°hold it,¡± so the situation wasn¡¯t immediately pressing. I could ponder over the meaning later when I didn¡¯t have an emergency breathing down my neck.

    Despite my worries, the walk into town in the morning was refreshing. The weather was turning cooler, marking the last week of LowAutumn. This was the laziest season of the year. Soon would come the harvest of MidAutumn, then winter preparations of HighAutumn. It was going to be busy soon, then finally some measure of peace.

    The castle stood at the top of the incline in the middle of town, inside the outer walls. That meant that I had to pass through one of the checkpoints. Considering I was a well-known squire, all I needed to do was wave and the guards let me through. At least, that¡¯s normally how it went. Today, Will was on duty again.

    ¡°Deft. I was hoping to see you!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Yes, hello Will!¡±

    Apparently, yesterday¡¯s events hadn¡¯t thrown him off too badly. He was still intent on courting Progress? Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell how serious he was. For all I knew, the boy might be courting every young woman in town. If he was actually serious about it, he¡¯d be sending his mother for negotiations instead.

    ¡°I fear that I was terribly rude yesterday.¡± He bowed his head.

    ¡°You were surprised. So were we. Think nothing of it.¡±

    Progress had more than a year before she reached her third hand. There was still plenty of time left for young Will to make up his mind. In fact, given my family¡¯s expected loss of status, it was unlikely he¡¯d have much competition.

    Unfortunately for us, that meant we¡¯d also have to bargain more dearly. I winced as I considered the size of Progress¡¯s dowry growing. Maybe that¡¯s why Will was still interested despite yesterday¡¯s public scene? In fact, maybe he was waiting to see just how badly things would go for us.

    ¡°Has the condition of your daughter, Progress, improved?¡±

    ¡°She is ¡­¡± I paused. I didn¡¯t know what to say. She looked better, but she was even more surly now. She was likely to snap a certain someone¡¯s head off.

    ¡°Progress is carrot water,¡± supplied that certain someone.

    ¡°Carrot water?¡± Will frowned in confusion.

    ¡°Please ignore Eu. She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying. As for Progress, she is still angry about yesterday. However, her injury is much better now.¡±

    ¡°Your wife said that Progress would appreciate visitors?¡±

    Following Constance¡¯s advice, my best bet was to encourage any contender that I didn¡¯t object to. Will seemed honest and hard working. He had a respectable career. His status was lower than mine, but Progress was a daughter, so that¡¯s how things usually go. Men do their best to marry upwards - it¡¯s simple logic.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯d all be happy to see you.¡± I tried not to smile. It was true that Progress would be pleased, but my wife and Swift would be over the moon with giggles.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll drop by this afternoon.¡±

    Poor boy. I didn¡¯t know whether to give him my pity or cheer him on.

 Chapter 26 - Audience

    After saying our goodbyes to Will, I led Eu on into the central district, then straight up the main road to the castle at the top. Nearer to the center of power, there were more guards and officials. A few waved at me or called out greetings, but I knew the bell would ring soon. I didn¡¯t have time for anything more than bows to those above me or clasped wrists with my equals.

    My destination, the audience hall, was the wide area leading to the throne room. Technically, it was all one room, but most of the Duke¡¯s actual business happened here. The dais and throne at the other end were reserved for official ceremonies.

    When I arrived, there was a large, square table set up in the middle, along with four benches, one on each side. The Seneschal was seated with his back to the throne, with that whole bench reserved for himself. There were rolled parchments and scrolls on each end all the way down both sides, so those seats were taken. His accountants and advisors filled the two benches on either side of the table, leaving the nearest bench for me.

    Some of these men did not have a noble rank, but their expensive clothing and superior status was overwhelming compared to mine. Before I could approach the table, I had to kneel and wait to be acknowledged. Eu, somehow sensing the tense atmosphere, followed suit without question.

    ¡°Deft. The fourth bell has not yet rung. Please sit and wait.¡± The Seneschal didn¡¯t even look up from the scroll he was reading. That gave me time to prepare. I stepped over the bench to sit in the middle, then motioned for Eu to take a seat beside me.

    I could see that the Seneschal was getting older. His shiny bald head had wispy white hairs sprouting up on top, surrounded by a solid strip of closely trimmed hair on the sides above each ear and wrapping around the back. Matching what I¡¯d heard, he was losing his eyesight. Even now, he was squinting at the scroll he was reading while holding it out as far away as he could.

    His advisors on both sides had their own business. On one side, a purser was moving the counting stones on a sand board back and forth while another was writing down notes based on the numbers that it produced. On the other side, the two men were examining an old document together. From what I could see, it looked like a map of the Duke¡¯s holdings.

    The bell rang just as I was getting interested in the nature and goal of all those documents.

    ¡°Deft.¡± The Seneschal rolled up his scroll and peered down his nose at me. ¡°You were sent on an errand toward the western marshes. Yet, upon your return, you did not report back to the castle. What do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s true, because there was nothing of note to report. I didn¡¯t want to waste your time.¡±

    The advisors on both sides of the table continued with their work, although I noticed a few sly glances. Obviously, there was something more going on here. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t sure what, so I could only wince as nervous sweat trickled down my ribs.

    The Seneschal paused to watch me for a very long time. I supposed he was testing me. Perhaps he thought I would break under pressure and change my story?

    ¡°Deft. A simple notice of your return would not have taken even a moment. Furthermore, if there was nothing of note, then that itself is a waste of my time. Did you collect back the funds that that foolish village had us spend on your journey?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ no. They had a legitimate concern, so it was no fault of theirs. Someone that looked like a plainsman had been spotted in the area, but the trail was cold by the time I arrived.¡±

    ¡°A plainsman? That far south?¡±

    ¡°Probably just a wanderer or an exile.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps a little girl?¡±

    Uh oh! I kept my face straight, but I could feel my guts wrenching in fear. He already knew! But how?

    ¡°I see you brought your new daughter that I¡¯ve heard rumors about. I assume you were planning to introduce her to me?¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes! Forgive my foolishness! I guessed incorrectly that she was what this meeting was about.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you wouldn¡¯t be wrong. Why don¡¯t you take off her bonnet so I can see her better?¡±

    Yep, I was in deep trouble. But, it was too late. I suppose I could have jumped up and run for it, but there was no point in that. If the Duke was here, he¡¯d probably have laughed it all off. The Seneschal though? I¡¯d never even seen the man smile.

    I tried my best to keep a confident expression. If my facade broke, that would only further prove my guilt. ¡°Eu, can you take off your hat?¡±

    She untied the ribbons and pulled the bonnet down into her lap. Her short hair underneath was braided tightly above each ear, so ordinarily nothing would have shown. Instead, with her hat off, all four advisors stopped their work to lift up their heads and stare.

    ¡°Not a plainsman or I¡¯m a fool,¡± sneered the Seneschal.

    ¡°A half-breed,¡± rudely suggested one of his advisors.

    ¡°And a fighter,¡° another one of them snickered while looking at the scratches running down her cheek.

    Seeing my chance, I stepped in to redirect their assumptions, ¡°Her mother¡­ passed away, so I did the right thing and took her into my house.¡±

    In other words, I¡¯d just claimed paternity. The two pursers sighed, returning to their counting stones. The other two, with the map, looked to the Seneschal, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

    It didn¡¯t take long. ¡°Deft. I¡¯ve known you since you were a babe. Your father was a loyal servant of the Duke, as were you until now. However, with this indiscretion, you¡¯ve proven my expectations wrong. Not only have you shamed your house, you¡¯ve shamed your liege, the Duke.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know that. Even so, I must try to make amends for what I¡¯ve done. I couldn¡¯t leave my daughter without any family.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. So you brought her here. The story is that she even caused an uproar in the bath house yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Yes. That is true. She is still learning the language and customs.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad that is cleared up. But, I¡¯ll leave it to the Duke to decide the next steps regarding your service to him.¡±

    I winced. Apparently, the Seneschal was even angrier than he appeared.

    He paused again, staring at me, ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    ¡°No. Thank you for your time. I regret not coming to report sooner.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. Now then, I do have one more question¡­¡±

    There was something else?

    ¡°I would like to hear your explanation of events at the inn in the town of Winnowheat.¡±

    ¡°Winnowheat?¡± It took me more than a moment to even understand the question. Suddenly, I remembered the gambling incident, the ¡°fwoof¡± in the backroom, and riding out of town in the night.

    ¡°I see from your face that something did occur? Please tell us.¡±

    ¡°There was a ¡­ misunderstanding at the inn. Some rumor got started that said the girl was a Plainsman princess under my care. In order to avoid a riot, I had to leave the room I¡¯d paid for and get out of town before more trouble was stirred up.¡±

    ¡°I see. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°No. Nothing I can think of.¡±

    ¡°Earl Triumph¡¯s messengers arrived yesterday with complaints and demands for compensation of damages. Do you have any thoughts on that?¡±

    ¡°None of the damages were caused by me! He should charge his own citizens!¡±

    ¡°Indeed. That was my reply, but I wanted to hear the story from you.¡±

    I breathed out a sigh of relief, but it came too soon.

    ¡°There was one more thing in that report. Can you guess what it was?¡±

    I could guess, but I shook my head in denial.

    ¡°Some of the rioters said that the girl was a magician. The Earl was quite angry that you had taken HIS newly found magician out of his hands. Could there be any truth to that rumor?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer immediately. He¡¯d sprung one question after another at me and my head was spinning. If I denied it, eventually the truth would win out and I¡¯d be marked as a liar. But, if I admitted it, what would happen? Obviously, the Duke would want her for his service. That was fine. But what would the Seneschal do with her?

    His gaze deepened and he leaned forward on his bench. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have an answer, Deft. I¡¯ll assume that means she does have magic, then? A woman magician, eh?¡±

    All four of his advisors raised their heads again to give a long look at Eu. As for his assertions, I could only nod in acknowledgement.

    ¡°This is an unfortunate turn of events. I¡¯d already told the Earl¡¯s men they were fools to suggest such a thing. You¡¯ve made me into a liar. By now, they¡¯re already on their way back home.¡±

    ¡°Seneschal, she wasn¡¯t on the Earl¡¯s land. She was living in that village - Lakesedge. She¡¯s the Duke¡¯s subject, and as my daughter, she¡¯s the Duke¡¯s loyal servant!¡±

    ¡°I see. An important distinction, but at this point, it may not matter.¡±

    ¡°What would you have me do?¡±

    ¡°For today? Nothing. Go home, Deft. Spend some time with your new daughter. It may be fleeting.¡±

 Chapter 27 - Sand and Scholar

    Standing outside the castle gates, I was lost regarding where to go next. All of my plans, all of Constance¡¯s plans - it had all been demolished into rubble. Now, all I could do was see if there were any useful pieces left in the metaphorical wreckage.

    Eu had put her bonnet back on after the meeting with the Seneschal, so her hair was covered again. For that, I was thankful since we weren''t drawing undue attention. However, instead of that, she was pulling on my arm. ¡°Sand! Magic! Fwoof! Carrot water!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ sand. Right!¡±

    ¡°Right! Right!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ but we¡¯re already here in the upper city.¡±

    ¡°Sand!¡±

    ¡°We might as well go to the scholar.¡±

    ¡°Sand!¡±

    ¡°The address that Brawn gave me is near here in the upper-class area inside the walls.¡±

    ¡°Sand!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. Just a second. I¡¯m working on it.¡± I set off and made my way through a few streets toward an upper-city smithy located near the castle. I knew this part of the town well and I¡¯d been here several times before. This smithy served upper class clientele such as knights, the Duke¡¯s household, and visiting nobility. I¡¯d never purchased anything for myself, but that wasn¡¯t exactly why I was here today.

    The forge¡¯s fires were banked, so the business today was sparse. Despite that, there were several apprentices working on finished pieces. One was sharpening a spear, while another was smoothing and polishing a helmet. The master smith was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Can I buy some sand here?¡±

    ¡°Sand?¡± One of the apprentices looked up. ¡°This is a smithy. We have some for flux and annealing, but we don¡¯t normally sell sand. You¡¯d have better luck asking at a pottery.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Good idea!¡± Sand was a critical component to mix into clay for ceramics, so there was sure to be extra sand for sale at a pottery.

    With directions from the smithy, I didn¡¯t need to go far. Fired ceramics were important for all walks of life, even in the upper city. The sign above the front door read, ¡°Fine Vases and Sculpture.¡± In other words, we were in the upper city, so the target clientele were all upper class.

    Walking in, I could see that I¡¯d made a mistake. This shop sold the finished products, but not the components. In other words, this was a facade to display the artwork for sale. The artists themselves weren¡¯t even fit to appear in this part of town.

    ¡°Can I buy some sand here?¡±

    ¡°Sand?¡± The proprietor, a frumpy-looking young man, gave me a long look.

    ¡°Sand, yes. I need some for my daughter.¡±

    At first he was confused, but then he smiled as he made his own assumptions. ¡°She¡¯s learning the arts? How delightful! Sculpture is a fine example of womanly virtue. Even so, there¡¯s no need to dirty yourself by mixing your own clay. We have slabs already prepared by experts. We also offer classes!¡±

    ¡°Just sand for today.¡±

    His lip twitched in annoyance, but he conceded when he saw that I was determined. ¡°We sell sand in three different grades.¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ she¡¯s just a beginner, so let¡¯s start with the basics.¡±

    He ignored me to begin his sales pitch. ¡°We have black sand, the same used at the steelworks, but the resulting clay will be darker. We also have white sand which you would use if you are looking for better texture and malleability. Alternatively, for the best, there¡¯s filtered sand imported from the Easthane ocean shore.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡± I had no idea if it made any difference. ¡°Why don¡¯t we let her choose? Do you have some samples?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± I could see him calculating the profits in his head as he brought forward three different small boxes. Each one was crafted from fine wood with tight fitting hinges, not much bigger than my fist. In other words, I knew it was expensive. On the other hand, it highlighted the sand inside quite nicely.

    At this point, Eu was leaning forward, eagerly examining the different types of sand. I started sweating when she closed her eyes and folded her hands. But then, after a few moments, she gave a smirk and instead pointed at a sack sitting against the far wall. I hadn''t noticed it before, but somehow... her magic did?

    The shopkeeper turned to look, ¡°Ah! Did the owner send you? That¡¯s river sand from the bank down in the lower city. Is that what you wanted?¡±

    I tried not to stare at Eu. Just what WAS her magic doing? Instead, I kept my gaze locked onto the shopkeeper. ¡°You haven¡¯t said the price yet.¡±

    In other words, we needed to haggle. I started by asking about bulk prices and worked my way down from there. He¡¯d made a big mistake by playing up the quality of the other three.

    In the end, sand is sand. I paid more than I should have, but it was still cheap compared to a finished product. It was definitely worth it considering a trip down to the river bank and then back up to the upper city again. Not something that I¡¯d be doing today in my nice clothes!

    ¡°May I ask what kiln you¡¯ll be using? You can rent space in ours for a small fee...¡± The shop keep continued on with his spiel.

    Once I had a handful of sand wrapped in my handkerchief, I decided to let loose some of my frustrations. ¡°Did I ever say that she was making pottery?¡±

    His face fell, but then, his merchant smile immediately returned. ¡°Please tell me more! This could be a new market for my shop!¡±

    ¡°Nah¡­ she¡¯s going to feed it to our ducks.¡±

    He blinked twice. ¡°Ducks? But, why?¡±

    ¡°To make them stronger. They keep falling apart!¡±

    ¡°W-wh-wha¡­ huh?¡±

    ¡°When she feeds them rocks, all they do is quack.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ crack¡­ yes,¡± he groaned.

    I couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer, so I laughed out loud at his despair.

    He sighed, ¡°Well¡­ please come back if you want more.¡±

    In other words, I hadn¡¯t haggled hard enough. He¡¯d swindled me, but it was only a few small coins and right then, I didn¡¯t even care. I¡¯d enjoyed my stupid joke and I was feeling up to the next task.

    Once we were out on the street again, I looked around to find my bearings.

    ¡°Eu, we¡¯re going to the scholar next. Do you want to hold the sand?¡±

    Her hand instantly snapped out to grab the package. After that, she was all too happy to carry it. She cuddled lovingly in her arms as if it were her only child. Just how desperate was she?

    Since the time was approaching the noon bell, I moved quickly through the streets. The scholar¡¯s address was painfully near to the castle, so I cut across some gardens and back alleys to reach my final destination. I didn¡¯t want to attract the attention of any passing knights or other nobles. I¡¯d had enough trouble for one day - or so I thought.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Brawn''s directions led to the front gate of an expensive mansion. According to him, his scholar acquaintance was the third son of an Earl in Northold. Instead of joining the church, as many extra sons do, he¡¯d been sent to study abroad, south, in the Alliance of Cities. After that, he''d served as an advisor to the Duke here. Older now, he was content to live on the income of his land and wealth.

    The grounds around his house were well-kept, and I noticed several gardeners and servants busy at their work. I¡¯d known what to expect, but this man was far above my rank and status. He didn¡¯t have an official title, but my estimate placed him about the same as a baron or even a viscount.

    Eu¡¯s interest seemed to be piqued. In fact, this mansion appeared to be more interesting to her than even the castle. As we approached the front gate, her head swiveled back and forth to take in the sights. She spent quite a bit of time staring up at the high windows and gables on the house.

    A gateman was resting on a stool just inside the yard posts, so I paused there for him to ask about our business. He had a gray beard, but he was wearing a jaunty hat and a clean uniform. Since we weren¡¯t on his list of expected appointments, he gave us an odd look, and then a smirk when he looked at Eu.

    ¡°Orphan?¡± he asked, as if that was the most pertinent question.

    ¡°Yes and no. She¡¯s mine. But she¡¯s lost her family.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to do better than that. Either she¡¯s an orphan, or she isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t looking for money. Only advice.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s different. I¡¯ll ask inside.¡± With that, he jumped off of his chair and traipsed up the path through the front door of the house. The gate itself remained closed, so we were left waiting.

    Since I was given the time to think, I realized that I should prepare Eu for her important role. ¡°According to Brawn, Master Fit, the man of the house, has a soft spot for orphans. His late wife was one herself - so he has a charitable nature. If you could act sad and pitiful, that might help.¡±

    ¡°Orphan, yes!¡± She seemed to understand me, and somehow made her eyes even bigger and wetter. She also stuck out her lower lip and set it to trembling. I¡¯d seen that expression several times already, so I felt only disgust at how easily she could play with people¡¯s hearts. What a monster! But, at least she was MY monster.

    After a while, the gateman returned to lead us in. This revealed that the inside of the mansion was even more opulent than the grounds outside. Each room was festooned with elaborate tapestries, while thick rugs covered every floor. The furniture was also decorated with carvings and thick cloth.

    I was careful not to touch anything and I kept a close eye on Eu. Who knew what she might do with her thieving fingers! On the other hand, my scrutiny seemed unnecessary since there were two footmen following us, their hard eyes watching our every move.

    ¡°Welcome to my house. I''ve been told that you come seeking advice?¡± Master Fit, the lord scholar, was eating an early lunch within what I could only call a library. His finely upholstered chair was surrounded by a jumble of bookshelves full of rolled scrolls, maps, ledgers, plus boxes and other storage.

    As you might expect, he was expensively dressed in a brightly colored doublet and lots of lacy fluff. I could tell at a glance that he wasn¡¯t a working man by his bulging belly. Furthermore, the curled tips of his mustache above a shaved chin marked him as a man of style and leisure. Naturally, I knelt down on the floor and pulled down Eu with me. He was obviously higher than me in both status and wealth. Just speaking to him was dangerous.

    Unfortunately, Eu had been pulling back against my arm from the moment we entered the room. Looking over at her face, I saw that she¡¯d lost her lost-waif facade and switched expressions for an outright glare at the man.

    I did my best to recover my composure and brought forth my sad story. ¡°This poor girl, by name of Euphoria, was left in my care when her hard-working mother passed away. She had no living relatives, so I could not abide to leave the girl in such distress. However, her language is unfamiliar to me as well as her customs. As a well-traveled man, perhaps you could shed light on this puzzling enigma?¡±

    After blotting at his mouth with a cloth, he took a look at Eu, who froze into place under his inspection. I could feel her hand trembling in mine as he hummed and hahhed at her. Eventually, he presented his conclusion. ¡°Indeed! Yes¡­ I¡¯d say she looks to be a mixed breed. Half plainsman, I¡¯d say, but the other half¡­ I¡¯m not sure. I can¡¯t quite place it going only by appearance. Mayhaps you would have her speak in her native tongue? Hearing her speak may shed light on your question.¡±

    I nudged Eu, but she shook her head. Having no choice, still kneeling, I leaned over beside her ear to whisper, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°That man is bad!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? How do you know?¡±

    ¡°That man has a big belt and big nose hairs!¡±

    ¡°You mean his mustache?¡±

    ¡°Bad! Bad BIG nose hairs¡±

    ¡°I see. Well¡­ ahh¡­ we still need to talk to him.¡±

    She shook her head again. ¡°Bad big nose hairs! Bad! Trouble!¡±

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t judge people by their appearance. I have a beard too, you know.¡±

    At this, she put her hands to her face to demonstrate. She made a circle with her fingers from her nose underneath each eye, imitating his curly mustache. ¡°Bad nose hairs! Bad man!¡±

    I sighed. Apparently Mister Fit¡¯s facial hair had set her off. I looked back toward him, where he was peering curiously toward our whispered conversation. I needed to do something, so I came up with an excuse. ¡°My apologies, Master Fit. Euphoria is afraid to disgrace your ears with her foreign tongue. You see, it is quite harsh on the ears.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Is that so? Well¡­ I¡¯m sure it¡¯s no more barbaric than some of the other things I¡¯ve heard. Please convince her to go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Eu,¡± I hissed at her. ¡°Say something in your own language. Like¡­ your mother¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°My mother?¡± She was still reluctant.

    I nodded and whispered again to her, ¡°Your mother¡¯s name!¡±

    It took some more convincing. But, eventually, she turned back toward Mister Fit, drew in her breath, and then uttered the shameful phrase that I¡¯d heard only once before, ¡°**GENTEELISM**.¡±

    With a startled gasp, Master Fit dropped his spoon onto the floor while his mouth gaped open in horror. In turn, the two footmen each retreated a step while wincing from the pain. Not that it was loud, but the emphasis on the concepts described were beyond what a virtuous man should hear or even think about.

    ¡°How awful!¡± Master Fit exclaimed when she was finished.

    ¡°Agreed! But, that is her language. It sounds like one long stream of curses. The sounds are jumbled together and the vowels have no tones. Can you tell what she is saying?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! It sounds more like the barking of a dog! What a foul, brutish tongue! Indeed, I can only imagine the repulsive savages that would speak in sounds like that! I¡¯ve never heard anything so hideous!¡± On the other hand, his face didn''t match his words. He had an excited grin as if he''d found a hidden treasure.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any ideas?¡± I sighed.

    ¡°None! I¡¯ve learned the language of all our neighbors. I¡¯ve heard the tongues of savages from as far as the western islands, but I¡¯ve never heard anything like this! Where did you meet her mother?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ I¡¯d rather not say. With her mother gone on before her, I wouldn¡¯t want her kinsmen searching for her and taking her back to her ¡­ uncivilized life.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! I can see that her former upbringing isn¡¯t conducive to good morals! No doubt, the location where you met her mother could not be her origin. But where could she have come from?" He rubbed his hand along his hairless chin, then started stroking his curled mustache. "How strange! Could you have her say something else?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ Euphoria,¡± I whispered to her. ¡°Can you say your own name next?¡±

    At my urging, she let loose the next salvo. ¡°**EUPHEMISM**"

    The guards covered their ears and blushed, but Master Fit leaned forward to listen carefully. ¡°How utterly grotesque!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ yes. It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± At this point, I wasn''t even sure what to say.

    ¡°Did she seriously spit on my carpet as part of her speech? Does her native tongue include intentional expectoration?¡±

    I looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything¡­¡± Actually, I did, but I wasn¡¯t about to admit it.

    ¡°No matter! It was well worth the experience!¡± He pulled out a scroll to take notes. ¡°Naturally, I have nothing but pity for such degenerate beasts. Who knows what foul conditions she has been exposed to? I shudder to think of it! Even so, what a fascinating puzzle!¡±

    Except, he wasn¡¯t shuddering. If anything, the one shuddering was Eu. I didn''t blame her. It seemed like a sensible reaction considering the man¡¯s sudden enthusiasm. I had to admit, his unexpected interest was terrifying in its own way. He seemed to be delighted or even pleased by the profanity she had unleashed.

    More importantly, while I¡¯d meant this initial conversation as a minor point before the main topic, we¡¯d gotten even further from my intent. ¡°Master Fit. My apologies, but there¡¯s another wrinkle as well. But first, I must ask for you to swear that you won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something even worse than her disgusting jabbering? Why, of course!¡± If anything, at this point, he looked delighted by the idea. ¡°I swear I won¡¯t tell a soul! What gruesome secret could be worse than what you have already shown us?¡± Of course, his fervent demeanor didn¡¯t fit the meaning inherent in his words.

    I glanced at his guards, and his gaze followed my eyes.

    ¡°Leave us!¡± He commanded and the two reluctantly retreated, closing the door behind them.

    Once I¡¯d given them time to withdraw, I turned back to face him. ¡°More curious than her strange language is that she can work magic, but I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Oh! Ohhhhh! How rare! How fascinating!¡±

    Eu¡¯s hand was held in mine, so when Fit stood up from his chair. I could feel her fingers clench. There was a zealous gleam in the man¡¯s expression as his eyes focused on her face.

    It didn¡¯t help that I¡¯d started trembling as well. At some point, my errand had gone terribly awry. How had Eu predicted this disaster just from seeing a man¡¯s nose hairs?

 Chapter 28 - Lectures and Lessons

    ¡°Our understanding of magic suggests that it takes two major forms.¡± Master Fit took the stance of a lecturing teacher, pacing back and forth in front of the two of us. ¡°The first is control of the winds. From this power springs the ability to summon a breeze, turn away harm, throw objects, or even add force behind your own body¡¯s motions. In the legends, a great magician could still a storm or even stir up lightning.¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ yes ¡­  and¡­¡±

    He ignored me to continue. His attitude had switched somewhere from excited interest in her language to a pedantic rant about magic. ¡°Please note! Such power is very rare, and furthermore limited. Even the act of summoning a breeze can strain a magician¡¯s own breath for weeks or months. Too much might even kill them! A wind weaver¡¯s power is truly precious, only to be used when it is most needed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why ¡­¡±

    ¡°The second form is described as the ability to read the wind. Given a clear sky, a mage can predict the future in very vague terms. For example, he could predict good weather tomorrow, a good harvest next year, or a troubled birth.¡±

    ¡°Yes, about that ¡­¡±

    He held up a finger to stop me. ¡°Though the second form of magic is more commonly claimed than the first, that is only in relative terms. True and notable instances cannot be considered anything but rare. There are only a handful of actual wind-readers in this whole country! The rest are fakers and charlatans. Yet, even so, the two mentioned forms of magic are seen sometimes in conjunction together and sometimes alone.¡±

    ¡°Right! And¡­¡±

    He still ignored my interruptions, this time leaning forward to stare at me. ¡°You say that the girl could work magic. Since that is very unlikely, I must assume you saw an example of the latter. She foretold some coming disaster before it happened?¡±

    ¡°Disaster? Uhh¡­ disaster... uhh... nose hairs! Yes!¡±

    ¡°In other words, she tricked you. But do not be ashamed! It is simple enough for a supposed wind-reader to guess the most likely events of the future. After all, what are the odds of a good harvest over a bad one? If I were to suppose next year¡¯s harvest would be good, then if I¡¯m right, does that make me a magician?¡±

    ¡°No, but ¡­¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not! Such nonsense would be the work of a false prophet! Certainly, we give credit when a prediction comes true, but as the fools we are, we are all too quick to offer excuses when they are wrong! Thus, the only way to truly know the difference is for a known mage to confirm that magic is at work. As such, there is no reason for your concern - which means, you are wasting my time!¡±

    I waited, but he seemed to be done with his tirade.

    Unfortunately, when I opened my mouth, he interrupted me again. ¡°I see you don¡¯t believe me. Not many do. But it¡¯s really quite simple. You can leave now.¡±

    ¡°Wait! She can show you, right here and right now.¡±

    ¡°But, we¡¯re inside! She can¡¯t even see the sky!¡±

    ¡°She can control the winds.¡±

    He stopped in place and turned to look at her, finally done with his pacing. ¡°Oh, really? A breeze then? I warn you, there are no open windows in this room. The shutters are narrow.¡±

    ¡°Eu, can you fwoof¡­ err¡­ do your magic on your sand?¡±

    ¡°Magic? Now?¡± she gave a relieved smile. She¡¯d been waiting a long time.

    ¡°Yes. Go ahead.¡±

    I stepped away to give her room, and Master Fit¡¯s eyes followed me. He was probably watching me for some trick, but I kept both hands visible and pointed back towards her.

    Eu opened up the cloth full of sand and held it up between her clasped hands. After that, I guess she was feeling vindictive, because she took a step forward toward Master Fit before she closed her eyes.

    He looked toward the closed window and shook his head, ¡°You see! Nothing¡¯s happ-¡±

    When the light appeared, he didn¡¯t move. In fact, he froze into that foolish pose, staring at the still shutters of the window. His eyes didn¡¯t even flicker in her direction. The edge of the glassy shell nearly touched his cheek, but he didn¡¯t even budge.

    In contrast to the light from a fire or a candle, Eu¡¯s light didn¡¯t flicker. It held a steady brightness and color, illuminating the whole room.

    On the other hand, he refused to even look at her. ¡°Err-hmm! Indeed! There¡¯s nothing special going on over here. You might as well give up.¡±

    The sound of wind rushing about was the loudest sound in the room. But, he started humming to himself as if to drown it out. ¡°How long will you keep trying?¡±

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    When Eu¡¯s demonstration ended, he slowly turned back again in our direction. ¡°Now then! Since you failed, I can honestly report that I didn¡¯t see or hear anything!¡±

    I stared openly at him. ¡°Why? What''s the problem?¡±

    ¡°If I happen to be asked by a curious soul on the basis of some rumor, I can truly say that I didn¡¯t see anything!¡±

    In response, I stumbled backwards.

    ¡°After all, if I HAD seen something impressive, I¡¯d need to report it to Kingseat as part of my oath to my former lord.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I see¡­ I understand! Thank you!¡±

    ¡°But, suppose there was a hypothetical magician living in town? Naturally, I would be happy to offer some hypothetical advice.¡± He moved back to his padded chair and waved his arm to a nearby pair of empty seats.

    Eu was quick to sit down. I followed shortly afterwards.

    ¡°So, first things first¡­¡± he put one finger up only to start stroking his curly mustache. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your imaginary magician. Someone that can control the winds and even bring forth lightning.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really lightning¡­ it¡¯s harmless!¡± I objected.

    ¡°Tut tut! Stop ruining the story! Now then¡­ what else can this fictitious magician do?¡±

    ¡°She can¡­¡±

    ¡°HE can! After all, there are no female magicians alive today!¡±

    ¡°He can control the fall of dice. I¡¯ve never actually seen her¡­ errr¡­ him do it. The dice were always underneath the cup. But, I¡¯ve never seen him lose a game of high-low.¡±

    ¡°A fascinating if unprecedented power! Anything else?¡± He pulled out a new scroll to take notes. The one he''d been writing on while listening to her speak had dropped, forgotten, to the floor.

    I considered my most pressing questions. ¡°She... he can form tiny crystals of quartz from sand.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! This magician is beginning to sound absurdly foolish! Do you have a specimen though? Something that we can use as a prop to spur on our imagination?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I have two pieces! Plus, there¡¯s probably another one inside Eu¡¯s cloth there.¡±

    ¡°How convenient! Can I see them?¡±

    I brought out the two quartz crystals to show him and Eu brought out a third one after searching through the sand inside the handkerchief. All three were essentially identical, perfectly clear without a single scratch.

    Master Fit examined the three crystals. He even brought out a glass to look at them in more detail. ¡°All three are so similar, I can¡¯t even tell them apart! If she¡­ err¡­ he could make a large set, it would increase the value since you could sell them as a group.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s true¡­ but, I don¡¯t know whether I should sell them.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! There must be some reason for these crystals.¡± He turned to stare at Eu, then averted his eyes. I suppose he''d reached his breaking point? At some point, he''d have to admit it.

    Trying to save him, I offered him more information. ¡°She does this once each morning. I have no idea why.¡±

    ¡°I see! So you¡¯re saying that this theoretical magician - HE can make different crystals and does so on a regular schedule. How utterly unprecedented! I¡¯ve never heard or read anything like that before! Furthermore, you say EACH morning? That''s absurd! A magician typically takes months to recover after an act of power!¡±

    ¡°Sure, but¡­ why? Why is she doing it?¡±

    ¡°HE! Must I remind you? A magician is a man! A full grown man at that! Anything else is beyond belief. He must have some reason for his actions. Don''t you have any ideas?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I came to you!¡±

    "Well... why haven''t you asked her... I mean, err... him?" Master Fit complained.

    We both turned to look at Eu who looked away from us. After a moment, she looked back with a smirk. ¡°Pants!¡±

    ¡°Pants?¡± asked Master Fit.

    ¡°Mmm¡­. that¡¯s another thing." I sighed. "She always prefers to wear pants.¡±

    ¡°Of course HE does. Men wear pants! It¡¯s only natural.¡±

    ¡°If it was only that!¡± I stopped myself to collect my thoughts. ¡°I only wish it was that simple.¡±

    ¡°Not my problem! La la la!¡±

    I sighed. As a supposed man of learning, he wasn¡¯t helping me at all.

    In response, Master Fit gave a chuckle. ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s summarize your fable so far. That way, I know where it will go next! There¡¯s a young magician. Too young to be fully trained. But, he¡¯s able to demonstrate several impressive and strange abilities. Non-harmful lightning, precise control of small objects like dice, and formation of sand into crystals.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really lightning¡­ but, close enough. So what now?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. This is your story, not mine.¡± He laughed at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do! Don¡¯t you have any advice?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± He paused to stroke his mustache again. ¡°First off, I wouldn¡¯t tell anybody if I were you. Certainly not until you know more!¡±

    At this, I held out my hands. ¡°It¡¯s already too late for that. The Seneschal already knows a bit, plus the Earl of Winnowheat is claiming that she¡¯s his subject to begin with.¡±

    ¡°In that case, you need to figure out your magician¡¯s abilities sooner rather than later! Otherwise, your magician is going to get snapped up by a bigger fish.¡±

    ¡°No kidding!¡±

    As he considered, he tapped one finger on his mustache, making the curl bounce up and down. ¡°Luckily, the Seneschal will wait for the Duke¡¯s approval to act. I wouldn¡¯t count on the same forbearance from the Earl. You¡¯ll want to keep her¡­¡± He coughed. ¡°You¡¯ll want to keep HIM in sight and well protected. The earl won¡¯t send his own men, but I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he hires mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°Arghh!¡± I cradled my head in my arms.

    ¡°You''re giving up already? You need to do some experimentation! So far, it sounds like your hypothetical magician¡¯s powers are all pretty ... strange. But, surely they can be used in battle somehow? What sort of magician isn''t useful in war? Ideally, your magician should be able to protect himself!¡±

    ¡°Protect herself? Like what? Like how?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your problem, not mine. But, I¡¯ll think about it. Maybe I¡¯ll have some ideas for you later. For now, you can go.¡± With that statement, he turned to his bookcase and started pulling out scrolls.

    In other words, we were done. But, his statement suggested that he might have more in the future. I knelt again on leaving, but as I turned to go, I stopped. ¡°Do you know how to contact me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. However, if you leave your details with my men. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± He didn¡¯t even look back in my direction.

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    In the end, I left feeling even worse off than when I arrived.

 Chapter 29 - Home Again

    By the time we arrived home, we were both famished. The meeting with the Seneschal had been at fourth bell, then the search for sand, then another meeting with the scholar. After walking back to my holdings, it was well past noon. I could hear Eu¡¯s stomach growling. It was almost as loud as her whining. ¡°Sweet cake! Apple! Plum! Fig!¡±

    ¡°Just be patient, we¡¯re almost there!¡±

    My reassurances only earned me a glare, ¡°Deft is not patient!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m not patient? I¡¯m not the one whimpering!¡±

    ¡°Hmph! For now!¡±

    ¡°Was ... that a ¡­ threat?¡±

    I suppose she felt like she¡¯d won the argument, or whatever that was. She shook her head and sighed as if I were the annoying child and she was done quarreling with me.

    Grit was waiting and watching for us on the front path. In fact, he was armored in his gambeson, leather jack, and helmet, with his sword belted on at his waist. It seemed excessive, but given Master Fit¡¯s warnings, I was grateful that he was being prudent.

    ¡°Any news?¡± I called out once we were in speaking range.

    ¡°No, Father. All is well.¡±

    ¡°Then why the armor and sword?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ mother suggested that I practice wearing it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s good advice!¡± Constance was thinking ahead. If there was trouble brewing, then we¡¯d need to focus on Grit¡¯s training. How better to train than actually doing useful work at the same time?

    ¡°Father, have you already eaten?¡±

    ¡°No, the food in town ¡­ your mother would not be pleased.¡±

    Eu decided to add her own comment, ¡°I am patient.¡±

    ¡°Are you now? Since when?¡± I objected.

    ¡°Deft is whimpering,¡± she replied, looking toward Grit for confirmation.

    Grit instead gave me a smile. ¡°There¡¯s food from lunch left on the table.¡±

    At the mention of food, Eu took off, moving as fast as she could in her fine town clothing.

    ¡°Ladylike! Don¡¯t get your clothes dirty!¡± I yelled after her, but she didn¡¯t even respond.

    ¡°Does she even know those words?¡± Grit complained.

    ¡°Probably some of them. But, it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s not listening.¡±

    He chuckled along with me, ¡°True! Anyhow, I¡¯ll keep watch. You go ahead and eat.¡±

    I nodded my thanks and proceeded at a normal walking pace into the house.

    Constance and my daughters were in the main hall, practicing their sewing skills. On the other hand, although it could be called practice, the tasks of mending and repairing clothing was essential to the whole household. Even more reason not to run in a nice dress. Someday, that same dress, too small now for Progress, would pass from Eu down to Swift. We didn¡¯t have the coin for frivolous purchases.

    ¡°Husband, it is good to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, wife. I am glad to be home. Today has ¡­ not been pleasant.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of unpleasantness, Eu tore through here like a wild boar.¡± Constance did not seem surprised, but it was also clear that she wasn¡¯t blaming me.

    ¡°Eu was hungry. Even so, I¡¯m sure she could have waited.¡±

    ¡°The wild beast thinks only of its stomach.¡± Progress quoted the scriptures. I was impressed by her memory and apt use of an appropriate proverb. Even so, I pursed my lips at her unforgiving attitude. She knew that snide outlook wouldn¡¯t earn her any points. In fact, now, she wouldn¡¯t even look me in the eye.

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    ¡°We¡¯ll talk more about that later. I have news from town - both from the Seneschal and from the scholar that I visited. We should discuss it all as a family over dinner later.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Both the girls responded perfectly. Constance gave me an approving nod.

    Before eating, I changed out of my expensive clothing. There was no sense in risking the fine cloth against a potential spill. I didn¡¯t wear this outfit often, but I wouldn¡¯t be getting any bigger, so I hoped it would last me until it went with me to the grave.

    By the time I arrived at the dining room, Eu had finished all of her favorites. In fact, she had organized all of our available food onto the table into a queue going from left to right. Fruits and berries were on the left, bread in the middle, and vegetables on the right. Unfortunately, all that remained of the leftmost side of the line were the grease and bones of meat that she had already devoured.

    ¡°I see that you are, by preference, a carnivore.¡± I pointed to the slimy spots left on her plate.

    ¡°Not hungry ¡­ for now.¡±

    ¡°I should hope not! How much did you eat?¡±

    Her answer was a small burp followed by a smile. ¡°Deft is whimpering?¡±

    I sat down at the table and grabbed some bread. ¡°Eu, we need to talk.¡±

    ¡°Talk? You talk, I listen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, fine. You do that. First off, how often did you eat meat when you were staying with Diligence at Lakesedge?¡±

    ¡°Diligence? No meat. Only eggs. Chicken eggs.¡±

    ¡°How often did you get eggs?¡±

    ¡°One egg every three days. Other eggs go to town.¡± Eu looked displeased by that fact.

    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡±

    ¡°Diligence gets coins for eggs.¡±

    I nodded along, ¡°Eggs are relatively expensive. That means they cost a lot of coins.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Eu watched the ceiling as if she wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    ¡°In fact, if you look at this line of food that you made, you¡¯ve sorted it in order by cost, haven¡¯t you?¡± I pointed at the bones, then the fruit, then the bread, then the vegetables. The only thing cheaper would be raw ingredients or unmilled grains.

    ¡°Too many coins?¡± She asked with a smirk.

    I sighed, ¡°We can afford it. Most of this is raised on my own lands. But, it¡¯s not fair when you eat only the best.¡±

    At this, she caught my gaze and stared into my eyes, ¡°You sell me? How many coins am I?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sell you! That¡¯s immoral!¡± The surprise on my face must have registered, because she retreated immediately.

    ¡°Diligence sold me to you.¡±

    ¡°No she didn¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You gave her coins and a uhh¡­ finger-coin to her son!¡±

    ¡°You mean a ring. I gave her son a ring for his finger.¡±

    ¡°A ring!¡± She pointed her accusation at me.

    ¡°All of that was as thanks for keeping you safe! You can¡¯t sell people! We aren¡¯t savages!¡±

    At this, she tilted her head in thought. "Why did you buy me? For Grit?"

    "What?"

    "You buy me to be Grit''s wife?"

    "NO!" There were so many things wrong with that. I didn''t even know where to start.

    She paused for a long time before her next question, ¡°I am your daughter ¡­ for now. You sell your daughters to that man? Brawn? He has sons.¡±

    Where was she getting these predictions? I couldn¡¯t even imagine what kind of awful culture she must come from. Were women considered property there? In fact, if anything, here, it was the opposite!

    I shook my head in annoyance. There was no point in arguing. Whatever she''d learned growing up, it didn¡¯t matter now! I had to give an answer, but I wasn¡¯t sure how to explain it. ¡°We don¡¯t sell daughters. We give daughters money when they are married. Men keep land, women keep money!¡±

    At this, she tilted her head, ¡°If I am your daughter, you give me money if I marry?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ yes? I guess so. It''s called a dowry.¡± I didn¡¯t need to mention that she wasn''t the eldest daughter or that she would be considered illegitimate. Her dowry wouldn¡¯t be large. All that would be left were the dregs.

    I could tell that she was pondering over the implications, before reaching a conclusion, ¡°I eat less meat, I get more money?¡±

    ¡°Not¡­ directly. But, yes¡­ I guess that¡¯s true in a way.¡±

    ¡°Progress gets more money? Swift too?¡±

    ¡°Sort of¡­ yes.¡±

    She paused again to consider all the ramifications of that, ¡°What if I do not marry?¡±

    ¡°What? Why? Of course you¡¯ll marry!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Daughters need to marry! How will you have children if you don¡¯t?¡±

    At this she gave me a confused expression. ¡°Why children? Why give my money to my daughters!?¡±

    Clearly, we weren¡¯t communicating well. Either that or our concepts just didn¡¯t match.

    Thinking over her questions, I decided to start at the conclusion, ¡°Marriage is how you have a family. Without that, who will protect you? If you are sick, who will care for you? If your house burns down, where will you go?¡±

    "You will! Your house!"

    I gave a snort. "Sure. But, if you get married, you''ll still have me to fall back on, plus your husband, plus your husband''s family, and then later, your own children. Strength and security comes from numbers."

    She deflated, ¡°money?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean now. What are you even asking?¡±

    ¡°Money! Less meat!¡± She scanned down her line of food, settling on the last piece of bread, which she snagged with one hand.

    ¡°Already hungry again? Why not that radish over there?¡± I pointed to the last object in her line-up of food preferences.

    ¡°Progress can eat radish.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ how magnanimous of you.¡±

 Chapter 30 - A Guest

    I considered taking a trip to the horse merchant, but it was already well into the afternoon. Furthermore, after the morning¡¯s excitement, I decided that I¡¯d already run through my meager supply of confusion and despair for one day. Instead, I left Eu in the care of Constance and my daughters. That gave me a chance to put my feet up, close my eyes, and relax in my favorite chair.

    It had actually been my father¡¯s chair before me. Where he¡¯d gotten it, I¡¯d never asked, but it was a heavy wooden composition decorated with intricate carvings. There were hundreds of sculpted horses running down both arms and all four legs. Each one was unique, with different poses and textures.

    My father had kept it sitting under the portico at his front door. Unfortunately, that house now belonged to the other side of the family. When I¡¯d been given this small domain, I¡¯d left our old home to them, but I still took the chair. Now it sat under my portico, watching the front path, much like my father.

    At times like this, it served me well. I could sit and see the wind blowing in waves across the fields. It gave me a quiet moment to collect my thoughts. Time could pass without worries and concerns such as the rising sound of three girls arguing inside the house behind me. Unfortunately, the three voices kept getting louder and louder, which made me wonder why Constance hadn¡¯t clamped down on it yet.

    When I walked in through the front door, the three had arranged themselves into a triangle. Progress was facing down Eu, while Swift was trying to barter peace between the other two. On the other hand, she was grinning happily, clearly pleased by the excitement. Constance was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°You! You¡¯re ugly and you look like a boy!¡± Progress shrieked.

    ¡°You are plum-eye horse-mouth!¡± Eu replied. Her insults were foolish, but the dangerous grin on her face told a different story. More importantly, her analysis apparently hit the mark, because I could see Progress getting angrier and angrier

    Luckily, Progress had learned her lesson and kept a safe distance. She knew she¡¯d lose in a physical altercation. Instead, she was sticking to a verbal assault. ¡°Only boys wear pants! You¡¯re a disgrace to our family!¡±

    In that, Progress had a point as well. The last I¡¯d seen Eu, she¡¯d still been wearing her town clothes. I had no idea when she¡¯d changed back into her rough spun peasant¡¯s outfit, but there it was. Worse, she was wearing her fine sword in the belt at her waist. The image didn¡¯t fit at all.

    ¡°WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?¡± I bellowed out to stop the argument and get their attention.

    Progress responded quickly, ¡°Mother left me in charge of reciting scriptures. But then, Eu walked off and came back with those pants!¡±

    Eu¡¯s response imitated Progress, mocking her tone and cadence. ¡°Progress is not Constance. Progress is little girl! Progress stop her squeaking or Progress wear pants TOO!¡±

    ¡°Squeaking?¡± Progress squeaked, moving further back. Apparently Eu¡¯s threat sounded a little too serious for her to ignore.

    ¡°Squeaking?¡± I repeated. ¡°Eu, where did you learn that word?¡±

    ¡°Progress say it. I say it now.¡±

    I gave Progress a long look, ¡°You only have yourself to blame for that one. Eu learned from your example.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s NOT making me wear pants!¡± Progress cowered against the far wall, her eyes wide.

    ¡°No. No, she¡¯s not.¡± I turned back toward Eu. ¡°You said that Progress is a little girl, but you are even younger. You aren¡¯t her mother either. You can¡¯t tell Progress what to do.¡±

    ¡°For now!¡± Eu objected.

    I laughed, ¡°Progress is the eldest sister. Progress will always be older than you. You¡¯ll never be able to order her around.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Eu turned away and stomped her foot.

    Progress raised up her chin and glared across the room.

    At this point, Swift joined the conversation, ¡°Father, why does Eu wear pants?¡±

    ¡°I already explained that. Her¡­ umm¡­ father told her to wear pants for her disguise.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t you her father now? You can tell her to stop, right? Are you her father, or is her first father still her father too?¡±

    I didn¡¯t have a quick answer ready for that. ¡°Let me talk to your mother about that.¡±

    Unfortunately, Eu had her own declaration on the matter, ¡°I will NOT wear a dress! Dress is bad!¡±

    ¡°Why? Because of your disguise?¡± Swift turned back to Eu.

    Before I could respond in her stead, Eu shook her head. ¡°Not father. Dress is bad. Magic is bad in dress.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Swift¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The winds would blow it around and show your legs!¡±

    ¡°Legs?¡± Eu paused, confused for a moment. ¡°No! Magic is bad in dress. Dress is ¡­ little magic.¡±

    Swift looked over toward me for an explanation, but I didn¡¯t know either. In fact, I couldn¡¯t even guess where this was going - and I¡¯d already learned that anything I didn¡¯t understand was probably bad. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that later. For now, it¡¯s important for Eu¡¯s disguise.¡±

    ¡°For NOW?¡± Eu growled at me.

    ¡°For now!¡± I repeated. ¡°At least until we can figure out what would work better.¡± In fact, I had some ideas, but I¡¯d need to talk to Constance first. Speaking of which ¡­ ¡°Where did your mother go?¡±

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    As if to answer that question, there was a knock at the front door. Since I had just come in, the door wasn¡¯t far behind me, so I turned to open it. ¡°Wife! Where have you¡­¡±

    But it wasn¡¯t Constance. Instead, the young guardsman, Will, was standing on our front step. He was dressed very nicely, and I could tell that his hair was freshly combed. Given our difference in status, he knelt down before me on one knee. Seeing my surprised expression, he quickly defended himself. ¡°You said I could visit? Is this a bad time?¡±

    From behind me, I heard Progress squeak and skitter out of sight into the hallway. However, Swift and Eu both moved as one to get a glimpse of Will through the front doorway. Realizing that Eu was still wearing pants, I moved to block line-of-sight by interposing my own body.

    Obviously, based on my tense reaction, Will became more and more nervous. His eyes didn¡¯t focus on mine, instead hovering at my collar line. His posture was likewise leaning backwards, ready to jump up and flee.

    I sighed quietly. We already had enough trouble! I didn¡¯t want any new rumors swirling about. ¡°Will, yes! I¡¯m sure my wife and daughters will be pleased to see you. But, we¡¯re in the middle of a ¡­ discussion. Yes, a discussion ¡­ about the meaning of one of the scriptures. Please give us a moment to prepare for a guest.¡±

    With that, I closed the door in his face and whirled about to address Swift and Eu. Swift, go help Progress with whatever she needs to come out and greet Will. Eu, if you want to talk to our guest, you¡¯ll have to wear a dress. No pants allowed. So¡­ put on a dress, or stay in the bedroom.¡±

    Swift obediently ran off at my command. In contrast, Eu tilted her head to consider her options. After all, I¡¯d given her a choice.

    Impatient, I pointed toward the back of the house, ¡°Either way, dress or no dress, you''ll need to go to your bedroom!¡±

    With that, she nodded and made a quick retreat. I wasn¡¯t sure which option she would take, and it didn¡¯t look like she¡¯d made up her mind either. On the other hand, as she left, I noticed a clever grin cross her face. That didn¡¯t bode well, but I could only hope for the best.

    Once the front room was empty, I turned back to the door and reopened it. Will was still standing there, though I could see a layer of sweat on his forehead from anxiety. I wasn''t surprised. I¡¯d never been as brave as him at his age. I would never have dared to visit the house of a young woman without a group behind me. I was quite impressed by his courage in the face of adversity.

    ¡°Please, come in! My daughters have moved to the back rooms to prepare for a guest. My wife is ¡­ uhh ¡­ busy with other business.¡± At least, that seemed like a reasonable guess?

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He bowed again deeply before stepping over the threshold. As he did, I looked him over. Although he was wearing his sword belt, he removed the lone dagger he''d brought and left it outside the door. After all, he needed it to travel safely, but as an outsider, it would be offensive to bring a weapon inside.

    ¡°The servants should be working in the kitchen. You must be parched. Do you need something to drink?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ errm ¡­ yes, please.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back then. Please have a seat.¡± I directed him to the chairs in the main hall and then turned away to head back toward the kitchens. It wasn¡¯t really polite to leave a guest alone like that, but my options were limited. Plus, I had an ulterior motive.

    Unfortunately, the servants were conspicuously absent from the kitchen. There was a large loaf of dough laid out on the center block, plus all the cut ingredients for a pot of soup prepared on a side table. The ovens were ready, but the fires were banked low. Looking over the clues, clearly they¡¯d been called away in the middle of cooking dinner. That might also explain what had happened to Constance, but I still didn¡¯t have enough information.

    It wasn¡¯t really appropriate for me to carry a drink. In fact, since that sort of task was so far below my status, I found myself stuck in a dilemma. I¡¯d offered him refreshment, but I couldn¡¯t bring it myself without damaging my reputation. Seeing no other choice, I headed toward Progress¡¯s bedroom for help.

    Just before I arrived, the door opened. Progress led the way out with Swift behind her. Swift was wearing her usual daily clothing, but Progress had put on her second-best dress, plus a bonnet hat to conceal her injured eye. ¡°Father? Did Will leave?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s in the front room, waiting. But first, I need your help. I offered him a drink since he had to walk this way from town. However, your mother and the servants are all missing. Could you or your sister carry it out to him?¡±

    Swift jumped forward, shivering in excitement, ¡°I can do it!¡±

    Progress pushed her back, ¡°No. He came to see me, so as my guest, it¡¯s my responsibility.¡±

    I nodded at the two of them. They could take care of it. In the meantime, I could keep Will busy with conversation until they arrived. As I made my way back toward the main hall, I gave one last glance behind to see the door to Eu¡¯s bedroom swing open. When she stepped out, she was wearing her informal town dress. I breathed a sigh of relief and pointed for her to follow her sisters to the kitchen.

    ¡°Please forgive the delay, Will. My wife and the servants are out on some other business, so there was some confusion in the back.¡±

    He stood up again as a show of respect when I entered the room, ¡°It is my fault. I did not specify what time I would arrive. I could come back later ¡­ or another day?¡±

    ¡°No! We invited you, and you¡¯re already here. This is fine. Besides, my daughters will enjoy serving a guest themselves.¡± I tried to keep the smirk off my face. Naturally, Progress would be over the moon at the chance to bring him a drink. How better to demonstrate her qualities for potential courtship?

    The sound of a crashing cup in the background didn¡¯t help with that image. Instead of wincing, I gave Will a big smile. ¡°That must be Swift. She¡¯s still very young and clumsy.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± He nodded, but instead of the hallway to the kitchen, I could see his eyes drifting toward the front door and escape.

    Progress finally appeared, carrying one of our finer bottles of ale - the one that had lavender petals added to the mix. Luckily, it had a very low alcohol content - but, it was expensive. I couldn¡¯t help but scowl at the price. We¡¯d been saving that bottle for a special occasion.

    Constance would likely be angry. But, I hadn¡¯t given Progress specific instructions, so it would probably be considered as my fault. I couldn¡¯t really complain at the moment. Later! Later, I could explain to Progress how to choose the appropriate drink for a guest.

    Swift and Eu were following behind her, carrying plates and cups. Swift had the cups, while Eu had a plate with some arranged flatbread. Considering we didn¡¯t have any fresh food ready, it was a good idea, and I approved Progress¡¯s insight.

    Swift presented a cup to everyone present. After all, if we were to be drinking with a guest, it was only proper for everyone to drink. Anything else might suggest foul play, such as an attempt to poison, drug, or simply intoxicate someone.

    Progress then uncorked the bottle. She had brought a tool from the kitchen and clearly knew how to use it. That was a surprise for me. I had no idea when she had learned that. Just what other skills was my wife teaching beside the scriptures and sewing?

    Naturally, as the master of the house, she poured my cup first, then Will¡¯s. When she moved to pour for Eu and Swift, I motioned that she only give each of them a few drops. The bottle she had chosen was costly and it wouldn¡¯t do anything for their inexperienced palates.

    Last, she poured a cup for herself that Swift laid onto the sitting table. Once everyone had a cup in hand, I raised mine into the air to give a toast. ¡°To friendship and prosperity!¡±

    ¡°To friendship and prosperity!¡± All four of them echoed my words and raised their cups as well. Even Eu followed suit, so she apparently understood the ritual gesture. With that, we all took a swallow, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at how well this had turned out.

    At that exact moment, the front door flew open and Grit stumbled through, dripping blood.

 Chapter 31 - Opportunity Knocks

    Grit was dripping blood, but smiling broadly. The blood clearly wasn¡¯t his. Furthermore, he was wearing a butcher¡¯s apron. The gore must have been intentional. Even so, we all jumped to our feet in horror.

    ¡°What happened? Don¡¯t get blood on the floor!¡± I demanded.

    He stepped back over the threshold. ¡°A cart-ox was injured on the road out front. We¡¯re the nearest holding, so mother is buying it cheap.¡±

    ¡°Buying it? We don¡¯t need an injured ox!¡±

    ¡°She bought it as meat. It wasn¡¯t going to live much longer anyway.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s different!¡± Fresh meat was a luxury, especially anything larger than a chicken. After all, cows are for milk and work, not food.

    He smiled at my sudden change of attitude. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what mother said!¡±

    ¡°But, why are you messy? Aren¡¯t the serfs doing the butchering?¡±

    ¡°They are, but it¡¯s too much! Mother wanted to get it all before it¡¯s covered in flies.¡±

    That made sense, so I gave him a nod. ¡°Alright. Go wash yourself off.¡±

    ¡°Yes, father. But, mother sent me to get help. We need more bowls and pots. Also, more hands to carry them.¡±

    ¡°I understand, in that case, go tell your mother that we¡¯re on the way!¡±

    We were already standing, so I motioned to the girls to set them into motion. Next, I turned to our guest, Will. ¡°My apologies for the sudden change of plans, but opportunity only knocks once!¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll come back on a better day.¡± He moved to leave.

    ¡°Actually, if you¡¯d like, you could help out and stay for dinner. I imagine you¡¯ll eat better with us than at the barracks. We¡¯ll have more meat than we can eat.¡±

    As he considered my offer, he looked down at his fine clothing. Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t want it to get dirty. It was probably his best outfit. Seeing his concern, I clarified my request, ¡°By this point, we won¡¯t need help with the butchering. But, we¡¯ll need more hands to carry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can certainly do that!¡± He agreed with a smile.

    ¡°Not a bad deal, eh? When¡¯s the last time you had fresh beef?¡±

    ¡°I truly don¡¯t recall. It¡¯s been a long time!¡±

    His family didn¡¯t hold land, so their earnings came purely from their employment. Beef was so expensive that it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that he¡¯d never had it before.

    About this time, the girls returned from the back of the house. Progress had changed into a more sensible daily outfit rather than her nice dress. I could see her anxious face since Will was still there, but she knew she¡¯d hear no end of it if she got blood on her fine clothing.

    From looking at the number of bowls in the girls¡¯ arms, they must have grabbed everything they could find. Swift had also snagged several sheets of waxed cloth. Usually, that was used as a cover for storage, but maybe we could wrap it around some choice pieces to keep them fresh.

    Naturally, Will and I had our hands and arms free. The reason for this is that, as men, our first duty was to protect the womenfolk. I retrieved my sword belt while Will retrieved his dagger from where he left it outside the front door.

    Once everyone was ready, I led us off from the house. The situation with the oxen wasn¡¯t directly in front of my holdings, or I would have seen it when I was coming in from town. Instead, the scene was further down the road leading away from town. The distance was far enough that I couldn¡¯t even see it from our front marker poles.

    As we walked, the girls brought up the rear. I could hear them chattering among themselves. Progress and Swift were trying to explain to Eu the reason behind the expedition. More accurately, Swift was doing most of it, because Progress wasn¡¯t on speaking terms.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to collect the meat from an ox.¡± Swift said.

    ¡°What is an ox?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a strong cow?¡± Swift looked to Progress for confirmation.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a castrated bull - meant for labor.¡±

    ¡°What is castrated?¡± Swift and Eu both asked together.

    Progress glanced forward at Will¡¯s back who was walking beside me. ¡°It¡¯s umm ¡­ uh ¡­ father?¡±

    She¡¯s pushing this disaster onto me? I glanced over toward Will to see that he was steadily blushing further and further red. ¡°It¡¯s umm ¡­ something your mother can explain to you girls later.¡±

    However, Eu was still curious, ¡°Ox is cow for work? Boy cow? Girl cow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a boy cow, a bull.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Oh! Castrated is when a boy cow isn¡¯t a boy anymore?¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ yes.¡±

    She paused to think about it. ¡°Did the boy cow lose his carrot?¡±

    ¡°EUPHORIA!¡± I reacted with the same word, the same tone, and the same moment as Progress.

    ¡°What?¡± She replied, surprised by our sudden reaction.

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    Then Swift, as expected, chimed in innocently, ¡°Which carrot?¡±

    ¡°Be quiet, Swift!¡± Progress growled, ¡°Mother can explain later!¡±

    Will tried to reassure all of us with a forced laugh, ¡°It¡¯s an honest enough question, right? Children have to learn about the world somehow.¡±

    I gave him a thankful smile. He was trying his best, but I could see that he was avoiding my eyes. Obviously, he was fighting through his own reservations. Even so, I had to defend my family¡¯s honor. ¡°Eu was raised by ¡­ nuns. She wasn¡¯t taught about certain things, but too much about others.¡±

    He tilted his head, ¡°You said that last time too. She only spoke the old tongue?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± Suddenly I realized that I was digging myself in deeper and deeper. This would probably come back to bite me. What if he asked her to demonstrate? ¡°Well, actually, only the nuns spoke the old tongue. I don¡¯t think Eu even learned to speak at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that makes sense!¡± He nodded along. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Why what?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they teach her to talk?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°The nuns? I certainly wouldn¡¯t know!¡±

    Claiming ignorance seemed to be a sufficient defense, because Will nodded his agreement. The various religious orders and institutions were all strange and mysterious. There was no simple explanation for their wild rules and strictures.

    When we turned around a curve, the site of the accident came into view. The cart had already been pulled back from the road, while the dead ox was laid in the middle. Another merchant with extra oxen had stopped to help the first, and I could see the two haggling over the price of a replacement ox versus the cart''s goods within.

    More importantly, I could see Constance and our household servants and serfs steadily butchering the ox. They¡¯d already removed the entrails, probably disposing of them in the wooded areas nearby. The skin had been flayed off to sell to the tanners. Right now, they were sawing at the spine to detach the ribs.

    Obviously, none of them were experts. They knew how to disassemble a duck or a chicken, but a cow was a much larger task. The process was slow and messy, and all of them were covered in blood. Luckily, Constance had stayed back from the worst of it. A serf¡¯s clothes wouldn¡¯t mind a few stains, but our higher social class wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    ¡°Husband! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d returned home. Also, Will, it is good to see you.¡±

    Since she was of higher social status than him, he gave a deep bow. Really, the proper etiquette was to kneel, but nobody could blame him for keeping his clothes clean. ¡°Goodwife, the same is true for me. I¡¯m glad to be here and to help carry. Your husband likewise invited me to dinner.¡±

    ¡°Perfect! That¡¯s exactly what I was just thinking!¡± She gave me a look and a nod of approval.

    I breathed out a sigh of relief. I wasn¡¯t sure how she would react given the stress of the situation. In fact, I had only invited Will to be courteous given the strange circumstances. Regardless, we¡¯d have an excess of meat to eat tonight - and what better use than to share it with a guest? Doing so could spread tales of our generosity and help with our reputation in town.

    Constance pointed toward a stack of meaty chunks lying on the grass near the road. ¡°There¡¯s what we¡¯ve got so far. You girls load it up while the menfolk keep watch.¡±

    My daughters moved quickly to obey, Eu following behind. She probably understood the directive, but it took her longer to process the words and figure out the meaning.

    Next, Constance looked to me. ¡°Husband. Would you cut down some saplings to use as spits? We could roast some of the meat here. It will be easier to carry if it¡¯s in our stomachs.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have my axe.¡± I objected. Admittedly, I had my sword and dagger, but those were meant as weapons, not tools. Using them to cut wood was just foolish.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the merchants? They¡¯ll probably loan you one for a share of the meal.¡±

    Since Constance clearly had command of the situation, Will stepped forward, ¡°Goodwife, what about me?¡±

    She gave him a smile, ¡°Without Grit here, we need someone to stand guard. Can you watch over my girls?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    In short order, we had a small bonfire going beneath wedges of beef on makeshift spits. The dripping grease and fat sizzled delightfully, releasing a heavenly aroma. The two merchants had shaken hands on their deal and then scrambled over to watch. Now they were crouched at the fire, waiting for their portion. Even the serfs were drooling since Constance had promised them each a taste for their efforts.

    One of the merchants commented, ¡°It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve had beef.¡±

    ¡°Chicken broth, shreds of pork ¡­ or mutton if I¡¯m lucky.¡± The other agreed. ¡°This reminds me of a festival day.¡±

    The first turned to laugh at him. ¡°You¡¯re taking this awfully well. That¡¯s your ox we¡¯re cooking!¡±

    ¡°Ehh¡­ he was getting on in years. I knew he wouldn¡¯t last much longer anyhow. I¡¯m just glad this happened near a town. If it¡¯d been out on the road, I¡¯d be in trouble - and I wouldn¡¯t have gotten a single coin from it. Instead with all of you here, I¡¯ve got a young ox as a replacement. Better yet, I¡¯ve made some new friends!¡±

    I gave a smile at the two. Everyone seemed to be happy. He wasn¡¯t wrong about making friends either. Constance had already invited him to stop at our lands the next time he came by. Of course, she was hoping to get some good deals in the future. We¡¯d all profit from this disaster in some way or other.

    Unfortunately, Eu chose this moment to interrupt us with her questions, ¡°What is pork? What is mutton?¡±

    ¡°Pork is meat from a pig. Mutton is from a sheep.¡± I answered her.

    ¡°Meat and meat? Different names for meat?¡±

    ¡°Yes, different names.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why not say ox-meat, pig-meat, sheep-meat?¡±

    I looked to Constance for help, but she looked just as lost as me.

    ¡°It¡¯s to enhance the taste,¡± suggested one of the merchants.

    ¡°How does that work?¡± argued the other.

    ¡°You give the different kinds of meat different names to make them sound special.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± the other grumbled, unsure of that answer.

    Will added his own opinion, ¡°What about shepherd¡¯s stew? You don¡¯t call it mutton stew.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a special case!¡± objected the first merchant. ¡°You name that after the person who eats it, not the meat that it contains.¡±

    Eu raised a hand, ¡°shepherd¡¯s stew¡­ comes from sheep?¡±

    Both of the merchants laughed, ¡°where¡¯d you think it comes from?¡±

    ¡°What about stew with pork? Pig herd¡¯s stew?¡±

    Will chuckled, ¡°Sure¡­ I guess so. I''ve never heard of that though.¡±

    Eu pondered over the answer before replying, ¡°stew from beef is ox herd¡¯s stew? Cow herd¡¯s stew? You eat coward¡¯s stew?¡±

    Will leapt to his feet, ¡°I¡¯m not a coward! Err¡­ not a cow herd.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She was insulting him without even meaning to.

    ¡°Oh! Not a coward. But these two are!¡± She looked at the merchants and their oxen. ¡°You are cowards?¡±

    The two of them laughed, ¡°I suppose we are. Cow herds and cowards both.¡±

    At this, she tilted her head, baffled by their answer.

    Swift, clearly confused as well, moved around to console Eu. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! We know you aren¡¯t a coward, Eu. You¡¯re amazing!¡±

    In exchange, Eu folded her arms. ¡°Why would I herd cows?¡±

    The two merchants laughed again. ¡°Squire Deft, your daughters are hilarious.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! They are, aren¡¯t they?¡± I breathed out a sigh of relief, and reached to the spit to take the first piece of roasted meat.

    ¡°But why is your middle daughter carrying a sword belt? And she¡¯s wearing pants underneath her dress, isn¡¯t she? You¡¯ve got yourself a real tomboy, don¡¯t you?¡±

    That first bite of perfectly-roasted beef stuck in my throat as I choked.

 Chapter 32 - Partings and Plans

    On the walk home, Progress steadily berated Eu. ¡°Why are you wearing pants? Father told you to wear your dress!¡±

    ¡°I AM wearing my dress! He didn¡¯t say NOT to wear pants!¡±

    In the meantime, I was doing my best to keep Will occupied. We¡¯d eaten as much as we could stand of spit-roasted beef and left the remainder there to the serfs and their families. Now, we were busy carrying the majority back to our house in covered bowls and pots.

    I¡¯m sure Will could hear the conversation behind us, but the fewer details he knew, the better. To that end, I kept asking him questions to keep him distracted. ¡°How are your brothers doing?¡±

    ¡°Training every day. They¡¯ll be joining the city guard once they reach their third hand like me. Father¡¯s loyal service gives them a good recommendation.¡±

    I nodded along. Sons often follow their father¡¯s careers, especially if the father is respected in his duty like Will¡¯s. ¡°What about your mother?¡±

    From his reaction, he knew what I was really asking. ¡°Unfortunately, her eyesight is failing, as well as her strength. She hardly leaves the house anymore. Even then, we have to be there to support her.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s awful to hear!¡± There must be more to it, or it still couldn¡¯t explain why he was acting as his own ambassador. Without his mother to bridge the gap on the women¡¯s side, he¡¯d have an awful time finding a good match.

    ¡°I¡¯d ask that you pray for her, but it may be her time to go. At least pray that she goes easily.¡±

    In other words, his mother didn¡¯t want to burden her family. I winced in sympathy. The same had happened to my own father when he broke his hip. I repeated the same phrase that I¡¯d heard so often myself - though I was completely sincere, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for you.¡±

    He nodded, but I guess he didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    ¡°What about your aunts? Cousins?¡± As it was, he¡¯d need outside help to navigate the women¡¯s side of the equation. If he¡¯d had sisters, they could have stepped up to the task, but his family was all sons. Normally, that would be considered a blessing, since it meant no dowries.

    ¡°Mother was the youngest of her family. Her sisters passed on before her. Though, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s still my cousins, though there¡¯s some trouble there.¡±

    ¡°I see. Bad blood?¡± I was ashamed of my own cousins'' behavior, so it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine.

    He shrugged. ¡°Nothing much I can do.¡±

    Obviously, he didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Who would? It only takes a generation for a family to fall apart both in social standing and wealth. The two usually went hand-in-hand, but there were exceptions.

    Seeing his worried expression, I clapped a hand on his shoulder to cheer him up. Oddly, watching him stumble away made me think of how a certain someone had clapped my shoulder recently. This in turn gave me a related idea and then a grin. ¡°I think I may know someone that can help.¡±

    ¡°Really, who?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to introduce you to one of my friends. But, I¡¯m guessing his wife would be all too pleased to mess about in your business.¡±

    He considered my offer for a moment before agreeing to my plan. I suppose he didn¡¯t have much to lose. With that, I described Brawn to him, as well as how to best approach him. Brawn had a large family, but no daughters. All his sons were happily married, so his wife must be an expert by now. Furthermore, I already knew how much she liked to meddle. She''d be pleased as punch. In fact, I''d probably earn some points with Brawn too.

    Shortly after that, we reached the spot where the path leading into my holdings met the road. Since we¡¯d already eaten a meal, we weren¡¯t planning anything more for the night. Will gave his farewells and then set off, headed back towards town.

    As he left, I kept an eye on Progress, who watched him go. Obviously, she¡¯d have other suitors, but this was the first to take such a bold step. They had hardly spoken a word to each other, but I could only imagine how she was feeling.

    Constance was bringing up the rear, helping Swift and Eu with their load. Our eyes met and she puffed out her cheeks. In other words, she still wasn¡¯t sure about Will. In that, she had a point, but there was plenty of time before Progress¡¯s third hand. Who knew what might happen before then?

    After we turned onto the path, we found Grit waiting for us. He was armed and armored again and waiting not far from the front door. Since even the servants had gone with us, he¡¯d stayed home to watch the house. After all, you can¡¯t bar the door from the outside.

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    Seeing the loads of meat that we were carrying, he gave us a smile, ¡°Did you save any for me?¡±

    Swift ran forward with the platter that she was carrying. ¡°I roasted this batch!¡±

    ¡°Nothing but meat? I guess I¡¯m not surprised.¡± He laughed as he took the plate from her and pulled off the waxed cloth that covered it.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have anything else. Besides, it was good!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll decide that for myself.¡± He picked up a well-roasted chunk and popped it into his mouth. None of it was properly sliced, so it required some chewing.

    ¡°Do you like it? I cooked that!¡± Swift demanded.

    ¡°Mmmph!¡± He nodded his agreement until she backed off.

    ¡°I cooked that!¡± She jumped up and down.

    He swallowed as quickly as he could. ¡°Yes. So you said. Three times now! Was it so difficult? You just put it over the fire and turned it occasionally, right?¡±

    ¡°It was easy! Am I a good cook?¡±

    "I don''t usually eat meat with my hands..." he complained.

    Suddenly, Eu objected, "You eat with your mouth."

    "Uhh... that''s true as well?" Grit blinked at her, obviously confused what her point was.

    "Is it good?" Swift pulled on his arm, grabbing his attention back.

    ¡°It tastes fine, Swift, but you can¡¯t really call this cooking. Besides, you¡¯re the daughter of a squire. Cooking doesn¡¯t really fit your status. That¡¯s servants¡¯ work.¡±

    She pursed her lips at him in frustration, but Constance backed her up. ¡°You did fine, dear. Even if it is servants¡¯ work, It¡¯s important to learn to cook for yourself. That way, you won¡¯t depend entirely on your staff. You¡¯ll also know when someone isn¡¯t doing their job well.¡±

    ¡°Right! See!¡± Swift pointed an accusatory finger at Grit, who retreated, waving his hands in defense.

    At that point, I laughed at all of them. ¡°You''re a good daughter, Swift. Grit, thank you for watching the house. Now, let¡¯s go inside already.¡±

    As we walked in through the front door, Progress grumbled at the scene. ¡°I cooked some meat too. Did I force anyone else to eat my portion? Did I complain about it? Did I need anyone to tell me how good it was?¡±

    I winced and looked toward Constance. Progress¡¯s attitude lately needed some adjustment. She was surly, and I didn¡¯t fault her for that. But, she was also proud - and that was a problem.

    Constance, nodded her head at me, then patted Progress on the shoulder. ¡°The one who suffers in silence is justified. But, complaints are their own reward."

    Progress hung her head. ¡°Yes. I know the scriptures, mother. Besides, what does that even mean? What reward did I just get?¡±

    ¡°The reward of complaining. I suppose you feel better now?¡±

    She thought about that for a moment and finished with a bitter grin. ¡°Why, yes! Yes, I do!¡±

    Constance gave her a smile. ¡°Then that¡¯s your reward. Instead of the reward of building up those around you, you¡¯ve pushed them down to prop yourself up.¡±

    Progress nodded obediently, but she didn¡¯t look convinced. We''d have to address this again at another time.

    By that point, we¡¯d unloaded the bowls and pots into the larder. After making sure that everything was well-covered, Constance sent the children off to bed. We¡¯d had a long day. The sunlight was fading. In fact, it was late enough now that I found myself yawning.

    Once everyone was headed to their rooms, I went to bar the front door. After that, I checked on both of the girls¡¯ rooms to make sure they were secure.

    When I knocked on Progress¡¯s door, she was already in bed, her dress hung on a peg on the wall. She nodded at my nightly check - it wasn''t anything unusual. In contrast, while Swift¡¯s dress was hung properly, Eu had simply thrown hers onto the floor. The two were already asleep, snuggled together, so I didn¡¯t want to wake them.

    By the time I reached my own bedroom, I was ready to collapse.

    Constance was there waiting for me. ¡°Husband, you still have more to do.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­ yes. Huh?¡± I looked her over. She was dressed for bed, but had not laid down yet.

    When I stood there confused, she gave me an annoyed look. ¡°You haven¡¯t explained yet what you learned at the castle or the scholar.¡±

    She pointed over to our business table. As the man of the household, she waited for me to sit before taking her usual chair. After that, she folded her hands and watched me pointedly.

    Suddenly, it all became clear. I¡¯d been so distracted that I¡¯d forgotten to update her. ¡°You¡¯re right! I haven¡¯t really spoken to you since I got back!¡±

    ¡°Yes, husband.¡± She patted my hand. ¡°Now, let us take some time and discuss.¡±

    It took a while to explain everything that happened. First, I went through the facts of the Seneschal¡¯s interrogation. Constance asked questions at each point, and I could see her hands trembling when she realized just how much trouble we¡¯d stirred up for ourselves.

    Next, I described the meeting with Master Fit, though I hadn¡¯t actually learned much. It certainly hadn¡¯t changed any of our plans. If anything, it pushed our timetable forward. If Eu was a magician, then she¡¯d need to look and act like one sooner rather than later.

    ¡°... and we¡¯ve got to do something about her pants.¡± I concluded.

    ¡°Tonight, wearing pants under her dress wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. Maybe we could allow her to do that?¡± Constance tilted her head, unsure.

    I wasn¡¯t so sure myself, but it couldn''t hurt. If the dress was what was visible, that¡¯s all that counted, right? ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a step in the right direction, but I guarantee you she¡¯ll take off that dress the first chance she gets. You saw how she was pulling at it?¡±

    Constance nodded, ¡°Do you have any better ideas?¡±

    I thought for a few moments and then gave her a grin. ¡°Maybe. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone!¡±

 Chapter 33 - Morning Preparations

    The next morning, Constance shook me awake while it was still dark. ¡°Husband! Soon it will be twilight!¡±

    I gave a nod to demonstrate that I was awake and raised a hand to wave her away. She knew I wouldn¡¯t fall back asleep, so she moved off to begin her own work for the day. I have no idea how she did it every morning. On the other hand, in the evening, when her head hit the pillow, she was already asleep.

    In short order, I had both legs out of bed, and then my clothes on. Constance had laid them out for me to speed things up. When had she done that? Probably while I was still sleeping. Regardless, I didn¡¯t have time to think about it.

    As I walked into the kitchen, Constance unbarred the back door to let our household servants in. These were handpicked wives of my serfs, chosen for their willingness to work and their various skills. While their husbands and sons worked the fields, these women kept our kitchen and house in order.

    They had to be here early to bake the day¡¯s bread. It took time, so you had to start before sunrise. By the time the children were up, breakfast would already be on the table.

    Surprised to see me, the servants each took their time to kneel with their heads on the floor before beginning work. I was curious which ones would handle which task, but Constance gestured to me silently, making it clear that my presence was interfering with their duties.

    The kitchen door served as the quickest path from our house to the paddock. Two of my serfs, both young men, were on guard at the stables with staves close at hand. These served as my lookouts, ready to raise an alarm if anything happened during the night. As I approached, they too knelt with their heads to the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking over here, so you are done for tonight - I¡¯ll count your job as complete. If Grit asks, you may say that I let you go free early.¡±

    The two gave no reply, only a relieved smile as they headed back to their houses earlier than expected. The young men among my serfs had various jobs like this on a rotation. I wasn¡¯t even sure how they decided who would be here each night. All that was decided by the headmen. I would only need to inquire if a problem arose.

    Honey was already awake when I entered into the dimly lit interior, as well as our two mules. I suppose she¡¯d heard my voice outside. ¡°Good morning, Honey! You know that you¡¯re my first love! We¡¯re going to have a busy day today, so I¡¯m letting you and your friends out into the paddock early.¡±

    Naturally, she snorted at my flattery, but she also pressed up against her door, ready to greet the morning outside. ¡°But before that, I¡¯ve brought you a treat! How does that sound, sweety? I realize I haven¡¯t had much time for you lately, but here¡¯s an apple, your favorite! I hope you¡¯ll forgive me?¡±

    She rolled her eyes, but snatched it out of my hand without complaint. In the meantime, both of our mules chuffed at me. I never treated them this way, did I? Oh well... too bad for them. Life isn¡¯t fair. One example being the vast difference in value between a warhorse and a mule.

    Once I¡¯d let them all loose to run outside, I collected a few important items from cabinets, then headed back across the yard and inside again through the kitchens. On my way through, I snagged a piece of flatbread that was cooking off the top of our stove. It was still hot and doughy, so I had to juggle it between my hands as I made my way to our storage room.

    This chamber served double duty as our larder. It was built on the shady north side of the house to keep it cool. Furthermore, the floor and shelving against the outside wall consisted of slate blocks to help regulate the temperature. Vegetables from autumn had to last all the way through the coming winter.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Since the harvest would be here soon, our reserves were nearly empty. That made my job easier. In a few weeks, this room would be packed so full, squeezing in to search would be difficult.

    In contrast to our larder shelves, the shelves on the opposing inner wall were rough wood, with packages and old tools wrapped in cloth or simply pressed together in bunches. It didn¡¯t take long to find what I was looking for, so I shook the dust off, wrapped it back up, and then headed in to breakfast.

    When I arrived at the table, I had a big grin. By this time, Grit, seated beside me, had already checked the stables and seen that I¡¯d beaten him there for his morning chores. The girls were lined up on the other side of the table, with Swift between Eu and Progress to serve as a buffer against violence.

    As expected, Eu was wearing her peasant outfit again, complete with pants and her sword. In response, Progress had her nose in the air, refusing to even look in that direction. Grit and Swift were wisely keeping their silence. Neither one was eager to set off another argument.

    Once Constance arrived and settled into her seat, we could begin. After Grit said our morning-meal blessing, our hands reached for the food. The day had officially begun.

    ¡°Don¡¯t eat the sweetcakes first!¡± complained Progress.

    ¡°Mmph!¡± replied Eu, with her mouth already full.

    In response, Progress grabbed her own sweetcake and put it onto her plate, probably concerned that she wouldn¡¯t get one otherwise.

    There was a short pause, then simultaneously Swift, Grit, Constance, and even me all reached out to grab our own as well. It was embarrassingly greedy of us, but it was simple logic. If there were no sweetcakes left, then none could be stolen.

    ¡°You took them ALL!¡± whined Eu, staring at the empty plate.

    ¡°Yes, yes we did¡­¡± I agreed.

    ¡°YOU are a sweetcake!¡±

    ¡°Is that¡­ an insult?¡± I laughed at her.

    ¡°YES!¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ you win. I just can¡¯t compete with you and your clever wit.¡±

    "Wit? I am NOT Wit!" She circled her fingers under each eye to symbolize his mustache, then stuck out her tongue.

    "You AREN''T Master Wit? But, you are so witty!"

    Grit interrupted our descent into sarcasm by pointing out the cloth-wrapped package I¡¯d laid onto the table. ¡°Father, what is that for?¡±

    ¡°This?¡± I gave my best mysterious smile. ¡°This is a surprise for later.¡±

    Now all eyes at the table were riveted onto the bundle beside my plate.

    ¡°Is it a¡­ sweetcake?¡± asked Swift, still focused on prior events.

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s NOT a sweetcake!¡± Progress objected. ¡°Who would wrap a sweetcake in nettle cloth like that? Besides, it¡¯s too lumpy, and thick, and wide. It¡¯s probably a¡­¡±

    ¡°Probably a ¡­ what? What is it?¡± Swift pestered her sister.

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling. I know what it is, but I¡¯m not going to tell you. Father said it¡¯s a surprise.¡±

    ¡°You ¡­ you don¡¯t actually know!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see!¡± replied Progress as she tilted her nose upwards.

    ¡°Mother obviously knows what it is,¡± pointed out Grit, who had noticed her calm demeanor.

    All eyes shifted to Constance, so she paused in her eating. ¡°Yes, I know what it is.¡±

    ¡°Tell me!¡± Swift was too young to appreciate mysteries.

    Constance gave her a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ruin it. You¡¯ll have to wait for your father. It¡¯s his surprise.¡±

    Swift leaned over the table to whisper in my direction. ¡°You can tell me! I won¡¯t tell anyone else!¡±

    All of us could still hear her, but she didn¡¯t seem to realize that. I laughed and pointed at the food left on the table. ¡°I can¡¯t tell anyone until you¡¯re all done with your breakfast.¡±

    With that, all four children turned their attention back to their plates.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Progress cried out. ¡°What happened to my sweetcake?¡±

    ¡°Mmph!¡± replied Eu with her mouth full.

 Chapter 34 - Scoldings and Surprises

    Our quiet, calm breakfast ended abruptly when Constance grabbed Eu by the ear, and pulled her out of the room. Despite that, Eu stuffed the remainder of the sweetcake she¡¯d stolen from Progress into her mouth as she went.

    Progress, stunned, sat in her seat without moving. Her face had shifted from surprise, to anger, back to confusion. ¡°How did she get my sweetcake without me seeing it happen?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s amazing!¡± offered Swift, although her usual sunny attitude was subdued. This was probably because we could all hear Constance¡¯s voice from the other room as the scolding began. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever heard that tone of voice before - and it gave me chills.

    I could see the whites of Grit¡¯s eyes, while Swift was shivering in terror. All of them had stopped eating, but Progress seemed to be the least affected as she listened with a satisfied smile. Apparently, losing her sweetcake had been worth it?

    Constance¡¯s lecture continued without any sign of winding down. Eventually, I decided to reinforce the lesson here at the table. ¡°Children, Eu hasn¡¯t had the same upbringing that you have. If she¡¯s going to be proper family, we need to teach her how to behave.¡±

    ¡°Yes, father.¡± All three chimed in as one.

    ¡°However, controlling her is NOT your job.¡± I gave Progress a pointed look. ¡°If she won¡¯t listen to your advice and reprimands, then allow your parents to deal with the problem.¡±

    ¡°Yes, father.¡±

    ¡°Now then¡­¡± I paused, because the monologue in the other room stopped for a moment before it started up again. Grit and Swift both twitched when they heard Eu squeak in fear.

    ¡°Now then¡­ errm¡­ you should continue with your breakfast. Today is going to be busy. We don¡¯t really have time for all this trouble.¡±

    ¡°I still want to know how she got my sweetcake! Swift, did she reach across you to get it?¡± Progress asked.

    ¡°Maybe? I didn¡¯t see her do it.¡± Swift tilted her head to ponder the situation.

    ¡°It was when you were leaning forward.¡± Grit suggested. ¡°You were whispering across the table, and we were all watching you. Eu must have reached behind you right then.¡±

    I tried my best to visualize the scene. It was true that there was a brief instant when there was a straight line between Eu¡¯s seat and Progress¡¯s plate. However, Eu would have needed to act without a moment''s hesitation. Furthermore, Progress would have needed a greater distraction. The sweetcake had been sitting on her plate right in front of her! Had Eu used magic somehow? There were too many unknowns.

    ¡°Amazing!¡± observed Swift

    ¡°Not in a good way!¡± replied Progress. ¡°She¡¯s a thief! You need a better word. Father, what¡¯s a word that means amazingly bad?¡±

    ¡°Terrible? Horrid? Appalling?¡±

    ¡°Appalling! That sounds about right!¡± Progress nodded.

    ¡°Appalling!¡± Swift tried out the new word. ¡°Appalling!¡±

    Grit snickered. ¡°Is that going to be your word for the day?¡±

    Swift puffed out her cheeks, but then brightened when Constance came back in, leading Eu. ¡°She¡¯s appalling!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Constance stopped in the doorway.

    ¡°We were trying to find a better word for Swift to use to describe the situation.¡± I explained.

    Constance just sighed, ¡°That word sounds fine, but don¡¯t use it too much, or it will get old.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes, mother, but she won¡¯t be appalling all the time, will she?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­¡± Constance folded her arms and gave a look toward our topic of discussion. Admittedly, after being scolded, Eu¡¯s face had taken on an even paler shade than usual. However, she¡¯d regained her seat at the table and begun to eat again as if nothing much had happened.

    Grit cleared his throat awkwardly, ¡°I have chores and exercises to do.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± I stopped him. ¡°We¡¯ll be going to the horse merchant today. You should come along. Make sure you are dressed properly. I¡¯ll be asking for your opinions.¡±

    He blinked in surprise, ¡°The horse merchant? Wha... of course, Father.¡±

    I didn¡¯t bother to tell him that he¡¯d effectively be picking out his own horse. He probably thought this was just another lesson toward becoming a proper squire. Regardless, it would add some excitement to his day. Once he thought it over, I could see his keen expression.

    ¡°Progress, Swift, once your father leaves, I need you two to clean the front hall thoroughly. We¡¯ll be having guests later.¡± Constance added her own orders.

    "Guests?" asked Progress, probably thinking about Will visiting yesterday.

    Constance smiled. "My sisters. I''ll be inviting them over to discuss our family''s new developments."

    I winced internally. That would be a discussion I''d be glad to avoid. When I married Constance, her father was a knight. She was the youngest child in her family, and her parents had both passed away since then. Regardless, her sisters didn''t think I was worthy of her then or now, and had made that clear repeatedly. With the revelation of Eu as my supposedly illegitimate child, I was sure to raise their ire even worse. In other words, they''d be saying some things about me that I''d be better off not hearing.

    Constance added more details, "I expect the front hall to be spotless, plus you should roll out our nice rug."

    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± both girls agreed, but Progress had another question. ¡°What about Euphoria?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be going with me and Grit,¡± I butted in. I also gave a smirk at how Progress had used Eu¡¯s longer name that Swift had chosen for her. I suppose I should start doing the same.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Progress tilted her head. ¡°Why is she going to see the horses?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ right. We had a surprise!¡± I patted the package in front of me.

    ¡°Yes, the SURPRISE!¡± blurted Swift. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Since everyone appeared to have finished breakfast, I unwrapped the cloth and laid the contents out on the table.

    ¡°What is it? A pillow?¡± Swift stared at the revealed bundle of padded fabric that had been inside the cloth covering. Progress, despite her earlier assertion of prior knowledge, seemed to be likewise mystified. Only Grit recognized it.

    ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t that mine?¡± He pointed at the stitches and straps holding it together.

    I laughed, ¡°Right in one! Yes, this was yours when you were younger.¡±

    At this, I picked it up and held it out so they could all see it better.

    ¡°Is it a ¡­ shirt?¡± Swift took a wild guess.

    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s a little long and heavy for a shirt, isn¡¯t it? After all, the front and back panels are meant to protect your knees.¡±

    Grit ruined the surprise. ¡°It¡¯s a gambeson, sized for a child.¡±

    Progress gave a snort, as if she¡¯d known the whole time. However, once the idea sank in, she blinked several times in confusion. ¡°But¡­. why?¡±

    ¡°Simple. Eu won¡¯t wear a dress, right? So in the end, that¡¯s a good thing! If she¡¯s a mage, then she¡¯s going to be on the battlefield sooner or later. We¡¯ll dress her like a squire in training.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ she¡¯s a girl!¡± Progress objected.

    ¡°If you were knighted, would you wear a dress?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be ¡­ that doesn¡¯t even make sense!¡±

    Constance broke into the conversation. ¡°Before we discuss all its flaws, let¡¯s see how it fits.¡±

    ¡°Right! Euphoria, come around the table and I¡¯ll put it on you.¡± I motioned to her with my free hand.

    Eu jumped up from her chair and skittered into place, holding her arms up. Apparently, she¡¯d followed the gist of the conversation and approved of our plan.

    First, we had to take off her swordbelt, but after that, her hands slipped easily into the padded sleeves. The whole thing was a bit too long for her, but she¡¯d grow into it. The sides were open below the armpits, so I used her sword belt through the loops around the waist to tie it together. Once it was firm, the corners of the cape knotted around the loops along tops of her shoulders.

    It took a few minutes to get it all correct. Furthermore, it was thick, heavy padding, so she swayed under the weight. Even so, she was shivering in excitement. In other words, she didn¡¯t object, even though it somewhat looked like a skirt.

    ¡°How¡¯s that? Better than just pants?¡±

    Eu considered her options, but then Swift answered for her, ¡°It¡¯s amazing!¡±

    ¡°I think ¡®appalling¡¯ is the better word here,¡± muttered Progress.

    "YOU are a bigger palling than me!" Eu tried out the unfamiliar word, mistaking the first syllable as an article.

 Chapter 35 - Victory Most Foul

    To avoid another foolish discussion regarding whether a gambeson was equivalent to pants or not, breakfast ended right then when I stood up. After all, Eu was still wearing pants under her new armor, so did it really matter? She was pleased with her new outfit and looked like a step in the right direction.

    Unfortunately, there was still the question about concealing her hair. No matter what she wore, her hair color was sure to draw attention. Donning a bonnet would look silly matched with her armor, so we had to find some other solution. For the time being, Constance tied a scarf around Eu''s head like a bandanna. It would serve until we found something better. Furthermore, Eu seemed to like the strange hat too and started making funny poses and mysterious noises to match.

    Once Constance approved of the final product, we proceeded through our usual morning routines. Grit prepared Honey for a ride while Eu spent her time making another quartz crystal using her supply of sand. I still couldn¡¯t fathom what the purpose of that was, and she still wasn¡¯t answering any questions on that front.

    ¡°All ready?¡± I asked as Grit approached, walking Honey on a lead line.

    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± he nodded at me.

    As his teacher, I inspected the saddle and the straps, expecting and finding no problems. After that, we set off as a group. Since Honey was coming with us, I couldn¡¯t simply walk alongside. To fit my status, I had to ride. It wasn''t my choice, but social conventions dictate behavior. That left Grit and Eu walking in front, both lightly armed and armored.

    To match his own gambeson, Grit had his leather boots, but Eu was wearing her wooden ¡°carrot boots¡± again. After all, the cloth women¡¯s shoes we had loaned to her would give away the rest of her outfit. For the time being, clogs were better than bare feet, but we¡¯d need to buy her some better footwear.

    Comparing the two, Eu¡¯s head barely reached Grit¡¯s collar bone, but her relative weight was far less. She was bird-boned and thin as a rail. Despite that, when she was wearing armor, the disparity wasn¡¯t so obvious. Combined with the suspicious bandanna and an evil grin, nobody was likely to bother her.

    ¡°Deft, I have a question.¡± She looked back at me as we were walking.

    ¡°That was a perfect sentence!¡± I congratulated her. ¡°... but call me ¡®Father¡¯ or it will be considered rude.¡±

    ¡°Father, I have a question.¡±

    ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Constance said many loud words at me.¡±

    ¡°Say ''mother'' and, yes, she did ¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand all the words.¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ don¡¯t steal sweetcakes?¡±

    ¡°I already know tha-aa-aat!¡± Although, from her expression, she already had some sort of plan around that obstacle.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s your question?¡±

    ¡°What do I do to stop her loud words?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ you want to apologize to her?¡±

    ¡°You mean, say ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯? That stops loud words?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ means, ¡®I won¡¯t do it again¡¯. Will you do it again?¡±

    As expected, she didn¡¯t answer the most simple of questions. Instead, she pursed her lips in thought.

    ¡°Well¡­ WILL you do it again?¡±

    ¡°Will will do it again!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Grit had stayed out of the discussion until now. I suppose her confusing response rattled him. He continued walking, but he was busy staring at her.

    ¡°Will! He will do it.¡±

    For a moment, I was lost as well, but eventually, I figured out her meaning. ¡°Oh, you mean Will? The young guardsman from yesterday? He¡¯s going to steal sweetcakes?¡±

    She grinned. ¡°If he steals sweetcakes, it won¡¯t be me!¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    I shook my head at her. ¡°How is that related? Will YOU do it again?¡±

    ¡°For now..." She paused before continuing, "No-oo-oo!¡±

    She¡¯d used that same three-tone unfairly-accused negative again. In other words, she was lying and it was only a matter of time. At this point, I hung my head in exasperation. ¡°I see that you are unrepentant. The next time you steal more sweetcakes, you can expect loud words from me too.¡±

    She puffed out her cheeks, and then turned to Grit. ¡°What do you say?¡±

    Grit stumbled in his surprise. ¡°Ehh? I¡¯m not stealing sweetcakes for you! Leave me out of this!¡±

    ¡°No! What do you say to loud words?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You are Constance''s ¡­ son. What do you say when she has loud words?¡±

    ¡°Before any of that, you should call her ¡®Mother!¡¯ You have to be respectful!¡±

    Eu grumbled at him. ¡°Respect-full. Then what?¡±

    ¡°You''re asking ... what should you say when Mother is scolding you?¡±

    When she nodded, Grit gave me a questioning look, but I motioned for him to go ahead. ¡°Well ... it¡¯s important to agree with her. Whatever she says is always right. So, whenever she pauses, you should say things like, ¡®Yes, mother¡¯ or ¡®I understand.¡¯ That usually helps.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother?¡±

    He nodded at her.

    ¡°I understand?¡±

    He nodded again. "If she''s really angry, it might help to bow your head or kneel down."

    ¡°I will do this! Thank you!¡±

    ¡°Are you planning ahead for the next time?¡±

    She shot him a wicked grin, but didn¡¯t give an answer. In other words, the answer was obvious.

    Grit and I both sighed in unison. As he walked, he shot me another questioning look, but I agreed with his assessment. His advice for Eu might even help eventually. If Eu learned to act as if she was contrite, that would go a long way. Just performing the act might someday lead her to a change in heart.

    For a while, we made our way on without speaking. Honey seemed to know where we were going, and she had a jaunty step. There were several different yards that sold horses around town, but I had my favorite. It was also the same location that we¡¯d go to for medical advice whenever one of our animals fell ill.

    In fact, Honey was looking forward to our destination. We were going to visit the place where she was born and raised. She¡¯d also foaled there several times before my father had purchased her. A young, breeding mare wasn¡¯t the best choice for a squire¡¯s warhorse. Instead, you wanted an older, wiser animal. Besides, a horse''s price went down with age, so it was only sensible.

    Unfortunately, by the time Father had bought Honey, she was beyond her best breeding years. That meant a low chance of more foals - so no hope of income from producing more children. Now, after all these years, she was getting even older. I wasn¡¯t sure exactly how old she was now, but my guess was four or even five hands. Strange that I was older than her, but she''d be gone before me.

    Regardless, Honey loved the trading yard because she knew she¡¯d be treated well there. The staff loved her and her sweet disposition. In fact, some of her children and grandchildren might be running around in the horse pens. If anything, Honey was one of the yard¡¯s biggest success stories.

    Better yet, Honey would get to meet some new friends. Most horses get nervous when meeting other horses, but not Honey. She knew she was better than them, so she¡¯d simply stand outside the paddock until the herd got curious enough to come investigate.

    Unfortunately, Eu didn¡¯t have the same attitude. ¡°What is a horse merchant?¡±

    ¡°Someone that buys and sells horses.¡±

    ¡°YOU ARE SELLING HONEY???¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Eu put one hand over her heart, apparently relieved. ¡°You are buying a horse?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan.¡±

    ¡°Why? You have three horses, but only ride Honey.¡±

    ¡°The other two are mules, not horses. They are for work, not war.¡±

    ¡°Mules? Not horses? What is a mule?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a mix between a horse and a donkey. If the mother is a horse, it¡¯s a mule. If the mother is a donkey, then it¡¯s a hinny.¡±

    ¡°What is a donkey?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ¡­ uhh ¡­ it¡¯s like a horse, but not.¡± Once more, I was left mystified. Where on earth had Euphemism come from? Had she never seen a donkey before?

    ¡°Donkey carrot makes horse have baby ¡­ mule? Horse carrot makes baby hinny?¡±

    I scanned the sky in despair. Why did she have to ask the worst questions in the worst possible way? ¡°Yes. But we don¡¯t talk about carrots.¡±

    ¡°You eat carrots!¡±

    Grit smirked and turned away to snicker.

    ¡°That¡¯s different! That¡¯s a REAL carrot. You are talking about¡­ uhh¡­ symbolic carrots. A proper little girl shouldn¡¯t be talking about OR pointing at people¡¯s carrots.¡±

    ¡°Am I a ¡®proper little girl¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Definitely not!¡±

    ¡°Then, I can talk about carrots!¡±

    ¡°No you can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Not even horse carrots?¡±

    ¡°No, not even horse carrots.¡±

    ¡°Then, are horses people?¡±

    I laughed and gave Honey a pat on her shoulder. ¡°Of course! Horses are people!¡±

    ¡°But you said you don¡¯t buy or sell people ... or DO YOU!?¡±

    Her finger singled me out as the target of her accusation. Apparently, I was already guilty by my own admission? Sadly, I didn¡¯t have a ready response.

    ¡°Err¡­¡± I sighed and hung my head. How had I ended up here? Had she intentionally led me into this trap?

    ¡°Why is Deft whimpering?¡± She asked Grit.

    He gave her a long look before answering. ¡°It''s because of you.¡±

    At this, she grinned, holding her head up high. ¡°I¡¯m a proper little girl!¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Grit choked in horror, which only made her smile grow wider.

    If I was a painter, I would have titled her portrait at that moment, ¡°Euphoria Victorious.¡±

 Chapter 36 - Ponies as Proxies

    By the time we arrived at the horse merchant, the fourth bell of the morning had already rung. In the intervening time during our walk, Eu spent asking questions and refining her vocabulary. When I got tired of it, Grit took over for me. When I saw that he¡¯d had enough, I told Eu to give us a little peace. It didn¡¯t last long.

    This particular horse yard had a wide paddock with an extensive fenced range beyond. There were stables on the left, an auction circle, plus housing for the staff. Most of the business was done from a tent right in the center. From here, the dealers would direct the stablehands to find horses of interest and ride them about in the yard for an initial assessment.

    Unfortunately, as I looked over the area, I couldn''t see much except but a bunch of ponies. There were only a few larger horses available. Among those, they all looked to be working breeds. There wasn¡¯t a single courser or charger in the whole mix.

    Before I reached the seller¡¯s tent, one of the staff ran to get the owner while the rest knelt down to me. By the time I¡¯d finished dismounting, he had arrived and knelt down as well. He was older than me with graying hair, but I was impressed with his stylish beard and large mutton chops.

    Naturally, his bow wasn¡¯t as deep as his employees. As a profitable merchant, his status was approaching mine, so he didn''t need to abase himself. If anything, in practice, he probably had more influence in the circles of power than I did. ¡°Squire Deft, it is good to see you again, and your sons. How can we serve you?¡±

    Apparently, he¡¯d mistaken Eu in armor for another boy. With a smirk, I counted that as a success. I had no reason to correct him, so I moved on, waving a hand over toward the yard, ¡°I came to purchase a new charger, but all I see are ponies. Are your horses out on the range?¡±

    He kept his face impassive, but I could see the regret in his eyes, ¡°No. We¡¯ve sold all of our larger horses, even the breeding mares and the foals.¡±

    ¡°Wha-? But why?¡±

    He bobbed his head in apology, ¡°It¡¯s the new tax law. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about the updates to the Duke¡¯s heriot for squires?¡±

    Of course, I had. That¡¯s why I was here. With my sudden understanding of the problem, I was left wincing. ¡°Everyone¡¯s buying up the bigger horses because the prices will only rise.¡±

    ¡°Not just ¡®buying¡¯ them up!¡± He complained, ¡°The various noble lines have forced me to sell them some of my best breeding stock!¡±

    ¡°At the prices they set?¡±

    ¡°Nothing extortionate, but ¡­¡± He backpedaled, but I could see he was still angry. ¡°The prices from before the new law don¡¯t match current circumstances! I had to sell anything that even resembles a warhorse! Those workhorses you see out there? Those are all older horses that only a desperate farmer would consider.¡±

    I sighed and looked up to the clouds. ¡°I guess I¡¯m too late. There won¡¯t be a decently priced warhorse anywhere in the Duchy.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, but yes, you have the gist of it! I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help you. In fact, if anything, I¡¯d want to buy Honey from you, but I imagine you aren¡¯t selling.¡±

    From behind me, I could feel the weight of Eu¡¯s intense glare at the suggestion of selling Honey. Of course, it wasn¡¯t directed at me. Luckily, the merchant didn¡¯t seem to notice, or if he did, he was too polite to mention it.

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    ¡°What about those ponies?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the same question I¡¯ve been hearing for days. I can sell, but the prices are higher than you might expect. Everyone is eager to find an alternative - or increase their stock to meet the demand.¡±

    I could only nod sadly. ¡°Could you choose a few for me to look at? I have some mules at home, but a squire can¡¯t ride a mule.¡±

    Not that a mule couldn¡¯t actually be ridden. In fact, they were sturdy, quick, and clever. I¡¯d seen the northern plainsmen use them to good effect on the battlefield. But social expectations ruled my decision. If Grit was seen riding a mule, it would ruin his reputation. Mules were for farmers, merchants, and the clergy. Not even a lady would ride a mule except as training for a horse!

    The first ponies that were brought over to show were far too small. I gave the owner a dark look, but he just shrugged at me to explain. ¡°These are small right now, but they¡¯re still young. That one there? She¡¯s only three years old. She¡¯s still got two or three years to grow.¡±

    I rubbed at my beard to consider that as an option. Grit needed a mount sooner rather than later. It didn¡¯t matter much to me if it was trained for war. If it shied at the clash of arms, that would improve the odds that the rider would come home in one piece. He had enough experience to keep it under control, so it wouldn¡¯t flee the battle and dishonor him.

    On the other hand, Eu was so tiny that even a little pony could support her weight. Considering her light build, she¡¯d never be heavy enough to need a full size charger. Instead, she could grow alongside her horse. Furthermore, a young filly had the potential to foal - so it could be counted as a possible source of income.

    I pointed to one of the smaller ponies, ¡°That one. Can one of your boys ride her around a bit? I¡¯d like to see how she runs.¡±

    Grit nudged me from behind. After all, I¡¯d told him I¡¯d be asking for his opinions. ¡°Father. That horse is far too small for you.¡±

    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s not for me. It¡¯s for your sister.¡± I looked pointedly at Eu, but she was busy patting Honey and whispering into her ears.

    ¡°You¡¯re buying a horse for Euphoria?¡± Grit exclaimed, but thankfully kept his voice low.

    ¡°I have to. We have to follow through on our intent. Think of it as the same as her armor. If she¡¯s going to be treated like a mage, she needs to learn to ride. Although, you may have to handle her horse for her until she learns.¡±

    Grit nodded with my reasoning, but I could see that the situation irked him. In fact, thinking about it, it¡¯d be better if he didn¡¯t have to see what I was going to do next. I needed to get rid of him. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking at a lot of horses before making a decision. Why don¡¯t you take Honey and Eu over to the stables?¡±

    ¡°What are we supposed to do at the stables?¡±

    ¡°You can talk to the farriers and the horse marshals. Anything you learn might help you someday.¡± The farriers trimmed the hooves, mended horseshoes, and generally cared for any sort of foot problem. A horse marshal gave more generic medical care, with all the knowledge of an apothecary, dietitian, and physician rolled into one.

    Grit gave me another nod, and then took charge of the other two.

    ¡°Your sons are so well behaved! Your wife must have trained them well!¡± The owner complimented me indirectly, but I recognized his comment for what it was¡­ simple flattery.

    ¡°I can¡¯t claim responsibility for anything, can I?¡± I complained.

    ¡°None of us can!¡± He laughed along with my humor. ¡°But, really, I mean it. Over the past week, I¡¯ve seen more noble brats than you can believe. It¡¯s easy to tell the good from the bad.¡±

    I shot him a smile. It was a nice thought, but he hadn¡¯t seen Eu¡¯s true nature yet. Hopefully, I wouldn¡¯t be earning his marks as ¡°the worst father ever!¡±

    In any case, this was no time to discuss it. I had business to do. ¡°That pony I picked earlier? I¡¯d like to buy that one, depending on the price. But, I also need another one.¡±

    ¡°Two ponies?¡±

    ¡°One for each of my children back there.¡± I pointedly did NOT say ¡°sons.¡± I¡¯d let him believe whatever he thought he saw, but I wouldn¡¯t lie without a good reason.

    ¡°Ah¡­ the small pony must be for your younger son? But, you¡¯ll need a larger one for your elder.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± I drew in my breath and prepared myself for the coming tragedy. ¡°I want your oldest, ugliest, meanest pony. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s humpbacked or missing all of its teeth. As long as it can carry a man in armor, then I don¡¯t care.¡±

 Chapter 37 - Treats and Titles

    When I asked for the oldest, ugliest pony, I really had no idea how far down the ladder went. The poor animal I finally decided upon was soon destined for the butcher''s. I suppose I rescued it from a worse fate? Only time would tell.

    The pony in question was an old stallion, well past his prime, and clearly grumpy about that fact. He was one of the larger animals available, had most of its teeth, and he even had a good stance and musculature. However, he was missing an eye and an ear, both on the same side. He also had a collection of scars along that flank.

    Based on the markings, he had been in a nasty fight when he was younger, though I didn¡¯t ask. I didn¡¯t need to. I could see the murderous look in his single remaining eye and I knew. In fact, I was left wondering what the other horse looked like - or if it even survived the encounter.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything ¡­ worse?¡±

    The owner practically giggled at me. ¡°This here¡¯s the bottom of the barrel.¡±

    ¡°All right then, let¡¯s talk price.¡±

    Obviously, I didn¡¯t have the money. For starters, my wife had control of the purse strings. But even then, the price of a pony in the current market was beyond belief. Luckily, I had other assets that I could trade. Namely, my two mules. It took a bit of haggling, but trading two mules for one underage pony wasn¡¯t a bad deal. The old stallion I¡¯d been offered was thrown on for free.

    One of my best moments in the negotiation was pointing out how lonely Honey would be now when she lost her familiar herdmates. The owner loved his horses more than his own life. I could see a quiver in his lip and I knew I had him. In the end, he threw in several bags of quality feed as a consolation for Honey.

    ¡°You drive a hard deal, but you¡¯re a good man.¡± I shook his hand on the deal.

    ¡°I may not like you, but everyone here loves Honey,¡± he countered with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring the two mules by to finish the trade tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°No hurry. I know you¡¯re an honest man.¡±

    Still, I was concerned with recent events. ¡°Nobody will buy these two ponies before then?¡±

    ¡°They are sold merchandise. I can¡¯t sell them to someone else. And for the second one, why would I bother?¡± He let out a hearty chuckle.

    ¡°Do you mind if I introduce my children to their new horses?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. In fact, if they would like, they can ride them around inside one of our pens.¡±

    At that, I looked behind me, toward the stables. The noon bell had rung by the time I''d finished negotiations, so I was surprised that Grit and Eu were still inside.

    Seeing my concerned expression, the owner motioned forward with one hand. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go find your boys! They¡¯re probably looking at the new foals from yesterday.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible. I imagine Eu has never seen a baby horse before.¡±

    ¡°Eu? That¡¯s a strange name. Is it short for something else?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± I¡¯d made a mistake. The feeling of relief once I¡¯d finished bargaining for a decent price had left me addled. Even so, there was no reason to cause trouble. ¡°It¡¯s short for a longer name, yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± I could hear the question in his voice, but I wasn¡¯t going to say anything else. If he heard the name ¡°Euphoria,¡± that had the ring of a woman¡¯s name, so it would only raise more questions. If we could just get out of here without a fuss, I¡¯d consider that a success.

    When we finally found the two, they were watching one of the horse marshals attending the care of a gelding with symptoms of stomach pain. Apparently, in the short time I¡¯d been missing, Eu had picked up a whole new set of words.

    ¡°You treat colic by changing what the horse eats?¡±

    ¡°Right! We make sure they aren¡¯t eating anything unusual. Likewise, plenty of water and at least some exercise.¡± The marshal was busily answering her queries. It wasn¡¯t really his job to handle visitors, but he probably enjoyed showing off for Grit, soon to be a squire himself.

    ¡°What is ¡®exercise¡¯? Is this another horse disease?¡± asked Eu.

    ¡°No. It means¡­ walking and running a bit. Working the horse''s muscles and balance.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Exercise is a good word.¡±

    He laughed, ¡°Sure. It¡¯s nothing like all those other illnesses you wanted to know about.¡±

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    As I approached, I saw her counting the new words she¡¯d learned on her fingers, ¡°Colic, apoplexy, consumption, squinsy, staggers, ague, constipation, dehydration¡­¡±

    ¡°Eu¡­¡± Grit pulled her away. ¡°Stop bothering the marshal. He has work to do!¡±

    ¡°No, really, it¡¯s fine. Your little brother¡¯s quick to learn! He might want to work as a marshal when he grows up.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± Grit paused to navigate a sentence without revealing Eu¡¯s sex. ¡°Eu has other things to do.¡±

    The marshal smiled at the owner and me when he saw us coming. ¡°Squire, your boys were a pleasure. Bring them by to visit any time!¡±

    More flattery? ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking¡­¡± I laughed.

    ¡°No, really. Your youngest son here has the makings of a physician. He''s younger, so he''s not the heir, right? With the right education, he could take on a respected profession.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡± I glanced at Eu, who grinned back at me, then at Grit, who shrugged, completely at a loss.

    ¡°Before you go, do you think they would like some candy?¡± The marshal reached into the pocket of his vest and pulled out some wrapped chunks of dried, crystallized honey.

    ¡°Yes! Candy!¡± Eu somehow read the situation, figured out the unfamiliar word, and answered before I could even react. The marshal chuckled and handed one to her and one to Grit.

    ¡°You should save those for later, we can ¡­¡± But, I was too late. She¡¯d unwrapped it in a single motion and plopped it straight into her mouth.

    Grit looked toward me and saw my distress. He quickly slipped the candy into his own pocket. ¡°I can save this one for Swift.¡±

    ¡°Make sure Eu doesn¡¯t steal it from you beforehand.¡±

    Both the headman and the marshal laughed at the idea. They thought I was kidding? Little did they know!

    I needed to get them out of here before something awful happened. "I made my pick and finished the deal. You should both come out and see.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Did you buy a pony?¡± Grit asked.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    ¡°Two?¡±

    ¡°One for you and one for Eu.¡± I stopped and smirked at myself, because the "you" and "Eu" sounded exactly the same. ¡°One for both of you¡­ or both of Eu? Ha!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Grit was not amused. But then, his face lit up when he realized the whole meaning of what I¡¯d said before. This would be the first horse that was actually his.

    ¡°I get a horse?¡± Said Eu, although her expression was not pleased. ¡°I don¡¯t want a horse.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh?¡± Both the headman and the marshal¡¯s surprise was fitting. In what strange circumstances would a child even turn away from the chance to have their own horse?

    ¡°You like horses! You like Honey, don¡¯t you? Come and see. Maybe you¡¯ll like your own horse even more.¡±

    ¡°I will come and see. For now¡­¡± she humphed.

    Once we were outside, the stablehands brought over our two new ponies. I motioned the smaller horse toward Eu and the old monster over toward Grit.

    ¡°Father? This horse is ¡­ There¡¯s something wrong with him. Actually, there¡¯s a lot of things wrong with him!¡±

    ¡°I know. He¡¯s yours though. Think of this as a ¡­ lesson. If you can keep him well and teach him to serve as your warhorse, then anything after that would be simple, right?¡±

    Grit¡¯s mouth hung open for a while, but eventually, he seemed to decide that even the ugliest horse on earth was better than no horse at all. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Father!¡±

    I could only nod. No, I could pray. I could nod and pray.

    In the meantime, Eu had approached her pony. From her time with Honey, she already knew the proper etiquette with horses to introduce herself. Furthermore, her young pony had already been trained to carry a larger rider than Eu, so it wasn¡¯t too terrifying for either one of them.

    In contrast, Grit warily drew near to his new steed. He did everything right, but the pony shifted its malevolent eye his way and held him off purely through the strength of his burning gaze. Thinking about it, I suddenly realized that I hadn¡¯t seen any of the stablehands actually riding this beast.

    ¡°It ¡­ this pony ¡­ it¡¯s been trained to carry a rider?¡± Grit asked.

    ¡°So they say¡­¡± offered the owner. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it myself though.¡±

    By this point, Eu had already fallen in love with her pony. Likewise, her young friend had nuzzled her nose into her chest. ¡°I like this horse! What is her name?¡±

    I looked to the owner, but he shook his head. ¡°That one hasn¡¯t been named yet. After all, we let the buyers choose the name.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I guess you¡¯ll get to name it, Eu! Let¡¯s see¡­ normally you name a horse after something you like. For example, my Father named Honey for me, because he knew I liked honey.¡±

    She tilted her head in confusion. "Honey is ... what does ''honey'' mean?"

    "It''s the sweet stuff you just ate, the same as in sweetcakes. Bees make it."

    "What is a bees?"

    Surely she knew what a bee was? "Bees!" I made a buzzing sound while waving my fingers around.

    "Oh... bees, honey..." Her face lit up. "Honey means honey?"

    "Right! You should choose a name like that - something you like!"

    I could see the wheels turning in her head, but then she gave me a smile. ¡°My horse''s name is ¡®I need more candy!¡¯ That''s better than ''Honey'' and it''s true!¡±

    The owner and stablehands nearby all broke out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s too long for a name! It¡¯s FOUR words!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± Eu insisted. ¡°I NEED MORE CANDY!¡±

    "How about just ''Candy?'' That''s a good name." suggested one of the farriers.

    "No!"

    ¡°Fine, fine! It¡¯s your horse.¡± I did my best to forestall another pointless argument. ¡°You can name your horse whatever you want. You might regret it later though¡­¡±

    At just that moment, Grit, who had extended his hand out for his new pony to sniff, leapt back when the horse lunged forward. Even though he was several strides away, I could hear the sharp clack of teeth that had just missed Grit¡¯s fingers. Only the attentive stablehands saved him from harm by pulling back on their rope lines.

    ¡°Is this thing even a horse?¡± Grit cried out.

    ¡°I can name Grit¡¯s horse too!¡± Eu jumped up and down with all the excitement.

    ¡°No ¡­ please don¡¯t!¡± Grit pleaded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t deserve a name!¡±

    ¡°Grit¡¯s horse¡¯s name is ¡­ I EAT HANDS!¡±

    This time, there was no laughter, only solemn nods of agreement from the surrounding staff.

 Chapter 38 - HandEater

    In the end, Grit decided that Eu¡¯s naming choice fit the personality of his new horse. However, ¡°I Eat Hands¡± was too long, so he shortened it down to ¡°HandEater.¡±

    That still wasn¡¯t a typical name for a horse, but at this point, I didn¡¯t care. In fact, considering we counted age in hands, the name ¡°HandEater¡± had additional connotations. In other words, by preference, this horse would devour five-year-old children. An awful name, but looking at the beast, I couldn¡¯t deny it.

    In the meantime, the stablehands had helped Eu to mount up on NeedMoreCandy. Despite her demands, we¡¯d shortened that name by one word. Even now, they were leading her around in a pen while Eu learned the basics as a rider. Luckily, she¡¯d already had some experience with Honey, so she wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with the idea.

    In contrast, Grit had yet to mount up on HandEater. The stablehands had put a muzzle over the pony''s mouth to prevent bites. After all, a horse had a stronger bite than even a war dog. A full-size warhorse could amputate fingers, break bones, or even tear flesh despite light armor.

    Fortunately, HandEater had exchanged his outright aggression for more passive methods of resistance. Whenever Grit got too close, HandEater would snort and turn to face him. Unable to get alongside the pony, Grit couldn¡¯t mount into the saddle.

    In contrast, seeing how quickly Eu and NeedMoreCandy had become attached, the owner authorized us to leave here with our new horses today. He trusted me to bring back my mules as payment tomorrow. After all, if I didn¡¯t, stealing a horse was a crime punishable by death.

    Unfortunately, HandEater still remained as an obstacle to that plan. The stablehands tried to help by bringing out a mounting block, which just embarrassed Grit further. In fact, when Grit stood on the block, HandEater would stamp back and forth, driving him even further away.

    Eventually, I gave the owner a dark look, ¡°If we can¡¯t ride him, he¡¯s not a horse.¡±

    He just shrugged, ¡°I told you that he was the bottom of the barrel. But if you have something else to trade, we could renegotiate for a different animal.¡±

    I was stuck with my decision. We didn¡¯t have the money to buy a better horse and I certainly couldn¡¯t trade my land or property that had been given to me by the Duke. I couldn''t even use that as collateral. Not that it mattered. I knew better than to make a loan. The interest rates were tantamount to usury. That¡¯s how good families ended up as serfs.

    After a while, the owner called over one of the most experienced stablehands and asked him to mount up instead of Grit. In response, the old hand took a look at HandEater and shook his head. ¡°I may be old, but I¡¯m not ready to die yet.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s got to be someone here who¡¯s ridden him before!¡± The owner complained. ¡°I don¡¯t keep useless horses!¡±

    In response, the horse marshal we¡¯d been speaking to in the stables stepped forward to speak. ¡°Owner, if I may? This pony was never a riding horse. He¡¯s a stud - kept for breeding. Some of our larger ponies come from his line. If it wasn¡¯t for that, he would have been put down already - or at least gelded.¡±

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    ¡°Why was he offered for sale then?¡± Apparently, the owner couldn¡¯t keep up with all his horses.

    ¡°He¡¯s umm¡­¡± The marshal shuffled his feet, but then looking around, and seeing no women present, he continued, ¡°he¡¯s having some ¡­ difficulty now that he¡¯s older.¡±

    Luckily, Eu was out of earshot or I¡¯m sure she¡¯d want to investigate exactly what sort of ¡°difficulty¡± the man meant - and probably learn some new and awful words.

    In response, the owner scratched at his large sideburns, ¡°If he¡¯s not working as a stud anymore, then we don¡¯t need to keep him. I suppose selling him off makes sense then.¡±

    ¡°But, nobody has ever ridden him before?¡± I asked the question.

    The staff murmured to one another, but nobody seemed to know for sure. This was the worst of outcomes. It could take days, weeks, or months to gain the trust of an unwilling horse. The only alternative was to break their spirits, forcing them to your will, which wasn¡¯t even close to ideal. The outcome would be either a broken horse or a horse that was serving out of fear and hatred.

    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have much choice. I sighed aloud, ¡°I suppose, if someone¡¯s going to risk their life, it should be me. I have plenty of experience with aggressive horses. Besides, I¡¯m wearing armor.¡±

    After steeling myself, I stepped towards HandEater, who glared at me. We needed a horse that could be ridden, so I was going to ride him. Considering he was half the weight of Honey, he couldn¡¯t really intimidate me. Furthermore, he wasn¡¯t trained in battle, so I should be able to guess whatever he was going to do.

    ¡°Father! It should be me!¡± Grit tried to dissuade me from my goal, but I held up a hand to stop him.

    ¡°No, I chose this horse, I¡¯ll have to make it work. But, if I can ride him, you¡¯ll be next, so get ready.¡±

    I could see the disappointment and shame that filled Grit¡¯s expression. Obviously, he felt that he¡¯d failed somehow. But, if anything, it was the opposite. I¡¯d failed him. Grit wasn¡¯t even old enough to be considered an adult, yet I¡¯d thrown this awful horse his way. This whole situation was my fault.

    The stablehands kept a tight grip on HandEater¡¯s lines as I offered my hand for him to smell. He was still wearing the restraint, so he couldn¡¯t bite me. Instead, he batted my hand away with the leather strapping of his muzzle.

    Avoiding his stamping feet, I moved up beside him and put a hand on the saddle. Instead of shying away, he pressed aggressively towards me, but I¡¯d expected that. Using the solid force of his push, I climbed up on top and settled myself into the saddle.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen next. I¡¯d heard of horses that would roll over on top of their rider - a practical death sentence. Even if you weren¡¯t crushed and didn¡¯t break your neck, if it mangled an arm or a leg, medical care was chancy at best. If a horse tried something like that, your best option was leaping free as fast you could.

    Instead of an immediate response, HandEater shivered underneath me. I knew, with my armor, I was heavier than what he¡¯d be expected to carry. But that wasn¡¯t the reason. He was thinking, planning his next move. I¡¯d have to be careful!

    The stablehands held him still with the rope lines tied to the saddle from all sides. However, this wasn¡¯t the most dangerous moment. Eventually, if I was going to actually ride this monster, I''d have let him loose to run. At that point, it would be just me versus him - and he was a lot bigger and stronger.

    The owner gave me a strange look as I double-checked all the straps and got a firm grip onto the saddle. Apparently, he''d expected me to get back off again?

    Once I was ready, I gave the order. ¡°Let us free into the paddock. Let¡¯s see what he can do.¡±

    There was some reluctance. I suppose the men were afraid that if HandEater killed me, they¡¯d be blamed? But, there were plenty of witnesses. I¡¯d asked for this!

    Just so, it was time to see just what I¡¯d asked for¡­

 Chapter 39 - Struggle

    HandEater was underneath me. Admittedly, he was held in place by the lines held taut by the stablehands. At least for the moment, he was still and quiet, as if he was considering the situation. He hadn¡¯t tried to buck me off, or roll over, or any of the instinctive strategies a horse would use to remove a rider.

    Once the lead lines were loosed, I prepared myself for a fight. But, HandEater didn¡¯t even react. He just remained standing there. If anything, that was worrisome in a different way. He wouldn¡¯t run?

    Gently, I squeezed his flanks with the calves of my boots. That was the universal signal for a horse to move forward. However, if he¡¯d never been ridden, would he know what to do?

    In a huge surprise, he took one step, then another. It felt like a rousing success, but I knew he hadn¡¯t accepted me at all. With as many years as I¡¯d ridden Honey, I could feel through the saddle when a horse was planning something. Was he waiting for me to let down my guard?

    The yard staff led us toward a gate leading into one of the riding pens. There was enough space here for HandEater to run around. More accurately, there was just enough distance for him to kill me before anyone could reach us to intervene.

    When the door closed behind us, I suppose that was the bell to begin the first round?

    HandEater bucked underneath me, trying to throw me off. I was prepared for that. I had my legs tight around the saddle and my hands firmly gripping the reins. Furthermore, I knew exactly what to do, hunkering down lower against his body.

    He continued trying to throw me off, but I just laughed at him. ¡°You think you¡¯re big, huh? Don¡¯t count on it, you little pip-squeak! I¡¯ve got years of experience, but I¡¯m your first serious rider!¡±

    Unfortunately, that was the moment when I realized he had bigger plans for me. I was ready for him to roll, so he opted for another strategy. While he was bucking, he¡¯d been edging closer and closer to one of the fences. At the last moment, he bucked sideways, intended to crush my leg between the saddle and the fence posts.

    ¡°Oh HO! No, you don¡¯t!¡± I pulled up my leg at the last moment, and he smashed against the crossbars of the enclosure. The wood supports groaned and I saw splinters pop off into the air. Regardless, it was well built, so it held fast.

    ¡°That must have hurt, right? Are you done now? What¡¯s next?¡±

    Looking across the paddock, I could see all the staff, including the owner, leaning over the fence railings cheering for me. The old stablehand who had declined the ride earlier was smiling and gave me a big wave. Even Eu had paused in her riding lessons, sitting on top of NeedMoreCandy, and grinning at my antics.

    HandEater was wheezing under my weight, but he didn¡¯t give a response to my taunting, instead returning to a solid stance with me on top. In other words, he was planning something again.

    I grinned at the challenge. I¡¯d picked well. This was a smart horse! Intelligence was an admirable quality, much lauded in the horses that go to battle. What a wonderful feeling! When the horn calls to charge, your horse is your closest ally, so you don''t want an idiot underneath you.

    Sadly, I didn¡¯t know just how clever HandEater was. When he knelt down, I thought he was going to roll over on me, so I raised up and set my boots on the sides of saddle, ready to jump off. At the same time, I pulled back on the bridle to keep his head high. But then, at the last moment, he bucked up and back instead, kicking with his rear legs.

    I was airborne. The only remaining contact I had was my grip around the leather strap of the reins. Even that didn¡¯t last long when I flipped head-over-heels backwards. The whole world spun around, but the final blow was the parting kick in the chest that HandEater gave me while I was still falling.

    Luckily, I was wearing my armor. The hauberk was mail, so it shifted with the force, but blunted the impact of his metal horse shoes. More importantly, the thick cloth of the gambeson underneath padded the strike further. It still hurt as I felt my direction change in mid-air, but I knew it wouldn''t leave much more than a nasty bruise.

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    By some strange turn of luck, I landed feet first. After that, the world was still spinning, so I stumbled backwards to fall down on my rump. I¡¯d had worse experiences back in training when I was young. I could handle this without the need to vomit, right? Based on the feelings from my gut, I wasn¡¯t sure, so I put one hand over my mouth, just in case.

    Unfortunately, now that I was on the ground, I was a stationary target. HandEater rounded about and began stalking toward my position. Admittedly, since he only had the one eye, he was circling in on me from his good side, keeping me in the center of his vision.

    I heard the paddock door open and a group of people rush out to save me. The first to arrive was a horse and rider, Grit on top of Honey. ¡°Father, grab my hand!¡±

    He had leaned over from the saddle to help me stand up. That was the first step to getting out of here, so I instinctively grabbed at it. With a sharp tug, I was on my feet again, but I was still so addled, I could barely walk.

    That¡¯s when Honey took command. She rounded on HandEater and roared at him. It was a terrible sound. Grit was in the saddle, but he wasn¡¯t accustomed to riding a horse into battle. He didn¡¯t recognize the warning signs. She had designated the ¡°enemy¡± horse as a target and was ready to charge.

    Despite having only one ear, HandEater knew what the sound of her challenge meant, so he backed away fast. He might be a fighter, but she was several hands taller than him and probably twice his weight. Furthermore, she¡¯d been trained to fight without flinching. If he tangled with her, it was obvious who would lose.

    Even when he retreated, Honey continued advancing, so that now she was stalking him. She was a warhorse, and she¡¯d apparently been insulted by his behavior.

    ¡°Father? What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Pull back on the reins! If those two fight, Honey might be injured!¡± I noticed afterward that I had no concern whatsoever for HandEater. I suppose I¡¯d written him off as a casualty.

    ¡°She won¡¯t back down!¡± I saw that Grit was pulling on the reins, but it¡¯s really a horse¡¯s choice whether to cooperate or not. If the benefits outweigh the perceived drawbacks, a horse will do whatever it wants. The bit might pull at her mouth, but Honey could freely ignore that if she wanted.

    HandEater kept his good side facing toward her, but I could see that he was scared. His single eye was wide enough to count as two. Despite that, his tail was high, so he was angry as well, not cowed. Interpreting his posture, he felt like he was backed into a corner, and he was going to fight if he had to.

    The stablehands moved in from the sides, but nobody wanted to get too close. An angry warhorse could easily tear them apart. Furthermore, both horses were my property, so they had no skin in the game.

    Honey stopped well outside HandEater¡¯s reach. I followed them on foot, but I was scared to break the status quo. Honey had it well under control, neither lunging forward nor provoking him further.

    Grit was shivering in the saddle, desperate to avoid a possible fight. He was still pulling back on the reins, so I laid my hand on top of his to let him give Honey her freedom. At this point, I wasn''t expecting a battle. I could tell what she was doing. She was acting as if she was the lead mare, the most important horse in the herd.

    Eventually, HandEater lowered his head and put his lips down to the grass. He wasn¡¯t eating, but he was pretending to eat. After all, he still had that muzzle on! In other words, in horse language, he was agreeing that she was the boss. It wasn''t quite the same as kneeling down, but he certainly wouldn¡¯t oppose her.

    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I could ride him now. But, this did seem like the best opportunity to try. If he bucked me off again, Honey would have ¡°words¡± with him. Besides, if I gave up at this point, wouldn¡¯t that mean he¡¯d won? I didn''t like losing and certainly not to a pony!

    This time, I approached again, and held out my hand to let him smell me. I wouldn''t have dared without the muzzle around his head, but I figured there was no risk. Regardless, he didn¡¯t have any ropes holding him down, so he could have backed away if he wanted. Instead, he looked at me, then he looked at Honey, and then he sniffed at my hand.

    A short while later, I was in the saddle, riding slowly around the pen. Honey followed a few paces behind and to the side. Grit sat useless on top of her saddle like some sort of decoration.

    I patted Handeater''s neck to reassure him. ¡°See! You aren¡¯t a bad horse! You just ¡­ have some authority issues!¡±

    In response, he gave a grunt - in other words, a strong disagreement. I guess he thought he WAS a bad horse? I suppose I was hurting his self image?

    ¡°Ahh! I get it now! You ARE a bad horse! The baddest horse I¡¯ve got. The meanest horse in the whole world! But, I¡¯m pretty mean too. Maybe we should work together? We''ll be a team! Between the two of us, we''ll make the whole world tremble!¡±

    If a one-eyed, one-eared horse could give an evil smile, I guess this is what it would look like.

 Chapter 40 - Visitors and Victories

    In the end, I decided that HandEater would be my horse now, so I was riding him on the trip home. Thinking about it, that made a lot of sense in a way. I was a full squire, so the heriot tax fell on me. If I died, my personal horse would go to the Duke. I could only imagine the seneschal¡¯s chagrin if he received HandEater. Thinking about that possibility made me grin.

    However, there was a more important reason for my decision. Even though I¡¯d somehow won HandEater¡¯s respect, Grit had not. Apparently, HandEater wouldn¡¯t let anyone ride if he didn¡¯t think they were worthy of his magnificence. When Grit tried to mount up, he got the same treatment as before.

    Naturally, Grit was disappointed, as if he had failed me again. I explained once more that the decision was mine. After all, it was my duty as the father to make the best choices for my family. Even so, his eyes looked strained, especially the one still bruised from the earlier injury. The marking was becoming lighter now, fading each day.

    In any case, Honey was a fully-trained and experienced warhorse. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better friend to protect my son and heir to the family. He had some hard years ahead of him, and she¡¯d be able to help him through and show him the ropes. Besides, she already knew how to carry a rider in battle.

    In the meantime, Eu matched perfectly with NeedMoreCandy. Her light frame hardly even slowed the pony down. On top of that, she¡¯d instantly become enamored with the horse. She was so busy stroking NeedMoreCandy¡¯s neck and whispering into her ears that she wasn¡¯t even watching where we were going.

    Luckily, NeedMoreCandy followed dutifully behind Honey, the lead mare of our small herd. As the head of the family, I was further in front, but it was clear who the other two horses were paying attention to.

    For her part, Honey appeared unperturbed by the change in riders. Knowing her personality, she probably enjoyed the fact that Grit was smaller and lighter than me - especially since he only had the gambeson instead of a full mail hauberk. Did I expect better of her? Not really.

    The trip was uneventful until we arrived home. Walking the horses up our front path, I noticed an expensive coach sitting in front of the house drawn by a sleek gelding. A coachman was perched on the front seat, shading his head from the sun under the canopy.

    ¡°Father, is that my aunts?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it must be.¡± I tried my best to keep my face positive. I didn¡¯t like Constance''s sisters and they didn¡¯t like me, but they adored my children. I didn¡¯t want to poison that essential family connection.

    Of course, Eu didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What is aunts? That wagon thing? With wheels?¡±

    She was pointing at the vehicle, so I shook my head. ¡°No, that¡¯s a coach. We were speaking of Grit¡¯s aunts. In other words, my wife''s sisters. That''s what makes them his aunts.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Constance¡¯s sisters!¡±

    ¡°Call her ¡®mother¡¯ to show respect!¡± insisted Grit.

    ¡°Aunts! Mother¡¯s sisters.¡±

    We both nodded with her success.

    ¡°But¡­ if Constance ¡­¡±

    ¡°Mother!¡±

    ¡°... If mother isn¡¯t my mother, then are they my aunts too?¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ no, I don¡¯t think so.¡± I gave a look at Grit, but he shook his head as well.

    Sensing our trepidation, she looked at me. ¡°What should I do about aunts?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. They aren¡¯t ¡­ bad people. They won¡¯t hurt you. But, be sure to kneel down to them. Their husbands are knights, so they have a higher status than me.¡±

    ¡°Nights? They are dark?¡±

    ¡°Knights¡­ it means¡­ uhh¡­ a squire with more land and servants.¡±

    ¡°Is this like honey?¡±

    ¡°Wha? How is that like honey?¡±

    ¡°You call Honey Honey, because you like honey.¡±

    ¡°Right? Oh¡­ you mean are knights called knights because of the night?¡±

    ¡°Dark is stronger!¡±

    ¡°No, that''s not the reason. At least, I don¡¯t think so? The two words just sound the same.¡±

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    ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡± she didn¡¯t look convinced.

    ¡°What did you mean by ¡®dark is stronger?¡± asked Grit in confusion.

    ¡°Dark is stronger than light.¡±

    Grit couldn¡¯t hold back his rejection. ¡°That¡¯s not true! Light drives the dark away!¡±

    She held up a finger, as if to lecture him, ¡°But light needs ¡­ fire. Dark is strong from nothing!¡±

    ¡°What about the sun?¡± He pointed up.

    ¡°What about the night?¡± She pointed up as well, even though the sky was bright at the moment.

    ¡°All right. Enough of that! Grit, I¡¯ll make sure she learns the scriptures about light and dark. For now though, we need to stable the horses and clean up before we go inside.¡±

    I was dusty from head to toe. I¡¯d also noticed that I had scraped my hands where the reins had slashed at me. The other two were relatively spotless, but we all smelled like horses.

    Arriving at the rear paddock, the two mules neighed and stood at a distance from our new additions. In response, HandEater gave them an uninterested snort. Unlike Honey, most horses take a long time to adjust to new herdmates. Not that it mattered. The two mules would be gone tomorrow.

    To avoid any possible confrontations, we put Honey and the new ponies into the stable while we left the mules outside to enjoy the outdoors. As an apology, I opened up one of the sacks of quality feed that we¡¯d been given and left some for each of the horses - even the mules.

    Once that was done, the next step was to clean our armor and brush the dust and dirt off. Grit and I knew the routine, but Eu stood mystified.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She asked Grit. He was spreading his gambeson out on the table to inspect it.

    ¡°Cleaning. We can¡¯t go into the house dirty from the road.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± She nodded, then walked away.

    ¡°Hey! You need to clean yours too!¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You smell like a horse!¡±

    ¡°YOU smell like a horse!¡±

    Grit''s eyes swung to me to see what I would do.

    ¡°Euphoria¡­¡± I used the long version of her false name. ¡°I won¡¯t make you wear a dress again, but you need to make sure that your armor is spotless. You¡¯ll want to look good for your aunts, so you need to clean up.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I will do magic.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± But I was too late, she¡¯d already folded her hands.

    A moment later, the entire stables lit up from the blaze of her magic egg. The winds rushed about, throwing straw and dust into the air. Had the shell gotten bigger again? It seemed to fill the whole room, covering the front area where Grit and I were cleaning all the way back into the horses¡¯ stalls.

    ¡°What is she DOING?¡± Grit complained.

    ¡°It¡¯s magic.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Grit pointedly did NOT roll his eyes at me.

    This time, it didn¡¯t last very long at all. By the time Grit had finished his reply, the wind stopped and the stables plunged back into seeming darkness. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust.

    Eu was standing there with a smug grin. Her bandanna had come loose and her hair was tousled about, but admittedly she was clean. In fact, her gambeson, which had gone through years of use in Grit¡¯s care, now looked cleaner than ever. Before, the gray cloth had a stained brown undertone, especially at the back of the neck. Now, that was gone.

    Looking around, the entire stables seemed to be cleaner. The straw and dirt that she¡¯d flung around had all scattered to the outermost edges of the circle. Furthermore, the wood of the tables and stalls had been scoured, as if they¡¯d been scrubbed with a brush.

    With a startled gasp, I looked at my armor. Although the protective oils were still there, some especially annoying rusty areas had been brushed clean. Looking over at Grit, he was examining his own gambeson, just as astonished as me. ¡°She¡­ her magic¡­ it''s like she washed it!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ really handy.¡± I agreed. Suddenly, I realized that even the sweat from the road had been blown off of me. Unfortunately, I recalled Master Wit¡¯s voice telling me to figure out how to use her magic in battle.

    I had to admit, her magic was really convenient. No wonder she did this every single day. It was nice, but it was useless! I could only sigh in despair.

    Then, I realized my mistake. Her magic didn''t seem that useful at first glance, but moving with an army, she¡¯d be indispensable. I could only imagine the effect it would have on morale. No dirt! No sweat! If she did it right, the whole force would be fresh each night before settling down to sleep¡­ in clean bedrolls! Would it work on horses too?

    ¡°Tell no one!¡± I roughly grabbed Grit by the shirt, shouting aloud.

    Eu stepped back, surprised by my sudden vehemence. But, my target wasn''t her, it was Grit. He wasn¡¯t stupid. He understood exactly what I was thinking. I''d explained to him before what it was like travelling on a campaign. His eyes met mine and he nodded in agreement.

    At first impression, the Duke might want to have her for his retinue - just to keep his belongings clean and fresh. Admittedly, that alone was impressive. But, from my experience as a soldier, her real worth was much more important. With magic like this, she would win wars! A fresh army in good spirits was like an unstoppable force!

    Before this moment, all of our efforts had been working towards a silly plan. Really, just a gamble - a chance to add a potential knight to our family. But now? Now, I knew better. She was valuable in her own right! A knight? We''d hadn''t seen the forest for the trees!

    No, it was more than just that. Her magic lit up the darkness. Despite her assertions that dark was stronger, according to the scriptures, light was a heavenly symbol. Put her in the middle of an armed force and they¡¯d see her as some sort of divine icon! Considering her personality, I couldn''t help but laugh at the irony.

    There were still so many obstacles, but even before that, there was a bigger problem. Despite her magic, she was just a tiny slip of a girl. None of what I''d seen could be used for her own defense! How would she protect herself? If the details about her magic leaked out, how would we keep her from those who would demand ownership?

    ¡°Sweet heavens! Tell no one!¡±

 Chapter 41 - Hospitality

    I had expected it to take some time to make ourselves presentable before going indoors, but Eu¡¯s magic finished the whole job in an instant. Even the horses seemed pleased by her work, especially HandEater, who was making strange, contented sighs.

    Moving from there into the house, I tried to give her some last minute advice. ¡°Eu, Make sure you are polite to your mother¡¯s sisters. These are your siblings'' aunts and my guests. It is important to show them hospitality.¡±

    ¡°What is hospitality?¡±

    ¡°It means treating a guest well. We need to make them feel at home.¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    ¡°Be respectful and don¡¯t let them rile you up! They may say some cruel words, but you know it''s not true. What they say about you means nothing.¡±

    Grit had his own questions. ¡°Father, why are they here? Wouldn¡¯t mother usually go to one of their houses?¡±

    ¡°I imagine this gathering is to discuss your circumstances.¡±

    ¡°My ... circumstances?¡±

    ¡°Your options and opportunities for marriage.¡±

    He nodded and then looked away.

    ¡°Considering recent events, your immediate cousins through your mother''s family are no longer even an option - if they ever were to begin with. After all, your uncles on that side are knights. However, a good report from your aunts could open doors with the families that are under them.¡±

    He nodded again. I didn¡¯t blame him for not knowing what to say. When I was his age, I didn¡¯t know how to react either. Without experience for context, he was forced to trust others to know what was best for him. However, these decisions would affect the rest of his life. Luckily, he still had both of his parents. The task was ours to worry about, not his. In fact, his part in all this was mostly passive.

    Even under ordinary conditions, choosing a spouse for a child was fraught with dangers. I''d heard far too many cautionary tales. You had to find a partner from a good family, contemplate financial obligations and dowries, consider how it would affect your family¡¯s existing alliances, and only then ask whether the two made a good match.

    Appearance and personality held very little weight. If your betrothed was trustworthy and a hard worker, she could remain sequestered if her face or form was too unsightly. In fact, I had never even met Constance before our wedding day. I hadn¡¯t known what to expect when she lifted that veil.

    I led Grit into the front hall with Eu trailing behind. Constance was seated with her three sisters in the more prominent seats. Even though it was our house, their higher status demanded it. Progress and Swift were left standing near the kitchen door, ready to assist.

    ¡°Oh, we see your husband has arrived.¡± That was Confidence, the eldest. Of the three, her status was the highest, so I knelt to her first. Her husband was a highly respected knight. In theory, he wasn¡¯t far below a baron. Naturally, her dress was of fine cloth and her hair was meticulously styled.

    Next to speak was the middle sister, Congress. ¡°Hmm¡­ indeed. There he is. Too bad, up until this moment, I was almost enjoying myself.¡± Her name was not especially apt, since I¡¯d never heard a friendly word from her. She scowled at me, as if daring me to saying anything at all.

    ¡°Oh my, look how tall Grit has become!¡± That was Conscience. Of the three, she was the youngest, just barely older than my wife. She was also the most flighty. If I had a friend here, it was her. However, she ignored me entirely, focusing instead on my son. He was kneeling behind my right hand, and Eu had followed suit on the left.

    It wouldn''t help to introduce them to Eu. Besides, their three names all started with the same syllable as Constance, so I''m sure Eu would just get the three mixed up. What were their parents thinking? It must have been so confusing to grow up as part of that family!

    ¡°You may speak.¡± Confidence, the eldest, waved a hand at us.

    ¡°It is my great pleasure to host you in my home.¡± I dipped my head, to indicate further respect.

    ¡°Oh, no! We were talking to Grit, not YOU. We¡¯d prefer that you remain silent.¡±

    She¡¯d even referred to herself in the personal plural? Apparently, my status had dropped several rungs since the last time I''d seen her? But, she''d told me to be silent, so rather than acknowledging her, I kept my lips tight.

    Instead, Constance came to my defense. ¡°Please Confidence, don¡¯t you see how low he¡¯s bowed down? He¡¯s doing his utmost to make amends.¡±

    ¡°Sister, you are too young, and too quick to forgive. He isn¡¯t worth your time! If it were me, he¡¯d be sleeping in the stables now, after what he¡¯s done!¡±

    I winced, but she continued on with her tirade. ¡°... and I assume this hideous child is his get? Strange! I had heard that it was a girl!¡±

    Obviously, she was referring to Eu who was kneeling behind me. Calling her a ¡®get¡¯ was rude in any company, effectively equating her with a pig or a dog. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t imagine that Eu would understand the insult, even if I did.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Why, she IS a girl! How unusual! A girl in armor!¡± Conscience blurted out, but then turned. ¡°Constance, why is she wearing armor?¡±

    ¡°We''re training her for service to the Duke. You remember that I said she had magic?¡±

    The eldest two sisters both scowled in unison. Obviously, they didn¡¯t believe a word of it. The eldest, Confidence finally answered with a pronouncement. ¡°We suppose you may do whatever you wish for a bastard child of your husband. We care very little for what happens regarding his foolish mistakes.¡±

    However, Conscience clearly disagreed. I could see how she looked sideways at her older sisters, but she didn¡¯t dare to contradict them. Instead, she tried to change the subject, ¡°Constance, does Grit have a knight-master yet? His mustache is coming in! He looks old enough now that he¡¯ll need to begin his service soon.¡±

    Constance smiled, clearly pleased with her sister¡¯s clever move. ¡°Grit will be squired to Lord Heft. Since he¡¯s a baron, it¡¯s a great honor.¡±

    Confidence, jealous, pulled the focus of conversation back to herself, ¡°We assume that arrangement was made BEFORE your husband¡¯s infidelity? We would think Lord Heft may want to reconsider.¡±

    ¡°The agreement was struck more than a year ago. If he were to change his mind now, it would be a stain upon his honor.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ so you say. You¡¯re far too trusting. Do you have some guarantee of that?¡± Confidence was unconvinced, though the worst of them, her sister Congress, seemed to be losing interest with this topic. From my position on the floor, still kneeling, I could see her eyes flicker back again toward Eu.

    I tried to think of something I could do to deflect her interest, but it was too late. With a sneer, she beckoned to Eu. ¡°Come here girl. Let¡¯s have a look at you!¡±

    Eu stood up and moved forward slowly. I could tell from her stance that she was wary. Clearly, she could sense the woman¡¯s nasty attitude. Unfortunately, she had no defense. What was coming wouldn''t be a physical attack. Eu stopped just out of arm¡¯s reach, setting her feet firmly. In fact, based on her stance, she was ready to leap backwards - or forwards.

    Realizing the latter might be more likely, I worriedly reached out a hand to grab the back of her gambeson. If Eu did react aggressively, I could pull her out of the room before she could make a scene. Of course that would in itself be a failure, but obviously, it could be worse.

    The three sisters peered closely at Eu¡¯s face. As the oldest, Confidence looked unamused. Next, in line, Congress was deeply scowling, even drawing back in disgust. Only Conscience was giving her a fair trial.

    After examining her in silence for many breaths, Congress finally voiced her judgment. ¡°She¡¯s ugly. Her black hair is suspiciously foreign. She¡¯s too pale, malnourished, thin, and sickly. She¡¯ll never fit into society. You would have been better off leaving her with her own people. At least then, you wouldn¡¯t bother your family with your fornications.¡±

    I could feel Eu stiffen in anger, but I called their attention back to myself by bowing my head deeper, ¡°You are right, of course. But, one has to make amends for his actions. In compassion, I couldn¡¯t just leave the girl to die.¡±

    ¡°I assume you felt the same about her mother? Was your licentiousness based in this same ''compassion'' as well? Perhaps you felt SORRY for the woman? How much did you pay that whore for her services?¡± Although Congress wouldn¡¯t object to the call of charity, she instead twisted my words to talk about the means by which Eu had come to exist in the first place. Furthermore, her language surprised not only me, but her sisters as well. From the corner of my eye, I could see Progress marching Swift out of the room.

    Fortunately, Constance had schooled me on some good replies. I didn''t care about my own honor - unless it hurt my children. I lowered my head all the way to the floor. ¡°I regret my prior actions. I will spend the rest of my life as an obligation to my wife to repay this unforgivable debt.¡±

    Confidence nodded to Constance. Apparently, she was mollified for now. As the eldest, that was the biggest hurdle. She had the highest status, so her sisters should fall into line.

    Unfortunately, Congress was still focused on Eu. ¡°Well, well, well ... Will you look at that! Do you see how your little beast scowls at me! Doesn¡¯t she know who I am?¡±

    Conscience giggled aloud, ¡°No wonder! You called her ugly and all sorts of other words. Weren¡¯t you trying to get a reaction? Even a serf would be angry.¡±

    Congress waved a hand to absolve herself. ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth. If the girl is an ugly get, it¡¯s best she knows, right?¡±

    ¡°YOU are ugly!¡± Eu finally exploded. She strained forward to charge straight in, but I still had that grip on the back of her shirt. I heaved back sharply to drag her away, but I overestimated her weight. Instead of drawing her away, I pulled her all the way off of her feet so that she flopped backwards onto the floor, smacking her head onto the woodwork.

    In response, the three sisters laughed. Apparently, they found the whole situation amusing? In other words, success.

    ¡°YOU! You are¡­¡± Eu sat immediately back upright, ready for round two.

    I clamped a hand over her mouth, to try to stop her words, but she shook her head free. That¡¯s when she started pointing at each of them and spouting out her own pronouncements. ¡°YOU are consumption, YOU are conniptions, and YOU are constipation!¡±

    Back at the horse merchant, I somehow knew the knowledge she¡¯d acquired from the marshal would come back to bite me. She had weaponized these new words, naming each of the three sisters as a disease.

    ¡°Why, I¡¯ll be!¡± Conscience laughed aloud. ¡°She¡¯s such a clever girl!¡±

    The other two were not so pleased. In fact, Confidence had flushed bright red. In contrast, Congress hadn¡¯t understood all of the words used. Instead, she was left asking, ¡°What did she call ME?¡±

    ¡°Don''t worry! I¡¯ll get her out of here!¡± I moved quickly, trying my best to interrupt their thoughts before the situation could devolve further.

    Eu struggled, but I was much bigger and stronger than her. I simply picked her up. Even when she kicked her legs, it hardly even shifted my balance. Regardless, she wasn¡¯t fighting against me seriously, only trying to escape so she could do more damage.

    The room was silent as I carried her out over my shoulder. Despite the quick exit, Eu got out one last parting remark, ¡°I put my ¡®SPIT¡¯ in your hos-SPIT-ality!¡±

 Chapter 42 - Berations and Beards

    Despite Eu¡¯s outburst, while I was gone, Constance managed to calm down her three visiting sisters. By the time I¡¯d dropped Eu into her bedroom and returned, our guests were saying their farewells. Thinking my presence could only make things worse, I stayed in the back hall and listened until they were all out the front.

    The moment the door shut behind them, Progress came stomping back towards the rear of the house. ¡°That little monster! She¡¯s going to ruin Grit¡¯s reputation!¡±

    "I assume you mean Eu, not Congress?" Obviously, I had my own feelings on the matter.

    "Father! Of course I mean Eu!"

    As she passed, I gave Progress a nod along with Swift who was following, wide-eyed, behind her, ¡°You and Swift try to explain to Eu what she should have done instead. I¡¯ll need to talk to your mother once she comes back in.¡±

    Grit had followed Constance out the front door. After all, it was in his best interest to make himself visible and put his best foot forward. He was hoping his aunts would give a good report to their servants, friends, and acquaintances. Even if our family now had a bad reputation, perhaps he could overcome that through his own actions.

    I waited in the front hall until I heard the coach roll away. After that, I opened the front door to welcome the others back inside.

    ¡°That could have gone better,¡± Constance mused.

    ¡°What will happen now?¡± asked Grit.

    ¡°Well¡­ Confidence didn¡¯t seem to care what Eu said about her. According to her, the foulest words of a squire¡¯s bastard daughter are still meaningless.¡±

    Confidence held the most status and power, but I knew she wouldn''t be the most problematic. ¡°What about Congress?¡±

    Constance gave me a long look before responding. ¡°We weren¡¯t going to convince her anyway. Her ties aren¡¯t as strong to our family as they are to her husband¡¯s. The question is whether she¡¯ll start any new rumors. I doubt it. She wouldn''t endanger her own position over us. It''d be like cutting off her own nose to spite our face!¡±

    There was no need to mention Conscience. Although she¡¯d probably give a glowing report, she did that for everyone and for every reason, so it didn¡¯t make much difference. Nobody gave an ear to her opinions anymore, not even her own servants. Even if she could convince her husband to support us, it wouldn¡¯t matter. This was women¡¯s business so her husband mattered even less than she did.

    Grit moaned, ¡°I¡¯ll never get married!¡±

    Given his despair, we both chuckled before I answered. ¡°That¡¯s not likely. Even if we can¡¯t make a match with a family of the same status, women are just as willing to marry upwards as men.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d marry me to a freeman¡¯s daughter?¡±

    I patted his shoulder, ¡°Just wait and see what happens. We¡¯ll wait to make any decisions until you¡¯ve proven yourself. After all, you haven¡¯t even met your Knight-Master yet.¡±

    ¡°Lord Heft? How will that help?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a just man. He may not approve of MY supposed behavior, but he¡¯ll see you for who you are.¡±

    ¡°Yes father, but¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a baron. His wife¡¯s the daughter of a viscount. She has more influence than ANY of your aunts. If you can get a good report from her, even indirectly, that would make a big difference. In other words, you still have a chance to prove yourself.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ It takes years to arrange an engagement! By the time I¡¯ve completed my squire training, I¡¯ll be an old man!¡±

    Again, we laughed to ourselves. ¡°Will you be as old as me then?¡±

    His eyes widened as he tried to eat his words, ¡°No, Father! I mean, yes¡­ but, you aren¡¯t old!¡±

    ¡°Nice try¡­¡± I gave him a grin. ¡°Now, let¡¯s check on your sisters.¡±

    When we got to the back of the house, we found a strange sight. Eu was kneeling in the hallway, with her head bowed low, on the floor in front of Progress. Swift was off to one side eagerly observing the unexpected scene. It was almost as if Eu regretted her actions?

    Progress had accepted Eu''s apparent submission without missing a beat. ¡°Euphoria! When someone of higher status speaks to you, it is best to say nothing!¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± Eu bowed her head lower.

    ¡°The exception is if you are asked a direct question. In that case, you must reply, which means you must find a polite and positive way to give whatever answer they seek. You must not lie, but it is expected that you will present your evidence in the best possible light.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Eu bowed again.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°You KNEW our aunts were higher status than us. But, you still insulted them? What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t do it again? Why did you do it in the first place?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°WHAT do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±

    Suddenly, I realized that Eu was reciting the lines that Grit had told her to use when Constance was scolding her. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t work in every situation. Definitely not when it was Progress instead of Constance before her.

    As one might expect, Progress didn¡¯t approve of Eu''s response. ¡°WHAT DID YOU SAY???¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°Am I wasting my breath?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡±

    ¡°Agh! I feel like an idiot!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand, mother.¡±

    Progress threw her hands into the air and stomped away. As she pushed past us in the hall, she gave me an angry look. ¡°You need to teach that girl some sense!¡±

    That comment was a step too far and disrespectful, so Constance reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Progress. Take heed. You are speaking to your father. As a squire, he represents the Duke, who represents the King, who represents Heaven itself.¡±

    In moments, I saw her face blush red, then wash out to white as she realized what she had done. ¡°Father. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it!¡±

    The whole situation was ironic. She was using almost the same words as Eu, but I could see that while Eu was quoting them by rote, Progress was sincere. ¡°You are forgiven. But learn from this. Were you angry? Rage is what drives the boar onto the spear.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was angry." She hung her head. "I was a fool.¡±

    Constance gave her a smile. ¡°As he said, we have already forgiven you. You were only doing what you feel is right. However, you will learn that a calm heart will serve you better.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, mother.¡±

    ¡°For now, let us handle this problem. Take Swift elsewhere and try reciting scriptures together to calm down.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Progress retreated gracefully back to her room. She didn''t even have the energy to stomp. Grit and Swift went with her, leaving us alone with the more serious offender.

    Constance took up position in front, while I stood at her arm to add my approval to her words. Instead of shouting, this time, Constance didn''t raise her voice at all. In a way, that was even scarier. ¡°Euphoria. Do you have an explanation for your actions?¡±

    Eu had closely watched our exchange with Progress and apparently she had learned a new excuse. ¡°I was angry. I was a fool.¡±

    Constance did not even smile. ¡°That¡¯s a good strategy - quoting your sister. But do you even know what those words mean?¡±

    Eu tilted her head in confusion, not sure what to try next.

    Constance sighed and tapped my arm. Apparently, it was my turn? ¡°Euphoria, do you even understand what you did? By insulting his aunts, you undercut Grit¡¯s opportunities for a future wife.¡±

    ¡°Wife? Grit has a wife?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. That¡¯s the point!¡± I found myself raising my voice, but when Constance squeezed my arm, I pulled it down again. ¡°He needs his aunts to arrange a good match for him.¡±

    ¡°His aunts will find him a wife?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t now!¡± I answered her with a definite negative, knowing my confidence in that fact was an exaggeration.

    Eventually, understanding seemed to cross her face. ¡°Grit will have no wife?¡±

    I crossed my arms and said nothing.

    ¡°Poor Grit! He will grow a beard and be an old, sad man like you!¡±

    This time, I couldn¡¯t even laugh. Instead, Constance did the laughing for me. First Grit, now Eu? I suppose the stress followed by this absurdity had addled Constance. She kept on giggling madly, turning away to hide her face.

    Her laughter was unexpected and contagious, so eventually, I felt myself smiling as well. ¡°Wife, does my beard make me look old?¡±

    While still shaking in amusement, she answered me logically. ¡°Husband, only women and children have no beards. I could hardly marry you without one.¡±

    I wasn''t done. ¡°Wife, does my beard make me look sad?¡±

    ¡°Only when you spill food on it.¡± She couldn''t stop giggling. In the meantime, Eu¡¯s eyes got rounder and rounder while she watched us enjoying this moment together.

    Realizing we were making a scene, I turned back to Eu, ¡°Err hem... so¡­ you don¡¯t like my beard?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a beard!"

    What kind of answer was that?

    However, she seemed to understand now. "Grit can¡¯t have a wife without a beard?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Of course not. You saw Master Wit? He¡¯s shaven his chin indicating that he will remain a widower. Otherwise, given his status and wealth, he¡¯d be getting constant offers.¡±

    ¡°Poor Grit!¡± Eu hung her head sadly. ¡°He has to grow a beard? Poor, poor Grit!¡±

    We were getting further and further from the original topic. I tried to get us back on track. ¡°Stop worrying about Grit¡¯s beard! What you did today¡­ you¡¯re ruining his chances. But, in the future, you¡¯ll be deeply tied to him as your brother. Someday, he¡¯ll be the heir to the family name. It¡¯s in your best interest to support him!¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem to be listening. ¡°A beard? No! It can''t be! Grit will be a beard-man!¡±

    I sighed and put a hand to my forehead. ¡°First, it¡¯s mustaches, now it¡¯s beards. What do you have against facial hair?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer my question. Instead, she tilted her head to the side in deep thought. Then, her eyes widened and she began counting out thoughts on her fingers. ¡°Before, you said that someday, I will need to have children. For that, I must have my own family. To do that, I must be married. But, now, you say to marry, that men must grow beards? So then ¡­ I must marry a beard-man?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ obviously! How else did you expect it to work?¡±

    "A beard-man! Nooo!" Eu collapsed in a perfect example of overwhelming horror, falling as if she were already dead onto the floor.

 Chapter 43 - Apologies and Omens

    In the end, Eu finally made a sincere apology to Grit and to Progress. Of course, her motivation seemed to be pity more than anything else. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your wife.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Are you sorry for me, or for the woman who I will marry?¡± Grit needed clarification.

    ¡°I am SO, SO sorry!¡± She actually had tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Father, what does she mean?¡±

    ¡°Just take it how you want. She¡¯ll do her best in the future. Right, Eu?¡±

    ¡°Poor, poor Grit!¡±

    ¡°Father?¡± he pleaded.

    ¡°So now that THAT¡¯s settled¡­¡± I tried my best to change the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s show the girls our new horses and then get some work done before dinner.¡±

    Swift leapt up from her seat on the bed. Since all three children had been waiting in Progress¡¯s room, there was hardly any room left to stand. Regardless, Swift had a typical child¡¯s love of all things equine and she¡¯d already heard that we¡¯d acquired two new ponies - her favorite example of such affection.

    Grit was still pondering the prior conversation, but he made an attempt to dampen Swift''s expectations. ¡°Don''t get too excited. The second pony is really ugly.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that about a pony? It¡¯s not his fault he¡¯s ugly!¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure, in this case, it''s totally his fault.¡± He folded his arms and nodded to himself to emphasize his point.

    For her part, Progress seemed uninterested, but she followed along behind us. Constance waved us all along, then split off toward the kitchens. She was likely checking on how dinner was coming along. It was already late afternoon, and cooking can take hours. Since she was still riding herd on Eu, she grabbed onto her hand to lead her to the kitchens instead of going with us to the stables. For the rest of our children, that would probably be considered a punishment. On the other hand, Eu seemed all too pleased to go anywhere that had the smell of cooking food.

    Once we were outside in the paddock, the two mules walked over in our direction. Seeing my daughters, they probably thought it was time for some riding practice. If so, that meant treats, so they were eager to determine our intentions.

    ¡°You''re selling both mules?¡± Progress asked.

    ¡°Already sold. I had to. But, now, you can practice riding on Honey. I¡¯m giving her to Grit.¡±

    Since Honey was no longer designated as a squire''s warhorse, that meant others could ride her without the action being interpreted as an insult to our family. Of course, once Grit officially became a squire, that loophole would close. I¡¯d need to figure out something else in the future.

    Maybe NeedMoreCandy could serve as a training horse? She was small, and seemed calm enough. However, she was still very young and fidgety. I¡¯d be worried about her lack of experience if she was carrying my daughters. In any case, that was a problem for tomorrow. We already had enough problems for today.

    Swift was still concerned about the exchange of animals, so she had her own questions. ¡°Father, it¡¯s not fair to the mules. Will they be happy where they are going?¡±

    I gave her a smile. ¡°They¡¯ll have a lot more friends at the merchant¡¯s paddocks. Also, considering the market right now, they¡¯re likely to be purchased by a rich noble. You shouldn¡¯t worry. They¡¯re valuable. They¡¯ll be treated well.¡±

    ¡°I''m sad. I¡¯ll miss them!¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear. But, now we have ponies instead. Ponies are better.¡±

    That seemed to resolve her complaints, though her lip was still quivering.

    When we reached the stables, we found that the three horses were awake and active. Honey¡¯s stall was in the middle, serving as a mediator between the other two. However, the stalls weren''t that far apart, so all three could all see each other and communicate. At the moment, they were still wary of one another - especially the two ponies.

    ¡°Oh! She¡¯s so cute!¡± Like a moth to the flame, Swift went skipping towards HandEater¡¯s stall. Luckily, Grit was there to grab her arm and pull her away. For his part, HandEater only huffed at her.

    ¡°Be careful! That¡¯s Father¡¯s horse. He¡¯s a stallion and he¡¯s vicious.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±

    ¡°HandEater.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because he eats children.¡±

    I laughed aloud when Progress took a step back. ¡°Grit is exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually not. Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Not even a little bit?¡±

    Grit stayed silent since he didn¡¯t want to contradict me directly.

    ¡°In any case, Grit is right. You girls stay away from my horse. After all, he¡¯s a squire¡¯s noble steed.¡± After giving it a second thought, I amended my statement. ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ll see about that last part. Anyway, as my horse, he can¡¯t be used for riding lessons, so you three have no business with him.¡±

    ¡°But, he¡¯s so cute!¡± Swift insisted. ¡°Look at his sweet face!¡±

    I coughed. Grit rolled his eyes. Progress backed further out of the stables.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s cute, Father?¡±

    HandEater huffed again. Apparently, he was getting angry at her supposed insults to his rude, rough, and rugged personality.

    ¡°Swift. He¡¯s a bad horse. A very BAD horse. Never forget that.¡±

    In response, HandEater lifted his head up and neighed proudly. Now that I knew how to compliment him, I got the feeling that we¡¯d be good friends.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Grit broke into the conversation. ¡°Father, how about I let the horses out? It¡¯s too dark in here and Swift probably can¡¯t see the other pony very well. Besides, I bet they¡¯d like to run around before night falls.¡±

    ¡°Good idea. Swift, take a good look at our other pony. That will be Eu¡¯s horse. Her name is NeedMoreCandy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a funny name!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. Blame your sister.¡±

    I helped Grit by directing the girls to a safe spot before we opened the stalls and let the horses loose into the paddock.

    Honey marched out with a stately step, leading the other two behind her. However, once they were all outside, NeedMoreCandy shot off to explore her new bounds. In contrast, HandEater stayed close to Honey, stepping along beside her.

    ¡°The little pony is fast! Can I ride her?¡± Swift wiggled from head to toe in her excitement.

    ¡°Honey is bigger and safer,¡± suggested Progress.

    ¡°Right. That¡¯s my thinking as well.¡± A strange thing to say about a warhorse, but I looked to Grit, who gave me a nod in return. He agreed with my assessment, and was silently offering to help teach his sisters.

    The two mules shied away from the new ponies. These newcomers were strangers, so they didn¡¯t want anything to do with them. In the meantime, NeedMoreCandy raced around the edge of our fences, testing out the full extent of her new territory.

    ¡°Is something wrong with HandEater?¡± Progress asked, so I looked back toward the other two horses. Honey had stopped to nibble on some grass, but HandEater just stood beside her, looking this way and that with his one remaining eye. He didn¡¯t have a muzzle anymore, so I was mystified by his behavior.

    Was he ill? I would have expected him to try out our grass. Maybe he was nervous since he¡¯d never left home before? I didn¡¯t know what to say yet, so I said nothing. Besides, there were other concerns that drew away my attention.

    ¡°Father, one of our serfs is walking this way.¡± Grit pointed back toward the house where the headman was approaching with his son, his apprentice, behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see what he wants.¡± It was really my privilege to stand and wait for him to come to me, but I didn¡¯t stand on status when it didn¡¯t matter. Since my girls were outside the paddock fences and Grit was with them, I wasn¡¯t too worried about leaving them alone for the moment.

    The headman was about the same age as me. His father had served my father, so we went pretty far back. In fact, I could remember seeing him from afar when we were both children. Not that we could have ever been friends. Our status was too far apart. But, his family and mine were tied together. If our strategy with Eu bore fruit, and my own rank increased, perhaps I could do something nice for him?

    When he reached speaking distance, he knelt down on one knee and lowered his head. His son did the same behind him, although he went even further and knelt on both knees. Regardless, his father did the speaking. ¡°Squire Deft, I have something to report.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. You know I don¡¯t care about ceremonies when it¡¯s just us.¡±

    His son remained kneeling. However, the headman stood back up, though he kept his head low. ¡°Some of your subjects out near the road say there were some men asking questions.¡±

    I felt my eyebrows rising. ¡°Men? What sort of questions?¡±

    ¡°Nothing unusual. They asked whose land this was, then they talked about the weather and the coming harvest season. It wouldn¡¯t be worth reporting, except they seemed suspicious.¡±

    ¡°Suspicious? What do you mean?¡±

    He rubbed at his scalp. ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly. Nor were those who saw them. All I could gather is that the men were dressed as serfs, but behaved like they were free.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± It seemed too soon, but these must be the mercenaries that Master Wit had predicted. I¡¯d been warned that Triumph, the Earl of Winnowheat, felt like I¡¯d stolen Eu out from under him, and this was the result.

    Normally, as a squire of the Duke, I¡¯d be confident in my position and safety on my own lands, but the Duke was gone right now. In fact, the whole system was shaky with the Seneschal¡¯s recent opposition to the free squires. Really, it all came back to the Duchess. I had to wonder if she was making deals behind the Duke¡¯s back. After all, she held the purse strings while the Seneschal  handled the taxes.

    The headman watched my face as I considered my options. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t much I could do. I could ask for help from my superiors, but the more they knew, the more likely they¡¯d want Eu for themselves. Maybe Brawn and my fellow squires could help me? But they had their own concerns, and with new taxes bearing down, I couldn¡¯t ask for help without compensation.

    ¡°Thank you for the news, headman. Please tell me if they come again. In fact, keep a close eye out. I¡¯d like to double the watch on the stables tonight.¡±

    I could see him wince, which would normally be withheld in front of his lord, but I didn¡¯t blame him. It was a tough life as a serf, and all the men needed their rest - especially with the harvest right around the corner.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make it up to all of you. In fact, I promise a reward after this is all done.¡±

    After that line, I found myself wincing too. That promise was not me at my best moment. I wasn¡¯t sure what reward I had in mind, nor did I have ready resources for anything large. However, the headman bowed his head and then gave me a smile. ¡°My thanks. I¡¯ll make sure it is done. For now, though, you should look to your children.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t sure what he was referring to, so I spun around quickly and took off running. Nothing seemed to be amiss, though Grit was waving his arms and pointing toward me. Following his gestures, the girls had both turned to look in my direction.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I yelled out as I approached.

    Grit gave me a fake smile. ¡°Nothing, Father, but it¡¯s time for us to go back inside.¡±

    That was odd. I looked around at the shadows behind the nearby trees. Had he seen someone? If so, we should round up and stable the horses. On the other hand, I didn¡¯t want to tip off our enemies. It¡¯d be better to get the girls safely inside first - and get my helmet and my spear.

    Grit saw my distress as I scanned around. ¡°Father, it¡¯s nothing. Really. Nothing.¡±

    However, I could hear the tremor in his voice. He was scared of something! When I got closer, I spoke more quietly. ¡°What is it?¡±

    He looked toward Progress and Swift. ¡°You two go ahead. I need to talk to Father.¡±

    Progress apparently sensed that there was some sort of trouble, but she kept a brave face. She looked toward Swift and then grinned at her. ¡°I¡¯ll race you there!¡±

    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re too big and slow! You¡¯ll never win!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see!¡± Progress took off without counting down first.

    ¡°Cheater!¡± Swift went flying after her, aptly proving the truth of her name.

    Once they were out of earshot, I turned back to Grit. ¡°Do I need my spear?¡±

    ¡°No, Father. It¡¯s nothing like that, but look at the horses.¡±

    At first, I didn¡¯t see it, but then it was obvious. HandEater had his upper lip raised, showing off his gums. Besides just that, he was prancing around alongside Honey. I groaned in surprise. He was courting her? She was twice his size! ¡°Huh? I thought he was having some ¡­ difficulty?¡±

    ¡°Apparently not.¡±

    At this point, HandEater gave a loud neigh and took off, galloping around Honey in a large circle. Was he nuts? Just how BIG and BAD of a horse did he think he was?

    ¡°Did your sisters see?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they didn¡¯t know what was he was doing.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Well¡­ Honey doesn¡¯t seem to be rejecting him yet, so I guess it can¡¯t hurt. The horses can sort out that sort of business themselves.¡±

    ¡°What about my sisters?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ as long as we keep HandEater separated during riding lessons, it should be fine.¡±

    ¡°What about umm¡­ Euphoria?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°If she¡¯s going to be a squire, she¡¯ll need to learn about horses. Besides, horses are people. She''ll understand.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    "With that girl? Of course not."

 Chapter 44 - Strategies

    After our overloaded day, conversation at supper was subdued. Everyone was too weary and distracted to complain when Eu stole an extra sweetcake. In fact, given that none of us reacted, her eyes fell, she looked guilty for a moment, and then she quietly returned it to the serving dish.

    Watching this behavior, I wondered whether half of her joy from sweetcake theft was simply riling us up. In that case, why had she stolen them before in the middle of the night? I was left shaking my head. I had no hope of understanding her motivations.

    Swift wasn¡¯t as tired as the rest of us. After all, she still had a broken heart. ¡°Father, when will you be taking the mules away tomorrow? Will we have time to say goodbye?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving before breakfast tomorrow. If you want to see them off, you¡¯ll have to wake yourself up.¡±

    ¡°Why so early?¡± asked Grit. The timing of my departure directly concerned him as well. He¡¯d need to be there as my squire-in-training to help me gear up and saddle HandEater.

    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s going to be some trouble.¡± I paused and looked around the table. ¡°Let¡¯s finish our meal in peace before we talk about tomorrow¡¯s problems.¡±

    Constance gave Progress a glare when she opened her mouth to speak, so she quickly shut it again and went back to pushing the food around on her plate. I had to admit, I wasn¡¯t hungry either. I never was before a coming battle - and that¡¯s what this felt like.

    In any case, my children were still young. I didn¡¯t want to interfere with their nutrition. ¡°Please eat. Don¡¯t worry about the things we can¡¯t change.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what we¡¯ll be talking about?¡± Progress muttered.

    ¡°Just eat.¡±

    Grit was the last to finish. He was in the middle of a growth spurt, so lately, he had been eating more than all of us. In fact, Constance had been arranging extra snacks for him during the day just so he wouldn¡¯t make an embarrassing scene at meals.

    ¡°Now then. I have some good news and some bad news.¡± The children all turned to face towards my voice. The exception to that rule was Eu. She was too busy poking a fork at a radish that we¡¯d forced onto her plate.

    Constance tapped my hand, ¡°Husband. Give us the good news first. I imagine that happy things will take less time to discuss. Otherwise, we may never reach the end.¡±

    Grit gave a wary look over toward his sisters. ¡°Is this about the horses?¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°No, of course not.¡±

    ¡°WHAT about the horses?¡± Swift asked, standing up from her chair.

    ¡°Nothing! It¡¯s nothing of importance. Sit back down.¡±

    Just because HandEater was courting Honey didn¡¯t mean anything more was going to happen. Admittedly, she hadn¡¯t chased him off, but that was just the first step. She was an old mare, so the chance of her foaling again was next to nil. Really, as long as they didn¡¯t hurt each other, I didn¡¯t care what my two elderly horses were doing - as long as my girls didn¡¯t see it.

    Luckily, Constance came to my defense. ¡°So what IS your good news?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided that Progress is old enough to stock the harvest preparations this year. That will be good training for when she¡¯s running her own household. That will also free up some time for your mother, but you¡¯ll all need to help her out.¡±

    ¡°Father, how is this good news?¡± argued Grit.

    ¡°Excuse YOU!¡± Progress snapped back. ¡°I¡¯ll do fine! I have some good ideas and Mother¡¯s already approved them!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Grit¡¯s eyes flickered over toward Constance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯ll do fine. Besides, I¡¯ll be there to watch.¡± Constance gave him a steady gaze, and Grit¡¯s eyes dropped back onto the table.

    Progress, though, felt like she¡¯d been unfairly attacked. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone trust me?¡±

    ¡°Let it go, Progress.¡± Constance advised. ¡°You¡¯re just stirring up more trouble.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡±

    ¡°... and don¡¯t ¡®hmph¡¯ at your brother. You''re starting to sound like Eu.¡±

    That stopped her cold. Progress turned her shamed face away, but I could tell that she was still fuming.

    ¡°So if that¡¯s the ¡®good¡¯ news, what¡¯s the bad news?¡± Constance redirected our focus.

    ¡°Right! Moving on ¡­ we¡¯re going to have to be extra careful for the next few days. There¡¯s some mercenaries operating in the area. Our serfs noticed them poking around for information.¡±

    ¡°Mercenaries? Here? Why? HOW?¡± Grit asked aloud.

    His surprise was entirely warranted. A mercenary was equivalent to a soldier for hire. In other words, it was a dirty thing, despised by everybody. Since they didn''t owe fealty to anyone, you couldn''t really trust them to act rationally. Typically, these men cared about nothing except coin and their own appetites. As a job description, it wasn¡¯t far removed from outright banditry, and the two strategies often blurred the lines.

    Mercenaries were usually only seen in wars to shore up the numbers of your levies with more experienced troops. Between times of conflict, they were a nuisance. In fact, it wasn¡¯t legal for a mercenary company to move about in the Duke¡¯s territory without his permission. Since their only concern was themselves, they were known for routing easily when a battle went poorly - or ruthlessly looting both friend and foe alike even when a battle went well.

    I tapped one finger on the table, trying to collect my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t decide how much to tell my family and how much to keep secret. Obviously, the more my children knew, the safer they would be. However, the more they knew, the more they¡¯d blame me and Eu if something went wrong. Eventually, I realized that I had to explain everything and hope for the best.

    ¡°Instead of ¡®mercenaries,¡¯ a better description might be ¡®hired men¡¯ since they¡¯ve been hired for a specific job. Obviously, they aren¡¯t his direct subjects, but in all likelihood, they were hired and sent here by Earl Triumph of Winnowheat.¡±

    Constance could already guess at that much, but my children were left mystified.

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    ¡°It¡¯s because of Euphoria and her magic. There¡¯s a dispute among the nobility regarding who she should belong to. Since I passed through his territory to collect her, the Earl claims that she is his.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Grit connected the dots pretty easily. Progress and Swift still looked confused, but I didn¡¯t expect them to understand the political shenanigans used by the nobility. Besides, none of us were accustomed to my actions having such large consequences.

    ¡°Once the Duke gets back from Kingseat, I can present Euphoria to his service and he can make a decision. However, in the meantime, she¡¯s nothing more than my daughter - so she¡¯s my responsibility.¡±

    Constance patted my hand, ¡°We don¡¯t need to know the past. Tell us what we should do.¡±

    Of course, she already knew the whole story, so she was actually speaking for the children. But, she was right. Understanding all the intricate details wouldn¡¯t help them at all. On the other hand, I could see Grit mulling over the situation in his mind. He was probably coming to the same conclusions as me. This was our problem ¡­ until it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already doubled the watch on the stables tonight. I don¡¯t expect them to try to steal our horses.¡±

    ¡°The HORSES?¡± Swift squeaked out, tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Stealing a horse is a death sentence no matter how far they run. But with hired men, you never know.¡±

    ¡°They might steal our horses?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I doubled the watch. Besides, Honey and HandEater would stomp them flat.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ but¡­ that¡¯s not right! Our horses are innocent!¡±

    ¡°All except one¡­¡± added Grit.

    ¡°We¡¯re all innocent! We haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡± I corrected them both.

    ¡°At least, we are in this ONE case¡­¡± objected Constance with a note of warning in her voice.

    ¡°Right ¡­ uhh ¡­ we¡¯re all guilty compared to the glory of Heaven.¡±

    Constance gave a nod, pleased with my quick recovery. Obviously, I hadn''t intended to undermine her lessons on morality.

    ¡°But¡­ in this case, Euphoria is a subject of the Duke, not the Earl. As a free squire AND as her father, it¡¯s my job to protect her.¡±

    In the meantime, Eu was still poking holes into her radish, but she raised her chin when I mentioned her. ¡°You protect me? I protect YOU!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°I have a sword! Bad man will be like this radish!¡± She gave it an especially vicious poke to demonstrate, but it popped off her plate onto the floor.

    We all stared at the radish as it rolled to a stop.

    She tried to gloss over her failure, pointing her finger at her escaped target, ¡°He will be like that! Except he won¡¯t bounce!¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Euphoria, you¡¯re too small. You should run and hide.¡±

    ¡°Pfft! YOU should run and hide!¡±

    I screwed my eyes shut. This foolishness wasn¡¯t helping us at all!

    Constance patted my hand again, ¡°Just tell us what to do.¡±

    ¡°Right! First off, unless you¡¯re with me, stay inside the house. Even during the harvest. There are only two ways in - the door in front and the door in back.¡± I didn¡¯t mention that Swift and Eu could also fit through the windows. Hopefully, it wouldn''t come to that. ¡°As long as these men can¡¯t get in, you¡¯ll be safe. They can¡¯t lay siege to our house without our serfs going to get help.¡±

    ¡°What if they attack the serfs?¡± Grit asked.

    Naturally, my answer was heated. ¡°Then, that¡¯s my duty and those villains'' lives are forfeit!¡± Only a savage would attack non-combatants, but that was exactly the type of men we were talking about. If my subjects were threatened, I¡¯d be forced to sally forth to protect them. Plus, in that case, the serfs would take up arms to avenge themselves as well. No matter how many mercenaries there were, it would be a one-sided battle.

    ¡°If it comes to that, do you want me to go with you?¡± Grit had a dark, angry look. He knew the responsibilities of holding land.

    ¡°No, unless they are fools, they¡¯d only try something like that as a distraction. Your job is to protect your family.¡±

    ¡°I will protect!¡± Eu insisted angrily.

    ¡°Yes, dear. You¡¯ll have your armor and ¡­ you need a better sword. Something shorter.¡±

    ¡°I want MY sword!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too big for fighting indoors.¡±

    ¡°I want MY sword!¡± She thumped the table with her fist.

    I shrugged. It didn¡¯t really matter. She wasn¡¯t big enough to be a serious fighting force no matter what weapon she was holding.

    ¡°What about us?¡± Progress thankfully pushed the discussion along.

    ¡°Your job is to run and hide. You¡¯ll each have a knife, but I don¡¯t expect you to use it. Your best strategy is to run to the storage room and barricade the door. Obey your mother and try to stay quiet. As long as they can¡¯t find you, help will come.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t run and hide!¡± Eu objected and I saw Swift nodding in agreement with her.

    It was nice to see how brave they were, but I could tell that this was going to be a problem. I rubbed at my beard and settled back into my seat. How could I convince these two knuckleheads? ¡°If you don¡¯t escape, you¡¯ll force your mother to put herself in front! You want her to sacrifice herself? No! Your job is to protect her by staying out of trouble!¡±

    ¡°Mother is stronger than anyone!¡± Swift insisted.

    Constance laughed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you have such confidence in me, but that won''t work. Swift, I know when to run and you should too. I¡¯m no warrior. That¡¯s your father¡¯s job.¡±

    ¡°... And mine!¡± Grit said proudly.

    ¡°Right! Grit, your job is to protect the house, but DON¡¯T protect the storeroom. Instead, you are a distraction. Defend the big bedroom as if your sisters are hidden in there.¡±

    ¡°A distraction?¡±

    ¡°Your job is to slow them down. Fight if you must and don¡¯t be afraid to retreat. Just fall back into the bedroom and hold the door against them. You have an advantage because they actually don¡¯t want to hurt you. In fact, if they harm any of us, that will be a crime and the Earl, as the one who hired them, will have to pay reparations.¡±

    I saw him chewing at his lip. He knew just how little reassurance that was.

    ¡°Any questions?¡±

    There were none, but I caught a smoldering look from Eu.

    ¡°Please Euphoria, just do as I say? Run and hide! It¡¯s my job as your father to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°You are ¡­ smarter than a radish.¡± She pointed again at her example, the mangled vegetable lying on the floor.

    ¡°Umm¡­ thank you? Will you obey?¡±

    She thought about it. ¡°I will obey ¡­ unless I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I need you to follow orders. Are you a soldier? Soldiers follow orders.¡±

    ¡°I will obey ¡­ for now.¡±

    I sighed. It was clear that this was the best I would get from her.

 Chapter 45 - Wisdom and the Fool

    When Constance nudged me awake in the morning, it was still dark outside. I¡¯d known this was going to happen, so I wasn¡¯t surprised. Even so, seeing her bright and cheery face just made me more grumpy. She did this EVERY morning?

    I slid into my clothing and armor, then stumbled down the hall to thump on Grit¡¯s door. All I heard from inside was a moan. He was at that age where he needed more sleep. Too bad for him. We had a job to do - and I wanted it done before another disaster could strike.

    Thinking of the most imminent catastrophe, I belted on both my arming sword and shorter secondary blade, then grabbed my spear from its peg on the wall. I¡¯d be vulnerable out there alone on the road, but nobody attacks a man that¡¯s armed to the teeth.

    I had no intention of waking Swift, so I tiptoed past her room. She had asked that I let her tell the mules farewell - and probably give them parting treats. However, I had no desire to see her crying. She could do that later after I was already gone. Besides, that whole process would slow me down. Furthermore, since she shared the bedroom with Eu, if I woke one, it would wake the other.

    In the kitchen, Constance had already let our helpers in through the back door and taken charge of breakfast preparations. As I passed, she squeezed a blob of raw dough into my hand. It wasn¡¯t appetizing, but it was food - and far better than some of the rations I¡¯d eaten on campaigns.

    In front of the stables, the four lookouts the headman had picked were standing and shaking their feet to stay awake. This was the worst part of the night watch - the last bell before sunrise. They were tired and sleepy, but the twilight actually made it more difficult to see properly. The half-lit skies combined with a whole day¡¯s weariness could trick your eyes.

    ¡°Thank you for your service.¡± I handed each one of them a coin, a tin star, from my belt pouch. Normally, I didn¡¯t reward my night watch, but this was a special case. I''d promised something yesterday. Besides, a tin star wasn¡¯t really significant. It was the smallest coin, a thin sliver of misshapen metal - valued the same as a bell¡¯s unskilled labor.

    Inside the stables, the horses were already awake. If they¡¯d slept out in the paddock, they¡¯d already be active at this hour, but since they were indoors, they adjusted to our schedule. Unfortunately, just because they were awake didn¡¯t mean that they were ready to travel.

    HandEater gave an angry grunt when he saw that I was preparing his saddle, but I just grunted back at him. He was my horse now, so he¡¯d need to learn some respect.

    ¡°Father, should I put lead lines onto the mules?¡± Grit arrived with questions on his lips, but armed and armored. He had his arming sword belted on like mine, though only his gambeson and jack for protection since we couldn¡¯t afford a hauberk yet - especially since he was still growing.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡± I rubbed at my beard. The mules were normally well behaved, and horses stick together by instinct. Furthermore, it would be less troublesome to just let them follow me. Really, a lead line wouldn¡¯t make a bit of difference if there was trouble waiting for me.

    Unfortunately, HandEater was stomping his feet and snorting at the two mules. Apparently, he didn¡¯t want to be seen in the company of anything less than a horse. In return, the two mules would be reluctant to move as with him as a group. ¡°Grit, You¡¯ve got the right idea. Let¡¯s give them some lead lines. It¡¯s more effort, but it can¡¯t hurt.¡±

    HandEater''s saddle went on first, then the belts and straps. If I expected to charge into an enemy formation, I could layer Honey''s cloth barding on top, but that didn¡¯t match today¡¯s needs - it would just slow me down. Besides, the barding was sized for a charger. It would look floppy and foolish on a pony. It might even drag on the ground.

    My helmet was set onto the horn of the saddle, with the mules'' lead lines knotted on underneath. Once I was mounted, my spear would sit on the lance rest, a wooden bracket attached to the side of my saddle.

    Judging that everything was ready to go, I paused to give Grit some last minute advice. ¡°Eu will need to ¡®fwoof¡¯ her sand. She does it every morning. But, there might be observers watching the house. Keep her inside and ¡­ let her do her magic in her bedroom. That''ll be fine until this blows over.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father. I understand.¡±

    Before leaving, I kissed both of his ears, then held out my hands to him, facing upwards. In response, he clasped them from above. This was both the greeting and farewell of comrades in arms. ¡°Stay safe. Don¡¯t let your sisters do anything foolish.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    With those last words, I mounted up into the saddle, pulled up my spear, then squeezed HandEater¡¯s flanks with my knees. With no sign of trouble, we trotted away. The two mules followed eagerly behind. They could see the rope lines leading from their bridles to my saddle and they were smart enough to see what would happen if they strayed.

    Obviously, HandEater couldn¡¯t keep this pace the whole way there, especially considering the weight of my weapons and armor. Once we¡¯d reached the road, I slowed us down to an easier walk. The morning fog lifted not long after that and the view of the surrounding countryside opened up to me.

    I breathed a sigh of relief. There was nobody else on the road at this hour. Pilgrims would sleep later. Merchants would just now be leaving town. In contrast, hunters and wardens would already be in their favorite spots, hard at work.

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    Since I was on high alert, every single sound caught my attention, but there was really nothing to see. From my years on campaign, I knew not to wear myself out, so I let my horses do the work. They had six eyes¡­ well¡­ five, compared to my own two. Furthermore, their ears were flickering back and forth, doing their best to ¡°see¡± everything in all directions at once.

    The morning remained quiet during the trip, and after a couple bells, I could see the horse merchant¡¯s yard ahead of me. With the sun high and fair weather, business had already started in earnest. In fact, I could see a group of traveling horse traders at the head of the queue haggling with the owner. Normally, with my status, I could have pushed my way to the front, but several of them were finely dressed, and I suspected them to be representing the interests of various local nobles.

    ¡°Are you selling those mules?¡± Another traveler asked as I sat waiting. He rode up and took the spot behind me in line.

    Before answering, I looked him over. He was an elderly clergyman, riding in on an old mule. His beard was sparse and white, and he only had a few hairs left on his wrinkled head. ¡°Sorry, friend. These are already sold. I¡¯m just making the delivery. If you¡¯re buying, you¡¯ll need to bargain with the owner at the front.¡±

    He returned my regret with a laugh. ¡°Too bad, but I¡¯m not buying. Not in this market! In fact, I¡¯m thinking of selling my old mule, Fool, here. Interested?¡±

    ¡°You named your mule Fool?¡±

    He had a lopsided smirk to fit his sense of humor. ¡°Of course! Fool the Mule! It rhymes!¡±

    ¡°That it does, but¡­ seriously?¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯s rude?¡±

    ¡°Especially for a man of the cloth!¡± Giving him another look, he clearly wasn¡¯t ranked highly within his order. His habit was simple cloth with only the most basic ornamentation to identify his calling. Even so, the two of us moved in different circles. If we were standing, I wasn¡¯t sure whether I should kneel to him or the other way around.

    He shrugged. ¡°You worry too much. Nobody cares what I name my mule.¡±

    ¡°He cares!¡± I pointed with my thumb.

    ¡°My mule?¡± He chuckled. ¡°If he cares a whit, then he fits his name better than I thought.¡±

    With that, our conversation seemed to be done, but the man nudged his mule closer. ¡°What about your horse .. err, pony though? You must be here to buy something bigger? From your armor, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re a squire, but I¡¯ve never seen an uglier mount.¡±

    HandEater puffed out his chest and held his tail higher. In response, I patted him on the neck. ¡°This here is my steed of debatable nobility. He may look like a mess, but you haven¡¯t seen him in a fight.¡±

    Of course, I hadn¡¯t actually seen him fight either, but it wasn¡¯t an actual lie. I could imagine it well enough. Regardless, I got the response I wanted when the clergyman waved his hands. ¡°No, it chills my bones just to think about it! I''m not an idiot! I wouldn''t want to see anyone tangle with him! But, isn¡¯t he kind of ¡­ small?¡±

    HandEater huffed loudly and turned to avenge himself by nipping at the old man¡¯s mule, but he was too slow. I pulled his head back around with the reins to face the front. ¡°He may be a pony, but he¡¯s strong and smart. He¡¯s the perfect warhorse.¡±

    The man nodded, looking doubtful, but then looked up when the line moved forward. ¡°It won''t be very long now. So, what¡¯s your name and who do you serve?¡±

    ¡°Free Squire Deft. I¡¯m in service directly to the Duke. You?¡±

    ¡°I''m a wandering friar. My name is Wisdom. That¡¯s why I named my friend here Fool.¡±

    ¡°Wisdom¡¯s Fool?¡± I laughed and turned to look the mule in the eye. ¡°You poor thing! You have a vicious clown for an owner. I''ll bet you¡¯ll be glad when you''re sold!¡±

    The mule didn¡¯t even acknowledge my words. He just stood solid, waiting for his turn in line.

    When the queue moved again, the old clergyman turned his mule sideways to face the open road. ¡°We¡¯ve almost reached the front, but I¡¯m thinking you¡¯ve convinced me not to sell.¡±

    ¡°What? How? Why?¡± I almost felt guilty. What had I said?

    ¡°What would this old Fool do without me?¡± He stroked the mule''s mane and chuckled at his own joke.

    ¡°You came all this way just to change your mind? Hahaha! Who¡¯s the fool now?¡±

    He gave me a wave as he set off at a trot. ¡°That is yet to be seen.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± At first, I was mystified by his response, but then, I saw the sneer and the twinkle in the old man''s eye.

    It only took a moment for me to realize what that must mean. He was one of those mercenaries, here in disguise! He was probably watching my actions, waiting to see how much time I would lose here. If I had been quicker, he would have delayed me somehow? That meant his comrades were probably attacking my home right now!

    I kneed HandEater hard in the flanks, making him rear up in surprise. I desperately needed to chase after the old man, but there was no way I could catch him. I was heavily armed and armored on a pony, while he was traveling light, even if it was on a mule. Furthermore, my two mules were still on their lead lines. If I chased after the man, my mules would only slow me down. But, I couldn¡¯t just leave them here ... or could I?

    Without a thought for my status, I charged forward through the line, stopping at the owner''s booth. The various merchants scattered out of my way when I pulled up my spear from its lance rest. At the same moment, I drew my dagger with my left hand. From all signs, I¡¯d just declared war.

    The owner stood quivering in front of me, mouth gaping open. However, he wasn¡¯t my target. Instead, I only needed to communicate my intent, shouting loudly for all to hear. ¡°THIS IS MY PAYMENT FROM YESTERDAY! THAT SCOUNDREL THAT JUST RODE AWAY IS A BANDIT AND A VILLAIN AND I¡±M RIDING HIM DOWN!¡±

    With that, I used the dagger to cut the lead lines on my mules, then wheeled about to give chase. At least, that was my thought. After only a few steps, I realized that the disguised clergyman was riding hard, but at the crossroads, he''d turned away in the opposite direction from the path to my home. In other words, I had to choose between him and my family.

    The answer to that question was obvious, and so the old charlatan would get away. I could only glare at him and his mule''s backside as he fled.

    HandEater¡¯s head turned eagerly toward home, so I leaned down to speak into his good ear. ¡°You think you¡¯re bad? Let¡¯s see how fast you can go!¡±

 Chapter 46 - Fear and Fury

    HandEater was too small to carry an armored squire in a long gallop. Even so, I had to commend him for doing his utmost. At first, the road flew by underneath his hooves, but in short order, I heard him wheezing and I knew he couldn¡¯t keep up the pace.

    Each moment, something terrible could be happening at my home. If I arrived in time, I was certain that I could drive a group of scoundrels off. Otherwise, why had they sent a man to delay me? However, HandEater was already winded. If he collapsed on arrival, I¡¯d lose half of my fighting strength.

    In the end, I had to swallow down my fears and pull back on the reins. It was the only rational choice. HandEater seemed to do better with my weight at a slower trot, and I couldn¡¯t ask for more than he could give. Regardless, he seemed to sense my urgency, and he pushed ahead each time he got his wind back. I found myself restraining his stride so that he wouldn¡¯t wear himself out.

    It took more than a bell before we arrived back at my holdings. I knew that was more than enough time for a group of mercenaries to chop through my doors and break in. My only hope was that Grit could hold out a defense while my serfs ran immediately to get help from my neighbors.

    Unfortunately, as I approached my front gate, I could see that my latter wish had already been dashed. There were two armed riders watching over my subjects¡¯ houses, ready to ride down anyone who tried to escape. Obviously, these two wouldn¡¯t harm the serfs if they didn¡¯t have to, but who among my serfs would take such a risk leaving their family behind to suffer the consequences?

    When the horsemen saw me free my spear, they raced away, headed around to the rear of my house. I could see a larger gathering there, so I kneed HandEater to follow, but then pulled back as my subjects boiled out of their cabins, directly into my path.

    ¡°Squire Deft! Your house! Your family!¡±

    ¡°I KNOW ALREADY! CLEAR THE WAY!¡±

    ¡°We are armed and ready to assist you!¡± Admittedly, they had taken up staves, hoes, and pitchforks. It was an admirable sign of their love and loyalty, but I didn¡¯t want any of them to be hurt. Unless they were official levies of the Duke, there would be no recompense for them in battle.

    ¡°No! This is my given duty. You should run to my neighbors. Tell them that there are bandits!¡±

    Several of the fastest runners dropped their improvised weaponry and took off at a sprint. My nearest neighbors were barons and squires like me. They would arrive in a seething rage at the news of bandits nearby, but it would be at least a bell until help could arrive. In the meantime, the rest of my serfs parted to the sides for HandEater. He forced a path through them by pure intimidation.

    Looking over toward the stables, I could see the men of my night watch, still stationed there with their staves ready. Brave souls, standing up against an armed force! I¡¯d be duty bound to reward them further. How? That was a question for later.

    Even so, seeing them still waiting there was actually bad news. If the lookouts were still on duty when the bandits arrived, they must have struck immediately after I¡¯d left? In that case, they must have spied on my trip yesterday since they somehow knew my plans for today. On a positive note, the sight of the watchmen did offer me a measure of relief. The bandits hadn¡¯t tried to harm or steal my horses.

    Unfortunately, my house was not in the same condition. When HandEater rounded the corner, I saw the rest of the mercenaries in defensive positions surrounding the back door. I counted almost two hands of men, though poorly armed. A few had spears, but most had shorter swords. A few only had staves, axes, and clubs. Even so, they all had a desperate look in their eyes, marking them as dangerous men.

    The door itself had not been broken, it was standing ajar - meaning there were more men inside. From the sign of things, they must have struck by surprise, making it to the door before the alarm was raised. Once they''d wedged it open, my family couldn''t close it against their mass of bodies. After all, the door opened inwards because he hinges were on the inside, otherwise that would be a weak point.

    Looking over my foes, it was obvious that the two mounted horsemen were central to the enemy formation. These two had leather jacks and cavalry swords, but none of that concerned me. I knew the measure of mercenary soldiers. They would likely rout when I lowered my spear for a charge.

    ¡°Squire Deft! Hold your arms! We will negotiate!¡± One of the horsemen called out to me. This only made my job easier. He must be the leader, so he would be my primary target. I focused on him and noted his bright orange hair and beard. That would make an easy target.

    ¡°I WILL NOT GIVE PARLEY TO BANDITS!¡± I urged HandEater closer with my knees. Judging the best distance to begin my charge was difficult with an unfamiliar horse. The gap needed to be short enough that I could reach them at a full gallop, but not so far that the men would react and flank me.

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    The leader held up his hand. ¡°Think carefully! Perhaps you WILL parley with us? We have your wife and son at our mercy.¡±

    Naturally, that made me pause. Grit had been captured? He was the only heir to the family name. If they killed him outside of battle, then he would die in disgrace. It would be a disaster - both for my family and me. In contrast, although my heart was torn at the thought of Constance in peril, I knew she¡¯d want me to fight for our family¡¯s honor.

    In any case, I knew that this could all be a trick to buy time. I pointed at the man with my spear. ¡°YOU KNAVE! PROVE YOUR WORDS!¡±

    ¡°See for yourself! Come ahead inside. We won¡¯t stop you.¡± With that, the group in front of me dispersed, spilling away to both sides. In fact, the speaker even dismounted from his horse, sheathing his sword and walking in through the doorway.

    I spent a few moments in surprise, blinking at the scene. I would lose my advantage were I to dismount. However, once I was inside the house, I would regain the upper hand due to the close quarters combined with my heavier armor. Out here, they could surround me. In there, they¡¯d never be able to take me down.

    ¡°This is probably a trap.¡± I whispered into HandEater¡¯s one good ear. I didn¡¯t expect him to understand my words, but it reassured me to think I had any ally here at all. ¡°You stand and watch the door. If they try to come at me from behind, you know what to do.¡±

    Did he? Perhaps he understood my meaning better than I would have guessed. He huffed loudly at the mercenaries'' two horses. They were both coursers, larger than him, but I could see both of them rolling their eyes around in fear. The situation was tense, and only a horse trained for battle could endure stress like that for long.

    I rode closer to the door before dismounting. When I stepped down from the saddle, I sheathed my arming sword. It was too large for work indoors, so instead, I had my shorter sword and dagger ready when I walked in. Behind me, HandEater took up position, glaring at the remaining mercenaries. I never would have guessed that his single baleful eye could cover them all.

    It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting inside. The kitchen ovens had been haphazardly choked, so there was black soot and smoke in the air, veiling the scene and stinging like fire inside my nose and throat.

    The kitchen was a mess. Although there were no signs of a battle, no blood on the floor or gashes along the walls, the mercenaries had ransacked all of the readily available foodstuffs. That was simple theft, but I had more important concerns.

    There were four men in the room with me, and it would be crowded, except they stood away, against the inner wall. The speaker from before stood in front, with his open hands held out in front of him to negotiate. The other three, fully armed and ready, surrounded a huddle of bodies in the far corner - their captives.

    ¡°Constance? Wife?¡±

    She sat tall with her back straight and an angry fire in her eyes. The hem of her skirt that was arrayed around her had been torn, so she must have struggled before surrendering. Obviously, she was furious, but from what I could see, she was unharmed.

    Progress was seated alongside, tightly hugging onto Constance. Her face was hidden against Constance''s side, sobbing aloud and visibly quaking in terror. Her dress was dirty, but it was undamaged, so I assumed she had yielded immediately. Smart girl. Good for her.

    The last member among the captives was smaller, so it wasn¡¯t Grit. However, she was wearing her padded gambeson and had her scarf bandanna tightly bound around her head. As you might expect, the black rage in her dark eyes was blazing without equal. The right shoulder of her armor had been sliced straight through, and I could see blood pooling on the floor underneath her hanging arm. For some reason, she was crouching barefoot alongside the others.

    What on earth had happened here? Clearly, Eu had not accepted defeat easily. The men¡¯s weapons were all pointed at her chest. In fact, she was pinned against the wall by the points of their swords. Even so, based on her expression, I could tell she was all too eager to begin the fight again if she could.

    The speaker struggled to explain the messy situation. ¡°As you see, we have your wife and younger son at our mercy. You¡¯ll want to commend him later. Despite his youth, he fought like a legend. Several of my men have nasty scrapes and bruises because of him. He even stabbed one of them in the back! In fact, even after we¡¯d caught him, we had to take off his clogs because he wouldn¡¯t stop kicking.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± I struggled to keep a straight face. What they didn¡¯t know wouldn¡¯t help them. Even so, I was relieved that the man didn¡¯t even mention Progress. As my daughter, I suppose she was beneath his notice? That was a good sign. I¡¯d heard nasty stories about mercenaries¡¯ foul appetites.

    ¡°Your older son and the little girl, our bounty ¡­ they¡¯ve barricaded themselves in your storeroom.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ so now what?¡± It was hard not to grin and I felt it slipping free. I¡¯d already won, but these idiots didn¡¯t know it yet. That storeroom door was solid. The walls around it were thick stone slate to keep it cooler during the winter. There was no easy way to break in, especially given the narrow hallways inside my house. There wasn¡¯t enough room to swing a heavy axe.

    ¡°We know that girl isn¡¯t yours. You took her from the Earl. Now, you''ll convince those two to open up the door for us or these three here will die.¡±

    ¡°You''ll kill hostages? Women and children? That''d be murder in cold blood! Even if some of you escape, you¡¯d be hunted down like dogs. You¡¯d find no quarter or mercy anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t know about that.¡± He grinned.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± I stalled for time. Something was wrong. He seemed to think he had an out? Only the king himself could pardon such an atrocity.

    His grin grew into a toothy smile, looking perfectly confident. ¡°Well¡­ we were hired by Earl Triumph to deliver a little girl to him. But, since then, you see ¡­ we¡¯ve learned something. The little girl in question ... she¡¯s actually a mage, right? That''s why she''s so important. In that case, a few murders here in this country won''t matter if we simply leave. After all, the plainsmen won¡¯t care a bit what happens outside their borders, will they?¡±

    His statement wasn¡¯t even a bluff. I knew it was foolish, but clearly he believed in his plan. From the glint of hopeless desperation in his eye, I realized I was still in deep trouble.

 Chapter 47 - Trust and Treachery

    ¡°This should be a simple choice, you know.¡± The mercenary leader gave me a knowing smile, his calm voice grating on my nerves. He had bright orange, wavy hair, even in the braids of his beard, and it clashed with his matter-of-fact attitude. ¡°None of us here want to hurt anybody. We¡¯re just setting things right. The little girl you took from Earl Triumph wasn¡¯t yours.¡±

    Before answering, I took my time and looked over the four men. Only the leader had a leather jack, but all of them had shorter swords, perfect for fighting indoors. From their scars and hardened muscles, I could guess that these four were the veterans that held the rest of the mercenary group together.

    Ordinarily, I wouldn¡¯t be worried. These were all peasants. They couldn¡¯t possibly compete with the life of training only available among the nobility. However, they had taken hostages, limiting my options. If it came to a clash of arms, it wouldn¡¯t end well.

    In any case, I had to keep talking while I was figuring out a solution. ¡°What makes you say the girl isn¡¯t mine?¡±

    ¡°We know she has hair as black as night. Even if she IS a mage like we¡¯ve heard, will you really trade away the lives of your actual family?¡±

    I opened my mouth and closed it again. If things went south, he was planning to escape afterwards by going north and selling Eu to the Plainsmen. Apparently, he had no idea about what he was proposing. It wouldn¡¯t help to explain to him how justice operated up in the plains. He wouldn¡¯t ever believe me.

    If there was even a whisper that he¡¯d harmed an unarmed woman, let alone her unmarried daughter, he¡¯d be better off dying right here and now. The plainsmen''s Code had strict regulations regarding treatment of females. Furthermore, the penalties for breaking that Code were beyond belief. Vengeful, brutal, and malicious didn¡¯t even begin to describe it.

    Even his plan to sell Eu to the Plainsmen for money was foolish. Yes, a mage was valuable, but even if she were his own child, he couldn¡¯t sell her. If he even hinted at breaking a Code prohibition like that, he¡¯d go straight to the torturers. There was a reason merchants didn¡¯t travel north. The laws there were too many, too complicated, and too extreme for anyone to risk their lives.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you care for your wife and son? I can see you¡¯re thinking it over, but there¡¯s only one good choice here. Please, be reasonable!¡± He still had the same placid smile, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°You know we don¡¯t have a lot of time before reinforcements arrive, so hurry up and THINK FASTER!¡±

    There had to be some way out of this predicament! Unfortunately, the man had backed himself into a corner by taking hostages. He was desperate - and that made him dangerous. At this point, the only way out was through me, but for that, he¡¯d need to make a deal. He couldn¡¯t just throw down his arms and surrender - even at this point, the penalty for his crimes was a public execution.

    He snapped his fingers to keep my attention. ¡°You¡¯re taking too long! You don¡¯t have time! This should be a simple trade!¡± He sighed in anguish. ¡°I suppose I need to hurry things along. How about we start with small stakes. Something to show that we mean business. What about your daughter here?¡±

    Naturally, the man didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone. He knew instinctively that wouldn¡¯t end well for him or his men. But all the same, a mercenary group operates on a hair-thin margin. If this mission failed, they still had to feed themselves. With that many mouths, that likely meant selling their horses and gear for a few last meals. Eventually, they¡¯d have no choice except pledging their lives to work as serfs. From his point of view, death at my sword might even be preferable.

    Hearing his threat, Progress froze solid. She¡¯d stopped sobbing once she¡¯d heard my voice, but now, she stiffened up against Constance, holding on tight. I still couldn¡¯t see her face, because she¡¯d hidden it in her mother¡¯s arms. However, she¡¯d obviously been listening - and now she was terrified. I wasn¡¯t sure what the man was proposing, and neither was she - but it clearly couldn¡¯t be good.

    Before anyone could act, a third party entered the conversation. I was stuck on the horns of the dilemma, so Eu decided to do her own negotiations. ¡°Firebeard! YOU talk to ME!¡±

    ¡°Firebeard?¡± The leader chuckled, gesturing with a hand at his own bright orange beard. ¡°That¡¯s a good name! I should start calling myself that!¡±

    I motioned for Eu to stop, but she just ignored my signal. ¡°You violence ME? I violence YOU! You hostage ME? I HOSTAGE YOU!¡±

    Firebeard¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°Your son is quite the joker! He¡¯s wounded, pinned to the wall with three blades, and still making threats?¡± Instead of backing down, he drew his own sword, adding another armed combatant to my list of obstacles.

    Eu didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°I have YOUR daughter! I hurt her unless you let my sister go!¡±

    I stared at Eu in my confusion. Just what was she doing? Was she trying to distract him? There were three more armed men! There was no way I could get across the room and stage a rescue before someone was hurt or killed.

    In response, Firebeard chuckled. ¡°What is this? Since when do I have a daughter? I suppose that it¡¯s possible, but this is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

    ¡°Your FUTURE daughter!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I have your FUTURE daughter!¡±

    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± He looked over at me, mystified, but I had no explanation. She¡¯d learned that word when we were talking about Grit¡¯s ¡°future¡± wife, but did she even know what it meant? Was Eu trying to win Firebeard over by confusing him? Did she think he was such an idiot that he would fall to a non-sequitur threat?

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    On the other hand, I had to admit, she¡¯d already demonstrated some pretty weird magic. Could she see into the future? Was she reading the wind? She was speaking as an authority, so I couldn''t simply discount her words. It was all beyond me. Regardless, it didn¡¯t matter at the moment. Her nonsense wasn¡¯t helping this stalemate at all.

    I tried my best to defuse the angry glares of the other three swordsmen. ¡°Just ignore my son. He¡¯s not thinking straight. See? He can¡¯t even talk right. Did he hit his head?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t matter if we TAKE HIS HEAD OFF!¡± I could see the moment when Firebeard¡¯s patience snapped. The light of hope had faded from his eyes and his sword started shaking in the depths of his regret and despair.

    Hearing his leader¡¯s order, the larger of the two men holding Eu to the wall muttered a short prayer for forgiveness, then drew back his sword to give a solid chop.

    I couldn¡¯t delay any more. ¡°WAIT! STOP! You win! We can end this without bloodshed! I¡¯ll give you the girl.¡±

    Firebeard breathed out a sigh of relief, then he held up his free hand to forestall his prior command. After that, he motioned to me with his sword, pointing the tip down the hallway. ¡°It¡¯s your house. You go get the girl for us. Then we can trade.¡±

    My legs were shaking, but I was able to walk. I moved through the kitchen, trying my best not to provoke the captors to action. The man towering over Eu still had his sword drawn back to strike. In order to get to the hallway, I had to move within striking distance of him, so the slightest misunderstanding could set them all off.

    Each of the men¡¯s eyes were glued onto me as I warily passed the narrowest point between me and them. I still had my sword and dagger ready in case the mercenaries tried something. After that, the moment passed, and I moved into the hallway. Once there, I paused at the storeroom door to collect my thoughts.

    The problem was that there was no way I could get the girl that they actually wanted from the storeroom. Swift had blond hair, but they¡¯d already been told that their bounty had ¡°hair as black as night.¡± What could I do? Perhaps I could stall them if Swift was wearing a bonnet?

    My only other choice was to reveal Eu. I could, but I couldn¡¯t! I¡¯d taken her from poverty, dragged her along behind me, fed her, helped her each step of the way, adopted her against my better judgment, I''d even bought her a pony, and she¡¯d still been nothing but trouble. Despite all that, I couldn¡¯t betray her into their hands! It would stain my honor and self-respect. I¡¯d rather die first.

    What about the lives of my family? I wasn¡¯t being fair to them! Didn¡¯t they matter more? They¡¯d done nothing wrong, especially my children! It was only fate and circumstances that had led me here.

    Even so, this situation was resolving itself. These mercenaries wanted a girl with black hair. I didn¡¯t have that girl, unless I gave them Eu. I wouldn¡¯t do that. So, there was really only one choice. I could only pray that it was the right one. If not, I could only do my best in the aftermath.

    ¡°Grit, open the door.¡±

    He¡¯d apparently been listening through the wall, because I could hear the barricade inside being quickly disassembled. A moment later, the door cracked open, and I could see his face. ¡°Father?¡±

    ¡°Swift is in there with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s hiding.¡±

    ¡°Send her out.¡±

    I could see the confusion and betrayal in his eyes, but then I saw his resolve. He knew he could trust me, even when all signs pointed elsewhere. ¡°Swift, Father is calling for you.¡±

    Swift came immediately to the door. Her hair was mussed and her face was wet with tears. She¡¯d probably been crying quietly this whole time. It broke my heart that she¡¯d have to go through this. Naturally, she would be terrified, but she was what I needed. She was the only option I had left. After sheathing my weapons, I picked her up gently in my arms and carried her back into the kitchen.

    ¡°Is this the girl you¡¯re looking for? This is my daughter, Swift.¡±

    All four men stared at her hair in agony. Obviously, the color was not ¡°black as night.¡± In other words, it was clear that they¡¯d made a mistake. The question was whether or not they¡¯d figure out the truth.

    ¡°Where¡¯s ¡­ the girl ¡­ with black hair?¡± Firebeard was speechless with surprise, so one of his veterans spoke instead.

    ¡°Not here.¡± I lied without even blinking. At the same time, I pulled Swift¡¯s face into my chest. Her gaze was unfocused, but I didn¡¯t want her eyes to scan the room and land on Eu. I could trust Constance, but Swift might reveal my deception by accident.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s staying with a comrade, a knight. I¡¯d heard that bounty hunters like you might be coming, so I moved her several days ago into the care of my old Knight-Master.¡±

    At that point, there were no more words. The four men stood motionless, slowly realizing that their mission had failed despite their best efforts. The life of a mercenary was filled with defeat and disaster, so dashing their hopes like this was just one more straw.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost. If you leave without harming anyone, I promise that I won¡¯t give chase.¡± Of course, I couldn¡¯t speak for the authorities. Breaking into a squire¡¯s house and stealing food would be considered banditry, rebellion, and perhaps even treason. The typical penalty for any of those would be a slow, painful execution.

    Firebeard swayed on his feet, but I¡¯d narrowed his options when I suggested an outcome. In moments, he made a decision. ¡°Quick! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The other three retreated, keeping their swords free as they fled for the door leading outside. Strangely, HandEater read my intentions and stepped out of their way as they went out.

    Firebeard himself went last, watching over his men. Before he slipped away, he glanced back at me, respect in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re an honest man. I wish your family well.¡±

    I gave him a respectful nod in return. He¡¯d acted wisely and so we¡¯d both avoided conflict. In contrast, I had deceived him. Regardless, I felt no guilt. I¡¯d do it again in a heartbeat.

    His parting words gnawed at me - and I sensed a strange truth to them, ¡°Perhaps someday, we¡¯ll work together on the same side.¡±

 Chapter 48 - Aftermath

    Once I¡¯d confirmed that the mercenaries were gone, fleeing for the nearest woods, I returned to the house to deal with the aftermath. Progress was still distraught, and wouldn¡¯t leave Constance¡¯s side. Grit was furious and wanted revenge. He was stomping back and forth in the hallway. Of the three, Swift seemed the least affected. In fact, she¡¯d started work to clean up the mess of our kitchen.

    Then, there was Eu. When I arrived, Constance was carefully removing her gambeson. Obviously, she didn¡¯t want to pull or tear at the wound. Despite that, she needed to hurry, because Eu was so small and thin, that I¡¯d worry how much blood she could lose. Even now, her face had dangerously paled.

    One of the mercenaries had sliced straight through the armored padding above her shoulder, then the clothing underneath. Luckily, the blade had cut down at an angle, so the wound was at the top of her tricep on her upper arm. Otherwise, it would have hit her collar bone. The blood that I¡¯d seen on the floor actually came from here, but thankfully, the gash wasn¡¯t very deep.

    ¡°Let me handle that.¡± Since Constance didn¡¯t seem to know what to do next, I took over. I¡¯d seen my share of battlefield injuries and knew what the physicians did to stop the bleeding.

    First, I found a clean cloth and pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding. It wasn¡¯t that bad, but the concern now was infection. The opening wasn¡¯t very wide or jagged, so I could only hope that we wouldn¡¯t need to sew it together. That would only compound the risks.

    Unfortunately, I¡¯d seen grown men die from less. At this point, it all came down to luck.

    ¡°How did it end up like this? I told you to run and hide.¡± There wasn¡¯t much else I could do besides hold the cloth. If it filled up with blood, I could exchange it for a new one. In the meantime, I wanted a full report, but Grit was still stomping around in the front hall.

    Swift piped up, ¡°She was amazing!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean appalling?¡±

    Constance supported her, ¡°No. If it wasn¡¯t for Eu, none of us would have made it to the storeroom.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Somehow, she knew they were coming. She kept trying to tell me that, pointing at the door, but I didn¡¯t understand. That¡¯s the only reason Grit was in the kitchen. When the door swung open, we were so surprised, none of us could move. He grabbed up Swift and ran, but he wouldn¡¯t have made it out if it wasn¡¯t for Eu. She charged straight at them.¡±

    ¡°I see, but why?¡±

    Eu finally joined the conversation. ¡°Someone had to do it.¡±

    Constance stopped her to continue her story. ¡°There was more than just that. After we were caught, one of the men was messing with Progress and threatening her with his sword. The other men just laughed, but Eu took his dagger and stabbed him in the back.¡±

    I felt the hairs on my head prickle up. I guess my worries about mercenaries'' foul appetites wasn¡¯t unfounded. That also explained why Progress still hadn''t said anything, nor left Constance''s side. Luckily, Eu had been there to take the initiative.

    ¡°So you slowed them down and protected my family.¡± It wasn¡¯t what I¡¯d instructed her to do, but I couldn¡¯t complain over the result. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    In return, she gave a nod and a smile.

    ¡°Even before that, she fought like a beast. There wasn¡¯t room in here for her sword, but she kicked at their knees, knocked down the biggest one, punched another in the eye, and even fought one of them using our big butcher knife.¡±

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    Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see the knife in question. In fact, I couldn¡¯t see any. Constance saw my eyes searching and explained. ¡°They didn¡¯t just steal our food. They took anything they could.¡±

    ¡°No better than bandits. I¡¯m glad they didn¡¯t ransack the whole house.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Grit arrived back at the kitchen. I could see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes. I knew that feeling. The realization that the law can¡¯t punish those it can¡¯t catch. The knowledge that the world isn¡¯t always fair. The despair and shame that comes when someone uses those facts against you. ¡°We should hunt them down like dogs!¡±

    ¡°Wait for the others.¡±

    ¡°What others?¡±

    ¡°Our peers and neighbors. They¡¯ll be arriving shortly and they¡¯ll feel the same way you do.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Father? Aren¡¯t you angry?¡± Grit was shaking with rage. At the same time, I suppose he was accusing me since I wasn¡¯t riled up like he was.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m angry. I want my knives back. The food¡¯s probably already eaten. But vengeance? That won¡¯t make me feel better.¡±

    I saw him clench his fists, ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do! They need to be punished.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely! But, right now, I¡¯m just glad none of you are hurt. I don¡¯t mind losing a few knives. It would break my heart if one of you were injured.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt!¡± Eu complained.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°Is your heart broken?¡±

    How to answer that one? ¡°Umm¡­ yes, but you aren¡¯t terribly hurt. So, it¡¯s only a little broken.¡±

    She sniffed at me, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend.¡±

    Where was she learning all these words? Just a week ago, she could hardly speak! Regardless, I hadn¡¯t handled this well. Obviously, I¡¯d taken her in as my daughter. However, I wasn¡¯t treating her with the same concern as my other children. In response, I just nodded at her, ¡°You¡¯re right. I haven¡¯t known you as long as the others. When you were a baby, you didn¡¯t cry or make a mess on me. I don¡¯t have as much invested.¡±

    Constance sighed and poked me in the arm, ¡°Now isn¡¯t the best time to pour out your heart. We need to get her to her bedroom before men start arriving.¡±

    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know what she meant. Obviously, she was wearing pants, and without her gambeson, it was more obvious. However, that wasn¡¯t what she was referring to. ¡°Ah! She¡¯s injured.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Constance nodded. In other words, it was better for us to hide how close we¡¯d come to a disaster. If we could claim that bandits had attacked, but we¡¯d driven them off, there would be no loss of prestige or honor. However, if it was learned that they got all the way inside and injured one of my daughters, it might start all sorts of rumors.

    ¡°Grit, help me carry Eu out of the kitchen.¡±

    Eu stood up and waved Grit off with her good arm. ¡°I will walk on my feet.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see ¡­ that¡¯s good, but let me walk with you. You won¡¯t do yourself any favors if you fall over. Swift, can you come with us? Stay there. Keep Eu company and make sure she doesn¡¯t get worse.¡±

    ¡°Worse?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ the bleeding has nearly stopped now. See how the cloth is mostly at the edges? But when she moves, she might reopen the wound. Keep an eye on it. Also, she might get woozy or dizzy. Keep her seated or lying down. Uhh¡­ besides that¡­ I don¡¯t know. Just watch her!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father!¡±

    With that, I asked Constance to bar the door behind me after I went back out. After all, most of the evidence was inside, so the easiest way to hide it was to simply prevent entry.

    Back outside, HandEater was waiting for me. The men hadn¡¯t touched him and they¡¯d fled to the woods. I suppose he felt pretty proud about his part in all this. I could see how he held his head aloft and eyed me. If a horse could grin, I¡¯m sure he would have done that too.

    ¡°Good job. I¡¯ll have to promote you. If I¡¯m a squire, I guess that makes you a gentleman?¡±

    He tossed his head and stomped his front hoof.

    ¡°Gentlehorse? I¡¯m not giving you a ¡®Sir¡¯ honorific!¡±

    At this, he stomped his foot again and neighed at me.

    ¡°Fine, fine! Sir HandEater! Perhaps a military rank? Sergeant? Captain? Major?¡±

    That seemed to do the trick, since he calmed down and turned his side toward me to mount. I wasn¡¯t quite sure what his rank was, but I¡¯m guessing he didn¡¯t know either. Regardless, it didn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d claim that he was a general if it made him happy.

    ¡°Nah¡­ we¡¯re already home, friend. We can walk the rest of the way to the barn.¡±

    With those words, we set off walking together.

 Chapter 49 - The Hunt

    By the time evening rolled around, I¡¯d managed to calm down my neighbors. As soon as I¡¯d thought of it, I¡¯d sent runners to follow the first to explain that the situation had been averted. Even so, several nearby landholders appeared to help, armed to bear and ready for action.

    Some of them were genuinely concerned for my well being. With these visitors, I could offer my sincere thanks and the good news that nothing of importance had been stolen or damaged. Naturally, I didn¡¯t mention any of my family were threatened. Justice wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    Others arrived looking for gossip. These wanted to hear the whole story and see the evidence. After all, a bandit attack so near to the Duke¡¯s seat at Emberwell was unheard of. If I wasn¡¯t careful, the whole story would be sensationalized, and I¡¯d be answering questions until the end of time.

    The last sort of visitors came looking for glory or vengeance. These often had prior experience dealing with banditry, lawlessness, or theft. One nearby baron in particular turned up with all of his sons in his vanguard, plus more armed men following behind him, as well as trained hunting hounds. In this case, I needed to do more than just send him home again.

    ¡°Squire Deft, I ask for your leave to track these villains across your lands!¡±

    Even though he¡¯d addressed me without even leaving his saddle on my own lands, status demanded that I kneel to his superior rank and status. He didn¡¯t seem to notice while scanning around the property, looking for evidence of the attack. Regardless, I could hardly refuse without suspicion. ¡°Baron Able, you have my full blessing - though I fear the culprits are long gone.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see. Indeed, we¡¯ll see.¡± I could see his sons hardened faces behind him. Apparently, his whole household had a personal vendetta with bandits. A helpful man to have around - if he wasn¡¯t so deadly serious about everything.

    ¡°Do you really think you can catch them?¡±

    ¡°My hounds can track a man across broad water. Unless they¡¯ve left the borders of our Duchy, I¡¯ll have them gutted soon enough. How many were there?¡±

    ¡°¡±Two hands, give or take. Though there may be more. There was an old man on a mule that they used as a spy. He was dressed as a friar, so you¡¯ll need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Bandits often employ ruses such as that. Pilgrims, merchants, clergy - they¡¯ll take any guise that lets them prey on those who are unfamiliar with their methods.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll wish you luck then. Since I have a smaller household, I¡¯ll be protecting my own home, otherwise, I¡¯d ride with you.¡±

    ¡°What about your son? Grit, was it? Perhaps he¡¯d like to learn how to hunt men.¡±

    ¡°Not today. He¡¯s too angry to think clearly right now. He wouldn¡¯t be able to comport himself well.¡±

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    The baron smirked again. ¡°An important lesson to learn, but I understand. Perhaps next time he can ride with me - when the culprits haven¡¯t wronged him personally.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him. He¡¯s still young though, give him a year or two.¡± At first glance, the baron¡¯s suggestion seemed like a good offer. Grit could make contacts, form alliances, and even learn some tricks of the trade. However, I¡¯d only want him to take on such tasks with a cool head. Justice and spite don¡¯t mix.

    ¡°Indeed!¡± The baron seemed to be stuck on that word? ¡°I imagine he¡¯s never seen a true battle before. Though, this might be his first chance.¡±

    ¡°Another time, you¡¯ll have to forgive me as his father and teacher.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Now then, can you set me on their trail? Better yet, did they drop anything to give the scent to my hounds?¡±

    I took him to the rear of the house and pointed to the crushed grass and hoofprints that the horses had left. However, we didn¡¯t find any evidence. Regardless, his hounds were busy sucking up air in their large noses from where the men had been standing a couple bells prior.

    ¡°Your dogs can really chase them down?¡±

    ¡°Indeed! Nothing can save you once my hounds have the scent. You can¡¯t hide, you can¡¯t swim, you can¡¯t even burn your clothing. There¡¯s no escape beyond distance. If these are experienced men, they¡¯ll run and keep running. Even if they split up, we¡¯ll still catch one of them, and he can lead us to the others.¡±

    ¡°But, how will they know which scent to follow? This is my house.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be any moment now. Just be patient.¡±

    As they searched the grass, the hounds seemed to find something. All of them gathered around one particular spot, putting their noses to the ground.

    ¡°What did they find?¡±

    One of the baron¡¯s men approached to inspect the area, kneeling down into the grass to look. ¡°It looks like blood. Was one of them wounded?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­ yes. My son managed to stab one of them.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say there was an exchange of blows. This was Grit? I¡¯m glad to hear it! Perhaps he¡¯s not as young as you think?¡±

    I could hardly explain that it was actually Eu who had done it, so I just nodded along. Saying nothing would raise Grit¡¯s reputation unfairly, but the only alternative would be disastrous.

    The baron turned to his men, ¡°These are my blood hounds. Can they track using the blood?¡±

    ¡°No sir. The blood itself won¡¯t help. However, the scent of the man who was bleeding? It looks like he rested here in the grass. It should be easy.¡±

    ¡°Indeed? Then, set the hounds to track. My men will follow close behind.¡±

    When the man gave a signal to the dogs, they responded with a chorus of howls. It was terrifying. It was like the gates of doom had peeled open to loose the angry dead. No wonder then that hounds are often pictured as the tempter¡¯s servants.

    ¡°Fare well, Squire Deft. I¡¯ll mete out vengeance for your honor.¡±

    I was still shaking from the wail of his hounds, but I bowed deeply. ¡°My thanks, Baron Able. May the heavens grant you favor and your enemies justice.¡±

    With that, he and his men were gone like a whirlwind. They swept across my back fields, following the path leading to the woods beyond. Horses would be slow to move though the terrain, which is probably why the mercenaries had fled in that direction.

    Regardless, it wasn¡¯t my problem now - although it may become so later. It wasn¡¯t just or fair, but my fondest wish was that the mercenaries could escape without harm. Alternately, I hoped that they¡¯d fight to the death rather than accept capture. Not only would death in battle be less cruel, the¡¯d have no chance to report the full story of how close they¡¯d come to success.