by Sandra Elsa
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Two more days brought them to Dylan’s home. His wife was outside feeding livestock when they arrived. She came out of the barn with a welcoming smile which faded as she took in the strangers in her yard. A quick inspection told her that husband and son were happy and healthy, then she turned her attention to Pink and Johann. “Who have we here?” Her tone was less than friendly.
“They’re friends, my love,” Dylan told her. “This is Johann, one of Tomas’s friends from Caryon’s campaign, and his granddaughter, Pink. They’re both mages. Young Pink has Healing skills, and we owe her our son’s life.”
Jon’s mother blanched and hauled him down off the huge warhorse, seeming to note the animal for the first time. “That’s Telgarn tack, where did you come by this horse?” She held Jon as though he weighed nothing at all and inspected him carefully. Noting the pale seam in his scalp where the hair was just starting to grow back and the slight discoloration rising above the open buttons at the top of his shirt. “I told you he was too young to start patrolling,” she accused.
“You were right,” Dylan agreed. “He won't go out again until he's properly trained and of a size to take care of himself. He just begs so hard every time it‘s my turn to patrol. It’s been so quiet—nobody’s seen any enemy troops across the border in months.”
He gestured to Pink and said, “Pink has requested training in the use of weapons. I think it would be the perfect opportunity to start Jon in regular training as well. This way he'll have someone to spar with more on his skill level.” He looked at Pink’s slight frame, then with a lift to the corner of his lip, he added, “And more his size.”
Valla pursed her lips, looking from Dylan, to Pink and then at the pale skin on Jon’s head. “I appreciate what she has done for our son and I’ll gladly pay her a Healer’s fee, but we haven't the space to put them up.”
Johann started to speak, “If it’s too much...”
Dylan cut him off. A sharp glance at Johann, was followed by a firm look toward his wife. To Johann he said, “You saw the size of that wolf. Lady Pink would be more comfortable being able to protect herself. Wishing for a little time to learn the skills of self-defense is not asking too much.” Turning to his wife, he said, “I've already given my word to her. I will not be made to go back on my agreement. They may sleep in the stables, the gold you wish to pay for her services, may be spent instead on extra food. It won’t hurt us to have some company for a change.”
Pink looked at Dylan. “I don’t wish to be a burden on anybody. I release you from your promise.” Turning to the woman hovering over Jon, she said, “I apologize for any trouble I’ve caused. There are just things out there that I’d prefer to be able to defend against.”
Dylan spoke in a strident tone. “Valla, it isn’t right to turn her away. And as I said, Jon needs to learn. Next time he runs into an enemy soldier spying through our lands he may not be so fortunate. There might not be a Healer close enough to save his life, whether Pink stays or goes, I ‘am’ going to teach Jon.”
Dylan hit the heart of Valla‘s objections. It was obvious to Pink that this argument had been fought before.
Valla looked at her son and then back to where the strangers waited. “Yes,” she said slowly, “I wish that it wasn’t necessary for him to learn weapon skills, but he will be safer knowing them. Especially since he seems determined to follow in his father’s footsteps.”
A tentative smile crossed her face. Extending her hand to Johann and Pink, she said, “Forgive me for being rude. Of course you may stay. For saving my son’s life you're more than welcome here. I’m afraid you will need to sleep in the stables. You’ll find them quite comfortable this time of year.” Following a glance at the barn, she continued, “You’ll eat with us of course, but our house is small. Your horse is also more than welcome to a stall.”
Angel shook his head snatching the loosely held rope from Pink‘s hand. Pink looked at Valla. “The stable will do fine for us. I don’t believe Angel will be comfortable in a stall though. As long as the weather’s good he can roam.” She removed the rope from his neck and turned him loose.
Valla objected, “You can’t just let him go. Our property isn’t fenced, and he’ll get in my vegetable garden. How will you catch him again?”
Angel turned around and walked back to Pink without her having said or done anything. Pink asked him, “You will stay out of the garden won’t you?” He shook his head up and down, agreeing to the request, then turned around and headed for the tall grass in the middle of the field.
Valla’s mouth gaped, Dylan smiled. “He’s an unusual animal. Why do I suspect I owe my son‘s life almost as much to him as to you?”
Pink just grinned.
Dylan helped them carry the packs into the stable and left them alone to set out bedrolls. Pink dug out the brushes they bought back in Trell and went to the door of the stable to find Angel waiting.
She curried him thoroughly, praising him while she worked, for his bravery with the wolf. She brushed him until his coat glinted in the evening sun, a reflection of sunlight that seemed to include more colors than the black of his coat. She gave him a handful of grain as a treat, then he returned to munching the thick grass. Johann tended the warhorse.
They scarce had time to finish stowing their gear and caring for the horses when Valla called them in for supper.
While they ate, Johann related the story of how they’d met Dylan, to Valla. Afterwards, Dylan left the house, went to the stables, and took out one of the smaller saddlehorses. He told his wife he’d be right back, then rode south down the valley.
“Where’s he going?” Pink asked.
“He must go report. There’s a farmer just down the valley who raises birds—they carry messages among the guards. He'll alert the others that he ran into a Telgarn, and warn them the grove may not be safe. That way they'll all know to watch for enemy soldiers and unusual wildlife. What he said before is quite true.” Valla started collecting dishes from the table, and Pink stood to help her.
When the dishes were soaking in the wash tub, she continued, “It’s been so quiet here for the past several months we got lulled into a false sense of security. I would never have let Jon go with his father if they had so much as sighted a Telgarn scout recently. Living in peace is just a dream.”
Pink shook her head, “I’ve been living in a remote town in the Swa Caran range we rarely hear news of any sort. What trouble have these soldiers caused?”
Valla’s jaw dropped. Closing it with an audible snap she said, “I’m sorry, I guess I just can’t imagine anyone not knowing of the difficulties between Ronan and Telgar. They have gone on for generations. I guess if you lived up in the mountains you probably wouldn’t know of the war.”
Pink was certain Mistress Henna would have known of a war, but as a slave, such distant things never impacted Pink’s world. She didn’t correct Valla’s statement.
Valla looked at Johann and asked, “Didn’t Dylan say you fought for King Caryon?“
Johann glowered at her, “Yes, he did. What I choose to shield my granddaughter from is not your business. I will not allow Lorth to use her the way his father used me. I gave them the opportunity to defeat Telgar once and for all, and they chose to withdraw instead.” He leaned back in the chair he occupied, his hazel eyes searching Pink and then Valla, his voice was harsh as he said, “So many lives, and they let victory dwindle away. I deserted that day. They could not coax me back into their Corps and they did not have the strength to force me. A seer predicted loss if they drove on, and they chose to listen to him, after they convinced me to do their bidding.”
Chapter 12
