it.”
“I’m glad you like it, Little One.” Red said. The pines were thinning, and the path wove between the trees. She could hear Evelyn and the boys up ahead, but had lost sight of them.
The trees thinned then, and she could see Evelyn’s white robes ahead where the path emerged from the trees. Red stepped into the sun and blinked at the contrast to the shade of the forest.
“The boys run ahead?” she asked.
Evelyn chuckled. “After an hour of guarding, they need to work off some energy.” She smiled at Brela. “But this little one is more patient.”
Brela giggled and held out her hands to Evelyn, suddenly leaning toward her. Red was caught off guard by the sudden shift of weight, but the priestess caught the child easily.
“Go see Unca ’Siah and Snowdrop?” Brela asked.
“Not today, Bright Eyes.”
Red barely heard. She sucked in a breath at the view. Acres of cleared farmland, some being tilled, some being seeded. There was a large manor house, and all manner of barns, fencing, and livestock within view. She looked in astonishment at Evelyn.
The priestess looked back. “Quite a contrast, isn’t it?”
Red looked back at the scene. “Why does Josiah stay there, when he could come here? A healthy land, with people…” Her voice trailed off as she spoke.
“He can’t.” Evelyn started down the path with the child in her arms.
Brela looked over her shoulder at Red. “Unca ’Siah pops the door.” She spoke gravely, as if that made everything clear.
“Come,” Evelyn said. “We’ve a ways to go to get to the forge.”
The boys ran back, chattering at Evelyn, which was fine with Red. She just wanted to take in the sights, and not worry about talking.
Their path took them between fields filled with sheep and frolicking lambs on one side, and cows and calves on the other. Farmworkers, men and women, raised their heads as Red’s group passed, but with a smile and a wave of their hands, they returned to work without comment. Red wasn’t much for field work, but she knew as well as anyone that the crops needed to be planted as soon as weather permitted.
The breeze now brought sounds to her: a smith’s hammer chiming, the sounds of men and animals in the fields beyond.
As they drew near to the outbuildings, Red heard a sound more familiar to her ears. The clash of sword on shield. But Evelyn and the children seemed to have no concern, so Red followed, until the reason why came into view.
It was a practice ring, with warriors sparring and watching. Greetings were called, but Evelyn never paused. She walked right up to the open doors of a forge, where a large man was seated on a stool, watching another work metal at the anvil.
“Auxter,” Evelyn called out.
The seated man turned his head, a broad man with gray hair and thick, bushy eyebrows, and a wide smile on his face. “Evie! I didn’t expect you for another week at least. What does Josiah need? Arent and her cooks baked today, so there’s plenty to be had.”
The smith, a younger, dark-skinned man, smiled but didn’t stop his work. He was folding white-hot metal, but it was no plowshare he was forming. It was a sword. A glance about showed more weapons than horseshoes along the walls. The boys were fascinated, but they stayed well back.
“Down,” Brela demanded.
“Not in here, Bright Eyes,” Evelyn said. She looked back at Auxter. “Better double the normal supplies, and double them again. And add some dishes. Josiah has company.”
“Eh?” Auxter was eyeing Red now, giving her a good look.
“Auxter, meet Red Gloves.”
Auxter nodded. “Another sword for our side, then?”
“Well,” Evelyn took in a breath, and hedged, “we need to call council. There have been some developments.”
Red mentally rolled her eyes. Best just to cut to the bone. She opened her leather armor, baring her breasts.
Auxter’s eyes bulged. The blacksmith dropped his hammer.
Brela, still in Evelyn’s arms, crowed with joy.
“I’m glad you like it, Little One.” Red said. The pines were thinning, and the path wove between the trees. She could hear Evelyn and the boys up ahead, but had lost sight of them.
The trees thinned then, and she could see Evelyn’s white robes ahead where the path emerged from the trees. Red stepped into the sun and blinked at the contrast to the shade of the forest.
“The boys run ahead?” she asked.
Evelyn chuckled. “After an hour of guarding, they need to work off some energy.” She smiled at Brela. “But this little one is more patient.”
Brela giggled and held out her hands to Evelyn, suddenly leaning toward her. Red was caught off guard by the sudden shift of weight, but the priestess caught the child easily.
“Go see Unca ’Siah and Snowdrop?” Brela asked.
“Not today, Bright Eyes.”
Red barely heard. She sucked in a breath at the view. Acres of cleared farmland, some being tilled, some being seeded. There was a large manor house, and all manner of barns, fencing, and livestock within view. She looked in astonishment at Evelyn.
The priestess looked back. “Quite a contrast, isn’t it?”
Red looked back at the scene. “Why does Josiah stay there, when he could come here? A healthy land, with people…” Her voice trailed off as she spoke.
“He can’t.” Evelyn started down the path with the child in her arms.
Brela looked over her shoulder at Red. “Unca ’Siah pops the door.” She spoke gravely, as if that made everything clear.
“Come,” Evelyn said. “We’ve a ways to go to get to the forge.”
The boys ran back, chattering at Evelyn, which was fine with Red. She just wanted to take in the sights, and not worry about talking.
Their path took them between fields filled with sheep and frolicking lambs on one side, and cows and calves on the other. Farmworkers, men and women, raised their heads as Red’s group passed, but with a smile and a wave of their hands, they returned to work without comment. Red wasn’t much for field work, but she knew as well as anyone that the crops needed to be planted as soon as weather permitted.
The breeze now brought sounds to her: a smith’s hammer chiming, the sounds of men and animals in the fields beyond.
As they drew near to the outbuildings, Red heard a sound more familiar to her ears. The clash of sword on shield. But Evelyn and the children seemed to have no concern, so Red followed, until the reason why came into view.
It was a practice ring, with warriors sparring and watching. Greetings were called, but Evelyn never paused. She walked right up to the open doors of a forge, where a large man was seated on a stool, watching another work metal at the anvil.
“Auxter,” Evelyn called out.
The seated man turned his head, a broad man with gray hair and thick, bushy eyebrows, and a wide smile on his face. “Evie! I didn’t expect you for another week at least. What does Josiah need? Arent and her cooks baked today, so there’s plenty to be had.”
The smith, a younger, dark-skinned man, smiled but didn’t stop his work. He was folding white-hot metal, but it was no plowshare he was forming. It was a sword. A glance about showed more weapons than horseshoes along the walls. The boys were fascinated, but they stayed well back.
“Down,” Brela demanded.
“Not in here, Bright Eyes,” Evelyn said. She looked back at Auxter. “Better double the normal supplies, and double them again. And add some dishes. Josiah has company.”
“Eh?” Auxter was eyeing Red now, giving her a good look.
“Auxter, meet Red Gloves.”
Auxter nodded. “Another sword for our side, then?”
“Well,” Evelyn took in a breath, and hedged, “we need to call council. There have been some developments.”
Red mentally rolled her eyes. Best just to cut to the bone. She opened her leather armor, baring her breasts.
Auxter’s eyes bulged. The blacksmith dropped his hammer.
Brela, still in Evelyn’s arms, crowed with joy.
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