“Just how far away is Count Volmar’s castle?”
“Oh, two days’ ride or so, weather permitting, not more.”
“And we’re going to stay on this road?”
“Well, of course! We can hardly go cross-country through the woods with the wagon! Besides, that would be a silly thing to do: the North Road leads right to the castle. Very convenient.”
“Very,” Kevin agreed, mind busy. He hadn’t dared hope that the castle would be so easy to find, even far someone who’d never been there before. Even for someone who just might happen to be traveling alone.
That night, the minstrels made camp in a circle of song and firelight that forced back the forest’s shadow. Dinner had been cheese and only slightly stale bread from the inn, water from a nearby stream, and rabbits the older children had brought down with their slings. Now Kevin, sitting on a dead log to one side, nearly in darkness, watched the happy, noisy circle with a touch of envy. What must it be like to be part of a group like that? They were probably all related, one big, wild, merry family.
But then the bardling reminded himself that these were only minstrels, wandering folk whose musical talents just weren’t good enough to let them ever be Bards. He should be pitying them, not envying them. Maybe they even envied him ... ?
No. Two of the women were gossiping about him, he was sure of it, glancing his way every now and then, hiding giggles behind their hands. Kevin straightened. trying to turn his face into a regal mask. Unfortunately, the log on which he sat picked that moment to fall apart, dumping him on the ground in a cloud of moiety dust.
Predictably, every one of the troop was looking his way just then. Predictably, they all burst into laughter Kevin scrambled to his feet, face burning. He’d had it with being babied and laughed at and made to feel a fool!
“Hey, bardling!” Berak called. “Where are you going?”
“To sleep,” Kevin said shortly.
“Out there in the dark? You’ll be warmer—and safer—here with us.”
Kevin pretended he hadn’t heard. Wrapping himself in his cloak, he settled down as best he could. The ground was harder and far colder than he’d expected. He really would have been more comfortable with the minstrels.
But then, he didn’t really intend to sleep ... not really .... It was just that he was weary from the day’s riding ....
Kevin woke with a start, almost too cold and stiff to move. What—where—AH around him was forest, still dark with night, but overhead he could see patches of pale, blue-gray sky through the canopy of leaves and realized it wasn’t too far from morning. He struggled to his feet, jogging in place to warm himself up, wincing as his body complained, then picked up his lute. Safe and dry in its case, it hadn’t suffered any harm.
Stop stalling! he told himself.
Any moment now, one of the minstrels was bound to wake up, and then it would be too late. Kevin ducked behind a tree to answer his chilly body’s demands, then tiptoed over to where the horses and his mule were tied. One horse whuffled at him, but to his relief, none of them whinnied. Although his hands were still stiff with cold, the bardling managed to get his mule bridled and saddled. He hesitated an uncertain moment, looking back at the sleeping camp, wondering if he really was doing the right thing.
Of course I am! I don’t want the count to think I’m a baby who can’t take care of himself.
Kevin led the mule as silently as he could down the road till the camp was out of sight, then swung up into the saddle.
“Come on, mule,” he whispered. “We have a lot of ground to cover.”
The minstrels would be discovering his absence any moment now. But, encumbered with their wagons and children as they were, they would never be able to overtake him. Kevin kicked the mule; frisky from the still chilly air, it actually broke into a prance. The bardling straightened proudly in the saddle.
At last! He finally felt like a hero riding off into adventure.
By nightfall, Kevin wasn’t so sure of that. He was tired and sore from being in the saddle all day, and hungry as well. If only he had thought to take some food with him! The mule wasn’t too happy with its snatches of grass and leaves, but at least it could manage, but the few mouthfuls of whatever berries Kevin had been able to recognize hadn’t done much to fill his stomach.
Overhead, the sky was still clear blue, but the forest on either side was already nearly black, and a chill was starting up from the cooling earth. Kevin shivered, listening to the twitter of birds settling down for the night and
