snow off the road and pushed it aside, widening the cleared swath another two feet.
“Come on,” Bart finally said. “We still have a ways to go.” Getting his horse moving, he continued down the road.
They were able to enjoy the cleared swath for another three miles, then it turned off the road to the left. “Must be where his cattle are located,” guessed Riyan. Looking off to the left, he saw where the swath continued to the horizon. “Quite a long way he’s done.”
“Wonder if something like that wouldn’t be handy back in Gilbeth?” Seth asked. “Snow gets pretty deep there at times.”
“Maybe,” agreed Soth.
Pressing on, they passed from the cleared area made by the farmer and reentered the snow covered road. Their progress was noticeably reduced once they left the cleared swath the sled had made.
Several times throughout the day, the blanket of snow covering the ground was so level, it was difficult to determine if they were still on the road. But despite that fact, they somehow made it to the roadside inn an hour before dark.
The weather was still holding and if it continued to remain clear, they may be able to reach the crossroads by tomorrow night.
Baaaaaaa!
She stared out the window and looked to the world outside. All too often she’s found herself standing there looking out at the world outside. Not so much seeing what lies on the other side of the window, rather reliving days gone by. Days when she was not so alone.
Baaaaaaa!
A smile came to her as she reminisced about times long gone when a much younger Riyan would wake to a morning such as this. Most often he would wake her up with cries of ‘Snow mama!’ then run outside half naked to play. Back when her husband had been alive, he would as often as not be out there playing with him.
Baaaaaaa!
Her eyes turned to the pen where Black Face stood looking at her. She knew he wanted out and later on she would go out and spend some time with him. He was all that she had left of Riyan now that he’d gone of to Gilbeth and joined the Warriors Guild. She was happy that he had found something that he enjoyed doing. True, she worried about him as his chosen profession was fraught with danger, but at least he had one in which he could hold his head high.
Baaaaaaa!
“Later Black Face,” she said quietly. She turned from the window and returned to the table where she had left her half eaten breakfast. Picking up her fork, she pushed her food around the plate until realizing it no longer held any interest for her.
Nowadays, the only breaks to her loneliness were the days Freya paid her a visit, and when Raestin was in the area. During his last visit, which was over two weeks ago, he had explained to her that once the snow fell he would winter his caravan in Terix, a sizable town east of Quillim midway to Byrdlon’s capitol of Aquillian. He said he might ride on his own to visit her, but when that was likely to happen he couldn’t say. “It all depends on the weather,” he had explained.
Baaaaaaa! Baaaaaaa! Baaaaaaa!
Outside, Black Face suddenly began baaing excitedly. He only did such when someone was approaching. Getting up from the table, she hurried to the window hoping it would be Raestin that Black Face was making the fuss about. But when she reached the window and looked out, saw that it was an unfamiliar man riding through the snow toward the house.
Bundled as he was in winter garments, she wasn’t able to get a good look at him. For a brief moment she thought it might be Riyan, but quickly realized it was neither him nor Raestin. Moving away from the window, she went to her door and locked it. A woman living all alone in an area where the closest neighbor was a mile away couldn’t be too careful.
Baaaaaaa!
The stranger glanced over to where Black Face was making such a fuss, then turned his attention back to the house. At his hip hung the scabbard of a longsword and from where she peered from the corner of the window could see what had to be an unslung bow wrapped against the weather across his back.
She watched as he rode to the front door and dismounted. Her eyes went to where Riyan’s staff leaned against the wall by the door. Reaching out, she took it. Not nearly as good with it as her son had been, still, the feel of it in her hand gave her some comfort.
With staff in hand, she positioned herself next to the door. From the other side came the sound of footsteps as the man approached the door. Ever since an assassin had come and tried to kill Bart, she had feared someone would come searching for him. Closing her eyes, she prayed this man had nothing to do with that.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
For a moment she thought about being quiet and pretending no one was home. But then she realized a fire burned in her fireplace and the man had to have seen the smoke rising from the chimney. “Yes?” she asked through the locked door.
“I’m looking for Riyan Borenson,” the man replied. “I was told he lived here?”
She relaxed the grip she had on the staff. “He used to,” she replied. “He moved to Gilbeth and has joined the Warriors Guild.”
“Oh,” the man replied.
She stood there leaning against the door waiting for the man to leave. Surely he would now that he knew Riyan was not here.
“May I come in and talk with you then?” he asked. “It’s kind of cold out here.”
Like I’m going to open the door for a complete stranger, she thought to herself. Remaining firmly against the door, she asked, “What do you want?”
“I’m looking for information,” he replied. After a moment’s pause, he said, “I promise I won’t hurt you.”
An honorable man would honor such a promise while a dishonorable one wouldn’t. She wasn’t about ready to open the door to find out which kind he was. “About what?” she asked.
The man on the other side remained silent for several seconds, most likely waiting for the door to open. When it didn’t, he asked, “Would you talk with me at the inn in town? What’s its name? The Starling…”
“ The Sterling Sheep?” she questioned.
“That’s the one,” he replied. “It’s really too cold to stand out here and this is important. Will you meet me there in say an hour?”
She almost immediately refused him. But then, what else had she to do? And if this did have something to do with Riyan, she would be wise to find out what’s going on. “Okay,” she replied. “I will meet you there in an hour.”
“Thank you ma’am,” he replied.
She could hear his footsteps as he moved away from the door. Still gripping the staff, she moved over to the window and peered around the edge. The man had returned to his horse and was swinging up into the saddle. He then turned his head toward the window from which she was staring. Their eyes locked for a split second before he turned his horse and headed back into town.
Kaitlyn Borenson kept her eyes on him until he moved out of sight. Thoughts of what the man could be here about flew threw her mind. First she thought that maybe Riyan had gotten himself into trouble. Then she thought that perhaps this was a man whom her son had met while at the Guild in Gilbeth. Either way, she had to find out what he wanted.
She stared out the window a few more minutes until he was out of sight. Once he was, she quickly put on her winter coat, boots, and wrapped a scarf around her neck to keep warm. Then she banked the fire in the fireplace before going back to the window. She cast one more glance outside to make sure the man hadn’t returned before opening the door.
Baaaaaaa!
Black Face greeted her excitedly as she emerged through the front door. He was practically hopping up and down in his happiness to see her.
“Sorry boy,” she said. “But I can’t take you out right now.” As she turned away from him, Black Face came to
