morning.”
“I’ll come with you,” Jiron says.
“Fine,” he says. Suddenly a big yawn escapes him. “Any questions?” He can see they have questions in their eyes but none speak them. “In that case, I’m heading to bed.”
“Good night James,” Tersa says.
“Good night to you all,” he replies and then heads to his room. After he leaves the front room he can hear them beginning to talk in greater detail about what went on as well as the events in Willimet. He finally makes it to his room and closes the door. Getting undressed quickly, he wriggles under the covers and is soon asleep.
Chapter Eighteen
The following morning finds Illan out with the recruits putting them through drills. Ever since he moved the practices from outside of James’ window, he has been able to get a good night’s sleep.
Getting out of bed, he puts on his clothes from yesterday and goes to the kitchen to have breakfast. Ezra has a plate ready for him and he takes a seat next to Arkie who is in his high chair. “Has Dave come out of his room?” he asks her.
“Haven’t seen him sir,” she replies. While they were gone she had Roland fix an oversized pantry with a pallet for Dave. She felt the master of the house shouldn’t have to share his bed.
He’s worried for his friend. The last few days on the way back, he had been quiet and moody. He continues to think on his friend until something wet and soft hits him in the side of the face, the side facing Arkie.
He turns to see Arkie there with a big smile on his face and another handful of his breakfast arched back and aimed at James. “Don’t you dare,” James says to him, amused.
“Arkie!” his mother cries just as he throws it at James.
He ducks but not fast enough and a handful of squishiness hits him in the head just above the ear. Arkie lets out with a jubilant squeal as he reaches for yet another handful.
Ezra rushes over to him, intending to punish the boy for treating the master of the house in such a manner. She begins talking to him rapidly in the Empire’s tongue and the smile on his face quickly disappears. Grabbing the arm which has the handful of food poised to hurl at James she slaps his hand.
Dropping the food, he looks to his mother, eyes beginning to well tears and lets out with a cry.
“I’m sorry sir,” she says to James.
“It’s okay,” he replies, more amused than upset. “I was going to head out for a bath anyway. Don’t be too hard on him.”
“He has to learn right from wrong now,” she says. Giving her son a stern glare, she sees him reaching for another handful of food. She brings her hand close to the one reaching and holds it over his hand as she gives him that look. The look all mothers give their kids when threatening a punishment if they don’t stop what they’re doing. Obviously Arkie hasn’t learned the subtle nuances of facial expressions yet and takes the handful.
Slap!
Her hand comes down and strikes his hard. Not hard enough to hurt, just hard enough for him to know he did wrong. “No!” she says sternly.
After getting the food mostly out of his hair, he hurriedly eats the remainder of his breakfast as he watches mother and son out of the corner of his eye.
Crying, Arkie looks to his mother, hurt and upset. His bottom lip is out and tears stream from both eyes. He begins reaching for another handful and her hand again moves to hover over his.
You better learn kid, James thinks as he puts the last forkful of eggs in his mouth.
Never taking his eyes from his mother, Arkie moves his hand closer to the food and she raises her hand slightly while at the same time cocking her head to the side. “No,” she says.
Pulling his hand back, he gives James a hopeful look.
“Don’t look at me,” he says. “I may be master of the house but she’s your mother.” To Ezra he gives her a quick smile and then gets up from the table. Patting Arkie on the head he returns to his room and collects a set of clean clothes as well as a cupful of soap.
After he passes back through the kitchen and goes outside, Miko sees him and hollers that he’ll join him. Racing back to get his things, he soon catches up with him at the bathing pool.
The morning air is crisp, he’s not sure how many more mornings he’ll be able to endure the cold water. Each day seems to be getting colder and colder. The days where he would linger in the water are past. Scooping out some of the soap, he quickly cleans himself as well as his hair.
“Arkie get you this morning?” Miko asks amused.
“Twice,” he replies.
“He nailed me earlier,” he tells him with a grin. “Ezra sure has her hands full with him.”
“It’s just a stage, I hope,” he says.
“Coming with me to town today?” James asks.
Shaking his head, he says, “No. Roland says I’ve missed too much time at the class and am starting to fall behind the others. He wants us all to be doing the same, says it’s easier that way.”
“I can see where he would want that,” he replies.
“Seen Dave yet today?” he asks Miko.
Shaking his head, he replies, “No. He was gone when I got up.”
“Gone?” he asks, worried.
“He does that some times,” Miko explains. “I think he likes to get away by himself or something.”
“Maybe,” replies James, worry for his friend increasing. Dave has never been one to wander off by himself. He would always try to be the life of the party and garner attention. He continues to think on Dave while he finishes his bath.
“This water is simply getting too cold,” he says when he’s finally done washing. Getting out, he dries himself off quickly. The slight breeze has caused goose bumps to arise over a good portion of his skin. Once he’s dressed, he leaves Miko in the water and returns to his room where he takes out his shaving knife and scrapes off the stubble which has grown scraggly ever since he left. Got to remember to take this with me.
Once he’s done, he rubs his face and feels much better now that it’s once again smooth. He leaves his room and goes outside where he finds Jiron has already readied two horses. Fifer is talking with him and breaks off when James approaches.
“How do you feel this morning?” he asks.
“Fine,” replies James. “Always feel fine after a good night’s rest.”
“I think Illan’s going to have us out and bring in some meat to smoke after the morning drills so may not be around when you return,” Fifer explains. Qyrll comes around the corner, swords swinging at his hips and stands beside Fifer. A definite friendship has developed between the two.
“Running low are we?” James asks as he mounts.
Looking up at him, Fifer nods. “That’s what Ezra is telling us,” he says.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks,” replies Fifer.
Jiron mounts and then they head down the road. As they make their way up the lane to the main road, James glances over to the construction site of his new house and stables. The stables are complete, except for a few of the interior walls separating the stalls. It should be done by the end of the week. The house still has another two or three weeks to go.
Sean the master builder in charge of the construction sees him looking his way and gives him a wave. James returns it.
They find Uther at the guard shack looking bored and tired. As they approach, he asks, “How much longer do we need to have someone out here?”
“Until we no longer get unwelcome visitors,” James replies. “Have there been any today?”
Nodding his head, Uther says, “One. He said he would pay you to remove a wart from his face.”
“Bad?” Jiron asks.
