A great thane came to greet the two of them. Jacob shied away from the large dog as it barked. Meanwhile, Briar dismounted and held out a hand to the pup. It approached him tentatively, sniffing at his outstretched hand before licking it affectionately.

“Ease yourself, Jacob.” Briar said reassuringly. “Tupkins doesn’t have a menacing bone in his body.”

“I don’t know, Master Briar. I’ve always been afraid of dogs. Got bitten once, you see, by Old Man Rimes’ dog. Wolfie.”

Before Briar could respond, Tupkins went off into the orchard. Briar followed the sound of the eager pup’s lapping as it made its way forward into the orchard. The rustling of the leaves overhead and the gentle warmth of the setting sun only punctuated the immensity of their orchard. And the coolness of the long shadows cast by the rows of trees was a welcome respite for Briar's sweat-soaked back, having been beneath the sun all day.

As they stepped deeper into the field, a young girl in the distance caught sight of them.

“Master Briar and Little Jacob. Good day to both of you.” Margaret yelled out while rustling her skirt to straighten it. She was amongst a bundle of baskets all containing freshly harvested apples.

“Who is that?” asked Eleanor, who was high above upon a ladder picking apples with a clipping tool, letting them fall into a net set up beneath the tree’s branches. From there she gathered them to bring down to Margaret, who arranged them by size and freshness.

Margaret ran out to them, calling back over her shoulder. “It’s Briar and Jacob, El.”

Tupkins was first to intercept her, and she hugged the pup before approaching the pair of them.

She reached out and hugged Briar, who returned the embrace with a soft squeeze. From there she moved to Jacob, who returned the hug with a quickened breath. Briar could have sworn he felt the heat of Jacob’s cheeks as he hugged her.

“You two are late,” Eleanor scolded as she carefully made her way down from the ladder.

“Our apologies, Lady Eleanor.” Jacob said, shyly while grabbing onto the back of Briar’s robes, shrinking behind the wizard.

“Lady Ann is with Gregory and Aldwin. They are training in the garden out back. She’s expecting you, of course.” Eleanor dusted off her hands and grabbed a basket.

“Well, we best be off then, hey El.” Jacob piped in. He grabbed Briar’s hand and pulled him along, briskly escaping any more scowls from the young Lady Eleanor.

There, they found the trio. Lady Ann with her trusty cane, Aldwin and Gregory fully suited in half-plate armour. Helmet and all. Lady Ann was guiding Gregory’s posture as he raised his sword hand level with an outstretched blade.

“You never want to overextend, unless completely necessary. Keep your elbow slightly bent in case you need to apply a small amount of pressure forward or to draw your blade back to defend yourself.” Lady Ann’s tone was steady. Yet a pause fell upon Briar’s ears, and he assuredly could feel the hairs on his back rise as he guessed Lady Ann had spotted them.

“Young Briar and Little Master Jacob,” she beckoned. “Come sit.”

To which Jacob quickly guided Briar to a nearby seat, on which they plopped themselves down. It was a small stone pedestal that served as a makeshift chair for the moment. It was Aldwin who drove his sword down into the earth with a mighty thud to address the two of them.

“So what brings a traitorous killer and his shadow here?” He asked tersely.

A moment of silence captured everyone. Aldwin, unfazed, the brutish young man let the air of uncertainty linger almost nefariously. He shifted his feet ever so slightly as if to get a firmer footing to stand upon, Briar noticed.

The wizard was stunned; he knew Aldwin never liked him. Especially when the rumors spread of his descent from Naroch to his pampering, he received here amongst his people. People he once considered enemies. People he once killed…

“Why I invited them, Aldwin.” Lady Ann said, breaking the hold of the silence that had fallen upon them as well as Briar’s reverie. There was a calm, stoic tone to her voice that suggested to Briar that she would never approve of such behaviour. “And it would be best you held your tongue. Young Briar here has been nothing but helpful to the town since his arrival. Would you not agree?”

Aldwin snorted and looked away to remove the rest of his plate armour. Near the garden, a shed housed stands that held their armaments. There he retreated for the time being.

Gregory made to follow and tugged away at his helm only to find that it would not budge, taking a moment he wrestled with it some more. Ann, barely noticing, beckoned both Briar and Jacob over to her. She sat down in her rocking chair that overlooked the garden, waiting for them to approach.

“Gregory, dear, would you be so kind as to fetch us something to drink?” Without a word, Gregory made off to do as he was bid.

“It’s good to see you again,” Briar said as he and Jacob made to sit cross-legged upon the grass. “I had nearly forgotten about your request if the Lyns had not kindly reminded me.”

“I’m glad you arrived before nightfall. Last we spoke, I believe you told me that Old Man Rimes cleared the hermit’s hut for you. I hope you find your new holdings to your liking.”

“I am glad for it, as well as Jacob’s help.” At this, the young rancher’s boy kneaded the dirt beneath his feet with his toe, and Briar could have sworn he could infer a smile in his mind’s eye in that moment.

“So, may I ask why you need my help. I doubt a blind traitor has much use around here, wouldn’t you say?”

Lady Ann shifted ever so slightly in her rocking chair, Briar assumed to face the shed momentarily. “You should forgive Aldwin. He was the eldest in the area before you arrived and feels challenged. Especially since I’ve been starting your training as well.”

“I guess.” Briar shrugged.

As the sun set beyond the mountains, Gregory returned with several glasses of water and a pitcher. He also had with him a shawl, which he draped over Lady Ann. Margaret, Aldwin and Eleanor were inside, busy preparing for supper.

“Now, before it gets any more chilly, I wish to speak of a slight task I’m hoping you two will undertake.” Tupkins rounded himself about before lying alongside the rocking chair, allowing Lady Ann to pet him. “I have a friend who has taken up a humble life as an apothecary of sorts. She has suffered much in the same way as you, Briar, with the impressions of her own home. I had arranged for you to see her. She has with her some persimmon seeds I hope to plant.”

“Do you not think this would be too dangerous a task for young Jacob.” Briar voiced a quiet concern for the young man who had been his aide throughout his time in Edinburrow.

“Aldwin will accompany you.”

“Great… And Aldwin has agreed?” Briar asked. In all honesty, he was slightly relieved. Aldwin was an expert fighter. Jacob, too, though disappointed, placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Yes. He will help guide you; he has been there once before.” Lady Ann sternly answered while rubbing the back of Tupkin’s ear, who wagged his tail in approval. “Now come you two to the hearth, where we will eat and drink. You can stay in the guest rooms upstairs. And we will talk more of your journey tomorrow to prepare.”

Lady Ann made to rise, her cane crunching the soil beneath it as it found purchase. But her efforts at first were not enough to get her standing once more. Gregory, who was nearby, made to help, but for a loud clap of a distinctive slap of a wrist. She attempted to rise again. This time, thankfully, she did, for Briar could hear the movement of her footsteps and her cane as they made their way from the porch and into her humble abode.

The family bustling about as they prepared supper, following behind the Lady of the House. He sat down, reaching out with his hand to the flat of his seat before sitting properly The clinking of dishes upon the table and the soft brush of silverware upon napkins, as well as the wonderful aroma coming from the meals prepared gave him a quick sense of bread being baked. Meanwhile, Margaret and Eleanor were arguing about placing the silverware as they made to sit, adding to the welcoming feeling he had that felt very foreign to him.

Finally, after some time, Gregory removed his helmet; the metallic sliding of inner plates against his matted, close-cropped chestnut hair was quite audible to Briar. As he imagined Gregory with a relieved smile, placing the helmet on a nearby chair. How far from the truth this may be, he would not know.

They then prayed to Lerra, the Goddess of the Heavens, before digging into the hot meals before them.

Aldwin, who was now across from Briar, remained silent but for a few curse words quickly being swallowed tightly behind sealed lips. Lady Ann made no move to scold him further. While Briar was not entirely looking forward to having to keep his company on the road ahead.

He wondered briefly how well he could trust Lady Ann’s prized pupil. He could only hope for an uneventful day tomorrow. Though it would seem to Briar that the fates have always undermined such wishful thinking…