Brian Kittrell - The Immortals of Myrdwyer

Filadrena poured three cups of tea and dropped pinches of sugar and cuts of lemon into each. Laedron and Valyrie sat opposite her at the counter.

Handing out the cups, Ma smiled. “I’ll wager that you’ve never had a cup of tea so fine west of the Great Winding.”

“I’ve never had one at all,” Valyrie said, then sipped it. “It’s amazing, ma’am.”

“You can call me ‘Ma,’ Valyrie. Everybody else around here seems comfortable with it.”

“In that case, call me ‘Val.’”

“All right, Val.” Ma set her tea on the counter. “Did you two have a good journey home?”

They bobbed their heads at the same time.

“Good. Show her around the house, Lae. Make her feel at home.”

His eye twitched because he had expected Ma to say something else entirely. “You don’t want to hear about our mission?”

“What’s to know? I know the beginning and the end, the two most important parts for me. The middle-the journey-is for you to know.” Taking the empty cups to the basin, she glanced at them. “You’re surprised?”

“I only thought you might be interested in hearing about it.” He sighed. “Ismerelda is dead, Ma.”

She nodded, turning back to the sink. “I know.”

“You do? How?”

“We heard about the attack on the academy, and a few days later, Laren and I set out to Westmarch to find you. When we got to Ismerelda’s house, you weren’t there. Fearing the worst, we went to Morcaine to learn the details-the names of those killed, where the survivors had gone. They took us to the rows of unidentified dead, and there, we found Ismerelda. Since we knew her-I told them I was her aunt-they allowed us to take her body, and we laid her to rest here in Reven’s Landing.”

“But you didn’t find me there.” He smiled.

She lowered her chin and grinned. “But not you, my son. It gave me hope, and that hope grew stronger as time went along. ‘If we’ve had no news,’ I would tell myself, ‘that’s good news indeed.’”

“Where’d you go after that? Marac said you vanished without a trace.”

“We went to Cael’Bril, one of the few neutral countries left when the war started. Throughout the conflict, we heard rumors of a sorcerer and a handful of knights deep in Heraldan territory, and when I found out it was you, I prayed for your safe return. And now, my prayers have been answered.”

“Where is Laren, anyway?”

“She’s been spending more time by the creek of late, for she’s had mixed emotions over the last week on account of Bordric Reven’s passing.”

He blinked. “Passed? Marac’s father?”

“Indeed. An accident in the mill-a fall, if memory serves-claimed him. Did… his son survive?”

“Yes, he’s probably been home for an hour or more by now.” He glanced at the window. “I need to see him.”

“He needs his family right now, Lae. Give him some time to adjust, to grieve with his loved ones.”

“Perhaps you’re right, Ma. I’ll go this evening when he’s had some time to take it in.”

“Good.” She wiped her hands on a linen hanging from the stove. “If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve planned a feast. I’ll fetch something at the market; there’s still time yet.”

“We’ll go, Ma. It’s no trouble.”

“No, no, you rest and show Val the house. The walk and the fresh air will do me some good.” She took her traveling shawl from the rack, wrapped it about her shoulders, then walked out the front door.

“A shawl? In this heat?” Valyrie asked.

“A woman must always be proper and dress according to her status,” he said, laughing at the end. “Sorry. We posed the same question to her a number of times, and that’s what she always told us.”

“Is she nobility?”

“Gentry, I would say, but not by royal decree. The people of this village respected my father, and when he passed, they held the rest of us up in the same light, and it wasn’t just because his title had been inherited by my mother.”

“He must’ve been a good man.”

“The best, so they say.” He stood and gestured invitingly. “Care to see the place?”

She nodded and took his hand.

* * *

After Laren returned, and they’d enjoyed the fine meal that Filadrena cooked, Laedron stood from the table. “I think we’ll head over to the Revens’ house now.”

“Why not wait until tomorrow, Lae?” Ma asked. “It’s nearly dark.”

“No, I’d rather see him this evening. I can only imagine how hard it’ll be for him to sleep tonight, and I just want to assure him that his friends are there if we’re needed.” He kissed his mother on the head, took Valyrie’s hand, and promised his ma to be back soon.

Once outside, Valyrie asked, “How far is it, Lae?”

“Not far. A few minutes’ walk if we go by the old path.” He pointed out the variety of flowers and trees as they walked.

They passed the mill and approached Marac’s house, and he immediately noticed that only a single lantern had been left to burn in the kitchen window. “Strange.”

“What?”

“It would seem that they’re asleep.”

“Perhaps they don’t want to be disturbed. Should we turn back?”

“No. It’s Marac,” he said. “I can think of nothing that would make him want to be apart from me, but if he tells us to leave, then-and only then-will I do so.” He stepped up onto the porch and knocked.

After several minutes, Marac’s mother opened the door. “Yes?”

“My condolences on your recent loss, Mrs. Reven.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“I wanted to see if Marac was all right. Could we see him?”

“Yes. Would you care to come in?”

“Thank you.” Laedron stepped through when Mrs. Reven stepped aside.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met your friend before,” Mrs. Reven said.

“Valyrie,” she said, extending her hand.

Marac’s mother embraced it. “Gloria Reven.”

“A pleasure to meet you.”

Laedron turned when he heard footsteps approaching from the hall, and he saw Marac come into the living room.

“Oh, Lae,” Marac wiped his hands and face with a towel, “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I heard what happened. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“As well as could be expected, I suppose. It’s still hard to believe.” Marac rubbed his eyes, obviously concealing a tear, then joined them near the door. “How is your ma?”

“She’s well. Do you need anything?”

“No, nothing.” Marac glanced at his mother. “I have everything I need.”

“If you should change your mind, you need only to call on me.”

Marac patted Laedron on the shoulder and opened the door. “I will.”

“Good.” Following Marac onto the porch, Laedron smiled. “We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, right?”

“Of course, but I doubt I’ll drink anything.”

Laedron stared at him with curiosity, then started down the stairs, but he stopped when he saw someone walking up the path to the house. “Is that… what’s he doing here?”

Brice waved. “Marac, I just heard what happened. I’m so sorry.”

“It’ll be all right,” Marac said, holding up his hand. “We’ll have to find a way to make it through.”

“Well, my folks told me, and I had to come straight away. Are you well? Do you need-”

“No, no. Thank you for the offer.”

It’s good to see those two finally getting along. Laedron smiled. “See you tomorrow, my friend.”

“Until then.”

Laedron and Valyrie started down the path, and Brice asked, “Mind if I walk with you a while?”

“I’ve never objected before,” Laedron said.

Brice grinned. “So, I was thinking-”