Mavic's hollow eyes haunted him in the mirror as he scraped off the scraggly beard that he had hidden behind for so many...years? Was it years now? More time than in Niole Dra. More time than delving dungeons with Erold and Gregos. Almost more time than anything really. Meria, father, Gander, Felth, Buren - all gone now. Even little Serolia, all grown up and vanished, fled the manor in Keoland that he'd placed her in and run off with some hedge-knight from the Uleks. It would seem that Mavic's entire family was lost, each of them a better soul than his own, and Mavic still remaining. He frowned. His face was so old now, he looked like father. Father right after mother died maybe, or when the horse kicked him, or when Mavic saw him last. His dark eyes were fixed, unmoving, dark pits of certainty staring wide-eyed with wonder at the sky framed by the blood upon the snow.
"
I like it," interrupted from behind him. "It makes you look younger, more noble."
"
Shanna," he said, washing away the lather,"
are the boys all behaving themselves?"
"
Aye, I had to box Thom Younger a bit for making eyes at one of the serving lads though."
"
Good. The people respect us here now, because we're heroes. Heroes fade from lack of danger. They'll turn on us soon enough if we give them reason."
"
Yes, but you let me worry on that. Not everyone can look the part." Her hand, he knew, would draw up unbidden to her ruined face at that bald statement. There was nothing he could do. The giants were nothing if not thorough. Sometimes the magic isn't enough to heal the wounds. Sometimes living is the only cure.
***
The ceremonies were brief, his lads looking every bit the warriors that they were in their new red uniforms. Mavic had traded days worth of magic for those uniforms, but from the look in his boy's eyes it was well worth it. For some of them it might have been their first new pair of clothes ever, even the grizzled Merres probably hadn't travelled two miles from his farm until he'd joined up with the Reddogs. The mercenaries and opportunists were all dead and gone now, no more 'dogs from the Sea Barons for Sterich! They had all paid their dues in blood and misfortune, it did him proud to see the Larigne colors so. He'd even put on the ridiculous face paint that Shanna insisted upon, "
So the people will recognize you." It was amazing to what sorts of foolish things people would latch upon as symbols, what unplanned choices would do to stear your life.
***
Mavic's eyes burnt with hatred as he reread the letter and he crumbled the offensive parchment in a ball across the room.
"
Problem, Mav?" Eshanna said.
"
They're still trying to take it away. All away, for nothing!" he said tightly.
"
Who?" she inquired.
"
Emondav, she's taking claimants upon the manor."
Mine! his soul screamed. "
She's declared a deadline. We must present ourselves to the court in Istivin."
"
Istivin?"
"
The capital, surely you -" Mavic paused. "
How could we forget about Istivin?"
"
My aunt was in Istivin when the war started," Eshanna said quietly, thinking.
"
And I spent every spring since I was old enough to part with teats going to court with my father there."
"
Something is wrong, isn't it." Eshanna whispered bleakly.
"
Very wrong." Mavic replied. "
Still."
***
As the dewfog cleared, Mavic went to each of his men and saw to it that they were tending their mounts as they boarded the riverboat. Shanna was huddled in her customary place deep in the holds where she could "see if anything horrible happened to the boat, first." She was a worse sailor than she was a horseman, he thought wryly.
Others arrived, with surprising familiarity. Anastasia, the paladin, and the lads George and Morely. His heart panged with regret when he recognized Latalya. He would have to tell her about Buren eventually. Even the fat dwarf Reivik waddled up onto the boat. Again. Still.
Like moths to an open flame, he thought. He fingered the long red scarf that Serolia made for him.
Is it ever over?
Binding the red trail of color by tossing it over his shoulder, he threw off his hat to meet his companions and help them tend their gear.
