The Messenger

"What should we do?" Conall whispered quickly.

"You should leave," Aiden told Silver. "They could be after you."

For a moment Silver was inclined to believe the same, until he realized one simple fact. He had been whisked home by a Fate. Unless the messenger had found a way to be spirited from one place to another, he must have left at least a day or two before the Guardian broke into the castle. It could be much longer if the man was a palace herald bringing a general message to the whole kingdom.

And since the man had come to the mayor's house, it seemed likely to be official business.

"I'm staying," Silver said softly. "You better see what it is about, Mayor."

Conall rose from his seat at the end of the table and hurried to the entrance. He stood straight and swung the door wide.

Outside, a man clad in velvety purple and gold awaited in all his pomp. He had a puffy purple cap with a black and white feather protruding from one side. His large, firm mouth was set in a determined line waiting to be recognized by the occupant of the home.

"Uh, good eve, good sir. How may I assist you?" Conall stared directly at him, his confident manner ruffling the feather of the messenger.

The thin man adjusted his ostentatious hat and turned up his nose slightly. "I come with a message from the King."

Everyone inside the house cocked their heads to one side. "We heard him the first time. Does he think we are idiots?" Kai whispered to Ethyn. Lily shushed him.

The mayor gave a pained smile. Conall had dealt with people from the palace a handful of times. They always tried to make themselves look better than other common folk. Perhaps it was just in the water there to act a cut above the rest.

"Of course. And we want to receive the King's message with due respect. Would you like to come in? Or should I gather the townsfolk into the square?"

The messenger held up his hands. "You misunderstand me. I began looking at the inn, and the people directed me to this house. I believe I am looking for one of your dinner guests." Peeking around the mayor, the herald tried to view the people within. Most of the group tried to act as if they were uninterested in the happenings at the door.

That is until Dru yelled in the clearest tone a two year old could. "Looking for me?!" It was his favorite phrase since he loved to play hide and seek, but the messenger had no way to know that. The rest of the guests stifled their laughter for fear of upsetting the royal envoy.

"Well, are you?" Conall could not help himself. He could feel his wife's glare boring into the back of his head, but he tried to keep his face neutral.

"I most certainly am not!" the messenger lost his temper for a moment. His sharp rise in voice caused the two soldiers who had escorted the herald from the palace to hurry toward the house from where they were waiting with the horses in the street.

"Is there a problem?" The sergeant laid a hand on the pommel of his sword. He was strong and had obviously earned his position through hard work, but he was not match for the Guardian inside. So when everyone tensed, it was not for their own safety, but for the sergeant's well-being that they were concerned.

"There seems to have been, uh, some miscommunication, sergeant," Conall dipped his head slightly. "I am Mayor Conall. I am simply trying to ascertain why this dignified gentleman has come so that I may assist him properly. I seem to have offended him."

The sergeant cut his eyes to the messenger. The pompous man was quick to get offended, so the soldier had no doubt that what the mayor said was true. "I am sure no offense was taken," he jerked his eyes to his companion. The soldiers stepped back but stayed close by.

Seeing the sergeant would not intercede, the messenger cleared his throat. "I do not want to take up any more of your valuable time. I have a message for Sir Samberg. Is he among your company?"

A smile bloomed on Conall's face. "You mean, Ehthyn-boy? Yes, he is here."

The young man was shocked, but he stood, his chair scraping too quickly along the dirt and flipping onto its back. With the small bit of dignity that was left, he tried to walk casually to join the mayor.

"I am Sir Samberg," he announced with only a slight crack in his voice. Then in a more even tone he added. "You have been looking for me?"

The messenger produced a paper folded tightly with a seal keeping it closed. "King Rhodri sends his greetings and asks that you honor his request." Placing his hand across his chest with his fist on his heart, the herald bowed elaborately and departed.

Conall waited until the men had exited the lane. "Come on, son, what does it say?"

"Let Ethyn look at it in peace, will you?" Katherine called her husband away with a brusque motion of her hand. "You can go into Gilbert's old room if you need a moment of privacy, Sir Samberg," she said politely.

The young man nodded his thanks and headed out of the meeting hall. When he returned, his face was pale.

"Well, what is the good news?" Silver could take the suspense no longer. He had thought about following Ethyn into the other room, but decided against it.

Rather than speak, the knight handed the paper to the Guardian. Silver scanned the note and chuckled softly. "Well what do you know..."

"Don't keep us in the dark!" Conall held out his hands and wiggled his fingers.

"Is it good news or bad news?" Kai wondered aloud.

"Depends on your point of view, I suppose. And whether or not Sir Smaberg likes to eat." Silver's eyes flashed with amusement.

"Ok that is just mean," Aristos raised his eyebrows.

"Don't tease us!" Morwenna begged. Her eyes filled with tears. The Guardian relented.

"May I?" Silver asked Ethyn.

"They will find out one way or another," the knight shrugged.

"His Majesty requests Ethyn's presence for dinner." Silver said simply.

"Seems like the princess has it bad for you after all!" Conally walked over and slapped the boy on the back. "You were not gone a moment before she begged her father to invite you back! What kind of spell did you put on her?"

"I did not put any spell on the young woman, I assure you. And anyway, it does not say the princess will be attending the meal," Ethyn countered.

"Where else would she be?" Aiden teased. He also liked the thought of the humble boy rubbing elbows with the high and mighty. "You must learn how to use all of those fancy plates and utensils properly. You wouldn't want Princess Rose to think poorly of you."

"You are having dinner with the princess!" Morwenna looked like she could swoon. Already her mind was filled with romantic candlelight and dancing in the moonlight.

Ethyn had no answer to Aiden's query. Where else would the princess eat but with her father. "Oh no, I am having dinner with the princess!" he exclaimed. His face became so white it could have rivaled a dove in purity.

"He's having dinner with the princess..." Silver's mirth was gone as he, too, had the realization. Had his sister really fallen so quickly? 'Surely not!'

His nails were digging so hard into the letter that it threatened to tear. Silver tried to calm himself and laid down the parchment. He would have a long conversation with Ethyn about proper etiquette with the princess later. When he rejoined the conversation, the topic had moved on slightly.

"You'll have to get some new fabric tomorrow, and I will make you a new tunic," Lily said brightly.

"I'll help," Katherine agreed.

"I will just wear my uniform and armor," Ehthyn argued.

"No!" the ladies corrected him.

"But maybe we should hire the tailor. We don't want any mistakes," Katherine was already tallying the cost in her head.

"Good idea. Don't worry, Ethyn, we will have this taken care of once you tell us what you want." Lily nodded and turned to Katherine, the two of them falling into a conversation about men's fashion. The men likewise made conjectures about how the upcoming evening would go.

"Why is everyone making a fuss?" Ethyn looked blankly at Silver.

"The short answer is that you just became a celebrity. Welcome to my world..." the Guardian sighed.

"I hate it already," Ethyn sat down and sunk in his chair. Everyone was talking about him without talking to him.

"Don't worry," Silver told him.

"Why? Does it get better?" the young man asked hopefully.

"Oh no," the Guardian corrected as he held up one finger "It gets much worse...but you get used to it."

Ethyn sighed and gripped his head. 'What have I done to deserve this?'