intently on his plate. Lady Pallon
continued, “I was worried for the boy against the rough swordsmen,
but to my surprise he immediately disarmed one man, retrieved the
sword and killed both with it. The other three took him seriously
at that point, but Frath never seemed to be where they expected him
to be. He tumbled and spun between the three of them and before we
knew it, there were six bodies lying on the ground around us.”
“Really?” Sheela asked in awe. “I know he’s
strong and brave, but that’s amazing.” Frath ignored them both and
took another bite of his food.
“It was also very disturbing. Have you seen
a dead body before, child?” Lady Pallon asked. Sheela paled, but
didn’t answer. Frath couldn’t tell if she had or not. Lady Pallon
nodded. “It’s a terrible sight and the young man was very messy
about the whole thing. He had blood all over his clothes and looked
quite fierce. For a moment I was just as afraid of him as I had
been of the villains.” Her laughter was light and airy as she
remembered the moment. Frath wished he could forget it.
“I thanked him for rescuing us and asked him
what reward he would have. Do you know what he requested?” Lady
Pallon asked Sheela, leaning in.
Sheela shook her head. “I have no idea. Tell
me, please.”
“He only asked that we not tell the Guard.”
She sat back and took a bite of her food. Sheela looked at Frath in
puzzlement, but he just shrugged again. When she was finished
chewing the bite, Lady Pallon leaned forward and put an elbow on
the corner of the table in a very unladylike gesture. “He wasn’t
allowed to get into a fight on his own and he also wasn’t supposed
to be out after dark.”
“If anyone had found out, I would have been
kicked out of the program and sent to jail,” Frath admitted
quietly. “I just couldn’t let those men . . .”
“And I am forever grateful, my friend,” Lady
Pallon said earnestly. “In any case, Melody and I brought him home
to clean up and gave him a safe place to sleep. We haven’t told
anyone about the incident although I don’t think he’d get in
trouble for it anymore.” She looked at Frath for verification.
He shook his head. “No. I made it through
the program and I’m an official Guardsman now. Every guard’s past
is completely forgiven once they take their final oath. That said,
I still don’t want to make a big deal out of it.” Frath felt
uncomfortable with everything that had happened that night, but
finally entered into the conversation. “The way you’ve treated me
and given me a safe place to go to since then has meant everything
to me, Milady.”
“But of course! Not only did you save us
that night, but I like you, Frath.” She smiled blissfully. “You
remind me of my husband, as I’ve told you before. You have the same
ideals as he did, rest his soul. This is always a safe place for
you and yours.” Lady Pallon gestured to Sheela to include her in
the statement.
“Thank you, Milady. This has become as close
to a home as I’ve ever had,” Frath told her sincerely. “If anything
ever happens to me, would you look after Sheela for me?”
“No!” Sheela exclaimed.
“Of course, but nothing’s going to happen to
you. I insist,” Lady Pallon said at the exact same time and stuck
out her tongue.
“Frath, nothing’s allowed to happen to you!”
Sheela insisted vehemently. Then she burst into tears. “I don’t
think I could live anymore if something happened to you.”
He put his arms around her, feeling guilty
for upsetting her. Lady Pallon stared at him through narrowed eyes
to let him know that she wasn’t thrilled with him either at that
moment.
After a minute, Sheela wiped her eyes and
sat normally. She took a bite of her food in silence, refusing to
look at him. Frath sighed and finished his plate.
Mary came into the dining room. “Will you be
having dessert, Milady?”
“We’ll take it in the conservatory with tea,
Mary.” Lady Pallon
continued, “I was worried for the boy against the rough swordsmen,
but to my surprise he immediately disarmed one man, retrieved the
sword and killed both with it. The other three took him seriously
at that point, but Frath never seemed to be where they expected him
to be. He tumbled and spun between the three of them and before we
knew it, there were six bodies lying on the ground around us.”
“Really?” Sheela asked in awe. “I know he’s
strong and brave, but that’s amazing.” Frath ignored them both and
took another bite of his food.
“It was also very disturbing. Have you seen
a dead body before, child?” Lady Pallon asked. Sheela paled, but
didn’t answer. Frath couldn’t tell if she had or not. Lady Pallon
nodded. “It’s a terrible sight and the young man was very messy
about the whole thing. He had blood all over his clothes and looked
quite fierce. For a moment I was just as afraid of him as I had
been of the villains.” Her laughter was light and airy as she
remembered the moment. Frath wished he could forget it.
“I thanked him for rescuing us and asked him
what reward he would have. Do you know what he requested?” Lady
Pallon asked Sheela, leaning in.
Sheela shook her head. “I have no idea. Tell
me, please.”
“He only asked that we not tell the Guard.”
She sat back and took a bite of her food. Sheela looked at Frath in
puzzlement, but he just shrugged again. When she was finished
chewing the bite, Lady Pallon leaned forward and put an elbow on
the corner of the table in a very unladylike gesture. “He wasn’t
allowed to get into a fight on his own and he also wasn’t supposed
to be out after dark.”
“If anyone had found out, I would have been
kicked out of the program and sent to jail,” Frath admitted
quietly. “I just couldn’t let those men . . .”
“And I am forever grateful, my friend,” Lady
Pallon said earnestly. “In any case, Melody and I brought him home
to clean up and gave him a safe place to sleep. We haven’t told
anyone about the incident although I don’t think he’d get in
trouble for it anymore.” She looked at Frath for verification.
He shook his head. “No. I made it through
the program and I’m an official Guardsman now. Every guard’s past
is completely forgiven once they take their final oath. That said,
I still don’t want to make a big deal out of it.” Frath felt
uncomfortable with everything that had happened that night, but
finally entered into the conversation. “The way you’ve treated me
and given me a safe place to go to since then has meant everything
to me, Milady.”
“But of course! Not only did you save us
that night, but I like you, Frath.” She smiled blissfully. “You
remind me of my husband, as I’ve told you before. You have the same
ideals as he did, rest his soul. This is always a safe place for
you and yours.” Lady Pallon gestured to Sheela to include her in
the statement.
“Thank you, Milady. This has become as close
to a home as I’ve ever had,” Frath told her sincerely. “If anything
ever happens to me, would you look after Sheela for me?”
“No!” Sheela exclaimed.
“Of course, but nothing’s going to happen to
you. I insist,” Lady Pallon said at the exact same time and stuck
out her tongue.
“Frath, nothing’s allowed to happen to you!”
Sheela insisted vehemently. Then she burst into tears. “I don’t
think I could live anymore if something happened to you.”
He put his arms around her, feeling guilty
for upsetting her. Lady Pallon stared at him through narrowed eyes
to let him know that she wasn’t thrilled with him either at that
moment.
After a minute, Sheela wiped her eyes and
sat normally. She took a bite of her food in silence, refusing to
look at him. Frath sighed and finished his plate.
Mary came into the dining room. “Will you be
having dessert, Milady?”
“We’ll take it in the conservatory with tea,
Mary.” Lady Pallon
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