"Aristos knows how to catch some delicious meat!" Ethyn praised Lily's absent husband as the boy polished off the last of his food. "How does he find such good game when he hunts?"
Lily giggled and pointed for the boy to wipe off the smudge on his cheek. Using the back of his hand, Ethyn only smeared it further, making Lily's laugh intensify.
When she finally calmed down, the blonde answered, "My husband says the key to good hunting is to stay very quiet and let the animals come to you. Then when they least expect it, you catch them!" The young woman grew very quiet in her words and leaned close to the boy, suddenly grabbing Ethyn's arm on the final words to surprise him.
Ethyn jumped and bumped the table with his knees. He scowled, but was secretly very entertained.
"Is that not hard? The waiting, I mean," the redheaded boy asked when his heartbeat had returned to normal.
"For Aristos or me? The answer to both is yes. He passes the time thinking of beautiful things to carve like my precious game, and I pass the time working and keeping my most pleasant company entertained. On that note, do you fancy another round, Good Sir?" Lily inclined her head to the colorful checkered board.
"Yes, please!" the aspiring knight answered.
Pushing aside the meal, Lily and Ethyn began a new game of Knights and Thieves. The boy eagerly set up the pieces.
Ethyn was a natural, and Lily was genuinely impressed with his skill. "You are sure you have not played this before?" Lily teased with a raised eyebrow.
Ethyn shrugged, "I did something like it at home when I was little. Back then Mother always won though."
Seeing the young boy's body slump, Lily nodded slightly. She caught his eye and gave him an encouraging smile. "Your mother would be very proud of you. You seem to have inherited her skill."
"You think?" Ethyn was not sure his mother would be proud of him. After all, he had spent the last years thieving and begging to survive. But the gentleness in Lily's eye's told him she would not give false praise. "Thank you," he said finally, a warm feeling spreading through his body.
"Do you want to talk about her?" Lily prodded. She knew that one of the most valuable things a person can offer is a listening ear.
Without question, Lily was a congenial girl. Her openness and willingness to love were the reason Aristos had fallen for her quickly. The blonde was exceptionally pretty, but her inner beauty made the outside positively radiant. She had the uncanny ability to have others tell their life stories. It was a good quality in a bar maid, and when Aristos had come through town after a hunt, he had noticed her immediately.
Seeing the good man beneath the hunter exterior, Lily welcomed his advances. After a proper amount of courting, they were married. People were surprised that they decided to settle in her home town. What others did not know was that Lily had requested to stay in town and keep her job because she knew the life of a hunter's wife could be lonely. He had all too readily agreed as he wished nothing more than to watch her smile.
Ethyn considered Lily's question. It had been so long since he had really talked about his mother, but the wound was still fresh and raw. Still, Lily made him wonder if conversation might be the best medicine. He wanted to keep mother's memory alive. "She was so kind. Mother loved games, and she told me stories at bedtime. Sometimes she would send away the cook, and we would make sweet cakes together. Then we would head into the countryside and have a picnic."
"That must have been very special." Lily responded when he paused. Inwardly, she noted that Ethyn must be from a landowning family in order to have a staff. The blonde was excited that her friend's hopes to be a knight could actually be within reach.
"Back then, everything was perfect," Ethyn sighed. "I miss her." Little droplets formed around the corners of Ethyn's eyes. Without a word, Lily stood and wrapped the boy in her arms as the first sob racked his body. He buried his head in her stomach. Lily cried with him, her fingers running gently through his hair as his tears dripped onto her apron.
"It is ok to mourn the things we have lost," Lily told him. She dropped to her knees and tilted his chin up to face her. "Perhaps tomorrow morning we can take some sweet cakes and have a picnic to remember her. Would you like that?" the woman asked with a sad smile.
Ethyn rubbed the tears from his eyes with the back of his fist as he nodded. "Yes," he whispered.
Lily clapped her hands and nodded firmly. "It is settled then." They resumed their game, and Ethyn won once again. "You are beating me handily, Ethyn!"
"I think you are letting me win," Ethyn said hesitantly. He studied the woman's offended reaction.
"Do you really think I would let myself be beaten so completely?" Lily inclined her chin in mock severity.
"Maybe. Especially if the other player was particularly adorable like me." Ethyn smiled mischievously.
Lily laughed as her cheeks turned pink. "Perhaps I should lend you this game so you can play with Silver. I doubt he will find you so incredibly charming."
A flicker of curiosity flashed across the boy's face. "I don't suppose Silver has much practice playing with children," he said experimentally. He held a piece of the game in his hand to hide his interest.
"You would be surprised," the lady responded before she caught herself. At first Lily was a little horrified for speaking out of turn, but she shrugged and cracked a conspirator's smile. "Very sneaky, my young friend." She shook her finger in mock condemnation.
Ethyn was pleased to finally have someone acknowledge his suspicions. "Who was she? I know it was a girl."
Lily leaned in and looked around as if someone might overhear. She whispered, "I won't tell you much, but I will say she is the person Silver loves most in the world. They disappeared together, and now he has returned without her."
Ethyn's face went pale. The blonde was confused by his reaction before she realized his concern.
Holding up her hands to stop his worries, Lily shook her head. "No, no he didn't do anything to her. He would never hurt her. However, something must have happened to separate those two because Silver never would have let her out of his protection."
A low voice broke in, "Did someone say my name?" In the frame of the window by the door, Silver's hood and Sage's face could be made out from the firelight's reflection.
Like two children caught stealing sweets, Lily and Ethyn jumped back in surprise. "Don't do that!" Lily squealed, and then realizing she was talking to Silver, she added a polite, "Please."
"What were you two talking about?" Sage questioned with her hand on her hip, and a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Nothing." The pair responded in unison. Their innocent eyes only added to their guilty expressions.
"Mhmm." Silver nodded knowingly, but he decided to let the matter pass. "Is your husband not back, Lily?" he asked with concern.
"Not yet. He must have caught something big and needed extra time to field dress it. I hope to see him soon." Lily smiled shyly.
"Will he be at the 'reviewing of the troops' tomorrow?" There was a hint of mocking in Silver's voice.
The blonde woman chuckled lightly. "He would not miss it, Silver! It is all the men at the tavern have been talking about. You would think they were going to war."
Silver gave a half nod. "I hope it lives up to their expectations," he responded, doubting it would be true. The Guardian cleared his throat. "Well then, thank you for keeping the boy company. Are you ready to go, Ethyn?"
"Yes, sir." Ethyn popped up and nearly ran for the door. He turned at the last moment. "Thank you, Lily. Really. I will see you tomorrow morning?" he asked tentatively.
"Absolutely. I would not miss it." Lily smiled encouragingly.
Ethyn opened the door and joined Silver and Sage in the street. Silver looked off in the distance and then poked his head in the window once more. "I see your assumption was correct, Lily. Your husband comes down the lane very heavy laden."
"Oh wonderful! That is the perfect end to a wonderful evening," Lily exclaimed.