Ethyn sat at Lily's table with his fists against his cheeks. Straightening the coverlet on her bed for the hundredth time, Lily brushed back her hair from her face and then checked the stew pot over the fire. The blonde cleaned and dusted until the child's head spun.
Aristos, who had been sent to chop some wood, came in with an armload of timber for his wife when he spotted the boy. "Hello, Ethyn. I am--whoa!"
Lily, blinded by the cloud of dust she had swept from the dirt floor, bumped into her husband and began to fall. When the hunter realized he could only save the wood or his wife, he let the timber clatter to the ground and captured Lily in his arms.
"Be careful, my love," he scolded her gently. "You have not only yourself, but the baby to think about. Sit down and let me take care of you."
Exhausted, Lily reluctantly obliged, taking the chair next to Ethyn. "I just have so much I still need to do. I have been meaning to redo the curtains by the window, I want to learn to weave so I can make a rug for the floor... and how good is your wood carving? We should get started on a cradle today..."
Sighing, Aristos moved behind the woman's chair and wrapped his arms around the woman's shoulders. He may not have been the most intuitive man, but he could see what was happening just now.
"There is time for all that later. For now, breathe. I know Sage was a good friend." He spoke slowly, knowing he was heading into a potential minefield. Any small misstep could cause the young woman to burst with emotion.
"I miss her so much already!" Tears welled up in Lily's eyes. She shot a glance at Ethyn and wiped the water from her cheek with the back of her hand. "I am sorry," she told the boy. "I know you two were not close..."
"But you were. Sage and I are good now. We worked through it. Do not be afraid to cry because of me." Ethyn gave his best words of comfort. The hunter gave the boy a grateful nod and then placed the wood in its proper place.
Then with a thunk, Aristos placed the game of Knights and Thieves on the table and sat across from Ethyn. "Perhaps we should play a game. Lily has told me you are practically an expert. Think you can beat a master?"
The two males played a dozen rounds, with most of the victories going to the hunter. However, a couple of the games went to the boy, much to Aristos's consternation. After the second time, the hunter leaned back in his chair and studied the board carefully.
"I don't get beaten by anyone except my beautiful wife, so I give you your due credit. Give me the satisfaction of another game." The muscular man began to reset the board.
Wanting to end on a high note, Ethyn yawned and stretched. "Maybe some other time, Aristos. I should head home to Silver. Surely he is back by now."
Lily, who had been watching with mild interest as she made mental notes of all the things she still needed to do, was pulled from her list making. She realized that in keeping her mind busy to avoid thinking about Sage, she had neglected the two people with her. "I am sorry that I was not better company," the blonde lamented to her young friend. "I'll be more fun next time, I promise."
Ethyn stood and hugged her. "You are the best company in the world. That little baby is lucky to have you. Can he call me Uncle Ethyn?"
"Of course!" Lily chuckled, "though do not be surprised if it is a girl." She touched her stomach as her face beamed like a star.
"It's a boy, I can feel it. Good evening!" Ethyn excused himself and headed out the door.
"Give Silver our love," Lily called after him, then she turned to her husband. Ethyn could hear her words trail off as he headed down the lane. "Now I meant what I said about making a cradle. The sooner we do it, the better. And next time you go into the city to sell meat, please buy some cloth. I want to make a baby gown made of..."
Ethyn rushed home, sure that Silver must have arrived before him. He pushed open the door, only to find the main room empty. "Silver? Are you in your room?" he called.
After tossing his small bag in his own room, the boy faced the mysterious chamber belonging to Haven. His heart unexpectedly skipped a beat. He had never been inside except for the first night he came to rob the unsuspecting Guardian, and that had only been by the light of the moon. But now he was drawn to it by a compulsion he could not ignore.
Ethyn gulped, lay his hand on the wood and pushed open the door. Inside he found a bed, a few of Silver's belongings and, most curiously, a lovely chest that befitted a young lady. Unable or unwilling to curb his curiosity, Ethyn lifted the lid and his eyes widened.
Among the small feminine clothes were a brush, a few toys, and-- most notably-- a well-loved ragdoll. It had eyes made of blue thread, and strings of sandy blonde hair which had frayed slightly with time. The boy's fingers reached for the doll and lifted it from the chest.
His heart rate quickened. Ethyn knew he was in forbidden territory, but he could not draw himself away. As he stared intently at the doll, a vision of what he thought Haven might look like formed in his mind. A blonde girl with curious blue eyes was running across a large courtyard, laughing and squealing as she was being chased around in a game of tag. She looked so happy and carefree. The boy's lips curved into an unconscious grin. He wished he could join the game too. More than that, Ethyn wished he could meet the girl in the daydream.
"No wonder Silver searched for her for so long..." he mused.
Something clattered outside, pulling Ethyn from his reverie.
"Ah! What am I doing?!" the boy panicked. He placed the doll back in her home and quickly shut the lid.
Speeding out of the room, the redhead realized that one of the plates had fallen from the mantle. Silver was nowhere in sight. Sighing in relief, Ethyn replaced the plate and went to wait for his friend outside. He knew it was the only way to break the pull that had called him to the chest in the first place.
Still feeling a tinge of guilt, Ethyn plopped himself down on the front step to watch the goings on in the street. The sun was dipping low in the sky and people were preparing to settle in for the evening. A few people were heading toward the inn either for a meal they didn't have to cook, or for a place to stay for the night. The boy's stomach grumbled.
It had been hours since Ethyn last saw his friend and even longer since he last ate. Lily had been making food, but the redhead had ducked out before his hostess had fed him. He regretted that choice now.
"Where is Silver?" He muttered dejectedly.
For a moment, the boy thought to go in search of the Guardian. However, he quickly dismissed the idea. When Silver wanted to be found, he would show up, and Ethyn would be waiting right here.
But what if Silver did not want to be found? What if, in the end, he had decided to go with Sage and live their Guardian lives together somewhere else?
"Not on my watch!" Ethyn knew he would have to search them out.
When he found them, Ethyn would find a way to become Silver's apprentice—or something— to make himself indispensable. Then Sage would have to let him stay with them. Silver was more of a big brother than a father, and he would be willing to respect Sage as an older sister. Yes, the three of them could be happy as long as he pulled his weight and didn't make waves...
Ethyn placed his face in his hands and thought hard about all the preparations he would need to make. His mind went racing. He would leave a note for Lily, of course, as she would worry otherwise, and then he would make sure to send word to Aiden once he finally found the couple. He—
"Did you sit so long that you fell asleep on my doorstep?" A voice chuckled as the tip of a soft-soled boot nudged Ethyn's foot.
The boy's head shot up, relief etched in his face. "I thought you'd gone," he blurted before he could stop himself. Ethyn leapt up tackled his friend, nearly knocking him down in an embrace.
The Guardian's voice was filled with shocked amusement. "And leave you? Never! You've got too much growing up to do for me to abandon you now. I hope you haven't been into too much trouble while I was gone."
"I went into your room and opened Haven's chest. I'm sorry!" Ethyn unburdened his guilt.
Silver froze. The faceless void pulled away and stared at the young man. Ethyn cringed until the Guardian lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"We can talk about it later."
Ethyn felt a warm feeling in his chest, and his face beamed. "I'm glad you came back."
"Me too." Silver tousled the boy's hair and gentle pushed his head to one side.
Ethyn's gaze fell to the man's waist and he regarded the rabbit that hung on a rope from his brown leather belt. "Is that for dinner?"
Silver nodded. "This little critter is what took me so long. Either it gave a good chase, or I am losing my edge." He tilted his head. "I thought it might make a good stew. I hope you are alright with a late meal this evening."
Ethyn's mouth immediately began to water. "For rabbit stew? I would wait all night!"
With a chuckle, Silver led the boy into the house. "Let's hope it doesn't take quite that long!"