Conversation

As Roland entered his room, he noticed two things.

One, Riley had brought up Roland's bag, which was a friendly and seemingly out of character thing for the man to have done for Roland.

Conversely, and totally in line with Riley's behavior as Roland experienced it, Riley was sitting in the only chair in the room, facing the door Roland had just entered, glaring at him.

"Where have you been?" Riley demanded.

Roland blinked rapidly, a bit unbalanced by the harshness in Riley's tone. He decided to use his calmest voice to try to diffuse whatever anger he had caused in the man.

"I was checking Serafina's wound and redressing it."

"Again?? How many times-- were you alone??" Riley almost leapt from the chair, his glower even more severe than before.

"Of course not!" Roland was angry and offended now. Riley's tone implied a gross impropriety. "Your sister was present and assisting the entire time."

Riley was pacified slightly, then rallied, "Well I still don't like it! And another thing! Constantly calling her by her full name as if she's some fancy maiden meant for great things. She's Finn! Just Finn. A farm girl meant for a simple, joyful farm life. No one should try and take that from her."

Roland was initially further perturbed, but it dawned on him that Riley's taunts and accusations could be born of jealousy, not malice. Several previous interactions suddenly made much more sense. The realization calmed him considerably as he assessed how to diffuse Riley's ill feelings.

"I won't try to take anything from her." This was entirely true. "If I'm not mistaken, you seem to be upset by the possibility of myself having intentions toward your neighbor," whose name he was currently avoiding, "but rest assured, if she is committed to you in some way, I will not attempt to interfere."

As much as Roland had wanted to phrase it as a question, he was terrified of what the answer would have been.

"She's not," said Riley miserably as he sank back into the chair, the wind suddenly taken from his sails.

Roland took several breaths as he waited, unsure what to say. A silence stretched tensely between the men, and Riley finally continued. The darkness in the room, save for the lamp in the corner, made him able to speak a bit more freely than he had in a long time.

"She likes me, though she might deny it. And I'm sure that would have been enough for her, eventually, back in the village." As Finn's only suitor there, he would have triumphed for lack of competition if nothing else.

"But?" Roland couldn't hold back the word.

"But now we're here, and she looks at you." Speaking the words out loud made them more real, and it hurt. Riley's face fell into his hands.

'Looks at me.' Roland turned the idea over in his mind. It filled him somehow with pain and delight, twisted his stomach in fear and elation and a dozen other emotions he couldn't name. He shook it off as he looked at the man before him.

"I'll be gone soon. You'll have plenty of time to make her look at you." He didn't like admitting this, to either of them.

"Gone?" Riley raised his eyes in suspicion, "Why?"

"I mentioned the military service to you before. What I didn't mention is that mine is coming. I have to report before my twenty first birthday or face charges of treason and abandonment of duty. That's in about two weeks. Then, I'll have a year of training and service, some in the city, but much in the wilderness. You'll have Serafina to yourself."

"A year, huh?" Though the words had been meant to comfort Riley, they failed to satisfy fully. Roland had not denied any interest in a pursuit, just the lack of opportunity.

"Yes, a whole year. After that..." He let the phrase hang in the air. It was as much a taunt as it was an inducement. Finn deserved better than to have Riley's interest remain unspoken for too long, and so did Riley. And if Riley made his intentions known before Roland left, he would get some closure.

"After that, you can come to my house and have dinner with me and my new wife." Despite the heaviness of the conversation, the jab landed lightly.

Roland smiled for the first time since the conversation began. "I'll look forward to meeting her, whoever the lucky woman may be."

Riley laughed out loud, breaking the tension. "If it weren't for her, I'd probably like you."

"You're free to like me anyway, I won't get her." Roland responded with a sad smile.

"Your confidence is reassuring. I wish I shared it," was Riley's response.

"You've got a year to find it."

"Yes, but not for a couple of weeks. Until then, watch your back." Riley joked, then blanched. "Speaking of your back, don't wear the nightshirt packed in your bag tonight."

Roland had been reaching for it to begin preparing for sleep. He drew his hand back immediately and looked sharply at Riley. "Oh?"

"Yes, well, I didn't think this was the way the conversation was going to go."

"And?"

"The healing herbs for weren't the only thing my mother had in her stores. She also collects thistles for tea. The flower's spiky petals can be extremely itchy against the skin."

"I see. Well, sleeping in clothes for me, then." Roland wanted to be angry, but the childish prank actually amused him more than he could say. All the more, because he did not actually have to suffer through a night of infernal itching.

A thought occurred to him, "By the way, what was the problem with the horses? Is Buck all right?"

"He's fine. Peach is just a troublemaker." Riley snorted.

"What? She's such a sweet horse from what I've seen of her." Roland was confused.

"Oh, sweet, but mischievous. She learned long ago how to open the latches on any sort of gate, fence, or stall she's encountered. The stable hand was incredibly irritated that every time he put her in the stall, she'd come wandering out a few moments later to explore."

He chuckled in spite of himself, and soon the men were both laughing: Roland in amusement, and Riley in relief that his prank had not been taken too badly.

As the mirth faded, they settled in for the night with an tenuous truce and understanding between them. They both knew where they stood (with each other, anyway), and the peace would last at least until the morning.

_______________________

The morning came all too quickly. Sleeping in beds again had been refreshing for the young people. Even Finn had brightened ever so slightly, though her pale complexion worried the rest.

If she noticed the decrease in tension between the men, she didn't comment on it. Both seemed in good spirits this morning, and all were varying degrees of excited to be arriving at their destination today.

Mayra, for more adventure, Roland, to be home, Riley, for the prospect of being done and heading home soon, and Finn, to be done traveling in the cart for the time being. The four ate a hot breakfast of porridge at the inn, and then packed up to face what came next.

The main city gate, Roland explained, opened at sunrise each day and closed at sundown. To go in or out at night required a special pass from the city leaders, of which there were five.

Riley had read about Klain's unusual government in the village's books. The sword-bearers of the city (those who had completed their year of military training) voted on five positions: General, Judge, Peacekeeper, Provider, and Treasurer. Once appointed by majority vote, these five people guided and guarded Klain for a period of five years. Each election rotated, so that one was held each year for one of the leadership positions.

In times of peace, the five had an equal vote in all City affairs, and the majority would act together on significant issues. Each member was tasked with carrying out a different role apart from their vote in the council. The General oversaw the maintenance of military strength, including training those serving their one year of compulsory service, and assured the safety of the city. The Judge ran a system of settling disputes between citizens. The Peacekeeper squelched crime and conducted any investigations the other leaders requested. The Provider oversaw trade and farming within and outside the city to make sure there were always ample resources available to the citizens, and the Treasurer collected taxes and calculated and distributed funding for all the governmental functions.

In a time of war, the General would withdraw as an active member of the council to focus on the war effort, but in the case of a tie, the General would break it. That hadn't been the case in over 200 years, but the General's position remained the most prestigious.

As they neared the city gate, the sheer size of the city amazed Mayra. She sat on the seat by Riley, with Roland riding Buck on the other side. Her eyes took in the huge lake that bordered one side, sparkling and clear, but deeper than anyone knew. Fishing boats dotted its glassy surface like a work of art.

"Do people swim?" Asked Mayra. When the stream next to the village rose high enough to swim in during rainy season, the current was far too dangerous to attempt it.

"During the heat of summer, sometimes. The water comes from melting snow in the high mountains and is terribly cold." Roland had never tried, but he knew swimming was part of the training he would undergo in the service of the military.

Mayra leaned forward to see the boats better, but her eyes moved on to the city itself. The walls were high and made of enormous hewn stone blocks. As they moved closer, she could see patrols walking along the top of the wall between the parapets. Behind the city, almost as an extension of the walls themselves, great grey cliffs rose ominously.

In her imagination, Mayra couldn't decide if the cliffs were benevolently hunched over to protect Klain or preparing to crush it under the sheer weight of an entire mountain.

Roland guided them to the line of tradesmen who were waiting to enter the city. Each person entering must be registered and searched, he explained. Foods and basic goods to be traded were taxed a flat fee per cartload upon city entry, while luxurious items were taxed proportionally to their value. The residents of the city also paid a yearly amount to the Treasurer.

The merchants were as fascinating as the city. Some of them had come from quite far and were dressed quite strangely; foreign delicacies could fetch a high price from the wealthy of the city's center. Riley eyed their wagons warily, understanding now why the peddler that most often visited their town had gotten a new one with more storage and hidden compartments.

Finally their turn at the gate came, and Roland spoke for them, "We are travelers, two men and two women. No goods for trade."

The soldier in charge was nonplussed, "If you have no goods, what is your business in Klain?"

"I am apprentice to Dr. Sherman, and I bring a patient for medical help."

The soldier walked to the back of the cart and looked inside. Alarmed at the red-faced, shivering woman lying half-asleep in the back, he recoiled and covered his face with his sleeve. "FEVER!"