True Strength

The ride back to Rynnlee was quiet enough. While there was not the tension that had built up in the cove, the three people had everything and yet nothing to say altogether.

Rose would have liked to have a private conversation with either one of the men with her, but with both of them side-by-side, she was unsure of what to do. With her brother, the blonde could be herself and did not need to have any pretense. The princess felt safe and comforted in his company. Silver was a safe haven for her, and Rose loved him for it.

The knight, on the other hand, was all vigor and vitality. Ethyn made her want to have witty banter. Almost all of her annoyance she had harbored toward the young man was gone, but the feeling of being alive that he gave her still remained. Being around him was an adventure.

But the calmness associated with her brother and the excitement that her lunch companion gave did not mesh well when put together. It seemed the men were having the same struggle. Rose saw the hooded figure turn his head more than once as if to speak only to sigh and face forward once more.

The three horses below them--Daisy had come with Silver but been left outside the action--seemed to be having a far more lively conversation than the humans. The mare was quite taken with Fireball's strength, and the pair nickered back and forth with an occasional grunt or whinny from young Courage.

That is not to say the ride wasn't pleasant. The weather was fine, and the sun filtered through the trees catching the last of the floating summer wisps in its fluorescence.

Rose finally settled for saying nothing at all and allowing the companionable silence to have free rein. No one disagreed.

Back in Rynnlee, the mayor was awaiting them on the edge of town. When they saw him, the trio dismounted to greet him. Although Conall had eagerly been awaiting news of Sir Kent and his men, he quickly changed his tune toward a flowery atonement when he found out what had occurred.

"Uh, my most humble and abject apologies for not seeing to the, uh, warning myself. Our stable hand means well, but he can be a bit dense. My dearest and most excellent wife, Katherine, assured me when she had the horses prepared that Haven and Ethyn would, uh, stay close by." The rotund mayor bowed. "I accept whatever punishment thy royal head envisions."

He kissed the princess's hand, causing the young woman to bring her other palm to block her amused grin.

Silver stared down at the bald spot on Conall's head in disbelief. "Surrounded by fools," he muttered.

"I am not sure I am deserving of all the attention." Rose freed her fingers from Conall and tucked them behind her back "Anyway, it was an honest mistake on everyone's part. No one is really to blame exactly," the princess said diplomatically.

"Oh no! You do not let him get off the hook that easily!" Silver took the mayor by the shoulder. "You can give Ethyn another complimentary night at your inn and personally deliver that dinner that Katherine promised me this morning when I spoke to her."

Conall had obviously not expected Silver to put him in such a spot. He was tight on his purse strings, which is why when he had run the inn the repairs had been less than timely. However, the mayor could not deny the brother of the princess of Birle. Even if the man was a close personal friend.

"It is the least I can do for such an auspicious occasion. I, uh, only hope we might be able to get a royal recommendation in the future for our humble establishment." Conall grunted as Silver pressed Daisy's reins into the mayor's chest.

"Don't push your luck," Silver answered flatly.

Conall took the hint. With a flourish, he led Daisy and Fireball away as Courage trotted faithfully behind them.

"Shall we?" Silver offered his arm to the lady beside him.

Smiling, Rose took it and walked down the lane to her childhood home. It all felt foreign and yet strangely familiar at the same time to be walking arm in arm with her brother, almost like a dream. When she reached the door, Rose instinctively knocked twice on the frame for good luck.

Silver chuckled. "I am surprised you remember that."

"Are you kidding? I still do it half the time when I enter my room at the palace. It makes my lady-in-waiting a little crazy." Rose covered her grinned mischievously.

Entering the home, both men ushered their guest to a seat at the shoddy table. Throwing back his hood, Silver glared at the piece of furniture with disdain.

Sensing another lecture about to begin, Ethyn cleared his throat. "Haven, have you ever made a table?"

"No." The princess looked curiously at the knight. "Why do you ask?"

"Silver is going to teach me how to use my strength and prowess to make one to replace the table he has. Someone very dear to him tried his hardest with this one but just fell very short. The Guardian is far too kind, if you ask me." Ethyn's voice was dripping with sincerity, which only made Silver scowl deeper.

Rose knew there was more to the exchange going on. She chose her words carefully. "My brother always has a tendency to put others first. I see no reason why this would be any different..."

"Exactly. He's just so generous, he would never punish someone for an accident--" Ethyn leaned his arm casually on the table, remembering too late just how flimsy the thing really was.

It easily gave way, the legs splintering into dozens of pieces. The knight managed not to injure his body, but his dignity was not so intact. He winced. "Seems like my true strength has overwhelmed the table."

Silver's eyes flashed. "Look what you've done...again!"

The red head quickly raised his hands in defense. "I--I can fix it. I think..."

"No need, Sir Ethyn," Rose brushed the splinters from her dress. Thankfully her legs had not been under the tabletop when it collapsed. "For surely my brother knows that it is far better that this happened now than when we would be eating. Please, brave knight, take a moment and go get changed. I will get the books from my room to make table legs. It will only take a moment." The princess politely excused herself with a regal dip of her head.

Ethyn's mouth hung open slightly. Had Rose really just used the royal tone on both of them to order them not to fight?

Looking at Silver, he had the same astonished look. The Guardian had been almost ready to throw out the young man on his ear for ruining the evening, but Haven had intervened before he had the chance.

Instead he pushed the young knight toward the bedroom door. "You heard the lady. Get changed. No one wants to see you in those stained clothes!"

Ethyn looked down at his garments. They were covered with mud and dirt as well as other things he would rather not think about. Beyond that he smelled like sweat and other people's misery. While he could not fix it all, he could certainly use some sprucing up.

On the other hand, the Guardian looked as pristine as ever. It was unfair that the man not only didn't age, he had to basically always seem perfectly good looking. There was not a scratch on his body. Or if there had been, it had already healed.

Puffing his cheeks, the young man took some water from the basin on the mantle. "Fine," He grumbled. "I will clean up, but not because you told me to."

Watching the Ethyn scurry off, Silver gave him a sidelong glance. As he closed the door, the Guardian made one final retort, "Be careful in there. I don't want my bed to break under your true strength!"