Reluctant Hero

Silver's joke on cowardice was met with appreciative laughter. 'If only they knew it wasn't really a joke…' the Guardian grimaced.

There had been a time not so long ago when he had left daisy to graze while he took his own lunch in peace by the main stream which ran nearby Rynnlee. How was he supposed to know that Katherine's radish field was right there or that they were her pride and joy?!

But oh did Silver learn quickly! By the time he noticed the lovely horse devouring all of her favorite snack, it was too late. Dragging the mare away, the Guardian had quietly uttered an unanswered plea to Hanna to fix his mistake.

If Katherine ever discovered his accidental treachery, well...he didn't want to think about how many delicious meals he would be missing while enduring her disappointment. He was quite serious about running to Marek to avoid it.

The people around him began to chatter about the display they had just seen. Aiden seemed quite content with the way things had gone, even if he would be bruised and sore tomorrow.

"I cannot top that, people of Rynnlee. You may as well all go home!" Aiden raised his hands like a performer and was met with a myriad of applause and well wishes. Then slowly but surely, they returned the practice weapons that were borrowed and dispersed.

Silver helped the soldier secure all the gear and load it on a small handcart. "Thank you, Silver," Aiden said as the last wooden weapon was added to the load.

"For what? For trying to avoid you so you could call me out on it? Or for circumventing whatever your lesson was to give one of my own. Or was it for injuring you badly enough that you won't be able to get this cart home by yourself?" Silver watched the marshal wince as he reached for the handles.

The last hit Silver had given, although not nearly as strong as it could have been, was still very powerful. He gently moved the man aside and took up the cart himself, whistling for Daisy to follow.

"Thank you for all you do, Silver. It can't be easy. Of all the places you could be, of all the people you could be with…for some crazy reason you still choose Rynnlee." Aiden looked around at the sleepy town. A Guardian could choose a far grander place to be than a border town.

Silver felt a little bad. "You know I don't really have a choice in the matter. The Fates placed me here for some grand design."

"You always have a choice; we both know that. If you didn't, Borit would have died by your hand long ago." Aiden had been there the moment Silver had made that choice.

Like the Guardian, he had been wronged by Borit more than once. The commander had taken away Aiden's livelihood and held him captive along with the rest of Rynnlee.

But like Silver, the marshal realized that taking the man's life in anger and revenge would make him just like the monster he despised. There was no solace in murder.

"Instead of killing, you set yourself free of his influence. It was a far stronger move than breaking his neck. An impossible move for a lesser man." Aiden pressed his point as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Maybe…" Silver was not sure.

There were times where he thought not killing Borit had been cowardly. But in his gut he could not say that he lacked the courage to take the man's life. It had taken a lot of self control. However, others probably could have made the call with far less of a struggle.

"Definitely. You may be a reluctant hero, but you are a hero none-the-less. I know you won't be with us forever—what with the grand design and all— but I'm glad you are here for now. So, thank you." Aiden dipped his head.

Silver wasn't sure what to say. Compliments and kind words were uncomfortable for him. "What is with all the flowery affectionate words and the motivational speech? That is what we have Conall for."

"Well, he wasn't here, so I stepped in. I must admit it did feel a little weird." Aiden chuckled.

"You'll make a good husband." Silver tried to return a compliment, but then realized he let something slip. His shoulders tensed.

"Conall told you..." Aiden placed his face in his palm.

"That you are going to propose? No! Never..." The Guardian chuckled after he saw the other man's reaction.

The mayor was the worst gossip in town when it came to social things and yet he could keep real secrets as well as a vault. Conall was a complicated individual.

The pair reached the house and Silver set down the cart by an outside wall. It would be used again tomorrow or the next day, so there was no need to stow it further. And if the village children tried to take a wooden sword or two for their own play, then they would earn a lesson from the marshal both on the evils of theft and how to more effectively use their stolen weapon.

Silver covered the cart with a weather-proofed blanket and turned to Aiden. An awkward pause stretched between them.

"Do you want to come in for a bite or a drink? You know, to celebrate my upcoming nuptials…assuming she says yes." Aiden winked.

"She will say yes, but alas, I cannot. I have to go see a man about a horse." Silver jerked his thumb at Daisy, who was looking at the two with a judgmental expression as she snorted.

"I see. Feel free to stop by afterward, then. I could use the company. We could talk about school teachers and any other women you would like to discuss..." Aiden drew out his last words hoping he had not stepped on the Guardian's toes.

'Ah so that's his game. The demonstration and now the invitation to dinner. He is worried I will be lonely.' "I may take you up on that." Silver said in spite of himself. Surely spending time with the marshal would be preferable to a night of contemplative brooding at home.

Aiden seemed pleased. "Good. And speaking of women, I should have asked earlier: did your sister get off alright?"

'Nice segue way,' Silver smirked at the lack of smoothness in the marshal's speech. "She got off well yesterday and should be nearly home by now if she isn't already."

"Yes, well, I look forward to hearing more about it later... I don't want to keep Daisy from her comfortable stable any longer. She seems like she might eat me instead if she doesn't get some fresh hay soon." The marshal glanced toward the horse and then away.

Daisy was indeed tired of these humans' antics. Why were these men being so chatty? And not saying exactly what they thought. Were they really so worried about expressing their feelings? When horses were feeling something, they just told the rest of the herd. Humans made no sense at all.

Daisy was so anxious that she missed the two men's goodbyes. Before she knew it, Silver was pulling at her reins and leading her toward the inn. His pace was too slow for her and she nudged him less than gently with her head against his back to get him to hurry up.

"I don't need a wife," Silver scoffed over his shoulder, "not when I have you to boss me around."

If horses could talk, Daisy would have happily answered, "and don't you forget it!"