Bad News

Ethyn burst through the front door, surprising Silver and sending a poof of dust along the dirt floor. He could have come back through the tunnel, but his news was too urgent. Besides, his ribs were still angry with his last wriggling in the dirt and he wasn't sure he could manage it again.

Silver took in the dirty young boy in front of him. "What are you doing outside? I thought you were still sleeping."

The boy collapsed on the floor, sending more dust into the air. The Guardian scooped him up into his arms and set him on a chair. He could smell a familiar scent on the boy's clothes. Silver's eyes narrowed.

"Where have you been?" he asked darkly.

Ethyn shook his head as he tried to catch his breath. "Sage...help….bad…man…" he huffed. His lung ached with even that small effort.

"What?" Silver struggled to comprehend his words. "We'll talk about how you got past me and why you saw Sage in a minute, but first, calm down. Catch your breath or you will pass out." The Guardian's face, unhooded and visible in the morning light, was riddled with concern. He filled a cup of water and set it in front of the child.

As Ethyn bent over the chair to let his head rest on the table, he sucked in air and released it slowly. After a while, the boy took a drink to quench his dry throat. When he was finally able, Ethyn spoke. "I went to Sage's house."

Shocked, the Guardian's eyes opened wide as his lips parted with a dissatisfied grunt. "At this hour of the morning? And without telling me? What would possess you to do that?"

Silver crossed his arms and sat down next to Ethyn. Now that he was no longer concerned for his friend's well-being, he no longer felt the need to hover over him like a honeybee. His young friend and the lovely brunette never got along, and it seemed like the fighting had begun early this morning.

"I went to yell at Sage." Ethyn said honestly. He saw no reason to hide his intention with the Guardian. "I wanted to give her a piece of my mind. I wanted to tell her to stop trying to get rid of me."

Silver nodded knowingly. "You overheard our discussion a little while ago, didn't you? I'm sorry you had to find out that way. I was going to speak to you about it, but it has never seemed the right time. While I myself was adopted, it is a delicate subject. I want you to find your place in the world, even if it is not with me. But I also want you to know I do not want to get rid of you."

"You don't," Ethyn snapped, angered by his final phrase. "You do not want to get rid of me, but Sage does. I have told you how much she hates me. She would sell me to the next traveling salesman who came through town if you let her."

The Guardian sighed. He hated that the people he cared for most were always fighting. He was always having to be the peacemaker. "You know that is not true. I think the people that Sage brought to meet you are good people. That alone must mean she likes you at least a little. Sage said--"

Ethyn picked up his water cup and slammed it on the table. Droplets of water went flying in all directions. "LIES! All she does is lie to you, and I have had enough of it."

"So you marched over to her house and yelled at her?" Silver pinched the bridge of his nose while his mouth hung half open in disbelief. "Please tell me you didn't."

"No I didn't." Ethyn shook his head vigorously.

Silver puffed out his cheek. "Good."

"Because I did not get the chance." The boy shrugged, unrepentant.

At a loss for words, Silver buried his face in his hands. Rubbing to clear his eyes, he let out an exhausted sigh. Ethyn stared at him, unsure of how to continue. The tension was great, but his news was more important.

Finally the boy could not stand the silence. He cleared his throat. "Silver, I don't know how else to say this, but Sage is going to betray you."

"What? Why would she do that?" Silver sat up straight. His friend was prone to jokes, but there was no humor in his voice.

"Because she's a princess or something like that…" Ethyn explained, his mind buzzing with all he had overheard.

Silver brought his fist to his temple and rested his elbow on the table. He gave a tolerant smile. "You are not making sense."

Ethyn tried again. "Sage does not want to be a princess, and if she doesn't betray you, she will have to go back and be one."

"I see," Silver responded, though nothing could have been further from the truth. "And how exactly does Sage plan to betray me? And betray me to whom?"

Ethyn paused and lowered his eyes, "I don't know, and I don't know. She had a man with her, but I couldn't see him."

"So you went to yell at Sage, who is actually a princess, but she was with an invisible man talking about betraying me. Are you sure you weren't dreaming?" The man asked incredulously.

Ethyn slapped his hand against his face and let out a sigh that only a child faced with an uncomprehending adult can produce. It was long, loud and imminently hostile. The ginger-haired boy lurched forward, grabbed the Guardian's shoulders, and shook him violently. "Why are you not getting this?! Sage is bad news."

Silver shook his head slightly. "You have been saying that for months."

"I know. I know! But this time I mean it. I overheard real proof!" Ethyn's gaze was steady. His determined mouth stretched across his face in a thin line.

Silver freed his shoulders and leaned back in his chair. "I will talk to Sage. This has to be a misunderstanding…"

Ethyn could not comprehend why Silver was not more upset. The fact that Ethyn had made absolutely no sense in conveying his message never occurred to the boy. In his mind, he had given a clear concise argument as to why Silver should dump the girl in the river and never see her again. But in his heart, Ethyn knew Silver would do no such thing.

"Promise me you won't let het lure you into the woods or push you into a pit or something," the boy pleaded.

Silver chuckled lightly. The thought of Sage being able to overpower him was ridiculous. "I promise," he said easily. Then his face became serious, "But Ethyn? If this is really about being adopted by Ruth and Micah…"

The young man stiffened and a wall went up between them. "It's not about that," Ethyn cut him off. "And that matter is closed. I am not going."

"Good." Silver said with a smile. "I was hoping you wouldn't. Now, can I at least have breakfast before I talk to Sage?" A loud rumbling sound could be heard from the abdomen of the silver-eyed man.

"Since I'd prefer you never talk to her again, you can do whatever you like." Ethyn retorted mercilessly.

'I am beginning to rethink this living arrangement.' Silver arched his brow and stared meaningfully at the boy.

The boy shook his head slowly, acknowledging his unkind words. "Sorry. Yes, let's eat." Then he added under his breath, "Hopefully Sage didn't poison the food."

Ethyn took a tentative bite and waited for the choking to begin. It did not matter that the meeting had happened after Sage had dropped off the food. Everything she did now was suspicious. When nothing happened, the boy took another bite and waited for death. He continued on like this throughout the meal. Silver watched in silence at the genuine struggle.

He hung his head and sighed. 'What am I going to do with this boy?'