The man pulled him up easily behind him, and a moment later, Master Esra did the same with me. I swallowed uneasily when Master urged Peach and Apple on. I secured my arms around Master Esra’s waist without her needing to remind me and hung on for the ride. Thankfully, it wasn’t a very long one. 

Only a few minutes later, our small party rode into town at a quick trot until we reached a caravan of fifteen. Finnley leaned out from the saddle as we passed the three wagons hitched to large, heavily built horses, trying to see what was inside. I watched as comprehension fell over his face, the look of someone who had lived their whole lives with a family on the market. When he turned to direct his gaze at me, he mouthed, ‘spices and dried goods.’

My eyes widened. Spices were expensive and as far as I knew, few traveled overland when it was easier and safer to go by portal. “Sit straight, Finn,” Master Esra ordered, as she pulled Peach to a halt and dismounted, leaving me on top of the animal. I started to follow her, but she shook her head. “Stay there. I won’t be long.”

 I swallowed and eyed Peach for any sign of treachery, but did as I was bid. I resigned myself to my potential death and waited, hoping Peach would ignore me until Master returned. Master’s guildmate dismounted as well, letting the reins drop to the ground, which I thought was strange. The animal took it as a signal to relax and shook its mane, completely ignoring the child remaining on its back. 

As the adults walked off together, waving at a heavyset man, Finn turned in the saddle to look back at me. “This is going to be so cool! I hope we run into some bandits. I want to see Master Esra in action!” He lifted his hand and mimed striking down an invisible enemy with his sword. 

The thought immediately had my heart racing. I couldn’t decide if it was excitement or fear. Maybe a little of both. I was still so new to exploring the world that everything sounded like an adventure. “Have you seen bandits before?” I asked, knowing Finn had traveled across the empire with his family all his life. 

He hesitated, but in the end Finnley shook his head. “Nah. Not tha I remember anyway.” He opened his mouth to say more, but decided against it and brought his grin back. “I dare ‘em ta try. I’ll slice ‘em in half!” He swung his invisible sword again and nearly slipped out of the saddle, having to catch himself at the last second. 

A deep chuckle brought our attention up. Fayr Gaylden had returned in time to catch Finn goofing off. After helping my friend back up into the saddle, he picked up his horse’s reins and then reached for Peach’s. “Let’s hope we don’t see something that exciting,” he said. “There will be quite enough to do without fighting the mountain men.”

Finnley grimaced. “Ya mean like chores?” I couldn’t say it sounded any better to me. We both did the chores around camp every night, tending the horses and training. 

​"You will be paid a silver piece between you," Fayr said, leading the horses with us still on their backs towards the end of the caravan.

My eyes widened, and I leaned forward, “Half a silver?!” That was a whole six months of earnings when I worked for that old gramps back home. I couldn’t imagine having so much coin. 

“Yes, half a silver. It’s more than a fair wage for two apprentices who haven’t even registered with the guild yet, but our employers pay well. You need to earn your keep. This is a job, boys. Not a trip for your amusement. You will need to behave respectfully and do your Master well.”

Finnley and I straightened. “We know that. We would never dishonor Master Esra,” I said, scowling at the man for assuming we would.

He turned to smile at me, adjusting the reins, so he held them in one hand so he could reach up and mess my hair. “You already do her proud by saying such,” Fayr replied. “You’re good boys.”

Fayr pulled us off the horses and left us to stand behind the last wagon, mounting his horse and leading Peach back to Master Esra. “Shows what he knows,” I said to Finnley, after he was gone. Finn covered his mouth to hold back a snicker, amused by my comment. We tied Apple to a trio of horses nearby that looked to be carrying the week’s food for the caravan. I patted the gelding’s neck and turned to my friend. I nudged Finn’s side and grinned up at him. “He didn’t see Master Esra throw her boot at us for stealing the last piece of bacon yesterday.”

“It was good too,” Finn agreed, proud of his great achievement. The older boy reached over and nudged the gelding’s nose away from his pockets when he pulled on his lead. “No, ya big bear, stay there. We’ll feed ya in a bit.”

While Finnley spoke to the horse, I stepped closer to the wagon and peaked over the board that kept the goods from falling out on the uneven road. A rope held barrels in place against the wagon wall, leaving only enough space in the middle for a single body to walk. Finn appeared next to me, his longer legs allowing him to see without resorting to tip toes. 

“See tha barrel at the back,” he asked, “with tha eagle seal? The company who handles that is on the northern coast. Just a cup is worth a handful of gold, I bet ya.”

I couldn’t believe it. No way was some dust in a barrel worth that much, even if it made food taste good. “You’re lying.”

“I swear on me mum,” Finn declared, raising a hand to promise, but his expression still didn’t help me believe it. He looked like he was about to laugh at a joke, but before I could say so, a hand grabbed us both by the shoulder and pulled us back. A burly man in his forties stood over us, annoyance lining every inch of his face. 

“I don’t care who ya are,” he growled at us. “But ya don’t go poking yar noses where they don’t belong.”

A woman came to stand beside him, her hands on her hips as she stared at them with disapproval. “You are the apprentices to Mistress Esra, aren’t you? She said that you were around.”

“What’s it to ya?” Finn asked, frowning up at them without giving an inch. 

The woman cuffed him, though gently. “Don’t be pert, youngster.” She pursed her lips, studying us both before she nodded. “You’ll do. Come on, and leave Gorgeo alone. I’m to assign you your posts.” 

I couldn’t help but glance at Finnley, only for the older boy to shrug and follow the woman’s skirts, unbothered by the arrangement. It didn’t seem to me that these adults knew what to do with us. Oh well. At least whatever it is, I’ll have Finn to help pass the time. 

As if the woman heard this thought, she turned and eyed us again. “You, the little one,” she said, pointing at me. 

I huffed. “I’m Rueln,” I told her. I enjoyed being called the little one less than I liked being referred to as ‘boy’ by the old drunk I used to work for at home.

“Did I ask your name?” she demanded, like I had mouthed off to her. I stayed silent, knowing the look of a woman daring me to say something else. It would earn me a good smack and I knew it. “No? I thought not,” she said, satisfied. She gestured to a lanky looking man standing near the middle wagon. “That’s Gorgeo’s son, Melo. You are to attach yourself to him until your Master tells you otherwise. He’s a sentry and will teach you what you are to be doing, you hear?”

“Yes,” I muttered unhappily, glancing over at Finn, knowing we would not be together like I had hoped. 

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” I grumbled sourly. This job was getting worse by the minute. 

The lady lost interest in me and turned to the mousy haired man who looked to be in his early twenties. “Melo, I have a youngin’ for you. Look out for him, would you?”

“Yes, Mistress Harty,” he answered, the smile he offered me much friendlier than the others had been. He offered me his hand when Mistress Harty nudged me with her boot to be off. I hardly said bye to Finn before she carted him off to his own assignment. 

Turning back to the stranger, I accepted his greeting, staring down as his long fingers swallowed my hand. He was probably tall enough to make a small tree jealous. What did he eat to get that big?

“I’m Melo,” he said, introducing himself now that the bossy woman had gone off. 

“Rueln,” I said, staring rudely up at him with my mouth wide open. He really was tall. I had to crane my neck up to see his face. Remembering my manners, I shut my gob and looked down, only to suck in a breath at the size of the man’s feet. Who made his shoes? Was he part giant?

Melo laughed. “Don’t worry, kid. I’m used to it. This is your first job with your Master? We get mercenaries with apprentices every so often, though you’re the first so young.”

“I’m eight,” I said, defensive. “Old enough to do my share.”

“Aye.” Melo nodded, agreeably. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you. Relax a little. I’m not going to bite you. I’ll leave that to my Da and Mistress Harty. She’ll get anyone if she catches them lazin’ about.”

“All at the ready!” a man called up ahead, drawing my attention to the front of the caravan. I glimpsed Master Esra on Peach, speaking with someone before she turned the horse and headed down the line. When she spotted me, she nudged Peach into a trot in my direction. 

“What do you think, Rueln?” she asked, slowing Peach, but not stopping the horse as she passed. My face must have told her I wasn’t sure at all because she smiled gently at me. “You’ll be fine. Just do as your bid for now, and behave.”

“I’ll keep an eye on him, Mistress,” Melo assured her before Master Esra was off again, obviously moving to her own position to guard the departing caravan. 

I watched with more than a little longing to be with someone familiar. Melo seemed nice enough, but I didn’t think I was going to learn much from him about the work Master Esra was training me for. Resigning myself to my position, I listened to Melo explain our duties as the caravan, at last, moved.