Monday, November 01, 2004
Day 40
We reached Wealdstone just before sunset, and the gate guard was able to give us directions to Tayne's house, quite an impressive stone-built, two storey affair on one of the town's best roads. Life had obviously been good for him lately, I told myself...but then, we had ended up on the winning side, and the dividing-up of the loot afterwards had been a truly memorable occasion. And as one of the few remaining sergeants, he'd done pretty well out of it!
Tayne answered his front door himself - a few grey hairs in his beard, slightly more of a paunch than I remembered, but still looking good. His face lit up when he saw me. "Charol! By all that's good, it's wonderful to see you, my friend, come in, you must stay here with us here, we insist." He turned and called to a boy of about eleven. "Tid, get our guests' horses, will you, lad, and take them round to the stable!"
"Right away, father!" He smiled at us, then edged past, and took the reins from Memree, before leading the three horses away confidently.
"That's your Tiddler?" I shook my head in wonder. "He was scarcely more than a toddler, the last time I saw him, and now he's up to my shoulder..."
"And Anjela is eighteen, and a beautiful young woman, as you will shortly see - but, talking of beautiful young women, I hope you will introduce me to your companion...?" Tayne looked at me questioningly.
"Ah... this is Memree, my good friend and companion", I managed to say. "I've told her all about the old days, and what a fine sergeant you were."
Tayne shook Memree's hand. "And a lucky one, too, in the friends I fought alongside. Any friend of Charol's is welcome here, Sera Memree. We've two fine beds in our guest chamber, we'll use the warming-pan to get them ready - after a long and leisurely evening meal, of course!"
Memree smiled sweetly. "Oh, one bed will be quite enough for us, Ser Tayne."
I blushed - well, I'm new to this! Tayne, to give him credit, paused only for the briefest moment, and then his face seemed even more cheerful. "Gods, that is excellent news - Charol was always a bit of a loner, and to tell the truth I did sometimes wonder if she would ever find herself a soulmate." Somehow he had his hands around our shoulders, now, and was leading us along the corridor. "So be good for her, won't you?"
Tiddler, or to be more formal Taddeon, brought up our saddlebags; there was ample time to tend the horses and to wash before dinner, at which the main topic of discussion was how I discovered Memree, and how we fought and defeated Atzmon together - I left out most of the kinkier aspects of the tale as both the children were there, plus Tayne's wife, though as Sharna had served with our company as an archer, I'd not have done so on her account alone.
"Charol is the first person I can ever remember seeing", Memree commented. "That's one reason I want to hold on to her, though there are plenty more!"
So, an enjoyable evening, and I think we will stay here for a few more days, as Tayne seems to have plenty of plans for our entertainment. A nice rest will do us both good, I am sure.
Tayne answered his front door himself - a few grey hairs in his beard, slightly more of a paunch than I remembered, but still looking good. His face lit up when he saw me. "Charol! By all that's good, it's wonderful to see you, my friend, come in, you must stay here with us here, we insist." He turned and called to a boy of about eleven. "Tid, get our guests' horses, will you, lad, and take them round to the stable!"
"Right away, father!" He smiled at us, then edged past, and took the reins from Memree, before leading the three horses away confidently.
"That's your Tiddler?" I shook my head in wonder. "He was scarcely more than a toddler, the last time I saw him, and now he's up to my shoulder..."
"And Anjela is eighteen, and a beautiful young woman, as you will shortly see - but, talking of beautiful young women, I hope you will introduce me to your companion...?" Tayne looked at me questioningly.
"Ah... this is Memree, my good friend and companion", I managed to say. "I've told her all about the old days, and what a fine sergeant you were."
Tayne shook Memree's hand. "And a lucky one, too, in the friends I fought alongside. Any friend of Charol's is welcome here, Sera Memree. We've two fine beds in our guest chamber, we'll use the warming-pan to get them ready - after a long and leisurely evening meal, of course!"
Memree smiled sweetly. "Oh, one bed will be quite enough for us, Ser Tayne."
I blushed - well, I'm new to this! Tayne, to give him credit, paused only for the briefest moment, and then his face seemed even more cheerful. "Gods, that is excellent news - Charol was always a bit of a loner, and to tell the truth I did sometimes wonder if she would ever find herself a soulmate." Somehow he had his hands around our shoulders, now, and was leading us along the corridor. "So be good for her, won't you?"
Tiddler, or to be more formal Taddeon, brought up our saddlebags; there was ample time to tend the horses and to wash before dinner, at which the main topic of discussion was how I discovered Memree, and how we fought and defeated Atzmon together - I left out most of the kinkier aspects of the tale as both the children were there, plus Tayne's wife, though as Sharna had served with our company as an archer, I'd not have done so on her account alone.
"Charol is the first person I can ever remember seeing", Memree commented. "That's one reason I want to hold on to her, though there are plenty more!"
So, an enjoyable evening, and I think we will stay here for a few more days, as Tayne seems to have plenty of plans for our entertainment. A nice rest will do us both good, I am sure.
