The Four Swords

Chapter 114: Long Goodbye

My mother does not take no for an answer. At least not from her son. When my mother and Balor returned from their neighborly activities, the great and powerful Lady Evelyn insisted that we all stay for another meal.

The other Swordsmen and Queen Valerie were expecting us to be back soon. The only concession my mother allowed me was that my party could leave after a meal so that we would not travel on empty stomachs.

I should have known that this concession meant my mother would find the recipes for the dishes that required the longest preparation time. She spared no expense in creating a lavish meal. To my surprise, my mother even allowed Sir Gavin to help her after his rather insistent third time offering. I am not sure if his persistence is a fault or a virtue.

In defense of my clan's matriarch, the food was delicious. She had a way to make even the most simple of dishes sublime, so getting to taste a meal where she went all out rivaled the faire at the palace. Every plate was emptied without any leftovers to be found.

"Thank you for your hospitality and, as always, it was good to see you! But mother, we really must be going," I reminded her as she started to clear the table of empty dishes. I stood, grabbing dishes around me to be brought closer to the washtub.

"Must you?" My mother argued half heartedly with her back to me. She turned to face me and her argument fell apart. "I know! I know! You are almost as important to the kingdom as you are to your mother." She spouted off with her hand to my cheek.

I smiled. "Love you too," I responded. My mother likes exaggerating my importance in many different ways.

Balor had remained almost silent since he got back from his outing with my mother. Only the occasional sigh or sneer escaped him up until this point.

"Oh please! The only thing worse than all this sentimentality is having to be on horseback for another day!" The chubby brat grumbled.

"You could walk," I offered. The exercise might do him some good. Just because he did not get to say goodbye to his mother before he ventured into the wilderness did not give him the right to take the opportunity away from me.

"You wouldn't dare!" Sir Balor retorted standing to his full, yet unimpressive, height.

"Please Sir Balor! For once do not go trying to pick a fight. Lord Holden is a generous man. I do not think he would make you walk the entire way to the palace," Sir Gavin inserted himself into the conversation. It was unneeded. I could handle him myself.

"Exactly. Not the entire way," I added fuel to the fire burning in Sir Balor's stomach, while also turning Sir Gavin's own words against him. I felt proud of that fact and my large smirk gave me away.

"Holden! The poor child is tired of horseback! You should be more accommodating," my mother scolded, feigning being truly offended. A spark was in my mother's eye that I knew only meant trouble.

"See. Even the old lady knows you're in the wrong," Sir Balor retorted. That boy does not know when he plays with fire.

"He must stay here! I, of course, will send him back to the capital the moment he is feeling up to it. In the meantime, he has a lot of growing up to do!" My mother's voice lilted in a singsong pattern. An observant listener would hear the threat that she so clearly laid out. Yet I still wonder how observant Sir Balor really is.

"I think that can be arranged," I replied before Sir Gavin or Sir Balor had a chance to formulate an argument against such a plan. "Sir Balor, you are to stay here until Lady Evelyn clears you for service to the kingdom. At such a time, you will return back to the palace."

My order was clear. The self-righteous complaining cretin would not accompany us back to court. I could see his face redden with frustration before peering over at Sir Gavin.

"Lord Holden, if Lady Evalyn would be so kind, I would also like to stay," Sir Gavin piped up as I assumed he would.

"Do you think your rear is sore because of horseback riding? I can almost guarantee that by staying, you will not get rid of your biggest pain in the backside," I said, instantly regretting it.

"Holden! Manners!" My mother said as she tapped me on the back of the head with her wooden spoon. It was barely a graze. I never knew my mother to go easy on me for misbehaving, but time spent one-on-one with Sir Balor must have made her better understand my insult. She must've agreed with it on some level.

I rubbed the back of my head to keep up the illusion of discipline. "I apologize for my unkind words. Sir Gavin, I give you leave to stay, as long as Lady Evalyn agrees," I knew my mother longed to have more company around. If she was going to take the most fallible of my group, she might as well have the perfectionist too.

"My home is always open to visitors," my mother responded.

"Thank you both for this opportunity to learn more about the clan of Bear alongside my clansman. He and I both will strive to be worthy of such an honor!" Sir Gavin oozed humility in a way that was almost off putting to me.

With short goodbyes, what remained of our party was off toward the palace. I hope that the Queen and Council did not want to see the two young gentlemen of the clan of Falcon back in court. If they desired it, someone else would get the pleasure of having the two boys as traveling companions. At least for now, the day was as sunny as my outlook about this newest development.