Day 12

Viola Stone woke up to the sound of horse’s hooves. They were still in the distance but getting closer. She saw Viv was gentling waking Jacob. Rider and Xoma were not in the tent. The family moved quietly and without needing to use words to communicate. Rider packed up the tent with Jacob and Xoma and Viv scouted ahead. Viola just stayed out of the way. Once they started loading the wagon Viola helped.

The horse was hitched, and they were ready to move in less than seven minutes.

Viv and Xoma came across Griffith and a traveling party of ten armed men.

“Griffith.” Xoma said stepping into the road.

“I was just coming to see you.”

“Stop!” he ordered his men.

The moving party stopped, and Griffith climbed off his horse.

“My dear Xoma. To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked.

“I hear you have put out a reward of a thousand gold pieces for the queen’s head?”

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“Always to the point. I like that about you.” He said “It is true. Why do you ask?”

“Did you not think I could get it done, that you put out a reward which can be traced back to you instead of just asking me?”

“Am I hearing jealousy? So, unlike you?” he said.

“Your reward has caused many to die.”

“Accompany me to the castle. I am representing my region at the peace conference today. It would be nice to have a woman with your skills nearby.”

“I will go to the castle but not as part of your party but rather to see how you kill the queen.”

“I will give you two thousand gold pieces if you do it.” He offered.

“No thanks, I have rules about my work.” She said.

“A little healthy competition never hurt anyone.” He replied.

“It hurt my son.” She said flatly.

Griffith’s smug smile disappeared. He had never met her children, but he knew she had them and one was still a small boy.

“It was not my intention to hurt your family. Is he alright?” Griffith asked keeping his composure. He was afraid she had come to kill him. But since she hadn’t yet maybe she wouldn’t.

“He will be.” She said coldly.

“Can’t say the same about those that took him and tried to make me kill the queen for his return.” She added probing his response.

Xoma was testing to see if Griffith had anything to do with Jacob’s abduction.

Griffith gulped.

“I had no idea the reward for the queen’s head would cause harm to your son.” He said “Let me compensate you and pay any bills for his recovery.”

Xoma smiled at him, not with a happy or you are off the hook smile, but a ‘we will see smile.’

“We keep moving” Griffith ordered his party.

Viv came back without Xoma.

“We are going to the castle. But mom is travelling with Griffith. He is on his way to the castle.”

So, they got onto the wagon and headed to the castle. Griffith and Xoma passed them on horses heading to the castle. Xoma pretended not to know them.

It was how it worked. Even though the whole family was involved only Xoma and Rider dealt with clients and Xoma decided which jobs they would take. Her children were just strangers in the street if she was busy with the negotiations of a job. She wasn’t willing to let someone try to use her children against her, like what happened with them abducting Jacob.

She needed to know that Griffith was not trying to get a job done for free. Using her children so he wouldn’t have to pay her.