“Is that Goateus Maximus?” Luke pointed towards the goat sitting beside Ash’s home.

“Oh yeah. You remember him?” Ash said as they walked through the front yard next to his family’s home.

“I’m just amazed that he’s still alive. He was already super old when I left three years ago. You must be feeding him really well for him to have lived so long.” said Luke.

“Only the best.”

“Maaahhhh.” The goat bleated loudly as they approached.

“If I had known he was still alive I might not have left that letter. I suppose we were just lucky that he didn’t eat it.” Luke patted the goat on the head.

“Why didn’t you leave the letter with my mom when you were here? She could have just given it to me.”

“I didn’t want to bother her.”

“She sits at home all day. You wouldn’t have bothered her.” said Ash.

“Either way I just wanted to try and find you first.”

“Oh.” Ash looked embarrassed. “Thanks.”

“Plus I was worried that she might make a big deal out of my arrival and tell other people in town.”

“Yeah. You know my mom. There’s no way she could keep a secret.” Ash held out the door open for Luke. “Here. Let’s get inside.”

When he turned back he saw Ave crouching down in front of Goateus. Human and goat were looking at each other in silence.

*burp* The goat coughed up a half eaten corn cob.

“Oh my goodness. He’s just a little cutey.” Ave started scratching the goat on his chinny chin chin. “What a stocky little thing you are. Yes you are. What a good boy.”

Goateus puffed out his chest.

Ash rolled his eyes. “He’s just an old goat.”

“Don’t say that. Look at how well behaved he is. He must really like your family to sit out here so patiently.” said Ave.

“He just likes that I feed him all the time.”

Ave started rubbing Goateus’s stomach. “Who has a chubby little belly? You do.”

“Anyway we were trying to hide from the law.”

Ave stood up and dusted off her hands. “Right. That’s right. Let’s go inside.”

#

“Is that Luke?” Ash’s mother was holding Luke by the shoulders. “Look at how big you’ve gotten. I hope you’ve been eating well. Heavens it's been years since you went away to the Capital. What a handsome young man you’ve become.” She pulled Luke in for a deep hug.

Luke bashfully returned the hug. “It’s good to see you again Ms Sifter.”

“When did you get back in town?” Ms Sifter asked.

“Only today.” said Luke.

“You should have come by sooner.”

“I did. I left a note.”

“So that was you. I was wondering who could have left that. Here I was starting to think that my little Ash might have a secret admirer.”

“Mom!” Ash groaned.

“Come in and sit down. Can I get you anything?” Ash’s mother clucked over Luke.

“Not right now mam. Thank you.” said Luke.

“I keep hoping that Ash will patch things up with the others in town or maybe introduce himself to someone. But if he can’t make new friends then bringing home his long lost brother is just as good.” She patted Luke on the shoulder.

“Actually Mother. I’ve done both today.” Ash stood up straight. He nodded at Ave standing next to him. “This is Ave. We just met her today.”

“Oh heavens this one is as quiet as a mouse. You certainly snuck up on me. Wait a moment. Ash!? Did you bring a girl home? This is a day. And she’s pretty too.” His mother started examining Ave.

“Mom! We don’t have time for this.” Ash tried to shoo her away.

“And what’s your name?” His mother ignored him.

“Ave mam.” Ave replied.

“Oh yes. He said that didn’t he? Sorry. There’s just so many new faces. We haven’t had guests in a while. Tell me young lady where are you from?”

“The Capital mam.” said Ave.

“The Capital is it? What brought you all the way out here? You have the look of a military woman. Don’t tell me that my boy has done something and that you’re here to arrest him. Hoho.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Ash, Luke and Ave stared at each other in silence.

“Hmmm.” Ash’s mother tried to ignore the awkward silence. “Anyway it’s just nice to have company. Where are my manners? Let me get you something to drink. Ash will you get two more cups out of the cupboard?”

“Fine.” Said Ash reluctantly.

Ash opened the cupboard and pulled out two cups. Two cups. There were already two cups on the table. His mother didn’t know he was coming home so soon. Ash looked at the two cups in his hands. He looked at the two cups on the table. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He looked back at the two cups on the table, then back at the cups in his hands. Back and forth. Again. Two cups.

“Mom…” Ash spoke. “Is there someone else in the house?”

“Ha…whaAat?” His mother smiled.

“Is there someone else inside the house?” He repeated.

Luke looked around in confusion. Ave’s hand slowly went to her sword.

There was a creaking sound from the pantry on the other side of the room.

“Who’s there!” Ash held out the two cups in his hands in what he hoped was a menacing fashion. Ave stood up from the table. Luke inched his hand across the table towards one of the other cups.

“Now Ash darling I want you to calm down. Everything is fine.” Ms Sifter said.

There was a thump from the other side of the pantry door.

“Come out of there whoever you are! I’ve got… an army.” Ash shrieked.

“Alright hold on. Give me a minute to find my pants.” Came the muffled reply.

The pantry door slowly creaked open. A few wicker baskets that had been improperly stored on the other side tumbled into the doorway. A figure lurched into the frame. The person standing on the other side of the door had to shift his shoulders to fit his broad chest through the door.

“Hey there sport. So uh… yeah.” Mr Smithe tried to give a disarming smile to the other people in the room. One of his hands was holding a bottle of wine. The other was grasping the side of his trousers. His shirt and tunic were nowhere to be seen.

“Mr Smithe?” Ash looked at him in shock. He slowly lowered the cups he was holding.

“Yeah. Oh? I see you brought some company over. Nice to meet you all…” said Mr Smithe.

“Mr Smithe what were you doing in our pantry?” asked Ash.

“Oh that? You see…” The blacksmith wavered. “I was… I came by your house to uh… have a chat with your mother.”

“That’s right.” Ash’s mother followed up.

“And we were talking, and I brought some wine, this wine.” He held out his hand. “And then I spilled some, so I went into the pantry to change my pants, because they got wine on them, wine that we were drinking. While we were chatting. In the house.” Mr Smithe trailed off.

“About you. My dear. Mr Smithe is always telling me what a hard worker you are. Every time I see him he says how diligent you are with your deliveries.” Ms Sifter jumped in.

“That’s right.” Smithe nodded.

“Every time?” Ash spun. “The two of you… talk a lot?”

“Well, I mean now and then you know.” His mother stammered out.

“A few times a week.” The blacksmith replied. He looked at Ash’s mother. “Maybe less. Maybe only a few times a month. Actually hardly ever. Maybe none!? This is my first time here. You have a lovely home. What is this? A pantry? I didn’t see that there.”

“Where is your shirt?” Ash asked.

“Hmmm?” The older man made a tight line with his mouth.

“Your shirt. Why are you half dressed and hiding in our pantry?”

“Well I didn’t know it was the pantry when I went in there. But as soon as I did I noticed that some of the boards were loose. You know me. I’m a handy man. I like to fix things. So I thought I would take a look at those boards.” He responded.

“That’s very thoughtful of you Mr Smithe.” Ash’s mother said.

“Of course my dear, my dear lady, my good lady, lady friend. Anything I can do to help out.” Mr Smithe smiled at Ms Sifter.

“And your shirt?” Ash interjected.

“Right. That. It got dirty. From the boards. And nothing else.” The blacksmith continued.

“So what did you do with it?”

“Oh I took it off. It was sweaty and dirty. Because it was so hot in the pantry.”

“I bet it was.” Whispered Ave from across the room.

“...uuuggghhh….” Ash slowly tilted against the cupboard behind him. He made a sound like the air being let out of a balloon. “How long?”

“What?” His mother questioned.

“How long has this been going on?”

“What are you talking about dear?”

“Mom I’m not sure how much more nonsense I can handle today.” Ash spun around and pointed at Luke and Ave sitting at the table. “My childhood friend who I haven’t seen in years summoned a Demon Lord.” *Point* “She’s a Royal Guard who was sent here to arrest him but decided to help him instead.” *Points at self* “I lied to the other guards in order to cover for them.” *Waves hands around room* “We broke into Luke’s parents house, avoided all of our old friends, and almost got arrested like three different times.” Ash slammed the cups down on the table for emphasis. “So please, before we are captured and sent to the Reformatorium, just tell me how long this has been going on so that I can neatly index it with all of the other absurd things that have happened to me today.”

*Deep breath*

Luke and Ave tried to fade into the background. Ave was better at this than Luke.

Ash’s mother twisted her apron strings. “Just over a year.”

“A whole year!” Ash sat down at the table. “How have I never noticed this until now?”

“Well to be fair you don’t really pay attention.” said Ms Sifter.

“What do you mean? I pay attention.”

“Hmmm, not really.” His mother pursed her lips. “You’re always off daydreaming at the charcoal piles. Or sulking in the woods. Even when you go into town to sell charcoal to Mr Smithe you don’t come back until evening. You say you don’t like the town but you do spend an awful lot of time there.”

“That’s because…” Ash trailed off.

“You’ve always been so sensitive.” Ash’s mother walked over. She held Ash in her arms and stroked his hair.

“Me?” mumbled Ash.

“Yes. But you always spend so much time in your own head. There was never a good moment to bring it up. I didn’t want to upset you.”

“Well thannnnk you! For sparing my super sensitive feelings.”

“See. Like this.”

“I guess I’ll go cry myself to sleep tonight. Just me and my delicate emotions.”

“Alright dear that’s enough.” Ms Sifter smiled. She kissed Ash on the top of his head and straightened his shirt collar.

Ash grumbled to himself.

His mother continued. “Really I’m surprised that you didn’t notice sooner. I mean, it has been a whole year.”

Ash was struck by lightning. “That’s right. After the Blue Moon Festival you started wearing your hair up. You were washing it regularly. I thought it was just to keep the soot out. You also started drinking cranberry juice. And you!” He turned to the blacksmith. “You started trimming your nails, and waxing your beard, and you put a washbasin in your smithy. The two of you were cleaning yourselves up so that you could… why didn’t I notice? It happened at the exact same time!”

Ave spoke from across the table. “Believe me when I say that people have a way of ignoring things they don’t like. Even when it’s right in front of them.”

Ms Sifter turned to the two others. “Oh yes. Sorry. I forgot that the two of you were there. Forgive me.” She patted down her apron and looked at Ave. “Now what was that about you coming to arrest my son?”