Feeling nervous, Malo is about to enter Brusk Valley for the first time in three years. The last time he was here he played a key role in saving Lady Terara’s life and ended a coup attempt by killing the monster impersonating Dorson Milner and imprisoning the corrupted Ahndra Milnor. Before all of that, his three fun filled summers exploring, playing, eating, and learning to be a gentleman with the Brusk family are some of his fondest memories. His prior memories of growing up in his tiny valley home with papa are his warmest.
He's torn about where to go first, his training in court etiquette instructs him to visit the keep first, his heart tells him to visit his brothers and auntie. The Free’er teaches you to follow your desires. He’s since learned that the Free’er isn’t the best example to follow. After some internal debate, he ignores his heart and trusts the training and turns towards the lower valley where the small city of Brust sits with the Keep in its center.
No longer in The Wash, the tree’s become larger, and denser. They soon crowd the road and create a shaded tunnel as he approaches the city limits. There is no imaginary line, the landscape starkly shifts from forest to farms and pastures, as he passes a sign simply stating, ‘Welcome to Brust’.
The hardworking families working the fields stop and stare at seeing the massive man speeding down the road with a panting inu at his side. He’s never stopped to talk to anyone in the city before. Prior to its healing, his disfigurement made him hesitant to meet new people. Now that the excuse is gone, he tells himself he’s too busy.
After two and a half miles of farms, there’s a 40-yard easement in front of the city wall. The wall here at the trade road entrance is an imposing 5-yards high wall constructed with massive stones. A glance in either direction shows the height to taper down to 3-yards before being replaced with a wood fence after 100-yards. This barrier is to control trade, not stop an army.
A small contingent of the city guard and bureaucrats wait in the guardhouse. A man hastily runs out to greet Malo on his approach.
Pounding his fist to chest, Guard Sanson Franks greets Malo, “Welcome home, Lord Malo Feltman Brusk.”
Surprised at the greeting, “I no longer hold that title, please tell me Tomas… I mean Lord Brusk is alive and well.”
Smiling at Malo’s discomfort, “He is well and left very specific instructions on how to address you upon your return. I’d appreciate it if you’d accompany me to the guardhouse for some refreshments while we retrieve your honor guard.”
Inside the guardhouse a clerk whose name escapes Malo is rummaging through a footlocker for something. Finding the desired item, he pulls out a cumbersome package wrapped in brown paper and presents it to Malo.
“Her Ladyship had these stored here for your return. Inside you’ll find three tunics of differing sizes, her hope is that one will fit you.”
Dubiously he unwraps the bundle and finds exactly as described three matching tunics. The middle size was just right. He’d need to grow to ridiculous proportions to require the largest.
Donning the red and black tunic he feels the weight of responsibility return. The feeling of being carefree while living at a fishing village in Rebirth and visiting his island is gone in an instant. Lady Terara knows what she’s doing. After a predictable 30-minute wait and small talk with the guards his honor guard arrives.
They must have sent the entire garrison out to greet him, there are thirty mounted guards hastily dressed in ceremonial uniforms. They make a big show lining up in a specific formation that wastes another 15 minutes.
After an interminable wait, they waste more time dismounting and commanding their inu to return to the kennel. After watching the thirty happy inu trot back into the city, they line themselves up again.
A group of six guards in ceremonial armor on foot appeared out of nowhere and took the lead. They put Malo next in line and asked him to leave a three- or four-yard gap in the formation.
As if this wasn’t strange enough, they made him sit astride Chloe and instructed him to stay put where he’s told or the Lady will be cross.
Feeling awkwardly exposed, Malo complies.
Chloe slowly paces the marching armored guards while the thirty flashily garbed guards follow behind. After the first city block the road starts with the first of many bends following the natural landscape and preventing there being a direct route to the keep. When Malo is fully around the bend, he is greeted by a roaring crowd of thousands that turned out to honor him. Chloe gives a start at the sudden commotion but her training kicks in and calms her in an instant.
People from all over the city had dropped what they were doing to line the streets and greet him. Women dart out of the line and hand him individual flowers or tuck them around Chloe’s many harness straps as he passes, men pump their fists in the air and cheer. He’s confused for a moment by all the young boys with ash smeared on the left side of their face until he realizes they are recreating his old burned appearance. As he makes his way up the road, he’s overwhelmed by the people shouting their gratitude and waving signs saying thank you or simply displaying his name. Incredibly, those must have been made in advance and kept ready for the occasion. He waves and says thank you back to them, with moist eyes and warm heart, emotionally overflowing with happiness when the procession reaches the keep.
At the doorsteps the entire keeps staff is outside, there must be over a hundred people lining the steps. At the top is Advisor Horace Moon and Lord Tomas Brust.
Malo doesn’t see Lady Terara and is so emotional from his reception that he doesn’t remember what Hoarce or Tomas said exactly. He can only presume he said the correct responses because he suddenly realizes he’s inside and the noise is gone.
Malo snaps out of his reverie when he hears Tomas say, “Mom wished she could have been here for your return. But fathers’ death created a number of family issues that drew her to our holdings in Vorg. I’m supposed to give you a hug on her behalf. You can tell her I did should you see her.
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“And don’t expect a parade every time you return home. That was something mom arranged and you better tell her every little detail, including the flowers, those tears, and that goofy smile… how is it that you get taller an uglier every time I see you?”
Malo lunges faster than anyone could have expected and hugs Tomas, “I’m glad to see you too brother. How is it you’re surrounded by all these fine things but manage to smell like yesterdays unwashed practice armor?”
After the non-courtly embrace, Malo steps back and demands, “What’s up with the title? Everyone has been calling me Lord Malo blah blah. Brust has one Lord and that’s you!”
“Don’t blame me, that’s Hoarce’s fault. The constitution says there are only two recognized titles, that of Lord and Lady. It says nothing about more than one person holding each title. Once a Lord always a Lord. You held the title for almost a week before I reappeared to take over. You can call yourself whatever you want, but here or elsewhere in company that knows you’re my stepbrother, you are and had best act like Lord Malo Feltman Brust.”
Malo is quiet for a bit before saying, “Thank you Tomas.”
Tomas motions for Malo to follow and starts walking towards the grand dining room, “For what, the Parade? That was all mom’s doing.”
Following closely, “No stupid, for being the same. Dopey kid I met six years ago.”
“Dopey, am I? I recall being a terrible bore towards you throughout our last summer before father was murdered.”
“I expected that. Every friendship I’ve had growing up falls apart after three or four years. Maybe it’s just the timing or the tragedy but I feel like we’re still at the same place in life after six years. I’m not used to that kind of stability.”
Entering the dining room, Tomas asks, “What about your pal, Teum?”
“I’ve not seen him in four years. I can’t say for sure, but other than when he was sulking over his wife being gone, he seemed to understand me. I think we’ll be ok if our paths ever cross again.”
They both take seats, Tomas leans in, “Whatever happened to Luscin? I only knew her for about a year, but I liked her.”
“Funny, I met her three times. And she tried to kill me on two of those occasions.”
“No! You can’t be serious. What happened?”
“She was under the influence of Dorson Milnor, who by the way was an imposter. Nobody knows who he really was.”
“That’s what Greta told me. That was so unreal the way he manipulated people. What did he do to Luscin?”
“He stole her identity. I don’t mean her name, but he made her believe that she was alone and unwanted. It literally drove her crazy.
“When she’d confront me, she’d get all wild eyed and start contradicting herself. Then she’d get frustrated and lash out.”
“You mean lash out like a duelist?”
“Yeah, an incredibly gifted one.”
Tomas gets excited, “That must have been an epic fight.”
“Not really, I held back out of respect for Teum and tried to reach her to help her remember things right. When we last fought, I did something to her by accident; I think. I don’t remember what I did, I just remember thinking maybe she’ll be smart enough to replicate it.
“It fixed her memory. She didn’t stick around once I told her where Teum was. I hope she found him.”
Tomas looks satisfied, “I waited three years to hear that story and it does not disappoint. I’m so happy for her and your friend.”
Malo considers those words and agrees.
“Tomas, there’s one thing I can’t stop thinking about since I crossed from The Wash to the valley.”
Interrupting, “Let me guess, it has to do with the kitchen?”
“Yes, do you think the seat in the break room is still available?”
“You mean the Malo dining hall? That’s what they named their break room after your dramatic prison rescue and courtroom save of mother.”
“Can we go there, I’m hungry?”
Of course brother, I think I’m on their good side today, so I can actually join you.”
After two days of visiting old acquaintances, Malo decided he’d done his duty and could now go visit his brothers and aunt. The farewells were brief, he planned an early and quiet exit.
The next morning, he began to get suspicious when there was no food anywhere in the keep. A problem in the kitchen supposedly had everything shut down. When Tomas invited him for a ride into town to eat at a restaurant that opened early, he knew something was up. They arrived via Lord Brust’s ceremonial carriage a few hours before noontime.
The restaurant, Celler de Brust, was the finest in the city and could seat a hundred and fifty guests for a regular dinner service. With most of the tables and chairs removed and the food served buffet style it handily held twice that. Which was fortunate since a fifth of the people from the upper valley were packed inside and filling the courtyard in the rear of the building. Every one of them, people that Malo knew on sight from the many study’s he attended, the countless kids he brawled from neighboring circles, or beat in a foot race. Every year a third of his friends would grow up and go to work while he seemed to stay young. Also present were the study masters and merchants he befriended, most of them sold food of course.
Even Bahter Santoso turned up and pretended like he always liked Malo. Rana and Hatchi were able to attend together since Rin does the store resupply runs now. He caught his old friend Kaden retelling the story of Malo killing a leaper single handed as if he was there and not running away.
All six of his brothers were there, they were finally all paired off. Their wives stayed behind to watch the children freeing Liko, Makai, Kye, Puna, Tangi, and Ahe to reminisce and repeat stories of which they’d rather their wives remained ignorant.
Tomas slaps him on the back and yells over the roaring crowd, “We cold have done this sooner if you’d sent us a warning that you were coming home… and don’t get used to this either, brother.”
Malo does his best to make the rounds to talk to everyone individually or in groups. The conversation goes the same with each of them, “Thank you for saving the Lady, we always knew you were something special.” He knows they’re all as surprised as he is by the events.
He gives up looking for his auntie after a few hours of nobody knowing if she is there. After breaking his fast, stopping for a midday meal, and then supping with his brothers, all seven of them, the crowd starts to thin out. When the gathering dwindled to around a hundred revelers, Tomas collected Malo and herded him back to the waiting carriage.
When they pull away from Celler de Brusk, Tomas hands Malo an envelope with his name written by a hand he knows well, Auntie Ge’get’s.
“I thought it best to hold on to this until after the reception dinner. I couldn’t have you running off beforehand.”
“I wish you hadn’t, what if it’s something urgent?”
Tomas, in deadpan tone responds, “She drew little flowers around your name.”
Malo opens the envelope flap and fishes out a folded piece of paper. Reads it and puts it away.
“You’re right it’s nothing urgent. She wanted me to know that I can visit her anytime now.”
“That’s great news, are you heading there now or waiting until tomorrow?”
“I think I can wait until morning; all this talking has made me sleepy.”
Tomas doubly agrees, “Me too, me too.”
The rest of the trip is made in silence.