Aleci had thought that Ediann would squirm or fidget, as young children usually did, but once they found a position that Aleci could sign to him one handed, and Ediann could see the signs, Ediann kept himself still, occasionally reaching out a hand to grip the saddle when they rode over a bump. Aleci wasn’t the only one to notice it, Kaeso commented as well. Domerc looked contemplative throughout the ride, which was unusual of him. When he turned his horse to return Ediann to Finne for the evening, Domerc opened his mouth as if to say something then shook his head when Aleci gave him a questioning look.

“It’s nothing, Praefect,” said Domerc. “I’ll tell you later.”

Perhaps it was about the whistle that Domerc wanted to give to Ediann. All in all it was a successful day, Aleci and Kaeso had tried to teach the boy verbs, some of them being easier to point out than others. It was probably better to draw out the verb than show it while one was riding, Aleci thought.

“Did you like riding with me?” Aleci signed to Ediann.

“Yes,” Ediann signed, nodding. “Ediann like riding with Praefect.”

“I,” Aleci corrected, signing. “I like riding with you.”

“Ediann,” Ediann signed, gesturing at himself, “no I.”

Aleci chuckled softly, “Ediann then,” he said, and signed, “what do you like to eat?”

“Praefect have sweets?” Ediann signed, pointing to Aleci’s pouch, “Praefect have sweets?”

“No,” Aleci signed, and at Ediann’s crestfallen look, grinned and signed, “they are in the wagon, in my chest.”

“Give to Ediann?” Ediann signed. “Give sweets?” a pause as he scrunched up his face, “Please?”

He was an adorable extortionist, thought Aleci, “After dinner,” he signed.

“After,” Ediann repeated, signing. “Ediann like no dinner.”

“Sweets is not dinner,” Aleci signed, chuckling, “it is after dinner.”

He was so busy signing to Ediann that he nearly missed the sounds of a heated conversation in the wagon.

“I want to go home,” it was Edon’s voice, “You found him a fysician. Can’t we go home? Please?”

Ethain began to wail and Finne tried to calm him.

“Iachos can’t come with us. It would take some time for the treatment-” said Finne.

“Then send Ethain with him!”

“Edon!”

“It is always about THEM! They want this, they need that! I want to go home! I’m leaving!”

“Edon-”

The door of the wagon swung open and Edon stormed out, a pack on his shoulder, he gave Ediann an icy glare, before rushing off.

“Ah,” said Aleci, looking at the conflicted emotions on Finne’s face as he struggled down from the wagon, trying to sooth the still wailing Ethain in his arms. “Here, take Ediann, I’ll go fetch Edon?”

“You don’t need to-” said Finne.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find him,” said Aleci, “tell Ediann he can have sweets when I get back?”

“Pafect,” said Ediann, tugging on Aleci’s cloak, “Pafect!”

“I’ll be back,” said Aleci, then signed, “I’ll be back, I’ll give you sweets when I get back. I promise,” he held a hand solemnly to his heart.

“Promise?” Ediann signed.

“Promise,” Aleci nodded, repeating the sign. He patted Ediann’s head, “Go eat dinner,” he signed before standing up and looking over the crowd that was a legion settling down for the night.

Where was Edon? The boy wasn’t with his black horse. Mercus was brushing down the mare, and shook his head when Aleci asked him if he’d seen Edon.

“Should I go look for him?” said Mercus. “I don’t think he would have gone far.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Keep an eye out for him,” Aleci said, tersely, deciding to ask Domerc.

As luck would have it, Domerc didn't know either.

"You're not planning to return them are you?" said Domerc, "Finne and the children I mean," he added.

"No," said Aleci.

He watched as relief washed over Domerc's face, "That's good," said Domerc, "there's obedience and there's... obedience."

"Hm?" said Aleci, raising an eyebrow, "What?"

"Finne may have hidden Ediann's deafness from his father," said Domerc, "but I doubt he hasn't seen the child," Domerc shrugged. "There's a certain sort of man that raises children who both fears and wishes to please him."

"Ediann's not afraid of me is he?" Aleci blurted out, a dread settling at the bottom of his stomach.

"I don't think so, Praefect, but he is very obedient and happy to please," a pause, "begging your pardon, but I don't think you should encourage that. Not when he doesn't know how to say no."

Aleci swallowed, "I'll take that into account. Thank you, Domerc."

"Go look for Edon," said Domerc, nodding, "I'll go look for him myself as well, but I don't care to have my knees being kicked again."

Aleci saw no sight of Edon, but he nearly tripped on Caesarion as he turned a corner. The cat hissed irritably, and trotted towards the trees.

"Come on," said Aleci following the cat, "don't wander off-" his voice tapered off when he saw the figure hidden in the trees.

"Meow," Caesarion gave Aleci a smug look, wandering over to sit himself next to Edon.

“What do you want?” said Edon irritably, not looking at Aleci but he didn't push the cat away.

“If you want to run away wouldn’t you take your horse?”

Edon sneered, “Your stupid soldier had her.” he crossed his arms, “I was waiting for him to go to sleep.”

“Why do you want to go home?” said Aleci.

He could very well guess why but it was always better to hear an explanation from, as they say, the horse's mouth.

“Stop eavesdropping!” Edon snapped.

“Why?” said Aleci, innocently.

“Because I want to! Because it’s my birthday! I was supposed to have a party! Everything is about them! That’s all mamaí cares about! It’s Ediann this and Ediann that and the one thing I wanted, the only thing I ever asked him he promised I would have it and now I won’t even have this because of Ethain!” he rubbed furiously at his eyes, pulling Caesarion into his lap and hugging the cat.

Aleci suspected strongly this was what Kaeso felt when listening to Aleci’s incoherent ramblings. Poor Kaeso, he thought but waved the thought away, at least it took several drinks to get Aleci rambling, and by then Kaeso would undoubtedly be drunk as well.

“Why can’t you have the party here?" Aleci suggested, "We’ll be nearing a village soon enough, and the Capital after that, I’m sure-”

“Because it’s my party! Athair would be there and he said…” Edon trailed off, “ He said I would be old enough to start training and I’ve… I want it. Why can’t I have the one thing I wanted?”

“Athair. Your father,” said Aleci, “did he promise you this?”

There is a type of man that raises children who both fears and wishes to please him, Domerc had said. Domerc, as obtuse as he was on manners and grammar, knew how people worked. No, Aleci thought, no one would convince him that he should return Finne or his children to whoever that came looking.

“Yes!”

“Can I ask you something? You’re smart right?" a classic appeal that usually worked, "Why don’t you think about this for a moment, hm?”

“What?” said Edon, crossing his arms.

“Do you think he would keep his promise, your father?”

“Yes!” said Edon, then seeing Aleci’s face, “Yes..?”

“Does he always keep his promises?” said Aleci.

“Yes!” Edon said, but there was a noticeable hesitancy in his voice.

“What makes you think that he would be there?” said Aleci.

“Because he said he would!” Edon insisted, red faced. “He said…”

“If he usually doesn’t keep his promises to you, Edon, I don’t think he will this time,” said Aleci.

“You’re lying!” Edon accused, but there was none of the venom.

A part of Aleci reveled in asking questions that annoyed people, like the irritating buzzing of bees, his father had remarked. But Galer never told him off for asking questions, just told him that waiting to ask questions at the right time made all the difference. Like an inexperienced boy spinning a blade compared to a master swordsman, his father had said, one is showing off, the other knows when to draw his sword.

“Between the two of them, your mamaí and your athair, which one keeps their promises?” said Aleci.

“How is he supposed to hold a party? It’s not for him to hold it’s for-” Edon ignored him.

“For?” Aleci prompted.

“Men.” Edon insisted.

“Is he not a man?” said Aleci and watched as Edon’s face contorted in confusion.

“Yes! But-”

“Your mamaí… hasn’t been paying attention, has he? Have you ever heard of a … trigonum Edon? When you are a medic or a commander you have to decide, which person you should save first, which one you would order to retreat. You tend to the one most needing your help first, and you order the troops most likely to be defeated to retreat first. You are the eldest and the strongest of your siblings. He trusts that you would be patient, that you would wait. I don’t think he’s forgotten you.”

“Why would I believe you?” said Edon.

“If he didn’t love you he would have left you behind,” said Aleci quietly, "Would you have wanted that? Your athair would have given you attention, for one day, your birthday, your party as you said, and then what? Do you think one day makes a difference?”

“Yes,” said Edon, even as his voice faltered.

“How about you wait? There are Imrukians in the Capital, maybe you can have your party there. With your brothers and your mamaí. I’m very certain he would host a very good party for you.”

“I want a party…” Edon whispered miserably under his breath, cradling Caesarion, “ Why can’t I go home?”

“Why did you leave with your mamaí?” said Aleci, marveling at the cat's patience.

“Because I can’t just let him ride off with Ediann and Ethain, what can they do, cry?”

“You don’t think Ediann can do much do you?” said Aleci.

“Mamaí doesn’t let him do much,” said Edon, “ he said Ediann was deaf and there are things he can’t do because of it,” Edon kicked the ground irritably, "I used to train with him before, with real swords! Then when he came along it’s all, oh we can’t do it because of Ediann, we can’t do that because Ediann.”

Finne trained, now that was interesting. Aleci decided to ask him later that night.

“He was riding today with me,” said Aleci, “ Did you think he could do that before?”

“No,” Edon muttered, “He can’t hear any horses coming, so how’s he going to get out of the way when one runs towards him?”

“Why don’t you help him? He’s your brother,” said Aleci, “ and you know, it can be very interesting, having your own tongue, a secret tongue.”

“What?” said Edon.

There was an interested glint in his eyes that was very much different from the anger before.

“I am teaching him to spell things out, like this,” said Aleci demonstrating. “But there’s nothing stopping you from teaching him, hm? Like a code. You can signal to each other, like my scouts do.”

It was inevitable that Ediann and Edon would butcher grammar and spelling, but Ediann would undoubtedly enjoy talking to his brother.

“I can do that?” said Edon, blinking in surprise.

“Yes.” said Aleci, “I can ask Domerc to show you.”

“Domerc,” said Edon, sniffing disdainfully, “is he the head of your scouts? He can’t shoot.”

“Can you do better?” said Aleci, amused.

“Yes,” Edon nodded, “but I left my bow at home. I don’t have…” he signed deeply.

“Why don’t we go back now hm? It's getting late.” said Aleci, “I can try to find a bow for you. My men don't carry bows, but I suppose we will be nearing a border town soon enough, I'll get you one.”

“You would?” said Edon, eyes widening.

“I promise,” said Aleci, nodding.

“Why?” said Edon.

“I think everyone deserves a nice party,” said Aleci, “and considering yours maybe delayed, I don’t see why you shouldn’t have a present.”

There was a hesitant look on Edon’s face before he threw his arms around Aleci, “Thank you,” he whispered. “Praefect,” a pause, and a stubborn tilt of his head, “I wasn’t crying before.”

“No,” agreed Aleci cheerfully, “your face was caught in the rain.”