In Which Abrich Accomplishes Something Unintended

August 14, 1178

"All right-y." Bernardo stopped and turned so abruptly that Abrich barely managed to avoid walking into him. He had to admit that he wasn't quite clear on what had brought this on. Sure, they'd had a few laughs when they'd set off, but after twenty minutes of not coming across so much as a rabbit, they'd come to an unspoken agreement of silence; Abrich hadn't noticed anything that might have broken it. "We've been out here for over an hour already. I think we deserve a break."

It wasn't the most unreasonable suggestion. Bernardo wasn't counting the time it had taken to get to the forest from Seoth's and they'd left their horses in the village--not to mention, they'd both been up since daybreak getting ready for the excursion. Ten or fifteen minutes' worth of rest was a tempting prospect.

Still... "Isidro wouldn't like it."

"And he doesn't have to know. I won't tell if you don't."

Did it matter? Abrich would still know. "We have orders."

"'Orders' my ass." Bernardo landed a playful swat across his arm, though it stung a little more than he'd likely intended. "You're just feeling guilty because you have the hots for Izzy's wife."

Out of instinct, Abrich glanced around for any unintentional eavesdroppers--never mind that they were out in the middle of nowhere. "I didn't know you knew about that."

"How? It's not exactly a secret." So much for hoping it was. "But think of it this way. He's not going to be taking any breaks himself, is he? If you take a break, then you can have the guilt-numbing satisfaction of telling yourself how great it is that Riona did better than a slacker like you."

And this was why he sometimes hated his happily married friends. He missed Aspen. Sure, they hadn't ever done anything but swing weapons at each other and he couldn't even guess who she'd been pining over, but at least they could commiserate. Everybody else just gave him their well-meaning-yet-misguided teasing before going home to their ladies, apparently thinking it wasn't a big deal to be stuck in a lengthy engagement to a fourteen-year-old a kingdom away while the girl he couldn't remember ever not wanting slept beside someone else. And then he remembered that these same men sometimes envied him and it was a little more than he could take.

"That makes no sense."

"Does if you're tired enough--and I don't know about you, but I certainly am." Bernardo sway-stepped to the side in some silly attempt to be coy, giving Abrich a clear view of something rather big--and shiny. "Besides, it's not like we're actually going to find Lord Severin's crazy suit of--"

"'Nardo, it's right behind you."

"What?" Bernardo jumped as he jerked his head to his shoulder. "Well, I'll be damned."

The suit of armor didn't look to share the surprise. It just stared for a second--or at least, Abrich guessed it was staring, although the lack of eyes was puzzling--and raised one hand, moving it back and forth in front of him.

"Is he... waving at us?"

Bernardo gave a slow, almost tentative nod. "That is what it looks like."

The suit of armor stopped waving and instead strode toward them. It stopped a feet short of Bernardo, then glanced--again, so far as anyone could tell--expectantly toward Abrich.

"I think he wants to see you."

Despite there not being any possible explanation as to why? Nevertheless, Abrich obliged. What other options did he have? "Um... hello."

That metal hand rose again. Wondering if it might respond to mimicry, he waved back. "So... those are some nice feathers you have there."

In hindsight, he had no idea what he'd hoped to accomplish with a random compliment, but it certainly wasn't what happened next.

"Uh, Bernardo... I think he's hugging me."

So much for thinking his friend might intervene. "I see that."

Despite a resolve to be polite, Abrich squirmed somewhat; the statue's embrace tightened. "I don't think he wants to stop."

"That's all right." Bernardo walked over to a nearby tree and sat down at the base of the trunk. "We've got time."

NEXT CHAPTER: