Free Revelyn: 1st Chronicles - When the last arrow falls by Chris Ward

service Miss, I apologise for the behavior of Soldier Sleeman. He will be dealt with severely.’ He smiled an oily smile and smoothed his very showy moustache and then stood in the street before Sylvion and Lightfoot with legs apart, chest out, and hands behind his back.
    ‘However it would be best in future if you did not either draw a sword in anger against one of the King’s guard, or kick them to the ground. These things do not go down well. I will do what I can, but in a small town you will perhaps meet up with Soldier Sleeman at another time, and I will not be there to rescue you.’ There was no mistaking the threat, but Sylvion bridled at it.
    ‘I thank you for your advice Captain Bach, but I have no need of rescuing and I will thank you to teach your men to keep their hands off young women.’ And with this Sylvion reared Lightfoot and cantered away along Wildwood track without looking back. Her heart was beating furiously and she regretted almost all of what she had done, but admitted that she had enjoyed her little victory immensely.
    The remaining soldiers meanwhile were sniggering at their Captain’s small discomfort. He turned on them and spoke in the quietest but most deliberate of voices.
    ‘She has returned. We will give her a day and then we will act. If any of you idiots behave in the least manner like Soldier Sleeman you will spend the rest of your miserable service protecting the Gnabi salt mines. This mission is of the highest importance and I do not care for my men to be so humiliated in public.’ He paused, then yelled. ‘Do I make myself clear?’
    ‘Yes Captain,’ chorused the men.
    ‘Dismissed,’ said Captain Bach, and then as cruel afterthought he called loudly.
    ‘Soldier Moss!’
    ‘Yes sira!’ said Moss halting and saluting automatically.
    ‘Well done soldier Moss, said the captain sarcastically, ‘you know your name. That level of commitment could see you rise to squad leader of this rabble in no time. Dismissed.’ Moss wasn’t sure what the Captain meant having absolutely no understanding of sarcasm at all, but seeing that the others had gone and the Captain had returned inside he frowned and sheepishly followed the others.
     
    Sylvion trotted Lightfoot towards her home with an increasing anticipation. She missed her kindma greatly and found it hard to decide who she loved more, her Rema, or the lovely gentle woman who had raised her. She missed her kindpa greatly , but in the five years he had been missing she had come to accept that he was gone, but half hoped that one day he would walk back into her life large as a bear and full of fun as he always had been. For now though she pushed thoughts of him aside wanting to be happy and not wanting anything to take away from her reunion with her kindma .
     
    The Greyfeld home where Sonja Greyfeld lived, and where she and her missing Sontim, Sylvion’s kindpa had raised their daughter, was old and shabbily beautiful. The garden was considered the best in the district with the oldest oaks and elms and elders and with bulbs and flowering plants from all over Revelyn. There had been a full time gardener for many years until Sontim had gone missing and the finances became too difficult, but Grenfenger  still came by every now and then and dealt with the heaviest jobs, but as Sonja Greyfeld entered her elder years the garden had become a wilder place, which Sylvion loved but pained her kindma terribly.
     
    Sylvion rode up to the house and dismounted. She could not see her kindma so took Lightfoot to the old stone stables and made sure she was fed and watered, and turned her into a clean box with fresh hay.
    ‘Sleep well my friend,’ said Sylvion with a chuckle, patting her horse lovingly on the neck, ‘Tomorrow we go visiting, and you will want to look your best.’
     
    The sun had set as she entered the house, and there was her kindma sitting by the fire asleep. The table was laid for supper for two. It was a custom which her