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of milk in his hand. He’d stopped next to Halam, handing him the flask, and the two spoke a few words to each other before Trun began limping toward the house.
    “Well, it’s about time you was up, lad,” Trun had said, “sun’s near ready to stick her head over that horizon and bless us with what looks to be a beautiful day for traveling.”
    “Yes, sir,” Bryn had replied, “but I thought you were against me going to Baden with Uncle Halam. Last night you–”
    “Don’t you be worrying about what was said last night, now,” Trun had cut in, “me and your uncle talked late last night while you was asleep, and we decided that it would be in your best interests to take this trip to the capital.”
    “But what about the farm? Who will help you with the planting? And I’ve got a couple days to go still on clearing that field of stones before I can begin plowing it.”
    “Don’t you worry about any of that, now, you hear Bryn? I’ll make do just fine without you. I expect when you return in the fall there’ll be scant work to keep you busy,” Trun had said with a smile on his weathered face.
    “Uncle Trun, I don’t know, I mean–”
    “Don’t know what, boy,” Halam had cut in, walking up and putting his hands on Bryn’s shoulders. You heard your uncle, lad. He wants you to go to Baden. Do you have a problem with that now?”
    Bryn had stared dumbfounded back and forth between his two uncles, at a loss for what to say in the face of this sudden change of heart from his uncle. Just last night he’d been set on keeping him on the farm, now he wanted nothing more than to get rid of him.
    “Well, I…” Bryn had began. “I mean…”
    He ’d stopped, his mouth hanging open, unable to fathom what to say.
    “Ha, lad,” Halam had laughed, come on over here and let me give you a hand up on Juniper here. Halam had strode over to his horse and, grabbing hold of the saddle, effortlessly pulling himself up and onto the horse’s back. He’d stuck his arm out, wiggling his fingers and motioning to Bryn. Bryn had taken Halam’s hand, and with a pull of his uncle’s arm made felt weightless as he was lifted from the ground and onto the horse, just in front of his uncle in the saddle.
    “Well, lad, I hope you ’re ready and got all your things,” Halam had said. “Although I sure didn’t see much that looked like yours in the house last night.”
    Halam had pulled on the reins and Juniper turned in a circle, giving Bryn a better view of his uncle Trun still standing on the ground in front of the house.
    “You be careful out there, Bryn,” Trun had told his nephew. “It’s a mean place, the world you’re about to enter, so you keep your eyes open and don’t do anything foolish. Listen to what you uncle tells you, and you’ll be fine.”
    “Yes, sir, I will sir,” Bryn had replied. He felt his eyes mist up as he looked down on his uncle, the only family he’d really had all these years. “I’ll see you in time for the harvest this fall, Uncle Trun.”
    “Aye , lad, aye,” Trun had said, shifting on his feet.
    A few moments had passed before Halam tightened up the reins and turned Juniper toward the road.
    “Well, Trun, ta ke care of yourself, now,” he’d said.
    “Aye, I will, and you take care of the boy, make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble.”
    “Will do, will do.”
    “Aye !” Halam had yelled, kicking his boots into Juniper’s sides. The horse had taken a few quick steps before bolting away from the house, turning onto the road, and galloping off toward the distant horizon, the rising sun at their backs.
    * * * * *
    “I figure we’ll make Eston shortly after noon today. Sound about right to you, Bryn?” Halam asked.
    “Aye, that sounds about right. Haven’t been there since we got done with the harvest last fall, but I don’t expect it’s changed much in that time.”
    “No, and from what I saw when I passed through on the way to the farm yesterday, I don’t