"It is a bit too early in the day to have wine," Silver said with a laugh as he took the cup firmly in his hand.

Pursing her lips, the woman shook her head. "Not when Conall is about to make a toast! He asked me especially to go and get you a glass." Sage positioned herself in the vacant seat to Silver's right and nodded to Conall. He laughed heartily and stood to gather attention.

"Everyone," the mayor started, "Friends and, uh, less than friends, ahem…Welcome! You have come today to witness the return of our Guardian, Silver. We hope that now that he has returned, he will, uh, make this his home once more. So, raise your glasses to Silver; may he bring prosperity to our land!"

"To Silver!" the chorus responded with a flourish of hoots and whistles.

Silver slouched in his chair. 'Such public displays do nothing but make one uncomfortable. They should be outlawed.' He was not allowed to grouse for long. One smile from Sage and all else was history.

"How is it that you come to sit next to me?" Sage asked with a grin.

It was the Guardian's turn to shake his head. "My dear lady, that is a question I should be asking you. I was here first and you chose this spot from all the places at the table."

Sage held up a finger of protest before motioning to the long table. "Ah, but all the other spots were taken, and yet this one remained."

"Are you suggesting it is by providence that you are at my side?" The Guardian rested his chin on his hand, causing his palm to disappear beneath his cowl.

"No, Silver, I am suggesting that although this banquet honors you, there is a distinct amount of fear that people have toward you."

She was right. Even in the midst of the celebrations, people avoided conversation with him beyond what was necessary.

"Perhaps you should follow their lead," Silver responded, only half-jesting. His silver eyes flashed beneath his hood.

Sage shrugged at his comment, uninterested in following the crowd. "Oh no. I am not so weak as that. I am made of stronger stuff than is common."

"And what stuff might that be?"

Sage laughed, throwing her head back and tossing her soft, curly brown locks into the breeze. Silver laughed too, but he was unsure why.

The pretty woman looked seriously at the man at last. "I am not sure of what I am made, but I can tell you that it isn't common."

"I can venture a guess that nothing about you is common," the cloaked man argued.

"And what about you, Mighty Silver? What are you made of?" Sage batted her eyelashes.

Silver paused. It was a hard question. He sighed and answered sullenly, "I cannot speak for the rest of me, but my heart is made of stone."

Sage raised her eyebrows gave a wry chuckle. "Funny, I received a similar epithet just the other day..."

"What are you two talking about?" Conall broke in. "Sage, you are hogging the attention of our guest of honor!"

Sage nodded to Conall and feigned embarrassment. She brought her hand to her lips to cover her mischievous grin. "My apologies! I will take my leave and go speak to Lily. If you gentlemen will excuse me…" Sage winked at Silver.

The Guardian desperately wanted to stop her exit, but he could not. Any special sign of attention and Conall will never leave her alone.

"Now that it is just us men, Silver… I had, uh, some things I wanted to discuss with you…"

Silver groaned inwardly. Conall was a good man, and well liked. He was honest and loyal. He did his best and could be counted on. But he could talk until the sun gave up shining and still not say much at all. Silver held up his hand. "My friend, I know you have much on your mind. Could you please only bestow on me one item on your list today?"

Conall nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, yes, there will be plenty of time to work out every particular in due time, I suppose. One thing….uh…oh yes! The men would like to know when you would like to meet with them."

Silver smiled beneath his hood. 'The men? More like a rag tag band of farmers. Not a one could wield a sword last time I was here. They've been decent for crowd intimidation, but no good in a skilled fight. May they never quit their day job!'

Out loud he said, "I will examine them at noon a fortnight from today if it will not interfere with the harvest schedule too much." Fighters or not, these were good men and loyal to a fault.

"I do not think little things like cabbage and radishes will stop us. Noon it is, Sir." Conall saluted the Guardian.

Silver gave a half nod and went back to his food. However, he had suddenly lost his appetite. 'I am no general. I am a just a thief and a coward. I will never make up for the wrongs I have done.'

After what seemed like a reasonable amount of time, Silver excused himself to leave.

The mayor took hold of his arm. "You will be at the bonfire tonight, I trust?" Conall asked with a grin.

Silver forced a chuckle, "A creature of the night like me? I wouldn't miss it."

------------------

Out in the forest clearing that evening, the bonfire was met with exuberance by the locals. Women danced around the fire and sang songs of old. Children scurried in and out of the firelight hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive Silver's face. Men told tales of the great heroes of the past, of Fates, of the foundation of the world, and of the many legends of Silver. Each tale was more fantastic than the last.

"And the Mighty Silver took out his bow and shot a boar over 2,000 horse-lengths away. A falcon could not even spot the target. The boar was so large that it fed an entire village for a week. But that was over 100 years ago. Boars don't grow that big anymore for fear they will be they will be the Guardian's next meal…" The storyteller finished his tale and leaned back, satisfied with his own creative flair.

Conall chuckled, "And what say you Silver? Were boars larger 100 years ago?"

Reclining against a large stump that of an ancient tree slightly away from the crowd, Silver gave a low chuckle. "You give me too much credit. I have not lived quite so long as to know the size of boars a century ago."

"You deny the stories, then?" Gilbert asked from across the flames. His face was a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Silver picked at the dirt beneath his fingers. "Young Gilbert, you will learn in life that many things that are denied are in fact true, and many things 'confirmed' in the end turn out to be lies."

The men around the fire laughed, but Gilbert was not satisfied. "Forgive me, but I do not understand. How are we ever to know if something is true or a lie?" Silver studied Gilbert's face. It was honest and without guile.

After a pause he responded quietly, "We must use our own judgment. And for the rest…rely on divine inspiration." The company was silent for a moment, as usually happens when wisdom suddenly invades one's merriment. Silver sensed the shift in mood and cleared his throat, "But what do I know about such things? I am just a shadow in the night. If you will excuse me, I must take a walk alone. I will return shortly."

Silver stood and headed into the trees. He could hear the flurry of whispers behind him.

"Why is he always so mysterious?"

"Where do you think he's been these past three years?"

"Whatever happened to that girl that was with him?"

'Let them talk. They do not know of what they speak.' Silver comforted himself to keep the dark clouds in his mind at bay.

The Guardian paced into an open meadow beyond the songs of the bonfire. The air was cool and with a couple of breaths, his mind felt clear again. The moon was so full that the last of the lantern-bugs were barely visible above the grass. Silver looked up at the sky.

"It would be really nice if I could talk to you, Hanna," he said softly into the breeze. "I could really use some guidance right now."

"Who is Hanna?" a voice asked from behind him. Silver grabbed a knife from his cloak and turned quickly to defend himself. He then recognized the voice, and as the shadowy figure came into view, he relaxed. The intruder was only Sage.

"Did I not make it clear that I wanted to be left alone?" he asked impatiently. The knife disappeared into the black folds of the cape.

"You did. I just ignored you." Sage smiled coyly, but Silver did not bite.

The edge in his voice was evident, "Why is it females never listen? You do just as you like, and we pay for it. I swear, your kind is nothing but trouble and brings nothing but heartache."

Sage froze at his last remark. "Hold on just one moment," Sage cautioned with a slight shake in her voice. "Why lump me in with the rest of my kind? Have I caused you any trouble or heartache?"

Silver scoffed. "Not me personally, but I am sure you have broken many hearts. No man can escape the sway of your hips or the curse of your smile."

Sage arched her brow and stood straight with crossed arms. "I am not sure whether to feel insulted or flattered. But I can see coming was a mistake. You can go back and call this 'Hanna' out of the darkness. Perhaps she will be better company than I."

Sage turned to leave, but Silver reached out and grabbed her wrist. She had not realized he was quite so close to her. She looked intently at him for a moment. Although she could feel his warm breath, his face was still obscured by his dark hood. The sensation made her shiver.

The man spoke fiercely. "I tell you this as a courtesy. I may be a Guardian, but that is only because such a task was given me. I am not a good person."

Sage took a deep breath. She was not easily cowed, but the intensity of his voice gave her pause. Finally she spoke, "Why don't you let me be the judge of that? No one in this town seems to know much about you. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to talk to? I have not been around here long, but the lore surrounding your name is more than any man can bear. I would love to separate the man from the myth." Sage leaned in slowly, her eyes straining to pierce the darkness of his cowl. If she could see only see his face...

Sensing her intent, Silver released her and in a moment was across the meadow and disappearing into the trees. Before Silver was out of sight, he looked back and warned sternly, "This can never be. Getting close to me will only shorten your life and bring you pain. Please do not tempt me again."

Sage watched him disappear into the night. A wry smile touched her face as she placed one hand on her hip. "You were tempted, then."