"It has been difficult, Berk. Gil...bert, Gilbert here was a soldier and while he was away, I had Sofi to manage and the farm...and well, he is back to us safe now, although not quite the way he left us..."

"Lose the farm?" Berk asked.

"I manage alright." Gil said. "It just takes a lot longer than before. Mary is a great help though, and Sofi."

"Sofi?" Berk asked looking around as there was no one in sight, save Gwyn and Gil.

"Our daughter." Gil said as he used his crutch and hobbled back to lift Sofi out of the back. Sofi squeezed her eyes shut tight and hugged Shelba close. As soon as Gil had her tucked to his side, she buried her nose in his neck.

"Shy." Gwyn mouthed as Berk helped her down.

"Well, it is a long ride. I am sure you are all quite tired. It is too bad. Pim just took mince meat pies from the oven and when she heard from Arthur that we had company, she set some apple tarts to baking."

At the mention of apple tarts, Sofi lifted her head and peeked shyly at Berk.

"Hi sweeting." Berk smiled kindly. "I am your Uncle Berk. Mary here is my sister, but she got married and left a long time ago. You have never seen me and your mama has never seen Pim or Arthur either. Well, Pim was a wee little one when your mama left so we will all be strangers together."

Sofi tucked her face back into Gil's neck and he leaned on his crutch as they followed Berk back to the house.

It was a beautiful house. Not overly large, and certainly not fancy. It was much like her father's home, but this one was larger with three doors leading to other rooms. It was cozy and welcoming and Gwyn felt at once that she had come home. Sofi peeked shyly from Gil's shoulder but hid her face anytime someone noticed.

So, everyone pretended not to.

"This is my wife, Elsbet. My daughter Pim. And my son Arthur, but you met him already I suppose." Berk offered.

"Glad to meet you. I am Gilbert, until recently of his majesty's army. This is my wife Mary and our daughter Sofi."

"Mary is my sister." Berk offered. "We have not seen each other in many years. Not since Pim was a wee little thing." Berk held his hand out to indicate a height about even with his knee.

"It is good to meet you." Elsbet offered. "And to see you again Mary. It has been so very long."

Awkward meetings done with, they gathered around a large table to enjoy heavenly stew, fresh bread, mince meat pies and apple tarts. It was all washed down with wine and cold milk for the children, and by the meal's end, they were carrying on like old friends.

It was late and Sofi was very sleepy but she did not want to leave her parents.

"Shall I tell you a secret Sofi?" Pim whispered.

Interested in a secret, Sofi gave a shy nod.

"I am afraid of the dark and my brother Arthur likes to tease me for it. Would you come with me so that I shall not be alone? If you are with me, I shall not be afraid and then my brother shall not be able to tease me."

"I have a brother and he teases me too." Sofi confided, sliding from Gil's lap.

Questioning gazes fell on Gil.

"Robi—Rob is eleven. He did not wish to come so he is staying with my brother Dermot and his family. Our cousin promised to teach him how to use a dagger."

"That is a good age for learning. Mayhap I shall get to meet Rob on your next visit."

"I hope so." Gwyn smiled. "But I fear the older he gets, the less he is interested in tagging along with Mama. He would much rather be running around the farm or spending time with Gilbert's family learning to wrestle and fight."

Sofi ran off with Pim and soon after, Elsbet excused herself. When it was the three of them, Berk cleared his throat.

"Now then, how long will you be staying Sister?"

"I am not certain, Berk. Andrew told us that I should visit Kingstown while I am this close. It has been so many years since I was south of Kingspass, well, it feels like the first time all over again." she laughed nervously.

Berk nodded.

"I have friends from my days in the army." Gil said, looking around.

Berk leaned close. "If Drew sent you, I know this is important. It must be in regard to...erm...Hugh—"

"Hubert, yes." Gil put in quickly. "Hubert was not a popular guy when we were in service together."

Berk nodded his understanding.

"In fact, Garret and his two pals swore vengeance on him after Hubert beat them soundly the last time they fought."

"I see." Berk nodded.

"And I heard a rumor that they are planning on paying Hubert a visit. I thought he should know, so that he can be prepared in case they show up."

"I would want to be ready if I were in Hubert's place." Berk agreed.

"But I heard our neighbors to the north were planning on paying us a visit too."

"Oh?" Berk frowned. "How did you hear that?"

"Our other neighbor to the west was passing on his way to the village and he told us that our mutual neighbor to the north had already paid them a visit and was planning on visiting us also."

"Did your neighbor happen to say when?"

"No. Only soon."

Berk nodded. "I see." He slapped his knees and stood. "Well sister. I planned on going to Kingstown anyway. I have eggs and butter and milk to sell and a few quilts that Pim and Elsbet made. I can take you and Gil with me. You can shop in the market and I shall ask around about your friend Hubert. Mayhap I shall learn where to find him by the time we leave for the day."

"Thank you." Gwyn smiled.

"It is nothing, sister. I am glad to do it." Berk winked. "Now, follow me to your room."

Gil and Gwyn exchanged a look.

"Never you mind." Berk whispered.

"Sofi will be betwixt you the whole of the night, that is if she deigns to share the bed. When Pim was small, she would climb into bed with Elsbet and I and more often than not, I woke up on the floor." Berk laughed as he led them to the middle door. Pointing to the door to the right he said: "Pim is sharing Arthur's room tonight. "Elsbet and I are over here if you need anything."

---

As Gwyn watched Sofi following Gil around the farm like a little shadow she wondered if Sofi had any memories of her parents. Gwyn never thought to ask the child. But mayhap she did, and Gil reminded the child of her father. Either that, or little Sofi had a crush. Gwyn smiled.

"You are in high spirits, I see." Elsbet said.

"I was just watching Sofi with Gilbert."

"A proper da's girl, that one. My Pim was just the same when she was small." Elsbet sighed. "But they grow so fast, do they no?"

"Aye. They do." Gwyn grew silent a moment. She wondered how best to inquire how much Elsbet knew about Berk's dealings with them. "I am sorry to arrive without notice. But when Gilbert arrived home, we were so grateful for our blessings. And when I saw how glad he was to see his brothers again, I wished to see my own."

"You didna cause any trouble. Berk has a large family, ya ken?" Elsbet gave a knowing look and went on. "Most families have lots of bairns born but not so many living to prime. Not so my Berk. His family is hearty and hale. Near every bairn born is yet alive. If he were to live to be 100, he would not be able to visit with all of his kin more than once or twice in all that time."

"It is true. There were a lot of us." Gwyn remembered the seven of them cramped in their small home until William married and built his own house for his family. "And then all of the husbands and wives added in." She ended with a shrug.

"And dunna be forgettin the cousins. I didna bother tryin to count them. I laugh somedays when Berk tries to recall all the names because I picture him with long ears and a wee fluffy tail and..." Elsbet started to giggle and Gwyn could not hide her own mirth as the image of Berk as a rabbit filled her mind.

"What makes you ladies so jolly?" Berk asked as he came up and kissed his wife on the cheek.

Gwyn's mouth rounded to an o when Gil bussed her cheek. He caught her surprise and winked.

"We were thinking on...rabbits..." Elsbet said as she fell once more into a fit of giggles.

"Rabbits?" Berk asked, puzzlement carved in his brow.

As Berk stood before Gwyn, she imagined that he transformed in to a large rabbit and his nose wiggled when he talked... Gwyn could not stop the laughter that bubbled out.

After a moment, Berk cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, when you ladies are finished laughing at the rabbits, you need to get rations together for a few days and decide what needs to go to market. Gil and I will be in the barn getting the wagon and animals ready. We shall start loading as soon as you ladies have anything for us as we shall leave at first light."

"Come along then." Elsbet let the shirt she was washing fall into the bucket. "PIM!"

"Yes Mum."

"Mary and I need to help yer da. You finish here, will you? Get Arthur to carry water if you need fresh."

"Yes Mum."

---

Gwyn was not surprised to find a space in the wagon behind the seat that was padded with fresh hay and covered with blankets. But she was surprised when Sofi declined the little bed space in favor of sitting on Gil's lap. Gwyn sat between Berk and Gil, so she was plenty warm enough in her cloak.

She was sure that Sofi would be more comfortable stretched out in the back, but she did look awfully cute bundled under Gil's cloak with only her little face peeking out. Her nose and cheeks were red with cold but she was a content and slept more peacefully than Gwyn had seen her do...since meeting the child.

"I can take her." Gwyn offered some time later when Gil shifted and rolled his shoulder.

"I have her." Gil smiled at Gwyn. "She really is the sweetest little thing. You have done well with her, Mary."

"I did not do so much really, for she really is the sweetest little girl. But she does miss her papa."

Gil frowned. "I gathered as much. She does not sleep well."

"She sleeps better since you...returned." Gwyn smiled awkwardly. "I made her Shelba to help her sleep and it helped some, but..."

"My Pim was the same. She was a wee thing when I first went out to war. Elsbet said she pined for me something awful and when I returned...she became both clinging vine and shadow. Elsbet tried to get her away, but I was so glad to be home again that I nary minded a bit."

"I find that I do not mind it so much either." Gil admitted. "It seems such a little thing to let her follow, save when it is not safe, but the smile she gives..."

"Makes an ordinary man feel like a King when his little daughter smiles up at him that way..." Berk said wistfully. "But they grow out of it a might too fast for my liking. Pim is still fond of her da, but more often her smiles are accompanied with a shake of the head or a roll of the eyes and her Oh Da!" Berk chuckled. "I admit, there are times I try to get that Oh Da! out of her."

---

After a very long day, they arrived a Farmers Village where they found a hot meal and a room for the night. Gwyn was growing anxious to see Kingstown. She always wondered what it might be like to see the castle.

"You have another day's ride, Mary." Berk said regretfully. "And it will be dark when we arrive. We shall find a meal and a bed...but..." he smiled. "In the morn I shall take you to the market and you shall see the castle from afar. It is not open to visitors the likes of us, save for judging cases and that has no been done since the riots started."

"Riots!" Gil turned and looked at Berk over Gwyn. "Should we not leave the girls at the village then?"

"They are safe enough in the village market that I take you to. The riots happen closer to the castle gates. The gate is closed and the port culices is down. The courtyard inside is littered with rotten food that the people throw as they shout jeers at the king and his men. Outside of the castle walls you will find a crowd gathered around at all hours shouting their grievances."

"What caused the disquiet?" Gil asked. "I was long away on campaign and only recently returned. I heard no news of riots!"

"You would not have then. It is only since the People's Champion was murdered by the King that the trouble started."

"Murdered!"

"Aye, if the rumors are to be believed. Word is that he was killed in an ambush."

"Many died then?" Gil frowned, remembering all too well.

"Some, but Sir Cameron...he is the new Captain of the King's Army, he said that Lord Erec suspected trouble and kept most of his men back. They fought bravely and many were wounded. Three prisoners were lost, but the king's tribute and all of the spoils were saved and brought along to Kingstown by Sir Cameron."

"Why was Sir Drew not made the new Captain? He was second only to Lord Erec for many years. Surely he deserves the honor."

"Aye, he deserves it plenty, but he stayed behind so that Lord Erec would not be alone. He and two other men to help with the burial. They found the grave of Lord Erec, but no sign of any of the others. The king would have us believe that Lord Erec was a traitor and that he and his men staged the ambush and planned to take the treasures for themselves."

"What do the people think?"