Page 30 of Quest of Fools

Should the worst befall me, I bequeath all that I own to Master Warloff Diggson.I have no witnesses to this document, but I am of sound mind and make this decision of my own volition.It is my dying wish that this request be heeded and not challenged by family.

15 Hal, 20thYear of King Teric

Lord Marian Crispin Willow

"I'm not going to let himdie," Warf said, the words coming out broken."Surely after all this she wouldn't kill him.What would be the point?"

"I don't think she would, either, but she also has a temper that gets worse every year," Kaltin said, and touched fingers to his cheek, not even seeming to notice the gesture.How many times had Clarkson struck him?How many times had he been hurt but felt obligated or forced to remain in her employ anyway?"It's like she's become a completely different person from the one who first helped me.Saved me, honestly."He handed the letter and envelope to Warf."Tuck that somewhere safe, because we'll be able to submit it as evidence later.It's also proof they were here."He pointed to a wax seal at the bottom of the page."He even managed to find sealing wax and impress his signet.Your man is no fool."He smiled briefly."We already knew that, of course, but it bears repeating."

Warf managed an answering smile."He is brilliant, from everything I've seen.Thank you for reading the letter to me."He folded the letter and opened the envelope—and stopped."There's another one in here."

"What?How did I miss that?"Kaltin took the envelope back and pulled out the second, smaller slip of paper.Unlike the first, it was sealed with wax."This one has your name on it.Want me to read it, too?"

"Please."

Breaking the seal, Kaltin opened the letter and read,

Dearest Warf,

I am so sorry for all of this.I hope you and the girls are doing well, that you were suitably compensated by Their Majesties for my failure as your tournament prize.I truly wanted to be part of your family, make it our family.Hopefully you have managed just fine without me.

Be well, and maybe someday I can see you again, in whatever capacity you choose.

Yours entirely,

Marian

Warf wanted to cry.He took the letter as Kaltin held it out and tucked it carefully into the inner pocket of his jacket.He might not ever be able to read it, but the words were engraved anyway."He really doesn't think he'll ever come home, or come home free of her."

Worse, everyone back home thought he was doing this willingly.That he wanted to go with Clarkson.They'd given up on him without even trying.

Warf wasn't giving up on anyone.He would get to Marian, and he would stop that farce of a marriage, and he would make certain nothingelsehappened against Marian's will.

"Come on, let's go see if food is ready, or if there's anything we can do to help it get done faster," Kaltin said."She's only got one driver now, so she's going to be severely impeded unless she can find someone else all the way out here who is willing and able to help.Given the general opinion of the nobility in these rural parts, that's unlikely."

Nodding, Warf tucked the other letter away with the first and followed Kaltin back downstairs.

Hold on just a little longer, Marian.

The Second Question

Lady Grayton swept a hand out."Your second question is this, Master Warf: Would you rather solve a problem or fix a problem?"

Warf blinked.That wasn't at all the sort of question he'd been expecting.His heart pounded in his ears.To have come so far, to be so close… and he would win or lose by questions that were obviously not meant to have one clear, right answer."Fix a problem, Lady Grayton."

"Explain, please," she said with a smile that he thought seemed ever so faintly approving.

"The bridges are a good example," Warf replied slowly."There used to be two of them, always crowded, hard to use proper.High City finally allotted funds to build a third one… and then took it for themselves, bullying Low City out of using it overmuch.That's why we call it Holy Bridge.For them, the problem was solved.For the rest of us, the problem remained, and in some ways got worse.Solving a problem benefits those inconvenienced by it.Fixing a problem benefits those actually suffering.High City stopped caring the moment they got their Holy Bridge, but for the rest of us, the problem is still there, because nobody who could actually fixed the problem."

"Very well said, Master Warf," Lady Grayton replied."Two questions down, and one to go, and this challenge will be complete.How does that make you feel?"

"Afraid," Warf said softly."I have sacrificed weeks of work, lost weeks of time with my daughters, on the faint hope I can give them a better life.If I lose now, when I am so close to victory, that will be very hard to deal with.And I will deal with it, because nothing could be more painful than losing my wife, except losing any of my children, Holy Fates spare me that.But this loss would be close."

"Your honestly is rare and prized.Let us continue, then."

The weather continued to be their enemy, this time by way of an early frost.Thankfully they already had the good winter clothes and equipment they needed, but it was still far from pleasant to wake up to a world covered in ice.

It melted by the afternoon, but was a foreboding reminder of all they would soon be facing, how much more difficult this journey would become, how they likely would not even return to the capital until spring.

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