Page 6 of Quest of Fools

"I don't need to bother him," Warf said, and held out the key."I've a new residence, so I cleaned everything up and am returning the key.He can send the deposit to my new address."Warf rattled it off, and the woman nodded tersely."If he tries to keep so much as a penny, I'll be back, and he won't enjoy that conversation."

She narrowed her eyes."You can't be leaving with no warning, you know that."

"I am a tournament victor, which exempts me from penalty, and you damn well know it," Warf replied."One penny, Jan, and I'll be back.Tell him that.Good day."He turned and strode off, ignoring her angry bellowing.

Back on the street, he resettled his knapsack and headed off back toward High City.

He'd just passed the temple when a small carriage, painted entirely black and bearing no crest, pulled to a stop in front of him, barring his path.A man climbed out, handsome and imposing, his skin nearly as dark as the black clothes he wore and his eyes shockingly pale by contrast."Master Warf?"

"That's me," Warf said, not particularly interested in inviting this man to be more casual."Who are you, then?"

The man stroked his close-cropped beard, then stood with shoulders set, hands folded in front him, some strange combination of soldier and ponce."My name is immaterial.I have come to make you an offer."

"No, thanks."

"You haven't heard it yet," the man said levelly.

Warf snorted."I don't need to fucking hear it, and you'll be moving out of my way before I make an offer you can't refuse."

"Ten thousand marks, right now, if you take your children and walk away from Lord Willow."

What in the Fates was going on?"Ten thousand marks?Are you joking?"

"Fifteen then," the man replied."Collect your children, build a new life elsewhere, and it's yours."

"No," Warf said."I might be poor and lacking proper schooling, but that doesn't make me stupid.Take your money and shove it.Lord Marian is mine to marry by right of tournament, and he offers me far more than even a million marks could ever buy."

The man dropped all attempts at pleasantry."Don't be a fool.Take the money."

"No, and you'll be moving out of my way now."

"You're making a terrible mistake."

Warf surged forward, faster than anyone ever expected of him, grabbed the man, and threw him aside, then grabbed one wheel of the dainty carriage and pulled until it was lengthwise on the street, the confused horses going obediently along.

His path clear, Warf strode off without looking back.

Thankfully, the strange man wasn't stupid enough to come after him.Still Warf did not relax at all until he was across the bridges, and not completely until he was safely inside Marian's house.His house, damn it.This washishouse now.

"Welcome home," came Marian's voice.

Warf startled, and then that stupid urge to cry washed over him again for a second.He smiled instead."Thank you."

"Thought you'd be gone much longer.We're only just setting out lunch now."

"Didn't take as long as I thought it would, and I just left everything I didn't want in the house instead of taking it to donate, which cut out a lot of time.Somehow, I thought there would be than was actually there."He shook his head."How has everything here been?"

Marian's smile widened."Quiet, for the most part.There was a minor tiff over a toy horse, but it was easily sorted out."

His children had been arguing over a toy?When they had scores of them now?Oh, there was definitely going to be a stern talk later.

"Oh, don't get angry.They're just overstimulated and probably more scared than they're letting on," Marian said, closing the distance between them and looping one small arm through one of Warf's massive ones."They got their energy out bickering over a horse, let them be."

"You are already proving entirely too soft," Warf said with a laugh."Everything quiet, then, other than my children?"

"Yes, utterly peaceful," Marian said, though his smile turned a bit forced."What about you?Any trouble?"

Warf shook his head."No trouble at all, though I anticipate my former landlord will try to keep my security deposit.That's not for you to worry about," he added when Marian bristled."He knows not to cross me, and if he gets cocky, I'll remind him in a hurry.What's for lunch?It smells marvelous."

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