• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

The others are following along behind, Scar and Potbelly are leading James and Miko’s horses. When Reilin appears in the street ahead of them, he holds up several keys indicating he’s procured rooms for them. Having him lead the way, James follows with the boy.

Jiron has the others take the horses around back to the stable as he and Brother Willim accompanies James and Miko inside. The inn is rather nice, probably costs way too much, but he fails to notice. All his thoughts are now on the boy.

Reilin takes them through the front door and skirts around the common room. The proprietor sees them carrying the boy in but doesn’t say anything when he sees the slave cloth around his loins. Up the stairs and down the hall, he takes them to the third door on the right and opens it for James.

Moving into the room, James takes the boy to one of the two beds and lays him down. Beside him, the glow from the Star appears as Miko begins healing the boy. James backs away and gives him some room when Jiron comes, grabs his shoulder and turns him around. He can see Jiron is not very happy about this.

“What do you think we’re going to do with that boy?” he asks. “You know where we’re going.” He gazes into James’s eyes for a second then says, “Unless you are planning on letting him go and become a slave again.”

Shaking his head, James states, “No, he’ll not be a slave again.”

“So are we taking him with us?” Jiron asks. “He can’t be more than eight or nine at the most, maybe younger. He’ll slow us down.”

“Jiron,” Aleya says as she enters the room behind him, “he’s coming with us whether you like it or not.”

Tuning on her, he says, “We are going into battle. There’s no way that child belongs there.”

“I know,” Aleya states. “But what choice do we have. I will not turn my back on him now that he’s our responsibility.”

Jiron gazes to her and then back to James. “This is madness!”

“Could be,” agrees James.

Just then the light from the Star winks out and Miko gets up from where he was kneeling next to the boy. He looks to them then says, “He’s fine now, just needs some sleep.”

“Good,” James says. Then to Aleya he says, “It might be best if you were to be the one to stay in here with him. He might not react badly with a woman.”

She grins at him. “Of course,” he replies. Leaving her brother there, she crosses over to the other bed and throws her pack onto it. Then she sits on the bed next to the boy. “We’ll be fine. You might want to get him some regular clothes though. These slave rags have to go.”

“We’ll get some for him,” James says then turns his attention to Jiron. “When you’re out, pick up some clothes for the lad.”

“Fine!” he says. Not entirely happy about the whole thing, he grabs Reilin and tells him that they have shopping to do. With Reilin in tow he stalks out of the room and they can hear his feet upon the floorboards of the hallway all the way to the stairs.

A second later Scar and the others join them from stabling the horses. “What’s wrong with Jiron?” he asks.

“Yeah,” adds Potbelly. “He almost walked right into us on the stairs.”

Once out onto the streets, Jiron begins calming down.

“What’s wrong?” asks Reilin.

“He is always doing something like that,” he replies. Bringing his voice down to a whisper he adds, “Knowing we are about to infiltrate the temple, here he is saddling us with some kid.”

“I can see your point,” agrees Reilin.

“It’s not that I don’t feel for the boy, it’s just that so much is riding on what we’re about to do.” Jiron then walks along in silence until they come across a clothier. He waits outside while Reilin goes within and purchases clothing the boy is going to require.

When Reilin leaves the clothier’s shop, he has several packages in his arms.

“How much do you think he’s going to need?” Jiron asks, surprised that he bought so much. “You must have enough there for several kids.”

Shrugging, Reilin gives him a grin. “I didn’t know the kid’s size so bought several sets just in case,” he explains. “It’s James’ money anyway.”

“Great.” Taking a couple of the packages from