Evander sat up quickly, an unfamiliar laughter waking him from his sleep. He frowned, rubbing his eyes tiredly but hearing only the sound of Orion breathing on the floor by his bed. The hound stirred when he swung his legs over the side of the bed, pausing to listen but finding he could hear only hushed voices on the other side of the door. He rose, carefully and slowly, before moving off to quickly dress himself. His body was still stiff, bruises fading to ugly shades of green and blue, but he could move much better than he had been able to.

But he stopped at the door, hand closing over the knob, as he pressed an ear against the wooden surface. It was indistinct, voices he didn’t know and was too afraid to try identifying, strangers for certain but the thought worried him immensely. Evander reached back, motioning for Orion to say as he quickly slipped outside and closed the door softly behind him.

“Glad you finally decided to get up, son.”

He froze, turning slowly and wondering just why Jackson had called him his son. He’d done it before, in passing remarks where Evander could never tell if he was joking or not, but it had been different, utterly serious and utterly terrifying.

“How many sons do you have, innkeeper?”

“Two.”

There were three of them, each garbed with a scarf of the same cold blue wrapped loosely around their necks. Evander recognized them, distinguishing them from just any men he’d see on the streets. The man who had spoken, the first to notice him, stood as his eyes, a warm sort of honey brown, flashed with the smile on his lips.

“So, this is your son?”

“Yes, but I have two like I said. Daniel is still asleep,” Jackson replied, his voice cool as he reached for one of the men’s empty mugs.

A second man wiped his mouth on his sleeve, staring over at Evander and studying the patchwork of decaying bruises that weren’t hidden by his shirt.

“What happened to your eye? Looks like somebody hit you pretty hard.”

Jackson looked up, waving the question away.

“It was an accident, riding accident if you want to know.”

The brown eyed man frowned, raising his hand to silence the innkeeper.

“Allow your boy to speak. What’s your name?”

His eyes flickered over to Jackson questioningly, unsure of what he was supposed to say but Jackson only gave the smallest of shrugs, reaching for a rag and moving to wipe down the countertop.

“Aurora, and your name?”

The third man laughed, slamming his fist down heavily and clapping a hand down on the shoulder of the other man. “I told you the innkeeper wasn’t joking. What sort of a name is that?”

Brown eyes narrowed his eyes, glancing back at the other two and silencing them both with a glare. He was, from what Evander could tell, the one who outranked them all. His uniform didn’t look much different aside from the double blue bands that encircled the black fabric by his wrists but he had a commanding air about him without a word having to leave his mouth.

“I’ve met men with strange names before but not as strange as yours. The obnoxious one is Richard and the quiet one is Bradley. I’m Benjamin Hooke. We were told that there have been instances of runaways being harbored in this town. Do you,” he paused to smile, “and of course you don’t, but do you know anything about that?”

Evander shook his head, swallowing harshly. “No, sir. There were a few of them wandering the streets for a while. I suggest you look there.”

Benjamin’s smile became strained.

“They’ve already been,” he paused again, “taken care of. You seem like a respectable boy. How old are you exactly? Must be getting close to sixteen now, aren’t you?”

“Fifteen, sir, same age as my brother. I turn sixteen in the fall,” he answered plainly, glancing up at Jackson who seemed to wince. “Y-you’re an officer of the Dravara, aren’t you?”

A chuckle sounded from Benjamin as he began to nod, glancing back at the other two before leaning back to brace one of his hands against the countertop.

“I like this one, innkeeper. You have done well in raising him. I have to ask, where did the name come from? It’s curious.”

“His mother picked it out,” Jackson answered plainly. “And thank you.”

Evander swallowed harshly at the words, knowing that even if Jackson had spoken them falsely, they were entirely true just not with that name.

“I am an officer,” Benjamin confirmed. “How did you know that? Do I look any different from those two?”

Evander thought for a moment, looking down at their boots, the same dull black, and then to their buttons, each made of brass and identical. It was only the sleeves of his jacket that were different, four bands in total encircling Benjamin’s wrists, the very same blue that snaked around his neck. The only other difference was the tension in the man’s face, seeming horribly tense despite the lack of expression there.

“Your stance,” he said finally. “Your posture is straight and you were trained to stand like that. You looked at the other two and they stopped what they were doing. You’re older than I am by a number of years which means you’ve stayed with the Dravara for longer than just two or four years. So, if you’ve stayed that long, you’ve likely worked your way up the ranks which is why I said officer.”

Benjamin smiled in the same strained way as before.

“You paid attention. We could use more like you,” the man said, “a shame you’re only fifteen but the Dravara will survive another year. I look forward to recruiting you, Aurora.”

“Thank you, sir. Father,” he looked up at Jackson, “should I go wake Daniel and Elizabeth?”

“Yes, you three have work to do,” the innkeeper replied simply. “Would you gentlemen like a drink? On the house for men of the service. Don’t see many Dravara around here unless you count the occasional bounty hunters.”

“Perhaps we should come more often,” Benjamin replied, turning towards him.

Evander turned on his heel, hurrying towards Daniel’s room but stopping when he heard a voice from behind him.

“Aurora.”

“Yes?”

“You missed something,” Benjamin called. “I am an officer, but I’m also the chief officer.”

He swallowed, looking back and smiling apologetically. “My mistake.”

The Dravara weren’t going to let them off that easily and he assumed the officer, chief officer, would know something was wrong. It was obvious he was older than fifteen and Evander began to panic at the thought of them bringing that up.

He knocked on Daniel’s door, hearing nothing for a moment before there was a thump, a sound that was akin to breaking glass, and finally the sound of someone scrambling for the doorknob.

“Daniel, get up.”

The door opened a crack wide enough for Daniel to stick his head out, hair tossed in every direction possible and eyes still bleary with sleep.

“Did you fall out of bed?”

“No,” he yawned. “What is it?”

“The Dravara are here,” Evander hissed.

Daniel’s head snapped up suddenly. “For us?”

“That’s my best guess.”

Elizabeth’s door was nearby, just across the hall and closed just as Daniel’s was. He knocked, waiting until she opened the door with something that resembled annoyance.

“Good morning, sister-“

“It’s early. I was asleep and I’d like for things to stay that way until it’s not early. Wake me up later, okay?”

She smiled falsely, very much the same way Benjamin had done, before attempting to close the door and only stopping when Evander pressed a hand out to stop her. He shook his head, leaning down and feeling panic setting in again.

“Why are we so close? I thought you an-“

“The Dravara are here,” he hissed. “You need to get up now. I already woke Daniel but Jackson told me to wake both of you.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened before she stood on her toes, glancing over his shoulder and then rocking back down again.

“I’ll be out in a moment,” she replied, shoving him backwards gently and moving to close the door. “Get out of the way.”

He stepped back, jumping at the feeling of Daniel’s hand on his shoulder when he turned around.

“Does this make us brothers now?”

Evander glared, shrugging him off and starting back towards the main room again with Daniel close behind him. Daniel followed him over to a table, sitting down beside him and nodding to the three Dravara politely. Benjamin crossed his arms, seeming to take interest in Daniel rather than Evander.

“You must be the other brother. Your name?”

“Daniel, sir. Can I ask why men of the service are visiting our inn?”

As he spoke, Evander watched his hands shaking under the table but his voice was calm, level and had a confidence that was somehow annoying. He was much too collected, outwardly at least, for someone staring at the face of a man who could end his running in an instant.

“Recruiting mission is all. We were told about a group of runaways being harbored in town and decided to make a stop. You wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?”

Daniel shook his head, expression remaining very much the same.

“No, sir, I don’t. I’m sure my father and brother said the same.”

“Indeed they have. But could you be so kind as to tell me what happened to your brother’s face? He seems to have been injured.”

At his comment, Evander stood up from where he’d been sitting but was stopped when Daniel put his arm out, hand pressing against his chest and stopping him from moving any further forward. The other runaway stepped in front of him, clearing his throat softly.

“An accident,” he replied.

Evander watched him glance over at Jackson who mouthed the word ‘riding’ before peering down again at the countertop again where he scrubbed at a stubborn stain. Daniel looked back at the officer again, silently pleading that Daniel understood what the innkeeper had said.

“Happened while we were out riding. We were just having a bit of fun but things went a little too far. Do you have them in the east, horse races, I mean?”

“On occasion,” Richard muttered from where he and the other man had been sitting silently. “Not too much time to do it when there are patrols. Things to be looked over…borders to protect.”

Benjamin only nodded in agreement.

“As he said, but not often. How old are you, Daniel?”

“Fifteen, sir.”

“Fifteen,” the man repeated, turning back to his men.

But his attention snapped forward again, heel clicking against the wooden floor and eyes narrowing sharply. Evander flinched, struggling to keep his attention on the sneer of the man’s face, any hint of his smile evaporating in the heat that filled the room. He stayed still, only leaning his hands against the table and watching as Daniel took half a step backwards.

“You both know-“

“Are you doubting my story, sir?”

Evander was surprised when it was Daniel who spoke up, turning his head sideways and trying to hide the shock on his face. But Daniel only stared back at the officer, face blank and hands coming to fold behind his back.

“We all know the two of you aren’t fifteen, boys. Lying to the Dravara, as well as running away, is only going to make things worse for you. Now, I’m going to ask again, how old are the two of you?”

“I’d say sixteen for the blond-“

“Richard, did I ask you?”

The man stopped, expression falling. “No, sir.”

Evander swallowed harshly, waiting for the man to say something else and looking back to see Daniel’s hands were still shaking violently behind his back. He didn’t know what else to say, part of him infuriated by the fact they had the audacity to disbelieve them. However, he remembered, it was false to begin with.

“How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

She walked out slowly, a smile on her face despite the obvious tension in the room. Evander felt his heart leap into his throat, already worried enough that things were going to explode but with the sight of Elizabeth, only another person to confirm their false story and further enrage the officer, his heart sank. They were too deep in a lie, one that Jackson had forced them to memorize until they could recite it in their sleep, to back down.

“My brothers are fifteen, sir. Oh, I hope they didn’t confuse you. Ror is a little hard to understand when he grumbles everything,” she said, walking over lightly to where the two stood and throwing an arm around his shoulder. “He’s just a little sour. They told you about the riding accident, didn’t they? We were afraid he was going to be hurt worse than he was. I don’t think I’ve seen such a fall before.”

“Elizabeth,” Jackson called, voice wavering suddenly. “I’d like for you to go back to your room. We were having a conversation-“

“Why? I won’t interrupt. You are all men of the Dravara, yes? I haven’t ever been east myself but I’ve considered going there myself someday. Do you have many women in the stronghold?”

Benjamin’s face seemed to relax, however briefly, and he nodded.

“Not many but there are some who join our ranks. One of our most important officers who trains the new recruits is a woman by the name of Alexandra. There are others too, not nearly as many as the men, but I see them around the stronghold. And, of course, you have-“

“I hate to interrupt but I believe you were in the middle of accusing us,” Evander cut in suddenly, finally unfreezing the words on his mind.

He heard one of the men, unsure as to which, snort and watched as Benjamin’s eyes, narrowing harshly, turned to him again.

“Hadn’t forgotten about that,” Benjamin snapped, “don’t worry.”

Jackson brought his hand down on the countertop suddenly, silencing the room and causing Daniel to yelp beside Evander. Benjamin whipped around again, hand moving to brush over his side where a pistol hung, metal inlay catching the light and causing Evander to stiffen.

“My boys are fifteen and you have no right to accuse any of us of lying. If you have a problem with any of my children, you come to me about it.”

“Prove it,” the man who had been silent the whole time said suddenly.

Evander felt his blood run cold but Jackson, much to his surprise, didn’t miss a beat and only fished a hand into his pocket before pulling out a folded collection of papers. They spilled out onto the counter, joined by the rattling of a few metal coins that rolled off and onto the floor with a somehow ominous ring despite how small they were.

“Identification,” Jackson spat, unfolding the first and shoving it towards the two seated at the countertop. “Jackson Stern, right there.”

“Your nam-“

“Take a look here then,” he continued, unfolding the other two and tossing them to the chief officer. “Theirs will say the very same name as mine, ages too.”

Benjamin simply watched as the two pieces of paper, something that seemed so insignificant compared to how much they truly mattered, drifted down to the ground without a sound. He hissed air through his teeth, bending down to snatch them from the floor and staring down at the papers in his hand blankly.

Evander’s heart was hammering in his chest, roaring in his ears and, he swore, stopping when the man slapped the papers back down on the counter top again, eyes turning back to him with a sneer on his lips.

“Fair enough. One year, runaways. You have one year.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 10