The Unprotected
Chapter 4
That night, Joban and Rion were quiet at dinner, thinking about the day’s events and the offer to join a mysterious army.
“It’s nice with quiet for a change, but it just doesn’t seem right with you two silent. What’s wrong?” Linnet folded her arms across her chest and leaned back on her chair. Her green eyes flicked from one twin to the other.
“Well, we were just…” Stuttered Rion, reluctant to tell his mother now that he had forgiven his brother.
“We just had nothing to talk about. Um, could we maybe go in to town tomorrow? We need to buy some,” Joban ruffled his hair, trying to think of an excuse,
“Brushes!” exclaimed Rion, relieving Joban from his moment of embarrassment, “Tiya and Teell’s grooming brushes are scruffy and worn out. We need brushes for our horses.”
“Oh?” asked Linnet, raising an eyebrow, “Well, alright, I need some flour too, can you please get me some flour while you are getting your…brushes. I will give you the money tomorrow morning.”
Linnet left the table with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Brushes?” Whispered Joban when Linnet was out of earshot.
“What? It was a white lie. Our horses need new grooming brushes anyway.”
Joban laughed and got up from the table.
“I suppose it could’ve been worse…”
There was a moment of silence, where the only thing the boys could hear was the soft pitter patter of the rain hitting the roof. Joban abandoned his place next to the table and headed for the back door,
“Would you care to spar with me, Rion?”
Rion looked intently at the two wooden swords sitting next to the back door. Those swords had been made by their father, and the twins never did anything too brutal to vandalize the fine shape of the hard wood.
“You’re on, Joban. Just don’t cry too hard when I beat you this time!”
Joban smirked, “You wish.”
“It’s nice with quiet for a change, but it just doesn’t seem right with you two silent. What’s wrong?” Linnet folded her arms across her chest and leaned back on her chair. Her green eyes flicked from one twin to the other.
“Well, we were just…” Stuttered Rion, reluctant to tell his mother now that he had forgiven his brother.
“We just had nothing to talk about. Um, could we maybe go in to town tomorrow? We need to buy some,” Joban ruffled his hair, trying to think of an excuse,
“Brushes!” exclaimed Rion, relieving Joban from his moment of embarrassment, “Tiya and Teell’s grooming brushes are scruffy and worn out. We need brushes for our horses.”
“Oh?” asked Linnet, raising an eyebrow, “Well, alright, I need some flour too, can you please get me some flour while you are getting your…brushes. I will give you the money tomorrow morning.”
Linnet left the table with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Brushes?” Whispered Joban when Linnet was out of earshot.
“What? It was a white lie. Our horses need new grooming brushes anyway.”
Joban laughed and got up from the table.
“I suppose it could’ve been worse…”
There was a moment of silence, where the only thing the boys could hear was the soft pitter patter of the rain hitting the roof. Joban abandoned his place next to the table and headed for the back door,
“Would you care to spar with me, Rion?”
Rion looked intently at the two wooden swords sitting next to the back door. Those swords had been made by their father, and the twins never did anything too brutal to vandalize the fine shape of the hard wood.
“You’re on, Joban. Just don’t cry too hard when I beat you this time!”
Joban smirked, “You wish.”