Isabelle slowly disengaged her hand from his and smiled at his concern. “Nay, dear Bruce,” she said softly. “I am well. T’is not even my own blood.”

Completely ignoring the fact that she had called him,’dear,’ Bruce looked into her eyes. “Then what happened to ye?” he asked.

She sighed and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “T’would be a long story and I am more than tired,” she told him. “I think we should take the horses back to Humphrey, right now. I will relate my tale at a later time.” She gave him a weak smile to ease the rebuke and he nodded.

“As ye wish, me lady, but ye must tell us what happened.”

“Aye, so be it,” she said, then went to untie her horse.

When Barker returned from looting the camp, he asked Humphrey if he had learned anything from the boy.

“Little enough,” the knight said, “as he knew little. He hails from an eastern village where he and a number of other young men were forced into the army, some three moons past.”

“Whose army?”

“He knows naught. Yonder dead captain was the only high ranking officer the lad has seen. They were notified just last eventide by messenger bird to search for a man traveling with a young girl and to hold them for questioning.”

“With no idea who might be doing the questioning?” Barker asked.

Humphrey shook his head. “I know naught what to do with the boy, now. I decline to kill him outright, yet we can nae let him wander the woods without destination.”

Barker was silent for a moment, then leaned close and spoke softly in Humphrey’s ear.

Humphrey nodded. “Tis your decision, Master Innkeeper,” he said.

Barker moved over to the fire, where the young soldier sat, attempting to get warm. The Innkeeper sat down across from the boy and looked him square in the eyes. “What be yer name, lad?” he asked.

T’is Dunc, sir,” he said.

“Do ye wish to live, Dunc?” Barker asked.

Surprised by such a direct question, the boy nodded his head up and down. “Aye, good sir, indeed I do.”

“If we were to let ye live, would ye then grant me a boon for yer life?”

“Aye, good sir,” the boy replied, eager to do whatever was asked of him. “Anything at all, good sir. Anything.”

“Do ye know where the town of River Bend be located?”

The boy shook his head. “Nay, sir, I regret I do nae know this area at all.”

“Ye know where the Green River runs, do ye naught?” Barker asked.

“Oh, aye, good sir. We crossed that river this very morning, as we moved south.”

“Right. I want ye to go back to that river and continue to follow it south until ye come to the town of River Bend. Do ye understand me, so far?”

The boy nodded. “Follow the river south to the town of River Bend,” he repeated.

“When ye get to the town, ask anyone ye meet how to find the White Swan Inn. At the Inn, ye will find a woman with a pleasing nature who runs the place. Ye will tell her that a white haired old man spared yer life and in return, ye wish to work at the Inn until such time as the old man returns or the lady wishes ye gone. Now repeat that to me.”