The warm summer day and cheerful birdsong had drawn Ryanna outside when she should have been helping with the lunchtime crowd in the main room. Slipping around the side of the inn she caught the sound of two voices raised in anger coming from Mother's office window. Curiosity drew her to sit beneath the window, but shock made her stay.
"I tell you they are my children and I won't have you running off with them!"
"They are my children too! I have the right acknowledge them! You cannot deny me a father's privilege!"
The first voice was clearly her mother's, but the second Ryanna did not recognize. It was certainly not her father, who she had just seen working hard in the main room. So who could he be? And who were they talking about?
"You are not their father. Their father has sat at my side for many years while you have been gallivanting around doing your trading!" Ryanna could hear her mother spit that last word, and it was the clue she needed to the identity of the man in the room
"Don't lie to me, Vylonna." the trader snarled back. "I can count as well as any man. With them born in spring that puts their conception at midsummers You were near three months gone when you married Daro in early fall. That means they are mine. Why else would you name them as you did. Rethwellen names to mach that of their Rethwellen father!"
Rethwellen--- Ryanna almost choked as she realized that they had to be talking about her and Ryan. She covered her mouth and moved closer to the window, her mind reaching out for her brother on that bond that all twins share. Oh Ryan...get over here. You aren't going to believe this.
"Do you think I can't tell who the father of my children is?" Vylonna's voice cracked as the anger drained out into shock. "How can you tell there was not another then? Why not my husband?"
"Because of your promise, your words...your love." the trader's words were softer now. "Because when I came to get you that fall I saw the sorrow in your eyes as you refused me, and how your hands touched your womb when your voice became uneasy."
Ryanna could almost hear her mother sobbing now, and when she spoke there were tears in her words. "It matters not... It matters not who their father is. I am their mother, and I will not let them make the mistake that I almost made."
"Would it really have been a mistake? Or have you only been trying to convince yourself that it would? Have you spent the last fourteen years trying to prove to yourself that I ... that our love was a mistake?"
Ryan came running around the corner right then and Ryanna was barely able to shush him before someone inside might hear him. She could almost see them inside, her tall willowy mother, her emerald eyes full of tears as she leans her hands upon her desk and tries to restrain the long repressed love in her heart. The dark haired trader in his dusty cloths, fresh off the road, his anguished expression of thwarted love and eternal longing. She almost sighed, thinking what a wonderful ballad it would make. But before she could get past that poetic thought the argument began anew and pushed all the images from her head.
"It...was....a ... mis ... take! And I will not let them make it too. You will not look for them, speak to them, and most definitely not tell them what you think. Ryanenthallis and Ryannaenthallia belong here, in this village, and this inn, with me and their father and I never want you to have a part in their lives. Never! Do you hear me?!"
"I hear you, Vylonna." The trader spoke calmly compared to her mother's shrieks, but containing the same note of total stubbornness and denial. "But I only promise you that I will acknowledge them. They are our children, yours and mine, and if nothing else they have the right to know that truth."
Ryanna and Ryan listened to the sounds of soft footsteps, a door opening and shutting, and their mother's muffled sobs while they sat in shared shock at these revelations. After a few minutes the sobs stopped and further movements told them that their mother had left the room as well. Only then did they break from their shock and move, running as one for the one private place they could think of that was in reach. They needed to talk.
Settled next to each other under the eaves of the barn, Ryan and Ryanna found themselves staring at the wall in silence for some time, each lost in their own thoughts.
Reddrethren had come into Sweetsprings ten years before looking for a place to retire. He had happily settled in as part time bouncer, part time horse master, and part time blacksmith, and the twins had quickly latched onto the grizzled old man and loved him as much as any other member of their family. Red could be a hard tasks master when the time warranted, but had come to love the children as well, and often played indulgent uncle. His bright smile had been known to call up smiles in others even from the darkest despair, especially when coupled with one of the special treats he mysteriously imported from other countries. But there was little sign of that smile on his face later that afternoon when he found Ryan and Ryanna where they had hidden in the hay loft.
"Is something wrong, Red?" Ryanna asked as she caught sight of his serious expression, then gulped as she realized that she was supposed to be helping in the inn all this time. Mother and father must be worried by now.
"Aye, y'er parents be looking for ye half the afternoon," he replied as though he had read her mind, but she didn't have to look at Ryan to know he sensed there was something more in the older mans thoughts.
"If that is all then we had better head to the inn," Ryan said carefully, hopefully leaving an opening for that other thought.
"Not just yet if ye don't mind. I can cover for y'easily enough if ye let me. There is something else I think ye should look into first...." He paused, uncertainty clear in his voice.
"Does this have to do with the traders?" Ryanna asked quickly as her mind put a few stories together about his past.
"What be maken ye ask that?"
"We heard..." Ryan began to blurt it out but then paused, looking at Ryanna. She nodded to him in encouragement as more of the pieces began to fall into place in her mind. "We heard one of the traders talking to Mother in her office...earlier...about us."
"And you came now because you know all about it...don't you...." Ryanna continued for him. "You were one of the traders once, and maybe that is why you came here...because of us."
Astonishment showed in Red's eyes for a moment, then he broke into a big smile, like the sun breaking through the clouds on a dreary day. "Oh I shouda known you woulda figured it all out. I told him he had some right smart chil'n. I'm your father's father's cousin, come here to keep an eye on you two in part. But I have always loved this area so it weren't no hardship chosen here to settle. And now your father would like to talk with ye. Since you know the gist already seems your mother's words don't mean so much no more."
"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," Ryan said, and Ryanna nodded in agreement.
"Well then. He's waiting for you out beyond the spare paddock. I'll tell y'er parents that I found ye and put ye to work. Just be back in time to clean up before the dinner rush or else someone will be hunten for ye."
They hopped up and gave him a big hug before jumping down the ladder and running off to find their father. Red stood still for a moment, his grin seeming to grow even larger. "Bout time he got back here to teach them the truth. Them's good kids. Good kids." He shook his head and composed his features before heading in to make up an excuse to their parents and cover their further absence. How they found out wouldn't matter to Vylonna, only that they knew. And on that subject there would be no reconciliation for some time.
Slipping behind the stable and towards the paddock, Ryanna found her mind strangely blank. Rather that the millions of questions that had been dancing through it since she had overheard her mother earlier, there was simply a sense of certainty and rightness. Finally she was going to know the truth about her heritage and bring an end to the lies that had unconsciously haunted her for years. She studied the man they now moved towards, noting how his slightly stocky frame matched her own, with its disproportionately long legs, far better than her mother's or ...well, that of the man she had thought her father. His hair was not as dark as she had first thought seeing him lead his trading caravan into town that morning, It caught the light in red highlights giving the feel of a more auburn tone that black. But what caught her attention the most as she and Ryan came closer was his eyes, eyes of such a deep blue she could only compare them to the blue of the eyes of the Companions that came through town from time to time with their Heralds.
The trader... their father... the man was watching them closely as they approached, and given how the small smile on his face broadened as they got nearer, he seemed to approve of what he saw. Ryanna wasn't sure what there was to see that would elicit such approval. She only saw two gawky youths, one a bit taller, the other just developing a woman's curves, both with boring blond-brown hair and green eyes, nothing much to distinguish them from the rest of the children in the village. Yet her sense of his approval only grew stronger as they stopped just before him. A quick glance around showed that they were well hidden from the view of anyone near the inn or the road. No one was likely to be coming out here to the back of the inns lands just at the edge of the woods so there was little to fear of interruption. She just wished she had any idea how she should speak to this man. The relationships were too uncertain, and she knew Ryan felt the same way. Perhaps the trader realized it to, for there was only a moment of silence before he spoke.
"So you are Ryanenthallis," he nodded to Ryan, "And Ryannaenthallia," he finished with a nod to Ryanna. She recognized that mellifluous voice as the same one from her Mother's office, though it sounded much more pleasant when he was not yelling.
Both of them nodded back to him at the sound of their names. Then Ryan decided to take the initiative.
"And you are our father." There was no question in his voice, only a statement of fact, making it clear that they knew just why they were here.
There was a startled look in his eyes for a moment. "I suppose Red told you that. I had hoped to tell you myself..." He his words trickled off as they shook their heads. "Then...how...?"
"We overheard you and Mother when you were....talking," Ryanna replied and Ryan nodded.
"Then..." he broke off and chuckled softly. "Your mother can't blame me for this then. Not my fault she can't keep her voice down."
"Of course not," Ryanna replied with a smile.
"We simply came to you since coming to her would do her temper no good," Ryan continued, his eye twinkling with suppressed laughter.
"You two clearly have this all thought out. Well then, sit," He waved his hand to the ground before him and sat with his back to one of the fence posts, his smile bright and rather reminiscent of Red's. "So what can I do for you then?"
They both sat with a thoughtful look before blurting out at the same time "What is your name?" and "Where are you from?" Their youthful voices were so similar at this age that no one could tell who asked which, even themselves.
The trader laughed, a musical laugh that seemed to belong more to a bard than this dusty outkingdomer. Yet...at the same time it matched his gentle voice and to Ryanna it seemed strangely familiar.
"Well, to begin with my name is Jad. Well it is really Jaddrethallrin, but only my mother ever used the whole thing. Never understood why she gave me such a silly name, but I guess it reminded her of my father, who was Rethwellen."
"Your not Rethwellen?" they interrupted together.
"Not really. My mother was from Valdemar, same as yours. I lives here for fourteen years before deciding to become a trader and travel with my father's family."
"We're fourteen." Ryan pipped up with a definite tone of excitement.
The trader nodded. "I know. That is part of why I wanted to talk to you this year."
"Why don't I ever remember seeing you before?" They asked at the same time. Traders came through every year as Sweetsprings was on the main road from Karse and Rethwellen to Haven, and while they recognized some of the others in the wagon train this year, this man was a complete stranger.
"Well, why don't I tell you a story, and if you still have any questions afterwards you can ask them then." Their only reply was a matched nod. Some people found the way the could fall into cinque sometimes very unnerving, but Jad showed no sign of discomfort. Ryanna was impressed with his composure. Or was he used to dealing with twins. She remembered seeing a few very similar faces amongst the members of the train.
"Hmm. I guess you could say that it started about sixteen years ago. I decided to run the trade train up to Valdemar myself that year. It went well. But what went best to me was the young woman I meet in Sweesprings. She seemed to have the beginnings of wandering feet and I thought we both felt something for each other. When I came back the next year she asked me for a place in our train. She wanted to see the world rather than spend her life in the same town as her family had been doing for generations. We got to know each other well in the week we stayed here and on Midsummers night... Well, I suppose you can guess. She decided to stay for a little longer and we planned to pick her up on the way back in the fall. We were even planning our marriage that winter when I could present her to my father. I was so excited. I had finally found the woman of my dreams..." He paused for a moment, his eyes sliding from the heights of pure joy that the memories evoked to the sadness that Ryanna now realized had haunted his eyes for the rest of their conversation. "But when I came back that fall... she had married the week before and was showing the early glow of pregnancy. She told me...she told me she had changed her mind. That it had been foolish of her to wish to leave and now she did not wish to see me again. So I stayed away. I thought at the time that her parents had pushed her into the marriage, had discovered our plans and...well, you understand. Now...now I know that it was her own decision and likely no one else in this village even knows what she almost did. Though in truth I will never understand why."
Jad stopped there, looking down at his feet and quietly mourning his lost chance. Ryanna took the chance to reflect upon what she knew of her mother, looking for why she would have done such a thing. From their voices in the office she knew they were still very much in love, which made her heart ache for the man she called father. Daro was a good man. Did he even know of this? I think that he does. It would explain the difference in age between Vyalla and us. Though he may have only found out after we were born so early. Poor man. He certainly never made us pay for it. He has been a perfect father all these years. I hope that someday this can come out in the open so that I can thank him for that.
However, why did mother change her mind like that?
"Perhaps..." she began softly, hoping to draw Jad out of his slump without startling him too much at the sound of her voice. "I think it might have been her sense of responsibility. She has always been rather...forceful about its importance. I think Grandfather died that summer, and she would have felt that she must care for Grandmother and the Inn. She was the local healer and as much as she wanted to see the world, caring for other people has always been her top priority. So she was needed here. Or at least she came to think so. She didn't forget her dreams entirely, or else she would not have given us such unValdemaren names. But there is no way she could reconcile her desires with that responsibility, and she tends to deny anything she can't accept. That could be why she says it was a mistake..." Ryanna stopped, suddenly aware of the piercing gaze that was now directed at her from her father's blue eyes. Looking into them she felt as though she could fall into them they were so deep. The spell was not broken until he blinked and moved his gaze to Ryan, who had been nodding at what she said from the start. Ryanna looked down at her feet, bitting her lip uncertainty. Had she over stepped her bounds?
She looked up, startled when that musical laugh broke out again. "Red told me that you sometimes seemed wise beyond your years. But I never really understood what he meant." he shook his head and smiled. "Now I think I do. Thank you daughter. I think I have had the pieces for years, but never the courage to put them together." He placed his hand on her shoulder, then reached out his other to Ryan. "I am delighted to finally meet you two. And honored to know that you are my children.. He leaned forward and kissed them lightly on the forehead before standing up. "However, it is getting late and I think you are needed back at the Inn soon."
They stood Ryan and checked the height of the sun from the horizon before replying. "I think if we hurry we should make it back with plenty of time to wash and change before they need us in the man room... unless you were supposed to help Grandmother in the kitchen today." He gave Ryanna a pointed look and she blushed, remembering the scolding she had gotten for missing kitchen duty last time.
"Not today." She shook her head. "Vyalla is helping with dinner since I helped with lunch."
"Well then I have one more thing to ask." Jad's voice broke their preoccupation and their heads snapped around to regard him. "Do you think you could get free tomorrow afternoon?" They thought for a moment and nodded together, thinking that Red could probably cover for them again if they couldn't get free legitimately. "Then would you come to the wagons tomorrow at the second candlemark after noon? I want to present you to the others."
Ryanna looked quizzically at him, then shrugged as she remembered his comment about father's privilege earlier. "Alright. We'll be there."
"Wonderful. I will see you tomorrow. And if there is a problem just let Red know and he will let me know." He walked off with a smile that seemed to dwarf even Red's best. They watched him until he vanished around the side of the stable before setting off at a run for the Inn.
They both received a tongue lashing for vanishing all afternoon and leaving everyone worried, but the dinner rush was just beginning and no one had any time to really push them about what they had been up to. Ryanna worked a double shift at lunch the next day to make up for skipping out early the day before. It took some wrangling, but finally she managed to get her parents to give her the afternoon off when she said that Red thought the traders might have some musical instruments for sale. Both her parents knew her love of music, and how heartbroken she had been since spring when her harp had been broken by some bullies, and so were inclined to let her search for another. However, Vylonna was uneasy though the entire conversation, and Daro worried about her safety. So when Ryan offered to go with and play bodyguard, maybe bringing along a few of his friends from town, Daro pronounced himself satisfied. Vylonna could not explain why she did not want them to go and so after putting on one of their better changes of cloths, the twins set out only a little late.
The trader caravan had set up camp just outside of town, where they would be out of the way yet still be in reach of any villager with an eye to buy. Ryanna felt rather conspicuous in her brightly colored skirt and blouse. The traders she saw as she approached seemed to be dressed as blandly as the Holderkin, and all were wearing trousers.. It took her a moment to realize that there were even women amongst those clustered around the wagons. They were only reaching the edges of the camp when Jad noticed their approach and came quickly out to greet them.
"Your here. Wonderful. Red should be along any moment, and we can get started." He rambled happily as he gave them both quick hugs and guided them into the circle of wagons.
"Why are we waiting for Red?" Ryan interrupted. However, it was Red himself who answered as he arrived just behind them.
"Why shouldn't I wanta see the child'n I helped raise be acknowledged in their birthright?" His patent smile was in full bloom as he patted the twins on the head.
"Birthright?" both children questioned at the same time, eyeing the surprising number of people now filing into the area at the center of the circled wagons where they stood. No answer was forthcoming, however, as Jad suddenly moved to the center of the circle of wagons and struck a pose, his hands held high, circling so that his eyes moved around the crowd of traders that surrounded him. Everyone quieted quickly, clearly recognizing this as the sign that something important was beginning. As Jad began speaking in a strange tongue, Ryanna began to feel as though she had walked into a strange ritual in one of the few small religious temples nearby. She was grateful when after a few moments he switched to Valdemaren and she could tell what was going on. However Ryan and Ryanna soon began to wonder just how important this presentation was and just what they had gotten themselves into.
"Reddrethren, cousin to my father, Jaddrethallrin, today you bring someone before the People?" Although it was clearly a question, the words were said with such a ritualistic tone that Ryanna's feeling of being caught in someone else's ritual only became stronger. This was not just an introduction to their relatives. It was some important tradition.
"Jaddrethallrin, son of my cousin, on this day I present to ye these chil'en. Born of Vylonna of Sweetsprings, I stand in suppor' that they are thine and thus of the People," Red replied in the same tone, shoving Ryan and Ryanna towards their father as he spoke.
"I acknowledge your words and accept these children as my own," Jad said, grasping a Ryanna's left hand with his right, and Ryan's right hand with his left, pulling them to him. "Before the People I claim these two as my own and name them before the Twins that They may know them as being of their People. Ryanenthallis. Ryannaenthallia." As he pronounced each of their names, he raised the hand that he held up to the sky, palm up, and the solemn people all around them began smiling and cheering.
His grin somehow bigger than even Red's, Jad looked down at his children proudly and let their hands drop. Faced with that grand smile they could not help but smile as well, despite their uncertainty. As the other traders returned to the tasks they had left a moment ago, Jad lead his newly presented children over to a bench near on of the wagons and sat down.
"I'm glad that you were able to get free," He said, patting the space on the bench to either side of him, inviting Ryan and Ryanna to sit with him. "Though I suppose you are wondering just what is going on...unless Red explained last night." Ryanna shook her head, wishing to herself that Red had not vanished into the crowd as it dispersed, he being the only truly familiar face. However she sat as her brother did, determined to understand this strange man who was their father.