Author's Note

This takes place before Domeric's death, so Ramram still lives with his mummy.

Ramsay stopped by the pond, and tied his horse up. Eloise bounded after him, tail wagging. He bent to pet her, and she spun excitedly. Barely more than a puppy, everything excited her.

"Reek!" Ramsay called out. "Hurry up!"

"Coming, coming." He heard his friend's voice in the distance. Reek was downwind from him, or else he no doubt would have smelled him before he saw him.

"What took you so long, Reeky?" He asked, as Reek dismounted and tied his horse. "My mother rides faster than you do."

"I didn't think it was a race." He grumbled. Eloise shied away from him. Though Ramsay's dogs were mostly used to Reek's scent, they did their best not to stand too close to him. And who could blame them?

"Well, come on, then." Ramsay grinned. "Did you bring the stuff?"

Reek nodded, and lifted a brown satchel up. "All in here." He clambered down after Ramsay. "You're sure about this, then?"

"For the thousandth time, yes." He rolled his eyes.

"All right then. Go grab some ice from the pond, then."

"Why?"

"For your ear. Which ear are we doing, anyway?"

"... I hadn't thought about it. Does it really matter?"

Reek shrugged. "I don't think so. Just pick one, and hold the ice against it."
Ramsay went to the edge of the pond and broke off a small piece of ice, and, after some serious deliberation, held it up to the lobe of his right ear. "It's cold." He complained.

"It's ice." Reek said. He was gathering a small amount of wood. "Just hold it there while I do this."

"It will melt."

"Then get a new one." He pulled out a tinderbox and set about starting a fire.

"Why are you starting a fire?"

"To clean the needle."

"Oh." The ice was starting to make his ear go numb, which was the point, but it was also making his fingers go numb, which was a bit of an unwanted side affect. He switched hands and shook the cold one to try to get the blood flowing back into it, watching Reek stick a long, thin needle into the small fire he had started. "... You're sure you know what you're doing, then?"

Reek shrugged. "How hard can it be? Stick your ear with the pointy end, put your fancy jewel in the hole, and we're done."

Ramsay eyed the needle warily. "That sounds... painful."

Reek snorted. "Changing your mind?"

"No." Ramsay scowled.

"Good. How's your ear?"

Ramsay pulled the ice away and tugged on it. He couldn't really feel it. "Numb..."

"Ok, come here. Keep the ice on until I tell you."

Ramsay went over to the small fire and sat by Reek, who handed him a small potato. "... What is this for?"

"When I say, you move the ice and put the potato behind your ear."

"Why?"

"So I don't poke too far through and stab you in the neck."

"Ah... Good reason."

"Ready?"

"... Yeah." Ramsay told himself he wouldn't flinch. He was a man grown.

"Ok... three... two... one... Switch!"

Ramsay quickly switched the ice for the potato, and Reek stabbed the needle through his ear.

"Is... Is that it?"

"Well, the needle is through. You have your jewel?"

Ramsay pulled a small, glinting garnet earring from his pocket and handed it to Reek. Reek examined it for a moment. Then he pulled the needle out and pushed the back of the earring in. "I guess that does it."

"You guess?"

"Well, I mean, I can't think of anything else that needs doing." Reek paused, staring at Ramsay's ear. "Or maybe... No, it's fine."

"Or maybe what?" Ramsay reached a hand up to the fresh piercing, suddenly paranoid.

"Don't touch it." Reek snapped. "You want it to get infected? Then I'd have to cut your ear off, and you would look ridiculous."

Ramsay pulled his hand away and scowled. "This better have gone fine."

"I'm sure it did."

"How sure?"

Reek smirked. "Well, I'll tell you what, if I do have to cut your ear off, I'll get you a new one. From a fetching maiden, perhaps."

Ramsay made a face. "It had better not come to that, or I'll take your ear so we match."

"Good that most maidens come with two ears, then."

Ramsay snorted. "We'd best head back. My mother will be missing us."

"Celebrating our absence, more like."

Ramsay laughed as he untied his horse. "Race you back home?"

"What about Eloise?"

"She knows the way back better than we do. She'll be fine."

"Alright, then." Reek climbed onto his horse. "Last one there has to clean the mess from the shed?"

"You're on." Ramsay kicked his horse and raced towards home, Reek following close behind.