I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.
This is short. I'm almost ashamed with how short it is. I've tried to add to it but I ran out of words to say and I refuse to just slap words onto my screen, so its short... but not without meaning.
There's a jump, just to warn you.
Enjoy,

Four

Garrow was outside, enjoying the first warm day since winter's fury rolled through, when a ragged horse and the most disreputable-looking traveler he had ever seen rode through his gate. Although the lands around Carvahall had been peaceful as of late, tales of Urgals and war and deadly assassins often came adrift, and the people of the valley feared of a possibly of attack. This was an age of fear and suspicion and dark rumor. It had been for as long as he remembered.

He stared at the horse and rider before harshly threw down his trowel in annoyance. Aside from the demanding tax collector or a grim villager, no person came onto his land, no one was welcome. And besides, not one single person had any business to come onto his land, as he did not want them here.

"Aye!" he shouted to the rider. "Geoff my land! I have work to do and you are trampling over my upturned dirt!"

The figure did not turn away. No, it raised its hooded head and directed its horse right at him. "You are not truly going to turn me away, are you, Garrow?" came a sharp, impatient voice from within the shadow of the cloak. "Surely not now after not seeing each other after all this time? It's me, Garrow. Selena, your sister."

Garrow started, and looked again more closely as the hood dropped around the figure's shoulders. It had been quite a number of years since he had last seen or receive word from his sister, and he was shocked to see the woman in front him was indeed her. Though the softness of childhood was gone from her face and deep shadow were etched beneath her eyes, he recognized the way her gaze held his and the half smile that played at her lips whenever she had done something she truly was not sorry for, even when she should be.

After the years of hearing or seeing nothing of his younger sister he had come to being at peace with her choices, thinking that it was likely she was either dead or married and with children. Not once in that passing time he thought that she would return. Not with the way she left, in the dead of night and without a sound or farewell. One morning she was just gone, and that was that. The family she left eventually moved on, her brother married a woman he loved, her father passed away from illness, and eventually Garrow had a son and took over the family farm. Selena was not meant to return and ruin that peace. Now that she had he wanted to know; why?

Why after years of arguing with their father had she run off when he began to weaken from sickness? When a faithful daughter would stay and nurse her father back to health? When she did leave why had she not, at least, have said goodbye? And why would someone so eager to rid herself of all ties with those who loved would she ever return?

Anger rose within him, and he thought about sending her away. He could quite easily, and not feel regretful in the least. After all the grief her disappearance had caused it would only serve her right.

He was just raising his hand to wave her off when a child head peeped out from within the cloak and studied with dark, forlorn eyes, and he forgot about sending her away. No child should have such a gaze. It was a gaze Garrow saw once from a man who had too many sorrows. Garrow's steps faltered as the boy simply stared at him, his eyes pleading. Within moments the child disappeared back into the folds of the cloak but the twisting feeling inside him remained.

Garrow looked back up at his sister. "Come on in," he said.

She smiled. It was a different smile, one Garrow had never seen. It sent shivers up his spine. "I shall," she said in lithe, tilted voice that twisted her words into a strange new form. "But before I do, I have a horse I must tend to."

Garrow peered up at her, and crossed his arms over his chest. "You know where the barn is," he said, stepping back. "Let me know if you need any help."

"I shall," came her answer. The woman rode towards the barn and despite himself Garrow followed. A great frown stretched across his face as he walked toward. The barn was a small building that had little more than dirt and wood and scattered hay in it. There was a time, a few months ago when the building was used to shelter animals that was until the wild dogs came one night. Since then Garrow had closed it off, waiting for spring to arrive so that he buy new stock with the little money he received from selling wild dog meat.

Now Garrow looked around the byre and wrinkled his nose. The smell of must and rot was stronger than he believed it would be. He would have to clean the barn out before he thought of bringing younger stock in, and it was likely he wouldn't now. Not if Selena and that child were to stay.

He turned to Selena. "How long are planning on staying?" he asked, watching as the small boy scuttled dangerously off the horse. He frowned as the boy stumbled.

Selena looked at the boy and huffed. She drew the heavy green cloak closer to her. "As long as you are willing to have me," she said, and slowly turned on her back to Garrow and kicked her leg over. She slid gracelessly off the horse, nearly falling. "I will help however you'll have me, as will Murtagh."

Garrow frowned and looked about. His eyes landed on the young boy who was staring at him. "I'm supposing that you are Murtagh?" he said to the boy.

The child went white and scurried under the horse's belly causing a sharp chiding from Selena. Murtagh did not seem to notice, he clung onto her leg and peered at Garrow with wide eyes.

"I apologize," said Selena, setting her hand on the boy's head. "Yes, this is Murtagh. My son. Your nephew. He is a good boy though I'm beginning to expect that he is rather shy."

"His father?" Garrow asked, peering at her. She remained behind the horse, taking the saddle off from its stooped back with a look of great strain. It was a grand horse, its coat the color of the richest of polished woods. "Where is he? Who is he?"

"He traveled into the Void some months ago," said Selena shortly, giving the saddle a look of defeat. She give the saddle a great tug and let it fall noisily onto the ground between her feet. "What of you, Garrow? How have you been?"

"I believed you to be died."

There was a sharp intake of breath as she detangled herself from her son, and toddled around the horse. "I should not have left the way did all that time ago," she said softly. "I am sorry for that."

Garrow just stared at his sister and her swollen belly, his mouth opening in surprise. At least now he knew why she came here after she swore she was never going to return. He coughed. "No you should not of," he muttered and then turned away. "I should go tell Marian you are here."

As quickly as he could, Garrow fled from the barn and grabbed the tools he had dropped earlier. His fingers stroked their rough, worn wooden handles, and without thought and as he came closer to the house he tossed them to the ground. He cursed. Loudly.

The door opened and his wife walked out, herround face and brown hair smudged with flour. She wiped her hands on her apron as she moved to him."Who is that in our barn?"

Garrow looked down at her with wide eyes, catching her gaze. He took a deep breath, gathering himself, and said, "My sister."

Marian pursed her lips. "You are not truly going to her stay, are you?" she said, casting her gaze towards Selena and the child next to her.

"Look at her condition and tell me that I should send her away," Garrow sighed, and looked too at her. "Beyond that, she is my sister. I can't send into the unknown without first trying to help her. If she becomes too much of a nuisance, I will do my best to find her and the child a suitable place to stay."

"If is anything like what she I remember her to be," Marian said lowly, touching his arm, "I want her gone. I refuse to have my son raised around her… wildness. I mean it, Garrow."

Garrow nodded. He remembered very well the wildness his wife spoke of. He had spent more than one night of his youth in the pub chasing down his sister and being cursed at and fought off when he did. When she disappeared it had almost been a relief. "Worry not," he muttered, "she will be."

Marian gasped ahold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "She best be," she said. "I'm going in to check on Roran now."

When his wife walked back into the house, Garrow followed close behind. He wanted to see his bright smiling son. Roran was not much younger than Selena's boy but that child held something within him that troubled Garrow. He held to him something of a dark sadness, a woe that would never fade. As he shut the door, he looked back into byre and saw the dark-haired boy looking at him from the distance.

The child ran into the shadows before the door was completely shut.