024. Family – "In the Blood"
In the apartment over the butcher's shop in Elm Street, the butcher poked the fire one last time and looked up at his father's sword over the hearth. It had been there as long as he could remember, relict of the old man's days in the army.
It reminded Mamertine more of his brothers. Of course, their swords hadn't come back from Klatch; their bodies hadn't, either.
Though he made his living carving up dead pigs and cows and sheep, Mamertine had always abhorred violence. When his brothers had enlisted, he was training to be a priest. If they'd lived, he might—
The floorboards behind him creaked, and he spun round. A man stood in the doorway, covered in mud and blood and dressed in a suit far too small for him. He pushed the matted hair from his eyes and grinned from ear to ear.
"Hi, Dad," said Carcer.