A/N: I don't have much to say, so I'm going to keep this short – this is a filler chapter, so it's shorter, but I realized I'd left a loose end and I needed to tie it up. But, I've got the next chapter written in my notebook…it's all a matter of transferring it all onto my computer. So, it should be done soon. But, for the time being, here's chapter twenty-six…and don't forget to review!

From the journal of Jarred Cooper,
Trainee in the Provost's Guard of Tortall
Scanra to Tortall

June 8, 267

Oh, forget not writing. Now that I've had this journal for two months, even writing by firelight isn't that hard after those nights when my candle would be guttering.

Anyway, after that explosive argument, it took Ma a few days to remember that Rosto had slit the throat of the cove that we were chasing. We were eating dinner last night when, and she was scribbling things down in her journal (she hadn't had a chance between being exhausted from the rides, and various other reasons, like spending the evening on Rosto's lap kissing him) when she remembered.

But, apparently, as she was about to take another bite of the steak she and Rosto had prepared with the buck she brought down late this afternoon when we ran across a herd of deer, she remembered. Turns out that between the two of them, despite that both of them have either lived on Corcoran's cooking or, in Rosto's case, spent most of the last twenty years eating that slop, they're pretty good cooks.

She stopped writing and put her fork down, looking at Rosto as he took a too-big bite of meat. He caught the highly displeased look that had appeared on her face and frowned as he chewed.

"Wha?" he mumbled. He seemed to be regretting taking that large of a bite. "I can' 'elp it if I haven't eaten this good in eighteen years!" he protested, thinking that Ma was annoyed about his manners instead of the aforesaid incident.

"Wrong answer," Ma said, glaring at him now. He tilted his head slightly and looked at her, obviously confused. At that, so was I at the time, so I don't blame him.

"All right then. Will you tell me what you're upset about?" he asked. Ma stared at him for a few moments, as if she was debating whether to make him figure it out on his own or not.

"Fine. Explain yourself. Why did you kill that cove – the one that we followed all the way here to catch and take back to Corus?" she asked. Rosto shrugged.

"I was in the Rogue long enough to know what a fatal wound is, Beka. He stabbed himself in the chest right where he would bleed to death faster than we could get out and make it to a healer. It was a mercy killing, love. He would have painfully bled to death, and all three of us would have gotten caught. I couldn't bear the thought of putting you, or Jarred, through what I've been through in the last eighteen years. I feel like I've been through the Realm of Chaos and back again during this time, Beka. It would destroy me to see anyone put you through any of that," he said. His eyes never left her as he spoke. "I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because of me. Not after all I put you through, not even before that."

He finally looked away then, turning back to his food, which he cut into smaller pieces after that. He didn't look up at any of us, instead looking at the fire when he did look up from his plate.

"Thank you, Rosto," Ma said quietly. She nudged herself a bit closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and giving him a one-armed hug for a moment. He smiled softly at her and looped his arm around her waist, pulling her in for another kiss. They've been doing that a lot. It's starting to get annoying. Now I know what Cel means when he says his parents embarrass him frequently.

"Will you two stop that?" Rinny demanded, glaring at them. They both looked at her, confused. I'm starting to think that she and Goodwin are similar in more respects than I noticed. From what Ma told me, Goodwin gets real irritable when she's away from her husband for more than a couple of days.

Actually, I don't think I've seen this side of Rinny before last night – she was in a very bad mood. I don't know whether it's because Ma is snuggling an ex-rusher, or if it's because Ma gets to snuggle someone and Rinny don't. Mind you, for whatever reason, Rinny's not one to cross when she's mad. It's like Ma when she's mad about something, only less scary. Mind you, I've only seen Ma really mad once or twice in my lifetime, and I do not want to see that again. I won't admit it elsewhere, but those eyes of hers are creepy when she's that angry…

But, that's about the only interesting thing that's happened so far…I'll just have to wait and see what else happens…

June 13, 267

Sadly, the trip back has been uneventful other than what I've written down so far. I've been bored the whole time, but too tired to write in my journal after dinner, or even while eating dinner. I sort of nodded off during dinner last night. Ma and Rinny, who has been extremely irritable for some reason, were both sympathetic, but Rosto wasn't. He just chuckled and pulled out his pipe. Maybe it was because I teased him about falling asleep during dinner last week. I don't rightly know.

Well, I will admit that he is amazing with Callingbird. Rosto has taken to playing for us in the evening, sometimes pulling a new song out of the book he wrote them in while imprisoned. Some of them, in particular, are haunting melodies that show how lonely he was when he was trapped in that cell. There are a few others that have a somewhat happier tune, but he said last night that there aren't many of those in that book. And the haunting ones, well, they make you feel weird, like you've been touched by a ghost or sommat. Regular folk, folk who've never been imprisoned, won't understand them. Others, they might cry, but not be sure why they're crying, just that they're sad.

I've also been wondering about Rosto. See, although I knew in that cell that he was my da, I don't think I really accepted it until I saw him with Ma. I've also realized that I wasn't just some cosmic accident between the Rogue and the Terrier, but rather, a child truly born of love between the two of them.

Ma still treats me the same, but I can see that Rosto is trying to figure out how to treat me: we was allies when we were stuck in that cell, but now that we're out – now that we're a family, I can tell he wants to be my da, but without stopping being my friend as well. I think he wants to step into that new role, which he was never allowed to fill, thanks to his step-brother, but he doesn't want to mess up what relationship we already have. It's going to take some getting used to. A lot of getting used to.

Actually, I think he and Ma are planning sommat, now that I think about it. They've been sitting alone across the fire all evening, and have been talking in hushed tones that I can't hear (I hate it when people do that) since dinner. Rosto's had Callingbird out again, too, but hasn't played it. I can only begin to wonder what they're up to.

And suddenly, I think things have changed more than I ever thought they would. Ma has changed, or at least the way she acts has changed, since Rosto's reappearance. She's still Ma, but she almost looks and acts like a younger Ma, like the Ma who was 'the Terrier' and 'the Bloodhound' and whatnot. Like the Ma who could hunt thieves across the country, not just around the City. It's like Rosto's the reason why she's so strong, and I can't help but feel a little selfish for noticing that, but it's true, she has, and I think he is. True, Ma will take on the world for me, but I feel like it's Rosto who'd give her the strength to take on the gods. But it also seems to be true in reverse; Ma's returned some of the life to Rosto's face. And since they were reunited, he hasn't stopped smiling.

It might only be because I've never seen the two of them together before this trip, though, because Rosto disappeared long before I was born and all.

But, since they're obviously not going to tell me, I'm just going to have to wait. I hate waiting. Almost as much as when people talk low enough that I can't hear them. Mind you, that's half the reason I became a Dog when it all came down to it. So I could go sniffing around and listening in on conversations (including conversations that I'm not supposed to hear – those are the fun ones to listen to). It's just, well, a Rogue and the Terrier, especially a married Rogue and Terrier, probably know how to keep secrets really well. Especially from the likes of a mutt like me.

Other than that, there is some good news – we'll be home in the next few days, it seems, with the pace we've kept up. I can't wait to get home! I hope Corcoran is making goose. And fritters. And roast. And tarts. And now I'm hungry.

Posted 2/19/08