Chapter 5: An Unhappy Reunion

Sophia looked away and waited for Saber to leave before approaching the counter. Her attempt at maintaining anonymity was cut short, however, when the old proprietor noticed her and greeted her rather boisterously. "Well, hullo, Miss Sophia. Here for yer usual?"

The teacher saw Saber stiffen at her name and glance over his shoulder at her. She pressed on as though she'd never before seen him. "Yes, Bart, thank you. Any specials?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Saber hoist his satchel and step through the door. Bart snorted at her query, pulling her attention back to the counter. "Specials? Miss Sophia, the last time I had a special, you cleaned my pockets so completely that I've yet to have enough gold to offer another."

She gave an innocent shrug. "Can't fault a lady for trying." She collected her packages and left.

Yes, the merchants around town and out in the camp in the Barrow Fields could all attest quite energetically (some in rather coarse language) that the blood of the Ednow traders flowed in her veins.

As she emerged from the shop, she was greeted with the expected sight of Saber leaning against the nearby stone fence, pretending to be nonchalant. The fact that he was tracking her every movement with his eyes all but announced his wish to speak with her.

Sophia steeled her nerves and walked to him, stopping a couple of steps away.

Silence loomed between them.

Apprehension morphed into frustration, and the teacher briefly considered heading home. Ultimately, however, she chose to remain. "Hello, Saber."

The warrior remained mute.

Frustration turned to indignation. Sophia almost slapped him before taking a new course of action. "I'm going to the tavern for a bit to eat. You can come along if you wish."

She turned and began walking toward the tavern. As she'd anticipated, he was walking beside her by the third step.

They entered and made their way through the other patrons to the bar. Sophia decided to try the roast rabbit with vegetables. As she sat down at one of the back tables, contemplating the irony of her lunch, Saber approached with a platter of mystery meat drowned in a dark, thick gravy.

She watched with an expression of equal parts distaste and nausea as he took a bite. After entirely too long, he choked the "morsel" down and reached for his flask to wash away the bitter aftertaste.

Sophia finally asked, "Broiled Hobbe bits?"

Her partner eyed his plate warily. "You may be more right than you know."

They ate quietly for a few minutes. Once again, it was Sophia who broke the silence. "So, what brings you to Oakvale?"

He remained mute as he chewed, and Sophia wondered whether he was pondering how best to answer her question or simply trying to avoid gagging on the putrid meat. Finally, he swallowed uncomfortably. "I'm investigating a theft. A valuable necklace was taken from a woman in Bowerstone North, and she has asked me to retrieve it. So far, I've managed to trace it here."

Sophia searched her memory for a moment, then shook her head. "Nothing like that's turned up here. Besides, as you might have noticed, the local merchants aren't really in a position to buy anything like that at present."

Something flashed to mind suddenly. "Actually, Percy and Lars have been acting odder than usual."

At the warrior's confused look, she elaborated. "They're a pair of witless numbskulls with a penchant for petty theft. Occasionally, they actually manage to steal something, though it's usually found in a day or two. Anyway, I noticed them doing a poor job of slinking quietly into the Memorial Graveyard."

Saber considered the information for a second, then nodded. "Well, it's more than I had when I got here."

As he began to rise from the table, she queried, "What exactly does this necklace look like, in case I should come across any information regarding it?"

He started patting each of his many pockets in turn before recalling which one held the item he was seeking, from which he extracted a sketch. As Sophia examined the given dimensions and colors, a chill of recognition seized her. Saber appeared not to notice. "As you can see , it really is quite clas-"

"That's Amanda Grey's necklace!"

He shrugged in response. "Well, actually, now it's her sister's; Lady Grey states she's worn it since her sister died."

"Since Elvira murdered her, more like." Sophia spat out. She turned to face her former lover. "Amanda Grey was supposed to be the Mayor, 'til she 'mysteriously disappeared'. What are you doing with the likes of Elvira Grey?"

The warrior shrugged once more. "She's single; she's beautiful; she's rich; and she's powerful. Which, all in all, sounds like an ideal package to me. So, I figure that if I do the favors she's asking of me, it'll give me a leg up in wooing her."

The former heiress gaped back at him. He smiled. "Well, then, I have some ne'er-do-wells to track down. So, toodles."

He rose from the table, stopped by the bar to leave a small stack of gold coins, then slid out the door.

Sophia remained still for a moment; then she slapped her hands to the table as she rose and bolted after the Hero. As she reached him, she caught hold of his sleeve.

As he turned toward her, Saber could see on her face that shock had given way to anger.

"What are you thinking?" She hissed. "She killed her own sister, for Avo's sake! What in all of Albion makes you think the same won't happen to you the instant you cease to be useful to her?"

The teacher stopped to catch her breath, then continued in a quieter voice, "Saber…what's happened to you? Whatever happened to us?"

Saber glared back at her incredulously. "Us? US? You made it quite clear that there was no 'us'."

She fumed back at him. "I never said anything of the sort."

"I believe your exact words were 'You could consider this a down payment toward our freedom.' Key word there is 'our'."

Sophia was taken aback. " If those were my words, that was not my meaning. I only m-"

Saber interrupted. "It was fairly obvious after that that you were only with me because I was the holder of your contract."

The teacher was now becoming visibly upset. "That's not true. You don't understand…but, of course, instead of asking me about all this, you chose to run away."

The Hero snorted. "Oh, that's rich, coming from you."

"What are you talking about?"

He snarled in her face, "Oh, come off it. We both know that you haven't yet reconciled things with your family. Or have you? Tell me I'm wrong, and that everything's all right with Daddy Dearest, and I'll take it all back."

This time, it was the former heiress who allowed the silence to answer for her.

Saber sneered. "Thought not."

He turned toward the Barrow Fields and began walking away.

"Talk to Rhodri."

The plea in the quiet, brittle-sounding voice caused him to turn halfway back to her. As her voice suggested, Sophia looked as though she might shatter at the slightest touch, but she continued. "Please. He was Amanda's fiancé. Apparently, he's spent just about every day since her disappearance over by the Demon Door, mourning her. If anyone has proof of the monster Elvira really is, it's him."

He stared coldly back at her before resuming his course toward the Fields. She watched as he did so. Hope tried to grow in her heart that his direction was based upon her plea. But she doubted it.

The day seemed rather bleaker as she gloomily trudged back to her home.