"Time to eat. Come on, Remy."

Athos was heading out of the barracks without even looking round to see if Remy was following, but he heard the scuffling of footsteps as Remy caught him up and fell into stride beside him. They soon arrived at a tavern that Remy had never been to before. Not that he frequented a lot of taverns.

The inside of the tavern was clean and quite well lit, with tables and chairs dotted around the room, far enough apart from each other to offer some chance for private conversation. Athos ushered Remy towards a vacant corner table and headed to the counter. The woman behind the bar seemed somewhat harassed.

"Busy day, Katrina?"

She rolled her eyes. "Understatement of the decade. My kitchen boy is sick, and my serving girl is visiting family, so, naturally, everyone wants to eat. My cook is overworked and underpaid, apparently. I have orders piling up, customers waiting to be fed, and more people keep arriving. I swear, this is the busiest day I've had all month. So, what can I get you, Athos? Wine, as usual?" She was already reaching for a bottle.

He shook his head with a rueful smile. "Well, yes, wine would be good, but I was actually hoping for food, for me and the boy." Athos indicated Remy with a flick of his head.

Katrina peered over his shoulder. "And just where did you find him?"

"He sort of fell off a roof."

She raised her eyebrows, but smiled when she saw the amused glint in his eye. It was a glint that was sadly missing most days, and the sight of it lifted her heart. She had a soft spot for Athos, particularly since he'd been instrumental in persuading her sad excuse of a husband that sticking around her tavern to drink her profits was a really bad idea that he should rethink at his earliest convenience.

"Well, I can recommend the stew or the chicken. That's about all we can cope with today, and there will be a longer delay than usual I'm afraid."

There was a loud crash of crockery and a hammering noise from the kitchen. "Ah, excuse me, I think the next meals are ready. Either that, or the cook has just killed someone."

Athos stopped her with a movement of his hand. "And with your wrist, exactly how many plates can you carry at a time?"

She pulled her sleeve self consciously over her bandaged wrist. "Well, just the one. That's part of the problem."

Athos looked over his shoulder. Remy was staring at the ceiling, kicking a chair leg, and looking utterly bored.

"Remy, want to do me a favor?"

Remy came over to the bar and looked at him questioningly.

"Katrina needs some help. She'll show you what to do, ok?"

"Ok."

Remy was kept busy, delivering food to tables, clearing plates, and chopping herbs. Athos kept a watchful eye on him from the corner. He was polite to the customers, but quiet, and, Athos suddenly realised, actually quite shy.

"Damn, Katrina, your help is getting smaller." The man sat back in his chair, laughing, as Remy placed a couple of plates on the table. "Mine's the chicken, boy."

Remy looked him squarely in the eye. Athos found himself holding his breath.

"Well, I'm pretty sure one of these plates has chicken on it. Afraid I don't know who ordered what, I'm just helping out. Oh, and as for being small, I prefer the term, vertically challenged."

The man stared at him, dumbfounded, then nearly fell off his chair laughing. His three friends collapsed with laughter as well. Athos breathed out with a grin and an approving nod as Remy glanced in his direction. The man noticed the glance, and looked round.

"Athos! Is this one with you?"

Athos smiled and nodded. "Yes, Lucien, he is."

"Well, he's got balls, I'll give him that."

Remy grinned mischievously. "Well, I did have the last time I checked."

Lucien roared with laughter again, and Remy went back to the kitchen to fetch the next two plates. When he returned, Lucien and Athos were chatting and laughing. Remy placed the plates on the table and beat a hasty retreat. The next two plates were for him and Athos. He sat down to eat, and Athos ruffled his hair.

"Good work, boy."

Remy grinned.

Athos went to the counter to pay. Katrina smiled at him.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure which roof he fell off, but he's a nice young man. Polite, funny, and a quick learner. Where does he work?"

Athos chuckled. "He works where he can find work during the week, and at weekends, he works in our barracks. Why? What did you have in mind?"

Katrina wrinkled her nose up in thought. "I'm not sure when my kitchen boy will be fit to work, and my serving girl isn't back until Friday. I thought, maybe, I could borrow him for the week. If that's alright with him."

Athos looked over his shoulder. Remy was already bored again and was looking around the tavern with undisguised curiosity. "Remy. Want a job for the week?"

Remy nodded. "Always. Where?"

"Here. Katrina thinks you'd be useful."

Remy joined them at the bar. "Really?"

"Yes, really. She doesn't know you well yet though, so she'll soon change her mind."

Elosie thumped him in the arm. Athos feigned pain while Remy giggled.

"Seriously, Remy, if you could help me out this week, I'd be grateful. I'll feed you and pay you as well."

Remy nodded eagerly. "Ok, deal."

Athos rolled his eyes. "Your negotiation skills need some work, boy."

Katrina glared at him. "I'll pay him a fair rate, and you know it."

"Speaking of pay." Athos dropped some coins onto the counter. "That should cover it."

Katrina smiled. "Indeed. Thank you, Athos."

The pair turned to leave, but Katrina called Remy back.

"Remy, here, this is yours." She handed him a few small coins.

He looked at her, confused. "What's that for?"

"Well, partly for helping out, and partly it's the tips you earned from my customers. Especially Lucien. He said you were the best entertainment we've had in ages."

Athos laughed loudly.

It was dusk when Remy reached the smithy. He looked around the yard, noting the cart loaded with various crates and boxes. The forge was not lit, which was unusual. The smith was stood to one side of the yard, packing various tools into boxes. He nodded and smiled a greeting to Remy, and headed into the stables. Jamie came running out of the house and threw himself at Remy. Remy grinned and hugged him back, before carefully extricating himself. They spoke quietly.

"You're leaving tomorrow?" asked Remy.

Jamie nodded. "First thing in the morning. Out to Melun. It's a fair sized forge and he has family near by. You should come with us."

Remy shook his head. "His wife still doesn't like me. Besides, this is a new start for you. You don't need me cramping your style." He ruffled the smaller boy's hair playfully, noting that Jamie was no longer that much smaller than him. He was growing fast.

Jamie nodded wistfully. "I know, but I wish you were coming."

"I'll come visit you sometime. I promise." Remy had no idea how he was going to keep that promise, but he meant it.

He barely noticed his surroundings at all on the way back to the barracks. It was only when Pierre stepped out in front of him that he realised he was surrounded by about half a dozen boys, most of whom were bigger than him. He kicked himself mentally for not paying attention.

"Ah. Remy. Just the person I was looking for. You broke Michaels nose."

Remy grinned. "I always said his face needed improving."

Pierre glared at him. "That's not funny. Some of my gang ended up in jail."

"So did I."

"You got out though."

"Well, by now, I reckon they'll be out too."

"That's not the point."

"There was a point to this?"

Pierre was getting exasperated. "Look, you started that fight."

"No I didn't. You started it. You were on Jacques turf, insulting him and trying to takeover. You started it."

"I did not."

"You did too."

"Not."

"Did."

"Not.

"Did."

"Oh, this is ridiculous. I'm giving you one last chance. Join my gang."

"And if I don't." Remy knew the answer, but he asked anyway, stalling for time. A couple of the boys were either amused or bored by proceedings and had moved a little apart from each other. If he was quick, and lucky, he might be able to make a break for it.

"You're either with us, or against us. Your choice."

Remy tilted his head to one side, apparently thinking this through. One of the boys turned to his neighbor, laughing at Remy's predicament. Remy took his opportunity and ran at the boy, pushing him over and running down the alley as fast as he could. He wasn't sure he could outrun them all, but if he could lose a few it would help. Otherwise, he was going to be in a whole heap of pain when they caught him.