'What's going on in here?'

“What’s going on in here?” Ethelwyn asked.

“We’re playing with our Da!” Gils announced.

“It looks to me rather more like playing on your Da,” Ethelwyn observed.

Egelric laughed.

“What are you supposed to be?” Ethelwyn asked him.

'What are you supposed to be?'

“Well, I was Mount Ararat,” Egelric said, “but then we went back in time somehow, and now Cain and Abel are fighting over on this side, and I don’t know who is fighting over here on this side. A couple of ladies, looks like. Who are they, pup?” he asked Wulf.

“This one is Noah’s wife, and this one is some other lady she doesn’t like,” Wulf said, holding up his dolls in turn.

'This one is Noah's wife, and this one is some other lady she doesn't like.'

“I have been meaning to ask you,” Ethelwyn said, “whether you knew that Gils’s new favorite story was the story of Cain and Abel.”

“Think I ought to be worried?” Egelric smiled.

“Last week they tried to play Daniel in the lion’s den, and you saw the results of that.”

'That damned tomcat won't be sulking around the kitchens any more after that.'

“That damned tomcat won’t be sulking around the kitchens any more after that, and for that I thank them. And as for their arms? They heal faster than any other little boys I know. If I’d healed like that, I would have gotten into fights twice as often, eh, pup? Probably a good thing I didn’t.”

“And if they try to play Cain and Abel?” Ethelwyn asked.

“You won’t try to slay your brother in the fields, will you, Gillie?”

“No!” Gils cried. “He’s bigger than me and older than me.”

'He's bigger than me and older than me.'

“Problem solved,” Egelric nodded.

“If you say so,” Ethelwyn smiled. “Speaking of tomcats, do you suppose I could be put out for the evening?”

“If you go yowling at the door loud enough, the guard might kick you outside. Why do you want to go out, though?”

“I only meant to ask whether you needed anything from me tonight.”

'I only meant to ask whether you needed anything from me tonight.'

“I would be a hard master if I made you work after supper, after the work you put in today. I can’t believe you want to head out on Candlemas though. What trouble are you planning? Out prowling for lady cats?” Egelric grinned wickedly. “They’ve been wondering what has become of you lately, methinks.”

“No!” Ethelwyn gasped. He was not going out in search of ladies, cat or otherwise, but his master’s guess had been a little too close to the truth. “I only had some business…”

'I only had some business...'

“Save it for tomorrow!” Egelric said with a dismissive wave.

“Not your business, sir. I finished everything today.”

“Everything?” Egelric asked dubiously.

“Everything, sir. I wouldn’t ask permission to go out if I hadn’t.”

“You needn’t my permission to go out, young man. You’re not one of my pups.”

“I should like to have it anyway.”

“Very well. His Majesty the Egelric hereby grants you permission to go out and get into any trouble you please.”

“Awwww!” Wulf whined. “You never give us permission to get into trouble!”

'You never give us permission to get into trouble!'

“That does not stop you, however,” Ethelwyn said.

“Aye,” Wulf agreed, “but if my Da gave us permission first then he couldn’t whip us after.”

Egelric said, “Pup, the only reason I give Wyn permission to get into trouble is that his idea of trouble involves falling into moats, and that’s no matter to me if he does. That sort of trouble is its own punishment, eh, Wyn?”

'That sort of trouble is its own punishment, eh, Wyn?'

Ethelwyn could not tell what deviltry laughed behind the look in his master’s keen eyes, and so he dared only murmur, “One might say…”

“Enjoy your ‘business’,” Egelric said as Ethelwyn began creeping towards the door. “Provided its not the sort for which payment comes due after nine months.”

“Not at all!”

Ethelwyn fairly fled—but he told himself he had succeeded. Egelric had not asked where he was going, and if he had guessed…

Ethelwyn could only hope he had not guessed.

Ethelwyn could only hope he had not guessed.