Division

"I know Jan, but he's a grown man, he can come and go as he wishes." Jerroll said as he pulled from his pipe. "Why dont you turn in for the night, youve had a long day and you've another one ahead of you tommorrow. You can worry about Abor after your work is done if he's not back by then."

Jan nodded a silent concurence and headed off to his room. His father gently reached up to his arm as he passed and looked up into his sons eyes, "He's fine Jan. I'm sure of it. He's been to hell and back, of that you can be sure. I'm willing to bet that there's not a living thing out there that could scare the likes of Abor." Jerroll smiled reassuredly as his son wandered off to bed.

** 2 **

When morning came, Jan went through his morning rituals as he did everyday, monotonously, ceremoniously, as if in a trace or perhaps still asleep, powered by some forceful waking dream. His thoughts were of Abor all day, wondering what had become of his freind.

The day drifted on as they had for the past month, the temperature steadily climbing well past noon until the shadows began lengthening to the east and the sun had past its apex. The humidity today made the sun seem more angry than usual and hung in the air like invisible cotton, so thick that it almost hindered movement. By days end, Jan looked as if he had fallen into the lake, so drenched by the sweat of the day. He thought that he ahd never been so glad to see any day end as he had this day.

As he returned from the field he detoured his route to pass the blacksmiths shop. There was no change in the appearance of the building from last night but Jan had noticed one thing that he had overlooked. There were footprints outside the door to Abors' shop of man and horse. Upon closer inspection he could clearly dicsern one rider and two horses and that both horses arrived with one man and left with two. Jan turned and looked in the direction of the prints and looked off to the horizon wondering where and what they were about. There was nothing to indicate that Abor was taken by force (Jan shuddered to think of the size of man required for that task!) and indeed it appeared as though he had gone of his own free will as Jans' father had suggested. He shrugged and decided hw would bring the subject up to Jerroll at supper.

As he made the return trip to the house he could smell evening meals from every house he passed. Terrific smells wafting from every doorway or open window. He could see the sights of families not unlike his own and he smiled in spite of himself. As much as Jan would to travel and see all the wonders of a big city such as Tyrn or Gillan Mard, these sights of home always brought his dreams back to his little villiage, to the familiar faces and voices and of course, smells! The hunger in his stomach was beginning to ache through his body and a warm smile crept across his lips as he began to run for his home.

When he arrived he found his siblings at play in the front yard, quite involved in some game of tag or other. Both stopped their play and raced to him as he slowed to a jog across the lawn and he swept them up into his arms, one under each, ans swung them about in circles. Gran and Kaylin were both still too young to be working in the feilds but still had plenty to do at the house. When their schoolong was done for the day, they did the chores that their father had set for them and could then go about causing their share of mischeif with the wildlife in the forest nearby. In a year or Gran would work the feilds with Jan and the houshold duties would be passed to Kaylin, as she was the younger of the two. But for now the two seemed to be quite content being children which was what they seemed to do best.

Jerroll called from inside that dinner was ready and the three siblings headed indoors to their father and a hot meal.

After dinner, Jan headed off to see if perhaps Abor had returned from wherever it was that he had disappeared to. He passed the local pub and heard the shouts and laughter from within pouring out into the streets as if to adorn them in the magical light of friendship. Further down the lane, a horse whinnied in restles anticipation and Jan looked up to see a large black stead in front of Abors' shop. He bolted to the building anxious to see what had become of his friend. The door to the shop was ajar and the blacksmith was inside rumaging through an old box, tossing trinkets and baubles of this and that all about the room, cursing under his breath all the while. Jan stood in the doorway for a moment watching this strange behavior as Abor looked up from the chest.

"Jan! By the gods, but its good to see you!" he shouted.

Jan stared in bewilderment as the big man motioned him to come in. "Youve only been gone a day Abor, you act as if youve been gone a year! Where did you go off to in such a rush?"

Abor stared at Jan with a confused look upon his face and then glanced to the ceiling as if an answer might be hanging from the rafters. He nodded his head, counting on his fingers.

He looked to Jan, "Yes of course! Im sorry Jan, something wonderful has happened and I must go away for a while. I was going to stop by your fathers to see you before I left but, what luck! Youre here! One less thing for me to bother with."

"What? What has happened that has gotten you so excited?" Jan was puzzled to a point of cofusion almost bording on bewilderment.

"Jan, please sit for a moment." The big man sat across from him upon an old barrel. "I know that while I've told you all sorts of stories of man and his wars and trials, that I've told you next to nothing of myself and for that I apologise. Friends should not keep secrets from one another, but irregardless, that will not change now i am afraid. But I must tell you a few things for your life will be affected by these things as mine already has been." He glanced at the floor for a moment as if collecting the words up in a dust pan, "I am a little more than i seem, as you may or may not have deduced for yourself. I have been to many places both far and near and it is true I have seen much of our world. I have kept company with many strange and wonderful people. I have even done a few things that i wish i had not. I have not always been a blacksmith."

Jan head cocked to one side as he was deciphering what his friend was telling him. He smiled and his eyes brightened. "You're a wizard arent you? Or a great warrior? Or no, wait! Youre an assassin and your on the run from the Judiciary and they've finally caught up with you!"

Abors eyes went from disbeleif to humour in the blink of an eye. His mouth opened and he rolled back on his makeshift seat as he gripped his knees with laughter.

Jan only looked confused again, moreso now than before, "Whats so funny?"

"Jan! Youre funny! Youve a mind meant for better things than farming thats for sure!" He laughed quite hard for some time before he could get a mild amout of control over his facuties. "If i might be allowed to finish, I think youll see that its nothing quite so gradiose. Many years ago there was a war..."

"Yes I know, youve told me all about it, i..."

Abor lifted a finger, "Patience my friend, i know what I've told you and what i have not, but there is more to the story."