Next morning, he was stiff but able to move around, and he chose to walk beside the wagon to loosen up while Regar drove. Two tensquads went with them, back through the city and out the west road, which soon turned to a rutted lane between hedges. The trip went smoothly. The village had the required animals neatly penned, and Arvid felt better for the walk.

The rest of the ten days passed without incident. Regar went with Arvid to market in the city and out in various villages; Arvid chipped stone and hefted rocks in and out of the wagon and onto the wall. He learned to use string and chalk, bob and level, and made no complaint about the scrapes and bruises and broken nails he got from the unforgiving stones. He heard a lot about Regar’s wife, her family, the children, the problems Regar had running his own business.

At the end of ten days, Marshal Porfur called them into the grange and looked from one to the other. “I hear from the other yeomen in town that you have indeed stayed close to one another as I bade you, day and night, for this ten days. I hope you’ve both learned something.”

“I have,” Arvid said. Regar nodded.

“And what is that?” the Marshal asked.

“Regar is a hard worker, a good man, and a good father,” Arvid said. “I respect him.”

“Regar?”

“Arvid’s not a thief anymore,” Regar said. “I know that now. He works hard.”

“Very well. And do you think, yeomen of Gird, that you could stand shoulder to shoulder to defend the people against evil?”

“Yes.” They both spoke.

“I am glad to hear it. I release you from this task but expect that you will remain in fellowship with one another—and with others. Let me see a proper exchange of blows before you go.”

This time it was wooden practice blades the Marshal handed them. Each made a touch—Arvid could have made four to Regar’s one, but he finally understood this was ritual, not a reason to show off. They walked back through the city.

“Stand you a mug at the inn,” Arvid said.

“If you’ll let me stand you one,” Regar said.

They drank their mugs in silence and parted with an arm grip.