The great hall was full of excited villagers. Women were happy to see their husbands, children their fathers, and mother's their sons.

The earl was proud of the bounty his men had brought for him.

I gave a short curtsy towards the earl when he looked me over. I needed him to believe my story. I really was who I said I was. I wanted to get my life back, what there was left of it. 

"So," his critical gaze made my skin crawl, "you're the one who claims to be Kadlin."

I snuck a glance up at him to make direct eye contact with him. Had I even attempted that at the village of my captivity I would've been flogged for insolence. I had been flogged once and had the scars on my back to prove it. 

I'd rather die than be flogged again. The memory brought extra tears to my eyes, but not enough to let the water spill over. 

I managed to control the tears by blinking a few extra times. It seemed to have worked. 

"Yes, sir, I am," I said with enough force to portray confidence. 

The earl stared down at me intensely for a moment. Then when I thought he was going to call me a liar, he nodded once. "You seem to have Yori convinced that you are who you claim. Before I support your claim, we will have to confirm your identity."

I nodded. Whatever they knew about me was known when I was a child. I know what kind of child I was. 

The earl smiled as he looked at Leif. "Take her to the blacksmith." 

Leif nodded and ushered the way. I looked back over my shoulder to see the earl give a small wink to Leif, who smirked as he turned away to follow me. 

We walked out of the hall and he led me in the direction of the blacksmith. 

"What going to happen to Svarti?" I kept my tone conversational. If I came off as challenging, I feared I might have ended up regretting it. 

"That all depends on what the earl decides is best." He said simply. "Warriors do not make good captives."

"No, but every warrior is a farmer or a fisherman. No one in a village is only one thing."

He looked over his shoulder and nodded. "I suppose you are correct on that."

"Do you think the earl is going to want him dead?" I hoped not. I didn't want to bring Svarti here just to have him executed. That would've been a waste of everyone's time. 

"I don't think so. The earl is a smart man. He'll hear out whatever your Svarti has to say about keeping his life."

I nodded and tried to soak that in. Svarti had a good chance at staying alive. Maybe once I proved who I am, I could take responsibility for him. 

"You're friends with the earl." I tried to make conversation, and I was very curious as to why the earl would wink at him. 

Leif's smirk never left his face. "Ah, well, most days we get along. A father and a grown son do not always see eye to eye."

He is the son of the earl. 

"Are you his first son?" I couldn't help but ask. If he were the first son he would be the one the earl looked to for his predecessor. 

"I am." Leif stated proudly. 

That made things interesting. That meant that I shouldn't grow took attached to Leif as he would probably be married soon. 

I followed Leif in silence.