Year of Corwaithe 1231

The clanking of her hammer against the metal anvil sounded across all of Grewind early in the morning. The din echoed off the river Swan, causing the water birds to flutter their wings in fright. The sun was just rising in the sky, yet she was already hard at work.

Calida readjusted her leather apron a little tighter around her small waist, peering above her head to the loft. Cora would be waking at any moment. How her sister slept through the noise every morning was beyond her.

“Mornin’, Calida,” a man called from the doorway.

Hammer in hand, Calida looked up from her work. “And good morning to you, Neal. What can I do for you?”

“Shoe my blasted horse,” Neal said, thrusting the reins at her. “The blackie in Shona botched the job.”

The horse spooked, his head jerking to the side. Calida reached to get a firmer grip on the horse’s reins. Before she could tell Neal the price for the shoes, he’d walked away. Calida snorted in annoyance. She led the horse into an empty stall and began pulling off warped shoes.

Every morning, she started early to beat the summer’s heat. It pissed off her small town, but they didn’t come near her forge because of how hot it got. Instead, people did their grumbling from a distance.

Her village was right on the Swan River, not too far from the Border Lands, but secluded to say the least. The next big town was Earnswey in Meerdora, and Shona Castle farther east into Swanshé. Her town was beautiful and quiet, except when there was a big melee tournament where men would swarm the place to prove their mettle. Then it was too busy and noisy, even for her.

Cora eventually came down from the loft, chipper and chatting away like usual. This morning, however, instead of talking about her friends, she went on and on about Angus and his litter of puppies.

“Cora,” she called out from her hammering, “we can get a puppy later, all right? Not now.”

Cora woefully nodded, blowing her a kiss. “Yes, sissy,” she hollered over her shoulder, running off to find her friends.

Cora took off so fast, Calida didn’t have a moment to blow her a kiss back. The morning was giving way to a scorching afternoon, even though it was still early in the summer. It wasn’t yet noon, but it was already sweltering. The fire in the hearth of her smithy made it even hotter.

Calida wiped the sweat from her brow, peering around outside at the goings-on of the small town. People milled about, walking from shop to tavern, buying goods or trying to find a spot to cool down.

She liked where she was, her home and business situated right along the river. The scenery was beautiful; the best part of being here. All she had to do was turn around to see the wide river. It also made it easy to gather water to dampen the expensive coal she used to fire the forge.

Calida turned back to her task. With a grunt she lifted her hammer, striking the hot metal against the anvil. She reshaped the new shoe for the mean gelding in the stall behind her. Again and again her hammer struck the glowing metal, making the shoe a little wider for the beastly horse.

Good thing the horse is with me, she thought. The last smithy who put shoes on this poor horse made them too small. Now his hooves are all swollen.

Calida pounded the shoe until it was just right, then used her special wired brush to clean the newly formed metal. She walked over to the animal and picked up its right back hoof, placing the shoe on to check the size. The shoe was a perfect match and would give the horse better protection against the rocky terrain of Swanshé.

Sweat dripped off the tip of her chin and nose as she nailed the shoe in place. The horse was busy shifting his weight against her, putting almost a thousand pounds of force on her. Having had enough, she slapped the horse on the side, cursing at the beast to hold steady.

It had already taken her two hours to shoe three hooves because the damn animal would not settle. The horse would kick the hoof she was working on while stretching his neck to bite her. She had to pause many times to tighten the rope she had on it, keeping his head away from her. Thank the Goddess above, she was on the last hoof.

Picking up the hoof to clean it out, she realized why the creature was so agitated. The poor horse had thrush, an infection in his hoof. As gently as she could, she cleaned the hoof and clipped it back.

“Are you not done yet, woman?” Neal hollered.

Calida didn’t bother looking up. “No. Your beast of a horse has been difficult.”

“I’m taking the delay out of your pay then.”

Calida smiled. “All right. The horse is all yours.”

The man glowered. “What?”

“Take him,” she said wiping her brow. “He has thrush, but be my guest.”

Neal groaned. “Finish him then,” he said and walked away grumbling.

“By the way,” she called out, “it will be an extra nine coppers for the thrush.”

Calida sighed. She had so much going on. Out back, there was another horse to shoe, and a sword to finish for the king of the Border Lands before the week was out. Unfortunately, it was already late in the week.

Sweating, she grumbled under her breath. The last shoe was sitting on top of the hot coals, heating evenly and waiting for her to pound, shape, then finally cool in a bucket of water. Hopefully, the horse would hold still long enough for her to shoe it, now that she had cleaned out the thrush. Calida went back to the agitated animal, lifting his bad hoof. She put a poultice on it to help heal the infection.

The coin from this horse and the rest of her orders would finally make her dreams come true—not only for herself but for her sister. She wanted to leave this place. There was nothing left for her here in Grewind but bad memories and a soiled name. Calida wanted to take her sister north to a place where people did not know her name or her family history.

At times, Calida would dream of seeing Euainley. It was a land far to the north, past all the clans of Meerdora. She heard tell of it having beautiful landscapes full of rolling hills and verdant forests. She wanted to take her sweet baby sister there, to start over and better for her. Cora deserved to get the best chance at life she could. Giving Cora a fresh start in life was her priority.

Finally, with a tired sigh, Calida finished the ghastly horse. She tied him out front and went back in to grab some water to drink. She stared into the bucket at her reflection — she was a hot, sweaty mess. Her heavy blonde curls slipped out of her braid. Dirt and soot from the smithy smudged her face. Her large brown eyes looked tired.

Calida hunched over the bucket of water, taking a long shuddering breath. “Not today, Calida,” she told herself, patting under her eyes. “No tears.”

She missed her parents. She missed the security they provided, however minimal it truly was, and the simplicity of being a daughter and child.

“Calida, are you okay?” the little voice of her sister asked.

Calida steeled herself, turning around to see Cora hiding something behind her back. The girl was as sweet and innocent as a springtime songbird; always happy and chattering endlessly. Calida never told her sister about their parents. It was not something she liked discussing. Their father was gone—thankfully dead and in the ground. However, their life was upside down because of him. Not that life was truly great while he was breathing.

Calida sighed, looking at her feet. She’d finally saved up enough money. After the king paid her for the sword, she would sell everything and head for Euainley. She had to make a new life for them. It was imperative she do all she could for Cora. It wasn’t Cora’s fault they were dealt a poor hand in life. Once they left Grewind, they would never mention its name again.

“Aye, I’m okay, sweet sister,” she replied with a smile.

“Oh good, because there is a puppy, and he is alone, and he is small and brown with a cute pink tongue, and I named him Louie and—”

Calida raised an eyebrow. “You may keep him, Cora, if he is truly alone as you say he is.”

“He is,” Cora said, nodding vigorously. “He is very much alone.”

Grinning broadly, Cora brought out the squirming pup from behind her back. Calida nodded and Cora squealed in delight. Since they were leaving at the end of the week, a dog would be a good addition. It could alert them to danger and keep Cora company. From what she heard, Euainley was a five days’ ride to the north just to the border and another two days’ ride to the nearest town. She had never been there before, but she planned on traveling hard, even through the night if she had to.

Calida retied her leather apron. With a determined scowl, she went back to her hearth, heating it up to where the coals burned bright orange. Calida walked away from the forge, heading out back into the pen where horses would wait to be shod. A large black charger had been left at the stable this morning. Calida did not know whom the beast belonged to but she cared naught as long as they paid.

She removed the horse’s shoes, inspecting each one to see if she could reshape them or if she needed to make a new one. To her relief, she only needed to reshape them a little bit and it saved her so much work.

Calida clipped and trimmed the hooves. The owner of this horse took very good care of him. The animal wasn’t ornery as the last, and in less than an hour, the horse was finished, the owner paid and gone.

Calida shucked her leather apron for the moment to sit down on the bench outside her shop to reflect on her plans. Maybe she would raise sheep or cattle instead of being a smithy, when they left Grewind. Knowing herself, it was a grand idea, but she would always be a blacksmith. It was a trade she was good at. Her reputation brought in a lot of clients and coins, two things which were as good as shelter in a snowstorm.

Of course, a reputation could go one of two ways. Thanks to her parents, the gossip about town made living here rough. Unless it was to get their horse shod or a tool mended, no one spoke to her. Most of the time she ignored the looks people gave her, but she had to admit it hurt.

Her father, Dougal, taught her the art of being a blacksmith and a farrier soon as he deemed her old enough to hold a hammer, which was around seven. Mum never did bear Father a son. They always came out sickly and died shortly after seeing the world. So, Dougal took her under his wing, teaching her the craft of metal working. Mum hated it, but Da wanted to pass on the family secrets, which meant he had only her to teach.

When Calida was twelve, her mum, Eurita, died giving birth to Cora. Eurita was the type of woman the sun woke shining for. She was brilliantly smart and kind. Eurita was once dubbed the most beautiful woman in Castre. She could have married a wealthy man but instead married for love.

With Eurita’s passing, life grew dark. Dougal took to drinking. When he wasn’t drinking, he was gambling and spending his money on all of the free women in their town. Calida was left caring for Cora. For three years, Calida picked up the broken pieces after her father, until he died suddenly one night. At fifteen years old, Calida was the village’s only blacksmith and the mother of her toddler sister.

Calida shook her head at the memories. Before heading back to her work, she checked on her little sister. Cora was playing with her new puppy down in the soft grass by the river’s edge. Calida smiled. She loved that little girl more than anything else in Castre. The two sisters had been on their own for four years now—seven years, if she included caring for her father. It was time for a change.

“Calida, ‘tis good to see you,” Angus called from outside.

Calida smiled and offered her forearm to the man, who shook it warmly and sat beside her.

“Good afternoon, Angus,” she said. “How can I help you today?”

“Your sister stole my dog’s pup. He’s only a runt, but I came for payment.”

Grimacing, Calida hollered for her sister. Cora came up the sloping hill with the puppy at her heels. Upon seeing Angus, she stopped in front of Calida with her head down.

“Cora, did you take the pup?” Calida asked.

“Aye, I did. He was going to kill the puppy for being a runt.”

“It gives you no right to steal. You know better, and I’m very disappointed in your actions,” Calida scolded the child. “Angus, how much do you want for the pup?”

“I’m charging eight coppers for the other pups, but seeing how he’s the runt, I’ll take one copper and have Cora sweep my shop.”

“Cora,” Calida said, handing her sister a copper, “pay Angus and go do as he says. I want you to think about what you’ve done and how wrong it was.”

“I’m sorry, Angus,” Cora said, hanging her head in shame.

Fortunately for them both, Angus was the kindest merchant in town. He sent a lot of work to her and Calida reciprocated by giving him discounts for her smithy services. Angus needed a lot of shoeing since he ran the only horse business in Swanshé.

Angus’s lovely wife Marla was also a fabric merchant and dressmaker. They sold buttons, ribbons, and bolts of cloth. Marla would fix both of their dresses for free and in exchange they cleaned her shop. They were both amazing, giving people. Calida would miss them when she left.

“Thank you, Angus,” Calida said.

“Do you still plan on leaving here?”

“Aye. There is nothing left for us here,” Calida sighed. “I’m going to sell the smithy then buy some clothes from you before we leave.”

Angus patted her on the shoulder. “Wherever you go, I know you will thrive and be all right.”

Calida smiled, embracing the kind man. “Thank you, Angus.”

Angus nodded his round white head. He shook her hand before walking back across the way to his shop. Calida returned to her forge, pumping the bellows to get the fire hot. With Cora sweeping Angus’s shop, Calida worked hard for the rest of the day.

After dinner at the tavern, Calida sent Cora and her pup, Louie, into the loft to sleep. By the time dusk arrived, Calida finished the filigree on the pommel of the sword. She wanted to be done with it tonight so she could leave early.

She rubbed her tired eyes with the back of her hands. Carefully, she affixed a sapphire in the pommel of the sword and etched more of the same filigree on the guard. And with that, the hilt was finished.

Calida held the weapon up, admiring her work. Hopefully, King Midas would like it. If not, she was out of luck, out of resources, and the worst of all, out of coin.

Oliberto Midas was a strange man who was more twisted than wool. The way he looked at her made her feel ill. She’d met him once and the glint in his dark eyes made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Hopefully she would be meeting with his steward and not the man himself.

Calida trembled.

Midas had control over the Border Lands for years until the king of Swanshé finally pushed him out. Then the plague came. With so many villages crippled by sickness, Midas and his hordes took back the Border Lands, and he set himself up as their absolute ruler. All who opposed him were executed, for one did not cross this man and live. So, when Midas’s steward had walked through her smithy door to demand she make him a sword, Calida knew she’d no choice but to obey.

Calida set down the sword on the work bench. It was a hot night, one made even hotter by the glow of her forge. She went over to the bucket of water and splashed the cool water on her face. Then went back to her work. Like what Da said, tomorrow can’t start until today’s work is laid to rest, she thought. Better get at it.

She sat down on her stool and began working the pedals of her grinding stone. After about an hour, the blade had its initial edge. Next, she took a whetstone out of her apron pocket and slicked the blade across its surface. Calida carried on until the blade was sharp enough to slice the small hairs on her arm.

She balanced the hilt on her finger, and with flawless precision, the blade balanced. It wasn’t too heavy for combat. Of course, this particular sword would more than likely be merely decorative, but if it ever were used in battle, it would strike true.

Satisfied with her work, she closed up the forge and headed to her bed. The sword was done. Tomorrow, she needed to pack. Euainley was calling her name.

Dawn crept across the land in a gorgeous sunrise of pinks, purples, and oranges. The quiet rushing of the river relaxed Calida’s tired body as she washed in a copper tub. She lay back against the tub, soaking in the sounds of the Swan River and the birds chirping. Calida smiled, hearing her baby sister speak animatedly to her puppy. It made her heart swell to know Cora was happy. It would make the journey to Euainley a lot easier.

Calida sighed with relief. Her sword was finished and the wagon was packed with her tools and some of their clothes. Today was going to be a day of infinite change, the day when she could finally start a new life. Once Midas paid her for the sword, she could satisfy her father’s creditors and the burden of seven years would be off her shoulders.

Cora came bursting in the washroom door. “Calida, a man is here to see you!” she shouted.

“Tell him I will be there shortly,” Calida replied.

She quickly got out, dried herself off, and pulled on her green cotton dress. It was the cleanest garment she had, but not for long. In a few moments, she would be rich and could afford new clothes. Her hair was still damp, but she pulled it into a nice braid. Curls bounced out of her braid. She tried to tuck some out of the way, but they insisted on springing back. She shrugged and walked outside to the forge.

The king’s steward stood before her. The knot in her stomach released. Thankfully it was only the steward and not the horrible king himself. The steward, Jacan, was a haughty man with a sharp nose always pointed at the sky. He wore a vibrant assortment of clothing and a pungent perfume overpowering any room. After one whiff, Calida wanted to gag.

She walked over to the sword on the smithy table and held it out to the steward. No words needed to be spoken. She would let her work speak for itself. Not only that, but to speak she’d have to open her mouth to breathe. And it seemed like a mistake.

He took the weapon from her and unwrapped it from its cloth. The blade shone in the bright morning sun. The gems and filigree looked ethereal. The steward turned the sword over, inspecting every seam and detail. He swung it clumsily into the air. Calida suppressed a chuckle.

He grinned at the weapon, clearly pleased. “Calida, you have outdone yourself,” he finally said. “The king will be most pleased.”

“Thank you, steward,” Calida replied, making a small bow at the waist. “I would also like to sell my land and smithy.”

“Are you going somewhere, Calida?”

“Aye, I have family to the north I would like to see,” she lied.

“Your talents shall be greatly missed indeed. Pray tell, from what town does your family hail?”

“Drensent,” she said without looking away. “How much is my smithy worth?”

“I shall give you three silver pieces for your smithy and the home. For the sword, six silver pieces,” Jacan said, still looking at the beautiful weapon.

It was a handsome sum. It was enough for Calida to buy dresses and pay off the remainder of her father’s debt. The debts were almost four silver coins and then dresses were eight coppers apiece. What she earned was a small fortune and one she was most grateful for. It would be a grand start to her adventure.

The steward dropped the coins on her table then swept out of the room.

Cora was waiting for her excitedly in the wagon with her puppy. She looked ecstatic to be on their new adventure. Calida giggled at her little sister’s enthusiasm. It was contagious.

Calida drove her wagon to the other end of town to pay off debt. Once it was paid off and food bought, Calida loaded everything into the back of the wagon. She drove it to the other end of town where the road led to the main junction north. She parked the wagon just outside of Marla and Angus’s shop.

“Let’s go,” Calida said merrily.

“I’m coming,” Cora replied. “I need to grab Louie.”

“Leave Louie. We have dresses and shoes to pick out.”

This was their last stop—Marla’s shop. Cora chose three dresses and Calida bought two for herself and a pair of men’s clothing. She figured it would suit her best for traveling north. She also bought them both new boots, getting Cora’s pair a size bigger for her to grow into.

Calida thanked Marla, ready to head out the door.

“Calida, where are you truly headed?” Marla asked her.

“I’m not sure yet. Euainley. Possibly Meerdora if I can find a town we like,” Calida said. “I figure Meerdora is far enough away for us to start our lives fresh.”

“Meerdora? But that place is full of barbarians and . . . unsavory people! Calida, you cannot be serious.”

“Marla, there are going to be unsavory people in any place and in any town. Just look at me,” she said and shrugged. “They don’t have a lot of blacksmiths up there. Business will be great.”

“And what of Cora? Are you so selfish you’d destroy her life by going up there?”

“I’m not ruining her life. Plus, what life does she have here? People spit on us. They treat us worse than pigs for what my father had done. At least in Meerdora, I have a chance to start anew. Live a normal life.”

“All right,” Marla said, nodding. “I’m going to miss you both. Take care of yourselves now.”

Marla understood her reasons for wanting to live somewhere far away from here. Being a blacksmith in Grewind only took her so far. There were only so many horses needing to be shod, only so many weapons to make and tools to mend. At least she had a chance in Meerdora, where the lairds had many men in need of weapons. Where there were nine castles with different rulers instead of one king at Shona and a mad one at the Border Lands.

“I will miss you both and the kindness you have shown us throughout the years,” Calida said, teary eyed. ‘Thank you. And Corwaithe bless you both.”

Marla and Angus gave them each big hugs. They called out to them as they left their shop, loading the final belongings into their packed wagon. The sisters had a long road ahead and it was almost noon. Louie greeted them with kisses and a wagging tail. The draft horses jostled in their hitches, ready to move. Her dad’s old gelding Arrow whickered his impatience.

“Are you ready, Cora?” Calida said. “Once we leave, we are never coming back.”

Cora nodded.

Calida grinned, slapping the reins to get the big beasts moving.

“Are winters hard in Euainley?” Cora asked.

Calida’s brows furrowed. “I’m not sure. I think winter is just hard in general.”

“Is there snow? I want to see snow!”

Calida shrugged, smiling at her little sister. “I suppose. I would like to see snow too.”

“Are there any faeries? Elspeth told me there are faeries in Meerdora.”

Calida leaned in close to her sister and whispered, “I heard there are faeries by the streams, and elves come out of the woods at night to dance around by firefly light.”

Cora’s eyes became as wide as a wagon wheel. “Oooh, tell me more, please!”

Calida giggled, leaning over to kiss Cora on the head.

“Once upon a time, there was a Willow Tree that sat on top of a cave, way up north in Meerdora,” Calida began, her voice rising and falling. “Inside the cave lived faeries. All sorts of faeries in all wonderful colors. They had wings like butterflies that shimmered like the sun on a pond and they could fit into the palm of your hand. Everything was perfect until one day a bad king came. He had heard about the faeries and their magical powers. The man took them from their home in the willow tree cave, forcing them to work to make him wealthy.”

“What was the man’s name?” Cora interrupted.

“Revender the Bad.”

“He’s a mean man,” she said head in the air. “I don’t like him!”

“You don’t have to like anyone you don’t wish to, but you must always be courteous.”

“What happened next?”

“Revender kept the faeries for months. The magic of the faeries was not used for the good they were created to do. Revender was greedy, bending the power of the faeries to do whatever he wanted. The longer he kept them, the faster their magic died and the faeries withered away. Revender’s greed led to his downfall,” she told her sister.

“Those poor faeries!” Cora exclaimed.

Calida nodded, continuing, “The faeries’ magic wasn’t strong enough for them to escape. Their powers were for good only, like creating a stream so animals could drink.”

“Did they create the Swan River?”

“They might have,” Calida said. “Finally, when the last faerie was about to die, Revender let her go. He finally realized the badness of his greed. The faerie flew off, never to be seen again.”

“Then what happened?”

“Revender used his wealth to create all nine of the Meerdoran Castles. He then went back to the forest and married Razabeth, a noble woman from the north. Together, they led their peoples to great prosperity, giving back to them what Revender took. The last faerie is said to flutter all around Castre and a person pure of heart may find her.”

Cora clapped. “I’m going to find the last faerie and tell her I’m her friend.”

Calida laughed. “We shall find her together.”

They sat in silence for a long time. Cora was watching the land roll by. If Calida traveled hard for the next four days, she would be near the border. Then she would continue north for a few more days then head west. She planned on getting far enough away so she’d never see anyone from Grewind again.

Cora whistled a tune while Louie cocked his head to the side. Calida smiled at Cora’s merry laugh. Traveling wouldn’t be as hard as she had imagined.

They made it to the Euainlan-Meerdoran border after nine long days of travel. Calida had to stop often to fix a wagon wheel, re-shoe a horse, or for Cora to use a tree. The sisters ended up thirty miles northeast of Hernan, with the Hernan Forest being a smudge on the setting western horizon.

Calida inhaled a deep breath of air. Freedom—she was free now from the town that had her shackled. She vowed she wouldn’t just be alive but live. She would take time for herself instead of forging all of the time. Calida smiled at her change of heart and drove her horses on in silence.

The moon rose over the back of the trees, and the landscape glowed silver in the light. Cora was asleep and snoring, cuddling with her pup; leaving Calida to think on her future, and whether it included a man or not.

She did not wish to be alone forever. Back in Grewind, the men knew her and of her father, so any sort of marriage prospect was unlikely. Her father had owed so many people it left an unsavory taste in their mouths. Now she was starting over. No one around here had heard the gossip. And she wasn’t about to tell them.

The people in Meerdora seemed different as well. Where men in Grewind scowled, the men here nodded and smiled in greeting. The women smiled at her and the children waved at her and Cora as she drove by.

If her future did include a man, she hoped he would be someone that could tolerate her sense of humor, someone she could laugh with. She hoped to find a man who filled her heart so full of love it could explode, where she would wake up smiling next to her man every day. Most importantly, someone who didn’t mind that she had to take care of her little sister.

Calida smiled, wriggling in her seat. She was ready for the next day. She was excited for it and what it might bring. Being free from Grewind made her spirit more adventurous. She’d seen many towns which she could settle down in, but nothing seemed to catch her eye. She wanted to keep seeing the landscapes, to keep going until her heart and mind decided a place was home.

I have to feel it in my bones, she thought. It has to look like home, feel like home, and smell like it. Home has to feel happy—it’s got to make my heart sing. I just need to find it. Home is here in Meerdora… I know it is.

Calida reflected about how she’d changed during her travels. She was happier—she woke with a smile and went to sleep carefree. She loved to chat with Cora about life. They laughed together and sang songs, high-pitched and off-key. Leaving Grewind was the best decision she had ever done for them both.

Calida pondered how she’d set up her new home. She wanted a small cottage with two bedrooms and a large kitchen. She wanted a garden out back with some herbs and pretty flowers. This time, she wanted to walk to work, so she wanted a forge in town or close to it. Her thoughts were just dreams, but she hoped someday they would be a reality.

She came to another fork in the road, where it had a slight bend to it and stopped. Which one should she take? The left went to Drensent and the right went to Rowanoake. She decided to go right. If she went left, then she would have to cross the Lost Warrior River. She wasn’t sure how the horses would do crossing a major river.

As she traveled down the road, the sun began to rise. To her, the sunrise’s were even more magnificent out here than in Grewind. The sky gradually changed from a deep gray to light gray, then it seemed to burst all at once with vivid colors.

Forests dotted the rolling hills. Herds of deer grazed in the gullies, and everything was peaceful, completely unlike the cramped, raucous town of Grewind. It was so tranquil, Calida thought she could hear the ground breathe.

She passed a large town at the base of First Mountain as the sun climbed overhead. She stopped to rest for a while, getting Cora something to eat and drink before purchasing more food stores with the remaining coin she had. She set aside at least ten coppers to put a down payment on a house. The only debt she wanted this time was her own.

Calida and Cora wandered through town for a bit, scoping out a place to call home. After making inquiries, she found there was already a forge in town. Pursing her lips, Calida took Cora’s hand, heading back to the wagon. Calida loaded her sister in the wagon, promising the next town would be better.

They pressed on again through the second night and stopped right before dawn to get some rest. Cora was done traveling, but Calida made her push through one more day. They had already come so far and were so close to finding home. She could feel it.

Right at dusk, they arrived at a small town. The large wooden sign read Palasida and indicated Rowanoake Castle was another half day’s ride away at their slow pace. Calida knew a horse and a single rider could travel fifty miles in a day with rests in between. Their wagon plodded around twenty or thirty miles.

Palasida was a beautiful little town with neighborly folk. Calida went to the center of town where a man came out of a big house and greeted her with a smile. He called himself the town leader and went by the name of Nixon.

After the introductions from Nixon to some of the locals, Calida purchased a home on the outskirts of town. It cost her the remaining coppers and her father’s horse Arrow, but the cottage was hers, free and clear. It was a well-built home with two bedrooms, a small barn, and a lean-to.

Calida forced her horses forward, telling them this was it, they were finally home and they could rest their bones. Unable to sit still any longer, Cora tumbled out of the wagon. With a laugh, Calida caught up with her sister. Together, they went to see the barn, taking their tired draft horses with them. The barn had two stalls, one for Bert and one for George.

Swinging Cora’s hand, Calida explored the cottage grounds. Out behind the house was a small stream and a plot big enough for a garden. Cora ran off ahead of her and went inside the house.

Calida followed, smelling the rich scent of the rough-cut wooden walls. The house smelled like musty moss after a rain shower in the forest, and to her, it smelled like home. Stone floors greeted her tired feet. Calida opened the shutters to look outside. She had an amazing view of the First Mountain. It took her breath away. This was home and it was perfect.

“This is what home is supposed to feel like,” Calida said. Giddiness filled her heart. “This is home!” Calida bent down, picked up Cora, and twirled her around. “We’re home, Cora!”

Cora’s giggles were contagious in the setting sun. Calida put her down and together they made their way back outside, taking in the landscape together.

Cora took her hand. “We’re home, sissy.”

Calida leaned over, kissing her sister on the head as they watched the sun set behind the mountain. Her heart felt light. Her soul was free. All of this had cost her the last of her coin and her spare horse. Her purse was empty, but it didn’t matter. The supplies she purchased and her new home were all they needed. Setting up her forge would bring in coins soon enough. And if not, she could always trade for food.

The sisters spent the rest of the evening making new beds out of straw and blankets by firelight. Tomorrow, they would spend the day cleaning and putting things away. For right now, though, they were both happy in their home. They snuggled warmly in their blankets by the hearth, each telling the other what they wanted from this new life.

Cora wanted a faerie.

Calida just smiled.

Morning came with another brilliant sunrise. A man came by early, wanting to buy her draft horse George. Calida consented knowing this was the place where they would stay. The man’s offer was fair, and Calida made the man promise that whenever he needed the horse shod, he would use only her.

Cora went off to find new friends while Calida cleaned up the small but roomy cottage. By mid-morning, she was done, so she went out to the barn to tend to her remaining horse. Bert was her favorite horse, one she would never part from. Bert was a peachy gelding with a wavy cream-colored mane, tail, and forelock. His sweet temperament made him seem more like a giant dog than a big draft horse.

Once the barn was cleaned and organized to her liking, Calida went to the side of the barn to see the spot where she would set up her forge. The forge would have to be set up precisely right. It was fortunate for her there was the start of one already. The person before her made a stand out of rock. The slab table where the coal would go was three feet by five feet. In front of her was the chimney where the smoke would go out. All she needed to do was take out a few bricks in the middle where the hot coke would sit.

Next, she needed to make a tunnel for air to come in and help the burning coal form into coke. It would also be a place where her bellow would go to help force air back into the fire. It wasn’t hard work, just time consuming with the careful precision she used. Luckily, the person before her left a firepot and a grate.

Calida hummed a tune as she worked, one that took her back to her childhood. In his drunken fits, her father had broken the forge a few times. Calida was left to figure out how to fix it again. Setting up her forge wouldn’t take long at all. And a few hours later, she was done.

The same man who bought George came back with an old sword in need of repair. The end was bent and there were notches in the blade. Calida pounded the blade, making it sound. Another man brought her a dagger for sharpening. By dusk, both projects were completed. Calida hoped to impress both men enough for them to send her more business.

With a smile on her lips, Calida closed down her forge for the night and fed Bert. Cora came home and chattered about her new friends. Like always, Calida made a pot of soup for supper. Calida ate her meal while Cora relayed every small detail of her day, down to the color of bugs she found. Her sister’s food was long cold before she ever touched it. Cora could not stop talking long enough to take a bite.

Calida began cleaning up, humming a tune her mother used to sing. Her sister’s talking soon died down. Calida turned around to see Cora asleep by the fire. With a loving smile only for her sister, Calida carried the young child to bed, joining her for the night.

Cora burst out the door as soon as it was light, going in search of her new friends. Calida watched her sister run down the hill, past a man walking up to her with a smile on his shaggy face.

“Good morn to ye, lassie,” he said. “How be yer night?”

Calida smiled brightly. “Good morning, Landon!” She walked to her forge, retrieving the dagger he’d brought the day before.

“Here you are, my friend,” Calida said.

“Well, I be struck dead,” Landon said, turning the dagger over. “I gave ye shite and ye made gold.”

Calida chuckled at the compliment, bowing her head in thanks to the man.

“How much for yer work, lass?”

“Six coppers. But I will trade you for some meat.”

“Lass, meat be nothing. I can get ye fresh deer any day. Why would ye trade for less than yer work be worth?”

“You’re the first man to show us kindness here, and for that I will be ever grateful. I will take some meat, whenever you can manage it.”

“It be a deal, Calida. Pray tell, be ye married?”

“Nay, I’m not.”

“Good. There be many a good man in this town. Ye best pick one soon or else ye’ll be the hunted, no’ the hunter,” Landon smiled at her.

“I shall remember it, Landon.”

“I will see ye later with the venison,” he said, walking away.

With a smile, Calida sat on her stool. Life had brought her some hard knocks, but in all, she remained positive, not just for herself but also because Cora was watching. Calida wanted to show her sister that every day was a good day to be thankful, no matter the circumstances.

Calida got up and made her way to town to introduce herself. She met a lot of new people who didn’t even bat an eyelash that she was a smithy. Nor did they seem to care that she came from Grewind. Everyone greeted her with a smile and something kind to say. Calida wandered through the town, looking for her sister. She found Cora running and playing with the other kids, laughing and enjoying herself. Calida sat on a small sloping hillside and watched the children play, long into the afternoon.

A week had passed and she had yet to meet the laird of Rowanoake, although news of her presence here had spread like wildfire. The laird himself was said to be in town, but she only met his men as they brought her a few swords to fix and a new order to fill. Apparently, this Laird Kade Bonteva wanted a double-edged longsword.

She glanced over her shoulder to where the weapons lay on her workbench. The laird’s order was nothing major, just a bit of steel to sharpen. She also had plenty of metal to begin the blade of his personal order. And she had a hilt ready to use.

Calida sat on her stool, leaning against the barn as Bert grazed out in front of her. She sipped her mug of tea, enjoying the cool summer morning before she cleaned out Bert’s stall and went back to her hot forge for the day.

Cora was off playing with Hadley in the stream behind their house. They hollered to each other as they looked for faeries and elves. Cora was adamant they lived by that stream because she said if she were a faerie, she would live there. Hadley didn’t believe in faeries, but she wanted to help look.

“Find one?” Cora yelled.

“Nope,” Hadley hollered back.

Calida smiled as she rose from her stool. She stretched her arms wide, her back cracking before she set her mug down and headed inside. With a happy heart, she began cleaning out Bert’s stall first, since he left the biggest manure of any horse around. She flung it over her shoulder, hearing it land with a thud into the wheelbarrow. Calida was almost done flinging the manure into the wheelbarrow when a loud grunt caught her attention.

“What in the bloody abyss, woman?!”

Calida jolted upright, turning around to see a burly man covered in manure. His bright blue eyes were all she could see between the muck and straw. Manure clung to his face, slowly dropping off his person and hitting the stone floor. Calida leaned on her pitchfork, trying futilely to hide behind her forearms to stifle her laughter. But she couldn’t. She howled with laughter.

“I’m so sorry!” Calida said, she snort-laughing at the man.

“Watch where yer flingin’ that muck, lass!”

Calida sucked in her lips, hiding her face momentarily in the crook of her elbow as she coughed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her laughter. For good measure, she took a few more.

“Are ye mental?” he growled.

Calida shook her head, trying hard not to laugh, but snorted here and there. “Did it—” she snorted “—did it at least make it in the wheelbarrow?”

She looked up at the man. His face was unamused. His blue eyes narrowed; his lips pressed together in a thin line.

“What?” he finally asked.

Calida sobered. “Did the muck at least make it in the wheelbarrow or are you wearing it all?”

“Woman, who d’ye think ye are? Where’s the woman blackie and no’ her eejit assistant?”

“I think I’m not covered in shit,” Calida chortled. “And I am the blacksmith.”

“Yer the blackie?”

“Aye, I am.”

The man put his hand on his hips. “I dinna care a woman is a blackie, but yer really it?”

Calida smiled at the man. “Yes, I am.”

The man shook his head angrily as he continued picking off straw and the odd bits of Bert’s droppings. Calida leaned her pitchfork against the stall door. She went over to her bucket of water and dipped a rag into the water and offered it to him.

The man grumbled as he wiped himself off. “I came to ask ye to put my name on my sword.” He dropped the rag in the bucket of water, going for a second rinse and wipe to clear the muck. His intense blue eyes remained narrowed.

Calida perked a brow, heading over to her work table. She grabbed her quill and inkwell that she kept along with a small sheet of parchment.

“What is your name, along with the spelling?”

“Kade Bonteva.”

Calida grinned. “Nice to meet you, laird.”

Kade’s eyes hardened. “Aye.” He pointed to her forge before continuing. “Ye sure yer bright enough to forge a weapon, lass?”

Calida didn’t care for his tone or his constant remarks about her sanity. She was doing a chore while he should have been more alert. She tossed her head, her curls bouncing.

“Come back in a few days,” she told him. “It will be done.”

Kade grunted and left her shop, straw still clinging to the back of his head.

Calida watched him leave. A smile kept twitching at the edge of her lips. Finally, when he was out of earshot, she laughed.

“None of it made it in the wheelbarrow,” she sniggered, heading back to her forge.

She tied on her leather apron and began setting out her tools she would use for the day. She found the sword hilt and set it aside. It was a beautiful piece that had a swirl on the cross guard that came over to help protect the hand. The pommel had an onyx jewel set on it.

It was a piece she made and kept in case someone rich happened to come along. In this case it was Laird Bonteva. Calida was going to create a weapon fitting of her skill as a craftswoman. If this laird wanted to question her sanity, then she would show him just how much of an asset she was to his clan. She would make him a sword that was even better than the one she made in Swanshé.

Calida added more coal to the firepot and heated some metal to forge it into a blade. She found her stash of charcoal to turn the iron into steel. Calida brushed her hair back and braided it tight. It was going to be a long day.

The woman was absolutely mental. Kade had returned to ask that she sharpen his other weapons, but she was too busy laughing to hear. It echoed out of the barn. Her raucous laughter grated on his nerves. So, he turned on his heel and left.

Grumbling, he walked back down the hill, past her beast of a horse. Kade decided he would wait until he saw what she had forged before giving her any more work. Better to not give his coin and business to a crazy woman.

“Mental,” he said to himself. “Her smithy smoke must have gone to her head.”

He walked back to the village where his people were preparing for the biggest festival of the year – the summer solstice. It was a grand occasion where the longest day of summer was celebrated with lots of dancing, drinking, food, and games. The day would start with the men competing in wrestling matches until a winner was declared. The women would bake pies for him to judge which was the best. The day would go on with fun and games for the children, ending with a big feast, lots of drinking, and a long night of merry dancing. And by the end of the week, his sword would be done, and he would never have to deal with the woman again.

He walked to his home, ready to get into a tub of water to wash off the stench.

Kade shook his head. “Absolutely mental.”

He strode inside his home, calling for a bath. The serving woman, Kait, hustled to the side of the house while he entered his bedchamber. He opened the curtain over the window, realizing his view was of the path leading up to the blacksmith’s place. He looked out the window for a while, watching his people smiling and setting up for the festivities. The blonde crazy-haired woman clapped her hands and her beast of a horse came trotting back to her. A small child went running up to her and the blacksmith put the girl on the horse’s back.

Kait knocked on his door. He waved her in. The whooshing of the water filling the tub reached his ears. He cocked his head to the side, watching her intently and he attempted to discern whether or not she was a loony.

“Kait,” the laird began to address her, “d’ye know the blacksmith’s name?”

Kait came over to the window. “Aye, her name’s Calida and the wee one is her sister, Cora. Soap and towels are on the stool. Is the bath all you need, laird?”

“Aye. Thank ye, Kait. The bath is all.”

Kait went back out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Kade shook his head, closing the curtain. He turned toward the door and locked it before shucking his clothes. He reached around to the back of his head, pulling off more straw.

“Absolutely mental,” he said and stepped into his bath.

Calida worked late into the night to finish the blade. The tang and shoulder fit nicely into the hilt and were already fused together perfectly. The iron, now steel, had to continually be heated, beaten, and reheated.

Calida wiped the sweat off her brow. She had been at this all day. She missed the nooning meal and only paused to make supper. With dinner rapidly devoured and dirty dishes on the counter, Calida went back outside to her forge.

And here she was, hours later, forging. The moon rose dazzlingly bright and high into the night sky. Bert whickered in his stall, annoyed she kept working. But she needed to. This blade would be her first masterpiece here in her new homeland. She needed to prove to this man and to the rest of her new clan she was dependable and could craft a quality weapon. This sword would set the standard for the rest of her orders.

Calida cooled the blade for the last time. Her charcoal was depleted, but she didn’t care. Her arms were sore. Her body yearned for her to stop. But she wouldn’t. Not until the job was done.

Calida took a rag and wiped her face down. Black soot and sweat covered the ratted cloth. Calida went around back to the small stream, bending down to wash her face in the cold water. She closed her eyes, relishing the iciness of the water against her hot face. She glanced up at the moon.

Midnight.

With a sigh, she trudged back to her forge. The sword sat on the workbench unfinished. The hilt shown sparkling against the fading light of her forge and the glow of the moon. The blade was still gray and dull, needing to be polished and sharpened.

Picking up the dull sword, she went to the beam holding up the lean-to and took a good thwack at it, testing the durability of the blade. She wanted to see if the metal would crack, or even break since she cooled it twice; it stressed the metal. The sword held. She took several more to be certain. The sword held together seamlessly with no marring to the blade or wrigging with between the tang and the hilt.

Calida set her stool in front of the grinding stone and got the wheel spinning, holding the blade down with force as the stone started making an edge. After her edge, she would take her time to put on a sharper, keener edge to truly make it a formidable weapon.

“Sissy,” Cora called sleepily from the doorway, “the festival is tomorrow.”

Calida looked up to see Cora wiping at her eyes. She got off her stool, setting the sword down on the bench. Going over to Cora, she bent down, taking Cora’s small hands in her own.

“I know and I’m excited for the festival too, although I may sleep in a bit.”

Cora nodded. “Should I get a meal from the tavern lady?”

Calida slipped a few copper coins out of her pocket. “Aye, this is for a meal, and this,” Calida pulled out a few extra coins, “is for you to spend.”

Cora’s small eyes widened; they were almost as large as the moon itself.

“Really, sissy?”

Calida smiled, kissing Cora on the head. “Off to bed with you,” Calida ordered. “You have a busy, fun day tomorrow.”

Cora threw her small arms around her neck, “Thank you.”

Calida kissed her head. “Bed, Cora.”

She watched as her little sister scampered back off to bed with Louie in tow. The dog never left Cora’s side. It made Calida’s heart happy to know Cora loved her so much. Calida would gladly work into the night just to see Cora smile.

Suppressing another snicker upon remembering a muck-covered laird, Calida turned back to the grinding stone to finish his blade.

It was long past morning before she even rolled out of bed. Cora woke her up twice—once to tell her she was going get some food and then to tell her she was safe and had let Bert out of his stall.

Calida groaned as she woke up, wiping the drool off the side of her mouth and scratching her head. Groggily, she went outside to relieve herself in the woods.

She came back into her house only to grab a roll out of a bowl and some fresh clothes with a bar of soap. It was warm enough out to not have heated water, so bathing in the stream would be nice and save her time.

She shucked her clothes and walked into the deep end of the stream. She scrubbed her hair until she thought it all might fall out. Then she took a paste a village woman said would soften and brighten her hair, lathering it throughout. Calida washed her skin with the help of the sandy streambed and scrubbed her face until her skin felt tight and clean. By the time she was done, she felt like a fresh woman who hadn’t worked all night.

“Sissy,” Cora called.

“Bathing in the stream.”

Cora came out from around the other side of the house with Louie hot on her heels. She held out a package and set it down near her sister, wiping at her curls with the back of her hands.

“What is that, Cora?”

Her little sister beamed. “A present.”

“What is it?”

“A flower crown!” Cora said. “And I got one for you too.”

Calida came out of the stream and Cora handed her a dress, one of the best ones she had. Calida put it on, tying the purple dress down the front and pulling on soft leather shoes. Calida smiled wide at her little sister and twirled in place.

Cora clapped. “I was wondering when you would wake up,” Cora said.

Calida hugged her little sister. “I told you I would sleep in.”

“Yeah, I know.” Cora shrugged. “Can we put in our flower crowns?”

Calida nodded.

“Can you braid my hair out of my face?”

“Sure can.”

“I wanna feel like a faerie,” Cora said. “Faeries wear flower crowns. I know they do.”

Calida smiled. Cora skipped back to the house to grab the hairbrush. Calida sat outside on the stool, waiting for her giddy sister to return. Cora came sliding to a stop in front of her, sitting down with her small back against Calida’s knees.

Cora had a difficult time sitting still as the festive sounds and smells reached their ears and noses. Quickly as she could, Calida braided Cora’s hair and tied the crown in with it so it would stay on her head all day. Cora expressed every few seconds she couldn't wait to get back to town.

Calida knew Cora was excited. Neither of them had been to a festival before. The only holiday Swanshé had was the spring running of the fish when fish from the sea came up the Swan River to spawn. People would wade out with nets and get the fish that were then making their way downstream. It wasn’t much of a holiday, but it was fun.

She had barely finished Cora’s hair before the little girl went bounding back down the hill to the festival. Hadley waited halfway up the hill, and together they ran to where the other children were off playing.

Calida smiled, putting her flower crown on top of her head and went back inside her forge to grab the new longsword. With a sigh, she walked down into the village. She greeted Nixon and his wife, got a quick meal and bought a pretty pendant from a vendor. Her eyes scanned all over for Kade, hoping to find him rather quickly and be done with it, but the man was elusive. She wanted to give him the sword to be done with it and him. It wasn’t until she saw Landon and asked him where Kade was that she finally found him.

Kade was in the middle of a ring of spectators, tunic off and wrestling another man. As she made her way up to the crowd, she noticed the women watched the spectacle enthralled, covering their mouths with their hands and tittering. Blushes covered their cheeks as the men grappled. Calida could care less.

Calida waited off to the side while Kade lifted a man and threw him out of the ring. As the crowd clapped, she wondered how long this was going to take. She held the weapon sideways in her hands, not wanting the tip to touch the ground.

Cora passed by, laughing and chasing a group of kids. Calida turned to watch them and smiled. When she turned back around, she discovered she was face to face with the laird.

He wiped the sweat off his brow. His tunic was off. Sweat glistened off his chiseled body. His black shaggy hair was wet with his sweat. Kade’s intense blue eyes locked on her and the blade in her hands. He stood over her, waiting, his face etched with annoyance.

“Good afternoon, laird,” she offered.

“I’m goin’ to assume this is the sword?”

Calida nodded, handing it over. Kade unwrapped the weapon carefully. People behind him gathered around to get a look at her weapon and the laird’s reaction. Kade held the blade up, tossing it from hand to hand, testing its weight and balance. The man turned it over in his hands, inspecting the filigree on the grip.

“What’s it made out of?”

“Iron and charcoal to make steel. It’s a tougher, more durable metal that will not rust as easily as iron.”

“Better than I thought.”

Calida’s brows furrowed. “Do you not like it?”

“Well, with ye being mental, I dinna know what to expect.”

Calida crossed her arms. “Do you always take your orders to mental people?”

Kade grimaced, replying, “It’s a fine blade, Calida. I’m impressed.”

Calida smirked, shaking her head and trying not to get angry. Out of all the possibilities she’d imagined for life in her new home, being insulted in front of the village wasn’t one of them. She turned on her heel, parting through the crowd and marching back up the hill.

“Calida,” the laird called, walking up to her, “dinna ye want to be paid?”

Calida turned to the side slowly, taking a deep breath before replying with a smile, “Stop by the forge later to discuss payment.”

Calida spun back around with a snort on her lips, leaving a sour-faced laird behind her and strode toward home. Festivities didn’t appeal to her now that she had been humiliated by the laird. She sighed and sat on the stool outside her house, watching the children run and play.

Horses were being led to an area. Landon’s loud voice boomed, announcing a horse race. Calida pursed her lips wondering if she should compete. Bert was lumbering, but he could hold his own. It sounded fun; however, the mental remarks had her feeling out of sorts.

She watched, contemplating what she felt like doing. “Mental,” she huffed. “Yeah, I’m mental,” she said, standing with her hands on her hips. “I’m sure-as-the-abyss mental! I’m smart! I’m brave! And I’m going to compete in a horse race.”

Calida whistled. Bert came trotting out of the barn and Calida mounted him in a single leap. He was the tamest of horses, and she didn’t need a saddle or a bridle to ride him. With a squeeze of her legs, and holding onto a handful of mane, Bert took off down the hill toward a line of waiting horses.

Spectators gathered all around her. The children stood at the front on the sidelines, watching the racers prepare.

Calida caught sight of Cora and waved.

“Sissy,” Cora yelled, “win! You can do it!”

Calida smiled, leaning forward on Bert. “We will do our best, Cora!”

Kade came over with a smile on his lips and his new sword at his side. The weapon glimmered in the sunlight. The onyx gem on the pommel sparkled like a dark star. Calida smiled at her masterpiece, proud of what she had made.

Calida accidentally caught Kade’s eye and instantly looked away, the smile on her face wiped clear.

“Ho, Calida,” Landon said with a smile as he came over on his horse. “Ready to race?”

Calida laughed, “Oh, so that’s what this line is for?”

Landon chuckled, replying, “Can that auld lugabout keep up?”

Calida patted Bert on the side, replying, “Oh, aye. He does look a mite cumbersome, but he holds his own.”

Laird Bonteva stood on a barrel off to the side of the starting line. He announced the winner of the race would get a coin purse of two silver coins. Calida couldn’t have been more surprised by the generosity of the laird, especially considering he still had to pay her for the sword.

“On yer mark,” Kade said, “GO!”

The horses ahead of her took off at a run. Calida let Bert canter at his own pace. Bert was so large, it took him a while to get going. Plus, tiring out her boy before the race had truly begun was not what she wanted to do.

The herd in front of her spread out, sending torn up grass and dust flying in all directions. Bert stretched out his legs and picked up the pace. Calida kept him there while following the other racers. The trail was marked with people at intervals and white flags. Calida raced down the small sloping hill and to the left, going around the small forest surrounding Palasida.

They passed a horse who had thrown a shoe.

“Take him to the smithy,” Calida yelled, passing by.

They rounded the edge of the forest, continuing their loop left. She passed another horse on the side; this one had tossed her rider. Calida snickered as she went by. Everyone up ahead of her was slowing down. She’d expected that; horses cannot go at full speed for long stretches.

As she rounded another corner of the forest, she saw a lot of the horses had already slowed to a trot. Calida passed them by on Bert. Her horse was going easily, loping at a light pace, slowly moving up toward the front of the herd.

“Ho, Landon,” Calida called.

Landon turned in his saddle, smiling at her as she came up beside him.

“How long is this race?” Calida asked.

“About three miles.”

Calida rode beside Landon for a while until she came across a young kid standing next to the marker flag. The boy was bouncing on his toes, yelling for them to go as it was the last stretch of the race.

Calida leaned forward on Bert and glanced back at Landon. She grinned at the older man as she squeezed Bert with her legs. The large animal picked up his pace, easily taking a stride longer than the smaller Meerdoran horses.

With a smile, Calida rounded the tree line and came upon the road back to Palasida. Bert tossed his head and opened up, galloping faster than she expected him to. A large crowd of people gathered to urge on the winner and congratulate them. Calida leaned over Bert’s neck as the horse went barreling down the dusty road.

People cheered uproariously for her as she crossed the finish line. Calida gently eased Bert to a halt in the middle of town, dismounting with ease.

Cora came running up to her, slamming her small body into hers. “I knew you could do it!” Cora said, bouncing excitedly.

“Thank you, Cora.”

People came over, patting her on the back and asking her about Bert. Calida answered all she could but there were so many questions. After a few moments, people dispersed and went on to the next event.

“Good show,” Landon congratulated.

Calida smiled. “It was a lot of fun!”

“On to the next event!” a person called. “Pie tasting!”

Cora and Calida looked at each other, licking their lips. Calida told her sister to run ahead as she had to put Bert away. Cora promised to save her a slice of peach pie. Calida grinned, lovingly watching her sister dash away.

Patting her side at Bert, the tired horse lumbered forward, following her obediently as they made their way up to her forge. Calida put Bert in his stall and scooped an extra bucket of grain into his dish, patting him on the neck and giving him a kiss.

“Fine ridin’,” Kade said behind her.

Calida glanced over her shoulder to see Kade standing in the doorway of the barn. She smiled her thanks.

“Ye won this,” he said, coming over to her and handing her coins. “And this is for the sword,” he continued, handing her four more silvers.

“Thank you.”

Kade scratched the back of his head. “It’s a fine sword,” he offered.

“I do my best to make quality weapons.”

Bert poked his head out of the stall and stretched forward. Calida got out of the way. Unfortunately, Kade did not. Bert peed all over the laird’s boots. Calida covered her mouth with her hand and turned around. Bert went back into his stall to munch on his oats. Calida looked over her shoulder to see Kade storming angrily out of her barn. Calida was reduced to fits of giggles.

That was a preview of Forging Calida. To read the rest purchase the book.

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