Garinor looked at his mother and the guard. Things were very serious, even though he had no idea what was going on. He set down his piece of toast and turned to his mother.
“What does the letter say, Mother?”
She shook her head and said nothing. It seemed to him as if it was too hard for her to speak at all. He had never seen her like this in all his life.
He turned to the guard. “I guess I need to go now, then?”
“Yes, Son, you must,” the guard replied. “There is no time to tarry. We must be on our way at once.”
His voice carried an authority that made Garinor cringe. He didn’t want to find out what this man would sound like if he became angry. “Very well then. Will I need anything?”
“No,” was his simple response.
Garinor nodded and then approached his mother, giving her a hug and a kiss before he turned back to the guard. She held him tightly for a few extra moments, then released him with a solemn nod of her head.
With all the courage a fourteen-year-old could muster in such a situation, Garinor squared his shoulders and stood proudly. He stepped toward the guardsman, who held the door open, and they left.