Garinor looked at his mother and the guard. Things looked very serious, even though he had no idea what was going on. He set down his piece of toast and looked at his mother.
“What does the letter say, mother?” he wondered.
She simply shook her head and said nothing. It looked 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 with it 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 the simple response.
Garinor nodded his head and then approached his mother, giving her a hug and a kiss before he turned back to the guard. 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 then they left.