Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor Read Free Page B

there’s really not much of a market for the extra armor, so I export these pieces to other regions of the kingdom to those who truly need them. Now, if you were to have something along this line, we could talk. Otherwise”—the man yawned—“I am quickly tiring and must get some sleep soon.”
    The merchant put his hand on the table and tapped. The paytha jumped from Tav’s palm and ran to the merchant’s hand, then scurried up his arm.
    Tav pushed his hair back, thinking quickly. “I have my leather vambraces. Would they do?”
    “I’m afraid not, sir. Tomorrow I am certain I’ll have a dozen offers for excellent shields, helmets, and even swords.”
    The merchant reached for the shutters to close up the shop window. The paytha looked sadly at Tav, dropping its chin on the merchant’s shoulder much as a sad puppy would do.
    “Wait.” Tav held up his hand. He took off his vambraces and set them on the table. “Consider this a down payment—and I’ll be here tomorrow morning with my shield.”
    Twitch looked at Tav. Tav looked back at his friend. “I haven’t used it for months, not even in training.”
    Twitch stayed silent.
    “How do I know it isn’t some rusted-out chunk of iron?” The merchant picked up the vambraces and examined them.
    “It isn’t. I’m a Knight of the Prince.”
    The merchant stared at Tav and finally nodded. “Very well, then.” He held out his hand.
    “How do we know this little guy won’t run away the first day he has him?” Twitch asked.
    The merchant looked at Twitch with a sparkle in his eye. “Because I’ll guarantee the deal. I’ll keep the shield here in my shop on the back wall. If you aren’t completely satisfied with your critter for any reason, bring him back, and I’ll return your shield to you.”
    Tav looked at Twitch and raised an eyebrow, then smiled at the merchant and shook his hand.
    They left the merchant’s shop and mounted up to ride home, eager to return the next morning and finish the deal.

DISTY AND BLI
     
    Tav had fully intended to give the cute little paytha to Mirya, but after two days with the animal, he just couldn’t give it up.
    “What’s his name?” Twitch asked one evening as Tav tried to teach the paytha how to fetch a nail for him. They were in Tav’s father’s carpentry shop, putting tools away for the day. Tav tapped the shop bench, and the paytha scurried down his arm onto the hard surface. Tav held the nail in front of the little creature.
    “I think I’ll call him Disty.”
    Twitch laughed. “That’s a strange name, but it sure fits him.”
    “Nail,” Tav said, and gave it to Disty. Disty held the nail in his little hands and sniffed it. He turned it over a couple of times, then set it down, looked up, and chortled as if to say, “I get it.”
    Tav grabbed the nail, walked to the end of the bench, and put the nail into the proper bin. He came back, stood by Twitch, and commanded, “Disty, get the nail.”
    Disty tilted his head to one side, chortled, and scurried down the bench. He hunted about for a few seconds, found the bin, grabbed the nail, and scurried back to Tav. He set the nail down, then scampered up Tav’s arm to sit on his shoulder.
    Twitch’s mouth dropped open. “That’s impossible!”
    Tav smiled broadly. He quickly set to work teaching Disty to fetch other tools, but the paytha was too small to carry most of them.
    That night Tav fed Disty a delicious supper of corn cakes and carrot greens. The next morning, they were almost certain he was a little bigger. And within two weeks Disty had doubled in size. He was able to carry some of the heavier tools that he couldn’t carry before. And he proved every bit as intelligent as the merchant had said, and more so.
    “That animal is scary smart,” Twitch said as he and Tav rode to the haven one day. Disty perched high on Tav’s shoulder enjoying the excursion. It had been a full week of work at the family carpentry shop where Tav and Twitch