To Battle Dragons and Our Pasts

Part 2

Part two

When we walked into the shop again I noticed that Edmund had unwrapped the bundles and had three shards of what used to be a sword in front of him. He seemed to be discussing them with another young man about his own age. When they noticed us Edmund sent the other man an 'I told you so' glance before he greeted us.

"I wondered when you would get back here. Is this your father?" he asked, motioning towards my uncle.

"I'm Gwen's uncle and Max's father. You must be Edmund?" Uncle answered, though the question was directed to me.

"Yes I'm Edmund, and this is my friend Malcolm."

He tipped his head towards the man next to him.

"Hello." Malcolm waved. "Whatever Ed has volunteered me for count me out. I'd like to keep my body in tact and in working condition."

Edmund rolled his eyes,

"You always bring up that incident with the portcullis, Malcolm, but that was the exception, not the rule."

"Then there was the time with the falling tree and that one time with the bull and that other incident at the joust and don't dare you forget the insane guy with the stirrup leather or-"

"Alright we get it!" Edmund hit Malcolm on the shoulder. "Anyway, You always say that but you always come with me."

Malcolm shrugged and lifted himself onto the counter. My uncle chuckled.

"So, you boys have a history with adventures?"

"More like suicide missions." Malcolm muttered. "But, I will say we always have the best intentions. You'll never meet a guy so willing to help people as Ed here."

"So you'd be willing to help us?"

"I wouldn't of told you to come back if I wasn't. But before we move on can I ask you about your family? I'm... confused by it."

I smiled a little sadly. "I live with Uncle John because my parents were killed by marauders three years ago."

His brow furrowed, "Oh, I'm sorry..." he said while shifting his weight uncomfortably.

"It's okay."

He was about to say something else when Malcolm was suddenly thrown into a fit of laughter.

"How can you help them if you don't even have a sword? That's what's you get for getting angry and breaking your dad's." More laughing.

Doug walked in at this moment and picked up two pieces of the broken sword. He nudged Malcolm.

"Come here and help me get this sword remade, it's going to take an entire afternoon as it is."

"Yes father." Malcolm shot daggers at Edmund with his glare and pushed himself off the counter. Collecting the remaining piece of the sword he followed his dad. Edmund slapped him on the back.

"Thanks comrade."

Max's eyes were wide as he asked, "That's his dad?"

I was just as shocked as Max that this cheery, red headed, freckled boy could be the son of the burly, short tempered smithy.

Edmund leaned against the wall. "He's a lot more like his mother was, I think."

"Obviously." I said.

"Before we start discussing your predicament can I ask you one last family question?"

"Okay..."

"What's your last name?"

I almost fell over. In Galdir, only noble families had last names. How did he know we had one? I collected myself long enough to answer him.