Incognito

21

Soldiers rushed past him down the streets of Leeland, searching for the screaming baby on this land. He prayed that the men would not find the mia as storm clouds rolled in. When Zac's foot hit his father's land, the raindrops also hit his head. It would still be miles before he reached the distant castle. It happened to be that the mia had deposited Zac on the furthermost part of the serpentine road leading the duke's dwelling. Scowling Zac trudged on in the dreary storm. In his head, he rehearsed what he would say in the audience of his father. First, he supposed he would beg forgiveness for leaving and squandering his money. If his father was in a bad mood he may have to plea for his life. If he may in a good mood he could request work on his father's land as a servant. And if the duke was truly in a generous mood he would ask him to reimburse the mia and see to it that the mia and Prosper lived well. 

After an hour of walking along his father's grounds, Zac finally made it to the courtyard gates. When the gatekeeper glimpsed him, his mouth dropped open.

Stuttering he only managed to form, "Sir Holden?!" He simply sat and stared until Zac pulled down the hood of Mia's drab too small clothes. His face was so cold he could not articulate words. Instead, he beckoned to the closed gates. The keeper's Adam's apple bobbed and he scrambled to open the gates. Zac nodded his appreciation.

He had only made it a few steps when a horse's hoofbeats thundered nearby. Looking up Zac saw a frazzled old man on an unbridled horse galloping in. The man stopped in front of Zac and quickly dismounted. He smoothed back his dark, salt, and pepper sprinkled hair and ran a nervous hand down his nice jacket suit bedecked with medals of honor. His boots scooted toward Zac and his face aged only by wrinkles of stress, not time outshone the son on its happiest morning. The duke smiled as raindrops soiled his hair and ran down to his fine chin. His blue eyes laughed with delight as he stepped forward and hugged his son.

Zac stood ridged as his father crushed his bones. Why was his father hugging him? Had his father ever hugged him?

His father kissed his cheek. "Son, how have I missed you."

Zac almost let a laugh bubble forth. "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."

The duke smiled and chuckled shook his head. Zac could not imagine what was so funny.

The motioned to the nearest servant of his. "Quickly, get ready the best clothes. Get my signet ring to put on his hand and bring shoes for his feet. Bring in my fattened calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead and is alive again! He was lost," the duke turned back to his son, "but now he is found."

A cheer went up from the crowded courtyard.

The duke gripped Zac's hands in his own. "We shall celebrate your return with parties for a fortnight. I will send out invitations now." The people parted and the duke mounted his steed and sprinted away.

Zac stood dumbfounded. His father loved him and simply forgave all his debts. A servant appeared and placed a ring of rubies on his finger and new boots on his feet. Zac had not even realized how small the mia's shoes were until he stood in his own. In a daze, he started the castle.

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The mia rarely lost herself in the forest. Though she had never visited it as a child, she felt as if she and the woods were one. But today brambles pulled at her cloak and mud rose out of places she swore were dry. The log she crossed the creek on was found broken in half. When she finally found her path, she followed it the wrong way and discovered herself in a wall of thorns. Frustration seeped into her skin as she took two steps forward and one step back every which way.