“I tell you, Andreas, I may have sworn to this trip, but greatly do I loathe leaving!” The ominous weather that had been unnerving to Andreas all week seemed to have but slightly tainted the comforting atmosphere of Kadrian’s home. Kadrian grinned at his friend as he buckled the strap of his saddle bag. He brushed a shock of straw-like hair off his forehead, which now that it was trimmed and only about 4 inches long, was rather unruly, most of the time. The hair promptly fell back into its desired place, unnoticed. When Kadrian strode toward his waiting wife and son, Andreas turned as if to tend his horse’s bit, protesting quietly to the horse about not champing so much.

         Anntisa was waiting patiently for her husband, hands clasped in front of her. She stood in the first rays of dawn coming over the garden wall, watching her husband load his mule and saddle his horse. Beside her on a stone sat spry two year old Jonathon in his long muslin frock, playing with a wooden horse his daddy had carved for him. Kadrian walked quickly to Anntisa and caught her in his arms. “I shall be home within the year, love. If I can swear to Father’s nosy benefactor to make a mission trip for him, I can swear this to you.” Turning to the child on the ground, he knelt down in front of him and pulled him to his feet, so they were looking eye to eye.
   “Son Jonathon,” he said in a very confidential tone, “Son, you will be the man of the house while I’m gone. Roland will help you, of course, if you need it, but you must be responsible and look after your mother in my absence.”
          The little boy looked very seriously into his daddy’s eyes, and put his horse down. He leaned both his hands on Kadrian's knees and said, “Es sir, but daddy, daddy wut does her wike?” Andreas could not mess with the horse’s tack any longer. He turned about and leaned against his horse with his arms folded, to hear his friends’ reply.
    “Jonathon,” he began, turning Anntisa a wink, “Your mother likes a kiss in the morning, before you go out to play, and tell her that your dinner is very delicious, and do not forget to hug her strongly when you come in for supper. And if you see her in the garden, or by the fire, and you happen upon her, this is what you must do. This is what she likes, Jonathon my son.” Kadrian stood, and walking swiftly to Anntisa, grasped her hand, bent and kissed it gallantly, then said to her with a smile, “I’m ever so glad to see you here, Mother.”

     Anntisa reached up and brushed his persistent hair out of the way. She replied quietly with a smile, “I could not let you go without saying goodbye, Kadrian.” Then more seriously, “Promise me. . .”
     He interrupted, graping her shoulders firmly, “I already have, and my word is my vow. I love you.” He memorized her with his eyes a moment more, then quickly crushed her to himself and kissed her hard and long.  Andreas blinked numbly and Kadrian was turning abruptly, striding to his horse, swinging into the saddle. He called to Andreas to follow, and with a backwards glance at his young family, rode out the gate to join the waiting {train}.
     Andreas remained leaning against his patient horse a moment longer frowning unseeingly after Kadrian. Then slowly he moved his gaze until it rested upon Anntisa, still standing with her hands clasped in front of her, but he could see a new anxiety in her frame.
     For just a moment they looked at each other, and then he turned with conviction, and catching the saddle horn, swung up onto the horse. He turned the animal as if to follow Kadrian through the gate, then suddenly swung him around a quick turn and came up beside Anntisa so quickly and with such skill, that the boy on the ground had no time to take fright. He sat stiffly in his saddle, waiting for he knew not what.      
   
         "Farewell, good prince. You will stay by my husband?” Tears fell unashamedly down her pale face as she stood looking up at him. Andreas still had not shaken the awful numbness from his senses, but her tears struck something within his heart, and eyes of his mind seemed to be newly opened to things outside his battered heart. The horse stilled its impatient stamping when he sensed Andreas relax.
    “Dear lady, none shall move me from the place. Fear not for your beloved,” he placed his gloved hand over his heart and leaned closer to Anntisa, “He is my dearest friend and my most faithful vassal, heaven knows I will ward off this foreboding evil.”
    Roland was heard to come out of the house, and the little boy ran off to meet his aged caretaker. Andreas slowly righted himself in his saddle. The horse trotted anxiously in place, ready to leave.
    “God’s blessings on you, my lady.” A peaceful, comforting, contented smile spread slowly across the young woman’s face, and seemed to leap the distance to Andreas. His soul was finally comforted.

   An hour’s time saw Anntisa at play with her son on the hearthrug, at peace for Kadrian safety. She had no thoughts but gratitude for the prince who rode beside her husband to war.