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SILVER

Herein is the ill-fated romance between Ariana and Samuel, the first half of the story that continues in Silver Borne This is also an origin story of sorts, because how he rand time I have to say that if it had not been for the constant requests for this story, I, usually a teller of happier tales, would have left this one alone

As a historical note—and for those who need to kno old Samuel and Bran are—Christianity came to Wales very early, perhaps as early as the first or second century with the Romans When exactly the events of this novella took place, neither Samuel nor Bran could tell me Bran just smiled like a boy without cares—so I knew it hurt him to remember—and said, “We didn’t pay attention to tiet just so old, those first days blur together” I am not a olf, but I can, after all this ti to me

I do know that the events in this story happen a long, long time before Moon Called

ONE

Samuel

Three weeks to the day after I buried est child, and several days after I buriedwoman ould never become older—someone knocked at my door

I rolled offmat to my feet but made no move to answer the knock It was pitch-dark outside, and the only reason anyone knocked at ht was because so had not been able to save my wife or my children If someone was ill, they were better off without me

“I can hear you,” said ruffly “Let me in”

Another day, before the death oftime since I’d heard my father’s voice But ht had outlasted my childhood

I was beyond caring about anything, expected or unexpected Being used to doing what he asked, I opened the door and stepped back

Theoutside entered quickly, careful not to lose the heat of the evening’s fire The hearth in the center of ht, and I wouldn’t fuel it again until theWith the door shut, the roos were also covered against the cold night air

I did not see how he did it because there was no sound of striking flint, but he lit the tallow candle He had always kept a candle on the ledge, just inside the door, where one of the rocks that forone and left the hut to me, I found it practical to leave one there as well

In that diht, he pulled down the hood of his tattered cloak, and I saw his lined face, which looked older and more weather-beaten than when I’d last seen hio

His hair was threaded through with hoary gray, and his beard was an unfamiliar snohite He moved with a limp that he hadn’t had the last tiood for an oldpack he carried on his back and the leather bag that held his pipes He shrugged off his outerwear and hung it up beside the door where s