Ajax laughed and the tension that had been inside him burst. He hadn’t realize it was even there until it was gone. The fight, the tense conversation, the big revelation, it had all built up to a crescendo and then poof, it was gone.
“Oh, Hakon, don’t insult me. Sitting in your lap naked? You think I’d need to be so uncouth? I’ve got noble blood, remember. I’m sophisticated,” he teased.
He turned around to face away from Hakon for no particular reason.
“No, I think just a little wiggle would do it.” He accompanied his words with a slight shake to demonstrate. “You’re a pretty easy target if memory serves. If you see one of these again it’s probably already too late for you.”
He laughed again, harder, then turned back around and picked the boots up off the floor.
“Let me get these good and polished. You sit tight.”
Still chuckling to himself, Ajax took the boots outside and went to fetch his polish and rag. He took a few minutes to get the boots shiny, then to feed and water the horses. When he went back into the house with Hakon’s boots as good as new, he felt as warm as he ever had towards the big scary man, and safe too. He was not excited about the horrible work still ahead of them, but he was happy to be on an adventure with his friend
