They spent several days near the tree. Occasionally it would start conversations with them but they were usually left to their own devices. They would talk about trivialities, Roland's mother would quiz regarding Shadow or politics, or they would spend their time reading or doing camp work.
"When do we head out," asked Roland one morning.
"We still have to meet someone," responded his mother while paging through a book, "Now, start the fire and get breakfast going."
"I thought you brought me here to meet Ygg."
"Hardly," she said and looked over her book at him, "I noticed breakfast is not being cooked."
Roland jumped to his feet and grabbed the supply bag. He began to take out food then suddenly stopped. He felt an odd tickle at the back of his neck. Exchanging the bag for his sword, he drew his weapon and stared off into the distance.
"Somebody is coming through Shadow."
Roland squinted his eyes and tried to focus his senses in the direction of the oncoming visitor. Their visitor just crested the horizon and was riding at a rapid but not hurried pace. Roland couched and placed his left hand on the ground. He could feel the subtle vibrations of the horse's hoofs. He continued to observe the stranger.
"Mounted..."
"Red hair..."
"Light beard..."
"Armed..."
"Blue eyes..."
"Well dressed..."
Roland inhaled deeply through his nose as the stranger drew closer to their encampment.
"The horse is sweating hard..."
He smiled.
"His cologne precedes him..."
With a small half smile his mother gets up and stands next to him.
"Put your sword away, Roland, and make yourself presentable. It's time you met another family member."
Before Roland could puzzle out who he was to greet, the man arrived and, with a great flourish and a grin, he dismounted next to them. He embraced Roland's mother and kissed her on the cheek.
"Dearest sister," he exclaimed, "It has been far too long. As much as I have wanted to see you, was it necessary to drag me way out..."
He stopped suddenly and looked at Roland as if he had just noticed him. With a nonchalant flip he flung his cape over his shoulder and walked closer to Roland and began o study him. For a brief moment, Roland saw a flash of keen intellect behind those laughing eyes.
"Well, now, who is this? Wait! Don't tell me!" he turned to his sister and asked mockingly, "Is this strapping lad your new paramour?"
Roland's mother actually laughed. Which was a good thing because it covered the sound of Roland's knuckles popping as he balled them into fists.
"No, Brother," she said while rolling her eyes, "I would like to introduce you to a new nephew. Roland this is my brother Bleys. Bleys this is Roland," then she added after a brief pause, "He is one of us."
"Is he now?" Bleys asked with a challenging tone. He also made no moves to greet Roland. And Roland thought it was wise to keep his silence until he figured out what to do next. Bleys had him off balance. This was the first relative his mother had introduced as 'her brother' instead of 'his uncle.' His manner also made Roland wary. With so much flash and flare he could not judge how much of his uncle was substance. He also noticed that Bleys hand was edging towards his sword.
"Oh, I can see that he is off our blood and that you vouch for him means a great deal, but is he truly worthy? Hmmmm... I wonder."
Roland noticed that his mother had backed away slightly. He was on his own. Bleys stepped up to him.
"Well, are you boy? Are you worthy of the blood pumping through your veins? Do you deserve to be a Lord of Amber, Master of Shadow, God among insects?"
Bleys studied Roland some more.
"Ah, the 'Strong Silent Type' I see. Stoic," he half turned to his sister, "Does he even KNOW how to speak?"
He turned back to Roland.
"Come on boy. Out with it. Speak for yourself."
Roland let the pause drag before he replied without so much as a muscle twitch...
"You talk a lot."
"Oh really. So then, I gather you prefer action."
And, in a blur of motion Bleys had stepped of Roland's reach and with a flourish snapped his sword from his sheath to a point about 3 inches from Roland's nose. It came so quickly that Roland could not even attempt to counter it. So, he did the opposite. He stood as still as stone.
"Care to dance?"
Roland stared at him. He was acutely aware that he could not beat Bleys anymore than he could defeat Gerard but he had a suspicion that winning was not the point in this matter. This was another test. This time, however, it was outside of his mother's control. He now, for the first time, had to prove himself to another family member.
Roland suddenly exploded into action. Instead of reaching across to draw his blade, he flicked it out with his off hand from the sheath backwards. Then, using his great wrist strength flipped it around, knocking aside Bleys sword. This allowed him to follow up with a kick to Bleys' stomach, which missed, but fulfilled its primary purpose of allowing Roland to switch his blade to his sword arm. It all happened in less time then it takes for an eye to blink.
"Oh-Ho!" called Bleys jovially, "You have some skill... or did you spend all of last year practicing that move in a mirror?"
Roland did not bother responding verbally as he took swipes at Bleys' head with his sword. All of which were parried disdainfully.
"You prefer the quick kill, I see," commented Bleys as he countered with some basic but flashy cuts of his own. They were relatively easy to block. They exchanged thrusts, parries, ripostes, slashes, and jabs for quite awhile. Roland maintained his silence because he was concentrating on trying not to get killed as Bleys was testing his defenses and making snide comments like,
"You just barely parried that one, tsk-tsk..."
And.
"They way you flail about you may want to consider using an ax."
And after a particularly close call where he nicked Roland's elbow.
"Julian must have taught you. I get him with that one all the time..."
Although Roland made frequent mistakes that would have normally gotten him hurt or worse. Bleys usually followed up with a clumsy attack and a comment on Roland's ineptitude. Bleys made a mistake after the first hour.
Roland overextended on a thrust and Bleys parried it in such away causing Roland to fall forward leaving the entire right side of his body exposed. Bleys mistake was punching him in the side as hard as he could. It was like punching Kolvir and Roland heard the distinctive snapping sound of a sprain or worse.
"DAMN! You take after Gerard. Next time I use a knife," he added darkly and pressed Roland with a flurry of blows that, even with Roland moving with all of his speed, left him covered in a half dozen nicks, scratched, and minor cuts. Fighting purely defensively was keeping him alive but it also backed him against Ygg.
Roland cursed as Bleys suddenly swept his legs out from underneath him. Roland landed, very undignified, on his behind as his head bounced down the side of the tree. His sword went... somewhere. Bleys followed up with an obvious thrust to the side of Roland's head, purposefully missing him, but nipping off a lock of Roland's hair and sticking part of the blade into Ygg.
"<YOWWWW!>"
Evidently, Bleys was not expecting that reaction from a tree because his eyes widened and he froze long enough for Roland to strike out with his hand, not at Bleys, but at the flat of Bleys' sword. With a sharp 'ting' the sword, and a small bone in Roland's hand, snapped. Bleys stared at the half sword he now carried.
"You broke my sword," he said disbelievingly. Roland lashed out with his feet, knocking Bleys back. As quick as he could he leapt up and grappled his uncle. Maybe if he was not still recovering from his bought with Gerard, or if his hand wasn't broken, he might have been able to hold onto Bleys long enough to incapacitate him. Maybe...
As it was, Bleys quickly wriggled free and managed to land a couple of blows on Roland. The only positive note was that Bleys had also dropped his sword. The circled each other for a few moments when suddenly Bleys straitened up and eyed Roland.
"Well, I have had enough exercise for this afternoon. What do you say we call it done and have some supper," he asked with a grin.
Roland knew he was being offered an out so he took it.
"Yes."
"Aha!" exclaimed Bleys as he rushed over and embraced Roland, "Welcome nephew."
He took him by the shoulders and eyed him critically.
"You know, you really are one of us. Fast, strong, durable, willing to take sacrifices, relatively intelligent, but at the same time really stupid..."
With that final statement, Bleys kneed Roland in the groin with such force that it literally lifted him from the ground. As he lay there in his own vomit with flashes of color and pain ringing in his head. He heard Bleys say,
"THAT was for breaking my sword," he spat, then softer, "Welcome to the family."
He mercifully sent Roland into blackness with a sharp kick to the head.