Bow, Daniel meets a brother and sister, Joel and Malthace, on the mountain. He asks them to send word to Simon in the village, a mutual acquaintance, letting him know where Daniel is. In Chapter 3, Simon is led by some of Rosh's scouts to Daniel blindfolded. Daniel thinks that Simon may be interested in joining Rosh's band because he knows that Simon also wants to fight to overthrow the Romans. However, Simon explains that he has come to let Daniel know that Amalek, Daniel's former master, died two weeks ago. Since Daniel ran away from Amalek, who had paid for Daniel to serve him, Daniel has not dared return to the village, for he would have fallen under Amalek's control again. Now Simon tells Daniel that Amalek has died, leaving no heirs, meaning that Daniel is now released from his "bond," or required servitude. Therefore, Daniel has no reason not to visit his grandmother and sister, whom he has not seen in two years. Daniel agrees to go to the village with Simon to see his family. 

When Daniel meets Joel and Thacia at the beginning of the book, Joel becomes enamored with his outlaw life, and takes a message back to Simon, one of Daniel's old friends and fellow slave at the forge. Simon, instead of being reassured by the message, comes up to the outlaw camp to find Daniel, telling him that he can come back to the village.

"Today I came only to find you. Amalek died a fortnight ago, Daniel. You could come back to the village if you like."

Old Amalek dead! Should he feel something -- pleasure? remorse? pity? It was too far away. He had not thought about going back for a long long time.
(Speare, The Bronze Bow, Google Books)

Amalek dies without leaving relatives or a will, and so Daniel is free and clear of his bond. However, Daniel doesn't want to go; he feels that he has found a purpose and a cause here on the hill, and thinks of his old life and family only in negative ways. Simon, knowing how different this life is, insists that Daniel come home and visit his sister and grandmother, both of whom have been fending for themselves for years, and have been very sad and worried about Daniel's disappearance. In the end, Simon convinces Daniel to visit, and that along with meeting Joel and Thacia is the start of Daniel's return to normal emotional health, rather than revenge-driven blind anger.

In Elizabeth George Speare's The Bronze Bow, Simon comes to see Daniel to tell him that his former master has died and that Daniel can return to his home village.

Several years before, Daniel was apprenticed to the village blacksmith, Amalek. Amalek was a harsh man, and he was cruel to Daniel, so much so that Daniel ran away and joined Rosh's band of Zealots. Now, though, Amalek is dead, and there is no one to hold Daniel to his bond of service. He can go back home.

Daniel does not know if that is something he wants to do. He has accepted the ideals of and the way of life in Rosh's band. Simon asks Daniel if he would not want to see his grandmother and sister again, for they have worried about him over the years. Simon, too, has worried, and he tells Daniel that the young man can go back for a day or two at first, just so his family can see that he is well. “It would please them,” Simon says to Daniel.

Daniel decides that he will go with Simon, just for a day. He is nervous about seeing his grandmother and sister again, and as Simon leaves him at the door of the house, Daniel is almost overwhelmed with panic, but he gathers his courage and goes in.

Simon is able to find Daniel because Joel takes a message to him from the outlaw camp, telling Daniel's old friend Simon where he is and not to worry. However, Simon is far from reassured by the news that Daniel has joined the outlaws. Simon is a smith, but more importantly, he is a zealot. He truly believes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, and as such, believes Jesus' message that nothing good can come from perpetual violence, as it will always beget more of the same. It is for this reason that Simon decides to visit Daniel in the outlaw's camp.

Simon delivers the message that Amalek, Daniel's old master, has died. Amalek has left no relatives, so Daniel is free of his bond and can return home to the village if he so chooses. Daniel, however, is not persuaded. He truly believes that he is doing good work among the rebels, and finally feels that he has an outlet to direct his rage and a place where he can make an earnest difference. Simon reminds him that the work he is doing is dangerous, and that his sister and grandmother miss him terribly. Simon convincing Daniel to visit is the first step to the latter becoming disillusioned with the life of a rebel.