"Ugh… I think I can see properly again now. Thank you Doctor Linden."
Alexander removed the cold wet cloth from his face, revealing his still swollen face. Though it wasn't as bad as it had been just an hour ago. He could at least see much better now.
"You do look better, but still quite beat up. I should have known that the soldiers that knew you would assume you were a traitor or spy. I'm just glad the Grand Magus came when she did, otherwise the sergeant and his men would have gotten away with letting you get beat. For the rest of the day we can just stay here and study instead. We can use some of the medical records as extra study material."
Doctor Linden indicated for Alexander to have a seat by the desk. He proceeded to grab a few files from one of the bookshelves by the side and brought them with him as he sat down. Leafing through a few of them he put them to the side before placing one between himself and Alexander.
"This one should be good. Try to see if you can read it first, either read it aloud then try to summarize it in your words using Lareen for me."
Alexander took the paper and looked at it. At this stage in his learning it felt like it would be easier to sound out everything. It turned out to be quite difficult, there was quite a lot of unknown words. As he read letter by letter, and some words, Doctor Linden nodded and provided encouragement Some times he provided the word Alexander was trying to read, other times he explained the meaning behind it. By the end of the paper Alexander felt somewhat exhausted.
"Good, now try to summarize the paper, if you can't do it in Lareen you can try in Vereen."
Alexander managed to slowly stumble through a summary of what he had read aloud using Lareen. Some words he struggled remembering but Doctor Linden was kind enough to provide suggestions. Thus letting him complete the summary.
"Fantastic, just from the writing and listening you have done earlier today you have improved massively. I wouldn't be surprised if you could at the least write and read Lareen within a month. Speaking it I imagine would take longer, especially to get rid of that extreme Verenden accent. Ah, look at the time, it just seems to fly when you have stuff to do doesn't it? Let's head back to the Grand Maguses tent and grab something to eat. I don't expect you wanting to go eat with the Miran men in any of the mess tents."
Alexander could do nothing but agree with what Doctor Linden had said about not wanting to eat with the Miran men. He imagined they would probably not like that he was there. So they both rose from their seats and headed back to Alice's tent. Once there they asked for one of the soldiers to send for some food.
It didn't take long for a servant to arrive with two plates of food. It wasn't really anything special but still it was amongst the best food Alexander had had so far. He didn't think he could ever go back to eating what he had before meeting Alice. After they had finished the food Doctor Linden asked if the servant could bring them some tea or coffee. Whilst the servant took away the empty plates and went to fetch the tea, Alexander and Doctor Linden moved to sit in the sofas.
Just before the servant came back with the tea Alice returned with Kristof following behind her. He did not look comfortable at all. It wasn't easy to tell if it was the situation that made him uncomfortable or the clothes he had on him. He had been given a Miran soldiers uniform to wear that looked to be just a little on the small side.
"Just have a seat besides the doctor over there, I need to grab something before joining you."
Alice moved towards the door leading to her room after pointing at the sofa with Doctor Linden. Kristof nodded in acknowledgement and sat down, looking around with a mix between something that might have been timidness, curiosity and fear. Alice returned from her room carrying a small bag. She then went to the desk and grabbed some paper and a quill before proceeding to sit down in the same sofa as Alexander. At this time the servant that had gone to fetch tea returned and noticed the additional people. The servant placed the tea and the two cups for Alexander and Doctor Linden before going to fetch two additional cups.
"Now as I explained to you earlier mister Kristof. I will be rewarding you for trying to prevent the harm towards my soon to be grandchild. However before I hand you the reward I want to ask you something and give you an offer."
Kristof adopted a serious look and looked towards Alice.
"I just did what should be done. I do understand why they did what they did, but attacking a kid is across the line for me. Even if he was older I do think they were in the wrong however. As we all know there wouldn't have been any reason for you to have had a spy at Fort Exor. With the amount of damage you alone, Lady Firestorm, can do I don't think you would need nor risk it. Especially risking a kid, sure had there not been that amount of damage I might be inclined to believe otherwise."
Alice nodded at what Kristof was saying.
"I am glad to hear that from you mister Kristof. Now for my question, what I wonder about is your last name. Woodwalker. Do you know why your family have that name?"
"Not really. I asked my father about it when I was a kid, but he didn't really know himself. What he did tell me was that my great-great-grandfather was something called a wood walker More than that I really don't know."
"Hmm, he might have been a druid or something then. But I can't say for sure. It really doesn't matter at this point. Though maybe it will in the future, but that depends on your answer towards my offer. What I want to offer you instead of this pouch of coin is a job. Since you tried to help Alexander I think you could be suited to be his personal guard and valet. I can't really offer you the position as his butler since you haven't had any experience as one before, but after sometime in this position, we can increase your pay and change it from valet to butler. What say you?"
Kristof seemed to be somewhat taken aback at the offer. It wasn't clear to see if it was out of rejection, shock or something else. He was sure to know that by Alexander being adopted into Alice's family he would become a noble. Thus his own station as a personal guard and valet would offer quite good pay and a form of station in and of itself.
"Lady Firestorm, are you certain? I'm a Verenden soldier you know? And you are correct, I don't have any training as anything else. I have been a soldier for most of my life. But if you are indeed sure I would not turn you down. With what I have heard being the reason behind the war in the first place, I had been considering deserting. It just happened that the war started before I could make up my mind."
Alice could do nothing but smile at his response. Alexander was staring with open eyes at both of them at this point. First the fact that Alice was offering Kristof to be his guard and valet, making him basically his servant. Secondly that Kristof had been considering deserting. Which made him wonder at what was the background for the war. What had the Kingdom of Verenden been doing that lead to it? Did that mean that the war was sanctioned or something by the Electors or emperor? Third he was shocked by Kristof accepting the offer.
"I am very glad that you accept the offer. With that answer I will also inform you about the fact that you being most likely a descendent of a wood walker, a proper druid, means there is a high chance you were a seed. Unfortunately it seems like it never blossomed, but it would also mean that when or if you have a child they are very high chance they will also be a seed. Meaning that when, or if, you have a child and they prove to be a seed, your family will be raised to noble statues or joined into a noble house as a branch."
This revelation seemed to shock Kristof more than the offer of the job. But who wouldn't be shocked to learn what he had.
"Well, that is all I really wanted to talk about with you. Since you accepted the offer I also assume you don't have any family that you care for left. Until I can send Alexander to Bryn in two days or so you will be given a bunk in the neighbouring tent with the rest of my personal staff. I will also see if I can find you some clothes that fit better than that uniform, though it might still be a uniform for now. From tomorrow please follow Alexander throughout the day, if you can also help him with his Lareen that would be much appreciated. Alexander, with everything that happened today I think you should head to bed early, Kristof can wake you in the morning. Now follow me."
Alice rose from the sofa and indicated for Doctor Linden and Kristof to follow her as she left the tent. Alexander was still in somewhat of a shock from everything that had just happened. He slowly managed to stand up and make his way toward his room. Once there he undressed and lay down on the bed in a daze. It took him quite a while before he managed to fall asleep with everything about the day swirling around in his mind. He had to resort to counting sheep before he finally managed to drift off.