[Ridge]
At first I'm taken aback, I mean who wouldn't be?!
I don't know this guy, and I certainly don't want to! So why can't I just dump him back outside and lock up the cabin? Morals my friend. I'll have to give Kadeeth a lengthy lesson on my good deeds when he gets back. Would he be mad if he returns to discover I've let some random hobo stay here for a bit?
Maybe I won't tell him after all.
Besides, "You can't stay long."
He looks up at me through teary eyes. He's sitting on the sofa now, wrapped in an animal fur blanket with a small fire going in the fireplace. It's not even cold out, and it's the middle of the day, but it felt like the right thing to do. Like I picked up a mangy stray outside and brought it home or something, and now it needs taken care of. At least he has a super friendly appearance, besides the nasty scar going straight across his entire forehead, just above his bushy eyebrows. Shit, I keep forgetting this guy broke into the cabin.
He takes a sip of his water but stays silent, so I continue, "Do you live here?"
His head snaps up so he's craning to look at me from his seated position, "Sometimes." I snatch the cup out of his hand and hold it hostage.
"So you can speak." He pouts like I just took away his favorite toy, "What's your name?"
He stays quiet. What's so hard about telling me his name? That's the most basic of the questions that still need to be asked. At least he's not crying anymore. I set the cup on the mantle behind me, so that I'm standing in between him and the water. Finally he lets his attention fall from the hostage cup to back to me.
"Tell me your name, and you can have the water." I compromise.
With zero hesitation he quirks up, "Tellur. My name's a Tellur."
"A Tellur?" I raise an eyebrow, shifting my weight around to lessen the ache in my ankle.
"No, no, just Tellur!" He shakes his head vehemently. Right, this guy's drunk.
"Well, nice to meet you, Tellur." I hand him the water, which he downs in one gulp, "Now," He looks up from his empty drink nervously, "Explain to me your situation."
~*~
Tellur is a retired Knight, who lost his wife and daughter in the old conflicts. He's been squatting in the empty hunting cabin for most of the closed season. He claims he was preparing to leave because the end of summer hunting competitions will be starting up soon, but a horde of Knights suddenly showed up the other night so he had to bolt early.
He gave things some time to cool down, before coming back to collect his things and leave. Which means, he doesn't have a place to stay, and he means no harm to us. Looks like I just hit the jackpot. Congratulations on soon becoming the first Knight to join our cause, Tellur.
I mean how lucky can we get? This guy is literally a trained Knight from the days of war, he's an elite warrior of the old generation! If we let him stay here, and tell him about the invasion, he might help us rally some troops so we're ready to fight back when the Duke gets organized in the south.
Not that I'm going to do or say anything to the guy without first consulting Kadeeth. Once he gets back with a doctor we can discuss it.
Although I don't think Kadeeth had any intentions of getting involved in the invasion, since he wanted us to leave the cabin and run away, once he finds out we could have an elite Knight as our first ally I think he'll be up for rethinking it. If we do this, and we do it right, we could protect the West ourselves, just like Duke Riddotha said.
Protecting the Empire wasn't exactly what I had in mind when we set up camp in the cabin, or even when I became a Knight. I was only interested in serving the Riddothas. However, this strange opportunity came knocking on our door, or window per say, all on its own.
And I'm nothing if not hospitable.
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I know chapters have been short lately, but I'm currently really sick, so please be patient and stick with me! Once I'm feeling better I'll consider doing a few double releases to make up for it :)