In the corner, there were two people tied up. A piece of cloth was wrapped so that it covered their mouths. One of them looked to be in her late 20s while the other was a girl that didn't look a great deal older than Jason.
As soon as the two saw Garion and Jason enter the hut their eyes lit up. First, a glimmer of hope seemed to twinkle in their eyes, but soon fear also crept into their expressions. Garion signalled for Jason to wait before he freed both their hands. As soon as they had their hands free, they removed the gags from their mouths.
"Thank you very much for freeing us, I don't want to ima--." The younger girl said but she was cut off before she could say anymore. The older of the two women stood and placed the younger girl behind her as if trying to protect her from Jason and Garion.
"How did you get past the goblins? Where are they?" The older woman said.
"We killed them all," Jason replied
"What, how many of you are there?" The woman asked again still protecting the girl with her body.
"It's just the two of us," Garion said calmly. At this, the woman looked even more worried. "You don't need to worry. I know who you are. We won't harm you." In response to his words, the woman removed a tiny blade she had hidden in her boot. Jason couldn't understand how she still had a weapon.
"Who are you?" the woman said brandishing the blade at them. It was small, even smaller than a table knife.
"I am a lord of Ovar from the south and this is my son, despite that we aren't your enemies. I understand why you may doubt me but I promise we are not interested in hurting either of you." Garion said with a calm voice seemingly unperturbed by the blade the women held.
"You know what we are and yet we aren't your enemies?"
"Not unless you want to be. Personally, I don't think we have to be. So please put the knife away." Garion said.
The woman was hesitant and she proceeded to think it over for what felt like an age to Jason. It was a tense atmosphere. Thankfully she did put the knife away.
"If you really did kill all the goblins it's pointless anyway." She said sighing although she didn't stop shielding the girl behind her.
Jason was very confused he couldn't understand this situation at all. They had freed the two but rather than being thanked they were now being threatened with a knife. 'What does dad mean he knows who they are?' Jason thought to himself. He decided to check it for himself so he used [Vision of Rylax] on them.
The woman's name was Helena Silvermane and the younger girl was called Ryanna SIlvermane. Jason was shocked to see that there levels were higher than he expected. The older woman's level was higher than the goblin chieftain at level 170. The younger girl was level 40, which was definitely high for her age as she was only 15. But their levels weren't the thing that shocked him the most. It was their race. Next to the word 'Race' wasn't Human as he was used to, instead, it said Beastman.
As Jason stared at them so he could look at their statuses, the eyes of the woman he now knew was called Helena met with Jason's. As they did she gave him a pondering look before her face rapidly squinted into a frown. Moving exceptionally quickly she removed her knife once again this time pointing it towards Jason.
"You lied, who are you? Are you from the empire?" she shouted anger in her voice.
"No, no we didn't. We really are from the south of Ovar, we are heading to the capital and happened to find this goblin village," Jason said rambling unsure of what had caused her antagonism to return.
"Liar, I know that look, you are a Follower. There are no Followers in the Kingdom of Ovar." She replied.
Reality dawned on Jason. He realised that she must have noticed his [Vision of Rylax] skill and thought he was using [Identify] which was a skill all Followers were given. Up to now he never considered that someone might know of the skill, so he used it whenever he could. But if Helena had met a Follower before of course she might be able to read what he was doing. After all, he hadn't been subtle. 'I am a fool. All that time hiding in the village and when I finally leave, I reveal my status to the first person I meet.' He berated himself for his lack of care.
"I really am from Ovar," Jason said trying to think of a way to explain himself but before he could his father cut in.
"Well, it seems that we both have secrets. I don't think we need to worry about that, in fact, it should make this easier. We won't ask questions if you don't. However, I would ask that you don't point a blade at my son or else." Garion said but now his voice was no longer calm and the last sentence was said very intensely.
Helena seemed to look them both over carefully but once again she sheathed her knife, though she noticeably wasn't sure she should.
I guess there is no hiding our identities "I am Helena."
"I am Garion Cross and this here is my son Jason."
"I have heard of a knight from Ovar named Garion Cross. Would that be you?" Helena said
"While that is me. I am no longer a knight."
Jason didn't expect that someone knew of his father.
"What a mess," Helena said.
At last the girl who had just silently watched this all from behind spoke up again. "I am Ryanna. It's nice to meet you." She had a very elegant air and Jason was impressed how she still gave off such a polite and courteous impression given all that she must have been through. "Helena, they seem to wish us no harm I think we can trust them. Or at least we have no other choice."
"If you say so lady Ryanna" Helena said as she did it was clear that to Helena Ryanna's words were commands.
"Thank you Ryanna. I am glad that we could save you." Garion said and stressed "save you" he wanted to remind them of that fact. "You must be tired and hungry. Can we return you to your friends somewhere?"
"We were travelling with a group of guards when the goblins attacked," Ryanna said with a sad expression appeared on her face.
"All of our companions died," Helena said and Ryanna looked relieved that she wasn't the one to say the words.
"In that case, you are free to join our camp while you recover. You will be safe there. Though my wife will understand, our driver is from the capital so I would recommend hiding those." Garion said pointing at their heads.
As he pointed Jason looked for himself. He was shocked to see that atop their heads were beast ears protruding out. Jason hadn't noticed as their hair was a mess and he had originally assumed that the clumps were just more hair.
Jason looked them over fully. Ryanna's hair was silver like moonlight. It was very long and tangled through lack of care. Her eyes were emerald green and despite her circumstances still shone. Her body was lithe and small. Even though she was clearly in a bad way, Jason could still tell she was beautiful. They shared the same surname but Helena didn't look alike. Her hair was dark black, her eyes brown and her features harsher. She was large in stature, clearly more fit for fighting. She looked a little battered but was also clearly good-looking in her own way.
"That's fine we can wear hoods to hide them. We are in no fit state at the moment so we will accept your hospitality." Ryanna said, attracting a displeased look from Helena.
They then left the hut. As they walked out the two beastman had looks of shock on their faces as they observed the aftermath of Garion and Jason's battle with the goblins. Helena in particular gave them a suspicious glance. As they passed by the Goblin chieftain she said "This axe was mine, I take it that it was you who broke it."
"Yes. I'm sorry about that. Feel free to take any other weapon a few other goblins used an axe." The rules of hunting monsters were that whoever dealt the final blow received the spoils unless it was otherwise arranged. So giving them over was a nice gesture by Garion, though it wasn't as if they could take the weapons with them anyway. Helena went around searching for a good axe, while the rest of them waited. Ryanna looked at the Goblins with fierce but sad eyes.
"May I ask what happened?" Jason asked naively.
"There is little to tell. We were travelling along the road that runs next to the forest when we were suddenly attacked by a huge number of goblins. We killed many as we had strong fighters in our group but we couldn't do anything with their numbers, especially when that chieftain joined in."
Jason couldn't imagine that there originally had been even more goblins.
"Sorry, we couldn't come earlier," Jason said.
"It's not your fault. I truly am grateful that you came when you did," Ryanna said smiling at Jason.
"If you hadn't come when you did I suspect Helena would have killed us both. It is a blessing that you saved me but I also am extremely grateful you spared her of that task," Ryanna said, the smile on her face gone.
Jason now realised why she had the small blade. Unfortunately, Jason could understand what Ryanna meant. Killing themselves in that situation may well have been the best option and it made him sick.
"To have to make such a decision….." He muttered so quietly only he could hear.
Helena returned with a large axe and they set off from the goblin village. As they did Ryanna glanced back a couple of times and like Jason whispered words to the wind.