Chapter 8 An Outsider's Welcome
"Are you sure it's safe to invite an outsider into our home?" asked Garron, an older man with curly gray hair, as he watched his wife arrange food on the table.
"What do you mean, you ungrateful man?" she glared. "If it weren't for him, we might have lost our son! This is our way of thanking him."
"And he's helped our children gather herbs—that's why we're having a decent meal."
"He's still an outsider," Garron muttered, crossing his arms.
"Drekson already gave permission."
Their voices fell silent as they heard Anilla call from outside, "Mother, Father, they're here!"
Selene shot her husband a final sharp look. "Please behave yourself, Garron."
He reluctantly clamped his mouth shut. Moments later, there was a knock, and Gui's voice followed.
"Mother, Father, we're here."
"Come in," Selene called.
The door creaked open, and Gui entered. His parents' gaze shifted to the young man behind him, with dark hair and a calm, composed demeanor.
Selene caught herself staring, her thoughts slipping out, "He's very handsome."
"Hey!" Garron nudged his wife, breaking her trance.
Gui coughed, clearing the awkward moment.
"Ahem. Father, Mother, this is Eldric."
"Pleased to meet you, ma'am, sir. My name is Eldric Liora," Eldric said, bowing his head respectfully.
"Oh, yes, of course! Come in, sit down," Selene said, quickly gesturing to the table. "I'm Selene Larkin, and this is my husband, Garron."
Eldric observed them. Though Gui had mentioned that his parents were in their fifties, Selene appeared a bit younger than her age suggested.
The table was set with a modest meal of meat, soup, fruit, and bread, simple but prepared with care. For their means, it was a feast.
"Thank you for your hospitality," he said, offering a small smile before taking the chair Selene indicated.
As he sat, his eyes wandered to the intricate leaf motifs carved into the wood around the room, noticing that, much like other village houses, it had a simple yet unified design.
Gui and Anilla took seats beside him, while Garron passed around a basin to wash hands, then returned it to the counter.
Selene broke the silence, her tone grateful. "Thank you for saving my son."
Eldric nodded. "No need to thank me. I only did what anyone should do."
"And thank you for helping them gather herbs," she added.
Eldric offered a polite smile but felt a bit awkward. In their presence, he was conscious of his speech, striving to sound respectful.
"These kids have been helpful to me as well. I'm grateful for them."
Gui and Anilla exchanged curious glances at Eldric's unusually polite demeanor, but he remained composed, ignoring their stares.
"Please, go ahead and eat," Selene urged.
"Thank you."
They ate quietly for a while, each focused on the meal.
After a moment, Garron spoke. "We wanted to apologize for what Tib and Hobart did. We had a serious talk with their parents."
"Oh, those kids?" Eldric chuckled lightly. "No worries. I just hope they've learned a valuable lesson."
He ignored the surprised looks Gui and Anilla gave him.
The conversation flowed as they moved to lighter topics. Eldric answered their questions sparingly, keeping his responses polite but brief. Eventually, he excused himself, mentioning tasks that needed his attention.
Leaving the warm chatter behind, Eldric stepped outside. The approaching twilight had brought a quiet stillness to the village. Gui walked beside him, occasionally glancing his way.
"Big brother, you were amazing," Gui finally said, his tone admiring.
"Huh?" Eldric turned, looking puzzled.
"I didn't hear 'brat' even once during dinner!"
Eldric's mouth twitched slightly. Was Gui being blunt or sarcastic? He couldn't quite tell.
He stopped, turned his head to Gui and spoke, "Brat."
Gui's face froze.
"Happy now?"
"Uh…"
"Let's go." Eldric continued ahead, Gui trailing after him, scratching his head.
As they neared the edge of the forest, an old, disheveled man approached, a flask swinging from his hand.
"Ah, that drunkard again," Gui muttered, irritated.
The man staggered closer, his eyes wild beneath a mane of gray-streaked auburn hair. The scent of liquor hung heavy around him.
"Well, if it isn't Gui," the man slurred, his gaze shifting to Eldric. He squinted. "When did our village get someone so fine-looking? Hic!"
He lurched forward, but Gui quickly stepped in.
"He's an outsider, Old Bre. You should go home," Gui said firmly.
"An outsider, huh?" The man's eyes brightened with a strange light. He took a swig from his flask, then pointed a shaky finger at Eldric. "Listen, boy. You make mistakes, you hear? But when you do, face 'em head-on. Don't run, don't hide."
Then, in a tipsy display, he flexed his arms. "If you have the strength to protect, you step up. Got it?"
Eldric frowned. "What is he rambling on about?" he thought, holding back the urge to step past him.
Just then, Drekson appeared, striding toward them. He caught the old man's arm.
"You two, go," he said sharply.
Gui tugged on Eldric's sleeve, and they hurried away, leaving the man's slurred warnings behind.
"Old Bre claims he used to be a soldier," Gui explained after a moment. "He tends to go on about things like that when he's drunk."
Eldric shrugged, dismissing the incident.
They reached the forest's edge as twilight settled into full dusk, casting long shadows over the path.
"You should go back now," Eldric said to Gui.
Gui nodded. "Take care, big brother."
With a wave, Eldric motioned for him to leave. Entering the forest alone, he relied on his adapted night vision enhanced by his essence, moving easily without a lamp. Gui had mentioned that the oil used for lamps came from essence-infused plants, scarce in spring, making light a luxury here.
As Eldric approached his shed, faint shadows flickered along the path ahead. Instinct kicked in, and he slipped behind a nearby tree, his gaze sharpening as he tracked the silent movements of robed figures weaving through the forest's depths.
When they disappeared, he stepped out, murmuring to himself.
"Who are they, and what are they doing here?"
He steadied his breathing, pushing the questions to the back of his mind as he returned to his shed.