When redrick woke up he noticed that his bed was wet from sweat. This wasn't the first time for him so he wasn't shocked by it.
He got his mattress and put it directly in the sunlight, than het took his blanket an pillow downstairs and put it in a cold bucket of water, rinsing it of all the stench.
Afterwards he took a bath in a barrel that stood outside, this barrel was filled with rain water and was emptied every time it was raining, so it could refill with clean rain water.
Now completely clean, Redrick made some breakfast and went outside.
Hismind was unusually calm this morning, he noticed it himself when he was eating some bread while sitting at the doorstep of the old church.
The calmness of his mind made him feel a bit lonely so he tried to find somthing to entertain himself. He looked a bit further and saw a goose walking around, the goose also saw him and the bread in his hand.
*honk*
The goose was now slowely approaching redrick with some curiosity. It was clear what it's motives were.
"Don't you guys usually flock together? Why are you alone? Have you been left behind?"
The goose stared at him for a bit and than looked around.
Redrick was curious about the goose, but ofcourse he knew that he would not get an answer to his questions.
" Aren't you suposed to fly to a breeding spot? Isn't it normal to find a mate?"
The goose started staring again.
*honk*
The goose put out its wings and it looked like it was ready to fly away.
"Owh I didn't mean to say that you should leave. Please don't leave me now, I mean couldnt you stay? "
Redrick felt a bit of tiredness creep up on him.
"Yawn"
The goose looked straight at Redrick and put its wings down.
"Honk"
The goose started to sit and kept looking at Redrick.
"Ah I know what you want, here have a piece"
Redrick threw a piece of bread and the goose picked it out of the air.
"Honk"
"I am glad you liked it my feathered friend. Would you mind it if I gave you a name?"
The goose kept on staring.
"I will take that as a no. Hmmm we have known each other for a short time so I cant really think of somthing that fits your character."
*honk*
The goose now looked at the last piece of bread in Redricks hand. He noticed and threw the remains towards the goose who snatched it out of the air again.
Redrick now noticed how the goose was sitting in a recognisable way. The brown colour of the feathers made it even clearer.
"What do you think about the name 'loaf' my friend?"
"Honk"
" I thought that you would like it. Well my dear loaf, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like. There is enough grass and water here to keep you fed for a life time. You can make this your home if you want?"
The goose stared, stood up and started walking around.
Redrick looked up and saw that it was getting close to noon.
"Oh you have to excuse me loaf, I have a meeting that I need to attend. Are you making this your home?"
Loaf looked straight at redrick.
"Ah who am I kidding, you need to go and find yourself a breeding spot, or reconnect with you brethren. It's your nature"
Redrick felt another yawn creeping up but he suppressed it. Loaf was now eating some grass.
"Well it was a pleasure loaf, I hope I will see you again."
Redrick stood up and started to walk towards the city gate. There was a small line of around ten people. This was quite normal, everyone had to be checked for weapons and registrations.
It was now the turn for the man infront of Redrick. He looked a bit nervous.
A knight walked up to the man. "Sir could you open your bag for us, we have to register any dangerous items on you."
"Oh yes ofcourse." The man replied while opening his bag.
"Alright everything looks fine" the Knight said while looking the inside.
But than the Knight noticed something. He looked up towards the men, but the man took the bag in his hands before the Knight could have said something.
"Sir we also need to look in that small pocket."
The man started to look pale and a drip of sweat went down his face. "But you said that everything was okay, can't you just let me go"
The Knight walked closer to the man. "Sir we have to check everything, give the bag here or we have to take it from you"
The people behind redrick started to scream. "Just give that stupid bag" and "can we fasten things a bit, someone is waiting for me." Were things that Redrick could hear.
The man started to look paler and more uncomfortable with the situation.
Redrick also wanted to enter the city as fast as possible but he didn't want to make the man more uncomfortable.
"Mister if I may, the knights are only going to check your bag. If its somthing illegal than they will take it and give you a warning. So why won't you give your bag to this knight?"
The man looked straight at Redrick and said " no no its not something illegal. I shall give him my bag."
The Knight took the bag and looked inside, he didn't take the item out of the pocket.
The knight completed his search and gave the bag back.
"Sir if you walk past the guild and turn left you will find the merchant Hall. I think its best that you go there immediately."
The man was not pale anymore and looked a bit calmer than before. He nodded to the Knight, took his bag and than looked at redrick.
"Thank you sir"
Redrick wanted to say "no problem" but he suddenly felt dizzy. The man was already gone before he regained his composure.
Redrick already figured out why the man was so hesitant. It was well known knowledge that some knights stole items from people who tried to enter the city. He was probably scared it would happen to him.
"Next"
Redrick entered the city with no problem. He was a bit worried about his well being. This was a first time, he never experienced that kind of dizziness before.
On a second thought, he did have it a few times as a kid. He also fainted a few times in large groups back than.
'It could be that I got the flu"
Redrick slowely opend the guild door and walked towards the desk while thinking about reasons why he could have felt dizzy today.
The guild was empty today, the boand that was normally filled with request was empty.
"Yeah it's quite peaceful today. It's not good for business, but it also means that there is no danger lurking. So I cant complain." Belle said with a sigh.
"Well the only requests we get here are about gathering and pest control, the worst we got this year was a small goblin nest that started wandering ".
"I asume that you went there with your team to clear it? Redrick asked.
"Hahaha, no it wasn't us who went. A group of five c ranks is to much for a small goblin camp. We are content with the yearly dungeon outbreak. No we did send a few E ranks who finished it in one day."
Belle walked towards the staircase.
"Your client is waiting upstairs. Now that I think of it, she partook in that goblin hunt".
Redrick walked with belle to the meeting room upstairs.
Belle enterd the room first
"Ah miss serpentine, this is mister Goldfield. He is the F rank that would help you in your training".
Redrick entered the room. The room looked quite old with lots of wooden furniture. There was a big carpet in the middle that had a big sun on it.
On the carpet was a table with some tea cups on it.
All the walls were covered by book shelfs, medals and normal shelfs. The window in the back of the room was big and showed you a big part of the city.
It all looked quite beautiful but redricks atention was somwhere else.
He was mesmerised by the green eyes of the suposed miss Serpentine. Well not only her eyes.
She wore armour that fitted her quite well. It was the fancy kind of battle armour that royals and nobles would wear.
Her hair was black and put in a ponytail. her hands looked worn by battle and training. The skin on her face looked very soft on the other hand.
Everything she portrayed was nobility. Every movement, every breath and every .....
"I am sorry miss, he tends to day dream every now and than." Belle said.
Redrick shook himself awake and made an apologetic gesture.
"Sorry for my bad introduction miss. I am Redrick Goldfield. Its a pleasure to meet you".
"The pleasure is all mine Mister Goldfield, I have only heard praise for the columbine of the Goldfield family. Your siblings spoke very highly of you."
Miss serpentine now stood up and walked towards Redrick.
Her hand went forward reaching for an handshake.
"My name is Lamia Serpentine. As you probably have guessed, I am from the fallen house of serpentine. We have a few things to discuss so let's get right to it shall we."