“You tried to steal him away from us?” Sarot asked, offering Sahruv some wine.

“How can I steel a man as resolute as him?” Sahruv asked, sipping the wine slowly.

“They say he is fond of his little sister,” Sarot said.

“What kind of…” Sahruv stopped, understanding that his joke had gone too far as he said it. “He is a sentimental young man.”

“Too sentimental some might say,” Sarot replied. “He reminds so much of my elder brother, I cannot help but think he holds the same blood as me.”

“Perhaps he does?”

“It does not matter if he does. Since my dear niece has adopted him into the family, who am I to refuse?”

“Is she the Head?”

“Yes,” Sarot said.

“Then let us drink to your niece’s wisdom,” Sahruv called, laughing as they drank together.

“Yo,” Adam said, once Jurot was free from all the Iyrmen and villagers who had come to speak with him. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes,” Jurot said, his face full of content, just like Lucy, who was still digesting the sight of seeing Harold and Jurot fight.

“Good,” Adam said, sitting down beside his brother. “We’ll probably be heading out tomorrow.”

“Adam,” Jurot called. “Thank you.”

Adam shook his head. “Any time.” He had already refused the gratitude, but since Jurot was forcing him to accept, he decided he may as well.

“May I drink with you?” Sir Vonda asked, approaching the trio.

Adam motioned to an empty seat, allowing her to sit. “Did you enjoy the fight?”

“Yes,” she said. “It was quite the sight. Though I have fought beside you all, I didn’t expect Jurot to hold such great strength.”

“He hasn’t had to face anything to truly reveal his abilities,” Adam said. “What’s the worst we faced? Nude peasants and an Elder Wolf?”

“Elder Wolves are powerful,” she said.

“In some ways, I guess,” Adam said, shrugging his shoulders.

Sir Vonda shook her head gently. “You should be careful, Adam. Arrogance leads to a great fall.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Adam said, before quickly sitting up. “I mean, thank you for your concern, Sir Vonda.”

Sir Vonda stared at him, taken aback by his sudden change of demeanour. “It is fine,” she said. “I have come to speak with you about the matter of the Twilight Fox.”

“Yes?”

“I must refuse participation within it,” Sir Vonda said.

“Oh? Why is that?” Adam asked.

Sir Vonda stared at him, wondering if he was joking.

“Sir Vonda is a Priest of Life,” Jurot said. “We are going to hunt a Twilight Fox.”

“Oh,” Adam said. “I suppose that makes sense. Well, you had to watch as we killed a bunch of Wolves and stuff, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Once you return, I hope to join you once again,” Sir Vonda said.

“Alright. It’ll be quite lonely without someone who can speak sense, but I suppose I’ll have to make do.”

Sir Vonda smiled behind her scarf.

Omen: 1, 17

“You sure you’re okay to continue adventuring?” Adam asked.

Jurot nodded. “I am okay.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

Fate’s Golden and the Nobles met after breakfast, ready to leave. Though it was dangerous to move through Nightval, they were a group of five Experts, so they would be able to survive most encounters they would come across, though that didn’t stop the villagers from coming to meet them to wish them luck, handing over a number of trinkets to each of them for their assistance.

Even Adam was being swarmed by people as they wished him luck and handed him all manner of gifts, from beans on a string, to small wooden statues. Even though he was a Half Elf, they had to do at least this much.

“Don’t die,” Charlie said. “I can’t save you.”

Adam smiled, trying to contain his laughter. “Yeah.” He waved at the kid, who quickly retreated, before the group made their way out.

“Handing us all these trinkets on our journey out.” Sir Landon sighed. “It will only slow us down.”

“If you don’t want them, I’ll take them off your hands,” Adam said.

Sir Landon was about to refuse Adam’s request, but decided against it. ‘There’s no need to aggravate the Half Elf.’ “Very well.” He and the Knights handed over most of the trinkets.

“You know, Sir Landon,” Adam said, putting away the trinkets. “I have to admit, I was wrong about you. I’ll be sure to tell the children of the Iyr that Sir Landon of East…”

Intelligence Check

D20 + 3 = 15 (12)

“East Port!” Adam said, managing to catch himself. ‘I know it wasn’t East Fort.’

“Yes?” Sir Landon replied.

“Oh, sorry,” Adam cleared his throat. “I’ll let the children know that Sir Landon of East Port is a Noble with a fair heart.”

‘Is he trying to pick a fight?’ Sir Landon thought.

“You should be careful about what you say to the children of the Iyr,” Jurot said.

“He’s gifting so many trinkets to them, it’s the least I could say,” Adam said.

Sir Landon wasn’t sure how he felt about his name being attached to such paltry gifts. “There is no need to attach my name to such gifts.”

“Alright,” Adam said. He was partly surprised that Sir Landon would refuse good word being sent to the Iyr.

‘I feel as though I’ve made a mistake,’ Sir Landon thought, but he decided against saying more.

The group made their way out, following Jurot, who had taken the lead. They weren’t heading back to Ever Green, instead heading further away into the wild, towards the West, deeper into the huge forest.

The snow slowed them somewhat, and the chill had forced them to wear an extra layer. This kind of cold was very different to the cold of early Nightval.

“We won’t meet any Elves, right?” Adam asked.

“The Elves keep to their land,” Jurot said.

“Where is their land exactly?”

“If we come across hills with mountains nearby, that is their land,” Jurot said.

“This entire land is the land of our King,” Sir Landon said.

“The Iyr has it’s land, the Elves their own, and the King his,” Jurot stated, simply. “If the King wishes to own the lands of others, it is his responsibility to take it by force.”

Adam blinked. “Right. That’s the law of every land. Might makes right.” ‘This world’s rules are closer to Earth’s than I expected.’ Adam sighed.

“If the King hears of what you say, even you can’t escape responsibility,” Sir Landon warned.

Jurot and Adam exchanged a look between one another and sighed. “Right,” Adam said. “It seems the education of this land needs updating.”

“What do you mean?” Sir Landon asked.

“Even that boy didn’t know,” Adam said, shaking his head. “It’s what started the fight. Well, since I don’t want to break our relationship whilst we’re in dangerous territory, full of weather which aims to kill us, let’s just leave it here.”

“The Iyr is merely land gifted to the Iyrmen,” Sir Landon said. “A trade.”

Adam coughed, trying to stop himself from laughing.

Unfortunately, Lucy wasn’t quite as thoughtful. “What?” She started to giggle wildly. “Did you hear what he said?”

“Lucy, leave it,” Adam said. “If he doesn’t know about the history of his land, he doesn’t know.”

“You’re speaking poorly of a Noble,” a Knight said. “That is dangerous.”

“It’s not as dangerous as thinking the Iyr is part of your Kingdom when it is its own sovereign nation.” Adam stopped himself from saying any more. “I don’t want history to repeat itself, from us chatting about the Blackwater Crisis, and it happening again to teach this land a lesson it should have learned long ago.”

“The Blackwater Crisis?” Sir Landon asked. “Doesn’t that prove my point? It was during that war the Iyr was gifted their lands, in assistance to helping facing the three wars which erupted against the Kingdom.”

“Three wars?” Adam asked. “Oh! You’re talking about the Second Blackwater Crisis, with Brandon the Bold?”

“The Second Blackwater Crisis?” Sir Landon asked. “What are you talking about?”

“He doesn’t know,” Adam said, chuckling. “There was a crisis before that which had befallen the Kingdom, about fifty years before.”

“Fifty years before? You mean when the Iyr broke the truce and struck the Kingdom?” Sir Landon asked. “What about it?”

“The Iyr didn’t break the truce,” Adam replied, simply. He had noted how Jurot had become tense, even letting out an angry breath. “The King back then broke the truce by killing an Iyrman. After that, there was a war, and the Kingdom was beaten black and blue. Then they ended up needing the Iyr to help them get back the throne.”

“I’ve gathered you’re quite the joker, Adam,” Sir Landon said.

“Jurot, why don’t you tell them the story in the evening?” Adam asked.

“Aldland seems to have forgotten the tale,” Jurot said. “The Iyr has not.”

Sir Landon shook his head. “Your Iyr isn’t as great as you think it is. If the King knows that the Iyr considers itself separate, there may be war.”

“The King knows the Iyr is separate,” Jurot said. “It is why he cannot call for as many Iyrmen as he pleases during the wars he declares. It is why the Iyrmen can move unmolested through Aswadia.”

“Well,” Adam said. “Not quite unmolested.”

“It is why your King gave up the claim to the awakened forest,” Jurot stated, simply.

“I’ve heard of the awakened forest,” Sir Landon said. “You are merely protectors, assigned to it by the King.”

“You may tell me when the King dared to take its resources,” Jurot said, bluntly. “I will be awaiting the news. The entire Iyr will be awaiting the news.”

“You dare to-“

Sir Landon raised a hand, stopping his Knight’s outburst. What he said was obviously incorrect, but it was incorrect to the history he was told. “The Iyr has its history, and we have our own. If the Iyr considers itself a separate territory, then it is a matter for the diplomats to deal with. Your words may be seen as treason, Iyrman. Allow me at least to warn you.”

“Let us see if your King tries me for treason,” Jurot said.

“The last time an Iyrman was charged for treason, Aldland almost lost its King,” Adam warned. “You should have seen it, back in the village. All those Iyrmen-“

An arrow flew through the air, cutting Adam off.