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Fantasy Hawk and Bull

Lord Brookal's daughter, Marisol, was to soon be wed to Lord Aylard, and such an occasion called for festivities.

Several houses were invited to Brookal's feast in celebration of the junction of two houses, including Talos, a neighboring house whom the members of Brookal had a strong connection to and considered dear friends. After the feast, the wedding ceremony itself would take place in Brookal's home later in the week.

Dinner was served in the great hall. Set upon a higher platform above everyone else was a table where the present family members of the conjoining houses sat and feasted. The feast went on for almost two hours; five course meals were served, and while the guests were dining, they were simultaneously being entertained by Brookal's finest jesters, squires, and minstrels.

Connected to the Great Hall was the ballroom reserved for dancing, activities and chit chat. The ballroom was vast, with its glossy white marble floor, tall windows and expensive tapestries. Gradually, people began to leave the Great Hall one by one after they finished their meals and readied themselves for dancing.

Of course, the ballroom wasn't without its refreshments. On the sides were tables where the castle's guests were free to grab a glass of wine, water, or freshly squeezed juice. Servants carried large trays which carried fruits, pastries and small, bite sized cakes.
In the center of the floor was where the dancing transpired.

Emery Talos wasn't too amused. Marisol was a dear childhood friend whom he shared a plethora of memories with. House Brookal and House Talos were not too far from each other, close enough to be seen in the distance from a window. A half hour horse ride away allowed the families to visit each other often. Marisol's visits were frequent.. but now, that would be no more. Images of sunlight, pony rides and her blonde curls would forever be stored in his memory.

The joining together of two houses wasn't what soured Emery's mood. It was certainly a good thing; but the cost being his best friend wasn't. Selfishly, he didn't want her to move on to a new, exciting life somewhere else, not to see him again for the longest time. Perhaps until it came time for the King's next tourney.

Emery weaved through the crowd almost endlessly in search of Marisol. His heart rate increased when he caught a glimpse of her golden hair amongst the crowd. But his attempts to express how much he would miss her was futile; she was much too occupied to squeeze in a proper conversation with him. He was continuously interrupted by someone else who seeked her attention, which dampened his mood even more.

His sigh of frustration went unheard in the constant chatter and overlay of music. He resigned to wait for another time to speak to her, and instead wandered towards the edge of the crowd. He took a glass of wine to occupy himself. It occurred to him that there was an excess of things to entertain himself with during feasts like these, but when it actually came time for those kinds of things, Emery didn't want much to do with them. Dancing was one of them.

Although he felt lonely, he didn't feel a desire to speak to anyone.

He passed some of his time lightly sipping at his wine with his gaze directed at the floor, thoughts wandering. The knight he decided to stand beside was a looming presence. He was tall, taller than him by several inches. Emery glanced briefly at him, and the first things he noticed about him were his strong jaw and dark, curly hair.

The front of the knight's steel breastplate was emblazoned with the coat of arms of house Talos, a gilded, elaborate design of a hawk. It stood out extravagantly amongst the grey color of the steel which flaunted markings and scratches from use. Emery couldn't help but feel curious and excited in the presence of a knight. He had immense respect for the knights that served his father.

Making some small talk wouldn't hurt. He was an expert at it, after all. Being the heir of house Talos came with the responsibility to be friendly to everyone. "Not much of a dancer either, I presume?"
 
It had been a good few years since Josian Perryn had enjoyed a celebration like this one. There weren’t many instances that called for celebration that he could remember, but now there was. The daughter of neighboring Lord Brookal had come of age and was to be married off to a Lord Aylard, thus alliancing their two houses together. As a knight from House Talos’ guard, he was able to join his house in commemorating the occasion.

Everyone attending looked their best, as was expected. He, like the other knights present, was suited up in armor bearing the sigil of his respective house. Though they were armored, it was just for show and recognition rather than protection. It was easy to tell who was from where this way; not to mention, he was made to come unarmed which, of course, was the polite thing to do. The evening proceeded smoothly: he’d dined with the other knights of various houses and he’d entertained many wine-drunk women complimenting him on his armor or, in some more aggressive cases, his other assets. He had done well to take their comments all in stride and politely thanked each one of them.

Sometime through the night, he slipped away from the masses as the dinner wrapped up in preparation for a dance. It was better for him, and those who wished to dance with him, if he had made himself scarce now. He wasn’t particularly graceful, to say the least, nor did he enjoy making a fool of himself in the middle of a crowd. A crowd filled with very important people with very loud mouths…

He found himself a cozy spot well away from the festivities and those who might seek him out in the furthest corner of the hall. By that time, the floor filled with half-drunken patrons and their partners, all trying to move in tune to the music.

As the dance went on, he was joined by who he recognized to be the eldest of the Talos children, Emery. The knight noticed the boy’s eyes were down and he appeared to be lost in his own thoughts, which he took as a sign not to disturb the heir. He could understand wanting to keep to yourself, so he let him alone as his own eyes wandered about the many faces of the hall.

“Not much of a dancer either, I presume?” His attention was brought back to the boy, who was now addressing him. He hadn’t expected him to try to make conversation with someone like himself, but he wasn’t complaining – he welcomed the chitchat.

“Not quite. I think I’m doing them all a favor by staying over here,” he replied with a slight smile. “And what of you? I would have guessed you would be out there with them.”
 

Emery returned the smile. "And why is that? Does it fluster you to have so many eyes on you?" He asked, his tone teasing. Teasing someone so large and skilled at killing people might be a risky approach, but Emery always liked to test his boundaries..

"My reason is just.. a simple dislike of strangers. Dancing with someone I know wouldn't be as uncomfortable for me." He avoided mentioning that his dancing skills were rusty. A result of his lack of participation in the dances over the years. He was certainly still capable.. he at least knew the basics. Choosing an unknown lady to dance with was the norm, but Emery simply didn't see the appeal.

The knight's down-to-earth and reserved aura compelled Emery to be honest instead of speak only in meaningless pleasantries. Like he did with most people. The knight had been honest to him, after all.

"Your name is Josian, isn't it?" Emery asked. "I recognize your face. Father speaks highly of you." He'd seen the knight before, in passing, but he couldn't say he remembered ever having a real conversation with him. He remembered Josian mostly by the vibrant blue color of his eyes. They always seemed to glow in the visor of his helmet.

The houseguard consisted of six knights. It wasn't a large number, but it was sufficient enough. He knew all six of the knights' names and could match every name to a face, but conversation with them was scarce. If he was to become the head of Talos, it would be wise to get to know his own knights. Josian would be a great start. Especially because appearing busy with conversation would steer away any women who wished to dance with him.

The crowd suddenly burst into laughter and cheering. Curious to see what all the commotion was, Emery inclined his head to see Lord Aylard in the center of the crowd, spinning with Marisol in his strong arms. He smiled a little at the look on Marisol's face. The happiness was kind of contagious.

The music shifted from fast-paced to slow and heavy, signifying a change in the style of dance. Dancers and their partners slowed to a stop and took a few moments break before they began a slower dance to match the new pace of the music.
 
“Does having the eyes of the finest women in the North fluster me? Not at all,” he quipped in return to his teasing. Their banter was a very welcome change to the usual bland conversation he had experienced earlier in the night. He listened well to the boy as he admitted his reason for shying away from the dancing. He could relate – after all, screwing up in front of someone you knew was a far better scenario than making a fool of yourself in front of someone you didn’t.

“That’s when you grab them by the hand, exchange a few pleasantries, acquaint yourselves… You’re not strangers then, are you?” He gestured out to the crowd of partnered dancers as he spoke. The knight found it hilariously ironic he was giving such laughable advice to the boy when he himself would never follow it. But who knew? Maybe Emery would find the wisdom in it.

As the boy addressed him by name, Josian raised his eyebrows. He attempted to keep the impressed look out of his expression, but he had to admit that he was surprised he knew of and recognized him. Since he had been knighted, he had never expected his lord, much less his lord’s son, to know their knights by name. Yet here they were.

“It has been an honor to serve Lord Talos and his House. I am pleased to know he speaks exceptionally of me.” His eyes followed Emery’s out into the crowd, where they fell on a young blonde girl being spun around by the Lord Aylard. It clicked somewhere within his mind that this was Lady Marisol of the neighboring house; he could vaguely recall her name being spoken in the halls and even by Lord Talos himself while talking of his son going to visit her.

“She’s quite pretty – Lord Aylard is very lucky,” he commented, searching Emery’s face for a reaction. “He seems like a nice man. I’m sure he’ll treat her well.”
 
Emery's chuckles filled the air. He wanted to see if the knight would respond with stuttering and embarrassment evident in his expression (doubtful,) but the response he received was better than anything else. "Oh, you get all the women, don't you?" He asked, half jesting, half actually wondering. As far as he knew, knights couldn't get too entangled in romantic relationships.

Emery's smile grew timid. "Well, you're not wrong. I suppose my shyness towards dancing with strangers is just another thing I need to work on.." He would work on it. Just not right now.


The surprise in Josian's expression when Emery called him by his name didn't go unnoticed. At that moment, Emery felt a small swell of pride mixed with some embarrassment. Though, he couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to at least know the names of the people who worked for them. Then again, Emery had always admired knights and their valiant acts of bravery, so it never came off as odd to him to want to know things about the people he idolized. He hadn't thought it odd until now.

Maybe it was surprising to Josian because other families weren't normally that personal with their knights, but Emery didn't know how other families worked, besides the Brookals. The only times he really socialized with other nobles were at celebrations such as these, and they didn't happen all the time.. Maybe he should also work on getting out more, but he was averse to the very thought of it.


Emery's pleased smile faded away at Josian's words. "He best take good care of her. Anyone who would mistreat such a maiden isn't deserving of her." Emery was all talk, but, in most cases where that happened, nothing could really be done about it. Marriage came with its benefits and its complications, and the complications had to be endured in order to maintain the alliance.

The couple moved out of Emery's view, obscured by the crowd, so he took another sip of his almost forgotten wine. He faced his new companion and looked him in the eyes, finally-- The intense blue gaze he recognized. "We should talk more. I'll be lonely in the castle, especially with Marisol not around anymore." Emery's daily activities consisted of sparring, riding through the woods.. reading... writing.. studying. He did the same things every day. It got boring. Anything that could add a bit of flavor to his life was welcomed. He briefly wondered if Josian would take that as an order. "..If you want. When you're not doing anything, of course. I don't want to disrupt your duties."
 
Josian loved playing the womanizer card, even when it was far from the truth. Far, far from it. He attracted a few ladies, sure, but he took his oath very seriously. As soon as he took that oath as a knight, he wasn’t permitted to take lovers or a wife. Not that he minded either way, he never considered himself to be a romantic sort of man.

“Of course, women find a scruffy man like myself irresistible I’ve heard.”

The knight inwardly cringed as the slow music played out, but he managed to hide it well. Slow dancing wasn’t his favorite; he preferred the happier, more upbeat dancing as it felt more… happy? The setting here felt too intimate for him, too intimate for the light-hearted mood they’d created between themselves. He prayed to whoever higher being that was listening that it would change back to an upbeat tune, or just stop altogether soon. Despite his inner unnecessarily nitpicky disquietude, he replied, “You will be more outgoing in time. You can’t stay shy when everyone is trying to speak to you about this trouble and that trouble…”

The absence of his smile didn’t go unnoticed by Josian. He had to wonder if he felt anything for the girl; they were childhood playmates if he recalled correctly. “He looks like a capable man. I’d trust him.”

He wished there would be another chance for a proper conversation with the boy (well, not so much a boy anymore, was he?) and while he was sure Emery had only reached out to him for some momentary distraction, he couldn’t help but think he was an intriguing man to be around… However, almost as if he’d read his thoughts, Emery had mentioned, “We should talk more. I'll be lonely in the castle, especially with Marisol not around anymore.”

With as much knightly charm as he could muster, he smiled again. “I would like that. I’ve been assigned less and less tasks as of late,“ he shrugged lazily, “Peace periods tend to rob me of things to do. Not that peace is a bad thing. Please, call for me whenever you’d like.”
 
The night of the wedding, during the after party, Emery was in search of Marisol -- when was he not. In hindsight, it was unusual for a visitor to go snooping around restricted areas of the castle, and Emery wasn't sure if he regretted it or not. He kept walking until sound finally reached his ears; two voices. He followed where they lead and peered into what appeared to be a tea room of sorts. Two men, one of them he recognized to be lord Aylard, were conversating. The unknown man was equipped in brown leathers, riding gear, but was covered in a dirty cloak with a hood over his head, certainly not someone who looked to be of noble heritage..

Realization sunk in when Lord Aylard's alarmed voice was cut off by the slick, wet sound of knife piercing flesh. Emery blinked and suddenly Lord Aylard was on the floor, blood pouring from his wound, groaning until his body became motionless. Emery stood there, mouth agape. Everything afterwards was a blur..





Emery's father's stern expression shifted into one of concern and incredulity at Emery's hesitation to comply. "Did you think I would make you go alone? A knight will be accompanying you on your way. Even if you were brave enough to go alone," Emery felt the sting of his father's words, "I still think such an excursion is too dangerous to go on by yourself, especially since you've no experience with survival out on the roads. There are more animals than just game, you know, I'm sure you're aware of the bears and wolves, but there are bandits.." Emery couldn't help zoning out a little towards the end of his father's speech. This sounded like it was less of a serious crisis to his father and more like a reason to get Emery out of the castle and out of his presence for a few weeks.

"Emery, are you listening to me?" Emery's distracted gaze quickly returned to his father. He inhaled deeply and tried to contain the nausea in his gut. Dear Gods.. he'd never witnessed bloodshed before. He didn't know he was such a sensitive person. "Are you going?" His father asked, hopeful. "It's imperative that you see to the right people about this matter. There is no one who can do this but you."

"Yes.. I'll be going," Emery sighed.

Before Emery left, his father waved him over and gave him a detailed map of the area so he didn't lose himself. A map was the most basic yet essential thing a person would bring with them through lands they're unfamiliar with, but Lord Talos knew his son's irresponsibility and forgetfulness knew no bounds.

The horse he chose to carry him for the next week was Raja, her fur was thick and brown, suited for the cold air in the North. She wasn't a tall horse, but she wasn't small either. Her legs were strong with white socks that matched the strip of white going down her long nose. Cinched and secured to the back and sides of the horse were bags of travel necessities, as light as they could possibly be. Extra clothes, and some food, but not enough food for everyday, they would have to fit hunting into their schedule as well. A bedroll was rolled up and secured tightly to the horse's back. It sat snugly behind the saddle. The pouch that contained his coin was fit inside his clothing, where he felt it would be safest.

He let the mare lower her head and take a drink of water as he waited for his escort's arrival. He repeatedly ran his palm over the horse's neck as he contemplated his current predicament. He had his proof, and he was willing to discuss with other houses for a solution, but the reactions of the lords he will be visiting was what he was dreading. He had no way of knowing if they would be willing to lend a hand, or if he was going to be harshly criticized instead. He was at least grateful he had some time to mentally prepare himself.

 
When the news of Lord Aylard’s death reached his ears, Josian couldn’t say he was wholly surprised. Lord Brookal’s house was strong, and Lord Aylard’s arguably even stronger; unhappy folks were to be expected. What he didn’t know was that unhappiness would drive someone far enough to murder the young lord.

He didn’t know the details. Word around the castle said that Emery had witnessed the whole ordeal, or at least the murder part of it. Although he wouldn’t admit it to himself, Josian felt a little worried for the boy. With him being a witness, that ultimately put a target on his back. Not to mention he was the heir to House Talos, making it an even better incentive to hunt for him.

During the late hours of night when the castle was quiet, Lord Aldred summoned all six of his houseguard to him. The meeting was quick, thanks to Josian. A quick explanation of the situation, his plan to send his son off to gather forces… A need for a knight. He surprised himself with how quickly he volunteered.

His essentials were already packed on his courser when he got down to the stables. No one wanted wasted time. The horse they chose for him was a stocky bay mare. If she had a name, he didn’t know it and no one made it known. She had a very sour personality and seemingly enjoyed her personal space, her ears pinning back when anyone went near her head. She never tried to harm him, so he let her be.

He was given a leg up on the mare by the young stable boy. He gave her neck a pat and handed the reins to Josian when he was settled in the saddle.

“Remember, she’s a woman and deserves to be treated as such. Stay out of her mouth and she’ll take good care of you,” the boy instructed with a friendly smile before backing away. “Lord Emery should be waiting out front. Good luck, knight. To both of you.” Josian thanked the boy before squeezing the sides of the mare, setting off at a smooth jog out to where Emery was waiting.

“Looks like we got our wish to talk more,” he offered as they approached. Starting it off friendly seemed like a good idea. “We’ll have a lot of time to talk now, I think.”
 
Emery would have preferred to bid his siblings farewell first, but it wasn't worth waiting until morning for them to wake up. He had to leave immediately. His father would tell them what was going on anyway. He sort of hoped this thing he was going to do would cause his siblings to look up to him as a brave big brother despite him being the least brave person he knew.

The sound of his escort's approach caught his attention. He grinned when he recognized the knight's voice to be Josian Perryn's. He knew it was him before he turned his head to see. "It's you! My good companion from the party," Emeryn said, puffs of air leaving his mouth due to the cold. At least one good thing was coming out of all of this. "Father chose well."

Much like every night up North, it was cold. He was warm enough with two layers of clothes, a heavy cloak and gloves, but the chill still flushed his cheeks. "Yes, we certainly will. Not that I mind," He said. It was a bit unsettling how loud his voice sounded out here, in the dead of night when nothing stirred.

With one hand holding onto the reigns, he reached up with his other to pull the hood of his cloak over his head. He believed it smart to not wear anything with his house sigil or color scheme. Still, the cloak he wore was made of black wool and held together by a silver clasp, flaunting wealth of some kind. It was in their best interests if they weren't recognized.

The awful dread he felt earlier (and still felt, constantly reminding him of its presence when he wasn't distracted by something) was considerably lessened with the knowledge that he was going to be travelling with someone he actually enjoyed being around. He pulled his horse to the side and inclined his head towards the direction they would be heading. "Let's be on our way, then."

The night was quiet save the sound of crickets.

The roads became less torchlit as they continued on, but the sky was already beginning to lighten in the East. Emery glanced at his knight with inquiry. "Have you slept at all tonight? I have not slept one wink, but somehow I still feel energetic." His smile was unconvincing. "Also, I'm not as strong as you are. My legs aren't unfamiliar with the soreness that comes from riding. But riding for days on end my legs will need time to get used to. I hope my tiredness won't become too much of a nuisance." He shifted and felt the bow strapped to his back brush against his shoulder. "Oh, and I can take care of the hunting, if you'd like."

 
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Josian failed to mention that he wasn’t chosen, but he volunteered… Not that he needed to know that minor tidbit.

His horse idly danced under him; the cold must’ve gotten to her just as it did him. He was dressed warmly, but the chilly Northern air still found its way to his skin. His outfit, a mixture of warm black leathers and cloth with a warm cloak draped around his shoulders, didn’t exactly scream knight. The sword strapped at his hip could have suggested he was a mercenary of sorts to passersby – at worst. At best, he could be taken for Emery’s older brother. Remaining inconspicuous was their best shot at ending this mission successfully.

“Here’s hoping this is an easy journey,” he chuckled as he squeezed his mare forward after Emery before adding, “And here’s hoping you have enough faith in me and my abilities to not get ourselves killed if we run into bandits or the like. Would absolutely hate to have our mission inconvenienced by getting my throat cut.”

The steady beat of the hooves of their horses nearly put him in a trance as they plodded down the dirt road. This was such a deathly hour; no one in their right sense of mind would be up and, if by some wicked chance, they were, they might question two men wandering the roads this late. To his mild delight, however, none came even as the early sun started to rise and annoyingly shine in his eyes.

“Before your father called us to discuss this little exploit, I had been napping a bit. I don’t usually sleep for too long, come to think of it.” He admired Emery for being willing to come out at such a unholy time of night. He hadn’t known others that weren’t himself to give up sleep so easily.

He looked the boy over slowly as he spoke about his lack of strength and riding endurance. He could vaguely recall the days when he was out of practice and finally getting back into the saddle of a horse, only to dismount and find he couldn’t walk properly. Rolling his shoulders, he offered Emery a sympathetic smile. “Just say the word and we can take a break. The nobles aren’t going anywhere.”

At the mention of hunting, he was ashamed to admit even to himself that he had forgotten about it. He wasn’t sure how, their combined food supply wasn’t enough to last them. He wasn’t exactly a skilled hunter either, he was more comfortable with his sword.

“If you wouldn’t mind. Unless you want to starve to death, then I’m the man for the job.”
 
"I have faith in you. If I run away, don't feel abandoned, I'd most likely be trying to find a place where they won't see me firing any arrows." He was skilled with the blade, but the lack of any decent competitors in the past years may have prevented any growth in swordplay. He sparred every week, at least, with a mentor since childhood. His father was great; but Emery had already versed him millions of times and could predict and counter almost every move he made. His father eventually became an easy competitor due to his older age, anyway. It was rare to come across a good challenger.

"Sir Perryn. Would you like to spar with me?" Emery asked. They would have to entertain themselves somehow along the course of their journey. "I predict my loss, but it would be fun anyway." He wasn't the type to get too angry or frustrated when he didn't win a match. If he did, he didn't dwell on it too much. The feeling that fueled him during a fight was excitement instead of anger. But then again, he never went blade to blade with a real enemy.

"Don't you worry. I can take care of it." His grin was wide. He didn't know why he had a bit of a need to impress or show that there was something he knew he was good at, and he didn't question it.

Emery, out of curiosity, glanced at Josian every now and then. It was interesting to see a knight clad in clothing that wasn't armor.

Their first destination, House Grimoult, wasn't far. It was another house situated in the North and the closest house they could "rely" on. Talos and Grimoult weren't on excellent terms, but they weren't mortal enemies; deals could still be peacefully negotiated. Thinking about the "deal" that would be negotiated later on today for too long had Emery cringing, so he turned to conversation for more distraction.

"What made you want to give up being heir of your house? Most people would enjoy a position like that." Emery asked. he wondered if he was being too nosey, but he couldn't resist.

Emery was pleased to have his vision become less obscured as night gradually changed to dawn, and they were nearing the outskirts of a small village they would undoubtedly go around, unless Josian expressed that he needed something. When it began to lightly snow, Emery's covered head was prepared for the onslaught, but snowflakes still occasionally managed to reach his nose and dampen his cheeks. He envied Josian for his beard, a natural face warmer.
 
“I wouldn’t say your loss. I expect the eldest son of House Talos is trained well with a sword.” Despite his best efforts, Josian felt a flutter of what he could only describe as pride at Emery’s praise. He considered himself quite experienced with a sword, having his whole job revolve around behind skilled with the weapon, but he remained humble about it. Nodding, he replied, “But I accept your offer. I can offer advice, if you’d like. Not saying you need it.”

The knight tried desperately not to notice Emery’s occasional glances, and instead focused on the empty space between his mare’s ears as if to seem lost in thought. Which wasn’t the case, he was very, very aware of his face every so often out of the corner of his eye.

He rode on quietly until Emery’s sudden question caught him off-guard: it wasn’t one he was asked frequently, mostly due to his own silence on the subject, but it wasn’t a secret. He couldn’t tell if his surprise was because of shame, or because it was just plain personal, or both. If this were any other man, Josian might’ve brushed them off with a smart remark or just simply not answered – but this wasn’t just any other man. He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to rid himself of the tension he could already feel building there.

“Pardon, I didn’t know that was common knowledge, but… Most people would, yes. However, you of all people should know it isn’t easy to lead a house. You have to be this, that, and the other, on top of that you’re expected to be married and produce heirs.” He shook his head; he could already feel the shame burning hot in his cheeks. “Call me selfish, if you’d like. My sister was probably married off to some other lord who is better fit to lead than I ever would be. I would have led House Perryn into the ground.”

He had to wonder if he sounded a bit too sensitive and slowly wished he just hadn’t answered at all.

Wet snowflakes began to turn his cheeks rosy and stick to his hair as the sun continued to rise above them. He reached up to wipe them off every now and then, praying for the sun to bring some heat later in the day.

“So, House Grimoult is our first target? I remember hearing through the grapevine that our relations with them aren’t the best.” He squeezed the sides of his mare to keep pace with Emery’s as they started to lag behind. “Have you thought about what you’ll say to them?”
 
Emery felt the horse's shoulders moving beneath him. Forward, back. The swaying back and forth of the horse's steady walk would have lulled Emery to sleep if he weren't so anxious, but somewhere along the line they transitioned into a trot.

His grin grew at Josian's answer. "I would like to be the best I can possibly be.. so advice is certainly welcome. Looks like I'll be learning from one of the best.."

Snow began to build up and turn the land white. Being so used to the cold and the snow, Emery didn't mind it; it was natural to him, but he was certainly looking forward to the warmer weather down south.

Emery, too nosey for his own good, listened with interest. "I can understand that. I think that makes us alike in some way. I would rather be doing something else than have the responsibility of being head of house," He said, smiling a little. If he weren't searching Josian's face every now and then, he still would've been able to tell Josian was unsettled by the question by his tense tone of voice. "It's a big job, and it's not for everyone... so, I don't think you selfish or cowardly for it. It takes a man to honestly admit you're not the one for the job." He said. "Knighthood isn't for the craven."

"Yes, House Grimoult. They'll have to be our first stop, they're the closest, but probably one of the houses we'll least be able to sway." He said. "I think it's a personal dislike. I believe the dislike began when my grandfather was in power, but I've never known the full story.. Father tells me lots of things, but not everything." That fact in particular had always annoyed Emery. The heir should know exactly why relations with other houses might not be too pleasant..

Emery hesitated at Josian's question. "..Yes, I've thought about it." He had repeated his planned words over and over in his mind. If it goes well for Grimoult, he would use the same memorized words against the rest of the houses. "Despite our houses relationship with one another, I will be the most polite I've ever been, in my life." He glanced at him, once again. "Can I rehearse it to you? What I have prepared?" He asked, on some sort of impulse. He thought the suggestion sounded humilating afterwards and regretted it.

Soon enough, they passed by House Brookal. Emery gazed at the house he was so familiar with and thought it seemed a little gloomy, even in the morning light.
 
Josian had never taught anyone before – usually knights took on squires, but he seemed to be a special case… in more than one respect.

“Don’t praise me too much. Have you seen me fight before?” He didn’t recall Emery ever being present during one of his spars and there hadn’t been a war that he had fought in, though it was highly plausible he had just never noticed. The more he thought about it, the more bothered he became that he did not pay much attention to any of the Talos siblings until the wedding feast. The thought never occurred to him to get to know those he swore to protect past their names, and now that he was aware of this fact, it seemed backwards.

Josian couldn’t help but let out a small laugh through his nose at the heir’s response to his much-too-personal rant. “If only my father understood as well as you. I admire you for being able to do things like this with the weight of your entire house on your shoulders.” He was silent a moment before adding, “No pressure, of course.”

“Maybe we’ll hear the story straight from the horse’s mouth. They may dislike your grandfather, but they haven’t met you, have they? Seems to me like a great opportunity to establish new relations.” He had meant it to sound somewhat encouraging, even though he had little experience in the matter.

Josian nodded resolutely at Emery’s proposal. “Give it to me. Pretend I’m a fancy lord with a big army,” he joked. “There's a reason I'm not an actor, so we’re going to have to rely a bit on our imagination.”

He couldn’t pretend to not notice the looming presence of House Brookal as they rode past. He remembered the Brookal girl and he felt a pang of sympathy for both her and Emery. It must have been hard on both of them; the girl for the loss of her new husband, and him for not being able to be there to comfort her. Josian wasn’t really one to be comforting, but he decided to acknowledge it: “How do you think your friend is doing?” He let the question linger in the air before hesitantly adding on, "Did you wish it was you marrying her instead of Lord Aylard?"
 
Emery shrugged a round shoulder. "No, I just assumed. I don't think my father would hire a knight who couldn't even wield a sword correctly."

He laughed softly in return. "Well, fathers will be fathers. Every father wants their child to become what he wants them to be, but you can't help what you desire to be, or what you feel you're destined to be." It was not common for anyone to do the sort of thing Sir Perryn had done. Most people follow in the footsteps of their father. It becomes another topic for the gossippers if you do not. It was definitely unsual. Especially unusual for an upcoming lord to give up his lordship.

Sir Perryn's joking eased his nerves a bit. "I'll imagine you with magnificent robes and a shining bald spot in the center of your head."

He cleared his throat and took a long pause before beginning. "Lord Grimoult," He ducked his head to avoid getting smacked with a low hanging tree branch, and continued. "Firstly, thank you for welcoming me into your home." He pretended Josian was the man himself, who, in a few hours, would not be riding a horse beside him but would instead probably be above him on a throne, or across from him at a table, where he can see his face and every expression he makes. "I.. believe a war is on the horizon. An act of aggression on House Brookal occurred last evening which severed the house's newly attained ties to House Aylard. This is something that concerns House Talos, as well, because of our strong bond. We need all the help we can receive. I was hoping, we could put aside our past.. and work together on this issue.."

The more he spoke the more his words began to flow freely. It sounded all right, but he knew it needed some improvement.

Emery's eyes widened a smidgen at the proposed question and it rendered him speechless for several moments. He contemplated the question thoroughly, but couldn't immediately come up with a for sure answer."I don't know," He said.

He looked ahead, his gaze pensive. "I suppose, if I had to choose any woman to marry, it would be her." She was the only girl he really knew, after all.. If dancing with women he knew made dancing easier and less awkward, marrying someone he knew would make marriage easier by the tenfold , but that was simply out of the question. "But, it's not as though I desperately want her.." He said, hoping Sir Perryn understood. If he were asking such a question in the first place, it must've meant Emery had somehow appeared like he was pining over the girl. Which was false...

Emery came to terms with the real reason why he hated Marisol getting married and leaving already. (Or, she was going to...) It indicated that their days of childhood innocence were over, and adult life was rapidly approaching. Actually, it was already here. Him and Marisol were both abruptly shoved into it and they weren't allowed to look back.
 
Letting out a low whistle, he had to grin at Emery’s comment. “I didn’t realize I was in the presence of a sage.” He meant for the comment to come off as praise, but also to perhaps deflect the conversation away from his father. He could only stand so much talk of the man before it inevitably put him in either an irritable or depressive mood.

Luckily for Josian, the conversation shifted without him having to say much; instead, Emery had begun reciting what he’d thought of proposing to the Lord they were due to meet not too long from now… At the cost of himself being imagined as a pompous ass, to which he playfully rolled his eyes at but nevertheless played along by keeping silent.

“Well, you certainly sound dignified. Assuming when we get there you won’t get hit by stray branches, you’ll look the part too,” he complimented. He had to really look into the far reaches of his mind to try and remember even a scrap of what he learned (more accurately, ignored) of speaking to those of higher status, but ultimately and expectedly came up empty-handed. It stood to reason that he’d forget how to be charismatic after being a knight for as long as he had. Once the oath was taken, he hadn’t had the need to speak. Perhaps that was for the best?

If he were to say he didn’t feel just a tiny bit guilty for springing the question on the boy so suddenly, he’d be lying. Curiosity overpowered morality, but he wasn’t able to pinpoint why it even mattered to him. It wasn’t his business what Emery’s feelings towards the girl were. The only excuse he could dream up to put his conscience at ease was that if they were going on this together, they might as well get to know one another.

“My apologies, I didn’t mean to imply you were desperate. She’s a lovely girl and you both always seemed so close, so I, um,” he cleared his throat, “We could take a break soon.”
 
Ever since he met Josian several days ago, Emery had appreciated his sarcastic, joking replies. It made conversation more entertaining than usual. Why did people of lower status, other than Josian, usually tend to be more interesting or enjoyable to talk to? Hearing something from a new perspective was always exciting. Maybe it was simply Emery's curiosity. Or Josian was just a funny guy.

Him riding aside his knight caused him to be in the way of some low hanging branches. "Thank you, Sir. But before we speak to His Lordship, I hope you would tell me if I look ridiculous." Sir Perryn's remark was humorous, though it made him feel sheepish. He pushed his fingers through his hair, a subtle attempt to check for anything that shouldn't be there. He picked a leaf out of his hair, courtesy of the branch that tangled itself within his brown locks a while back. He could steer his horse out of the way, but his constant zoning out and distraction with talking (while looking at Josian) and thinking prevented him from being prepared for incoming branches. He pulled the right reign back so his horse would shift closer to Josian.

Emery was more than ready to reassure Josian that he wasn't offended; but Josian's stutter caught Emery off guard and made the air between them thick with awkwardness. As silence stretched, Emery wondered what made Josian avoid completing his sentence. He welcomed the subject change with a tight lipped smile. "If you think so, I know the perfect place to take a break." During their break, they would probably eat something, which reminded him of the hunger that had settled in his stomach. He had been ignoring it until now. "Has it been long since you've last eaten?" He asked, straying from the awkward subject of Marisol further. "Yesterday afternoon, for me, so I'm quite hungry myself." He had skipped out on supper the previous day. "And it will give the horses a chance to graze."

As the morning continued, the air grew a bit warmer, and the wind lessened. The snow lessened as well until it completely came to a stop. Emery, recognizing the area, glanced to the side to see if he was right, if they were near his favorite little place. "Come, this way."

He lead Josian to a clearing in front of a pond, currently close to freezing. Luckily, it wasn't too far from the main road. "My father would take me fishing here. I enjoy this little area." There were tree trunks they could rest on, trees that were cut down by men long ago, a log as well, and across the water was more endless forest.
 

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