towel
in his fist. Watching me, wanting to say something but unsure of how to
start. For a small moment I just figured he was waiting around to see if
I needed anything else. When I told him that I was fine and would be headed to
bed soon he asked if he could talk to me.
"You remind me of my brother. He was an adventure seeker. Always
looking for the next treasure, next fight, the next everything. Everything
except for the next woman. He had one woman at home; they were loyal and loved
each other very much." This was not what I expected. "When my
brother did not come home, it nearly destroyed that woman. When they returned
us his mangled body I was for sure that she would kill herself. I am still
convinced that I saved her life. Even today, while I know she is happy she
still gets that far off look in her eye. As if she wished things were
different. I am telling you this because I remembered the way my wife
looked at my brother when he was around. I remembered the look she would
get in her eye whenever he would leave. I saw that look today on the face of my
daughter as you left today." I did not see this coming at all. Yet I
was glad to be hearing it. "I want better for her. I want someone safe,
someone that isn't going to ask her to scrub tables every night. Cook
another man’s food for him. We get several young lords in here, I have been
waiting for one of them to step up. Yet you are the one who she has eyes for
and you have only been here a day."
I told him
I would take all that he had to say under advisement. Yet in my mind I just
kept telling myself that I would have to win his approval before I could make
my move on her. I would have to make a big move in order to win him over.
Having him tell me that I wasn't good enough made me determined to have
her all the more. I wasn't sure how I would do it yet but with time I
would figure it out. I drained the last of my tankard and headed towards
my room. I checked on Hans and Pare to find their room empty. The mage
was gone as well. I stripped down, washed and headed towards the bed. I
never saw the note from Hetaron telling me that they had left without me, that
they had found a way to take down the door. I would not find that until
three days later.
12. Late
I spent
the next day or two in and around the inn. I didn't want to go far away
in case my friends came back and it gave me a chance to spend time with Jasmin.
It was always quick and short as I did not want her father getting angry. I
began to write her letters, speaking of her beauty and my feelings for
her. Longer and longer notes about how I wanted her father to approve of
me and hundreds of other things. Each one brought her a little closer to
me. With each one her eyes got a little brighter. She would be mine in
time; I just had to win over her father.
During one of my quick walks around the city I ran
into Arturo, the friend of Captain Turk. We spoke for some time, he showed me
around his shop in the merchant district. It was quite impressive but lacked
the love I felt when looking at the wears Boris showed me. Yet there was
something about him that set me at ease. He felt like the grandfather I never
knew or even better the father I always wanted. Here was a man that did
everything I wanted to do with my life. Now he was living out his
remaining years in a place that he loves with people who respect him. Not out
of fear but out of love. I invited him to join me at the inn for a meal
later that night. I thought if Stephan saw me with him, he may begin to
think better of me by proxy.
I wish I had Arturo's gift for telling stories.
For hours on end he told me of his adventures in the north, about his
service to Arcadia as the former captain of the city watch and about a group
called the Swords of Sovereignty. Before the end of the night he had me
ready to ride off on some grand quest. He also told me of his own
in his fist. Watching me, wanting to say something but unsure of how to
start. For a small moment I just figured he was waiting around to see if
I needed anything else. When I told him that I was fine and would be headed to
bed soon he asked if he could talk to me.
"You remind me of my brother. He was an adventure seeker. Always
looking for the next treasure, next fight, the next everything. Everything
except for the next woman. He had one woman at home; they were loyal and loved
each other very much." This was not what I expected. "When my
brother did not come home, it nearly destroyed that woman. When they returned
us his mangled body I was for sure that she would kill herself. I am still
convinced that I saved her life. Even today, while I know she is happy she
still gets that far off look in her eye. As if she wished things were
different. I am telling you this because I remembered the way my wife
looked at my brother when he was around. I remembered the look she would
get in her eye whenever he would leave. I saw that look today on the face of my
daughter as you left today." I did not see this coming at all. Yet I
was glad to be hearing it. "I want better for her. I want someone safe,
someone that isn't going to ask her to scrub tables every night. Cook
another man’s food for him. We get several young lords in here, I have been
waiting for one of them to step up. Yet you are the one who she has eyes for
and you have only been here a day."
I told him
I would take all that he had to say under advisement. Yet in my mind I just
kept telling myself that I would have to win his approval before I could make
my move on her. I would have to make a big move in order to win him over.
Having him tell me that I wasn't good enough made me determined to have
her all the more. I wasn't sure how I would do it yet but with time I
would figure it out. I drained the last of my tankard and headed towards
my room. I checked on Hans and Pare to find their room empty. The mage
was gone as well. I stripped down, washed and headed towards the bed. I
never saw the note from Hetaron telling me that they had left without me, that
they had found a way to take down the door. I would not find that until
three days later.
12. Late
I spent
the next day or two in and around the inn. I didn't want to go far away
in case my friends came back and it gave me a chance to spend time with Jasmin.
It was always quick and short as I did not want her father getting angry. I
began to write her letters, speaking of her beauty and my feelings for
her. Longer and longer notes about how I wanted her father to approve of
me and hundreds of other things. Each one brought her a little closer to
me. With each one her eyes got a little brighter. She would be mine in
time; I just had to win over her father.
During one of my quick walks around the city I ran
into Arturo, the friend of Captain Turk. We spoke for some time, he showed me
around his shop in the merchant district. It was quite impressive but lacked
the love I felt when looking at the wears Boris showed me. Yet there was
something about him that set me at ease. He felt like the grandfather I never
knew or even better the father I always wanted. Here was a man that did
everything I wanted to do with my life. Now he was living out his
remaining years in a place that he loves with people who respect him. Not out
of fear but out of love. I invited him to join me at the inn for a meal
later that night. I thought if Stephan saw me with him, he may begin to
think better of me by proxy.
I wish I had Arturo's gift for telling stories.
For hours on end he told me of his adventures in the north, about his
service to Arcadia as the former captain of the city watch and about a group
called the Swords of Sovereignty. Before the end of the night he had me
ready to ride off on some grand quest. He also told me of his own
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