I am an adventurer who mostly dealt with commissions all over the Edge of the World. However, I never heard my father's name during my travels, nor when I heard the bards sing. You cannot blame me for wanting to know more as now it has been revealed that he did exist, and he was much more than the two legendary people I am about to face now.
As I waited for the conversation to happen, I fiddled with the necklace I bought from the market, seeing that it was a beautiful piece of jewelry, if you disregard that it was cursed beforehand. I'm unable to stop my thoughts from imagining that it really is perfect for Alayah and wondering how it looks like once she wears it.
As if reading my mind, as always, the old man asked about the necklace, "that is one hell of a necklace there, my boy. How much did you buy that for?"
"A measly eight gold coins. It was a steal, if you ask me," I replied to the old curious head.
"Hah! I bet it's cursed. That price screams that the merchant just wants to get rid of it," said the old man.
"Apparently so, I had it appraised and what do you know, the curse turned to a blessing, and it now has a fucking awesome enchantment. But the thing is, I don't wear necklaces or any accessories if you ask me. So, I am unsure what to do with this," as if asking for the old man's opinion, but just want to know what he thinks. Already knew what to do with it.
"Why buy it in the first place? What was the enchantment?" he asked, sarcastically.
"At first, the curse was inaccuracy. Then it changed to accuracy through the appraisal process. It was all just curiosity since there is a catch when you are selling a necklace for a meager price. But the merchant won't tell me until I buy it so, here we are." I replied as if I had no choice but to buy it.
Smirking, Sir Galbrant said, "then it's perfect then. Give it to Alayah, it will do her good and it's a beautiful piece for a pretty lady. Like I said Hardnir, live a little. What could possibly go wrong if you gift it to her?"
As always, I always find the best retort to such questions, "Oh nothing. Just my marriage."
We both laughed and he responded, "I highly doubt it will do anything to your marriage. Trust me, my boy. Just give it to her as you don't have anything to use that for. Maybe you'll get lucky." All the while, raising his eyebrows.
While we spent the time chatting about the damned necklace, I did not notice that Anneke was already at the bar, just letting us talk without care. I stopped the old man and told him Anneke was already there, so we stood up and sat at the bar.
Anneke started and said, "we do not have all day so ask what you want to ask about your father, Hardnir."
At the signal, I went ahead and asked, "how come no one sang my father's name, nor was it heard throughout the land if he was more than the sum of both of you?"
In response, Sir Galbrant immediately became completely serious and kept brushing his beard. Anneke however, answered the question and said, "it was not without reason. Your father should have been the man of the legends, the man everyone knows. It should have been," Anneke paused as Sir Galbrant held her arm.
"It was not easy my boy, your father died with no recognition, name forgotten through the echoes of time. Only a handful remembers him up to this day. Me, Anneke, you, his son, and one other. I know you wanted to know more about him but all we can say at this time is that your father was the greatest man who ever lived in the Edge of the World. Should have been, could have been, might have been, but one thing is certain, he did live, and we are the living proof of it," said Sir Galbrant. "We formed a mercenary group during our younger days, and you can already guess who were the members of that said group."
Both raised their mug and drank down their mead. Then Anneke followed, "and like this old fart said, there is one other person. I believe he is wandering right now, right Galbrant?"
The old man looked at me, suggesting I should know the person with his smug grin, while chugging down his mead. I tried to put my mind into it and analyze if I should know the person. As Anneke said, this person is said to wander the lands. From that statement, I tried to think of anyone who fits the statement, and one name came to mind. I immediately slammed the counter and said, "no fucking way! During your mercenary days, he would have been too young to fight or keep up with you old folks. Nah, no. Impossible." Shaking my head as hard as I drink my mead.
"Haha! Of course he was young. We did not say he was part of the group's frontline. Heck, he is our errand boy. Our gofer," said the old man.
"He used to carry our things, especially that awful big shield of yours," said Anneke. "He cooks, wash our clothes, procure our supplies. He was perfect in running errands."
Sir Galbrant laughed out loud and added, "he even begged your father, Hardnir. He begged and followed us for days, just so he could run our errands."
"Not to mention, we did not know he got kicked out of the Bards' Institute in First Castle for not having the money to finish his studies in being a bard. But who knew Endric will earn a title as well as we do?" said Anneke.
Endric the Wandering Bard. All I know is he threw up on my clothes at one feast we held in Frelsmuth. Now, he was part of the legendary mercenary group, albeit a chore boy in his younger days. What fucking surprise.
In refusal to accept the fact, I replied, "let's leave him aside for now. Too many questions about Endric being part of your legendary band. What's curious is, why only you three remember my father?"
Silence began to take shape. The atmosphere became solemn. Mugs were being raised and placed at the counter gently. The air was getting heavy, and I found it hard to swallow looking at the two.
Breaking the silence, Anneke spoke, "King Aemir VII, emperor of the Iron Crow Empire at the time, issued a statement to the rest of Anthora. He branded your father a fraud. He slandered his name, and he issued orders to his diplomats to speak of the matter to the rest of the leaders of the world. He discredited, stole, eliminated everything your father has done. It was cruel and unjust, makes my blood boil each time I recall it."
Adding to it, Sir Galbrant placed his hand on my back and said, "to add more details to the tale, King Aemir VII was simply threatened by Harald's fame at the time. Everyone listens to him and trusts him with their lives. That fool of a king used everything in his power so that your father can be forgotten as time passed."
"Not to mention, the rest of the world had him arrested when we were in the Isles of Hjarik." In anger, added Anneke.
"You may already know how the tale ends, my boy. Two years after he left your home, he was arrested, persecuted, and executed out of the public's eye. Forgotten by the rest of the world. The world never knew about his passing, thanks to that idiot of a king, and we are the only ones who remember. And the letter you received? It was Endric who wrote and delivered it to your doorstep." Said the old man.
I am struggling to process the information they are sharing with me. My father was famous, yet the world is so cruel, he had to be silenced. I wonder if that is all there is or there is something else these two never knew. I asked, "so what made him resume adventuring after being retired and raising me? He retired ever since I came to be, so I am unsure what made him leave when I was fifteen of age."
"You see Hardnir, the more you learn about this truth, the more you won't be able to let go. You sure you want to know?" asked Anneke.
Firm and steady, I responded that I am ready. Sir Galbrant gave a big sigh and said, "I never knew there will come a day where we must tell you, thought you were already living a life out there, never relying on us old folks. I don't blame you, I would ask too if I were in your shoes." Paused for a bit to chug his drink and continued, "your father was an apostle of Goddess Esme. We never knew the process; we just knew that he was. He received an oracle at her shrine near Frelsmuth when you were a kid. Though we do not know specifically what he intended to do, or what he had to do, but your father said that he had to wait until you are fifteen before starting to take on the said revelation provided to him."
"Your father left your home when you're fifteen and came to pick us up one by one. We went on our last expedition which involved every nation in Anthora. Your father kept his secret to his grave, and we just went along with him to make sure he would come home to you. We are telling you all we know as we believe you should know. Me and Galbrant agreed way back that we will tell you all of it should the time come," said Anneke while brushing my hair.
Talking to these two made me realize that I am blessed by the Gods that I have people who care about me. One thing eats me from all this, did these two do anything when my father was defamed and put down? I had to know. "Thank you, Anneke and old man. I was kept in the dark and forced to accept that he was gone all these years. Now I have answers," I said, pausing to drink my mead, then I dropped my question. "Did you do anything to keep his legacy alive and avenge his death?"
The two were dumbstruck by my question. They looked at each other as if talking telepathically and after a few seconds, Sir Galbrant nodded his head and Anneke responded. "It is better to ask what we did not do to keep his legacy alive. We did not attempt to kill their king, nor did we try to go against their decision," said Anneke.
"Why? When you know it is highly unjustified, nor the truth of their claim is based off that coward of a king's lie?" I replied.
The old man grabbed my shoulders and kept me close before he responded, "you must understand my boy. If we were to die along with your old man, how will you know how he lived and existed if the entire world was made to forget him? Hmm? We had to live, Hardnir. We had to live for you and your father's sake," gripping me by the shoulders tightly.
Tears ran down my face and without moment's notice, I stood up and hugged the two of them tight while crying my heart out along with the words, "thank you, thank you so much."
I cried for a good amount of time while I have the two old folks consoling me. I managed to calm down and open again to change the atmosphere. I asked the old man, "then how come you were in the battlefield and almost died when you faced Joachim Red-eye? I thought you must live for our sake?"
Anneke laughed as she wipes the plates and mugs at her counter. Sir Galbrant replied, "this and that are a totally different matter. I am alive, am I not? I am here right, Anneke?"
"Oh yes you are. Painfully so," replied Anneke in sarcasm.
The three of us laughed and my prediction was correct; it was dinner time when we finished talking about the past and my father. I appreciate the two of them for being alive to remember my father by and I made a promise to myself that I will seek out Endric during our travels and thank him too for being alive. As we finished our mugs, the old man asked me to fetch the two as we are about to have dinner.
I knocked at Alayah's room and was invited in. She was wiping off her newly purchased bow and I can see that she had already finished stringing it with the silver bowstring she bought. I turned to her to say hi and said, "that is one gorgeous bow for a gorgeous one like you." Instantly regretting what I said, I turned my gaze away from her.
Alayah was blushing but managed to respond back and said, "flattery won't get you anywhere with me, Hardnir the Strongbone. What do you need?"
I was about to say that it is now dinner time and the old man asked that I fetch her and Gels, but I delayed and said, "close your eyes and do not open them until I say so."
She heeded the command and closed her eyes. I grabbed the necklace out of my pocket and positioned myself behind her on the stool she was sitting on. I reached for the front of her face and wore the necklace around her neck. I shied away from her, blushing like an idiot from wearing the necklace on her.
I stood in front of her and asked her to open her eyes. And as she opened her eyes, it was as if time went incredibly slow as she was gorgeous in the way she acted. Her eyes with the shade of red showed up as she opened her eyes and with the necklace, at that moment, I already knew that I could no longer ignore that I am infatuated with Alayah.
"By the Gods! Oh my fucking Gods! Hardnir! This is so God damn beautiful!" exclaimed Alayah, while she held the necklace on her palm, looking at it intimately. As surprised as she was, she stood up and immediately hugged me. Then went back to adoring the piece of jewelry.
In response, albeit blushing, I said, "glad you liked it. When I bought that earlier and was introduced to the enchantment it has, I immediately thought of you as it will be nonsense to give it to anyone other than you."
Still can't contain her excitement from the surprise, she sat down and spent a long time adoring the piece of jewelry. Of course, I waited for her to calm down and when she did, she opened with a smile and said, "thank you Hardnir. This is so wonderful, and I will take care of it. I'm sorry if I can't contain my happiness back there, haha!"
"No need to apologize. Anyway, are you good for dinner? The old man is waiting for us. I still need to fetch the big guy," I responded, still shying away from the adorable moment we have shared.
She nodded in response and while we are walking to get Gels, she asked what the enchantment was on the necklace and I replied, "anything you want to shoot an arrow at, as long as it's within sight, there is a high chance you'll land a hit."
"That is basically useless! I never miss!" said Alayah when she immediately folded her arms on her bust in disbelief.
I tried to appeal to her and at the time, I didn't know why I was saying that. But I replied, "that's okay. Even if it's useless, you look absolute gorgeous with it! The gem even matches your eyes."
It is like my thoughts are spilling out and I always regret it the moment I say it. But nevermind me, Alayah was stunned by the remark and immediately smacked my back before saying that she will just wait at the tables.
Leaving me behind, I knocked on Gels' door and apparently, he was already about to get to the tables too as he immediately popped up when I opened the door. I patted the big guy's back and made little conversation as we went our way.
The room was filled with chatter when we arrived. The inn was busy that night as there were a lot of travelers, villagers, and even guards not on duty, taking their share of dinner. However, the group was seated nowhere in sight, therefore, I wondered. I asked Anneke by the bar to ask where the other two went and she pointed in the direction of a small room at the back of the bar. Thanking her as we went, Gels and I went through a narrow hallway by the back of the bar and went to a room.
"There you fucking are! What took you so long, sit, sit!" shouted the firebrand, Alayah.
Holding my forehead, in disappointment that no matter how beautiful this woman is, her mouth screams the word foul in every sense, I said, "we thought we will be having dinner at the dining hall. Why the fuck are we here, looking like rebels plotting and scheming?"
The energetic old man, as always, made the room echo with his awful loud laugh and patted the seat next to him, beckoning me like a child. Of course, I sat down like the child I am. He then said, "oh you know, the reason we are here is mostly because of Anneke! Haha!"
"Spill it old man, don't attempt to lie now," teased Alayah, "that is not what I heard the old innkeep said."
The three of us stared at the old man and he then broke his character. He admittedly said, "alright! Quit drilling holes into my face with those stares. It was because of me, the famous Galbrant the Stalwart. Blah blah blah! Oh how I wish I was just a cockroach; this is utter horseshit."
Laughter broke out and this time, I fell to the floor laughing and banging on the ground. The problems that famous people have are surprisingly funny as hell. And that remark kills me. It did not take long for me to lie down on the floor, placing my arm on my forehead, laughing my arse off.
After a short while, still giggling stupidly, I stood up and got back up to my seat. Only to find the old man, frowning and seemingly, disappointed we laughed at him. I patted his shoulder, which was high god damn it, and said, "I envy you for even having those problems. Good for you." Then the other two continued laughing hard.
As we were laughing, Anneke entered the room and brought another person in to help with our dinner. She then placed the plates, followed by the meal, down on the table. The other person placed full mugs of mead, empty mugs as spare, and three pitchers of water at the center of the table. The other person left and to everyone's surprise, Anneke stayed and sat on the vacant seat beside me, which was the end of the table.
Sir Galbrant, as always, being intuitive old man, stood up and said, "you two may be surprised, shocked, bewildered, whatever, but the innkeeper will be joining us for the meal tonight. Introduce yourself old hag."
"As always, being rude is all you can do with that birdbrain you have, you old fart. Good evening, Alayah," facing Alayah, she bowed her head. "And to you too, Gels," facing Gels, doing the same. She then continued, "I am Anneke, known as the Swift. A humble innkeeper in the town of Cragswallow. Pleasure to meet you Alayah and Gels."
The two stood up and held each of Anneke's hands and shook them. Too stunned to make a word, Gels just stood there frozen, while Alayah said, "Oh my fucking Gods! I don't believe it! What an honor to meet you, Anneke. You are what I dreamt of being! Holy Shit!"
"Come on now, settle down. Let's eat you guys," I stated.
Still shocked and in awe, the two remained glued to Anneke while me and the old man talked as we eat.
"So, what is with Anneke sharing a meal with us? Did she do this while I was gone for a few days, old man?" I asked Sir Galbrant.
"No, just this time. I believe because you both are now re-acquainted, hence this incomprehensible behavior," said the old man.
Since the old man and I do not know why she was sharing a meal with us, I turned to Anneke and asked.
"Anneke, forgive my curiosity but why are you here? You have an inn to watch," I asked the old lady.
She gestured to the other two to calm down on her right, looked at me, and responded, "why, I am joining your expedition party. That's why. I believe you can use another rear support, right?"
Me, along with the others, stood up and shouted out of surprise. We are so happy she would be joining to the point that we can forget our meals and go directly drinking. That was fucking awesome, and I am very thrilled to have her on the party.
Meanwhile, the old man was not thrilled. "We have to talk, you and I," pointing to Anneke, "if I know better, you are into something here."
Anneke slammed the table to the point that me, Alayah, and Gels stopped celebrating and stood frozen. Then she broke into laughter and said, "Haha! Why I miss the adventure, you old oaf!" Then she held her hands below her chin on the table and looked at me. "Duty of an aunt. If it helps my lad, I will do what I can. So, get on and come on, let me join the sorry band!"
I extended my hand to her and said, "thrilled to have you Anneke. Nevermind the old man, he is getting senile that he forgot we are a member down." Anneke shook my hand and smiled at me after my remark.
"I heard that, Hardnir," sharp as always, he heard what I said, "do not get fooled with her. There is something more I need to say about Anneke – "
The old man was interrupted mid-sentence and when I looked towards him, there is a knife around his throat. It was Anneke who seemingly teleported from being beside me to being in front of the old man, threatening him. After nicking his neck, Anneke dropped the knife to the table and bowed before saying, "apologies if I startled you. Just showcasing what he was about to say. Go on Galbrant," turning her head towards the old man and smiling.
"I was about to, fucking hell," holding his neck, "where was I? Oh right, Anneke is the First Battalion commander of the King's guards, right? Do you even know what the First Battalion is?"
"I'm afraid, I don't. No." I immediately responded.
"Thought so. That is the King's shadow troop. She is the leader so, connect the dots," brushing us off, he sat down after saying it.
Anneke shaking her head while laughing, "you forgot to say, 'used to be battalion commander', senile old fart. So there you go, you three. Am I in this?"
"Fuck yeah!" surprisingly, me, Alayah and Gels were in unison.
We ate our dinner merrily and the two Freemen Quarters' guildsmen retired to their rooms. The three of us, Anneke, Sir Galbrant, and myself remained to discuss how the party will proceed with the expedition.
When I was about to stand up and retire as well, the old man asked, "since you accepted Anneke's request to join, do you want me to keep her up to date with the other matter? Your decision lad."
Oh shit, he was right. Anneke has no idea about my "it" situation. I responded, "please, I am wiped. It has been a long day, and it's surprising that I lasted this long, thinking I just woke up from a nine-day slumber."
"Rest up, dear. We will wake you up in the morning. Have good night," said Anneke.
With that, I retired to my room and dozed off as soon as my back touched the bed.