Open Chronicles Country Roads

[Karl von Stehlen]

"Life is about how much you can take and keep fighting, how much you can suffer and keep moving forward."
-Anderson Silva
"What a beautiful afternoon, wouldn't you say Karl?" A booming voice could be heard through the country side of Strojland. If one were to observe, they would see two mounted and armored figures riding down the beaten roads of the country side, one was clad in silver armor while the other wore a jet black color, both with red plumes bouncing up and down as they rode. No doubt these two were knights, the emblem of their order was mounted upon their shields.

It was the story of a mentor and his former mentee, assigned on patrol together, a rare occurrence these days given that Karl had graduated into knighthood himself, and thus suddenly had his own array of responsibilities. Still, it was nice to be assigned with his mentor again, as it gave the two much time to catch up, even reminiscent about days past...it just so happen the area they were assigned to patrol included the mentor's own lands...

"Ah, it's been so long since we rode together like this...I remember when you were so small, you were just riding a donkey, hah!...And we use to ride up and down these roads together all the time..."
His mentor was usually drunk on these rides, and would also end up falling off of his horse into the muck, where Karl would then spent a good half hour trying to pull him free.
"...and remember that time we helped that farmer with those pesky wolves..."
That was the same day when his mentor had ridden half drunken and fully naked through the fields, as Karl and the local farmer tried to keep his mentor from crashing into the fence.
"...and our neighbor's wedding! What a night! I remember there being so much food!..."
That was the night where Karl had spent a half hour rubbing his mentor's back as he vomited half a banquet's worth of food out of his body and into a ditch.
"...ah, and that's where I meet my dear wife...bless her soul..."
And that was where Karl spent half a night listening to his mentor's drunken's ramblings about how he got to such a state...which ended in tears...and Karl ended up having to comfort the man...

It would seem that Karl had a different recollection of events then his mentor, but Karl didn't say anything...instead, he looked up to his mentor as they rode, whom was smiling against the backdrop of the sun. Both of them had come a long way since Karl himself was just a simple page...sure, Karl was a champion of the order...but it was his mentor that really had grown...picked

Could Karl become angry? Impatient? Infuriated by the man's lack of discipline? Perhaps...could he have had a better mentor? That's debatable...sure a lot of knights, even those of other orders, probably had mentors whom were a hundreds of times more competent then his was...but, they didn't teach him...he didn't become a Stahlspitze under there guidance...it was under this "drunken oaf" did Karl become one of the Order's best, at such a young age...for you see, there were many ways of obtaining wisdom...it was these days spent looking after his mentor that taught him the patience...and with that patience came tenacity, never quitting on someone...because behind that mess was the story of how they got there...and this was perhaps a wisdom that Karl would take through his entire life: Even the evilest of characters has a story, even the most pathetic of people have their reason...it certainly does not excuse one of their actions, but helps to understand...as too often are people worried about the superficial appearance, without understanding what one has underneath the skin.

It was with this thought in mind did Karl look at his mentor, his expression remaining as indifferent as ever...perhaps a result of having to deal his mentor's recklessness when he was but a page...but it was clear there was no resentment of the man. In fact, if anything, some may say it was a look of care...as Karl turned his attention back on the road and sighed...listening to his mentor go on about his memories...as both trotted down the then peaceful country road...​

Heer Siegward Kamphaus, the Mentor​

Spoiler

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken saw the sun high up the sky, excited for it to hide behind those tall and beutifull trees that lied in the forest few kilometers from where he was standing. COuntryroad were not Jaken's favorite place, he'd rather be in a forest, or a crowded town. It was noisy (due to the peopple) and blurry (due to the tall trees) places that made Jaken feel calmed. There was just something that made him attracted towards those places. Maybe it was his wolf instincts: forests are a somewhat natural habitat for werewolves like him, and towns were the main source of food.... sometimes.....
The countryroad, on the other hand, was bland, boring, nothing exciting about it. But it was the most direct road towards the next town.
His hoody over his head covered him from the sun. He liked it that way. His eyes always hidden behind the shadow of the hoody. Always covering his brown eyes.
Far awayon the trials he noticed two figures: human torso but horse body.
"<<Centaurs?>>" he thought. He took out his scoed crossbow and aimed at the two figures "Oh, two knights." he cleared himself.

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

"So, laddy..." Karl's mentor would start, as the two knights continue to trout down the country road. "...how's ye love life been?"
"Abrupt change of the subject."
"Jus' makin' natter, be all...but ye ne'er answered me question."
"You know I don't have one."
"Ah...but don't ye reckon ye oughta try?...Kids yer age are already courtin' 'n wha' nah, 'n th' Von Stehlen needs an heir..."
"None of my older siblings have kids."
"Well, maybe ye'll be th' first."
Karl grunted at the statement, but his expression could be said to stay the same...for those who didn't know him well enough.
"Ah, but no needs t' rush into such thin's if ye nah ready....wha' I be tryin' t' say, lad, be that it'll be quiet th' lonely journey through life, without a companion t' journey wit' ye...'n 'tis quite natural in any race's biology t' f-"
"Sh!..." Karl suddenly shushed, as his eyes darted away from the main road. What had caused abrupt stop, well...it was Daisy, Karl's trusted companion and mount. The mount had suddenly given off a rather worried ney...a ney that usual signaled when somthing rather...hostile, was near. Karl knew the sound well...and thus his guard was raised ever higher.

"Danger, lad?" The mentor asked, his accent flaring a bit as both knights slowed to a trot. Now Siegward's own horse had left out a worried neying not to dissimilar to Daisy. This would cause the mentor's eyes t quickly darting to his former squire.

"Could be somthing...could be nothing..." Karl grunted, his eyes glancing about, but urged Daisy forward. "...let's keep going, but be on your guard..."

With that, the knight and his mentor continue to trot down the road, speed picking backup. It would seem that the one in silver said somthing to the one in black, but Karl's facial expression hardly seem to change, almost exactly the same before Daisy had been startled. It wouldn't take them long to make down further down the road, soon the two would disappear over the edge of a nearby ridge.​

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken noticed one of the knights stop dead. They were aware of Jaken's presence. He didn't mind. He was in his human form, so at first sight, he wouldn't be considered as a threat. Maybe if he revealed himself, THEN that's where danger would be a thing: the two knights would mostly try to kill him, as all royal knights have tried. But he once faced 9 knights at the time, all with the intention of chopping off his had. Too bad it turned out to be the other way around. However, he had the advantage of being in his werewolf form. But still, two at a time while being human shouldn't be a challenge.

He saw that the two knights were talking, maybe they were talking about some crusades, or they could be analyizing Jaken. Considering if he was threat or not. Whatever was the case, if one of the guards decided to attack, he would easily put a bolt between the man's eyes. After some time, both knights continued with their way: staright forward to where Jaken was. He gotta be carefull, they could be preparing to ambush him. Jaken kept his hidden brown eyes placed on the men on horseback.
Anything could happen...

Jaken got closer to them, as he should, continuing his path. Not putting his eyes away from the men. He must always be alert. When they were at speech distance, Jaken couldn't help but thinking he'd need to greet them. Maybe formality was better than saying nothing and act suspicous. Or maybe he just wanted to speak to someone, who knows...
"Afternoon." he greeted the men with a somber tone, keeping his eyes on the knights as he walked.

 

[Karl von Stehlen]

"Afternoon"
"Afternoon"
Karl grunted and Siegwarld nodded, quite regular and nonchalant greetings...as the two knights rode past the stranger, continuing down the road as if nothing peculiar was about the man. The Stahlspitze shifted his gaze to his mentor for a moment, who looked over to him with a shrug...but they didn't say anything, as the two continued to trot down the road, a road that lead into the nearest town.

These back roads were no often tread upon by the main merchant caravans, but they were still a route that lead here and there, even cutting down time of travel by a considerable amount of time if you were in a bit of a rush to get from here to there. Thus, it wasn't strange to see the odd adventurer or merchant party traversing down these roads...and indeed, Karl had encounter plenty of odd strangers on his patrols all over the realm. This one was actually rather tame compared to others Karl had met, which said somthing about who would often pass through the realm. So following that logic, it would be a bit strange to stop for ever wandering adventurer on a patrol would be indeed tiresome, and this particular fellow didn't seem...of a threat...least to the people around here. Weapons were a common thing on this continent, self-defense, so to say.

The two knights would continue, as mentioned, down to the nearest town. It wouldn't be the end of their patrol, but it be close...it was also a place both men and mount could take a quick break...get somthing to eat or drink...and just rest up for the next round of patrols.

If nothing held up their patrol schedule, that is.​

 

[Adriwolf]

Jaken syopped dead on his tracks, then turned around to look back at the knights he just walked by.Maybe they could be. Without moving, he aimed his scoped crossbow at them, looking for the symbol he was hunting down. And they were there, the runes in the armor. He had them on sight. It was unusual that he had found allies from the person he was looking for on their backs just like that. Facing all odds. Weird. But he wouldn't let this chance slide out of his fingers, if he could do anything to get there faster, he would take it.

Before the knights dissapeared in the horizon, Jaken sprinted at them as fast as he could do. The only information he could get was from those two, maybe he could trick them into telling him where the target could be. Or even better, take him DIRECTLY to the target. Once Jaken had caught up with them he talked.
"Excuse me, gentlemen." he panted "Mind giving me your attention for a while?" he took down his hoody "Are you two casually affiliated with The Order of the Iron Cross?"