FSE

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They've been on the roads for a few days now. Apart from actually travelling, they assisted other travellers on the roads with regaining lost property or putting down freelance knights who decided to become highwaymen. Due to Fidel's unique basis of being a holy knight, he was the one who challenged and put down the freelancers and taking their arms and armour from them as a result. Isamu, while rummaging through the armour, found a breastplate which just so happened to fit him, so he decided to wear it for a bit of extra protection, with a little help from Fidel putting it on. This decision was due to an ambush where he almost got impaled.

But, while fighting through the bandit camps, Trygrr could see the fire that burned in Fidel's eyes beneath his helm. He was merciless when he caved one bandit's helmet and skull in with one swing of his mace. Something must've happened for him to hate bandits so.

That night, while sitting around the campfire, Trygrr had to catch Fidel unawares. A task he thought was easier said than done.

Trygrr was close to finishing the haft for his second spear, using his axe carefully to chip away at any places with imperfections, Isamu was looking over his weapons for signs of damage, his whetstone ready to rectify any damages, and Fidel was focused on the fire, cooking what was caught.

"Why do you hate bandits so much, Fidel?" Trygrr asked out of the blue.

Silence rose for a few seconds before Fidel answered.

"They are lawless, plain and simple. Preying upon the innocent deserves no mercy." Fidel answered.

"That's a half-truth, and you know it, Fidel. Tell us the entirety of it right now." Trygrr demanded.

Fidel sighed, defeated and has finally given in. He took the food out of the fire's reach and gave one to each of them.

"I wasn't always like this, you know." Fidel began, playing on Isamu's and Trygrr's curiosity.

"How so?" Isamu asked.

"I was once a regular knight, but I was reckless, headstrong, so delusional that I thought that I was invincible. One time, out on one of my patrols for a Duke I was serving under, a group of bandits ambushed me and took me prisoner. I was unconscious at the time and, when I woke up, I was in their camp, in a makeshift cell that was rather sturdy." Fidel explained. He looked over to Trygrr, who was just as captivated in the tortoise's story as Isamu was. "You aren't the first Raider I've met, Trygrr."

"What do you mean by that?" Said wolf questioned.

Fidel shifted. "Just across my makeshift cell was another prisoner. A wolf, like yourself Trygrr, but he was old. For the days we spent in our cells, we had many chances to talk and talk we did. He detailed his life to me, the many Jarls he worked under and the battles he fought. Then..... one night....." Fidel's eyes began to tear up, most likely because of what the memory meant to him. "... the bandits dragged him out of the cell and away. All throughout the night, I could hear his screams echo over the camp. That morning, I saw what remained of him hanging above the camp."

Tears began to flow, most likely with Fidel trying to stop them. "His pelt was hanging over the bandit leader's back. The stench of blood was still strong on it. When the leader was gone, I began to pray as hard as I could. Before I never used to, but......" Fidel didn't need to continue on that train of thought.

"During my session of prayer, a High Paladin, an elderly vixen, rushed through the bandit camp. She freed me, and allowed me to kill the bandit leader. Although I wanted to give him as much pain as much as the old Raider went through, I just couldn't. That afternoon, we buried the Raider, pelt, weapon and body. When I shuffled into town with the High Paladin, I asked if she could train me to be a paladin myself. That was....... two years ago now. She finished teaching me the skills and taught me how to be a paladin, but the pilgrimage was all I needed to do to become a High Paladin. That's why I have you two here."

Isamu and Trygrr looked at each other, both equally disgusted at what the bandit did and sympathetic to Fidel for the horror he went through.

Trygrr, angry at himself for what he did, threw the haft of his future spear away.

"Deepest apologies for that, Fidel. I di-"

"Don't worry about it. I think that's something I just had to get off my chest. We all have something to hide or something we want to forget." Fidel interrupted.

Nothing else was said during the rest of the night after Trygrr retrieved the near-complete haft.

Trygrr spied Isamu still having both of his small blades on him. He wondered why.

____________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning was the same as any other out on the road. They packed their tents and smothered the fire, very quickly walking away from the smouldering ashes. It looked like everyone wanted to get away from what had transpired last night.

Walking over the hills, the forest in the distance looked as if it was watching them. Tempting them to walk ever closer.

They did what the forest 'wanted' them to do because they had to. Their last stop in Kespian was on the other side.

When they entered the forest at midday, the sun was blotted out by the leaves of yew and oak trees. The wind that blowed through the forest seemed to sing and the trees themselves seemed to sway to the song.

Both Isamu and Trygrr were watchful of their surroundings, not knowing this area well enough. Fidel, on the other hand, was calm and focused straight ahead. It's like the forest, as dark and evil as it seemed to outsiders, was a comforting experience for him.

And so they kept walking, either paying attention straight ahead or to their flanks.

But as they walked, they were ambushed once more. This time by experienced defenders.

Upon stepping, a loop of rope tightened around Trygrr's foot and tripped him over. By the time Isamu reacted, a net with heavy steel balls fell from the branches above their heads over the cougar r?nin, trapping him. A mob of militia ran out of the forest, pointing pitchforks and scythe blades at the wolf and cougar. A lion militiaman was brave enough to run up and tie Trygrr's legs and paws together.

Fidel took his talisman off of his belt. It began to glow in his hands, his aim to lock the militia in place just long enough to explain the situation.

"Brother, stop!" A voice yelled.

Fidel placed the talisman back on his belt, the glow now non-existent, but took the mace off. He would not let his guides die on him at this moment. Trygrr and Isamu stopped their glares at the militiamen and looked shockingly at where the voice came from. Another tortoise, a lot larger than Fidel to boot.

"Brother, tell the militia to release my guides right now." Fidel ordered.

"Your guides are a Raider and a samurai? Are you insane?"

"The only insanity that is happening right now is that you and the militia are hindering my pilgrimage. I won't order it again. Tell the militia to release my guides.... now." Fidel responded, tightening the grip on his mace on 'now.'

The other tortoise looked at another militiaman, who was standing near Isamu, and nodded to him. After receiving a nod back, the heavy net was pulled off of Isamu and Trygrr's legs were untied. Fidel, seeing what was done, placed the mace back onto his belt. After the two stood up, dusted themselves off and retrieved their weapons, they continued on through the forest alongside the militia.

When the forest parted, a village was down in the valley beyond. Farms rolled down to the centre, where houses were gathered in an easily defendable formation. The militia kept on walking, while the three travellers stopped at the peak of the hill.

"You two, welcome to Dewmeadow. My hometown." Fidel said, spreading his arms wide over the village.

On their walk down, Isamu was impressed by what happened.

"Fidel, what was that all about?" He asked.

Fidel, his helm tucked under his arm, looked over to Isamu.

"Oh, the militia? Dewmeadow was next to always having Raider attacks. Our farmers double as a line in our defence." Fidel explained.

Isamu smiled and nodded, quite liking the concept. In Uslijan, it was always the samurais who defended the people.

In time, they made it to the village proper. The militia went back to their farming and the tortoise went back up to Fidel. After a one-armed embrace and smiles, Fidel introduced his brother, and only brother, to Trygrr and Isamu. Although wary at first in the forest, the brother opened up to them, all smiles and laughs as if the forest fiasco never happened.

Eventually, they were guided to a relatively large house, where they could faintly hear the creaking of a spinning wheel. Fidel scrounged in one of the pouches and pulled a key from it, using it to unlock the door.

"You still have the key, Fidel?" His brother asked, not believing in his eyes at the moment.

Fidel placed the key back into the pouch he pulled it out from, smiling. "Why would I let it go?"

He pushed the door open, but Fidel's brother raced in. Fidel, Trygrr and Isamu all quietly stepped inside, Trygrr closing the door since he went in last. Although since the weather was warm enough, it was instinct for him to do so from the 'band's longhouse.

The creaking stopped, and footsteps were coming their way. Trygrr and Isamu saw that Fidel didn't have his mace or hammer with him, so they were quickly searching for where they went. To the right of the door, in the corner, was a basket that held a zweihänder and Fidel's mace and hammer. Moving quickly, they placed their weapons inside the basket, Trygrr leaning his shield against the basket as well.

By the time Trygrr stood up straight again, three tortoises came around the corner, all bigger than Fidel. The brother, along with two female tortoises, the females were also smaller than Fidel's brother. One of the females was old, possibly the mother, and the other was young yet muscular, dressed in rather flamboyant and colourful clothing of green, blue and gold. The old tortoise slowly walked up to Fidel and lovingly embraced, Fidel returning this embrace.

"You decided to come in, Fidel?" The old tortoise whispered.

"Yes I have, Mother." Fidel whispered back.

The embrace was broken and Fidel's mother looked at the other two standing at the door. Realising what they were, she gasped and the other female stepped forwards slightly, her hand forming a fist. That was until Fidel's brother quite literally stepped in.

"Mother, those two are alright. They're merely guides for Fidel." He said.

That seemed to reassure the old tortoise somewhat and made the other female less confrontational.

"Are you certain of that, Paxton?" She asked Fidel's brother.

Trygrr stepped forward, placing his closed paw over his paw. "We aren't here to cause any trouble. On our lives, we are only mere guides to Fidel." Trygrr explained.

Isamu closed his eyes and bowed at the waist slightly. "And if we do cause trouble, we will either repay with work or our lives." He added.

The other female crossed her muscular arms over her clothed chest, still eyeing Trygrr and Isamu with suspicion.

Fidel remembered something. "Mother, why don't you go back to your sewing? I'm sure Paxton was aware of that fact."

"You are correct, Fidel. And make yourselves at home, just don't destroy the house."

The mother left, the other female tortoise pushed through Trygrr and Isamu to get outside, leaving the door wide open and causing Trygrr to close it once again. Paxton picked up an empty gathering basket and dashed out a door at the back.

"Well, that was interesting." Isamu said.

Fidel looked over his shell to Isamu, smirking. "Wait until you meet the rest of the family." He replied.

____________________________________________________________________________________

One day later:

At least Trygrr and Isamu got to meet Fidel's family.

His eight siblings, along with his mother and father.

They also found out that Fidel is the youngest and smallest of the family, the former through the conversation they had and the latter through observation.

This day, however, they planned to leave at daybreak.

But, alas, sometimes plans change.

When Isamu heard the blaring noise in the distance, only for ten minutes later the rest to begin hearing the blares, did the plan change.

Near everyone in the house, except Trygrr and himself, ran out the front door and lined the main road along with everyone else in Dewmeadow. The cougar and wolf snuck over to a window that looked over the main road so they could see exactly what was going on.

About five minutes of waiting and the annoying blares was the source finally known.

Out of the forest came an army. An army of knights and foot soldiers, sure, but an army nonetheless. And at the front of this army was someone special.

A jackal marched in front of the army, in armour fit for a leader and holding a white feral horse by the reins.

But what was on his head made Isamu gasp.

A golden crown, not adorned with any jewels, but still glowed with brilliance in the sun.

This jackal is not just another leader. He is Kespian's King.

His features brightened at the cheers of the crowds on either side of Dewmeadow's road, but the brightness never reached his eyes, remaining in fatigue. Or was it sadness? He guided his horse to one of his officers, handing them the reins, and went around to talk to the villagers of Dewmeadow. Some of the younger ones ran up to the King, where he squatted down to their level and even ruffled the head fur on some of the boys.

When the King stood, Isamu saw what was emblazoned on the surcoat of the King.

The surcoat itself was in two colours, split down the middle. Blue and red. In the middle of it all was a purple winged griffon.

Whatever it meant to Kespiens, it certainly meant something. But, to both himself and Trygrr, it meant nothing.

But what was the King of Kespian doing here, well away from the warfront? Visiting some nobles? Or family, perhaps?

If it was family, Isamu remembered that the Shogun would do the exact same thing, spending a week at most away from the warfront to spend some time with his daughter. Although that time was also spent being a leader for Uslijan as well.

The King took his horse's reins back from the officer and continued to walk over the main road. It took another hour before the remainder of the army marched through, the crowd still cheering. Isamu and Trygrr saw Fidel and his flamboyantly dressed sister, Fauve, walking back towards the front door, while the rest of the family walked around the house to the cotton farm they own. The two quickly ducked away from the window, but the two tortoises knew what they were doing.

Funnily enough, the one tortoise who was the most confrontational in the beginning would be the one that they'd find common interest in. And since Fauve is a part of the lansknechts, the group dedicated to the defence of the village and of the villagers themselves, it would be reasonable to assume that.

"So, both of you have finally seen the King in the flesh and fur." Fauve said.

Isamu looked out the window once more, only seeing the children playing on the main road where an army just marched over.

"Not the kind that I suspected. We know how well jackals are seen." Isamu replied, still looking out the window.

Fauve nodded, but she also seemed to remember something. She sat down next to Isamu, Fidel taking the seat next to Trygrr, and began to scrounge around in the pouch on her left hip. She retrieved a folded patch of leather, something important hidden within the fold.

"Trygrr, the lansknechts need to know exactly which set of Raiders attacked the village week ago." Fauve said.

Trygrr's ears perked up, as well as his head. Fauve unfolded the piece of leather, revealing the patch for what it was.

The main face was black, likely shaved and dyed. A red sun with a weeping eye in the centre was dyed into the face. Trygrr gasped, having his memories of his life within the 'band flash before his eyes. However, his memories lingered on two people for longer than a flash.

Ástridr, both her beautiful face and her heartbreaking death, and Løgner, the traitorous kitsune, seeing his sadistic smile when he stabbed Ástridr.

Trygrr's memories stopped flashing, now having the other three staring at him with concern. He quickly swiped that brother-band's insignia and stared at it, hoping it would catch fire with his stare. His paws closed around it, his claws not quite shredding the shaved leather yet. His arms were shaking in rage, his muzzle began to pull back into a growl, one from the very centre of his being.

Not wanting to make anything or anyone the victim of his anger, he threw it to the floor.

"I do not know the name of the brother-band of which attacked Dewmeadow. But know this, I also intend to kill all of them to avenge my band-brothers and -sisters." Trygrr responded, his voice a near-growl full of both sadism and poison. His head quickly turned to Fidel. "And while we are at the Severed Peak Arena, I do hope to at least get a name to them or, better yet, beat a name out of one of the members."

Fauve and Fidel were shocked at Trygrr's change in attitude, while Isamu just stayed neutral. He grew used to it...... back there.

Fauve refolded and retracted the insignia, keeping it in her grasp, and stood up slowly, her shell slowing her down.

"I'll let the rest of the lansknechts know that this brother-band will get comeuppance in due time." She announced. She nodded to Trygrr. "Thank you, my friend."

With that said, she walked back out the front door, taking her zweihänder with her.

With Fauve gone, the three could discuss what was going to happen.

"What could we expect in Sofreze, Trygrr?" Fidel asked.

"Snowstorms, cold weather, suspicion from brother-bands and those who live within the towns and cities." Trygrr explained.

"By what do you mean?" Isamu asked.

"Brother-bands are suspicious of members of the other brother-bands, most likely because it could be an enemy or a potential one, and all brother-bands are treated with suspicion by those who live under the Jarls' protection because brother-bands are thought to be lawless or far enough away from being civilised. And every Sofrezan in suspicious of foreigners, to boot." Trygrr elaborated.

Fidel sat and thought for a minute, coming to a solution for a problem he was thinking about.

"We may need some warm cloaks." Fidel said.

"I won't need one, Fidel. I'm used to the cold." Trygrr said.

Fidel nodded at Trygrr, and looked at Isamu.

"Tradition dictates that I need to-" Isamu began to explain again, since he explained it to them the first time they were on the road together.

"Doesn't matter. Cloaks don't have arms." Fidel interrupted.

"But-" Isamu tried once more.

"You will not be breaking any traditions, Isamu, and its not like any Sofrezan would care, anyways." Trygrr said, cutting off the r?nin's objections entirely.

Fidel smiled and stood up. "I'll organise all of this. We'll leave later."

And, sure enough, they left close to sundown, hoping to get as close to Sofreze as possible after the delay.