ravenDivinity

When the Flames Die

Gareth patiently listened to Walden's story, a broad smile on his face directed at Walden. Even though he was a little rough and brash, Walden's speech belied the true strength he was probably still capable of, and Gareth knew it. He laughed at the story, when it was done, the idiomatic expressions being so farfetched and exaggerated. Absentmindedly, Harker tapped the table with his fingertips rhythmically as he wondered about the time. He was tired, and he felt like he could pass out at the table if he didn't focus on staying awake. The half-elf gauged himself and took another sip of wine, staying clear of intoxication. "Um..." He thought aloud. "Hm... what's to talk about..." Gareth didn't want the conversation to go dull, and he didn't want to fall asleep then and there.

When the Flames Die

Harker, sitting between Sophia and Walden, found himself laughing at his new superior's comments. Yes, perhaps the sharp downturn, though fresh in the minds of all, was cushioned for the crowd by some merrymaking; while the knights of the Order were hastily carrying out orders and going about the night with a new tone of seriousness, the crowd of civilians simply tried to make the best of the night, even given their dark circumstances. Gareth simply nodded along with the large man next him. "I find the accommodations here quite nice..." He plucked a few raspberries from the table and consumed them. "Good food and good wine. But sir, you do have quite the strength on you." He agreed with Sophia; Walden had quite the arm, having made the table and Gareth shake with Walden's pure brawn.

When the Flames Die

"Ah, thank you..." Toasting with the others, Gareth tentatively drank a small portion of the beverage, as he wanted the drink to go down a little more before he consumed more of it. If he let it settle for a while, he could avoid becoming drunk. Goodness, he felt he was on the verge of becoming drunk, which didn't sit right with him. Wine had never inebriated him before, and although he had consumed it since the tender age of 16, almost a year or so now, Gareth never experienced intoxication. He'd rather avoid drinking to his limits, and instead opted to drink to a decent level that would keep him from acting a fool in public, before he ended up intoxicated like Walden and Sophia were already seeming to become. Harker, per afterthought, wondered if the job he was going to do was exactly as important as Walden made it out to be. Probably not, he thought. Tomorrow he would have many chores ahead of him.

When the Flames Die

Dang, congrats to DP on the 420th post. Oh, the 420th, thou blazeth!

When the Flames Die

Gareth, without a doubt, shook at Walden's rough touch, but he chuckled nevertheless. "Thank you, sir." Before he had even picked up his wine and taken a sip, Walden had already downed an entire cup. Harker, feeling the onset of inebriation, finished his own goblet, and inwardly remarked that he was done drinking for the night, otherwise he would end up blubbering drunk. He would need to gather his things from his home at some point, as well as notify the tax collector of his move and new employment. Gareth giggled again, becoming a little more bubbly and calmed. After all, he could let go of Karl and Thomas, and he hardly knew them for long, though he still reserved some respect for them, as he believed all men deserved.

When the Flames Die

"Really?" Gareth knew such a position wouldn't obligate him to stay, and that gave him the kind of mobility he wanted, an ability to quit when he desired other work. On the plus side, an internal job working with Walden wouldn't seem so bad. Walden was nice and charismatic enough, and he wouldn't be demanded to take up a binding oath. Harker chuckled, bringing his hands to his lips to catch his small laughter. "Oh... I would love to." The half-elf willingly accepted the proposition, and he hoped Walden would gladly take him in as an underling. Perhaps he'd do a wonderful job as an assistant. He already carried out numerous tasks for his neighbors, and that sort of stable job would fit what he already did.

When the Flames Die

Gareth nodded at Sophia. "Yes, it's true." He thought she had already known, but he guessed not. He drank from his cup, and, setting it on the table, he swallowed slowly. Harker figured Walden, having not taken the oath, wasn't bound by the Order's typical rules and likely worked with Order paperwork mostly. Of course, given his stature and build, he also looked fit to break someone's neck when need be. These thoughts Walden affirmed in his dialogue with Sophia. He perked up again from his inner workings as Walden put the spot on the half-elf again. He chuckled at Sir Walden's calling Gareth fit, him finding it a little ironic given Walden's appearance and comedic given that Gareth wasn't exactly the strongest man on the block. "Ah... No, sir, from elsewhere in the country." A timid smile popped on his softly carved face, framed by a square jaw.

When the Flames Die

Gareth shook Walden's hand slowly with the hand that wasn't being held by Sophia. "Gareth, Gareth Harker..." spoke he quietly, projecting his voice just loud enough for Walden to hear. "My mother is." Harker didn't want to imply that either of his parents were dead, especially if they were alive and well enough to deliver him a tirade for speaking as though they were among the departed, and this thought he laughed at on the inside. He took his hand away from Sophia, wiping the wetness from his eyes. Sincerely he hoped the man wouldn't flock to discuss the dead man or attempt to address Sophia and Gareth's discomfort around Thomas as they both were trying to recover from events that only just occurred.

When the Flames Die

Gareth held her hand and hugged Sophia as he wept on her shoulder. He couldn't deny a knight's ability to kill, and he knew they told the truth. He didn't want to accept it, but in his mind he understood that he had no choice. "I can't believe he would do such a thing." quivered the boy. His hands themselves shook while they embraced. Harker looked up disheartened at the burly man that approached the trio, and in his face tears remained at the corners of his eyes above trembling lips. Tragedy ruined his normally-handsome face, and he released Sophia, rubbing his eyes and maintaining his innocent gaze at the knight.

When the Flames Die

Gareth appeared sullen and analyzed Sophia as she joined him. He read her terror instantaneously, but he found nothing on Jezin's face, seemingly stoic as ever in the face of this distress, even though Gareth knew Jezin was likely shaken up as well. "Why are you asking me? You look as though you've seen a ghost." said Harker slowly with concern. "I'm, honestly... anxious at the moment, but... I am a mere commoner." He dismissed any worry she might've had for him, for he was nothing more than your average Joe, and nothing could come out of his death besides bloodshed. He reserved his worry for Sophia, a princess of a foreign land called Lyok, whose murder could result in war and instability for both lands. The lack of a certain knight caused him distress, and he furrowed his brow. "Where's Thomas?" His eyes themselves trembled with anxiety.