ravenDivinity

When the Flames Die

The boy took his seat gracefully, sitting with his body straight and his hands clasped in his lap. "Ah, thank you, sir." He lifted the glass from the table and took a small draft of the cider, which he promptly set down afterwards while he thought about what exactly motivated him to take the job. Gareth wondered if it were due to the improvements he could make in his life or the idea of helping people, but decidedly he probably took it due to some added pressure by Walden. But beyond that, he didn't mind, and he actually thought the job fitted an aspect of his liking to aid others. "Well, I suppose... that to some extent it is to serve the King, but on another level, I relish helping others." His answer came with a little lack of confidence that was lost in his smooth flow of speech, and silently he cursed himself for it, causing him trouble whenever he found himself focused.

When the Flames Die

Gareth slowly opened the door and stepped out from behind it, his quiet voice greeting the Morningstar. "Ah, good morning." He met himself with the desk where Redwyne sat, undoubtedly gandering about the room as he walked up, and introduced himself with a bow. "Gareth Harker, at your service. I've brought you a letter." His hand loosely held out the wax-sealed parchment before Sir Cole, and mentally he coached his hand not to tremble before such a stern presence as Redwyne. Nevertheless, despite his misgivings, he glued his small smile on his face as a token of respect and kindness, him still standing with the letter for Redwyne and refusing to sit down or do anything else until it was asked of him.

When the Flames Die

His voice rushed to answer the knight. "Thank you, sir!" Gareth bowed in gratitude before the knight, who seemed as if he were sharpening the blade on the wall, and the half-elf quickly ambled from the knight to the stairs with the intent of allowing the knight to get back to his work without any mindless chatter. Up the stairs went Harker until he approached the tower's precipice where he stood before the doorway to the study. With a feeling of shaking in his gut, a fist knocked on the door thrice gently, waiting for the call to enter. He hoped not to interrupt Sir Redwyne in the room, himself given some degree of paranoia at the idea of barging in on someone in the middle of important business. Then again, he considered that he himself was on important business, delivering important post.

When the Flames Die

Gareth laughed. "Of course, I'll be careful not to die while delivering this letter." He mockingly reassured Walden, and he took the important message into his own hands, both literally and figuratively, and put the bow and quiver on his back. He stood and he bowed, flashing one last smile at Walden. "Well, I shall make haste, sir!" Gareth waved and turned away from Walden, then he made his way out of the great hall, headed to the Tower. The walk wasn't far, for the Tower was within the confines of the palace and lied just by the cliff behind the castle. When he arrived holding the letter gently in his grip, he looked around for Sir Cole, who would be easy for Gareth to spot, him having already met the knight before.

When the Flames Die

"Ah, I see." Gareth picked an apple from a cornucopia of fruit and took a small bite from it, and he put it down before him, listening intently to Walden. He chuckled, thoughtfully tilting his head as he ran over his job description. Harker had nearly forgotten that in taking up a position as an assistant of the order, he thereby made himself a squire—this put him on a level of authority just below knighthood, which required that he only participate actively in aiding the administration of the Order and the knights. From that point onward, he had to remember that his full name, with titles included, would then affix the title of 'Sir' before itself to indicate just the field of work he was in. "My... In taking this job, sir, well... I must say, quite the turns my life might take!" With the exuberance of youth and the nervous excitement he placed himself in with new responsibilities, he was quite overjoyed. The duties the Order called him to now, though toilsome, would create a contrast between the life he lead before taking them.

When the Flames Die

Walden's eyes caught his, and the large man called him over. Being quite submissive, Gareth walked briskly at the shout of his name from the other side of the great hall, a shy smile on his closed lips. As he approached earshot, he spoke. "How'd you know about that?" Harker didn't recall telling Walden about the bow, but the half-elf considered the possibility of asking Redwyne about it. Nevertheless, he was still a little glad to see Walden again—Gareth always appreciated the older man's genial presence. It wouldn't ever bother him, the young lad was sure. He took his seat next to Walden, Harker politely clasping his hands in his lap while he opened his mouth once more. "Ah, alas, it is good to see you this morning."

When the Flames Die

Gareth woke up to the sound of the bells; he sat up and yawned, arms stretched up in the air as he twisted his body and hopped off the bed. The young man covered himself with the same fitting clothes as yesterday, preparing only last minute for the morning feast. There was time to go back home and change into a fresh outfit, but he digressed, finding that not doing so would be less of a hassle. He locked the door with his key and departed from his quarters with nothing else on his person but his key and the clothes on his back. He passed soldiers, trying to remember the way to the great hall in the labyrinth of a castle, and when he finally made it there, he sighed with relief. Harker looked around the room, and he didn't know where to begin with the morning feast. Good eats, but not as many people were there as were there the night before.

When the Flames Die

Are you going to time-skip us into the next day?

When the Flames Die

Gareth kindly asked a knight near the Tower of the Thistle about the location of his new room, and he produced the key from his vest pocket, showing it to the knight. The knight promptly pointed him to a long hallway of rooms and living spaces taken up by the members of the Order, and Gareth ventured down the hall until he found a room marked with the same number as on the key. Trying the lock with the key, the door gave easily with a twist of the brass knob, and the half-elf found himself in a medium-sized space, with a bed a few sizes larger than himself. He locked the door behind him and took his shoes off by the door, him stripping his clothes off as he came to the bed. After he had folded the vest, the dress shirt, and the slacks, he fell onto the cushioned bed, and he pulled the neat, cobalt sheets over himself, staring up at the ceiling until he fell asleep to his own thoughts.

When the Flames Die

Gareth nodded and stood. "Oh, ah, if you do not mind..." He accepted the key, and inwardly he remarked about how finding the room on his own would be burdensome. However, even considering how onerous it would prove for Gareth, he cognized that it was better for him to go alone to his own quarters than for Sophia to go alone to hers, given the disparity between their social status. He smiled at Sophia and Walden as they paired up to leave. "Good night, to you both... Pleasure meeting you." Gareth bowed kindly, and wobbled a bit as he left his prostrate position, grabbing the table for support. Clumsy when drunk, he thought himself. Conceivably, he could ask a member of the guard of the whereabouts of the room, for surely someone would be capable of directing Gareth to it. He wondered more, about how he would reclaim his bow, but he sighed. He'd be too shy to approach Redwyne about it, therefore he had to wait until morning when he could ask Walden about it. Unescorted he stumbled away from the great hall in the direction of the Tower of the Thistle, Gareth staying close to the wall so he could lean against it if he found himself tripping.