"They said it was jus laying there in its own blood- well, that's what I heard anyway; dunno why they didn't just leave it there t'rot..." He paused to give a passer by a look that made them continue walking, he sighed. "Probably got attacked by onena the stronger monsters out around there-" Rain dripped off the tip of his gray nose, it twitched as he sniffled.
"They shouldn't have brought it back here, they shouldn't have even taken pity on it..." The paler one butted in, irritated and not hiding it. "It'll get better one day-- I mean, what if the little bugger turns on us! What then?" He turned his head to look at his fellow guard, though; his hat was obscuring his eyes so he couldn't see what emotion, if any, there was in them. Shuffling he leaned his head back to yawn. They'd been on duty for quite some time, watching the gate and nothing everhappened.
The rain pounded hard on the cobbles beneath their feet, though the two guards took no notice. It had been three days since they, two Burmecian civilians, had brought back the injured creature. Long since the crowd of people died down outside their small house...
People would look at them funny as they went about their daily business, getting new bandages for it, new clothes, food. They couldn't go anywhere in Burmecia without getting sneered at, or pointed at, or spoke about- never spoken to.
"Excuse me..." A tall fellow stood short of the two guards, a letter clenched in his hand. The pale guard tilted his hat up so as to see this visitor more clearly.
"What?" He asked with the same irritated tone he had before. He looked over this man, Hmm... ADragon Knight, eh? "What can I do for you, Sir...?"
The knight tilted his faded red hat, rain trickling down the tip. Not feeling obligated to state his name."I'm looking for uhh..." he looked down at his letter, " A Adam--" He didn't get to finish, as the gray guard pointed to a small building behind the Knight. "Ah, thank you." He slipped the letter inside his tattered jacket and walked away. The guard who had shown the way sneezed and cursed quietly behind him.
This must be the place... He thought as he walked over to a small, lonely looking building integrated into the wall surrounding the city. He raised his hand to knock; hat falling over his eyes again, more rain pouring off to the ground in a tiny waterfall. Sighing, he rapped at the door three times and waited.
Strange how he'd never seen this place before, having lived here all his life... He guessed it must have been due to the fact it was in the wall after all.
He was just about to give up, guessing there was nobody home, as the door opened slightly; white fingertips peering out.
"Hello?" The knight asked, pushing his hat out of his eyes.
The round door opened fully now, and a kindly old lady stood there, she invited him in and he nodded politely as he stepped past her. As he walked in, he observed the many books stacked high against the far wall. He didn't notice the door close and the old lady ask if he wanted for her to hang up his coat. Tapping him on the shoulder gingerly, he snapped out of it and looked down at her, taking off his hat, shaking his head slightly, long blonde hair falling over his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I..." He apologized, holding his soaking hat in his hands, which she took and hung on a hook behind her. "I have a letter for Adam?" He reached inside his coat and retrieved the slightly damp letter, waiting for the old lady to return. She offered to take his coat, though he didn't really want to, he thought it better than dripping all over their nice dry house, so he slid it off and handed it to her.
"Please. Follow me, umm..." She paused as she left the wet coat on a hook, waiting for his name.
"Hmm? Oh, Spencer..." He muttered, so absorbed in his surroundings he wasn't truly aware of what he was saying. It looked so different in here, though, what did it matter, he should get on with the job in hand.
"Ahh," She smiled warmly and nodded, motioning for him to follow her through. "Freya's boy... My you've grown up well haven't you..." She said as she led him through a corridor to the back of the house. He made a sound in response, not too sure how this woman knew him... Back to your task, Crescent.
She stopped at the foot of a set of stairs, and held on to the banister lightly with her withered hand. "Adam? Adam!" There was shuffling up stairs, the sound of a door opening.
"Claire? What is it?" A strong voice called down, peering over the railings from the landing. He spotted Spencer standing a short distance from the old lady, looking at a photo on the wall. "Ah! Freya's boy!" He smiled and started down the stairs. "Come to pay us a visit, have you?"
Spencer wasn't paying attention again, Hmm... So that's how they know me...he thought to himself, looking at the photo of his mother and a young couple for a little longer; before turning to Adam, who had now made it down the stairs.
Spencer now turned to face Adam, and held out the letter to him, not uttering a word.
Adam looked the knight in the eyes before slowly reaching out for the letter. "It's about the Mage, isn't it..." He muttered, looking down at the wet parchment in his hand.
Spencer tensed slightly, at the mention of the word, anger welling up from somewhere deep inside him. "I'm afraid it must be." He turned to head the way he came.
"...It wasn't his fault though, what happened to those-" Adam started, but finished abruptly as Spencer had swung his head round to him.
"It's for our own good, Adam." He snapped. Claire put her arm around her husband as Spencer walked out to fetch his coat.
Adam clenched his fist, crumpling the letter in his grasp. Claire closed her eyes and rubbed her husband's back soothingly. She didn't flinch as the front door slammed shut.