YELLOW, YOUNG GUYS, GALS AND CAT WHO SOMEHOW LEARNED TO READ!
Thanks for the comments and reviews, guys. Its good to hear the positive feedback on the first chapter of the story, so I decided to try and keep the fun time rolling with this story.
Hope you guys enjoy the read.
Warning: This chapter comes with a Priscilla body pillow that is actually a mimic that will attack the moment its cuddled. Supreme Gamers is not responsible for any idiot that falls prey to this addition. You have been warned.
It was a bright and beautiful morning as the sun rose upon the golden kingdom of Anor Londo. The great castle of the upper city glistened in the sunlight as warrior knights were making the rounds amidst the castle grounds and servants busied themselves with preparations to ensure all was neat and tidy.
The day would have proceeded as smoothly as ever had not an exceedingly angry Velka stormed through the building with a murderous glare in her eyes.
"Why does she look like she ready to tear someone's head off?" one might ask. Well, there were many reasons that she could choose from.
It could have been the fact that she'd been duped and manipulated by some human servant not once, but twice in one night. Or it could have been that she'd allowed herself to be so stupid as too fall for a cheap sob story about his "sick sister".
But no. These reasons, while more than enough to earn her ire, were not why Velka was currently so furious.
The actual reason was that whatever it was that he threw at her last night still stunk to high heaven and no matter how much she bathed and scrubbed her body, the demandable stench still lingered as strong as ever. Not even her favorite brand of peach shampoo could get the odor out of her hair.
And what was worse, every knight or servant she walked past all gagged and covered their noses at her.
It was mortifying.
"Liar. Deceiver. Trickster. Fraud!" Velka swore internally as she picked up the pace through the hall, her fury not dulling in the slightest with the passing of time. "This isn't over. This. Is. Not. Over. No one gets to do something like this to me and simply walk away. Just wait until get my hands on you."
Just as she was internally swearing to make the human pay, Velka at last made her was though a large set of double doors. Beyond them lie the sight of a grand and extravagant breakfast feast lined across a exquisitely long table. The wide assortment of meals ranged from pancake stacks to scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.
Through windows that welcomed the passage of the light, the dining room was alive with the vibrant hues of early morning and shined down upon its sole occupant who happily dined on the food before him with a smile on his face.
His face held the look of a man in the prime of his life, complimented by an impressively long, flourishing beard upon his face and a full mane of blonde hair to match it. His body was that of a titan, massive and muscular in stature. With strength showing clearly even through the royal drapes that he wore.
He was the great Lord of Sunlight, ruler of all within Anor Londo and her one true master.
Velka heard him sniff the air before turning his gaze up at her in confusion for a moment. Once he saw who it was, a bright and cheery look graced the lords eye's.
"Heh, heh, heh, well, it smells as if you had quite an eventful night last night." The large man laughed in a friendly manner at the goddess, causing her to turn away in embarrassment for a moment at his wording.
"Y…Yes, Lord Gwyn." Velka responded respectfully, perfectly concealing her displeasure at his wording. "I assume by your words that you have received my report of the exact details of what happened."
"Indeed. It was quite the amusing read. Ciaran even gave a few more intimate details that really spiced things up. Heh, heh, I nearly fell out of my chair with laughing." He said with a smile on his lips. "I realize I ordered you to rest and relax for a night, but never would have guessed your favor would lean more towards human company. But I suppose you would not be the first."
Velka opened her mouth to fervently rebuke such a rumor, but quickly bit back her words as she remembers to show the proper respect to her lord and ruler. Only after straightening her back and taking a calming breath did she speak exactly her mind.
"Exaggerated gossip, my lord. I was merely humoring the human to pass the time. Nothing more." She explained plainly with a small nod of her head. "And I would like to offer apologies for allowing him to escape me. If I had been more heedful, he would be within our custody right now."
"Nonsense. These things happen to the best of us from time to time. Besides, no one was injured and nothing of any real value was taken." Gwyn exclaimed with an understanding nod as he recalled the report that had been sent to him. "We shall place a reward for this "Kaylen's" capture out to the public and have the patrols keep their eyes open for one matching his description. That will be more than enough of a response. No reason to call a witch hunt for what's essentially a bread thief."
"With all due respect, my lord, I believe that this matter should be handled post haste and with firm severity. If we were to allow the human to escape so easily, it would encourage other such stunts from likeminded individuals." Velka advised sternly as she placed her hands behind her back. "If you would but allow me to do so, I can find this human and all of his accomplices with ease. In fact, it would be my pleasure to do so."
Gwyn, after chewing down a particularly large piece of sausage, grinned ear to ear at hearing this.
"You wish to seek him out personally?"
"Very much so, my lord." Velka responded politely.
"Heh, heh, I see. And would this have anything to do with him tricking you and dousing you in whatever it is that has you smelling so foul this morning?"
If it were anyone else, Velka might have lashed out at such direct questioning. But once again, she reminded herself just who it was she was talking too and maintained proper decorum.
"I assure you; nothing that has transpired will not affect my actions or influence me from following proper procedure during his capture. I simply wish to see this human brought to justice and show that we take small crimes just as seriously as greater ones, my lord." Velka said politely.
At this, Gwyn paused for a brief moment to consider his winged servants' words. Not that he needed more than a few seconds to reach a decision.
"Hm…Though it is a bit overkill to send you out for small matter such as this, I see not the harm in it if it's what you wish." Gwyn said with a nonchalant shrug. "It goes without saying that I expect things to be handled precisely by the book. As well that it should not interfere with your normal responsibilities. I've enough paperwork to deal with without any of yours being compounded to it."
At this, Velka smirk slightly, clearly amused at her lord's words.
"As always, any formal business I need done has already been completed and is currently within your office, ready and waiting." Velka said proudly as she watched the smile on her lord's face wither.
"Ugh, of course it is." Gwyn groaned, already dreading what he knew would be a hefty stack of papers requiring his signature.
With their conversation concluded, Velka at last promptly turned around and begin to leave the room.
"Must you leave so readily? There's plenty food here to share."
"Forgive me, but I should act immediately before the trail on the human grows too cold. He already has a small head start on me." Velka said, politely declining the offer. "Will Princess Gwynevere and Prince Gwyndolin not be in attendance this morning?"
"Ah, the young one's haven't attended a family breakfast for quite some time now. Gwynevere is likely walking about greeting the citizens and Gwyndolin is quite reserved these days." Gwyn said with a sigh. "I suppose as a father I should be happy for such independence, but I do wish we talked more from time to time. And I'm starting to think the cooks are taking their absence as a personal slight against their talents."
"Heh, I'll be sure to subtly let them know you worry the next time I see them, my lord. Perhaps they will drift by come tomorrow. Until then." Velka said at last dismissing herself from the dining hall chambers with a pleasant smile on her lips.
However, once she'd made her way through the large dining room doors and back into the open hall, the smile she sported became more sinister in appearance. She'd just been given the green light to hunt that lying scum down and couldn't wait to see the job done.
And she already knew more than a few ways to find him.
Anor Londo: Inner City
It had taken the goddess no time at all to reach the lower burg of the Anor great benefit of being born with a pair wings on her back.
Though it did become a bit of a problem in times she needed to remain discreet when she was sporting such a large and noticeable body feature. As such, she could do little to hide her approach.
Not that she minded it though.
After all, Velka's specialty never was for subterfuge or discretion. That area belongs to Ciaran and the Lord's Blades. When the Goddess of Sin was sent to do something, it meant to be done immediately and with violent finality.
As such, one could understand why Gwyn would think it a bit much to send her after a small-time human thief.
Once she felt she was in the appropriate location, the goddess her wings upright so as to adjust her body and righting her legs beneath her, before descended from the heavens above into the town square.
She wasted no time in taking in the site of her beloved home.
It was a city of wide avenues and filled to the brim with places to relax as folk went about their day. There were the sky towers in the central, while a great many home sat in orderly rows with each being a clean and well-made as the last. The rest was parks and wild spaces, a chance to walk among nature or enjoy the trails on horseback or with friends. Yet perhaps her favorite thing was the rivers that flowed through the center of town, crossing beneath the bridges. They were always so calming and soothing to her.
Pausing for a moment just to take in the view she saw quite often and loved all the more, Velka smiled to herself somewhat.
"Ugh…"
"What in the hell's that stench?"
"By the gods…"
However, such a peaceful moment was quickly dispelled by the passing comments of humans on the wretched smell that permeated the air around her. Each of which only served to spur the goddess to find her prey that much sooner.
Holding her head high despite the low spoken words and a disgusted looks thrown her way, Velka made her way through the less than busy, early morning streets.
She had already questioned the nobles that hosted the party about who Kaylen was and where she might find him the night before. As she expected, they only just barely remembered his name. It was no secret that much of her kind did not think very highly of humanity beyond the usefulness of the services they could provide. So that route was a dead end.
Fortunately, Velka had more than a few contacts that would be able to point her in the right direction.
Keeping her eyes open, the goddess continued moving along the street until she happened upon a small wooden stall holding many an average sword, knife and shield.
Inside it was a skinny bald man who stood with his back to her. But he was quick to turn around once the goddesses' footsteps reached his ears….or rather once her smell reached his nose.
"Good day, dear customer. How are-" his friendly greeting stops mid-sentence as he turns and see's just who he's talking too.
"Hello, Patches." Velka said in dry tone.
"Ah, V-Velka!" The man, now named Patches, says as he nearly stumbles over himself trying to retreat away from his guest, only to remember that he was trapped at all sides by his own stall. "U-Uh, good to see you again. Long time, no see."
"Indeed. How very odd you never sought to get back in touch after faking your death…again." The goddess said as she swept her gaze over the weaponry he was selling, finding them all to be severely lacking in quality. "So just for clarity's sake, let us review the last time we spoke. I asked you to lead me to the underground slavers that made their way into our fair city. "
"Which I did. Led you straight to them with no problem, right?"
"After you accepted their coin and warned them I was coming beforehand. So, in short, you led me into a trap and betrayed my trust…again." The goddess said, turning a threatening glare upon the bald man. "Such actions are more than deserving of swift and severe punishment, wouldn't you agree?"
"O-O-Okay, let's just calm down. Talk about things…I did you wrong. But I didn't mean it. These temptations, they can…well…overcome me. Besides, it's not like anything they did could even slow you down. I knew you could handle it, my lady. You're the Goddess of Sin, a woman no sane or smart man would want to cross." Patches complimented shamelessly, trying to smile through the fear he was currently feeling. Only for Velka to continue to glare at him without saying a word. "Come on now, don't look at me like that. In the end, I delivered just as I always do. We cleaned up those right fiends, justice was served and the city all the better for it. Can't we just call it even and leave it at that, my lady?"
At this, Velka simply raised her hand and appeared to nonchalantly examine her fingernails. Though this minor action caused Patches to freeze up and hold his breath, as he knew that with a simple flick of her wrist, she could kill him easily.
"Hm…Fair enough." The goddess said calmly with a small shrug, earning a heavy exhale of breath from the man before her.
"Oh, brilliant. A second chance! Wonderful! I had a feeling you'd understand. I'm glad we-"
"However, that little event is not why I've come to see you, Patches." Velka said as she leaned her body across the wooden stall. If it were a regular woman, Patches would have no qualms about taking in the view of her cleavage against the table. But with Velka, he kept his eyes firmly upward. "I'm looking for someone."
"Oh? Well, do tell, my lady. Give me a bit to go on and old Trusty Patches will get right on the job….for the usual fee, of course." Patches said with a nod and a friendly smile.
"You'll get your payment after I find who I'm after." Velka said dismissively with a wave of her hand. "The man I seek is human, I'd guess about early twenties or so. The name I received is Kaylen, though it is likely that this was a fake. He stands at about-"
"Wait, did you say his name was Kaylen?" Patches interrupted as realization dawned in his eyes.
"You know him?"
"Indeed, I do. In fact, his names been buzzing around quite a few lips these days." Patches explained helpfully. "Lads a newcomer to our fair city. Been taking on plenty of odd jobs all over while he's been here. Real friendly sort, I hear. Never met him myself, but I can point you to a few others who have."
"Perfect. Where might I find these others?" Velka said with a grin, pleased to have such information fall into her lap.
"Head down to the slums. That's where anyone down on their luck and looking for a job would be. He's worked with plenty of people there and they might be able to give you something to help find him." Patches said with a smile.
"Especially right now. If he managed to get a job at a noble's party that ended in a fire and a robbery, more individual will doubtlessly have his name on their lips. Thank you for the assistance, Patches." Velka said as she turned and spread her wings wide. "Oh, and I'll be sure to send the first guard I see here to arrest you. So you'd be wise to flee to a new location and pretend to be dead again. Good luck."
With that, the goddess beat her wings twice before taking off into the air once more. Leaving patches to voice a single question aloud as he waved her off.
"Dammit, how does she keep finding me?"
Anor Londo: Lower Levels
Taking to the air once more, Velka was quick to beeline straight to the edge of the city and directly into what many referred to as "The Slums".
She knew that not all of Anor Londo could hold the feeling of upper class and nobility. It was simply a basic understanding that some could not afford a higher way of living that others could. So the goddess didn't bat an eye at the environment she'd landed herself in.
The building around her were a far cry of the upper levels, each one being of substandard design and constructions. Not quite falling over themselves, but all were clearly old and plain looking. The streets held missing bricks that were meant to pave the earth and many of the passing humans seemed a bit gloomy compared to the busy bodies of the upper city.
Once many of them got a look at the goddess in question and realized who she was, all were quick to steer clear of her presence and try their best not to draw her attention. Though they could do little to hide their visible disgust of the odor that permeated her body.
Fortunately for everyone walking around her, the goddess was more focus on finding her prey than the looks they sent her way.
"I have nothing but patience, human. You are not the first to think they could escape me by fleeing to such an area. It a simple matter passing around a bit of coin and knowing just who to talk too." Velka thought to herself confidently, having done this a number of times already in the past.
And so it was that the goddess went about the task find the individuals in question. Those people namely being beggars, who see just about everything that goes on in the streets. Pub owners, who hear all there is to know about what goes on behind the scenes. And even courtesans, who always manage to get hold of the dirtiest of secrets.
Usually, Velka would have to travel about quite a bit to pick up any real information she could use. Sometimes it could take days before she came upon even a mention of the person she sought. But with this Kaylen character, that typical playout seemed to be turned on its head.
It wasn't that she was having trouble finding anyone to talk about him. It was that they all couldn't tell her enough about him.
"Kaylen? Yeah, I know him. He shares his apple batches with me every morning. Says they'll help keep the doctor away or something of that nature. Not sure what he was talking about, but I thank the heavens for the company….but he hasn't dropped by this day, I'm afraid." A beggar said politely.
"Yeah, I hire him every now and again to clean the tavern. Kids, works a broom like you wouldn't believe. From what I hear, he works all over. Cleaning horse stables, washing dishing, those sorts of jobs. Heck, I even heard he got lucky and earned a place serving at some snotty noble's ball. Haven't seen him lately though." A bartender replied earnestly.
"Oh~, the young lad. He's to much of a green horn to make his way inside here for business, but he's definitely interested in what he sees. Few of us round here have a bet going to see what's his type and what we'd have to do to nab him. I even offered him a freebie to win the pot, but he was too shy to take the leap. He usually passes by here every now and again to greet some of the girls, but there's been no sign of him of late. If you see him, tell him the offers still open. The bets tripled over the last few days and I'm lookin to collect." An escort with a very distracting bust size said with a smirk on her lips.
Everywhere Velka went, the stories went along the same lines. Kaylen simply worked all over, doing small jobs for likely just as small pay. But earning himself quite the pleasant reputation among the people in the area. Velka found it quite odd that despite his friendly connections, no one could tell her anything of where he came from or if he had any sort of family or bloodline to speak of.
As far as everyone was concerned, he just seemed to just show up out of the blue one day and simply got to work. With all the praise being used to describe him, Velka was almost swayed towards the idea that he might be a good person….almost.
"Hmph. I have already made the mistake of letting my kindness give you the benefit of the doubt. A blunder I will not allow myself to make a second time. But this has all been nothing but productive. I now know where he frequents and travels about. Heh, though it seems that he's made the smart choice of going to ground and staying away. No matter. With such a reputation, someone will know where he lays his head to sleep around here" Velka said, not letting Kaylen's positive community image dissuade her in the slightest. "To think, he must genuinely believe that he's gotten away from me right now. How naïve. You have much to learn about how things work here, newcomer."
"What the heck am I thinking? There's no way this is going to work." Kaylen thought as he straightened out his suit and took a few calming breaths to prepare himself.
It was just across the street from him. The grand castle that the Lord of Sunlight and his Kin dwelled in. Every stone was even and square, as if those who built were set on perfection and put nothing but love into what they made.
From every angle, there was either a patrolling guard or an archer posted up high above and scanning the area. There were no openings, no cracks in their security and absolutely no way to sneak past.
And so Kaylen was decided that he wouldn't try to sneak in. Well….not in the same sense that many would think to anyway.
Holding his head high and moving with confidence in his steps, he walked forward until he was directly before the front gate of the castle. Of which was currently being guarded by two incredibly large and intimidating Silver Knights.
"Halt. State your business, human?" the knight asked calmly, yet with the sternness of an experienced soldier.
"Uh, good morning, Sir Knights. I am…well…okay, I apologize, but there is no easy way to say this. I am the apprentice to the head chef." The human explained. "I'm here to return to my duties before he awakens this morning."
At this, the two knights looked to one another, before one promptly gave a stern answer.
"Very well. Wait here and we will confirm your position with the chef. You will be allowed entry then." The knight replied with a nod.
"No, no, You…*Sigh*…You don't understand. I'm not supposed to be outside the castle walls right now. It was apart of the agreement I made with my master. In exchange for teaching me the intricacies of proper dining and cooking, I was forbidden from seeing my family and loved one's. He said they would be nothing but a distraction. But my sister, Vivian, was struck with a sudden sickness that left her deathly ill. She and I are all we have in this world, so I could not help but sneak out and to make sure she was okay. But if my master finds out that I disobeyed him, he will end my apprenticeship without question."
At this, the two Silver Knight perked up, showing visible concern for the tale being told to them.
"Please. If I am turned away, I don't know how I will pay for the medicine my sister needs. We will be out on the streets for certain. I know I made a mistake by leaving, but I ask you now to search your hearts and do not let word of my departure spread. My master has ears everywhere and he will know if anyone is asked. But if I am quick, I can complete my morning duties without him knowing of my actions….so can you please spare this foolish man just this one time? If not for me, then for the little girl who counts on her brother to take care of her."
The Silver Knights paused for a long while at hearing this plea. But after looking to one another and giving one another a small nod, they turned back towards the small young man before them.
"What is your name, young one?" one asked.
"It's…Kyle of Astora." the human said, mumbling out the last part of his statement.
"Well, young Kyle, you should know better than to disobey the instructions of your master like this. To earn an apprenticeship, especially one directly inside the royal castle, is nothing to scoff at. You should feel ashamed that you have failed the simplest task of simply remaining here." One knight reprimanded as the other at his side nodded in agreement. "However, seeing as you are alone and your heart is in the right place, we shall not see your hard-earned position squandered. But never forget the first step to mastering any craft is discipline. Next time, do not expect to be given a second chance like this."
With that, the Silver Knight opened a smaller wooden door placed at the bottom of the gate and motioned for the young man to make his way inside.
"Hurry along before your absence is noticed and expect that I will be keeping a close eye on you from here on out. Do not let this mistake happen again." The Knight exclaimed aloud. "And clean yourself up. You uniform smells as if you've been rolling around in a dumpster."
"Of course, sir. Thank you so much for this. I won't forget it for as long as I live. In fact, the next batch of muffins make will be dedicated to you." Kaylen said as he walked past the two knights and directly into the castle grounds.
"Oh my god, I can't believe that actually work!" Kaylen thought to himself with wide eye's once he was out of direct sight of the two guards.
Frankly speaking, he quite literally threw caution to the wind with that "Plan". He didn't have much of a choice. The events of the night before with the party and the theft of that noble's pantry goods had left him in quite the predicament.
Velka, one of the most prestigious and most powerful law enforcers in the entire city, had seen him directly stealing from one of her kind. Add that to the fact that he'd doused her with one of his strongest stink bombs to get away and there wasn't a doubt in his mind that this matter probably wasn't going to just go away on its own.
So, making his way blindly through the unfamiliar castle halls, he mused on his next steps.
"Okay, way to go genius. You've played on their gullibility for humans once again and walked directly into the home of incomprehensibly powerful gods, including the one who probably wants to rip your head off." Kaylen complained internally, not at all expecting to make it in. "Okay, its fine, this is fine. I'll just…sneak into Velka's room a~nd…leave a note on how to get rid of the smell from the stink bomb. Yeah, that'll work. Then I'll just…hide out in the one place no one would expect me to be, which is right here inside their castle. I just need to find the kitchen to know when to sneak food and then blend in a bit." Kaylen said with a smile and a nod to himself in a pleased manner. "This plan is so poorly thought out, that its almost guaranteed to fail."
With this loosely thought-out plan of action, Kaylen then made his way through the castle halls at random. Passing by many a knight or servant on his way, he tried his best to make it look as if he belonged there and walked as if he had somewhere to be.
For a moment, he silently lamented the circumstances that prevented him from just leaving the Anor Londo all together. Even if it meant being a wanted man and pissing off the Goddess of Sin, it was best for everyone that he remained here.
It's a shame that he'd managed to put himself into this position though. Things were really starting to look up and he was actually starting to make himself at home.
After a few minutes of walking, Kaylen was starting to get the feeling that he was drawing more and more attention from passing guards by just wondering around aimlessly. So, without having much of any idea where he needed to go, he opted to just pick a door at random to travel through. In this case, the room entrance being two large double doors.
And this would come to be his first major mistake.
For beyond the door sat but two individuals who were both currently enjoying a full tables worth of breakfast. One was a man in golden armor and the other was a woman in silver armor wrapped in dark blue robes.
"Ciaran?! She is literally the second worst person for me to meet right now!" Kaylen screamed internally to himself, instantly recognizing the woman who was sitting before him right now.
"Hm?" the large, golden armored man grumbled curiously as he turned his gaze up to the newcomer that he did not recognize, fully taking in the sight of the surprised look on his face. And he wasn't the only one.
Once the woman at the table turned from her meal and got a good look at him, she too could not hold back a look of surprise as she immediately recognized the human before her.
"There are few who are allowed to be here at this time, and you are not among their number. What are you doing here, human?" the man questioned.
"Me? Uh, nothing, sir. I'm just…on my way to very important meeting and got turned around. Sorry to interrupt your morning." Kaylen said as he attempted to slowly back away back through the doorway he'd come from, but was quickly stopped by the man's next words.
"What meeting? There is nothing of such on today's timetable." he said in an understandably confused tone.
There was no way for Kaylen to know it personally, but things within the royal castle ran like a very well-oiled machine. Everything was planned meticulously and performed on a strict schedule. That included morning training sessions, allotted time for cooks to begin preparations for meals, and yes, any and all meetings or gatherings were to be planned for and ran up the chain of command.
So, when the young human said he was late for a meeting that the man had no knowledge of whatsoever, one might understand that he would be deeply confused by this information.
"Yes, well, I'll be sure to pass that along to my superiors. Forgive me, but I am running a bit behind at the moment and should really leave before it's too late, sir." Kaylen said respectfully, trying to play things off and avoid eye contact with the woman at his side.
"Just a moment. I should have had knowledge of any such congregation days in advance. Ciaran, were you aware of this?"
"Not at all, Captain." Ciaran replied calmly as she took a sip from a cup of orange juice at her side, never once taking her eyes off the human in the doorway.
"Certainly, there must have been a mistake in passing the info along. Honest slipups happen to the best of us from time to time, right?" Kaylen said nervously with a smile. "I'll be on my way now and-"
"Unacceptable. Who is your commanding officer? I will have to words with them about following proper procedure."
"T-That is an exceptionally good question. One of which that is not very easily answered." Kaylen said, internally panicking to himself as he continuously glanced at Ciaran, who made no move to reveal that she knew who he was.
"Well, you'd best learn to simplify your answer. And it would be wise to do so quickly. Your late, aren't you?" Ciaran said nonchalantly, as if having the human before her was a normal and unsurprising circumstance.
At this, Kaylen's mouth floundered for a few moments as he tried to comprehend why she would play along with his obvious stalling. Saying he was a "Chef's apprentice" would be more pointless than turning tail and running on foot right now. Even if they weren't able to catch him in a matter of seconds, the other hundred or so roaming guards would probably come running to take him down once called.
So after but a few moments, he decided that he was practically already captured and just stuck with the first thing that came to mind.
"I am…apart of the new warrior initiative being assembled, Captain." Kaylen exclaimed, earning a visible look of confusion from the golden armored man and a raised eyebrow from Ciaran.
"What? There is no- "
"It was meant to be a closely kept secret until the finer details could be ironed out. Only a handful of people actually know who I am and my mission." Kaylen said sternly, pretending to be offended by the knights' insinuation that his order did not exist. "I was meant to be the first of a human warrior sect. Our task is to better bridge the relationship between humans and gods, while working to better protect Anor Londo from its enemies. I know I am only human, but I assure you that this initiative is very real. Created by none other than…well…I do not believe I am worthy to say their name. But we both know of whom I speak, do we not?"
There was a moment of silence as the knight took a few moments to put together just who the human was speaking of, before voicing his thoughts aloud.
"….Lord Gwyn formed this order?"
"Hm…he is but one who sees to my training, but yes, Lord Gwyn is among the number of founders." Kaylen said grimly, more than willing to hop on whatever train of thought was being handed to him. "It is a shame I have yet to be properly given any armor currently, but I was told it was in the works."
As if he was only now coming to grips with what was being told to him, the knight suddenly stood to his feet and eyed the young human before him for a few moments.
"Come with me." The knight said as he walked past the newcomer and into the hallway beyond.
Just as Kaylen was thinking of a way to sneak away from his would-be escort, Ciaran stood up from the table as well and proceeded to gesture him to do as asked and follow.
"Crap…" was all Kaylen could think as he did as he was told.
With that, the three made their way down a few long stretching hallways with the golden knight leading the way as Kaylen and Ciaran following at the rear.
"Okay, so maybe I should explain what I'm actually doing here." Kaylen whispered lowly to the knightess at his side. "Last night, what Velka saw, that was just a huge misunderstanding. It wasn't me who was robbing that place."
"So Velka didn't see you walking out of the kitchen with a box of goods, clearly looting it?" Ciaran question softly, just low enough that the conversation remained between the two of them.
"That was a box of bread and maybe a few cheeses. Nothing anyone would miss. The point is that the fire and everything else had nothing to do with me. I was just hoping to get the chance to explain before things get out of hand and I get implicated in what happened." Kaylen said, trying to plead his case.
"So let me get this straight, to clear your name of the crime of thievery, you snuck into the Royal Capital, fabricated a story of knighthood, besmirched the name of Lord Gwyn, just to freely admit that you did, in fact, steal something?" Ciaran questioned calmly. "Not the best of plans."
"It's not like coming here was my first choice. I'm kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place."
"I see. Well, I suppose we can do nothing more than allow this play out then." Ciaran said without a hint of worry in her tone. However, her passive behavior only made Kaylen question once again why it was she didn't outright say that he was lying and arrest him?
Before he could question her on just that, the small group made their way toward a large, exquisitely decorated door. Of which the captain promptly knocked upon.
"Enter." A deep voice sounded from inside.
Without any further motioning needed, the golden knight opened the door and the group make their way through the door.
Inside, the office was relatively clean and orderly, if not just a bit cluttered. There were books piled everywhere, and paperwork piled on the top of a long mission oak table the rear of the room. A titan of a man, whose body bulged with muscle and raw power, sat at the opposite end of the room, looking positively bored to tears with the whatever it was he was signing.
"Good morning to you, Ornstein. What brings you here?" The man said.
"Lord Gwyn, I have come to regarding your…. special initiative." The knight, now named Ornstein, said as he gestured for the young human to step forward.
Hearing the name of the top dog and ruler of the golden city, Kaylen could not help but turn a wide-eyed look back to Ciaran. But all she did in reply was gently nudge him forward, before walking past his person and moving towards her lords' side.
"My special initiative? What exactly are you-" was as far as Gwyn got before Ciaran leaned over and began whispering in his ear.
At first, the great lord was only halfway listening as he continued his work. But soon enough, he paused and gave a raised eyebrow at whatever was being told to him. He then turned his gave upward and looked directly at the human who was currently panicking internally like never before.
"Ah, I see then….quite the eventful morning. Heh, heh, heh…" the great lord said as he stood from his desk with a fatherly smile and proceeded to absolutely tower over everyone in the room. "Well, since the cats out of the bag, I suppose there is no need to conceal things any further. Forgive me for not informing you sooner, Ornstein. This was meant to be a trial run to test the waters."
"Wait, what?" Kaylen said in confusion.
"No, my Lord. I have not come to question your decision, merely to discuss its methods. To represent Anor Londo as a knight is an honor that must be earned. This human lacking in many qualities for the position. I have come to ask what exactly is being done to prepare him for his position."
"Quite the interesting question. The details haven't quite been worked out. But I recognize that it would be quite the hellish ordeal. Some might even view it as a "Punishment" of some sort. One that would make a man reflect on their past deeds and proceed better in the future." Gwyn said as he placed a hand upon Kaylen's shoulder in a friendly manner, causing Kaylen's heart to sink to the bottom of his stomach in dread.
"I understand, my lord. If you would allow me to do so, I would like to oversee such an initiative. If the aim is for him to be a symbol of betterment from humankind, I assure you no one will push him further than I." Ornstein volunteered resolutely.
"Well, this just works out perfectly then. I leave the matter in your capable hands, Ornstein." Gwyn said with a nod to his trusted soldier. "Oh, and do not allow the human to give up on himself. Betterment comes only through perseverance. If the other Silver Knights do not marvel at his resolve and improvement, then we have failed him."
"Yes, sir." Was all Ornstein said before turning on a heel, grabbing hold of the human by his collar and dragging him out of the room. "Let's go. As I recall, you were late for a meeting this morning. That puts you on my shit list, boy. Rest assured, we'll make sure something like this never happens again."
"Wait, wait, wait, it was a lie! I was lying! There was no meeting! There is no secret order! Ciaran just-"
SLAM
Just as Kaylen began telling the truth and explaining himself, Ciaran promptly closed the door on the two and turned to face her lord, who was currently chuckling to himself at the situation.
"Heh, heh, that should teach him a lesson or two. Ornstein will have him running and doing drills all night." He laughed as he returned to his desk with a shake of his head.
"Indeed. A bit of time under his tutelage will ensure that the human keeps his hands clean in his future, my lord." Ciaran said just as calmly as ever, listening on as Ornstein and Kaylen's voices traveled farther and farther away. "Making a man out of a criminal, as it were. He will thank us in the end."
"Oh, please, the human would have only had to pay a fine and perhaps spend a month or so in the dungeon for his crime. He hasn't done much to be labeled a criminal." Gwyn said plainly. "What was the true reason behind such an act?"
At this, there was silence for a few moments between the two of them before the knightess finally came clean.
"He ruined Velka's night of relaxation and toyed with her heart. That crime deserves more than a "fine and a month or so in a dungeon", my lord." Ciaran said coolly, innocently averting her eyes from her liege at the admittance. "If the humans actions happen to allow for a more creative punishment, then who are we to deny it?"
At this, Gwyn could only give a small pause, before shrugging and returning to his paperwork. Not at all perturbed by his warriors' actions or reasoning.
"Very well. But this shall only continue for as long as he would have been charged for his theft. Let the punishment fit the crime." Gwyn exclaimed, before pausing once more as a thought crossed his mind. "Oh, and be sure to inform Velka of our young guest situation once she returns. I'm all for delivering penance, but there will be no unjust harm brought human on our watch. Am I clear?"
"Of course, my lord." Ciaran said with small bow, before moving towards the door to leave. Leaving one last parting comment on her way out. "I'll be sure to gather the proper documentation for the human and send them to you immediately. As procedure demands."
The pen in Gwyn's hand immediately froze at these words as he realized that he'd just added great deal more paperwork to his already overflowing workload. Just as Ciaran left the room and ignored the annoyed look her lord threw her way; she felt a single sliver of guilt for Kaylen.
She could have just told Ornstein the human was a small-time thief or even have brought him to a lower ranking officer and have the matter handled in the usual manner. These were but two of many easy solutions that could have been chosen and yet were ignored.
Ciaran didn't lie when she said it was payback for ruining Velka's night out, but the truth of the matter was that she played along with this human little break in for but one simple reason….
…she was a little bored and thought it would be amusing to watch what would happen if Velka saw him here.
"Heh, he'll be fine. Velka's not going to kill him or anything….she'll probably just break a few bones. We'll have him healed right after without any issue." Ciaran nodded to herself she placed her hands behind her back and smirked at the thought. "And Artorias says I have a bad sense of humor. Nonsense."
ALRIGHTY, DEAR READERS!
That'll be all for this little addition to the story. Had a lot of fun just going with the wind with this story.
I actually don't have a legitimate plan for things moving forward in this tale, so i get me a little excited to not be restricted on any angle when writing it. So I hope things turned out alright this time around.
As always, feel free to leave a review and tell me what you guys thought about this chapter of the story. Was the trail of events a little to relaxed and contrived? Should Ciaran and the others been a bit more "Knightly" and honorable, instead of so relaxed? Was Gwyn a little too favorable towards a humans breaking in, even if they are far more powerful than them?
Honest opinions are always appreciated as I'm always looking to improve my style of writing to make this story a bit more interesting for you guys. so don't be shy in telling me your thoughts about how things are going so far. Outside opinions will have a huge effect on how this story will play out.
This is Supreme Gamer, Signing out.