CH1

= Dave: Five days ago
Boring. The day had started out quite dull. Aside from the explosion last week that freaked out some people that lived near the castle nothing much has happened. After all, the nobility is known for pulling off pranks. It's what made the people so trusting of their king who in their eyes was strong, tactful, and a major goofball. Though he was very overprotective of his children to the point that they were not allowed to leave the walls of the castle. The kingdom has a princess who has recently come of age and prince who is literally confined inside the large castle to keep him safe until his coronation. Neither of them is seen much, but the stories of their pranks and games travel all around the kingdom. Then again it's not as if someone like me would know much anyways since Dirk and I live in the woods outside of the kingdom.
"What I wouldn't give for a change of pace." Lil' Hal makes a noise as if agreeing with me. For a horse it acts very smart; almost as if he understands me. Maybe one day he'll learn to speak like a person. That would be the day... wouldn't it Bro?
Thump.
"Huh?" Lil' Hal stops in his tracks and looks off the dirt road. Something caught his attention. Might as well investigate a bit. Anything to make this day any less boring. Of course I had to lead Lil' Hal off the road so that nothing gets stolen while I'm not paying attention. It doesn't take long before I see the horse tracks and the broken branches laying all over the place. I try to find some clue as to what may have transpired and then I see something reflect sunlight about a few feet away from the tracks. Its a pair of glasses. Miraculously they're only a bit scratched up, but not broken. But whose did they belong to? Was it the owner of the horse?
Then I hear the whimper. I freeze for a moment before slowly moving to one of the bushes. I take out my hunting knife and cut away the foliage to reveal an unconscious boy on the ground. He's covered in dirt and cuts. He's wearing what seems to be a pair of blue cotton pajamas and has disheveled pitch black hair. I'm dumbfounded for a moment, but I quickly pick up the boy and throw him over my shoulders before heading back to Lil' Hal. I gently place the hurt boy on the back of the cart over the camping equipment; which I need in order to put up with the night in the forest since it takes two days to travel from our cottage to the village.
"C'mon Lil' Hal we're heading back to the village" It's closer than the cottage and the boy may be in serious condition. I don't want to risk it and besides someone may recognize him there. Lil' Cal makes a sound in protest most likely due to the several hours of traveling that we had already done today.
"Don't be like that I'll but you some apples for the trouble." I am met with a short subtle neigh. "Okay, the apples are mostly for me. I'll get you some carrots okay?" Another neigh. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

...

I reach the Mystery Kat Inn by the afternoon. There is a good side and a bad side to this. Thankfully I don't have to pay for a doctor to look at the boy since the Innkeeper's little sister, Rose, is very talented when it comes to the medicinal practice.
I am kicked out of the room while Rose "works her magic" on the boy and am bombarded by question after question by the nosy innkeeper, Roxy Lalonde, who was left the inn after they're mother's passing about a year ago. A large amount of them are about Dirk and I can tell by her keen curiosity of Dirk's relationship status that she still has a bit of a crush on him. Of course she does, Striders are handsome young lady killers;no one could ever possible resist our charm. Its why Dirk and I never come over to the village together; we would cause an earthquake with all the women that would be all over us throwing themselves at us in hopes of catching our attention. Of course they would be out of luck cause we Striders' are quite picky about our lovers. Our father for one had our mother pass a series of tests to prove her love and loyalty to him. Though its much more complicated for us now; aside from the fact that both Dirk and I are not interested in women we don't trust people so easily.

The footsteps coming down the stairs alert us that Rose has finished patching the boy up; or at least me since Roxy still hasn't stopped talking about how she single handedly beat up a drunk last month with a broom for not paying for his drinks.

"How's his condition Lalonde?" I get up to face Rose as she has finally reached the bottom of the stairs.
"He does not appear to have any severe injuries, but he received quite a blunt blow to the head. Hopefully that does not lead to any further complications..."
"What? So he's alright then?"
"Affirmative."
"Then alls he need is'a wittle *lidle *litle sleep!"
"I placed him in a room with two beds so that you can most practically care for the unconscious child."
"Pft! Care~" I raise an eyebrow at Roxy's slightly provocative tone as she says the word.

I go join the boy in the room and fall asleep wondering if Dirk would worry if I got home a day later than normal. Probably not.