6. Duty
Tobe felt a light hand under his chin, gently forcing his gaze from the corner of the stall where it had remained throughout his healing and into a pair of blazing green eyes. Tobe flinched instinctively at the touch, but forced himself not to back away.
The man had been nothing but kind to him, even if he was a noble. Still Tobe found the green eyes unnerving; most everyone he had ever seen had blue eyes, and he wondered if it was the unusual color that made it feel as if this man's look pierced his very soul.
Tobe would have ducked his head again if not for the hand beneath his chin; no one had ever really taken the time to look at him before, and he wasn't sure he liked feeling so exposed.
"What's your name boy?" The voice was strong and quiet, reassuring.
Tobe had to clear his throat twice before he could answer. "Tobeis Boon my lord." It came out as a mere whisper. He needed some water, and he wanted to get out of the stables as quickly as possible. Everything had gone well so far, but he knew how quickly men's tempers could change. And it seemed to Tobe as if he had used up most of his luck for the day already and then some, when the Lady Knight had bought him from old Alverik.
"Sit." The healer called over his shoulder as he rummaged through his bag before finally emerging with a full waterskin.
Tobe remained standing, his eyes fixed on the ground once more. He had been raised to obey a noble's every command, but experience had shown him that it was safest to be on his feet and ready to run when the hitting started, and experience was the better teacher.
The healer threw up his arms in exasperated defeat, showering both of them with water from the open flask. After another exaggerated sigh, the dramatics abruptly ceased. Tobe waited, not knowing what the strange man would do next. He had never met anyone quite like this man before.
"I want you to do something for me." Tobe was not surprised. The nobles were always asking him for favors, making him bring them things like drink and girls. Or they would send him out with messages for their wives about broken wagon wheels and lame horses.
He glanced up warily, wondering what this one wanted. With the ground still not fully frozen, he was not looking forward to the muddy walk that awaited him, but he knew the danger of refusing a task. He had been blessed enough tonight.
"That girl"- the noble paused to consider for a second, his eyes scorching, before amending, "that woman out there, she's something special. She gets so caught up in taking care of the world that she often forgets to take care of herself. You saw how she took you in today, stood up for you? She'll do it again, a million times over, without a second thought. And she doesn't even recognize how unique that is, that everyone wouldn't have the courage or the sense or the kindness to act the same.
I'll do my best, but we're headed to war. Gods knows where any of us will end up. And if we find ourselves on opposite sides of one of King Maggot's little armies, I want to know that someone is looking after her. I don't have any reason to trust you Tobe, any more than you do me. But I do. So I'm going to ask more of you than I have ever asked of anyone in my life- will you watch out for Kel for me, if there should come a time when I cannot?"
Looking back, Tobe knew he had nodded quickly only out of sheer relief and the burning desire to escape before the man changed his mind or the woman left him behind. Neither ever mentioned the conversation again.
But Tobe never forgot it. And even if he hadn't understood what he was getting into at the time, he swore to keep that promise for as long as he lived. She was worth it.