Orn was surprised. He was told the employer was a noble who could not pay much, but he had not expected it to be someone he knew. Although, Orn had to admit the student in front of him did not look much like the nobleman he saw in class.

Adles fancy clothes with bright colors and decorative lacework, was traded for plain shirt and breeches. On his back he had a worn traveler’s pack. The only thing distinctive about him, was the red and green stripped blanket clasped over his shoulder like a cape.

“Yes?” Orn asked as the silence stretched on. Adles stood there staring at him without moving or speaking. “I was told you had a job. Something about monsters?”

“Yes…” Aldes said seeming to slowly gather himself. “I need someone to go with me to look into rumors of monsters. In the mines.” Adles’ eyes lingered on Orn’s bow.

“Good, that is what I am here for,” Orn said with a shrug.

“Are you sure?” Adles said before hurrying to add, “That you want to go? The rumors put them underground and a bow would not be particularity useful there.” Adles looked down at his feet. “I do not want a classmate to get hurt over a few coins.”

“I thought it was three large gold, and an invitation to a party?” Orn did to care that much about the rewards, but Lissa talked about the party as a very exclusive event. An event where nobles and more humble paths gathered without issue. It sounded like the kind of thing Mother would like, if it was real.

“Well yes,” Adles blinked. “I did add that to the offer, but I planned to invite everyone from my classes. You will get that regardless. I am not the kind of person who would leave a classmate out if they did not do something dangerous.”

“Well I am not the kind of person who would abandon a classmate to fight monsters alone,” Orn smiled. “Besides I already said I took the job. So where is the mine and what type of monsters are we dealing with?”

“The mine is in the highlands on the north end of may family's land. The type of monsters,” Adles trailed off at the word monsters. “Wait, why does the type of monster matter?”

“Well if you are fighting goblin kin you should bring antivenom, and be ready to deal with large numbers,” he said smiling. “If you are dealing with Kobolds, you can skip the antivenom, but they have even better sense of smell so you need to keep a closer eye on the direction of the wind. Things like that matter a lot.”

“Oh,” Adles said taken aback clearly not having expected an answer. “I did not know that. I… I do not know. There are rumors of strange noises and people going missing. No one knows what is happening. How do you tell what kind of monster it is if no one has seen it?”

“They usually leave some sign,” Orn ‘scratched a the back of his neck. “Goblins tend to beat trails around where they hunt and all the small game disappears. When they get bigger they start to leave claw and chew marks on trees.”

“I have not heard of anything like that,” Adles said looking a bit embarrassed. “I have just heard there are rumors and people are scared. I do not know more than that.”

“Well, we will not find out standing around here,” Orn said shouldering his bag. “Do you have everything you need?”

“I do,” Adles replied adjusting the straps on his own bag. “I do not have the money for a carriage to take us there so we will have to walk. I am sorry about that.” Adles looked down heat rising in his face. “I can make it up to you after this is over.”

“Make what up?” Orn asked starting in the vague direction of the west gate. “The last time I headed toward the spine I ran into a wagon driver who gave me a ride. I saw several on the way back as well. One of them will probably give us a ride if we ask.”

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“You have been to the spine before?” Adles asked taking a couple rushed steps to catch up with Orn. “Everyone always tells me there is so little out there when I mention going. What were you doing out there?”

“Another job,” Orn smiled. “I was hunting goblins that time.”

“Really?!” Adles replied then gave Orn an appraising look. “I have camped all over the highlands and I have never seen a monster. Did you find them?”

Orn laughed and began to explain his trip over the last holiday.

...

“You should be dead,” Adles said flatly as Orn finished. “You should be dead several times over. All you had to do was go back to the town and send a warning. The King or the local lord would have sent troops to deal with it.”

“Says the person who wants to go investigate rumors of monsters,” Orn said with a smirk.

“That is my point. A lord is required to protect his people,” Adles replied, as they passed through the west gate. “I am making sure that the people in my territory are safe.”

“You are not the lord though,” Orn said stopping as several things snapped into place. “Your parents do not want you to do this, do they? Is that why you did not have more money?”

Adles flinched. “No, they do not, and yes they cut off my allowance to stop me going,” Adles rolled his shoulders and stood a little straighter. “But they are not the lord, my grandfather is. He told me about the problems in the mine, and that they were keeping it from me. I have his blessing, and that is what matters.”

Orn watched Adles march his eyes staring at a point in the distance.

“I am guessing he did not tell you to do this either,” Orn said with a sigh.

“No,” Adles admitted, but to Orn’s surprise he smiled. “He did not have to. He gave me this before I left for the Academy. It is all the permission I need.”

Adles moved the thick wool blanket aside to show a sword hanging from his belt.

“I do not understand,” Orn admitted looking at the sheathed blade. It looks as if someone made a larger version of my knife.

“I know it does not fit me, but it is a family heirloom,” Adles said his hand gently falling to the pommel. “It is also a symbol of authority given to the person who is responsible for acting on behalf of the clan. Whenever the clan needs a blade raised, this one is the first. There is something in the mines and it needs to be dealt with,” Adles sighed. “You probably think that sounds silly. It is alright, the few people in the dorms I showed it to thought it was silly, but ...”

“I do not think it is silly, and who cares what they think,” Orn replied his eyes still on the blade. “They all favor thin rapiers when they carry a blade at all. That looks a lot more dangerous. I bet it is more useful outside of a duel too. It actually looks similar to the knives we all carry back home.” Orn pulled out his hunting knife and showed it to the other boy. “That is if someone made it far larger.”

Aldes looked at the blade in Orn’s hand for a moment before responding. “That is really what it is. It is just a large knife, I was told it is even put together more like a knife than a sword. It has been in the family since we were a true clan, rather than a noble house. That means it was probably made by a regular blacksmith, rather than one with a blade smith path.”

“I have never heard of a blade like that,” Orn replied. “I have not seen a knight student with anything other than an arming sword.”

“Since it is closer to a knife than a sword in the way it is made some people think it is a peasant’s weapon,” Adles said his voice dropping. “The other students I showed it to said as much. I doubt the knights want that comparison.”

“Most of nobles in the Academy are idiots,” Orn replied flatly. “They care too much about how a blade looks. I have heard them talk about swords in class. That looks like it would break one of theirs if you swung it hard enough.” He contemplated the sheathed blade for a moment. “I would rather not be on the wrong end of it.”

The tension seemed to fall away from Adles, as Orn did not belittle the blade. “Do you want to see it?’ Adles asked hesitantly.

“Can I?” Orn asked excited. “Of course I would!”