It was the day when the forge and the general store was opened ever since the night of the attack, The general store owner and The Smith came while Thomas, Hickey, and two serving boys waited by the store and forge when they got the letter when it's going to be opened. The two serving boys helped out the store owner in setting up the store while Thomas and Hickey helped the Smith set up the forge. Once everything was settled the work hours were slow, nobody was really buying or visiting the shop only the militia were sometimes passing by for the repairs. Then Hickey suddenly asked to leave for a moment but will be in quickly, and to tell the general store owner to come the forge and wait for his return, Hickey also asked to the two serving boys to come along.

They all waited at the forge till Hickey and the serving boys came back with a stack of cutlasses, muskets, and flintlocks, they laid out the weapons on the ground, the weapons were damaged; cutlasses stained and bent, muskets and flintlocks with broken parts."What do we need these broken weapons?" The Store owner asked, a stout man of his mid thirties, his black hair was combed nicely as with his beard, he wore a white shirt, green vest, brown breeches and boots. "He said that the weapons can be repaired, sell em to either people interested or the militia" said one of the serving boys, The store owner liked the idea, he asked the smith if he's up to the amount of work, The Smith agreed on it saying "Not much work is there, might as well do it."

The servings boys went on to get the spare materials needed for the repairs, Hickey started repairs on the cutlasses, all while Thomas had been helping the Smith in repairing the flintlocks and muskets. All of them continuously working, focusing only at the task at hand, Thomas however was still bothered ever since the night of the attack, his mind still plagued by the thoughts of what he had been through that night, I shot and killed a man, It kept bothering Thomas ever since then. He thought of his action, kept telling himself it was either his life or the attacker's life,  I had to shot the man, he'd would have gotten us and we'd be dead, that thought kept bothering Thomas while he helped with the repairs; he lacking in focus at his work, halting for moment then continuing back again.

"What's bothering you, Thomas. You've seemed distracted" The Smith asked. "Nothing, it's just a bit of a little trouble" Thomas replied shrugging at the question.

The Smith gave a look at Thomas, the look that he knows it's not just a little bother to Thomas at all. The Smith continued to repair the broken musket then he spoke again "Nothing but a little trouble then... continue your work", Thomas was relieved at those words continuing back to his work but bothered still by the act he did, his chest was heavy feeling fear pumping through his heart but kept it to himself by just focusing it all into repairing the flintlocks and muskets.

Paco suddenly appeared in the forge stating Thomas to come with him for the meeting going to Union's Rising they discussed two days ago. "I'll be back as soon as I can" Thomas told the Smith asking for his leave, the Smith nodded in agreement.

The meeting took place in the inn where they normally met, Elis, Jindagee, and Rowlan where already there at their spot in the inn. "So about the trip and stay in the Capital City" Elis began "Are you fellows okay with it and permitted to go?". 

"I'm good, my father and mother allowed me to join up" Paco said.

"And you Rowlan?"

"Their thinking on it, though I'm inclined to think my mother to be clearly no though my father would oppose, but I'll try to convince them"   

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"You Thomas?"

"I've asked but the situation right now... isn't clear for a good time to decide, with the night of the attack and other matters at hand". Thomas' father and mother were clearly still in a state of shock of the night of attack, It would only make things worse for them if I would insist on going to Union's Rising, they need their son for comfort in this time.

"I think... I won't be able to go" Thomas further said. 

"Why" Paco asked in a shock and concern.

"I just have to take care of my parents, because of they were really shock since the night" 

"We understand" Jindagee said in comforting voice

"Thank you, I'm going to back to the forge now. Thank you all for understanding" 

"Shame you can't go, but taking care of family is important" Rowlan said in solace.

"Thank you" with that Thomas returned to the forge with now the though of his stressed parents now on his mind. I should do something to put a smile on their faces, I can't afford to see them like that it'll only burden me more. When Thomas had returned most of the weapons were gone only a few left to be repaired, He got a flintlock and went beside the Smith; repairing a musket, and started to repair the flintlock. The Smith gave a quick glance at Thomas then he spoke "You something on your mind you'd like to talk?", 

Before Thomas could reply the Smith continued "Thomas" he said in a concernied voice "I know when a person is being bothered by heavy thoughts, it'll ease the pain if you'd talk about it".

Thomas was tempted to ignore to talk about his troubling thoughts but he felt an urge to get it all out, so he told the Smith about the night of survival with Rowlan and Paco, The moment he shot and killed a man, and the worried faces of his parents all while the Smith just listened to Thomas. After Thomas had expelled his thoughts the Smith gave a look of concern, patting Thomas on the back then placing a hand on his shoulder "You keep that heavy burden and let it stay quiet it'll eat through you, making you a person void and stressed, I'm telling you this: If you ever in a moment your being torn from the inside, you suffer for a bit that seems like an eternity, but your going it let it all out then find a way to better your situation right now like forging a sword or gun with such passion, then you find a way to temper it make that passion into a strong blade." 

Thomas' perspective change when the Smith said those words, feeling lighten by it. His facial expression changed and the Smith noticed that, The Smith went to box near the workbench and got it, he opened it to reveal a flintlock, Fine dark wood with the metal being darker than most flintlock pistols. Thomas took it and held it in his hands feeling the weight to it and feeling.

"I repaired that ole'd flintlock the you've tried to repair, used the spare materials and their's your pistol. I know you've had a trauma of a since the night of the attack but I'll keep it here if you ever need to claim" The Smith

Thomas was feeling all the better than he was before, having released his expressing his thoughts now and being given a great gift was an up lift to him, "Thank you, a great deal of thanks, I'll find a way to repay you" Thomas said thankfully almost bringing a tear to eyes as he returned the flintlock to the box "I'll claim it maybe some time but not today", I'd to got help lighten my father and mother now. Thomas went home after the forge help cheering up his mother and father from the worrying feelings they were having.