Joe felt a bit rushed as he escaped the attention, moving his group on and into the dungeon entrance as quickly as possible before he finally sighed with some relief after passing the first corner into the dungeon. He slowed and turned towards Gwenvair although he did keep moving, not wanting the next team after them running into them since Gwenvair appeared to want privacy. The other three seemed to fidget, fitfully shifting between uncertainty and attempting to perform some form of obeisance but stopped as they remembered Gwenvair’s request. Their fidgeting irritated Joe and he sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Would you three just stop it? Relax. She said its fine, now just act normal. And you… Gwenvair, could I ask why you are seeking me?”

The other three froze couldn’t completely bring their nervous twitching to a halt and settled for a stiff march instead. Joe grimaced and looked at Gwenvair instead.

“Tell them to relax, please.”

Gwenvair looked at Joe, considering before turning to the other three, “Please, be at rest. Have no concern for this meeting.”

Joe heard Gwenvair and rolled his eyes, sighing, “You know what, that didn’t help at all. That… never mind. Tell me how I can help you.”

Gwenvair, having recovered her equilibrium, lost it once more and stuttered in her step before she looked up at Joe with some mild fear and consternation, “I … was hoping…”

Gwenvair trailed off as they came into the main area, the safe zone stuffed with dozens and dozens of fighters, some in groups and some alone. Joe noticed her reticence and said nothing, leading them to the edge of the safe zone before stopping and turning to Gwenvair.

“We head deeper into this floor. Do you need long or can you ask me quickly?”

Gwenvair began shifting slightly, her fidgeting anxiety much better hidden but still noticed by Joe and he frowned subtly at her actions. She didn’t notice, replying quickly, “Could we move on? I will speak to you in a private place.”

Joe found himself now uncertain, as they would be camping in their normal spot which would mean that someone would have to escort her back across the goblin floor and Joe wasn’t too happy with the idea of the princess of the town dying with him as the last to make contact with her. He considered, about to question her but then just let it go as it would be relatively easy just to walk her back. It would take a couple minutes, but it seemed that it would comfort her and at least get him some brownie points with the local nobility, so he nodded.

“Alright. Let’s head to our corner,” Joe gestured on.

The other three, now more in their element and following the routine, stepped up and followed after Joe and Gwenvair took a bit longer to gather herself to follow after. They weaved through the floor, dodging most of the goblins except for the one or two that Joe would almost instantly kill until they made it to the corner.

Joe didn’t turn to Gwenvair instantly, but instead settled everything into the corner, setting down their bags and their lunch on top of the bags, the other three also setting up their corner for the day, the easy preparation a long prepared habit they followed through with. Gwenvair stared at the other four, uncertain of what to do. The easy camaraderie returned with the routine and it wasn’t until all four turned, settling on the floor that they remembered Gwenvair, standing and looking at them with some discomfort.

Joe froze, then laughed, “Sorry, Gwenvair. This is such a habit. Please forgive me my rudeness. How can I help? I’m fairly certain we will remain completely private here.”

Gwenvair nodded at that, firming her resolve and obviously nervous, although she hid it well, “I wish… to seek out… May I go… I wish to join you. May I do so?”

“Join me?”

“Not… no… join with this group, if you would have me.”

Joe rocked back a bit, considering, “I’m not sure… They are my apprentices, as it were. We pretty much do everything together and I don’t … you have duties here in the city that would be… you can’t leave the city, can you?”

Gwenvair quickly shook her head, “I wasn’t seeking to be your apprentice or become… I just wished to join you on your dungeon dives.”

“For today? Sure.”

“No… not…”

“Not for… you mean for more?”

“Just while you are here in the city.”

“Every day?”

“If… if you would have me”

“Oh. Oh! Um…” Joe thought for a bit, considering before he turned to the other three, “What do you guys think?”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Kilniara, Zilnek, and Garnedell all just kind of stared at him, shellshock obvious on their face and Joe waited patiently.

* * *

Gwenvair schooled her face as Joe turned to his apprentices and asked them if they would allow her presence in their group. She wasn’t certain how to actually feel as she was surprised but understanding of his asking others but a bit nonplussed and slightly put out as he appeared to be putting the concerns of the other three above her. They are only commoners. She stifled her annoyance and acknowledged his wise leadership. As was expected, however, the three commoners were unable to say anything in the face of her nobility. The eccentric, however, wouldn’t allow the apprentices to abdicate their choice.

“Guys. I really don’t want to be the only one making the decision here, and you need to talk to me so we can make a decision together. We shou… wait…”

The eccentric stopped speaking and turned to her, “Please follow me real quick, Gwenvair.”

Gwenvair stifled her curiosity, only nodding gracefully in agreement before following him towards the exit to the second level. They arrived at the tunnel and Joe then turned to her.

“Give me a minute. I’ll be right back after I speak with them. They’re probably feeling pressured since you’re there and they need to be able to talk without you listening in. You should be OK here. No monsters attack this location, so… but if you need help, please yell quickly and loudly.”

Gwenvair nodded politely, “Thank you.”

Joe smiled and turned but then stopped, turning back to her, staring at her a bit intently before finally speaking again.

“I… not… Are you OK?”

Gwenvair startled, surprised by eccentric’s statement, “Yes? Is there something wrong?”

“You… well… you are pretty stiff. We were talking pretty relaxed before, at the restaurant… but now you are very stiff… uptight. You seem worried or afraid.”

Gwenvair struggled to keep her composure, hoping the pink on her cheeks was hidden enough to not be noticeable before gathering herself enough to speak, “I apologize… this request is a bit… forthcoming. I do not wish to be offensive.”

The eccentric suddenly laughed at that and relaxed completely, “Ha! Don’t worry about it. It’s perfectly fine and I don’t think it unreasonable at all. You asked politely and considerately. I’m fine. Let me just make sure with the other three.”

Gwenvair took a deep breath, relief flooding her and calming her shaking fear but found the roiling in her stomach exploding outward in a wave, “I thank you ver…”

The eccentric shook his head and cut her off, “Back to talking normally, princess. No stilted language.”

Gwenvair stared at him, eyes wide with some shock that he had interrupted her but then she parsed his statement, the meaning coming through and the shock turned to grateful surprise as she calculated an appropriate response. Her mind flitted through his statement rapidly even as her eyes searched his face quickly, noticing his smirking lips and sparkling eyes. A … dangerous ploy, but…

It had worked at the meal, “You interrupted a princess!”

The eccentric smiled, “I don’t know… all I see is a bandit boss.”

Her eyes widened even more, “And yet you are still so rude!”

The eccentric chuckled, “That’s more like it. Relax… it will put those three at much more ease, as well!”

She took a deep breath, allowing her relief to be visible as she nodded, “Thanks. Sorry I was so stilted.”

The eccentric shrugged, “Meh. It’s all good. Asking for help or requesting things from others is always uncomfortable. Don’t feel bad about it with me. I’ll always say no if I need to so feel free. I’ll be right back.”

She watched him go, thoughts spinning a bit at the ease with which he was willing to so easily dismiss others. One of the things well learned by all nobility was the wisdom behind acquiescing to requests and the utter danger to rejecting them. To do so was… social suicide. Then again, eccentrics were always unconcerned with others and had the power to be little concerned.

Her eyes followed his easy return, slipping between the goblins without concern, fear, or difficulty; the privilege of the incredibly strong. He returned to his apprentices and began speaking with them. All three seemed recalcitrant and the eccentric had need to berate them a bit, although she did not know what he was berating them for before finally all four began to speak together. Their discussion went quickly until the eccentric nodded, looking at all three carefully before returning to her. He made it about half way to her and then beckoned her to join him.

She felt prepared enough as there were few goblins between them and as the eccentric was asking her to come, she could only hope that he would easily protect her. His planning and divination seemed excellent as the goblins surrounding them never once approached her or her path and she was soon by his side again. He greeted her without words, her own reply just as base as she copied his nod before he turned and lead the way back. When they made the corner, he turned, facing her beside the other three, placing them at his side obviously showing that the decision had been a group one.

“Well, it’s fine with us if you join. The others are cool with it. We usually work in pairs, but we’ll need to work as a team for a bit until we can see and understand how we can work as a team together. Is that cool?”

Cool? How… Gwenvair dismissed the eccentric’s odd colloquialisms and derived his intent from the context of the moment and what she could understand of his speech, nodding quickly, “I’m willing. It is wise to follow the best and strongest.”

The eccentric chuckled at her statement, shaking his head, “Do you wish to simply join us or are you seeking training as well?”

Gwenvair’s breath quickened a bit at that, surprised that the eccentric would offer such, her hope rising quickly before she squashed it quite brutally, “I’m willing to learn anything you wish to offer, but have no expectations.”

The eccentric nodded, deep in thought for a few moments before turning to her once again, “I’m not sure I can help you much, to be honest. What weapon do you use?”

Gwenvair blinked in surprise before shrugging her shoulders, “I am a mage.”

“So you have no close combat skills.”

Gwenvair struggled to keep her face schooled at his statement. At first, she felt angered that he would assume such, then felt surprise followed by wild speculation erupting in a whirling chaos of thoughts as she struggled to understand the implications. She had never known any mage capable of close combat yet the eccentric, by his very statement, appeared to hint at mages with close combat skills. The possibilities bound through her mind even as she spoke to answer, “I do not have many close combat Skills. I preferred magic.”

“Then... hmm... Can you use the half staff?”

Gwenvair opened her mouth to reject it, then stopped, her thoughts crashing into a new revelation, “I… yes?” And the sword... should I say? He did not ask...