“She died,” Morgan said with his cap in hand held in front of him.

Kaleb glanced up from the log he was sitting upon beside the fire, the rain had subsided and Happywood was quiet once more. “Cover her up, we’ll drop her off at Brimshire.”

Morgan stuffed his hat back on his head and turned to tend to Greta’s corpse.

“Get some sleep,” Kaleb called as he walked away, Morgan didn’t answer and that would be an instruction he may struggle with after this encounter. Kaleb certainly wouldn’t be sleeping, he was still on high alert. Flencer and Iridia had retired to the wagon on his instruction and he could hear a little light chatter. The chatter died away with the last of the day's warmth, the height of the night was cool but not breezy, fortunately.

Kaleb had removed his steel mantle, set aside his simple cuirass and watched the darkness, shapes formed into people, wolves and even demons, the blackness hypnotised him.

“Mind if a join?”

Kaleb looked at Flencer who was holding a bundle of sticks.

Flencer nodded at the silence and started to apply the sticks to the fire to build the light and heat back up. “You’d have been sitting in darkness.”

“That’s my job.”

Flencer smirked, his face lit up as the flames rose, he looked exhausted but that made sense given he was a moment away from death just over an hour ago. He dragged over the food crate that served as his platform under the tree and sat cross-legged on the floor. “Game of Iron Seeker?” Flencer retrieved a pack of simple cards from his pocket. “Greta left us these in her will.”

“Sure, deal me in.” Kaleb looked around, remaining wary.

Morgan sat across from Iridia in the Wagon and leaned forward. “Are you alright my lady?”

Iridia nodded. “How did you know about the Elf seed?” she changed the topic quickly, her wellbeing not on the front of her mind.

Morgan scratched the back of his neck. “Ah, I guess Kaleb didn’t mention, makes sense it’s not his job to do so.” Morgan removed his cap and pushed his hair away from his ear. “See.” He turned his head to the side, the low lamp light inside the wagon made it harder to see.

“You’re an Elf!”

Morgan let his hair drop and quickly placed his cap on. “Ha, not quite, I’m…” he looked down. “Sinlethon.”

“Sinlethon?”

“We are a type of Elf, commonly called half Elves.” He nodded. “Unfortunate bunch we are really, considered lesser beings by the Elves and heretics by the Empire.” He chuckled at his self-description.

“Surprised Kaleb took you in knowing that.” She leaned back.

“He’s the only one who would, even commoners wouldn’t have me.” He scratched the side of his face nervously.

“Is that why you let him treat you so poorly?”

“Poorly? He treats me well, I am well fed and have a roof overhead, better than the streets.”

Iridia sighed. “If you say so.”

“He’s a great Paladin, you should try to learn from him.” Morgan nodded.

“Ha! He doesn’t even have a horse!” Iridia cleared her throat, She probably said that a little loud, she was waiting for Kaleb to come storming around to chastise her. Everything remained quiet though.

Morgan felt the tension and lowered his voice. “Of course, he doesn’t have a horse, he got rid before we set out.”

“Surprising, he seems to care so much about what people think, he must have looked silly riding out on his wagon.” Iridia smiled.

“Well, he had to pay for your armour somehow.”

Iridia looked over at the trunk where her armour was stored.

Morgan studied her face, trying his best to read it. “Hey, I have a gift for you, something I made while we were on the road, glad you sat up front, made it easy to keep secret.”

Iridia’s cheeks flushed, She hadn’t been given a gift before unless the armour Kaleb bought her counted, but that was more requirement. “Well, you didn’t have to.”

“It’s no bother.” Morgan smiled and lifted out a small pebble, it had a little engraving on it.

“It’s…lovely, I always wanted a rock,” she tried to sound sincere but failed miserably.

Morgan let her look at it a moment, keeping in a chuckle as he watched her struggle to seem extra grateful. “It’s a whisper stone.”

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Iridia glanced up quickly and tilted her head quizzically.

“A magic item, I can make them, Kaleb tells me not to make anything magic because I am too clumsy for that sort of stuff, but this is easy and simple.”

“What does it do?”

“I’ll show you, wait here.” Morgan hopped out of the wagon excitedly.

Iridia turned the stone in her fingers and admired the pretty swirl Morgan had carved into it, her eyes flashed green as the swirl lit up. “Hello, Paladin Iridia.” She dropped the stone in panic. “Can you hear me?”

Tentatively Iridia picked the stone from the floor, and with it flat in her palm she leaned in. “Yes?”

“Great! It works perfectly.” Morgan clambered back into the wagon and huffed. “We can talk, within a short distance, handy if you get lost.”

“Is that how you fetched Kaleb?”

“Yep!”

Iridia nodded impressed. “Thank you.” she smiled and placed her hand on his. “I’m surprised Kaleb isn’t shouting at you through it all the time.”

Morgan laughed and blushed. “Ah, well…he doesn’t much like magic things, but it has come in handy enough times for him to keep it around, plus it was the first thing I gave him.”

“Seems I win again, Dwarf.” Kaleb laid the three gold ingot cards on the box.

“Ye never winning at this game til you have won, my mine will come up top.”

Kaleb smiled and shuffled the deck.

“That Iridia of yours is a good un’”

“You say that because she saved you.” Kaleb dealt the cards, the smile wiped from his face.

“Well, that helped things along.” Flencer picked up his cards as they were dealt, inspecting them with care.

“Don’t think I don’t know your tricks, Flencer, your past alone made that hanging justifiable.”

Flencer’s eyes narrowed. “Might I give you some advice, Paladin?”

Kaleb picked his cards up and looked them over, a slight quirk on his lip. “Advice? From you?”

Flencer didn’t wait for approval. “You should be thanking the divine heart for it saved you.”

“Explain.” Kaleb laid down a copper ingot and a mine cart card.

“She could ‘ave died thanks to your actions.” Flencer took his turn, choosing to place down a single pick axe card.

Kaleb inspected the board, he picked up his tavern card placed last round and replaced it with a silver ingot. “I do not take responsibility for the actions of bandit scum.”

“You initiated that, Kaleb, you could ‘ave let ‘em free and they woulda met justice another day, but you were willing to bet the life of Iridia on it.” He placed down a smithy and two silver ore cards.

Kaleb flicked through his remaining cards and chose to draw one from the deck. “Justice cannot hide.”

“Ridiculous.” Flencer almost spat out over the cards. “You lost control, maybe you should fink about the lives of those in ye care, you won’t always be so lucky.”

“Lucky?” Kaleb watched Flencer place a mine cart.

“Lucky, you was lucky…unless you meant to test her heart with that bolt, don’t you even suggest it.” Flencer met Kaleb with his eyes to hammer the point home, he meant every word.

Kaleb paused a moment and searched through his cards once more, placing down a feeble pickaxe and sighing.

“Maybe you’re not in as much control as you fink you are, maybe you should consider a different game to play, You’ll live, you’re a savage that could murder a dozen Orcs, but Iridia will need time…let her ‘ave it for the love of the divine.” Flencer looked at his cards and then over the table before placing a smithy and two gold ingots. “The copper makes brass here, that converts to three swords, You have two swords, and no more cards to play, I win.”

Kaleb slapped his hand down. “You’re a good card player at least.”

“Not really, you’re just bad.” Flencer chuckled and stood slowly, stretching out the aches from sitting cross-legged for so long.

“We make for Brimshire in the morning, we’ll drop you off there.”

Flencer stopped mid-yawn. “‘Scuse me?”

Kaleb shot him a quick look as she cleared up the cards and worked them back into the tight drawstring bag. “I speak clear.”

“I intend to come wiv you.”

“What you intend and what you get are two different things.” Kaleb tossed the bag to Flencer’s chest and he caught it with his meaty hands.

“Iridia said–”

Kaleb stood quickly. “Iridia is not in charge, I am–you got lucky Dwarf, I’d have you hanging from that rope, oh I promise you.”

Flencer threw the cards back at Kaleb. “Keep, 'em, you need to practise!” He shuffled away and lay in his bedroll.

“Is everything ok out here?” Iridia had come out.

“Everything is fine, girl, go back in the wagon and rest up, you’ll need your strength for the coming journey.”

Iridia could sense the air was murky with tension but she hadn’t the energy to engage. “Right then.” She wandered back inside.

Kaleb swivelled on the stump to watch Flencer in the darkness.

“Going to watch me try an’ sleep, Paladin? Does that entertain you?”

“It would be silly of me to let a bandit stalk the camp.”

“Piss off.”

“We shall, tomorrow.”

Flencer grunted and rolled over. He also hadn’t the energy to argue, he’d plead his case tomorrow and use this time to come up with reasons. He wasn’t confident in changing Kaleb’s mind though, he was a hard-nosed bastard through and through. He huffed once more, rueing his big mouth, why did he have to challenge Kaleb like that? A man too proud to learn. He rubbed the Elf seed between his fingers, kissed it and whispered. “I’m coming, hold on.”

“He has a point.”

Kaleb looked at his hammer. “You wish to weigh in?”

“When I trained my Neophyte, I was very tough on him, yes, but sometimes they need your time not your dismissal.”

Kaleb rubbed from his forehead and to his mouth. “Perhaps you make a point.”

“Are you going to let the Dwarf stay?” The hammer enquired as if he was watching a play at the theatre and was desperate to know what would happen next.

“Would you?”

The hammer glowed a moment. “I never liked, Dwarves.”

“Well, that settles it, he can’t be trusted.”

The hammer vibrated. “Sometimes the best company comes from those who have a true quest, not those who wish to fill pockets.”

“Are you suggesting his quest is true?”

“No. But if it is, he’ll be loyal.”

Kaleb scoffed, Dwarves, loyalty, Elves and seeds. He kicked the Hammer away and continued his lonely watch.