Fritz
Fritz had watched the vile trader be consumed by roots, the somewhat grotesque spectacle almost fascinating him as the roots behaved with a will of their own. He was about to ask how such a thing could happen when he remembered his first encounter with the imp, and how a root had grabbed his ankle and held him in place. Shivering at the thought that such a fate could have been his he looked around for Aergar before he spotted him stood beside the trader’s wagon, with an innocent grin covering his face and a glint in his deep amber eyes.
When the imp next emerged from the wagon Fritz continued to watch him, his mind still turning over what his opinion of him should be - beyond suspicion that was. He had found some kind of staff amongst the trader’s goods and was now wielding it, his attention fixated immediately on the children that Ada had saved before he approached them.
"Fritz," the imp scolded as he reached to untie one of the knots, "You've got that shiny new knife, don't you know how to--"
Suddenly Aergar fell silent and a look Fritz had never seen spread across his face before a strange transformation began. The girls each began to morph into animals whilst Aergar became noticeably weaker, leaning on the new staff desperately as in the blink of an eye the girls finished their transformations before bounding into the forest, one of them pausing a few moments to bow her head gracefully towards Ada in some kind of thanks.
There was silence for a moment as the group stared at Aergar somewhat dumbfoundedly before he collapsed forwards, obviously exhausted from what had just happened. Frit glanced at Ada to see what he should do, but she was watching the imp with a curious gaze – who was now regaining his composure slowly as the plant life around him wilted and died before he shakily stood again, picking the staff up and examining it closely. Fritz guessed by what had happened and how he was handling this staff that it was the cause of what had just happened. The imp did not look his usual self, and even seemed to grow sadder as he examined the staff before he suddenly cast it away, the wood changing and cracking slightly as soon as he released it.
"That wasn't me," Aergar said, shaking his head. He waved his hand at the staff. "Keep that, I don't want it." Even as he spoke his gaze lingered on the staff and he looked like he was longing to pick it up again. Suddenly the imp turned and bounded into the forest as he disappeared, it seemed that whatever it was it had definitely unnerved him. Picking up the rope that had only a few moments ago bound the girls and examining it he asked “What was that all about?” Kirin seemed to share his confusion and the pair talked about what it could have been. She was still very shaken up about what had happened with the trader, and Ada as well was acting strange with Kirin, apologising several times. "Fritz," she whimpered, her lip trembling, "I'm scared. I want to go home."
He squeezed her hand and smiled at her “It’s okay Kirin, you’re safe.” His gaze moved up to Ada who was quickly beginning to loot the trader’s wagon with Fimion. “Ada just needed your help” he explained slowly, searching carefully for the right words “she wouldn’t let anything happen to us, she just could explain that she needed your help at the time.” He let his words linger in the air for a few moments before he turned his gaze back to her, looking into her eyes as he added with a smirk “besides, I promise that I will make sure you’re safe. I was just about to heroically leap forwards and slay that beast of a man before Ada beat me to it.”
He grinned at his own joke, hoping it would make Kirin feel better. But as he continued to look into her eyes his grin faded as he realised that he had meant what he said. Blushing slightly Fritz looked away from her face before he stood and turned his attention towards helping the others, shooting Kirin another quick smile before he did.
Time passed quickly as they travelled, Fimion regaling them with numerous strange tales and stories. Fritz listened intently to them all, and in return told them a few of the myths, legends and stories from his own world. Before long they had reached Haneul and Fritz gazed at each and every thing, taking in the sights and asking numerous questions about almost everything.
The tavern was no different, the boys curiosity knowing little constraint s he bombarded Fimion and Ada with question after question. This continued almost entirely until Fritz slipped into a slumber, exhausted from almost everything he had seen and been through – happy to be next to Kirin as they both slept. He dreamt of everything he had seen and heard, a kind respite from the usual dreams of his parents and his home. When he awoke he was alone in the room, initially panicking as he wondered where Kirin and the others were. Moments later the door to the room opened and Fimion came in with a tray laden with numerous foodstuffs and a large bottle of something.
“Ah you’re awake” he said with the familiar grin on his face “I thought we should eat and drink before we begin our day. We have a lot to do today.”
“Where are Kirin and Ada?” he asked, slightly confused.
Fimion’s smile faltered for a moment before he told Fritz that Ada had gone to take her back to her family, before he added “But don’t worry. I’ve come to learn that fate has a way of bringing those we care for back to us” a knowing smile on his face.
Fritz’s expression turned to one of slight disappointment “Oh, I just thought that... I mean I’d hoped that we could have spent more time together.”
Sitting beside him on the bed and setting the tray down Fimion sighed before he said “I know you wanted that. But sometimes we must focus on not what we want, but what we have. Besides, you’ll find that if you concentrate on yourself for the time being then before you know it things will work out. Besides, you need to focus on your first lesson with me, if you ever hope to be able to use magic.”
Fritz glanced up, his eyes once more sparkling with curiosity. Fimion was right, he guessed. Kirin needed to be home and back with her family after what she had been through, and he needed to focus if he hoped the same for himself.
Fritz had watched the vile trader be consumed by roots, the somewhat grotesque spectacle almost fascinating him as the roots behaved with a will of their own. He was about to ask how such a thing could happen when he remembered his first encounter with the imp, and how a root had grabbed his ankle and held him in place. Shivering at the thought that such a fate could have been his he looked around for Aergar before he spotted him stood beside the trader’s wagon, with an innocent grin covering his face and a glint in his deep amber eyes.
When the imp next emerged from the wagon Fritz continued to watch him, his mind still turning over what his opinion of him should be - beyond suspicion that was. He had found some kind of staff amongst the trader’s goods and was now wielding it, his attention fixated immediately on the children that Ada had saved before he approached them.
"Fritz," the imp scolded as he reached to untie one of the knots, "You've got that shiny new knife, don't you know how to--"
Suddenly Aergar fell silent and a look Fritz had never seen spread across his face before a strange transformation began. The girls each began to morph into animals whilst Aergar became noticeably weaker, leaning on the new staff desperately as in the blink of an eye the girls finished their transformations before bounding into the forest, one of them pausing a few moments to bow her head gracefully towards Ada in some kind of thanks.
There was silence for a moment as the group stared at Aergar somewhat dumbfoundedly before he collapsed forwards, obviously exhausted from what had just happened. Frit glanced at Ada to see what he should do, but she was watching the imp with a curious gaze – who was now regaining his composure slowly as the plant life around him wilted and died before he shakily stood again, picking the staff up and examining it closely. Fritz guessed by what had happened and how he was handling this staff that it was the cause of what had just happened. The imp did not look his usual self, and even seemed to grow sadder as he examined the staff before he suddenly cast it away, the wood changing and cracking slightly as soon as he released it.
"That wasn't me," Aergar said, shaking his head. He waved his hand at the staff. "Keep that, I don't want it." Even as he spoke his gaze lingered on the staff and he looked like he was longing to pick it up again. Suddenly the imp turned and bounded into the forest as he disappeared, it seemed that whatever it was it had definitely unnerved him. Picking up the rope that had only a few moments ago bound the girls and examining it he asked “What was that all about?” Kirin seemed to share his confusion and the pair talked about what it could have been. She was still very shaken up about what had happened with the trader, and Ada as well was acting strange with Kirin, apologising several times. "Fritz," she whimpered, her lip trembling, "I'm scared. I want to go home."
He squeezed her hand and smiled at her “It’s okay Kirin, you’re safe.” His gaze moved up to Ada who was quickly beginning to loot the trader’s wagon with Fimion. “Ada just needed your help” he explained slowly, searching carefully for the right words “she wouldn’t let anything happen to us, she just could explain that she needed your help at the time.” He let his words linger in the air for a few moments before he turned his gaze back to her, looking into her eyes as he added with a smirk “besides, I promise that I will make sure you’re safe. I was just about to heroically leap forwards and slay that beast of a man before Ada beat me to it.”
He grinned at his own joke, hoping it would make Kirin feel better. But as he continued to look into her eyes his grin faded as he realised that he had meant what he said. Blushing slightly Fritz looked away from her face before he stood and turned his attention towards helping the others, shooting Kirin another quick smile before he did.
Time passed quickly as they travelled, Fimion regaling them with numerous strange tales and stories. Fritz listened intently to them all, and in return told them a few of the myths, legends and stories from his own world. Before long they had reached Haneul and Fritz gazed at each and every thing, taking in the sights and asking numerous questions about almost everything.
The tavern was no different, the boys curiosity knowing little constraint s he bombarded Fimion and Ada with question after question. This continued almost entirely until Fritz slipped into a slumber, exhausted from almost everything he had seen and been through – happy to be next to Kirin as they both slept. He dreamt of everything he had seen and heard, a kind respite from the usual dreams of his parents and his home. When he awoke he was alone in the room, initially panicking as he wondered where Kirin and the others were. Moments later the door to the room opened and Fimion came in with a tray laden with numerous foodstuffs and a large bottle of something.
“Ah you’re awake” he said with the familiar grin on his face “I thought we should eat and drink before we begin our day. We have a lot to do today.”
“Where are Kirin and Ada?” he asked, slightly confused.
Fimion’s smile faltered for a moment before he told Fritz that Ada had gone to take her back to her family, before he added “But don’t worry. I’ve come to learn that fate has a way of bringing those we care for back to us” a knowing smile on his face.
Fritz’s expression turned to one of slight disappointment “Oh, I just thought that... I mean I’d hoped that we could have spent more time together.”
Sitting beside him on the bed and setting the tray down Fimion sighed before he said “I know you wanted that. But sometimes we must focus on not what we want, but what we have. Besides, you’ll find that if you concentrate on yourself for the time being then before you know it things will work out. Besides, you need to focus on your first lesson with me, if you ever hope to be able to use magic.”
Fritz glanced up, his eyes once more sparkling with curiosity. Fimion was right, he guessed. Kirin needed to be home and back with her family after what she had been through, and he needed to focus if he hoped the same for himself.