"And to you, Patrick." Sir Shane called after the farmer as he departed. "Give my regards to Willow." Sir Shane then turned his attention back to Kyle. "I appreciate the hospitality, minister." Sir Shane said with a thankful nod. "Please inform me when the bed is ready."

Once the priest was gone, Sir Shane shrugged his backpack off his shoulders and unhooked the sword sheathed at his belt. The knight spent some time then ensuring that his gear was all in good condition and ready for the trials ahead. He paid particular attention to his sword and shield as he did this. Sir Shane's wasn't sure what he would find west of the hamlet when he returned to track the evil to its source, but he knew he would be needing his sword and shield at the ready when he did. Once that was done, Kyle returned to announce the readiness of the bed shortly after.

As he settled in for the night, Sir Shane pulled a book out of his backpack. A book given to him by the one person he regretted leaving behind when he departed for his quest. He'd met her back when he was still a squire. He'd found a secluded spot in the Stormspire gardens that he could go to when dealing with people became too much. Though he didn't realize somebody else used it for that same reason. Not until the much more extroverted baroness the other person served stormed up to him during one of his visits to the quiet place and angrily demanded to know why the knight was intruding on her lady-in-waiting's place of solitude. Having been caught thoroughly off-guard, Sir Shane immediately descended into a fit of nervous babbling as the sudden and hostile social interaction overwhelmed him.

Which was when the lady-in-waiting in question came to the knight's rescue. Once the two of them realized that they shared a shy disposition, they agreed that they could also share the quiet place. And so Sir Shane and the lady-in-waiting, who the knight came to know as Lady Marin, would spend much of their free time together after that. They had started off as simple acquaintances brought together by a shared dislike of being sociable. But somewhere in the companionable silence that came about whenever they sat next to each other, something more eventually bloomed.

The book was about the natural world. Lady Marin had always been so enthusiastic on the subject. Whenever it was brought up, all shyness briefly left her as she spoke at length and with avid animation on some aspect of nature or another. And she was knowledgeable on the subject too. Enough so that she was able to write a book and get it published to no small amount of academic acclaim. Sir Shane was among the first to receive a copy. And every time he read it when he was alone, it felt faintly like he was back in the Stormspire gardens, sitting with Lady Marin in the calm and the quiet.

Sir Shane read a handful of pages, then put the book away and got some rest.

[hider=OOC]
Sir Shane takes a [b]Packing[/b] moment before setting off to Barleytown. He packs the Good Sword, Sturdy Shield, and Courtly Love Keepsake.
[/hider]
[hr]
Sir Shane awoke the next day, said his farewells to his host, and rode back to Barleytown. The journey was uneventful and the arrival equally so. And so Sir Shane made his way to his first stop: The Barleytown barracks of the Red Marshals, where he intended to return Malcolm's medallion and deliver news of his demise.