Kris wipes the blood from his blade, he looks over the sword as a hooded man approaches behind him, sheathing his sword. The hooded man pulled down his hood and motioned the other men to keep going down the road. He looks over Kris briefly “Ever find it hard to breath when fighting with that mask on?” Kris shakes his head saying nothing, he sheathes his sword on his back. The man shrugged lightly “We appreciate you helping us relocate we should be able to clear out those bandits and set up our own camp in a week.” Kris looked over to him “You took care of Mai, even when Caliko passed..I owe you all this.” The man frowned “It was a tragedy. What happened to them.” Kris stared down for a moment and then lifted his head “Yes.” They walked over to their horses and climbed onto them.
The man looked over to Kris once again “You know, I’m not much of a leader but you, you were in the military and you are much wiser than myself.” Kris didn’t look to him, he hit his reigns for his horse to move “I’m not as wise as you think. This isn’t my company to lead, I will need to return to Bree soon.” They made their way down the path behind the others. The man spoke up after some silence “What is even there for you? I mean the watch can handle the crime there, your skills are better use with us. Clearing roads and helping people out here from organized bands seeking to take advantage of these innocent people.” Kris shook his head “The watch is not as capable as they once were and with the large amount of foreign people coming, their skills are not ready. Criminals from the cities in the south are much more battle hardened than the criminals you find here.” The man laughed “I suppose that is true. But I hear a lot of hero types also are in Bree, can’t they handle it?” Kris looked over at him and looked forward again “Sometimes hard decisions need to be made and a hero with morals may not make them correctly if they think with emotions.” The man rolled his eyes “Right, you are the cold broody type. The watch definitely won’t approve of your way of justice you know. You’re likely to end up in a cell for acting as you do.”
They continued on and Kris spoke up “I have people there I wish to take care of. They may need me to help them, and I can’t afford to be there. Even being here is troubling me.” The man nodded “What, don’t say you actually have friends?” He smirked and Kris grumbled “Friends is something I suppose you can refer to them as, I see them more as people to protect.” The man raised a brow “Yes...I’d say you refer to them as friends I mean I’m sure they also want you safe? Am I correct?” Kris nodded “Yes, I suppose they do but I don’t want them to get injured trying to help me or keep me safe. I want them safe and them worrying for me complicates things.” The man shakes his head “So busy watching everyone else’s back you never look behind to see who as yours. Whether you want it or not, if they care about you, they will be watching your back.” Kris grumbled once again and the man leaned on his horse “I know the feeling, I got a daughter in the company. I worry about her getting hurt but she has saved me at times. She really learned to take care of herself. You got someone like that?” Kris nodded “I watch over a young girl, she has been learning much on how to take care of herself. And I suppose I have a young man I have trained as well, and a woman who keeps close to me no matter how far I try to push her off.” Kris shrugs. The man smiled “You know you should be investing in the future, you’re not gonna be around forever. Especially in the condition you’re in. Kristophor, you should be preparing these people for the day you’re not that to watch them. Because if you neglect teaching them your knowledge and the day comes you are gone. Well I fear they will not be ready.” Kris looked over to him “ I don’t want them taking over what I do, I just want them to live in peace.” The man spoke again “And you secure their peace and depart peacefully. Then something comes to disrupt that peace, don’t you want them ready to defend the peace you keep fighting for?” Kris thought on this for a moment “I see. I suppose I will be more attentive in their training.” The man smiled and they kept riding.
They reached their destination and dismounted. They drew weapons and got into position, Kris looked at the man “You say you’re not wise..yet you look to invest in the future of people’s peace. I believe that is very wise.” The man smiled “You getting soft on me Krisophor?” Kris shook his head “No I simply made a relevant statement.” The man laughed and raised his sword “For a second there I thought I cracked that wall.” Kris raised his sword as well and then arrows flew towards the bandit compound and they charged toward it, arrows flying. Kris kept his sword up and thought “He is right, I need to make sure they are safe even if I’m not there.”
