Being appointed the guard of one of the kings villages was a great honor that many old and war hardened veterans of the army or royal guard would gladly take up, but not for a man who only served for a limerick of years. He understood that what he had done was a great achievement for any trained soldier, a true feet in a career that Tombly wanted to stay in for some time, but the stresses of guarding a village was not at all the "retirement" he expected, perhaps that was the reason why the king had chosen him to do this, or perhaps it was because he was not at all fit to engage such a powerful foe again and hope to save the king let alone his own life.
Slowly limping from his warm bed to his armory, Tombly noticed the abundance of chatter in the dining hall of his manner. A sudden realization dawned upon him, today was the day of the week he would have to sit and listen to the problems of the village. Instead of training his men for a threat, Tombly would have to listen to Mrs. Dorenshire go on about how she hears noises from the forest near her home (which happened to be where the sheep would rest many a nights), or how the Evonson twins were always meddling in farmer Warrens fields setting off fireworks and dung bombs as a prank to annoy the elderly farmer.
As Tombly walked the cold cobble stone steps to where he kept his chain mail and weapons he began to think of his wife, how many a times they had tried to have a child, but the village doctor believed to be impossible, oh how he prayed to his god every evening to deliver him one, to allow him some extra work to get his mind off of the thought of being once the greatest of guards to now a guard of farmers and common folk.
As Tombly opened his armory chambers and walked inside to dress, he heard a fain pit pat of foot steps coming towards his direction. They were not the hard thumping and clanking sound of a suited warrior, nor the soft swooshing sound of a leather clad assailant, no this was bare foot, a sleepy and groggy walk toward him....yes, he knew who this might be.
A slim figure approached him, dressed in silk with fur to keep her warm in a cool manner, this was Sire James Tombly's wife, Lady Joanna, coming to greet her husband to a day he truely did not look forward to start. "Hello darling" Joanna said with a sleepy smile, that later became a stretched yawn. "Good morning love," James said to his obvious tired wife. "Today is the day James. Today is the day that I try again to see if I will be able to bear a child for you.....I...am scared." James looked at his wife quizzically, "What do you fear Joanna? You do know that I love you no matter what don't you? I will not leave you for another just because you can not have a child. I pray to our god daily for this, but he knows what is best in the end, only he will know." With a delighted and relieved smile Joanna reached for her husband and kissed him. "Have a wonderful day today darling, I love you." said Joanna, still smiling. "Same to you, my love."
It was time. Dressed in mail, sword by his side, Sire James Tombly was escorted by his trusted man in arms Roland, who was his most skilled apprentice, and soon to be knighted by Tombly himself for the valiant work he had done in the village. Tombly was announced and all stood to welcome him. He waved a dismissive arm for them to take a seat, and began to call the people waiting in line one by one. Roland stood guard and had to break apart pushing and quarrelling men and women who wanted to be heard out. This was no problem for him really, seeing his size was almost twice the normal man.
The day egged on, until a women shrowded in fur came into the manners dining hall, mystery radiated off her. She was....different.
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