It couldn't have been more than five minutes in that forest, and already Bret has come to two conclusions:
One, this Prince is batshit insane. Why else would this twig of a boy (pardon the pun) think he has any shot at all at completing this so-called quest? Fancy swords, magic talismans, and sweet-smelling herbs aside, Bret need only take one look at the kid to know he'd last about two seconds out there alone, in the dark, with god knows what. Any guy would be crazy to think any of this "plan" makes any sort of sense.
Which leads into his second conclusion... He's insane too. Sure, he'd been pretty gung-ho about the whole thing, but that was when he thought they were still just joking around and he was forever stuck in that stupid room. Now here he is, wandering through some forest with a sword at his hip and two gold coins in his pocket. Every now and then he'd pinch himself, just to make sure.
He prefers to think of himself as plucky, though really all this shows is his inexperience with the world at large. Yes, he has made journeys before, but in the safety of carriages flanked by royal guards, his entire family for company. Still, a week on his own already is quite an acheivement, if one ignores how many houses there had been along the way. Even this forest isn't the proper wilderness; that title is reserved for the White Mountains, and they'll both realise that soon enough, provided they head there briskly enough.
"A small town named Koboldheim. We can get proper food there and equip you, and there ought to be an inn one might sleep at. After that we set out for the White Mountains. "
Certainly sounds simple enough, but most tasks do until you're knee deep in them. Bret is still a little petulant he got tricked into all this in the first place (because it sounds a lot better than 'willingly volunteered'), but he doesn't slow his steps or drag his feet as he follows behind the prince.
With a hand on the hilt of his sword, he spares a panning look around as they walk. "So where are we at now?"
"Heading out of Neustein Forest," comes the blithe reply, the prince turning back to offer a smile at his new bodyguard, whom he believes to be perfectly happy wih the arrangement he more or less walked right into without a complaint. He can't help but stop for a moment when he spots some wildlife, a litte dormouse that runs right into his path and disappears almost as soon as he spots it. "In the former principality of Rosigblomen, if you want to be extra specific. If we travelled north-westwards we'd eventually wind up at the Winter Palace, but there'll be no luxury on the route we're on."
He sounds almost gleeful at that, like a child playing at adventures, only minus a wooden sword and no dragon at the end to fight, nor princesses to save and marry. But then, so far this has all been like one big camping trip.
Comments 28
One, this Prince is batshit insane. Why else would this twig of a boy (pardon the pun) think he has any shot at all at completing this so-called quest? Fancy swords, magic talismans, and sweet-smelling herbs aside, Bret need only take one look at the kid to know he'd last about two seconds out there alone, in the dark, with god knows what. Any guy would be crazy to think any of this "plan" makes any sort of sense.
Which leads into his second conclusion... He's insane too. Sure, he'd been pretty gung-ho about the whole thing, but that was when he thought they were still just joking around and he was forever stuck in that stupid room. Now here he is, wandering through some forest with a sword at his hip and two gold coins in his pocket. Every now and then he'd pinch himself, just to make sure.
"What comes after this forest anyway?"
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"A small town named Koboldheim. We can get proper food there and equip you, and there ought to be an inn one might sleep at. After that we set out for the White Mountains. "
Reply
With a hand on the hilt of his sword, he spares a panning look around as they walk. "So where are we at now?"
Reply
He sounds almost gleeful at that, like a child playing at adventures, only minus a wooden sword and no dragon at the end to fight, nor princesses to save and marry. But then, so far this has all been like one big camping trip.
Reply
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