[Reed Park] A little taste of home (Alex]

[Kreig Messer]

Fall 18th, 514 A.V. 6th bell 30th Chime


It was one of those mornings where Kreig could not stand being cooped up inside, there was only so many times he could train his skills that the Knighthood had essentially taken over in the Traverler’s Complex for such purposes. For the order it was good that they even had a place to train in private, giving the owner extra money just so they could have it but it was hardly a place for them to practice anything combative even if it was somewhat spacious enough to do so…. But it could get gods damn stuffier than the entirety of the Syliran Keep in a claustrophobic sense.

This required a change of scenery and the best place for that was Reed park, it was damn spacious enough for what Kreig needed and it was early enough in the morning that he wouldn’t really be bothering anyone with any martial training…. In fact Reed park was generally so quite that it most hours he wouldn’t have been a bother anyway as he wasn’t bugging anyone who went there for nature watching and the like. At this day he had opted to wear his breastplate over his usual attire. The Breastplate was Kreig’s own personal armor, bought with his own money and that’s how he preferred it. The knights only allowed their squires to borrow armor unless they had done something to earn it from them…..so a lost armor that was borrowed often meant disciplinary action and Kreig didn’t really like that. It was well made as it was to be expected of Syliran made equipment, with a small emblem of the windoak on the left breast

He had also brought with him his training swords, two simple and light wooden longsworsd whilst one had a strip of metal built inside to replicate the weight of an actual sword. He was using the heavier one for his training as he threw a horizontal slash then followed with in the opposite direction, flippining his hand so that the returning strike would move smoother and with more precision. Not wasting the motion he immediately raised the sword in the air and with hands both on the grip he brought the sword down in a vicious overhead strike as he took a step forward then pushed it forward in a thrust.

He had been performing similar motions since he had begun this training, already the open air had been doing wonders for his move and added to the enthusiasm which he had been showing. Still, as fun as it was to train in such an environment it felt that there could have been more….. a sparring partner to be frank, someone he could train with and practice these skills on.

But where would someone like that be?

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[Alexander Hamish Moore]

The early morning birds sang, as they did every morning. The song fell onto Alex’s ears with little joy. He had come to Kenash seeking adventure, something different. And he found it, just not in the way he would have thought. He hadn’t slept much, the blue eyes that stalked his dreams were always present. He laid in the dark of his little hut on the Bloodflower plantation. It was his birthday today. He stared into the darkness that filled his home. He didn’t have any friends to celebrate with, they were all on the Kabrin road, miles from here. His mother was in Syliras, a place that seemed so distant and foreign now. Would his mother recognize him were he to walk through the door to the little family apartment in the bowels of that crowded city?

The plantation was almost silent. The only sound was the occasional foot fall from a patrolling mercenary. There would be nothing out of the ordinary tonight though, even the slaves were still asleep at this bell. Alex pitied them. He hated what fate befell them. He hated what the city had done to them. He hated what he had done to them. But, what else could he do, there was nothing he could do to help them. Not without endangering himself. He breathed out slowly, before rising out of his bed. There was no sense in stewing in the darkness. He had no assignments for the day, perhaps a walk around the city would do him well.

The walk to Kenash proper seemed short, but the trek took nearly three bells. By the time he had arrived at the iron wrought fence that separated the undesirables from the city, the glow of the sun had started to turn the blackness into morning. There were a couple sleepy looking guards watching the road, and they let Alex pass without hassle, he had been through the gate many times before. Alex passed the travelers’ complex, a place he had stayed briefly. He didn’t have a destination in mind, he just let his feet go. His mind wandered as his body did, until he heard a sound out of the ordinary.

A man, in reed park, who seemed to be practicing swordplay. His skills were far beyond those of Alex. And his polished armor, shining in the morning sun, set this man even further apart. The last time he had seen a proper suit of armor was during his last visit to his home city. Alex watched in silence for several chimes, when a rumor he had heard bubbled to the front of his mind. Knights of Syliras were said to have arrived in the city, the rumors weren’t clear on why, but that didn’t matter to Alex.

There was a piece of his past training in the park. A link back home, and childhood memories. A time when he was just a hunter’s apprentice, not a murderer. Alex spoke, just loud enough to pierce the din of training, “Excuse me, Ser. Are you from Syliras?” he called, then immediately regretted it. He didn’t want to interrupt the man’s training. The knights always seemed so powerful, so unapproachable when he was young. It almost seemed like blasphemy to call out to one.

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig was still swinging about his heavy practice sword. Contrary to what anyone viewing this could assume his skills were still firmly in that of an average swordsman, better than a novice but nothing that could take out numbers of armed opponents as his fists did on a more frequent basis. He was quite aware that his own strikes weren’t as polished as his patron, always reminding himself that he still had a good deal to learn. It was a bit overcritical of him as he thought his blows would never be quite good enough as his patrons, especially that of Ser Wade back in Syliras who was one of the Order's premier swordsman.

He had stepped forward in a light stabbing motuon then pulled back again and thrusted his blade forward in a deeper motion, he was about to perform another such stab till a voice broke him out of training focus. It was a sudden stop as his brow rose once he heard a certain word that only a citizen of Syliras or one with a degree of knowledge of the order would now. As he lowered his sword and striaghtened himself, he turned to the bew presence with a raised left brow ' Do I really look that much like a full knight? ' It wasn't the first time this has happened to him, though he didn't expect it to happen in Kenash of all places. He was greeted with a blond gent, roughly the same height as Kreig himself although probably just an inch or so taller.

"Are you Syliran friend? In anycase, there is no need to call me Ser" Kreig said as he flashed a friendly smile, showing the man that he had caused Kreig no discomfort by interrupting his training. He placed the training blade between his right pit and approached the man "But to answer your question... Well, yes. Though I wasn't born there"
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[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Seeing an idol from his past, had put Alex in a better mood. He thought of the fifteen years he spent living in the towering walls of the Citadel, under the vigilant protection of the knights. It was a dream of his, and the few friends he had as a young child to become knights. And sometimes, while playing in the outskirts of town, they would pretend to be knights- slaying rouges, and devious followers of Rhysol. They would never have guessed what fate had for store in them. A separation, a lifetime of hard work, toil inside the walls of the city. Some saw it as a blessing, working for the betterment of the city, and of the order. But, as young boy who had spent much of his time outside the walls, Alex saw it as a stifling, but necessary. And while he didn’t like the constricting barrier, he had respect for the people who manned the defenses.

The apparent knight approached, and Alex could see his features more clearly. The man seemed to be slightly older, but he stood almost the same height, and was in a similar weight class. Alex examined the breast plate. It was a nice piece of steel, well maintained, and with the sun shining on it, Alex could see an embossed tree on the left upper corner near the shoulder. He couldn’t remember if that was the emblem he had seen the other knights using in Syliras. It had been almost three seasons since Alex had been to the city, so the symbol wasn’t fresh in his mind.

Regardless of the time passed, the man seemed friendly enough, and he didn’t deny being a knight. He didn’t think many people would lie about being in the order, even if the man had said he wasn’t born in the city itself. Alex returned the smile, and extended his hand eagerly, “Born and raised.” he called, louder than he had spoken for sometime. “What’s a knight doing in Kenash? And why aren’t you training with anyone?” he gushed, like he was meeting a celebrity.

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig felt offput by the admiration the man gave him, not that he didn’t mind it he just felt it was ill-placed…. But he also felt a bit of relief when he confirmed that the man was Syliran and while he seemed to be respectful to the order a bit too much Kreig was also glad that he didn’t talk down at the order like so many others did. Kreig scratched the back his, trying to answer Alex’s question “Well… before I answer I’m not an actual knight yet. I’m still a squire my friend so forgive me if I led you on a bit.” He lowered his hand to his hip “ And well, the Order has sent a trade delegation to Kenash for talks. We might be here for the entirety of the season or perhaps even the entirety of winter depending on how quick the talks go” That was one question answered and how needed to answer the other.

“And well, most of the delegation are still in the Traveler’s Complex. I came here early by myself so that I can enjoy some fresh air, its quite nice at this hour” Kreig admitted , tapping the tip of his left boot against the wood of the boardwalk then looked at Alex again “So, what brings you to Kenash yourself, friend? You live here?” Kreig asked, wondering why any Syliran would choose to live in a city like Kenash but then recalled that Kenash was one of those city’s that tempted you with wealth. It would be no surprise at all if that were the reason this gent was here, nor Kreig would fault him. A year or so ago Kreig would have done the same probably.
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[Alexander Hamish Moore]

Alex frowned at the question. Why was he here? He had hopped off a merchant caravan, and he had done nothing but look back. He had done things here he didn’t think he was capable of, things that he wouldn’t have done anywhere else. He had stayed for the adventure, what did he think he was getting? He tilted his head, and tried to think of an reasonable answer, one that didn’t suck the levity of meeting a person from the order, even a squire. “I’ve traveled the Kabrin road for many years, thought I’d see what this place was all about. Merchants seem to love the place.” It was the biggest stop between Riverfall and Syliras. Alex didn’t understand the trade much, but he could pay attention to what was loaded on and off the wagons. Kenash seemed to be getting the best of trade however.

He did his best to put his troubles behind him, it wasn’t every day that he got a chance to spend time with a squire. In a different life, this could have been Alex. But, his family was not cut out to be knights, they would spend their lives in service to the city in other ways. A way that was paid off in the blood of his father, leaving Alex to travel the rest of the world. In all his travels though, there were few places like his home citadel. No warriors like the knights. He had never seen them fight, save for breaking the face of a few trouble makers in the city, though to be fair, he had never seen a real warrior fight. The idea had him curious. How well could their squires fight? Certainly better than Alex could, he knew, but he wanted to experience it first hand.

He looked over at the wooden training swords, worn and well used, they would still hurt if he got struck by one, but the pain might do him some good. He turned back to the squire, “My friend, I am Alex. It is a childhood dream of mine to fight with the knights. Would you like to wrangle, and help a homesick Sylirian remember home?” he hoped he wasn’t being too forward. He was no swordsman, he could barely tell the sharp end from the handle. But, he wouldn’t feel right if he passed up a change to spar with what he considered some of the best warriors he knew.

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig listened to Alex's word whilst nodding to let Alex know as such. He didn't ignore the look of guilt that seemed to pass over Alex's face.... He didn't need to remark that his reason was a bit sketchy since it would have probably only opened up more bad thoughts. The way he worded his reason made it like he just arrived in Kenash not long ago....that was probably true but it was also probable that he had done something he regretted that may shed a different light. But Kreig was trying to be respectful and thus didn't prod...

His mind briefly wondered what would his life been like if he had indeed not become part of the Order and ended up here in Kenash . Would he be inflicting upon himself a life of misery either as a slave or something elses or would he have moved on to a life of luxury using his skills as a fighter? He quickly pushed thise thoughts aside as he noted that there was no poibt in wondering 'what could have been'.... It was a lot more interesting finding out what will be through his actions today.

His mind still wandered though and settle on Alex's awe of the knights....If he seemed to be in such awe he would have probablt been one ' What made 'im wander however? Family troubles? Fate just wanted the man to go east when 'e probably wanted west?' those were the questions that beeded answerin' but he could the answers were Alex's alone.


He smirked with amusement as Alex desired a spar. An odd dream it was to want to face your idols in battle....actually no, Kreig understood such dreams as one of his own was to havw the greatest of fights. A dream that he frequently achieved "Alright then, if that be yer wish then I'll be obliging" Kreig said as he made a moved for the wooden longswords on the ground, placing down his heavier variant and picked up the two lighter ones.

He approached Alex and handed him one of the blades pommel first so that Alex could grip it. Once that was done he took a few paces back from Alex and took a battle stance " My name is Kreig, Alex. Now lets get this show on the road"
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