My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts
The fields looked busy; sweat-covered workers in rough tunics struggling to draw out grooves in the ground to prepare for the next crop. Weaving between and around them, swathes of knights marched on foot and on the backs of their horses, dipping in to help wherever a heavy sack of grain needed a lift or a firm tug to the reins of a horse.. but under the cumbersome armor they could only do so much. One knight peeled away from assisting a woman heaving sacks of grain and seed down from one of the wagons to march over and greet Iros in the least welcoming way possible. "Ser, if there's anything you need, I'd ask to take it up with the Stewart, we're quite busy here, in case you hadn't noticed." It was incredibly surprising to watch knights actually pushing other knights off.. but then again, he supposed they all had different jobs and different places to be.
Even more surprising was how Iros handled it. "Ha, I was about to ask you the same question. I've got a few extra squires here that'd be happy to lend hands where needed. You look like you're about to topple over there lad. No offense of course." As he spoke, the Akalak eased himself off the mountain of a horse to clap a metal-clad hand over the other knight's shoulder. "I mean, if you've got all the help you need then I'd be happy to take them back with me, but I figured that with the new crops being planted, everyone could use a little extra help."
When the Akalak said 'little extra help'.. was he being literal? Something was dawning on Arch, but he couldn't quite wrap his head around whether it was actually happening or whether he was just imagining some strange scenario in his head. On the one hand, was the Akalak being sincere in offering help and advice when they apparently needed it so much? Or was he secretly insulting them by sending them three Pycons, one human, then mockingly talking about how little they'd be able to do in the fields? Iros' smile and body language looked sincere enough but Arch soon turned back around to Alex with a concerned stare, as if trying to ask whether the boy was seeing what Arch was.. though he doubted it already.
After a few ticks of deep thought, the knight finally spoke up again. "Well, guess I should be thanking you, huh. Truth be told, we're struggling to finish this all off before the rains kick in, muck up the soil and make it impossible.." the knight chuckles after trailing off, lifting one hand to rub the back of his head as though he could feel it through the metal helmet and visor. Way to play off his cold attitude before, huh, thought Archailist from a very small distance away. "Well, if you don't mind, it'd be nice if they could begin by spreading out over the fields to assist where they can.." He gave a very broad gesture over most of the square of field that stretched out before them, "I'm sure that someone will find them incredibly helpful."
Just like that, he was returning the clap on the shoulder for Iros and hopping back over the low wall - apparently quite eager to return to his duties, leaving the four squires sitting on their respective mounts without any clear orders.
Luckily, or perhaps not, Ser Iros was quick to take up the mantle left behind. "Alex, you'll ride straight down the middle and work alongside Kaolin. Archailist, Howard, you'll take the right path along the opposite side of the square. Go!"
