Dawn of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 054 - Making Plans For The Future (Patreon)

The world felt brighter as Kaen shook hands and conversed with people in the inn that night.  His heart was full between that moment in the office with Sulenda and Hess and feeling Pammon through their connection.

“Thank you for what you did for those two boys!”

Kaen nodded and shook the man’s hand.  He was older and looked like he might not normally visit an inn.

“I still can’t believe people have heard about what I told them,” Kaen replied as he shook his head.  “That only happened a few hours ago.”

The old man slapped Kaen on the shoulder as he waved around his mug of ale.

“My boy, the whole town is on fire!  What I wouldn’t give to be in your shoes!”

Other men who were standing around listening all nodded in agreement.

“Master Kaen, Freddie is right. You are giving us hope we have not had in ages!  We’ll be keeping an eye on you!”

The men around him all gave a slight cheer, and the man, Freddie, who had first talked with him about this, squeezed his shoulder.

“Be safe out there! We can’t lose you!”

Waving and smiling as he moved away from the group, Kaen made his way over to a booth to take a breather and let it all in.  Hess had warned him, but the last hour of all these people and what they were saying about him felt impossible to achieve.  Had he bitten off too much?

“This seat taken?”

Glancing up, Kaen noticed Gertrude had appeared near his booth.  She was wearing leather armor, twisting her beard in one hand and holding her drink in the other.

“Got room for a lesser adventurer?” she teased.

Nodding, Kaen motioned to the bench across from him.

“I doubt you are lesser than me.  How have you been, Gertrude?”

Sitting on the bench, Gertrude slid over until she was halfway in the booth.  As she sat her drink down on the table, leaning against the wooden back, she stroked her beard braids and smiled.

“I appreciate that you think that about me.  It is a testament to your character that everyone is talking about.  Do you intentionally plan ahead trying to make your name greater, or are you just stumbling like a fool into greatness?”

Milk almost gushed out of his nose as Kaen choked on her comment.  Drinking while listening to Gertrude might not be the best idea.

“Am I an idiot or a genius?’ he asked between coughs.  “Is that what you are asking?”

Leaning her head back while she laughed, Gertrude began to bang on the table with her free hand.

“You aren’t a fool, and we both know it.  You also do things and say things that prove you aren’t a genius.  That is why I am here.  I’m back to let you know I’m serious about questing with you if it's something you want.”

She leaned forward and tapped the table with her pudgy finger.

“I know you are still green, and our group is ok with that.  I also know you will get some good experience with Hess, but we are willing to help show you how a team works.  To make you better,”  Gertrude paused as she smiled, “And I have no doubt you will also help us rise through the ranks.”

Kaen nodded.

“I appreciate your honesty and willingness to say what others won’t.  Too often, I feel people are just blowing smoke up my arse.”

Taking a drink, Gertrude nodded as she downed her ale, wiping the foam off her beard with the back of her hand.

“You aren’t worthless, you have a lot of skill. You just lack a few advanced techniques.  I see your potential, but best of all, I realize you are willing to work hard to improve.  That is why I am telling you to join our squad.  There are going to be many other squads who will ask you to join.  Many will blow smoke up your arse as you said,” Gertrude winked as she said that last statement.  “I’ll always tell you to get your head out of your arse, and I’ll kick your backside if you shoot me in the rear with an arrow.”

Sitting there, Kaen felt in awe at the truth of what Gertrude had said.  He needed people like her who were willing to tell him the truth and not pull punches.

“Tell you what, I’ll join your squad once Hess says I can.  How does that sound?”

Leaning over the table, she extended her hand out.

“Shake on it?”

Kaen reached out and grabbed her hand, both of them pumping it fast a few times before letting go and sitting back.

“Now that's settled, you still on the market, or did that pretty young thing sweep you off your feet?”

Clothing his eyes, Kaen shook his head and groaned.

“I had put that all out of my mind until you mentioned her.  I still don’t know her name, and anyone I have asked has not told me her name either.”

Gertrude smiled and began twisting a beard braid around her finger.

“So is that your wanting to forget her, or you have forgotten her?” she asked in a playful voice with a wink.  “I can help in either of those situations with the forgetting.”

Waving his hands in surrender, Kaen chuckled.

“I haven’t forgotten her and don’t want to yet. I just need to find someone who can tell me who she is,” Kaen answered with a grin.  “Besides, I’m not sure fooling around with a potential squad mate is the best idea right now.  I wouldn’t want to be mad at you and miss on purpose.”

She roared with laughter and tugged on her braid as she narrowed her eyes at Kaen.

“There is that genius side of you again,” she teased.  “Just enough to lead me on but not enough to make me hate you for doing it.”

With a sigh, she let go of the braid she appeared on the edge of yanking off.  Her smile turned a bit mischievous, if that was possible to believe, through her beard as she bit her top lip a little.

“I guess I will tell the rest of the party that you will join us soon.  Just ask the guild hall to message me when you are ready.”  She scooted out of the booth and stood at the table's edge, adjusting her armor a little as she stood. “If you ever need me for anything else, you can also check in at the guild, and someone will make sure I get the message.”

She winked as she strode away, shaking her head at him.

Kaen sat there wondering if he had dodged an arrow for a moment.  He had forgotten about the mystery woman, and now his mind was focused on her.  When he closed his eyes, he could almost smell her again, like flowers in a field during springtime.

He glanced around the room and saw that the crowd looked content, and for this moment, no one was seeking him out.  Most were engaged in conversations with their table mates or drinking alone, trying to forget problems on their minds.

Sliding out of the booth, Kaen went to the stairs and quickly headed to his room.  A good night's sleep was exactly what he needed.

His breakfast was almost all gone when Hess descended the stairs and sat in a chair at his table.

“I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to come and wake you.”

Hess grunted and motioned to the only serving woman up at this time.

“Hot tea, make it strong, and get me a sandwich to go, please.”

The woman moved toward the kitchen door, not missing a beat that Hess was a bit gruffer than usual.

“You ok? Why are you so cranky?”

Hess looked around the room and leaned close to Kaen after making sure no one was listening in.

“She snores.  Like a boar or a bear.  I had forgotten that about her.”

Kaen started to laugh, and Hess’s eyes shot daggers at him, causing Kaen to muffle the laughter and shrug.

“She snores worse than you?”

“I don’t…,” Hess stopped what he was going to say, and a small smile broke out over his face.  “That isn’t true, and we both know it.  Yes, she snores louder than me.  I just need a little more time to adjust to her snoring.  I have not gotten much sleep the last two nights.”

“Sounds like your own choosing,” Kaen teased as he motioned at the serving woman returning with Hess’s food.  “I won’t tell them what you said, but we need to get a move on.  My friend is upset I have not visited him in a while.”

Hess nodded and stood up as the woman returned with his food, already wrapped in a cloth.

“Thank you, Stacey. Sorry, I was a bit gruff earlier.”

The server laughed and shook her head, and waved Hess off.

“I’ve endured far worse, and we are all grateful that you have made Miss Sulenda smile again.  If enduring what you call gruff is the worst we have to experience, I’ll take it daily.”

Hess nodded and chuckled as he took his food and motioned to the door.

“Let’s go, boy. We got a busy day ahead of us.”

Being up before most of the town was better for Kaen.  He preferred not having to shake hands or wave at every person who saw him.  It would almost make him consider finding a new place to stay, as the attention felt undeserved.  He struggled to believe he had yet earned the renown people said he had.

What has you troubled this morning already?

Just a lot on my mind.  Trying to figure out things and how to be worthy of what people say I am.  Hess and I are headed to the guild hall to try and get a quest so we can see you.  It appears you have already found some food.

The early dragon gets the stag.

Groaning out loud, Hess turned to Kaen and nodded in understanding when Kaen tapped his temple.

What does the early stag get?

Pammon did not answer for a moment until a chuckle came through the bond.

He gets to be in my stomach.  It really doesn’t matter at this point.  I am hunting in the woods to the east near the lake out here.  I can easily see through the trees, and taking down one that is awake or asleep is exceedingly boring.  I have started chasing them some, working on my ability to track them down as they run.

A tinge of frustration washed over Kaen.

I just want to be near you.  I don’t know how to say it any way other than that.  It’s a longing that aches the more time you are away.  Our time together last week helped, but I think we need to be near each other for a while to fix this ache.

I understand that.  Soon we will figure this out, even if I have to buy some land closer to the forests.

Don’t make promises you won’t keep.  I think this is why the Dragon Riders lived with their dragons.  The bond is that important.

Maybe Hess can help with that.  I’ll talk to him and let you know.  Enjoy your hunting.

You too.

I’m not hunting.  What are you talking about?

That is a lie, and you know it.  You are hunting a different prey.  The woman from the other night.  I can feel your thoughts, remember?

Hess elbowed Kaen when he laughed so loud that people turned to see what was so funny.

“Keep it down,” Hess declared as he pretended to laugh with Kaen.

Nodding, Kaen took a few breaths and stopped laughing as they walked.

Perhaps the early Kaen gets the girl!

Dwarf balls I hope not.  I don’t want the competition for your time!

He couldn’t help himself and burst out laughing again, dodging the elbow he knew was coming from Hess.

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” Kaen explained through laughter.

“I’m not sure I want to know,” answered Hess.  “You two are still too young.”