# The Night before Roter Reiben, Ishyldr and Geese The pale moonlight chilled the evening air. Geese popped her head out of the urn, surveyed her surroundings and let out a white steam from her lips. The forest was fast sleep in her eyes but she knows it's awake, ever watching, like her mentor, Ishyldr. He was nowhere to be seen but she quickly remembered his teachings and looked up. Always be at an advantage point and there he was. A dark silhouette of a person standing on a large tree branch with his his hair gently dancing in the wind. She attempted to snuck beneath him but the cold moonlight and chilly wind offered to shelter to hide herself. She couldn't see but she felt the familiar warm gaze from the shadow. Geese noticed his bow was strung and an arrow was already resting on it, ready to be released at his aim. She also noticed, feint, a dark sags under his eyes. "Get back inside sapling, I'm on watch." Her face soured and glared up at the elf. she hated that word. It made her feel small and powerless and she's not the same little girl when he found her all those years ago. Yet, he still calls her. “Seventh day in a row, I can cover tonight." She spat her words to get rid of the sourness in her mouth. She knows he's going to reject her offer like he always does as he's has to prove that he can stand strong and protect someone. “I am fine, despite the sayings and numbers, the orcs are formidable. Even in small numbers.” Expected. she keeps her gaze fixated on his eyes, he was looking over the forest and the crevice under his eyes seem to darken further. “You heard from Edith, they’re deserters. They're trying to leave and we even offered them food. If they have some shred of honor they will keep their word.” Geese rebutted and climbed the tree. There were no scars on the tree barks for her to guess as in how he got up there. Her efforts kicked off several soft barks as she ascended. “Sapling, deserters have no honor. that's why they desert.” Her mentor replied after some pause. Geese gritted her teeth as she was coming to his branch. It wasn't the climbing, it was his words bit her and she couldn't figure out why it his voice sounded so muddy. Her least favorite word was warm but the following were cold and heavy. “I haven’t seen you sleep well in days. We’re no longer in the warzone and you can relax.” She forced her tone to be as calm as possible, she wished he could be more warm to her when she cared for him. but he's always like this. Never good with his words and perhaps herself as well. “It’s still not safe with orcs and goblins abound. I can have my rest when we reach the town tomorrow.” He's still looking away but she caught his eyes quickly glancing at her. Geese flustered, quickly dusting the bark chips off of her hand and composed herself before leaning casually against the tree trunk. “Get some rest. I can handle this, it also means you don’t stand in front of Dee… guild master’s room.” Geese furrowed her brows as she mentioned Deet, narrowing her eyes down at the urn. She felt like saying her name would make herself angry and she was already upset and wasn't hiding it. This isn't the first time Ishyldr protected someone but this time it's different. He's been forced to protect someone because of a curse. Something about that idea twisted her insides and made her feel sick. The guild master was not her fault but she couldn't help feeling the way she did. She was so happy when they showed up to rescue her at the goblin's camp at the Western Gates of Kupferkrone. “Until we get to Vith, I should be … vigilant on protecting our guild master.” “Says who?” Geese snapped at Ishyldr and he didn’t respond, he merely glanced at his pupil. “Nobody’s telling you to guard her, nor she wants you to, I’m sure.” her words trailed towards the end, keeping her gaze cast down at the urn. “Correct, it is my own volition. You weren’t there when our guild master almost got killed.” Ishyldr kept his composure and Geese was losing it; She scrambled her hair furiously. She knew his words are forced somehow because she finally saw the eerie green flicker in his eyes in the dark. She wished the golden hummingbird would buzz in her ears whisper how to break the curse or the god of woods to grant her the divine touch to cleanse him. But no. She knew no such rites to commune with neither of the twin gods. The one thing her mentor never taught her because he wanted Geese to walk her own path when it came to faith. She always felt like she was being denied of learning part of him as a result and part of her resented him for not teaching him. Tonight that resentment was at its peak. Geese lifted her chin to stare at her mentor and protector. “Kenari[^1], you’re hunter’s senses are sharp as a crescent moon but in some other areas.” she didn’t finish her sentence. this caught him off guard. “It’s been a while since you called me that, sapling.” He warmly grinned at his pupil. He could read creatures of the woods like a book while he could never figure out what was on her mind. This night was no different. She slowly lid her eyes to quell her bubbling frustration and continued once those bubbles subsided. “I thought calling you by the formal name would be better to talk about this. I would like you to address me as such.” she cleared her throat. “Very well my Nemandi[^2]. Shall we discuss on the ground?” Ishyldr puts the arrow away and gestures the ground below. Geese nods and jumped down with a soft thud while her mentor took a side step on the tree trunk and rolled on the grass without a sound. Both were now under the moonlight and she could clearly see him; slender body covered with brown padded clothing with patches of leather pieces on the joints dyed in dark green. a slender quiver and longsword on his sides now holstering his unstrung bow. His flawless long black hair that skirts around his weapons suddenly reminded of her hair and herself and she felt blood rushing through her face and her ears. she lightly bit her lip with a sharp sigh and started to fix her hair. He just stood there waiting for her to start the the conversation and silently watched her fix her hair with a warm smile. It made her happy but also sad because she knew he's smiling at his student, a child. she cleared her throat before she spoke. “I think you’re unwell, Kenari. You are obsessed with our guild master as if she’s your prey. You don’t leave her out of your sight or hearing. There’s a curse in you and we are all worried for your body and soul.” She spoke firmly and slowly to give weight to each of her words have weight to them compared to her usual aloofness. she can feel her cheeks started to cool by the late autumn evening breeze. “How would you like to me to behave otherwise?” Ishydr’s gray gaze barreled down at her. Geese returned with same intensity with her olive eyes. “Rest.” “And leave you to the sentinel post?” “Yes.” “You think you can stand against five raiders? Ishyldr retaliated. "There will be no raid." "And where does such faith well from?" Geese's lips pursed to say 'Trust me.' but only steam came out. She wanted to yell at him. "Why are you making it so difficult? Am I such a burden to you? Am I that useless? to be taken care of, stand on the side away from the line of fire while you put your life in Gorn's clutch?" "Nemandi, do you recall when we first met? under the moonlit night such as tonight among the pile of corpses of your family? Do you recall the words I've spoken back then?" "Do not dodge my questions!" "I held your frail body and wept and told you in elven; I will protect you till I draw my last breath. I thought I lost you when the orcs took you. You are capable and you still have much more to learn." "So after all these years, i'm still your burden and not good enough for you?" ishyldr could see Geese's eyes glisten with tear and rolled down her cheeks. "Am I not good enough because I'm not like you? I didn't get the blessing of the elven god?" Ishyldr took a good look at Geese and she suddenly remembered when she saw his face for the first time under the moonlight, the night he spoke of. He was just as fair as back then, not a single thing has changed about him unlike her. But that night, his face was wrecked in pain and was crying as he held her tightly in his arms. Tonight she saw something similar in his face but without the tears. Her mentor quietly embraced her softly pressed her head against his shoulder to cry. He softly patted her back and Geese slowly embraced him as well. Ishyldr slowly spoke, defeated. "No, you are a free child of the realm, unblessed by the elven god." She wasn't sure what to make of his words but her bubbling anger quelled on his shoulder. "I will heed your suggestion and retire for the night. There will be no raid from orcs, hence you should sleep sound as well." He stated meekly, She wasn't sure why the sudden change of his attitude and such tone but she did not want to lose this opportunity. She squeezed him tightly and pulled her self away from him. Ishyldr's face looked pale under the moonlight and his lips looked blue and thin. Geese clutched his arm where the bow's string was tightly wound. "Then let's go rest Izzy." She pulled his arm away from the moonlit area to the mouth of the urn and Ishyldr silently followed. They descended inside the urn and was greeted by Tor's thunderous snoring. Ishyldr gave Geese a gently hug and entered his room and she did to hers. Geese slid into her bedroll wondering what he meant. Meanwhile, Ishyldr leaned against the wall and buried his face in his hands. [^1]: Student [^2]: Mentor