《A Boy’s Simple Ambition》Chapter 11
Advertisement
It took a little bit longer than usual for Ethan to respond. Considering the events so far the poor boy was currently on a defensive posture of the highest degree. He finally relaxed enough to remember his manners and offered a respectful nod in physical reply before continuing verbally.
"It is nice to meet you Lorelle," he paused despite himself and finished the sentence silently to himself, "why weren't you the one who greeted me first?"
Shaking his head from side to side to clear his thoughts he continued.
"My name is Ethan Kipley of the Forgotten Oaks Sanctuary. I hoped to sign up as an adventurer today."
Lorelle had been listening with a relaxed smile, though she had noticed the slight pause on the boy's part when he started to reply. She had an idea of his thoughts though it would have surprised her if she ever found out she was spot on. Nodding to his words she suddenly stiffened when he expressed the purpose of his visit.
"Adventurer? But you are so young..." She spoke out loud and then suddenly realized her error. Bringing up a single hand she covered her mouth with finger tips.
"My apologies Mr. Kipley, I didn't mean to make light of your intentions. It is just..." Well he did look much younger than the age limit.
Ethan, knowing about the age limit and is current age nodded before shifting his small pack to retrieve a folded piece of parchment. He continued while reaching out to hand it over to her.
"It's true, I look young because I am. I'm only 13."
He stopped talking when she took the parchment. It just so happened that she heard his actual age when she took the parchment and the sad expression her lovely face took on had caused him to stop. She truly felt sorry for the boy, suffering so much so far, at the hands of that monster of a woman of course, only to be told he was still too young to become an adventurer. She was about to begin with a gentle refusal when he continued.
Advertisement
"I know the normal age limit is at least 15, though please read that letter. It explains the situation better than I ever could I'm sure."
Her expression shifted from one of sadness to one mixed between confused and curious. Carefully unfolding the parchment it took less than a second, maybe two, for her expression to shift into a completely new mix, this one composed of slight irritation and bewilderment.
"Umm..." Tilting her head slightly before shaking it the parchment was handed back to Ethan, who now looked confused himself. Taking the letter back he looked down at its contents.
Hello, It's ok that he is only 13. -FOS
The sound of crunching parchment was soon followed by an exacerbated sigh before he erupted in anger.
"Damn that old woman! This was her idea of 'taking care of it'?! By the Keepers she is no help at all! How does this do anything except make me look like an fool?!"
Lorelle was a bit taken aback by the sudden change in the boy's demeanor, though perhaps not for the reason one would usually except. It was the look he held on his face and the way he was holding himself while gripping the letter and venting his frustrations. He looked so.... defeated. What was this boy's history with women? Was this old woman really so bad that the eyes the boy now had were so lifeless? It looked as if he had become a shell of his formal self in an instant of dealing with this other person. At least he looked alive, though terrified, when dealing with Cecelia. Now it looked like the writer of that letter managed to suck away his soul even from far away.
She was about to say something, anything, as it looked like the boy may pop from anger right in front of her, but suddenly a loud two hit knock sounded from behind her. In the doorway stood a middle aged man with small, but functional, round glasses half way down the bridge of his nose. His hair was shoulder length and though he was supposed to be middle aged he looked a good bit older.
Advertisement
"Oh Guild Master Owens, I'm sorry I didn't see you there." Lorelle immediately offered a slight bow of respect to the head of their branch of the adventurers' guild.
Replying with a warm smile and slightly raised hand he answered, "no worries Lorelle, I was just walking by when I heard another commotion."
"Another?" Lorelle asked with a slight tilt of her head.
"Yes, I heard someone scream earlier? They sounded rather mortified and I got a bit curious." Yes, he said curious and not concerned.
Blushing slightly Lorelle cleared her throat and shook her head.
"Oh, nothing to be worried about there. We were just fighting back Cecelia from this boy here. It took some extreme measures to frighten her away." She held up the container of anti-wrinkle cream which seemingly said it all as Owen simply gave a single nod in response and a knowing "ah."
Ethan was about to say something in regard to having such a person around was a bad idea, and then ask what they were thinking when they obviously had counter measures similar to a monster in the wilds. However, he stopped when he noticed that the container, while filled with anti-wrinkle balm had the word wrinkle scratched out and above it was written "Cecelia." The sound of a palm impacting against a face filled the room before a defeated sigh followed.
Owen looked at the boy with a small smile before looking to Lorelle with a raised eyebrow.
"So what seems to be the issue here? That young man seems a bit.... miffed."
"Oh, yes. He came to register as an adventurer, but he is only 13. He said he from the Forgotten Oaks Sanctuary, which isn't unusual, but he had a letter that was supposed to explain everything."
Ethan raised his arm to hand back the crumbled piece of parchment, his face still buried in his palm and his eyes closed. She carefully took the parchment from his fist fingers and handed it to the Grand Master.
"Ah...." He straightened out the letter before reading the contents. Lorelle noted that instead of confusion the same soulless eyed, devoid of happiness, and utterly frustrated expression Ethan carried was now on the Grand Master's face.
"Did the letter have some kind of effect on those who read it? No, she was fine after all."
Looking back and forth between the two broken males in the room she let out an audible "eh?" to match her confusion.
Advertisement
- In Serial47 Chapters
Nero, My Existence is Perfect
Nero begins his new life in a different world, in a body that does not belong to him. Along with a system he still needs to learn and understand it.
8 874 - In Serial44 Chapters
Observation Log Of Miss Miner
After untimely death by protecting her favorite story. Our Mc character wakes up in a brand new world that is full of interesting stories. What will she do to continue her favorite stories and sagas? From Writer: English not my first language so expect grammar errors or missing words. This is best I can.
8 250 - In Serial15 Chapters
Suitor
As Halloween arrives, the town of Parker Colorado comes alive. The annual return of a murderous local legend becomes the least of Abby's concerns when she comes to own an odd costume head with a dark secret hidden behind the permanent devilish grin. Combining elements of classic slasher horror and modernized creature terror, this story delivers a whole new brand of edge-of-your-seat, nail biting horror unlike anything you've ever seen before. Be ready for a bloody good time! (WARNING: Bloody Violence and some language. 13+ recommended.)
8 177 - In Serial10 Chapters
Devil Inside
Life is unfair... Nothing is more truer than these three words. Michael Pierce lived his life struggling, with his parents dead and no one to ask for help, he was at the bottom of society. It was inevitable that one day he would die, whether by mugging from another bottom-feeder or by his poorer than poor lifestyle. To his surprise, it was either. Walking home from his daily routine of looking for scraps, he met with a young man whose eyes was empty and a dead-pan face, to his surprise the man was atop a dead woman's corpse. The woman was just shot, as there was smoke trailing from the hole of the gun pointed at Michael's head. He didn't move nor flinch but before he could do anything a bullet quietly passed through his head killing him. Having no time to process what was happening or see what was around him, he heard a calm, confident and very persuasive voice. "Do you want to live and change everything?"
8 139 - In Serial11 Chapters
Errant
Amateur fighter Kestril only remembers two things about her mother's disappearance: a locket and the promise she made to keep her brother safe. That promise is all she thinks of when she jumps in front of a car to save her brother. She expects death, but instead wakes up to a looming clock tower, cobblestone streets, and dead soldiers wearing lockets just like her mother's. Kess's locket marks her as one of the Errant- people with control over dimensions and time, and the same people rumored to have captured her brother across the city. When a military group mistakes Kess for their enemy, she swears allegiance at gunpoint, hoping to search for her brother from within. Inside, Kess finds an even darker side of the city bent on killing the Errant-using any means necessary. When the murder of an important Errant soldier throws the city further into civil war, Kess uncovers a plot that could undo everything she's fought for so far. The only problem? Her brother is at the head of it. Trapped between her promise to her mother and her morals, Kess finds little use for her theatrical brawling of the past. She can only hope to find her brother before it's too late. || Update: 4/24/2022 Have decided to rewrite this novel, but will continue to post chapters of this draft, possibly with commentary. Questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for supporting me! |||| Story is finished, just getting into a publishing schedule on Royal Road for the first time. ||
8 79 - In Serial95 Chapters
Suffocate My love
***A werewolf bxb love story** (click the link for a visual explanation) "We met by chance and just like that my whole world changed forever. I know I can't have but I want to try. Please let me" "I had the chance to save you and when I took it , i lost you forever. I keep searching for you in everything I do but I can't find you" "It's only us against the world. I would do anything for you . Come back so I can prove it" Two kingdoms hate each other to the core. The reason is simple.Prey Vs Predator. When a common enemy emerges, it unearthed disorder and conflict as they suspect one another.However an event that happened five years ago generated an asset which is their only chance to survival. Both parties know that.But why are they so reluctant to use it? Could death be a better option than exposing the truth?What secret could be worth that much?
8 191