Sir Foltest

Before Picking up my Lady Alexandria, Oberon, and Valeria who were in Oberon and Valeria’s mansion, Brigette wanted to stop by “Valeria’s Bread Shop” so we took a small detour to the area around the blue tower before we made for the mansion.

Oberon and Valeria will not harm my Lady, but I worry about leaving her alone with them for so long. I didn’t protest when she said she wanted to accompany them to their home because I thought she could learn more about them since they don’t seem as on guard with her as with me.

“Sir Foltest what did you find out about the guard Ronald? Was he as nefarious as you thought?” Brigette asked taking a piece of bread from her satchel that Wes gave her.

Ronald huh. He was an interesting one, I did not have time to investigate him more thoroughly but by all accounts, he is a well-liked and reliable city watch guard. I did not think he was lying when he said he had no ill intention, but a man who has learned to adapt how he acts depending on who he is interacting with is someone who has something to hide, or maybe it’s just as he said what he does to survive.

I shook my head taking a piece of bread she offered. “No, he was not as nefarious as I thought but he has secrets of that I’m sure.” I bit into the bread and savored the sweetness.

“So, will you continue to investigate him then?”

“I let the spymaster know to keep an eye on him so he may discover something about Ronald or decide to recruit him as he has the aptitude to be a spy.”

Brigette nodded, took another piece of bread out, and seemed to be debating whether she was going to eat it or not before sighing and eating it. “I was going to save some for my Lady Alexandria in case she was hungry, but I couldn’t help it.” She said guiltily between bites.

I grinned. “I’m sure Oberon and Valeria will not let her starve. Look outside I think we are almost to their mansion and can ask her ourselves when we arrive.”

She looked outside the carriage and no doubt took notice that we were near the slums and the area near it where we were told Oberon and Valeria built their mansion.

“I asked my father what he thought of Oberon and Valeria, and he said that he feared what they could do with their influence and popularity in the city.” She turned to look at me curiously. “Do you feel the same way?”

I stroked my beard before responding. “Hmm, in a way yes. If Oberon wanted to I don’t doubt he could cause riots in the city and create a small army of well-armed thugs to try and take over the city. Though I don’t think he would do that, the possibility that he could is why King William kept tabs on him and offered him a position in his royal court. He wanted Oberon under his control."

Brigette closed her eyes placed her hand on her chin and stroked it lightly.

Oh! Is she imitating me!? How adorable!

“Oberon and Valeria probably knew that was what King William thought as Oberon tried downplaying his influence when he was talking to him and why he did not seem surprised when he was offered a position as an advisor. He also gave good reasons to refuse so there would be no complaints.” She nodded her head as if satisfied with her conclusion.

I ruffled her hair impressed. “You are probably right, Oberon already told us that the reason that he thought he was invited was because of his influence so it is not hard to imagine he could figure out King Williams's full intentions.”

Brigette fixed her hair and glared at me. “I am no longer a child Sir Foltest no need to ruffle my hair every time you are impressed with me.”

“bahaha, you will always be a child to me as I am older and bigger than you. Now, let’s get ready we are almost to the mansion.” I said as I heard the carriage slow down.

The carriage came to a full stop, and I opened the door. I stepped outside and whistled in appreciation when I saw the mansion. Brigette followed behind me and similarly let out a gasp of admiration. I spotted my Lady, Oberon and Valeria walking towards us when they spotted us. Valeria had a backpack on and so did my Lady though hers had a crossbow hanging from it.

“Sir Foltest, Brigette ready to leave!?” My Lady said when she got closer.

Brigette walked to her and hugged her. I grinned. “Aye, we’re ready. How was your Visit? I trust Oberon and Valeria were good hosts?”

Oberon and Valeria watched them hug with a small smile “Of course we were I was even gracious enough to have a training session with her. The carriage you procured seems spacious enough, I trust there is enough room for Oberon's wheelchair?” She said pushing Oberon towards the carriage.

So, Valeria had a training session with my Lady, I will have to ask her about what she found out about Valeria’s strength.

“Of course! I got the best carriage, horses, and driver to make our trip faster. You can set your backpack in the trunk there is plenty of space.” The driver looked at us and simply gave us a nod in acknowledgment.

“You have my gratitude Sir Foltest, Lady Brigette, long-distance trips are always uncomfortable for me, so I hope to get to Leonis as quickly as possible,” Oberon said.

Valeria stuffed her backpack in the trunk but kept her sword at her waist. My Lady also stuffed the backpack she was carrying in the trunk, and we got in the carriage as we wanted to leave as soon as possible. I tried not to stare when Valeria picked Oberon up in her arms to get him on the carriage as I thought it would hurt his pride, but I quickly changed my mind as Oberon was not nearly as prideful as when he was younger, and he didn’t seem bothered when I watched them so he must have not thought much about it. Shortly after I gave the signal, and the carriage took off.

Perhaps being in such an enclosed place together made us feel awkward as nobody said anything for some time until Oberon who was sitting next to Valeria spoke first. “Lady Brigette how was the day with your father?”

She smiled fondly. “It was great catching up with him and discussing mundane things like food, how we pass our days, and just reminiscing with each other. Oh! I also wanted to tell you that Sir Foltest and I went to “Valeria’s Bread Shop” and the bread was so good.”

Oberon and Valeria chuckled. “I’m glad you enjoyed your time with steward Wes and even more glad that you approve of “Valeria’s Bread Shop” since it uses her name and she named it Valeria is quite proud of it,” Oberon said.

“It has my namesake, so it is like an extension of myself. It is obvious I would be proud of it.” Valeria said seriously before smiling slightly.

“My Lady I assume you were given something to eat I would hate to think that Oberon and Valeria couldn’t do that much. I said teasingly.

My Lady nodded in satisfaction. “Valeria roasted some chicken, prepared some eggs, and gave me some honeyed wine. All in all, I was satisfied.” She said patting her stomach.

“So, you can cook Valeria?” I said turning to her.

She shrugged and took a quick glance at Oberon. “It is a simple thing to learn I don’t see why everybody does not do so.”

Oberon and my lady looked away in embarrassment and I grinned proudly. “I agree, though I am not as good as Brigette I can hold my own in the kitchen.”

Brigette shook her head and smiled sadly. “While Sir Foltest has given it a try he is not nearly as good of a cook as he thinks he is.”

This time it was my turn to turn away in embarrassment and with my size, it was harder to do in an enclosed space.

It seems Brigette only told me pretty lies when she tried my dishes but thinking back she never said my dishes were good only that I was improving.

I coughed no longer wanting to linger on the topic. “Enough kitchen talk I am more curious about the training session between my Lady and Valeria.”

Valeria and my Lady exchanged looks and Valeria shrugged. “Not much to say I tried teaching her how to better predict her opponents’ movements by looking at everything from their eyes, hands, feet, arms to make the appropriate move with the most minimum of effort as to not tire.

My Lady nodded. “I tried everything from bluffing to attacking wildly, even changing weapons but no matter what I did I could not reach Valeria and in the end only exhausted myself.”

If I could have seen their training session I could say for sure but sounds like Oberon taught Valeria which isn’t surprising.

“I take it you took some lesson from Oberon's swordsmanship, Valeria?” I said alternating glancing at Oberon and Valeria.

“Indeed, it has made me quite formidable,” Valeria nodded and Oberon smiled looking slightly proud.

I stroked my beard. “Oberons often let his opponent attack first so they could exhaust themselves and he could observe their swordsmanship to better make his move. It worked so long as his opponent was not stronger or faster than him. When he faced someone physically superior it did not matter how accurate his predictions and moves were if he could not execute them effectively.”

Oberon coughed cheeks reddening slightly no doubt remembering his losses to me and perhaps the person who crippled him. My Lady looked between us excited.

“Is that why Oberon couldn’t beat you Sir Foltest, Because you were physically superior to him?” She did not mean any harm by saying I was physically superior but I could see that Oberon was slightly hurt by the comment.

“Well, I wo-.”

Before Oberon could finish making an excuse I decided to interrupt him. “Indeed!” I grinned at Oberon who was being hugged with one arm by Valeria no doubt in comfort. “Oberon could read my swordsmanship quite well and made the best dodge, parries, and counters. But it didn’t matter when I was too fast for him to position himself correctly when I redirected my sword mid-swing when my blows were too much for him to handle. Though I will admit he ruined quite a bit of my swords other than “Evangelina” because his sword was simply better made.”

Oberon looked up to me his eyes challenging. “So, you admit that I was the better swordsman then and would have beat you were you not more physically gifted.”

I wanted to laugh but held it in as Brigette was falling asleep, and my Lady also seemed exhausted though she was paying attention. “Seems like you still have some of that pride that you had when you were younger.”

“There are things that I could not possibly throw away and pride in my swordsmanship is one of those things.”

I nodded in relief. “It’s reassuring to know that there are still some vestiges of the younger Oberon in you. I was beginning to think that there was little of him left.”

“Sometimes I wish there was none of him left.” He said a bit sadly.

“Rest Oberon we have a way to go until we reach Leonis,” Valeria said pulling his head down on her shoulder.

I turned to look to my left and saw that Brigette had fallen asleep and next to her my Lady was trying her best to stay awake.

“We will have time to converse more later, but I am in agreement with Valeria I need to rest,” Oberon said yawning.

I am a bit tired myself. I’ll rest as well, I haven’t done something as exciting as kidnapping a Duke in a long time.