Soon after sunset the camp had been set finally. Tellah had returned and the two sat next to the crackling fire. Erik's face was somber as he poked the fire with a stick. Tellah finished his wandering thoughts and looked over to the boy, "How is that eye of your's Boy." Erik looked up, startled by the break in the silence, "Um? Oh, it is better. There was no mark, how did you know......" Tellah interrupted, "That those boys beat you? I'm not so old I don't notice a limp, a wince when one blinks. Remember Boy, the world and everyone in it tells you their story freely, even when they don't want to. Observe the world around you, always take note of everything." Erik nodded as he looked away, taking the old man's words. Tellah did not let go, "So what happened?" Erik swallowed, the fear of the moment coming back to him. "They hate me, all they do is stay on me. I do not even know why.... that is not true. They keep calling me a name before they fight me...." Tellah looked up, "What are they calling you Boy?" Erik looked away, only eleven, he was not comfortable saying such ugly things. Tellah lowered his voice, "Erik... what do the other children call you?" Erik looked up, and in a low whisper replied, "Knifeson." Tellah sighed and nodded, letting the silence return.
After a time, Tellah grew tired of watching the boy hold his own legs, "Do you know why I brought you here?" Erik looked up confused, he had wonder that since he had left. The day before he had come home, shuffled by the fight. His father had only asked what had become of the other boys. Ulrich heard how his son had been beaten in the fight and had not tried to fight back. Even his mother, who always encouraged him to avoid fighting seemed troubled by the story Erik told. That night he could hear them in the kitchen from his room, his ears were always sharp. This was not lost on his family, during the conversation between Tellah, Erik's father and mother, both the old elezen and Heather both stopped talking, then whispered that they thought Erik could hear them.
Erik finally answered, "I am in trouble?" Tellah nodded, looking to the sky as he drew on his long pipe, "Yes and no. Your parents and I agree that you have a potential, but you are not going to reach it at this point. For instance..." he paused to draw on his pipe, "... there is no excuse for those boys to be without crutches." Erik's eyes shot wide, "What?!? I could not hurt them even if I wanted to." Tellah put his pipe down and sat forward, an irritant in his eye, "That is shit Boy, pure shit. Because you were born different, men will fear you... try to drive you away like those boys do everyday. But those differences are what make you a force to be reckoned with, you simply need taught." he pauses again and looks to the stars. "Your mother hails from one of the great Houses of Ishgard. And as for your father, here has always been a Mynhier standing in defense of Ala Mhigo, since the beginning of that nation. You have the blood of warriors, soldiers, knights, priests, and lords all swimming in those veins."
Erik seemed interested but frightened, he was always a timid boy, "That is a lot to live up to Tellah." The wily old elf laughed, "Oh no boy, we aren't here to teach you to live up to it." He takes a flask from his pocket and sips from it, "Oh no, we are going to put those dead bastards to shame. When I'm done with you you'll either be a man.... or dead. Your choice of course."
After a time, Tellah grew tired of watching the boy hold his own legs, "Do you know why I brought you here?" Erik looked up confused, he had wonder that since he had left. The day before he had come home, shuffled by the fight. His father had only asked what had become of the other boys. Ulrich heard how his son had been beaten in the fight and had not tried to fight back. Even his mother, who always encouraged him to avoid fighting seemed troubled by the story Erik told. That night he could hear them in the kitchen from his room, his ears were always sharp. This was not lost on his family, during the conversation between Tellah, Erik's father and mother, both the old elezen and Heather both stopped talking, then whispered that they thought Erik could hear them.
Erik finally answered, "I am in trouble?" Tellah nodded, looking to the sky as he drew on his long pipe, "Yes and no. Your parents and I agree that you have a potential, but you are not going to reach it at this point. For instance..." he paused to draw on his pipe, "... there is no excuse for those boys to be without crutches." Erik's eyes shot wide, "What?!? I could not hurt them even if I wanted to." Tellah put his pipe down and sat forward, an irritant in his eye, "That is shit Boy, pure shit. Because you were born different, men will fear you... try to drive you away like those boys do everyday. But those differences are what make you a force to be reckoned with, you simply need taught." he pauses again and looks to the stars. "Your mother hails from one of the great Houses of Ishgard. And as for your father, here has always been a Mynhier standing in defense of Ala Mhigo, since the beginning of that nation. You have the blood of warriors, soldiers, knights, priests, and lords all swimming in those veins."
Erik seemed interested but frightened, he was always a timid boy, "That is a lot to live up to Tellah." The wily old elf laughed, "Oh no boy, we aren't here to teach you to live up to it." He takes a flask from his pocket and sips from it, "Oh no, we are going to put those dead bastards to shame. When I'm done with you you'll either be a man.... or dead. Your choice of course."
![[Image: Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5YSh8yMniHU/VlLStr_7SSI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/qLoOmtz-Jdg/s100-Ic42/Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png)
