121 AC
The Village of Silverhill
In the early morning, a half groggy, half alert Alex fastened two lifeless elk bodies to his ankles. His own ankle weights. He looked behind him and saw the long wooden gates and the backside of his house. God, his house. Alex was born in this world, to some mad hatter of a hunter, his father taking him when he was a boy and forcing him to live off the land and live in the wilderness his whole sixteen years being here. Yes, Alex was only sixteen. The wilderness had a way of aging you, that and the system making him outrageously tall. Alex now just simply appreciated sleeping in his own bed.
Alex looked at the space near his house and the usual crowd was gathering. Smile and wave, smile and bloody wave.
Alex saw a mix match of the villagers. The village wenches would always be there no matter what. Alex was irked by their more forward behaviour sometimes.
Then came the children. He always had a soft spot for these children. Right ol buggers they are. Alex remembered when they played a prank on him by asking him to save a cat in a massive tree before dousing him with river water and all running away.
Alex knew he could catch them easily, but he liked the fun. It was more home than he could ask for. Pranks will always be pranks no matter the world.
Finally came all the parents and his own buddies. Fat Roger wasn't fat anymore. Alex forced him on a diet to the man's sheer terror. Alex could always hear Roger complaining under his breath when he was around. He would then force Roger to run around the village with him. If not, Roger would take swift poo to the face. What could he do? Chase him? Alex laughed maniacally at that.
Alex was a prankster, always was and always will be. Roger swore up and down that Alex was a demon from the Seven hells, and yet a blessing from them at the same time. Alex loved the internal raging storm he caused in Roger.
Then came Cadwyn, Cad as Alex liked to call him. Cadwyn was always quiet, but a right sarky guy. Alex loved his gentle nature though. Cad was always kind, kind to everything, the animals, the birds, even the roaches, no matter the outcome and no matter the situation. That really made Alex warm himself to Cad.
Cad had this uncanny feeling of discerning the nature of a person by being around them for a couple of times.
It proved useful whenever Cad would follow Alex, which was most of the time, to the village markets and buying supplies. Always spotting the grifter giving him fake grain or fake supplies. Alex didn't understand anything about the large village when he came. Cad was a lifesaver, and for that, Cad and him were thick as thieves.
The villagers loved his little morning escapades. It was their version of crack entertainment. Life was gruelling and hard. No fun other than back breaking work. However, harvest month was mostly over, and it was slowly allowing more people time to come watch the Lion Slayer's early morning workout. Alex guffawed at the name. Lion Slayer. "I mean, it does make sense, but I wanted a cooler nickname," Alex moaned to himself.
Alex now turned to face in front of him. A large boulder lay there. It had rock solid imprints of a foot and a fist scarring it all over. Yeah, it was time to practice some kickboxing. Alex did kickboxing on the side when he could in his previous life. He wasn't professional level, but he was far, far better than the average guy who would join the gym.
His movements were fluid. Every knee, every punch cracked the boulder a little. The elks "holding" him back would move erratically. They were like pin cushions to Alex. Light as a feather, but still enough for a teeny, teeny bit of resistance. And plus, he didn't want to wildly scare the villagers with his strength.
Time passed on. Children played around. Mothers chatted. Fathers were laughing heartily. The village wenches were swooning at Alex's sculpted bare body. Cad fixed to a spot holding a cup of ale and Alex's towel. Roger trying his luck with a blonde haired village woman recently widowed next to a tree. He was failing.
The sound of hooves stomping and horses coming alerted everybody barring Alex. Alex was just in a different zone. Totally locked in, as he liked to say.
Cad tapped him on the back.
"Damn, I was just about to get my 5000th punch. Ah well, no point crying over spoilt milk? What is it, brother?" Alex said, turning to face Cad and now seeing all the horses coming to a halt on the road to his house.
"Crying over spoilt milk? Who would cry about that?" Cad remarked.
"It's a saying. Ah, what's the point. Anyway, Roger! Stop being a creep and get over here," Alex shouted.
Alex saw Roger fumble over his words as he raced to his side, sheer embarrassment reddening his cheeks. The widow let out a thankful smile and briskly joined the other women.
"Boss, did you really have to shout that?" Cad commented.
"Ah, I don't like creeps. Plus, I'll beat it into his head that she ain't into him. Plus, embarrassment goes a long way in molding a person," Alex replied with a firm tone.
Roger came to a stop next to him. Roger didn't say a word and just accepted it, falling into step behind Alex as Alex pushed on ahead to greet his guests. Alex knew without a doubt this was Lord Serret. Alex liked the old man. He wasn't a pompous prick like many other lords. The old man was thoughtful and diligent. Above all, he didn't treat those below him like they were subhuman, and for that, Lord Serret got the good side of Alex.
Lord Serret plopped down off his horse, his men at arms by his side. Jaimie on the other side. Alex loved the bloody kid. He had a right attitude when he first came to him a year ago, but Alex was having nothing of it. He was going to mold this little gremlin into something special. Bit by bit. Gruelling moral training was the medicine he needed, that and hard physical labour. Not enough to break a child, but close, very close. Alex always made sure where the line was.
"Lion Slayer! Are you still training with your fists again!" Lord Serret spoke with a soft, cordial tone.
"Lord Serret, are you still not able to get it up?" Alex laughed.
His men at arms looked bewildered. However, anger wasn't rising. All the men at arms knew of their lord's affinity to the strange and towering man, and how safe their own families were by his presence, as well as the sheer beatdowns Alex gave them whenever they would ask him for a spar.
"Alex, your vile mouth still reeks of the morning stench!" Lord Serret rebuked heartily.
"Lord Serret, you bathe every day and I can still smell your rotten balls," Alex commented slyly as he brought the lord in for an arm clasp.
Lord Serret agreed with a wide smile on his face. Alex enjoyed the lord's company. He was wary at first, but he just didn't know how rare this particular lord was. He just was unlike others. Didn't take offense at everything and was a good laugh.
"Now, what brings you to my small house?" Alex coaxed. The villagers all took that as their cue to leave. Cad stayed by his side, as well as Roger. The lord entered his house and was offered guest rights. He sat down on the plush sofa with Jaimie standing to his side while the men at arms stood guard outside. Alex sat on his trusty stool flanked by Cad and Roger.
"There is a tourney in Casterly Rock soon, and I need a champion for my house. We've taken too many slights from other houses and they think I am weak and my lands easy for disguised brigandry. I ask you not for the slights, but to send a message that they can't bully my smallfolk. I know you care, Alex. I just only ask that you do it for those you care for here," the lord appealed.
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done for my boy Jaimie. I see your imprint on him, and I would send him to be a ward of some other house, but not many care for my love of the smallfolk. I fear he would be swayed against my ancestral intentions, but you saved me from that and gave me so much more. So once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart," the lord said with a heartfelt smile while looking at Jaimie. The lord then turned and bowed so reverently to Alex, shocking Jaimie, Cad, and Roger. This was unheard of.
Alex had his gaze firm, his face a mask, not betraying his thoughts. "How can a guy like this exist?" Alex thought to himself. It was just so unbelievably rare, especially in this world. This world, he seemed to find that any lords he came across were such arrogant, self contriving dicks. Yet this man was humble as they get. How? Just how?
Then the quest pinged. He hadn't had one since the maneater. His grin betrayed his mask. Oblivious to everyone but visible to him, it illuminated.
The Honor of the Peafowl
Become the peafowl champion at the tourney, show the mighty peafowl to the world.
Quest Fulfillment:
Win the tournament in the melee, joust, and archery.
Rewards:
Sword of the Peafowl quest unlock as well as 10 stat points increase.
Alex smiled a sweet smile. "If I was gonna become a champion, might as well do it for a good guy. Plus, I wanted to make a name for myself anyway," Alex mused.
Time for a fucking tourney!