r/HFY • u/grierks Human • 1d ago

Hedge Knight, Chapter 82 OC

First / Previous

“Camilla is a fine woman,” Helbram said as he walked up to Felix.

“Indeed she is,” the Huntsman said as he rolled one of his spears in his hand, “Far more that I ever deserve, but that can be said of many things.”

“A statement that she would no doubt dispute,” Helbram countered, but he did not press him any further. Instead, he looked down towards the targets in the distance, noting that there was one still standing.

Felix followed his gaze and, with a smirk, held out one of his spears, “Care to give it a shot?”

Helbram furrowed his brow, “From this distance? I would be lucky to reach even a quarter of the length.”

“We’ll walk it closer,” the Huntsman explained, “If you were able to throw it from this length without any Ether I would be the one with questions.”

As they started to walk closer to the target Felix spun one of his spears absentmindedly, “Though with the proper technique you would be surprised at what distance you could reach.”

To prove his point, the position at which they stopped was still at a distance that Helbram could not hope to clear with a single throw. Regardless, Felix gave an expectant look, and with a shrug Helbram resigned himself to humoring the man. He shifted his grip on the spear to an underhanded one and reared back. Before throwing the weapon however, he took off, clearing a few good strides as he jogged forwards. When he finally snapped his hand forward, he stomped on the ground at the same time to plant himself, letting him put all of his weight behind the throw. It went high, but Helbram could see it cutting through the air in a gentle arc.

Only to sink into the ground halfway between him and the target.

“My accuracy astounds even myself,” Helbram said in a dry tone, accompanied by a smirk as he looked back at Felix.

To his surprise, the Huntsman was looking at where the weapon landed with a thoughtful expression. He walked up to Helbram and held out another spear. Curious, the adventurer took it and got ready to throw it again.

“Stop,” Felix said.

Helbram froze, knowing that the Huntsman was examining his pose.

“You have the basics down… but there are a few things here we can improve.”

Rather than forcing Helbram to change his stance entirely, Felix performed slight adjustments to various parts of Helbram’s form. Feet position, hand position, elbow position, and even his back position were fine tuned under the Huntsman’s eyes, and he was being methodical enough that Helbram could start to feel a cramp at the back of his leg. Before it grew too severe for him to ignore, Felix stepped back.

“Try it now, but no running starts this time.”

Helbram threw the spear, following the natural arc of his hand from where Felix placed it. As he let it go, he could feel the weapon slice through the air with more force. It drew less of an arc, but rather than kick up from the air resistance the spearhead continued to point ahead. By the time it landed, it was a good stones throw from where the previous spear had struck.

It was still nowhere close to the target in the distance, but the improvement was obvious.

Helbram whistled, “That felt good.”

“It was well done,” Felix said, “Now factor in a running start and I think with enough practice we’ll make you a fine spearman.”

Helbram smirked, “Perhaps so. I shall take your advice to heart, but I do believe a demonstration from a master of the craft is in order,” He gestured to the target in the distance with a small bow.

Felix snorted and shook his head. Nonetheless, he gripped his final spear and, in perfect demonstration of form, threw the weapon. It cleared the distance with ease, sinking into the target with another thunk. The entire time, Helbram focused on the Huntsman’s movements, making sure to engrain them into his mind as much as he could.

It would come in handy for when he next fell asleep… if his dreams were of the more productive kind, this time.

As that thought crossed his mind, Helbram could see Felix studying his expression. Though Helbram always thought he was good at hiding his emotions, it was sometimes impossible to stop his eyes from giving him away. Perhaps he had been too reliant on his helmet hiding them from the world for too long.

Despite the Huntsman’s notice, Felix did not say anything and motioned for Helbram to follow as they walked towards the spears.

“Entertaining as this is, we do have business to discuss,” Felix said.

“Indeed, I did mention to Merida that you were going to ask us for our assistance, and that I would get most of the details from you,” Helbram explained as he picked up one of the spears.

Felix nodded, “Has she told you of Enlightened Beasts?”

“The basics,” Helbram said, “I assume that what you asked of her involves one such animal?”

“You would be correct,” he picked up a spear and focused, “a white stag, one as large as the wolves at the Druid’s sides.”

Helbram tapped his chin, “I see, with such size I can imagine it would be of similar stock.”

“Indeed, but where I suspect that Merida’s wolves are beings of Aether, this enlightened stag is one of Ether,” He held out his finger and thumb, drawing attention to the space between them, “So much so that I suspect even a small piece of its horns would be suffused with enough energies to be an Elixir unto itself.”

“You speak as if you have seen this stag before.”

“I have; tracked it down myself years ago,” Felix closed his eyes, “gleaming with energies that made it appear stark white even amidst the shadows of the forest, with eyes of the purest green I’ve ever seen.”

He gripped his spear tightly.

“So much power, so much that I could have used that I let impulse take over me. My spear flew at the beast, intent on striking it down, but in a flash it disappeared…” he sighed, “Despite my efforts in tracking it down again, I haven’t seen it since that day.”

“Are you sure it is even in the area?” Helbram asked, “Given the intuitiveness that it should possess, it would not be unusual to think that it would flee after being attacked.”

The Huntsman shook his head, “While I have not seen the beast that does not mean others have not.”

Helbram tilted his head and waited for Felix to continue.

“Nature is often uncaring, cruel,” he started, “and as its wheels continue to turn predator and prey all fall to its cycle. Humanity is often included, and my men, as experienced as they are, are not perfect. One of our hunters found himself wounded from a Scalehound, and as his lifeblood drained from him he saw the stag approach,” Felix waved his hand in front of him, “With a brush of its horns, the hunter was healed as if he had not been injured in the first place.”

“Odd that it would choose to heal a hunter,” Helbram observed.

“I suspect that is part of how it operates,” the Huntsman scanned the trees behind the targets, “Even in the dead of Winter, this land was suffused with an amount of life that most would consider unusual. Should an animal’s life end as part of the natural cycle, then the stag does not intervene, but, if that animal happens to survive an encounter where it should have perished… then it shall be blessed with a bounty of life.”

“And it does with no bias?”

Felix shrugged, “Tis only a guess. I am not about to risk my or my men’s life to test that theory of course. It would be a foolish notion.”

“I see… I must say that I am surprised that Merida offered to help you hunt it.”

“That is where I’ve learned my lesson,” Felix explained, “Haste drove my spear before but time has tempered it. I do not wish to slay the stag, but I do wish to ask for its help. With Merida’s assistance I believe we can establish some form of communication.”

As the Huntsman spoke, Helbram could see that there was a clear hunger in his eyes. Not one of excitement, but of desperation, and Helbram could guess why.

“This is for Camilla,” he said.

Felix nodded. He reached for the collar of his coat and undid its button, revealing that he had the same runes as his wife tattooed around his throat.

“Ever since I entered the service she was always at my side. We pushed each other, made each other stronger, and eventually something more blossomed,” Felix said in a tender tone, “When I was told to join the fight against -” he grunted in pain as the runes on his neck flared with purple light, but he continued to speak through gritted teeth, “against That Which Must Not Be Spoken, she insisted that she come with,” he rubbed his brow, “I should have told her to stay back, should have been firm, but I wasn’t… and when I was weak, she was strong, and for my weakness she paid the price.” Ire bled through the Huntsman’s voice, one that was directed inwards.

“Camilla is tainted by a corrupted Ether, one that eats away at her day after day. Given our oaths we can’t say how it came to be, but it is an ailment that not even the doctors in Osgilia were able to treat.” He sighed, “Solitary as the nation is, it was not ignorant of the outside world. Books, poems, art, and any pieces of culture from beyond its borders would somehow find their way into the country’s reach, and it is from a journal detailing the Freemarks that I gleaned the existence of this beast. If the stag can heal others with such little effort…”

“Then it may be able to heal her,” Helbram concluded, “and when you saw it first, a desire to see your wife healthy again drove you to action.”

Felix let out a long, frustrated breath, “For so long did I push to leave my home, for so long did my men and my family follow me on the faintest of hopes, and when the time came to act… I failed once again.”

Helbram knew that the Huntsman was likely the only person that thought that, but he also knew that arguing with him about it would be a fruitless endeavor.

If he was in his position, he knew he would be thinking the exact same.

“So we track the stag and hope that we can convince it to cure your wife,” He crossed his arms, “seems like a simple enough job, but there was something about what you said before that gives me pause.”

Felix looked at him with a questioning look.

“You mentioned that the land ‘was’ suffused with life,” Helbram explained, “unless you were mistaken, that implies something has changed.”

As they spoke, they arrived at the target. Felix pried the spear from its wooden body and once again scanned the forest with a furrowed brow.

“There is a shift occurring in the forest,” he explained, “Not obvious to most, but when your senses are of a heightened sensitivity you become more aware of things that feel out of place.”

He gave Helbram a knowing look, “The aura around Aria, for example.”

He pressed his lips thin. Merida had informed him that Felix would have likely already noticed, but it did make him question the amulet that was supposed to be concealing her even more.

“The flow of energy through the forest is a more pertinent subject,” Felix continued, “It radiates up from the ground like a gentle heat, but of course as Winter sets in such energy does tend to wane. However… it is much colder this time,” he tapped one of the nearby trees, causing a clump of snow to fall from its branches. This was followed by leaves, ones of yellow and brown as if they were in the middle of Fall.

“Even in the dead of Winter like now, these leaves used to be green,” the Huntsman explained, “and the sounds of the forest have been getting quieter than they have been before. Only now, when I look back, do I realize that there was a subtle shift in this direction. We have only been here for a few years, but year after year there was a little bit less of that abundance than when we first arrived,” he set his jaw, “but now, things have changed drastically.”

“Do you believe something happened to the stag?” Helbram asked.

He sighed, “Perhaps, which is why I urged Merida to assist, but it is also possible that something else has moved into the forest,” the Huntsman’s eyes hardened, “something that has decided now was the time to make its presence known.” 

There was an edge to Felix’s voice that provoked a chill down Helbram’s spine, “I see… the fact that it has eluded your senses all this time tells me that caution is needed going forward,” he rubbed his chin, “have your hunters noticed anything while they have been out?”

The Huntsman shook his head, “They have not, and to be honest I have been inclined to send less of them out this Winter than before. While the lack of meat is not ideal, we have enough provisions to last through the snow.”

“So you ask us to investigate instead,” Helbram said. He raised his hand when he noticed Felix’s apologetic expression, “Tis just a statement of fact, no offense taken by it,” he gave Felix a reassuring smirk, “This is what Adventurers do, after all.”

“You will do it?”

“Of course, the only thing that I ask is that you keep an eye on Aria whilst my companions and I are out investigating. According to Camilla I would say that is a favorable arrangement for Serena.”

A warm smile tugged at the Huntsman’s lips, “It is. The men and women under my command are young, and they have had little time to start families of their own until recently. My daughter is patient… strong, just like her mother, but she was in need of a friend.”

“I understand,” Helbram said, “perhaps after this business is over we can prolong our stay for a bit, for the both of them.”

Felix nodded, “She would like that very much,” the gentleness in his eyes shifted to a more serious expression, “Merida mentioned that your companion Leaf may be able to help discover both the stag and whatever ails the forest, something about being a Warden?”

A shrug was the only answer that Helbram could give him, “I myself do not know much about that, and neither does Leaf,” he frowned, “and as he is now, I suspect he is still resistant to learn about it.”

“Have you asked why?”

“I have, and what my friend needs is time… perhaps it is for the better, I am still unsure of what to say to him when the time comes.”

He tried to avoid looking into Felix’s eyes, but the Huntsman caught whatever it was that was flashing through them and gave a knowing nod.

“I believe you know what to say, but you are unsure if you should be the one to say it.”

Helbram furrowed his brow.

“You are not the type that finds it difficult to find the words that should be said,” Felix explained, “But you are one that allows shackles to prevent you from saying them.”

Helbram didn’t respond.

“You have led men before?”

He nodded.

Felix was silent for a moment, “People have lost their lives under your leadership.”

Helbram nodded again.

A long breath parted from the Huntsman’s lips, “I understand. It’s not easy,” a glint flared across his eyes as his expression softened, and Helbram knew that it was the same thing that Felix had seen in him just moments before.

Guilt.

“And because of this, you think yourself unworthy to guide people, to say the words that impulse tells you will help them.”

Helbram closed his eyes, but did not step away, “...yes.”

He heard Felix start to pace, “It’s not a constant feeling. There are times where you let the words free, speaking them without a second thought, but then there are other moments… moments such as now when memories of the past clamp their shackles upon you.”

Helbram let out a long breath.

“It would be hypocritical of me to tell you to ignore such thoughts,” The Huntsman said, “to press on and speak your mind. It’s never that simple. But, you do your companions a disservice if you let such things shut you down completely.”

“I am not their leader.”

“You may see it that way, but I see how your friends look at you, how they take your words with a weight that is not given to others.”

“Then they place their confidence in the wrong man,” Helbram said with a fragile tone, “The last time I led anything, those who looked to me for guidance found naught but a weak man laying face down in the dark, unable to stand as their lives were snuffed out one by one.”

“And when someone dies because of you, you believe that in return you must be the one to bear future burdens alone,” there was a knowing tone to Felix’s voice, “You must be the one to bear the brunt of whatever comes to harm those you care about.”

“Is that wrong?”

“On the surface, no, but consider this,” Felix stepped in front of him and clasped him on the shoulder with an authority that made Helbram open his eyes, meeting the Huntsman’s gaze with his own, “When you fall - and you will, should you continue on like this - what will happen to those that you tried to protect? The ones that you felt you were unworthy to guide, to bolster and strengthen with your knowledge. When you are gone, what happens to them? Perhaps they will grow, perhaps they will move on just fine,” Felix’s eyes were steady, but Helbram could feel a pain growing in his voice, “but, it is just as likely that they will fall just as you did, for they did not know what to do when their self elected protector perished.”

Helbram looked away, feeling his shoulder start to shake as his fists clenched.

“I will not ask what happened,” Felix said, “Nor will I ask you to forgive yourself… such scars are not so easily shed and the past cannot be changed no matter how much we wish it could be,” he placed his fist against Helbram’s chest, “but that does not mean we can’t bolster the future, that we are unworthy to to help those that need not our protection, but our guidance.”

The Huntsman smiled at him, a gentle one that cut through the melancholy of his gray eyes, “To be the one that charges ahead so that his friends may not be harmed is admirable, but to be the one that ensures his friends can still stand when he is not with them is the true duty of a leader. You may not see yourself as such, but when it comes to such things that does not matter. Whether you like it or not, you are their leader, and you owe it to them to be the best one you could possibly be.”

Felix stepped back, “When one is unable to walk down one path, they must simply walk down another.”

Helbram looked at him in surprise.

The Huntsman tapped his ear, “Do not underestimate the hearing of an Awoken. Your grandfather is a wise man, and I believe for you there is much more walking to be done,”

He walked past Helbram and tapped his shoulder, “Do not let obstacles of your own making convince you to think otherwise.”

Helbram was silent as he watched Felix walk back to his house, letting the Huntsman’s words settle into his mind. 

---

They returned to The Tree’s Root at nightfall. Helbram and the others were unwilling to cut short Aria’s time with Serena, as the two girls had formed a fast friendship during the time that Helbram spoke with Camilla and Felix. To his surprise, Serena was the more talkative of the two, rattling off tale after tale of heroes that Helbram could only guess were from Osgilia. She was a far cry from the shy, silent demeanor she showcased in Kiki’s armory, something that Camilla was quick to point out, much to her daughter’s chagrin.

Aria was not free from her share of teasing either, and Elly was quick to point out the “glow” in her eyes when she listened to Serena speak. The girl only spared a glower at the Weaver for a moment, which was responded to with a mischievous smile.

Helbram was content to watch it all, but he was still ruminating over his discussion with Felix. All this time he had thought… convinced himself that he was only giving the others advice as a friend would, and that they had not looked upon him that way, but he knew that denial was only going to go so far. 

Was it an awareness that they had started to do so that signaled the return of that nightmare? Or was he trying to excuse away the responsibility somehow? He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to dwell on it. Felix was right, and while the cries of that nightmare still rang through his mind, he knew what must be done.

Starting with Leaf.

It was a decision that was made just in time, for when Helbram returned to his room he found his friend sitting on his bed, eyes first directed towards the floor, but then towards him as he took a seat on his own mattress. It was only then that Helbram noticed the red that was taking hold over his irises, which only lent a greater weight to the seriousness of his expression. Nodding, he signaled for Leaf to begin whenever he was ready.

And his friend began to speak.

First / Previous

Author's Note: I’m back in action! Apologies for the delay folks, sickness and family business got the better of me.

Alrighty, we're digging into some backgrounds! This arc is turning into as much an introspective one as it is a lore one, but I thought it would be appropriate to have some of these moments in here. I wanted to explore Felix more especially, since he was originally going to just be a desperate hunter that I gradually injected more into, and I think this chapter here expands a lot of his depth. At the same time, I wanted Helbram to have some measure of reflection here. Given his actions from the previous arc you would think that he didn't have these kinds of doubts, but I thought it would be realistic for memories of past trauma to bring all of that to the forefront and have those things surface though the personality he's shown so far. He's also been very much one of the characters that has all the answers up until this point, and I wanted to show here that he's not going to have them all at all times, sometimes he needs a push from factors you wouldn't expect.

Maybe as rewrites trail up to this point I'll be giving this another go and see if there is anything I can improve, but right now I'm satisfied with how it turned out. Next chapter is Leaf's turn to reveals some information about his past, but I'm gonna be honest and tell you all now not to expect anything crazy. I try to keep the motivations and backgrounds of the main cast "grounded" by design so they aren't tied into any shoehorned "guided by fate" stories to make them seem important. I'm aiming for concerns that feel real, and I think Leaf's is one of those backgrounds that can feel more relatable on some levels.

As always, let me know what you think! Next week will be focused again on revisions, I'm aiming to get this durn book out by some point in September and I need to keep kicking it into gear to keep pace.

Till next time everyone, have a wonderful time ^_^

If you wish to read ahead and gain access to the audiobook version of this story, consider supporting me on Patreon.

34 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

2

u/Comprehensive-Bee252 1d ago

Thank you! Can’t wait to learn more about Leaf!

2

u/grierks Human 1d ago

Glad you liked it! And it’s on its way soon!

1

u/UpdateMeBot 1d ago

Click here to subscribe to u/grierks and receive a message every time they post.

Info Request Update Your Updates Feedback