Week 37: Escorts

You: "I intend to go to the forest. Could you call for another escort to increase my safety?"

Maid: "Sure, I'll do so right away. Would you please stay here until I return?"

You: "Yes, I'll wait."

The maid then leaves to get you another escort. You stay put, peeking through the gate into the forest. There's a strange familiarity, even though you know you've never been here.

The maid returns with a butler, and at a glance, you can tell this butler can hold his own.

Maid: "I've brought our head butler, the one other than your father best suited to protect you out there."

You: "Let's go."

You look at the butler. "Could you lead the way? I'll tell you which way to go as we go."

Butler: "As you wish," he says with a bow.

You then have the butler lead you toward that familiar feeling.

As you get closer, things keep feeling more and more familiar. For some reason, you feel the need to use your bond with Archer to call him to you.

As you haven't done so before, you struggle to use the bond in this new way. After a few attempts, you see the mark that you and Archer share appear on the ground, then Archer jumps out of it. It quickly becomes obvious that letting Archer walk on his own will only slow you down, and as you are so young, you know that carrying him won't be much faster.

You look at the butler and inquire, "Would you please carry Archer?"

Butler: "As you wish."

The butler picks him up. A few minutes later, you sense that you have arrived, yet you still don't know what you were supposed to find.

You start looking around for something to show you a clue as to what you should be looking for. You find a stone that seems to have been dyed to look like a cave painting portrait of you and Archer alone in this clearing.

You turn towards the butler. "Please put Archer down; I wish to see what he does."

The butler complies, and Archer hobbles over to the middle of the clearing, lays down, then looks at you as if waiting for you to join him.

You cautiously join him. Once you are seated beside him, he turns his gaze toward the butler and shifts it between the butler and the maid, his gaze being rather uninviting.

You: "Could you both take a step back, please?"

Maid: "If I may make a suggestion, princess?"

You: "Sure, after you take a step back."

The maid and butler comply, Archer not changing how he looks at them.

Maid: "I believe Archer wishes to recreate the painting. So, if you wish the same, then the butler and I should go where you cannot see us. Yet we can still see you. That way, you can recreate the painting while we are still near enough to protect you from anything that would do you harm."

You: "Very well."

After that, they both bow, then disappear faster than your eyes can track.

After about 30 seconds, you hear a rustling in the bushes, but Archer looks at you as if asking you to stay put.

After another 30 seconds have passed, you see what looks like a larger version of Archer walk out of the woods into the clearing. From this one, you can feel a motherly aura. Archer stays next to you but starts wagging his tail happily.