Return

"Gahahaha! Tolfdir! It's been too long!"

"Wylis…?" Tolfdir eyed the immensely fat man before him, doubting if he could ride a horse, the only decent thing the man had going for him was his mustache.

"Aye lad, last I saw ya , you were only this tall!" Wylis Manderly drew a line in the air at the height of his shoulder, "Good to see you've grown into your armor, hate to see you've yet to fix it though."

Tolfdir let loose a soft chuckle, "This armor will remain beaten until the day I croak."

"It's gonna be the reason you breathe your last if you leave it be. Haa, I want you to deal with some bandits between 'ere Cerwyn's lands. Pesky little sh*ts been rolling people on the King's Road, as you've probably seen I was gonna do it myself, but it's been too long since I've seen ya do your thing. 10 Silver a head!"

Tolfdir nodded, "Alright, you got them tracked or we got to hunt them?"

Wylis laughed loudly, "Hunt 'em?! Ha! You think I want to leave my wife in the castle alone for more than a week? I got heirs to make! Gahahahah!"

"Scouts found their hideout yesterday, we've been preparing here since it's not far, I got a horse for ya. Grabbed it from a pack of bandits dumb enough to ambush us on our way 'ere"

"Thanks, we're leaving?"

"ON ME!" Wylis roared as Knights came scrambling from every direction, "LET'S GET THOSE F*CKING BANDITS!"

"HARAHHHH!"

Tolfdir watched on in silence as they roared, mounting the horse a knight had brought him, he followed them out of Moat Cailian's courtyard, as they headed Northwest.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Jon sat within the hero's retreat, his feet dipped into the water as he watched the wind flow through the tree's leaves. Studying its green bark from the distance, the tree was old, older than any trees he'd seen before and he has explored deep into the forest behind Wickenden. A tree he'd never seen, heard of, nor read about, stood before him in this cavern of mysteries… this new world…

At least it felt like it.

Jon let out a sigh as he fell back and looked up into the light, his life was changing and it was changing rapidly… His jaw tightened, "I need to return…"

There was much to do, much to finish… It needed to be done quickly yet precisely, with luck he had 50 years ahead of him… He needed to have it fcomplete by then…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Evelyn stood with a piece of parchment clipped to a wooden board with some metal a place for the inkwell had been included as well, as she began to write Jon's construction report. Something Evelyn looked forward to, because it helped achieve Tolfdir's dream.

Her writing was swift, yet refined. Each word smoothly transitioned into the next, and it felt smoothing to read, one would probably feel as if they could read for hours without developing a headache…

As she continued her report, she heard steps behind her, finishing a sentence Evelyn turned around with a faint smile expecting it to be Aela, her smile turned 'welcoming' the moment she didn't recognize him.

'The timing…' Aela had just left to relieve herself some time ago, "Hello, Welcome to the Dimlight Subterrane, If you are looking for a meal, a drink, or a bed. The Hunter's Rest is located within the hill at the center of the Hunter's Reach, which you are standing on the outskirts of."

"I was wondering what this place was," the man said as he looked around. He seemed to carry himself well enough, however the sword at his waist seemed to be solely decoration…

"If you wish, you could follow the widest wooden pathway, it will lead you directly to the tavern, where someone will definitely help you. Now if you would excuse me, I have to finish my report."

"Would you care to join me for a drink afterwards? Buy you a meal perhaps?" The man seemed genuine…

However, "No."

"Ah… I see," The man gave a shallow nod as his eyes fell to the ground, turned around, then followed the widest wooden path.

Seeing him go, Evelyn turned her attention back towards her report and she wet the quill and began once again.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Jon pushed an iron bar into the wooden section it protruded from in the wall, lifting the iron plated gate that separated the Hunter's reach from deep parts of the Dimlight Subterrane.

Walking into the Hunter's Reach, Jon turned towards the wooden contraption near the gates edge. Making sure no one was near the gate he pulled the lever to the side, while someone nearby came to pull the other one, closing the gate. Opening the gate from this side however, was a whole separate process.

Jon quickly moved towards the Hunter's Rest, catching sight of someone he hadn't seen in a long while, "Brother…?"

The man stopped his shaggy brown-blonde hair bouncing as he twisted his head, "Jon?! Is that you?"

"Aye!" Jon yelled as he broke out into a run, quickly meeting his brother's figure, "I thought you'd never return. I had assumed the Tyrells hid you away."

The man gave an awkward chuckle, "10 years… It didn't even seem like that much time had passed… Is this place your work? Is the 'Creeping Darkness' really the Lord…?"

Jon watched his brother, as the man continued, "I've heard stories from those who were on the opposing side… and they speak as if he's a demon that eats kids…"

Jon broke out into a laugh before catching himself, "Sorry, Tolfdir's nothing like that! He's the most secretly caring guy you'll ever find… Unless he's been paid. Then you might aswell cut your throat before he catches ahold of you."

Jon spoke with such a causal tone that it, somehow, further cemented the man's own thoughts… well maybe not the eating thing… "You've changed."

"Seriously, Darrok, it's been ten years. I'm already considered a grown man," at the end of his words, a warm smile came to his face as he remembered the scent of lilies. Then his expression hardened, "I've got to check the reports, make yourself comfortable in the Tavern. Everything on the house."

They never had guests so normally everything was on the house anyways, Jon just figured he make it seem he saved Darrok a few coins…

"Ah, I met a dreamy woman, said she was writing a report. Whichever man can win that lass, deserves it."

Jon chuckled, "You're lucky then."

"Hmm? Wait… who was that?!" There was a hint of panic in his voice, it wasn't possible he attempted to court someone far above his own standing… something like that wouldn't happen to some woman who can read and write… read..and write… F*ck.

"Evelyn, a close friend of Tolfdir's. I can't even begin to understand whatever is happening between the two, their in a relationship yet not or somewhat and whatnot…" Jon let out a sigh, "Been awhile since I've ranted like that… Anyways just tell a bartender or server, 'Hunter's Origina."

"Okay…?" Darrok who was confused at the choice of words followed along as they reach the foot of the massive hill, Jon opened a wide wooden door, "Welcome, to the Hunter's Rest," before disappearing behind the bar then into a room, deep in the other side of the tavern's main floor.

"Hunter's Original…?" Darrok sounded out, immediately the three woman working the bar gave a light bow before shuffling around the bar for a moment. Darrok watched as they steadily moved around, before taking a seat, it didn't take long for one of them to approach with a large bowl, sliced soft bread, melted tallow, and three different types of honey. His eyes shifted from the tray of food to the mug she had sat down on the table, buds of water condensate on the thin wooden surface.

Lifting the mug, it felt unbelievably cold in his hand, a gulp sent him to the north as he stared down at the large clear floating object and eyes widened. Setting down his mug, he lifted his spoon, then looked at the bread before setting it down.

As he picked up the bread, soft cracks reached his ears and he was delighted to find the bread had been lightly toasted, it had a faint greasiness to its surface but it wasn't overly so.

Darrok lifted each of the honeys and the tallow one by one, taking a whiff of each, before taking a knife and spreading each in a section of the bread, before cutting those sections away.

Pushing those to the side, he picked up another slice of bread and dunked it into the large bowl of stew. Immediately He could see streaks of what he assumed was pheasant, cubed mushrooms, wide yet thin noodles all floating around within.

The stew itself was a crisp golden color, bits of greens spotted around, and something else he didn't recognize…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-(A/N: I was hungry… it was mashed potatoes by the way.)

Tolfdir frowned as he looked at the hideout, there hadn't even been more than 40 bandits hiding within, and he wasted his time. Lord Manderly had enough men with him to take the Hideout down alone, yet he offered such a sum for their heads…

It seemed his presence alone gave the knights boundless energy as they charged into the hideout and slaughtered anything that picked up a sword. He didn't even get a chance to enjoy himself… or make coin…

So, he decided to leave a message with the horse he had borrowed, before slipping away. Might as well visit Ned, since he was close by.