Although he still didn't know much about the knight system, Rexar remembered the name of Commander Kenneth in the speech he'd previously heard. Evidently he was a very significant individual, even for being such an average commander. More so, he understood this when he discovered that Emerson had disappeared for a meeting with the king and other commanders. Leaving Rexar with the others for dinnertime hadn't been a problem for him however.

Entering the mess hall, he found himself amazed by how many soldiers were seated in his view. Luckily for him, Militia were not seated at this hour, as he'd heard Eamon explain to him previously. Knights had their own hour that they ate. Although it shouldn't have been a surprise, they also feasted in their own area.

Suits of armor made up most people in the room. The people who were currently seated were mostly males, with the exception of few females. The smells of various foods filled Rex's nostrils, while the welcome chatter of fellow knights sounded in his ears. Nothing about them seemed hostile. The laughter and smooth voices of conversation brought a comfortable feeling to Rex. Around him, the warm glow of the bright lanterns added his feeling of safety.

This group was unlike the farmers he'd grown used to over time. The ones who discriminated him, disliked him, rejected him, and rebuked him in every way imaginable. Even with how most knights had been doubtful in welcoming him into their ranks, it had been better than how the farmers had treated him. Without his parents, Rex had felt the need to be isolated from most people he knew. He didn't mind the quiet life of an outcast, but that didn't mean he hadn't yearned for someone to talk to at least once. Over time he supposed, talking didn't seem like something he enjoyed doing nevertheless.

Some from outside criticized him for his lack of social communication, while the majority enjoyed him staying that way. However, Rex didn't care what they thought either way. Now he felt the opposite, being with the knights.

Sitting down at the table, he found that he was diagonal from Gregor, and directly in front of Eamon, who both sat next to each other. He didn't start up conversation right away- his normal state of mind- and instead focused on the table itself. He hadn't been given his food yet, but he didn't feel it was his place to ask. As he'd been told before: Patience was a virtue.

Of course, his patience had to be tested when another knight sat down beside him. His extreme introverted mood never went unnoticed, even in his previous life.

"Rexar! How ya been lad?" It was Vlad's voice. He could tell just by the way the strangely accented knight spoke.

Trying his best to act casual, Rex smiled nervously, responding, "Fine sir. He lightened up his eyes to reinforce his expression.

Vlad laughed, patting Rex hard on the back with his gauntlet. "Ah, polite young lad, just like Erik! But no need for that 'sir' title. We're all men here. Call me Vlad, or 'sir knight' if ya wanna make it a little more formal in the long run," he insisted.

"Right then- Vlad," he corrected himself.

The middle aged knight gave his head a slight bow, winking at Rex. "Vlad Cosimir The Third of Trigon, in the flesh." He examined Rex for a moment. "Not from around here are ya now?"

Rex shook his head. "The place you found me in miles from here. Across from the Barron farm," he clarified, not sure how else to explain. Where he lived had not really been given an actual name, but everyone who resided in the area called the land Red Orchard Hills.

"Lived there long?"

He nodded. "Whole life. Thirty years, as far as I can remember."

Vlad snorted. "Thirty? Would've taken ya for being younger. You look much younga' than that, but who am I to judge? Ya have a good head on your shoulders Rex. I might not have been 'round you that long, but I see it."

"I do hope so," Rex replied sincerely. He kept eye contact with Vlad, suddenly interested about this knight. "How long have you served for?"

The knight paused to take a drink, then cocked his head to the side, frowning briefly as if in deep thought. "Nineteen?... no twenty years I think, wasn't it?" He asked outloud, as if asking for guidance from one of the seasoned knights at the table.

Eamon chuckled. "Ah, it hasn't been that long sir knight. Even I remember it's been twenty years since you were drafted."

"The first year I got drafted was the bloody worst too…" Vlad murmured.

Joining in, Gregor smirked, adding, "hey, you could've left if you wanted to after the third year. We all could've left by now.

Promptly, Eamon pointing to Gregor with his pinky finger while holding a wooden cup. "Then again Gregor, we stay because we are bound by oath to defend Durator at all costs."

"And because we are the only ones who don't lack the knowledge to defend our country," Vlad butted in. "They ain't so savvy when it comes to the topic."

"Don't be so quick to assume such circumstances. You have to remember that many citizens in our country have prior wisdom when it comes to defense. They have to have it, otherwise we may as well all be destroyed," Eamon interjected firmly.

Vlad widened his eyes slightly and offered his palm to Eamon, as if he'd just made a point. "That's exactly the reason why Lord Dymar made that speech in the first place! You see, he noticed what was happening. Our country was going straight down to the underworld. We didn't have enough military to defend ourselves with that little white wolf and his army getting stronger up north, and meanwhile we're getting crushed by lion resistance in the south! Even before that, when we separated from England over a century ago, you have to remember that Durator wasn't ready to be a nation yet. Before that we still faced a scarce military force. But Lord Dymar saw what had to be done," Vlad declared, "even if it meant cutting out the whole bloody process that trained knights properly. So he began a recruiting process every month, which if I do so say myself doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"But there are still barbarians yet to be acted on," Gregor argued, "and as far as I can tell, if Wellington and some of the rural towns are being destroyed, the main urban strongholds cannot be that far off their path of destruction."

Eamon started to nod, but then a look of uncertainty fell across his face. "As honest as that statement may sound, you must be open to the fact that it doesn't necessarily mean we lack the manpower to fend off savages," he replied calmly.

Gregor rose a hand as if to silence him. He rolled his eyes, then said, "I did not say we lacked the strength, I am saying we lack the proper strategy. I don't doubt our king entirely, but I do doubt some of his policies. Pius doesn't understand that if we don't act quickly enough, there won't be a nation worth defending. If the one we don't speak of takes the capital, then what's the point in trying to protect Durator? We may as well invite 'em for dinner and ask them to take Fereldan's keep!"

"Understood," Eamon rose his voice, "but Gregor, you know as well as I do that the other stronghold leaders have brought this to our king's attention may times before. If he chooses to believe otherwise, than we must go by what our king says, even if we dislike it," he finished.

"It's only for the good of Durator I'm sure," Vlad chimed in, "or you'd think someone would see something fishy going on in our kingdom."

"Our Kingdom," Gregor snickered, "or so they say. Controlling towns and cities sounds more like an empire to me."

Rex listened carefully to their words as they spoke. He really didn't have any political opinions to add onto, since he hadn't cared for politics much in the past, but he did find their ideas interesting.

Another wonder led him to Vlad. Throughout meeting the knights, he'd discovered early on that most of them didn't come from the same place in the kingdom. He concluded that both Eamon and Emerson- by their accents- sounded as if they were born somewhere up north near the capital. It didn't surprise him, seeing as how Durator was a country of mostly Englishmen and very few foreigners. What came as a surprise was the way Vlad spoke. He had not heard such a rough sounding English accent, and his slang vocabulary he often referred to. Even before he'd spoke, it seemed apparent that Vlad was an odd man, friendly yes, but also quite strange. Something about him made it seem he like he didn't belong in Durator, but Rex wasn't about to judge. Venturing outside his village was a rare thing for him to do, so he couldn't say for sure if he was correct in his assumption.

Though Rex did wonder about him, he was sure about one thing: He did like Vlad.

"I'd never be concerned with that," Vlad had been telling Gregor, "Erik's reliable. Never seen a chap work with horses like that, that's for sure."

Rex's stomach growled, begging him to eat something. He ignored it, and decided to offset the feeling by joining in the conversation. "How does he do it?"

Both heads looked the white tiger's way. "Who, Erik?" Vlad asked, then continued. "The boy's been around horses for a long time. Ever since he was born I heard too. Lil' surprisin' I thought, seein' as how he be livin' in those 'ere mountains, but what do I know about horses?" He chuckled. "Truthfully, there's still a debate on who's' the betta' jousta', Erik or Eamon."

Eamon smirked and shook his head lightly. "The boy has talent in jousting, I shall give him that much. I cannot say who is better because I would be a blast fool if I were to say either of us. I don't know," he admitted.

"You would knock him off his feet any day Eamon," Gregor declared, "You know it."

"As I have said in the past: When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me. Don't, and the past won't be an ass to you later," Eamon counseled.

Rex nodded casually. "He must be a pretty good horseback rider than."

Vlad scoffed, raising his eyebrows. "Pretty good? Oh no, you have not a clue. That boy can ride faster than any of us four. Faster than any knight I've seen. He pierces the wind, and still is able to control a sword while riding! Fiercest rider I've ever seen in my life. No one could catch 'em if they tried I betcha'!"

"And he could be a better one if he didn't moon over that mate of his," Gregor commented. "Or if she didn't moon over him.

Vlad shrugged. "Eh, it's not exactly our place to be talking about Liliana though. She is Erik's mate after all."

Eamon nodded in agreement. "While I agree, there is some truth to Gregor's words. The boy could be a much more effective lover if he were to speak to Liliana before they progress further in their relationship. I tell you, he's going to end up with the woman baring his child when they aren't even married! I understand it is not my place, but it's one thing if he's slept with her before getting engaged. Causing a child is another."

"Guess he'll learn the hard way, Eamon, what else can I say?" Vlad remarked, "I helped raise mi own youngins! You think one was easy? Try three. That's how many children I have."

Eamon sighed. "It's also what happens when you fall in love young. They make regrettable choices. Parenthood can be a gift from god. Erik, however, is not ready to receive that gift yet. That's what he doesn't understand. But I suppose you're right. If trial and error is how he'll see it, then so be it."

Vlad laughed after hearing his words. "Oh, I think he's already got past the 'lain' stage, Eamon. One point I remember last month, he snuck into his room with Liliana. They were both playing smash face. I went to go knock on his door when they were both inside…. and wouldn't you know it. I hear them going at it. Moaning, the bed creaking. Both of them, full blown. On the bed!" Vlad began to laugh, causing Gregor to laugh too. Rex caught himself from laughing too, and smirked instead, placing a palm on his face. He felt bad for finding something dirty like this amusing.

Unfortunately, it was right as Erik sat down. Upon hearing the words the tiger blushed visibly and smiled sheepishly. The white tiger couldn't help sharing his embarrassment and feeling bad for him. Although he knew it was Erik's fault for risking someone hearing what he did with his mate, Rex felt it was immature of Vlad to make a joke about Erik's love life. It had to have made him feel exposed.

"Vlad….." Eamon was also smiling, but he looked as if he were struggling to stay serious. "Let's keep this conversation clean now. We don't want to torment the poor boy."

"Ah, he knows I'm yankin' his chain!" Vlad put an arm around Erik's head, laughing hysterically.

Rex smiled. Somehow, he knew this was going to be a good dinner.


After dinner had finished, Rex felt fulfilled… literally, full and filled. He sat there a few minutes after, deciding to wait until later to head to bed. Most people had left, and Eamon had led his patrol back to the keep to wait for Emerson's return. Housekeepers and other ladies cleaned down the tables and mopped the floor around him, while he attentively looked out the open window at the sky.

He found himself drawn away from the night sky at the sound of a familiar feminine voice.

Standing by the door, speaking to Erik's woman- who he recalled as Liliana- was his housekeeper, Naria. She spoke to Liliana quietly, smiling that beautiful smile of hers as she helped clean one side of a table, while Liliana did the other. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but he didn't care either. The only thing he found interesting was the way she looked. Being able to admire the opposite gender of his species was a freedom that Rex hadn't thought he'd get the luxury of earning.

It was only then he realized that she'd paused to look back at Rex. Her smile remained, and she looked away from him, talking to Liliana once more. Liliana nodded, then spoke one last word, before leaving Naria's side.

Pretending as if he were only moving to exit, Rexar stood from the bench and moved around the tables, walking towards the exit calmly. When he came close to Naria, he paused and greeted her with a wave. "Good evening madam," he greeted politely.

"Sir Rexar…." She said, chuckling weakly looking around herself, "good evening. You startled me slightly." She looked to her right at Rex and met his eyes, managing a smile. This time, it looked much brighter than before. Especially as Liliana left, and it looked to be only him and Naria.

Rex shuffled uneasily. "I apologize, mi lady, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"No, you're quite alright. A polite gentleman like you shouldn't have to apologize for greeting a servant." The accent that he'd recognized on Eamon and Emerson was clear in her voice as well.

He felt a little less shy at this point. "But I would not be a gentleman if I did that, now would I?" Rex pointed out with a smile.

Naria, against all odds, giggled softly. "You already are I suppose." She spoke the words in a quieter tone, as if surprised. Her eyes scanned the ground, as if she were deep in thought.

"Are you alright?" Rex asked, squinting his eyes at her, worried that he'd said something wrong already.

She twitched at his closeness and moved back slightly, eying him again. "Fine, I'm fine. It's just- different." Naria looked over him. "You're a stranger. New here."

"But I'm not the only one," Rex responded casually, "why only me a stranger?" His curiosity level began to increase.

"I noticed you first," she spoke up. "You were different from the rest. And- I thought it would be respectful of me to at least speak to you. You are a knight here after all."

When she said 'different,' Rex already knew what she meant by that. His race had to have been what she was suggesting to. "I appreciate that, Naria. But I don't deserve that sort of respect. Not yet," he declared, "I've been here not even two days."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to talk to others," Naria pressed firmly, "stranger or not." She pushed her lips together tightly, then added, "I believe in chances. You should be given one."

Rex nodded. He listened to her, but he found himself distracted by other things that that involved his eyes. "You should smile more often," he said to her, "it suites you."

Her tune changed immediately, and Naria's expression softened. The tigress did smile and chuckled slightly at Rex's suggestion. "If I do I wish for it to mean something." She responded, staring back at him. This time, she held her gaze with his.

It didn't last for long when a door opened at the other end of the barracks.

The sweet smile that had captivated Rex disappeared from Naria's features almost instantly when she saw Gregor walk into the room. "Um…." Naria shifted uneasily and stepped away from Rex. "I- I should probably go, Sir Rexar."

"Madam?" Rex was puzzled by her behavior. Had he done something else wrong? "Are you-"

"I really should go," Naria stated, quickly grabbing her rag and walking off past Gregor.

When she'd nearly past him, she found the knight standing in front of her again. "Good Evening Naria." Gregor was grinning. Naria was not.

She avoided his eyes, staring down at the ground. "Evening, Sir Knight," she murmured, attempting to walk past him again.

Rex watched him step in front of Naira again. "Why the sudden urge to leave? You weren't talking to the white tiger, were you?" Gregor asked her. She didn't answer. "Were you?" He asked again.

"No. I was not." She bluntly stated, still not looking at him. "Now would you kindly be a gentleman and move?" The words came out a little more coldly than before.

Smiling, Gregor continued staring at her. He stared at her in such a way… a way that Rex did not like at all. He didn't see him exactly, but something about that look in his eyes made Rex boil inside. "But of course, mi lady." Gregor moved to the side.

Naria left the room. Once she'd left, Gregor turned to Rex, his smile diminishing immediately. "Ah. Pretty thing isn't she… Sir Rexar?" Gregor remarked to him, mockingly adding the last two words.

Rex remained silent.

"Quiet type, are you?" Gregor smirked, shaking his head as he looked away from the white tiger. "I was asked to let you know that our Commander requests your presence at the castle. She is just finishing the meeting with the others."

Rex nodded.

"Do try and keep your distance from females, white tiger," Gregor began talking again. "We wouldn't want your dishonorable blood tainting the future children of our kingdom after all…. would we? Just remember: You are fortunate, to be here at all. In fact, the only reason you are witnessing the glory of this city at all is because you got lucky." He walked around Rex, while the white tiger himself stood where he was. "Don't ruin your chances because you can't contain yourself around females. Leave them for someone else of worthy blood to claim…." He leaned in beside his ear. "Like me."

Rex tightened his fists at hearing him say this, but he didn't react any further. When he didn't seem to move, Gregor chuckled lightly and patted his shoulder. "Good man. I shall see you outside in that case."

And then he was gone. The door closed, and the room was completely empty. Rex had not been able to distinguish the chilling words of Gregor from his head. Even as he began to walk outside, he still found those two words disturbing.

Like me.


"What shall be done then?"

Emerson listened to the questions being exchanged between the council. Commanders were seated in various seats across the table, and the king himself was seated at his throne, listening above them. Bronze plated guards kept solid formation across the perimeter, their ears sharp for troublemakers, and their eyes watching for any sort of danger that threatened their wellbeing. Emerson had chosen a seat close to the king. She kept her fingers crossed, her back straight as she listened attentively, and her expression stoic.

"We need to act now," Commander Kenneth spoke up, planting his fist against the table firmly, "the surrounding cities in the rural lands of our kingdom are nothing but ash. Wellington is one step closer to our urban lands. Who is to say they don't plan to destroy Fereldan outright?"

"It's possible," another, elder knight replied, "if what you have described of Wellington's destruction is true, then we may be facing a much more sinister threat to our nation. The barbarians have never been this unified. Wolves and lions working together… unlikely. They have had a great hatred for one another for years. The one we do not speak of has made it clear he does not intend to include the Lion's Pride in his conquest."

Emerson decided to speak when he mentioned this. "Perhaps they've established an alliance?" She put forward.

Above them, their king appeared to be intrigued at the proposal. "Perhaps…" Lord Cunnings responded, rubbing his chin. "But the possibility doesn't appear understandable. The lions are unreasonable. I do not see how the one we do not speak of has bartered with them to a degree that he is able to convince their leader to help him."

"But what does it matter, mi lord?" The senior knight addressed again, talking louder than before. "Either way, we face the same circumstances. I think it is clear we are facing a barbarian alliance. They are no longer enemies as far as I can tell. It is only us against the barbarians. All of them."

Kenneth shook his head. Emerson could hear other men around the table muttering in dismay and talking amongst themselves. Grim looks plagued the faces of the supposedly bold commanders that sat at the table, and not one word they spoke sounded positive. Tension hung in the air, and made the air feel colder, despite the hot breath of the men's dialogue being spread throughout the room. Emerson couldn't blame them though. This didn't sound like this would go well. Despite her brave and vicious demeanor she often showed throughout her life, she wasn't arrogant enough to think this would be okay. Emerson saw the problem, and could see it wasn't easily resolvable.

"Destroy all of 'em I say," grunted Commander Augustus, who sat across the table from Emerson. "Take all of the savages and put them six feet under."

"Are you bloody mad?!" Declared Commander Velux, "we'll get demolished if we go on the offense! We need a solid defense to preserve our nation, else all will perish in the blink of an eye!"

Someone that Emerson couldn't see scoffed at Velux's proposition. "What do you propose exactly? Create lines of guards for every village? Build a stone wall that reaches beyond the sky? You know defense is futile, sir knight!"

"We may as well be lining up to get an arrow to the head!" Another called out in agreement.

Shouts of protest began to break out among the group of leaders.

"Gentlemen, please!" Cunnings ordered, "calm yourselves! If we make the wrong decision, Fereldan is not the only one that will suffer. All strongholds will suffer. Whatever is decided here must be brought to the attention of strongholds across the land, and we must ensure our decision is what is right for the entire land!"

Emerson rose a hand, and Cunnings nodded to her once everyone had calmed down. "I say we gain allies of our own." She stood up, seeing that she'd attracted all attention to her. "We need an army. The barbarians are not as small a threat as they once were. Every knight and militiaman in the entire kingdom wouldn't be enough to face both barbarian groups combined. Even if we were able to gain a decisive victory, we would be facing an immense amount of casualties. Civilians, soldiers, women, men, children. Everyone would perish in such a conflict."

"Go on," Cunnings nodded to her.

"There are groups outside of Durator that we can call on," Emerson pressed, "Neutral civilizations that are difficult to contact, but not impossible. They are dangerous, but can be lethal allies in the end if we are able to gain their aid. The Rangers of the East, for instance, have every reason to hate the barbarians just as we do. Birds and archers that guard the forests in the eastern realm bordering England. If we gain their aid, the barbarians will have little protection if they are attacked from the air. The Northern Serpents- as aggressive as they are- they could be the most potential and lethal ally we've ever encountered. Everyone fears them, no one has survived them, and no one has fought them and lived to tell the tale. Serpents are dangerous creatures, but they are also intelligent and are willing to see reason," Emerson finished, "and if all else fails, we can contact England for outside aid. That is what I propose."

Augustus nodded quickly when she'd finished, and so did Velux. She received several other nods of approval from other commanders, while a few shrugged, looking indifferent about her answer, and nodded along with the others after a second of thinking.

"She makes a valid point," Augustus announced, "Durator can't stand alone. We've tried it in the past, and it hasn't worked out. Although we've become independent from England, we need to understand that sometimes allies are necessary to achieve victory, even for an independent nation."

"Aye," the senior knight at the end of the table nodded in agreement. "We need allies, I understand." He then flinched as if puzzled, and frowned, pointing to Emerson, "but how do you suggest we get the Serpents to help us? Or the Rangers? You know they aren't going to contribute assistance without gaining something greater in return. And we have little to give at this point in time."

An anonymous commander Emerson didn't recognize said in his normal deep voice, "except for currency, which I highly doubt the Serpents are interested in. Gold and illegal sorcery and dark arts are the two things those monstrous snakes value- and even then gold isn't exactly going to cut it for them."

Emerson acknowledged them both with sideways glances, but didn't look any less uncertain. "Then we find something. Or do favors for them. Whatever it takes to sway them. Even the Serpents."

"And if the Serpents still deny?" Velux sounded doubtful and unimpressed.

She glared at him. "Then we try harder."

"They don't make deals with mortals Emerson," Velux pressed, twitching his eyes uneasily, "you know that."

Just then, Emerson had to resist the impulse to lunge out of her chair and slap him across the face for sounding like a little child. Did he not know the difference between legends and reality? Clearly not.

Instead, however, she took the mature and respectful route. "Velux," she huffed, "if you wish to cower beneath the pathetic tales of a children's book, be my guess. But whether or not the legend is correct, I intend to- and am willing to test that if it means trying to keep our country safe. So if you want to hide behind what you've been told as a child and not seek the Serpents out, be my guess, but I am willing to do it myself if I have to. Because I know what has to be done. The question is if you do."

She half expected Cunnings to correct her behavior, but he simply watched with lowered eyebrows, his hands clasped together curiously in his lap as he watched from his throne.

Emerson heard several laughs from Commanders around the table, and Velux half glared back at Emerson, but regained his composure quickly and sighed. "I- I am."

She was relieved when he didn't try to counter her argument.

Seeing as how no one else had anything to say, the senior at the end of the table looked up to Cunnings, and stood up from his chair. "I believe we've come to an agreement mi lord." He announced.

"Are there any who object to this proposal?" Lord Cunnings replied, "speak now, or speak never!" Two commanders rose their hands. "All who vote in favor of Commander Emerson's proposition?" All other hands rose. "I believe we've come to a solid decision then."

"Not quite mi lord," the senior persisted, "there's still the matter of who will go to seek out these groups. Who is willing to take this risk for our nation?"

Emerson rose her hand. For the moment, no one else dared to move a muscle. When all hope seemed to be lost, Augustus rose his hand. "I'll take a stand with Emerson," he announced.

The senior rose his hand. "And I shall do the same."

Kenneth followed through. "No one stands alone. If one goes, I say I go. Wellington's destruction is my fault. I will not let stand by and dwell on my failure when you all are risking your lives."

Cunnings smiled with approval. "Excellent. Are there any others who offer their patrol for this dangerous task?"

"I will join this journey." A distant voice in the back of the room announced.

Every head in the room, including Emerson looked the way of the man who sat.

He'd been the warrior who'd mysteriously rescued Kenneth in the forest. The warrior- in question, looked to be a middle aged leopard from Emerson's perspective. Aged, yes, but not bad looking necessarily. Gold and brown dots across his face revealed the leopard to be the breed of Amur. His bright green eyes stretched back slightly, showing that he'd clearly originated from another country that wasn't even on this continent. For his attire, he wore white robes, and the outline of his clothing was the color of bright pure gold. He refused to change into more 'suitable' clothing when offered to by the accommodating knights who'd brought him in. The weapon he'd used was nothing more than two ornate swords. A knight that studied the man's customs apparently recognized the longer sword to be a Japanese Katana. The second one, he couldn't recall, but the term Japanese stood out to Emerson like an odd colored leaf on a tree. If the man truly was Japanese, it made her all the more curious about him. He had to be a warrior if he was capable of taking on five men at once, when he didn't even have armor on. The way Kenneth had described his rescue and the man's combat performance was unbelievable. So unbelievable that Emerson wanted to see this man in action herself.

Regardless of how strange he may have been at the time, he still rescued Kenneth, so Emerson was obliged to treat this foreigner as a hero.

The leopard stood nonchalantly and nodded very slowly to Cunnings. "If you allow me to do so. I wish to aid."

Lord Cunnings examined the stranger cautiously, not sure what to make of him, but shrugged and didn't seem all that guarded anymore of the man. Emerson knew what he'd say before he'd even said it. "I don't see why not, stranger, seeing as how you have rescued one of our most valued men. It is completely your choice, and I shall give you the choice of choosing who you wish to follow if you really intend to join the journey. You…. do seem like you can handle yourself if I am not mistaken."

The foreign warrior gave a respectful bow of his head. "Thank you, Lord Cunnings-san," he finished quietly, smiling.

"We will take him," Emerson announced, raising her hand almost immediately.

"Not a chance!" Augustus joked, "taking out five lions at once? He's staying with me!"

Emerson scoffed, looking to Augustus. As much as she admired him- joke or no joke- he really did irritate her at times. "Why don't we allow him to choose then? He is our guest after all," she pointed out.

Both Commanders looked to the warrior. As if puzzled by why they bothered to make him choose at all, the man shrugged, and walked over to Emerson.

As Cunnings began to speak to conclude the meeting, she took the opportunity to speak to him personally.

"It looks as if we will be working together, warrior. My name is Commander Emerson. You may simply call me Emerson, since you have the luxury of earning my respect," she stated, "may I ask yours?"

The man stuck out his hand. "My name is Kazuhiro Takeda. But 'Takeda' will suffice for now," he replied.

His piercing green gaze firmly meet Emerson's, and at once, she knew he was the warrior that Kenneth had mentioned. Something about the way he looked at her said everything about this mysterious warrior. He was capable of combat feats no other man in England could hope to achieve, and somehow, she knew it was a true.