Chapter 17: Farewell
[POV AQUILES VIRIDIUM – YEAR 271]
After completing the treatment of a man whose left hand fingers were cruelly cut, Aquiles turned to Ser Rodrik and asked, "Is there anyone else left?"
"That was the last one," Ser Rodrik replied, exhaustion taking over his body. Now that the last survivor had been healed, he allowed himself to fall back, leaning against the wooden wall of one of the village houses. His legs immediately gave way under his weight, and he ended up sliding down the wall until he sat on the ground.
"I'm getting old," Ser Rodrik thought as he realized he was trembling from exhaustion.
"Let's talk somewhere else!" Aquiles exclaimed as he reached out to help Ser Rodrik up. The lamentations of women, children, and parents over the bodies of their deceased relatives became a sad melody of pain that made Aquiles feel a tightness in his heart upon hearing those laments, and so he did not want to stay there.
"Damn, I just sat down..." Ser Rodrik grumbled softly, but his hand grasped Aquiles's, who lifted him easily. Together, they moved away from the area and walked towards some trees on the outskirts of the village. There, they found a place to sit, and Aquiles broke the silence: "I knew killing would be bad, but I never thought it would be this much, at least it gets easier afterward."
"No, it doesn't get easier!" Ser Rodrik affirmed to himself in his mind, but he did not share this reflection aloud.
Aquiles's voice once again broke the silence. "Oh, and thanks for saving me while I was paralyzed."
Ser Rodrik replied, "Lord Stark ordered me to escort you safely, so you don't need to thank me." His words conveyed a deep sense of duty.
Aquiles shifted his gaze towards the village, and even from a distance, he could still see them embracing the dead as they mourned. "What will happen to them?" Aquiles inquired, quite concerned. Before, with thirty men fighting alongside Ser Rodrik and himself, barely any had survived. Now, only 7 men from the village had survived the battle, while the rest of the village consisted of old men, children, and women. If they were forced to face the bandits again, then only death or an even worse fate awaited them.
"After what you did, I believe the bandits will think twice before they return," Ser Rodrik replied with a bitter smile, the image of Aquiles using a man as a club still vivid in his mind. "However, once I finish carrying out Lord Stark's orders, on the way back, I intend to take them with me to Winterfell. Lord Stark will know what to do with them!" Ser Rodrik responded, then began removing his boots to relieve the tension in his toes.
"From here, how much further to White Harbor?" Aquiles inquired, following Ser Rodrik's lead and removing his boots; then he wiggled his feet and stretched his toes. It was cold, but Aquiles felt relieved to move his toes.
Ser Rodrik took a deep breath as he recalled the route ahead. "There are two paths, 2 days if we follow the river and 4 days by horse if we continue on the road. Aquiles, you mentioned you were seeking a better life in King's Landing, but the truth is, you won't find anything there. I saw you fight, and honestly, you clearly lack sword technique, but you're still one of the most frightening warriors I've seen, and your strength and speed more than make up for your lack of technique," Ser Rodrik said as he looked at Aquiles.
"To be honest, this was the first time I fought using my sword... before, I only used it for hunting," Aquiles said as he scratched the tip of his nose with his index finger. He knew he was relying solely on the advantages his ability {Extreme Human} gave him over his enemies, and even with all these advantages, he still got injured and had to use his magic to avoid being killed.
"Here, in the North, you could become a great knight, and Lord Stark is a fair man. If you choose to return with me and swear allegiance to him, I can assure you'll have a much better life than you would find in King's Landing. Furthermore, I'm willing to teach you how to handle a sword; with your strength, it won't be long until you become one of the greatest knights of the North," Ser Rodrik spoke with conviction, his voice firm and sincere as he expressed his offer.
The image of Aquiles cleaving men in half with sheer brute force flooded the knight's mind, and he mentally added, "Gods, with such strength, he could even become the greatest knight to ever walk this world." Ser Rodrik preferred a man with such potential to serve his lord rather than some southern lord.
When Aquiles heard Ser Rodrik's words, the first thing that came to mind was the great Ser Arthur Dayne, who must still be just a lad today and had not yet become known as the 'Sword of the Morning.' And probably had not yet received the sword 'Dawn.'
Casting a complicated glance at the knight, Aquiles carefully considered how to refuse the offer. "I will surely learn swordplay when I have the opportunity, but I cannot waste my time in the North," Aquiles thought, still in silence.
After a moment, he spoke, "I am honored by the offer, Ser. But after today, after killing for the first time, I wish to spend the rest of my days as far away as possible from a sword, from wars, or from blood." It was a lie, and it made his voice reverberate with a slight hint of hesitation in refusing the offer, but Ser Rodrik didn't notice.
The knight made a disappointed expression, judging Aquiles to be a coward, despite having the strength of a giant. "What a waste," thought the knight as he looked at Aquiles, but what Ser Rodrik actually replied was, "Well... If you no longer wish to fight, there's nothing more to discuss."
"Ser Rodrik," Aquiles began, catching Ser Rodrik's attention as he looked towards the only road they had arrived by. "You mentioned that White Harbor is only 4 days' journey following this road. I believe it would be best for you to return from here and lead the people of this village back to Winterfell." Aquiles had decided to follow the road instead of the river because he wanted more time to train.
Ser Rodrik smiled slightly and replied appreciatively, "You show genuine concern for the people, I like your character, lad. But as I've told you, the bandits won't dare to return here."
"Still, I believe it's better for us to part ways here... You've brought me far enough, and as you've seen, I can defend myself. However, these people don't have that capability. You should go back and take them to Winterfell," Aquiles asserted with conviction.
Ser Rodrik, with a touch of mocking humor in his voice, teased, "Are you eager to get rid of me?"
"I am, this is a great opportunity to continuously train my magic, and if you keep following me, you'll only be a hindrance," Aquiles kept these thoughts to himself, and after a brief moment of silence, he responded with confidence and firmness in his voice and posture, "These people need you, while I can follow the road alone to the city."
Facing his resolute words, Ser Rodrik looked into Aquiles' face and saw a determined expression carved upon it, so he decided to agree. "Very well, we shall part ways here," Ser Rodrik affirmed in a calm tone.
Aquiles nodded, and after an hour of rest, he returned to the village, avoiding the battlefield where the fight had taken place. It was there that the villagers mourned the loss of their loved ones, and he didn't want to hear their lamentations, as it weighed a little heavy on his heart since he knew many deaths could have been avoided if he had used his magic and skills to exterminate the enemies.
Moving through the outskirts of the village, Aquiles made sure no one was watching him and conjured a water ball in the air; then, he began to clean his face of blood. When he finished cleaning himself up, Aquiles went to his horse and prepared the animal, putting on the saddle and providing a rabbit for the journey. He didn't need to carry water, as he could create it with magic, and a rabbit could become as many as he wanted thanks to his ability {Gift of Healing}.
With his two new swords stowed in the horse's saddlebag, Aquiles departed, riding through the back of the village towards where Ser Rodrik was sitting. As Aquiles passed by Ser Rodrik, he exclaimed, "When I reach White Harbor, where should I leave the horse?" Aquiles asked as Ser Rodrik glanced at him.
"This horse is one of mine, I'm giving it to you as a gift," Ser Rodrik replied as he began to put his boots back on; the cold wind was already bothering him.
Aquiles considered refusing but chose not to. "Thank you very much for everything. It was good to meet you, Ser Rodrik," Aquiles sincerely expressed, remembering the fight alongside Ser Rodrik with appreciation and gratitude for saving his life and giving him a horse.
"I say the same, Aquiles," Ser Rodrik said as he nodded, and Aquiles then took the reins of the horse and departed, the North wind whistling through the trees as he rode away.
As Aquiles rode off towards the road, he made a promise: "Today you saved my life, and in the future, I will definitely repay that debt!"
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