"Don't tell him that, he will take advantage of it." Apogee smiles as Leandros gives a sheepish smile.

"I don't think I am in any position to be turning away applicants right now." He chuckles softly. "Besides, being able to fight and lead from the front is not the only way to help people. There is value in being able to heal and protect people, just as much as there is to fight and win battles. If you're ever free again, stop by Watchers Hall. It is an old temple off the city square here. The building is still being worked to fit a guild, but there are baisc lodgings if you would be in need of a place to stay. I would also have a better chance to talk with you about the goals of the guild."

The traffic behind them seems to have finally reached a normal pace again as the disruption caused by the accident begins to smooth out. The carpenters are nearing done with the woman's wagon as well. While in no rush to end their conversation, the Aurthurians aslo don't want to keep the fellblood from whatever else he had planned that day.

“Having known you only a short time, I think you’re someone I would like to get to know better,” Das says, an air of confidence in his voice again. “I’m grateful for the assistance, your wisdom, and your invitation. After the festival, I would like to drop by and learn something more about your Oathwatchers. Perhaps we can determine if I would be a good fit. There is a lot to learn about the world beyond my own understanding, but from our short conversation, I don’t doubt that you have much to teach either.”

With a collective grunt, the workers set the wagon right, check for anything they missed, then load up their tools, collect payment, and head off to their next job. Seeing this strange group of men on the move with supplies and tools, Das thinks it makes a lot of sense that a place like Sol City would have a group like that. Supply and demand and all that smart people stuff.

The Fellblood turns to the girl who looks significantly less shaken now that things have settled. Gratitude is awash on her face for the group of people who stopped to help her today. “We’ll escort you to your destination, if you’ll have us,” Das offers. With a nod, she accepts it gratefully, so Das helps her back into the driver’s seat and pats the ox. Then he turns to Leandros. “If you don't mind spending your energy on an old doofus like me, I’m happy to get to know you better along the way.”

Once things are settled, Das interposes himself in traffic like a big red sign to slow drivers enough for the girl to pull her cart out and the Aurthurians to bring Byrr along. While they walk and talk, Das finds himself admiring the magnificent steed. He has seen many draft animals and work horses in his life, so he knows what a well-cared for animal looks like. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls a carrot out and breaks it in half, offering a bite to both Byrr and the ox.

"I don't know about the wisdom, but the other two you certainly have." Leandros smiles and laughs.



The two large men plus a rather large horse serve as a pretty visible traffic signal to allow the wagon to rejoin for flow of traffic. Leandros keeps on the ground, remounting Byrr at this point was going to be more trouble than it is worth. Plus, he is one of the few people who doesn't mind walking in the heavy armor. He was so used to it by now that he barely noticed it.



Byrr keeps his head held high and ignores the carrot despite his desire which pulls another laugh from the knight, "It is all right Byrr, today is a special day."



The horse will then dip its wide head to snuffle Das' hand a moment. The inhale could threaten to pull the fellblood's hand if he isn't careful. After a quick investigation, the horse decides to take the snack as offered.



"Normally, he is kept to a very specific diet as do the other horses on our farm. Put the warhorse training on top of it and Byrr has a will as strong as many other fighters I know." He smiles and pats the flank of the horse, the pride in his voice evident as he mentions his horses.



"And don't think you'll get away without telling us about yourself Ser Kar'Das'Dun." Apogee smiles from atop the saddle as they head towards the town square.

Das can’t help but admire how well-behaved Byrr is. Of course, he would expect little else from a knight’s steed, but the warhorse has surprising restraint. “Any of the tribes in King’s Valley would be pleased to have a beast like this one,” Das remarks with no ill intention behind the word beast. He seems not to fear the potential gnashing of a horse’s teeth and cups his hand with the carrot to help it into Byrr’s lips.

“I’m a fan of horses. When they’re treated right, they’re great companions, but they can be a bit bizarre in their own right,” he says with a chuckle. “Feed them too much clover and they might keel over dead from digestive issues. Feed them salted meat, and they’ll grow strong and be unopposed to eating just about anything they come across. We’ve found horses eating corpses before. It’s certainly unsettling.”

Realizing that he has probably said some out-of-pocket stuff, Das attempts to backpedal in some way. “Erm, not that we’d actively encourage that. It just happens sometimes.” He fumbles, trying to steer the conversation in another direction when Apogee not only encourages him to talk about himself but calls him Ser again. “Ah, again, not a knight yet, miss…” he awkwardly says. “I um… I’m from King’s Valley, and I’m looking for a fresh start. Ser Everett and yourselves have helped me on that path.”

"I've heard from a certain someone that true knighthood is not about titles and land, but heart and courage." Apogee smiles as she reaches down to fix a bit of Leandros' hair back from his face.

The Lion of the Landing, large and imposing as he was, became nothing more than a blushing boy in front of his wife. He smiled sheepishly hearing his own words echoed in her voice.

"The diet says a lot about what a horse can do, Byrr here for instance needs more calories and protein than an average diet given his size, then add on that the strength needed to carry his barding and myself....We generally feed the foals and colts a balanced diet, then depending on how they develop and their intended use we can adjust from there."

Talking about raising horses and the family method easily helps fill that strange gap in the conversation. There was no hiding it hit the Aurthurians strangely, but they were also both worldly enough to know that sometimes grave circumstances happen. They also both assumed Das was not actively feeding people to horses.

"A fresh start is always a good goal, there is no right way to live a life, but it is good to notice when things have not gone as attend and attempt to build towards something better. Everett is a good person to help with that."

Apogee’s words sit in Das’s chest in a way that both feels heavy and light. They aren’t weighty like a burden but rather as if their meaning holds truth. Seeing her and Leandros interact makes him see even more clearly that strength is not in physical prowess so much as it is with the content of one’s character. His own eye drifts down rather sheepishly in its own right. “Well, I’m sure the titles don’t hurt,” he jokes before looking at them again.

It at least gives him something to have been thinking about when the odd pause in the conversation happens. Why did he mention seeing horses eating corpses? Maybe because they rhyme somewhat. “I’ve heard that one tribe in King’s Valley feeds their mounts salted fish,” he says, as if this somehow clarifies. In reality, he’s just trying to bridge that awkward gap again. “If you raise horses, I’d love to see for myself if the opportunity presents it. Ah, without inviting myself, obviously.” He feels like he’s done enough of that for one day.

Still, he nods in agreement. Everett has already been a help, and given how well (or at least how well Das perceives) this conversation has gone, he hopes that Leandros might be as well. “The best thing is to make the most of our circumstances, whatever they may be.”

As they approach the market square, the girl points out where she needs to go and urges her ox and cart in that direction. Only once she has settled in does Das feel comfortable enough to call this escort completed. It isn’t without several more thanks from the girl, followed by Das awkwardly and repeatedly insisting that it was really nothing, and he was happy to help. He cannot, however, speak for Leandros and Apogee.

When things settle and they step away, Das looks at Apogee and Leandros with a grateful twinkle in his eye. “I appreciate you coming to my aid earlier. And for the words you have shared with me. I am looking forward to our paths crossing again. I hope they do.”

Somehow the thought of feed a horse fish was just as appalling as corpses to Leandros. It was not exactly a part of their natural diet, but then again not everyone is raised with the encyclopedic knowledge of horses he was. Plus, at least they are feeding them, he's seen plenty of situations of neglect because someone didn't have proper feed and decided to just not feed them at all.

"Bluescale Manor is not too far outside the Capitol itself, you are free to come view the stables whenever you have a chance. We have a good few young horses that are not ready for training yet, so there is actually something to see."

At the end of the interaction with the woman, Leandros is sure to leave her in good standing just like Das. He encourages her to reach out to himself or Apogee should the dwarf return to try and accost her after they leave. He also leaves her with a few solars to make up for the lost time.

The knight looks to Das with a soft smile and clasps his shoulder a moment, "It is no trouble to come to the aid of others. With a heart like yours, I am certain we will meet again."

There is one last small goodbye shared by Leandros and Apogee before the pair head off towards the thick of the festival activities. They are finally ready to actually have their date.