Rhodes First Adventure, or 'The ring of the silver'

[gonz.0]

It is a quiet evening of some import, after a surprise gift. Rhodes and Kalix sit enjoying the music of the bard and hospitality of Trappers Inn. She shares stories of her past, and decides that now it is his turn, she wants him to tell a story...

“Hmm..” Rhodes thinks a moment, wondering what story he could possibly share to compare to the exciting and exotic tales of others. “Kalix my sweet.. I've lead a very quiet life, the majority of the tales I know are heard from others, or things I saw while I was passing my time idly by... let me think...”

His mind reeling and wanting to entertain this woman of such interest for him, he thinks to the past and his mind alights on an old memory, that of his ‘First Adventure’. He prepares his voice for the telling of the tale and begins slowly, pregnant pauses throughout.

“There was this one time... I once battled a cat, a ferocious creature, nearly outweighed me, and was from nose to tail tip half again as long as I was tall.” Rhodes takes a breath letting that image sink in, then continues. “I stumbled onto it's den... knowingly of course, because I had watched it for some time... but I was none to adept or wary at the time, though I thought myself quite clever.”

Rhodes sits back, and looks into her eyes to speak to her as if aside from the telling, revealing himself in a way. “You see... the creature had a treasure that I was fascinated with... and wanted more than anything else to possess. I was rapt by it.. and could think of nothing else... I had to have it.”

He returns to his story telling voice, “I stalked the animal as crafty as I could be, right... up... to the entrance... to his den. I pulled aside the camouflage that draped the entrance and saw the creature lay sleeping. I knew this was my chance. I crept as quietly as I could, stealthy thought I, like the cat. On all fours I made my way into the low den, and when was upon him, I spied the prize.”

Rhodes gets a far away look of memory on his face as he recalls. “The silver of it, I still remember the ring of the silver, and the gleam.” He grins with a twinkle in his eye. “I reached for it. Caution now flying from my mind, and grasped the prize thinking plainly... ‘it is mine and I would make my escape’. But no...”

Rhodes changes his tone, giving an aer of the trouble that was to become the subject of the tale. “No sooner did my fingers touch the gleaming silver than did the fiery eyes of the beast flash open and regard me viciously.”

Kalix looks up at him with careful attention, and wide eyed amazement, perhaps a bit of disbelief as he pauses for effect. Then Rhodes continues with a tone of excitement in his voice, timber and pace of his speech increasing as he tells the tale. “The beast hissed, bared his teeth and struck with his massive claws, one of which caught me just here,” he points to a spot just behind his right ear and nods, ”the honor of first blood was his. This was true... but I was not to be counted out, for I was a brave lad."

He gestures with his free hand, acting out his words, “I grabbed that offending paw, and chomped down on it with all my might. I can still taste the coppery blood.” He sighs and speaks as aside to her. “Though be it my own or his I do not know even to this day.”

Her eyes widen at the telling of him biting the animal and she gasps out, “No... you didn’t, truly?” unable to stop herself from interrupting.

Rhodes nods affirmatively and continues his story again in clear voice, veracity not to be questioned for his tone. “The beast lit out immediately, fast as lightning he did, running from his protection of den as an invader had breached his security. I watched it go, satisfaction and remorse in my heart. For while I had bested the beast, it escaped. Worse still, my prize in his possession. The ring of the silver still in my ears, I crawled out of the creatures den.”

Rhodes sighs and takes on a wistful, resigned tone to his speech. “With the excitement wearing off, I began to feel the burn of his strike. I could feel the blood dripping down my neck, and I admit, tears as well stained my cheeks. As it was to that day, the most pain I had ever felt.”

He turns to her aside once more and speaks plainly, “I still have the scar, though it may be difficult to see. I feel it there.”

For long moments, Kalix just stares at him, blinking as if unsure what to say, and what to think of such a tale. She breaks the silence finally, “And you told me you lived a quiet life...”

Rhodes nods again to her and continues in sadly resigned tones. “Yes, it was my first adventure, and I returned to my bed a defeated lad. My mother scolded me horribly that day for pestering the family cat.” He says struggling not to smile, “She told me that by my age I should know better by now, a boy all of 21...” He pauses allowing a twinkle in his eye and half a smile to grow, and finishes the last words of the story, “... months old.”

He sits smiling at her, waiting for the words to sink in, anxious for her reaction. She blinks, and just stares at him for a moment, then slaps his chest softly before breaking into hard giggles. She laughs out “Oh you!, you really had me worried for a moment!. I could just see you there, as a little boy stalking down this big cat!”

He defends his story with a smirk and laughter in his eyes, he exclaims “Well, to a toddler it was huge!” He chortles a moment and sighs. “I still remember that silver bell he had on his collar too.”

“It was a bell?! “ She burst out and laughs even harder leaning against his shoulder as her body shakes with the the rolling laughter until she gasps for breath.

He smiles and hugs her tight. “I do hope you were well entertained. What’s more, it was true story, every word. See...“ He turns his head for her. “... I even have the scar.“