Upon a morning within the cold winter Redwick had found himself unable to think of all that had suddenly escalated so swiftly in his life. He felt a fearsome chill tickle through his body but this was not the chill of winter, he was anxious and sought for counsel which he would not ask for. For the counsel he desired was upon a matter that he had wished to be kept secret or scarcely spoken among those whom it would not concern. Of these matters are so secret that not even I am to share it with you, but not all things are for all ears and scarcely would Redwick have troubles so dire that he would not speak of it or seek counsel of those closest to him. Now he missed his friend Knot a great deal and he even began to desire the company of his father, for he knew that his father would have the skill to counsel him rightly, but yet he was uncertain that such counsel would please him.
Nonetheless, Redwick had went on slow stroll through the streets of Snowbourn that morning, his footsteps sinking within the dense snow with every step that he had made, his gaze distant as he marched on and seemed as though he never met the gaze of anyone whom he passed, nor did he greet. He had no intention to be repelling, and yet he could not help it that morning. On he marched and soon arrived at the northern gates of Snowbourn and there he halted looking to the north with a frown coming unto his weary features. His eyes soon softened and his face became peaceful, some of his stress had left him for the time being as he looked upon the snow-covered plains of the Sutcrofts and then suddenly a voice spoke out to him: "Lad, have you lost yourself?" he asked and Redwick's attention was taken by a man who stood guard before the gates, his beard was grey and his face wrinkled with age, yet he did not seem frail and weak. For a while Redwick's gaze lingered upon the guardsman, "How could a man have lost himself when he stands before the very gates of his home?" He asked with an inquisitive look coming upon his features. "You stand there as one who is lost," the guardsman replied, "or is such the face you bear when you look upon the fields of these lands which you deem home?" Redwick frowned and he set his gaze upon the snow-covered fields once more, remaining silent as his expression grew thoughtful. A short while passed after he had found the words to say and by then the guardsman's attention had already left Redwick until he spoke once more, "Nay, I am not lost, I think. But I fear that my wits are and I no longer know whither to find them."
"Aha!" suddenly exclaimed the guard, "Have you not just come from the warmth and nourishment of the sweet, sweet mead in the tav--" He cut his words short and took a thorough inspection of Redwick's appearance. Sudden enthusiasm in his voice as he speaks in some excitement, "You be the lad who passed these gates several years upon a pony, are you not? I remember you! Are you not the son of Ceobrand, the oath-rider? Bless me, but you have grown tall and those be the arms of a soldier if ever I have seen them. I remember when you had wandered into our walls without your father, you seemed still but a boy and to my surprise you had taken the duties of guardsman yourself! heh-heh-heh!" The elderly guardsman laughed as Redwick stared at him in bafflement, but a small smile lingered on his face from all the flattery. He had not a clue as to how the man knew him to begin with until he spoke again: "You and your father once spoke loudly of the changes that you were going through those days, a queer topic to be spoken openly and yet I recall some of it as though it were yesterday." Redwick's smile widened upon hearing those words and sweet laughter had left his lips, he shook his head in amusement. "I doubt that I shall speak much with my father in the days yet to come, for I fear that I have brought disappointment to him. I had no such intentions and yet I might believe that he would have thought it so. I do not think that he would believe the tales that I have brought him if I were to share them; I am no tale-spinner by any means, but even if I were more skilled with words I doubt still that he would hearken with open ears."
"Do not think so bitterly, laddie, I am certain that your father loves you regardless that you may have slipped from his gaze long ago. I be a father myself and I know much of these matters, my wife has given to me three handsome sons and I ever if they would decide to sway off the course that I would them take- I would still love them as I did ere."
Redwick once more remained silent at those words yet ever thoughtful was his face. He sipped from his drinking skin and turned in preparation to return into the town, "These words I shall remember, guardsman. For my own sake I hope that they are true, for to face my father once more I may need more courage than I have ever grasped. Alas that this is only the least of my troubles this day, but I am still grateful for your counsel- farewell!" And with that he proceeded back into town, a faint smile adorning his features then as he walked. It was plain to see that some weight had been lifted from him, but much still remained and that which he would have to carry till he knew a way to set it down gently.
