Dryn stepped into the Prancing Pony inn and looked around with his light green eyes, though his eyes seemed troubled. Upon returning to town, he had heard rumors about one who had been a father figure to him. He did not want to believe it. The last time he had seen the man, the man had given him the usual smile and farewell, still in good health nonetheless. With a soft sigh, he walked to the back of the inn. He stopped as he looked over to see Kristophor in a small lone room, his troubled eyes widening a bit. Kristophor’s back was towards him, his arms crossed.
“Hello…,” said Dryn, shifting his feet.
“Ah, Dryn,” said Kristophor, looking from the fire over to Dryn. “You’ve returned?”
“Been here off and on…,” answered Dryn, moving to step into the room. “But returned for the time being. I… heard rumors that I wasn’t too fond of…”
“Rumors?” repeated Kristophor, raising a brow.
“About Conrob,” answered Dryn.
Kristophor let his arms unfold.
“He…,” said Kristophor, reaching up and rubbing his scarred eye. “Amanda told me he passed…”
“That’s what I heard around but… I don’t want to believe it,” said Dryn, running his fingers through his hair.
“It doesn’t sound like something someone would lie about…,” said Kristophor, glancing away.
“Unless it’s some sort of sick jest,” said Dryn.
Kristophor slowly shook his head at Dryn’s words.
“Miss Bryn will need comfort…,” said Kristophor. “Maybe give her a visit.”
“Is this…what I get for being gone for so long?” asked Dryn, running his fingers through his hair again.
Kristophor reached up and took his mask down.
“You had things to attend to…,” answered Kristophor. “Not your fault.”
“I don’t care if I do have things to attend to,” said Dryn, glancing over at Kristophor. “I should’ve been here and did something. Conrob, he…”
He stopped talking and glanced down at his feet.
“I understand…,” frowned Kristophor, looking down as well. “He was a great man.”
“He was like a father-figure to me… ever since Gold… did what he did,” said Dryn. “Perhaps even before then.”
Kristophor nodded to him once more before refolding his arms.
“Yes…,” said Kristophor. “Miss Bryn will need her friend there for her. I hope you stay a while, watch things around here perhaps.”
Dryn glanced at him, his eyes showing confusion.
“Don’t… you usually say that you’d have that job?” asked Dryn.
Kristophor slowly shook his head.
“I’m leaving…,” answered Kristophor. “I’m heading north and I am not coming back.”
“…What..?” asked Dry, turning to face him fully.
Kristophor tightened his folded arms.
“Not much else I can do here, Dryn…,” said Kristophor. “People grow tired of my presence. And there are people prisoned in Angmar that I am going to set free.”
“How can people be tired of you?” asked Dryn. “I mean, you’re… well… Don’t’ take this the wrong way. But when others aren’t around, you keep to yourself.”
“These people need me up North and those here do not wish my assistance,” replied Kristophor. “I will not push it on them any long and I will head to Angmar, hopefully I can release these people.”
“And lemme guess,” said Dryn. “I can’t come with you.”
“No…,” replied Kristophor. “You need to stay and you need to live your life.”
“But… What if you end up like..?” asked Dry, his voice trailing off.
“I won’t…,” answered Kristophor. “I will succeed or fail. No in-between.”
Dryn glanced away, shifting his feet lightly. His eyes show that he was troubled. He already lost his father-figure. The fear of losing a brother-figure made it worse.
“Needs to be done,” said Kristophor, looking away.
“Must I… have to say goodbye to people I care about?” asked Dryn finally.
“I am sorry, Dryn,” said Kristophor. “You have frown from when we first met… You were weak, you were scared and in despair… broken. But now, you carry yourself higher. You look like you have more pride in your face. You will do good things, just don’t fall into despair over people leaving.”
“Compared to you, I still have a long way to go,” said Dryn, looking back at Kristophor.
“You will learn… in time,” said Kristophor.
“When… are you going to leave?” asked Dryn.
“Soon…,” answered Kristophor. “I need to tie up some loose ends here.”
“Will… I see you again before you leave?” asked Dryn.
“Perhaps,” answered Kristophor. “I will try and visit before I do.”
Dryn nodded.
“Kristophor, I…,” said Dryn. “Just in case, I want to thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” said Kristophor.
“I feel like I should,” said Dryn. “You had my back countless of times, even when…”
Dryn’s voice trailed off once again.
“You’ve done the same for me,” said Kristophor.
Dryn stepped closer to him before setting his hand on his shoulder, doing his best to keep his composure.
“Try your best to write when you can,” said Dryn. “I don’t want to make it so that I need to get your body and bring it back.”
Kristophor reached up and put his hand on Dryn’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry on me,” said Kristophor. “You need to focus on your future.”
He then smiled a bit, something rare ever seen.
“Since my older brother passed… I wondered what it would be like to be an older brother,” continued Kristophor. “I hope I did as well as he did for me.”
“You have been doing… a damn good job,” said Dryn, letting out a bittersweet chuckle. “I’m not gonna talk like this is going to be the last time we ever talk like this.”
“Just keep doing what you have been,” said Kristophor, letting his hand move from his shoulder. “I still have some time before I leave. I just want to make sure I say my goodbyes while I can.”
“I believe you,” said Dryn. “Here’s to hoping that we would have our casual routine before then, right?”
“Yes,” answered Kristophor, nodding.
Dryn gave as best of a smile that he could before letting go of Kristophor’s shoulder. The older man stepped back.
“You… still have quite a bit of errands to do, right?” asked Dryn.
“I do,” answered Kristophor. “Need to go around and handle some things.”
“I… probably shouldn’t keep you…,” said Dryn.
“Don’t be so sad, Dryn,” said Kristophor. “We all have a path to walk. Yours will lead you to great things, defy the odds.”
He pulled his mask up and made a gentle punch onto Dryn’s arm. Dryn let out a lighthearted laugh, shaking his head.
“I think… it’s because I had you around,” replied Dryn.
“You can do it without me here,” said Kristophor. “It’ll be your time. Bree will need someone watching them, you know.”
“I will do my utmost best for the both of us until you return…,” promised Dryn. “That I swear upon you.”
“Good,” replied Kristophor.
“And if there’s any trouble, I’ll kick it out of town if I have to,” added Dryn.
“Would expect nothing less,” said Kristophor. “Do it as I would of.”
“Of course!” replied Kristophor. “Nowadays, it’s perhaps the only way.”
“The battalion has been around a lot,” informed Kristophor. “Keep an eye on them. Gondorian military types…”
“Oh…,” said Dryn. “Right… Weren’t they… the ones we ‘worked’ with before..?”
“Yes… but they have overstayed the welcome,” answered Kristophor. “I worry they have their own agenda for being here.”
“Right…,” said Dryn, shifting his feet. “I’ll do that then…”
“Good,” said Kristophor.
“Anything else I should be careful of?” asked Dryn.
“All I can think of,” answered Kristophor.
“Right…,” said Dryn.
Kristophor slowly nodded.
“If I don’t see you before you leave, do… your best out there…,” said Dryn, keeping his gaze on him.
“I will give it my all,” replied Kristophor.
Dryn gave a small smile and nodded.
“I’ll… let you go if you’re going to be on your way out,” said Dryn.
“I should be off…,” said Kristophor, nodding. “Take care, Dryn.”
“You as well, Kristophor,” replied Dryn. “Keep your head up out there.”
“I will,” replied Kristophor.
Dryn watched Kristophor leave the room. He then glanced down at his feet before a tear finally streamed down his cheek. He was not able to give Conrob a last goodbye before his passing. Now, Kristophor, the man who he considered as his older brother, would leave to a dangerous land. Despite thinking to himself that Kristophor would be fine, Dryn could not help but to feel sad and… worried.
