Garet entered his office. It's been a while since the last time he was in here. He placed his longsword and quarterstaff in the rack near the door, hung his cloak on the wall and moved to his dark wooden desk... only... to find a large pile of documents on it. Well, it was either this or delivering basic training to new Falcons in Lendose. As an officer he had to run some of the tasks a higher officer normally performed in order to learn and be groomed for the next rank, lieutenant in his case. At the moment it looked as if the higher you rose, the more paperwork you got involved with. That is... until you had the rank where people simply did it for you.
But that would mean he was either leading large armies into battle, or he had become the new Knight Prefect. Though that wasn't entirely impossible, he would at least have a long way to go.
He smirked a bit. Right, better get it over with then. Dressed in his loose, comfortable fighting clothes the young Falcon took a seat behind his desk and reached for the first document which happened to be a letter. He flipped the envelop and recognised the name of a young fledgling, someone who was being considered by a few knights as personal squire. A promising one by the sounds of it. Quickly opening the envelop, Garet's eyes ran carefully over the content of the letter. A few moments later he let some air escape from his lips and leaned back in his chair, the document which appeared to be a request still in his hand. He understood all too well why they dropped cases like these on his desk.
He read it one more time. Seems like the promising boy was asking for some time off in order to take care off his sick mother. And since the boy's father, also once a Falcon had come to pass in a battle some years ago... it seemed a logical decision. Though the request seemed a fair one and it was written in a very polite form, Garet couldn't answer the boy immediately. With his heart he'd say yes, right away. As a fellow Falcon he could only support this boy. But by being an officer he had to watch out. He was making the call, and that was accompanied with a certain level of responsibility. The Order of the Falcons was highly militaristic and came with a set of laws and rules next to its Code. First he had to see how the boy's request could fit in, and if not... look for precedents and avoid making one which could be unfortunate. For his career, but above all for the Order.
He placed this letter on his future to do pile and promised himself to answer the boy before the week had ended. He rubbed the back of his neck. The case had brought up another matter in his thoughts... being his own father. Yesterday he had attempted to share the news with Reina, but that proved more difficult than he thought. Nonetheless he would never lie or hide things from her and thus he had to tell her his father, whom actually had also become her father, was getting 'old'. A disease, known to show up on older people had struck the Elder Falcon. Garet was told by his mother and had to promise her he never heard. She had asked him to... hide it. Not an easy exercise given the love Garet felt for his father... but for now he had honored her request. He knew why she asked him to do so. Richard disliked showing weakness and didn't want anyone to worry over him.
From what Garet learned thus far, his father had only consulted priests and healers of Tharon... stubborn as he was. And although father respected the other gods, Peralia and Ishtar even all the more, he refused any other priests to have a look. Not because he didn't trust them, but more due his devotion and faith in Lord Tharon. Garet shook his head to himself. Their priests were often battle clerics focused on dealing with injuries and returning people to the living if on time. With all his experience his father should know better. He wasn't blind, he... just acted deaf. Just like it had been with the farm at the time.
Not exactly the words Garet would say to his father, but at some point in a mild form perhaps.
Garet wouldn't let it go however. Even though he accepted he'd lose his father at some point in the future, he would seek help. Farallis was his first thought and after the conversation with Reina, who grew all emotional, they agreed upon looking for miss Thiri. It would be a bad time to lose him now with a first grandchild on the way. The whole thing also reminded him how mortal he was. Not only because of being a warrior, but also because of who Reina was, a half elf half fey. And even she had no idea about her own lifespan. But one thing was certain, she'd outlive him despite the drop of fey blood that ran through his own veins. She would still be stunningly beautiful while his hair had already turned grey. And there was even a chance she'd outlive their children.
And yet, she had chosen for a life with him, and not for the nearly immortal Ardaion who was her lover once before him. For a short moment he wondered how the elf was doing and though Garet didn't judge upon people quickly, the break up with Thiri and the flight to Quinn right after along with a few other rumors had made him frown a bit. Perhaps realising his own lifespan made the elf surrounded by mortals uncertain and confused? Garet shook his head. He had no idea and didn't want to get involved even though he counted miss Thiri, miss Quinn, Zeo, and even Ardaion in a way among his friends. He rarely to never got into personal matters unless they affected him or Reina, and thus his thoughts since they didn't matter, were irrelevant.
Also, they were people who contributed to the greater cause and in that they were all one, united in what seemed an everlasting war against Canas.
And -that- is why he was here. He looked at the pile of documents. Each in their own way...
After those he would have to prepare the jousting tournament he was planning and see if he could organise a small meeting between himself and Sir Almaran. He prayed many would attend, including some of his own Order. Despite the fact he organised it, this time he would take part in it himself and do his share for the farmers. Lendose needed it, the troops stationed there and all the way up to Dasar too. There were just so many benefits to it if farmers, especially in times like these, received support. Garet would also never forget what Colonel Sammil Card had meant to Garet's family and their farm. Not only had his father found his happiness again because he never had to say goodbye to his farm, but also was the Mellan family delivering well-trained war horses again. Both the Vanguard and the Falcon cavalry were supplied with a line of fine full-bloods and his father even had to buy another meadow.
Garet's mind traveled a moment back to the situation with his father while he reached for the next document on the pile. Tomorrow he'd try and reach miss Thiri, or ask Reina to look for her. After that, he would have to find a way to bring miss Thiri and his father together.
Despite the nature of this future scene, the Falcon smirked a bit as he suddenly imagined how it would go if Rei decided to handle it. And perhaps even involved mother.
He wondered who would be the most stubborn...
The next document was a message from sir Melfrid concerning new potential recruits. Garet widened his eyes a little as he reread the message... which actually turned out to be orders. As of now Garet would be responsible for the basic training level of every new recruit in the Ravenswatch chapter. But it wasn't the content which overwhelmed him a little. No, it was because of whom had made this decision and given this order to Melfrid.
Garet reread a part of a sentence one more time...
The Falcon sat up straight in his chair. What an honor was this. As of now he would be more than a contact. He was taking over a part of sir Eron's job. Was the Elder Knight planning on retiring then? Garet had no idea as it's been months since the last time they saw each other. Eron even didn't hear Reina was pregnant yet. Well, at least not from him."... and in name of the Knight Prefect, Commander Crispus Thaven, Ensign Garet Mellan is hereby once again assigned to the Ravenswatch chapter where he also will..."
He had done basic training before but now he was responsible for it on a more permanent base. He glanced over at the door and then back at these new orders. One of the first things he would do were a few adjustments at the training area here within the Cathedral. And he would have to look for a new drill instructor since the last one had been send to Lendose. Promotion.
So... they wanted him to set this up? He would see to it.
Garet got up from his chair and called for a young fledgling who appeared within seconds.
"Go to my house and tell my wife I'll be home a few hours later today."
As the boy wanted to take off, Garet changed his mind and called the boy back.
Two bright blue eyes looked up at the knight.
"Sir...?" the boy inquired a bit confused as he saw Garet entering his office again only to come out a few moments later.
He was handed over a few coins.
"Before you deliver the message, buy flowers for her ... and... if she smiles... you may keep the change."
The boy grinned some as he saw Garet wink. But he didn't forgot who he and Garet were and saluted properly," Yes sir!!"
Garet smirked as he witnessed the boy taking off. Though this may have seemed an act not worthy of a Falcon, it was one all the more.
As he entered his office, Garet would bet a lot on it the boy's cunning mind was occupied with all sorts of calculations now, going from where to buy flowers, how much to spend on them in order to keep a maximum change, to how delivering this message.
The Falcon closed his door. After all, wasn't that what tactics was all about...?
