The Dreamer's Fall

Chapter 25 - Fenric's Chosen

Once Arthur had left The Cat's Cradle, Fenric sent Alan to notify the city guard while he waited with Mara and the freed prisoners.

"Captain, I think these two are alone!" Mara called out from a few feet away.

He turned to Mara and saw her standing beside two children. One was a young girl no older than Arthur, and she held the hand of a younger boy beside her.

Fenric walked over to them and put on a cordial smile as he knelt down so that his eyeline was parallel to theirs. "Hello, my name is Fenric. What're your names?"

"I'm Cassia..." The young girl whispered, refusing to meet Fenric's eyes. "This is my brother Cinto."

"It's nice to meet you two. I'm sure your parents are very worried about you." Fenric pointed to Mara. "This nice young lady is Mara, and she can bring you home if you want. Do you remember where you live?"

"Mom is d-down there." Cassia's voice trembled as she pointed back at The Cat's Cradle.

Fenric looked to where she had pointed and sighed. "I'm sorry to hear that, Cassia. What about your father?"

"H-he died when I was l-little." Cassia replied as tears began welling up in her eyes.

"Is there anyone else who might take you in? An aunt or uncle, maybe?" Fenric asked, but Cassia shook her head as the tears began to fall.

"I know it's hard to stay strong, Cassia. I lost my dad when I was about the same age as your brother, Cinto. My mother didn't want me anymore after that, so she ran away and left me all alone.

"Luckily, someone found me as I lay starving and sick among some rubbish in one of the capital's back alleys. He taught me many things, but the most important thing I learned from him was how to survive and fight for what I wanted.

"As I grew older, I wanted to help others as that man had once helped me. So, I followed in his footsteps and started my own mercenary company. I named it Fenric's Chosen. Do you know why?"

"Mm-mm." Cassia hummed and shook her head.

"It's because they're the family I chose for myself. Almost everyone in my company was once in a position similar to yours. Some lost their parents, and some, like Mara here, were better off without them. But, no matter the circumstances, they found the family they lacked in Fenric's Chosen.

"It won't be easy, and you'll be put to work around the camp, but if you want to come with us, you'll learn how to read, write, and defend yourselves. Then, once you're both old enough, you can choose to join us or seek out your own path in life with what you've learned. What do you think about that?"

Cassia hesitated for a moment as she looked at her younger brother before nodding.

"Good." Fenric smiled and patted her head before turning to Mara. "Bring them to the camp and make them a hot meal. I'll send Alan behind you when he arrives."

"Yes, captain~."

After they left, Fenric thought about the deal Arthur had offered him and hoped it was true. He had lost too much of his new family over the years and wanted nothing more than a safe place for them to grow.

A mercenary's life wasn't easy, but in Fenric's eyes, it was far superior to the alternatives available to an orphaned commoner child. They'd be lucky if starvation was the only injustice they faced before their inevitable death, especially in a big city like Munn.

The cruelty within the hearts of men is on full display when they believe there won't be consequences for their actions. And one would be hard-pressed to find someone in Ollerin to hold them responsible for actions taken against an orphaned commoner.