god save our gracious king » celine & stahl
“Hark! Hark, I say! No, no, down here!” If the sight of a ragged white horse grazing in the middle of the forest doesn’t grab your attention, the voice that calls from the bottom of a pit sure does. A tall man with tousled blue hair winces as he waves at you, claiming to have broken his leg when he fell into this dastardly trap. “I, King Sigurd of Grannvale, humbly request thine aid! Know that thy kindness today will reward thee handsomely in the years to come!” [Grants Faith +1]
Catching sight of the unusual silhouette semi-concealed beyond the trees, Stahl pulled hard on the reins of his mount, coming to an abrupt halt. Further peering in the shape's direction confirmed his initial suspicions. He called a word of warning to the woman riding alongside him.
"Hm? What's that, over there?"
A stray horse had its nose in the roughage, seemingly unbothered by the absence of its rider. But the saddle across its back suggested that it had carried one, at least at some point. How recently, however, would require some further investigation.
He dismounted; approaching on foot seemed more appropriate to avoid spooking the poor thing. "Hey there," he said softly. It seemed entirely unconcerned by his advance. He braved a tentative hand on its neck. It continued to graze without acknowledgement. "Where's your rider, then?"
It was a rhetorical question, so it surprised him when an answer came.
"Hark! Hark, I say! No, no, down here!"
... But not from the horse, of course. Stahl frowned and leaned sideways. Hidden beyond the horse's mass, a deep pit marred the landscape. And from the bottom, a ragged-looking man stared up at him. His face was filthy, disguising his features, and his blue hair was navy and matted with twigs.
“I, King Sigurd of Grannvale, humbly request thine aid! Know that thy kindness today will reward thee handsomely in the years to come!”
Stahl's eyes widened. "Of course, sir!"
@vidames