growing older meant that one day soon they would stop coming to the clearing. Gorric would move into the politics of being a noble whilst Khir would follow his father into forestry.
They slung the bows around their shoulders and headed back east through the foliage. The clearing was not situated deep within the forest and they soon emerged from the cover of the trees into the slowly fading sunlight.
"I'll miss this when I'm in Vylandor," stated Gorric, sadly.
He looked north along the edge of the forest, which seemed to stretch as far as he could see. He knew that the forest crossed the border with Morassia, but he had never gone that far north. It was strange to him that Tamriel was the nearest town to the border and yet he had never once visited the neighbouring land. His father had been a regular visitor to Morassia before his noble duties took priority.
"You'll be too busy to miss it," said Khir, trying to reassure his friend. "Your schooling will see to that."
"It's not just the land though. I'm going to miss everybody here. Mother, Kithia, Cassi…even you." Gorric slapped Khir on the back, making him stumble.
"Will your father be going with you then?"
"Yes. He said that he will see me to Vylandor and introduce me to the people there before coming back."
"Are you nervous?"
Gorric nodded. "It makes me sick to my stomach thinking of the responsibilities I will be expected to take on. I've never had a head for politics, Khir, you know that."
"Neither have I. I'm sure that, after your schooling begins in earnest, you will become adept at the banter required in the council. I've heard your father is quite the bully amongst the other noble speakers." Khir grinned.
"He is strong-willed and I think that the others are afraid of him. When they hear that the young son of Celestius Orgillian is being trained in the etiquette of noble life, they will start spreading rumours about my father."
"What sort of rumours?"
"They will say he is retiring from office. In truth, he will probably not retire for several years yet. He is only forty-six years of age."
"Then why train you now?" Khir was confused.
Gorric sighed. "It is my father's wishes. Having a son with the ability to act as speaker will increase my father's standing. The Orgillian name’s reputation will increase significantly."
"You are already known across the kingdom. Your family watches over Tamriel. Your father is the voice of the town and the money…" Khir fell silent at the mention of wealth.
Gorric glanced at his friend. "I don't mind you mentioning it. We are wealthy and we do fund Tamriel as best we can."
"You're the wealthiest family around here," said Khir. "Compared to you, I'm a pauper."
"Don't be foolish," snapped Gorric. "I'd gladly give up the family wealth to live a simpler life. It is decided from birth who I shall be. My destiny is already written. I will spend the rest of my natural life as a nobleman, speaking on behalf of Tamriel and the Orgillian family, knowing that one wrong word in the council could spell the end of my office. I would much rather choose my own destiny."
Khir shrugged. "No man's destiny is decided yet. Not your's and not mine anyway. What's to say that you and I couldn't travel the world as explorers, like we wanted to be when we were younger?"
"I couldn't bear to disappoint my father, Khir."
"I know." Khir patted the larger man on the shoulder. "No son would wish to disappoint his father or mother."
The two men continued east and, as evening began to fall, they arrived back in Tamriel. They noticed that the construction of the new town wall was well underway and shared thoughts as to when it would be completed.
As they made their way up the main street, they passed several people, all of whom they knew. In a town like Tamriel, it was unusual to meet someone one did not know. The nearby tavern was beginning its trade and regulars were making their way to it already. Gorric and Khir had never had a taste for
They slung the bows around their shoulders and headed back east through the foliage. The clearing was not situated deep within the forest and they soon emerged from the cover of the trees into the slowly fading sunlight.
"I'll miss this when I'm in Vylandor," stated Gorric, sadly.
He looked north along the edge of the forest, which seemed to stretch as far as he could see. He knew that the forest crossed the border with Morassia, but he had never gone that far north. It was strange to him that Tamriel was the nearest town to the border and yet he had never once visited the neighbouring land. His father had been a regular visitor to Morassia before his noble duties took priority.
"You'll be too busy to miss it," said Khir, trying to reassure his friend. "Your schooling will see to that."
"It's not just the land though. I'm going to miss everybody here. Mother, Kithia, Cassi…even you." Gorric slapped Khir on the back, making him stumble.
"Will your father be going with you then?"
"Yes. He said that he will see me to Vylandor and introduce me to the people there before coming back."
"Are you nervous?"
Gorric nodded. "It makes me sick to my stomach thinking of the responsibilities I will be expected to take on. I've never had a head for politics, Khir, you know that."
"Neither have I. I'm sure that, after your schooling begins in earnest, you will become adept at the banter required in the council. I've heard your father is quite the bully amongst the other noble speakers." Khir grinned.
"He is strong-willed and I think that the others are afraid of him. When they hear that the young son of Celestius Orgillian is being trained in the etiquette of noble life, they will start spreading rumours about my father."
"What sort of rumours?"
"They will say he is retiring from office. In truth, he will probably not retire for several years yet. He is only forty-six years of age."
"Then why train you now?" Khir was confused.
Gorric sighed. "It is my father's wishes. Having a son with the ability to act as speaker will increase my father's standing. The Orgillian name’s reputation will increase significantly."
"You are already known across the kingdom. Your family watches over Tamriel. Your father is the voice of the town and the money…" Khir fell silent at the mention of wealth.
Gorric glanced at his friend. "I don't mind you mentioning it. We are wealthy and we do fund Tamriel as best we can."
"You're the wealthiest family around here," said Khir. "Compared to you, I'm a pauper."
"Don't be foolish," snapped Gorric. "I'd gladly give up the family wealth to live a simpler life. It is decided from birth who I shall be. My destiny is already written. I will spend the rest of my natural life as a nobleman, speaking on behalf of Tamriel and the Orgillian family, knowing that one wrong word in the council could spell the end of my office. I would much rather choose my own destiny."
Khir shrugged. "No man's destiny is decided yet. Not your's and not mine anyway. What's to say that you and I couldn't travel the world as explorers, like we wanted to be when we were younger?"
"I couldn't bear to disappoint my father, Khir."
"I know." Khir patted the larger man on the shoulder. "No son would wish to disappoint his father or mother."
The two men continued east and, as evening began to fall, they arrived back in Tamriel. They noticed that the construction of the new town wall was well underway and shared thoughts as to when it would be completed.
As they made their way up the main street, they passed several people, all of whom they knew. In a town like Tamriel, it was unusual to meet someone one did not know. The nearby tavern was beginning its trade and regulars were making their way to it already. Gorric and Khir had never had a taste for
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