The Moment to Reflect - Part 2

Conrad was shocked. "Seriously? He chose that as his reward over you covering his dues again. I thought he really wanted that date."

"He did. The way he rationalized it, I couldn't tell him to get lost until we had gone on our date, since we'd still have unfinished business up until then. He ended up visiting me around the city during my shifts several times before we ever had that date. Generally, to flirt with me. But eventually, I received a latter from my folks saying that my father had passed away, and that his farm...this very farm we're in now...was left to me."

"I secured a leave of absence from my position and headed here to get a look at the farm. I needed to decide what I wanted to do with it. I liked my job, deeply, but I've also always respected the efforts of the people that help provide food for others. I knew that was extremely important work as well. And while I was here, taking stock on myself and what I wanted to do, a certain someone tracked me down here."

Conrad laughed. "I'm sure I can guess who."

"I'm sure you can. As it turns out, Joshua learned from my friends where the farm was and just set right out to here. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have appreciated my friends spreading information about where I was staying. But both they and I had come to the conclusion that Joshua was pretty harmless. Apart from tricking people out of a meal when he was short on funds, he didn't get up to any wrongdoings."

"After finding me here, he quickly cashed in on that date he had won, at last. I stressed to him that even if I had decided to move to the farm, I would have returned to the capital at least one more time. I needed to give my friends a proper goodbye, and make him take me on that date. But now he seemed quite paranoid about the idea of me vanishing again. So we had our outing here."

"How'd that go?"

"Well, what's the ideal way to approach a date? Find a shared interest and plan the day around it. So he attempted the only strategy that he said made sense to him. He invited me out hunting."

"Oh. Well...yes, I suppose that makes sense. Sounds like the only thing the two of you had actually done together was practice archery."

"Exactly. But I didn't mind it. In fact, I enjoyed myself. All the men who had tried to court me in the past had just taken me to dinner and offered to buy me the most expensive food and wines on the menu. They weren't malicious, or at least they didn't seem to be. But they didn't have the sense and consideration that Joshua had."

"And then, dear boy, I made the decision shortly afterwards to relocate here permanently. This would be my new lifestyle. My new identity would be as a farmer. I'd help feed people, just as my father had before me. It was noble and necessary work. I headed back to the capital to officially resign from my position and have one last rousing dinner with my former compatriots."

"Joshua stayed with me here. I grew to appreciate his company. He would sometimes still leave for stretches of several days, and I suspected he was making money the usual way. And he was. He was more choosy with the people he was conning, though. Went after crooks, other swindlers, and sometimes just people who truly needed their attitudes adjusted."

"I wasn't overly fond of the fact that he was still up to this. But I eventually relented when he asked me to trust his judgement. And then, after over a year of this lifestyle, he arrived home again one day. He walked inside, and asked me to come see something out here."

Cassandra pointed at a nearby tree. "He inserted a nail into that tree next to us here. Can you guess what he had left hanging on it?"

Conrad's brow furrowed, confused. Something small enough to be supported by one nail? "A piece of art from your old hometown? I'm not sure."

She held up her hand, and wiggled her ring finger. "It was this."

Conrad was startled. "He had nailed that wedding ring to the tree?"

"And then, he told me that he was going to ask to put it on my finger, if he was able to shoot through the ring on his first try."

Conrad laughed wildly, taking a moment to wipe tears from his eye. "Even after all that time, he was still showing off for you!"

"He most certainly was. And as you can see, the ring's on my finger to this very day, which tells you whether or not he pulled off the shot."

Conrad continued laughing, gradually settling down. He smiled. He was honestly quite touched to have been told this story. Cassandra's warm, sincere trust radiated off of her as she grinned at him.

"Do you understand why I told you all of this, Conrad?"

"Please tell me, Cassandra."

"I did it because I want you to understand the value of your character, and hold it above any titles that you could assign yourself. I was an overly-egotistical enforcer of the capital. I was easily one of the most respected officials of the most important city in this land. I had authority. I had admirers. But it didn't TRULY matter."

"Then a sharp, savvy young man with more talent than me came along and humbled me. And then I got on his case and showed him that there are still people in the world that can challenge him when the situation's right. We eventually came to live together. We helped each other keep our attitude in check. We spent years patiently caring for the land and providing healthy food to people. And the best part was, we brought a beautiful young daughter into the world and raised her into a wonderful woman."

"Your role, your identity, will change with time, Conrad. I went from that woman with the inflated sense of self-importance to a farmer, wife and mother. And that's not to say I didn't help people in my old position! I know I did. I prevented assaults, arrested wicked people, and stood firm against beasts and monsters that tried to breach our walls and kill our people."

"But I know that the values I developed after leaving my post were needed so very deeply in order for me to finish maturing. And being here, doing good work with us, is going to help you in many of the same ways. I assure you. Don't worry about what you or other people call you, Conrad. Please, just focus on working hard and being a good man, because having a structure like that will benefit you in ANYTHING worthwhile you choose to do."

Conrad could feel his eyes begin to mist up. He and Cassandra stood, and he walked forward, embracing her. Cassandra hugged him back, grateful for him being so attentive. She knew he would be fine. He just had to keep building on the things he had.

Meanwhile, in front of the house, Carmela was preparing a stew over a fire she had put together. She had opted to make lunch outside today. Partially because the weather was nice, partially for the novelty of it. An action that, under normal circumstances, would not cause any particular inconveniences.

But the hungry beasts in the area was acting up again. Wolves had become more active in these parts since Conrad killed one of their number. One of these beasts, passing through the outskirts of the dense nearby bush, stopped and sniffed the air, its nose directing it toward the farm. It licked its chops.

Food. REALLY GOOD food. With a sturdy fence in the way. The fence was a problem. Wolves couldn't do anything about a fence that big and sturdy. But the wolves of this land were intelligent and social.

The wolf turned and began to slink away.

There are some beasts in this world bigger than wolves.