The Loud One

The road had been quiet.

Aren preferred it that way.

Elise didn't.

"Do you always walk this fast?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I like getting where I'm going."

Elise quickened her pace.

"You could slow down."

"I could."

"You won't?"

"No."

She sighed.

"You're difficult."

"So you've said."

They continued walking.

For several minutes, neither spoke.

Then Elise tried again.

"Where are we going?"

"Forward."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the one you're getting."

Elise shook her head.

She was beginning to understand why Aren seemed to have so few friends.

They eventually reached a small town.

It wasn't particularly large, but there were plenty of people moving through the streets. Merchants were setting up stalls, children ran between buildings, and several carriages passed through the main road.

Aren looked toward the town.

"We'll stop here."

Elise smiled.

"Finally."

"For food."

"I figured."

They had barely entered the town when—

CRASH!

A wooden stall flew apart.

People screamed and scattered.

Aren immediately stopped.

Elise nearly walked into him.

"What was that?"

Another crash came from farther down the street.

Then someone shouted.

"Get out of the way!"

Aren sighed.

"Of course."

He reached for his sword.

Elise looked at him.

"You're going to help, aren't you?"

Aren drew his sword.

"People are in the way."

"That's not what I asked."

He started walking.

Elise followed.

They reached the center of the commotion.

Two men were fighting in the street.

One was enormous.

He was broad enough that his coat looked like it had been tailored around a wall. His expensive clothes were covered in dust, but even through the damage, Aren could tell they weren't cheap.

The other man was the complete opposite.

He was lean, light on his feet, and moving constantly.

He ducked beneath a punch.

The large man swung again.

The stranger stepped sideways.

Another punch.

He slipped past it.

Then he drove his fist into the man's stomach.

Thud.

The large man barely moved.

The stranger stared at his own fist.

"...That usually works."

The large man grabbed him by the collar.

"You've been running your mouth for the past ten minutes."

"That's because you're boring."

The man threw him.

The stranger flew across the street and crashed into a stack of wooden crates.

Aren watched him climb out.

He didn't look particularly concerned.

He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Okay."

He cracked his neck.

"That one hurt."

The large man charged.

The stranger smiled.

"Again?"

Aren sighed.

He stepped forward.

The large man's fist came down.

Aren raised his sword.

CLANG!

The impact sent a shock through his arms.

He slid several feet backward.

The large man stared at him.

Aren stared back.

"You're strong."

The stranger suddenly appeared beside him.

"Right?"

Aren glanced at him.

"Move."

"Why?"

"You're in the way."

"That's rude."

The large man attacked again.

Aren moved aside.

The stranger ducked beneath the punch.

He spun around the man's arm and struck him across the jaw.

The large man staggered.

Aren stepped in.

His sword cut across the man's side.

Another metallic sound rang through the street.

Aren paused.

Something beneath the man's clothes had stopped his blade.

The large man grinned.

"My turn."

He swung.

Aren ducked.

The stranger jumped over the man's arm and kicked him in the side of the head.

The large man stumbled.

"Nice."

The stranger landed.

"Thanks."

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Oh."

Aren moved in again.

The large man blocked the sword with his forearm.

The stranger attacked from behind.

One punch.

Two.

Three.

The large man turned.

The stranger was already gone.

He moved incredibly well.

No wasted movement.

No hesitation.

He wasn't overpowering the man.

He was simply making it difficult for him to land a hit.

Aren noticed.

The stranger wasn't trained like a soldier.

He fought like someone who had spent most of his life getting into fights.

Aren could respect that.

The large man finally caught him.

His hand closed around the stranger's wrist.

"Got you."

The stranger looked at his hand.

Then at the man.

"...That's unfortunate."

He headbutted him.

The large man recoiled.

Aren stepped in.

His sword struck the man's leg.

The stranger swept the other.

The large man dropped to one knee.

Aren's sword stopped at his throat.

The stranger's fist stopped inches from his face.

Silence.

The large man slowly raised his hands.

"Enough."

Aren lowered his sword.

The stranger lowered his fist.

The crowd slowly began emerging from hiding.

A few people whispered among themselves.

Aren heard one of them.

"Isn't that a Valemont?"

Another person immediately shushed him.

Aren looked at the large man.

The man straightened his coat.

He looked furious.

Not frightened.

Embarrassed.

He looked directly at Aren.

"This isn't over."

Aren sheathed his sword.

"Okay."

The man frowned.

Aren walked away.

Elise followed.

The stranger jogged after them.

"Wait!"

Aren kept walking.

"Wait!"

He caught up.

"Hey."

Aren stopped.

The stranger smiled.

"You're pretty good."

"So are you."

"That sounded painful for you."

"It was."

The stranger laughed.

He held out his hand.

"Rhys."

Aren looked at it.

Something about the name felt familiar.

He shook his hand.

"Aren."

Rhys froze.

He stared at him.

"...Aren?"

Aren's expression changed.

"Rhys?"

Rhys's face lit up.

"No way!"

He grabbed Aren by the shoulders.

"I haven't seen you in years!"

Aren immediately pushed him away.

"Get off."

"You're still alive!"

"Unfortunately, so are you."

Rhys laughed.

"And you're still grumpy!"

"I'm not grumpy."

"You absolutely are."

Elise watched them.

"You two know each other?"

Rhys turned toward her.

"Know each other?"

He pointed at Aren.

"This guy is my cousin."

Elise looked at Aren.

"You never mentioned him."

"You never asked."

Rhys put an arm around Aren.

Aren immediately removed it.

"Don't."

"You missed me."

"I didn't."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You definitely did."

Elise smiled.

"I think you two get along."

"We don't," Aren said.

"We do," Rhys said at the same time.

Aren looked at him.

"Why were you fighting that man?"

Rhys shrugged.

"He started it."

"You were insulting him."

"That too."

"What did you say?"

Rhys thought about it.

"I told him his hair looked stupid."

Aren looked back toward the large man.

The man was completely bald.

"You told a bald man his hair looked stupid?"

Rhys nodded.

"In hindsight, I could've handled that better."

Elise laughed.

Aren shook his head.

"You're an idiot."

"Maybe."

Rhys looked at Aren.

"So where are you headed?"

"Somewhere."

"Where?"

"Forward."

Rhys stared.

"You're still terrible at answering questions."

Aren started walking.

Rhys followed.

"Mind if I come?"

"Yes."

"Great."

"I said no."

"I heard you."

"Then why are you following me?"

Rhys smiled.

"Because we're family."

Aren sighed.

Elise walked beside them.

"You know he's not going to stop, right?"

"I know."

"Then why not just let him come?"

Aren glanced back.

Rhys was already walking several steps behind them, humming to himself.

"Because I enjoy watching him struggle."

Rhys heard him.

"Hey!"

Aren smiled faintly.

It was barely noticeable.

But Elise saw it.

For the first time since they had met, Aren looked genuinely amused.

She smiled.

Maybe having someone like Rhys around wasn't such a bad thing.

The three continued down the road.

Behind them, The large man was helped into a carriage.

Before entering, he glanced back toward the road.

The three travelers were already disappearing in the opposite direction.

He frowned.

"What an irritating bunch."

He stepped inside.

The carriage turned onto another road and disappeared from sight.

Aren, Elise, and Rhys continued on their own path.

Unaware of what awaited them further ahead.