The Spirit Guardian

Chapter Six - A Helping Hand

The castle had started to look a lot cheerier and homely, the birds sang and the Fae had come to help clean and tidy. Jaculus dragons from the mountains came to greet Conn and people from the local village came with food. Alma paced back and forth in the rose garden by the castle, anxious about her task.

A distant voice called out, muffled and unclear. Alma looked around confused. Cupping her hand around her ear she heard a man's voice. She followed the sound which led her to the dried out moat at the back of the castle. The moat must have been only eight feet in height and as she got closer the calls became louder. Alma noticed a man sitting on floor of the muddy moat, his legs crossed, hands shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Hello?" He called up noticing Alma.

"Hello! What are you doing down there?" Alma asked half smiling.

"I fell." He bluntly replied standing up now. He was a shorter than average man with a plumbed body. He smiled showing his stained teeth.
"How long have you been down there?" Alma smiled back.

"Hours probably." He replied as if irritated. "I'd like to get out if you could give me a hand?" 

"I'll help you up, hang on." Alma walked away trying to find something she could use to reach him. 

She walked into the meadows next to the rose garden where a number of horses were kept. She noticed tied to a wooden beam was rope. She pulled the rope free and ran back. She threw the rope down and it just reached the ground. He grabbed on and Alma lifted him up and out of the moat with a struggle, pulling herself backwards with force as the young man climbed up. The man dusted the dirt off his blue top and looked at Alma. Alma reached her hand out, the man shook it loosely. "Dante, my name is Dante."

Alma smiled back and nodded her head. "I'm Alma, nice to meet you Dante."

"Thank you, I didn't think anyone would actually find me." Dante spoke nervously rushing his words.

"Well you were lucky I was near by then." Alma chuckled. 

"Yes are you from the village? I have never seen you around before. Do you have purple eyes?" 

"No I am from Fraadi. I arrived yesterday. and yes, I do" 

"Oh right, well Fraadi, that's quite a distance, I have never been before, but I know of people who moved from there." She shook his feet and patted his ragged brown hair down.

"So, do you work in the Village?" Alma asked curiously. 

"Yes, I am just a farmers son, I help out now and then, sometimes." Dante laughed, Alma laughed too. 

"Me too!" Alma replied grinning. "My father owned some farm land too. I helped out sometimes."  They laughed again. "How long have you lived in Quzenth? I've never been here before. Its beautiful." 

"Oh yes, all my life. Its beautiful alright. Run down though. Since we don't have a ruler here. I heard Fraadi are ruled by King Tyrone? Must be weird having a ruler who doesn't really care."

"I guess so, must be weirder not having one at all." 

"Sure, we're all pleasant enough people here, but we do live by the elemental guardians so I suppose they protect us." 

"Oh so do you know Conn?" Alma asked. 

"Yes!"

"Would you like to come with me to the castle? Conn is there" Alma grinned.

"That would be lovely." He smiled.

They headed back to the castle, and made their way to the Dining hall. There Estefan, Marium and Conn were engaged in conversation. Conn noticed Alma and Dante and greeted them both with a smile. Shaking Dante's hand with a firm grip.