The roar of a crowd came surging through the carriage's now open window, waking Loch, who was lying like a dead log on the comfy seat cushions. Sitting up and wiping the drool from his mouth, Loch moved the curtain from the window and looked to where the noise was coming from. A huge coliseum, appearing to cover more than a couple of blocks, came into view. Earth rumbling booms and sounds of clashing steel rang out from within. After every boom, the sound of a roaring crowd of spectators echoed in its wake. As Loch looked at the outer oval shaped walls of the arena with shining eyes, he also saw a steady stream of people going in and out from a large entrance. The people looked like a mix of the various types he had seen before, some dressed in finery, families in more plainer clothes and others armed to the teeth in weapons and armour.
They all had one thing in common though, they all had faces of exhilaration. Whether they were excited and revved up from what they had already seen or were in anticipation of what they were going to watch. The crowd and even the building itself, made of a rough sandstone, produced an atmosphere of excited brutality and bloodlust. A draft of hot air blew through the window, bringing with it a metallic taste and smell that filled Loch's nostrils, causing him to scrunch his face up in response.
Tobias, who had previously had his eyes closed, also opened them at the same time Loch stuck his head out the window. Hearing the noises coming from outside, Tobias knew where they were and muttered to himself, "Already here? I must have been more tired than I thought." Hearing his Master's voice, Loch sat back down in his seat and asked with a flush, "Is that the Bloodsands Arena?"
The middle-aged Hunter lifted an eyebrow at the question and replied, "Oh? I'm surprised you've heard about the Bloodsands. However, yes, that is the famed Arena of Empyrium, although it isn't as hailed as the number one fighting arena among the nine, that spot solely goes to the Evernight fighting pits. Bloodsands are definitely number two."
"When doing some odd jobs with Randall, we helped an old man named Royce fix his fence. He used to sit on his front step as we worked and while drinking, he would tell us stories of his time in the Bloodsands arena before he lost his arm in a duel. Is it true that if one can't pay their debts the city will send them to the arena to fight Fiends?" Loch asked his face going a little pale in fear as he remembered some of the horrible stories Royce had told Loch and Randall when the man was deeply in his cups. Stories of whole families being sold to the arena to be eaten by Fiends for the excitement of the crowd, or of two brothers forced to fight each other to the death.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that's true. Under the Law of the council, no one is allowed to force anyone to fight in the arena, but it is also true that some unscrupulous people have forced people before. The penalty for doing such is death; therefore, there aren't many who would want to take the risk. Some people, however, do voluntarily sell themselves to the arena, as it's a quicker way to make money than toiling in the deep mines, however they'll have to face potential death almost every day working for the Bloodsands. They didn't get their name by letting people stop fighting at the first sign of blood. Besides some friendly duels between family clans, almost every fight in the Bloodsands is to the death." Tobias explained with a cavalier attitude.
Loch listened with rapt attention and, over the next hour, pestered Tobias repeatedly for stories of fights he had seen or heard about in the Bloodsands arena. Tobias, being a new master himself, tried his best to show off his vast knowledge and wide worldliness to his first disciple. However, after close to an hour, he was running out of energy and enthusiasm, while Loch appeared to be brimming with excitement and hunger. The questions he had stored in his little mind felt never-ending. Eventually, Tobias had to feign tiredness from recuperating from injuries and closed his eyes, pretending to fall asleep again. Loch believing his master, felt somewhat guilty for pestering him and returned to watching the scenery outside the window.
At the steady pace from the Horned Trotter, the arena was soon left far behind. Loch, now awake and feeling quite rested from his nap and subsequent story time from his master, started watching the passing scenes from the window again with equal exuberance. The area after the arena appeared less like a city and more like they were travelling across the wilderness outside the walls. Large tracts of green land and forests dotted the surroundings. With Loch even spotting some wild deer and boars. After some more untamed area, they reached areas that appeared more cultivated. Swathes of large farmland, with log meandering rivers of clear running water. The farmlands were filled with people working the fields. Each partition of farmland typically ended with a large manor or several large houses arranged in a square, facing inward. Some of the farmlands held walled settlements that looked to have many buildings within, looking like little secluded villages. With what appeared to be even guards patrolling the walls and guarding the entrances.
Their carriage, which had barely turned since starting their journey from the Shambles, reached a fork in the road and took the one on the right. Loch also noticed that there appeared to be less traffic on these roads. Before there were usually multiple carriages or riders going in both directions on the streets, they travelled. Now, Loch had only seen two after an hour of travel past the farmlands. Both of the carriages were also different from the ones he had seen back among the dense city streets. The two that passed them were far larger, and the carriages looked exquisitely carved and painted. They also held beautiful painted crests upon their doors. One held what looked like a turtle that had a spiked covered shell, with a rose in its mouth, and the other was of two crossed spears with a blazing sun behind them. Two odd looking beasts that took Loch's breath away when he spotted them also pulled the two carriages.
The carriage with the sun and spears crest was pulled by two might looking beasts that resembled lions but were the size of an ox. Their gorgeous orange manes also flickered and crackled, as if it wasn't hair surrounding their head but flames. The carriage that held the spiked turtle was pulled by a single beast. This one actually resembled an ox but had powerfully muscled legs and four giant face forwarding pointed horns. Both carriages overtook their own steady paced one in a flash, before splintering off the road in different places further up. Heading towards large manors in the distance.
As Loch was so engrossed in the surrounding scenery and new sights, he barely noticed the passage of time and before he knew it, they had also turned off the road and going along a road lined by large swaths of farmland. Up ahead of them was a huge manor that looked like it was built in a U shape with another three story square building behind it. Several smaller houses could also be seen to the far left of the manor, right before the farm land started. The smaller houses looked similar to the ones Loch had seen in the nicer parts of the Shambles, with low fences around them and a small green lawn in front of each one. A couple of the houses held women of middle ages, hanging up clothes while watching over small children running around the lawn area.
The carriage kept its medium fast pace and soon arrived in front of the U-shaped building, where a small lineup of people who were standing in front of the doors. Their backs straight and faces composed, as if waiting for a general to address them. The house was ringed by a white stoned porch that held a few comfortable looking chairs for sitting outside. The building looked clean and clearly well-built but also simplistic, with its whitewashed walls and plain square windows. Compared to some of the manors Loch had seen on their recent journey, this building was definitely on the more low-key side. Some of the manors Loch had seen were more like the palaces he had read about in the books at the orphanage. With garish colors and tall spires sticking out at parts.
The carriage pulled up softly right in front of the line of people leading towards the main doors. "We're here, milord." Robert's voice called out from atop their carriage. Robert then leapt down with ease from the driver's seat and opened the carriage door. Tobias looked over to Loch and gave the boy a gentle smile, "Go ahead, Loch." Loch, barely being able to hold himself back, almost leapt out of the carriage headfirst after hearing Tobias. He jumped down, with his shoes making crunching sounds on the crushed rocks below him, and took in the manor and all the unfamiliar people before him. The feeling of excitement and wonder began to disappear as Loch started to shrink into himself at the foreign sights around him. All the passing sights and sounds previously overwhelmed hi,m and he had no time to worry or think about how he had truly left the rough and harsh but still familiar and comfortable life in the Shambles. Now with his two feet on the ground, the weighty fact that he was far, far from what he previously called home came crashing down.
A dense feeling of loneliness took a hold of Loch as he gazed at the unfamiliar faces of the people in front of him, while they also shot the clearly unfamiliar and shabby looking boy inquisitive looks. With his shoulders hunched and his head retracting, Loch's mind was getting fuzzy as wild thoughts of doubt began filling his head. 'Was this a mistake? Maybe I was too eager to jump at the chance of leaving the orphanage. I'm not... I'm not ready.' A firm hand clamped down on Loch's right shoulder just as his thoughts spiraled, breaking the boy from his drowning worry. Loch looked to his right and up, where a smiling Tobias was also looking down at him. Loch then felt another weight on his left shoulder and found Jack perched there. The bird rubbed his beak on his cheek, and the familiar action brought Loch's surging emotions back under control.
"Well Loch. What do you think? Not bad ey? This is your new home lad." Tobias's cheerful, smooth voice echoed out as he released his grip on Loch's shoulder. Loch, now feeling less alone with his faithful companion upon his shoulder, looked back over at the manor and the people. Some of his previous excitement began to come back as he thought, 'This is home? It's bigger than the orphanage. Does master live here by himself or does he have a family?' Even though Loch hadn't heard Tobias talk about a family, he had only really known the man for less than a day and was now unsure. He felt a bit worried about the prospect of Tobias having a family. What if they didn't appreciate some Shamble-born gutter rat suddenly living with them? He had heard many a story of the cruelties acted out by the Nobles to others they deemed as second-class citizens. Loch didn't have to worry for long though, as Tobias started to introduce the manor before them.
"There are close to ten rooms to pick from, Loch besides my own, free to choose any others. They'll probably need a good cleaning, as it's only been me living inside since I bought the place. Just inform one of the staff once you've chosen and they'll get it ready for you. Besides the separate stone building out the back and my room, you have free roam of the entire place. Now, come along, I'll introduce you to the staff." Tobias said and then headed towards the line of people.
The first three were middle-aged women, who carried gentle respectful smiles and had their hair tied up in neat buns. Loch learned that the women in simple black dresses, which fell just below their knees, and clean white aprons, were the manor's housekeepers. He could apparently talk to them any time he needed something general and was in charge of bringing their meals and upkeep of their clothes and the manor. Tobias introduced Loch as his disciple and ward and that his words were now second to his inside the manor. The way the three women looked at Loch changed dramatically after that. They were originally looking at the scrawny boy with inquisitive looks, but that soon changed to looks of deference and they all greeted Loch while dipping into well practiced curtsies.
Next in the line was a large portly man with a huge grin, who greeted Tobias more like a friend than an employer, slapping the well-dressed Hunter on his shoulder and then poking his slim belly. Saying with a laugh that boomed across the front yard, "Ha! It's been too long, milord, since you last returned. You've gotten skinny. Don't worry, though, leave it to Rufus. I've already prepared a delicious feast for you upon hearing of your return. Just you wait, we'll get that tummy nice and round before the surge ends." Loch looked at the smiling and laughing Rufus, who Tobias explained was the chef of the manor, and couldn't help resembling him to the jovial and also round Mr. Cromen from the morning. 'Why does it seem like all fat people are so jolly? I suppose anyone would be happy on a full belly and theirs is clearly fuller than most.'
After Tobias replied with a simple laugh at Rufus's comment and introduced Loch. Rufus's whole face trembled as he looked at the bony boy in front of him. Loch even thought the large man was going to faint for a moment before Rufus began to admonished Loch for clearly not eating enough, like it was the boy's fault, the round man even looked like he was about to forcefully grab Loch and take him to the kitchen to force feed him before Tobias interjected. "As you can see Rufus, Loch is clearly in need of a good diet to build up some weight. I'll be starting his training in the morning. So, I'll need you to organize a meal plan for him. Can you do it?" With a meaty hand, back straight and belly sticking out, Rufus slapped a heart salute and roared, "Leave it to me, lord. I'll have the boy fattened up right quick, like a lovely succulent pig!" Loch gave the man a scandalous look but didn't get the chance to say anything as Tobias let out a hearty laugh and slapped the man's heavy shoulder, "I'll leave it to you then. I hope he'll be good enough to roast in a couple of months."
The last person in line and standing only a few feet from the front door was a well-dressed older man. He was in a neat full-length black suit with a simple red bow tie and pocket square, not a wrinkle out of place. With greying, slicked-back hair and a thin mustache much like Tobias had. The older man radiated a calm and collected dignity, but Loch also thought the older man looked poised and ready, like a leopard crouched and ready to pounce at any moment. Once Tobias stepped in front of the greying man, his grin appeared warmer, then the usual half smirk he usually wore and his gaze was gentle, like one would when looking at a loving grandfather. "Jeeves. It's good to see you. I missed your presence at the Highland Steepes."
The man swept one hand over his chest and gave Tobias a graceful half bow, his face not showing a change of emotion besides a small upturn of his lips. "I'm glad to see you as well, my lord, and happy to see you return unscathed this time. I am sorry I couldn't accompany you on your latest Hunt, but these tired bones of mine are getting too old; I'd rather not be a burden to you." Tobias's eyes flashed, and a sad smile stole across his face for a brief moment as he replied in a soft voice, "You'd never be a burden to me, Jeeves. But I respect your choice and you deserve the rest." Jeeves didn't reply and simply gave another small bow to Tobias before turning to look at Loch, who was standing right next to Tobias.
Loch was previously eyeing the interaction with a half-interested look, but once Jeeves swung his attention upon him, he felt the world around him disappearing. Staring into the older man's green, placid eyes that appeared to be looking deep within him, digging up all of his secrets and insecurities. An image of a sleeping green snake lying among the grass was conjured in Loch's head under the older man's gaze. Even though the green snake looked placid and non-threatening, hidden among the shrubbery surrounding the snake was the sight of thousands of small rodent corpses. The image disappeared as quickly as it came, and the older grey-haired man gave Loch a more inquisitive look, something in his eyes also looked slightly impressed for some reason Loch couldn't think of.
Jeeves gave Loch a half bow, which the boy clumsily tried to imitate in return, earning himself a tongue click from the older man. "Looks like the young master will be needing some etiquette training, too. Can't be having the upper society ridiculing my lord's first disciple due to poor etiquette now, can we?" Jeeves addressed Tobias, but hadn't taken his searching eyes off of Loch. Whose face gained a light shade of red and awkwardly scratched his head in response to the man's comment. Jack, upon Loch's shoulder, squawked unhappily at the older man and flapped his wings aggressively as if in defence of Loch.
Jeeves' emerald eyes struck the cawing Jack, making the bird freeze with wings outstretched like a statue. After another tongue click, the older man addressed Jack, "Another one without any etiquette training, I see. I also believe this one is also in need of a good bath. Look at those feathers, utterly filthy." Without giving Loch or Jack the chance to move, Jeeves's hand struck out like an uncoiled snake and snatched Jack. Holding the protesting bird by its legs, the older man ignored the cawing and looked over to one of the three women further down the line. "Mandy, please take this bird and get it cleaned up before dinner." Turning back to address Jack, who was now flapping his wings wildly in protest in the older man's grasp, he said, "If you are not presented with sparkling feathers by dinner, I'll ask Rufus to change the menu to roasted bird." Jack stiffened at these words and the bird offered no further resistance when the maid, Mandy, took it from Jeeves's hand.
The whole time this happened, Loch didn't say a word. He was still stunned by the smooth attack by Jeeves and the odd prickling sensation he had felt within him when the man had moved. Now seeing Jack, hanging limply like a dead chicken in the maid's hand and being taken inside, he couldn't help but offer a silent prayer for his friend in his mind, 'Don't worry Jack, I'm sure everything will be okay. At least if you're cooked for dinner, I'll be able to give you a send off.'
Tobias merely smirked at the sight of the trussed bird and the bemused Loch. He then said to Tobias while sweeping a hand to the plain-faced older man, that reminded Loch of a male version of Mother Leanne, "Loch, this is Jeeves. He runs my house and affairs when I'm away, but he is also so much more than that. Jeeves personally raised me when I was young and followed me when I struck it out on my own. So, one could even say he is like family to me. Address any order given by him like it was given by me. Okay?" Loch nodded at Tobias's words and gave the stern-faced man another look, this one filled with no small amount of respect and fear.
Seeing the appropriate deference from his new disciple to a man, that was more of a father to him than his real one ever had been, made him pleased. He then said to one of the maids, "Susan, can you also take Loch inside and get him cleaned up before dinner. He doesn't need a change of clothes now, but could you take his measurements as I'll need to order some for him in the morning?" Tobias looked to Loch then and said, "Go with Susan, Loch. I have some things I need to talk to Jeeves about. Before you take a bath, choose your room so the ladies can get it ready for you."
"Yes, Master. Umm, after you miss," Loch said as he tried his best to imitate Tobias's graceful demeanor, making an awkward sweeping gesture towards the front doors. The older woman gave Loch a motherly smile and walked towards the door, Loch following behind as his head acted like it was on a swivel. Attempting to look at everything at once. After Loch entered the house, the other,s besides Jeeves and Tobias, also left. Standing side by side, the two men truly did look similar, although their looks were somewhat different, with Tobias being slightly taller and more bulky compared to the thin, older man. They both held themselves with the exact same bearing. Even holding their hands behind their backs in the same way.
They both watched Loch enter the house in silence for a while until Jeeves broke the comfortable air, "Well, my lord, it looks like your recent hunt must be quite the story. Who knew the Bachelor and friendless Lord Grimstone would take in an orphan boy from the Shambles and make him your disciple, no less. I imagine it'll be the talk of the town soon. How many noble families and powerful Hunters have asked you to train their talented offspring over the years?"
"I don't know, a couple of dozen, I suppose. They were all useless brats, anyway. The so-called geniuses were merely runts who had awakened early due to their parents' nurture and wealth." Tobias answered, waving his hand frivolously. Jeeves couldn't help letting out a deep sigh at the sight and replied, "Try closer to fifty, my lord in taking in young Loch and announcing openly that he is your disciple. You're basically putting a target of envy and jealousy to be placed on the young man's back. And from what I can see, he is already far behind the level of others his age."
Once again, waving his hand dismissively, Tobias said, "Bah! What does my personal disciple need to worry about when it comes to attracting the attention of those wastes? It will be nothing but fuel to stoke Loch's cultivation. I guarantee that by the time the Huntmaster's training camp starts, Loch will be able to knock those little twerps down one handed. Actually, I suppose he technically only has one hand. Hmm." Tobias paused and then, with a smirk towards Jeeves's now frowning face, he corrected, "He'll be able to knock those twerps down no-handed. Ha!"
Jeeves once again sighed, but he also couldn't help letting out a small smile, when he thought back to the boy who withstood his gaze only a moment before. Unknown to Loch, Jeeves had also noticed the several peculiarities emanating from Loch and in response pressured the child with his own aura slightly. The results made Jeeves secretly pleased, as he said after a couple moments of silence, "Yes. You have truly found a diamond in the rough, my lord."
Tobias's one-sided smirk turned into a large grin after hearing Jeeves's words, as a sudden intensity began to radiate out from the Hunter, pushing the gravel below his feet to the side as a gust of wind began to revolve around Tobias, making his and Jeeves's clothes flap erratically. "A diamond in the rough indeed. He just needs some polishing, a lot of good polishing. Ohhh, I can barely wait."