The light of a new day had entered the room of a sleeping family, lighting up the white walls, and revealing a woman whose scarlet red hair was splayed across a white pillow. The light of the sun crossed her face causing it to squirm, disrupting her, pulling her out of a blissful night's sleep.

  Her charcoal-black eyes opened ready to face a new day, turning to her right there was the still-sleeping Achilles. The sight of him in such a relaxed state, especially after how hard he'd been working so that she could rest, worried her. But hearing his calm, steady breathing only gave her relief.

  Turning her gaze to the left was the sight of a crib that contained the small body of Roy who laid atop the mattress, he was wrapped snugly in his pajama shirt along with a thin white blanket draped over him. Where he was sleeping peacefully but the next site caused her smile to widen.

  There lying next to the crib was the sleeping form of Red. The boy had often refused to sleep in his room and she often woke up to find him here in the morning next to his brother. It had only been a few weeks since Roy was born, but the two were almost inseparable.

  Getting out of bed she quietly dressed herself in her regular attire which consisted of black shorts and a white blouse with a golden flame pattern that ran up from the bottom and over her left shoulder, along with a pair of black slides. Leaving her closet, her still-sleeping family hadn't moved in at that time. Normally, she would be the one to help get everyone up and moving in the morning but given what day it was she let them sleep, well except for one.

  "Hey, it's time to wake up dear." Lyn's quiet soothing voice pulled him out of that mystical place called Dreamland. Slowly blue awakened to meet black and a warm smile. "Good morni—"

  A finger pressed against his lips silencing him before he could finish and the low whisper of his wife could be heard only by him. "Ssshhh, please don't wake them. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen so watch them for me."

  If her soft voice wasn't enough, seeing the most beautiful sight in the world, her smile was most definitely what he needed. The sight motivated him to shake free from the mystical force that tried to pull him back to the land of warm dreamy darkness. As she left the room she flashed her smile at him again.

  "Yeah, I'm up".Rolling to his side he too took in the same site and just like Lyn it caused him to grow a smile. "Yeah, this is how I want to wake up every day."

  ——————————————————

  The smell of flour and butter along with the sound of sizzling meat had started to leave from the kitchen as it migrated through the home. The few of those who still slept were awoken, greeted by this early parading scent.

  The cause of this sweet early morning was Lyn. She can be seen with her hair tied into her regular ponytail and over her clothing she had on a white apron that prevented flour and milk from striking her clothing. She stood over an oven watching over several stripes of bacon sizzle in a cast iron pan as she held a light metal bowl whisking the batter.

  Flour, broken egg shells, butter and milk, and even a small bag of chocolate chips could be seen on the kitchen table along with several measuring cups.

  She began to remove the bacon from the pan, placing it on a plate that was covered with paper towels, only to cover it with another to help absorb the grease.

  As she prepared to pour the batter into a waffle iron. Out of the corner of her eye, a rough hand tried to grab the still-warm bacon from the covered plate. At this sight, she took hold of a wooden spatula and a loud whack of wood hitting flesh filled the kitchen. The owner of the hand could only shake their hand in response to the pain. Lyn could only glare at the culprit.

  "Really father. Have you no shame this is for Red. Can't you wait?" She scolded her father as she poured the batter into the waffle maker.

  He could only laugh at her actions before sighing. "Come now, can't you let your old man take a single stripe? You know the boy can't eat all of this."

  "Well if that's the case then you can wait till he finishes, then you can have what's left after all today is his day." Her voice had a jovial tone to it.

  "Has it been seven years already?"

  "Yeah, I can hardly believe myself. Honestly, I feel bad, I feel like I haven't been giving him enough attention lately so that's why I'm doing this." As she spoke a small ding could be heard, alerting the pair that the waffle maker was done. Opening to reveal three golden brown crisp waffles.

  Gathering them all onto a plate Lyn grabbed the maple syrup and began to lightly cover the first two. Then placing the third waffle on top of the other she reached into the bag she puked out a small handful of chips. Lightly sprinkling the sweet dark drops atop the last crisp disk, tossing a few into her mouth. After that she made her way to the freezer, only to return with a small container and a small spoon. Igneel curious watched as she opened the lid to reveal the cold white substance, it was ice cream. Using the spoon she plopped a single scoop on top of the waffle. Lastly, she grabbed the still-warm bacon and placed it on the plate circling the small waffle tower, leaving a few left for her father who simply started to eat what remained of the crisp meat slices.

  "I hope this doesn't become a regular thing."

  Lyn turned to the voice to find its origins. "Why good morning Mother."

  "Dear, you do know a growing boy needs a healthy breakfast, right?"

  "Of course but I think he can have a little fun after it's—

  "Good morning. What's that smell?" The introduction of a young voice caused the pair to become aware of those who had entered the dining room.

  It was Red, his gray shirt loosely hung on to his body and his blue shorts were wrinkled from sleep, his feet were snug in his brown sandals. Rubbing his left eye he greeted his family before taking a seat at the table. Followed behind him was Achilles who wore a simple brown collared shirt and black pants and boots. In his arms, he was cradling the still-sleeping Roy.

  The sight simply made Lyn smile, watching as they took their set at the table. "Well, that smell would be your breakfast, happy birthday Red."

  Placing the breakfast in front of him, she could only watch his crimson eyes grow. Staring at the plate before him and back to her as if trying to find out if it was real. Lyn only nodded as she took Roy into her arms. A smile found its way to his face.

  "Thanks for the food Mom!" Grabbing a fork and butter knife he started to eat. Cutting into the top waffle he made sure the first bite had a little of everything from ice cream, syrup, and a few chocolate chips. It caused his eyes to shine, it was really sweet and the bacon was firm and crisp. The sweet and salty taste complimented each other, dancing, chasing each other. They could only watch him stuff his face gleefully, smiling while he ate.

  Lyn had taken Roy and once she took her set he began to stir and a small cry could be heard from him. This made Red stop eating turning his attention to his crying brother. The cry was only met with a small chuckle "I guess someone else is hungry too. Well, here you go." Lyn simply pulled her left arm out of her blouse, lowering it and lifting the baby to have access to her chest, allowing him to feed.

  They were all simply enjoying a family breakfast and the company of each other, well all except one.

  "Mom is Maryan home yet?"

  "I'm sorry she hasn't returned yet."

  The boy's eating slowed, disappointed that his caretaker had yet to return, but that didn't last for long.

  "Red after we finished eating. How about we go to the shrine?"

  "Wait you mean—

  "Yes, I think it's time you get to see the founding symbol of Ielos." When Hellia told him what she had planned for the start of the day, she could only watch as excitement grew on his face and a gruff voice added on, furthering the boy's excitement.

  "Well then, how about I tag along, we can make a day of it." Joined Igneel.

  Red could only look at his grandparents smiling from ear to ear. He started to wolf down his food. It was almost comical to watch as the boy threw manners to the wind as he devoured the food in front of him like a starving lion, only to watch him dash off once he finished making his way to his room to clean himself.

  "So I take it this is your plan to get him out of the house for the moment?" Achilles could only try to pick their brain.

  "Well, it will give you time to get things set up. Plus is it a crime to want to spend some time with my grandson." Laughter from Igneel followed as he spoke.

  They were interrupted by the return of Red, who had discarded his prior clothing. Reappeared wearing a black collared shirt and red shorts. "Come on, let's go!" He cried as he ran towards the front door.

  The four were left laughing at his excitement.

  ——————————————————

  The streets of Phera were as busy as ever, even during the mid-morning. Many of its citizens were enjoying the warmth of the summer day. The city guards who maintained peace, they too enjoyed the warmth and the whimsical chirping of birds that perched themselves on the trees that lined the center of the street or in the window sills of the many brick and wooden buildings. While Ielos wasn't known for harsh winters, the cold dry atmosphere that followed the light snowfall was never pleasant.

  The warm stone streets almost seemed alive with the echoes of the people. Children could be seen playing board games, street sports or even just running around with no care in the world. Meanwhile, many adults could be seen enjoying the company of others, they watched children play. It was a normal sight to see. Vendors could be seen trying to sell their goods, many of them trying to drum up interest in the produce they had available and what would be available with the coming harvest. The banging of metal could be heard as a few blacksmiths could be seen showing off swords, spears, and armor all made with their sharpened skills. A dwarf and a draconian were seen competing with each other, trying to see who could make the better equipment the fastest as they're actions brought more attention to their busines. Many local adventurers wanted to form a contract with them.

  Tailors stood in their shops trying to make a sale, while they had their family and workers ranging from humans, elves, zoophians and draconians parading in all kinds of clothing ranging from beautiful formal dresses and suits to more casual summer clothing. It didn't hurt that many of the models, especially the women, were quite easy on the eyes allowing them to bring more attention to their stands, maybe a little too much attention.

  "Excuse me my lady, my name is Lumar Suiche and I was wondering if you could spare me some time? I'm trying to write a book and I would like to ask you some questions." A young, black haired teen called out towards an elf with long, light green hair.

  The elf wore a teal blue dress with white frills at the trim of the dress and along the sleeves, with a dark green ribbon that went over her shoulder and wrapped around her waist. Long gray stockings covered her legs as she stood in black heels. "I suppose that would be alright. Go ahead ask away."

  His crystal blue eyes wandered the elf, studying her beauty. I was like he was trying to discover every detail about her. This only caused her face to flush at his wandering gaze. "Is it true that the ears on an elf are rather sensitive?"

  "Yes, that is true so I would appreci—

  Her statement was cut short as the white haired boy had taken hold of her left ear in his hand, rubbing it, this action only caused her face to grow beet-red at this violation of personal space. Her discomfort was ignored by the human, who continued to assault her ears. She felt her heart race as the crowd made the focus of the day while her coworkers had started to turn to meet her gaze. In her panic she slammed her fist against his head, planning him into the brick road.

  "AH, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to... I always go too far." Trying to apologize as she scolded herself. "Please, I beg your forgi–

  The sound of muffled talking cut her off, Lumar sprung from the ground leaving towards her taking hold of her hands as excitement took over his voice. "I must say such a firm strike from such a soft hand! please my lady allow me a moment's rest upon your voluptuous legs, I wish to–

  A broom had launched him away from the flusted elf as the loud roar of the shop's owner echoed throughout the streets. "Can you not read brat! The sign saids, 'You may look Not Touch'. Now get lost before I give you a dirt nap!" Shouted a large brown haired woman

  "By my research!" He protested.

  That was it. She gave chase, swinging the broom wildly trying to flatten this perverted fool, crying out that he would return to use the elf as his muse.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  At the sight Igneel simply laughed, commending the boy's bravery. However, Hellia wasn't entertained in the slightest by the boy's actions. She only gave a sigh of disgust as she watched him run before turning to her grandson, giving him a stern stare. "Red, don't you ever and I mean ever try to mirror those actions. That is not how you treat a lady, understand?"

  "Yes Grandma, I promise I wouldn't do what he did." Hearing what she wanted to hear, her smile returned as they continued on their way. Red simply watched the elf's coworkers, a gray haired human girl and a brown haired cat girl zoophian, looked like they were comforting the poor elf as they laughed.

  "Well, she does look pretty."

  As the path continued the fiery pair's eyes locked on to a small group that gathered outside a small two-floor white-painted wood building as they watched through a large glass window a large, portly man, who could be easily mistaken for a bear and a zoophian wolf woman. Her hair and tail were black, a head shorter than her partner. They both wore gentle smiles and white aprons as they worked kneading dough while flour painted their hands and clothing. The scent of freshly made bread and honey leaked from the sandy beige door and into the street, hocking people's noses, the smell almost dragging them to the bakery.

  "Hey Grandma can we go by Sweet Wheats?" Red asked atop his grandfather's shoulders.

  "No dear you already had your sweets for the day. You can wait till after this evening." Her response only caused the boy to fold, sinking his chin into Igneel's short hair. This only made Igneel smile.

  As the trio continued to make their way to the center of the city, Red couldn't help but take notice of something as they walked. People would stop at the sight of them, and he saw many people waving towards them, calling out, there were even a few people who bowed as they passed by. Igneel and Hellia simply waved and greeted those as they walked, like it was second nature for them. "Grandpa, why are all those people greeting you like that?"

  "What do you mean boy?"

  "Well, it's just everyone waving and bowing to us. I mean we're just walking. Why is that?" Red could only turn to the sound of light laughter coming from his grandmother, who was soon joined by his grandfather. This only caused him to pout. "Why are you laughing?" The boy demanded an answer.

  "Did you forget that I'm still a king boy?" Igneel spoke between laughter. This only caused Red's face to brighten, embarrassment painted his face.

  "That's good." Hellia's voice chimed in. Causing the boy to turn his attention to her. "Always remember, things like King and Queen are nothing but titles. Actions will always speak louder than words." She finished with a scene of grace that even her younger self would have found odd.

  "Ok, but Grandma, then what is a king?"

  "Well dear, that's something you'll have to find the answer yourself."

  ——————————————————

  The sun was almost in the center of the sky and the clouds continued to travel as Red and his grandparents finally arrived at the center of the city, but where one might expect to see a large castle or a massive park in its place was a massive crater where grass and flowers grew. Stairs gated off on all sides of the crater could be seen leading to the bottom where the colossal skeletal remains of the Crimson Blaze Dragon lay, but to many even that word didn't do the beast justice.

  While the exact size had been lost to time, the remains still painted a picture of the beast's size, but one thing was clear. It dwarfed other dragons.

  The skull alone dwarfed many of the smaller buildings that were nearby and it had a rounded oval shape, where the large fangs could be viable showing where the mouth of the beast was. A disturbing sight was that the lower jaw was missing, not even the bone remained. Several large horns could be seen on the skull almost taking the shape of a crown however that wasn't the only sight to be seen. A large, single blackened hole could be seen on the forehead, with dozens of large cracks spawning from that point that stretched across the skull.

  The long neck bones fell from the base of the skull and traveled to the main skeletal body. What remained of the left wing could be seen attached to the center of the spine. It was almost as long as the rest of the body, however the right-wing was missing. In its place, only a black charred stump of bone remained. The left humerus of the beast was sliced in half, whereas the right claw only had two remaining large digits that even made the Igneel look small, and several ribs were broken, shattered, or missing.

  The back end of the skeleton was arguably the most intact. The legs appeared to have only been damaged by the flow of time and the tail stopped short of its full length, it too was shortened a third of it was detached, no traces of the missing length were ever found after it was separated. However the sheer size and damage of the skeleton wasn't the only thing that stole the gaze of the boy whose eyes charged the beast's color, it was what painted the dull white bones.

  Scales, hundreds, no thousands of large faded dark red scales painted the body, many of them were as large as shields at least a foot long and just as wide at their center. They appeared to have a diamond shield-like shape and they all grouped up on different sections, like patches of old armor.

  Finally in front of the crater, in full view of the city center was the open-air shire that held the reason not just for the demise of the beast, but what led to the founding and unification of the land not only he but many others called home.

  There stood a white marble circle platform that stood three feet high and several feet wide. The sides of the platform had carvings in them depicting the battle between the dragon and the man who wielded the massive sword that stood in the center piercing the altar and into the ground where it rested.

  The blade itself was massive. The sword was nearly a foot wide at its fullest and started to slim down as it made its way to the earth below. It had lost its luster. Where once a vibrant fiery scarlet painted the body and a shining silver ran across the edges had been replaced by a faded red color along with the dull white of the edges. There were markings that at first glance one could confuse to be fractures that covered the blade, but on closer look, those were the markings of scales.

  The bottom of the blade narrowed inwards towards the mithril-made hilt, it was deep black in color. The cross guard was simple, the sides pointed straight out and matched the width of the blade. The handle had enough room that it could be wielded with both or even one hand. The pommel was a small, smooth coin-like shape.

  "Grandpa, is that it?"

  "Yeah, that's Durandal. Impressive isn't it?"

  To say the sight left him speechless would be an understatement. The sight distracted him to the point he didn't notice that Hellia had removed him from his grandfather's shoulders and onto the ground.

  Every time he heard the story of Roland, he'd never imagined that Durandal was this big. To the small boy, it almost looks too big to be called a sword. The massive blade always drew in a crowd, many awaiting the day to see who would finally be able to claim the sword.

  However, a figure made its way from the crowd. Many had started to move out of the way of a large draconian man, giving him an unobscured path to the altar. He stood tall and thanks to his bright fiery scales he stood out like a bright flame in the dead of night. His scales contrasted his pale skin and his dark navy blue eyes. A dark ginger braid of his short-cut hair fell on his left side. Adorned in heavy plate armor that covered his chest and lower body. On his back, Red could see a spear-like weapon with a crescent-like blade that sat on the left side. It was a halberd.

  Making his way onto the platform, he began to speak. "Good day people of Phera '' his voice boomed through the city center. "I am Alexis Setjak, I hail from the village of Sidknee in the far-off land of Massedon. My companions and I have seen many sights, ventured into the dungeons, and slain the beasts of the land..."

  The words of his journey only caused the crowd to grow. Children stood eagerly awaiting to hear the next part of this foreign man's travels, and Red was no exception.

  "And so I came here today to test my might, to claim this Legendary Blade!" He cried as he pointed his hand to the very sword. The crowd erupted with cheers egging the draconian on, as he approached the blade.

  However, the last words of the draconian caused curiosity to grow in Red. "Hey Grandpa, why is he allowed to take the sword?"

  "Well it's simple, it's a part of our culture. Do you know why that is?"

  "No, why?"

  "Well boy, let me ask you a question first. What do you think was the main defining aspect about Roland?"

  Red stopped to think. His attention was split between the draconian who desperately tried to pull the sword from its earthly sheath and his grandfather's question. "He killed the dragon, like how Roy ended the war." Puffing out his chest, confidence oozed from his response.

  The enthusiasm that came from his voice, confident he was correct. The naive answer only caused smiles to grow on the faces of not just his grandparents, but also on the citizens who heard the boy's simple answer.

  "Well you're not wrong, but that isn't the answer."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Roland never wanted to be a king nor a great warrior. He was a simple farm boy, a young man who only wanted to live a peaceful life with Enia. When he forged that sword, its purpose was never to conquer or rule, but to protect."

  "Excuse me, sir," a dark-haired elven boy raising his hand. "Then why did Roland become king?"

  This question drew not just Red, but the attention of several other children. Causing them to gather around the current king.

  "Well, that's because whether he knew it or not. A greater role was placed on him and others soon followed his lead, leading to this country's founding. Leaving that sword so one day someone could follow a similar path."

  "But wouldn't that mean that only those in the royal family can claim the sword"? A short, rosy pink hair with honey yellow eyes spoke up. Despite her size, she was clearly the oldest of the present kids, but unlike the others her clothing, while not old, weren't in good condition. Small tears could be seen across her white tank top and dark green shorts. But most importantly she was alone.

  Igneel only knelt to the girl. Placing his large hand on her head, he turned his gaze to the children that gathered around him. "You got a name kid?"

  "It's Layla, Layla Sowell."

  "Well Miss Sowell honestly, I don't know. No one has been able to wield the sword since it was placed here."

  Seeing that not just her grandson but the children that had gathered around were still mesmerized by the words of her beloved. She decided to have some fun, by planting a few seeds to help give the children something to focus on. "They say that Roland was able to wield that sword with a single hand."

  "Wait, one-handed?!"

  "But it's too big!"

  "How?"

  The old king was bombarded with questions from the excited voices of the children. Hellia simply continued, speaking to the small group. "Red, you know both your Mom and Dad tried to claim the sword, not even Igneel here couldn't pull the sword out."

  Her words only caused the group gaze to swap from the draconian who was struggling to free the sword and back to his grandfather.

  "Grandpa, can you try it again?" The excitement in his voice only caused the old man to sign.

  "I can't believe you said that, Hellia."

  Hellia only pressed her hands against Igneel pushing him forward. "Go on, give it a try, after all, it's been how many years since your last attempt." If her words weren't enough, the shining look that came from Red and the eyes of the other children did him in.

  Making his way onto the platform and towards the blade, where the draconian could still be seen. His straining body, in his attempt to remove the sword.

  Alexis only stopped once he felt a hand land on his shoulder.

  "Take it easy there, the last thing you want is to pull something."

  This simple action caused the dragonian to stop. "Well, I guess you're right. Haha, looks like it wasn't in my guiding stars." There was disappointment hidden behind his laughter. "Well, I'll be on my way."

  As Alexis tried to leave, the grip Igneel had on his shoulder didn't lighten. "Please stay, watch from the crowd. I'll have something to say afterward."

  So he rejoined his group, waiting to see the spectacle. Igneel took his place, his back was to the crater and the only thing between him and the crowd was the sword laid in front of him.

  Placing his only hand on the coin-like pommel, he just let his hand rest there as his thumb rubbed against it. As if he was greeting an old friend. His hand ran down the handle only to stop at the crossguard, where he finally took it in his grasp. The smoothness of it felt surreal, after hundreds of years, no rust nor crack could be found on the blade.

  The only blemish was the faded color.

  As he closed his eyes, memories of his younger years flashed through his mind. The crowd grew quiet, the only thing they could hear was the exhaled breath that came from the old king. His eyes shot open and he began to pull, the muscles in his arm began to flare and his veins started to become visible as he tried to pull out the sword.

  Red could only watch his grandfather as he pulled. His voice was the only thing that broke the quiet atmosphere. He cheered, shouting at his grandfather telling him he could do it. His cries echoed, as if trying to grant some kind of power to his grandfather.

  But then, even Red too was silenced.

  Igneel stopped.

  Despite pulling on the blade with the might of a well-aged warrior, the blade didn't move. Not even a single inch. Igneel could only smile to himself as he removed his hand from the handle and made his way to address the crowd. "As you can see, not even I after all these years can even cause it to budge. So let this be a lesson to all of you. Where you're an experienced, battle-hardened adventurer, a youngster who is just starting on their journey, a farmer or baker." He paused and while his gruff voice continued to echo, yet it too grew softer.

  "You could be a large draconian, a noble elf, a sturdy dwarf, a courageous human, or even a small hobbit." He spoke towards the crowd, finishing off as he stared at the pink-haired girl. "It doesn't matter if you have royal blood or not. Let your dreams guide your actions, follow your own path and one day try to succeed where I failed and try to claim this blade. But remember, life tends to have other plans for us. So enjoy it to the fullest, because even if one door closes there are hundreds more just waiting to be opened." He finished with his hand held high igniting a bright flame.

  The crowd could only cheer at his words as he made his way down. Red could only watch as his grandfather was stopped several times, talking with those who greeted him.

  "That's what a king is." Hellia's voice had changed his focus, while her eyes didn't leave Igneel.

  "Huh?"

  "That's what a king is. They inspire, protect, and lead."

  "They sound like heroes." The boy couldn't help but make a simple connection.

  A soft laugh was her response. "I guess that's sometimes the case."

  "So what are you two talking about?" The gruff voice marked Igneel's return.

  "Oh, nothing." She could only smile at him

  "Sure but it looks like it's time to get back." He simply rolled his eyes as he helped Red get back on his shoulders.

  They're path back was stopped by a cry, causing them to turn back. "Wait Lord Igneel."

  It was a familiar hobbit.

  "Is... is it true what you said about following our dream?" There was a hopeful tone that arose as she spoke up.

  "Yes. If your dream is important to you, then work towards it with your head held high." His words weren't just to the young girl in front of him, but also to the boy he carried. But he could see something had found its way into her eyes.

  Hope.

  Hope made itself at home in her eyes.

  "So Layla, what's your dream?"

  This time it wasn't the sound of a gruff voice approaching her. It was the soft neutering voice of Hellia.

  "I want to become one of the Ignis Knights." She blurted out. Embarrassment painted her face as she spoke aloud, drawing a few stares from those who hadn't left.

  "My my, that is quite the dream. Especially for a young lady at your age."

  "Yeah, I tried to join but I was turned away. They said a hobbit couldn't handle the training." The drop in her tone didn't go unnoticed.

  "Well that is true I've seen what the training is like. Very few have been able to join that elite group, it would be hard for someone so small to keep up..."

  "There it was, another one. Another person who said it was imp—

  "So why don't you be the first."

  "What?"

  "Be the first."

  "But I've already been turned away. There's no way—

  The hobbit was silenced by the finger of the chestnut-haired woman. She could only stare at those comforting black eyes and glowing smile of the older woman. She didn't notice her reaching into her pocket. Removing her finger, Hellia took both of Layla's hands in hers, covering them.

  Once she let go. Layla couldn't believe it, in her hands was a silver coin. However, it wasn't just a simple coin used for currency. It had the head of a dragon and two crossed swords engraved into it.

  It was the Riser emblem.

  "I can't ta—

  "The next registration will be in about six months. If you can hang on to this coin and stay out of trouble, I'll make sure you get your shot, ok?

  Nothing, no words could be formed and a few tears managed to escape. She dove in, wrapping her arms around Hellia, who simply returned it. Pulling the child into her chest, giving the small girl comfort. "Thank you Lady Hellia. I promise I won't let you down." She spoke, trying to dry her eyes.

  "That's good now go, run along, and enjoy the rest of the day." Red could only watch as the hobbit ran off waving until she was out of sight, and his grandmother returned as if nothing happened. "Well, looks like it will be a rather late lunch. Let's get home before your mother starts to worry."

  Before she was able to get far, another voice called out. "Grandma, why'd you do that?"

  "Simple. She had that look and sometimes someone only needs another to believe in them, even when they don't have faith in themselves." Once she finished, the old couple continued to follow the crimson-eyed boy as they walked back home.