#bergen_county

"Just... not everything is a fight."

"I know. I'm not fighting with -you-...."

"True!"

"I just don't... don't like it when people I like are fighting each other, I guess."

"I'm not afraid of a fight, of standing up for myself.... but.... I can try to, you know, not do it in front of you."

"I mean, you can stand up for yourself without... without taking everything as steppin on you."

He draws in the sand with the twig. "I don't take -everything- as stepping on me."

"...sorry..."

A sigh. "Sam, you don't have to be sorry. I mean... not for my sake." he makes a half-reach for her hand.

She allows it and gives his a squeeze.

"What -happened- to him?" Adam finally asks.

"Olgar?"

"Yeah."

"I think a fight. He's a Rover, they get into combat a lot."

"A Rover?"

"Rovers guard the trods, keep them safe from monsters."

"Huh." He chucks a rock in with his free hand. "Missed this one, I guess."

"Well, there's a LOT of trods and not a lot of Rovers."

"I might be one, I dunno. It's hard, you don't get to be home much - they, well, rove."

"You might? You mean, like you might be one and not know it yet, or might decide to be one later?"

"Might decide to be one later."

"The knight thing was the surprise."

Adam nods. "That sounds cool. I mean, if it's something you want to do."

"It is!"

"But, like, a life on the road seemed easier before... like.. I mean, there's Jaymes and Tove..."

"People you'd miss."

"Exactly. I mean, I JUST gt them."

Adam laughs. "Well, not like you're going out for Rover -today-."

"It's not even been a whole year yet."

"True."

"You have time. Kinda glad you'll be around for a bit, myself." Cocky grin.

Shy smile back.