A hooded figure broke from the safety of a dimly lit doorway. He dashed from dark spot to dark spot within the village, clearly not wanting to be seen. Sully, the tower night watch for the towns militia had been watching the suspicious figure since he entered town two days ago.

     He turned to the fellow guard member standing in the tower.

"Vestuvious. Did you notice this slimy guy sneaking around the village?"

     His half-awake partner turned his head up from his hands that he had been resting it on.

"What are you going on about now Sully? You worry far too much. The last exciting thing to happy here was when the Queens scout came and took up volunteers."

     He turned his attention back to his eyelids and his chair.

"Now leave me alone so I can catch up on some sleep. The miss won't hardly allow me any sleep. Always filling my ears with nagging when I'm at home. I have some catching up to do."

     Sully sighed as he watched his partner drift off again into a slumber.

"Well I'm going to go check him out. You watch my post while I am gone Vestuvious."

"Yeah yeah. Sure thing."

     With that Sully made his way down to street level again and off to the last location he saw the hooded man.

     He began slowly making his rounds through the market, making sure to check every corner and dark place. He had just given up and turned to head home when something caught his eye. He froze in place and slowly turned to his left catching the hooded man slipping through the doorway to the local tavern. Sully quickly made his way over and into the tavern behind the mysterious man.

     Once inside his senses were flooded with the carnival of activity surrounding him. There was a handful of men already well into their drinks sitting at the bar top, beer covering the countertop and slowly making its way to the floor. Laughter and joyful speaking could be heard from every direction, and men puffed on clouds of warm spicy tobacco before releasing their disappearing wisps into the room.

     Sully's eyes scanned the room until he found the man again, taking a seat in the back of the room. He quickly made his way over before plopping down across from him to the man's surprise.

"I have been watching you stranger. You cling to the shadows like a man who has something to hide. What are you doing in my town?"

     The man nervously looked around the room. Sensing there was no way to escape he sighed and hung his head before speaking.

"My name is Quaid. I am escaping the Queen."

     Sully's eyes went wide with shock as his eyes scanned the room nervously. He grabbed Quaid by the arm and pulled him closer.

"You need to be more careful with information like that my friend. You never know who is listening. The Queens men have been around scouting villages looking for that new Alpha Rider. What kind of trouble are in you exactly."

     Quaid shook his head before speaking again.

"Not here. You are right it is too public. Is there any where we can go?"

     Sully sat for a moment quietly digesting what was going on. He was clearly having some sort of internal battle over his next words.

"This may come back to bite me, but follow me. I have a place we can speak."

     With that they both stood up and made their way out of the tavern. Quaid dropped money on his table before leaving to cover the food that hadn't even been brought out yet.

     They made their way out and into the falling sunlight, the colors of the sky already beginning their nightly dance of colors as they made their way over the horizon. The two men weaved through streets and alleys. Sully was doing his best to confuse his guest just in case he was the enemy.

     After what seemed like an eternity, they finally stopped in front of a modest cottage in the heart of town. The outside showed the buildings age as pieces of the house were pealing patched in various places. The pride of the house still shone as the yard was meticulously manicured and the inside was clean and well kept.

     Sully checked his surroundings one last time before opening the door and stepping inside and motioning for Quaid to do the same. Once inside the warmth of the hearth filled the room and the smell of fresh pie swirled throughout the place before filling his lungs and forcing his stomach to growl. He had been on the road for a few weeks and couldn't remember the last time he had something as delicious as warm pie.

     Sully's spouse came around the corner and ushered the two men into the speaking room completely unfazed by the visitor as if it was a regular occurrence. Also, as if sensing his hunger, she left only to come by with a warm slice of pie for each of them. Sully and Quaid accepted the welcomed food, both smiling and bowing slightly. They kept the smiles until she left the room and the tone became serious once again.

"Ok. I have taken you somewhere safe. My home. Now please tell me the truth of what is going on."

     Quiad had just taken a bite and was silently munching away at the pie. His face wore a smile from ear to ear as he relaxed for the first time in years. The joy of the sweet treat filling his heart and soul with happiness. He ignored the man's question for a moment and simply enjoyed his pie.

     As if sensing the importance of this moment for the other man, Sully sat silently and finished his own pie. His heart sadly sinking a little at the clear hardship this stranger had been experiencing. Something as simple as pie. He made a mental note to bring his wives pie to the orphanage on his next visit, and to commend his wife on her pie making ability. He watched as the man finished his last bite and followed it down with an entire glass of water.

"I truly thank you for your hospitality my friend. I don't think I can explain what that pie meant to me."

     He smiled as Sully just nodded his head.

"It is quiet alright. I will make sure to pass the compliment to my wife."

"Thank you. Now I suppose you want to hear my story."

     Sully shook his head yes, the seriousness in his face returning.

"I wasn't always in the Queen's army. Truthfully, I had never wanted to join."

     Sully's eyes went wide with shock.

"You were a member of the Queen's army! And what do you mean you never wanted to join?"

     Quaid shook his head yes before continuing.

"That is correct. I was a normal man. I worked on a farm back home with my parents. We were simple people living a simple life....that was of course, before the Queens men showed up. We had just finished a long day in the market. We had sold every last one of our wares from the farm. IT had been an unusually well day. My father was incredibly happy and decided we should celebrate. We rode back to our farm and gather my mother and sister. The four of us set out for town and a celebratory dinner. On the way we were met by some of the Queens scouts. I'll save you the gruesome details but let's just say that I no longer have any family and I was taken as a slave into the Queens army."

     Sully hung his head in empathy for the man.

"I am sorry you had to endure that. No man should ever have to endure that."

"Yeah you're right. Thank you....No what happen afterwards is what has place me into your company. The Queen's army is surprisingly made up of people who despise her. People forced into submission by her loyal members. There is almost two separate factions within her army. After a few years it was found out that I had the gift of the mages and could manipulate fire. I was taken from the slave force and promoted to an actual member. Things were so much better that I lost apart of myself. I turned a blind eye to many things just so I could stay away from where I was. They trained me, the fed me, and clothed me. Even though they were the ones who made me homeless, they were now the ones giving me purpose...Everything was fine until one day I was caught sleeping on guard duty. The Queen is very serious with rules and punishment. I was forced to become a practice dummy in the arena against the Queen and her Dragon, and was never meant to survive. Luckily I was knocked from the arena and somehow forgotten. When I awoke I seized the opportunity to finally flee."

     Sully sat there in silence for a moment as his eyes glazed over and he sat in deep thought. He was broke from his musings as Quaid spoke up once again.

"I know that I was wrong to have ever been ok with an existence working for the Queen. I feel terrible, and I know I need to set things right. So now, I have heard whisperings of a new Alpha Rider recruiting an army somewhere. I know that the only way I will bring honor back to my family is to join forces under him. Not to mention I hold valuable information or the inner workings of the Queens armies. I know things that he NEEDS to know."

     With that last sentence Sully's eyes lit up. He sprang from his chair and wildly began packing a bag with food and water skins.

"You are absolutely right my new friend. And don't be too hard on yourself. People do what they need to in times of trouble. You can redeem yourself. You are still a good man. Go prove it to yourself and your ancestors."

     He handed him the fully packed bag along with some coin and the rest of the pie.

"You are looking for Retribution and the leader Adam. His camp is about five day's hard ride north. Tell him he has loyalists here in Karth that await his call. Now my horse is the black one in the stable out back. Take him now and go. Perhaps we can meet again and laugh of this first encounter. Best luck my friend."

     With that he pushed a somewhat confused Quaid out and into the night. Quaid smiled and did as he was told. He threw one last glance at the cottage before rounding the corner and out of town. He whispered silently to himself just before.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will make it up to you one day."

     With that he trotted around the corner and North to find Retribution.