Cooke Manor, Southern Torrs, Night.

Riff had joined Pattou and the others back at Cooke Manor, with Gerard's permission and approval. As Gerard was preparing their meal for the night, Rikkou then asked Riff, 

Rikkou: Look, I apologize for almost wanting to knock some sense into you. But what's with the facade? 

Riff: As a Bard and a man, I see ladies and I must do everything to impress. Don't tell me you were never in the spot to make an impression on the women now do you? 

Liger: Fair point. But what made those Corrvin-Torrs soldiers surround and want you dead? 

Riff: When they asked me if I came across rebels, I did not know of any nor see any, then I kind of spoke my mind too loud in a song and may have insulted them. I did not know one of them had a short fuse alright?

Rikkou: Good job -laughs- But at least we saw that the rumors were true and you weren't some weak bard. You sure can fight. 

Riff: Well if you've been wandering around on your own, you ought to at least know how to fend for yourself. -facing Pattou- So you truly are of nobility then? My apologies for stealing the spotlight but...you know. Ladies. 

Pattou: Riff, I may lead this army but whatever effort we put out is not mine and mine alone. Everyone plays and does their part for us to succeed and see our goal through. 

Riff then lets out a sigh of relief.

Sayfuro: -goes straight to the point- Master Riff, pleasantries aside, can you explain to us how you ended up here in Southern Torrs? 

Riff: -strums a bit then lets his guitar down-  Alright, this will not come with a melody but this will be from the heart. So here goes... 

Sayfuro, Pattou, Rikkou and Liger listen intently. 

Riff: I am a traveling bard trying to get by. But the thing is, I was once upon a time a rebel leader. I had grown sick of Corrvin's wanton maltreatment towards the people. I had formed a band of rebels on the Eastern side, a good bunch of buccaneers and swordsmen we got there. Sadly, we were found but I was the lucky one to escape while my men held them down until no one had survived from the onslaught brought by Corrvin's forces. In their memory, I still rebelled but on my own. I did not want to have any allies as I do not want to have others die for me to be saved. I do not like that. As the leader, I want to be the one to ensure they have a future to have. I wanted to be the one to lead the way to right History and turn the tides in our favors that may their names never be forgotten and be swept away into nothingness.

Pattou was surprised, the rest were as well. Pattou would then speak out,

Pattou: I may have only been a rebel leader for about a week now but I can tell you this. Rebel to rebel, I admire your tenacity and your conviction. Your men would surely be proud to still call you their leader even in the afterlife. But if you no longer needed allies, why stick it out with us by chance? 

Riff was grateful for the praise but replied simply, 

Riff: I saw something in you and your allies that maybe it is time for me to adapt and finally end being a wanderer. I saw all your conviction when you saved me from those soldiers, who by the way I am not so sure what happened to them?

Rikkou: Bah nothing to worry about, When they awoke I told them that since they do not want to return to Corrvin's barracks and would rather repent, they have joined the Wreckers as a special knight detachment. They will be additional numbers to the Wreckers I assigned to guard the market. Genuine individuals those ones are hopefully 

Pattou: Guess letting people change runs in the blood huh? Anyway Riff, you seem like you know what you want to happen. I must ask again, will you join us in our quest to end the rule of Corrvin?

Riff: - With conviction and strums guitar- Yes!~ 

Everyone present applauded. Gerard had then arrived with their food and they ate. Pattou noticed the sumptuous feast and asked, 

Pattou: Say Gerard, the food you served is exquisite, are you the only one who prepared all this? 

Gerard: -with pride- Well, I used to learn from the servants but it came to a point that I wanted to try my hand at it. Never regretted ever since. You all enjoy the food served and that makes me happy and satisfied that I do my part on and off the battlefield. 

Rikkou and Liger: Here here!

After the feast, they then gathered to talk about the next stages of their plan. 

Sayfuro: Young Masters, hear me out. Now that we have enough allies here, we only need to know where the Governor's Mansion is. Once the Governor is taken down, then we can declare liberation of the South. Masters Riff, Rikkou and Gerard, do you happen to have any clue as to where the Southern Governor's Mansion is?

Rikkou: My apologies but the only information I can provide is the Governor's name, Yansho. As I have said, the man is of nobility and still clings on to such lifestyle even here were nobility is the equivalent of closing one's self from the rest of the citizenry.

Gerard: We have had direct dealings with Governor Yansho. The man as mentioned by ally Rikkou is clinging to his noble status even when the environment he is surrounded by does not and will never allow him to fully live his status sensibly. The man overtaxes and hoard to himself. As far as I know, the mansion has its own storehouse but it is walled off. As to the location, I know where it is.

Sayfuro: Excellent. Master Riff, anything to add to the information gathered? 

Riff: Now that Gerard has mentioned it, for a Governor's Mansion most of the men are stationed there. Not so much roaming but they are all stationed inside. Attacking head on will not be the best option but if anything I know about these nobles, they will rather settle and fight honorably to preserve the prestige of and in their name.

Pattou: -rises up- Then we challenge him to a noble war. Surely nobles like him would rather fight out in a field of battle rather than in their backyard. Plus we will most likely have the advantage as majority of our allies are fully aware of the terrain.

Liger: Seems someone has learned a thing or two from the Western Liberation. 

Sayfuro: Quite impressive Master Patriarch. But who will we send to challenge Governor Yansho?

Riff: Gentlemen, this bard will issue on our Lord Patriarch's behalf against the faux noble Yansho.

Rikkou: I will gather my Wreckers and we shall join you shortly. Gerard, compliments to the one who made the meal. I shall see you all tomorrow.

Later

Pattou is unable to sleep and Sayfuro saw this. 

Sayfuro: Master Patriarch, you will need to rest as tomorrow will be the start of our plan to liberate the South. 

Pattou: -despondently- Do you think father and mother know of this and are proud of all I have done to this point? 

Sayfuro recalled another order, 

Sayfuro: Lord Patriarch, remove the pommel from the handle, there should be two letters...

What could those letters contain? Answer is in Chapter 12, which will be out in a few hours.

All that could be said of that, ready the tissue boxes and pillows. 

Until the next chapter, keep safe and stay awesome!