tada!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! here it goes.

Why was it so hard to convince bastille he wasn’t an idiot? Ignoring his injured leg, tears pressing at his eyes, he walked away. Nothing would be the same, mending or not. Just the same broken world.

Bastille would always be mad at him for something he didn’t do.

“I can fix that.” A gruff voice gently called. Fleck lifted his face, looking into the eyes of and old warrior. Pilgrim.

“No. it’s too broken.” Fleck replied, wondering how the pilgrim had read his thoughts.

“The sword?” Pilgrim asked.

“No, the world.”

Pilgrim motioned Fleck to sit down.

“Your injured.” Pilgrim said, looking over the edge of his spectacles at the young buck next to him. “And badly at that. What you did was brave.”

“No, it was crazy and reckless and led to disaster.” Fleck burst out.

“Ah, I’ll have you know, son, that the crazy ones have the most courage? And as for reckless, you might be, but it is not misplaced. You’re a good captain. And as for leading to disaster, it’s only disaster if you count your own injuries.” Pilgrim chuckled, “Because then it truly would be a disaster!”

Fleck laughed. “No, not like that. Maybe if I hadn’t been so caught up in trying to be a warrior, maybe Helmer wouldn’t have died.”

“You already are a warrior. The world doesn’t need to know that, as long as you know it. The Maker, who’s opinions are the only ones that truly matter, made you, loves you, cares about you.”

“I get it.” Fleck sighed, his hazel eyes drifting to his wrist. If I wasn’t being so reckless out on the kayak, would everyone have been caught? He wondered, recalling the short boat trip.

It seemed so long ago.

“Do you?” Pilgrim asked. His deep eyes reminded Fleck of Helmer’s. This all reminded him of Helmer.

“I guess not.” Fleck sighed.

Pilgrim put his hand gently on Fleck’s uninjured shoulder. “A wise young rabbit once stood up in front of a council of fifty rabbits, where he was obviously the youngest and smallest. You want to know what he said? He said ‘We can’t let fear be our master. Do you remember that?”

Fleck almost smiled. “That was so long ago. I don’t have that kind of courage now.”

“Nay,” Pilgrim said, staring into Fleck’s eyes. “You have much greater courage now then you ever did.”

Fleck shook his head.

“Now, I can fix that sword, if you like, and you get some rest. I’ll return it to you by morning, Captain.” Pilgrim saluted.

“Thanks. But I can’t rest, not yet. Not till every servant of Morbin is scattered or slain.” Fleck replied, handing Pilgrim the sword.

Pilgrim smiled. “You are areal warrior, Fleck Justice Joveson. Farewell, wherever you go off too. May you find friends aplenty and of foes find few.”

dun dun dun! suspense! lol

-Fleck Cove