Main Story Pt. 2

While the four villagers voiced their concerns, Firos was distracted by the notion that these kids had fought off bandits without any real combat experience. He ignored the rest of what they said and contemplated sending them to the Northern border with Gill and a small party. There were rumors that an entire army of beast men were marching down the Western coast of Seinara and leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. At first, he thought the idea of sending a small group was ludicrous, especially because Gill was a royal guard, and he would not be willing to leave his post to scout the border, but the more he thought about it, the more he decided it was the best course of action. The villagers were expendable, and it was only a scouting job, they would return after checking on the border guards.
After the villagers had finished their spiel, Firos crafted a proposal. In exchange for the kingdom's better protection over Hawkinson, and other villages like it, despite the minimal amount of tax money the kingdom received from these villages, the villagers would have to travel with Gill and Schall to the northern border and assure the safety of the guards. Taren agreed, to the awe of the others, who did not like the idea of leaving their village and putting themselves in danger. She reassured them that they most likely would not face too much danger, and that they had two guards to protect them, and they reluctantly allowed her to persuade them into agreement.
Gill was not happy with the king's order, but had enough faith in the guards around the castle and the remaining royal guard to go and return without too much worry, although he always was anxious about the state of the princess, of whom Gill considered like his own daughter.
Karti, a hunter raised by Gill, determined to be the best sniper on the continent, accompanies them with Gill's permission. Gill's other ally, Schall, is perceived by the villagers to be goofy and a little awkward, but they keep to themselves instead of questioning how he became a royal guard himself.
The group exits the castle and proceeds down a dirt road, where quickly they are attacked by two teenagers, a boy and a girl, that attempt to rob them. The two robbers realize they are vastly outnumbered and that two of their opponents are royal guards, and then attempt to flee, but Gill knocks them down. The girl identifies herself and the boy, her brother, as orphans named Simon and Ramona, and that they are forced to steal due to their poverty. As they beg not to be sent to prison, Tyken suggests that they may be useful, as he notes Simon's Flux tome in his satchel, and states that the two of them may join their party or go straight to jail. The two of them oblige, as long as they have food and water, they don't care what they have to do, although Ramona has bigger plans for how to take care of herself and her brother.