Ask a hob...
Anthologica Universe Atlas / Universes / Archaeron / Two Men on the Mountain / Ask a hob...

Ask a hob and he will tell, in sparing language, of the soldiers on the mountain…

In the days of the clan wars, two soldiers of the Leafwalker family were climbing a mountain to scout the way ahead of their brethren. They were far into enemy territory, away from the rest of the army.

A blizzard blew in from the north, catching them unaware and exposed on the road. The two soldiers could not find shelter so they tried to forge ahead through the storm. Before long they were borne down by the heavy snow. The soldiers were in dire straits until a hob with a lantern called out to them over the howl of the wind.

The hob took the soldiers to his home, a small cottage on a stone outcropping. He fed them and let them grow warm by the fire. He was a farmer, he explained, part of a scattered Monttiller village. He had spotted their banner below him through the trees and snow as they approached.

That night the soldiers discussed, in low voices, what to do. The Monttillers were their enemies in this campaign, but the farmer had saved them. To preserve their mission they should kill him. To preserve their honor they should reward him.

In the morning the soldiers gave their banner to the Monttiller farmer. They told him to fly it when the Leafwalkers approached, so that the army would spare him. Then they continued to the summit of the mountain, surveyed the lands ahead, and glided back down into the vale to rejoin their unit.

When the soldiers reached the other Leafwalkers, they told the pater what they had done. The army came to the village on their campaign and saw the banner, as the soldiers had said. The pater told them to turn back, to spare all the folk of that mountain and find another road.

And the hob will tell you that the story’s lesson is honor.