Regroup

Simon could hear the footfall of the others behind him as they followed him towards the clearing where his horses would hopefully be grazing. He had raised them since they were foals, and so he had been able to imprint a list of instructions to them. They were war horses, bred to be large, strong, fearless in the noise of battle, and with extreme stamina. They had also learned to not wander off when left attended and they also resisted the urge to spook until it became extremely necessary.

Coming upon the edge of the clearing he had left Maddox in, he smiled when he saw Striker standing beside him eating from a patch of tall grass. Walking towards them, he whistled two long and low notes to get their attention before clicking his tongue to get them to come over to him. Seeing the excitement of battle still in Striker's eyes as the stallion lookes at the four people coming up from behind Simon, he chuckled and rested his gauntleted left hand on his nose before speaking softly, "You are fine. Calm yourself."

As if on cue, Maddox came over and presses his weight into Striker's side, distracting the tan and white steed as Simon turned to the woman as she spoke. Smiling slightly as she gave her thanks, he reached up and pulled his helm from his head so that he could let his face begin to dry from the sweat of exertion. Putting his right hand up to wave away her thanks, he cringed slightly as the altered steel presses into his wound and decided instead to hang his mace back on his belt. When she finished, he smiled slightly and spoke, "It is always my pleasure to assist the citizens of our kingdom. I am just happy I was able to arrive when I did and not any later."

Seeing that the woman had said her piece and was taking a moment to catch her breath, Simon nodded his acceptance of the thanks of the three men before working at the gauntlet over his right wrist. He had a small armor tool kit in Maddox's saddlebags that he knew would allow him to work the dent out. Sure, it may be a little rough looking and would need to be fixed by his blacksmith to retain full functionality and appearance, but he could at least make it look semi-normal. Pulling the gauntlet off, he let out a small hiss of air as it drug over the wound, which he was beginning to think was a superficial bruise and not a cracked bone due to the way the pain felt. It was a burning pain, but only when it was moves or pressed. If it was his bone, it would be a throbbing, savage pain that did not abate no matter how little he used it.

Looking at the badge the woman presented, he could not help but straighten up a little and stop his work at the clasp on Maddox's bag. Listening to what she had to say to the men and then to him after they had departed on their task, he took her hand and ignored the tinge of pain that came from the motion of shaking her hand. Nodding his head as she thanked him again, he spoke, "You are quite welcome, Seeker Redfort. I am Sir Simon Jaeger, Knight of Verden and Champion of King Asgurt. I have been tasked with assisting in the rescue of a noblewoman who has went missing and is suspected to be moving in this direction. And yourself?" He gave her most of the details of his task and expected her to respond likewise, his honor demanding that he hold no lies. In fact, his sense of honor was what made the idea of going in undercover extremely distasteful.