The sun was high in the sky, streaming down to the floor of the bright, oak forest. The leaves were all a burnt orange, with the changing of summer to autumn, and the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind could be heard along with an occasional bird call. Squirrels rushed from one spot to another, searching for nuts to be eaten or stored, keeping a constant watch for predators that felt the need for a tasty squirrel sandwich. And in the center of the glade, Stephen sat on a raised rock in the middle of a small clearing. His eyes were closed and he had his face towards sun. The only disturbance to his posture was the wind occasionally tousling his short brown hair.
Then, it was broken by the distant sound of the fall of hooves. The squirrels immediately came to attention, sniffed the air, and then fled in utter squirrel terror. Soon, a distant figure could be seen riding a black Belgian horse towards him, trotting towards him casually. Stephen looked up and smiled in recognition of the rider.
"Gawain! Good to see you! What are you here for? A little sport, perhaps?" Stephen asked in both shock and curiosity.
Gawain brought his horse to a halt and dismounted, giving Stephen a wan smile. "I wish it was for sport, my friend. You are always a good hunting companion. But, I have come to bring you summons from Christopher. He says that he has a quest for you to accomplish."
Stephen raised an eyebrow in suspicion. Christopher wanted to see him? It wasn't often that the senior IT wanted Stephen around him, let alone to do anything for him. His curiosity peaked, Stephen asked, "Do you know what about?"
Gawain gave a slight nod. "He said it has something to do with helping someone else, says they're in a ship of some sort. He wouldn't tell me much else," Gawain said and shrugged. "Just said he wanted to see you as soon as possible."
Stephen nodded and smiled. "Well, we don't want to make him wait, now do we?"
