A minute or two after they first exchanged words an awkward silence overcame the room. The boy, confused, averted his gaze from the man before looking back. "It seems nice." He said with a smile.
The man chuckled, "You think so?" He got up and took a step towards the boy. "I am glad you like it." He said with a smile, "Unfortunately though, you will be staying here for a while. After all, your trial is still ongoing."
Beleth's smile disappeared, as memories of his final moments before passing out flashed before his eyes. "Noir killed them, did he not?" He clenched his fists, "even after I begged him not to do it." He mumbled before glancing back at the man who just stood there.
Beleth tried to speak but stopped himself, he then shook his head and quietly started talking , "I know this is selfish of me." He looked down, unable to meet the man's eyes. "What happened to Noir and Mr.Conrad?"
The tall imposing figure before him let out a sigh of relief, "I am so glad I was right about you." He went to the boy and sat on the bed next to the boy. "Before I answer you, would you mind if I tell you more about myself?"
The boy shook his head, "I do not."
The man smiled softly, "Thank you for your patience. First and foremost I would like to introduce myself to you." He extended his hand to Beleth, "My name is Erden Liontare, I am an outsider just like you."
"What does that mean about me ?"
"It means you have a choice." Erden said sternly, "You can choose to leave or you can choose to remain here."
"If I choose to leave, will you try and capture me again?" He slouched forward avoiding Erden's cold eyes.
"I will not." He said with sternness the boy had previously only heard from his father. "The two that attacked you, they happen to be very close to me. And you begged for their lives even though you would have been justified in wanting to kill them."
Beleth looked up puppy eyed, "I was the one who called to Noir in the first place." He said, his voice shaking.
"That chimera disregarded your desires did it not? You should not blame yourself for actions carried against your will."
"At the end of the day I was the one who caused all of that to happen."
Erden let out a sigh and then extended his arm towards the boy and lightly flicked him on the forehead. "You can dwell on that after you have made your choice. You cannot change what has happened, you can only move forward."
The boy touched his forehead, it didn't hurt, it was just stinging for a while. He took another look around the room, it radiated an unfamiliar warmth. The smell of burning wood given off by the fireplace reminded him of the soil of the forest. His eyes then shifted their focus to himself; he was enveloped in softness comparable to the one of Noir fur but only much cleaner and for the first time in his life he had slept on something above the ground. "If I choose to stay here, will I be truly safe? Will I be able to live and move forward? Will I be able to fix the mistakes I have made?" He looked at Erden, "Will you help with all those things?"
Erden smiled and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Everyone within the walls of this city is my family. I would help them even with the smallest of things, and if you choose to stay that includes you."
Tears filled Beleth eyes, tears which he swiftly swiped away. "Mr. Erden." He spoke with a snivelling voice, "May I stay here. May I be a part of your family."
Erden moved his hand to the boy's head. "Yes, you may." He said softly, before roughing up Beleth's hair a little, "Although I do not know how to deal with crybabies such as yourself." He let go and got up, "So I ask that you be patient with me."
Beleth looked up in stunned silence, and wiped his face clean. "I will do my best."
The man smiled, then walked past the fireplace to the door on the opposite side of the room. As he was about to leave he said one last thing, "Get some good rest tonight. There will be a lot of work to be done tomorrow."
Beleth nodded as Erden closed the door.
Left alone he collapsed backwards on the bed, a blank expression plastered on his face. The gentle light of the flames beside him got weaker as it began to fade, as the boy pulled up his blanket and closed his eyes. His mind dwelled on one singular thought, Family.
His lips formed a smile.