The sun was shining brightly today in the Truce park. Winter was clearing up a bit in Guardia and it was warm enough for there to be a few people enjoying the nice weather. The grass was green, signlaing spring, and a few birds coming home from the south could be heard building new nests in the trees nearby.

The childlike Sandman looking up at the sky, reaching his hand out to the clouds that seemed so far out of his reach, the sand against his back shifting slightly as he laid in the sandbox at the truce park, the location seemed so correct considering the boon that was his physical vessel. He sat up sand seeming to slowly fall from his black hair as he looked around him the feel of the warm sand beneath his hands calming him.

Strangely, Kimen had little interest in the parks swings or play equipment these days. Instead she was often seen entering the park with two or three heavy books cradled in her arms and finding a comfortable place to sit. One day it was the benches, one day it was on the grass, today it was up in the branches of a large sturdy tree. She leaned against the thick trunk, foot hanging down and swinging as a book lay open on her lap.

Kent walked through Truce part enjoying the warm weather. He very much appreciated that spring was coming, more or less because it meant that winter was going. And winter was a terrible, terrible thing that involved cold. He wore his green tunic and slacks, along with his sword hanging by his side. His necklace shined in the sunlight, proudly displaying its golden hue. He smiled when he noticed Kimen. "You came to the park to read a book?" he mused, "what's that one about?"

Kimen looked up from the page he was on and smiled at the former knight. He snapped the book shut, swung his other leg over the branch and hung upside-down, offering the book to Kent so he could have a look. "Hello Mr. Kent!" The child greeted him with a chipper expression, "I am reading about some of the plantlife found in Guardia! Did I lose track of the time?"

"Not at all. You just come over here fairly often and I decided to take a trip to Truce to meet up with Edmund. Thought I'd drop by and see what you were up to." Kent too the book and opened to the Table of Contents. He knew that Kimen was somewhat of an herbalist, but he never asked what any of it meant. It was outside of his area of expertise. "Find anything interesting?" He asked, more to be polite than anything else.

Sandman saw in the corner of his eye a sight he was not expecting in a city park, the single diamond emblem on a necklace. 'There was no mistaking it,' he thought to himself, this man was Kent.

Kimen looked up in thought, though in this case, as the child was still hanging upside down it was more that she was looking down at the ground. There were a couple things of interest that the child found buried between the pages of that book. She wasn't too sure yet, but she had a theory. There might be a way cure the hellfire in the knight's blood! "Uh-huh!" Kimen nodded enthusiastically with a wide smile.

"The Dayzee genus is something I myself find quite astounding, I mean flowers that can gain sentience, amazing." Sandman came to stand near the base of the tree looking up at the child in front of him, who was currenty upside down.

Kent raised an eyebrow at Kimen. "Oh, like what?" Of course, before Kimen could respond another kid walked up. Not unusual to find others in Truce park, so Kent wasn't phased. Surprisingly neither was he phased by the idea of sentient plants. "Aren't the Mantango like that too?" he asked, secretly praying to his god that he was right about them being plants so he didn't sound racist.

Sandman looked up at the man, almost straight up, "I believe they are technically a fungus Mr...?" He needed to be sure that this man was indeed Kent, while it was most likely that this was the man that could possibly pose a threat, the design itself was simple, and more so imitatible than others.

Kimen was about to tell Kent all about his findings when another child approached the two of them. It looked as though he would have to tell Mr. Kent about it later as he knew the topic of the Hellfire in the knights blood was something that was a secret. "Yep more of a sentinant fungus." Kimen corrected, thinking it was time to get down now. All the blood was rushing to his head. He sat up, and swung down from the branch, dropping to the ground below with the ease only a child could manage. "Though there are plenty of sentinant plants in the Cleft. I think I just skimmed over something called a sproutling. They are quite cute!"

Kent did not have the heart to admit that he had no idea what the difference between a plant and a fungus were, but luckily the boy left an open oppurtunity for Kent to change the subject! "my name is Kent. I run a forge in Shrike," he said to the child, extending his hand down. "And who are you? I don't recognize you."

He looked up at the man"I haven't been here long. Only a few months." Sandman looked to the child, "I apologize for my ignorance then, like I said..." he shook Kent's hand, after coming up with an alias, "My name is Selim."

"There are always new things to find and discover in this world since it is always evolving and changing. The book I was reading is probably even a little dated. There is no need to apologize." Kimen gave the child a friendly smile and took his hand, "Nice to meet you Selim. My name is Kimen! Welcome to the Cleft!"

Sandman did his best to fake childlike innocence, his eyes brightened slightly and a confused look crossed his face as he looked up to you, then back to her, "Is he your dad?" Awaiting the answer he looked to try and make out the titles of the other books he was reading.

Kimen held his books tightly and looked up at Kent as Selim asked his question. Kent wasn't really his father, but to the child he was something like a dad to him --Or at least what he considered a dad to be since Kimen had grown up in a house with only two older brothers. But... Kimen didn't think he could call Kent a father. After all the former knight had never said he was. It might be assuming too much if the child said yes. But still... He didn't want to say 'no' either. The child wanted to go on at least pretending Kent was his adopted father. Pretending he had family here. It made him feel less alone.

Kent looked down at Sandman, and then back to Kimen. He looked at Kimen through the eyes of a father, worried more for their safety than he otherwise would. It was why he was so uptight about Kimen's studies. Magic was dangerous, and swordplay required focused practice or it was just as deadly towards the user. And yet, he wasn't really Kimen's parent. He was his teacher and friend, but not a father. He was torn. After a moment that was much too long, Kent returned his gaze towards Selim. "Essentially, yes."

Sandman smiled a moment, it was a shame really, "Thats nice." he looked down sullen, "I never knew my father, it was just me and my mother growing up."

The uncertainty in Kimen's expression melted away and the child smiled up at the knight, happy with his words and fighting back tears. She didn't want Mr. you seeing her cry but those words had made her very happy! She reached for your hand and nodded at Selim to confirm your answer. That smile then faded and Kimen looked at the other child with a sympathetic look as he spoke. "I... I am sorry to hear that. The truth is... I kind of didn't have one either. I grew up and went to school with my two older brothers until I came here. Mr. you kind of adopted me." Kimen looked back to you, giving him a small smile.

Kent awkwardly held Kimen's hand when Kimen reached for it, not actually having been ready for those words to mean THAT much. And 'adopted' was a big word. "I didn't really have parents. Grew up training. No true family to speak of beyond brothers in arms. But we all get past."

Sandman smiled internally, his plan coming along perfectly, but time was short. "Wow, I've never met such good people before." he looked up at the sky to see the sun begin to set, he pretended to panic. "Uh-oh, I need to get going, I need to meet my teacher." He began running in the other direction, but stopped at the entrance to the park, turned and waved, yelling, "I hope to be able to meet you again soon!" and he disappeared from sight. "See you both soon indeed." he said to himself.

Kimen waved after the child knowing that he was in for a surprise. This world had MANY good people in it. No doubt one of them was the teacher he was going to meet. It gave Kimen hope that Selim was going to be okay here. He gave the former knight's hand a small squeeze and went back to smiling. "Thank you, Mr. Kent." He said quietly. "Even though I will never see my real family again, I am happy to have someone I can consider my family here. It means a lot to me."

"Now don't get ahead of yourself Kimen," he said with a mildly stern tone. "I'm your teacher first and your family second." his eyes softned up a bit. "But, that being said..." Kent gathered up Kimen's books under his other arm, "Let's head back to Shrike. It's getting late and I think there was something about plantlife you were excited about."

Oh! That was right! Kimen still needed to tell Kent about what she had been researching all this time! "Oh! Yeah! We definately need to talk about that when we get home!" Kimen grinned, half pulling Kent along. The sooner they got back home the sooner he could tell him!