The Amulet of Tenebrae

Kendra couldn't help but chuckle again. "It's fine. I don't mind helping. I helped my mom all the time when she had to work late." She stood beside Rass and took up drying the dishes instead while he washed.

"No, don't bother." Rass said, "I don't like being crowded, Let me do this shit and I'll be off to do my own stuff." he said as he washed the dishes.

"Best you let him be, Besides, you need to eat." said Ruth. "So, what do we like?" she asked, "I've brought supplies as well and the rest are coming in a couple hours." she smiled, "Annd I'll be looking tot he veggie garden later."

"Suit yourself." She put the drying towel over his head and gave him some space.

"I don't eat any meat at all. I usually eat eggs and fruit for breakfast mostly. "Mind if I help out? I love picking fresh fruits and vegetables. I just hope they survived to harsh storm last night."

He growled when the towel went on his head and he pulled it off in annoyance and kept washing. Not long after he finished cleaning them and left them to dry on the rack, heading out of the kitchen.

"Okay, I'll note that. How about some oatmeal with berries and almond milk?" she suggested, "I can also boil some eggs or make some toast with sunflower butter?" she asked. "And of course, an extra hand is always good to have." she smiled

"Mmm! That sounds wonderful, thank you." She took a seat at the kitchen table and waited for her breakfast to be made. Once Rassler was out of the kitchen she walked over to Ruth. "So you have known Rassler for a long time I take it? Can you tell me more about him? I am curious to know more about him. He is too grumpy to really tell me anything...is he always like that?" She asked.

Ruth smiled, "Then oatmeal it is." she said and got to work.

She looked to her and chuckled, "He's not been talking much It would seem. Yes, Carter and I have known him since the beginning of the curse. We were your ancestors most trusted servants." she smiled, "He blessed us with a spell of no ageing, so we can't die naturally." she said, "We vowed to help our master's line along with Rassler to keep each new line safe." she explained.

Kendra was very moved by their loyalty to her family. "Thank you, Ruth. I appreciate your wanting to help my family. I hope I can put an end to all this nonsense...some how." She said.

"I am sorry to ask so many questions, but what was my uncle like? I rarely got to see him when I was growing up. I always hated him for not coming around. He was more of a father to me than my own father was and I was so cruel to him near the end..." She sighed feeling horrible now that she knew why he couldn't be around as often as he wanted to.

"I'm afraid there is only a couple known ways...and they are both bad." she sighed, "But I don't wish to scare you."

"No no, i knew you would have many questions." she smiled, "Terrance was a gentle man and...he was not keen for meat either." she chuckled, "But he was mostly trying to find ways to break the curse...everytime i told him to rest, he always said your family creed." she said.

Kendra smiled, "Vita faciem tuam, et bene certa mori fortiter, yes I know it well." She said. "I hope he knows that I don't hate him..." She sighed. "Rassler explained it briefly. Everything he has told me so far wasn't good and kinda scary, so its ok. I want to know what I am up against..."

"Has he told you about...The Demon King?" she was unaware of their encounter with him, "Because you'll need to be informed about him right away." she said.

Carter came in with a crate of food for the larder. Mainly items they couldn't grow themselves, "Yeah, you best be told about him, since he's the one that started this curse on your family in the first place." he said, placing the crate down.

Rassler was on the roof of the manor, looking over the view of the countryside and the small farm part of the manor. "......She's got a lot to learn....and to know." he sighed.

Kendra nodded remembering her encounter with him, "Yes...I met him. He tricked me into opening the gate and setting him free. He almost got me, but Rassler saved me. He told me that the Demon King wants to take me as his wife when I am eighteen..." She shuddered at the thought. "I just don't understand how Rassler is mixed up in all of this. He said he was a warrior before he became trapped in the amulet. He said he is my vassal and is sworn to protect me."

They both stopped and looked at him, "HE GOT INTO THE HOUSE!!!" they both said, "RASS! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Carter called out. He appeared with arms crossed, "STOP shouting you fuckwits." he growled back, "WHAT is it?"

"WHY didn't talk to her as the amulet?!" he growled, "I COULDN'T He blocked me! I broke through the barrier before he could do anything to her! So BACK UP!" he said.

"PLUS the stones were removed from amulet! Terrence's FAULT I will add." he growled.

"Don't be mad at Rass, he DID save me. It was my fault I let that demon king manipulate me into setting him free. But he hasn't come back since last night...do you know where he is now Rassler?" She asked.

"Its his JOB to keep you safe! She could have been enslaved!" said Ruth.

Rassler glared at Ruth, "SHUT. YOUR. FUCKING. MOUTH!!! YOU FUCKING HARPY!" he snarled and his eyes flashed red, "LEAVE ME ALONE ALLL! OF YOU!!" he vanished.

Carter sighed, "Ruth, I'm annoyed too...but that was a little too much." Ruth groaned, "You ALWAYS defend him! He almost failed!"

"But he didn't and Miss Kendra is here and safe." he said, "Once he's calm again NO more arguments. Rassler KNOWS his job and We know ours.......I'm sorry Miss Kendra. I didn't wish you to see the bickering." Carter apologised.

Kendra started to feel really bad for Rassler. He didn't ask for all this and everyone was coming down on him pretty hard, her included. "We shouldn't be so hard on him. He may be rough around the edges, but he is doing his best I'm sure. I want to do something nice for him, but what?" She thought about it all through breakfast and after she was finished and had a shower she decided to go to the orchard and pick some fresh fruit for him.

She got a small wicker basket from the kitchen and went outside before the storm clouds rolled back in. The gardens and orchard were amazing. Fruit trees and vegetables as far as the eye could see. "Wow! I'm not sure where to start." She brought along another basket for some veggies to pick for Ruth as well. She gathered them first and then made her way toward the fruit trees. She saw apples and decided to start there. She picked some shiny red apples from the low hanging branches that she could reach and moved on to the pear tree.

Carter blinked then chuckled, "Well he's not one for telling about all he likes. Well not EVERYTHING at least." Ruth just continued on cooking breakfast for Kendra.

A little later after cleaning up Breakfast, Ruth did indeed got out to the garden with Kendra, "Ahhh yes, its all here still, the storm didn't damage any of it." she sighed in relief. "Pick as much as you like. This is all yours to delight it." she smiled. "I'll be down this way to the veg patch, and keep that amulet on you at ALL times. Or Rassler won't be able to sense you if you're in danger. AND you can call him if you need him right away." she said.

Ruth let then let her go off and explore the orchard.

Kendra made sure to keep the amulet around her neck and tucked it beneath her shirt. A slight wind blew through the orchard. Kendra could smell the rain, it was on its way. "I better hurry before it starts to rain. Wouldn't want Rassler yelling at me for catching a cold."

She came to a large cherry tree and thought it would be perfect to top off her fruit basked for Rassler. She set it down on the ground and started to pick ripe cherries. Little did she know that someone was watching her nearby hidden near the top of the tree.

She sighed seeing her run off, "Of COURSE he's not told her. Better let her know later...." she sighed.

Rassler was now of the other side of the roof and spotted Ruth and Kendra heading out to the back area of the Manor grounds, heading out to the orchard. Not wanting MORE form that harpy, he appeared in one of the tall fruit trees watching from the shadows of the tree. '.....what's she up to?' he wondered, seeing a LOT of fruit in the basket.

Kendra took the handful of cherries and put them in the basket. It was almost full now. "Hmm, just a few more. I'm sure he eats A LOT as muscular as he is." She said and saw a few nice ripe looking cherries that were unfortunately just out of her reach. "Damn it! If only I were a few inches taller!" She jumped and touched one of the cherries with the tip of her finger. "Oh so close!"

He rolled his eyes and appeared behind her quietly, crossing his arms, ".....You know. You won't grow any taller by reaching like that."

"EEEK!" She yelped when Rassler suddenly popped up behind her and scared the living daylights out of her again. "You REALLY need to stop doing that." She looked up at the cherries and saw them moving a little bit. "I know, but I am so close. I can just barely touch them."

He sighed and walked over to a fence area, "AHEM!" he showed a small wooden folding step, "Ruth is a short stack so she uses this to collect the top ones." he said, "You said You like fruit but WHY so much?" he said.

Kendra laughed at herself for not noticing that sooner. She walked over to the fence and got the step stool. It was just what she needed. She unfolded it and was able to pick the cherries no problem. Now the basket was full. "Well, it's not for me. I picked these for you. As muscular as you are I figured you eat a lot, so I wanted to make sure to pick enough to fill the entire basket." She picked up the basket and handed it out to him.

He blinked when she said it was for him, ".........WHY would you need to give me anything?" he had his arms crossed still, not sure if she's mocking him or being daftly honest.

"OI! I don't eat that MUCH!" he said, "I eat what I need........." he looked at the basket though and he sighed and took the basket, he noticed her expression was a little....KEEN to hear him say something, ".........Yeah, yeah. Its nice." he said.

"Sorry I wasn't trying to imply that you eat a lot or anything. I know I didn't have to, I wanted to. We kinda got off on the wrong foot and I wanted to kinda start over. Whether we like it or not, we are stuck together for the time being. We should at least try to get along. I don't know how any of my past ancestors treated you, but I am thankful for your help as my vassal. I hope I chose some fruits you like at least." She said with a kind smile.