Encounter

“So that’s how I met him.” Shierra said.

“After resting at that tavern in Fieri, the last thing the gnome said that he will return.” She added.

Reis took a moment to digest the information. For the last hour or so, they slowed their ride to a leisurely trot, due to the insistence of Sabre. While the horse is catching its breath, Shierra told Reis of her background and of her quest to learn about her human father. She told him how she had literally stumbled upon the inquisitive gnome who had become her travelling companion ever since.

“Well then, what’s next?” Reis asked.

Shierra bit her lip and pondered about what she would say next.

“I was walking about, exploring the town. I saw a house, though it looked like many of the houses at the edge of town, this house somehow had piqued my curiosity.” She began.

“I was at the gates, and was about to step in when I was startled by him.” Shierra continued.

“Who was he?” Reis asked, interested.

“He was like my kin, though not exactly. A dark elf named Morohtar.”

Reis was definitely interested. One does not simply encounter a dark elf through casual passing. It was said that a dark elf is there to perform dark deeds, often hired by others to do so.

“He was meeting someone, and it so happened that the owner of the house was his contact. It was a goblin, whose name I can’t recalled at the moment.” Shierra added.

“A goblin and a dark elf, meeting in a desolate town.” Reis said.

“The next few moments were..difficult.” There was a change in the tone of her voice. “Those dead men at the town center, the brutes..they barged into the goblin’s house. Morohtar fought them off, and we escaped to the streets. He told me that somehow, the brutes were looking for me too. He told me to hide and flee when I can.”

“You ran to the stable?” Reis asked her.

“Yes. I was scared. There were buildings burning around me, and I ran the best I could to find shelter.” There was a paused. Reis heard Shierra taking a deep breath. He let her take as much time as she needed.

“And you met Rianna, the barmaid there, where she hid you beneath the floor space.” Reis said. Shierra nodded, affirming what she had told him before.

“She saved my life, Reis! While I was hiding, I can hear those brutes…ravaging her. They were looking for me. She could have let them find me, but she didn’t.”

Reis nodded slowly. He could hear the pain in her voice.

“It’s alright, Shierra. I mourn for her loss too.” He said.

They rode in silence after that. The sun was setting, and Reis steered Sabre off the road and into the woods. The woods were thin, and they stopped at a clearing. A small fire was lit and they rested as the day grew to night.

*             *             *             *

The sound of snapping twigs jolted Reis awake. He shot up and drew his sword, and in doing so woke Shierra from her sleep.

“Quiet.” Reis whispered sharply to her. Shierra nodded, and stood up with her staff in her hand. The night was clear with the moon bathing everything with silvery light, yet it was dark enough to conceal assailants. Reis trained his ears to the sounds around him. 

The sound of trodden leaves grew louder, and closer. Slowly, Reis’ trained hand grasped the hilt of his sword, and drew the blade. 

Vagabond

Soot.

Reis hated the smell. But what he saw around him made him quiver with anger. As he made his way through the small town, houses and hovels lay in ruin to his left and right. The occupants were either dead or sat slumped against the burnt pillars of what’s left of their home, weeping at their loss.

Reis urged his steed towards the town center. 

He could see some folks mulling about, and as he drew closer he saw some dead bodies that lay in pools of blood. The townsfolk looked at him, and Reis saw a mixed bag of expression from their eyes – the look of anger, anguish, and bewilderment. He dismounted and walked to a group.

“What happened here?” Reis asked. He did not receive a quick reply. Folks averted their gaze, and some stared at the ground. An elderly approached the knight.

“Some men came during the night.” He said, pointing at the dead with his walking stick.

“They came suddenly, ransacking every house as they went. Heard that they were looking for someone.” The elderly explained.

Reis nodded. He walked towards the pile of dead bodies to examine them.

“Dragonhide.” He muttered to himself. He noted the weapons that they carry, and the personal marks that some individual marked on shoulderplates to signify counts or tallies to a kill, but no emblem nor insignia to denote allegiance on any of them. Reis counted thirteen of them, dead with clean sword wounds.

“They were not mere mercenaries. They were too uniformed and organized, and well-equipped.” Reis muttered again. He recalled his lessons in heraldry, and his studies of factions within the Realm. No army wore dragonhide armor. Most kingdom in the realm armored their troops in chainmail as it was easy to be mass-produced, and it was cheaper to equip huge armies with. The wealthier kingdoms had their army clad in scale mail. Private armies, or the King’s personal guards wore plate mail. The most elite fighting force were afforded with full suit of plate armor, as do the knights. On the other hand, mercenaries and militias make do with armor of reinforced leather, made from tough bull hides of local tanneries. Dragonhide however, were very rare. Partly due to the rarities of actual dragons in this age, and the prohibitive price. Wearing an armor made from dragonhide is more of a status symbol than anything, aimed to intimidate opponents.

Apparently, the wearer were not worthy. The absence of any garrison in Fieri meant that there were no actual defender that offered resistance, and the townsfolk were pacifists.

“So who killed them?” Reis wondered. The elderly approached him.

“Some saw a figure, cloaked in dark clothing fought them, and killed every single one of them.”

“One man, against these?” Reis asked. He received a nod.

Reis threw his gaze to the Rumbling Din, and the stables. Suddenly, he remembered Rianna.

Reis dashed into the tavern, and saw the place ransacked. The barkeep lay in a heap in the middle, but Rianna was nowhere to be found. He went upstairs to check the rooms but found no one. He ran outside towards the stables, through the splintered double doors that hung askew from hinges, then stopped dead in his tracks.

Rianna was lying on one a pile of hay, unmoving. Her dress was in tatters, revealing delicate fair skin that was mottled with bruises and cuts. Reis’ heart sank at the sight. He walked slowly towards her, fearing the truth to be seen.

The girl’s head was facing away from him. Reis gently held her cheek and turned her head towards him. Dried blood caked her lips, and her eyes were closed. Rianna looked as if she was sleeping, but in a slumber that she would never wake up from again.

A wave of anger welled within him, and Reis felt the hatred grew. But In his anger, he had forsaken his sensory awareness. All of a sudden, a wave of pain engulfed him, sending him stumbling forward. Reis willed his accelerated healing to help remedy the pain, while his hand found the hilt of the broadsword at his side. Reis spun in a rising fury to face his attacker, drawing the blade in a menacing flash of steel.

“Get away from her!” a voice screamed from the shadowy corners of the stable. A female voice.

Reis steadied his stance as he detected a surge of energy drawing around him as his attacker prepared to cast another spell. A flash of light flickered and a bolt of energy was shot at him. In a split second, Reis willed the Light to imbue his broadsword with strength. His prayer was swiftly answered, and he parried the bolt with the broadsword, batting it back towards the caster. Not anticipating the move, his attacker was struck with her own spell. Screaming in pain, she toppled backwards.

Reis took giant strides and raised his sword to deliver the killing blow, but stopped short when he had gotten a good look at her.

“You!” he said. Reis knew who she was. He remembered bumping into her on his way out of the supply store yesterday, and recalled seeing her with a gnome companion in the tavern the day before that. 

Groaning in pain, the girl was recovering. Reis felt a pang of sorry for her, but remained cautious nevertheless. She looked young, but Reis knew that age could be deceiving. He saw her staff a few feet away from her, confirming that she was a mage. Not the most powerful of mages, but still, a mage. Reis was thankful for that, at least. He pointed the tip of his sword at her.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” Reis demanded. The girl sat up slowly, and turned her head to look at him in the face. Reis saw a pair of eyes that was red and swollen with grief, with tears that were welling in her eyes. Her features and skin complexion was very fine, but it was her pointy elven ears that gave away her identity.

Reis slid his sword home, and knelt next to her. He offered his hand to help her up. She looked at him for a long time, then took his hand in hers. Reis helped her up where she stood on shaky legs. Reis willed his healing powers once again, and prayed that Light would help him heal the elf girl. Once again, his prayer was answered, and a warm sensation immediately flooded his body. With his thoughts, Reis willed the warmth to emanate from within him and into her. He willed that the Light would fill her body with the same warmth and heal her wounds. The elf girl looked bewildered at first, but then closed her eyes in accepting the healing. She felt the stinging pain from her cuts and scrapes dulled, and the shock of internal injury from the energy bolt lessen. Soon, she felt well and invigorated.

“I apologize for striking you. I hadn’t known.” Rez told her. She nodded in acknowledgement.

“My name is Reis Alderron, of the White City.”

The elf girl rose to her feet and looked around for a bit. She found what she was looking for and picked her staff from the floor. With a subtle curtsy she introduced herself.

“My name is Shierra. I am from Levianna.” She said. Her voice was shaky and laced with grief. She threw her gaze beyond him, towards the still body of Rianna.

Reis turned around and followed her gaze. He realized that Shierra was sharing the same grief as he is.

“Rianna.” Reis whispered. Shierra heard the name and realized the sorrow on his face.

“My apologies.” She said. “I thought that..you are one of those brutes that defiled her.”

Reis waved the remorse away and walked with slow, heavy steps towards Rianna. Shierra followed him.

Reis caressed Rianna’s face, pushing her matted hair from her face. He tidied her clothing the best he could, then leaned over to plant a kiss on her forehead. Shierra looked on with interest. She learned that Rianna meant dearly to him, though she wondered why.

Reis knelt on one knee and cradled Rianna in his arms. With a strong grasp, he rose, lifting Rianna into the crook of his arms. He adjusted his posture, and walked calmly out of the stable. Once again, Shierra followed him as Reis made his way to the town center.

Raze

Reis awoken to the smell of burning wood.

He rubbed his eyes and cracked his stiff neck, after spending the night in the wilds again. He rose to his feet and scanned the horizon. Scant motes of ash were floating in the air, swept by the wind across the meadows. There was no mistake – it was the smell of burning wood, and pitch. Reis walked about to determine the source of the fire. He drew his eyes across the tree lines and soon after, he spotted a column of black smoke rising in the air. He pondered for a second, and he looked up at the sun to decide his bearings. It was then a cold shock grasped Reis like an icy claw to the spine.

Fieri.

Sabre’s lush coat was glistening with the beast’s sweat as both him and the rider tore through the forest, crushing the ground following their trail back to Fieri. As they race through the forest, Reis felt a looming dread hung around him. Whatever lies ahead, it would not be good. He urged Sabre some more.

The smoke got thicker as Reis cleared the forest. Ahead, the black column of smoke gave no mistake to the source.

The town of Fieri was razed.

A Fleeting Moment

“Will I ever see you again?” Rianna asked. Her eyes welled with tears.

“Of course. I’m a journeyman, and I will make haste to see you whenever I’m here,” Reis told her.

The two of them stood by Reis’ mount in the stables. The young knight has enjoyed the civilization compared to the bare wilderness of his travel, but he is a knight errant, and he must move on to his next stop – the Sovereign City-State of Nadaran.

The City of Magi.

Sabre snorted, eager to get a move on. Two days of being hold up in the stable was enough for the horse. He was fed, freshly groomed, and the brass buckles of the saddle burnished. The saddlebags were refilled with fresh supplies, and the armour and everything else Reis possess were in order and accounted for.

“Whatever your quest is, I wish you all the best. I am but a simple serving girl; paled in presence of your lordship, but in my heart, I pray for your safety and quick return,” she told him.

Reis’ never had felt this way. He was suddenly humbled by this commoner who prayed for his safety. In all truth Reis had known that Rianna may has consorted with men before, nor this may not be the first time she has prayed for the safety of the man she has bedded, but somehow Reis has a feeling that what she has told him was more than just a play. An instinct told him that her intention was pure – for him.

“Don’t you say that! God does not listen only to prayers from the wealthy. If your heart is true, God shall grant your prayers – so I could safely, and quickly return to you,” Reis said, as he brushed off a rogue tear from her cheek.

Rianna managed a smile, and took Reis’ hands into hers.

“You are a lot..different from the men I’ve met. You’ve got a good heart, Reis,”

Reis took her into his embrace. The two stayed in the embrace for a few fleeting moment, then Reis let her go, and then mounted his horse. With a last sad look of goodbye, Reis nudged Sabre and the horse trotted once again onto the cobbled streets of Fieri.

As he passed through, the town was the same as the last time Reis remembered it yesterday, save for two differences – Frederick’s store was closed; and as he passed by a few shabby houses after that, one of them has a broken fence. Then Reis felt a faint presence of magic. It was the lingering residue of mana noticeable to those of the mage blood, or magic users. To Reis, the lingering mana is like the smell of a land after a thunderstorm – faint, yet clearly indicated that a magic user was here recently. Like before, Reis paid no heed to it, as he was certain a mage or two passes by Fieri en route to Nadaran to the north.

Moments later, Reis reached the Northern Gate of Fieri and the two guards nodded to him as Reis rode by. In front of him, a long stretch of road lay ahead, and the spires of Nadaran could be faintly seen in the distance, about two day’s journey on foot. Mounted, Reis would made considerable speed, and he liked that idea. Fieri was a charming little town for what was it is worth, but the City of Magi is truly a spectacular visit, and the young knight was very eager to reach it. With that thought, Reis set off towards Nadaran.

* * * *

It has been four hours since Reis has left Fieri. He stopped by a grove by the side of the road for rest. Under a shady tree, Reis stretched out his legs to ensure proper blood circulation after the hours on horseback. His stomach reminded him that it was due for the midday meal, and a quick glance at the position of the sun overhead confirmed that it was slightly after noon. Reis took the saddle off of his horse and let the beast graze on the green grass. From his saddlebag, Reis broke out a package wrapped in waxed paper. He unwrapped the paper to get to his meal – sliced roast beef, and some grilled vegetables.

Reis packed the remnants of the beef into his larder bag. Whilst going through his other bags, Reis found something that did not belong there; a small object rolled in a scarf. Carefully, Reis unraveled the scarf. The cloth smelled of Rianna’s hair, and the object that nested in it was a corked phial. A piece of parchment was rolled around the cylindrical phial. Unrolling the parchment, Reis saw a clear liquid, but upon closer inspection, the liquid was shimmering. The young knight could sense powerful magic infused within the liquid. He inspected the parchment. The package was indeed from Rianna – she knew that the attendant has saddled the knight’s horse for his journey today, thus she has slipped the package into Reis’ saddlebag he was having his breakfast.

There was writing on the parchment. Reis read the lines carefully;

Ancient stars shining the way,

Lighting the road of whence fate lay.

Moonlight’s silver calms the soul,

Sunlight paves the way in gold.

Life chances this fate to me,

The wind sings the songs of glee.

My crying heart sets within his,

Every moment a joyous bliss.

As the rain comes, so shall it leave,

Just another pattern of Fate’s weave.

A solemn heart, left alone,

No brighter shall the stars shone.

A prayer I seek, sincerely for him,

To be the light, when others dim.

For him I gave the Maiden’s Kiss,

For grave tidings when he needs this.

No other treasure I have to spare,

Only a sincere wish, for all to be fair.

His warm heart makes this fire burn,

And this longing heart awaits his return.

Reis read the poem again and again. Again, he felt something which he never had experienced before; he felt a kind of warmth spreading within him, glowing in his inside. The warmth uplifted his spirit, and renewed his vigor. He never felt more determined since he began to set foot on this quest from the gates of the White City. The feeling of being cared for is a wonderful sensation, and Reis knew that when he sleeps alone in the wild country,

he was never truly alone.

One More Night

The Rumbling Din was different during the day. It was just around sun-up, and the place was unsettlingly empty. Just last night, almost every table in the tavern was occupied, and all sort of creatures occupying them. From the kitchen, the cook could be heard chopping some foodstuff for the afternoon meal. A pleasant aroma wafted deliciously from his stovetop. A barmaid was sweeping the floors, and the barkeep was restocking his bottles and kegs. At the middle of the tavern, a man was bent over some stools, busy at work nailing and mending them, most probably due to a recent tavern brawl. The small man was hammering furiously, struggling to punch the last bit of a stubborn nail through. Reis approached the man.

“Where is everyone?” Reis asked. The man paused his hammering, and looked up, revealing a familiar face. It was the attendant of the stable, and apparently he attended beyond the stables too.

“Good morning, good sir. Most folk stop by here nary a night or two, resting, then to gather supplies, and restock. Fieri indeed is a town along the way of the Travellers’ Road, and the folks you met last night would probably have been well on their way by now,” the man explained.

Reis walked to him, and beckoned for the tool. Warily, the man handed it to him, and after a careful look, Reis raised the hammer and with one swift stroke, the tough nail struck home.

“There,” Reis said, returning the hammer. The man took it and grinned toothily.

“Where could I gather some trail rations to restock mine? I need about a week’s worth,” Reis asked.

“There is a little store around the next block that sells what a journeyman’s needs. It has big green sign hanging, so you won’t miss it,” the man told him.

“Right. But first, how does one get a breakfast around here?”

* * * *

After a hearty breakfast of spiced porridge, Reis decided to explore the town and restock his supplies. Before that, he stopped by the stables to see to his horse. Sabre was munching on some fresh hay, and his brushed black velvety coat glistened brightly in the sun. Reis walked to the town centre opposite of the Rumbling Din, made certain by a non-working fountain and a few broken long benches encircling it. A few cobblestones are missing here and there, but otherwise, Reis could imagine the town in its glorious heyday – placed in the middle of a crossroads of three kingdoms – now replaced with alternate routes and teleportation spells.

It was not long before Reis spotted the shop with the green sign on it.

“Frederick Fourwind’s Adventurers’ Supplies,” Reis read the sign above the door. Another sign on the door says ‘Open’, and he stepped inside.

An old man was dozing when Reis stepped inside. A little bell that hung on the store-side door jingled and woke him up.

“What the– Owh! Jolly! A customer!” the spritely old man sprang up, ran from beind the counter and shook Reis’ hand.

“You look like a young endeavouring adventurer, so welcome to Frederick Fourwind’s Adventurers’ Supplies. I’m Frederick Fourwind Sr., at your service,” the old man said with a curt bow.

“Right. I’m Reis Alderron, and I was referred to this place when I asked for some trail rations to be restocked.”

“Trail rations? Aye! We have aplenty. I’ll get those from the back. Feel free to browse around,” Frederick said.

Reis looked around. Shelves, albeit dusty, lined the store, holding a myriad of gadgets well-suited for any adventure one might encounter. Hunting knives, sharpeners, flint steel, and wire snares lined one shelf, while leather bags, saddlebag attachments, belts, and ropes lined another. Other shelves contained assorted gadgets that some Reis knew and some he had never seen before. Reis picked a medium sized four-pint leather waterskin and studied it. It was a bit dusty, but it was of good quality and would be a good addition to the existing smaller waterskin he already has. He took it and placed it at the counter. Reis walked over to the shelves with the odd gadgets on them. He saw a clockwork trinket, which he did not understand what function it serves, some phials, specimen collection tools, and more ticking gadgets with gears in them.

“I got what you need right here,” Frederick said with armfuls of packages. “I got my supplies from those traders that came through here, and you’re in luck. These came in yesterday,” the old man said as he laid the packages on the counter. He took one and undid the string that bound the package. He opened the beeswax coated heavy paper to reveal a thick sweet-smelling loaf of bread, dotted with nuts, raisins, berries, and some other dried fruits.

“’Tis a fine bread right here. Hard to come by, as those bakers from Vangia makes so little of this. Finest wheat, barley, oats, and rye milled for their flour; kneaded with honey instead of water, then ‘ya throw in lotsa nuts and them dried fruits and bake. Glazed with more honey after, this is worth its weight in gold!” Frederick proudly proclaimed. He took out a clean knife and cut a small chunk.

“Here. Have a taste,” the old man offered. Reis took the small chunk and ate it. At that moment, sweetness exploded in his mouth as he chewed on the chewy bread.

“Finally, a new trail ration I could live with. How long will this bread last?” Reis asked.

“If ‘ya keep it here in this paper, and keep it from getting wet, it’ll last you for three weeks,”

“Excellent. I’ll take it,” Reis said.

“Absolutely. That’s three silver pieces a slice. How may slices do you need?”

“I’ll take two loaves,”

The old man shot a very surprised look.

“And this waterskin,” Reis added.

* * * *

After keeping the item he had bought in the locker near the stables with the rest of his belongings, Reis returned to his room at the inn above the tavern. When he left that morning, Rianna was still asleep on the bed, but Reis returned to an empty, well-made room. He sat on the bed and took out a map and a piece of graphite stick wrapped in leather strips from one of the leather pouches on his belt. With his knife, Reis sharpened the graphite strip slightly, and wrote markings on the map that was laid out on the bed. He marked out his travel thus far, stopping at the town of Fieri, and plotted his route to Nadaran at dawn tomorrow. Satisfied, he kept the map and the writing instrument back to its place. Reis decided to spend some time by doing maintenance work on his gear. He drew his broadsword and tested its sharpness. Reis produced a whetstone from a flap on the scabbard, and then he took some water from the porcelain washbowl and wetted the whetstone. After that, Reis spent the rest of the evening sharpening and oiling his sword, knife, and dagger.

He would spend one more night in the relative luxury of the inn, and ate another supper in the relative luxury of the tavern. He would eat hot meals and drink more of the excellent cold ale and wine in the company of the travelers for one more night, and sleep in the soft, thick down mattress for one more night. If he is lucky, Rianna will join him again, all in all for just one more night, before hitting the road again tomorrow for Nadaran in the bare wilderness.

Fieri

Reis knew that Fieri was not a town that hung on everyones’ lips, but he was never prepared to expect it to be a dead town. The stark contrast of the austere town from the merry countryside and meadows made Sabre uneasy. Reis dismounted and held the reins of his horse. He took his sword and fastened the sword-belt around his hips. After making sure that he has fastened every flap to the leather pouches on his waist belt securely, Reis pulled Sabre on his reins and entered through the gates, nodding to the pair of guards.

The houses that lined the streets were mostly shabby, but habitable. A few curious pair of eyes stared at the knight as he made his to the centre of the town. Folks made way as Reis guided Sabre through the town on foot. The clop of shod hooves on the dusty cobble street echoed along the corridors and alleys around them.

The only worthy value or what was left of it was that a border town, and it lie right in the middle of the Travellers’ Road that forked out to the heart of the two other countries bordering The Kingdom. Over to the east and about a week’s ride are the dense woodlands where the woodland elves had built their illustrious but illusive kingdom upon. Reis has heard of the Levianna before, but had yet to gaze upon her wondrous majesty. To the far north lies the Sovereign City-State of Nadaran, an arcane country small by span – slightly smaller than The Kingdom’s capital White City, but equally wondrous especially with the infamous Magi Academy. Nadaran stood unchallenged as hostile forces would think twice about invading a city-state that has mages, wizards, sorcerers, and other magic users as her populace. Reis will be heading there after resting in Fieri.

Suddenly, Reis halted – he sensed the presence of magic within the vicinity. Being alone on the errant had almost made him regard magic as a strange thing.

“Nadaran is due north. I’m sure a mage or two stops by now and then,” he told himself.

It was nearing sundown and folks began to return to their homes. Street lanterns were lit, and Reis saw a few scantily-clad ladies of the night now and then at street corners. The sight of a stranger that could be a potential customer excited them; especially the tall, powerfully-built, and most importantly young stranger that had just made his way through town. Realizing that his stomach is growling, Reis headed for a particularly large tavern. He was keen on having hot food and a frothy pint or two after been on trail ration of beef jerky, hard cheese, and even harder bread. He also longed for a proper long soak in a hot bath and soft, thick mattress to lie on a night or two.

The sign was once painted but now had badly faded. Reis could make out the words, ‘The Rumbling Din’ on it. He went to the side and an attendant approached him. Reis handed the reins of his horse to the middle-aged man, who took it akin to receiving the Medal of Valour.

“Please have him watered and fed. And could you groom him and have him picked as well?” Reis asked the man.
“Yes, milord. Only the best for your great beast,” he replied. Reis took a quick glance at his large, padded saddlebags, thinking of its precious content – his mithril plate armour suit. “Do you have a place of safekeeping?” Reis asked.

The man nodded. He led Sabre into the stable and into a stall. The stable has another horse in it, and the chestnut mare was dozing restfully, well taken care of. The floor was lined with fresh hay, and two wooden feeders contained water, and a mix of oats, barley, and hay respectively in the individual stalls. Under his supervision, the attendant began to remove Reis’ saddlebags and place it in front of him. The attendant removed the saddle and the saddlecloth and placed it with care in front of Reis as well. After securely closing the stall doors, the attendant carried Reis’ belonging to the back of the stable where Reis followed. The attendant produced a key from a key ring attached to his belt and pointed to several large wooden chests lining the wall. He picked a key, and opened an empty chest. Quickly, he placed Reis’ saddlebags in them.

“Your bags are safe in here, milord. I shall care on your saddle after I’ll tend to your horse,” he said. Reis nodded. He fished in his coin purse for a gold piece and two silver pieces, and handed them to the attendant who received them with utmost delight. Passing Sabre’s stall, Reis brushed the nose of his horse, and headed out.

The Rumbling Din was in fact, rumbling. The contrast from the world outside baffled Reis as seemingly all of the townsfolk converged in the large, double-storey tavern. Music and all sort of merriment resounded and people chatted, laughed, and brawled. The aroma of freshly cooked hot meals wafted in the air, and Reis made his way through the crowd to a table and sat. Moments later, an attractive, buxom young barmaid came to him and ceremoniously bent from her hips to Reis’ face level, offering a generous view of her generous bosom.

“Welcome to The Rumbling Din, sir. What would you have?” she asked melodiously. Reis pried his eyes from her chest and met her blazing brown eyes, careful not to have his face redden.

“Erm..yeah. Err..I’m quite famished, so I would really like to have some hot food, please. Your recommendations. And a pint of your best ale,” Reis told her.

“Most certaintly, sir. I’ll get on it right away,” the girl smiled and winked at him. She then left and headed for the kitchen to place the order.

Reis studied the tavern, and the people in it. All manner of assorted people lounged in the rowdy tavern. Barmaids darted around delivering food and drink, and musicians played their instruments at a corner of the tavern. Reis could spot a few people of the other races too – a trio of dwarven warriors by the look of their arms and armour ate and drank heartily at a table; and a duo of a gnome – and what Reis has thought to be a young girl turned out to be an elf after he saw her pointy ears – at another table. She sat with her back facing Reis, and spoke with the gnome in hushed tones by the look of it. At another corner of the tavern, Reis almost missed the figure of a cloaked man, or humanoid, who sat at a small table. He had the hood of his cloak on, concealing his face in shadow. Reis sensed that he was not quite human, and was assured so as he saw his silvery eyes – akin to the elves – faintly glowed. The elf sat against the wall, puffing faint wisps of smoke from his long pipe.

The barmaid reappeared and slightly startled Reis. She smiled and placed a tray on the table. She took a deep bowl of steaming stew, a platter of assorted spiced bread and cheeses, and a pewter pint of frothy ale from the tray and placed them in front of Reis.

“I’ll have more coming if you want to,” she told him. Reis smiled and nodded at her. After the barmaid had left, Reis took the pint and relished the cold touch it gave, and wondered how they have chilled the ale so. After a long gulp of the refreshing ale, Reis spooned the beef stew. He broke some bread, spread some cheese on it, and ate with utmost pleasure of not having to hunt for his food, nor chew on the trail rations. As he was polishing off the last morsels from his beef stew, the barmaid came to his table with a tray, and from it she placed a steaming plate of sliced roast lamb that swam in thick gravy in front of him, trading it with his empty stew bowl.

“I hope there’s still room in your belly, sir. I have asked this to be made especially for you,” she told him. Reis laughed softly.
“Well of course, miss. You have my utmost thanks, my dear,” Reis told her.

She also had refilled his pint from a pewter flask on the tray. The aroma of the dish was overwhelming, and Reis ate with renewed vigour. Soon, he sat there on the table with his stomach happily filled. The barmaid came to him and offered another refill. Reis politely declined.

“I’m too full up, miss. The food was exellent,” Reis told her. She flashed her captivating smile again and chided, “Well, of course, kind sir. You did request me to make the recommendations on your indulgence.”
“Most true. And you really know how to indulge a man,” Reis said
“It’s my job, sir. After all, customers’ satisfaction is my aim,”
“Let me see; excellent food, excellent ale, excellent service, yes. I must say that I’m quite satisfied,” Reis was being snide. The barmaid shifted her weight on one hip, enjoying it.
“Quite, sir?” she asked. “Is there something amiss?”
“Well, I haven’t had the pleasure of an excellent company, have I?” Reis shifted in his seat, reclining back. “I’ve been travelling alone and I intent to stay a couple of nights in this town. I missed the companionship, and even the idle chatter. It would and most certainly would be my pleasure to have a companion, and it would be my very good honour if I could have you to accompany me,” Reis said to her.


* * * *

Reis woke up with a fresh start on the plush bed. Rianna lay asleep still in his arm, her head on his chest. Her brunette hair fanned on his chest, and she was smiling even when she slept, stirring gently to his touch. After having his dinner last night, Reis went to the barkeeper and paid for the food, and arranged for his lodging. The inn was the second floor of The Rumbling Din, and though it was quite spartan, the inn was comfortable enough for weary travellers to lay their tired backs on something other than the hard ground. Reis took a long hot bath, and soon welcomed the warm, soft bed and the warm, soft body when the barmaid had joined him in it.

Reis had planned to spend the day preparing his gears to continue the journey tomorrow. He would need to restock his rations for the ride to Nadaran, and other necessary amendments. He was supposed to be a knight errant, and he needed to prove himself worthy to return to his brethren knights. His path to become a paladin is hard, but his will and determination was even harder. But, for now, something else was also hard, and Reis pulled back the covers over them.

Sabre

Sabre snorted, and shied slightly. The big black charger might be well-trained, but he’s still, essentially, a horse. Obviously the beast wanted a rest after a series of walking, and the occasional trot trough the pleasant countryside since dawn. Reis slacked off his grasp on the reins, and let the horse steer off the hard-packed dirt path and onto the grass, bringing them to a nearby grove.

Reis slid down from the saddle and welcomed the slightly warm sensation of blood properly coursing through his legs. It’s nearing sundown and a rest might do them good. Reis retrieved his leather backpack fastened to the saddle as well as his broadsword and placed them under a shady tree. He then unfastened the saddlebags, and also a leather sack containing his suit of mithril armour and placed them all in a pile under the tree. After having retrieved his possessions, Reis began loosening the leather straps and brass braces of the saddle, and removed it from the great beast’s haunch. Normally, the young knight has seen the stable boys using stools and even ladders to tend to this particularly taller breed of warhorses from the proud fleet of chargers of the Kingdom; however, in Reis’ case he was glad for the height he has to be able to utilize the beast in the field. Free of the saddle, Sabre went on with his usual mischief. The horse turned its great big head and pulled off the saddlecloth on its back with its teeth.

“Next time take the saddle off yourself,” Reis said to the horse, stroking its proud mane.

Being the youngest of the family of chargers at the Royal Stable, Sabre has a mischievous albeit playful attitude that Reis has grew fond of. He really loved the horse as they grew up mostly together. Reis saw Sabre being born when the young knight was in his youth, and saw through the training the horse went through when it is old enough to be ridden. Reis would venture into the stables to groom the majestic black velvety horse. The horse acknowledged its rider as well, and it is proud to serve the knight with its life.

Reis let the horse nibble on the lush green grasses. He heard a spring somewhere trickling in the wooded part of the meadow, and he intended to water his horse and refilled his waterskins there. Looking around in a panoramic horizon, Reis could tell that he was at the meadows where it was the onset of the great plains that lie ahead. The last civilisation he encountered was the countryside and the occasional farms as he made his way up north from the White City. That was last week. Now, he was on the Traveller’s Roadway far from hospitalities. Reis sat under the shady tree and retrieved a tool kit from his backpack. He chose a pair of tweezers, and after removing the leather riding glove from his right hand, Reis began to remove the remaining few wooden splinters embedded in his right palm. Courtesy of a fairly large Felbear, Reis’ wooden spear has killed the beast in the skirmish, but had shattered in the process. Caught relatively unaware while he was resting in a grove, Reis had barely enough time to properly defend himself when the Felbear had attacked.

Unarmed, Reis has no choice but to run to a patch of woods for cover, with the bear snapping at his heels. Reis had almost been swiped in two if it had not been for the help of his charger. The horse had sensed the bear via its rancid scent, and had seen the bear on a lunging charge for its rider. Galloping hard, the horse thundered towards the bear and had crashed into it moments before the Felbear could swipe at Reis with its vicious claws. With its back at Reis, giving him cover Sabre whinnied loudly, snapping its jaws and bared its teeth. The bear was momentarily held at bay as Sabre rose on its hind legs and flailed its front legs menacingly. With the spare moment of time Reis grabbed the wooden spear from its holder near the seat of the saddle with one precise grasp, he then slapped the horse’s hind making the mount retreat. The bear stood to its full height on its hind legs and roared loudly. Undeterred, Reis prayed the Light for strength and dexterity to guide his arm, and it seemed that the Light has answered, as for a heartbeat later, Reis charged and plunged his spear into the bear’s exposed chest, piercing the thick fury hide, and piercing its heart. The force was so great the spearhead erupted out at the back of the bear, covered thickly with black blood and the shaft had split and shattered. The encounter with the bear a couple of days ago has made him more humble and cautious with his surrounding.

When at last, the splinters have finally been removed; Reis could begin the accelerated healing process. Then, he took a few sips of the dewberry juice from a waterskin he’d bought from the last farm he had passed through, and chewed some beef jerky. Holding the Kingdom map in his free hand, courtesy of the Royal cartographer, Reis began coursing his way northbound to the nearest town ahead, two days’ ride away - the town of Fieri.