The small group walked into the outskirts of Pasea as Kota glanced around, seeing buildings made of excellent craftsmanship and elegance, more so than the town of Elida. As they made their way to a central plaza, both Kota and Alexis pulled up their hoods to blend into the crowds. They stopped on the outskirts of the central plaza.
Kota smiled when he observed the fountain in the middle of the square. Several adults sat on the edge of the brick design as children played in the water. When he felt a hand placed on his shoulder, he looked back, seeing Lucinda. "How are you feeling? Better since that incident?" she asked.
He nodded. "I have this weird feeling my life will never be normal again."
Sonya moved alongside him to watch the children play as she lightheartedly bumped his elbow with her own. "I doubt there is anything normal about being hunted and blamed for the death of the king, all the while trying to find a man called the Wanderer because you are exiled.... Not to mention being hunted by Cordelia."
Kota gave out a small laugh and bumped her elbow back. "That is quite the statement, but you are correct. Our lives will never be normal again. We have to focus on finding this Wanderer."
Lucinda approached them from behind, admiring the different building sizes and the vastness of the city. "Where do we even start? We have much ground to cover, and no description to follow."
With hand to head, Kota briefly pondered before turning to the fountain. Stepping back, he noticed the familiar cloaked figure in the fountain, and the area grew darker as the buildings lost their color. He took a deep breath and glanced at Alexis, who also gazed at the fountain. He closed his eyes briefly, shaking his head before opening them again. To his surprise, the cloaked figure had vanished. Kota watched as the kids around the fountain played, and Lucinda walked up behind him, placing her hand on his shoulder.
Alexis then turned toward the others and stated, "We should get more supplies before we do anything else, and find a place to rest for the night."
Kota nodded as Sonya moved into his line of sight as she spoke. "Speaking of rest, you know you never explained what you meant before blacking out. Something about seeing someone or something?"
Kota turned his eyes away from her as he focused on anything else. "I do not remember a thing, so I will be of no help."
Alexis walked in front of him, fixing her blue hood on her head as she glanced around the town. "If you need more rest, then we can find the inn before we gather supplies. I will do nothing to risk your life, Kota."
"I am fine. Now let's stop talking about me and figure out where this Wanderer is located," said Kota, shrugging Lucinda's hand from his shoulder.
Kota marched away from the group. Lucinda went after him, but Sonya stopped her and whispered in her ear. "I will go with Kota and gather some more food. Keep Alexis safe. It will be better if we split up, anyway."
Lucinda nodded as she removed a small pouch filled with coins and tossed it in her direction. Sonya caught the pouch before moving to Kota. Lucinda yelled to them, "Meet here by sundown. Do nothing stupid."
Alexis laughed as she watched Kota throw up a hand in frustration. Then she turned toward the fountain to watch the children play in the water. Feeling a bit of peace, she smiled. "Do you think Kota is all right?"
"Not sure." Alexis crossed her arms as she saw the two of them disappear around the corner of a building. "He is hiding something. Do you think his headaches are curse-related?"
Alexis pulled down her hood to keep the sun out of her eyes, then looked up, seeing the clouds moving above and the blue-and-white sky behind them. Stroking her chin, she moved away from Lucinda. "Let's not linger on the unknown. Let us find the inn."
"You're right."
The two walked around the fountain as they watched the children play, and Lucinda said, "You know I worry about you as well. Neither of you had a kind last few days."
Alexis looked to her left and right. She noticed a sign and pointed it out to Lucinda. "I know you are going to want to talk. If you want to talk, we might as well get something to drink."
Lucinda followed Alexis as she read the sign out loud. "Plague's Pub. Sounds exquisite, but are you sure we should stop like this? We need to find a room at an inn."
Alexis ignored her statement as she moved closer to the pub, pushing the door open. She looked back at Lucinda as she removed her hood, then moved her hair to the right as she tied the ends of a cord to keep her hair up. As she lay her new ponytail on her right shoulder, she gestured to Lucinda, signaling her to come over, and she pulled the hood back over her head.
Lucinda groaned as she walked over to Alexis and placed a finger on her shoulder. "You are the reason for his stubbornness."
Alexis smiled as the two walked into the pub, closing the door behind them. Torchlight and candles illuminated the interior, while tables filled the right side and a bar occupied the left. Alexis walked up and placed her elbows on the counter as she reached down, grabbing a few coins from a pouch while catching the eye of the barkeep. "Two, please."
Lucinda approached from behind while the barkeep smiled, serving the drinks. "Haven't seen you two ladies in town recently. You new here?"
Alexis effortlessly drank from the mug in front of her. The barkeep placed the coin in his pouch. She glanced at the man, his short brown hair grizzled with age. Lucinda grabbed her drink and smiled at the man. "Not the first time we have been to town, but we are just passing through. We have business elsewhere."
The tall barkeep looked toward Alexis, who had her back turned to him as she drank her ale. He asked Lucinda, "Your friend doesn't talk much, does she?"
"She has just had quite the week. I would not ask her about it, though," Lucinda explained while looking at Alexis.
He eyed Lucinda to her waist from behind the counter, seeing her weapon on her lower back and another blade along her right hip. "You two are mercenaries?"
Alexis walked away as a group was leaving a table further in the pub. Lucinda smiled at the man. "Not exactly mercenaries, but that might be the simplest of terms for what we are doing. I would say guardians, but if you will excuse me, I am going to sit down with my friend."
Nodding, the man smiled as she walked toward Alexis, placing her drink down by a chair as she pulled it out before sitting down.
Alexis removed her hood while sweeping her hair to the right, resting it on her shoulder again. She sat across from Lucinda as she breathed silently, sipping her drink. "My father is dead, and the woman who is hunting my brother is destroying everything I hold dear," Alexis said as she looked into her cup. "Do you think we can recover from this?"
"Well, we haven't given up yet, so why now?"
Lucinda leaned forward and took a sip of her drink before placing her elbows on the table as she looked into Alexis's blue eyes. She looked down at her drink as it swayed gently in the cup. Lifting it to her mouth, the mender let out a satisfied sigh.
"She is always one step ahead of us... so we desperately need a win. We cannot defeat a shadow if we have no way to bring it into the light," said Alexis, moving a strand of hair out of her face as she focused on the ripples in her ale.
Alexis brought the drink up to her mouth as she sat there in thought. Lucinda reached across and put her hand on Alexis's while she held the cup before her lips. Alexis looked up at her friend as Lucinda stated, "Once we meet this Wanderer, we will make a plan to strike back at Cordelia. She can only push so much before we start to push back."
"When I get the chance, I am going for the throat," Alexis paused, took a deep breath, tightening her grip around her drink as ice formed around her gauntlet on the cup. "She will regret going after my family."
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Kota walked through the streets, keeping his head low while the hood hid his face. He kept moving forward, not looking behind him, but then someone grabbed his shoulder and forced him to turn around. Quickly reaching to his lower back, he grabbed a dagger and held it to the throat of the figure. Kota felt the crowd focus on him as he realized the assailant was Sonya. He promptly put the blade away, turning around and keeping his hood lower than before.
"What has gotten into you recently?" Sonya asked as Kota moved to the edge of the crowd. "I am more likely to cut the throat of anyone who sneaks up on us than you."
Kota stopped walking as he thought about his answer. Sonya walked up in front of him, taking a deep breath as he looked her in the eye. "I cannot pinpoint it to one thing... Did you mean it?"
"Cutting the throat of an unknowing intruder?" questioned Sonya as she crossed her arms and took a defensive posture at Kota's question. "Depends on where we are, I guess."
Kota threw up his arms, moving her hands from his shoulders. "I know that, but something deep in my mind is making me doubt everything lately. All that's happening. I just need a quiet spot to think."
Kota moved away and leaned against a wall. He focused on the clouds, feeling the warmth of the sun above him, then closed his eyes. The sun's hot rays on his face brought him peace. Then his unease returned as he opened his eyes and saw Sonya smiling at him. "Why are you smiling like that? It's weird."
"I want to show you something."
Sonya grabbed his hand as she moved away from him, only for him to slip out of her grip. She turned around, seeing his hand fall to his side. "You know I am not good at this emotion stuff. I promise it will help," she pointed out. "It helped me once."
He nodded, giving a small smile.
She grabbed his hand again, saying, "Let me show you something that someone close showed me once. Just trust me, Kota. This will help."
He thought for a second before nodding and letting her pull him off the wall. Sonya guided Kota through the bustling city, navigating crowds and buildings. "Where exactly are you taking me?" Kota asked.
She stayed silent for another turn of the buildings before stopping at a stone wall. Moving and tapping her foot, she touched her chin and glanced at the stone wall. A few seconds passed, and Kota crossed his arms, waiting for her to respond.
"This was not here before⦠Give me a boost."
Kota sighed before he uncrossed his arms, moving past her, and thought for a second while he turned around. He leaned his back against the wall before placing his hands together, then crouched slightly. Sonya set her right foot in his hands as she grabbed his shoulder. He lifted her with a groan. "You are heavier than you look, you know that?"
"It's all muscle."
With a smile, she looked down at his face. Stepping on his shoulders, she placed her arms on the wall to see beyond. Kota waited for a second. When she did not move any higher on the wall, he looked up at her legs. "What do you see up there?"
Sonya pushed down on his shoulders, and he braced himself against the ground as she lifted herself off him and straddled the wall. She fixed her red cloak and her black hair before she swiped her hand across her forehead. Smiling, she observed the other side of the wall.
"You could have warned me about pushing off me like that."
She took a second to respond to his comment, looking down as she smiled at him. Sonya moved to put her body flat against the top wall, then held out her hand for him. "Grab my hand, and it will be worth it."
Kota sighed as he took a few steps away from the wall. He bounced once before he dashed at the wall, then leaped off the ground, forcing himself up the wall to grab Sonya's wrist with his right hand. She tightened her grip as she helped pull him higher until he caught the top of the wall. Letting him go, she placed her hands on his shoulders as she pulled him up to a sitting position with their knees meeting.
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Kota looked over at Sonya as sunlight shone off her red attire, illuminating her face beneath her dark hair. She pointed to her left. Kota followed her gesture until he saw the cityscape below from this higher point. The buildings stretched out, moving down in elevation.
Kota smiled, focusing on the various shades of buildings as sunlight gleamed off them. Watching the colors and the shadows of every building before the stretching land of the plains to the west. He stayed silent for a moment as he caught his breath.
"Wow... This view is incredible, the sunlight and the colors."
She swung her leg to the other side of the wall so her legs hung down together, facing the city. They sat peacefully, admiring the light reflecting off the city's colorful buildings and trees. As he saw the buildings shrink in size, moving down the rolling hills that stretched the city further away from the town center, Kota felt calm. They sat in silence, admiring the view, until Sonya moved her legs back and forth, and her metal boots clanked against the stone wall. Kota smiled, as he was at peace.
"So, what is he like?"
"Who?" asked Sonya, glancing over at him. "Ordell?"
Kota nodded, feeling that maybe she needed to talk as much as he did.
"He was strong and determined. Always willing to see the good in others, including what he saw in me. It is an annoying quality, but it is what made me always look up to him. It is also what led to his disappearance."
"What happened to him?" asked Kota, placing his legs forward to face the city, sitting at the same angle as Sonya.
She looked over the cityscape while thinking about her words. "A little over a year ago, we were traveling together. Our caravan came under attack by a group of marauders. Many innocent people died that night on the road⦠with the help of a kind soul, we held them off. I was injured in the attack, though, and they left before we knew what truly happened."
She paused as she patted her right side above her hip. "While I defended a woman and her children, I was struck by an arrow from behind. They were able to escape, and after he bandaged the wound, he left with a few others to gather food and search for help. But they never returned. I have been searching ever since."
"What made you think he was in Damira and Mara?" asked Kota, leaning forward to look into her eyes.
She matched his gaze before whistling in quick succession. She held out her right hand as Arro landed on her vambrace. Arro glanced at Kota, emitting a sharp screech, before redirecting attention to Sonya. "Arro is what brought me here. One day, we were tracking a hunt, and he followed another scent. When he caught up to the scent, he acted only like he did when he was with Ordell. I trust Arro with my life, and he found a trail for Ordell, which led me to you that fateful day." After she petted his feathers, Arro leaped off her arm and perched on Sonya's other side.
Kota leaned back, placing his arms against the top of the wall as he kicked his legs back and forth." "What will you do if you find him now?"
"Kick him in the teeth first." With a smirk, Sonya looked out over the city. "I would ask him why. He constantly seems to evade me, but now he hides in the shadows. We've only found bits and pieces of his trail."
Kota stretched his back, nodding as he watched the sun drift down from the sky, overlooking the city. Breathing deeply, he felt as if his mind was clear, and he closed his eyes. "Well, after we deal with Cordelia, I will keep my promise to help you find him. I can either hold him down or embrace him as a friend, whichever you need at that moment."
Sonya laughed as she turned toward Kota, who sat back, soaking in the sun. She mimicked his position and stretched her back as she took in a deep breath of the fresh air. Turning to see the cityscape, she smiled in the sunlight. "Thanks. I will let you know which emotion I feel when we find him."
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Having finished her drink, Lucinda observed the nearly empty pub, with only a handful of others present. She pushed her chair out as Alexis stayed focused on her mug. Lucinda placed her mug on the counter and looked at the barkeep. As he cleaned another mug with a rag, she asked him, "Are there any inns around here? Our group has two additional members, and we'll be staying in town overnight."
"Are you just sitting here drinking while your friends are out? Why didn't you look earlier? Night's coming soon," said the barkeep as he put the mug down on the counter.
She shrugged as she looked back at Alexis, who tilted the mug, finishing the last of her drink. Lucinda turned her attention back to the barkeep as she leaned back, placing her elbows on the counter. "She needed this. I am here for whatever she needs."
The barkeep focused his attention on Alexis. "You said you have two more in your group?"
She nodded.
"You know what? You have been nice since you entered, and your grumpy friend has caused no problems. I have a few rooms upstairs that the misses and I never use. We used to run an inn before I lost my leg." He paused as he stomped his right leg, and it made a wooden thud as it hit the ground. "I will let you and your group stay for half the price an inn would charge you."
"Really?" asked Lucinda while leaning closer to the man and added, "You do not have to do that. We would not want to trouble you."
He waved his hand at Lucinda. "No trouble at all. You are welcome to take the offer."
Alexis walked between the two of them before placing her cup down on the counter and sliding it closer to the barkeep. He caught it before quickly wiping it down. Leaning her upper body on the counter, she turned her head toward Lucinda, asking, "You two finally get acquainted?"
Lucinda clarified their conversation as Alexis smiled at the barkeep. "You are going to charge us half, Barthe? I remember the last time you let me stay for free after I handled a⦠What was the word you used? Rapscallion?"
Lucinda tilted her head as she glanced between the two of them. "Wait, you two know each other?"
The two of them nodded at her question.
"Hey, I will be harboring a fugitive now, since they banished you a half year back," the barkeep said. "I have always been your friend. Now I am hearing rumors of the king being killed by your hand, no less." He quieted down to a whisper as he finished his sentence.
Alexis surveyed the few remaining in the pub. "I would never do something that foolish. I had no real quarrels with my father. Just those of a daughter and her stubborn old man. What rumors have you heard about the king?"
He leaned closer, examining the room first. "That Kota and you killed the king before ditching the castle after burning a tree down in the royal courtyard. Assassins attempted to get at the queen and princess in a shocking incident, leaving the royal family in chaos. They say you are part of a gang now."
Alexis leaned back, letting out a breath of fresh air as she smiled. "An attempt. That implies they are still alive. That is splendid news."
"So, did you kill the king? You did not deny it just then," said Barthe as he leaned back, examining her changed expression.
Lucinda skirted around Alexis to sit down on the stool next to her. She leaned over the counter. "We did not kill the king, but that is a longer story. The tree part is true⦠oddly specific for people to tell you in passing."
He smiled as he turned around, placing the mug on a shelf behind him before turning his attention back to them. "Well, people remember the strangest of things. I know you have done some unsavory things since they banished you, but I know you could not have done that. You loved your old man, Gerald. So, if you need a place to stay tonight, I can help you out."
Lucinda smiled and turned to Alexis and asked, "Why didn't you tell me you knew the barkeep? Were you just messing with me? You have a weird sense of humor."
Alexis smiled at Barthe as she pushed Lucinda on the shoulder, moving her away from the counter. They waved as they walked to the door, then Alexis faced Lucinda. "Now, let's find those two before they get themselves into trouble."
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Kota and Sonya walked back into the square as the sun set over the surrounding buildings. The fountain lay empty as families and individuals were heading home for the day. Looking around, the two of them did not see any sign of Alexis or Lucinda.
As Sonya walked, she paused. Turning to her right, she chuckled before reaching over and tapping on the back of his hand. She pointed at a picture nailed to a wall and said, "Wow, that was fast."
"What was fast?"
He moved next to her as he examined the parchment on the wall with a picture of his face.
Walking up to it, he ripped it off the wall as he glanced over it, reading that a bounty was on his head. He noticed his eyebrows were thicker in the image, and he held it out far enough for Sonya to see it herself, looking over his shoulder. "My eyebrows are not that ridiculous, right?"
Sonya laughed softly as she glanced at Kota, who furrowed his eyebrows. She shook her head. "No. They are fine, but it seems they used the wrong artist for that picture."
Kota grumbled, shaking his head as he read aloud, "Wanted: Kota Winters for the death of the king. He travels with Alexis Winters, Lucinda Calandra, and a Traveler. Dead or alive."
"I don't even get a name," said Sonya, crossing her arms. "Damn."
They glanced around to see if anyone had observed their act of taking down the parchment. Sonya snatched the poster from his hands, and in one quick flash of fire from her fingers, she ignited the parchment.
Kota scratched the back of his head as he directed her away from the area, and they moved along the outer walls of the city square. "This is not good for us. It will make everything more difficult, being marked as a reward. I wonder which kingdom put this out. You don't think Williamâ?"
"You know he would never do that, Kota. He has his own problems to deal with at the moment. Dealing with that snake man. He has enough to deal with inside the castle."
She swiftly pulled him aside as a door opened in front of them and two city guards walked out of the building.
Sonya pivoted Kota, flipping his hood back over his head before looping her arm through his at the elbow. She straightened her stance as the guards looked around the door.
"Sorry, madam," one guard said. "Did not see you there. Are you two all right?"
Sonya nodded before placing her hands together. She straightened her back and, with a polite voice, told the guards, "Yes. I apologize as well. We need to pay more attention to our surroundings. My husband and I were deep in conversation and got lost in our talk."
The guard tilted his helm to her a tad, trying to see under Kota's hood as he said, "Well, sorry for any inconvenience we have caused the two of you. Have a good day. Sorry again."
They nodded briefly as they watched the two guards move farther away. Once out of earshot, Sonya took a deep breath and turned to Kota. "We have to be more careful with you and the others in this city. You three are targets."
"Were you doing a voice? Is that what you think normal people sound like?" Kota laughed as he spoke, watching the guards turn the corner of a building further down the way.
She punched his right shoulder, and he reared back and rubbed it. "I am a Traveler, which is not common in these parts. I have to seem like a proper woman to not rouse suspicion."
"That voice might rouse more suspicion," said Kota as he rubbed his right shoulder again.
They hastened along the outer walls.
"Just work on the accent," Kota advised. "It was weird."
She smiled as she looked for the other two in their group.
Lucinda and Alexis walked out of a building a few doors down. Kota reached over and tapped Sonya on her arm, pointing the two of them out. He waved, getting their attention as the two of them moved in their direction. They stayed quiet until they were closer. Then Kota said, "We have a problem, Ms. Calandra."
Lucinda perked up as she tilted her head and squinted at him. "Calandra⦠where did you hear that name?"
"Well, if Sonya had not burned the parchment, I would have been able to show you. We now have a bounty on our heads. It mentioned us all by name except Sonya," Kota explained as he looked toward Sonya before adding, "It did not say how much, but the general statement was dead or alive."
Lucinda took a deep breath before she looked behind her. A barrel sat against the wall of the pub, and she propped herself up on it and looked at Kota. "Only Akar knows that name, since he gave it to me. That bounty was a message. If he is hunting us and there are already posters in this city with our faces on them, then they are close to finding us."
Alexis moved in front of her as she looked at Kota. "It was good that she burned it. We want fewer of those out there. Akar is well-connected. Let's get inside andâ"
As the door opened behind her, she paused, and the remaining few people in the pub walked out. They briefly paused, glancing at the ground, then continued onward in a different direction. Alexis stared at the group as one man looked back at them, and she continued lightly tapping Lucinda's knee. "Let's get inside and get some rest, at least. We have a place to stay tonight."
Alexis held the door open as the group approached.
Kota scratched his head. "Why does this place look familiar?"
As he followed Lucinda into the pub, he took in the aesthetic, recalling the placement of the chairs and the counter. Barthe came around the corner. Stomping his wooden leg on the ground, he yelled out, "Look at that! The little hunter is not dead!"
Kota paused for a moment before holding his arms wide and looking back at Alexis, who smiled. Kota turned back toward Barthe and answered with equal gusto. "Grizzly, you looked like you gained some weight since you lost that leg of yours. It has been a few years."
Kota embraced Barthe in a hug before turning his attention to Lucinda and Sonya. "Grizzly, or Barthe, here, and I go way back. I used to sell my pelts and treasures to him when I went on my expeditions. He used to let Alexis and me stay at his tavern before we headed home. Mother was always furious with us, but not with him. He always kept us safe."
Lucinda smiled as Sonya walked toward the bar and leaned against it, saying, "So, this is where we will stay tonight? Beats the woods again."
Barthe hobbled over to her and leaned against the counter. "I will take that as a compliment, but not down here. I cleared the customers so I can take you upstairs to your rooms. I still have business downstairs.
Sonya nodded as he moved toward the stairs, and everyone followed behind him as he asked, "So, Kota, where have you been this last year? Alexis and everyone were worried, and you look no worse for wear. Sorry, I wasn't any more help; I gave Alexis all the information any of my contacts gave me."
"It's all right, Barthe. Long story short, I was actually captured. Now we are chasing the woman who captured me and framed us for the death of the king," Kota explained as the group followed the hobbling barkeep up the stairs.
As Barthe showed them the upstairs through a door at the top of the stairs, Kota and the others caught him up on what had happened over the last few weeks and everything they knew up to that moment. They moved through one of the many doors in the hallway as they talked. Entering, Kota stepped over the bearskin rug and walked towards two doors. He opened the door nearest to the stairs. The room had a bookcase with items on the shelves and a desk with a chair against the wall.
"I think I will take this room," Kota announced.
"That room has access to the balcony," said Barthe. He showed Alexis to another room with two beds before continuing. "If you need any fresh air, that's a good place to go."
There was a living area upstairs of the pub, with a makeshift bed for another guest and a small table and chairs placed near the center of the room. Another door leading to the balcony stood opposite the main door.
Sonya reached over her shoulder and loosened the strap that held her ax against her back before placing it on the table. "I will sleep out here and take the first watch."
"Are you expecting someone to interrupt your sleep?" asked Barthe as he moved closer to the main door, stopping before turning toward the group.
Sonya shook her head as Lucinda spoke up. "No. With the woman hunting us, one can never be too sure. Sonya, if you take the first watch, Alexis or I will take the second."
Barthe nodded in agreement, hearing the group's stories and encounters with the woman. "I will keep an eye open downstairs for as long as I am open. Try not to make too much noise. I wouldn't want anyone getting suspicious," he said.
He looked over at Kota before he began moving toward the door.
Kota grabbed a small candle as he moved to his door. He turned, placing his right hand on the doorframe. "What about me?"
Alexis walked over to him, placed her hand on his shoulder, and smiled. "You get some rest. I've noticed the toll the curse has taken on you recently, so you should sleep first. We can decide on the rest later."
Kota nodded as he headed into his room, closing the door behind him. He overheard Alexis asking, "So, could I trouble you for one more drink and a conversation before I call it a night?"
Kota smiled as he placed the candle on the bedside table and sat down. He then untied his belt, which held his sword and various other items, and put it beside the bed. Next, he removed his cloak and plopped himself down on the bed face-first before turning over to stare at the ceiling. Taking a deep breath, he prepared for a well-deserved rest.