“Seryth is late!” Fayra muttered, pounding her fist on the wooden table. She was sitting in a simple wooden chair at that table and her mood was souring with each passing minute.
“It is unusual,” Rondus remarked, calmly. He grabbed a mug of mead that rested on the table they shared and took a drink. They had promised not to eat until their friend arrived, so they had just asked for drinks while they waited in the serving area of an inn. However, Rondus figured Fayra was getting hungry, causing her impatience.
They were a peculiar pair. Fayra was dark-skinned, with golden eyes, and bright red hair, like a flame that blazed around her head and shoulders. Her clothes were common adventurer’s gear, leather shirt, vest, and shorts, thick military books, all brown and rough, and she constantly wore fingerless gauntlets, with metal studs on the knuckles.
Rondus was much more subdued, despite being a head taller than his companion. He had neatly trimmed golden hair and a square face, with deep set eyes. He wore a steel breastplate, green leggings, and high quality brown boots. Hanging from his waist as a large mace, the head of which was easily bigger than most cabbages or melons.
“I say we eat already. If she misses it, it’s her own fault,” Fayra suggested, clearly struggling with waiting. If she wasn’t actively moving or doing something, she had a tendency to fidget.
“Patience,” Rondus replied in a tone that sounded like he’s said it a thousand times before.
“I mean, she barely eats as it is. Like a hummingbird!”
Fortunately, the inn’s doors then opened, and their friend stepped through. Seryth was a slim girl, almost frail-looking, but walked with grace, as if barely touching the ground with her white boots. She wore a white blouse and leggings, with a light blue skirt and a matching cape about her shoulders. She also carried a silver rapier on a silver belt. The light blue feather on her white cap barely bounced as she saw her friends and made her way to the table.
“Sorry,” she said, taking a seat.
“Fayra was going to eat without you,” Rondus said with a smile, but then it disappeared when he noticed that someone had followed Seryth into the inn and up to their table. “Who’s this?” he asked.
“Why I’m late,” Seryth explained, then motioned to the stranger to sit with them on the remaining chair. He wore a large navy blue cloak that covered his head, loose blue leggings, brown boots, and a bow and quiver both slung over his shoulder. He made a light wave with a hand as a greeting.
“My name is Mauphey,” he said, removing the hood of his cloak to reveal that he was a rather young man with brown hair and brown eyes.
Fayra narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not paying for his meal,” she declared, crossing her arms in a show of authority. Mauphey raised his hands in front of him in a gesture of non-offense.
“That’s fine. I’m not hungry,” he stated, nervously smiling.
“I am,” Seryth said, and motioned to a waitress to come take the group’s order. Once everyone but Mauphey ordered what they wanted, Rondus asked what Mauphey’s purpose was with the group. “He has our next job,” Seryth explained, turning to the young man so he could give the details.
“I work for a historical society in Teypa as a kind of history hunter,” he started. “Essentially, I go around to various countries and ruins to find old books and scrolls for them to read, copy, interpret, and catalog. I also compile my own notes and drawings of the places I go to. They’ve been expanding their library for decades now, and are always seeking new material to provide for their patrons.” As he spoke, the food Seryth, Fayra, and Rondus ordered had arrived, and they began to eat.
Mauphey continued: “A few weeks ago, I discovered an old temple about 100 miles north of here that may have belonged to the Horan Priesthood at their height. They were always good at keeping and maintaining records. However, in my scouting, I discovered that, since its abandonment, the area has become quite a large kobold nest. I figured taking them on alone would be a pretty bad idea, so I’ve been looking for some adventurers to help me deal with them, as well as help me find materials and relics.”
Rondus nodded, putting a hand to his chin in thought. “I’ve heard that the Horan Priesthood faded away over 300 years ago. If they were record keepers like you say, there might be something to find out there.”
“Another scholarly job?” Fayra asked with a note of irritation, talking around a mouthful of chicken meat bitten from a drumstick she was holding by the bone.
“It’s better than the work you tend to find,” Seryth countered, lightly stabbing her yams for another small bite.
“Hey, I already paid you back for the clothes that dragon burned up!” Fayra insisted, slightly indignant.
“What’s the pay?” Rondus asked, cutting through the banter in an effort to keep the conversation on track.
“I can’t really promise anything,” Mauphey admitted. “It all kinda depends on what we find. Daily accounts of wares or inventory could only get us 10 gold per book, but accounts of their beliefs or rituals could easily go into the thousands.”
“300 years is enough time for the elements to wear such things down into dust,” Rondus noted, pointing a fork at Mauphey.
“To say nothing of what the kobolds may have destroyed,” Fayra added. She then took a big drink from her mug.
Mauphey just shrugged. “That’s the job. Seryth told me you’d be interested, though.” Seryth nodded, continued eating, looking at her two friends with eager eyes. Rondus pondered for a moment before turning to Fayra.
“It’s your call,” he said.
Fayra burped, then wiped her mouth with the back of one of her gauntlets. She then turned and looked at Mauphey one more time, as if judging the quality of the job by his appearance, before finally saying, “Yeah, alright,” and grabbing the second drumstick on her plate to take a big bite.
Mauphey was both amused and puzzled by how they deferred to her, but didn’t say anything. Then he noticed that Rondus was reaching into a pack beneath the table and pulling out a rolled up scroll. The big man spread it out on the table, using various plates and mugs to hold it flat, revealing a well-worn map of the local area. Across the depicted lands were plenty of details and notes that had since been added over the years. Rondus pointed to a specific spot that represented the current town they were in, then muttered “100 miles north?” before sliding his finger in that direction.
“That’s through quite a swamp,” Rondus noticed.
“I traveled through it to get to the ruin before. There’s a trail that isn’t too hard to follow. We shouldn’t be stuck there for long,” Mauphey stated, and Rondus nodded. He slid his finger the rest of the distance, as best as he could estimate, only for his finger to stop on a blank space on the map.
“I guess there could be something there,” he said, a hint of curiosity in his words.
“It’s actually a little further east,” Mauphey corrected, pointing on the map to where he thought the ruins would be.
Rondus nodded again. “Looks like it could be at least two weeks, round trip. Maybe three. We’ll have to get some more supplies.”
“We can get those in the morning,” Fayra said, cleaning up the remaining oils on her plate with a piece of bread.
“That’s true: it is late,” Rondus added, and he rolled up the map and put it away before getting back to his own food.
Seryth had just finished eating. “Are you staying here?” she asked Mauphey, pointing a finger in the air to indicate the inn they were in.
Mauphey shook his head. “I’ve set up camp about a mile out of town. I’m used to sleeping outdoors for my job anyway, so I’ll be fine. I can meet you back here at around noon tomorrow, if that works for you.” The three confirmed that it would.
Mauphey then excused himself from the table and left the tavern, pulling his hood back over his head before he left.
“Curious fellow,” Rondus said, still eating.
“I can’t say I hate him,” Fayra noted, leaning back in her chair so that it stood only on its back legs and picking something from her teeth with a pinky finger.
“You’re only saying that because you didn’t have to buy him any food,” Seryth retorted, still sitting gracefully in her seat. She pulled her hat off her head, revealing more of her short black hair, and began pruning the feather. Fayra just shrugged.
“So what do you think?” Seryth asked, after a moment of silence.
“It’s certainly different from what we’ve normally been doing,” Rondus stated, finally finishing his meal.
“Beats standing around all day doing bodyguard work,” Fayra added.
“Or dealing with dragons,” Seryth pointedly concluded. The two women glared at each other over that remark.
“In any case, we should get some rest if we’re expecting to march through a swamp,” Rondus quickly stated, eager to diffuse the tension between his two companions. The two girls huffed in response, but said nothing more. Rondus smiled at this, then stood up from the table and went to the innkeeper to pay for the cost for the meal and a night’s stay.
The next morning, Rondus bought and gathered supplies, not only getting more rations, but some fresh rope, and more oil for his lantern as well. Seryth prepared by meditating, gathering her strength and energy for what was likely going to be a troublesome journey. Fayra slept in.
By noon, though, the three of them were standing outside the inn, underneath the sign which read “Blackmore Boarding and Drink.” Fayra was still wiping sleep from her eyes when Mauphey walked up, a large backpack resting on his shoulders.
“Shall we go?” he asked, and the other three agreed, shouldering their own packs. As usual, Seryth had the lightest pack, mostly carrying the new rope and some extra clothes, Feyra had their bedrolls, lamps, oils, and climbing gear, but not being trusted with carrying the food, which was in Rondus’s pack, along with everything else the two girls couldn’t carry. It was an arrangement the three had decided early in their group’s career.
Mauphey led them out of the town of Hestara, heading north along the road. They weaved between various other travelers, merchant caravans, and patrolling guards. As they did, Rondus started asking Mauphey some questions to get to know him better.
“Are you from Teypa?” he asked, walking beside him.
Mauphey chuckled, pulling his hood back to make it easier to look up at Rondus’s face. “No, actually. I grew up in a small village further west called Irese. When I wasn’t working on our family’s farm, I hiked all over that valley, learning every nook and cranny it had. When I was about the age to consider an apprenticeship, an old woman came to our village, intent on providing what education she could to any children willing to listen as she traveled around. It was from her I learned about the history of these lands and developed the desire to help find more of it. She stated that she had worked for the Teypa Historical Society for many years, and she suggested I seek them out. When I was old enough to travel on my own, I went straight there and got myself hired. I’ve been working for them for about five years.” When he finished, Mauphey started to cough a little, the dust of the road getting into his lungs. Rondus offered his own waterskin, but Mauphey declined, giving one more solid cough to clear his throat.
“What about you three?” he asked once he could speak again. “What brings you together to travel about?”
Rondus hummed in acknowledgement of the question. “Feyra and Seryth grew up together in the Kingdom of Olovon, down south. According to them, they shared a dream early on of becoming traveling adventurers, taking on jobs and seeing the world. The way they make it sound, they tore up their homeland with their mock adventures and play-fights.”
“The way they pick at each other, I wouldn’t have guessed,” Mauphey noted. He stole a quick glance at the two girls walking behind them. They seemed to be chatting sourly about something.
“It’s the consequence of being childhood friends. They’re so familiar with each other’s personalities that the sticking points seem to stand out all the more.” Mauphey nodded in understanding.
“And how do you fit into the picture?” he asked.
Rondus’s face took on a sardonic hue. “At first, the two of them started out on their own, but before long, they discovered there wasn’t much work for two adventurous girls. This led to frustrations in how they were handling their enterprise, and so they decided they needed someone to help keep them focused and see things more objectively. But they also needed someone they could trust.
“How they ended up with me is a bit of an embarrassing story, though. I’m from Anix, and a former student of the Anix Magic Academy. However, as I began my higher studies, the teachers found my opinions and philosophies to be . . . . unorthodox. When the two ladies came to Anix on the recommendation from a friend to find a third member for their group, the headmaster saw it as an opportunity to get rid of a troublemaker, and so he recommended me.
“It was certainly rough-going at first, as they weren’t sure what to make of me, and I can hardly blame them. I wasn’t exactly adventurer material at the time. However, as we continued working, we turned it into a reasonable arrangement, and I admit I’ve since discovered the joy of traveling and being away from stuffy classrooms that only see things one way.”
Mauphey had chuckled through Rondus’s explanation. “Yeah, I think it takes a certain kind of personality to enjoy a life on the road. I know I fell in love with it the day I left my home. Maybe it’s that uniqueness that draws folks like us to each other.”
Rondus hummed in thought as he considered the idea. “I’ll have to think about that one.”
Suddenly Seryth, who had been walking with Fayra behind the two men, skipped up to them to walk beside them. “Talking about our past, are you?” she asked in mock suspicion, teasing him a little.
“Only the basics,” Rondus playfully reassured her.
“I wanted to know how you three came together, is all. You’re a pretty unusual trio, even for adventurers,” Mauphey added.
“I think we’ll take that as a compliment,” Seryth responded, smiling. Mauphey chuckled again.
A moment of silence followed as they traveled. The road they were on was well-traveled and quite flat, allowing their pace to feel easy and casual. However, after the moment passed, Rondus leaned over to Seryth and asked, “Did you have another spat with Fayra?”
“N-not necessarily!” she protested, looking a little embarrassed. She bowed her head a little to try and hide her face with her hat from Rondus’s towering gaze.
“What did you say?” Rondus asked, sounding like a scornful parent.
“I didn’t say anything!” Seryth insisted.
“Hmmm. Well, maybe that’s the problem.” Rondus put his hand on his chin again in thought. Mauphey figured this mannerism was a regular habit for him.
At this, Seryth let out an exasperated sigh. “If I say something, I get in trouble. If I say nothing, I still get in trouble. I can’t win!”
Mauphey chuckled even louder, causing Seryth to glare at him. “No offense intended, I promise,” he stated, smiling and putting up his hands, palms out in a show of peace.
Seryth was about to retort when Fayra’s footsteps came up from behind them, and she jumped onto Rondus’s back.
“Hey, are you three having fun without me?” she said, sounding playfully insulted.
“I can’t carry you and the food at the same time,” Rondus grunted, as he was forced to slow down. Fayra wasn’t exactly a big person, but he didn’t appreciate the extra weight.
“Oh, tough it out. I’m not that heavy!” Fayra retorted.
“Then don’t get angry when our rations are smaller than usual tonight from you sitting on them,” Seryth teased, an evil smirk crossing her lips.
“Hey, that’s not funny!” Fayra said, quite serious, and she obediently climbed down off of Rondus’s shoulders. She easily matched the group’s walking pace. Now that they had made some good progress down the road, traffic was lighter, making it easier for the four to walk side-by-side together.
Mauphey just shook his head in baffled wonder. When he had talked with Seryth last night about the job, she had made it sound like Fayra was the leader of the group. But the red-head’s childish antics made that hard for him to believe. However, he figured he’d keep his remarks to himself, and enjoyed walking with the three of them as they chatted, teased, and joked.
By the end of the day, they had reached the point in the road where it turned to the east. Here, they left the road and continued north across rolling hills of grass. They carried on as the sun set, stopping when there was only a little daylight remaining, just enough for them to set up camp. They had crested a small hill and decided that would suffice, so they set their packs down, stretched, and prepared for the night. Fayra pulled out a shovel and began to dig a fire pit. Seryth searched around for some sticks for the fire, and Mauphey provided some of his own kindling that he carried. Rondus began filling a pot with ingredients, and when the fire started, he cooked a hearty stew.
As they ate their dinner, Fayra told a story about when she and Seryth were young. From this, Mauphey discerned that Seryth came from a rather rich family, and was somewhat sickly in her childhood. Despite her parents’ best efforts in finding doctors for her, it seemed that Fayra’s insistence that she come play with her outside is what caused Seryth’s health to recover. He also gathered that Fayra’s parents likely immigrated to Olovon from even further south, concluding that she was from the bronze-skinned Jalkan nations that ruled there.
However, as the fire faded, the group turned in for the night, leaving Mauphey alone with his thoughts. Despite being used to traveling alone, he found he enjoyed the company of this group, and was fascinated by his own feelings. The sense of newly found connection with another person, to say nothing of three people, wasn’t something he had experienced in quite some time. Amused by this, he quickly fell asleep with a smile on his face.
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