[Story] [I.2.i] The First Night on the Road

[Aethera]

Four companions, lacking their expected fifth, had spent the day riding at a decent speed, alternating trotting and walking their horses to make sure the beasts did not tire overmuch -- the horses were the only reason they had made it this far, and they would be crucial in keeping up the pace. Of them all, only the brunette archer had limited her comments to short replies of direct questions during the trip, but it was not the sort of travel where anyone spoke much, and only while walking the horses. Otherwise they had to keep some sense of focus on their mode of transportation, and the travelers they passed on the road. There was a roped off grassy area beside the road marked with bright purple signs with the Imperial golden dragon and then symbols of a well and a tent so even those with less education could read them. The oversized stone well was close to the road and featured besides the usual large bucket on long rope wrapped around an iron-bound, hand-cranked pulley both a large horse trough and three tin cups on twine nailed to the upright support beam opposite the hand crank. A small roof kept out rain water, but it was cleverly designed with sloping gutters that drained into two large rain barrels, which in turn had replacements and a large covered cistern. It wasn't clear who kept up the well, but someone clearly did.

As none were used to traveling by horse for long distances, if they were used to traveling at all, everyone was sore and rather more tired than they'd anticipated. The princess was silent as she unloaded her mare, placing saddle and bags near where Bazziox would raise the tent she would share, then she gave the mare a thorough rubbing down with a twisted handful of grass. The repetitive work seemed to soothe the princess even more than the mare, Maelona leaning into the horse as she became lost in her own thoughts.

They'd made it this far, but as evening set in, there was no sign of Levi appearing out of the darkness to join them. It cast an uncertain note on their evening as they figured out who did what to make a camp in one corner of the roped-off area. They had it to themselves, which was a blessing for their mission's secrecy, but they also had no one but themselves to converse with, and the first day's fatigue spoke to what their coming days would be like, and that was if they didn't run into trouble.