They kept moving for a few minutes after ducking into that first alley. Klarion had pulled ahead slightly to lead the way, eventually cutting through another side street, then a covered passage that opened into a quieter section of the market. Only when he thought they had lost them did he finally ease his pace, glancing over at Hatsune as he pointed to his ear.
Figuring out what he wanted, Hatsune nodded and then closed her eyes. Her ears swiveled back in the direction of the covered passage they had just come from. They had passed no one as they had navigated it, so any sounds of movement that Hatsune could hear would likely be a sign that they hadn’t lost their pursuers after all.
After a few more moments of tense silence, she let out a slow breath and gave a small nod. “I can’t hear anything. I think we lost them.”
“Good,” Klarion exhaled, relieved. “Hopefully that stays the case.”
They hadn’t stopped walking completely, even when Hatsune had been focusing her ears back in the direction they had come from, but the tension in their steps now lessened somewhat. As the rush of adrenaline started to fade, Klarion considered what exactly had just happened. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that wasn’t a random chance. The focus on them had been too targeted. Those hadn’t been some thieves looking for a quick score. The bulk of the armor they wore was obvious even under the cloaks they wore, which should have led thieves to look elsewhere for easier prey. But that hadn’t happened. There were a handful of options that might explain what that had been about, but none of them were good.
“Think they’ll keep looking for us?” Hatsune asked.
“Maybe. But I’d rather not take a chance finding out,” Klarion said. As much as he wanted to figure out what that had been all about, now wasn’t the time. Getting the supplies they needed—and getting out of the city—was far more important right now. Everything depended on the successful completion of the three Expeditionary Missions he had taken. “We should keep moving. The sooner we get the things we need, the sooner we can leave Bastion.”
Hatsune nodded, falling into step beside him.
They made their way back toward the more central streets, the tension of their earlier pursuit gradually falling away as the sense of being watched did not return. The street ahead of them bustled with activity, and given the number of stalls and people moving between them, it looked to Klarion like they had come across a market district. He looked over the stalls of varying sizes lining the road, their canvas awnings casting long shadows over tables stacked high with goods. Clothes and common trade goods figured most prominently. The smell of roasted meats and spiced bread mixed with the sharper scents of drying herbs and freshly cut wood to cover up the more unpleasant smells of the city.
Klarion felt the stirrings of hunger, his body reminding him that he had not eaten that much today. He tried his best not to look over the wide variety of street food on offer. But it was hard to resist the delicious smells. Especially the meat skewers that were just ahead of them.
Hatsune must have felt the same, as once they were next to the vendor’s cart, she plucked a meat skewer and took a bite before Klarion could say anything. The look on her face as she chewed said it was as delicious as it smelled.
“That good?”
Hatsune didn’t answer right away—she was too busy devouring a second bite. When she finally swallowed, she said. “Absolutely. Street food is some of my favorite food. You should try some.”
“You know what? I think I will.” Klarion chuckled at her earnest expression, already pulling out a few coins from what Solivair had given him. “But we need to keep moving, so let’s eat while we walk.”
As he said this, the half-orc vendor was already turning toward them, a deep scowl forming on his weathered face. Perhaps too many people like Hatsune had simply grabbed a skewer and walked off before paying in the past. Before the half-orc could utter a word, or demand payment, Klarion set two silver coins on the cart’s wooden surface next to the vendor’s clenched hand.
The vendor’s expression shifted instantly. A scowl turned into a calculating glance, and the half-orc weighed the overpayment before giving a satisfied grunt.
“We’ll take three more,” Klarion said before the vendor could sweep the coins into the pouch at his side.
“No haggling, huh?” The half-orc vendor eyed Klarion with a mix of curiosity and amusement, his thick arms flexing as he reached for the skewers Klarion wanted. “Not many your age throw coin around like that.”
Klarion met his gaze evenly. Had he overpaid by that much? He didn’t see posted prices, so it was difficult to say. Oh well, there was nothing for it now. “I pay based on what I think it is worth.”
The half-orc let out a rough chuckle of his own, shaking his head as he pocketed the two silver coins with his free hand before handing the fresh skewers over to Klarion. “Least you’ve got some manners. Your friend could learn a thing or two. Such as paying before eating a street vendor’s food.”
Hatsune, utterly unbothered, finished off her first skewer and promptly took a second from Klarion. “Or maybe you should keep a closer grip on your merchandise.”
Klarion choked back a laugh, while the vendor snorted, clearly more amused than offended.
“You keep her in check, lad,” he said before waving them off. “Or don’t. Either way, thanks for the business.”
Klarion nodded in acknowledgment of the vendor’s words. As the half-orc turned to begin cooking more skewers, Klarion motioned for Hatsune to keep moving. Mouth full, the Leporine simply nodded and made to follow him. The first bite of his own was every bit as good as he had expected. The smokey, savory flavor of the meat — seared just right—quickly disappeared off the first stick he held. He must have been hungrier than he thought because he finished both before Hatsune had taken her own last bite.
Gradually they moved out of the open-air market and into an area that had more permanent stores. They went into several that looked promising, but they either lacked essential supplies they needed or charged exorbitant prices, so they soon left them behind. Klarion was beginning to become frustrated at their lack of progress—it was edging past afternoon into evening—when they finally came across what looked to be a modest but well-stocked outfitter nestled between a smithy and a leatherworker’s shop. A faded wooden sign above the door simply read: "Gorvan’s Outfitting".
Upon coming to the front, Klarion took a moment to assess the shop. It lacked the gaudy displays of some of the other stores they had tried, whose windows were lined with gleaming armor and enchanted trinkets meant to entice wealthy adventurers. Instead, Gorvan’s had the quiet confidence of a store that didn’t need to advertise. Small bundles of firewood were stacked neatly to the side of the door, and a rack of reinforced bedrolls and heavy cloaks stood on the other side of the window of the shop.
Hatsune tilted her head slightly, looking where he did at the various displays. “This one looks competent,” she noted.
Nodding his agreement, Klarion led them through the door, a small bell chiming as they stepped inside. The shop had a compact but efficient layout. Rows of sturdy boots, camping tools, and insulated cloaks lined the walls, while wooden shelves held an array of practical supplies—flint and steel, cooking kits, waterskins. The counter near the back displayed more specialized items, though what they were, he could not make out. The atmosphere was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the warm glow of lanterns suspended from the ceiling.
Stepping out from a small doorway to the concealed back of the store came a beastkin man of a kind Klarion was not familiar with. The man’s fur was a mix of gray and brown, slightly unkempt but well-groomed enough to suggest he still cared about appearances. Beady eyes studied them with sharp calculation, taking in their posture, their attire, and—undoubtedly—the weight of their coin purse.
The storeowner—Gorvan, presumedly—must have caught something in Klarion’s gaze, as he said in a growling tone, “What? Never seen a Mustarine before?”
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Klarion met the man’s gaze evenly. “No, can’t say I have. But you seem like a man who knows his trade.”
The Mustarine’s whiskers twitched at Klarion’s response, but a bit of the tension did seem to leave the man’s shoulders. “Hmph. You here to buy, or just taking a look?”
“We’re heading into the Savage Wilds,” Klarion said, gesturing to a nearby set of camping gear. “We need camping supplies and provisions that’ll last us two weeks.”
Gorvan grumbled something under his breath but stepped out from behind his counter and moved efficiently throughout the store, plucking items from shelves with the ease of someone who had done this a thousand times before. Soon there was a small pile at the front for them, but the Mustarine paused at the tents.
“How many tents do you need?”
Klarion turned to Hatsune. “One tent or two?”
She hesitated for just a moment. Then, with a slight pink tinge to her cheeks, she shrugged. “One is fine.”
With that, Gorvan quickly grabbed a tent sized to fit two and carried it back to the counter. While he did so, a realization struck Klarion. Back at the Academy, Hatsune had stayed in his room since she had become his bodyguard. But this felt different. More intimate, in a way. Camping had always been something Klarion associated with solitude or, back on Earth, something he had planned to do with a girlfriend someday. It was meant to be a personal experience—sharing the quiet of the wilderness, watching the stars from the same fire, waking up side by side in the same space. Something of those thoughts must have shown on his face because the pink tinge deepened and she moved past him to a row of shelves that held provisions. She looked them over but did not move to pick anything.
Refocusing, Klarion joined her, selecting packs of smoked meat, dried fruit, and dense travel bread. Simple, practical, and long-lasting. Though she had a frown on her face, Hatsune eventually followed him in picking out her own preferences. As they made their way to the front, arms loaded with rations, he passed a row of waterskins inscribed with runes. He picked one up.
“Is there something special about these waterskins?”
The Mustarine gave a curt nod but did not look up from his calculations of the prices of everything. “Holds five times its size in water. Doesn’t spoil. Costs extra.”
Klarion didn’t hesitate. Water was probably the most important thing to have on a trip like the one they were heading on into the Savage Wilds. Even if they were a bit more, the waterskins would be worth it.“We’ll take two.”
Hatsune set her pile of rations on the counter, Klarion doing the same, leaving the waterskins on top. It was quite the mound on the counter at this point. Based on the slight smile on the Mustarine’s face, Klarion’s money pouch was about to get quite a bit lighter.
“Do you have anything that can help with injuries?” Hatsune asked before Gorvan could rattle off the total.
The Mustarine grunted and pulled from behind the counter a bundle of vials and salves. He added it to the pile, and said, “Herbal mix. Speeds up recovery when you rest. Won’t fix a gut wound, but it’s better than nothing.”
“How much for everything?” Klarion asked, a sinking feeling in his gut.
Gorvan didn’t respond immediately. He looked at the calculations he had written out, then eyed the items in front of him, and then his beady eyes drifted up to Klarion. It was if he was weighing the value of his customer just as much as the goods.
“Three gold, twenty-seven silver. I don’t haggle, so take it or leave it.”
Klarion resisted the urge to grimace. The number was high, but he hoped not unfair. Even if the Mustarine was gouging them, though, Klarion would still pay just to get on with being able to leave Bastion. He reached into his coin pouch, counting out the required sum. The Mustarine meticulously examined each piece before nodding in satisfaction and packing their supplies into a pair of sturdy leather packs. With quick, practiced movements, he tightened the straps and slid the bags across the counter.
“Pleasure doing business,” the Mustarine muttered. “Try not to die out there.”
Klarion nodded in thanks, lifting his pack onto his shoulder after passing the other to Hastune. “We’ll do our best.”
After securing her own pack, Hatsune secured the wrapped tent beneath her arm, adjusting the strap across her chest. “If he makes a bad decision, I’ll handle it.”
The Mustarine snorted, the first sound of amusement to come from the man since they had come into his store. “Smart girl.”
Without another word, they stepped back out onto the street. It had started becoming emptier as evening began to descend in truth.
Klarion adjusted the strap of his pack and motioned down the street they needed to head down to get to the nearest gate. “Let’s get a move on. I’d like to find a spot to pitch our tent before it becomes too dark.”
They walked in silence for several minutes, simply taking in the city around them. It was peaceful as shops began to close and people began to head home for the day. The early evening air was nice too. Which is why he was surprised when Hatsune suddenly let out a deep sigh next to him.
“You know, I should’ve made you swear in blood.”
Klarion blinked, turning to her as they walked. “What?”
She jabbed a finger toward the pack on his back. “You said you’d handle all the cooking on this trip.”
Oh. So that was why she had been frowning at the rations in the store. Klarion grinned, patting the pack. “And I am. These rations require no preparation. I have now successfully fulfilled my cooking duties.”
Hatsune stared at him, unblinking. Then, with deliberate slowness, she let out a second long, suffering sigh. “That’s not what I meant.”
“A promise is a promise,” Klarion said, his grin widening.
She crossed her arms, ears flicking in irritation. “I’ll remember this.”
“Oh?”
“You’re not getting out of your promise. I’ll collect on it later,” she said, voice edged with warning, though the glint in her emerald eyes was anything but innocent.
Klarion’s smile faltered—just slightly. He wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but something told him he wasn’t going to like it. Hatsune didn’t elaborate, however, even when he had asked what she meant. After the second time that he would find out later, he let it drop. Perhaps she would forget all about it. Actually, no, there was no way she would do that.
His concern at what Hatsune might demand of him fell away as they neared their destination. The atmosphere of the city began to shift as the roads became wider, the structures more fortified, and the presence of Iron Enforcers increased significantly. Unlike the inner city, where the guards were there to maintain order, here they were stationed for defense. The massive gate ahead was a testament to that. It was a fortress within a fortress, built to withstand any threat from the Savage Wilds, its walls reinforced with layers of some strange-looking metal. A pair of Iron Enforcers stood watch by the gate.
One of the guards, a broad-shouldered half-ogre with a thick beard, narrowed his eyes as Klarion and Hatsune approached. “Business beyond the walls?” he asked, his voice rough but professional.
“Travel,” Klarion replied simply, not wanting to elaborate further.
The guard looked them both over, his gaze lingering on Klarion’s posture, his mannerisms—something about him must have given away his scion status. Klarion controlled a wince as he saw the realization settle in the guard’s mind, the man’s stance stiffening almost imperceptibly. He didn’t bow or acknowledge Klarion outright, but the tension in his shoulders spoke volumes. But, to his credit, the guard remained professional, merely nodding.
“Be advised—the roads are clear for now, but beasts and other threats aren’t uncommon past the farmlands.”
“Understood,” Klarion said, inclining his head slightly in acknowledgment.
The Iron Enforcers stepped aside, motioning them through. The moment they passed the threshold of Bastion’s gates, Klarion felt something… shift. It truly sank in that, for the first time in weeks, he was simply a traveler, making his way down a well-kept road, with the only company he truly trusted at his side.
They made their way down the empty road that stretched before them, a well-maintained path of stone and dirt, wide enough for merchant carts and patrols on horseback. On either side, rolling fields of what looked to be wheat and barley swayed gently in the evening breeze. At first, it felt a bit strange how peaceful everything was. After all, Klarion had expected the land known as the Savage Wilds beyond Bastion’s walls to feel more… dangerous. But maybe they were still too near the city itself to see the difference.
Setting such thoughts aside until tomorrow, Klarion simply enjoyed the walk with Hatsune. The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the countryside in warmth, and the only sounds were the gradually increasing chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of wind through the crops on either side of the road they walked.
They didn’t travel far before spotting a good place to make camp—a small clearing just off the road, shielded by an isolated cluster of tall trees. The ground was even, with just enough cover to remain unseen from passing travelers, while still offering a view of the road in case trouble came their way.
“I think we’ve found our first campsite,” Klarion said, setting down his pack.
Hatsune nodded in agreement, though her eyes and ears were still tracking their surroundings. “I’ll check the area to make sure we’re alone.” Without another word, she set down her own pack and the tent, then vanished into the trees, her movements silent as a shadow.
While Hatsune did her duties as his bodyguard, Klarion set to work, unpacking the tent and bedding they had purchased at Gorvans. It took only a few minutes to set everything up, and by the time he was finished, Hatsune had returned.
“No threats in the area,” she reported as she moved to help him finish setting up the tent. “Just the usual signs of wildlife like squirrels. Nothing that’ll bother us.”
Klarion nodded and, after they finished with the tent, moved to unroll the heavy woolen blanket inside the tent. “Do you want to sleep first or would you like me to?”
“I’ll take the first watch.”
“Alright. Wake me up when it’s my turn.”
It took him less time to get comfortable on the ground than he expected. The last thing he saw before sleep took him was Hatsune’s silver-tipped hair as she sat quietly near the edge of the camp, eyes and ears alert for any signs of trouble.
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