I awoke, sunlight gently poking its way through the trees. Dirt and leaves now lay over the once breathing campfire. I began preparing the bedroll to be tied to one of our packs, and left the tent shortly after. Marie’s footsteps bounced around as she began removing every trace of life from the campsite.

  “Hey, good morning Leonn. How’s it going?”

  “Surprisingly, sleeping on anything other than stone tile was kind of hard to do. I’d gotten used to it.”

  A small, unguarded laugh slipped through her lips.

  “Yeah. Hard work, sleeping outdoors...”

  She moved over to the tent, disassembling it rather quickly, before tying it to her pack.

  “The bedroll’s lighter. You should take it today.”

  “Oh... I would have been content to —”

  “Just take the damn bedroll.”

  I put my hands up, not wanting to spark a confrontation. Soon after, it was like we were never there.

  The forest became thin as we traveled south. What once lay as a blanket across the forest floor had thinned into grass, leaves, and the occasional flower. Marie’s eyes kept finding their way to my shoulder. Bringing up that it mysteriously healed itself would probably cause more questions than I had answers.

  I let the topic hang in the air.

  A vast field lay before us, with colors of all kinds dotting the area. The land lay divided in two by a sizable river. Stone walls stood vigil before a moat in the distance, naught looming above them except the masts of ships, and the head of a massive building.

  No doubt that the latter was the manor of the noble house Kastvassen. The town that lay before us was none other than “Argos,” the second capital of trade, alongside the actual capital.

  My father had a mixed relationship in the past with the Kastvassen household. I could speculate for eons and never know the cause of their discord. Once I had overheard of an experiment — an event that caused the duke to pitch his cup across the banquet hall in a rage. Never had I known the topic of the research.

  My eyes lay on a patch of blue flowers as we passed by. It was something that could never have grown in the winter hellscape as I did. Finally, something with colors other than brown, green, and an overwhelming amount of white.

  Marie knelt beside me, joining my study of the spiral-shaped petals.

  “These flowers are viriettes. I have only ever seen them in the jars of the clinic, back in Fuulen.”

  “I take it they are medicinal?”

  She pointed to the center of their spiral. “They are, but they’re also quality gifts. The spiral in the center commonly represents eternity.”

  I carefully grasped the base of one, before pulling the stem apart. I then extended it to Marie.

  “Here, to the eternity of our friendship.”

  She became red in the face, her stone cold face blown wide open.

  “T...Thank you...” she muttered, placing the gift in her hair.

  We closed in upon the gate of the town. Two soldiers, leaning against their halberds as the shift ran them weary, stood on either side. The man on the left gestured us to approach.

  “The toll for both of you is 14 gildes, we will grant you passage only for that amount.”

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  I heard of this soon before I was exiled. For whichever reason, the Kastvassen house was trying to raise more funds. Eligor had given us what he proclaimed was “quite the sum”, and 14 gildes comprised most of it.

  “I can understand your hesitation. These taxes are running all of us ragged. Still, I cannot let you newlyweds into town without doing my job here first.”

  Marilleth’s voice shrunk out of sight, only managing to whisper “Newly-what?”

  I had now realized just which “eternity” Marilleth was on about earlier. Why didn’t that come up? Regardless, we don’t need prying eyes.

  “Something else, isn’t she?”

  Marilleth whipped her head toward me as the statement jumped out. I met her emerald eyes with a wink.

  Play along, will you?

  She pumped her arms in protest. I handed the guard the toll, and we were on our way in.

  “Leonn, are you serious?” Marilleth whispered amongst the bustling crowd of the main street.

  “You couldn’t have said we were siblings, or something?”

  I smiled, “You don’t honestly think anyone would believe that? My hair looks like gold left too long in a forge.”

  “Well I think its unique.” She retorted as she scanned the signs littering the street. Good to at least see her reluctantly playing the part.

  The street tilted as we began our ascent toward the commercial square. Blending in would pose no issue, and we could learn more about the town.

  “Come get your bread! Only 2 selvats!” A man shouted from his pop-up stand.

  “Glassware, unique patterns from the Federation of Rosko!” Bellowed another. The bartering, chattering, and announcements drowned the street in sound.

  All went quiet from above, and people around us turned from their haggling to the reason. Barreling its way down the hill was a hand-drawn wooden cart.

  “Leonn, what’s everyone staring at? I can’t see over this crowd.”

  “Marie, I’m about to stand out.”

  “What? No you can’t possibly be serious! Whatever you are thinking, do the opposite!”

  I was already warming up my body. Stand tall, stand rooted. Good form causes good outcomes, the opposite got me beat with a stick.

  “Leonn, you’ll get yourself even more hurt” protested Marie.

  The hand-cart clattered with all sorts of metalwork as it barreled its way down the street. People parted as water to a skipping stone, but I held firm. Marilleth —understandably — joined the crowd.

  “Get out of the way, boy! You’ll be crushed!” A stout man shouted from up the hill, presumably the fool who lost track of the now runaway cart.

  Too late. It crashed into me, the force of the impact traveled through my bones and into my spine. Wood splintered where my palms struck, sending a shockwave into my hands. My boots tried to surrender, giving inch after inch, until they found their will and bit down on the stone. I held firm, breath steady as the impact traveled through my body.

  The cart shuddered. Groaned. Then against all reason, it stopped where I had it. My arms were trembling, my shoulders on the verge of popping out, but I had saved any passers-by a near instant death. Cerulean veins I had not called retracted themselves from the surface of my skin.

  The man finally caught up, grabbing wedges from inside, and sticking them firm against the wheels.

  “That’s some crazy strength you have there! Even with all my years at the anvil, I barely could’ve done something as insane as that!”

  I wanted in this moment not for praise, but to welcome the sweet embrace of death. Everything in my body cried out against the act of war I made on it.

  Marie approached me, “How did you do that...?”

  She grabbed my arms, thoroughly inspecting my now scratched and bruised hands. The crowd discarded their shock as quickly as spoiled food, before returning to their business. The short man looked up at me, hands posted firmly on his hips.

  “Say, I’ve an opening for someone strong like you at my forge. If you’d be willing to hear me out, then please join me as I wheel this thing back up there.”

  I thought about it, before promptly dismissing the idea. Marie, sensing opportunity, urged me on

  “Come on, we can’t get by without at least a selvat here and there. Let’s hear him out.”

  “But... I don’t have any forge experience...” It mattered not, we were soon basking in the result of standing out atop the hill.

  “Here’s the deal, the last hand I had got ran out of town from his debt. Now my shop makes a pretty hefty profit, and my name carries real weight around this town, but...”

  He paused, pointing toward me. “...there’s no way I can do my work without a strongman to do some lifting. That’s all I’m asking from you.”

  Marilleth stood beside me, smirking “Well, if you can’t find work elsewhere, oh dear husband, then maybe this is the best chance we have at finding a life in this city.”

  The snake bites its tail. I had not anticipated Marie twisting my arm the same way I had hers. Reluctantly, I nodded.

  “All right, I suppose. Would you be able to pay me well enough to afford myself food and lodging here?”

  “Food and lodging? You’d be paid well enough to hammer down pints every evening!”

  The exclamation sounded like it came from experience, but it was all I needed. If I had chosen to follow the crowd, then I wouldn't be right here, would I?

  Hint, hint.)