It's been a few weeks after my escape from not only the kidnappers, but the city as well. I am no longer tied down by my former life. Instead, I have a new one. Where I make my own decisions and not hide who I am. I can talk how I want. Act how I want. And travel wherever I want.
I'm still with Alex. He's been my companion, my guide and teacher in the outside world. He insisted that I call him Alex. He hates the formality and feels like we're not strangers if I call him Alex.
Within those weeks he's been teaching me how to fight. Only hand-to-hand though, I'm a natural at it. It annoys him, because he's the teacher. It's funny. He doesn't know how how to use a sword. He's also taught me how to shoot. No matter how hard I practice, I'll never be as good as him.
Right now we're sitting at a table in the town's pub. Alex was smart and had brought money with him before rescuing me. I guess he predicted that I'll be leaving the city. And right now, we're enjoying our easily cooked and filling meal. It's no where near as the food quality of the castle, but it's still good. Mashed potato, 2 sausages and vegetables. Alex decided on drinking beer, while I stuck with water.
"All right. So we're quite a distance away from the capital. Which is good." Alex says. "But eventually your brother is gonna widen the search."
"So, we obviously keep travelling."
"I know. But where?"
"What do you mean where? I thought you had everything figured out."
"I mean, where do you want to travel? You wanted adventure. Your own life. You should start making your own decisions."
"But..." I pause, thinking. "I don't know how. I mean how do I know what's the best decision?"
He shrugs. "That's the best thing about deciding yourself, you get to learn from your mistakes. Otherwise your life wouldn't be yours."
"Well, I've always wanted to see Samarlein." I smile, thinking of the desert country with beautiful oasis'.
"That's quite a distance." He arches his brows. "How do you want to get there?"
"How about... carriage."
He winces at the suggestion. "Okay. But you gotta consider if your brother is widening the search. Which means there'll be a reward for your return."
"Okay. So not by carriage." I think for a moment. "How about by horse."
"We don't have enough money for them. Least of all one." He leans in close with a wicked grin. "Unless we steal them."
"Walking it is."
"Oh, come on. Ruin the fun." His grin is still there.
We decide not to stay overnight at the inn locates right next to the pub. Instead we purchased light camping equipment and enough food to last a few days. Seeing as though they're perishable. Camping supplies also means we don't have to stick to the road or worry about shelter every night.
We woke up at and left just shortly after sunrise and walk along the dirt road for roughly 2 hours.
I'm more comfortable in what I'm wearing, as all of it fits perfectly. The assassin's shoes where a bit big. I'm wearing brown leather pants, matched with thick leather boots. A brown tunic that goes down to just above my knees with a thin tie white long sleeve undershirt. A leather belt around my waist, so that my attire shows more of my form. And of course, one of Alex's guns strapped around my left thigh.
Alex is sported for a khaki green undershirt with a hood. A leather open vest with a black leather belt and a small sachet on hid left side. It stores his bullets. He wears plain leather pants, like me, and black boots.
"Getting exhausted yet." Alex says.
"After all the training you put me through, it's like it prepared me for these long walks." I smile.
"Well, that's good. We can make it to the next town then."
"How far away is that?"
"Another 5 hours."
I stop. 5 hours. We're going to be walking for 5 hours.
"You better get used to it. This will be a regular thing." Alex keeps walking.
I sigh and keep walking.
Another 2 hours in and we decided to take a break on the side of the road. We sit against two trees facing each other. He grabs a loaf of bread, breaks it in half, and throws the half at me. I catch it.
"Want some water?" I ask.
He nods with his mouth full of bread. I grab a skin water bottle and chuck it at him. He catches it, drinks some, closes it again and chucks it back. I put it back in the bag I carry, grabbing another one that's for me. The only difference between the two so we can identify who's is who's is by a label on one of them. I stitched a letter on mine in white. I drink some, then put it back.
"This is nice." I blurt out.
"What is?"
"This. Seeing things that are the total opposite of the city. There are no rich or poor districts. No smoke rising from chimneys. No mass amount of people walking and talking. Just... peace. It's so simple out here."
He smiles. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."
Once we finish eating our bread, we're back on the road.
We finally reach the next town in the afternoon. We had a few delays because I wanted a break and relax my feet. I hope I get used to this soon. The road had turned into large cobblestone roads. The roads a fairly wide, so the carriages can pass each other or park on the side. The houses are basic western style built out of stone or wood. Most out of stone. And of course, terracotta roofs. The pathways are bricked with thin gutters for the people to dump their waste. The people are of all class, middle-class. I love it.
"So, what's this town called again?"
"Weinn."
I nod, looking at the occasional shops we pass. Bakery, dresses, tailors, accessories. The bakery being the most enticing. But what shop that makes me stop, is the apothecary. I tug on Alex's sleeve and point.
"Can we go in there?"
"Wouldn't hurt to look at a few medicines."
When we enter the shop, the bell at the top of the door rings. The apothecary appears out from the back. Knowing that I'm more interested in looking at the shelves of medicines and remedies, as well as the ingredients.
"Hi. We were just wondering the price for a general medicine." Alex asks.
"Well, what is the person's ailment?"
"Oh, neither one of us is sick. But in case one of us does, is there something that can help with whatever it is?"
"Well," the old man walks around the counter, grabs a vial and shows it to him. "This here is good for colds. The one up there is good for fevers. And antidotes... well they're rather pricey."
Alex lets out a short laugh. "No doubt."
"But of course you just want a simple medicine by how you're dressed."
I look back at them, no engaged in the conversation. "Why do you think that?"
"Your attire is telling me that you're adventurers. And new ones at that."
"You, are a smart man." Alex praises him.
The apothecary chuckles. "Well, I used to be one. It's how I learned about a variety of plants and their uses. For example the rose."
Now I'm very focused.
"For a pretty flower, we can use it as a medicine that can help relieve patients of chronic stress and fatigue. Of course it can help with lifting ones state of mind to be more stable. Such as if they have trauma or anxiety."
"Anxiety?"
"Yes. Anxiety is a condition that creates a sense of panic and the increasing of the heart rate. The person will also hyperventilate, sweat profusely, have uncontrollable trembling. They'll also have trouble sleeping and will experience fatigued. And these are the physical symptoms. People of this time are unaware of such a disorder. I used to experience it myself. Till I created the rose tonic."
"So rose isn't just a flower." Alex looks at me with a sweet smile.
"Anyway, back to the topic at hand." The apothecary steers back to the original conversation. "I suggest a fever tonic. That is one that you'll most likely need. If either of you has a cold or minor illness, you can either wait it out with care, or be treated by someone by a nearby doctor or apothecary."
"Sounds sensible. How much?"
"5 silver. I assure you that my recipe is most effective. But considering you two are new to this, I'll reduce it to 3 silver."
I guess medicines aren't exactly cheap. Copper is the lowest currency and gold the most expensive.
Alex hands over 6 silver and receives 2 vials. Then he turns to me.
"Now we're set."
We exit the shop after saying a friendly good-bye. If we're ever in this town again, we're going back to see him. Maybe we can say good-bye and thank him again when we leave.
"Now, are we camping, or sleeping in an inn?"
"We'll sleep at an inn tonight. But first, the pub."
"Why a pub?" Does this man like pubs?
"Well, we'll want a job to get more money. And you usually hear openings there, because drunk people generally can't shut up. But not all of them will be simple and require to get your hands dirty."
I look at him with a stern face.
"Don't worry. Not all of them will be illegal."
I feel like right now he's teasing me.
To the pub, I guess.
Again.