"Brant, what are you doing?" Lagertha asked.
"Oh, come on. It's fun. Don't tell me you never had someone do this with you before?" Brant asked.
"I don't think I have to be carried around. Like you, I can walk as often as I want to," she said.
"Fine for you to say, but my mother always said that a man must always take care of his lady. It doesn't matter if she is tired or prepared for something, he must also take care of her and make sure she doesn't live in the presence of danger."
"I'm not a baby, Brant. You don't have to do this. Please, put me down!"
"No, you seem a bit tired. I may be tired too, but nobody said I couldn't have a little sense of enjoyment for a little while."
And so, Lagertha dealt with it and became silent as Brant carried her in his arms on the long trail. The dark road was an example of where unexpected occurrences might happen to travelers if they are not clever. A person of Brant's strength could take care of their friends and protect those around him. Brant taking care of the Wolf Queen meant that he would have to do more things against his will. He carried Lagertha because he cared about her as she cared about him in these dark times.
Brant felt her soft body warm his arms and chest, but it did not affect the way he walked on the dark road. Lagertha had no other reason to move around during the morning, yet she knew she was no longer a teen living with her family. She was a grown adult with a vengeful mind as she survived the sleepless nights; she felt bad that Brant was dragged into all of this. He wanted to prove to her he feared no demon nor creature who served the night, yet it would take a lot of convincing. As he carried her to the next village, her wolf-blood strengthened him instead of taking a quick break to rest.
A few minutes later, both Brant and Lagertha could see the next city as the morning sun warmed their backs. The city of Clegane was a city that lived behind a grand castle, and it was a place where people were protected by a great wall. The Wolf Queen knew a castle meant that a demon king was ruling its kingdom, and she knew that trouble was brewing everywhere. Brant was suspicious about this village and what its foundations were carrying; he was thinking the same thing as Lagertha. They both could see people roaming the city and two guards standing beside the city's entrance.
"Okay, Brant. You can put me down now," Lagertha said. Then Brant stopped walking and allowed Lagertha's feet to touch the ground. And her mind was already set on getting to know this new city.
Her long brown hair breezed with the chilly wind, and she needed to keep her distance around whoever gazed at her with a distinct look.
"Well, how did that feel?" Brant asked.
"Oh, that felt good. I feel better now. But we should feel cautious here. This place doesn't feel safe for any of us," she answered.
"By the looks of it, there may be another creature lurking around here. I'm pretty sure you're used to that," he said.
"I'm used to fighting alone and hunting beasts by myself. But now that I have you by my side, I insist you remain prepared for what might happen."
"Don't worry about it. There may be someone out there who might lend us a hand. Isn't it enough that we both hunt demons?"
"It should be. But there are many cities and villages out there who think they can take on the creatures by themselves. There might be a certain place where they will never accept us into their home. They say that some demon slayers make deals with the demons themselves, and they won't show their gratitude around those who pledge their lives to drive the demons of the earth. Now if you have any regrets for being with me, just let me know."
Brant did not understand that Lagertha is only trying to protect him from the tougher challenges. Her inner nature told her she is protecting him from herself because there might be a day where her power will be uncontrollable. She had to keep her distance from others and had to push onward into the night before the night consumes her soul. The time came for them both to enter the city and find whoever makes the people defend the walls from the demons. They started walking towards the city entrance, and the two guards did not stop them, but they knew Brant and Lagertha were newcomers.
"Before we can move out any further, we need to find a place to rest ourselves. I hope you got enough coins," Lagertha said.
"I got an entire bag of coins that'll last me for a year. What about you?" Brant asked.
"I always have a bag of money wherever I go. Let's not waste any more time," she said. And so, Brant and Lagertha entered the city of Clegane and had no intention to bother the citizens.
As they entered the city, they were seen by a few men and women who were interested in wanting to know where they came from. Neither the Wolf Queen nor the young hunter had any reason to be talking to people they did not know. Their only reason for being in the city was to find a place to sleep and speak with the earl of Clegane for some answers. The people gazed upon Lagertha's appearance and were surprised at how mighty she appeared before them. Nobody had ever seen a lady carry such a mighty weapon to use against the night creatures.
None of them had the strength to go up to the Wolf Queen to ask her how she had enough strength to wield a longsword. Lagertha understood why a lot of them were having serious questions about her and needed to know what brings her to the city. Lagertha and Brant saw the inn was only a few yards away from the city's entrance, and they went there. The activities happening in the city were mostly silent because they just finished defending their homes from being burned down. Lagertha opened the door and made Brant go inside first; he was about as exhausted as Lagertha was.
They both went inside because there was nothing else for them to do in the morning. They did not see a point in doing anything when the sun came up because they needed their rest. Some people looked at Lagertha and Brant while everyone else was minding their own business. Then, they walk up to the innkeeper to see if they can rent a room for a few days. The man was mostly busy cleaning a few cups and plates for the people inside the inn to stay situated.
"I've never seen you two before. What brings you to this city?" The innkeeper asked.
"We were wondering if we can rent a room and also wondering if there is anything out there that we should be cautious about. I am Lagertha, and he is Brant. And we are both demon slayers," she said.
"Demon slayers? It's been far too long ever since we've had your kind enter this region. Yes, a giant beast is lurking around," he said.
"Can you describe it for us? Is there anything about this creature that you can make of it?"
"He appears as a werewolf. His fur can crack any sword and any ordinary weapon. There is truly something different about this creature. Not even a nordic blade can slice this creature in two. It's as if he is controlled by magic or may be dominated by a much higher being. He might be a beast whose master rules that castle behind our city."
Brant became stunned by the innkeeper's description of the dark creature, but Lagertha said nothing about the way the man described him. None of them understood what to make of this beast being controlled by some mysterious force. However, Lagertha looked at her hand and knew that the creature was a construct controlled by Mephiles's magic. At that moment, she squinted her eyes in frustration because of how powerful the creature might be. She might even have to use more than just her longsword to defeat this demonic wolf controlled by Mephiles.
"Is something the matter?" The innkeeper asked.
"Oh, not at all. We both just need somewhere to sleep, that's all. We've been walking all night, and we have nowhere else to go," Brant answered.
"Of course, we have a room fit for the both of you. It's on the second floor to the far end," he answered.