The morning sun streamed through the windows of the inn, casting a warm glow over the room. I stretched and yawned, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension about the journey ahead. Today marked the true beginning of "The Key to Wonderland," our first real start as a merchant caravan. Last night, I stopped off at the merchants guild and surprised Noble with a new guild member. All of Vice's paperwork was completed, and all that was left was to set off.
I got dressed and made my way downstairs, where I found Sky already up and enjoying a cup of coffee. She was in her full armor, and the fun of last night had faded a bit as the morning dew nipped at my nose. She nodded more seriously when she saw me, holding up her cup. "Have a cup for the road. I already loaded all your stuff into the back, so just relax."
I frowned; I was supposed to do that myself with Vice, but I guess she beat me to it. "You didn't have to do that; I was going to take care of it myself."
Sky smiled, a hint of warmth in her gaze. "Consider it my parting gift to you. You did a lot for the town. Before you leave, though, can you just answer me one question?"
I gave her a slightly nervous look. "What is it?"
Sky's expression turned serious, and she hesitated, looking down into her coffee cup as if gathering her thoughts. "You never did tell me. I know you're a good guy, Key, but Alice isn't your daughter, is she?"
I tried to explain, "Well—"
She cut me off, holding up a hand. "Relax, I'm not mad. I know you have your reasons. I don't need to know all the details. I also figure you have a reason for lying to me about being a herbalist too. After seeing what you did here, I trust you. If you needed to lie, it wasn't done with ill intent." Sky paused, her voice softening. "When I first met you, I thought you were just another drifter with something to hide. But then I saw how you cared for Alice and helped the town. It made me realize you're more than just your secrets."
Damn, she really could read me like a book. I blushed, grateful for her understanding. "I never meant any harm. I'm glad you stuck with me despite seeing through my lies."
Sky laughed lightly. "I could tell you were hiding something from the first day we met. I stuck with you because, despite your lies, you never struck me as malicious. You had this pained face when we first met, but after a few days, I realized you weren't a bad man." She put a hand on my shoulder. "Make a name for yourself, Key. Next time we meet, I want to take pride in our paths crossing."
I held out my hand, determination filling me. "Next time we meet, I'll make sure I'm a proper merchant—one who wouldn't be out of place knowing the best guard in all of Caslund."
She shook my hand firmly, her grip strong and reassuring.
I made myself a coffee, and that was when Vice came over. It appeared she had finished getting Alice ready. They were holding hands. Alice had hair everywhere but had her clothes on and was rubbing her eyes. She frowned, "Early."
Vice nodded at me, a smirk playing on her lips. "She's ready, Key. We're both set to leave if the cart is properly loaded."
Sky confirmed, "It's all set. I made sure everything is secure. I even got your horses from the stall."
Alice walked up to Sky slowly, guided by Vice. "Sky? Leaving?"
Sky looked slightly pained as she saw the small girl hug her. Alice frowned, and Sky began kneeling. "Hey, jellybean, we're still going to be close. Even if you won't be around me every day, I'll see you again, okay?"
Alice pouted, "Promise?"
Sky hugged her back, her voice trembling. "I promise. Next time I see you, I'll have a special gift for you too, okay?"
Alice nodded happily, the innocence in her eyes shining through. "Gift!"
Sky's eyes softened as she watched Alice. "You're going to be just fine, jellybean. Remember, you've got Key and Vice with you."
Alice looked up at her, a hint of tears in her eyes. "I miss you, Sky."
Sky smiled, her own eyes glistening. "I'll miss you too, Alice. But this isn't goodbye forever. Just goodbye for now."
Once that was done, Sky turned to Vice, who was playing with her lighter, flicking it open and closed absentmindedly. There was a hint of something deeper in her eyes, a flicker of vulnerability. Vice noticed Sky's gaze and snapped the lighter shut, slipping it back into her pocket. She gave Sky a smirk, but there was a hint of something deeper in her eyes.
Sky spoke first. "I didn't like you when we first met. You were loud, aggressive, and a ruffian. But I think you've moved forward a little bit, Vice. Just promise me you'll keep Key and Alice out of too much trouble, alright? They're going to need your... unique skill set."
Vice gave a dry laugh, the corners of her mouth quirking up. "Unique skill set, huh? That's one way to put it. Don't worry, I'll keep these two safe. I'll make sure Key doesn't do anything too stupid."
Sky laughed, but then her tone grew serious as she stepped closer. "Seriously, though. Take care of them. Especially Alice. She's been through a lot, and she looks up to you."
Vice's smirk softened into a genuine smile. "I will. She's like a little sister to me. I'll make sure nothing happens to her."
Sky reached out, placing a hand on Vice's shoulder. "I know you will. You're stronger than you let on, Vice. Don't forget that."
They shook hands, and Vice added, "You better have a nice dinner prepared when we see you next."
Sky nodded, a hint of a smile breaking through her serious demeanor. "I think you'll be the one treating me to dinner. I live on a guard's salary."
"Alright, alright," Vice said, stepping back and trying to maintain her usual tough demeanor. "Enough with the mushy stuff. We better get going before Key cries again."
Sky laughed and nodded, giving one last look at Alice and me before stepping back. "Safe travels, everyone. Remember, you're always welcome in Edgefield."
With that, I got on the front of the caravan, and Vice took her place at the back with my wares and Alice. We waved one final time before we took off. The horses trotted down the dirt road, reaching the main entrance where the mayor and a few others waved at us. I saw Marcus and his entire family calling out to me.
"Safe travels, young man!" Marcus shouted.
"Come back, ya hear?" Felicia added, her voice full of warmth.
I waved my hands at them, gratitude swelling in my chest for all they had done for me in town.
As we passed through the gates of Edgefield, a mixture of emotions surged within me—sadness at leaving behind friends, excitement for the adventure ahead, and determination to prove myself. This was the first departure in a year that I felt such emotions as I left a town. I couldn't believe what a difference a few days had made. Truly, my stay in Edgefield had been nothing short of life-changing.
I pulled out the map as we continued away from the town. The hills and forests stretched out endlessly in all directions. Edgefield was in the southeastern portion of Caslund. In the year that I had traveled, I mostly stayed to the south, heading east. But now, we had a new goal: I wanted to reach Memori City, a destination that would take about the same distance I had covered in my year of wandering.
With that in mind, it should take about three to four months for us to reach Memori City and reunite with Sky. The reason for the shorter travel time was simple: during my previous travels, I lingered longer in each town, but now, with Vice and Alice beside me, we could move more confidently and efficiently.
I planned to spend less time in each town, focusing only on major stops for restocking and selling our wares. With these adjustments, our journey to Memori City would be quicker and more direct than before. A straight shot would only take a week, but given my trade route and planned travel time, it would add up to a few months—assuming nothing went awry.
As we rode on, the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows behind us. The road stretched ahead, promising new opportunities and challenges. With Vice's steely resolve and Alice's innocent optimism beside me, I felt ready to face whatever lay ahead. Our journey to Memori City would be filled with the unknown, but for the first time, I felt truly equipped to handle it.
As the town of Edgefield faded into the distance, I couldn't help but smile. The adventure had begun, and I was ready to embrace it. I needed to devise a new merchant battle plan when we reached our next town; I had to decide what kind of scam I wanted to employ and whom to target. With that in mind, we had two options on our trade route.
We could take a detour to Goldrose City, slightly north of Edgefield. We would arrive in about half a day. However, I had heard rumors about wealth distribution issues in Goldrose City, which meant potential customers might be scarce. It was closer in terms of travel, but the economic disparity could pose a challenge. Yet, the scent of something fishy there intrigued me—it could be beneficial to investigate given my line of work.
On the other hand, Ironpike Ridge, a small but bustling mining town, was a safer bet. We could sell my more basic and ornate wares—charms, scents, and herbal remedies. Nothing harmful, just items to give people peace of mind. The travel time was longer, meaning one less day of potential sales. Plus, a mining town might not be as interested in elven magical wares, focusing more on manual labor.
I circled Goldrose City on the map. It was the closer place, but the rumors made it seem more of a gamble. I chuckled to myself; when had scamming ever not come down to chance? I liked the higher-paying odds over the safe bet. With a firm decision, I closed the map and continued toward our new destination.