After asking around, Draven found the location of the stable and led the others there.
"I was told it's around here somewhere," Draven said, scanning the area.
"Oh, is that it?" Grimwald pointed toward a wooden stable with several horses roaming freely in the front.
"Looks like it. Let's go."
The trio approached the stable, and as they neared the entrance, Draven signaled for the others to wait outside while he went to the counter.
"Good morning," Draven greeted the receptionist, a young woman who was sorting through a stack of papers.
She looked up at him with a polite smile. "Good morning, sir. What brings you here today?"
"We're looking to buy some horses. Are they available?" Draven asked.
"Of course, sir. What will you be using them for?"
Draven blinked. "Sorry?"
The receptionist clarified, "I mean, are they for travel? Work? Hunting?"
"Oh! Just for travel, nothing else," Draven quickly answered.
"Understood. We have a selection that might suit your needs. Please follow me."
Draven turned and gestured for Grimwald and Coleen to join him inside.
The receptionist led them to an open stable area, where two neat rows of horses stood. Some pawed at the dirt restlessly, while others stood calmly, watching the newcomers with mild curiosity.
"As you can see, this first row consists of horses bred specifically for long-distance travel. They can carry a rider and their belongings with ease," she explained, gesturing toward the animals. "The second row is for workhorses, capable of pulling carts and carrying heavier loads. Since you're looking for three horses for three people, I assume you're interested in the first type?"
"That's right," Draven nodded. "How much do they cost?"
"Two gold per horse, so three would come to six gold in total," the receptionist replied.
Draven frowned slightly. "Come on, can't we lower that a bit? How about five gold for all three?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't have the authority to reduce the price by that much. The best I can do is five gold and seventy-five silver."
Draven clicked his tongue, pretending to consider the offer. "How about five gold and twenty-five silver? One of these horses is a bit smaller than the others, after all."
The receptionist hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, sir. Let's settle on five gold and fifty silver."
Draven turned to Coleen. "That sound good?"
"Yeah, that works," she replied, pulling out a small pouch of coins. She handed it to the receptionist, who carefully counted each piece before nodding in satisfaction.
"That's everything. Please follow me to pick your horses."
They walked along the first row, selecting their preferred mounts. Grimwald went for a chestnut-colored horse with a sturdy build, Draven chose a dark brown one with a sleek frame, and Coleen picked a gray mare with sharp eyes.
"As a special gift for our first-time customers, we're including saddles free of charge," the receptionist added with a smile.
"Oh wow, that's really generous. Thank you, Miss Receptionist!" Grimwald said, genuinely impressed.
"It's nothing, sir. Thank you for your business. Please visit again!"
The trio waved as they led their horses out of the stable.
"What a cool lady," Grimwald said as they walked back toward the inn.
"Yeah, she was professional. Not bad at negotiating either," Draven admitted.
"Would you like to try riding them now or wait until we set off?"
"I say we wait," Grimwald replied, keeping a steady grip on his horse's leash.
After a short walk, they reached the inn, tied their horses outside, and stepped inside. As they entered the common area, they spotted Serephina and Valerius sitting at a table, chatting. The two waved as soon as they saw them.
"Did you get the horses?" Serephina asked excitedly.
"Yep," Draven nodded. "The lady was generous and even threw in saddles for us."
"That's great. The food's been packed, and we're all set to leave," Valerius said. "When do we head out?"
"How about we meet here in an hour?" Serephina suggested.
Everyone nodded in agreement before heading to their rooms to pack.
An hour later, they gathered in the lobby.
"So, everyone's ready?" Valerius asked, glancing over them. "Let's check out, settle the bill, and get moving. We should find a good spot to camp before nightfall."
"You're right. I'll handle it," Serephina said before turning to Coleen. "Ms. Coleen, come with me."
Coleen followed her to the counter.
"Hello, we'd like to check out."
The receptionist, upon looking up, recognized them instantly. "Oh, hello, madam. Wait you're the ones who checked in yesterday evening, right? Did you manage to convert your platinum coins?" she asked curiously.
Serephina scoffed. "Oh, that? No need. We found someone willing to cover for us. Just check us out."
The receptionist's smile twitched slightly. "I see… Well, even though you didn't stay a full 24 hours, our policy states that you'll need to pay for the entire day."
"That's fine, just get on with it," Serephina said, waving her hand dismissively.
"Alright, madam." The receptionist shuffled through the ledger before listing the charges. "The total comes to 40 silver for both rooms for one night. As for the meals including yesterday's dinner, today's breakfast, and the packaged order it amounts to 95 silver."
"What?! Ninety-five silver? Are you kidding me?" Serephina's voice shot up.
Draven quickly stepped in before she could explode further. "Serephina, calm down. We did eat a lot. It's reasonable. Please don't mind her, miss. Ms. Coleen, if you would…"
Coleen nodded and handed over the coins without complaint.
"Thank you for your patronage, madam and sirs," the receptionist said, bowing slightly.
As the group left with their packed supplies, the receptionist watched them go, her polite smile slowly fading into exhaustion.
Finally, they're gone. She exhaled, rubbing her forehead. What was that woman's problem, anyway? Acting all high and mighty while living off someone else's coin…
Outside the inn, the group secured their packages onto their horses before mounting up. They rode through the streets of Vihadi until they reached the outskirts of town.
Just as they were about to fully leave, Grimwald abruptly pulled his reins. "Wait! We forgot something!"
The others slowed to a stop.
"What now, Grim?" Serephina groaned. She had only just gotten used to riding, and stopping so suddenly threw her off balance.
"The Lycan! We killed it, but we never went to the city head to claim a reward for saving the town," Grimwald reminded them.
Draven sighed. "Grim, you idiot. How exactly are we supposed to prove we killed it? We already sold the corpse to the merchant. We don't have the rights to that corpse anymore. Even if we tried, those misers would pay us next to nothing now that it's done."
"Yeah, let's just move on and leave Vihadi behind," Valerius said, urging his horse forward.
They continued riding for a while before Coleen pulled out a map. "Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment?"
"What is it, Ms. Coleen?" Draven asked.
She pointed at a section on the map. "The next town on our route is called Balmora. It's not as big as Vihadi, but it's a good place to stop for a day or two if needed." She traced her finger along the road. "To reach it, we'll need to take a left at the next fork in the path."
Valerius nodded. "Good to know. Thanks for letting us know."
"You're a godsend, Ms. Coleen," Grimwald said excitedly.
Coleen smiled. "It's nothing. Also, please just call me Coleen. No need for honorifics. If you all call each other by name and I'm the only one being addressed formally, it feels a little alienating."
Draven and Grimwald visibly reacted, their hearts skipping a beat at her charming tone.
Serephina rolled her eyes. These guys are practically drooling at the sight of a pretty woman.
She sighed. Why can't they be like Valerius? The only thing that can get his mouth watering is food.
They rode for several more hours until the sun began to set. Coleen studied the map again, searching for a suitable campsite. "There should be one nearby," she said.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a small clearing surrounded by trees. A nearby stream provided fresh water, and the location was both concealed enough for safety and open enough to set up camp comfortably.
"This should do," Coleen said.
"It's perfect," Valerius agreed, scanning the area. "Not too cramped, not too open. Doesn't seem to be many monsters around either. And to top it off there's a river nearby"
"Then let's set up camp and get ready for dinner," Grimwald suggested.
They began unpacking and pitching their tents. Draven, who finished first, started a fire to fight off the evening chill.
"It got cold fast," Serephina muttered, pulling a thick cloth tightly around herself. "Should've bought fur clothing back in Vihadi."
Draven chuckled and patted the spot beside him. "Come sit by the fire."
Without hesitation, Serephina sat beside him so close that she pulled him inside her blanket.
Valerius watched them, his brow twitching slightly. And they're supposed to be childhood friends? Is that how they act?
Gradually, everyone gathered around the fire.
Grimwald stretched his arms. "How about we share stories? It'll make for some interesting conversation. We've got nothing else to do, and it's too early to sleep or eat."
"That sounds fun," Coleen agreed. "Since I haven't properly introduced myself yet, I'll go first."
Draven nodded. "Go ahead."
"For the second time," Coleen said with a playful smile, "I'm Coleen Kanner. I'm 22 years old. I'm traveling to the capital to meet a merchant for a trade deal involving my family's blacksmith business. I specialize in archery, and my attribute is wind, as you can probably tell from my green eyes."
"Oh?" Grimwald perked up. "Your family runs a blacksmithing business?"
Coleen nodded. "Yes, but unfortunately, I wasn't skilled enough to follow in their footsteps. However, I did have talent in combat, so I took on the role of handling trade negotiations on behalf of my parents. I travel every now and then to secure deals and ensure our business thrives."
"That's actually really admirable," Draven said, genuinely impressed.
"Well, that was a nice introduction," Grimwald said. "Now, let's move on to Valerius!"
Valerius raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what? I already introduced myself earlier."
"You did," Draven admitted, "but this is different. We want to hear a story from your experience."
Valerius crossed his arms. "Hmm… What should I talk about?"
Grimwald suddenly grinned. "How about this you're ridiculously strong, right? But have you ever lost a fight? You're only twenty, and at this level, I doubt anyone in your hometown could've even come close to matching you."
"That's not true, I lost a lot of fights while training," Valerius said, shaking his head.
"Oh, come on. I mean training spars don't count. Serious fights," Serephina clarified.
Valerius hesitated for a moment before speaking. His fingers twitched slightly. He hadn't thought of that fight in a long time. "Alright, in that case… yeah. I lost a serious fight once. About two years ago."
The mood around the campfire shifted slightly.
"I was beaten badly and left to die," Valerius continued, his voice quieter. "The guy who attacked me didn't even think I was worth finishing off."
Serephina, Grimwald, and Draven were stunned into silence.
For the first time, Valerius wasn't speaking with his usual confidence. His expression wasn't one of annoyance or amusement it was unreadable. The wounds left on his body from that fight were healed, but the ones left on his heart remained.