Orn handed the coachman a small bundle with the weapons Kao suggested, before stepping into the carriage.

His father raised an eyebrow as Orn took his seat. “Worried about something?”

Orn leaned back in the seat opposite his father, “I still need to practice.”

His father appeared to have something on his mind and change the subject. “We will head to the village and stop for the night. We will meet your uncle tomorrow.”

The coach slowly began to move, and his father directed his attention to the window, mentioning landmarks as they passed.

While nervous at first, the excitement of the changing scenery was infectious, causing Orn’s apprehension to fade. With each league that passed, the thoughts of what they had to do at the end of the trip seemed further away.

They took a quick break for lunch and to rest the horses. The coachman showed Orn how the horses' tack was put on. As Orn helped him get the second horse reattached to the carriage the coachman commented, “Good work. It took me quite a while to get my small skills to the point I could hitch a horse well.”

The coachman’s comment made Orn wonder again about how skills were supposed to work. The thought rolled around the back of his mind as they began to move again. As the afternoon passed the woods thinned. Eventually the trees opened to scattered clearings, and small farms. Eventually the road lead them into a cluster of buildings surrounded by wheat fields.

A small group of people were waiting beside the road as they came into the village.

‘Welcome Milord.” The group intoned as his father exited the carriage.

“Thank you for your warm welcome, it is good to see everyone is doing well.” His father exiting the carriage and gesturing to Orn. “This is my son Orn.”

As Orn stepped onto the packed dirt of the road he continued, “He is coming to visit family with me.”

Gesturing to each in turn his father introduced the villagers, “Orn this is the village headman Holmes, the local innkeeper Kettle, and the local blacksmith Arm.”

Each bowed slightly as they were introduced. Orn felt he could have guessed their professions without being introduced. Arm was the youngest at around his mid-twenties, a large man wearing soot-stained leather apron. Kettle was a fat balding man in a stained cloth apron, who’s large smile made him seem jolly. Holmes was silver haired and appeared to be a farmer who had prospered greatly in his later years.

“A pleasure to meet you.” the Village head said smiling after they had all be introduced. “We had heard of you improved health and are happy to see that you are able to visit our humble village. “

The others nodded in agreement.

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Remembering what his father had told him about his plaque chain Orn looked to the headman. “Thank you and thank you for the plaque chain father said it was originally meant for your son.”

The headman laughed, “You are most welcome, though the fine silver chain your father gave me in exchange was worth far more.”

The count scoffed, “A lord is supposed to provide the plaque’s chain. I do not know why you had one at all.”

The headman shook his head, “That may be, but you are the only lord I have ever known to do it.” Turning back to Orn he winked and added, “Your father is a good lord and a better man, you should learn everything you can from him.”

Without missing a beat, the headman turned the conversation to business matters. Meanwhile, the innkeeper directed the coachman to stable the horses, and gestured that they should head in.

Inside the village headman spoke about the year’s harvest and the blacksmith talked about a lack of traders coming through that year which was causing a problem for the tradesmen. The discussions of the affairs of the village, continued as through a quick dinner and late into the night.

Orn tried to pay attention, but when they started talking about what various people were doing and who was seeing whom, Orn gave in to sleep.

[Orn’s Father’s POV]

Orn had finally given in to sleep. Orn was using his crossed forearms as a pillow and snoozing softly on the table.

It had been a long day and Toln was surprised Orn managed to stay awake as long as he did. Knowing the gossip from the village is important for a lot of reasons, but to Orn it must just be a lot of stories about people he does not know.

As Holmes finished discussing the recent ongoings of the village, the count could not help glancing back at his son. He had changed so much in the last year. Why is it you only be trusted to act your age when you are sleeping?

After they finished their discussions, he picked up Orn and carried him to the room reserved for them. Orn must have been exhausted as he did not stir when he put his son in the bed. He pulled the covers over him and walked to his bed in the other wall, of the small room.

He turned the key in the lantern, darkening the room. Using the gloom from the windows, he made his way to his own bed and tucked himself in. Laying in bed waiting for sleep to come he thought back on everything Holmes told him.

Excluding a few concerns about trade, the village was doing well. Usually, the conversations would go long into the night as the group played a friendly game of cards. But someone, he glanced at the slowly rising and falling of the blankets on the other bed, cheats at cards ...even with decks magicked to prevent skills working…

Bemoaning the lost opportunity internally, he went to sleep.