The City of a Thousand Colours greeted the group as the ships sailed towards the docks, the commonfolk bustled like ants, each adorned with colours Adam could only dream of knowing. As the ship sailed to port in the late afternoon, a ship with a light blue flag with the eagle of East Aldland escorted them to the docks.

A dockguard, adorned in lighter chain, wearing a club at his side, and a long blue cloak, skimmed through the manifest, along with the notes from the various nobles. His eyes then darted to the heavily armoured knight to the side. ‘Is that Sir Wick?’

“It is my honour to escort you,” the Captain on duty said. She was tanned, with dark hair and dark eyes, adorned in breastplate. She wore a longsword at her side, assuredly silvered. She smiled politely towards the Northerners who arrived, from the Princess, who was but a Lady within East Aldland, and the daughter of the King’s Sword, and finally, Sir Wick.

‘These Southerners and their hospitality,’ Adda thought, filling with annoyance.

“Appreciate the assist,” Adam said, reaching out to shake Marshal Black’s forearm. “Please thank the Duchess for her grace, and inform her that we will not forget all that she has done for us.”

‘I didn’t even do anything,’ the Marshal thought, having done little to deal with the Marquise while they passed through her territory. “I’ll let her know.”

‘I guess I’ll need to figure out some gifts for her.’ Adam could already feel the looks he would receive for working once he was at the business.

“Adam,” Princess Adda called. “How long will you spend in East Port?”

“A few days at most.”

Adda bowed her head. “That offer, with the dragons. Did you mean it?”

“What did I say?”

“…”

“You should know by now that I don’t have the best memory,” Adam said, his eyes far too innocent to slip away from his words.

“You said you’d help me hunt a dragon.”

“Ah, right. Yeah, sure. If you need help against a dragon, let us know.”

“I will keep it in mind.” Adda reached out a hand.

Adam smiled, shaking the woman’s forearm. “You know, there are few nobles I get along with, but I’m glad that we get along, a little, at least.”

“It was certainly interesting,” Adda said, before greeting the rest of the Iyrmen. “I hope one day I’ll have the pleasure of meeting the Mad Dog.”

“We may accept a visit,” Jurot replied.

“Thank you for your assistance during the Twilight Month.”

Kitool bowed her head.

“Thank you too, and I hope to see the rise of the Gaks soon.”

Jaygak shook the Lady’s forearm, a small smile across her lips. “You will see it.”

Adda held Jaygak’s gaze for a long moment, before nodding her head.

Fate’s Golden made their way through the docks with their carts, drawn by the magical steeds, parting the commonfolk as they made their way to an inn. The wolves remained laying down within the carts, under their masters’ stretched out legs.

“I always thought the Iyrmen were a cheat code, but a Princess is pretty good too,” Adam joked. “I guess Sir Wick was the one to really push around his weight?”

“It is Sir Wick,” Jurot stated simply. He didn’t even think about how Sir Wick had managed to put the Marshal of the East in his place. Though the Marshal of the East commanded great respect in the region, the entire country even, Sir Wick was still favoured by the Grand Duchess of the North.

“Right.” Adam threw a look towards Jane, who wanted to empathise with Adam, but she had already felt the vast difference between herself and Adam, never mind herself and an Iyrman. “Let’s find a nicer inn, nothing too far, but we do have money to burn.”

“Why would you burn money?” Jane asked.

“You know, now that I think about it, that really doesn’t make sense in this land. We’ve got silver to… spend? Silver to melt? Gold to toss?”

The group made their way to an inn, a large inn that was more like a noble’s estate, with large manors which could house several parties within. The walls were roughly as tall as Adam, made of stone, while the buildings were made of wood, stylised simply, but with various engravings all along the trim, and the roofs.

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‘I expected it to cost more,’ Adam thought, though he had become numb to spending so much gold. Kitool, Lucy, and Mara had slipped away to the Adventurer’s Guild to stable the magical steeds and the carts, while dealing with their inventory, while Jurot slipped away to complete his Iyrmanly business.

“How much spice did they use?” Jane asked, poking the food with her fork. “Meat should be red with blood, not orange with…”

“Nothing wrong with a little spice,” Jaygak said, bringing the orange meat to her lips, chewing it slowly. “Needs more heat.”

“Yeah, you would say that,” Adam joked, cutting into his potato, pausing a moment as the steam rose. He took a bite, feeling the salt against his tongue. ‘Acceptable. I should bring them here one day.’

While Adam enjoyed his meal, his brother made his rounds, ordering his own meal, paying in a particular manner, before slipping through into the underground world. After an hour, he returned to find his brother sipping milk, stuffed full of meat, and freshly bathed.

“Now that we’re not going to be annoyed on the way back, let’s grab some gifts,” Adam said, leaning back in his seat, stretching out his stomach full of food.

“We already brought gifts from East Port, and North Amber,” Jaygak said.

“Yeah, but, those were from last year.”

“We can’t spend too much gold.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be too cringe this time,” Adam said.

“…”

“Don’t look at me that way, I mean it, really.”

“…”

“Not you too, Jurot.”

“Why?”

“It hurts when you do it.”

“That is not what I meant.”

Adam smiled slightly. “I’m not changing much. I just want to… you know, not be too embarrassing any more.”

“I use a sword and shield. Jurot rages. You are cringe. Can we change so easily?” Jaygak did her best not to crack a smile.

“You’ll change your mind once you learn what I want to buy.”

“What do you want to buy?”

Though the sun was beginning to fall, the redness of evening blanketing the city, the market was still full of life. Stalls shouted out their wares, the city guards circling around the perimeter, a few stepping through the roads, while the stallguards remained at attention.

“Who wants a silver?” Adam asked, before urchins swarmed near him, standing at attention, many wearing wooden packs upon their back. “If you do good work, I’ll pay you more, and I’ll even feed you.”

“Yes!” the urchins replied, while Adam motioned a hand to the near dozen urchins who had gathered around, accepting them all.

“I should have expected as much,” Jaygak said, noting how many sets of dragon chess Adam had procured. “Are you going to buy some books too?”

“Am I that predictable?” Adam chuckled, while the pair made their way through the market. The pair walked around unarmoured, though carried their weapons at their side, Jaygak having replaced her magical blade with the amberite blade. She had almost refused, but Adam had insisted. The blade, not quite as great as Great Moon, was still a fine weapon, even considering that it held no magical properties.

‘How many books are you buying?’ Jane thought, while Adam stacked almost half of the walkers’ packs with books.

“Jaygak, what am I meant to get Virot?”

“You… don’t know what to buy Virot?” Jaygak asked, preparing herself for the joke.

“Well, you know, she’s really small and tiny, and cute, and I’m sure she misses me so much, and-,” Adam continued for a little while longer, before finally catching himself. “What am I meant to get her?”

‘Is he still joking?’

Adam found a particular stall selling cloth, and he eyed up all the colours. “No, I should get something yellow, don’t you think?”

Jaygak smirked slightly, leading Adam away to find a particular stall, and yet, as they approached the section, the pair eyed up the devilkin who were manning the stall. ‘Hmm?’

“Where’s Yellow Turban?” Adam asked.

“Yellow Turban? Business.” The devilkin’s face was covered in wrinkles, only covered by a thick beard, which hid his lips. His eyes, suspicious, took in the sight of the half elf and the Iyrman. The guards nearby, each adorned in yellow, carrying scimitars at their side, remained at attention to the pair.

“Oh?” Adam’s eyes darted around, noting the guards, but they were to be expected. “Where’s Kalid?”

“Kalid?” The old devilkin narrowed his eyes. “Business.”

Adam let out a low sigh. “I can’t believe this. I didn’t get to meet Kalid last time, and now, this time…”

“Do you want to buy any cloth?” Jaygak asked.

“I won’t buy any Salifi gold unless it’s from Kalid,” Adam said. “Though, I suppose I can buy some yellows, since it’s my darling wife’s favourite?”

“I need to say it? Our yellow, best in all Aldland.” The merchant’s smile grew wide, revealing his white teeth, gilded with greed.

“Who can say otherwise?” Adam laughed.

Jane glanced back once they were done with their business. “Who is Yellow Turban?”

“He’s from the Confederacy, and he’s quite a…” Adam wasn’t sure how to describe him. “I like him, and his son is quite the character.”

The devilkin watched as the trio left, followed by a tail of walkers. One of the guards reached up a finger and placed it upon his nose.

“They know of us,” the merchant replied in their tongue, still eyeing up the group as they left. ‘I should send someone to escort them.’ His eyes fell onto the Iyrman, then to her sword, and decided against it.

The group spent only the evening in East Port, much to Lucy’s annoyance, but she had long gotten used to Adam’s drive.

“Why is he in such a rush?” Jane whispered, as though Adam could hear her from a wagon away.

“Adam came North for Jurot.”

“Not to win the tournament?”

“No,” Jaygak replied. “He wanted to remain at the business to celebrate his first anniversary with his wife.”

“I can’t believe he’s really married to a Ray.”

Jaygak chuckled. “Adam is Adam.”

The group made their way through the various outposts and towns of Central Aldland, paying the appropriate fees and taxes along their way. The wolves caused some issues, but Kitool was able to smooth things over with an additional sum of gold.

As the group passed through the Deadwood, the forest, not the town, a commotion caught their attention.

“Gemtroll!” Jaygak exclaimed from the wagon ahead.

Lucy’s head poked out from the wagon, glaring back towards the wagon. “We’ll deal with it!”

“Sure, sure,” Adam replied, sticking out his hand from the wagon behind.

“It’s attacking a caravan!” Jaygak’s voice rung through the air.

“Oh? I guess we should go save them then.”

‘I can’t get used to how casual you all are about this,’ Jane thought. “What’s that?”

“This?” Adam asked, holding up a pair of diamonds. “Diamonds.”

“Why do you have diamonds?”

“Just in case any of them are dead.”

‘What?’