My home was about 4 days away if I turned back now but the journey starts with the first step. So far it has been peaceful, I didn't it would be until we reached the Imperial highway but it seems my family keeps this road protected as they sweep the roads for any bandits or monster that makes its way to close to the road. We passed by a couple of squads that were resting on their way back to the manor. The patrols would inform captain Vesimir of anything strange they came across but so far it seemed none, in particular, caught his attention. I couldn't tell how far we were traveling each day but It was a leisurely pace that couldn't have been more than 7-8 miles an hour not to mention every 2 hours we would take a break along with rations. My days were filled with reviewing tests, reading new books in my carriage. and some exercise in the form of walking. I thought it would serve to motivate the soldiers to know that they weren't struggling on their own. Vesimir and my tutors were against me walking but I explained that I had been bored of the repetitive studying and that sitting for so long was hurting my bottom. I said that walking wouldn't be bad for my health and that I wasn't going to walk until the Capital which was still more than a week away, they finally ceded to my request to walk among the soldiers. Although I had to walk in the front of the formation to set the pace, I walked twice as fast than normal to keep the pace that had been set from the beginning to make sure we wouldn't fall behind schedule. While I did have to walk twice as fast as normal it was fine by me, at least I wasn't encumbered by the gambeson which was sure to be brewing a storm in some of the soldiers. My legs felt a bit numb when we finally got to the first break which I happily ate with the soldiers. I would do the same thing the next day, but by the time the fourth day came I couldn't do it anymore I had blisters on the soles of my feet and my legs were more than sore. Lady Erin reprimanded me on being stubborn and not seeking her out sooner, while she made a poultice for me. After she washed the blister and applied some of the balm to my feet she continued to make more presumably for the soldiers. When she finished her last batch, she told me not to walk for the next 2-3 days and that if I wanted fresh air, to sit in front of the carriage along with the coachman. During dinner time I could see her hand it to the squadron of soldiers which thanked her for medicine as some of them had been bearing it to make sure they could keep in pace.

The next day was much slower about half of what we originally did with more breaks in between much to the relief of the footmen. The whole next day would be a break for the men since we would arrive at our first town. As we arrived on to the royal highway, I gazed back the second time towards the path that we came from, my home was down that path, would I remember when this fork in the road came again? The path was strangely secluded considering I didn't see any villages during the 9 days of traveling just the occasional river to refill our water skins, meadows of grass for the horses to graze on and the soldiers on their way back to the manor. Today's pace was by far the fastest, I guess seeing a prize for your hard work would motivate anyone. We arrived in town early afternoon after Vesimir sent some to make accommodations for everyone, the others went to acquire provisions until our next town which would be about 2 days. When they gathered again late afternoon, they were dismissed for liberty until tomorrow afternoon and it was met with hurrahs. Some ran towards the taverns for ale and food, some brothels for obvious reasons, and a select few went shopping for gifts. I was asked by Lady Erin to accompany her along with Captain Vesimir as our bodyguard, the shopping ended quickly since there was only one alchemist shop in town. Lady Erin ended up bartering some herbs that she had pick along the way for the ones she would be using for my next lesson. Captain Vesimir and I sent Lady Erin back to the inn that was rented out by us.

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"Young master, did you want to do anything else?"

"Can we go to the tavern, everybody looks happy to go there."

"Ah, those alcoholics. Truthfully, I'd rather not, I had an unhealthy addiction in the pass until my wife quite literally beat it out of me."

"She hit you, mmm alcol bad then. We don't have to go then, but I want tasty food, everyday meat, biscuit, water."

"Ahem, thank you for being so understanding, if that's all you want, I know just the places in town."

The first place we headed was a small restaurant, it had wood worked furniture with a lumpy pillow to make the chair more comfortable. He ordered for the both of us since I'd obviously never eaten here before. The food was a creamy and meaty stew with bread to dip in. After dinner, we headed towards a closing marketplace and stopped at a busy stall. I could hear whatever was cooking sizzle on the grill but I was too short to see what was being cooked.

"What's the food? It doesn't smell much."

"Oh, don't worry laddie you're in for a treat, I'm sure you'll like it, especially with your sweet tooth."

"Oh, a dessert then? I hope it isn't just sweet."

Our wait wasn't long even with the line. He ordered something called brambleberry and talon melon crepe. Brambleberry was apparently you guess the fruit of bramble vine or shrub grows, them having different taste, while talon melon was named due to its unique shape. It was sweet and succulent, the brambleberries, when cooked, turned syrup tasting like peach and cherries while the melon might as well be watermelon shaped to a talon, I mean I could think of one country that grew them in cubes.

We ate the crepe on our way back to the inn but before we made it to the inn, it started to rain lightly so Vesimir picked me up as he jogged the rest of the way. 

"Sorry about that young master, normally I wouldn't do that but your parents wouldn't be happy with me if you got sick before you made it to the capital."

"It just rain Vesimir, I can walk."

"I know, … I'd just rather not."

I gave Vesimir a pat and smile then we walked inside, Vesimir checked us in and one of the innkeepers lead us to the rooms we would be staying in. I already had a guard posted, at my door, so I asked him if he'd been here the whole time which he replied he did so I gave him one of my candy for the hard work, it wasn't much but that's what I had on hand. He had a happy expression from my gesture not that I would know since I made way inside my room, I was tired from the day so I just slept. I woke up to the steady drip that could be heard from the rain hitting the tiled roof. I walked out to be greeted by a new guard so I asked him if Vesimir was busy and I got something along the lines of he might still be sleeping so I went and knocked on his door.

"Yes, who is it?' He did sound like he was sleeping.

"Vesimir it me, are we leaving today?"

"Oh! Young master just a second, let me get dressed." So, he was definitely sleeping until just now. As soon as he was dressed, he was out.

"What's on your mind Young master."

"Can we go with rain?"

"The rain shouldn't affect us since the whole of the imperial highway is paved for the most part. Only in some areas will we have to wait out but that will depend on how long the rain last."

"Not my question."

"Uhh, truthfully I would like to wait the rain out."

"Okay, tell soldiers we wait out rain to be safe, don’t want to dirty Bjorn and carriage." The captain looked a bit embarrassed, but that wasn't my intention.