CHAPTER 2
TRAVELING
I close the door behind me and stand frozen in shock. I was invited to the palace! I look around my room questioning myself, do I really want to leave my home, the only place i’ve ever lived and know? Yes, yes I do. No question I most definitely want to travel, so in light of the small self discovery, I start packing. I grab clothes, a pair of shoes, and most importantly, my wood whittling tools. I take a look at my now somewhat empty room and smile, I decide I’ll never come back to this room, no matter what happens at this test.
I walk out of the room and to the guard, I grab his hand and shake it. I smiled at his slightly shocked face and actually properly introduced myself.
“Hello sir, as you already know I’m Hoku Sae and I’m pleased to meet and travel with you!” His face goes from shock to a slightly more pleasant expression.
“Good afternoon Hoku. I’m very pleased that you’re willing to travel with me, I presume from your bag that you’re already packed?”
“Yes Sir! I’m ready to leave whenever you are!” I make my way towards the carriage and smile at the guard. “This is what we’re going in?”
The guard laughs at my enthusiasm and walks towards the carriage away from my mother’s glare. “Yes, that is what we’re riding in, and please, call me Nathan.”
I laugh. “Yes Nathan! Now let's get going!” I throw my stuff in the baggage compartment and hop in. I stole a glance at my mother and almost burst out laughing, she had her arms crossed with an annoyed look on her face, not expecting me to want to go. Nathan gives a polite nod at my mother and sits in the driver seat of the carriage, and off we went!
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After a few hours we’re already in the fields and plains. I watch out the window at the passing scenery, and sigh. I knock on the driver window and Nathan opens it.
“Yes, Mr.Sae?” Nathan doesn’t take his eyes off the road, which honestly is quite rude not to look at someone when you’re talking to them, at least in my opinion.
“How much longer until we stop to eat? I didn’t have breakfast and I’m really hungry. So… how long?”
“Not too long Mr.Sae, about an hour or two, your village is quite far away from any other towns.” Nathan still doesn’t look at me and I sigh again.
“Alright…” I close the window and sit back and wait.
Eventually we approach the town gates and I hop up to open the driver window again.
“Time to eat?! Please tell me we get to eat now, I’m soooo hungry!” I set my face down on the window. The gate guard laughs and hands Nathan what I assume is his official papers and smiles at me.
“Looks like you should go get this pretty little thing some food, yea?” The guard laughs again and I wrinkle my nose, like who says that about someone you don’t even know?! Super weird, so I close the window again and sit back down. Soon we pass through the gates into the town and I look around at all the people bustling about. I see all sorts of people, from women, to men, to children, and more. We pass by a bakery, which smells amazing, but the smell only sharpens my hunger.
“Are we almost at the inn?”
“Yes we are.” Nathan turns a corner, and there we are! The building is surrounded by an amazing aroma and finally Nathan stops the carriage and lets me out.
“Here we are, now I have to go put the carriage and horse up, so go ahead and go inside, ask for rooms under the name Nathan. Ok?”
“Got it!” I give a thumbs up and walk inside. There were so many people I almost got disoriented, but I pulled it together and walked to the counter.
“Um, excuse me?” The woman looks up at me and smiles.
“Yes dear?” The woman smiles again and grabs a sheet of paper.
“I have a room reservation for Nathan.” I look at her and smile back, she seems like a really nice lady. The woman then checks the sheet and writes down a number on a spare piece of paper and two keys.
“Here’s your room numbers dear, your rooms should be clean and everything in them, but if not please tell me!”
I nod and smile, taking the keys and paper, I then go to the stairs to the rooms. I look at the paper and find the numbers 2 and 3, I then look at the doors and see the corresponding doors and unlock the door labeled, 2. I open the door and immediately flop on the bed after closing the door, obviously travel is very exhausting, so I quickly drift off to sleep, even forgetting I was hungry.