After about 45 minutes of riding, the mage and kid had found themselves in the main village of the region, “Riversil, such a crazy ass name.” Jaero thought, mentally recalling one night. “There ain’t even a river in a day’s ride in any direction!” A drunk worksman ranted once in a bar Jaero was at. “Best there is- are those twin streams! One’s only good for fish and the other is only good for getting water!” the man went on. “Naming it after a water based thing in the lands of the Empirum of Fire and Flames. An invitation to be roughed up.” Jaero thought, “They did get raided”.
The music of the village took up a new beat, “another had started on their trade by the sounds of it. The second blacksmith is my guess.” Jaero thought, hearing the “ting”s go from a heartbeat’s pace to something like a horse’s gallop. Down the road some, was a small tradespost. “Small for the nations standards at least.” Jaero thought again, remembering when he was part of the groups that got told how the place was ran.
Jaero looked over a little to see that Korvan had his eyes on the buildings. “One could think the sheltered boy was bewildered by the three storied building because of how tall it was. Or that he wanted to listen into all the bargaining one could hear from here… he is trying to listen for something though thats for sure.” Jaero thought to himself, manoeuvring a disgruntled Pahsot as she looked around for where all the noise was coming from. When the mage looked back up he found a skinnier three storied building in his view, an inn with a two storied building that made it up in width and girth. “Looks like that family is still doing well.” Jaero thought, watching a trio of obvious bounty hunters slip out of the inn.
“Do you know how the Hn’Fosters are?” Korvan asked, looking towards the craftshall. The mage had to suppress the urge to tease the kid, deciding to answer what the kid asked and what he was actually asking. “Well I can’t know for certain but it looks like their inn is still getting well paying customers. And their craftshall is busy by the-” a loud belt of metallic hammer strikes interrupted him before he could speak again. “The sounds of it” Jaero completed, he then took in a breath and continued. “I know Jasseyh has been very busy since she started taking a liking to William’s dye practice” Jaero answered, “I’m glad her father will be able to pass on the tricks, god knows that linen is a pain to stain correctly.
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Korvan flushed, understanding that Jaero gave him the answer he wanted specifically. “Thanks..” the kid responded, with sincere gratitude since his mentor didn’t shove Korvan’s face into the fact he was asking about a girl he was definitely interested in. Which made Jaero laugh, he knew the feeling of uncomfortable ribbing, “If only I were that young when I was exposed to it” He thought to himself.
“Alllright, so! Back to getting you smarter about forest things and the such. What do you do when you find yourself in a dire-boar’s territory?” the mage asked, changing the topic for the kid. “Uhhh you die? If you can’t retrace your steps while being tracked” the kid responded, if a bit sarcastically, still with what he honestly thought.
The mage looked at the kid, with a raised eyebrow “Is that it? You dont roll in the pig shit?” Jaero asked with a silent pause following the question as their horses navigate along the village’s main through-street. The kid shook his head after making the distant look as someone trying to recall something. His face brightened up as he then answered. “That only works for greater bears and only when they aren’t looking for you.”
The mage, after a sufferingly long pause, to mess with Korvan, nodded his head; “seeing him look nervous when answering genuinely is more entertaining than it should be.” Jaero thought to himself, he then responded to the kid’s answer. “It’s good that you were able to remember that, though I think I will have to have you practice remembering that. I have been in too many trips with people who forget the vital things until its too late.” Jaero was looking back behind his horse with a hand on her rump to keep balance, looking at the new-ish cobblestones laid in the road.
He then turned back around to face forward as they got past the city limits, symbolized a big wooden wall made of logs known as a palisade. The mage then prepped the next question for Korvan. “How often do moose shed their antlers?” the mage quizzed him again.