“So, you are on your way to Way’s Crossing as well?” Sanora asks their two freshly acquired companions.

“Not particularly.” Torkastra shakes her head. “We’re always on the road, travelling from place to place. It’s just how we live.” She explains with a carefree smile on her lips as Flux nods along. “So, what about you? What brings you out here besides criminals chasing you?” Torkastra ask with a smirk.

“Very funny.” Sanora rolls her eyes. “But aside from that, I’m hoping to find some clues about the moon somewhere like I said before. So far I haven’t found a thing so we’re checking other towns.”

“Oh!” Torkastra drops her fist onto the palm of her other hand. “I completely forgot about that. I’ve been thinking because that word just felt so familiar. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it before.”

“You did?!” Sanora shouts as she leans towards Torkastra. “Where? When? How?” She peppers Torkastra with questions, leaning closer with every word as the excitement inside of her starts to bubble over.

“Calm down.” Torkastra chuckles as she gently shoves Sanora back again.

“Ah, sorry. This is just the first clue I really have.” Sanora scratches her head.

“Don’t worry, you’re good. As for the moon, I’m pretty sure I saw the word in a house once, written on some old fragments salvaged from the warfields. Ancient, some even say from the pre-war era, left by whoever was living beyond the mountains before that are became the warfields.”

“The civilisation from before the wars?” Mari asks. “I can’t even imagine how many thousand years ago that must have been.” The girls seems to be getting invested too, her craving for old stories aching to know what those destroyed lands looked like when they were still prospering.

“No one really does. And with the few fragments that survived the wars we probably never will. But still, it’s a lead.”

“Seems like we have our next destination then.” Sanora beams. “Where did you see those fragments?”

“In the private collection of some rich trader in Southvalley. I can tell you where to find him, but it might be for the best if you visit him alone. And don’t mention my name. Or that I’m in town.”

“Do I wanna know?” Sanora raises an eyebrow as Torkastra fiddles with her shirt.

“All I want to say is that we aren’t on particularly good terms, so let’s leave it at that.” Torkastra says, and Flux pets her on the head.

“Fair enough. We’ll find a way.” Sanora nods.

“Sorry I can’t be of more help.”

“Ah don’t worry, we’ve managed so far.” Sanora waves her off. “At least somehow…” She mumbles.

“Anyways, I take it you two are with the adventurers guild?” Sanora asks.

“That’s right. A great way to earn a living while travelling through the land since you can find work just about anywhere. Also, it never gets boring.” Torkastra grins and Flux nods in agreement.

“I see.” Sanora chuckles. “So, any particular reason why you decided to live on the road?”

At this, Torkastra and Flux exchange a glance. Torkastra thinks for a moment before answering.

“Not really. I just wanted to see a bit of the world. And Flux just decided to tag along after we met.” She shrugs.

“Guess we’re kind of similar in that aspect.” Sanora smiles at Mari.

“Oh, I smell a story. Tell me.” Torkastra leans forward with a sparkle in her eyes.

“Alright.” Sanora laughs. “I think it was at the start of Amnis when I came to Deepvalley…”

After a long recount, leaving out some of the more personal parts, by Sanora, the group can finally see the first buildings in the distance ahead. Mari has fallen asleep on Sanora’s shoulder partway through. Torkastra however has been hanging onto Sanora’s every word. Her ears twitch when Sanora mentions how she and Mari finally decided to become an open couple. Sanora finishes her tale and Torkastra just looks at her with her hands clasped.

“You two are so adorable.” She says, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Thanks…” Sanora scratches her head as her cheeks blush. “Your turn. How’d you and Flux meet?”

Torkastra looks at Flux who just shrugs in response.

“Oh, it’s not a special story by any means. We just met in town one day by chance and for some reason I could always tell what Flux was thinking. Thus, we decided to start adventuring together. That’s all.”

“Let me get this straight. A girl who can’t speak just so happened to meet probably the only person who can seemingly read her mind. And you say it’s nothing special? If that wasn’t fate, then I don’t know what it was.”

“Fate huh.” Torkastra expression grows dour at the word, her smile vanishing in an instant as her gaze wanders to the plains behind them.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to tear open old wounds.”

But Torkastra doesn’t respond and just continues to stare into the lands with empty eyes.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Uh, Tor? Are you ok?” Sanora asks.

Flux furrows her eyebrows in worry and starts to lightly shake Torkastra’s shoulder. It takes a moment, but Torkastra finally blinks and slowly turns back.

“Sorry, did you say something?”

“Everything alright with you? You just completely spaced out.”

“Oh yeah. It’s nothing. Just a bit tired.” She shakes her head. “Can’t wait to sleep in a proper bed again.” She grins. Sanora would have been convinced that’s all if it wasn’t for Flux whose expression hasn’t eased one bit. But she knows that she’s in no place to pry so she lets it go.

“Yeah, same here.” Sanora nods and glances at the sleeping Mari. “Guess we all need some rest.”

============================================

After a long ride the carriages finally roll into Way’s Crossing. It’s a small town, quite different from Deepvalley. But despite that the road is busier. Sanora leans out of the carriage, taking in the view. The houses are built along both sides of the road, the majority being inns and stores of all sorts, catering to the people passing through on their way to one of the bigger cities. The road is far wider than anywhere else Sanora has been and packed full of carriages trying to navigate between the masses of people.

“What’s going on?” Mari mumbles as she rubs her eyes and looks around.

“Hey you, you’re finally awake.”

“Well yeah, my pillow suddenly disappeared.” Mari grumbles as she shuffles over to Sanora. As she looks out the back of the carriage her drowsiness is seemingly slapped out of her.

“Oh. We’re here.”

“Finally going to tell me why you hate this place so much?”

The carriages come to a stop on a wide space next to one of the bigger inns.

“Maybe we should talk with the nobleman about riding along to Southvalley first.”

“Figured you’d say that. Tor and Flux already did that. We continue in two days.”

“Oh. That’s… great.” Mari sighs and hops off the carriage before stretching.

“You really don’t want to talk about this huh?” Sanora slides off the edge as well.

“No, I really don’t.” Mari sighs again. “But I guess you’ll find out eventually anyways. But can we least talk this over with a drink?”

“Sure thing.” Sanora laughs. “Apparently this is one of the best inns in town. Let’s head inside the-“

“Golden drop?!” Mari shouts when she sees the inn they parked next to. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. Of all the places they could have picked it just had to be this one.” Mari groans, burying her face in her hands.

“I’m guessing this is part of the thing you were about to tell me?”

“This is outrageous!” Shouting draws Sanora’s attention. She looks over, seeing two men storming out of the Golden drop.

“Calm down dear, we’ll find another place to stay.” The other man says and takes his hand.

“We sure will. And It’s a sunny day in the tombs before we ever set foot in here again.” The other man says as he stomps off.

“By all means, do that. Don’t want your kind stinking up the place after all!” A woman standing in the door shouts after them with crossed arms and an expression like she just ate an expired fish. She looks oddly similar to Mari. Same black hair, similar facial features, just in old. One of the men just flips her the bird as they walk down the road.

The woman just clicks her tongue and is about to head back inside again, but her gaze stops on Mari and Sanora. She squints her eyes.

“‘You people’ huh? Seems like someone’s out for blood. Well, she can have that.” Sanora mumbles as she is about to walk off, but Mari grabs her shoulder. “Mari?” Sanora looks at her, but the girl just looks at her feet.

“Gods, Mari?!” The woman lights up.

“Uhhh Mari? Elaborate?” Sanora gulps as the woman jogs towards them.

“May I introduce; Freida Braustein.” Mari sighs. “My mother.”

Sanora stands rooted in place as her brain shuts down completely.

“Gods it’s been so long since you’ve visited.” Frieda coos as she pulls Mari into a hug. “How have you been? Is this a friend from the guild? Are your studies going well? Did your rank increase? Did you finally find a boyfriend? No wait, don’t tell me. Let’s talk over some lunch! I’ll get someone to bring in your luggage.” Mari’s mother is like a storm, assaulting her child with questions and then rushing back into the building before Mari can even say a word.

The two of them just stand there in silence and stare at the door of the inn.

“Sooo…” Mari breaks the silence after a minute. “The thing I didn’t want to tell you; my family isn’t, uh, overly fond of gay people.”

Sanora slowly turns to look at Mari, but she averts her gaze.

“Yeah, no shit.” Sanora scoffs. “I’ll look for a different place to stay.” Sanora shakes her head and is about to walk off.

“Wait.” But Mari stops her. “They already know we’re here, we can’t just go to another inn now.”

“Sure we can. Watch me.”

“Sanora, please.” Mari pleads. “If we stay at another place they wont stop prying why. They’ll know something is up.”

It slowly starts to dawn on Sanora. ‘A friend from the guild?’ ‘Did you find a husband yet?’. The whole interaction between Mari and her mother seemed a bit off considering how she just threw out those men.

“Oh gods. They don’t know.” Sanora’s eyes grow as round as saucers.

“They don’t.” Mari mutters. “I could never muster up the courage to tell them. That’s the whole reason I left home. I just know how they’ll react, and I’m scared. Scared of the despising gazes and the hurtful words. And most of all, awful as they may be, I’m scared of losing my family.” Mari whispers with her eyes fixed to the ground.

Sanora feels a sting in her heart at the scene in front of her. Of all the cruel and nerve grating things she has laid her eyes upon, Mari looking like a beat-up puppy has to be among the worst. With a long sigh she roughs through her hair.

“So, what do we do? Pretend like we’re just friends?”

“I know I’m asking a lot of you. But could you bear it? Just for those two days?” Mari looks up with pleading eyes.

“I don’t like this. In fact, I absolutely hate this. But if it’s for your sake then I’ll manage… somehow. But I’ll drink. Excessively.”

“I hate this just as much, trust me. Thank you, Sanora.” Mari gives her a weak smile.

‘That’s going to be two long days.’ Sanora sighs mentally.

“Nice of you to swing by big sis.” A young man says as he walks towards Mari and Sanora. His short hair is the same colour as Mari’s. And despite Mari being the older one he is a bit taller than her.

“You’ve grown a lot, Erich.” Mari chuckles.

“You’ve been away for years, what did you expect.” Erich laughs before hugging Mari.

“The guild has been keeping me pretty busy.”

“They better have, otherwise your talents would go to waste. This one of your party members?” He glances at Sanora who is silently standing on the sideline.

“Yes. Let me introduce you. Sanora, this is Erich Braustein, my younger brother. Erich, this is Sanora, my g-“ Mari coughs, catching herself just before she says something wrong. “-great frontliner.”

“Sanora?” Erich raises an eyebrow. Sanora and Mari gulp. “That’s a pretty ancient name.”

“Erich, don’t be rude.” Mari scolds him but he just laughs.

“I didn’t say that’s a bad thing. Let’s grab your stuff, the others can’t wait to see you.”

“I’m sure they can’t.” Mari forces a smile and hands Erich her heavy pack with Sanora following suit. The siblings go ahead with Sanora tagging after them.

“Hey, sis.” Erich whispers.

“What is it?” Mari responds in a whisper as well.

“That friend of yours, she has a boyfriend?”

Mari almost trips, staggering for a few steps before catching herself.

“Uh… n-no, she doesn’t.”

“Good to know.” Erich nods, smiling to himself.

‘Damn you’re bad at whispering you know that?’ Sanora thinks with a scowl as she follows the siblings. ‘This is going to be even worse than I thought. Gods, help me.’ Sanora bracers herself as they enter the Golden Drop, starting the two days of torment lying ahead.