Friedrich lay on the pier with his eyes shut, enjoying the cooling shade of the canopy above him. It had been a pleasant couple of days of relaxation. Mostly. Teleri, who was bathing her feet in the ocean, had ensured that not all of their time was wasted and made the pair take a couple of menial jobs around time so that they were not bleeding kupons. The menial jobs often involved Friedrich doing most of the work while she supervised.

Today, however, had been much more laid back. The town of Kar’thay was a quiet place that rested along the coast of Kai’roh. It was smaller than Port Balsia, but there were a number of noblemen—both native and foreign—who had taken up residence here because of its scenic beauty.

Teleri stared out at the much smaller islands that sat near the horizon as Friedrich began to snore. She gave him a light thump on the stomach, making him jolt awake.

“What is it?” he asked, bolting upright.

“You were sleeping,” she replied.

“Yes,” he replied angrily. “That was why I closed my eyes!”

“You must be alert in case there is danger,” she said with a smirk.

Friedrich rolled his eyes and lay back down. He had grown accustomed to her rare attempts at humour, but he didn’t find them especially funny. They were often at his expense and more for her own amusement than anything else.

“Do you think Marina’s alright?” he asked after a few minutes, having struggled to fall back to sleep; he was far too paranoid he would be rudely awakened.

“Yes,” said Teleri, glancing at her feet as she slowly kicked them back and forth in the water. “She is capable of handling herself. When we return to her, she will be stronger.”

“Stronger than herself a few days ago or stronger than us?”

“She is already stronger than us. She could kill us with a single spell, presuming she could hit us. She may even be able to take out your minotaur form, should she be forced to.”

“The power mages can wield is something else, isn’t it?” asked Friedrich, sitting back up.

“Indeed. It is why that the less magically inclined people like us need to do whatever we can to even the odds. Your shield is a good place to start, as are my boots, but we have yet to have had the fortune to use them to their fullest extent.”

“Aren’t your people gifted magic-users?”

“They tend to be,” said Teleri nonchalantly.

“And did you never desire to follow that path?”

“My path was forced upon me. Let us leave it at that.”

“Fair enough,” said Friedrich, climbing to his feet and looking at a small fisherman’s boat that was tied up nearby.

“Is that boat large enough for what you need?” asked Teleri.

“No,” said Friedrich, “but it cannot be too large either. Something like Captain Alden’s boat would be ideal.”

Teleri stood up and looked up at Friedrich. “I am bored.”

“I’m not killing more rats!” the young man warned her. The previous evening, she had gotten him a job clearing out the rats in the basement of one of the three inns in the town. There was a noticeboard posting for one of the other inns too and he dreaded the prospect of doing such a tedious task again.

“What other suggestions do you have?” asked the Alaurian as she slipped on her boots. “I do not wish to spend the rest of the day sitting here and watching the water. Perhaps we can see if there are any demons needing slain?”

“Alright,” shrugged Friedrich, walking along the pier and back towards the main street of the town. He beckoned Teleri to follow him and the pair left the sea behind.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

They walked through the semi-busy street where the market stalls were readying themselves for lunchtime customers. That was the way of things in the towns in Kai’roh. Very few people cooked at home as food was dirt cheap in the markets and inns, much more so than in Mercia.

“Smells good,” said Friedrich as his stomach started to rumble.

“It smells incredibly spicy,” said Teleri. “I would prefer we find something that will not burn my mouth in the same way the sun burns my skin.”

“First things first,” said Friedrich, walking up to the noticeboard and ignoring the listing about rats.

WANTED!

Shura of the Morlak Bandits. This vile orc has been attacking shipments along the river. His head is to be delivered to Captain Bashir, preferably thoroughly wrapped in cloth and within a burlap sack to prevent blood leakage.

REWARD: 120 kupons

Friedrich read the bounty on the board and pointed it out to Teleri who nodded slowly. “Very well,” she said. “One hundred and twenty kupons is on the lower side of things for a task like this, but it will have to do.”

“It’s preferable to killing rats for ten kupons, is it not?”

“You cannot remain bitter about that forever, Friedrich.”

“Oh, can’t I?” he said, scowling. “You stood back and let me do all the—"

“Master Friedrich Gaerfyrd,” called a smug voice from somewhere nearby. “Could that possibly be you, my friend?”

Friedrich froze in horror. He knew that voice. Of all places for someone to recognise him…here? In a small coastal town in Kai’roh? Were the gods playing some sort of trick on him? He had wandered the streets of Akatfall freely for a month and even entered a ball for nobility, yet still he had successfully slipped through the cracks without anybody identifying him—save perhaps for Lord Buckstone who had the decency to keep his mouth closed.

“Do my ears deceive me?” Friedrich called out jovially, prompting a raised eyebrow from Teleri. He turned around to the man who had called out to him. “Well, if it is not Rufus Redforth himself. How are you doing and what in the world are you doing all the way out here?”

Rufus was a plump nobleman a couple years older than Friedrich. He had bright blonde hair that he slicked back and a short goatee that he did not have the last time Friedrich had met him. He had a wide smile on his face, an expression of genuine gladness for having seen Friedrich. He walked forward and held out his hand.

“My goodness, my friend,” said Rufus, clasping Friedrich’s hand with both of his own and shaking it vigorously. “How long has it been? I was ever so shocked when I learned that your family had disappeared without a trace. I feared the worst, but it is good to see you in the flesh.” Rufus looked Friedrich up and down. “You have certainly grown over the past year and a half, haven’t you? You were shorter than me not so long ago.”

“You were shorter than me too,” muttered Teleri, still convinced that the usage of the masks had altered Friedrich’s physical traits. Between his greater height and his improved dexterity, she truly believed there was something to her theory. All she needed was for him to grow a hooked, goblin-like nose to confirm it.

“You are with this high elf?” asked Rufus, his smile turning into a look of utter confusion.

“Erm…” said Friedrich awkwardly, knowing he had to think quickly to explain why he and his family had vanished. “Yes,” he said abruptly, taking Teleri’s arm. “This is my wonderful wife. Did you not know that I was getting married?”

Teleri’s eyes widened and she looked as though she was about to choke, but she restrained herself and said nothing. She knew that Friedrich had said that for a reason and she was savvy enough to not expose his untruthfulness.

“It was a sudden arrangement, but I was whisked off to Alauria to begin the long process. We were finally married many months ago. The rest of my family are safely in Alauria while we travel around the world. After all, we will not be able to sail all the way to somewhere like Kai’roh when the little ones arrive.”

“Little ones,” muttered Teleri breathlessly. “Yes, little ones.” She placed a hand on her stomach, looking very uncomfortable with the situation, but she was able to force a smile.

“You are enchanting,” said Rufus, taking Teleri’s hand and planting a small kiss on the back of it. “What is your name, Madam Gaerfyrd?”

“Teleri,” she said, too shaken to say anything further.

“I offer you both my sincerest congratulations on your nuptials. I must say, Friedrich,” said Rufus, shaking his head and chuckling. “I am a little offended that you did not invite me to your wedding, but…perhaps we can celebrate another way? I am just heading to a little get together. I insist that you join me. The both of you.”

Friedrich looked nervously at Teleri who subtly shook her head. “I’m sorry, Rufus, but we had really better be going,” he said with even less desire to go with Rufus than she did.

“Nonsense,” said Rufus, speeding around behind the pair and steering them down the street. “Just pop your heads in the door, say hello, and then you two lovebirds can get back to your honeymoon.”

“Very well,” said Friedrich, reluctantly relenting, “but we cannot stay for very long.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” said Rufus, refusing to take his hands off Friedrich and Teleri’s backs. “What were you two doing looking at that noticeboard? Your family certainly wouldn’t need the work, Friedrich.”

“Just…looking,” he said, unable to think of a better reason. The boat raiding orc would have to wait until later.

“Maybe don’t flaunt that sword and shield around, my friend. People will think you’ve taken up the life of an adventurer.”

Rufus guided the pair up a small set of stairs and through an archway, bringing the begrudging pair inside one of the fancier houses lining the street.