It had taken all of the next morning after being picked up by Paulav, but Ben finally learned what in the world was the kindly merchant’s flaw.

He was every bit as nice as he seemed at first.

Which—while Ben couldn’t hold against him given that the man’s generosity had benefited himself and Spidena—meant that Paulav wanted to help every poor soul he happened upon.

The evening had been spent quietly around the campfire hearing tales of Paulav’s adventures from his travels. Then the next morning Ben listened to Paulav describe his hometown that bordered on their kingdom of Mozair, and the highly controversial state of Botin that had been fought over by the Huffinal kingdom and Mozair for decades. Only for the small land of Botin to have its leaders band together and refuse to join either.

“The town I’m from is called Attin. Though I feel guilty calling it a town when it really just feels like a family homestead. I’d estimate about eighty percent of the population are my cousins!” Paulav explained with a laugh. “It’s almost a right of passage that we all travel far away to find our spouses to make sure we aren’t intermingling.”

Ben gave an impressed huff as he tried to imagine being related to that many people. He wasn’t even sure he knew enough people to even fill a house let alone a town.

“Oh, would you look at that. Those folks up ahead seem to have gotten stuck on the side of the road. You’re a strong lad, Ben! Let’s pull over and lend a hand, eh?”

“Er, yeah… Yeah sure.” Ben shook his head. Having the means to help someone had often felt like a luxury in his lifetime.

But they did stop and help with the carriage wheel that not only was off the road, but also happened to be loose. The cart belonged to an elderly couple on their way to visit their daughter who was having another baby, and she happened to live on the opposite side of the kingdom.

Spidena had waited in the caravan, claiming to be too tired to poke her head out.

They had only just gotten the elderly couple back on the road, when lo and behold a young bickering couple and their three rowdy children stopped to ask Paulav directions.

Ben watched with Spidena from the back of the caravan as she refilled his waterskin for him.

After Paulav took his time giving the couple a map and lots of directions as well as inn recommendations, Ben thought that at long last they could resume their journey. Only then a physician stopped when he noticed the merchant caravan and asked if Paulav had any willow bark to spare.

Then there was a lengthy discussion on how fresh the willow bark was, and did Paulav have the proper papers to sell willow bark in the Mozair kingdom?

When all was said and done, it was lunch time, and they had only traveled a total of two hours despite having risen at seven that morning.

“Well! What a busy day, but we are so lucky that we got to meet such interesting people, wouldn’t you say?” Paulav declared with a pleased smile.

Ben opened his mouth. He tried to think of something positive and genuine to say in response, and then closed his mouth when he couldn’t.

“I can go collect firewood,” Spidena announced, hopping down off the back of the caravan. “Ben, would you like to come with me?”

He nodded and followed her back into the trees while Paulav started humming a tune that sounded like it had a lot of trumpets as he pulled out his folding table and chairs, already preparing for them all to sit and have lunch.

Once a safe distance from the caravan, Spidena turned on Ben.

“We would be farther along if we had walked at this point,” she pointed out, sounding mildly exasperated.

“Yeah, Paulav is… Nice. Genuinely. Actually, nice. It’s…”

“Weird?”

“So weird!” Ben exploded, in relief that he wasn’t odd for having such an opinion.

Spidena dropped her head back and gave a moan of relief. “I feel terrible to have an issue with him over something like that.”

“Right? I feel like a monster any time I feel annoyed!”

“I mean… I don’t want to say anything because he’s helping people, and–”

“We’re also people he is helping?”

“Exactly!” Spidena confirmed with wide eyed exuberance.

“Gods… He is one of a kind,” Ben said with no small amount of awe. “The way that physician was carrying on about showing him papers, when Paulav was the one to help him out?”

“Absolutely unbelievable,” Spidena agreed. “I would’ve told him to bugger off!”

“Yes! Exactly! But not Paulav. He shows his papers, and talks to the man to see if he’s had a bad experience with merchants in the past, and genuinely cares to know the answer!”

Spidena shook her head in amazement. “I’d heard the description of someone having a generous soul, but… Gods. Never thought it could mean anything like this.”

Ben let out a long breath.“I know.”

Spidena sighed then bent down to big up a long, forked stick. “I’ve seen people paid to care that aren’t nearly as nice and considerate as Paulav.”

Ben made a noise of agreement as he spotted a dead tree that was thin enough that he could break with a couple kicks to its trunk. After he broke it down, and stomped it into three smaller pieces he rounded back to Spidena. “That’ll be enough firewood for a lunch stop.”

“Unless more travelers come by and Paulav wants to cook and talk to them, too.”

There was a beat of quiet where Ben and Spidena stared at each other.

Then both went back to hunting down more firewood.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

*

“So what brings you and your lady friend to Kintel?” Paulav asked conversationally when they had, miraculously, started traveling again.

As it turned out, there were more travelers that had stopped by the caravan, though at the very least those people did end up being customers.

This meant that Ben and Spidena were the ones to prepare lunch, though they didn’t mind, they did share more than a few communicative glances of understanding.

“Uh, I’m looking for something for a friend of mine, and Spidena has her own business.”

Paulav looked at Ben in surprise. “Oh, so you aren’t even a couple?”

Ben barely bit back his annoyed retort that he had specified that they were not in a relationship more than three times already. “No. I visited her shop and found out that she wanted to go to Kintel but needed a guide. So we made a deal and here we are.”

“How exciting!” Paulav cheered. “A daring adventure, romance, magic… Gods, to be young!”

“That’s not… We’re not… Wait. Why did you mention magic?” Ben’s floundering came to a halt when Paulav’s flowery musings fully struck him.

“Oh it’s bound to come up! You heard me mentioning yesterday about all of the strange things stirring up in the south. It’s only a matter of time before whatever tidal wave of magical events reaches the north.”

Ben swallowed. “Most people would be afraid of a tidal wave of magical creatures coming toward them.”

“Oh, not me!”

“I’m getting that.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.” Ben cleared his throat. “Aren’t you worried people are getting hurt, or that it’s a rebellion? Magic users still aren’t really all that happy in the kingdom. Even though magic is legal, the previous king used to hoard the most powerful warlocks and witches and lock them in his dungeons to steady his power. People are pissed for good reason.”

“Locking up magic folk? Wasn’t that a rumor? Do you really think it’s true?” Paulav whispered.

Ben almost told Paulav that he damned well knew it was true.

But he didn’t. Instead he said, “I mean… It makes sense that he would. Anyway, how did you meet your friend who is a witch?”

Paulav chuckled, a far off gleam coming into his eyes. “Ah, my older brother, Hammet. He specializes in spice and incense trade—he’s always bending my ear about how I need to pick one item to specialize in to better build my business, but I just have so many interests that I–”

“How did your friend meet Hammet?” Ben pressed while trying to sound as polite as possible.

“Right, right. Well, Gabrinne is affiliated with a coven that used to specialize in spells and charms for evasion and shields. They were camped out in Botin for a long time to avoid getting hunted down by the Hounds.”

Ben stiffened at the mention of his former military division, but did his best to keep a casual air.

“I tell you, I thought all magic was the same, but then you learn that there is a difference between incantations, and spells, and charms, and-”

“Potions, clairvoyance,” Ben continued the list nodding in weary acknowledgement.

Paulav looked at him delightedly, and instantly, Ben knew he’d made a mistake.

“Oh you know about magic! How did that come to be? Are you a warlock? Goodness, here I’ve been, going on about–”

“I’m not a warlock. So… How is it that a witch needed to talk to your brother? Was it because her coven needed ingredients for spells?”

“Exactly! Yes. The coven tasked her with brokering a deal, and she was unlike any woman I’d ever seen in my life. I know in Huffinal tattoos are a lot more common, but I’d never seen someone with designs all up their arm… I couldn’t stop staring at her.” The genuine awe in Paulav’s voice made Ben crack a smile. “Gabrinne misunderstood me of course. Got up in my face. Told me if I didn’t stop leering at her she’d use my eyeballs for a spell!” Paulav laughed.

Ben wondered if the man had ever been scared or had hated anything at any point in his life.

“Eventually I explained to her that I just thought her tattoos were wonderful, and she and I talked well into the night. I tell you… She’s saved me with her friendship. Time and time again. And I just can never do enough to repay her. I was so glad when she met her fiance, Nasha.” Paulav paused thoughtfully.

Ben was clinging onto every word. There was something suddenly poignant about the moment that was burying itself into his heart as the world around them turned golden with the low sun.

“It isn’t that I think everyone needs somebody, but Gabrinne is someone who should have another person there for her. I mean it is nice, isn’t it? Having someone you can go through things together… It’s special. It’s special when a moment doesn’t feel complete without a specific someone. It means that nothing in this beautiful earth is perfect to everyone. But that to someone else? You can make even the worst moments perfect because they’re there. The good and the bad. It’s the best it can be, because they are just… there.”

A lump choked Ben, and he wasn’t entirely sure why.

What the hells was happening?

He focused on the road ahead to try and stop the enigmatic emotions taking over him.

Miraculously, Paulav didn’t ask him anything or try to continue the conversation.

And so the caravan continued bumping its way down the road.

Until Filif scrambled out of the trees, into the middle of the road, panting heavily.

Paulav yanked on the reins, stopping his horses. “Oh… my… mead! Look at that! Do you see that? Why I’ve never–”

Ben was leaning forward in alarm at the state of the sprite, when a loud buzzing noise started to sound from the trees.

His skin prickled.

“Spidena?” Ben called with a rising cadence. “Spidena I think you need to get out here!”

Ben stared into the trees, and even before he could make out just what was drawing closer to them, he could see the cloud of silvery magic coming toward them. Quickly.

“What’s wrong?” Spidena shouted from the caravan.

Ben could hear her boots making their way down to the back, and even felt the bounce in the caravan when she leapt down.

But he couldn’t turn to look at her as he watched with growing horror the sight of a swarm of small winged creatures descending up them. Judging from the way Filif was throwing his arms up in the air and running to hide behind the caravan, Ben was willing to bet a sizable chunk of his gold that they weren’t friendly. And so his lovely moment with Paulav disappeared in the face of yet another round of chaos.