Chapter 31 - The Traveling

Riding on a horse was a strange experience, there was something uplifting and freeing in traveling on a back of such a big creature. At first, I had some problems, as expected from the first ride, like how to make horse slow down or accelerate, or stop it from going in a random direction. I quickly discovered a neat trick - placing a hand on horse’s neck and sending a merest spark of electricity, one which could barely be felt, made the beast very pliant.

After making sure that I can control the horse I pointed it in the direction of the city and made the horse accelerate. As I traversed over an expanse of wilted and withered grass, I experimented with different pacings, finding out the hard way how hard a saddle can be if one didn’t move in sync with the mount.  

I quickly gave up on trying to force the horse to move faster than a casual walk, when it moved just a bit faster it started to bounce up and down making my back hurt and almost throwing me off the saddle. Also, forcing it to a gallop didn’t feel like a right thing to do and going slower, aiming for that special moment when it went slower than a gallop but didn’t shake up and down made me feel really strange after a while, so I decided to just let it walk. It was still faster than if I had to walk the distance myself.

Soon the withered grass gave way to a rolling green hills which then started to become smaller and smaller, eventually turning into a wide grassland, occasionally interrupted by a village surrounded by golden wheat fields and fenced pastures.

After a time, when one of the villages was directly in front of me, I decided to leave the horse and travel rest of the way on foot. I made sure that my new hat, made from bronze leather, and improvised scarf, from green linen cloth, were in place. Then I tried to get rid of the horse, a task which turned more complicated than expected as the beast didn’t want to get far from me for some reason, though eventually I jolted it lightly with electricity and it ran away.

I found a dirt road leading through the fields and used it to approach the village. I did my best to ignore curious glances of the people toiling in the fields. -” Could you choose something less flashy and demonic for the cover? “ I whispered to Culdreth.

-” I am not the one walking in a hat, scarf and cape in the middle of the summer. “ Book responded snidely.

-” I think that placing a certain demonic and unrespectful book elsewhere would significantly lessen the attention. “ I answered in kind, heavily accenting *elsewhere*.

-” Oh no, you don’t! “ The book exclaimed in denial and continued with venom in its voice. -” The back cover's plain and I am not the one who’s talking to herself. Mistress. “ One look to the side confirmed that there was a peasant, with a strange look on his face, that was looking at me.

I decided to drop the argument with the book, as it had the ability to speak to me without being heard, but I wasn’t able to respond in kind. I pursed my lips and quickened the pace, as the book was right in one aspect, it was hot under my clothes and I felt distinct discomfort with going so long without a proper bath, even unnatural cleanness caused by the lack of bodily functions couldn’t stop the grime and smells from accumulating.

When I approached the village my peaceful thoughts suddenly vanished, as I noticed several horses and pages in front of an inn. Banners, horses and pages' tunics bore a familiar sign of the Sun, but that was not the reason why I froze in panic. My gaze rested on one of the horses that had a mark of a golden eye, which was typically used by the Watchers, as I learned during my investigations of the game on the Net.

I forced myself to continue on my way casually - I had to keep as low of a profile as possible and running would surely bring me the attention of pages and peasants alike. With heavily beating heart I walked forward, anxious that a Watcher could leave the inn at any moment and expose me on the spot.

Nervously, step by step, I had reached one of the buildings, one which looked like a barn. My luck held and when pages weren't paying their attention to me I used the moment to casually turn to the side and walk behind the barn. It took a lot of nerve to just continue steadily while I knew that church officials were not twenty yards away from me. -’ I have to hide and wait for them to leave… ‘ I thought while looking for a possible hiding spot.

-’ The problem is that I am in the open and peasants will notice me the moment I try to dive for the fields… ‘ I pondered the options as I went past another building. -’ I guess I will just casually walk away and, if asked, I will pretend that I saw them occupy the inn and decided to head straight for the city… ‘

Somehow, I managed to walk to the other side of the village and then I was faced with a tough choice. -’ Hmm, if I use the main road knights might pass me on the way to the city and if I stay here it will be hard to avoid everyone, especially the locals. ‘ I hated that kind of decisions, where every choice led to a major risk. -’ I need more info and getting it is itself risky... ‘

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, to calm myself and to collect my thoughts. -’ Only way I lose here is if Watcher spots me, therefore it’s better to proceed with impunity. ‘ I looked around and located nearest peasant that was working the field.

-” Greetings. “ I spoke with confidence when I approached. -” Could you tell me whether holy knights will be staying the night? I thought about resting at the inn, but it seems occupied. “

-” Hmph, wouldn’t it be better to be askin’ them pages, that? “ Peasant’s response was unexpectedly hostile, and his gaze was brimming with suspicion. I gripped the book to calm myself down and myriad of possible answers came to my mind, all of them with a risk.

I decided for an extreme option, as it would allow me to measure peasant’s attitude in regard to the church. -” I am not fond of the church of light… ‘ My suspicion, that he was a believer, was confirmed when he suddenly took on a dumbfounded and aggressive pose, but before he could do anything I continued. -” As they don’t see eye to eye with master of prosperity. “

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Peasants aggressive stance relaxed marginally, but he was still wary. -” You don’t look like one of them, pursuers of prosperity. “ He spoke in a challenging tone, as if urging me to admit my sins or something. -” I would say that you are a shadow brother’s lot, but brigands rather not taking girls… “ Suddenly he grew embarrassed. -” ...i-in that regard. I mean as one of them. “

Seeing that he lost his edge I smiled with satisfaction. -’ It's often the best to pique someone's imagination and let his suspicions play themselves out, with a marginal push in a right direction of course. ‘

-” Well, I know none of that. I am an adventuress and its first time that I gotten out of the city. “ I tried to project a feeling of being a bit lost and ditzy as much as I could. -” Though now I want to go back. Somehow, everyone seem to be on edge here, and I haven’t even seen a single monster yet. “ Seeing that he was more and more interested in my silly play I continued with a ditzy act. -” My peers said that there should be a lot of monsters! I couldn’t even test my magic! “ I complained and patted the book, making sure that only the back cover was visible.

Peasant seemed to be torn between shaking his head in disbelief, at my stupidity, and amusement. -” You should be thankful that you haven’t met any monsters. They would tear you to shreds within a second. “ He said in chastising, judicious voice. -” Its Holy Church's boon that the monsters are kept at bay. You shouldn’t disrespect them! They are the holy warriors that keep us all safe! “

-” I don’t disrespect them. “ I responded in a pliant tone. -” I just felt overwhelmed by their presence, and they were really scary when I told them that I joined the temple of prosperity. So I avoided them since. I wouldn’t dare to disrespect them. “ I took a step back and hugged a book with both hands.

Peasant seemed to be at a loss how to respond to my meek act.

-” So, Mister, could you tell me if they will be staying the night? “ I decided to finally go for the main point.

Peasant sighed while shaking his head, in disbelief and resignation, before answering. -” No, they should depart soon, as there’s some sort of evil in the woods out there. “

-” I see, thank you for your time. “ I waved him off instantly and made sure that my voice was cheerful. -” I will make sure not to offend them. “

I was barely able to keep myself from laughing at a lost expression on the peasant’s face.

-” Muhahaha. “ Suddenly Culdreth’s laughter resounded in my ears. -” You are a real gem when it comes to throwing people off guard Mistress. “

I was marginally sure that it was a compliment and I decided to treat it as such...or else. -” Thanks, I guess you consider yourself a prime example of that? “ I whispered in a playful tone.

-” I am not falling for that one, Mistress. “ Culdreth’s collected response surprised me, I expected him to take offense and react. -” Anyway, I am looking forward to how you are going to enter the city. “

I looked at the book curiously, but I was again surprised by its impassiveness. -’ Oh, well. Hopefully it’s nothing. ‘ I thought, but I had a bad feeling about it.

After a bit of nervousness, with getting around the holy knights, I got  on the pawed road and continued my return to the city, enjoying the peaceful time. Still, my thought’s kept getting back to the book’s suspicious behavior, so much in fact that I decided to leave the road and travel through the grasslands.

Even after prodding it several times I was not able to extract anything from it, apart from ” I am looking forward to visiting the city, Mistress. “ followed by a small chuckle.

I really hoped that the book just wanted to play *paranoia* with me, but I wasn’t the one to risk everything at the end of the race. Therefore, I decided to set a camp an hour away from the city and approach it after the nightfall.

A smile appeared on my face as I retrieved a bedroll from my pouch, followed by a traveling bread, cheese, butter and other delicacies, which I looted from the bandit camp. After eating my fill and stretching on a bedroll I tried not to think on how I missed the bath. Especially after I gave up on brushing my hair, as the comb kept getting tangled in impossible knots.

Lazy, innocent thoughts slowly twisted themselves and encroached on a forbidden ground, uninvited. Somehow thinking about a bath brought me images of a certain moments from the past, and those coupled with a strange, restless feeling that I encountered during my riding experiments earlier. Sweet memories made me vividly aware of the body I was in…

-” Mistress… “ Suddenly, a dangerous voice asked a question, while stretching the words. -” Whaat aare you thinking?  It’s past the sunset and iiiiitttsss time... To move! “ It finished loudly.

For a dreadful moment I thought that the book had a different, deeper meaning behind its mocking wake up call. -” N-nothing let us go. “ I responded with an uncertain voice, which no doubt left the book wondering what was going on.

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Hey~, Author’s Here~

Somehow I managed to keep up with the release data, though it was set up in a retarded way - I am busy every other week, and release was set on the week I am busy. Hence I will move the release to every other week from 09/21/2015 ( ie you get a chapter next week and then every other week from that).

[Yeey, free chapter!]

[ -Don’t you think that I don’t know who’s responsible for that ‘ommitment’, you gonna pay for that… ]

[ IIIIk! Run! ]

As usual, comments are welcome.

Cheers,

Mea

Ps next week I should be able to categorize the CG Art and put it in a collective folder, where you can browse all of them. Look forward to it.

NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 32