More than a little, actually. Without Constance in their ear, it was clear to Rani just how much quieter wherever this was compared to their home. There was the wind, and the sounds of a few small animals nearby, but next to the constant buzzing of The City it may as well have been dead silent.
In the pack was some portable food, among them a few apples. These would probably be worth a day’s wages back home, if you were lucky. Rani bit into one while they considered their current situation.
Even if they didn’t quite know what here was yet, it wasn’t home - not the same continent, and not even the same planet. That meant they wouldn’t be seeing any of the others again. On the other hand, that was more-or-less what they’d committed to on that battlefield, wasn’t it? That wasn’t how most people would have approached this, but Rani would be the first to admit they didn’t think the same way as other people.
That still left the question of what to do now. Constance hadn’t outright said it, but it was easy to imagine why she needed someone like Rani around. It didn’t really matter whether she had magic; even if they were all-powerful, some people simply didn’t like to get their hands dirty. Did they want to go along with that? If not, then what? Ask to be sent back home, with everyone thinking they were dead?
The path, if you could even call it that, was practically grown over from the trees on either side. If Constance liked visitors, she obviously liked them to be determined about meeting her. Finally there was an opening ahead.
Rani pushed out, covering their eyes against the brighter sunlight. Outside the trees was a stretch of plains that went as far as the eye could see. Off in one direction in the distance were some more wooden buildings, and fields next to them with people working.
In the other, though, was a more impressive structure: a great wall of solid stone. It was a different material, but Rani was all-too familiar with its purpose and what it represented. Here, the wilderness ended and civilization began; you were safe here. That said, the walls Rani knew never had the gates open like this one.
There was one other thing that seemed familiar to them. Two, actually. Rani kept an eye on them as they approached the gate, which itself was watched by two men in armor. It was only steel armor, and they had swords at their belts instead of guns, but Rani recognized the look in their eyes: my job is to keep you out if it comes to it, but I’d prefer it not come to that, if it’s alright with you.
One of them held up a hand as Rani approached, and they stopped obediently. He looked them up and down a moment. On his chestplate was an insignia showing a lion and a bolt of lightning.
“Come a long way from the east, have you?” The guard began, not unkindly. “Here for the Royale,” the guard squinted and took a second look, “Miss?”
Rani had been wondering how the people here would react to someone with features like theirs. If there were natives who looked similar, that was good. As for his question, that was definitely a no, but some gut feeling made Rani nod. “Yes, I am.”
The other guard whistled. “More of you solo types than usual this year. Got your Runic Knight stashed somewhere else?”
“Not that that’s any of our business, of course,” his partner said, shooting him a glare.
Rani’s gaze flicked above. “Yes, somewhere.”
“Well, you’ll need to head to the castle and hand in your name in the next few days. It’ll be held on the end of the week.” The first guard smiled. “Good luck, for what it’s worth. And welcome to Leonhold.”
Before they walked through the gates, Rani took one last look at what stood before them on either side. Another reminder of home, one Constance had to have known they’d see on this little outing. If this was a coincidence, they’d eat the bag of coins they were carrying.
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Towering almost above the stone wall were two giant figures made of polished steel, resembling walking suits of armor. Set into the armor in places were what looked like large gemstones. Rani wasn’t shocked by the sight - these were old-fashioned by comparison, but on principle identical to the Vanguard they’d been piloting for years.
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Leonhold seemed like a pleasant enough town past the gate. It moved into an incline going up, and Rani could see various shops on what looked like the main street. Past everything else towered - well, Leonhold Castle, probably. Ricky had shown them a picture of one once, among other things from this time, in one of his books. It looked a lot more impressive in real life.
Asking about this Emrick Mudrock got quick results, thankfully. The shopkeeper they asked was quite respectful, in fact. Maybe they thought Rani was here for the Royale too, whatever it was.
His shop ended up being a bit out of the way, close to the wall around the town, and shockingly small. Not in terms of how much space it took up, but the height: the door was actually a bit shorter than they were.
Rani knocked, to silence. They waited a while and then knocked again, or at least made to. “I’m coming, I’m coming, I heard you the first time!”
The door opened, with no-one behind it. At least, not until Rani looked down. On the other side was a dusty-haired man in worker’s clothes, complete with a pair of smokey goggles across his face. His age was indeterminate, especially with the thin-looking beard he wore, but his height was exact: about four feet tall. It was a strange feeling to tower over someone while not being particularly tall yourself.
“Got business for me, stranger?” Emrick, if this was him, did an about face back into his shop. “Come on in, then - but I’ll warn you, if this is about the Royale you may as well look elsewhere. Practically zero chance I’ll get to your Knight before then thanks to all the rush.”
Rani had to stop to enter, but inside the roof was thankfully a bit higher. As if to compensate, the floor was practically standing-room only. Various tools and papers had been laid around with the kind of logic only the owner truly understood. At the back, an impressive-looking forge stood.
“I’m not here for that,” Rani said as they looked around. “Constance asked me to give this to an Emrick Mudrock.” They jiggled the bag of coins.
The name made him snap right around. “Then, being Emrick Mudrock myself, that’s music to my ears.” He practically snatched the bag out from their grip and turned to a counter nearby, clearing room with a sweep of his hand.
“Let’s see,” Emrick murmured, spreading the coins out and counting each quickly. “Hm,” he grunted after a moment. “About the going rate, I suppose.”
“It’s what you agreed upon?” Rani asked. They’d been wondering about that, considering they were the messenger.”
Emrick waved a hand vaguely. “For the volume of work, totally accurate - but in this case there was also the innovation, the extra mental effort, off-sight work...if it hadn’t been her as the client I’d have practically been cutting my own throat.” He smiled. “But then again, you can’t really put a price on being owed a favor by the Witch of the North.”
As he spoke, Rani took a look at the anvil before the forge. Instead of a weapon or some kind of tool, Emrick had apparently been working on a fine-looking, spherical gemstone, a bit bigger than their fist. He noticed their interest and nodded. “Decent one, right? Not a pox on any of the really well-off competitors, but I always enjoy seeing what comes in when the Royale rolls around.”
It wasn’t hard to put two and two together. “Do you get many customers wanting their knights worked on before it?”
“A good amount,” Emrick nodded. “Most of the big noble boys bring their own forge with them, and there’s one up at the castle, but I’m one of the only people in town who knows anything about working with Rune Gems. Only dwarf, too,” he added with a bit of pride.
“You’re a dwarf?”
Emrick gave them a look which said they may have just uttered the most idiotic thing he’d ever heard. “No, just a tragic accident involving a wagon. ‘Course I am! You from the east? I know it’s all deserts that way, but you have to have pictures of us, at least?”
“Sorry,” Rani said simply.
“No offense taken - if you wanted to offend me, there’s a half-dozen other things you could have said.” Emrick turned back to the forge. “Now, I really ought to get back to the finishing touches on this. Thanks for the delivery, and good luck if you are here for the Royale.”
That seemed to be all. “Afraid not, but you’re welcome,” Rani said as they walked back toward the door, grateful they didn’t need to haggle.
“Wise decision,” Emrick said, not looking up from his work. “I don’t even compete in the thing and some years I think it’s too much trouble. Can’t imagine willingly hopping into that lion’s den, if you’ll pardon the pun.”
Having a funny feeling they knew who might be expected to do just that, Rani put their hand on the knob. Just then, Emrick’s shop received two more visitors. These ones didn’t knock.