Mayor Louis kept his word, and the entire town threw a party a few days later. Most of the food was bought out, so it could be handed out for free at any time, including Knights of the Round. Joe made quite a bit of money leading up to and during the festival, selling out every day.

Sigyn was able to purchase a much nicer room, as a larger one had become available in the time she was away on the caravan. The bed still wasn’t big enough for all eight feet of her, but she made her own on the floor, using the mattress and whatever pillows the inn owners would let her borrow. Axeton found his own accommodations thanks to the gold, and allowed himself to relax for a few days.

The festival came and went, and while the rest of Ostiphas slept in, bloated and tired, Joe Haiyes packed up his pie cart in the early morning to head back to his headquarters for more supplies. Axeton, Sigyn, and Joe met just outside of town square, near the road that led to Honchardt.

“Well guys, ready to get going? We have a ways to go,” Joe said proudly as he finished hitching up the pie cart to the horse. The paladin and the firbolg stood, looking forlorn. The pie merchant picked up on their unease.

“Is there something wrong?” he pried, genuinely concerned. “If it’s a matter of pay, we can discuss it. And the journey won’t be long, a few weeks at most.”

Axeton put his hand up, trying to calm him down.

“Joe,” he began, in a fixed tone. “While I agreed to guard your wagon, I’m afraid that my goddess has shown a different path I have to take. You’re going in the opposite direction, so I won’t be able to escort you.”

The pie merchant bit his lower lip, frustrated. “I see,” he said dejectedly.

Axeton pulled a small leather sack out of a new travel bag he had bought the day before, handing it to Joe.

“You fed me, and I’ll always be grateful that you gave me a chance,” Axeton began. “Thanks to you, I met Sigyn and we were able to take out some very dangerous people, and save countless others. But I owe you for the pie, so please take this.”

Joe took the bag, and opened it with a shock to see what looked like a hundred gold Rad gleaming back up at him, the shiny pieces reflecting the crisp morning’s rays.

“This…my pies don’t cost this much,” he stammered. He felt giddy, but still cautious about what was about to come with such a reward.

“Agreed,” Axeton replied. “But what you gave me was more than pie. This will cover the cost of hiring a guard once you get home to Honchardt, and I want you to consider me an investor.”

Joe nodded with a light cough to clear his throat, preventing him from choking up. “Quite an investment,” he said. “Hopefully next time I see you, I can pay you some dividends!”

“A fresh pie would do just fine,” Axeton suggested, a grin tugging at the side of his mouth. Sigyn flexed her fingers, anxious about the idea.

Joe saw, realizing that she probably hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, and gave her a large berry pie. It was a perfect breakfast for Sigyn, as she easily held the entire pan in her hand. She smiled, ear to ear.

The pie merchant smiled back, before turning around to his cart again.

“Better hit the road, Sigyn. We need to be quick if we’re down to one guard,” he said over his shoulder.

“Actually…” the firbolg croaked, her ears drooping slightly.

“Oh c’mon…you too?!” Joe put his hands on his hips in frustration. Sigyn shrugged.

“It’s a great job,” she pleaded. “But Axeton is going after some really bad guys, and he’s still too squishy to fight them on his own...”

“What?” Axeton cut in. “When were you going to tell me this?”

“It was implied,” she said sheepishly.

“What was implied?” he asked, confused.

“That you were squishy and needed help,” she finished, proudly.

“Everyone is squishy to you,” Axeton replied. “But that means that Mr Haiyes doesn’t have anyone to guard him for the trip home.”

Sigyn snapped her fingers with the hand not holding the pie. “Already taken care of,” she said with her trademark optimism.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Sorry we’re late!” a voice came from the doorway of a small inn near the road. Dimitri and Jakob walked out, shielding their eyes from the morning light with their arms for a moment, before getting used to it.

“Gentlemen,” Axeton chuffed. “Glad you survived the festivities. So you’re our replacements, huh?”

“Oh yeah. And the whole reason we’re alive to celebrate is thanks to you and this big softie here,” Dimitri said with a grin, pointing his index finger at Sigyn. “She came to us last night, and offered to pay us to escort Mr Haiyes to Honchardt. I didn’t have a job lined up, so I told her I would.”

Axeton looked at Jakob. “Aren’t you still recovering?” he asked, a worried look on his face.

Jakob rolled his shoulders. He was already looking ten times better than he was when he had been rescued; his bright brown eyes shone with hope at the party, a spear clutched in his right hand. His hair was already starting to grow back, but Axeton couldn’t tell the color just yet. Slightly taller than his stocky, tattooed brother, he stood proud, but Axeton felt that the man couldn’t possibly be up to a long journey so soon.

“I’ll be okay,” Jakob answered dismissively. “Jerald said the Keratsu powder is out of my system, but mostly that I just need to get the old leg muscles working again. Figure a nice, long trip with my little brother would do just fine.” He slugged Dimitri in the shoulder, and the shorter man returned the favor, his own brown eyes just as bright.

Axeton snorted, amused. “Alright, if you’re feeling up to it. Joe, are you okay with this?” he asked the pie merchant.

“I don’t have time to hire anyone else, but these two should do just fine,” he said looking up at Sigyn. “Although no one would mess with me on the road with you nearby, I appreciate you finding replacements.”

“I would be really sad if I couldn’t have your pies ever again. They must be protected…” she said, as seriously as she could.

Joe laughed. “I suppose they do,” he said. “Boys, we ready to head out?”

Jakob tapped the ground with the butt of his spear twice, and Dimitri nodded. “We have our own supplies, lead the way,” Jakob said eagerly.

Axeton and Sigyn watched the wagon roll out of sight, down the road out of Ostiphas south, towards the pie merchant’s hometown.

“Nice guys,” Sigyn mused, not even looking at the wagon. She was already a quarter of her way through the pie, which ended up being strawberry.

“They are,” Axeton added. “A lot’s happened in the past few days, but everyone is better for it. Except Dorian’s men.”

“Oh yeah, we got them good,” Sigyn said, her mouth full of crust.

Axeton stood for a moment, staring at the eight foot tall blue creature, who was standing in the middle of the road, noisily eating a pie with her hands.

“Sigyn,” he asked seriously.

“Yeah…?” she replied.

“Why did you really decide to come with me?” Axeton inquired. He was inwardly grateful, but was having a hard time accepting that anyone would be willing to help him in the long run. It was a thankless job.

“You don’t really know me, and it’s going to be extremely dangerous. Plus, you should have enough to buy your dogs and head home. That’s what you wanted, right?”

Sigyn swallowed, staring back at the paladin.

“Yeah, I did want money for puppies. But I also wanted to have fun. And I didn’t realize how fun it is to squish the bad guys. I’ve always been so much stronger than anyone else, I’ve never really been challenged before. But this guy you’re going after…he sounds really strong. I want to fight him.”

Axeton’s brows furrowed. “I don’t think you would, but if you really want to come with me, I’d appreciate the help and company.”

“Awesome!” she grinned widely, her mouth a mess of pink strawberry flesh and brown chunks of crust. “Plus, I need more money.”

“What…” Axeton began, confused. “We split the money from the job, are you saying you’re out already?”

Sigyn wiped her hand on her pant leg. “I have some of it left,” she began innocently. “Paying for a nice room for a few days, Jakob and Dimitri’s guard fees, road supplies…a few other things…and some clothes. Do you know how much new boots my size cost? It adds up.”

“I suppose it does…” Axeton thought out loud. “Wait, a ‘few other things’”?

She waved a finger at him. “Not yet, I’ll show you when we leave,” she said defiantly.

“By the way,” she continued. “When are we leaving?”

Whenever we want, I suppose,” Axeton answered. “Sooner, rather than later. We have some time before Dorian realizes his operation here has been brought down and starts getting paranoid. But, I need to buy supplies. Meet at the Drunken Ogre at noon?”

Sigyn nodded in approval. “Sounds good, that gives me enough time to gather my stuff,” she said, turning around to walk back towards her room. “See ya then!”

Axeton took in a big breath of the cool morning air. He felt at peace, although he knew that it wouldn’t last. He had help on his journey now, when at first he thought he would be all by himself.

It’s crazy, he thought. How things line up like that. If I hadn’t been hungry, I wouldn’t have gone to the pie vendor. If I hadn’t met him, I wouldn’t have met Sigyn and found out about Dorian’s plot, and discovered that Estes was dead…or that Dorian was back at Grenfield.

Yes, the quiet voice spoke back, amused. It’s almost like I have a plan, and that even though the enemy’s agents are clouded to me, I can guide you towards people who are pure of heart, and can help you.

Axeton grunted. I guess…I’ve never had so much divine intervention before, he thought outwardly.

Don’t expect it all the time, Avara warned. But don’t expect to not get it, either.