I woke up and for a few precious moments, I was the most comfortable person in the world.

Then my thoughts caught up with me and a sat up quickly, my feet touching down onto the cold wooden floorboards as I sat on the edge of the bed.

The memories of the remainder of my interrogation with Captain Holt rose up.

He had asked me questions, obviously.

More specifically about what I had done to cause such damage to that tree and how I had defeated the direwolf.

He asked about my 'teacher' who had died but I had only vague answers to give him.

I told him nothing of the grimoire, the mountain or the vast wealth contained within.

He had understandably, started to get more and more frustrated at my lack of answers about magic, my past and the other things I wouldn't tell him.

I had eventually found words coming out of my mouth that I had never spoken before.

Technical terms of magic, my panicked evocation and using it with my will.

Using the experiences of the last few days of hunting and the reflex it had kicked in against the direwolf.

My stone knife being sent flying into the beasts eye by pure luck after my hunts with small stones.

Words pulled out from the vortex of memories that I spoke but didn't understand even as they left my lips.

The turning point had come from explaining the tree.

I had tried to explain as best as I could about the powerful gust, blasting the direwolf through the tree.

The only thing that had seemed to get through to Holt had been the power of the magic wrought and the damage it could do.

I vividly recalled Captain Holt looking around at the walls of the room, back to me and his eyes widening slightly.

He seemed to silently acknowledged that if I had needed to I could probably have left this room, this building and probably the town itself by force.

I didn't disabuse him of the idea, he had no idea that my mastery of magic seemed to rely on the whim of the vortex within my head.

He built or assumed I guess, his own version of my history.

His guesses would have been reasonable, if it weren't for the utterly bizarre events of my recent life.

In his mind he thought I was an apprentice, learning magic from my master.

The 'teacher' I had referred to.

A master who had died or perhaps had been killed by those who were after me.

In the end Holt had admitted that he didn't have any real charges against me.

There were no reports of a boy on the run, no reported thefts of silver ingots and knowing I had come from the other side of the Coldwater Ridge, he had no reports of any deaths or any other crimes.

He tried to convince me to tell him about my pursuers but I refused, much to his frustration.

He, no matter how frustrated, had no legal right to my personal business, not without proof of a crime actually having been committed.

My ingots were slid back over to me and the captain seemed to take some time in pulling himself together, letting his annoyance at me wash away.

He had told me that he would help me if he could, I just needed to open up to him.

He told me that I was welcome to stay in Moreland's Rest so long as I caused no trouble.

That if I stayed here he would do his best to look out for me, as he did with any person who lived here.

I had been oddly touched by this.

His blue eyes were honest and he meant what he said.

I knew it was just his job and I knew he had been extremely annoyed with my lack of willingness to give him information about those I ran from.

Even with all that, I believed him when he said he would look out for me.

It was a very unfamiliar concept to me, especially since my parents had died.

I think he had been able to see that I believed him but I knew that he definitely noticed my mild embarrassment at his unintentionally touching words.

I think it had surprised us both.

He had gruffly directed me out of the small interrogation room and out into the rest of the building.

He'd told me that if I wanted to get some coin in exchange for my silver ingots today, then I had better hurry.

The sun had set and while most of the shops and traders would have left or closed up for the day, he know of a place that might open if I hurried.

And so I had gone out into the town at a jog and with directions, feeling Captain Holt's gaze on my back the entire time.

I'd managed to get both of my silver ingots changed into coins, then gotten a room at an inn.

A night in a comfortable bed.

The bed I now sat on.

I had two plump pouches of coin, they were sat on the small table besides the bed along with the gold ingot.

One of them was slightly smaller than the other.

It contained gold and silver coins, the larger of the pouches contained silver and copper coins.

The stout man who had weighed in my silver ingots had been short with me when I had first entered his building.

He traded in metals, mostly the copper from brought in from Diggin and was going about closing things up for the night.

When I had told him that Captain Holt had given me directions to this place specifically he had eased up somewhat and not even complained too much when I had asked for a mixture of coins.

Captain Holt's name seemed to carry a respectable amount of weight with the trader.

Today I would buy the things I needed.

First though, the coin I had spent on this room had also included a breakfast.

I could already smell the cooking food coming from the floors below.

I hadn't even undressed to sleep so I pulled on my boots, grabbed my pouches and once more checked the remaining gold ingot in my pocket before heading down.

In the common room of the inn the aged innkeeper stood behind the bar, there were only two other the tables occupied.

One by a small man who seemed engrossed in the papers he was reading, his food apparently ignored.

The second table had a group of four around it, three women and a man.

The women were richly dressed in appropriate clothing for travel and they chatted animatedly with each other, the man who had the look of a personal guard, simply ate and looked bored.

The innkeeper whose name was Jared gave a small smile to me as he spotted me.

“Breakfast is it, young master?” Jared asked me as I approached the bar.

“Please, sir.” I confirmed politely.

“Still just as polite in the morning I see.” Jared noted, amused. “Well I'll get you the same as the others if you go grab yourself a table.”

“Thank you.” I said and moved over to a table further away from the others in the room.

I sat waiting for my breakfast trying not to attract any attention from anyone else and thankfully nothing of note happened.

Jared eventually came out of the back carrying a small tray and brought it over to me.

As he set it down he asked me if I had decided to stay another night.

I had asked for a room for one night when I had come to the inn the night before, I had told him that I wasn't sure if I would be staying any longer.

With this, I took the hint and paid for another night.

I didn't know if I would stay another night in the inn but I thought it might be likely, besides I did need a place to bring all the things I would buy, at least until I could figure out how to get them back to the mountain.

I ate my breakfast which was made up of several pieces of bacon, sausages that had a spice to them that I had never tasted before, toasted bread and a small serving of black tea.

It was delicious, I thought the idea of staying another night or two would be worth it just to eat this breakfast again.

I had things to do though so after thanking Jared for the food, who promptly blamed his wife for it's creation, I headed out into Moreland's Rest for the first time in the full light of day.

I looked around for a moment, the streets were just as busy as they had been yesterday at sunset.

I wondered if the town was always this busy or if this was normal for a town in general.

I had never really gotten out much before, not in Clearwater and definitely not unattended in Clearwater's streets in recent years, so I had nothing really to compare it to.

I squared my shoulders and headed down the street becoming apart of the moving sea of people.

My first stop was easy to find, even at the early hour the sound of a blacksmith at work is easy to find.

I ended up in what was most certainly the more mercantile and trade related part of the town.

I had a decision to make as there were apparently two blacksmiths, one of each side of this stree, both with their own shops attached to their workshops.

Unable to tell the difference in which would be the better choice, or even if there was a better choice, I shrugged to myself and headed to the closest one on the side of the street where I stood.

As I pushed through the wooden door to enter the shop the small bell above it tinkled lightly.

Around me were all sorts of things.

All manner of small tools, larger tools, weapons, some pieces of armour.

There were pots and pans and odd things that I thought might have been replacement parts to other, larger things I didn't know.

It was then I realised that I didn't have anything to carry the things I wanted to buy in.

At the same time a large man came through a doorway and raised an eyebrow at me, he looked me up and down and sneered at me with a look of disgust on his face.

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I immediately turned around left the shop, my face feeling a little hotter than usual.

I moved on quickly down the street, cursing myself and the man softly under my breath.

I found three shops close to each other that sold clothing and other things.

One of the three shops looked closer to what I was looking for.

The other two had fine looking clothes displayed in their windows, while the one I headed towards had more common looking things as well as travel equipment in its window.

Entering the shop to the sound of another bell I looked around, there were three other people in the shop already.

One looking at something on a shelf and there was another talking to the third man who stood behind a counter.

I walked further in and started to look around at all the things I could see, everything I found looked like something I would need.

A few minutes later, lost in my own thoughts, a voice interrupted me.

“Help you with anything?” The voice said and I turned to find the man who had been behind the counter.

“I uh, well.” I started unsure how to begin. “I need a lot...” I started to explain.

“A lot?” The man asked me, slightly amused.

Nodding I spoke on realising how stupid I sounded.

“I lot.” I agreed. “I need everything really, travel clothes, some tools, something to carry everything in. Oh! I need a proper knife too, with a sheath. I need pots and-”

The man raised his hands cutting me off.

“Alright, alright, lad.” He said. “I'm Greyson and this is my shop.” He told me. “I think I probably have everything you need, so long as you have the coin to pay for it.” He added the last looking at me with a little doubt but he was clearly trying to be polite about it.

I didn't get a sneer on sight from him at least.

“It'd be easier if you told me what you're planning for and what you already have.” Greyson said.

“I've got the coin.” I assured him quickly and pulled out the larger pouch of silver and copper from my pocket to prove it.

I expected him to look at it greedily but he just nodded in acknowledgement of it.

“I don't really have anything else.” I explained to him. “And I think I need everything I can get, if I can carry it all that is.” I added.

Taking in a deep breath, Greyson looked at me then nodded once.

*****************

I may have gone a little overboard.

Or maybe Greyson had been a little more encouraging than he should have been.

More than likely it was a combination of the two.

I was back at my room in the inn looking at the mess of things I had bought.

I had three very large travel packs filled and a fourth empty pack.

Inside the three filled packs I had the following:

My old clothing and boots, my old stone knife, a spare new knife, several small travel pots and pans that stacked tightly together to take up less room; a couple of cups, knives, forks and spoons.

There were also five small metal lamps, some candles and flint and a fire rod.

One of the packs was filled with two sets of new clothing, socks, underclothes and a ridiculously large piece of fabric that was closely related to a robe in design.

I was sure I could wear it in a blizzard and feel nothing but a slight breeze.

That wasn't even everything I had bought.

I was wearing a completely new set of clothes for travelling, they were so sturdy they could pass for light armour on a good day, well not quite but the fabric could take some rough handling without coming apart.

I had a small knife, sheathed and hanging from my new belt.

All the colours of my new travel clothes were dark and mostly in deep greys.

The black leather belt and the sheath though matched my new black boots.

Each of the three stuffed packs had a bedroll attached to the bottom of them and any of the 'spare' room in them had been cram-packed with soaps, a few oils and similar small things.

I had left Gresyon's shop and gone back a couple of times, just to be able to carry the packs back to my room at the inn.

When I had gotten it all back here I had enquired of the innkeeper Jared about the possibility of a bath and after a small exchange of coin I had gotten my wish.

A large young man and a slightly smaller and younger man had eyed the bulging packs as they had brought in the huge copper tub.

They had politely not said anything though, for which I had been thankful.

When they had finally brought up enough boiling water to fill it, I had cleaned myself thoroughly with my newly acquired soaps.

My hair cleansed with oils and I was finally not stinking any more.

Once the tub had been emptied and removed from my room, it was mid-afternoon and I still had things left to buy.

Almost tripping over the small casks of oil that were for the lamps, that sat on the floor, I made my way back out of my room with my remaining empty pack, feeling more like an actual human now.

Jared, the innkeeper gave me a slightly odd look as he saw me cross the common room once more but I just waved slightly on my way out the door.

Having asked Greyson about it, I knew that my next stop was only about a ten minute walk from the inn, if I didn't get lost that is.

I found my way to a small shop that attached to a larger building that seemed to have no entrance other than the shop.

Inside was a riot of scents.

I caught hints of a hundred different smells that I knew and a hundred more that I didn't, even worse was that the vortex seemed to recognise many that I didn't and my head swam briefly.

“It takes some getting used to.” The kindly voice of an old woman informed me.

I assumed she meant the scents and not an ancient vortex of knowledge trying to pull my mind apart.

Opening my eyes I smiled weakly.

“Sorry, it's not that bad.” I lied. “I've just got a bit of a headache.”

“Sorry to hear that.” She told me, clearly amused at my lie.

“Are you Ms Chapel?” I asked her, the name given to me by Greyson.

The old woman laughed merrily.

“I used to be when I was younger.” She told me with a smile and I couldn't help but return it.

“Mr Greyson said that you might be able to help me with some things I need?” I half told, half asked her.

“He did, did he?” Ms Chapel asked rhetorically but I nodded anyway. “Well, I might. Depends on what you're after, young man.” She said gesturing around her shop and to the hundreds of plants, herbs, pouches and boxes there.

“I need seeds.” I told her. “I need seeds for food, but I need ones that are easy to grow, I've never tried to grow anything before but I'm going to be away for a while so can't just rely on hunting meat.” I explained.

“I see.” She said and I kept my mouth shut because her tone was clearly one of deep thinking. “What sort of climate will you be away at?” She asked casually her eyes still gazing inwards.

“Well.” I said a bit stupidly. “I guess it's going to be like the forest here, probably a bit windier and colder... There is soil and I can get water...” I trailed off helplessly, I had no idea what I needed specifically just that I knew I needed some kind of food I could grow.

Her lips were pursed and she tapped her chin with a bony looking finger a few times before her eyes seemed to focus again.

She pointed to a small stool next to a wall, it was between two large rows of shelves.

“Sit there.” She commanded in a tone that brooked no argument. “I'm not as young as I used to be so you'll just have to be patient. I'll go see what I can find.”

My “Yes, Miss.” was lost on her as she had already wandered off through a curtained doorway. With nothing to do but wait, I went and sat on the small stool against the wall.

****************

When I got back to my room at the inn once more, I was sweating.

The previously empty pack made a loud thump as it hit the floor next to the others, it didn't look nearly as full as the other packs and I supposed it wasn't.

It still had room inside it but it had been, by far the heaviest out of all of them.

I had gotten my seeds alright.

I had gotten plenty of seeds, thought I might be able to feed a damn small village with the number of seeds I had, though I probably just felt that way after the carrying the thing back here.

Along with various kinds of seeds for both vegetables and fruits, I had a lot of dried spices and herbs.

I had been drafted by Ms Chapel and led through the curtained doorway into the larger part of the building.

I had been sentenced to hard labour, climbing up ladders to retrieve dusty boxes and bags at her direction.

I was told where to carry them and several times had to put them back once she found the contents were apparently not what she had thought.

The last several things in the pack had made me realise that even more things to buy.

Books.

Ms Chapel had asked me if I could read, to which I had replied that I could.

She had been pleased by this and pointed out that she had several books I could purchase to take with me so that I could learn how to grow all of my seeds.

I hadn't been able to refute her logic but I still had no idea how I would get everything back to the mountain.

There were a lot of things I would need to learn when I got back there though, and books were my answer.

By now with all that I had bought, I knew that a few more things weren't going to make much difference in transporting everything back to the mountain.

That was only if I could find a way to do it in the first place and so I had decided that I would buy books to take with me.

I wouldn't do it today though, I had had enough.

I had had more than enough, my plans for the evening were to go back down to the common room to eat whatever it was that Jared's wife was cooking, then I would come back to my room to sleep.

On tired legs I followed my nose and headed downstairs.