Alaric:
“Finally,” Alaric muttered under his breath.
The journey had been far longer than he had anticipated, and Katherine’s complaints about the lack of water had only made it more challenging. Alaric, too, felt the sting of thirst, but he knew he had to endure it a bit longer. It seemed that life constantly threw him into stressful situations.
They had reached a small ferry station near the docks, a hub of activity as tourists and locals alike milled about. Many stores had sprung up to cater to the tourists arriving from the other side, but Pinewick’s dense forest limited the number of travelers coming from that direction. Nonetheless, the locals still wandered the shops, eager to partake in the bustling atmosphere.
Katherine’s wide-eyed wonder at the surroundings drew Alaric’s amusement, though he managed to stifle his laughter. She seemed like a child who had just glimpsed a magnificent castle for the first time.
“Are you catching flies?”
She promptly closed her mouth, a pouting expression on her face, and resumed scanning the area.
Her boundless curiosity made sense to him now, after she had told him about her true home. And over the whole journey, mostly due to that small confession, Alaric's mindset had changed. She wasn't as bad as he had thought to be around.
A few moments later however, she forgot again and started gaping at the inhabitants of the area. “So, why do these people have such long hair? They look like ogres!” Katherine said, glancing around.
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He amended that thought. She wasn't that bad, except when asking questions.
Her comment didn’t go unnoticed, and several onlookers turned their attention toward her, prompting Katherine to wither under their gazes. Alaric stepped in, ensuring she didn’t say anything else that they could overhear.
Nevertheless, her question had merit, and Alaric took a moment to explain, “They come from the forest, so they don’t adhere to our customs. Nowadays, it seems they are migrating more frequently than before.”
Katherine seemed to ponder this as they navigated the crowd, heading toward the waiting ship. As they arrived at the ship, they realized they had been fortunate enough to catch it before it embarked on another journey. Alaric leaned in closer to Katherine, handing her a few coins discreetly.
The only reason he had them was due to the countless times he had made Robert pay back 'favors'.
“These coins are for you to buy some concessions. I’ll go secure our passage on the boat,” he instructed, concealing the exchange from prying eyes.
She nodded and went off to purchase water, while Alaric moved ahead.
Taking care to remain inconspicuous, the prince draped a long cloak over himself, a well-practiced habit whenever he wanted to remain unseen. It was a measure to avoid drawing attention. Afterwards, Alaric made sure to move briskly through the crowd, taking care not to inadvertently harm anyone with the swords strapped to his belt. Despite the crowded harbor, there was little space to maneuver. Alaric persevered, determined to reach the ticketing stations.
After acquiring the necessary tickets, he hastened back to Katherine. Once everything was settled, they finally boarded the boat that would take them to Pinewick.
The journey had a calming effect on Alaric. He took a few swigs of water, quenching his parched throat and feeling refreshed for the first time in a while. It was time to rest, at least momentarily, as they continued their quest.