Kane had tried to push down the dread from last night's conversation with the undead mage, which had been surprisingly easy as he watched Ria ask the server behind the bar for a bucket of apples. The man raised his eyebrows as he leaned over to counter to properly see her. He looked over to Kane, tilting his head down towards Ria.
The captain sighed, digging his hand into his pocket and pulling out three gold coins, which got him a quick broad grin on the man's face before agreeing to his daughter's request. Ria's tail started wagging immediately after the man said yes. Her face lit up with excitement. Kane chuckled, smiling down at his daughter when she tilted her head back to look at him.
The man came back with a metal bucket full of recently washed red apples. He walked around the bar table to give Ria the bucket as she ran over to him. He handed the bucket over to her while smiling kindly. As she walked away towards the exit, Kane walked up to him to hand over the coins.
"Thank you, sir!" The man said as he walked back behind the counter and headed towards a sleeping Nostra at the other side of the tavern.
Kane turned around and jogged over to the exit. He pushed open the door letting the door swing back behind him. He found his daughter next to Ciara, who was leaning against the railing of the balcony while eating an apple that she presumably took from the bucket.
"Those are for the horses you know," Kane smiled as Ria quickly ran over to him. She jumped and landed right in front of him with a giant smile on her face that just melted his heart.
He bent down, placed a kiss on her forehead and pulled her into a hug. He heard the bucket clack against the wood as Ria set it down to hug him back.
"Ew, mushy daddy-daughter love," Ciara looked away to hide her fond smile, "Get a move on. Ain't you going to feed the horses or something?" she bit into the apple, still trying to hide her tiny smile.
"Hey!" Ria shouted, looking over to glare at the assassin.
"She is right, let's go give the horses their apples shall we?" Kane said, letting go of the little hound and standing back up.
Ria grabbed the handle of the bucket, pulling the handle up with both of her hands. She walked forward, quickly grunting as she did. Both Kane and Ciara chuckled as they watched Ria hopped down the stairs. The two Netherbane members exchanged a nod then Kane walked away. He hopped over the small staircase and walked over to Ria.
"Do you think Goldie will like them?" Ria asked as they walked to the public stables.
"He should like them," Kane said, pulling his cleaver off its holster on his back. He held his cleaver in his left hand while his right hand was laying on Ria's back as they walked past multiple different guards and builders.
He looked around, finding Rain sitting on a bench, staring at the ground. Stella was sitting beside him, talking to him, until she noticed Ria and Kane walking by. She nudged Rain, getting his attention off the ground. Rain snapped out of his trance, glanced up at her before turning his head to the two. He shyly raised his hand while Stella wildly waved to them as well, which Kane waved back taking his hand off Ria's back.
Ria looked over to them and gave them a giant smile. But she continued to walk forward with a determined look on her face. Kane chuckled and picked up the pace to keep up with his little pup.
Her smile widened when she saw the large barn in the distance, her tail swaying slowly. Kane grabbed the handle of one of the doors and pulled it open for Ria. He looked around when she walked into the stables, noticing that the place was rather vacant. He stood there for a few moments looking around trying to find any guards or workers.
