Counterpart

Chapter Five

The town was massive. Dozens of people walked up and down the streets, each with clean, expressive clothing. The smell of baking bread filled the air, only ever drowned out by perfume when women walked past. Rin imagined a place like this wouldn't be too far from the heart of the nation, but certainly not this close to his own home, Bakshir. His once priceless jacket started looking bland in comparison to all those around him.

Rin fiddled with the coins in his pocket. I was sure this could at least be a modest amount of money away from home, but now? His heart skipped a beat at the thought of pickpockets, but there have been no small amount of them in his hometown. He's well prepared in case one tries.

Worry crept in as Rin continued to study the people around. They looked scared to death, jumping at every sound and sudden move. A couple of them studied Rin up and down as they tensed up near him.

He walked another block into the town before curiosity got the best of him. He waved to a middle-aged man, only a year or so older than Magnus. He too, jumped a mile before studying Rin. "What do you want?"

"I just arrived to this town, from Bakshir." Rin glanced around. "Everyone looks terrified. Did something happen?"

The man took a deep breath before straightening his coat. "...Pirates took us by surprise."

Rin's breath caught in his lungs.

"A couple nights ago, when most were asleep. The handful of us who resisted were injured, three of us killed. But they didn't get very far before pulling back, we simply outnumbered them. I apologize-this may not be a very welcoming time for visitors."

"Th-that's alright. We were just passing through, anyways. How many pirates were there?"

"A couple dozen, perhaps." He paused to study Rin's clothing. "It doesn't appear you're far from the nation's outskirts, either. I assume you had a run in with them at some point?"

"You could say that. My ride should be ready soon. Thanks for letting me know." The man nodded as Rin continued on. He ran a hand through his hair. If only they could just leave Evendal alone.

He suddenly didn't feel as interested to explore the town. It wasn't too different from Bakshir, just bigger and...well, richer. Magnus was probably ready to leave, anyways.

It wasn't hard to find the stable he was talking about. A single dirt path branched out from the city, a barn sitting just beside it.

Magnus was inside, talking with a man who was preparing the saddles. Dust filled the air, most likely from all the hay piled up everywhere. A long row of stables were lined up against the far side of the wall, two horses standing beside the owner. The two looked over at Rin.

"This is who I'll be riding with, Rin Shannon."

The man looked me up and down before reaching out his hand. "Kleno, nice to meet you."

Rin shook it. "Nice to meet you, too."

"We're ready whenever you are. Kleno was quick." Magnus grinned. "I take it you never rode a horse before?" Rin shook his head. "This'll be a fun experience for you then. Let's see you try to ride outside."

The horse was as tall as Rin. Her coat was a dark brown, which contrasted well with her white mane and tail. It snorted as Rin inched towards her. He hesitantly ran a hand across her coat, tensing as he studied her reaction.

"She won't kill ya." Kleno walked up to stroke her mane. "Try getting on!"

Rin paused. "Try putting your foot into the stirrup first, then swing yourself over." Magnus did exactly that in a flash. "It's not hard once you get the hang of it."