I would like to say that we made it all the way back to Kaerosa quickly, and without further delay or peril. I would like to say that very much. I would love to, in fact. But if I did, then I would most definitely be lying to you, dear reader. Perhaps this crown was a magnet for evil, drawing us into the arms of waiting foes, or perhaps we just had incredibly bad luck. For only a day after we were set free from the iron cage of the Gefedre, we were confronted with a much more...prickly problem.
It was a day's ride north after our last interlude with the Gefedre and our saviors the unicorns. We had been traveling on the Lenanim Road for some time, and the sun was still fairly high in the sky, although it was slowly beginning to wane. Also beginning to wane was the perseverance of most of the members of our company. We had been riding for hours, and for me, Zoe, and Rob, our heads were still trying to stop spinning from the moment we had stepped foot onto these strange new lands, and every new adventure just kept adding onto our ever-changing concepts of reality. We were mentally as well as physically tired, and we longed for nothing more than a night indoors on a real bed.
Little did we know that our desperate longings were soon to be answered. As we rode, we noticed that suddenly the trees began to thin out, until they gave way altogether and revealed a decent-sized cluster of wooden buildings. We slowed to a halt and looked around. It appeared to be a small village out in the middle of nowhere, people milling about their business, stopping occasionally to take a quick glance at our company and whisper to one another about these strange folk that has just appeared on their doorsteps. To our right was a large wooden sign, carved in English, that read "Cebaran", which I assumed was the name of the village. Leofrick took out his map and studied it vigorously, muttering about how the village shouldn't be here.
"Well, things change. How many years before now have you spend moping around in your cottage? I'm sure by now your map has lots of inaccuracies.", I said to him. He only scowled and stuffed his map back into one of his saddlebags.
"Do you think we could pretty please stay the night, Adam? Please please please! ", Rose pleaded towards her brother. He studied the small township before him and shrugged.
"I don't see why not. These people seem friendly enough. And I am certain that a night in a real bed would do all of us some good. We'll go see if they have inn." Everyone gave a small cheer at the prospect of warm food and a comfy bed, and we all dismounted. Zoe took Hubbub out of one of her saddlebags where he had been napping and placed him on her shoulder. I untied the crown of Daelin from the horn of my saddle and carefully tucked it away in a brown leather satchel. I put the satchel over one shoulder and across my chest. I wrapped my right hand firmly around the strap, determined to keep it in check at all times. It would be too easy to forget about it for just a few minutes, only to discover later that it had cleverly been snatched while under my watch. Even though they seemed fairly docile, I didn't want to figure out the hard way what the people in this town might be capable of.
We made our way through the village. With brief directions from a passerby, we soon found ourselves at the door of the Laughing Goblin. It was a rather quaint inn, the timbers aged but solid, with a swinging sign hung over the door-frame, painted with a rather mischievous-looking creature with green skin and hoops adorning its pointed ears. The goblin was indeed laughing, his eyes pointed down below the sign, so that he appeared to be mocking the people that passed underneath him.
After our horses had been unloaded of the things we wished to take with us for the night, we handed over their reins to a few stable-boys that worked for the inn. Led by Adam, our company then filed into the cozy lobby to be greeted by a stout and rather terse woman behind a counter. She wore a simple home-spun dress and apron, and as we came in she studied each of us with suspicion in her eyes. She looked slightly surprised by our group; five well-worn teenagers, a middle-aged Mage and a stark white fluff-ball. However, she wasn't nearly interested enough to ask too many questions.
YOU ARE READING
Crown of Daelin
Fantasia"I wished that things were different. That I could make a greater impact. That I could be someone stronger, someone important. But what could I do here, in this small town, that was already civilized and happy? I wanted a challenge, and I had no clu...
