"Come on, Holo. We don't have all day." Lawrence sighed, standing at the door of the inn they had spent the night in. Holo merely groaned in response.
"I guess I'll just eat this apple myself then." If anything was going to get her up and moving, this was it. Sure enough, Holo was up and there at the mention of apples. Her face quickly contorted into a scowl, however.
"You beast, luring me in with my desires."
"Aye, but you are no less a beast yourself, Wise Wolf." Lawrence responded with a smirk, only making the woman in front of him angrier.
"Foolish mule! I do not wish to be taunted so!" Holo growled back, showing her fangs. Cole poked his head out from behind Holo, holding her tail.
"Miss Holo, is something wrong?"
"No, little one..."
"Yeah." Lawrence agreed, scratching the side of his head. He and Holo had decided that, while sticking to their travels, they should be more like a family, and as such tried not to argue in front of Cole. Besides, like this, Holo would pass as Lawrence's wife much easier, which is a good thing, right? Well, it probably is. Regardless, Lawrence scratched the side of his head and went outside to hook up his cart to his horse. He was glad that it hadn't been killed or stolen in Lenos... Unlike his coat. Thathad been stolen. So he was shivering as he prepared the cart.
"Alright you two, we're ready to go."
Holo ran out, jumping up into the front of the cart. Cole soon followed, sitting on her lap. Lawrence climbed up into the cart and flicked the reins to get the horse moving. Before much longer they were being rained on. They were on their way to Bronwell, a city bustling in cloth trade at the time. As a traveling merchant there wasn't much Lawrence could do but hope that the trade hadn't died down by the time he got there. But if it had, well, there were other places he could go. He was calculating the profit he'd make when his thoughts were interrupted by Holo leaning against him
"Holo..."
"Yes?"
"Why are you-"
"I am tired, and Cole is heavier than he may look." Holo interrupted once more. Lawrence just rolls his eyes and sets a hand between her ears. They twitch lightly in response, but calm as Holo closes her eyes. Lawrence smiles and gazes upon the road ahead.
. . .
It was a good day's travel before they reached Rhiannone, a small city on the edge of the Santare Lake. The fish trade there is great for buyers, meaning Lawrence can get very high-quality good that will last them to Bronwell for only a few Trenni silver coins, if it's fish-based.
"Lawrence, what is that smell?" Holo mumbled, just waking up. Cole had crawled into the back when Holo had fallen asleep, and would now poke his head out and look around, smelling the air.
"It smells like fish."
"That's because it is, Cole."
"Eugh, fish." Holo expressed her distaste.
"Are we in Gerube?"
"They aren't that bad, Holo. And no, Cole. We're in Rhiannone, next to Santare Lake. Fish is a big trade here." Lawrence then stopped in front of an inn.
"Holo, go ahead and take Cole around. I've got some people to talk to."
"Very well." Holo nodded and took Cole by the arm, leading him away. Lawrence sighed. Classic Holo...
Lawrence made his way to the local branch of his trading guild, the Rowen Trading Guild. There he was greeted by the head of the guild branch, Shaynon. Shaynon was an old friend of his, though Shaynon had left Gerube to build the branch in Rhiannone. They sat and chatted for a good three hours or so before Holo and Cole barged in and requested that Lawrence come out and see something.
"Can't we have a normal trip to a town for once..."
They all rushed to the lakeside, where someone was holding a large lizard scale... They were claiming that they had seen a giant serpent-like dragon in the lake, which drew a loud sound from the crowd, mostly of hand meeting forehead. A few drew closer however, thinking it true. Lawrence was one of them, as he was already traveling with a goddess, so what harm would there be in believing tales of a serpent? He stepped closer still to get a closer look at the scale when the man grabbed Lawrence and tossed him into the lake. The last thing Lawrence heard before his head went under was a collective gasp from the group, and Holo calling out his name.
