Mirana awoke to the smell of food. Rubbing sleep out of her eyes, she
noticed that it wasn't even past midday. Sitting up, she stretched and
crawled out of her bedroll. Don was sitting with his back to her and had a
tiny fire going.
When she sat down next to him he said "Good morning, early bird, breakfast is almost ready." Serious again he added "We should avoid making a fire, but after such a long night and so little sleep a warm meal works wonders." He handed her a bowel with gooey porridge. Nodding her thanks, she ate.
Afterwards, she helped back everything together. Shouldering her basket and backpack she asked "How far is the ocean form here? How long will it take?" Don shrugged "On foot, at the speed we're goin', a week, give or take a few days. On horseback, four days maybe five if ya're takin' it easy." Mirana gaped at him "So long? You know I am weak. I won't be able to walk the whole way as fast as we did last night." "I'm aware of that, Mirana, I've got enough money, next town we're getting two horses." Don headed back to the road. Mirana followed "But the costs. Isn't it cheaper just to walk?" Don shook his head "No, anyway, when we reach our destination I'll sell them again and get the money back. Now come on, the next town is about an hours walk form here. There we'll have a rest."
It took them less than an hour. Just before they entered the town Don stopped Mirana. "It will be easier if ya pretend to be a boy, my brother. Round here, lots of men grow their hair long and the loss tunic will hide yar chest." He blushed and avoided looking at the girl. She pretended as if nothing was wrong. "Fine," she said, "but my voice is too high for a boy. How about I'm a mute?"
Mirana waited at the market square while Don obtained two horses. When finally he returned, he was mounted on a dark brown, almost black, gelding with white socks. The mare he was leading was smaller and seemed quieter. She was a light bay with no special markings except for one small white sock. The baskets were emptied and their contents filled into saddlebags. On the way out of the town, Don bought two hot corn breads at a stand and they were on their way again.
The last time Mirana had set on a horse she had ridden side saddle like a proper young woman. This however was a normal saddle. It took some time to get used to it, but soon she noticed that it was easier to keep her balance. Don seemed to have been born on a horse. He had no problem controlling the grumpy gelding, who he named Joe for no particular reason. The mare was peaceful, she had already come with a name, but it didn't suit her: Lady. Don proposed to changed it and Mirana second that. So instead of Lady the mare was called Rassy after the town were they had purchased her, which was called Rastirm.
The rest of the day went by with out any surprises. They found a nice spot under some birch trees where they set up camp. A patch of lush grass was a perfect site for the horses. The dinner was eaten quickly. Both, Don and Mirana, were drained of energy . But when they were lying in their bed rolls, sleep wouldn't come.
When Don turned over for the fifth time, Mirana asked him "What are you going to do when you have brought me to the ocean?" Rolling onto her stomach, Mirana watched Don. "I'm going to stay with ya. What else?" Don didn't sound sleepy but he yawned. "What about your family?" Mirana never had a family, she didn't no anything about a family relationships and she was curious. "I'll see them soon enough." was the curt reply. "What when, well, I die?" Mirana couldn't help asking. Don sighed "Let's not think about it. Hopefully we'll find some one to help ya." Mirana shock her head "Don, forget it. I have had this condition for longer than I can remember. Magic is needed to cure me and I don't really believe in magicians and their tricks! I am going to die!" Don pulled the blanket over his face. Through the material came the muffled comeback "The ocean is magic. Ya'll see, there's still hope left. Now sleep!" "Is there something you know that I don't?" Mirana asked suspiciously, but Don was asleep.
The next few days passed uneventful. Mirana was sore after the amount of riding, but Don watched and taught her and soon she was able to walk, trot and canter with out any problems. Don was secretly impressed, not everyone was able to trust a horse nor did everyone have the balance to ride securely like Mirana did after such a short period.
One afternoon dark clouds appeared and before long it was pouring. Mirana was grumpy, her hair was a wet clump of hair, water dripped down her nose and she was cold. Don too didn't look all too happy. To think of something else, Mirana asked "How much longer till we reach or destination?" Joe, Don gelding, shook himself. Don grabbed the mane to hang on to while calling to Mirana "Tomorrow afternoon we should arrive at the sea-side. Than give us another half day to find a quiet and sheltered bay." Looking up at the sky he added "This weather is going to make me crazy. There's a town coming up soon. We'll find a nice inn and have a dry break!" Mirana liked the sound of that. She gave Rassy a gentle nudge and trotted off, Don next to her.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as Don and Mirana cantered into the town. The streets were deserted, you could hardly see a horse length in front because it was raining so heavily. Mirana shivered and kept a look-out for an inn. Behind windows light could be seen, it was late and darkness had come early with the bad weather.
The Inn to the Purring Cat was the only inn that still had room. The horses had been tied up in the barn behind the guest house and Don and Mirana took of their cloaks and sat down at one of the numerous tables in the dining room. Don ordered while Mirana glanced around. The table next to them was occupied with a large group of laughing males. A few of them had women on their laps and they were drinking ale. On the other side sat a lone traveller who hadn't taken off his cloak. It was noisy in the room, the smell of ale drifted across the heads from the bar and smoke hung in the air; a fire was going on the opposite side of the room and quite a few quests were smoking.
Don and Mirana exchanged a few words, Mirana making sure to speak quietly so no one would recognise her as a girl. The woman who brought their meal was very talkative. She asked where they were going, why and where their parents were. Even though she was busy, she wouldn't leave till Don had given her answers. Mirana noticed that he lied without blushing. Making a mental note not to be too gullible around him, she ate quickly.
The woman kept on returning to see if everything was alright with them. She seemed to like Don a lot, winking at him and, as Mirana later noticed, flirted without any shame with him. She introduced herself as May and it turned out that she wasn't even a woman yet; a year older than Mirana. After the meal, she gave them both a beaker of ale. Mirana tried hers and got a coughing fit. This brought Don to his senses. He paid and they went to collect their horses.
They didn't make it across the courtyard. It rained even heavier than before. They went back into the dining room and asked if there were any rooms free. They were told that there was one free room with two bed in it. Don looked at Mirana who blushed, but managed to hide it. Don told them that they would take it and they were shown up the stairs.
The room was small and the tiny window had to be kept close because of the rain. Mirana thought she would suffocate as she sat on her bed and was tacking of her boots. Don was washing his face in the small water basin as he said over his shoulder "Sorry about the room, hope ya don't mind sharing with me!" Mirana shrugged "It's not so much different to camping out. Here we have the privacy of walls." She grinned slyly "As long as May stays out it will be fine!" Don blushed deeply and muttered "I didn't have a choice, did I now?" Mirana grinning nodded. Don groaned "It's good to have friends, always so understanding." Mirana laughing crawled under the doona and whispered to herself "It sure is!"
When she sat down next to him he said "Good morning, early bird, breakfast is almost ready." Serious again he added "We should avoid making a fire, but after such a long night and so little sleep a warm meal works wonders." He handed her a bowel with gooey porridge. Nodding her thanks, she ate.
Afterwards, she helped back everything together. Shouldering her basket and backpack she asked "How far is the ocean form here? How long will it take?" Don shrugged "On foot, at the speed we're goin', a week, give or take a few days. On horseback, four days maybe five if ya're takin' it easy." Mirana gaped at him "So long? You know I am weak. I won't be able to walk the whole way as fast as we did last night." "I'm aware of that, Mirana, I've got enough money, next town we're getting two horses." Don headed back to the road. Mirana followed "But the costs. Isn't it cheaper just to walk?" Don shook his head "No, anyway, when we reach our destination I'll sell them again and get the money back. Now come on, the next town is about an hours walk form here. There we'll have a rest."
It took them less than an hour. Just before they entered the town Don stopped Mirana. "It will be easier if ya pretend to be a boy, my brother. Round here, lots of men grow their hair long and the loss tunic will hide yar chest." He blushed and avoided looking at the girl. She pretended as if nothing was wrong. "Fine," she said, "but my voice is too high for a boy. How about I'm a mute?"
Mirana waited at the market square while Don obtained two horses. When finally he returned, he was mounted on a dark brown, almost black, gelding with white socks. The mare he was leading was smaller and seemed quieter. She was a light bay with no special markings except for one small white sock. The baskets were emptied and their contents filled into saddlebags. On the way out of the town, Don bought two hot corn breads at a stand and they were on their way again.
The last time Mirana had set on a horse she had ridden side saddle like a proper young woman. This however was a normal saddle. It took some time to get used to it, but soon she noticed that it was easier to keep her balance. Don seemed to have been born on a horse. He had no problem controlling the grumpy gelding, who he named Joe for no particular reason. The mare was peaceful, she had already come with a name, but it didn't suit her: Lady. Don proposed to changed it and Mirana second that. So instead of Lady the mare was called Rassy after the town were they had purchased her, which was called Rastirm.
The rest of the day went by with out any surprises. They found a nice spot under some birch trees where they set up camp. A patch of lush grass was a perfect site for the horses. The dinner was eaten quickly. Both, Don and Mirana, were drained of energy . But when they were lying in their bed rolls, sleep wouldn't come.
When Don turned over for the fifth time, Mirana asked him "What are you going to do when you have brought me to the ocean?" Rolling onto her stomach, Mirana watched Don. "I'm going to stay with ya. What else?" Don didn't sound sleepy but he yawned. "What about your family?" Mirana never had a family, she didn't no anything about a family relationships and she was curious. "I'll see them soon enough." was the curt reply. "What when, well, I die?" Mirana couldn't help asking. Don sighed "Let's not think about it. Hopefully we'll find some one to help ya." Mirana shock her head "Don, forget it. I have had this condition for longer than I can remember. Magic is needed to cure me and I don't really believe in magicians and their tricks! I am going to die!" Don pulled the blanket over his face. Through the material came the muffled comeback "The ocean is magic. Ya'll see, there's still hope left. Now sleep!" "Is there something you know that I don't?" Mirana asked suspiciously, but Don was asleep.
The next few days passed uneventful. Mirana was sore after the amount of riding, but Don watched and taught her and soon she was able to walk, trot and canter with out any problems. Don was secretly impressed, not everyone was able to trust a horse nor did everyone have the balance to ride securely like Mirana did after such a short period.
One afternoon dark clouds appeared and before long it was pouring. Mirana was grumpy, her hair was a wet clump of hair, water dripped down her nose and she was cold. Don too didn't look all too happy. To think of something else, Mirana asked "How much longer till we reach or destination?" Joe, Don gelding, shook himself. Don grabbed the mane to hang on to while calling to Mirana "Tomorrow afternoon we should arrive at the sea-side. Than give us another half day to find a quiet and sheltered bay." Looking up at the sky he added "This weather is going to make me crazy. There's a town coming up soon. We'll find a nice inn and have a dry break!" Mirana liked the sound of that. She gave Rassy a gentle nudge and trotted off, Don next to her.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as Don and Mirana cantered into the town. The streets were deserted, you could hardly see a horse length in front because it was raining so heavily. Mirana shivered and kept a look-out for an inn. Behind windows light could be seen, it was late and darkness had come early with the bad weather.
The Inn to the Purring Cat was the only inn that still had room. The horses had been tied up in the barn behind the guest house and Don and Mirana took of their cloaks and sat down at one of the numerous tables in the dining room. Don ordered while Mirana glanced around. The table next to them was occupied with a large group of laughing males. A few of them had women on their laps and they were drinking ale. On the other side sat a lone traveller who hadn't taken off his cloak. It was noisy in the room, the smell of ale drifted across the heads from the bar and smoke hung in the air; a fire was going on the opposite side of the room and quite a few quests were smoking.
Don and Mirana exchanged a few words, Mirana making sure to speak quietly so no one would recognise her as a girl. The woman who brought their meal was very talkative. She asked where they were going, why and where their parents were. Even though she was busy, she wouldn't leave till Don had given her answers. Mirana noticed that he lied without blushing. Making a mental note not to be too gullible around him, she ate quickly.
The woman kept on returning to see if everything was alright with them. She seemed to like Don a lot, winking at him and, as Mirana later noticed, flirted without any shame with him. She introduced herself as May and it turned out that she wasn't even a woman yet; a year older than Mirana. After the meal, she gave them both a beaker of ale. Mirana tried hers and got a coughing fit. This brought Don to his senses. He paid and they went to collect their horses.
They didn't make it across the courtyard. It rained even heavier than before. They went back into the dining room and asked if there were any rooms free. They were told that there was one free room with two bed in it. Don looked at Mirana who blushed, but managed to hide it. Don told them that they would take it and they were shown up the stairs.
The room was small and the tiny window had to be kept close because of the rain. Mirana thought she would suffocate as she sat on her bed and was tacking of her boots. Don was washing his face in the small water basin as he said over his shoulder "Sorry about the room, hope ya don't mind sharing with me!" Mirana shrugged "It's not so much different to camping out. Here we have the privacy of walls." She grinned slyly "As long as May stays out it will be fine!" Don blushed deeply and muttered "I didn't have a choice, did I now?" Mirana grinning nodded. Don groaned "It's good to have friends, always so understanding." Mirana laughing crawled under the doona and whispered to herself "It sure is!"