Chapter One:
A week later, Laguna set out on his journey. After saying goodbye to his parents, he headed away to the town to buy supplies before hitting the road.
The first day, he looked around the road with wide-eyed wonder. Everything about traveling was new to him, and he was like a child in his bright-eyed enthusiasm and eagerness. He camped by the side of the road, eating and then practicing his skills, all the while wondering where the road would take him. Then he slept, eager to start his next day.
The second day was much like the first, but on the third day his enthusiasm began to wane. The road lost its "golden glimmer" and the lack of companions was acute in the silence. By the fourth, he was much more somber, and on the fifth day he was just plain bored, and very eager to reach the next town.
That evening, he got his wish. He and Furret topped a hill and saw below them a little village, nestled next to the forest. Picking up his horse's pace, he trotted into the village.
It had a main street lined with little shops, and an inn/tavern between the shops, roughly halfway down the street. People eyed him in surprise as he moved down the street. Laguna got the feeling that strangers here were rare—very rare, judging by some of the ogling that was going on.
Upon reaching the innyard, he was greeted by a robust, older man—the innkeeper. "Greetings, Sir Knight. May I be of assistance?"
Laguna did his very best to sound like a paladin should. "Yes, good innkeeper. I require a room and a stable with feed for my horse. Do you have room?"
The innkeeper smiled broadly. "Yes, Sir Knight. We have room. May I add that dinner for you comes with the room?"
"Very good," Laguna smiled. "How much will I owe you?"
"Well, Sir Knight, normally the price for all that is 20gp, but for you, I will charge only 10gp."
Laguna was startled. He objected. "Sir, I shall insist that you charge me the full 20gp. I cannot let you charge less for me because I am a paladin. It wouldn't be right."
The man smiled again—he seemed to do that a lot. "Truth be told, paladin, I would not be losing any money. Having extraordinary strangers in my inn drags in all the locals. Just by staying here you help my profits. But if you insist, I will charge you the full 20gp."
The innkeeper clapped his hands as Laguna got off his horse. A small, quick boy in his early teens appeared to take Furret. The paladin dug into his pockets and handed the boy a coin. "Could you bring my bags to my room too?" he asked.
The boy nodded before disappearing around the wall with Furret. The innkeeper led the paladin into the common room and saw him seated at a table. "What would you like to eat? We have a lovely roast, a tasty venison stew, fresh bread, and cheese."
Laguna thought for a moment, then replied, "The stew sounds good, along with the bread, cheese, and a large glass of water."
"Certainly. I'll be back in a few minutes." The innkeeper bustled off into the kitchen.
Laguna took the time to study his surroundings. The common room was a large, low beamed room, with five or six average sized tables scattered about. A fire blazed cheerily in a large hearth, and the counter area held various stools and mugs. A table near the door had five men seated at it, three farmers drinking and talking about the day with the village blacksmith and tanner. A single barmaid refilled their mugs before returning to the counter. Except for that, the room was empty. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
As Laguna sat pondering, the door opened and a stranger walked in. She was tall, well over five and a half feet, with reddish brown hair out of her face with a leather thong. She had on a forest green tunic, dark brown breeches, leather boots, and a nice—although somewhat odd looking—leather cloak. Her ears and face carried the slightly fine features of one who was half-elven, and like most of those with elven blood, she was relatively good-looking.
At her side was a large canine that, at first glance, appeared to be a large dog. Laguna looked closer and realized it was, in truth, a wolf. He blinked in surprise.
The woman and the wolf walked to another empty table and sat down. When the barmaid walked by, the woman tugged on her sleeve and ordered dinner. The maid disappeared into the kitchen a moment later.
Laguna was still watching her when the innkeeper returned with his food and an apology for the wait. Laguna waited until the man had put his food down and asked, "If I may, Innkeeper, who is that woman with the wolf?"
The innkeeper glanced at the person his barmaid was serving dinner. "Her? She is a traveler, like yourself, who is on some sort of mission to kill some beasty in the woods north just north of here. She's been here about a week. Why do you ask, Sir Knight?"
Laguna shrugged. "I was simply curious, is all. She is very unusual."
"Indeed," the innkeeper said, "and my profits have tripled because of her." He chuckled to himself and walked away.
Laguna nodded and proceeded to eat. The stew was rich and filling, wonderfully spiced, and cooked just right. The bread was warm and soft, and the cheese deliciously sharp.
As he finished and sat drinking his water, he turned his thoughts to home, and his parents and Gerek. He hoped they were well. He began to dream about the day he would return, bringing with him stories and honor, and trinkets from his travels.
Laguna was so wrapped up in his musings that he didn't notice the woman standing next to his chair until she said, "Mind if I sit down?"
Laguna snapped his head up, blinking at her in surprise. Recovering quickly, he answered, "Certainly. Can I help you?"
The woman sat down and spoke, "Maybe. You're a paladin, right?"
He nodded slowly. "Indeed I am, Miss."
"Are you on any urgent quests at the moment?"
Laguna was puzzled, and it was reflected in his response. "No....why?"
"Well, frankly, I could use some help. Wolf--" she gestured to her furry canine companion, "--and I were hired to clean out a nest of bugbears and retrieve a stolen item. I've spent a week scouting the situation out, and to be honest, eight bugbears is a bit too much for me and Wolf to handle on our own. I was wondering if I could enlist your aid, paladin. I'm willing to split the pay with you. Whaddya say?"
Laguna's heart jumped. Here was a chance to prove himself. Careful to not let his face reveal his eagerness, her replied, "I would be honored to help you, Miss."
She nodded, half to herself. "Good. Do you want to discuss plans now or go over them in the morning? Regardless, we leave two hours before midday."
Laguna, in the middle of biting back a yawn, responded, "Tomorrow would be better."
"Very well. In the morning then. Goodnight." With that, she turned and walked toward the stairs, Wolf at her heels.
Laguna drained his glass and followed her example, going up the stairs to bed.
A week later, Laguna set out on his journey. After saying goodbye to his parents, he headed away to the town to buy supplies before hitting the road.
The first day, he looked around the road with wide-eyed wonder. Everything about traveling was new to him, and he was like a child in his bright-eyed enthusiasm and eagerness. He camped by the side of the road, eating and then practicing his skills, all the while wondering where the road would take him. Then he slept, eager to start his next day.
The second day was much like the first, but on the third day his enthusiasm began to wane. The road lost its "golden glimmer" and the lack of companions was acute in the silence. By the fourth, he was much more somber, and on the fifth day he was just plain bored, and very eager to reach the next town.
That evening, he got his wish. He and Furret topped a hill and saw below them a little village, nestled next to the forest. Picking up his horse's pace, he trotted into the village.
It had a main street lined with little shops, and an inn/tavern between the shops, roughly halfway down the street. People eyed him in surprise as he moved down the street. Laguna got the feeling that strangers here were rare—very rare, judging by some of the ogling that was going on.
Upon reaching the innyard, he was greeted by a robust, older man—the innkeeper. "Greetings, Sir Knight. May I be of assistance?"
Laguna did his very best to sound like a paladin should. "Yes, good innkeeper. I require a room and a stable with feed for my horse. Do you have room?"
The innkeeper smiled broadly. "Yes, Sir Knight. We have room. May I add that dinner for you comes with the room?"
"Very good," Laguna smiled. "How much will I owe you?"
"Well, Sir Knight, normally the price for all that is 20gp, but for you, I will charge only 10gp."
Laguna was startled. He objected. "Sir, I shall insist that you charge me the full 20gp. I cannot let you charge less for me because I am a paladin. It wouldn't be right."
The man smiled again—he seemed to do that a lot. "Truth be told, paladin, I would not be losing any money. Having extraordinary strangers in my inn drags in all the locals. Just by staying here you help my profits. But if you insist, I will charge you the full 20gp."
The innkeeper clapped his hands as Laguna got off his horse. A small, quick boy in his early teens appeared to take Furret. The paladin dug into his pockets and handed the boy a coin. "Could you bring my bags to my room too?" he asked.
The boy nodded before disappearing around the wall with Furret. The innkeeper led the paladin into the common room and saw him seated at a table. "What would you like to eat? We have a lovely roast, a tasty venison stew, fresh bread, and cheese."
Laguna thought for a moment, then replied, "The stew sounds good, along with the bread, cheese, and a large glass of water."
"Certainly. I'll be back in a few minutes." The innkeeper bustled off into the kitchen.
Laguna took the time to study his surroundings. The common room was a large, low beamed room, with five or six average sized tables scattered about. A fire blazed cheerily in a large hearth, and the counter area held various stools and mugs. A table near the door had five men seated at it, three farmers drinking and talking about the day with the village blacksmith and tanner. A single barmaid refilled their mugs before returning to the counter. Except for that, the room was empty. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
As Laguna sat pondering, the door opened and a stranger walked in. She was tall, well over five and a half feet, with reddish brown hair out of her face with a leather thong. She had on a forest green tunic, dark brown breeches, leather boots, and a nice—although somewhat odd looking—leather cloak. Her ears and face carried the slightly fine features of one who was half-elven, and like most of those with elven blood, she was relatively good-looking.
At her side was a large canine that, at first glance, appeared to be a large dog. Laguna looked closer and realized it was, in truth, a wolf. He blinked in surprise.
The woman and the wolf walked to another empty table and sat down. When the barmaid walked by, the woman tugged on her sleeve and ordered dinner. The maid disappeared into the kitchen a moment later.
Laguna was still watching her when the innkeeper returned with his food and an apology for the wait. Laguna waited until the man had put his food down and asked, "If I may, Innkeeper, who is that woman with the wolf?"
The innkeeper glanced at the person his barmaid was serving dinner. "Her? She is a traveler, like yourself, who is on some sort of mission to kill some beasty in the woods north just north of here. She's been here about a week. Why do you ask, Sir Knight?"
Laguna shrugged. "I was simply curious, is all. She is very unusual."
"Indeed," the innkeeper said, "and my profits have tripled because of her." He chuckled to himself and walked away.
Laguna nodded and proceeded to eat. The stew was rich and filling, wonderfully spiced, and cooked just right. The bread was warm and soft, and the cheese deliciously sharp.
As he finished and sat drinking his water, he turned his thoughts to home, and his parents and Gerek. He hoped they were well. He began to dream about the day he would return, bringing with him stories and honor, and trinkets from his travels.
Laguna was so wrapped up in his musings that he didn't notice the woman standing next to his chair until she said, "Mind if I sit down?"
Laguna snapped his head up, blinking at her in surprise. Recovering quickly, he answered, "Certainly. Can I help you?"
The woman sat down and spoke, "Maybe. You're a paladin, right?"
He nodded slowly. "Indeed I am, Miss."
"Are you on any urgent quests at the moment?"
Laguna was puzzled, and it was reflected in his response. "No....why?"
"Well, frankly, I could use some help. Wolf--" she gestured to her furry canine companion, "--and I were hired to clean out a nest of bugbears and retrieve a stolen item. I've spent a week scouting the situation out, and to be honest, eight bugbears is a bit too much for me and Wolf to handle on our own. I was wondering if I could enlist your aid, paladin. I'm willing to split the pay with you. Whaddya say?"
Laguna's heart jumped. Here was a chance to prove himself. Careful to not let his face reveal his eagerness, her replied, "I would be honored to help you, Miss."
She nodded, half to herself. "Good. Do you want to discuss plans now or go over them in the morning? Regardless, we leave two hours before midday."
Laguna, in the middle of biting back a yawn, responded, "Tomorrow would be better."
"Very well. In the morning then. Goodnight." With that, she turned and walked toward the stairs, Wolf at her heels.
Laguna drained his glass and followed her example, going up the stairs to bed.