I am trying to balance between Ike and Soren, and so far, it's mostly been Soren. I'm working on it, though!

Chapter 3

Their ship voyage was uneventful. Though neither voiced it, Ike and Soren were not surprised. After the defeat of Ashera, there seemed to be something different in the air. Calm, peace, tranquility. But was it going to last?

There was a few times when Soren deeply regretted admitting that he was a mage. When the winds stopped, Ron came looking for him. While he did not like providing the ship with a breeze, it did seem to make the journey a little faster.

As they neared land, Ron started to drop hints that he would not mind keeping the two of them around. Soren had his books as neat and tidy as they had ever been, and Ike was doing more work than some of the crew had ever done. He made one more plea, in his own way, as they disembarked once the boat had pulled into port.

"I'll be glad to take ya anywhere! Just come find me if ya change your mind!"

Ike gave a final wave over his shoulder and hurried to catch up with Soren, who was more than eager to put distance between himself and the jolly captain.

Their arrival seemed to be in time with some kind of affair. Booths and stalls crammed the streets, with vendors hawking their wares. Ribbons and trails of colored paper were strung up nearly everywhere. Ike stepped aside as a young boy eagerly ran to his mother, holding a small trinket in his hands.

"Let's figure out what's going on later. Right now we need to find somewhere to stay."

They walked through the festival, stopping to ask on occasion about rooms. Every time they were turned down, sometimes kindly, other times rather harshly. "Looks like we might be camping," Ike remarked as he and Soren ate a dish from one of the vendors, a flaky hand pie full of fruits.

"Probably," Soren muttered. He was a little on edge and not exactly comfortable with the busy crowds.

A young couple overheard them. "Sorry to pry," the young man said as his girlfriend linked her arms around his, "but if you're looking for a room, have you tried Selyne's inn?" He pointed to the end of the street. "It's a little ways out, just down that road and take a left. With everyone in the city, and her place being out of it, it's not likely it'll be crowded."

Ike thanked the couple as he finished off his treat. "What are you celebrating, if I may?"

"Harvest festival," he replied.

The girl laughed. "It looks like you two came just in time."

"So much for camping," Ike told Soren as they gathered their things and started off down the road. "I know you were looking forward to it."

They followed the young man's directions, which led them to a three story wood building. The yard was tidy, with flowers in the front and, from what they could see from the road, a garden in the back. "When he said it was away from town, I expected a three room cabin," Ike said.

"I didn't expect this," Soren agreed. He followed Ike up the steps and into the inn.

At first it looked empty, but they spotted a young woman in the corner on an overly stuffed sofa. There was a pile of laundry in a basket at her feet. She looked up, at first excited, but then she regained her composure. She took a needle from her mouth and stuck it in a squishy pin cushion.

"Can I help you?" she asked. She rose to her feet and almost offered a curtsy, but stopped herself.

"Are you Selyne?"

She shook her head no. "She'll be back soon. She just had to go get a few things we need."

"Do you know if she has any open rooms?" Soren asked.

"Oh absolutely, the entire third floor is empty, and I know a few on the second are, too." She gathered her skirts and stepped behind a counter. Behind it was a board with nails, half of which had keys dangling from them. The woman disappeared for a moment as she ducked under the counter. She pulled out a large book, slammed it down, and opened it randomly.

"I'm sure you can take whatever room you want," she said idly as she thumbed through page after page. "If you can even read Selyne's handwriting, that is."

"It is not that bad!" As the girl behind the counter spoke, the front door had opened. The two of them were nearly opposites. The one who just entered was tall and willowy with a slim build and black hair pulled back in a bun. The other was shorter, more of average height for a woman, with loose blonde curls and a more curvy shape to her.

The one behind the counter stopped what she was doing and blushed deeply. She noticed the two sacks and a box at the door. "Let me help, Selyne."

She shook her head and bent to retrieve her goods. Ike, the closest to her, took the heaviest from her. "Where do you need it?" he asked.

"This way," Selyne said, taken aback by Ike's help. She led him past the kitchen, where the smell of cooking meat wafted through the door. Next to it, a bedroom had been converted to a pantry.

"Just sit it down, it's flour." She began to take smaller sacks from the box and put them in their respective places. "How long do you plan to stay?" she asked, making conversation.

"As long as you'll have us," Ike told her. He raised an eyebrow as she pulled a length of metal wire out of the box last.

"Got to fix my trap," she told him, answering the unasked question. She paused, tilted her head, and studied him. Then she nodded. "You look like an adventurer," she told him as they returned to the entrance. "Actually," she said, "you look like a fighter."

Ike chuckled but did not answer. He wanted to get away from being a fighter.

"Did they overcharge you?"

"Oh you know they did, Lena." Selyne sighed and added, "Though I guess it is my fault for not stocking up before the festival."

To Ike and Soren, she added, "You can have your pick of rooms, if you haven't chosen already. My room is in there," she pointed to the room behind the counter, " if you need anything, and you're more than welcome to eat with us or go out if that's what you prefer. She," Selyne jerked her head towards Lena, "thinks my cooking is bad, but that's up to you to decide."

Ike and Soren chose rooms on the third story and Ike politely refused Selyne's offer of helping them carry their belongings. "Then I'll be outside if you need anything. Since Lena is mending, if you need anything fixed, just bring it down."

Lena looked a bit put out, but said nothing.

Ike and Soren took the stairs to the third floor. Each door was marked with a small letter. The rooms they took were by each other, C and D. From the window of C, Ike's room, he could look out and see the entire festival. He left the room, locking it behind him, and rapped on Soren's door. He was interested in returning to the festival, mainly to see what the people were like.

Soren agreed to go with him. Before they left, Lena looked up from the dress she was working on. "Be back before Selyne goes to bed," she called, "otherwise you'll be sleeping outside. Locking that door is the last thing she does."

They assured her that they would be back before then. She waited for them to leave before hurrying out into the back garden. She found Selyne on a stone bench, a square metal trap beside her. "You really shouldn't have given them a room," she whispered in a hushed voice.

"They're not going to hurt anyone," Selyne said as she cut away at the broken piece she was holding. "You really need to stop judging people."

Lena scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"If I rented rooms to people just from here, and really ones you approved of, I would be out of business." Lena wanted to argue, but Selyne's tone said the subject was closed.