The carriage lightly shook as its wheels rolled over the cobblestone street. Like a snake, the shadowy tendril coiled around John’s exposed forearm, completely under his control.
He placed the arm under the sunlight that peeked inside through the gaps in between the curtains and the carriage’s wooden boards. As with other shadow spells, the tendril was able to withstand direct sunlight, just not for long. It fizzled, shrinking more and more with each passing moment before disappearing into nothing.
“Did you want to leave the castle just to practice your spells?” Neina asked from the cushioned seating opposite to his. She munched on a slice of cooked venison with a face of boredom. “Just pick a place or let’s go back already.”
John rolled down his cloak’s sleeve. “There’s nothing wrong with some sightseeing.”
“Sightseeing? Then at least open the curtains already. We’ve been going around in this closed carriage for more than an hour.” Done with the turkey, she fished a roasted drumstick from inside the straw basket by her side.
“Would you mind leaving some for me? You’re eating them all by yourself.”
“I can’t help it, they are just so good. I already suspected that the food served inside the castle would be better, but not so much.”
“They are also made with mana rich ingredients. Athalia chose those to help with my cultivation.”
“Well then, as your personal guard, it’s only fair for me to eat those. That way I’ll grow stronger and it’ll be easier to protect you.” After that, she turned her attention back to the food.
John could only shake his head in resignment. He pulled open the curtain to his right, just a sliver so that he could peek outside. They passed by a large storefront made of purple bricks. The next two buildings both seemed to be houses, while the third one was a flower shop. It was their fourth time passing through this specific street just today. It started by a large church to Rothar, god of the forge, and went on for around a mile-and-a-half, coming to an end at the main street.
The street was located somewhat far from the richer districts, but not so much that it would pass by the poorer parts of the city. If John had to guess, this was the kind of place reserved for the middle class.
Normally he would pass by the street without paying it much mind. Now, though, he needed to take in every detail that he could, all because of the new residents at an unassuming house further down.
“Don’t you get tired of sitting around doing nothing?” Neina asked in between bites at a cookie.
“Not really, you just need to find something to occupy your time. Bring a book next time.”
“I’ll need to get better at reading for that. I’m starting to wonder why the lady chose me to be your guard. All you do is sparring, go around in this carriage for a couple of hours, and then you go back to the castle.”
John shrugged. “Maybe she’s punishing you for something you did wrong, like that time you hit me in the head.”
Neina’s body trembled as if a shiver had gone up her spine. “Don’t even joke about that. One word from her and I could go straight to the dungeons, the headsman, or worse.”
“Is that why you looked so uncomfortable back when she brought you to my room?”
“Of course. As nice as lady Athalia is, she’s still a noble, and only a fool doesn’t fear them. Oh, and also you apparently. Makes me think that you’re not as smart as I thought you were,” she said with a laugh. “But seriously now. Do you know why she chose me to be your guard? If she wants to make sure you’re safe, then there are a lot of other guards stronger than me.”
John wondered for a moment if he should tell her or not. Ultimately, he decided that there wasn’t any harm in letting her know about Athalia’s plans. “She’s trying to get us married.”
Neina looked back at him, eyes wide. “What?”
John shrugged. “She somehow put it in her head that we’re right for one another. I think she’s hoping that with us being together more often, then feelings will blossom or something. Ridiculous, right?”
“...yeah, ridiculous.” Her answer came out much less assuredly than he expected. Maybe Athalia had been onto something after all. “Wait, is that why she talked about her great-grandfather back then? Because you advanced while sparring against me? What if you’d been against Harden instead? There’s a swordfight I’d like to see.” She winked before bursting into laughter.
“Hilarious.” John leaned forward and reached into the food basket only to find it empty already. He could only sigh in frustration.
“Well, it wouldn’t be so bad I guess. I’d be marrying into the castle given how well lady Athalia treats you. What’s the story with that by the way?”
“I’m her long lost son.”
“Yeah sure. Even I know that the lady has never been heavy with child. And I doubt she’d have a child with a southerner. No offense.”
“Fine. I’m Hagen’s long lost son. He and my mother loved each other, but he was already engaged to Athalia. After my mother’s death, I decided it was time to meet my father and claim what is rightfully mine.”
“I know you can’t be serious, but that sounded much more convincing. For a second, I almost couldn’t tell that you were lying.”
“Alright, the truth is that I was chosen by God to come down to this world.”
“Now you’re sounding like Jacke. Next, you’ll tell me how you shit gold or something. If you’re not going to tell me the truth then at least stop mocking me.”
John simply smiled without saying anything else. He turned back to the right and resumed peering outside. The carriage had just passed by a tailor shop with a large wooden plaque hanging above the entrance. They were getting close.
Soon, they would pass in front of a small house made of orange bricks and with a pitched roof. The building itself had no meaning other than being located across from the house where Vasilis chose to stay. For whatever reason, Vasilis declined to stay at the castle, for which John was all too glad. The last thing he needed was too stumble on the man and be immediately identified.
“Can we at least stop for a moment? I need to stretch my legs.”
“Put them over the seats then,” John answered without looking at her.
“Then it would get dirty. I can’t do that to the earl’s carriage.” The next thing John knew, she had her boots over his lap. “There, much better,” she said with a grin.
“Ever heard of personal space?”
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“Not really.”
Through the small gap in the curtains, John finally saw the orange house. He turned to look at her. “You know, you’ve been very outspoken lately. And I don't mean that in a good way.” He placed a hand over her leg.
“Oh, yeah?” She bit her lower lip. “What’re you going to do about it?”
John pushed her legs out of his lap, allowing him to lean forward, closer to her. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face before resting his hand against her cheek. His nose brushed against hers and he took in the scent of the lilac fragrance that she used. “What I’m going to do…”
Neina swallowed, letting out an audible gulp. Her breathing came out more raggedly while her eyes became unfocused.
He took the hand away from Neina’s cheek and used it to knock against the wooden board behind her, warranting a yelp in surprise from her. “Rud,” he yelled to the carriage driver, “please stop the carriage. Miss Neina would like to stretch her legs.”
“Certainly,” Rud's voice came out muffled by the carriage.
John then pulled away from her, a smirk on his face.
Neina’s face became more and more flushed. She reached for the sword at her side and for a moment John wondered if he’d gone too far. Instead of drawing it though, she held it so that it wouldn’t knock against the carriage’s door as she stepped out of the still-moving vehicle.
John stifled a laugh, pulled up his hood, and stepped out after her.
“You’re an asshole,” she said as soon as he came out.
“Come on, what’s a little teasing between friends?”
“You’re lucky that this job is so important to me. Else I’d go for your throat.”
“Consider this some well-deserved payback for eating all my food. Speaking of which.” John pointed at a stall selling pies further up the street. “Would you mind buying us some?” he asked, handing her a few silver coins. “And bring one to Rud too, he deserves it.”
“Thank you, sir,” Rud said from his seat at the carriage’s front.
“Anything to get away from you.” She walked away, her feet practically stomping against the cobblestones.
John spent more than a couple of moments admiring her retreating figure. Her tight breeches left very little to the imagination. He only started looking at her like that after Athalia began playing the matchmaker.
In normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be against having fun with Neina, though it seemed like she may feel something more for him. If true, then that complicated things. He didn’t want to play with her heart like that. Some light teasing was okay, but anything with clothes off would be out of the question.
Of course, that was a worry for another time.
John looked to the other side of the street, back the way they came from. The street had more than a few people walking around, though they all gave the carriage a wide berth. Further down he saw the two stories house where Vasilis was staying, across from the orange building. Or to be more specific, Devran, Vasilis’ son, was the one staying there.
From what John gathered, Vasilis and his wife Marietta both left the city, likely to prepare their forces, leaving only Devran behind at the house with some of the guards.
John would love to get inside there. If he could manage to nab Devran, then it would be much easier to take care of Vasilis. Unfortunately, the house was heavily guarded and there was no way for him to deal with the guards. He’d need to either become a Paladin or learn some spell to turn him invisible.
So instead, he watched and waited for a chance.
John walked down the street, the opposite of conspicuous with the raised hood under the sun. There was nothing that could be done about that. It would be impossible for him to blend in, no matter what he did. At least like that, it would be harder to get recognized.
He walked towards the orange house and stopped one building before it, in front of a bakery tended by a boy only a few years younger than him. The movement seemed to be slow, with only an old lady there buying a couple of bagels. John walked in as soon as she left.
“Welcome, sir,” the boy said from behind the counter. “How can I help you?”
“I’d like some cookies, how are they looking today?”
“They’re as good as ever, sir,” the boy replied with a cheery smile before taking a wooden plate and stacking it with cookies. “That’ll be two silver coins.”
John fished inside his pouch and left five silver coins on the counter.
The boy quickly stored them inside a pocket. “Thank you, sir.”
John nodded and turned to leave. From his spot around the bakery’s counter, he had a clear line of sight to the large house where Devran was staying. John couldn’t afford to surveil the house all the time, so he instead recruited some help, namely assets. Kay, the baker boy, was one such asset.
John left the store and walked back to the carriage.
“Why did you ask me to buy pies if you were going to buy cookies?” Neina asked as soon as he returned. On one hand, she had two pies stacked atop of one another.
“Because with your appetite, I wanted to make sure there would be something left for me.” John walked to the front of the carriage where Rud sat, a third pie by his side. “We’re done Rud, let’s go back to the castle.”