Chapter 11: To Brindel

It was only the sunrise that Kurgren realized that he and the group had smelled, being covered in dirt, sweat and blood from yesterday skirmish, and the rest soon follows.

They decided that the males should go first as Louise uses her time power to repair their armor.

They then went to the river with a new set of clothes and soap and strip out of their slightly torn tunics, pants and underclothes, and bathe.

During which Kurgren noticed that Erhardt stayed far away from him and Ardent, back turned, and Ardent staring at him and Erhardt when they weren't looking, and quickly turns away when he looked back.

And during the bath Kurgren noticed a peculiar scar on Ardent right arm.

It has a long scar, and the largest, from shoulder to wrist. And, compared to the smaller ones on his body, it looked unnatural, blood-red in four jagged lines while around it looked like they were burnt.

"I better ask him once we're dressed."

They then exit in their new set of clothes and returns to camp. Carrying their dirty clothes to be fixed and cleaned later. When Kurgren asked Ardent.

"Why were you looking at me and Erhardt?"

Ardent face flushed.

"W-what do you mean?" And nervously laughed.

"Let me guess. You were thinking that me and Erhardt, or likely me seeing as how the Dwarf didn't bother, didn't notice you're examining us?"

Ardent face turned a deeper red and looked down.

"So, you're g-"

"NO! I mean yes but no. What I meant is. I mean." Ardent took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"What I mean is that I like women and men."

"So you're a bee-pi-um." Kurgren struggled to recall what it was called.

"It is called bisexual."

"Yeah that." With that done Kurgren shifted to the main subject.

"Then what about that scar on your arm?"

"From fighting. Why did you ask?"

"The main reason is because I don't know any weapon that cuts like that. And, from the size of it, you were healed by a cleric, since you're still alive and arm still works, yet it scarred. Meaning that either the damage was cursed, or it cut deep to the bone."

Ardent then looked downcast and sighed.

"I guess that was inevitable, seeing how you caught me staring. And, as for this scar, it came when I made a critical mistake. And a reminder to what I lost and promise to return someday."

They continued. Yet Kurgren knew the scar, and the memories with it, meant more, with Ardent gait becoming stiffer and gripping his clothes harder afterwards until they returned.

He then looks at his newly repaired gambeson and is shocked by how well it was mended, there no marks of repair, like stitches.

He then puts it on before lighting a fire to cook breakfast, quickly stretching his healed arm to remove any stiffness from last night, as the ladies went for their turn while Erhardt clean and polish his dagger and Ardent begins to feed and care for Evelynn.

He then drop bits of portable soup in a pot to make a simple soup with some sliced salted pork, vegetables and spices, and pan fry some of the leftover salt pork with pepper on a small skillet, recalling all the cooking lesson he learnt from his mother.

By the time he is done both Solaina and Louise returned, in a green tunic dress with a belt and stockings and a purple robe respectively, with Ardent and Erhardt joining them as they begin breakfast.

It was then where Kurgren have a better look at their new elven ally.

Her face is slightly angular with blonde, waist length, hair tied in a braid and almond-shaped blue eyes and a slightly pointed nose with her ears pointed up indicating a relaxed state.

But one of the stranger things he noted was how she and Erhardt didn't used their hand or knife to pick up their food like the rest but a pair of sticks and a tiny, two-pronged, spear respectively. And while he had heard from others that Elves and Dwarves didn't ate with their hands he always thought it was a rumor, and the few times he saw either it was far enough he thought it was a knife.

He then looks at the knife she is using to cut the fried meat, it was single edged on the slightly curved handle and made of ceramic, covered in many ornate arcane letters, showcasing the Elves advancement in arcane magic, which compensated for their rather dated tools, but noted that the handle of it narrows from the top of the grip to the pommel, and guessed it's to shove into her musket barrel as a bayonet.

Kurgren then douse the fire and give the leftovers to their prisoner before washing the utensils and pack up with the rest as they ride onwards to Brindel.

Soon the suns shined above them as they reached Brindel by noon and rented an inn, Boros three arrows, before exploring the town for supplies, Ardent went to the watch outpost to turn the bandit in, Erhardt went to the blacksmith to sell the bandits equipments and buy items, Solaina and Louise went to the alchemist for blackpowder and magic reagents and Kurgren went to buy general items after lunch.

Kurgren went to the butcher with his pouch of ten silvers, his share from the fifty they amass from their pouches and enters.

The shop have hooks that hold links of sausages, from those made of pigs blood and oats to expensive one's made of ground beef with cheese; from fresh, smoked, cured and dried; alongside other preserved meats like salt pork or salami to fresh cuts of steaks and roasts preserved in an icebox enchanted to keep it cooled and make it unmeltable.

Kurgren then enters the shop where a girl, about sixteen by looks, move towards the counter from another room with a boy about her age and a older broad-shouldered man cutting and grounding the meats.

"Welcome to Stahl and son's butchery!" The girl said with a chipper tone parting the curtain that seperates both rooms before shrieking in terror and backs away.

Kurgren sighs "what's wrong. A Devil by the door?"

The girl then stammered before calming down "What do you want demo- I mean sir?"

Kurgren continued, trying not to scowl, "What's your cheapest, long-lasting meats, preferably quick to cook?"

"Th-that will be our blood sausages two coppers a piece!"

"What about one's with proper meat?"

"Sausages of chicken offal's, five coppers a piece!"

"Then five blood sausages and four chicken offal. Both dried." Kurgren says before giving two silvers.

"Thank you! They last to three months!" Then grabbed the sausage and nearly threw back his change.

Kurgren nods as he puts the sausages in their appropriate compartments of his bag and exits to the fruits and vegetable store and spend another two silvers for a tiny jar of honey and jars of dried mushrooms and pickles. Then went to the general store and spend his coppers and a silver to buy a small pack of portable soup.

Kurgren returns to the inn by night with the remaining six silvers and takes a seat as the rest returns, now having a total of a two thirties and a ten silvers and a gold from the bandit bounty and selling most of the guns, with three pistols and a musket left for the group, and orders dinner.

Due to their new wealth the group had ordered a slightly more expensive meal; a platter of steamed fishes from the river, fried pork sausages and stir-fried kale with garlic to share with millet and cold drinks, beers for Erhardt and Kurgren, cider for Solaina and barley tea for Louise and Ardent.

As they drank and discuss about today, and settling that they stay here tomorrow to meet the Lapori caravan traders making its route from the golden coast to Pirium, while waiting for their dinner when a Orc came up to them.

He has red eyes and short black hair, alongside a scar across his forehead running ear to ear; wearing a simple long-sleeve grey tunic with a cloak held by a silver clasp, followed by matching pants and a pair of leather boots and gloves, and on his neck lays a pendant which holds a ruby in its centre.

Kurgren guessed he is a witch, a user trained in dueling and both magics, by his clasp and gem being a housing for his familiars.

"Pardon the intrusion, but did I hear that all of you are going to Leona?"

"Yes." said Ardent.

"And what about of it?"

The man smiles "Do you mind if I join you? I'm supposed to deliver a message by minimum next week. I can use magic of arcane and divine but in these dark times of banditry to daemonic raids I prefer to have a company for protection."

Ardent began to speak. A snort from Kurgren stopped Ardent short.

"Depends. How much are you willing to pay?"

"—Kurgren," hissed Ardent, "this man is a simple traveler. I think payment can be waved just this one time."

Kurgren planted his mug on the table.

"This is your business, but I won't work for free."

The man stepped back, his hands raised, 'Friends, do not worry yourselves. I have silver, my own rations and a tent.'

Ardent turn back to the man, "please sir you do not have to pay."

"I disagree! Either he pays or I won't help!"

Erhardt then raise his free hand "I second that."

Ardent looks towards them for a brief second, then sighs "Fine. You must pay two silvers and can only use half of our supplies. Would that sooth the both of you?"

Kurgren huffs.

"Fine." And Erhardt nods.

The man then nods "Thank you. When do we leave?"

"Will leave the day after tomorrow at dawn, is that ok?"

The man nods and begin to leave.

"Wait," Solaina said. "We forgot to mention it but what's your name?"

The man turned towards them.

"Sorry about that, I guess I got caught up in our conversation there." The Orc bowed carefully. Should the tip of his horns point in the wrong direction, would be taken as a sign of aggression, especially for other Orcs and horned races. "I am Curtis Sigismund." and leaves.

After that the waiters came with their dinner the group eats in silence before going to their rooms, both adjacent to each other with one for the men and another for the ladies to share.