Getting a boat

...

– Aysel, grab our breakfast – Elaxi yawned as she put on her coat, Aysel just nodded in understanding and left the room with a sleepy expression, Asterin dressed and then left to call the others. Going to the left door she knocked lightly, a subtle sound was heard from inside the room, and a few seconds later the door opened.

– We're ready – Harumi opened the door, Asterin gave space for her to pass – Good morning, did you sleep well?

Leila came with Celine right behind Harumi, hearing a question, Harumi looked away, Leila smiled slightly and Celine nodded – We slept well, I think we're more excited now.

Harumi turned to them and nodded quickly – Will we get a boat? We're going to Koragrot, right?

Asterin stared at the youngest with a blank expression – ...I think so.

The three young women nodded in agreement and went downstairs. Elaxi approached Asterin, who hadn't taken her eyes off the girls since she noticed something strange.

– They're hiding something – Elaxi spoke at her side, Asterin narrowed her eyes – It seems so.

– What are you still doing here? – Raphael opened the door to his room, finding the two secretly talking to each other while making those expressions left him a little curious.

Elaxi looked at him – Are you ready yet? Let's go – With that said, she followed Asterin who had already headed for the stairs. Raphael stared at the girls' backs as he thought about what he'd heard, were they hiding something?

– Raphael? – Nevra touched his shoulder, drawing his attention as he was standing in the middle of the door, Raphael nodded to him, leading the way towards the stairs, Nevra waved to Matheu and Felipe, who quickly gathered their bags and left.

– Everybody is here? – Elaxi watched the group at the entrance of the inn, she and Aysel were responsible for the group, they would need to be careful that nothing happened to the younger ones.

– Come on, I'm starving – Aysel waved her hands holding two full bags as she hurried towards the docks, a pleasant smell came from those bags, breakfast was right there, but they couldn't take a break to enjoy it, they needed first to find a boat to continue the trip.

The docks were already full, even as early as now the markets were in full swing, merchants were displaying their wares, fishermen unloading their catch, and several villagers came and went with small and large baskets and bags doing their morning shopping.

They stopped at the nearest part of the river, watching the boats arriving and departing, Aysel sighed wearily – How are we going to get a boat?

– Oh! Do the travelers need a boat? No problem, I can take you wherever you want – An excited voice came from behind them, a familiar youthful male voice.

Everyone froze, Elaxi sighed and turned to look at the man who offered them a boat.

Ikuto was leaning on some boxes, with his arms crossed he faced the group with a smile – I hear you need a boat, why don't you use mine?

Even amidst all the excitement in the market, the air was heavy, the group stared at Ikuto guiltily, well not everyone, some were still surprised by the presence of their veteran standing there in front of them, Elaxi looked around a few times – Thamy isn't here, right?

– Haha – Ikuto gave an ironic laugh as he lowered his head slightly, his hair falling a little in front of his eyes, and turning back to face the group he smiled – No, he's not.

Elaxi nodded in agreement, Raphael continued looking around, he couldn't believe that Ikuto had come alone, but he couldn't find any trace of Thamy's presence, not even his amulet warned him of his presence, turning his gaze to Ikuto he said – How much will the trip be? We don't have a defined destination, you'll have to stop where we tell you to stop.

Ikuto smiled – We can discuss the price later, seeing as you are a group of outlaws I might have to charge a little more, it's business you know – Shrugging, Ikuto turned and started walking away, Elaxi waved to the others with a complicated expression – Let's go – It seems that the problems have already started to appear.

They followed Ikuto for a few meters, Ikuto walked calmly, greeting several times the merchants and dock workers, who greeted him back, they even seemed to be longtime friends.

The group watched as Ikuto walked towards a beautiful boat parked in the farthest corner of the market, Elaxi stopped – Where did you get that boat?

– Eh? What do you mean? – Ikuto asked as he climbed into the boat.

– You didn't steal it right? – Elaxi asked again.

Ikuto laughed – Of course I didn't steal it, this boat belongs to Thamy, he bought it as soon as we got here, there are some things they sell here in Zali that are hard to find in the city of Gyahala.

Elaxi nodded in agreement, advancing to climb into the boat – And why didn't I know that?

– The boys have their secrets from time to time – Ikuto spoke with irony, then looking at Harumi on the docks, muttering – Just like the girls.

Elaxi looked sideways at him, following his gaze she looked at Harumi, it seems that Harumi wasn't the one who told him, Thamy even injured was still able to feel that little thread of power that escaped when they did the spell to cross the barrier? It wasn't impossible, but it would still be surprising.

– We were the ones who told her not to tell, she wanted to talk to you about it, but we didn't allow it – Elaxi spoke as she helped Aysel up, soon extending her hand to Asterin and in the end to the other girls. Ikuto lowered his eyes upon hearing her.

Leila looked around as she got on the boat – It looks like a great boat Ikuto.

Ikuto looked at her – Yes, Thamy has a good eye for these things.

After Leila it was Celine who climbed up, looking at the boat with curiosity she quickly went to Leila's side who started pointing to the things on the boat and explaining about.

Harumi approached the boat slowly, hesitating as she climbed, a hand was extended to her, and as soon as she looked up, her eyes met Ikuto's, who was staring at her with a smiling look, Harumi held that gaze for a few seconds , not noticing when she automatically took the hand Ikuto held out to her, she was pulled into the boat, landing in a warm, gentle hug.

Elaxi smiled as she looked at the couple, then turning to pay attention to the others who were climbing, as soon as they did, Raphael also looked around curiously, not that he had never seen or been on a boat like Celine, but because this boat belongs to Thamy, and because Thamy was his idol, he had this curiosity to know everything about him, and this here, this boat, not even Elaxi knew, apparently only Ikuto knew about it before.

Raphael frowned as he looked at Ikuto, quickly looking away as he realized what he was doing, they are disciples of the same master, raised almost like brothers, obviously they would be close, but… why are He feeling uncomfortable with this?

– I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I'll never omit anything from you again – Harumi spoke with a muffled voice, as she hugged the boy in front of her tightly.

Ikuto chuckled lightly – It's okay, you don't have to tell me everything, I don't want you to think you have to share everything with me.

Harumi raised her head to face him, her eyes fixed on Ikuto's, who was looking at her stunned. Harumi's eyes even now gleamed with determination – But I want to share everything with you, I will do this until my last breath.

Ikuto remained stunned for a few more seconds, then pulled Harumi back into his embrace, kissing the top of her head and speaking in a gentle voice – I'll share everything with you, until my last breath.

– Let's eat now? – Aysel caught everyone's attention, going down to the inside of the boat she looked around, placing the food on a small table where she had gone down. Tsk - Aysel clicked her tongue as she realized the food was no longer hot, sitting down with an annoyed expression, she took her portion and started to eat. The others who had gone downstairs also settled down and took their portions to eat, the table left for the girls, while the boys propped themselves up somewhere in the inner cabin and ate their meal.

Ikuto took a small package and handed it to Harumi, it was much more fragrant than the food at the inn, Harumi took it and shared it with Leila and Celine – Do you want it too? – It was a small cake, She couldn't share it with everyone, but even so she asked if anyone else wanted a piece, the others hesitantly refused and continued eating.

Ikuto climbed to the bow and they felt the boat start to move. Elaxi put the last piece in her mouth and, still chewing, she hurried up to the bow – We will follow the course to the town of Koragrot, from there we will cross the border to enter Waterfall.

Ikuto nodded as he turned the boat to follow the course – Is the culprit in Waterfall?

Elaxi pursed her lips, approaching the edge of the boat she looked at the docks – We don't know.

Hearing her answer, Ikuto frowned – Then why are you going there?

– Hiro and Drazhan's mission was talking about a smuggling of jewelry that was going on in the city of Ebrogen, and so an auction would be taking place. Considering that the culprit would be collecting powers to forge an amulet of the auras, he could participate in this meeting to get a stone strong enough to withstand the entire process of fusion of powers – Matheu left the cabin as he explained, followed by Raphael and Nevra, who also said – These are assumptions, but unfortunately it's the only thing we can connect at the moment.

Ikuto looked at them blankly, his mouth opened and closed a few times as he searched for what to say, Raphael looked at him and said – That's exactly what you're thinking, we don't know what we're doing or where we're going, we're just following assumptions we made as we came here.

Ikuto nodded slightly, quickly ignoring them and turning his attention to the boat's rudder, he didn't want to argue with them about it right now. Slowly they moved away from the city of Zali, going upriver towards Koragrot, border city to the Kingdom of Waterfall, Ikuto fixed the rudder, allowing the boat to follow the course of the river – It will be approximately four days by boat until we get there.

– Apparently this auction takes place every thirty days, this… the culprit, he wouldn't arrive that fast right? Well, considering he was going there – Matheu asked.

– Even if he arrives long before us, the auction will only take place in approximately… – Elaxi stopped as she looked at a small object in her hand – …twenty days.

Ikuto, with an expression of disinterest, nodded again in understanding – By the way… Matheu, how did you know about Drazhan's mission?

Matheu shrugged his shoulders – He always tells me these things.

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Inside the boat, Celine, Leila and Harumi organized the small room. There were two very narrow bunk beds, two out of the six girls would have to sleep on the floor, they already organized everything while the others argued upstairs.

Once everything was ready, Celine sat cross-legged on one of the beds, pulling two books out of her bag. The spell book her mother had given her and the book she'd found in the secret wing of the library.

– Can I see that thing again? – Harumi asked hesitantly. Celine knew what she was talking about, so she opened the page to the rustic drawing of a gigantic creature, its spread wings covering a large part of the page.

Harumi bit her lower lip – It's still very scary – Sitting up she stared at the ground – Those things really existed...

– Yes, and the most surprising thing is that they were defeated – Leila also commented observing the drawing, frowning – Isn't it strange? How could such creatures be defeated like that?

Celine nodded, frowning as she pointed to a small text written gracefully at the top of the sheet – Exactly… look at this note – Both girls looked, shocked at what they had read.

Leila sighed – Now it's even more surprising, they can't really be beaten.

– That's why they were imprisoned – Celine continued reading about dragons, Harumi got up and left, with a blank expression – In addition to being large, they are immune to everything but themselves, sounds like a curse, only a dragon could kill another dragon… – Harumi sighed – This is much more complicated than it sounds, considering that information, it sounds like they caused their own ruin.

She was suddenly enveloped in a hug – What's making you sigh like that? I'm here, you don't have to worry about anything.

Harumi smiled as she snuggled into Ikuto's embrace – It's nothing, who's controlling the boat?

Ikuto pursed his lips – Raphael insisted he wanted to control the boat for a while.

– Oh… And during the night? Will you control the boat? – Harumi raised her face to face him.

Ikuto remembered this little detail, he also needed to rest, they should discuss it now, because someone would need to stay the night taking care of the route – I'll talk to them about it.

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– I can take care of the boat at night – Matheu immediately offered Ikuto's question, who raised his eyebrows and looked at him – Do you know how to handle a boat?

Matheu nodded – Drazhan taught me how to do this.

– Must be nice to have older brothers – Nevra said suddenly, everyone turned to face him. Since, even if it wasn't blood, everyone there had a fraternal figure, an 'older brother', except for Nevra and Celine.

Leila looked at Raphael – Do you also have older brothers Raphael? – Before Raphael could open his mouth, someone was already answering for him.

– Definitely has, this guy has nine older brothers, I don't know how the Tasvali family hasn't dominated the whole south of Waterfall with all these wonders they have – Felipe spoke in an excited voice.

– That's right, your family is pretty reclusive isn't it? – Aysel also looked at the boy who had suddenly become the subject of discussion. Lowering his eyes, Raphael replied – We don't like to attract attention.

– You are then the exception of your family right? – Ikuto asked ironically. Raphael then lifted his eyes slightly to face him – Maybe.