(Preperations.2)

The two would shortly arrive at the western city main gate, many types of people would be entering and exiting, some were by themselves, some were in pairs or a small group of people, and other people with carriages, It was quite a busy place. Diana led the two carriages to a stopping area where she was supposed to meet up with her teammates, under a nice cold day and with calm breezes of wind the 4 of them were in a general area close to a food stand that was set up close by the western entrance.

On their bodies, they were wearing their full equipment for the journey, and the necessary items they need in a fight. Other daily accessories that took for themselves are inside a large leather bag that they can slug over their shoulders, but for the current moment, they had them pile up next to each other.

"Hey everyone!" Diana waves to them and then scoots herself off the front seat of the cart.

"Is everyone presently here?" She would look around only able to spot three out of the four.

"Where Duva?"

"Over there." Landis rolls his eyes around and points in a direction of a tavern, Duva was leaning himself against a wooden fence on the outside of the tavern.

He seemingly tries to be flirtatious with two beautiful women who wanted to enjoy a good meal at this tavern, but they were interrupted by a devilishly charming man, or so he thought of himself.

"How long has he's at that?" Diana ask.

"For about 4 minutes." Quickly replied Milina.

amazingly it looked like one of the fair maidens could have been interested in the farm boy turn knight, but Diana had her doubts whatever or not that women were really interested in him or not.

"I better go get him before he makes a fool out of himself." Diana heads over to Duva.

"Drag him by his feet!" Landis shouted!

"Oh, dear." Sara planted the tips of her fingers on her face and was slightly embarrassed.

"After this mission of my, I could probably pay you a visit." Duva smirk at the lady who seems to be interested in him, trying to put up his cool act.

"That would be lovely~ dear knight, but I don't want to keep you from any important matters, just for me~" She grins back at him.

"Not a problem." He gently waves his hand in a random direction and was shrugging like he had forgotten the main reason why he came to the western gate.

"After this mission, I have all the time in the world, I wo-."

"All the time in the world?" A chill went down Duva's spine when he heard a familiar voice right behind him, Diana's voice.

"C-Captain!" He clumsily spun around and also trips himself in doing so. "Hello, Yes Yes, I w-was just waiting for your arrival."

"Right..." She hastily grabs hold of his shoulder and tightly grips it.

"I'm sorry if this man has caused any problems for you two." Then she smiled at the two ladies. "You can continue your conversation after our mission is-." She cold heartily stares at Duva with her eyes. "Finish."

"Y-Yes, Captain" Duva responded.

"Good, We will be leaving now."

Diana would drag Duva away from the tavern, and the two ladies were giggling away from the scene they had just witness right in front of them. Duva saw this and it felt like his pride had taken a hit.

Now with everyone gathered up, the 4 members would have quickly noticed the young boy who was still sitting on the wooden cart beside Diana.

"Who the kid?" Milina pointed at Jarin.

"This kid." She softly puts a hand on top of Jarin head. "Is Jarin, he's also 10 years old, and he is a servant of mine."

"A servant? are you sure you're not lying to us?" Landis squinted his eyes at her, and Diana awkwardly laughs it off.

The age of the kid was something else, how could a 10-year-old be a servant to a daughter of a nobleman and the clear raggedy clothing he had on him.

"It technically wasn't my choice it-."

"I-it was my" Jarin spoke up

"M-miss Diana help me with money a few days ago, when my family was really sick, once they had recovered both of me and my parents thought that becoming a servant of Lady Diana could repay off our debt." As Jarin spoke he had his head down and avoided any eye contact from the new people he is meeting.

"So you're coming on this mission with us?" Milina said while looking at Diana who confusingly shrugs.

"Yes, Yes I am." He said with a hardened expression and attitude.

"You do know that you could possibly be in danger right?" Milina question again.

"You are knights... you are strong, I know you can protect me."

"But what if we can't? What if we aren't able to reach you in time? Are you really going to risk your life?" Milina walks up the side of the cart where jarin was sitting.

"Are you sure, cause there's no going back?" She holds out a hand for him.

Jarin silently looks at her hand, he already made up his mind and wanted to go with and serve Diana, she saved his family when they were in a dire situation and he was happy about that.

"I am sure... I want to help serve Diana."

"I see..." She pulls her hand back and then turns her body to walk away. "Than, I hope know what you're getting yourself into." She storms off to the 2nd carriage.

Diana and Jarin looked at each other after Milina storms off, Jarin childishly smiles at her, and Diana just sighed.

"I think she cares about me."

"Yeah, I just wish you taken her advice though."

The worker who was previously driving the 2nd carriage was now swopped over to Milina after a quick discussion of whoever gets to control it the first time.

It was Diana, Duva, and Landis in the front carriage, and Sara and Milina would be in the 2nd carriage. The 1st carriage had the least amount of cargo on board, allowing more people to sit back and relax in the cloth cover.

"You ready to see an adventure of a lifetime, Kid?" Duva was peeking through behind the covers with his head sticking through.

"Mhm!" Jarin cheerfully nodded.

"Good! That's the spirit." Duva moves his head behind the cover and disappears.

Diana grips tightly the carriage horse collar leash and whips at the air, making go them go forward at a steady pace. They would soon approach the Western gate guards who stop them before they could leave.

"Identification." One of the guards asked.

Diana reaches into one of her small pouches and holds a metal badge emblem, that identify who they were, it at the Roman numeral of 13th, making her the 13th knight captain of the kingdom.

The moment the guard realizes who he was talking to he turns around and waves at the other guards to let them through.

"Have a safe trip, Captain." He bows down.

Diana whips again and the two carriages began to move out from the city gate and then out into the flatlands of peasant housing and farmland. Far-reaching out were the rocky hills and forests that were used for hunters or young and experience adventurers and young squires.

"Now leaving avadose." Diana mutters to herself as she was now through the gate and onto the stone path leading away from the city. It would take them about a week until they can get to the town city of Lumis, with whatever is there to face this new group of knights.