Chapter 25 - Road

After hours of walking through the dense forest, Aric and Saria finally emerged into the open. The thick canopy of trees gave way to a wide grassy field that stretched out endlessly before them.

The sight was both a relief and a stark reminder that they were leaving behind the safety of the forest, a place Aric had known and dominated. Now, they were heading into the unknown.

"Which way?" Aric asked, his voice gruff from the long, silent walk. His eyes scanned the horizon, looking for the path that would lead them to the nearest village.

Saria, who had been quiet since their encounter with the tiger, glanced at the dirt road ahead of them. "West," she replied, nodding in the direction where the sun would soon begin its descent. "The village should be a few hours' walk from here."

Without further words, they began walking along the well-worn path. The sun climbed higher in the sky as they trudged along, the heat of the day beginning to weigh down on them.

They had been walking for hours when the sound of hoofbeats broke the silence. Aric's body tensed as he instinctively reached for the hilt of his sword, but then relaxed when he saw the source of the sound.

A horse pulling a large, wooden carriage full of wheat and hay was coming down the path behind them.

The driver was an old man, dressed in simple peasant clothes with a straw hat shading his wrinkled face from the harsh sunlight.

Beside him sat an elderly woman, likely his wife, wearing a worn-out pink dress. The sight of them was unthreatening, and Aric exhaled, his guard lowering for the first time in a while.

As the carriage drew closer, the old man pulled on the reins, bringing the horse to a slow stop. He gave Aric and Saria a friendly nod.

"Well, what're you two doing out here, eh?" the old man asked, his voice warm and filled with curiosity. "It's not often we see folk walking these roads. Looking for a ride to the village?"

Aric glanced at Saria before turning back to the couple. "How much?" he asked simply.

The old man chuckled. "Not much. Just a couple of copper coins to cover the extra weight on the horse. We're heading to the village ourselves, so it's no trouble."

Aric reached into his pouch, pulled out a few copper coins, and handed them to the old man.

Without another word, he climbed onto the back of the carriage and settled into the soft pile of hay.

Saria followed him, sitting across from him on the sacks of wheat. 

The carriage began moving again, the rhythmic clopping of the horse's hooves filling the air.

Aric closed his eyes, leaning back into the hay and letting the steady motion of the cart lull his aching muscles into a state of rest.

He could feel the tension in his body slowly easing, though his mind remained alert. The journey wasn't over, not by a long shot. He had much more to do, and Vire's safety was his top priority.

Saria, meanwhile, remained quiet, occasionally glancing at Aric, but mostly keeping her eyes on the passing landscape.

The tension between them was palpable, though neither made an effort to break it. For now, they were allies, bound by circumstance, but trust was a long way off.

The old couple chatted quietly with each other as the carriage bumped along the road, their voices soft and comforting.

As the sun reached its highest point in the sky, the village they had been searching for began to come into view on the horizon.