Chapter 5: A Stroll

I hadn't yet worked it out. No, as I wandered past the loud shouts of assorted market vendors it really hadn't clicked with me yet. I don't think it's fair to blame me, I'd spent the majority of that morning buried in the books I'd fallen asleep reading the night before.

There was a sudden startling rustle, accompanied by a cold breeze that had shattered my groggy sleep. I had hardly a second to grasp what the maid had said before I was dressed again in a- well I suppose it was elegant by my standards, but looking back- a simple dress.

"The captain of the guard is waiting to take you on a walk in the castle town."

Those words were still being processed in my mind as I walked after the figure in front of me. Captain Alfin I think I heard the maid call him. Tall by my new standards, but not at all the archetypal brute I was half expecting, he was slim, almost small compared to some men I spotted on that stroll. Though, the thick metal plates all over his body did a lot to cover that up from the average onlooker. Not to say he was bad looking but-

"Wait!"

Alfin turned to face me. "What is it, princess?"

"Oh I uh- I was just thinking, it'd be great if you could tell me a bit about the town." That was when the shoe dropped.

I still kick myself for it. Why hadn't I seen the opportunity? It was so transparent that I could use this walk to work even more out about my situation, and it was handed to me on a silver platter. 

His face was that familiar condescending bewilderment I'd grown sick of already.

"Gagh quit looking at me like that, so I've decided to take my studies seriously for once, is that so baffling!" 

"Ah- of course not princess, I'll more than happily be your guide, my wish is your command." He followed the statement with some muttering I neither could nor cared to work out. 

I suppose I should save you the lecture itself, not like I could quote it word for word anyway. Still, after rectifying my mistake, the walk turned into one of the most formative, important moments in those early days. 

The market was a weekly occurrence, vendors came in from across the world, bringing products in for the townspeople. A lively spot, lying just beyond the gates of the palace made it perfectly convenient for castle staff. Passing down a hill, the road led to a waterway. A nearly still channel that ran directly below the palace, offering direct river access. Its docks a chattering hub of commerce, it was the central route of trade through the capital. Horses whinnied, restlessly tugging at their carts as goods were loaded en masse. 

We passed by, taking a left at the castle wall, meandering past homes and pubs. Locals bumbled their way between shops, occasionally passing a condescending glance at myself or the aimless tourists that had diverted from the main road. We passed that too, the main road was beyond congested with all manner of person, animal, and other assorted traffic.

Finally, we stopped down a sidepath. Alfin heaved a coarse breath, sweating, clearly my barrage of questions had done a number on his stamina. 

"Right, so, this district is an older one then?"

"Dear princess, please, have mercy, I'm no orator and yet you've asked me to detail the whole intricacy of our trade with Takelvia, of the roads to all the kingdoms cities, and of the culture of near every pedestrian we meet." He hung his head at that.

"Oh- I'm sorry Alfin, that's not what I meant."

The silence was a great relief. I took in the surroundings on my own. Grey cobblestones walled the alley as it sank between a pair of buildings. We'd found ourselves standing along a ramp. The incline proceeded quite a ways, before snaking into a long deep alley that eventually found itself swallowed by a dark tunnel a ways along.

I sat, resting the dress in an awkward fold beneath my body. Hanging there, along the slope for just a long, silent moment.

"Thank you for all the information Alfin." Seeing his head stir I swiftly threw on "Ah, no please rest."

It was the first moment since I'd woken up as a girl that had felt genuinely peaceful. So fittingly, it was shattered with a yell.

Someone thrust themselves out of a window, landing deep in the alley with a crunch.

Another yell, this one understandable. "Thief!"

Alfin snapped to his feet.

The thief scrambled to their feet, cloaked in grey, they seemed to briefly size up the alley. Catching sight of us, they scattered their feet against the cobblestones, skittering deeper into it. 

With a deep sigh, my accompanying soldier began a dead sprint, clunking his way after the skitterer. Watching on from a distance, I caught sight of that thief making their way to the tunnel, only to watch a crushing realization hit them. The thief's hands frantically pulled at something, I realized then, a gate, it was almost like watching a mime, their hands filling in the shape of a black, near invisible gate now serving as their doom.

Alfin thundered ever closer to the figure. Panic took the thief, they started flailing their hands wildly, turning to face their pursuer. 

Then something happened.

The thief shouted.

Despite the distance, the words were crystal clear.

"Ter rys!"

And the ground beneath their feet shot up, a pillar of stone burst upwards, sending the thief flying into the air. 

Alfin stumbled back.

The thief caught hands on a rooftop, scrambling their way up and disappearing over the edge.

A moment passed.

Alfin slowly returned to my side.

"What- what was that?"

"Seems even lowlives have taken to practicing magic of late. It's a concerning trend." He looked over me with a concerned expression.

"Magic… ?" I let the word slip out before I could evaluate it. 

"You can't seriously be so ignorant that- uh I mean-" Alfin blushed. "I meant to say that magic runs in your family, so I'm surprised you're not familiar, your sister is an expert battle mage after all."

"Is that- does that mean I could learn magic?"

He pondered the question for a moment. "I mean, anyone can learn magic, in theory, it's not tied to genetics, but it'd be quite difficult, the practice is simply so different from any other skill, it's hard to grasp."

But my thoughts had already melted past his words. The walk had been a great breakthrough, suddenly I had hope again. Plans. God, it scared me a little, but I could come up with something. Feelings were rushing through me for the first time since my mother's passing.