It was just like he predict, he's slower and probably need to set camp soon. The roads he goes by wasn't much of interest, it's just field of grass, farm lands, mild woods, and so on...the only one worth noting is a hill where he can saw a lake beneath, together it make a beautiful combo of scenery, ultimately he pass it by twilight when the sun is low and the color is just Gold. The visages it makes through the surface of the lake is truely magical, this is what it means to be an adventurer isn't it. Some thoughts pass his head that he should stop his carriage a bit and just stay awile enjoying what's the God presenting to him. He beats that thoughts, he can't afford it even though he wants it, perhaps latter when he wasn't hauling a full carriage of commodities worth thousands of Karlings. His priorities is clear; get to Goran's town as fast as posible. But after he pass by the hill or so, he noticed his mule start to move slower in pace. Could it be because he just go through the hill and the mule gets tired? Or maybe it's just the mule's time is up already? Please, anyting but that, if you want to die...at least bring me to Goran's first! But the mule get slower and slower, finaly Rouen accept the reality, he must make camp and spend night outside the town's wall. It wasn't his first time and Rouen isn't a coward, he's a fighter and will face anything that disturb his well being. But he can't help but hoping at least he wasn't bringing a carriage full of 'treasures' while at it. Nightfall came, he tied the reins to a tree where he decided to be the place he will spend the night. He make a bondfire, he takes some dried meat out of a bag he prepare that morning, he took out some cooking pot and set it on the firebond, fill it with some water and tea leafs. It's tea for tonight, although he truely want to take sips of those fine wine on the carriage, he knows better not to be drunk for tonight! Rouen eats his meat, give the mule water and some barley he prepare this morning like he almost knew it would end up like this tonight, or maybe he just a person who's always prepared? The tea is ready, he pour it in a cup and take a sip. "Ahh...that wasn't so bad." He said to himself, dried meat and tea for diner, maybe he should bought some cheese back in the city, but since the merchants doesn't told him to do so..."i guess this much is enough then" he said again to himself while chewing some dried meat. Alone in the dark might really improve one's interest to talk to themselfs more since mayhaps it'll help them overcome the lonelines they've been bearing. At this kind of time, Rouen sometines starts to wonder and contemplating his life's choice, does being a solo adventurer without a party really a good choice to begin with? Sure the rewards and bounty you recive is much more biger than those of the parties, you don't have to share anything with anyone, all is yours to have and if you are a capable warrior, lots of the medium rate of quest could be done rather easily once you get used to it. But at time like this, in the dark of the night and alone by himself, two or even one comrade of arms wasn't so bad aftet all perhaps? But it's useless to have thoughs like that now, it's not like he hasn't think about this kind of situation, and there's a solid reason in Rouen's mind as to why he choose to wander alone. For now let's just say it was a good choice for him still, after all it could be seen quite clearly that Rouen's doing rather great in his adventurer's career. For a young adventurer like Rouen, to reach obsidian rank in his seventeen's is quite impressive, the quality of his gear and armaments wasn't bad either and not to mention the amount of balance of Karlings he had in his bank account which he recieved as rewards doing lots and lots of quest everyday, it's rumoured to be quite a lot for such a young adventurer like him. Rumour has it that the boy entered the guild when he's just twelve's and start questing like a madman eversince. Start with a rather lower rate of quest like 'gatherings herbs in the forest' and 'helping the blacksmith with suplies' to the medium kind of quest like he doing now. Time by time, little by little his experience of questing grows, his reputation among the adventures starts to grows, and surely his balance in the bank. Even so, it's hardly to tell where the boy spend his money all this time, he hasn't yet bought any property in the city as he always rent a room in the local inn should he decided to stay the night. Rouen known to live in one of the farmhouses not too far from the southern border, close to the city of Ravenhold where the 'land of anarchy' could bee seen from it's towers. Ravenhold is the prime city in the southern border area and considered to be the most southern city in the whole 'Confederation of Free States'. Since Leonier and Ravenhold is quite a distance to walk by, approximately three days of journey, Rouen will rent a room in local tavern or inn to stay while he doing his quest. At this rate buying a house in Leonier wasn't such a bad idea after all, since the guild in Leonier is one of the busiest guild in the Confederation, more over he got the money to do so, thanks to his years of hard work. Well perhaps one day, but his balance in the bank, he already had plan for it.
The night's geting late, though the morning still wait for some hours to come, the plan is to be awake all night and not to sleep until he reach Goran's town, that much is clear. His tea is dried, the mule's sleep, nothing much to do but wait for the sunrise. He reach for something in his bag, a book apear, a journal perhaps? "Hmm...nothing's yet done still eh?"
Hè close the book and put it back, should he make another pot of tea he thinks? Morning still far after all...but then, for a moment, it seems that he heard something, or...someone? From afar of covered darkness, a glimps but still a voice was heard by him, he couldn't tell how far it came from, and what is it about. Why someone or some people yelling at time like this, in a area like this? "What is that?" He draw his swordstaff, just to be carefull, again the voice come from afar, but now he somewhat can tell from which derection it come from, east! It came from the east he's sure, that means the voice come from the roads he just crossed today, he remember before he arrived to this place, it was the woods of snori's forest he pass by, is it maybe the voice coming from there? Should he come there just to make sure? "Nahh...i rather stay i think." Some how the hours just geting slower and slower to come, it's really a long night somehow. Rouen never let go of his swordstaff after the voice thing. Finally a scarce of the sunrise could be seen from the east's skies. "Time to go!" He said loudly to himself and to the old mule to get back to work. Rouen pack quickly all his tools, the roads still kind of dark but access able, he wont waste anymore time this carriage must reach Goran's before noon he's committed.
Approximately five hours after he break camp, finaly Rouen sees the gates of Goran's town, it's open but guarded by four or so town's guard, some other carriages and farmers could be seen going in and out of the town. "Halt! We don't recognise your carriage sir." Said one of the guards.
"Who are you and what's to be your business here sir?" He ask firmly.
"I'am here to delivered the wine as per request that been made by the merchant's guild here sir." Rouen answer politely.
"Ah, is that so?"..."you got document on you then sir?" He rub his chin.
"If you mean the 'guild pass' then it's all here sir." Rouen reach for a piece of paper and give it to the guard.
"Hmm...it said that you are to delivered 'fifteen' barrel of wine here though sir."
"Yes sir that's right."
"Mm...but then your carriage brought more than the items said here on the paper sir." Still he rubing his chin and it starts to anoy Rouen.
"Yes sir, i brought more items on my carriage, it's a commodities that i would like to sell in the market sir."
"Well then sir, if that's so, then it apear that we have some...little...problem."
Ok...where is this going...
"How so, good sir?" Rouen try to sounds as civil as posible.
"Well you see sir, your document here said that the only items that were 'permited' to enter this town, is the fifteen barrel of wine that beeing requested by our local merchant, isn't it right sir?"
"Sure indeed sir." I swear i could see some of those guards smirking Rouen's thought.
"Well then sir, that means other items except the requested one were not 'permited' to enter the town then sir" now his and his damned friends smiles is as clear as the sky this morning.
What the fuc- Ok wait...i need to stay as calm as posible at this kind of situation.
It's clear that this damned corupt good for nothing piece of shits want to make some dirty money out of honest and hard working people such as myself right? RIGHT? MOTHERFUCKERS!
"How so sir?" Rouen's repeat his words, his voice start to change.
"Well...certainly there's some rules going on here and there my good sir."..."however if you can cooperate with us then sir, we can rather see things in better ways..."
You fucking piece of shit..."is that so?"
"Indeed good sir" he smiled disgustingly.
"And what's the way then sir?" Rouen ask even though he's not sure he want to know.
"Well, if you compensate me and my friends here of our little trouble, let's say a hundred Karlings for each one of us that mean four hundreds Karlings in total, then we let you through and there will be no more...'problem' then good sir."
Four fucking hundreds of Karlings he said? Should i just fucking kill all of them?
The thoughs almost bear the fruit while Rouen starts to tighten his grip on his swordstaff's handle. Fortunetly though...
"Heii...what's this? What IS this?" A middle age man apear from inside the town side. "What is this jorr!? You tried to rob this good man here aren't you!?" He said furiously, he seems to be known well enough as the other guards starts to look like they were on a big trouble.
"Wa...it's nothing like that elder Lou!"..."it's just a little misunderstanding, i swear!"
"Swear my arse you naughty dogs! And the rest of you, seems like the town's guard were lacking of discipline and maners lately haven't they now?"
"Umm sir, i think we can talk about this..."
"Talk, talk, talk...you really love doing that aren't you jorr?"..."but nope...i think i should just report what i've seen here straigh to Captain Kurt."
"No please sir! Anything but that!"
"Sir, i got nothing to do with this!" The other guards quickly seems to find a reasons to not get involved.
"That's right sir, that's all jorr's doing, we just...we just..." Even to the point of ditching their own friends it seens. Fucking cowards...the lots of you.
"Standing by and see no devils, hear no devils right?" The middle age man said slyly. "How about this...you lot apologise to this young man nicely and wholeheartedly, and promise not to do this kind of behaviour again, and...i say we could all part ways peacefully, hmm...how about that?"
"Yes sir! Ofcourse sir." They said enthusiastly. "Sir, for all our misconduct, we apologise to you truely sir." Jorr's said that while they bow their heads, it's funny how fast people can change their attitude when they confronted by some people with real power. This middle age man...who is he?
"Well that's rather embarrassing moments from our guards there young sir, i hope you can forgive them."
"That's all fine now and thank you for what you do sir...?"
"Oh! Manners where's my manners...i'am Lougard Fritz, one of the Merchant's elder here in this town young sir." Ah...i suppose he's indeed a man of power.
"My name is Rouen, a member of the adventurer's guild, i'am here to make my delivery sir." Rouen's polite tone is back, at least this time it goes to a person who deserves it.
"I know, we've been expecting you...and look at here, seems that you brought even more suplies here, this is rather good news i say."
That's sounds good in Rouen's ear. "Is that so sir? I was somehow hoping to make more coins selling this items while i'am delivering the quest items."
"Smart move young man! Tell you what? How about you just come with me and having some drinks while this lot here will take care of your carriage."..."Jorr, send this young man's carriage to Fritz's market post, my men there will take care of the rest."
"Yes sir! At once sir!"
"Don't worry lad, he wont dare trying anything funny no more now." He said reassuring.
"Right sir."
"Well then...shall we go now?"..."tell me lad have you ever taste Goran's wild rum?"
The what?