Wiping my hands off with a cloth, I studied the two figures staring at our encampment from the distant road.

“They’ve been standing there for a while now,” Nessa said softly. She and I stood in the encampment still, and was staring at the distant figures between a small opening in our tent-wall.

Hm…

They had a small cart. One that was enclosed, the type that was for people to ride and not products or goods. A small mule pulled it, and was lazily being petted by a taller man. His companion, a finely dressed woman, stood a small distance from the cart and was staring at us.

Maybe one of Randle’s visitors…? Maybe she was waiting for others to show up, or was just seeing if we were accepting guests or not… Or she could just be interested in us, or they were having cart troubles.

Either way I needed to handle it. Nessa said they’d been there for some time now, and I believed her. I had heard the mule some time ago, even before I had started cleaning the mess from our lunch.

“I’ll go see what they want. Would you mind letting Merit know if I don’t come back soon or if something happens?” I asked Nessa as I put the cloth I’d been using down onto a nearby table. Merit was asleep right now, having lain down after lunch to take a nap. But at the moment she was the only one I could really rely on for such things, since Randle was gone. As was Lellip and Lilly.

“Sure. Want me to come with you?” Nessa asked.

I shook my head as I went to grab my hat. I’d made it a habit to wear it more often lately, but I had taken it off as I cleaned the pots and dishes and stuff. I found it on a nearby bench, fastened it to my head and headed out of the encampment.

As I left I wondered if I should have grabbed my sword or Vim’s spear… but decided against it. Odds are they were just Randle’s visitors. He’s been getting a lot lately, almost a dozen a day, though I didn’t recognize this one or remember her or the man she was with visiting.

Was she a noble maybe…? As I approached I realized their cart had some kind of image carved into the side of it. A… symbol of a bird? Was that a raven maybe?

Usually I’d let Randle or one of his people deal with this, but they had left a little before lunch to go to Haggo’s office. He wanted to put up notices in town, little flyers, that told the residents who we were and when to expect the church to formally open. Basically he was going to officially declare that the Church of Songs had arrived, but was not officially open for sermons yet until the church was built.

I was glad for it, since he said it would make most of our daily visitors less likely to show up. Once an official notice was known, people would only show up when it was dire, he had explained. Something to do with human traditions or something.

Though it was slightly odd he needed official permission from Haggo, or at least those he represented, first before he could do so… Since there were places in town, such as at the town-center and also at the marketplace and a few of the places where one could eat that had these boards one could post notices to. Such as to hire employees or something. I’d studied one the other day, as to get an idea of what this city was doing and needed and found out that most of the notices were mundane stuff. People looking for certain individuals, such as a lost child, or a logging group looking for a new member to fell trees. Stuff that the Animalia Guild would have handled for people in Lumen, basically. I wasn’t sure why one needed permission just to post a piece of paper on a community board.

Either way I was looking forward to it.

Walking across the field of grass, I glanced to my right as I watched a field mouse run off. It disappeared into a nearby hole, and I frowned at it.

Was that what I’ve been hearing underneath the ground as I slept lately…? I had been hearing dirt moving and crunching lately these last few nights, as if something was digging right beneath my head. I’d mentioned it to Merit and she had said it was likely moles…

Though that might have been a mole and not a mouse. I hadn’t gotten too good a look at it… Was this whole area full of them maybe…?

Focusing back on the woman and the man as I approached them, I watched the man step away from the mule and step up next to her. He had a short sword that hung on his waist, but he didn’t grab at its handle or anything on my approach… but now that I was closer, I could tell the two were likely not really related. Plus he had that look in his eyes. The kind that people in general, men or no, usually didn’t have.

He was definitely a mercenary, or something like it. I didn’t see any armband or insignia on him, but I knew from Lilly explaining it before she and Lellip had left that the mercenaries that were here were all settling down. They were becoming employees and stuff of companies and noble houses, and as such abandoning their mercenary associations. Even still she had been kind enough to sit down and draw for me the more common mercenary emblems that I should be on the lookout for, such as Branches’ old band the Silken Band. So that I could recognize them.

The woman however was definitely not just some common mercenary or town-woman. She was dressed in lighter clothing, since it had started to get warm finally, but the stuff had brighter colors and additions to them. Her shirt, though some kind of cloth, had cleanly sewed on patches of leather and fur here and there. Such as at her wrists, or on her elbows. But the patches weren’t improper or misplaced, and had mirroring matching parts as to imply they had been added on purpose with skill. Implying it was something very well made. Something expensive. It was something Vim would have gotten me, or made for me. Something you rarely saw even in a large and wealthy town like Lumen. So it was something that I knew no common towns-person would wear. Plus her shoes and pants were nice too. This town had mostly brick roads already, but not on the outskirts like we were. So usually those who came here had dirty shoes, if not even muddy ones since it had rained a few times since our arrival. She though had flawlessly clean shoes, and the edge of her dress’s skirt was just as clean. It all told me that she’d ridden the cart here.

She was a noble, or something like it. Which only made my assumption of the man being some kind of mercenary all the more likely… he was her guard, not her husband or partner. And it was obvious. Especially with the way he was standing just behind her. That was not how a husband stood, but a servant or guard.

“Hello, can I help you?” I asked as I stepped off the field of grass and onto the dirt road. It was a packed road, not just a common path, but it still wasn’t made of stone in this section yet.

The woman and man studied me for a moment, so I slowed a bit until I came to a stop a few feet from them.

Why weren’t they saying anything…?

Feeling a little awkward, I wondered if maybe I’d done something wrong. Randle and the rest have been talking to people nonstop since we got here, and from all I’ve heard and seen so far the people here were friendly and welcoming. Not a one had been rude or even odd… what were the chances I’d be the first one to receive animosity? Maybe it was just fate…

“Henry,” the woman than spoke, turning to glance at her companion. He nodded gently at his name being spoken and then stepped back and away from her. I watched him go over to their cart, open the small latch door that led into it, and then he reached in and grabbed a box.

What’s this…?

Standing up a little straighter as the man walked back over to me, and then offered me the small box… I wondered if this was maybe a donation or something.

I’d not seen it myself, but I had overheard a few people giving Randle a few alms or tithes. From what he’s said most of them had been simple coins, while others had given food or something they had made. To him, and the rest of our group, such things were so common that no one had found it odd or interesting… so…

Glancing down at the small box being offered to me, I decided to just carefully accept it. I found it was a little heavier than it had seemed, but not so much that it was worrisome. I didn’t feel anything inside the box shift or move, or make noise, as I gently shifted it in my hands… but I could tell there was something inside of it.

Plus it was fancy. The thing had little designs and images carved into it. On first glance it seemed most were just simple settings, such as a starry night, but I’d need to examine it a tad closer to really find out… Was that a raven…? Yes. It was. A large raven was carved into the whole scene on top of the box; somehow merging its wings into what I assumed was the night sky. It was neat.

“My name is Rivonne. When your protector shows up, please let me know.”

Looking up, quickly, I found myself a little shocked as I watched the woman nod at me and then turn away.

“Wait…!” I stepped forward, to stop her, but she didn’t seem to listen or care. Her guard, or whatever he was, turned with her and went to helping her get into the cart. He helped her step up into it, and she disappeared into it.

I wasted no time. I hurried forward, ignored the side-glance I got from Henry as I did, and looked into the cart. “Wait, please,” I said to the woman.

The woman, Rivonne, huffed a little as she sat down and relaxed in her cart. She turned and nodded at me. “As I said, please let me know when he shows up. You obviously know who I speak, yes?”

“Vim…” I whispered his name, and she nodded back at me.

“I live in the north of town. He’ll know how to find me.”

“Excuse me,” Henry stepped forward, and I had to step back as to let him shut the tiny little door that secured the side of the cart and closed her in. I could still see her, since the cart didn’t have a window or a full cover on top, but only partly.

“Rivonne,” I said her name as I realized she’d not speak to me any longer. She had said what she wanted, given me what she felt needed, and was ready to leave.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

She nodded. “Let Vim the Protector know, once you can. Thank you.”

Stepping back some more as Henry went to grab the reins of the mule; he made a clicking sound with his tongue and got it to start walking. The cart slowly lurched forward and then began to roll away, leaving me behind.

Sighing softly as I watched it slowly leave, I looked again down at the box I held.

Wait…

Frowning, I shifted a little as I…

“Oh boy…” I groaned as I realized I was indeed feeling it.

It was faint. Almost unnoticeable… but I could feel it. Ever so slightly.

The box was making my fingers tingle.

Glancing around, I found I was alone. The cart was now heading back into town, and I was standing alone on the path. So I decided to just… let it be.

She had obviously been very literal. She didn’t want to speak to me, only for me to deliver a message. To Vim.

Did he know her…? She had seemed human to me. I had not felt tingly around her, and I hadn’t smelled any non-human scents either. I had not once thought, until now, that she could have possible been one of us… maybe she had been…?

But if she had been, wouldn’t she have been in the Society…? Yet she spoke as if she wasn’t a member. After all, why would another member need to act so? They could just summon Vim on their own… and…

I groaned as I turned and hurried back to our encampment.

Once back I found Merit waiting for me. She yawned at me as I stepped over to her, and I was a little glad that no one else was around at the moment as I showed her the box. “I uh… think we might have a problem,” I said.

“We always do. What is it now?” Merit asked with a groan, though not because she was upset to hear we had a problem but instead because she was still half-asleep.

“Do you know a Rivonne…? She said her name is Rivonne. His was Henry. Then they gave me this box, told me to let them know once Vim shows up, and then they just left,” I said.

Merit seemed to snap awake with a blink as she focused on me and the box I held. “Rivonne…?” she asked.

I nodded. Had she heard of them before?

She slowly shook her head. “Doesn’t ring a bell. Randle would be a better one to ask concerning members… What’s the box?” she asked.

“Well…” I hesitated as I glanced around. I could hear Nessa in the center tent. The one I’d just been in with her. By the sounds of it she had picked up where I’d left off, cleaning the few remaining pots. Folz was here too, the mute, but he was in his tent. I could hear him scribbling in a book.

Randle was gone, and he had taken Krass the old woman and her son Tristin. Angie though should be…

Ah. There. She emerged from her tent, the one near my own and Merit’s on the south side of the encampment. She was carrying a basket of clothes and heading to the center tent. Likely to do laundry.

“I think it might be a heart,” I whispered to Merit once I was sure no one was watching or listening to us.

Merit’s eyes narrowed at me. “You’re kidding…”

“Well… at least that’s what I think it is. The box is making my hands and fingers tingle,” I said. I couldn’t outright feel it, but…

“Sure you’re not just allergic to whatever the thing is made of…? No matter, open it and find out,” Merit said.

“But what if I’m supposed to give it to Vim and…” I started to argue but Merit didn’t care. She huffed at me and grabbed the box from my hand and went to open it.

I groaned, but didn’t stop her, as she found the lid and briskly popped it open.

Leaning forward, Merit and I studied the inside of the small box… and found a cloth. A thick black one, which…

“It’s a heart,” I said before Merit got the cloth unwrapped enough to reveal it. now with the lid off, I felt it clearly.

A small white orb came into view. One that was glowing very familiarly, and also… kind of small. Not as small as the one I’d eaten in Lumen, the small many-tailed monarchs’ heart from Telmik, but not much bigger.

“Huh… so it is,” Merit sounded impressed as she stared at it.

“What are you doing?” Angie asked from nearby the center tent’s entrance. She still held her basket and was staring at us.

“Not sure yet,” I said back, a little worried the girl would come over to see. I trusted Angie, of course, but the fewer who knew about the heart the better.

Merit sighed as she went to folding the cloth back over the heart. “Well, this just proves whoever it is knows who and what we are. Are they still out there?” Merit asked as she went to closing the box back up.

“No… she just said to let her know when Vim shows up. She was rather adamant about it, then just left,” I said.

“Did you not mention you were his wife?” Merit asked.

“No… should I have?” I asked. Maybe that would have worked…?

Merit though shook her head. “Good. Keep such a thing a secret. We don’t know if they’re an enemy yet or not… hm… should we bury it?” Merit went to glancing around, mumbling as she did.

I sighed at my little friend as Angie walked over. She no longer carried her basket, having deposited it into the center tent. “What happened?” Angie asked.

“A weird person visited, gave me this box and told me to let her know when Vim shows up,” I said.

“What is it…?” Angie asked, interested.

“A dangerous object. I’ll bury it, Renn, give me a second…” Merit said as she stepped away, making Angie frown at her.

“I don’t get to know, or I don’t want to know?” she asked me.

“Both, I think,” I admitted.

Angie simply nodded. “Fair enough. I’m going to wash some clothes, do you have any you want me to wash for you while I’m at it?” she asked.

A tad humbled by her offer, and her readiness to simply ignore or overlook what just happened, I simply shook my head. “Thank you, but no… I’ll clean my own later,” I said.

“I’m good at it you know? I did it for my whole family all the time,” she said. She looked and sounded as if she wanted to convince me.

I smiled at that and nodded. “I’ve no doubt, Angie. Maybe next time. I really only have a little to do, and I plan to do it later when I clean my leather armor and stuff too,” I said. It was time I did maintenance on the gear Lellip and the rest had made me, anyway. Plus, I didn’t want to admit it but I was slowly becoming like Vim.

The stuff I touched stopped smelling. I’d been sleeping in my tent for well over half a month now and it was rather obvious. My own tent had no smell at all. And I didn’t mean it in a way that I simply didn’t notice it because it was my own smell. My tent genuinely didn’t smell like anything. Not even of cloth or leather, as all the other ones did. Or the grass beneath it, either.

I’d been wanting to ask Merit if she noticed too, but was slightly scared of doing so. It was… nice to know I was becoming like Vim, somehow, but at the same time it was strange. Concerning.

I could smell Vim, and my own self, so why was it I didn’t smell the stuff around us? It was confusing.

“Okay… how about Merit? She stinks sometimes, surely she has some,” Angie said with a gesture to the small fish who was… now missing. Where’d she gone, I wonder?

“I uh… don’t know. Maybe,” I said softly. Merit did sometimes have a small smell to her, but I’d not say it was so bad as that…

“Hmph… Merit! Got any dirty clothes!?” Angie then asked, turning to face the rest of the encampment and shouting as she did.

“Yes!” Merit’s voice came back from the other side of the encampment, and I frowned at that. Was she in the tent we’d given Lilly…?

“Knew it. I’ll just go grab them, then,” Angie said and hurried off towards Merit’s tent, unabashed and unafraid to the point she just went straight into it.

Shaking my head gently at Angie, I wondered if she just didn’t fear Merit or if she didn’t comprehend who and what Merit was just yet. “Maybe it’s just her nature…” I whispered as I went to round the main tent, to find Merit. It was funny that only a little while ago Angie had asked me to introduce her to Merit. That she had been anxious and cautious of her. Now they were acting like old friends.

Sure enough I found her walking out of Lilly’s tent while brushing her hands off. “Hidden,” she said happily to me as she noticed me.

“Why her tent?” I asked.

“No one’s using it, so won’t be bothered by its proximity.”

Oh… right. Vim has brought up that a heart caused problems if near people… “It’d have been fine in my tent though?” I said.

“No. It wouldn’t have. What if I slept in there or someone else? You might be fine, but not us,” Merit said simply as she glanced around. “Did Angie get my dirty clothes?”

“Um… yes. I think she did,” I said. We were not able to see Merit’s tent from this side of the encampment, since we were on the other side of the center tent.

“Good. I’m glad we have someone who likes doing such menial tasks. I don’t.”

Menial…? “Part of her motherly nature, I think,” I said happily.

“Motherly…?” Merit mumbled the word as she then yawned. A mighty one.

“You think we should just let it be, Merit?” I asked.

“Yes. Let Randle know, but no one else. If you see them again though let me know right away,” Merit said between another yawn.

I nodded as I watched Merit yawn some more. I’d not realized her back teeth were pointy… not even mine were like that.

“I’m going back to bed then. Hopefully she didn’t take my bedding too…” Merit said as she stepped away.

Smirking at that, I nodded. “If she did you can sleep in my bed,” I said.

She gave me a gentle wave as she seemingly agreed, and per her usual self… disappeared around the center tent and went out of my sight without much care or worry.

Sighing softly at her, who was similar to Vim in a way, I wondered if Merit’s calm reaction to the heart should be my own too.

I felt as if what had just happened was a big deal… or at least should have been. Instead it seemed it was just another day.

Maybe it was normal. Vim did know people outside of the Society, after all… even though as odd and strange as it were for him to do so. Such as those pirates in Lumen, or even monarchs such as Miss Beak… he’d mentioned there were others like them too occasionally though never mentioned them by name or told me where they were.

If this Rivonne was not a member of the Society… I wonder who and what she was to Vim. A friend like Ronalldo? Maybe someone he owed a debt to? Had he perchance saved her or her ancestors once, and they just somehow remembered and kept tabs on him the whole time because of it…? I’d considered that before, while traveling with Vim. On occasion we did encounter and even help random people… what if they actually took the time to remember us and seek us out, when able? Vim always seemed to believe such a thing couldn’t happen, since humans died too quickly, but obviously it didn’t always go that way…

No matter. If there was no immediate threat then I should just treat it as Merit had. With simple caution, but otherwise no worry. I’ll speak to Randle about it later, hopefully he might have some insight…

Glancing upward, I smiled softly at the familiar sky. The sun was high overhead; there were a few white clouds… and a small breeze flowing along the river, carrying the sent of not just a warm day but the nearby forest.

A forest not too unalike the one I’d grown up in… and had lived in for hundreds of years.

We weren’t too far from the Owl’s Nest. Which in turn was not too far from Ruvindale or where Nory and I had lived for decades. So, in a way, I felt almost as if I was home.

“At least I will be once we get out of these tents…” I mumbled with a sigh as I went to rejoin Nessa, to return to the boring day I was having. The fun was over, it seemed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep