Follow The Raven
Take It Or Leave It
"Hurry up and pack, we'll be making port in a little bit," Damian ordered walking out of the cabin. What do you mean 'pack'? Everything's already packed! I've been living off my bag for the last two weeks and a half, and...I don't really know what he's living off of...Oh well, not my problem. Two weeks and a half here is basically a month back in the living world. Let me think...Mrs. Ungermeyer is probably pissed that she lost the only person in the world that would stoop so low as to work for her, my parents can use the attic as storage now, the town doesn't have a blacksheep anymore...yeah, that's about all that might have spurred from my 'disappearance.' The kids are probably far from Sherwood, off somewhere in the world of the living, playing among other children but the other children don't realize they're there....that's really going to be the only thing I miss from the land of the living, my little confidants.
---
"It was truly an honor making your acquaintance," Captain Dover said with a deep bow as we stood on deck.
"Thank you for everything," I said, giving him a hug. Screw etiquette, I'm from 2007.
"My dear girl, there is no doubt in my mind that whatever you become, you will be great," he said kindly as I stepped back.
"Yes, yes, she'll be a saint," Damian mumbled sarcastically.
"Remy! Come here, lad," the captain yelled, Remy running over immediately.
"I have a job for you, boy," the captain said, leaning down a bit to be eye level with the cabin boy.
"You will accompany them, make sure they don't kill each other," the captain said, much to Remy and I's delight and Damian's horror. Yes! I'm not alone with the hothead!
"WHAT?! I'm not taking a kid, I already have her to deal with," he exclaimed angrily. You volunteered, you idiot.
"It is an order, one that will not be rebuked. This is final, Remy will go with you. Apart from being my cabin boy, he was also my doctor on this ship. The boy has skill in medicine, and could come of use to you, although I hope he never does," the captain explained, putting his foot down.
"Fine, whatever," Damian grumbled starting to walk down the plank. I said goodbye to the captain one more time, and followed suit, Remy at my tail.
"Alright, we need to get some horses and ride further inland," Damian said, grabbing my arm and pulling me next to him. He said that over the voyage I became less alive, but its still noticeable that I'm walking meat. On that note, it's astounding to me that we still haven't found better adjectives to describe me other than 'alive' and 'less alive'.
I looked around the busy port. As it was still day, the place was bustling with all sorts of people, animating the area. It was a relief to see all this action after being locked up in a cabin and the only thing available was sea serpents, books, and feuds. Those are always fun, but only for a little time.
"Have you ever ridden a horse?" Damian asked out of the blue as we came up to a stable.
"Haven't we been over this? I've basically never done anything," I said, realizing just how sad my life is...was...something. Thank goodness for death, apparently.
"Alright, just when I was hoping something would be simple," he sighed more to himself, letting me go and walking over to the stable master. I walked over to one of the stalls only to jump ten feet in the air as a black horse just popped out.
"I would be careful, mademoiselle, Aslan is not the kindest steed," the stable master said, noticing the horse startling me. I looked at the animal. Horses have always been one of my obsessions (please note that I do have many). They're just so graceful and majestic. I sound like such a nerd right there...
"We need three of them," Damian said to the stable master, trying to buy three horses.
"When will you have them back?" The stable master asked.
"Probably never," Damian stated starting to walk around the stable.
"What?!?!" The stable master demanded shocked. What, did you think we were going to go to the ends of the world and come back just to return your horses?
"I already told you, I want to buy three horses," Damian spelled out, starting to get irritated.
"But when will you bring them back?" The stable master demanded, obviously still not understanding the whole idea. Damian growled as Remy tried to conceal a laugh.
"Lara, you take care of it," Damian stated after a minute of just glaring at the guy.
"Why me?" I asked walking up.
"You speak French right? Take care of it," Damian declared walking away somewhere. The stable master turned to me, an unhappy look on his face. Unhappy means unlikely to cooperate.
"Monsieur, on veut simplement acheter trois cheveaux [Sir, we simply want to buy three horses]," I said delicately.
"Et vous allez les ramener quand? [And when will you bring them back?]" He persisted, still not understanding the idea of 'buying means no returning.'
"Jamais! Si on les achete, ca veut dire qu'ils sont a nous! Pourquoi es-ce qu'on les ramenerait? [Never! If we buy them, that means they belong to us! Why would we bring them back?" I said, getting irritated myself.
"Vous savez quoi, si c'est aussi complique que ca, on va aller quelque part d'autre [You know what, if its really that complicated, we can go somewhere else]," I said, putting my hands up after another ten minutes of arguing. There has to be another horse merchant somewhere in this town.
"Ah! Vous voulez les acheter? Escuse-moi mademoiselle, je croyais que vous voulez les louer [Oh! You want to buy them? Pardon me miss, I thought you wanted to rent them]," he said quickly trying to keep possible costumers from walking out and to the competition. I felt a vein pop out when he said that, what a prat.
"Whatever, how much for three horses?" I asked, getting seriously annoyed.
"Trois milles pieces [3000 pieces]," he stated. Making my jaw fall. 3000 gold pieces for three horses? 1000 a piece? Those better be some pure-bred, one-year olds to merit that price tag. Remy had taken the time to explain the money system to me during a light storm at sea a couple days ago. This world is still on the gold-and-silver system. Coinage basically. Gold coins are called 'pieces'; anything made of silver, bronze, or copper is simply called 'coins,' you just have to alliterate which you are referring to. The exchange rate depends on the person you're dealing with, no standard policy, so you really want to ask a few exchange bureaus before changing any money. Every country has the same idea, but some of them are picky and insist on you using their coins with their symbols.
"What?!?!" I exclaimed, getting even more irritated. I wonder how he died...
"What is it Lara?" Remy asked walking over to me.
"This poor excuse for a vender wants us to pay 3000 pieces for three horses," I said, watching the stable master get pissed at the title.
"Are you kidding? You can get an entire team and carriage for 3000 pieces," Damian said coming back over.
"Take it or leave it, you won't find a better price," the stable master yelled, starting to turn red.
"I can't believe he was telling the truth," I grumbled having trouble climbing a fallen tree. The stable master wasn't kidding when he said that 3000 pieces was the best price for three horses. We went to three other stables, only to be met with even more exorbitant prices. So we did what he said, we left it, and now we're walking through a forest.
"Horses are pretty hard to get this far north, it gets cold here," Remy explained walking next to me, while Damian walked a couple yards ahead.
"Is there a possibility of getting some horses in the next town?" I asked him hopefully. We've been walking for a few hours now, and my legs are killing me. I've been sitting in a ship for the last two weeks, I'm not fit for this.
"Probably not, Damian is taking us deeper into the forest to avoid detection, any town we pass through will probably cherish their horses and won't give them up for any price," he explained sadly, a look of fatigue on his face.
"Are you okay? I could carry those bags for a bit," I offered, noticing Remy starting to slow down. Before leaving the port, we had stocked up on blankets, food, weapons, and water; none of which, you can imagine, is light. I already stuffed as much as I could into my bag, but Damian insisted on keeping some stuff out, "just in case," he says.
"I'm alright, I'm just a little hungry," he replied bashfully.
"We'll stop when night falls, for now we keep moving," Damian yelled from up ahead, not even bothering to look back.
"Here, this should help a bit," I said, digging through my bag and taking out a granola bar Carly had stuffed into it.
"Thanks," he said, taking a bite out of it after I opened it for him. I doubt granola bars are common treats in this world, and the wrapper is tricky to rip in any world anyway.
"Keep up you two," Damian yelled a bit later. It was one of my resolutions this year to get fit, but I never imagined that it would be like this: running after a vampire in a forest in underworld France.
---
"It was truly an honor making your acquaintance," Captain Dover said with a deep bow as we stood on deck.
"Thank you for everything," I said, giving him a hug. Screw etiquette, I'm from 2007.
"My dear girl, there is no doubt in my mind that whatever you become, you will be great," he said kindly as I stepped back.
"Yes, yes, she'll be a saint," Damian mumbled sarcastically.
"Remy! Come here, lad," the captain yelled, Remy running over immediately.
"I have a job for you, boy," the captain said, leaning down a bit to be eye level with the cabin boy.
"You will accompany them, make sure they don't kill each other," the captain said, much to Remy and I's delight and Damian's horror. Yes! I'm not alone with the hothead!
"WHAT?! I'm not taking a kid, I already have her to deal with," he exclaimed angrily. You volunteered, you idiot.
"It is an order, one that will not be rebuked. This is final, Remy will go with you. Apart from being my cabin boy, he was also my doctor on this ship. The boy has skill in medicine, and could come of use to you, although I hope he never does," the captain explained, putting his foot down.
"Fine, whatever," Damian grumbled starting to walk down the plank. I said goodbye to the captain one more time, and followed suit, Remy at my tail.
"Alright, we need to get some horses and ride further inland," Damian said, grabbing my arm and pulling me next to him. He said that over the voyage I became less alive, but its still noticeable that I'm walking meat. On that note, it's astounding to me that we still haven't found better adjectives to describe me other than 'alive' and 'less alive'.
I looked around the busy port. As it was still day, the place was bustling with all sorts of people, animating the area. It was a relief to see all this action after being locked up in a cabin and the only thing available was sea serpents, books, and feuds. Those are always fun, but only for a little time.
"Have you ever ridden a horse?" Damian asked out of the blue as we came up to a stable.
"Haven't we been over this? I've basically never done anything," I said, realizing just how sad my life is...was...something. Thank goodness for death, apparently.
"Alright, just when I was hoping something would be simple," he sighed more to himself, letting me go and walking over to the stable master. I walked over to one of the stalls only to jump ten feet in the air as a black horse just popped out.
"I would be careful, mademoiselle, Aslan is not the kindest steed," the stable master said, noticing the horse startling me. I looked at the animal. Horses have always been one of my obsessions (please note that I do have many). They're just so graceful and majestic. I sound like such a nerd right there...
"We need three of them," Damian said to the stable master, trying to buy three horses.
"When will you have them back?" The stable master asked.
"Probably never," Damian stated starting to walk around the stable.
"What?!?!" The stable master demanded shocked. What, did you think we were going to go to the ends of the world and come back just to return your horses?
"I already told you, I want to buy three horses," Damian spelled out, starting to get irritated.
"But when will you bring them back?" The stable master demanded, obviously still not understanding the whole idea. Damian growled as Remy tried to conceal a laugh.
"Lara, you take care of it," Damian stated after a minute of just glaring at the guy.
"Why me?" I asked walking up.
"You speak French right? Take care of it," Damian declared walking away somewhere. The stable master turned to me, an unhappy look on his face. Unhappy means unlikely to cooperate.
"Monsieur, on veut simplement acheter trois cheveaux [Sir, we simply want to buy three horses]," I said delicately.
"Et vous allez les ramener quand? [And when will you bring them back?]" He persisted, still not understanding the idea of 'buying means no returning.'
"Jamais! Si on les achete, ca veut dire qu'ils sont a nous! Pourquoi es-ce qu'on les ramenerait? [Never! If we buy them, that means they belong to us! Why would we bring them back?" I said, getting irritated myself.
"Vous savez quoi, si c'est aussi complique que ca, on va aller quelque part d'autre [You know what, if its really that complicated, we can go somewhere else]," I said, putting my hands up after another ten minutes of arguing. There has to be another horse merchant somewhere in this town.
"Ah! Vous voulez les acheter? Escuse-moi mademoiselle, je croyais que vous voulez les louer [Oh! You want to buy them? Pardon me miss, I thought you wanted to rent them]," he said quickly trying to keep possible costumers from walking out and to the competition. I felt a vein pop out when he said that, what a prat.
"Whatever, how much for three horses?" I asked, getting seriously annoyed.
"Trois milles pieces [3000 pieces]," he stated. Making my jaw fall. 3000 gold pieces for three horses? 1000 a piece? Those better be some pure-bred, one-year olds to merit that price tag. Remy had taken the time to explain the money system to me during a light storm at sea a couple days ago. This world is still on the gold-and-silver system. Coinage basically. Gold coins are called 'pieces'; anything made of silver, bronze, or copper is simply called 'coins,' you just have to alliterate which you are referring to. The exchange rate depends on the person you're dealing with, no standard policy, so you really want to ask a few exchange bureaus before changing any money. Every country has the same idea, but some of them are picky and insist on you using their coins with their symbols.
"What?!?!" I exclaimed, getting even more irritated. I wonder how he died...
"What is it Lara?" Remy asked walking over to me.
"This poor excuse for a vender wants us to pay 3000 pieces for three horses," I said, watching the stable master get pissed at the title.
"Are you kidding? You can get an entire team and carriage for 3000 pieces," Damian said coming back over.
"Take it or leave it, you won't find a better price," the stable master yelled, starting to turn red.
"I can't believe he was telling the truth," I grumbled having trouble climbing a fallen tree. The stable master wasn't kidding when he said that 3000 pieces was the best price for three horses. We went to three other stables, only to be met with even more exorbitant prices. So we did what he said, we left it, and now we're walking through a forest.
"Horses are pretty hard to get this far north, it gets cold here," Remy explained walking next to me, while Damian walked a couple yards ahead.
"Is there a possibility of getting some horses in the next town?" I asked him hopefully. We've been walking for a few hours now, and my legs are killing me. I've been sitting in a ship for the last two weeks, I'm not fit for this.
"Probably not, Damian is taking us deeper into the forest to avoid detection, any town we pass through will probably cherish their horses and won't give them up for any price," he explained sadly, a look of fatigue on his face.
"Are you okay? I could carry those bags for a bit," I offered, noticing Remy starting to slow down. Before leaving the port, we had stocked up on blankets, food, weapons, and water; none of which, you can imagine, is light. I already stuffed as much as I could into my bag, but Damian insisted on keeping some stuff out, "just in case," he says.
"I'm alright, I'm just a little hungry," he replied bashfully.
"We'll stop when night falls, for now we keep moving," Damian yelled from up ahead, not even bothering to look back.
"Here, this should help a bit," I said, digging through my bag and taking out a granola bar Carly had stuffed into it.
"Thanks," he said, taking a bite out of it after I opened it for him. I doubt granola bars are common treats in this world, and the wrapper is tricky to rip in any world anyway.
"Keep up you two," Damian yelled a bit later. It was one of my resolutions this year to get fit, but I never imagined that it would be like this: running after a vampire in a forest in underworld France.