Please follow me to a booth, we have much to talk about. Thank god you two are finally here I cant wait to leave this forsaken place!" Barret moved quickly giving them no time to reply as they took their places in a booth far away from prying eyes and alert ears. "Hurry up you two!" a snark attitude shot through Barret's tone making him instantly regret what he said as he gulped loudly and shooting his head down to apologize.

"Sorry, I mean no disrespect but I have been waiting a long time for you two to arrive, I was close to giving up hope. I had begone to resign my fate to stay in this strange country until my death." Barret exaggerated as he fake cried and complained to Yuuta and Ria.

Both of them gave a blank stare not sure how to respond. Yuuta was thankful when the waitress broke the silence asking for their orders. Barret seemed to realize he was the cause for the awkward silence giving an embarrassed cough before restarting his introduction.

" Sorry, Sorry, getting carried away is a specialty for me at least that's what my wife says. She says I have a tendency to take things too far I apologize." bowing his head one more time.

"First let me say I'm happy to serve you, lord and lady Vermillion."

"You can just call me Yuuta and no need to worry. I read over your note I received at the border I can't tell you how much this means to me and my lovely fiance. I made sure you will be well taken care of when you return home. On another note, I don't know how much information you receive in this country but you might find it difficult to return to Hartford." Barret went silent at Yuuta's words not sure what he meant.

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you it's just some serious issues are about to happen in Hartford and I wasn't sure how much you knew you should have no problems if you leave by the month's end." Barret let out a small sigh of relief cleary a little worried about the current situation back home.

" Well, I thank you for the advice if its no trouble I would like you to elaborate in more detail later." Yuuta gave a small nod before Barret continued. "Well, I'm sure the lady has been held in suspense long enough let's get to the manner that brought us here your fiances relatives." Ria noticeably perked up at his words unaware that she was gripping Yuutas thigh with more and more pressure as time went on.

"HMM" Barret cleared his throat before beginning. "Like I mentioned in my letter Lady Vermillion's brother Ash has a permanent position as a bodyguard watching over a wealthy merchant." Ria stopped him just like Yuuta had done. "Please just call me Ria, Barret if you haven't noticed me and Yuuta don't stand on ceremony like most nobles. If anything I should be calling you by Sir Ravouli for what you have done for me." She said lowering her head as she thanked him.

"Think nothing of it Lad... Ria I am more than happy to serve my future lord and his fiance. now back to your brother. Currently, he is away but is scheduled to be back here today with the caravan he is protecting. You two have pretty perfect timing he should be back in a few hours if nothing halts there journey."

A small smile creased the side of Barret's face. "Shall we wait at the gate for his arrival it shouldn't be much longer." Ria jumped out of the booth without giving her answer but her actions made it obvious she was more than ready. Yuuta scooted out of the booth following after her with a warm smile. He could barely contain how happy he was aswell just seeing Ria light up like this made anything to come worth it.

-------

"Hurry up Ash I wanna get back before dark if I have to spend one more night listening to this lot I don't know what ill do!" Ash gave a small chuckle as he slid his calloused hands through his midnight black hair. " Yea, Yea captain I'm working on it," he yelled back through his tent as he tightened his chest plate giving it a hard hit making sure it was not going anywhere.

For just a second he froze in place as a wave of nostalgia, fondness, and sadness hit him at once. A Memory from what felt was a lifetime ago sprang up from the dim ting of his gauntlet hitting his chest plate. For a fleeting moment, he was back in Darthmound in the small castle courtyard with his sister. Her tiny ears twitched, her mouth open in awe of her brother as he sparred against another soldier. Ash easily disarmed him while knocking him on the ground earning a cheer from the others. After shaking hands with his opponent he went to sit down taking off his helmet and chest plate to air out a little before his next sparring match.

Ria came running over as fast as her little 10-year-old legs could carry her. "That was so cool Ash you where so fast he couldn't keep up." Ash smiled at his astonished little sister happy she thought he was cool. "Thanks, sis I only did so well cause you were cheering me on." his words made her blush a little as Ash's name ringed out telling him to get ready for the next fight. He quickly put his armor back on and panicked slightly when he couldn't find his missing gauntlet. He started furiously looking in all directions before a snicker made him stop looking. A smiling Ria had tried putting it on as it was way too big for her it ended up covering her whole arm and had to use her free hand to support it from falling off.

Ash couldn't help but laugh at the whole scene. "Let me fight him, big bro, I can take him she said raising her arm in the air almost falling over from the weight of the gauntlet. widening her stance to regain her balance Ash kneeled next to his determined little sister. " I don't know he seems pretty tough sis let me take this one and you can have the next punk sound good?" He did his best to sound as serious as he could without laughing. "Ok but don't lose!" she nodded just as determined as she could.

"You got a deal how about you hit my chest plate it's my special ritual every time I put on my armor. It's like a good luck charm I'm sure it will be extra lucky if you do it." Ria's eyes lit up in joy as she cocked her arm back and gave her punch 100% effort. A small ting rang out as she made contact."

The ting echoed for second and then he was back in his tent in the middle of the Palmes wilderness. The sound of his tent flap whipping open getting his attention. A slim woman was at the tent entrance. Her short red hair was cut right at her chin and parted on both sides. her leather armor was tight against her body for minimum movement restriction. she came rushing in " I said hurry up we need to get back today if I'm gonna make it in time to bet on the races." Ash frowned for a second a little mad his captain broke him out of his nice daydream. "In that case, I'm gonna take my time why are you in such a hurry to lose all your money it's not like you win. In the 8 months I've known you, you haven't one a single bet." He snickered to himself as she acted fake offended (maybe a little offended).

"Why you little shit gotta get all personal and hurt my feelings! I knew bringing you on my company would be a pain in the ass!" Her sarcasm was not missed by ash as she walked back out of the tent. They both knew he was an integral part of there mercenary company appropriately named "The Dusted Swords". If it was up to Ash he would have changed the name but his captain was strangely attached to it but ever time he asked she quickly changed the subject. All the same, he sighed at himself knowing he just earned himself a list of the worse chores at the camp the next time they left the city.

Quickly packing up his things and breaking down his tent he made his way back to the small caravan. Most of them already waiting for the few stragglers taking their time to arrive.

"Goddammit, Where is Hutch that lazy bastard!" Captain Lara shouted as she punched the side of the lead carriage making it creak loudly. Ash sighed again only imaging what his friend was up to. "Ash go get that dipshit before I burn his tent down with him in it," she yelled out but he was already walking away giving a small wave acknowledging that he heard her.

Of course his tent was tucked away in the forest away from the rest of the company. Quickly making his way to hutch's tent he was surprised to see a stranger laying next to him still sleeping and a beautiful stranger at that. Her long blue hair made it all the way past her waist. Her features in perfect symmetrical sync her beauty easily rivaled princesses. The two of them curled up together in his small tent barely made for one person.

Ash kicked his foot waking him up mid snore. "Wake up dumbass the whole caravan is waiting on you."

Ash got a quiet groan followed by a shush in response as Hutch forced himself up being careful not to wake up his companion. Ash closed the tent flap to give his naked friend some privacy to change. Leaving him to wonder how Hutch picked up a girl in the middle of the forest. Neither one of them had any trouble picking up the ladies back in the city but Hutch seemed to have a sense about where to find the most beautiful ladies even in the forest.

Hutch quietly snuck out of his tent, making as little noise as possible as he tiptoed with his shirt and shoes in his hand. After the two made it some ways away Ash couldn't help but ask. "So who was that? and how did you find someone like her in a bloody forest" Hutch gave a shit-eating smirk back to his friend "Her name was Nala... I think. A guy from the bar told me you could find forest nymphs out here and let's just say he was right." both of them laughed before Ash pushed him. "What's with the silent walk of shame out of your tent we both know you have no problem kicking women to the curb."

He gave a sheepish laugh before scratching the back of his head. "I don't know if you know this but Nymphs have a tradition of sorts." Hutch gave him a smirk. " Ohh yeah? I didn't know that, I'm guessing you're breaking it right now."

" Maybe, maybe not anyways according to Nala once a Nymph lays with somebody they are bonded forever never to break apart. I just wish she would have told me before I was balls deep but you know that's life." Ash slapped his friend in the back of the head before laughing.

"Ohh man that's some deep shit right there. You would think she would have some better judgment than to sleep with your dumbass. You cant even commit to a sword for more than a month before you buy a new one." Ash quipped.

"Hey, Its bad luck to use the same sword for too long if you win too many fights with it it becomes a treasure other people want. Like a trophy you only get by killing the wielder. Anyways don't talk to me about making bad decisions we could go back and forth all day." Both of them laughed as the caravan came into sight. ]

"Let's get Home before an army of Nymphs come for my dick!" Hutch took off towards the caravan.

Ash froze again as his image of home was back with his sister and mom eating their fathers cooking cracking jokes and telling stories. "Yea Home" was all he whispered before he jogged back to the caravan.