Cora’s body appeared with the sunrise sitting on carriage pulled by two tamed creatures. The carriage was made of wood from the tona tree, which was a sign of power because of its expense. The animals pulling the carriage were called zetu, and were also high-quality beasts common for nobility to use. She didn’t plan on living the life of a pauper, and she noticed her master didn’t ask her to either. His only words were that she should discover herself and he asked her to help a lost soul here in the city.

She knew she was told to live her own life, but she couldn’t stop from being extremely grateful to her master for saving her from oblivion. She wanted to create a firm foundation for her master in the world, but also follow his suggestions about living her own life. This was her decision and how to do it was hers as well, and she wanted to do it well for him and herself.

The zetu pulled the carriage and soon she saw the gates to the city in front of her. The city was called Renwick, and the second largest city on this floating island. There was a line of people at the gate going in, and she could see several other races of beast kin in that city. She looked up and saw the glitter of a dome shield over the city preventing people from flying into it, and she waited patently in the line of carts till it was her turn at the gates.

The gates of the city were connected to high stone walls that reached at least fifty feet high, and the gate was made of a black colored metal. There were ten guards at the gate that were around a small stone building and there were three guards checking the wagons and carriages going through. Cora’s had two phantom servants, which were part of her abilities. The one driving the carriage looked to be a muscled beast kin of a bear race, and the other a smaller female beast kin that looked to be of one of the feline races.

There names were Ket and Simala, and summoned creatures that could only stay if Cora had enough mana to keep them there. If they weren’t fighting, she could keep both there permanently, and would have to increase her mana before she could do more. She had always had so much power, but her persona only reflected her abilities and not the growth she had gained over the thousands of years.

The carriage pulled up the gate and Ket set the breaks, and through the window in the carriage door Cora saw a guard dressed in bronze armor walk toward the door. She slid open a sliding panel, so it was a larger window and she waited for the guard to speak.

“City pass please.” The guard said.

“I am new to the island and arrived at the port of Sedgewin six days ago.” Cora said calmly.

“Eight silvern for entrance and the carriage fee.” The solider said. “You will receive six of them back if you register if you become a resident of the city. Here is your temporary pass. It will last for two weeks and it will have to be renewed or you will have to leave Renwick. You can find the official to register for residency at the high square, but carriages are not allowed there with out proper passes so you will have stable your beasts and carriage. There are a number of places along the outer wall to do that.”

Cora looked to Ket and the man handed down 8 silvers to the solider, and the soldier handed up the pass to him, and nodded to her and walked away. She felt the carriage move and they moved inside the city and the carriage turned letting her see the building sitting about forty feet away. The buildings were made of stone and were sturdy, but they gave the air of age. They didn’t look run down but they definably looked worn a little especially the wooden doors that marked many of the entrances and window coverings.

The number of beast kin traveling through out the city was massive and there were large crowds walking on cobbled walkways next to the streets. Her carriage moved along the streets until it finally came to stop near a large stone building with wood barn doors. There was a wooden fence creating an area before the barn door, and a break in the fence where they could take in the tamed beasts. Ket and Simala both got off and why Ket took care of the carriage and beasts housing. Simala guarded Cora as she stood quietly as Ket negotiated and soon Ket came out and took her two bags and they all started to head toward the central part of the city to find a place to stay.

She had done quite a bit of research on the city of Renswick, and she had picked an upscale place to stay for the time being. The streets were wide for the most part but there were places it narrowed and she knew they were choke points in case there was a battle in the city. The continued to walk past the sea of stone buildings until they reached a bridge that went over a river. The bridge marked a difference in lifestyle and class in the city, and the moment they crossed it. The buildings became were of better condition and stone, and the type of people on the street were also higher in look and standing.

They continued down the street until finally they reached the inn that she had picked. The inn was named the Golden Dove, and it was four stories tall and covered almost a quarter of the block of buildings. The moment she reached the entrance she lowered her hood showing her long silver hair and piercing blue eyes. She walked up the six steps of the entrance and the two guards paused a moment before stepping in front of her.

“Do you have business here?” A large guard in silver colored armor asked as he slid his hand to on top of his sword hilt slowly.

“Yes, I am here to book reservations for me and my servants.” Cora said directly.

“The Golden Dove is a highly extravagant place to stay.” The guard said with out menace in his voice.

“Indeed, that is why I wish to stay here.” Cora said bluntly but with out any anger or emotion.

“Welcome to the Golden Dove.” The guard said and stepped back.

Cora only smiled and nodded before stepping into the inn, and into the extravagantly decorated central room. There was a desk ten feet into the room and there was a female feline beast kin with long blond hair and dressed in an incredibly styled gown. She had her hair up in a bun and had a silver earring dangling from each ear. The room itself was decorated in wood paneling that had intricate designs across it that showed murals of beautiful scenic views. The floor a polished stone and that lead up to the desk. Cora moved slowly toward the desk and smiled back at the woman.

“How may I help you today?” The woman at the desk asked.

“We would like to stay here at the Golden Dove.” Cora said calmly.

“Would you like a single room or one that your servants can stay in as well?” She asked.

“One where my servants can stay in as well.” Cora confirmed.

“That would be a gold mark per night for the normal room or 3 gold marks for the more stylized rooms.” The woman said. “Both come with room service for food, but higher priced room comes with a bathing room as well.”

“For now, I plan on staying around 20 days so that would be 60 gold marks then.” Cora said. “Ket please pay her.”

The large bear kin moved forward and took out a pouch and took out six stacks of ten gold marks and placed it in front of the woman. The woman smiled broadly at him and then bowed her head to Cora before placing the gold marks in a pouch of her own and pulling out small metal key that was covered in runes. She slid it across to them and Ket took it and then she rang a bell and a large bear kin with black skin and a body a little larger than Ket came through the door.

“Musko please take the lady and her servants to room 41.” The woman said.

“Right away mistress.” Musko said as he stepped up and said. “Please follow me.”

Cora was led to another room where she saw a large set of stairs leading up to another floor. The slowly walked up the stairs and reached a landing and saw another set of stairs heading up to the next level. They went up three sets of stairs before the reached a hallway that was borne by a large stone door. The man pulled out a rune key like the one just given to her and he pressed it to a matching rune. The door slid open showing a wide hallway that was carpeted. He led them down the hall to another door with a 1 on it and stopped.

“Please put your key next to the rune.” Musko said. “This rune key will open your floor and your room and there will be two sub rune keys in the room that you can give to servants to enter. You need to touch the master rune key to them to activate them. They will work for one day and then you must reactivate them.”

Cora looked to Ket and he placed the key to the rune and the door slid open. The door led to another hallway and which was also carpeted. She nodded to Musko and then led the way into the room. After all of them entered Ket touched the rune with the key shutting the door. The room was truly extravagant, and it was good enough for her. Simala unpacked her bags while checked the security in the room and looked for weaknesses.

“Master the room seems very secure.” Ket finally informed Cora. “Do you have any instructions?”

“We have to first address the issue or residency and it is still early in the day. Ket I need you to find out the procedures that we need to go through to gain it. The sooner the better.” Cora said. “Simala can stay to take care of things until you return.”

“Yes master.” Ket said as he handed the master key to her.

Ket also had the two slave keys with him and she pressed the master key to one of them and there was a soft glow. The glow transferred to the slave key and Ket gave her the other slave key. He didn’t hesitate to leave, and Cora turned to Simala and doing the same giving her the other slave key. Cora checked out the large room and like the woman at the desk said. It had a the small are in the front, but had a larger sitting room with a dining area just off it. There was a small kitchen area with mana driven stoves, and on the other side was the living spaces that had one larger bedroom and three smaller ones with the bathing area just off to the side with entrances from hallway and her master bedroom.

She went into the master bedroom and was happy with what she saw, and she turned to Simala and said. “Go out and see what options they have for getting food and wines. First ask through the inn and if they can not help you. Hire a porter and go out and get them yourself. I will be resting and do not with to be disturbed.”

“Yes master.” Simala said and immediately left.

Cora watched her leave and then walked over to the bed and smiled before sitting on it and then going in to a cross legged position. She reached into her cloak and took hold of the chain that was around her neck and the small rune symbol that was attached the chain. She placed the symbol between her hands and prayed.

“Master I pray to thee and ask you to hear my prayer. I have arrived in the city and seek guidance.” Cora prayed.

Cora sat there for a moment before she felt a wave of warmth in her that filled her body. It was a gentle feeling that made her quiver a little because of the sensitivity and her body’s reaction. She heard a whisper in her mind.

“You have a life to live and I will not dictate how you live it. Learn from it and understand the freedom you have. I only wish the best for you and that no matter if you find happiness or sadness that you feel how it is to be free. Only then can you understand yourself and what you truly want.” A soft whisper said.

“I will try my best master.” She responded in the prayer.

“Whether you do great things or nothing at all it is your choice.” The soft whisper responded. “I don’t want a slave that only does what I want, but one that wants to do things because that is what her heart and soul want to do.”

Cora felt a wave of warmth on her head and she felt that Jerald placed his hand on her and she reveled in it. Her body quivered as she didn’t want him to every leave, but soon the hand was gone, but the warmth was still there inside of her. Tears started to slowly trickle down her cheeks but these tears for once were born of happiness and not despair.

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