We have travelled the road a great while, and in silence a whole. My thoughts continued without regard for how I felt. I eventually realize something though. My father wasn't perfect. He admitted it in Hint's letter. He may have been closer than I, but he was a Pepal like any other. After that Epiphany, I believed the buried thoughts finally rested, probably in fathers grave. He wouldn't want this... He would want me to just be the best I could be. He knows I fail. He knows I falter. Why should I even pretend? So does he, and he was only trying to hide it because it was his duty to hide weakness as king. Or was it as a Paladin? I knew not. But I took some deep breaths and began to return to a normal state. I'm glad the road was bumpy earlier... Jayce and Shaw didn't hear our outbursts of emotion. Even though I was calming, Emylia seemed unchanged. She still was upset. I had to cheer her up. I had to try. If I didn't, than my ploys of saying I'm not a monster would be a lie. No prince should cause a girl to cry, no matter how stupid he was. "Emylia... I am sorry." She removes her sleeve to her side, face red from our past affairs. She looks at me and begins to speak, "Don't be. I was just remembering something... Thats all." A pang of guilt flows, and hurts me a bit. But I knew I was in fault, and I had to do something to cheer her up. "If you don't mind my asking, what is it you remembered?" I say as calmly as possible to not set her newfound sadness. She at first seemed hesitant to answer, but after some time and thud of the caravan she eventually responded. "In the castle, back when I was younger..." Her voice trailed off, but she winced and it returned. "One day, as a tactician's apprentice we were practicing formations in the plain outside of the capital. My master was working with Jayce and a small group of about 30 Steel knights, manuevering them as he wished. Eventually, I was told to do so, and I ordered every formation with ease. Even going as far as commanding the more robust troops in Jayce's place." She lets out a small chuckle. "The Gladiator hated me for that, giving me a face of pure hatred every time." Her frown suddenly returns. "Then eventually, I called the sphere barrier formation. All were supposed to go into a circle and form a wall with thier shields. But... it didn't go as planned. Two stayed in the center, staring at each other menacingly. One wore a squire's helmet like yours. The other was one of the few that came to the practice without. He had dark hair, and had a little likeness to Lord James. But..." Her voice wells up in upset. I stop her. "Its okay... You don't have to tell me." She lets out a small smile in relief then begins to speak again. "Thank you... That's the most progress I've made on it... Maybe another ti-" "Were here!" I hear Jayces voice yell in glee. I look out my window to see us parked in front of a city with cobblestone floor. We lay in the grass just outside. I open the door and look closer. There was an assortment of solid stone square buildings throughout, and even more Pepal. I knew it would be hard to get through, and might cause me an anxiety attack or two. No matter, I've definitly been through worse, at least the city lay on level ground throughout. Jayce walks to my side and begins to speak. "It may be a while until I can get the caravan across, not to mention gather the supplies I need to repair the caravan and repair it afterwards. I suggest you treat the lady to a nice tour." He points to Emylia inside the caravan still, tuning out the world. He winks at me too, and in response I roll my eyes and nod in disagreement. But then he pushes me back into the caravan with force beyond measure, ensuring me to do so. Oh well, I had nothing better to do. "Emylia..." She suddenly looks shocked and flustered, as if I woke her. "Yes?" She musters up in a louder voice than what was probably meant. "Would you like to check out Quar with me? Jayce told me we may be here a while." She shows a half-smile that was more like her in all her seriousness. "Sure." She says, quieter and more calm than her previous word. She goes to my side and we both walk out. She looks shocked to the size of the city and its crowds. Then she looks back behind us to the white tree's. "We've finally left Riided forest..." Jayce intrudes without trying to be rude after those words. "Actually, Riided forest is the largest forest in Paige. Sure, it is clear here, but the forest actually circles around Quar. There is even a clearing for a clear road to Equalibarium tower. In fact, once we leave Quar city, we will reach the landmark known as the golden road, and it leads to Equalibarium. Its not even that far from here. Look in the distance." He points over Quar, and just past one of the buildings you can see a tower in the distance, touching the heavens. That had to be it. I just wish I could see it better from here. "I see it, Jayce!" Emylia says in glee, showing a somewhat memorable switch to happiness. I smiled as well, after we reach the tower we will be halfway to our goal! "The edge of the forest is truly just past Equalibarium tower." He walks away without another word, going back to the post of the caravan to lead it through the crowd. "You two have fun,
ya' hear?" Emylia solutes randomly. "Yes sir!" He spat words to that, "I won't be havin' that sir crap 'round here!" His slang suddenly becomes extremely visible, showing that he was definitly not from the capital, and in truth he just knew when to act like it. He drives off into the entrance, which by sign is called the East entrance. We followed in behind the caravan since it seemed to clear the flood of Pepal as it passed. It caused some great noises, and even at a point one of the villagers cursed at Jayce and Shaw, then slamming his club into the side of the caravan. When that happened all hell broke loose! The caravan stopped dead in its tracks. Jayce jumped off the caravan with Axe in hand and gave chase to the clubbed one. Shaw shrugged in response and steadied the Budds. Jayce catches up to the villager rather fast for his size. He then slams the butt of his Axe into the villagers forehead, knocking him out. This causes the Copper villagers to grow angry, and they start to surround both the caravan and Jayce in the center of the city, making moving for Emylia and I much easier, since we were knowhere close to the area. After the villagers start to pull out thier makeshift weapons Shaw jumps off the caravan in the distance in intolerance with spear in hand to defend the caravan. Luckily, we were a safe distance away, only halfway up the East entrance drawing toward the center. "Should we help them?" Emylia said, after realizing we were the only ones on the east road. "They are just villagers. No one is in critical danger anyway, riots happen all the time and usually the highest casualties are maybe ten injured. But if you wan't-" She then pushes me into a door that wouldn't open. "No... I was just asking. I need a break anyway." She says, arms still against my chest with head tilted to the side. She pushes me aside and I grab the knob before she could herself. "Ladies first..." She winces at me. "Don't give me that chivalry bullshit!" She says angrily, but a small glimmer of a smile showed just before she entered the building. I looked at the sign above, and it said PUB in all caps. Copper country was weird... I thought as I entered the building, which seemed empty except for the bar-tender and one man with brown hair sitting in a seat at a table near the bar with Ale in his hand. "Emylia, are we not a little young to be in here?" I say only for her to turn her head back and smile. "They serve food in Copper country, Isa-" "Shhh!" I have to shush her just in case any were Copper loyals here. But none seem to notice. She goes to my ear. "(What I was going to say was that they serve food here in Copper country instead of Pure Energi Orbs.)" "Oh..." I respond in kind. Then I ask her to sit at the table furthest away from the Brunnet in Periah cloth, which would be the left corner towards the entrance. The bar was on the other side of the room. "Wait! What would you like?" She thinks by raising her hand to chin, and then answers. "Honeyed bread with milk, if you don't mind." "I do not." I say as I pull out my satchel with a few pounds inside, feeling like I am betraying my country a little. But such was a stupid thought, considering this money will never reach back to King Paul. I did kind of miss his son though, my cousin Paull. He was a vibrant one. I walked to the bar with my order in mind. A blonde man was waiting, who wore rather fancy clothes for his occupation. He was cleaning out a mug that must have been used recently. He puts the mug down and pulls a white glove from his pocket and slides it onto his right hand, simply because his left already had the matching glove. His hair was long to be male, and reached a little farther than his neck. "What would you like, Squire? I won't sell you Alcohol, just so you know." He turns his back to me putting the mug back on the shelf behind him. I forgot about my armor and I suppose that is why he called me a Squire, considering I am still too young to be a normal knight in the eyes of most Pepal. "A bread and some water." I said a bit coldly, "And for the lady?" He said as he turned back around with a rag draped over one of his arms. Why is everybody calling her lady lately? "Honeyed bread, along with milk." He let a small sly smirk out, gold hair moving freely. "Smart." He said as the smirk grew wider. This villager seemed so cheerful and happy. Is that what true life is like outside of politics? "How much?" I asked. "4 small Copper pounds should be enough..." I hear a chair move behind me and see the Periah from before now sitting sideways in his chair with his feet in another, lazily staring at the bar-tender. "Haggle him, Squire!" He yells boisterously, laughing out loud after. Emylia seems repulsed by him as she changes into the chair closest to the corner of the pub. "Ignore Paotee. He likes to cause chaos." The bar-tender says as if he knows the man personally. "Is he drunk?" I ask as he walks down the counter. "I wish..." the bar-tender responds as he comes back from doing something. I open my bag and pull out a round, Copper orb about the size of a ping-pong ball, heavier though, considering that these are not hollow. I pull out three more, and make sure they all have the C emblem imbedded in them, proving they are official Copper Pounds. I hand them to the bar-tender and soon after he dashes off into another room to make the orders. I walk back to our table, causiously looking at the Periah as I passed him. I sit beside Emylia and place my arms on the table in exhaustion. "Thank you for not asking me to pay my own." I lay my head on the wooden table to those words. "Money is the least of my problems... and your welcome. Although I thought you hated my chivalry." "No... I just think every once in a while I can turn a knob or pick up something heavy for myself." I laugh a little at that, simply because I've never thought from the woman's perspective before. Suddenly a door opens toward the bar and the bar-tender walks out with a steel plate in one hand and another behind his back in a posture greater than most. He walks swiftly to our table and bows, metal tray still in hand. "Please enjoy your meal." "Thank you." Emylia says, smiling. "Yes, thank you." I say in echo not to be rude. He raises from his bow and places our orders in front of us, plate by plate, cup by cup. When the tray became empty he walked away as swiftly as he left but is soon stopped by the Periah. "Why do you never treat my orders that way, Creete?" "Simply because you never order that way. You actually don't even order food. And every time I ask you about it all I hear are these exact words: Technically, Alcohol is a solution." He laughs to hear his own words repeated. The bar-tender nods at him in shame and then continues off into the backroom of the pub, probably to clean dishes. Creete huh? After I become new king of Steelwater I am going to personally come back here and hire him. A smile came to me when the thought came to mind, surprised by my own confidence. But then my daze is interrupted. "Really? Bread and water? Could you not think of a better order?" I turn my head to see Emylia crossing her arms and looking at my meal. "I didn't want anything else." She takes a bite of her bread with honey on top, and then says something to me with her mouth full. "You need to learn to live a little." I look away trying not to laugh, "I think I want to live less." I hear a gulp with words after. "What was that?" I turn back to see her smiling, but her eyes showed a rage beyond even my bellows. "Whoa bub! Calm yourself!" I yell, raising my hands in submission as I did when she dented my helm. Oh crap! I left Hint with the caravan! Hint, if you can hear me, I'm sorry! "(Isahia?)" I hear Emylia suddenly in whisper. "(Yeah?)" "(Look, to the Periah.)" I do as said and see him looking to the door Creete entered. We both take a bite of our breads to not show curiousity. The Periah suddenly nods in silence and walks over to us and sits to the other side of the table opposite to me. I grab the hilt of my blade in response. "(No! Calm down, prince. You are in danger if you don't listen now.)" I release my hilt and put my hand on the table, just close enough to regrab the sword if needed. "(Speak.)" I say as cold as I can. The crowd outside rumbles on, and makes me wonder how Jayce and Shaw fare. I hate crowds...