CHAPTER 4 Your WagonMine?

CHAPTER 4

Your Wagon or Mine?

Brownie

Hello, everyone, this is Madame Potts with your last update this spring!

Valaria can welcome their newest queen today after King Keith Monfort of Nilheim married Princess Henrietta, formerly of Drendil. The celebration was in fine form, and nobody died. The tea and cake were especially delicious, if I do say so myself.

Anyone traveling to Sumbria this week will not be able to take the high road. The Sumbrian royals did not heed the words of this humble madame, and poachers successfully caused a stampede of capybara throughout the kingdom. Adventuring parties looking for an easy quest can make their way to the kingdom and help round up the friendly creatures.

The Green Oak Dungeon will have an increase in miner’s lettuce encounters. The grass monsters are known to emit Confusion spores from the small white flower on their head, but a rare pink flower miner’s lettuce might appear that uses Paralysis spores. Please pack the appropriate antidotes. And note, the monster’s cap is edible, and the rare pink one is a highly sought-after delicacy.

Next week, there will be flooding on the eastern road to the Empire of Sands. A storm giant fell into one of the ice lakes on the peak of Mount Arai, sending an overflow to Lake Vayasa. It won’t disturb any villages, but travel will be affected.

I am happy to say that Valaria’s other newest ruler is making waves. Regent Havork of Drendil swept through the kingdom last week arresting many and subjecting others to fines. New laws are being passed daily, and citizens are advised to go to any of the free herald posts set up by the regent to explain and answer questions.

The Summer Masquerade invites just went out; did you get one yet?

That’s all for today, everyone. Enjoy the nice weather while it lasts.

Madame Potts signing out.

Brownie listened as everyone at Scowls was talking about the wedding and the announcement from the Crystal Cast two hours after the wedding had ended.

Madame Potts had been announcing portents and news across the continent on the Cast Crystals for five years now, and even if no one knew who she was or how she did it, everyone listened to her because Madame Potts was always right.

Unless, of course, someone took her advice and changed the future. Sumbria was a fool for not acting on her previous warning.

Brownie thought about the contents of the cast as she settled into a chair at Scowls. She wanted to relax after a long day performing at Henrietta’s wedding. It’d been a blast, but now she was hungry and tired and ready to spend a quiet evening thinking up lyrics.

Though Brownie had a guest room in the castle, it was attached to the queen’s suite. And Henrietta and Keith were very … excited to be married. The queen kept her rooms, but she rarely slept in them. Half the time, Henrietta would roll in at breakfast in nothing but a housecoat and some fluffy floofpoof slippers, positively glowing.

It was a bit much even for Brownie’s bardic self to handle.

“Great show tonight, Minstrel Bronwynn,” a rough voice said to her left as the golden wolf beastman sat down beside her at the bar. They’d met many times since she’d come to the Dark Enchanted Forest to visit Henrietta, though mostly in the dining hall during meals.

He tipped his glass of wine in greeting.

“Thank you, Commander General Rufus.” Brownie lifted her raspberry sparkler in return. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

He was a very fluffy man, and one she’d grown used to speaking with in his half-beast, half-man state. His fur was varying shades of burnished gold to ruddy brown, and his golden eyes complemented his coloring. Rufus had taken off his vest at some point and just wore his white undertunic. It lay open at the top where his collar strained, barely containing his ruff. He wore his suit pants cut at the calf so he could walk around on his partially transformed legs.

He looked like a giant wolven golden retriever walking around in formal wear.

“It was a pleasure.” His warm eyes stared at her. “Are you still heading toward Servalt next? ”

“Yes.” Duke Wyldon had offered Bronwynn a pouch full of gold to show up at his birthday, and she liked the righteous man—and the gold. “Why?”

The beastman hesitated a second, his tail flicking once. “I’m traveling to Servalt for my investigation with the Assassin’s Guild next … and I was going to offer to accompany you.”

Brownie leaned back on her stool to get a full look at Rufus. Something about the way his tail twitched made her think he wasn’t telling her everything. But then again, he was the commander general of the Dark Lord’s army, and she was a random minstrel from Drendil. She had no reason to pry into his secrets, and it would be nice traveling with an extra pair of paws.

Brownie raised an eyebrow, questioning, “ Going to offer?”

“I am offering,” he corrected, this time with conviction. “If you’ll have me.”

“Then I’d love the company.” Her face broke into a large grin, and she thrust out her hand between them. “Let us meet fair weather …”

He downed the rest of his drink and put down the empty glass before reaching out and gently wrapping his soft paw pads around her hand and shaking it. He finished the greeting common among caravanners. “… and fine luck.”

As soon as he finished, he dropped her hand and stood up.

“Then we leave in the morning?” He grabbed his vest and cast a glance around the tavern. Scowls was still rowdy, though the atmosphere wasn’t tense. Everyone was in a celebratory mood now that their Dark Magician King had finally settled down.

“Bright and early.” She yawned. “Your wagon or mine?”

He contemplated. “Let’s take yours. I’ll see you tomorrow, Minstrel Bronwynn.”

“Goodnight, Commander General.”

The beastman left a coin on the table and walked out, his tail wagging. It was amusing how his tail gave away his inner thoughts, often getting the better of him.

It was a shame that their relationship had gotten off to such a rocky start, with assassins and armies at her back.

She’d been surprised when Rufus had stuck up for her back then. He’d told them all she was telling the truth and to let her be. It was unexpected and refreshing, and had immediately endeared the commander general to her. And she had been telling the truth; she’d only showed up at the Dark Lord’s castle to see if Henrietta was alright and to warn her of the large group of contract killers out for her life.

That, and the fact that he was so fluffy she wanted to pet him. She reminisced on the soft paw pads that’d wrapped around her hands and smiled. She wanted to squish those beanies, but she was a grown woman and could control herself !

Her music often summoned fluffy animals … Maybe she could find a willing participant in the forest to let her rub her face on their soft tummy so she could satisfy her urges.

Thoughts of that one time she’d coaxed a unicorn to let her pet his flank played across her mind in a fond memory. Donna didn’t like unicorns, so those days were gone.

On that note, Bronwynn decided to turn in early and get a good night’s rest before heading out tomorrow.