Charades with Sally
The next day, we begin our journey north. Our goal is Hinterdupfing, a major town near the border, about three days away. Our contractor requested for us to meet there, escort the empty wagon to the west, get it filled up and then go east to the artisan town of Schmittdorf.
Despite the trail towards Frieden leading through the mountains, the conditions are completely different than traveling from Skar to the NU. While the Skar mountains were rugged and uninhabited, the mountains of Frieden are plastered with brick roads, tunnels and giant bridges for ease of travel with multiple small mountain villages on the way. The actual border has a giant stone gate protecting it with dwarven warrior statues, the size of the giant buildings in Old Kroy, carved into the mountains. It looks like they are all standing guard watching over everyone entering and leaving the country.
The border guards are very friendly but they are wearing scary looking full plate armor covering their entire body and a helmet that resembles an enraged boar.
“Halt, please! Identifications and purpose for travel?”
Giving them our cards Rayla answers, “We’re with the guild. We have a job in Frieden.”
“Ah! I see, D and C-Rank too not bad! Adventurers here for work are always welcome, have a great day.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
Before letting us in, he takes a look at Sher Aka and I and changes his facial expression to one of suspicion, “Just to be clear, if you two start peddling anything you’re out.”
“We do not intend to,” Sher Aka answers.
“Good. Let em in!”
As we move through the border gate it’s almost like we have entered a different world. Before the gate, there were occasional spirits hanging out but behind the gate there are tons of earth elementals sitting around, chatting and having fun. There is even a rare sight of a decent amount of high ranking spirits here.
“Woah…It’s so beautiful.”
“Really?” John asks, “Looks pretty unremarkable to me in comparison to the carved stone statues out front. I guess the road is well maintained.”
“No, you don’t get it. There are so many spirits here!”
“Really? What do they look like?” Scarlet asks me.
“Hmm, all a little different. There are a lot that look like rocks with faces and legs, there are some that look like moles with plants growing out of their head and also a few fairies walking around or sleeping.”
I give them a wave as we pass by but weirdly rather than ignoring me like usual or waving back, some of the higher ranking ones bow to me.
“That’s strange…Sally, do you know why they are bowing?”
Sally nods.
“Can you explain why?”
Sally thinks for a bit then taps her foot three times.
“Three?”
Sally nods then starts to glow as they burn the image of a crown into the wagon.
“Be careful Rose!” Scarlet drags me away, “There’s fire!”
“Oh, don’t worry it’s just Sally, she’s trying to tell me something.”
“Oh…Okay.”
Sher Aka seems quite interested as she asks,“What are they trying to tell you, Rose?”
“I’m not sure yet. We got three and now crowns, so three crowns?”
Sally shakes their head then puts up a paw motioning higher.
“Uhm…Three nobles?”
Sally motions higher.
“Three Princesses?”
Sally motions higher.”
“Three Kings?”
Sally nods then pokes my cheek.
“Uhm…Poke?”
Sally shakes their head and gently puts their foot on my face again.
“Touch maybe?”
Sally nods.
“So, three king touch?”
Sally nods emphatically.
“Is that the full answer?”
Sally nods.
“Hmm…I don’t get it. So they bow to me because three kings touched me?”
Sally nods emphatically.
“But I never touched a King before besides the Spirit Kings and I only met two of them.”
Sally shakes their head and stomps on my shoulder three times.
“Are you saying I met three?”
Sally nods.
“Who was the third one?”
Sally goes into a weird pose and makes an aloof expression then begins to glow.
“Uhm? Was it Lum?”
Sally nods emphatically.
“When did I meet them?”
Sally closes their eyes and pretends to sleep.
“Ah I see. Was it when I was sick?”
Sally nods again.
“Did they help me?”
Sally nods.
“I see, thank you for telling me, Sally!”
I say while scratching their back.
I then lean out of the wagon and yell, “Thank you for helping me out King Lum!”
There is no response.
“What are you yelling about, oko?”
“Oh, I just heard that Lum came by to help me when I was sick so I was trying to thank them.”
“Don’t thank them, oko…”
“Why not?”
“Because to them you’re just a toy…” Scarlet answers.
“Even if that’s true…They still helped me so I want to say thank you.”
Sher Aka brushes through my hair as she answers, “That’s a good attitude to have…Just don’t expect anything from them, okay?”
“Okay.”