"The woods passed by peacefully, the black-speckled, pale trunks of birch-trees intermingling with the gray-brown of elms and the sturdy oaks. A careful breeze passed through the leaves with a soft hum, as the carriage rattled along the barely-used, wagon-wheel-carved dirt road.
After Jenkins had practically shooed you out of his shop, he had shoved a surprisingly heavy bag of gold into your arms, along with a note of scrap-paper with his twirling handwriting… ‘Caldorn’.
From the brief comment that you heard as he closed the door in your face, the ‘next stage’ of your studies would be conducted there… A far-off village past even the fae-filled Navarín forest. You weren’t sure what to expect, but the arrangements had been made, and a somewhat friendly-looking carriage driver had picked you up the next morning.
During the multiple-day ride, the driver had been very talkative; their eyes squinting up to sparkling crescents as they asked you about yourself. Where you had come from, how was Jenkins’ tutelage… You had been able to keep up polite conversation, but at the mention of your ‘studies’, apparently your face had given something away, and the driver had laughed.
“That’s how he is,” they had cackled as they waved at a passing driver, the last one you’d see until you arrived at Caldorn. “Don’t hold it against him- Jenkins is…” they had started with a smile, before shaking their head with a fond exasperation.
You didn’t need for them to continue.
The cart meandered along a steep riverside - the waterway filling the silence of the woods with an ambient murmur. After almost a tenday spent on the road, the carriage wasn’t really doing any favours to your body… The constant, rock-bound rattling, having to keep an eye on your bags, and the nights under the stars…
The trip hadn’t been all too pleasant, but it was almost over. The driver glanced over their shoulder as you almost nodded off- your head slumping forward as your eyelids hung heavy… “Hey- guess what,” they began with a lopsided smirk.
“We’re almost there,” they chuckled as they cast their gaze out onto the road, pointing ahead to what seemed to be a thin, dark-gray-hewn tower - or at least the roof of one. You were almost overjoyed to get off of the road, and perked up to peer through the trees- to see if you could spot any buildings, any trace of what the village actually looked like. From what you heard from your mentor, he simply described it as “quaint”. No other words- not even a hint of a smile as he spoke of what had seemed to be a previous shop location of his… Odd - but your mentor was nothing if not consistent in that regard.
The riverside evened out as the carriage slowed - the driver letting you peer past the treeline towards the village proper.
It was nearing evening - the shades of orange and yellow peeking past the leaves and dappling your face - as you squinted. Among the birches and elms, you could see the backs of buildings, squat and simple, as small plumes of smoke rose past the canopy. The houses seemed ‘quaint’, as much as anything. From what you saw, you could maybe point out a single house that seemed to have more than a single story…
The driver hummed amicably as they leaned back, “So yours is supposed to be the one at the hill, right? The Wizard’s old shop?” You gave a short response, and with a nod, they guided the cart past the solid, stone-and-wood-hewn bridge leading to the main cluster of houses…
The canopy thinned as the cart drove past the treeline, revealing the main thoroughfare - if it could even be called that. A single stone-hewn statue stood in the middle of the empty square with a squat assortment of boxes strewn about around it. The houses were quiet- and the entirety of the village seemed almost absent. The driver hummed, as they pointed out a finger; “That’s yours.”
And sure enough, there was the ‘cottage’.... Past the main square, a thin, nearly overgrown dirt path lead up a small hill. The sun crested behind the mound, casting the main square in warm, soft shadows as the rays crested the hill- creating an almost halo-like corona around the cottage… Your new home.
The building was short and wide, from what you saw, aside from a squat stone-hewn tower on its left-hand side. The roof seemed to be made of straw, and more patchy in some areas where the weather had gotten to it… The building seemed fine, though… Standing a stark silhouette against the setting sun…
You gave the driver your thanks as they dropped you off- probably meandering somewhere proper to rest for the night…
As you stood there, a cold wind passed through the square, sending a chill up your spine - and honestly? Even a half-abandoned, ratty building was better than sleeping outside for one more night.
You trekked up the dirt path, careful enough so that you wouldn’t drop any of your things - weighing heavy on your arms as Jenkins had shoved a thing after another onto the cart as he had seen you off… “Important mementos, mind you,” he said…
Bull.
You managed to make your way up to the front of the cottage - a cute overhang along the porch with weather-rough banisters holding the whole thing up… Once you settled, this hut could definitely use some sprucing up. But that was for another day. For now, you tried to wrangle some keys from in-between your luggage, before accidentally bumping against the - apparently open - door… With a soft sigh, you entered and cast your things aside on the main floor.
The house was dark, but you didn’t mind. As long as there was a bed- or even a cushion, you’d take it.
With a sigh and a yawn, you closed the front door and sluggishly pulled yourself up to the tower. You slumped on the first comfortable cushion you saw- and promptly passed out.
Tomorrow could wait."
