WRIK RESTED HIS LEFT cheek on the wooden table out of boredom. Whilst, Kathrin was on the top of his shoulder, playing with his hair. It appeared that she's trying to organise it, but he could not tell if it's messier than before or not. It's been over an hour, he arrived at Alpstone, and like any other day, it was quite vacant. The business was never on the fairer side for Alpstone. Apart from the evening hours, when folks came in for drinks and beverages. Though the numbers were limited, it's more than enough to keep on going with the Inn for Takln.
Takln was a good man, a man of few words. He remembered everyone's name who came into his inn, though it wasn't true in reverse. Wrik had been coming here for over a year now, he liked the stillness here, the silence and solitary was one of the attractive features of Alpstone. And he was glad that Takln left it that way.
Not waiting anytime more, he ordered the foods, which were oats, cheese with few veggies. Pitt, the only employee of the inn, came in rather haste with the food. He looked at Kathrin and found that she wasn't enthusiastic about the food. So he dined alone.
Though the sustenance was not that delicious, it was more than enough of a savoury. He gobbled them up with ease, as he had taken care of the most difficult decision.
"Meow," Wrik looked at his kitty and found that she was gazing at the entrance. He followed her gaze and found it opening. A skinny yet lanky figure came in. Katrin was quite an expert in sensing her mortal enemy.
Anton came straight to their table, his thin grin on his lips told that he had quite the success in his job. The claw marks on his cheek were not that discernable now. He rested his outer coat on the back of an empty chair while Wrik asked him:
"Are you not going to eat?"
"I'd eaten at Red's," said Anton, resting his back relaxed at the chair. "Surprisingly enough, he paid for all the beverages."
"Well, he is weird," commented Wrik. "So, what's you got?"
"I got more than I expected to," Anton grinned out, showing the whites. "Do you remember Kevin Keplin? The huge guy, we helped a few months back?"
"Yeah, I remember. The guy was wrongly condemned for the serial killing of teenage girls." He nodded. "What's up with him? Is he alright?"
"Alright, he looked more than just alright. Apparently, he got the invitation from Sophia Syfinn as well. He was with Red when I visited his place. Red was training him in combat."
"Give me the details."
"Well, Sophia Syfinn contacted him a week ago," Anton proceeded. "He caught her eye… like me…"
"Stop with that reminiscing, continue."
"Well, after knowing the invitation was real, Kevin accepted it. He was told that there would be others on this trip with him. Others than us. Apart from that, he mentioned a few other things like she asked him to train in the basics of combat and meditation and few other instructions."
"Anything about the Knightshade?"
"Yeah, but it's rather vague. Supposedly, it seems they had quite a decent standing, with only two hundred official members. And the head, being the controller of all the large decisions."
"I expected as much . . . Any particular rules and regulations?"
"Nothing that would affect us."
Wrik nodded with a small frown on his brows. He was pondering. Then noticed he hadn't finished his plate. He gobbled them up saying, "It looks good."
"Then, we?" A glitter appeared in Anton's eyes. And it only broadened when he saw Wrik nodding. He was delightful enough to have another go with Kathrin, but decided not to in the unusual location.
"I think our business is over here," Wrik said as he stood up, finishing his plate. "Ton, pay the bills."
Anton nodded in understanding. They didn't know when they would be here again, so it's best to pay the money they owed.
"Keep the change," Anton brought out two red notes of hundred penz and handed it over to Takln, the balding innkeeper.
Takln gave them an inquiring stare, then nodded in understanding. "My inn is always open for you. Ton… Wrik…"
They didn't know what the Innkeeper understood. But, both of them gave a quick bow, before leaving the place. The white kitty followed them, lunging here and there.
The sun was already at 3 o'clock; the atmosphere had regained its stillness. Autumn wind breezed, uncaring of anything. Unsurprisingly, there weren't any wagons in the street to cause a divulgence in the stillness.
"We have to leave for home… Tomorrow would be a good day..." Wrik sighed. Even if it's not, they have to go. Time is the only thing they don't have.
"We? Me too?" A heavy look appeared on Anton's exterior, washing away all his enthusiasm.
"That's your home too, Ton."
"I got chills hearing about home," Anton exaggerated. "Aunt, she would kill us, if she knows where we're going."
"Kill is an understatement," Wrik sighed high, recalling their aunt. "Be prepared, Ton. Stone your heart. We can't let her play the empathic mother as always."
"Easy for you to say."
'Easy? Definitely not,' Wrik mused inside. Their aunt, a hard woman, she won't be swayed by theirs or others' opinion at all. She had quite a different view about the philosophy of the world.
When they arrived at their apartment, Wrik noticed another person was waiting for them at the entrance. A middle-aged man, not that tall, holding packs and stacks. A courier man.
"Now, who would send us a courier?" Anton questioned.
"Might be another new client."
Wrik walked on with Anton towards the entrance.
"I would have left if you're a little late," said the middle-aged man with the courier. He should've waited for a long time.
"I apologised to keep you waiting." Wrik finally noticed the unicorn tag on the man's shirt. The Unicorn corps, known for their work ethic, and fast conveyance. An enormous enterprise had business all over the world.
'Someone got a load of cash. Who could it be?' He mused inside.
The courier man nodded as he gave a pad towards him, which he signed promptly.
The man left, leaving a package behind. The package was not that big nor that heavy.
"Who's it from?" Anton asked.
Wrik was about to answer, but closed his mouth, glimpsing at the name tag of the sender.
It was Lucas Rossetti. The lost brother of theirs.
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