Melusine's head poked out of the window, her eyes wide in wonder and amazement. The tallest mountain that she'd ever seen proudly stood, dwarfing the few other summits in the horizon. Hugging the base was a crescent shaped city with red brick walls high enough to keep out an army. Above the rampart, the city sprawled up the mountain, mansions and towers taking over from cramped living quarters. A tunnel entrance that was so large it could be seen over the walls stood imposingly over the common folk. Long lines of people waited at the gates, streaming outward like a weaving serpent. Another road curved around the rock and hills of the mountain face, a few travelers making their way down a smaller trail to the eastern gate that Melusine and Baugulf were headed to.

The carriage pulled over to the side of the road, and Mel hopped out before Baugulf could even get off his horse. She ran down the road some ways, reveling in the feel of the valley air whipping at her hair and sallow skin.

"Don't go too far, Miss Melusine!" Baugulf called after Mel before quickly turning to the coachman who was feeding his horses a treat. Pressing a few silver coins into the driver's hand, Baugulf's lips curled into a perfect smile. "Thank you for all your help, Elmar."

"No problem at all, sir. If you ever need a carriage to the outskirts again, you know where to find me."

"I'm not sure if I ever want to go to that place again," Baugulf replied with an awkward laugh. "Do you do business anywhere else?"

"No," was the coachman's curt answer. He got into the driver's seat once more and went click-clacking away without any more fanfare.

Mel brushed her hair behind her ear, pretending that she couldn't hear every word. Sparkling red jadeite eyes were locked on the beautiful city down the road, full of the excitement that swelled in her heart. The black strings of her tunic were swaying in the breeze and tapping against her cheek. Baugulf approached from behind and patted Mel's shoulder.

"For now, you'll ride with me until we reach the city gates proper. Do you know how to ride a horse?"

"I do."

Melusine quirked up an eyebrow when she heard the knight breathe a sigh of relief. "Every villager has to learn how to ride for evacuation drills."

"Evacuation... drills?" Baugulf repeated in mild confusion.

"I've told you, attacks by monsters are common in the outskirts. Maybe it's not the norm for other towns, but our village head decided a long time ago to make sure we were all prepared to make a run for it someday."

"Ah... well," Baugulf struggled to think of what to say, rubbing at his neck. "At least it'll make the trip easier."

"It will, don't worry. I'll only need a refresher course, considering that the last time I rode I was a child. Will we be renting a horse?"

"I plan to buy you one." Mel went bug-eyed, turning her attention away from the city landscape and over to Baugulf.

"How will we afford to buy a horse?"

"Horses aren't all that expensive, Miss Melusine. A decent riding horse is only twenty silver."

"I know that, it's just that twenty silver always would've gone to better use buying a new pig than a horse."

"Don't worry about it," Baugulf sing-sung in a suddenly cheery manner. "It's all taken care of."

"Gross," Melusine muttered under her breath. "Why do you always have to act like a fool? It's embarrassing..."

"What? I couldn't hear you." Baugulf leaned forward to shoot Mel a cheeky grin.

"Nothing." Mel avoided looking at Baugulf. "Let's get going already."

Baugulf chuckled, hopped onto his horse, and extended his hand down to her.

"Up you get, then."

"I have to ride with you like I'm some princess?" Mel complained, but grabbed ahold of his outstretched hand without any real fuss. She was hoisted up into the saddle, nestled in front of the older man. Gripping onto the reigns in one hand and patting his horse's neck with the other, Baugulf used his arms as a barricade should Melusine begin to topple over.

"Yes, you do. Unless you want to walk all the way to the city gates."

"Or you could be the one walking."

"Not going to happen," the so-called knight sung again.

"You have to be the least chivalrous person I've ever met. And I've dealt with my fair share of scoundrels."

"I'm so glad you've noticed that I'm not going to wait on you hand and foot. But calling me a scoundrel is a bit much, isn't it?"

"Maybe. You're still a disappointment to any girl who fantasizes about a knight doting on her."

"Do you fantasize about those things, Miss Melusine?"

A blush flared up across Melusine's cheeks, and Baugulf snickered when he noticed.

"I do not!" She adamantly denied.

"Of course, of course, I apologize." Baugulf held his freehand up in surrender, grinning ear to ear. "The way you spoke caused a misunderstanding, is all."

"Misunderstanding, my ass..."

Baugulf's hand found its way on top of Mel's head once again, his fingers weaving through her hair and playfully ruffling it. She closed an eye and grumbled, but at this point had given up on smacking him away. It wasn't an entirely awful feeling—it was even comforting. "What are we going to do about my sword?"

"Belozer is a city where blacksmiths are king, so I plan to find someone to restore it while we're here."

"Do you mean that a blacksmith is the king, or that they're the richest people in the city?"

"The latter. Goodness, the idea of King Alderic being a blacksmith is... an interesting image." Trying to hold in his sniggering, Baugulf's shoulders shook. "Ahem. Belozer's mainly a mining and metalwork city. So I'm sure we'll find someone who can wipe the rust off."

They approached the end of the line and slowed to a stop. A few children ran past them, laughing and chasing each other wearing nothing but simple linen dresses. Catching sight of a grandiose knight on a pretty steed caught one of the little girls' attention, and she stopped in her tracks to stare up at them. Melusine glanced down at the wide-eyed child, and felt her cheeks burn hot. Mel kept silent, and Baugulf seemed not to notice their audience of one. Eventually the little girl giggled and ran off to join her friends.

Melusine felt her nerves and eagerness surge the closer they drew to the gates, the long wait for entry tormenting her to no end. "Calm down," Baugulf warned Mel. "You're practically buzzing."

"I can't help it. This is the largest city I've ever seen."

"Belozer is big, but most of the city is inside the mountain. You're looking at the prime shops and working class residentials right now." Baugulf's ringed pointer finger guided Mel's eyes to what little of the city they could see beyond the walls. "That big black hole in the mountain that you can just make out over the wall is the tunnel to the main part of the city. The tallest tower is the lower mage guild outpost, and the gilded one in the upper levels is where the Archmage of Adellias lives. Although, he spends most of his time in the capital. Every time I see that place, I can't help but think that it's no wonder—gold doesn't suit him at all."

High atop the mountain an ostentatiously decorated tower stood gleaming in the day's sun, made of white marble with steeples and bands of gold wrapped around its circumference. Comparatively, the outpost in the lower level of Belozer was humble. Wood and brick were used in its construction, made to blend in with the rest of the city.

"You know the Archmage?"

"It's more like we're work acquaintances. I am a pretty important figure in court, you know."

Finally, they reached the gates. Baugulf held out a wooden slate tied to his horse's saddle, and the guard let them through with the most respectful bow Melusine had ever seen in her entire life.

"So it would seem," Mel mumbled, watching the guard go about his business as they rode through.

The city of Belozer was teeming with blacksmithing shops and taverns. Red brick buildings were crowded onto rectangular blocks, small patches of grass dotting the streetscape. Every block had a little alcove, alley, or hiding spot tucked away between buildings. 

Baugulf led Melusine down the streets. After housing his chestnut mount in the tiny stable by the gate they'd entered through, he strode through the residential streets with the confidence of a city native.

Melusine on the other hand was feeling the claustrophobic pressure of a crowd for the first time. It was as if all the noise and chatter was physically assaulting her ears. Every time someone bumped up against her or simply rushed past, she felt an unbearable sensation like a slime had left its sticky residue all over her skin. She was used to the sensation in small doses, but her heightened senses and the sheer number of people made the whole phenomenon ten times worse. Unable to withstand it for very long, she reached out and gripped onto Baugulf's wrist. The knight paused, glanced back at his charge, and gave her a reassuring smile.

"How about we turn at this corner and buy ourselves some proper travelling clothes? Then you can hold onto my shirt when we're in a crowd. Unless you want to hold hands," he sing-sung again, seemingly unable to resist teasing Mel. A ruddy blush bloomed over the teenager's face, and she snatched her hand away.

"Don't be gross about it and just take me to get new clothes. You need them more than me anyway. Your armor makes you stand out so much, I'm worried that we'll get mugged."

"And that," a pointer finger was raised up into the air, a steel band glinting in the sun, "is precisely why we're changing clothes. I'm sending my ceremonial armor home in the post."

"Why'd you wear it if you don't like it?"

"I like it," Baugulf corrected with a shrug. He grabbed hold of Melusine's hand and resumed their trek through the crowds. "But it's bulky, hot, and draws unwanted attention. I wore it for official knightly duties, and now I can send it on its merry way."

"Please do, it gives people the wrong impression of your personality."

"Ouch, so harsh..."

Mel hesitated, remorse filling her heart, but was unable to think of how to apologize.

"It's fine," Baugulf assured. "It's how I show that I care too."

The tension left Mel's shoulders, her hand relaxing in the older man's grip.

The pair stepped out of the tailor store, having secured new clothing from the shops on the block. Stretching his arms above his head, Baugulf's fit physique was shown off to any passersby. He'd chosen unassuming additions to his noble wardrobe, a simple light gray tunic and brown pants, but he'd left the collar loose.

Melusine's stare was like a dead fish before she turned away from her knight escort. She'd insisted on continuing to wear her tunic for as long as it retained the scent of home, but she was grateful to be out of her only other skirt, which was threadbare and covered in mismatched patches. No longer feeling like the poor pig farmer's progeny was alien to Mel, but being presentable to the general public bolstered her confidence to brave the crowd.

"Alright! Now to take care of your sword," the knight declared as he led the way down the streets again. "Have you given it a name yet?"

"A name? Why would I name a weapon?" Melusine gripped onto his shirt sleeve so they wouldn't be seperated.

"Tradition and good luck. It'll make it feel more like your own, rather than something you pilfered off of a corpse."

"Could you say that any louder?"

"Yes, I could. Do you want me to?"

"What do you think?!"

With a hearty laugh, Baugulf rounded a street corner. He pointed to a few buildings down on their left, where one of many hammer and anvil signs hung above the door.

"There we go, Petri's! He's not the most popular, but he does good work."

"That's a strange kind of praise, but alright... I suppose you prefer this shop because it's not expensive?"

"Exactly. And Petri is the type of eccentric that's more down to earth." Baugulf's hands pressed against Melusine's back, and he practically pushed her into the shop.

"What kind of eccentric is down to earth?" Melusine mumbled, leaning against his hands and digging her heels in if only to give him a hard time.

The storefront was tidy, with weapons and shields on display in order of size and metal. There was nary a speck of dust or grime in sight. The shop had a few other patrons milling about, but the store itself was manned by only one person. A giant of a man with bulging muscles wore a blacksmithing apron and thick leather gloves on his massive hands. His vanilla-colored hair was sheared short, and he possessed scruffy facial hair. His eyes were small and the color of walnuts.

"Can I help you?" The store owner asked, his tone gruff and hoarse.

"Yes, we have an old sword that we'd like to have restored," Baugulf responded as he slipped the sword's sheath strap from around Mel's shoulder. The longsword clinked against the counter when it was placed on top.

The buff man—who was assumably named Petri—picked the sword up and examined it. He pulled out a whittled stick marked up with lines and held it to the edge of the weapon's handle, than along the blade.

"Forty-six centimeter handle, ninety-six centimeter blade... ratio of grip guard and handle is three to two... three-hundred radius of hollow blade. A good solid sword, but on the powerful side for a tyke like her," Petri gestured at Melusine, who kept her facial muscles stiff and unyielding. The giant of a blacksmith picked up a monocle from under the counter and lifted it to his right eye. He squinted to hold it in place with his brow and cheekbone, continuing to examine Mel's sword.

"We'll see. We picked it up on our journey, and she's taken with it. Either way I've decided to humor her." Melusine gave Baugulf's ankle a tap with her foot, but he only sniggered under his breath. "Can you help us get it into tip-top shape?"

"I can restore it just fine," the blacksmith announced as he set the sword down. The magnifying monocle still stuffed over his right eye, he stared down at Mel. "But you'd best take it to Giovanni's first."

"Giovanni?" Baugulf questioned with an incline of his head. "Are you saying that the sword's been cursed?"

"Dunno," the blacksmith shrugged. "But it's got something magic about it. I don't want to touch the blade until I know what the nature of it is."

"Very well, save us a spot in your schedule, Petri. We'll get this sorted as soon as possible."

Petri hummed and gave them a gruff nod. Melusine's focus was locked onto the sword on the counter. Her hand reached out, and hefted the weapon onto her back with no trouble at all. The monocle fell out of Petri's squinty grasp, barely caught in hand before it could shatter on the floor.

"Do you really think it could be cursed?" Mel asked her knight escort as she was led out of the shop. She could feel the hard stare the blacksmith was leveling at the back of her neck.

"I don't, but considering where we found it, a curse isn't impossible."