Chawbore

Following the helpful man's direction, Cornelius and Secessus travel toward the direction of Chawbore. Leaving the open grassland behind, the deciduous forest is far more challenging. In certain parts, the dense forest makes it hard to simply even keep course.

Secessus gently touches almost anything, he comes across. The once familiar falling leaves, The sturdy bark of an oak, he even scrapes his finger across the dirt.

Fascination is a great motivator. However, it isn't a good guide. These small distractions and the already difficult navigated path have delayed the 2 individuals.

When they arrived in the town called Chawbore, the sun had lost most of its presence.

"We've arrived, is there anything you want to do first?" Cornelius asks trying to stop himself frown yawning.

"It's getting late. A place to stay the night will probably be handy." The human-looking shade demon responds, his eyes still darting around.

In his line of sight is a woman with long strands of brown hair busy grabbing all the dried clothes of the day. She herself wears some fur and fleeced-based clothing, clearly focused more on practicality than general beauty. Secessus goes toward the woman, his lips forming a bright and innocent smile.

"Can I help you, miss?" The shade demon asks, holding out his hands.

The woman turns around to look at the source of the voice calling her. The stern eyes and crumpled eyebrows gradually transform into wide open eyes and a faint red blush.

"If you wish." She replies, turning around once more.

"I'm passing through town, would you know of any place where I can stay the night?" The shade demon asks as he moves closer to grab some laundry off her hands. The woman suddenly drops the laundry she holds. Luckily enough, the well-trained shade demon manages to quickly react and prevent the clothing from hitting the ground.

The emerald eyes of Secessus refocus on the woman before him. The woman is holding her hands in front of her eyes and cheeks, some bright red, still clear to see.

"Wha-What are you trying to say?" She says whilst forcefully slowing down her breathing.

"Is there any place where I can stay the night? A tavern perhaps?" Secessus asks again, his voice sounding smoothing and disarming as he speaks in this soft tone.

"You can go to "The Roasted Boar" it's on the second street on your right." The woman replies whilst grabbing the rest of the clothing.

Having heard the necessary information, The shade demon quickly helps carry the laundry and makes his way back toward Cornelius.

"Was that on purpose?" Cornelius asks, seemingly intrigued.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind, I don't know if your obliviousness is cute or cruel, It might honestly be both"

"Wha-"

"Did you find a destination?"

"I did, a tavern called "The Roasted Boar". We can stay the night there."

"Shouldn't we just march on toward Yeorough? As a shade demon, you don't really need to sleep after all."

"I don't need to, but I want to. Besides, we might as well ask around here." Secessus replies nonchalantly, quickly discouraging Cornelius's suggestion.

Walking through the almost quiet town, the 2 individuals quickly find the tavern. It could well be the only building where there is still some vibrant noise in this smaller town. If you discount the sounds of cats and dogs actively chasing one another.

Entering the tavern, the sound of wooden tankards being filled, and loud discussions fill the establishment. Old men and women with some younger women predominantly fill this establishment.

One of the employees, a young girl at a guess probably around her twenties approaches Cornelius and Secessus.

"What are you standing there for, like a bunch of Shif monks? What do you want mead or wine, or perhaps something to eat?"

A burst of laughter erupts from the older crowd in the tavern. The term "Shif monk" is apparently the catalyst or perhaps the charisma of this rather outspoken younger woman.

"A room to sleep and something to drink and eat."

"How many rooms, and what do you want? Come on, I don't bite." The young woman says in a playful tone.

"One room with 2 beds, for the food and drinks. Surprise me." Secessus replies before he moves toward a table where some older men are playing cards.

These men seem well acquainted with this tavern, as they are playing a card game. Looking at the amount of cups and the general atmosphere, the game seems to be intended to last for quite some while.

"Can I join?" The shade demon asks, already pulling a chair closer.

The men who were in quite the amicable atmosphere before quickly turn weary. Their eyes are clearly inspecting this stranger that approached them. Quite a lot of frowns were raised when they scan over the chained sleeves and quite exposed middle rift. Looking at each other, it seems they somehow ended up with the same conclusion.

"What's your name, boy?" One of the older men holds out his scarred hand, trying to speak properly, even though he misses some teeth.

"My name is Sol. What's yours?" Secesssu says grabbing a part of his name as his alias.

"I'm Sander. The others are Bernt, Alex, and Timo." The old man introduces them all. Pointing each name out.

"Sol, I've never heard of the name before. Where are you from?" The older man called Timo asks, not hiding his weariness.

"I don't really have a place where I am from. My parents were travelling merchants. i wouldn't even know the origin of my name." Secessus replies with a smile on his face, matching the outspoken energy from the maid of earlier.

He looks around toward Cornelius, only to notice that he has already sat himself down in some other corner. Not even noticing this conversation.

"Do you know how to play "Armies and might?"" Sander asks, already giving Secessus the necessary cards.

"I don't."

The men all turn around, their mouths wide open. Bernt even dropped his wooden tankard, which luckily the nearby shade demon managed to catch.

"How? You were a merchant's son, correct?" Sander asks, shock still visible.

"I must admit, something, to you all. I'm a recovering addict, I don't remember almost anything from life." Secessus says in a saddened tone, sprinkles of tears forming in his emerald eyes. Causing the jewel-like eyes to glitter even more.

"That's alright! We get it, everyone needs a break sometimes, right?" Sander says, trying to console the crying grown man.

"If you want to ask us anything you can, we've been nearly everywhere. Ain't that right, fellas?" Alex who hasn't said a thing yet quickly spurts out in an attempt to appease this stranger.

'There they are, the words I needed.' Secessus thinks to himself, expertly hiding his smile.

"Really? Well, How do I play?" Sol says, clumsily wiping away his tears.

'As Ashmodai said, no one is just going to show all their cards. If I want information, I first need to keep them distracted. Otherwise, they might begin questioning me again.'