An Outing

"So this appeared after?" Bane peers at the mark curiously after Emelda had told the eager household about their adventures the day after they had returned.

"Yeah. I don't feel anything from it." She says feeling it.

"I don't think it's something to worry about." Varen comments, earning her gaze. "I used to hear of a tale. There are... Otherworldly beasts throughout the lands. If you earn their respect during a duel then they will grant you power with an embedded mark."

"Respect huh?" Emelda felt a bit doubtful of that, but the creature had spoken before the fight turned feral.

"Wait. You said power?" Jinx gasps. "What kind of power?"

"Mm... Not sure." Varen turns away to get the kettle off the stove to finish making tea.

"I wanna go on your next job. You and Raiden seem to attract the most exciting scenarios." Bane remarks.

"I want to go too! I can patch you up." Jinx gasps.

"I rather not be left home alone," Varen adds in. Emelda and Raiden share a look at that.

"Well, that does sound like fun depending on the job... If it's within the walls of the Kingdom though it wouldn't make sense for all of us to go." The Demon reasons.

"Alright then. The next away job we'll all go. But since the cold season is coming we'll need to get ready for that." Emelda smiles.

"Alright." Jinx beams as the other two males nod.

"Now then. We should deliver the leather." Raiden tells Emelda.

"Right." She nods, turning to head to the door.

"Ah..." Varen makes a noise that makes them look back at him. He pauses as if surprised himself. "Nevermind." He shakes his head.

"... Do you... Wanna come with us?" Emelda asks after she and Raiden share a glance.

"... Can I?" He asks.

"Sure." Raiden smiles before they all head out.

"Maybe we should get a mount like the Caster." Emelda hums.

"Right? All this walking takes too much time." Raiden nods.

"But then we would need a stable, and a way to feed it." Emelda frowns.

"Unless it just eats grass." Raiden hums, looking back at the yard. "We got too much of that."

"Is there a place where we could look at mounts?" She ponders.

"I know a place. It's on the way to the tailor." Varen offers.

"Lead the way." Raiden nods. Varen nods, taking the lead smoothly. Emelda looks back at the manor, it now had a dragon skull sticking out of the main window on the second floor above the entrance.

"... You know. It might not have worked like we wanted, but I kinda like the way it looks like this." She comments, making Raiden look back.

"It does look different. I guess it's better this way, I would barely have enough space for it in the room." He agrees.

"We could place colored lanterns in its eyes and scare the neighbors." Emelda smirks.

"Heh. I like that idea." Raiden grins.

"You two are awful." Varen sighs shaking his head.

"We should add some crimson to the fangs too." Raiden smirks.

'Must you torment the neighbors?' Varen thinks to himself.

"I hope we come across another dragon soon. We could put bones all over the manor." Emelda comments.

"Dragon bone manor!" Raiden gasps in agreement.

"C-Cant you two go for a more... Regal look? Master Raiden is the Grand Duke." Varen tries to convince them.

"... So red gems." Emelda smirks.

"Ooo so when the light hits it I'll look like it's bleeding!" Raiden grins.

"Exactly!"

"Somehow I've made it worse..." Varen mutters.

They stop in an alley, at a large crack in the wall. "Varen wants to kill us." Raiden comments.

"Or he's lost." Emelda hums as they look around the seeming dead end. Varen looks back at them unamused as he passes through the wall, making them stiffen.

"He did the merchant thing!" Emelda points after him looking alarmed.

"He is trying to kill us!" Raiden gasps.

"I don't wanna fight Varen though." She frowns.

"So... We just die?" Raiden tilts his head.

"That's the only logical reaction." She nods.

"I'm not trying to kill you! Just get in here." Varen's head pokes out of the wall.

"Hm. Sneak kill would be better." Emelda looks at Raiden.

"It would. Let's go." He agrees before they both enter the wall, coming out to a marketplace that seemed to freeze and look over at Raiden.

"It's an actual market." Emelda marvels.

"Huh." Raiden nods.

"You thought this was a trap..." Varen huffs.

"Well, we don't know anything about you," Emelda admits.

"You could be an assassin." Raiden points out.

"I- You barely know each other!" Varen objects pointedly.

"We have a mutual understanding and blind trust," Raiden informs.

"We do. Watch this." Emelda starts falling over but Raiden catches her without looking her way.

"See?" They both say together.

"I see there's no reasoning with you." Varen deadpans.

"He gets it." Emelda straightens.

"There doesn't need to be a reason for us," Raiden says as the trio starts through the market as it resumed like normal.

"I don't see any animals." Emelda looks around.

"They're closer to the end over near the walls. In case they need to clear out when the king has a fit and sends troops." Varen tells her.

"How kingly." Emelda comments, making Raiden snort.

"You should've seen him when I raided the castle. He was in tears by the time I got to him." Raiden snickers.

"I wish I had witnessed that. You must've made such a badass entrance." She grins.

"Thanks. I wish you had seen it too." He rumbles in response.

They stop as they spot a familiar merchant. "Ah. He's appeared again." Emelda breathes to Raiden.

"Come. Take a gamble." The merchant shakes a smaller box, an eyepatch over one eye.

"Ah... Sure. What happened to your eye? Did someone hurt you?" Emelda asks lightly.

"Sorta." He smiles, holding out the box again.

"This isn't going to curse us right?" Raiden asks warily.

"I assure you it won't." The merchant chuckles.

"You do it this time Rai," Emelda says as she pays the merchant, putting the coin in his coat pocket.

"Alright. Let's see." He reaches in carefully and searches around. Finally, he pulls out a rolled-up, aged paper. Emelda and Raiden blink at it, huddling close together curiously.

"Oh lucky you. It's a magic map." The merchant smiles. Raiden opens the map, revealing their current location.

"Oh, so it just shows you where you are at the given moment?" Emelda glances at the merchant.

"Yes. It'll track your movement with a red line. It'll even show giant nearby creatures." The merchant hums.

"Like a dragon overhead?" Emelda gasps in amazement. The map reminded her of a video game map except for the creature part.

"That's right." He nods.

"This is great, glad we didn't get a normal map." Raiden grins.

"Thank you," Emelda tells the merchant.

"Tis I that owes you thanks." He bows. She smiles a bit at that.

"Alright. Let's go look at the animals now." Raiden says rolling up the map again.

"Right. Bye. I hope your eye feels better soon." Emelda waves.

They reach a stable area, only finding odd goat-rabbit mounts. And no, they weren't cute, with jagged teeth sticking out, goat horns, goat eyes and shape, and big rump area.

"... That's too bad." Emelda blinks.

"... Can we eat them?" Raiden murmurs.

"I don't think I want to know what that tastes like." She shakes her head.

"Come on. Past the looks, they're fast, efficient, and low... At least hear me out!" Varen calls after them as they start to leave.

"Sorry, Varen. They're too ugly so we're gonna go to the tailors now." Emelda waves back at him.

"Unbelievable..."

They enter the tailors not long after that, and the shopkeeper and her husband lightning up as they enter.

"Welcome back!" The shopkeeper rushes to greet Emelda.

"Hehe, I'm flattered by your excitement," Emelda says sheepishly.

"We found some more material to craft you a satchel." The woman responds excitedly going to retrieve it while her husband comes to shake their hands.

"Am I to assume that skin there is for us?" He hums peering at the bundle Raiden carried on his back.

"Yep. We talked about it, and Emee only wants one outfit from this so the rest is yours to do as you please with." Raiden informs with a smile.

"You're very generous, Grand Duke. I'll make sure to make Lady Night a befitting outfit with this." The man rumbles seeming to brighten up as he walks to his workshop, looking over the hide. The shopkeeper returns with a black, velvety-looking satchel.

"That's gorgeous." Emelda blinks in awe.

"I had a feeling you'd like it. Most women that pass through here tend to avoid black." The woman beams at the praise.

"You are just too sweet. Here let me pay-"

"No No. That hide you brought today is worth hundreds of these. So let's call it a trade." The shopkeeper holds her hand with a bright smile.

"What's your name? I know mine." Emelda says.

"I am Rebecca Dolce. My husband is Oscar Dolce." Rebecca introduces herself and her husband with a smile.

"Lovely name. Thank you for the satchel. I love it." Emelda feels it over thoughtfully.

"Anytime. Will you be going on another job soon? How was the outfit?" Rebecca asks curiously.

"We're going to check the job board tomorrow. And the outfit was great. My insides probably would've been torn out if I had been in normal attire." Emelda answers with a slight shrug, making the shopkeeper and Varen pale as Raiden withholds a laugh.

"W-What?"

But Rebecca didn't get to ask as a few well dressed women enter, drawing their attention. At the lead, a woman with white curled hair and icy blue eyes. She wore bright colors just like the women filing in behind her.

"Hm? The Grand Duke? And... Lady Night..." The lead stops with raised brows. "So you weren't hallucinating, Persephone." She comments to an auburn-haired woman with hazel eyes.

"Of course not Madam Force. They've been seen everywhere together since the ball." Persephone breathes. Madam Force peers at Raiden as she approaches Emelda before offering her hand in greeting.

"Lady Night. I'd like to send you an invitation to tea. Where can I send it?" She inquires.

"The Grand Duke's Manor please." Emelda smiles, taking the woman's hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Madam Force."

"The pleasure is mine. Now, if you'll excuse us." Madam Force and the other women start through the shop to look over the wares.

Raiden and Emelda share a glance before taking that opportunity to leave. Varen looking surprised by everything that just happened.

"Cora Force... Just invited you to tea..." Varen breathes.

"Who is she anyway?" Emelda asks.

"She's Dutchess Force. Her husband has control over the most important trades in the Kingdom. Salazar is one of his lead merchants." He tells them excitedly.

"So that's why she smelt of bitch... She's a boss bitch." Emelda comments. Varen gaps at her in shock.

"Language!" He gasps.

"Pardon my french." She purses her lips.

"What's a french?" Raiden asks. She shrugs in response.

"Anyway. I guess I should get things ready for a tea party... That sounds annoying already." She sighs.

"Can I go?" Raiden blinks.

"It's mainly a woman thing. And they're probably going to be asking about you... You should come get me halfway through." She muses.

"This is a good opportunity for you, you should stay the whole way." Varen tells her, making Raiden sulk.

"... Then you're going with me. We'll sit through the torture together since you're so enthusiastic about it." Emelda narrows her eyes at him.

"I assure you. It's not going to be that bad."