1 Summer, 524
The sounds of what seemed like the vast majority of Syka’s residents carried over to Karigan as she headed past the docks and onto the main pathway leading away from the Commons. The Veronica had been completely unloaded during the time she had been in Dawn’s store and everyone had clearly moved on to the food and drinks portion of the day she had been told about.
Her new sandals were slightly stiff but still comfortable as she strode purposefully along the path in the direction Dawn had pointed her. To her left the dense jungle loomed. It made Karigan slightly nervous. Not that she was expecting anything to leap out at her, though she had a little voice telling her that it was a very real possibility. She imagined, well, hoped, that by now the creatures that lived in there were used to this path and the Sykans who used it, and tended to stay away from the more open area. Surely the seamstress would have told her otherwise, right?
She paused to shift her backpack into a more comfortable position. The strap on the small tote-style bag that contained her new, and now old, clothes had gotten tangled in one of the packs. Karigan swiped at the beads of sweat glistening on her forehead before moving on. She suspected it would take a little while to adjust to the oppressive heat of this place.
After a short while she passed the first building down on her right. She surmised that it must be Mathias’ place, and therefore the Inn would be the next one she came across. Karigan hefted her bags again and walked resolutely onward. It didn’t actually take her that long to reach the second building – the Inn, but it felt like it had thanks to her bags and the heat. The wooden structure grew ahead of her, fairly large compared to the few other places she had seen since arriving. Then again, that would make sense for an Inn.
Karigan veered off the path and made her way down the beach to the Protea. Sand wiggled its way into her sandals, gritty and hot. She wrinkled her nose at the unfamiliar, uncomfortable sensation. Another thing she supposed she would need to get used to. The L-shaped structure was beautiful, built with sturdy beams that must have come from the jungle behind her. All the sides seemed to be open to the elements and surrounded by large decks, even on the second storey.
She stepped up onto the porch and slowly made her way inside. The Inn was quiet, no residents or even the Innkeeper were in the common room area that she could see. Perhaps they were all at the ship or the feast. Had she passed the Innkeeper on her way? Karigan didn’t think so, but Dawn and Mathias seemed to think that she – Tazrae as Dawn had referred to her – would be here. Maybe they just hadn’t spotted her?
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Karigan’s voice felt far too loud in the apparently empty space.
“Hm, maybe I have missed them…” She turned back to the entrance, debating whether or not to leave her pack behind while she headed back in the direction of the Commons to see if she could locate the Innkeeper.
wc=550
Her new sandals were slightly stiff but still comfortable as she strode purposefully along the path in the direction Dawn had pointed her. To her left the dense jungle loomed. It made Karigan slightly nervous. Not that she was expecting anything to leap out at her, though she had a little voice telling her that it was a very real possibility. She imagined, well, hoped, that by now the creatures that lived in there were used to this path and the Sykans who used it, and tended to stay away from the more open area. Surely the seamstress would have told her otherwise, right?
She paused to shift her backpack into a more comfortable position. The strap on the small tote-style bag that contained her new, and now old, clothes had gotten tangled in one of the packs. Karigan swiped at the beads of sweat glistening on her forehead before moving on. She suspected it would take a little while to adjust to the oppressive heat of this place.
After a short while she passed the first building down on her right. She surmised that it must be Mathias’ place, and therefore the Inn would be the next one she came across. Karigan hefted her bags again and walked resolutely onward. It didn’t actually take her that long to reach the second building – the Inn, but it felt like it had thanks to her bags and the heat. The wooden structure grew ahead of her, fairly large compared to the few other places she had seen since arriving. Then again, that would make sense for an Inn.
Karigan veered off the path and made her way down the beach to the Protea. Sand wiggled its way into her sandals, gritty and hot. She wrinkled her nose at the unfamiliar, uncomfortable sensation. Another thing she supposed she would need to get used to. The L-shaped structure was beautiful, built with sturdy beams that must have come from the jungle behind her. All the sides seemed to be open to the elements and surrounded by large decks, even on the second storey.
She stepped up onto the porch and slowly made her way inside. The Inn was quiet, no residents or even the Innkeeper were in the common room area that she could see. Perhaps they were all at the ship or the feast. Had she passed the Innkeeper on her way? Karigan didn’t think so, but Dawn and Mathias seemed to think that she – Tazrae as Dawn had referred to her – would be here. Maybe they just hadn’t spotted her?
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Karigan’s voice felt far too loud in the apparently empty space.
“Hm, maybe I have missed them…” She turned back to the entrance, debating whether or not to leave her pack behind while she headed back in the direction of the Commons to see if she could locate the Innkeeper.
wc=550
