The golden light of the sun beamed into Dhule’s room, waking him up as the rays landed on his eyes. He stirred, groaning quietly as the sun woke him up and he thought back on the previous night. “It’s a different day, everything’s different today.” He then heard a knock at his door.

  “Dhule, honey are you awake?” Altani asked from the other side of the door, “When you’re ready we have a plate of food saved for you, and I think Yesugen wanted to talk to you.”

  “I’ll be down in a bit, just let me get dressed.”

  “Okay, we’ll be waiting for you.”

  As Altani’s footsteps echoed down the hallway Dhule ran his hand through his tousled hair. He put on a loose tunic and ill fitting trousers that had been lent to him by Yerentai, then descended the wooden stairs into the common area. He was greeted by the scent of fresh bread and fruit, roasted meat, and fragrant cheeses.

  Yerentai saw him walking down the stairs and waved to him, “Dhule, we have your food right over here! You know what they say about breakfast don’t you?”

  “Yes sir, most important meal of the day.”

  “You don’t have to be so formal son, you can just call me ‘Tai” if you want.”

  “Okay, but I’d still prefer sir or Yerentai if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course son, call me whatever you like. Yesugen’s waiting over there in the corner for you, I think she wants to show you around the city.”

  “Right, thank you sir.” Walking over to the table, Yesugen was fidgeting with a map, unable to hear Dhule approaching. “You were looking for me?” He asked.

  “Oh, hi Dhule, you surprised me. You actually slept in for once, usually you’re the first one up, brooding away from everyone else.” She teased.

  “Well it was the first time in a Dechit I slept in a real bed.” He said taking a bite of bread after.

  “Alright, I have a couple things planned out for today, you ready?”

  “Can I finish breakfast first? It’ll be your father who’ll be mad at us if I don’t eat enough.”

  “Ugh, fine, but we’re going to have to rush to get everywhere in time.”

  Dhule finished his meal, purposefully taking longer than necessary to antagonize Yesugen. As soon as he put the final piece of food in his mouth Yesugen grabbed his arm, “Let’s go, you took long enough you can finish on the way. We’re going dad, we’ll be back by sunfall.” and they ran out of the inn.

  The streets of Carsioli were alive with a sunpeak hum, various merchants hawking their wares, children running through the streets, and carts creaking under the weight of the items they were holding. “First stop, the Market District. These people sell the finest goods in all Carsioli, maybe you’ll find something for yourself here and depending on how I feel I might even buy it for you. Huh, how’s that sound?” Yesugen asked.

  “Sounds nice, anyplace you recommend?” Dhule asked back.

  “Umm… Ooh, right over here!” She said, dragging Dhule across the square.

  They arrived at a jewelry shop, walking in Dhule was entranced by a variety of necklaces hanging and glistening in the sunlight, rings set on fake hands presenting their beauty to any passerby walking by, and bracelets sitting behind glass boxes. “Wow, they’re all so beautiful.” Dhule said, not realizing that he had vocalized it.

  “If you like one then you should buy it.” Yesugen jumped out from behind the shelf Dhule was looking at, surprising him as he was lost in thought.

  “Oh, um I suppose, but I don’t really see a use for them.”

  “Not everything needs to have a use, you know? I won’t pressure you to buy anything now, but we’re not going home until you get something to remember your first stop by.”

  “Okay. Well, I’ll keep my options over for now. Is there anything else you wanted to do?”

  “Only everything.”

  “Then we had better get going to finish everything today.” As they left the shop the two heard a commotion a square over, a small band had set up on a stage in the middle of the square and started to play. “They’re really good.” Dhule said.

  “Yeah.” Yesugen responded, “Have you ever thought of learning to play?” She asked.

  “Um, well, I suppose I already know some-”

  “You know how to play an instrument!? Which one!? Why am I only learning about this now!?” She asked intensely, cutting him off mid sentence.

  “Yes, the viola, and probably because you’ve known me for only 2 days at this point.”

  “Wow. You know maybe we could form a band, we would just need someone to sing. After all, I’m pretty good with the ocarina.” She boasted.

  “Oh yeah, people would just be frothing at the mouth to come see our three person band, consisting of a viola, ocarina, and vocalist.” He joked.

  “Oh, shut up. I was just making a joke.” She hit his arm playfully, “And for your information, I think we would work great together. Now let’s go, we’re burning daylight.” She started to pull him along again.

  The next location the two found themselves at was a sizable trinket stand. Dhule wandered around the shelves looking at the various trinkets made from wood, glass, and metal. His eyes were drawn to a small wood figure that Dhule didn’t recognize.

  “What’d you find?” Yesugen said as she walked up behind him, “Oh, it’s Drusus, have you heard of them?”

  “No, I just liked how they looked. What’s so special about them?”

  “They’re just some Viri fable, they were said to be some nobody from The Meridian Sands that killed an Ignescourge. Couldn’t tell you whether or not it’s true, but they do love to have plays about the guy. I think there’s one tomorrow if you want to go check it out. Anyways, is that your trinket today?”

  “No I don’t think so, but this,” Dhule picked up a wooden plaque inlaid with stained glass pieces that build a lion. “I like this one.”

  “A lion? I didn’t take you for someone like that.”

  “It’s not like that. I just feel drawn to it, but I can’t say why.” Dhule said walking to the counter, “How much sir?”

  A short man with tan skin and an impressive mustache stood behind the counter and smiled up at Dhule “I’ll cut you a deal young man, only 5 Kai Ro(?).”

  “Thank you sir.” Dhule reached into his bag looking for coin before he realizing something, “Do you accept Stars(?)”

  “I’ll cover you.” Yesugen cut in before the shopkeep could respond, “But you better pay me back.” She handed the man a coin made from gold and silver.

  “Thank you young lady.”

  “You’re welcome sir. Come on Dhule, I’m getting hungry and I have a great spot in mind.” She pulled Dhule away.

  As they left the store Yesugen started to tell Dhule about currency and etiquette when using such. “Since you haven’t left the Central Wastes before I'll assume you don't know better, but you should only pay in Ro(?) or the cultural currency of the location you're in…”

  Yesugen continued however Dhule wasn't paying attention to much of what she was saying as his eye was caught by a tall woman with pale skin and odd makeup. She was wearing a dark cloak over bright clothes and holding a staff with the head of a cobra at the top.

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  “Hello, Dhule?” Yesugen called out to him.

  “Huh, oh. Yeah what's going on?”

  “You just stopped, what'd you see?”

  “Just a strange woman.” Dhule turned around to point out the snake woman but when he looked she was nowhere to be found. “She was just there?” He questioned himself.

  “Well she's not now, and anyways it's rude to point and stare. C'mon let's go get lunch.”

  The two walked through the streets before reaching a small building in a line of similar buildings. “Right here!” Yesugen pulled Dhule into the building with a sign of a loaf of bread and the words “The Golden Loaf” painted in yellow to fill the carving.

  As they walked in, few people were sitting in the restaurant, some had sandwiches and those that didn't had small pieces of metal with numbers engraved on them. Yesugen walked up to the counter, “Two Carsioli Specials please.” She turned around to Dhule, “Is there anything you can't have?”

  “Uh, no.”

  “Okay, no changes.” She gave the woman behind the counter a golden coin, a Tau Ro(?)

  The woman behind the counter handed Yesugen a small piece of metal and said “Thanks honey, we'll have those right out for you.”

  Yesugen came back to Dhule. “Pick a table, they'll bring it out in a bit.”

  Dhule picked a table next to the wall and sat down facing the window outside.

  “So how’s the day been so far?” Yesugen asked.

  “It's been nice, thank you Yesugen.”

  “You're welcome. You know it's not every day that you get to hang out with someone as cool as me.”

  “Yeah definitely. Here you go.” He slid a star-shaped coin across the table towards Yesugen.

  “What's this for?”

  “The plaque. You paid for me and even said that I should pay you back. So there you go, paid back in full. So long as you're in the Central Wastes that is.”

  “Thank you Dhule. You really didn't have to, I would have been fine.”

  “Then I can just take it back if you insist.” He joked.

  She pulled the coin towards herself, “Not so fast, haven't you heard The Sacred Words of Trade, no takesies backsies.”

  As the two finished arguing about the possession of the coin their sandwiches came out. Thin strips of brisket, provolone cheese layered on both pieces of bread, grilled onions, a small amount of mayo all in between the toasted pieces of bread that had been grilled and pressed.

  As the two ate their sandwiches Dhule saw something out of the corner of his eyes. The snake woman was standing in the middle of the street, surrounded by 4 thugs each holding a dagger. One of the thugs jumped at the woman, reaching for her staff, as he grabbed the staff the woman kicked his chest knocking him to the floor. The other three looked at each other before the one on the floor said something that Dhule couldn’t hear when they all ran at her at once. She ducked one, hit the arm of another, making them drop their knife, and then pushing them away, and threw the last into the one on the floor. The four men got back up, talked to each other and all charged her at once, her eyes widened before narrowing and then widening again as they glowed, her cloak fluttered in a gust that had just appeared, her braids started to point to the sky, her hood fell off, and she floated a few inches above the ground. She grabbed her staff in both hands and slammed it into the ground, creating a visible shockwave knocking the men to the ground, saying “Stay down if you wish to live!” Dhule was only able to hear it as it boomed through the air. As the woman landed she put her hood back up, pulled her cloak close to her and hurried away with her head down.

  “Ugh.” Yesugen said she had apparently also been watching the combat.

  “What’s wrong Yesugen?” Dhule asked.

  “It’s disgusting, just using magic in the open. I mean it’s wrong to do even by yourself but to do it publicly? How could she?”

  “I suppose but couldn’t it have been divine in nature?”

  “Probably not, it didn’t look much like any Divine Magic that I’ve heard of. And she was shameful of it so definitely not.” As Yesugen turned back to Dhule her mood visibly changed back. “So how’s the sandwich?”

  “Oh, um yeah it’s good.” Dhule was thrown off by the drastic and immediate mood change.

  “Anyways if you’re finished I have one more place I want to visit.”

  “Alright, let’s go, the sun's already falling.”

  The two walked the streets of Carsioli, eventually turning down a quiet alleyway where the bustling noise of the city died down, replaced with the sound of rustling leaves. The two arrived at an old park hidden behind multiple buildings, left in disrepair the park was overgrown with vines sporting colorful flowers that bring color to the park, bushes that have become overgrown but still clearly show the layout of how the park was meant to look, and a large tree stump in the center that clearly held an impressive tree in the past.

  Yesugen pulled a patch of vines to the side, revealing a small stone bench. “Come sit.” She motioned to the bench.

  Dhule sat down as per her request resting his hands at the back of the seat, leaning back and looking up and past the pergola that has been covered in overgrowth. Yesugen sat down next to him letting out a big sigh. “Man, it’s nice to be somewhere quiet, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, I didn’t even realize how overwhelming it was till now. It’s beautiful, almost frozen in time but still ever moving and growing. How did you find this place?”

  “I only found it recently, or at least the last time we were here. A few years ago I was chasing a cat around the city when it ran its way here. That’s the whole story really though, I didn’t even catch the cat, it disappeared after getting here.”

  “That’s too bad.” The two sat in silence for a couple minutes. “Thank you for this Yesugen. Today has been great, I appreciate everything you and your family has done for me.”

  “Well don’t say that yet, I’ve got something else for you.”

  “Hmm?”

  Yesugen rifled through her bag before pulling out a small leather bag and setting it in Dhule’s lap. “Well don’t just let it sit there, open it.”

  Dhule opened the bag, picking up a bracelet made from glass beads and an elastic string. “What’s this for?” He asked.

  “Forgive me but I didn’t think that you’d actually pick something to remember today by. So while you were looking around the shops I got these for you.”

  “Really? You didn’t have to do that, I would have been okay without getting anything today.”

  “Yes, but I wouldn’t be okay with that. You should remember your first trip outside your homeland, I mean you should remember everywhere you stop but especially your first.”

  “Well, I don’t think you’ll take this back even if I ask, so thank you again. For today and everything in the previous two days as well.”

  “You’re not even going to look at the second piece? Or put the first one on?”

  “You said something, not two things.” He slipped the bracelet over his left hand onto his wrist.

  “Yeah, one gift but the gift has two parts. Just reach back into the bag.”

  Doing so Dhule felt a cold piece of metal in the bottom of the bag. When he pulled out he had a double finger ring in his hand. It was two colorful rings connected by an iron bar, inscribed on the bar were 3 symbols, a stylized fire, a horse running with horns on its head, and a star. “I can’t accept this Yesugen, this is too much. This is so intricately engraved, I don’t even know what metal this is but it had to have been expensive, how were you able to buy this?”

  “Dad gave me a bit of extra money, he wanted to make sure you got something nice today. But I’m not taking it back, they wouldn’t accept it anyways, it was custom engraved after all.”

  “You got me a custom engraved ring when you’ve only known me for 3 days!? Why would you do that for me!? You don’t know who I am, I’m nobody to you.” Dhule stood up as he yelled at Yesugen.

  “Well that’s not true, you’re Dhule. You’re our family even if you weren’t born with us. We love you Dhule.” She looked out at the horizon, “It’s getting late we should probably get back, Dad might think I lost you or something if we take too much longer.” She reached her hand out, this time waiting for Dhule to grab on.

  “Can’t you take it?” He held his hand out with the ring in his palm.

  “No, we got it for you, besides I don’t have a connection to Veyr, at least not as much as you. Now come on, we really should get back before sunfall, Dad might actually be worried.” She shook her hand.

  “Fine but I need to make one more stop first.” Dhule put his hands in his pocket.

  “Alright, where are we going?” Yesugen wrapped her hand around Dhule’s arm until she reached his hand.

  “Where’s the closest fruit cart on the way to the inn?”

  “Just this way.” Yesugen led Dhule to the fruit cart pointing directions rather than pulling him through the streets.

  Dhule exchanged a few Stars for Ro at a currency exchange before buying a few apples from one of the fruit carts.

  “Those for Veyr?” Yesugen asked.

  “Yeah, I promised them one before we got here but it was too late yesterday, and I’ve forgotten about it most of today.”

  “Well that’s nice.”

  The two rushed back to the inn stopping at the stable to give Veyr their apples. Their hands intertwined even if Dhule hadn’t really noticed. As they walked in, the rest of the family was waiting in the common room. Yerentai and Altani looked up from their activities, wood carving and knitting respectively, to greet them, “Seems like you two had a good day.” A grin crossed Yerentai’s face, “What all did you get up to?”

  Yesugen smirked, “Oh you know, I dragged Dhule around the city, made him stop at about a million shops and got him something nice.” She nudged Dhule, “He even got something for himself.”

  “Well what’d you get Dhule?” Altani asked.

  Dhule held out the ring, he still hadn’t put it on as he didn’t think he deserved it. “She got me this ring and a bracelet.”

  “Oh look, it matches Yesugen’s!” Yerentai pointed at the bracelet. “Isn’t that so cute honey?”

  “Yes, I can only assume it was intentional. Is that right Dhule?” Altani warmly smiled.

  “Um, I didn’t buy the bracelet. Yesugen bought it for me.”

  “Well what did you get for yourself Boy?” Sagra leaned in.

  “Uhh, I got this.” He pulled out the lion plaque.

  “Ah, good eye son, can I see it?” Yerentai held his hand out to hold the item himself. “That’s got some great craftsmanship. Does it hold any significance to you?”

  “Not really, I guess you could say it came to me in a dream but nothing other than that.”

  “Well as long as you like it, that’s what matters.” Altani continued to knit the blanket she was working on.

  The family continued to chat into the night, Dhule sat back not interacting unless called out to, not because he didn’t want to interfere with the family’s conversation, but rather because he was taking in the warmth of family that he hadn’t felt in quite a while.