The stable boy was busy dozing off on his chair. His day was simple , take care of the bulls till his clients arrive to collect them. Unexpected to him, those bulls were quite annoying to take care of.

  The moment he put them in the stables. They started mooing non stop, so much sos that it scared teh other horses and animals next to them. So he took them out to a walk while his legs trembled from fear. He has never herded chukka bulls before, only seen from afar and his father was away so that made him a bit his life worse.

  Thankfully a walk was all they needed, he got used to the stares from the people but was still worried if anyone would steal them from him. Thankfully they didnt.

  An hour later when sundown arrived, teh bulls or beasts had finally grown tired and hungry. Then it was simple as feeding them and they went to sleep peacefully.

  He sat in his chair, despite resistance hie body through fatigue gradually went to sleep..

  *Clank*

  A metal object hits his forehead hard that he jolted awake. He was about to curse until he saw the object was a gold coin which made a small grinn grow on his face.

  “Here’s a tip,”

  The boy turned his head up to see the client in charge of the bull. Aeris and Xantha. Followed by two men he hasnt seen before and frankly to tiered to care. He aint paid enough for this.

  Kael flicked his head here and there. Scanning the various animals in these small stables. Stables were a common establishment in Bharkas, as mercenary’s and merchants come in. Small stables were erected in various parts and collected a fee to take care of this animals.

  Most of what he has seen were horses, ox’es and rarely great wolfs. But the only animals here were horses and of course those chukka bulls.

  He eyes landed on the bull in the extreme corner. It’s pigment was a nice chocolate brown, bulging muscleing but much leaner than the others and a long mane on its neck. He didn’t know why but something told him, this was it, this was his beast.

  Kael went closer to his animal as he declared inwardly.

  Edric on the other hand stood watching the beasts with one thought in his mind. My dream , I have seen them before.

  Edirc recollected teh memory of the Veyra estate he traversed in Kael’s memory. Those bulls were used to pull carts and people through the wide streets. Initially he had thought those beasts were unique to the estate he was born. Based on Kael’s reaction and how Xantha’s knows these beasts. It’s fair to assume there quite well known, but rare and bred.

  Xantha watched as Kael patted his bulls mane.

  “Um, did you choose one?” Edric asked curiously.

  Xantha rubbed her chin, scanned the three bulls. Of the remaining there was one particular one that caught her eye when buying them. The third bulls, a massive bull with dark skin and broad horns had something to it. She didn’t know why, but reminded her of her father, like how he used to protect them ever since childhood.

  “That one,” She pointed at the beast. Edric brows arched as his gaze flicked between the two.

  It's twice the size as her. But hey, it’s her choice. What do I pick? I’ll just ask Aeris what she wants and pick the remaining one.

  Aeris was busy signing the register the boy had given. After signing the detail informign they have collected the stable.

  “So what do you pick?”

  Aeris was a bit to immersed to see what he meant. She looked ahead to see Kael clearly petting his bull and Xantha sitting low next to the drowsy bull. She cocked her head and thought about it for a moment.

  “That one,” she declared, going to untie the bull.

  Edric looked at her bull with deep thought , if he could describe it in one word. It would be handsome and he didn’t know why. It length was the longest from teh rest, it’s skin was a nice navy blue and it’s mane was luscious, At the same time, he felt that it was the oldest of the bunch given a very noticeable scar on it’s nose. Like an unoffice leader of sorts.

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  The rest were nudging there bulls to wake up and untying them. Without wasting time, he went to his bull. To his surprise the bull was already awake.

  The crimson bull was silently staring in Edric’s eyes, with deep admiration and curiosity. Just then he released the bulls looks almost exactly like the bull he saw in his dreams. Just much younger.

  He went closer, he reached his hand out to pet it but stopped mid way. I just released i have never had a horse before much less a bull– the bull reached out and licked his hand. He was about to take it back in disgust, but it felt calming almost.

  Then he got worried if he had some weird fetish. Knockign that thought he went ahead an untied his bull

  —----

  Aeris lead the way while leashing her companion following from behind. The air was quiet with the smell of residual sweat, potion and liquor . The night was serene but not quiet.

  Edric calmly walked from behind while keeping a tiny distance between his bull. Somehow, having a bull as your pet or companion for a better word seemed very awkward. Thoughts ran through his head if weather he is being to hard and if the bull just stabs his gut with his sharp horn.

  Trying to distract himself, he gazed forward. Took a deep breath which was filled with the scent of people. Lights and laughter illuminated the streets from the various pubs and taverns. Families chattered amongst themselves, drunk mercenaries slept beside each other.

  Edric wouldn’t consider the city perfect though. Every now and then, he could observe homeless people on the alleyways and a few men being dragged by guards. It didn’t matter now, after a few moments they would cross the gates and bharkas would be a passing name.

  He stared at the full moon as they were approaching the main street. It was beautiful and peaceful sight.

  *THUNK*

  Distracted Edric bumped onto Kael who had stopped midway. He peeked over his shoulders on as to why he stopped.

  In front of him was the smooth stone road leading out the west gate. In front of it was a long line of carts, merchants and minor nobles leaving the town. Merchants and nobels leaving town at night wasn’t out of the ordinary. But the line was simply to big.

  “You guys got any idea?” Edric said,

  Aeris was ahead of the pack. “Not sure, my best guess is something happened at the gate.”

  Edric frowned, yet another obstacle. “Like an accident?" . He walked forward to get a better view, but nothing was visible beyond his line of sight.

  “No , I don’t think so.” Kael stood on his staff, which was balanced on his bull. Squinting ahead straining his eyes to see ahead. “There’s no commotion or ruckus. So I doubt it’s a accident. “ he clicked his tongue in annoyance while easing his eye.

  “Take this,” Xantha threw an item form her pouch in haste. Kael grabbed, it was a telescope made of Bharkas wood and glass. A nifty item with magiccal engraving for a logner range.

  Kael grinned, with the item in hand he looked far ahead. Enough to reach the main gate. The grinn quickly faded as at the gates he found the reason why the line formed.

  At the gates, an old man with a fairly amusing stache berated the captain at the gate, it was known other than the gambling den owner. Beside the owner was the guard they fought in the den. He couldn’t exactly read there lips given there backs were turned. But t was obvious why.

  —--

  “There after us aren't they,” Xantha’s voice was low with a slight hesitation.

  The group had made themselves comfortable in an alleyway a couple of blocks away. There bulls were tied beside them as they sat slouching the wall, trying to come up with a plan.

  Aeris cocked her head. “Somebody did make a mess, a very loud one at that.” She gave the look directed at Kael. Who simply tucked his head down.

  Xantha crackled her throat. “Ahem, got any idea? What if we disguis ourselves as merchants.”

  Aeris thought for a moment, disguises could work it’s just not a guaranteed method. “Perhaps, but it’s a gamble. One wrong move and we more problems in out head.”

  “Any other idea you have?” Said Edric. “I was gonna say we could jusst climb the while incognito, then realized we can’t exactly carry bulls over the wall. Wait can you?” He flicked his head to Kael.

  Kael thought to himself, can he make a tornado ot lift the bulls over the wall without any noise. It wasn’t to hard to find the anwer. “Not a chance. If it was one bull, sure maybe i could . Tossing them one by one isn’t an option either. I bet the security is tight so if we did do it. Then we must do it at the same time.”

  Edric frowned disappointed . Aeris sat silently taking the discussion in. “We could take the other gate, the guards stationed there might not have seen us.”

  Kael rejected that idea bluntly. “ The side is much closer to Magnus’s troops. It will take twice as long to traverse the land, we have to climb hills to cross Bharkas again. Disguising is the only option we have.” he said with enthusiasm. “ Plus were good at it. You have seen me in action before, you and Edric can act as nobles, meanwhile me you guard and Xantha you maid.”

  “You're right, risky but worth a shot.”

  Edric debated the choices internally. Disguises can work well, but the risk was a variable he didn’t want to deal with.

  Xantha interjected, “What if we just head out tomorrow or even at night tomorrow.”

  Aeris and Kael looked at each other. They contemplated on the idea, staying here isn’t the worst option. Hiding inside a city isn’t to hard and getting another opportunity isn’t hard.

  Aeris spoke. “We could do that. It’s just I would feel better if we were far awar from Magnus. Every day we wait here the closer they get. .”

  Xantha nodded, agreeing to her.

  Than an idea popped inside Edric’s head. He snapped his finger involuntraly, diverting the other attention. “I got it,”

  “Have a bright idea?”

  Edric without warning, walked down the alleyway and got a peek at the wall adject to the gates. Confused the others paced behind him. “You see that wall? I think i can phase through it”

  “So?” Kael crossed his arms. “Your escaping by yourself or something, Because none of us can do that?”

  “Not entirely.” He eyes the nobles and merchants in the line. “What I will do is, on the other side. I sneak under bush, than at the right time break a cart of a noble or a merchant. THe guards would be to distracted to focus, that’s where you guys come in. Aeris comes on a cart while the bulls pulls it. Act like a snobby noble, who doesnt like to waste time. The guards won’t have time to check clearly and than your off.”

  The others silently thought the plan through. It wasn’t a bad plan, but not entirely out of risk.

  Than Aeris decided. “It’s a good enough plan, let’s do it.” than started walking off somewhere down the street.

  Kael looked dumbfounded, mainly on how nonchalant she was. “Where the hell you going?”

  “A noble can’t ride a bull. We need a cart, a better tunic and some bags for the bulls. Xantha come along. You,” pointing at Kael in a very direct manner. “See Edric out and come along. You need to look more like a guard.”

  Xantha throttled along without any question. Kael sighed, tossed his arm over Edric’s shoulders and the boys trudged along to the wall.

  The plan was a few minutes away and few minutes until freedom.