Something Brewing

- Verden, Near the Skeldergate, Afternoon, 9 DSTR -

It had to have been almost a day on the road and a doubtful Kadri continuously eyed the map she grabbed in town before leaving. At the speed she was traveling surely they were close now. Away from civilization they had been for a good four hours, that was when they had slowed. The sky took on a grey undertone as storm clouds formed in the west. Surely it would touch down in less than an hour.

It was in a field of yellow flowers that Diamur was laying down, eating on an apple as his rider sat with her back against the large mass of the donkey. Once again she flipped through the back pages of her journal, reading through the notes she'd left her daughter.

"Enter the Skeldergate by going northwest. There you will gather two of the flowers listed above and the heart and home of the Old Mountain Giants is where you'll find your rune. It will sound daunting but to complete the location spell you must find these. I will be waiting in Dalen." The girl sighed and whispered. "Daunting isn't even half of it. It's been centuries since anyone has found a trace of these giants. I know they existed forever ago but... how likely is it I'll find this rune? In Verden?" She scanned the page and Diamir snorted behind her. "It's worth a shot I guess. After we get this flower we go to the mountains, look around, and then we circle that and cross the river, and we're in Dalen. There shouldn't be many people up that way so I'm unsure of where to find a boat," just then her stomach rumbled with a slight cramp. Three apples didn't last very long at all and hunger had hit them both. The faintest shadow of smoke caught her eye and she looked out onto the forest and the land just in front of it; outside the Skeldergate was smoke that looked like the kind coming from a chimney stack and she could make out the faintest outline with the approaching shadow of nightfall.

"I also don't know where we'll get food past the forest, but I do know that someone's nearby right now. The trip can't be so bad." She closed the leathery book and moved to stand, jumping when the sky roared like her stomach. "Blasted," she muttered. "We need to move."

Kadri shoved the book into her bag and Diamur rose with his head raised to the sky, a droplet falling onto his forehead. He huffed in panic and stopped his front hooves down. If there was anything the creature hated it was water.

"Hey, hey!" Kadri softly said, holding onto the reigns firmly until he calmed and looked down to her soft eyes, his own very wide and fearful.
"You're the bravest and best mount I know, and you don't like the weather. But I need you to ride fast so we can get out of this, okay?" She carefully climbed onto his back and took the reigns again as the rain fell in heavier droplets by seconds. Before she knew it they were off toward the forest, the smoke almost lost against the sky. "We'll be fine," she spoke and brought one of her hands to put her hood up. But she hadn't gotten to sewing one on yet and her hair was being pasted to her skin like a wet, blue mop.

Another thing you messed up. Don't let the rest of this be the same way.

Even with the speed they traveled-- that had slowed with the breeze against them --it had to have been almost an hour of riding through mud, wind, and freezing water all on empty stomachs. She'd positioned the bag so that when she leaned forward her body shielded any water damage; the books could not be ruined at any cost.
Upon approaching what resembled a farm of sorts she slowly slid off Diamur, almost afraid to leave that warmth. In the dark she could feel him shaking from the cold, the wind gusts making it feel like a hard winter. She held tightly onto his reigns as she neared the home, trudging up to the door through sticky mud with a gentle knock.

Had she knocked loud enough?
Was anyone home, even despite the lighting form inside?

Panic settled in.

It took a moment or two for someone to answer but when they did it was a young, blonde haired man. His expression seemed a little surprised. Of course it was odd to find someone so disheveled on your doorstep during a storm. At night. Near the forest where there really is no one.
And of course she was acting on instinct but she never really contemplated what one would say in a situation like this. Travelling alone to a different kingdom at night with nearly nothing packed? A girl trying to navigate land she'd never explored with a donkey, no weapons, no food, water... and asking if she could take shelter?

She squinted at the sudden light. Clutching the wet cape closer to herself with trembling hands, she took in a sharp breath and spoke quickly, yet the nervousness was still readable. But she didn't make eye contact and kept her head relatively low.

"We're traveling and we have nowhere to stay right now. If you could be so kind as to allow us to rest in your barn, you won't have to bother with us at all and we'll be out by morning. I can pay whatever fee but I don't have much coin. That's all I ask."

She could smell something cooking, a meat of some sort she recognized and her stomach sounded once more. The heat and light from the doorway made her feel as if she were floating in paradise compared to the chilling ride. She could just imagine the fireplace lit inside of the house, imagine not being cold or hungry. Kadri's face reddened at the silence, to her, the awkwardness of her approach. Eye contact always frightened her because you could see everything in someone's eyes and that's what they judged you with. They were like a spotlight. It also just freaked her out, made her anxious, embarrassed even. And as a noble she knew it to be downright disrespectful.

He pursed his lips for a moment and nodded to Diamur who was giving him a skeptical glare, "Take it to the barn and come right back. Then we'll talk." The girl looked up to him finally and accidentally locked eyes.

Immediately after she nodded and turned toward the barn to the side of the house, giving him a yank and jogging to it with the donkey in tow. She took her time removing his bridle and giving him a hug upon getting inside, paying no attention to the other animals inside.

"I'm going to see what I can grab you while I'm in there. I know you don't like hay or strangers but right now we have no option but the one given to us," she slipped out of the doors but whispered to him once more, "I'll be back, I promise. And a little hay won't hurt you."

Upon leaving she heard Diamur snort in protest but even that couldn't make her smile or calm her nerves. Finally she rushed back to the house's entrance and was hesitant to turn the knob.
Was this a good idea, a total stranger in the middle of nowhere?
The heat nearly felt like it radiated right through the windows and she couldn't stop herself now.
She entered the warm room with dirty boots, soaked clothing, and hair that was absolutely drenched.