The morning sun had barely risen when Richard woke up. Never mind that he had a hard night of helping out-of-towners with their luggage for a temporary place to sleep in a nearby hotel, his farmer habits still made it hard for him to sleep past a certain time. The idea helped him save the few coins he had, but he still had to worry about things like food. He sighed regretfully. It wasn't as if he was able to sleep well anyway. There was so much on his mind that it was a miracle for him to shut his eyes, let alone sleep.

The past few days had been nothing less than a chaotic blur for him. The fight with the thugs was especially stuck in his mind. What would happen when someone went after him with a knife? Vera and Kest knew how to defend themselves, but he didn't even have anything to fight with. The closest thing to a weapon he had was a small hatchet which he couldn't figure out how to use in a fight. If he was caught in a situation like that again, there was no garuntee that he would survive. He couldn't go any longer without something to protect him. In his sudden realization, he sat up in bed with hus eyes wide open. "That does it," he said out loud to himself, "Today, I'm getting myself a weapon."

The sun had risen, the stalls were starting to fill again, and the weapons shop owner was just opening up when Richard arrived. He had been trying to decide what weapon was best for him ever since he got out of bed. A sword like Vera's or Kest's? A spear? An axe? There were so many choices that the decision was a little daunting, but, at the same time, even a little bit exciting. It was the first time in days that he felt in control of his own situation. His posture rose, his gait quickened, and a small smile crossed his face before he opened the door and entered the weapons shop.