Co-written with [@BlondyMcHuggles]
The road from the town of Hoffen to the city of Viarosa primarily cut through farmlands and forest, with the occasional grouping of hills. As the afternoon sun beat down on Herbert and his wagon, he adjusted his wide-brimmed hat to shade his face, though with winter coming, the sun was not as strong. He had his weapons, a flask of blood and a a container of basilisk blood within easy reach despite not expecting any trouble. After all, it was better to have a weapon and not need it than to need it and not have it. Sitting in the back on boxes and a large iron chest were a pair of young women from Hoffen.

As Athaliah and Rhiara sat in Herbert’s wagon; Rhi kept herself busy with one of the books she brought along for the trip, while Athaliah kept herself occupied by staring at the never-changing scenery out of the back of the wagon. Athaliah was quite curious about Herbert, and since they were going to spend the next few days together, she figured she might as well learn more about him. “Herbert,” she began. “What kinds of magical creatures do you actually hunt?” Rhiara threw an unimpressed glance her way.

"Well," began Herbert, "I don't really have a specialty. I generally just hunt whatever creatures happen to be causing trouble. You already know that basilisks are on the list, of course." He paused in thought for a moment to remember a few examples. "Let's see, I once killed a Gorgon, I've hunted yetis in Rosiland, sometimes some demons get loose from the Infernum and need to be disposed of." 

Herbert turned his head and gestured to the scars on his face. "A werewolf in Viarosa gave me these, but don't worry about that, we're going to pick up the person who killed it." Turning back to the road, he continued. "All sorts, really. It's not all blood and death though. I've put a few ghosts to rest and convinced a couple of sapient creatures to play nice. Do you deal with much trouble as a town guard?"

“Militawoman.” Athaliah replied, correcting him. “Anyhow, bandits come over to attack the town every so often, but they usually run when they see a phalanx blocking their entry through the gates.” She paused for a few seconds to think. “Not a lot exciting happens apart from that, though. My job mainly consists of patrolling the town and the surrounding area to ward off thieves and such. So, how’d you learn to use magic?”

"I'm largely self-taught, though I have been given some help here and there." Replied Herbert. "When I was younger and before I started hunting magical creatures, I managed to scrape together enough cash doing odd jobs to buy a scroll that taught how to conjure a rather simplistic fireball and someone was kind enough to donate some blood to actually make the magic work. To this day, fire magic is the kind I'm best at. Have either of you two ever been interested in learning?"

Athaliah simply shook her head. “Nope. Blades and shields have worked for me, and they’ll continue to do so. What about you, Weiss?”
Rhiara looked up from her book, wearing a thoughtful expression. She was thinking of how long she could keep her shapeshifting ability a secret, and if Herbert even needed to know about it in the first place. After all, after the feast they’d be parting ways anyhow. “I’ve tried it once or twice, so I might need tutoring. Just not any time soon.”

"Fair enough, magic's not for everyone. What kind of magic did you dabble in, Rhiara?" Asked Herbert. "There are a number of disciplines to study."

“Oh, I know,” Rhiara replied, her voice carrying a hint of happiness. Mock happiness, to be sure. “Fire’s a well-known discipline and I think it’s the most popular, actually. There’s also water manipulation, too. So, you’re really good with fire magic, I can attest to that, but how are you with the other disciplines?”

"Lightning and storms are my back-up plan for creatures that aren't particularly scared of fire, so I'm proficient with that as well. I've tried ice and cold, but for some reason, they just don't come to me as easily as other sorcery and I've never really gotten the hang of them." Herbert explained. "Other than that, I have some spellbooks in one of those boxes to reference before a hunt if I think some other trick will come in handy. I do believe you've dodged my question regarding your own dabbling, though."

Rhiara sighed and sat up straight against the wall of the wagon. “My magic isn’t something I’m exactly proud of, and besides, I can’t do it naturally anyhow.” She shrugged. Athaliah thought about speaking up for a moment, before she realised why her friend was being so hesitant to reveal what her magic consisted of. “Can we please leave it there, Herbert?”

"As you wish." Said Herbert. He hoped that whatever she was ashamed of wasn't too serious. It would a be a tragedy if she'd gotten herself into an infernal pact of some sort. Alternatively, there was the possibility that someone had gotten hurt so that she could use blood magic. After a short but awkward pause, he spoke again. "So, uh, how's the carpentry business?"

“It’s going brilliantly!” she replied merrily, like the earlier conversation never happened. “It gives me the experience I need to do my woodcarving that I do in my spare time, and I get paid for it - which is certainly a bonus. My master is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, too. Trust me, you two would get along famously.”

"That's nice. Perhaps you could introduce me to him sometime." While it might have seemed silly to some, Herbert couldn't help but feel more uncomfortable in this conversation than when draining the blood and poison from a dead basilisk. Rhiara's fake cheeriness - or any fake cheer for that matter- had one purpose, and that was to hide someone's true emotions or thoughts.

Athaliah sighed, happy that the awkward conversation was now seemingly over. She looked over to Herbert, and decided to switch to a happier topic. “Herbert, can you tell me about this woman we’re picking up? Erika, was it?”

Herbert smiled, though it probably wasn't visible from where his passengers where sitting. If they were observant, they might have noticed him relax. "Yes, Erika is her name. She's my beloved, and we've known each other for twenty years. Currently, she provides both mundane and magical healing to the people of Viarosa. Never will you find a kinder or more trustworthy person."

“She sounds like a great woman,” Athaliah replied. “How long have you two been together? And, since she does healing magic, does she know any other types?”

"We've been together for ten years." Answered Herbert. "She can do a little bit of shape-shifting if necessary, but for her day-to-day business, she only needs healing magic. How long have you and Rhiara known each other?"

At the mention of shape-shifting, Rhiara looked over the top of her book at Herbert; she felt safer about telling him, but now she was unsure of how he would react now that he had been lied to. “Almost ten years. Both of our parents decided to make us spend time together, because that’s what parents do. We’ve been great friends ever since, really.”

"Haven't really heard of folks forced to play together becoming great friends too often, but I'm glad it worked out for you two. How did your parents meet then? I assume they were friends if they forced you to spend time together."

Athaliah let out a “hmm” in thought. “I actually don’t know. My parents never mentioned how they met Weiss’.”
“Nor did mine,” Rhiara stated, still staring at her book. “I don’t think it was anything unsavoury though, it’s just that neither of us thought to ask.”
“What about you, Herbert? How’d you and Erika meet?”

Herbert winced. "We were both born in Krossavik and properly met because we were both lucky enough to survive when that godsdamned dragon attacked. After the destruction, the folks who were still alive looked to see who else was."

Athaliah looked down at her feet and gulped hard. “Sorry, Herbert. But on the bright side, you found the love of your life. You’ve got to take these victories where you can, you know? Do you… do you know why the dragon attacked Krossavik, if you don’t mind me asking?"

The monster hunter stroked his chin in contemplation. "If my history's correct, the dragon had been sleeping for thousands of years. It could just have been that he was hungry. There is another possible reason though. Most folk don't know it, but a long time back - generations, that is - someone managed to get their hands on a rather special knife."

 Herbert paused. "I'm not talking about a dagger or a knife to eat with, it more closely resembled a surgeon's scalpel. According to legend, it was originally given to a healer of great skill by Veturia, goddess of air, nature and most importantly, [i]healing[/i]. Supposedly, it could cure any ailment or wound short of death and so long as the wielder only used it for good, it would protect the wielder from old age as well. It was said to have a more martial purpose as well. Many said that it if one were to cut out the heart of the Shaitun Hargash with this scalpel, it would end him completely and utterly. Whatever the case, the dragon took it after destroying Krossavik, and I'm still looking for a way to kill him."

Athaliah and Rhiara both stared at Herbert in disbelief. “You’re… you’re going to try to kill a dragon? [i]The[/i] dragon?” Rhi said, utterly shocked. “That’s… I heard it was the biggest dragon the world had ever seen! I’m not sure even you could manage to kill it.”

Herbert gave a nod. "Big or not, he isn't invincible. Obviously, a head-on confrontation and a fair fight are suicide on one's own, but I have an idea or two. For example, basilisk poison is extremely lethal and rather fast-acting, but it has a distinct green color and foul odor. If I could find a way to distill it into something clear, odorless and tasteless, I might be able to dump some into a lake near where he lives. An army might also do the trick, but I don't have one and quite frankly, casualties would be far too high. Whatever the case, he exists and therefore, can be killed."

“That sounds awfully risky, Herbert. There’s no way you’d manage to do that without it seeing you.” Athaliah said, gazing out of the back of the wagon. “Revenge like that isn’t something you should be seeking. Instead, get revenge by living long and well. My dad told me that.”

Herbert shrugged. "Poisoning his drinking water was just an idea rather than a plan. I'm no alchemist, so it's unlikely I could distill it anyways. As for revenge and motivation, I won't deny that I want vengeance but there are other considerations as for why he must die. He seems to regard humanity as nothing more than a food source - or at best, entertainment - and as such, is likely to keep killing innocent folk whenever the whim takes him, so long as he is able." He paused in thought for a moment. "I do try my best to avoid being overwhelmed by the desire to slay Htraknu though. Another survivor let the need for vengeance consume him and I know not what has become of him. I doubt his fate is a pleasant one."

Athaliah bit her lip for a second while she thought of what to say. “Did you know him well?” She knew it probably wasn’t the best thing to ask as soon as it slipped out of her mouth, but it was asked and there was nothing she could do about that.

Herbert nodded and a bit of emotion slipped into his voice as he spoke. "He practically raised Erika and myself after Krossavik was destroyed. He left when I came of age, telling us that he had a duty to kill the dragon. Just set out with his old armor and sword, and that was the last any of us saw of him. Let's discuss happier topics, shall we? Are you two looking forward to the feast?"

“I am, surprisingly. It could still be a trap so I’m a bit sceptical and prepared to be disappointed, but if it’s true then it’d be enjoyable. I’m not sure about the Order in any event, though. Giving religious people a militant desire is a bad idea. Also, Weiss here has brought a dress along with her for this feast.”
“It’s a cute dress!” Rhiara retorted, a little too defensively.
“What about you, Herbert?”

"Well, given that we have yet to encounter any sort of bandits or highwaymen, I don't think it's a trap." Said Herbert. "I think it'll be fun. What kind of dress did you bring, Rhiara?"

“It’s one of those cute dresses from the east" Rhiara explained. "I got it off a trader a few months ago, and I’ve never had an excuse to actually wear it until now. Herbert, did you not bring any clothes exclusively for the feast? Am I really the only one who planned ahead?”

Herbert waved the concern away. "I've got some fancier clothes at home in Viarosa, but not in my wagon. My normal routine doesn't really call for such garments. Who knows, these Order folks might appreciate something more suited for combat anyways. What about you, Athaliah, did you pack a dress or anything?"

Athaliah shook her head. “I don’t have anything fancy at home, to be honest. I’ve never needed to wear anything of the sort, and this news of a feast came a bit fast. I hope they’ll appreciate my armour, at the least. Who knows, maybe I’ll find one in Viarosa.”

"Has your armor seen much use?" Inquired Herbert. He remembered how when he was a boy, Bjorn had told him of various attacks that Krossavik had fought off. The attacks had supposedly been less frequent after Erika's mother arrived, though. Even the bloodlust of orcs and greed of shadow elves dimmed somewhat at the thought of fighting a manticore.

“I mean, I’ve wore it a lot if that’s what you’re asking.” Athaliah replied, looking at her armour which she had placed next to her. “It’s taken a few hits and scrapes from knives and such, but nothing too big; I let my shield take those kinds of hits.”

"What I meant by that was 'how many fights have you been in?'" Explained Herbert.

“More than I’d care to admit. I usually try to avoid getting into fights; they’re not good for either person. That said though, people will always fight when I try to enforce the law upon them. Maybe they think they can beat me because I don’t look that intimidating. I win most of the time anyway. I’ve been in some big fights against whole gangs of bandits, but that’s rare.”

"Never had to deal with marauding orcs from past the Dragon's Spine or slavers from Rosiland then, eh? Is the law any different in Hoffen than other bits of Asmeinland given that it's enforced by the militia?" Herbert couldn't help but be especially curious about the law there, given that he had had the occasional disagreement with Asmeinlander law.

“Well…” Athaliah stopped for a second to think. “In theory, no. In practice, yes. You see, the only law enforcement that Hoffen has is its militia, which as you know are civilians who are trained in warfare and all that stuff – we have no full-time guard. So because of that, there are some Asmeinland laws that Hoffen doesn’t recognise; Hoffen is not obliged to send soldiers into war because we technically have none, for example. Basic laws are the same, though. Don’t steal, don’t hit people, et cetera.”

"Sounds reasonable. I take it that if I made the odd joke about the king, you'd show me some mercy then?" Herbert's tone was joking but disrespecting the king had gotten him into his agreements with Asmeinlander law.

Athaliah shrugged her shoulders. “I guess so. Disrespecting the King is legal if there’s no rebellious sentiment, or whatever. To be honest, I don’t concern myself with it; let people say what they want.”

Herbert nodded thoughtfully, but spoke no more. It seemed that the conversation was over for now and the three of them lapsed into silence as the road stretched on. There was still a good bit of land to cover before they reached Viarosa.