Reincarnated - A Solitary Love

Chapter 14 - Frenetic Ripples Amidst Serene Fruits

Beyond the walls, I was surprised to see grass. Quite a lot too.
I always thought that medieval towns were just a jungle of houses and buildings suffocating each other, trying to use every niche of space possible.

Apparently I was wrong,
...very wrong.

The sheer space, enclosed within the stoney guardians, was way more than I thought at the beginning and a good portion of what I could see was occupied by orchards.
The road ahead of us passed in-between those fields and, in the distance, glimpses of the actual city peeked out across the foliage.
A modest man-made river skirted the walls, running parallel to them and encircling everything within. Large wooden bridges were built to grant passage over the river and the canals, sneaking in and out the fields.
The sun, now gone behind the walls, started to give up the sky to the stars while a steady line of caravans littered the road ahead.

The two soldiers behind me let out a sigh of relief while waving at some acquaintances.

"It's a bit early but...Welcome to Yuvna, miss."

I smiled.
I know it was my mind playing games. I know it well... but nothing could stop that train of fantasies from jumping straight into those old books and novels and tapes I used to devour.
Stories of kings and farmers, of royalty and duels, of horses and dragons, of adventure and unknown.

Stories of excitement, the same excitement I was experiencing now.
If one day I would be able to grip the hilt of a sword or a staff or more simply travel around without a care in the world...

Galen, noticing the smile, patted my back and hushed me forward.

"Come on, let's find you a warm bed. Tomorrow we'll think about everything else" he said reassuringly.

I didn't remember when I let him in charge....but he knew this place way better than me.
I would be a fool to turn him down.

A relaxed pace brought the three of us on the bridge. When we reached the top of the bulge, a random merchant reached out to the two behind me. He glaced at me briefly, before ignoring my presence completely.

A bit puzzled, I respected his choice and reciprocated.
I turned around, taking a better look at the fruit fields on the sides of the road.

I was still quite far from them, but they looked like apples. They were round and green, with some tending to a purplish color. The only difference is that they were slightly smaller than the ones I knew, but maybe it was not season yet.
On each tree, many many flowers kept company to the fruits. their white petals serenely waving at the pace of the calm wind.
Behind them, the lush mountain slopes, still blessed by the last rays of sunlight, hid their peaks behind white clouds.

I wondered in awe, admiring the colors and the lines of that landscape, genuinely ignorant of the slightly tense exchange behind me.

Still in that trance-ish state, I took a couple of steps forward.

{Ser Galen}

"....Meh, at least I don't think those mumbling pricks will do anything, they aren't the ones in power here. And many of the mages are already finding their presence here...annoyingly loud" I said.

The merchant sighed, not convinced.

"We're not in the mainland, Fred. The very name of this place is in honor of a mage. They'll get their sorry asses beaten if they get greedy." I insisted.

"Haha, I want to be there when it starts." the man laughed.

"I'll make sure to send you a letter if that happens. Where are you heading this time?"