"Kiriioooon, it's morning and we haven't had breakfast yet!"

  The two have been riding non-stop across pastures and meadows since they left. Nakito is slowly getting hungry, Kirion is getting increasingly annoyed.

  "So when are we going to eat something?" Nakito continues to whine, simply being used to a different lifestyle.

  Kirion, getting angry, turns his horse with a sigh and looks straight at Nakito.

  "We've been riding for just 3 hours. Your parents have probably sent soldiers after us.

  We'll ride for at least two more hours." Having said that, he turned around and rode on, shaking his head in disbelief. After some time, the landscape changed. The pastures became groves, until they were surrounded by trees and their path was overgrown.

  "Well, I'm starting to think we could-"

  "Quiet." Kirion snapped, slowly looking around.

  "Do not interrupt me-" Began Nakito, certainly offended.

  "Shut up."

  "But I-"

  "Be silent, somethings wrong!"

  Both stopped and scan the area around them.

  Just moments later, several dirt-stained peasants trudged out of the bushes.

  "My name is Nakito Sahlert, heir to Duke Thomas Sahlert, I hereby request sanctuary and-"

  "What my young friend actually wanted to say is that we're passing through...we'll ride on immediately"

  Kirion interrupted him, clearly nervous, his eyes darting around.

  "Oh no, oh no, you will stay here. A duke's son then? I'm sure your father will pay a lot to get you back...." said the leader of the peasants with a crooked grin that bared his yellow teeth.

  The others had already positioned themselves around the horses with their pitchforks and spears pointing at them, forcing the horses to stand still.

  Escaping was no option.

  Nakito and Kirion looked at each other and knew what they had to do. Nakito drew his bow, jumped off his horse onto a nearby tree, and shot 3 arrows, hitting 3 opponents in the head.

  Kirion drew his swords and dashed from one peasant to the next, one head dropping after another. When only the leader was left, Nakito spoke: "Tell us where the nearest village is and I'll spare your life."

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  An arrow was pointed right at the leader’s chest, who was looking around at his fallen comrades. They hadn’t expected a counterattack this quickly and had fallen before they knew what was happening. The leader now realized their mistake and how uncoordinated they were. To bad he probably won’t have the chance to learn from his mistake.

  "It…it's four miles south-east of here, sir. please, have mercy!" stammered the farmer, who was about to attack the two in one last desperate attempt.

  With an almost effortless, barely visible slash, Kirion decapitated him.

  "Nakito promised to spare you, not me..." He mumbled, wiping off the blood from his sword on a nearby corpse.

  They jumped back on their horses, corrected the course and rode towards the village.

  A cold shiver ran down Nakito’s back as he looked back at the peasants. Not because they were dead, but because he couldn’t believe their boldness of attacking him.

  Barely an hour later they arrived at the village.

  The village was still in the forest, surrounded by trees, and the rays of light only fell through the leaves as small patches.

  It was not as big as the villages surrounding Lorraine or Silesia, the duchy of the kingdom Nakito’s father reigns over, but it had a tavern where they could probably find shelter for the night and something to eat. The houses were partly dilapidated and the roofs, mostly made of hay, barely whole. The streets were dirty, just like the people who walked them.

  Nakito would have thrown up if there had been anything in his stomach to throw up.

  The villagers, albeit suspicious, seemed to realize that Nakito didn't look to hostile. They still threw the two a few curious gazes, but most went on with their day. Nakito and Kirion meanwhile tied up their horses outside and entered the tavern.