"Ahh so that is how you met the two of them" Rinniz remarked with raised eyebrows. She brushed a black strand of her hair out of her face which was half braided back while the lower part was shortly shaved.
Nova who sat across from her on the pedestal of the statue nodded slowly.
Then there was silence.
"Hey why did you stop talking?" Ayaz wanted to know from Nova as he sat in front of her in the lilac coloured grass leaning forward eagerly.
Nova swung herself down from the pedestal. She stretched in the first light of the sun when Ayaz urged:
"Come on do not leave us hanging. It was just getting exciting."
"Yes yes I will continue later" Nova said then and put her hands on her hips "Are you starving too?"
"Did you not just eat yesterday? Normally you hardly need any food" Ayaz asked while groaning as he got up. He adjusted his thin leather gloves which he always wore and pulled the sleeve of his beige shirt closer to his wrist before he reached his hand out to Rinniz. She took it smiling.
Nova replied tiredly:
"Yes but yesterday I barely touched my food. I will need something again today."
"How about some good old scrambled eggs? My treat" Rinniz said and stretched her arms.
Nova and her travel companions sat down at a free table when they had returned to the inn. The wooden chairs squeaked over the floorboards as they pulled them closer. They were not the most comfortable chairs but since Nova had sat for hours on a cold stone she was grateful for the change. Rinniz and Ayaz also seemed to enjoy the comfort.
Hardly had the three of them sat down when the stocky innkeeper of middle age appeared. His lilac coloured skin gleamed with sweat and his round face was framed by a thick beard decorated with bands and beads as was common for most Drakanians.
He placed his hands which could rather be described as paws on his hips and asked:
"Well ladies and gentleman what will it be today?"
"Good morning" Rinniz greeted him and rested her narrow face in her clawed hands "Each of us one serving of scrambled eggs please."
"Right away" the innkeeper answered wiped his hands on his apron and clattered off towards the kitchen. In the inn the usual hustle and bustle went on. The scent of bread and bacon hung in the air and a few early risers were already hunched over their breakfast at the tables.
Rinniz and Ayaz began a lively conversation about the delicious food of the inn while Nova was distracted by a group of travelers sitting next to their table.
"That damn ice desert has spread again" complained a tall broad built man.
Nova had only half listened but when the word 'ice desert' fell she turned her full attention to the neighbouring table.
The woman with short hair next to him corrected him with a worriedly furrowed brow:
"It has not only spread but is becoming more and more unstable. If it goes on like this we will soon have the same problem as two hundred and fifty years ago…"
"You mean he could return?" asked a third man with grayish skin and a bald head on which two curved horns grew. The others nodded.
Nova's eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and stared at the worn wood of the table. She knew what that meant. And she had already noticed that the magic that kept the ice desert intact was crumbling.
Instantly the cruel beast with the golden eyes appeared in her mind. The memory made her shudder.
"Then why does Iska not remove the ice desert? It was created with magic was it not?" the tall man asked again.
The woman answered:
"That is not possible. If that were done he would be released as well."
"But you cannot just leave it as it is… all of Silvandar was swallowed and now it is taking large parts of our country too!" he said angrily.
His companions at the table fell into a depressed silence. The clinking of dishes and chewing sounds could be heard.
Then the tall man scolded:
"Those useless heroes. If they had done their job properly two hundred and fifty years ago we would not have to suffer like this now."
"Do not say things like that" said the gray skinned man.
Nova closed her eyes for a brief moment. She tried to push back the sadness that had risen in her. She had just begun to feel better and now she was thrown back by miles again.
The woman at the table agreed with him:
"Exactly. Or could you do it better?"
"If I had as much power as the heroes then definitely. Iska and Haddie alone are said to have once taken over an entire country just the two of them" the strong man said and slammed his hand on the table. Glasses rattled.
Nova's hands clenched around her upper arms. Quietly she ground her teeth.
Ayaz finally brought her back to reality when he asked:
"Is what that guy said true?"
"Hm?" Nova said and looked up at him.
At that moment the innkeeper returned with the food and placed in front of each of them a plate with freshly prepared scrambled eggs.
He said:
"Enjoy your meal."
"Thank you Uznik" said Nova Rinniz and Ayaz in unison.
Nova hesitated to touch her food even though the wonderful smell made her mouth water. But in her stomach she felt a dull pain that robbed her of her appetite.
Rinniz who sat to the left of Nova at the round table placed her hand on Nova's. Nova looked up and met her warm golden eyes. Rinniz smiled and tiny wrinkles had formed around her eyes.
Nova could not help but smile back. Rinniz warmth seemed to transfer to her. She felt how her light brightened her heart a little and eased the pain.
In that moment she felt a great deal of gratitude for the two of them. Hard to believe that she had actually hired them to help her with her search in the ice desert. She had never thought that such a deep friendship could come from it. The pain in her stomach disappeared and a growl sounded.
Ayaz and Rinniz giggled when they heard the noise. Nova scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Then she grabbed the fork and tasted the wonderful scrambled eggs. It tasted just as good as she was used to.
After Ayaz had eaten a few bites he lifted his head and picked up the topic from before again
"What I meant earlier was did Iska and Haddie really conquer an entire country?"
He leaned expectantly over the table.
Nova tilted her head and chewed on her scrambled eggs.
Halfway to her mouth Rinniz paused with the fork looked sideways at her friend and asked:
"Seriously? From the bit we just heard of that conversation that is the question you come up with?"
"Of course that was the most interesting part of it" Ayaz said with his mouth full.
Nova and Rinniz exchanged a smirking glance. But Nova was grateful for the distraction Ayaz offered her. She was also grateful that the two of them took the time to listen to her story. She had carried this burden alone for far too long.
She drew a breath to answer Ayaz's question then Rinniz interrupted:
"No do not spoil it yet. We are not even at that point. I want to know first what happened before that."
Nova smiled and gave in:
"Alright then we will not get ahead of ourselves."
"How mean…" Ayaz sighed and shoved a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. He rested his head on his hand and leaned on the table.
Nova set her empty plate aside and tried to stifle a yawn. Suddenly Rinniz yawned too then suggested:
"I would really like to hear the rest of the story but I am so tired. Maybe we should lie down for an hour or so. We have been on our feet all night."
No one objected to that.
Nova lay in her room. The window was open and from outside the chirping of birds drifted in. The white curtains swayed gently in the wind.
She lay stretched out on her bed one arm resting over her cool forehead. Cuddled up in her blue long knitted sweater she tried to fall asleep. She pulled her legs up to her body and closed her eyes.
A moment later there was a knock at the door. She opened her eyes and sat up straight. Had she been asleep? It felt as if she had only closed her eyes for a second.
Lazily she got up and went to the door. When she opened it she saw Rinniz standing in front of it.
She was holding something in her hand that looked like a small golden brown cone made of baked dough. Inside the cone was a bright shiny mass shaped like two balls.
Nova tilted her head questioningly.
Rinniz grinned and held out such a cone to her saying:
"This is called ice cream. Everyone is talking about it right now. I thought you might want to try it."
She winked at Nova.
"Ice cream? So this is ice?" Nova asked and took the object. She turned the cone in her hand a few times and examined the bright mass skeptically.
Rinniz giggled:
"Yes it is ice but not the ice you are used to. Just try it. It really tastes good."
Nova looked at her with a raised eyebrow and then glanced at the unfamiliar dish. Could you really eat something like that? Ice did not taste like anything she thought.
The two of them sat down on the floor under the open window. The curtain danced just above their heads while fresh air drifted into the room. Nova had noticed that it was no longer so bright. She must have slept longer than she had assumed.
Rinniz was already enjoying the so called ice cream. But Nova was still skeptical. If she wanted frozen water she could just create some. But why would anyone want to eat something like that?
She decided to give it a chance and carefully stretched out her tongue. As soon as the strange mass was in her mouth it melted instantly. It tasted very sweet and felt creamy.
"Tasty isn't it?" Rinniz asked grinning.
Nova frowned and asked:
"Was this made with milk?"
"Yes exactly. And the flavor that comes with it is called vanilla" she explained.
"That stuff that is so expensive that you normally only find it with nobles?" Nova asked with a pale face. She felt bad because Rinniz had gotten hold of something so expensive. But wait… how could Rinniz afford it? She did receive a wage from Nova but she was not getting rich from it. Even though the pay Nova gave Ayaz and Rinniz was not bad.
Rinniz seemed to have guessed Nova's train of thought because she said:
"Don't worry. Vanilla has not been that expensive for a while now. That's why vanilla ice cream is sold almost everywhere."
"I see" Nova answered and broke off a piece of the cone shaped pastry. It was incredibly crispy and when Nova put the broken piece into her mouth the taste reminded her of sweet bread with butter.
It was definitely a taste experience she would not forget anytime soon.
After they had finished eating they sat silently next to each other for a while. At some point Rinniz leaned against Nova's shoulder and murmured:
"This has to stay our secret. If Ayaz finds out that we ate something sweet without him he will wring my neck."
Nova could not help but start grinning when she imagined Ayaz's face after finding out that he was the only one who had not gotten any.
"Hey don't you dare tell him just because you think it is funny" laughed Rinniz as she looked up at Nova.
With raised hands Nova replied laughing:
"Alright, alright. I will not tease him this time."
After a short pause during which Nova tried to chase away the funny thought she asked:
"Where is he anyway?"
"He went to meet that man who supposedly found something in the ice desert that could help. We thought it would be enough if one of us went. So I sent him off so that we could secretly eat ice cream and talk" Rinniz reported. She shifted around in her place looking for a comfortable spot on Nova's shoulder. One of her spiral curved horns brushed against Nova's chin.
When Rinniz's words reached her a feeling stirred in Nova for a brief moment. It was a feeling that made her stomach seem to jump slightly. She knew that feeling because it always appeared when she started to have hope. So she tried to suppress it before it could take root and keep it away from her heart. Maybe that was why Rinniz had taken the time for her and brought her a modern sweet treat. The thought of the young woman next to her who cared for Nova as if she were family made her happy. And she was grateful for Ayaz as well. With his childlike and cheerful nature he always managed to lift everyone's spirits.
Exactly at that moment the door flew open. Nova and Rinniz flinched in shock. But when they saw that it was only an upset Ayaz standing in the doorway they relaxed again.
He pointed his finger at the two and shouted with a red face:
"What did I just hear? You ate ice cream without me?!"
"How do you already know about that again?" Rinniz asked him with raised eyebrows.
Ayaz crossed his arms in front of his chest turned halfway away and said in a sulking tone:
"Uznik saw you. I told him to tell me whenever you buy sweets again and do not share them with me."
"That snitch…" hissed Rinniz with a trace of annoyance and shook her head "How did you get him to do that?"
"He owed me a favor because he lost the card game against me and could not pay me" Ayaz grumbled with his lower lip sticking out.
Nova held back a laugh at the sight of him and Rinniz also had to restrain herself.
"Alright alright I am sorry" she tried to soothe him.
"That is unforgivable" he shot back sulking.
Rinniz laughed:
"You win. I will buy you some tomorrow okay? I just wanted to talk a bit with Nova that is all."
"That works without ice" he replied and glared at Rinniz with his light blue eyes in annoyance. Yet he turned back to her even though his arms were still crossed.
"Come on do not make such a fuss. I will continue the story in return" Nova finally said grinning and stretched.
Ayaz's head immediately turned in her direction eagerly he hurried over and sat down in front of the two.
"Okay I forgive you" he laughed.
"Yes good idea" Rinniz added with a nod.
"But tell me how did that meeting go?" Rinniz suddenly remembered which made her posture tense.
"That was unfortunately nothing. I am sorry" Ayaz reported in a sad voice "maybe it will work next time."
"It is alright. I already thought so" Nova said.
She was now glad that she had not allowed herself to have hope.
"Then tell us how you stormed Truwenreuth" Ayaz joked while staring at Nova intently. Apparently an attempt to shift her attention to something else.
"Right that is where we left off" Nova remembered and scratched her head.
Her travel companions waited eagerly for Nova's next words.
After thinking for a moment she said with a furrowed brow:
"Alright then we will continue at Truwenreuth. But I must warn you. From here on it gradually gets dark."