Soft Tellings
The next morning, she woke up to Thorgi licking her face. With a laugh, she pushed the dog away and sat up in her bedroll, looking at this little village in a new light after the night before.
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"See that woman there? She's one of our bakers, but she can only work with a certain type of grain. It's a Lord's business to create and maintain a trade route so that those who live under their care may get any legal ingredient we might need." Laurence said, each one of his words enrapturing her.
"You seem to know a lot about this," she noted, smiling q bit to herself as he seemed to flush a little. A new question came to her mind. "What about when it comes to a sudden surge of villagers?"
"Like children being born?" His question had her shifting a little before she nodded with a slightly nervous laugh. "Stipends are given, and I would like to very proudly say Meteli gives the same amount to all, regardless of their class status."
"I see," she murmured, running her hands through Thorgi's thick fur. "Do Lord's tend to be... close to their guards?" She asked, thinking back on all the 'maybe' times Garroth had flirted with her and the rose-gold ring sitting on her finger.
Laurence let out a hum and combed through his hair, looking a bit too thoughtful. "I heard the guards in Neapolitan village don't like their Lord. I wouldn't be surprised if a Shadow Knight spawned from there soon."
Aphmau shuddered a bit at this, which did not go unnoticed. "I've had a run in or two with some," she explained, watching him smirk.
"Don't worry, my love," he purred, making her eyebrows fly up. "I'll protect you to the death from those dastardly villains."
"Please don't," she quipped back.
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The smell of bacon and coffee soon brought her back to the present, and she thankfully took the plate and mug Kenmur was offering. "Why did you not stay in the inn? We could have spoken about current trade routes," He asked, to which she shrugged, grateful that Laurence had explained it last night between his flirting.
"I wasn't originally planning on staying the night." She answered. "But there are things I need to both do and learn here, so perhaps when I return I can spend a little more time here."
Seeming pleased with her answer, the young lording left, leaving her to pack up camp and go off in search of the person who could help her with the old lady's oversized cat.