Talk To Dragons

With a sack he had retrieved from his shop, Jack led the way to the town stable. A sizeable building, it looked after the horses of travelers and residents alike. There was room for a dozen horses and a large workshop for repairing wagons and such. The woman that ran the stable seemed like she enjoyed the company of animals rather than humans.

She was a tough-looking woman of dirty clothes and messy hair tied up in a tail. Her skin was fair, but tanned from work in the sun. Everything from appearance to her expression told of a life of work instead of play.

"Good day, Jack," the stable woman greeted him as the trio approached. "Need your horse for something?"

"Good day, Gretchen," Jack replied. "I need my horse and a wagon, if you've got one for sale."

"I do. You leaving town?"

Jack looked down at Violet and Engel with a smirk.

"No," he answered. "It's for these two."

Gretchen looked at the little ones with an inquisitive gaze. Violet was surprised that people didn't react as heavily as she expected to their presence. A witch and a dragon couldn't have been common things, she thought.

"A tiny witch and a tinier dragon," Gretchen said. "Will wonders never cease. That'll be six pieces for your stable fee up until now and ten for the wagon."

Money exchanged, Gretchen went to set up the wagon and look it over to make sure it was fit for travel. Jack went over to pet his horse and say farewell.

"This is awfully generous of you," Violet said, joining him. "Why are you doing this for us?"

"Becky here is just rotting in the stable anyhow," Jack answered. "Don't read too much into it. I suppose I'd just like to give you guys a helping hand. I've had very little purpose other than smacking things with a hammer until now. Helping you two will make me feel more useful."

"Well, thank you very much," Violet said. "We'll be sure to come back someday and visit, tell you stories or our adventures."

"You'd better. Come introduce yourself to Becky. She's a very calm horse, but it's best to get acquainted now before you attempt to drive the wagon."

The horse was a giant compared to the little witch and dragon. Becky put her head down to greet them and she seemed plenty happy with a few pats on the head. She was a beautiful horse of black and white patches with her pale head having a distinct dark circle over her left eye.

"A very beautiful creature," Engel said. "I've never been this close to a horse before."

"I have, once," Violet said. "It tried to bite my hand and I screamed bloody murder."