After a short time, Kai had received the payment from Rufus and Beatrice, carefully inserting the new pouch of coins into his inventory. In it rested the 11 Gold Coins and 60 Silver Coins as promised, a hefty sum that could hold him and Elise over for a while, or so was imagined. The young man walked only a short distance, before entering the blacksmith shop, the banging of the forge and the sheer heat of it could be felt before even going inside.
Once inside, Kai's eyes widened as he looked at the displays. Swords, metal shields, axes, polearms, daggers, just about every weapon thinkable could be found on the walls. His gaze shifted to display racks holding fine and ornate sets of plate armor, the craftsmanship alone making them look like works of art, rather than something to protect your body. Towards the back was a younger looking man, in his late teens at most, busying himself with sorting through beat up equipment, possible repair orders or old forgotten stock.
The young man's eyes brightened as he noticed Kai walking through the shop, and he shouted behind him at the heavy sound of a hammer striking metal, "Hey old man! It looks like we have a customer!"
After a few more strikes the banging stopped, and an older man walked out into the main store. The old man's face was wrinkled and weathered, his clothes and skin dirty from the rough work.
"What brings you here, young man?" The old smith asked quietly, his voice hoarse as he studied Kai with seering eyes.
"Well sir I was hoping if I could get a suit of plate armor made." Kai responded with a polite nod towards the old man, "The best you can make please, I am not picky, I just request it be suitable for combat of course, and to have a blue painted trim on it." He added with a soft smile.
"Oh-ho! Armor you say? And you want my best work, only telling me you want it suitable for combat and a blue trim on it?" The old man responded with a raspy chuckle, "I prefer when my customers don't give me a laundry list of requests and just let me do my craft. I will make you the best suit of armor on this side of the continent, for 2 Gold Coins."
Kai's eyes widened immediately at the price before responding, "And how do I know this armor I am getting is worth 2 Gold Coins?"
"Oh-ho! Well when the armor is done you can hit it with all you have and if you break it, I will pay you!" The old man replied with a soft chuckle and a confident smile.
"Alright then, how long do you think it will be then?" Kai asked the old smith, who's eyes were drifting around the walls.
"Well since you have no specific requests aside from blue trim, should be done by this afternoon kid, I have a few sets in the back already done up to the best of my abilities, and there is one that looks exactly your size." The old man replied quietly before asking, "What kind of blue do you want son?"
"A blue resembling that of a Sapphire sir." Kai replied sheepishly, his hand moving to rub the back of his head.
"Oh-ho-ho! I see what is going on here kid, I'll keep it subtle, and I'll add a different colored plume to the top of it, try and make it less obvious." The old man replied with a playful wink, "Igor! You make yourself useful and start mixing some paint! I expect blue resembling a Sapphire in half an hour!" The old man barked at the boy assistant.
"Y-yes Master!" The boy finally spoke as he hurried off to another part of the shop.
"Gotta make that boy do somethin'.. he may be my apprentice but I don't trust that boy with the forgin' just yet.." The old man grumbled under his breath towards Kai.
"I appreciate your service sir, I will be back no later than this evening to pick up the armor." Kai said with a polite bow of his head, as he handed 2 Gold Coins to the old man.
"You better not be too late! You damn kids always like to show up to pick up your stuff when I am asleep!" The old man grumbled as he took the coin, shooing Kai away with his hand, "Unless you want to join that young riff-raff mixing your paint you best be going, I got work to do!"
I wonder if Elise is awake yet?..
Kai thought to himself as he entered the Red Hare, waving at the woman behind the counter as he headed up the stairs. He quietly approached the door to their room and unlocked it, opening it.
"Where have you been? I have waited all morning for you to come back so we could have breakfast!" A woman's voice could be heard scolding him before he even entered the room, undoubtedly Elise.
"I wanted to take care of some business, and some sleepy head was still counting sheep, so I took care of it." Kai replied as he entered the room, his eyes widening slightly. Elise was sitting on her bed fully cleaned up, in one of her new sundresses, it was a light blue color with a white floral embroidery, she had a new pair of moccasins on, and she had brushed her once whispy white hair. It almost seemed to glow in the morning light, the Sapphire hair clip tucked gently in it and her matching hair ribbon holding up her hair.
She went from a tattered slave girl to something of royalty...
His heart raced slightly as he fought to control his emotions. Her light blue eyes seemed to glow as she gave him a warm smile.
"Goodmorning Malakai, welcome home!" She giggled softly as she smiled, the once more shy girl gone completely after last night.
Welcome, home?..
"Goodmorning to you too sleepy-head, but we are in an Inn, not a home." Kai chuckled softly as he shook his head, "I'm sorry for being late, but I went and sold some more monsters from last night, and I may be getting a set of armor made."
"Oh really? So you're going to be like my knight?" Elise asked with a playful smile, her eyes slightly wide with curiousity.
"W-wait I never said anything abou-" Kai shook his head profusely, extremely flustered at the idea.
"In some ways you already are my knight." Elise murmured softly with a soft smile, "But that doesn't excuse you for making me starve up here in this room the entire morning!"
How did I get stuck with this? Well, I already know the answer to that, and I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't want her around.
Kai thought to himself before responding non-chalantly, "You keep starving if you don't get off of that bed!" As he turned around and opened the door to the room once more.
"W-wait! Gah you are so unfair sometimes, making a girl wait and then threaten to leave again!" Elise stood up in a hurry as she followed Kai down the stairs.
"Hey Elise? I know you said you couldn't fight, but are you able to use magic at all?" Kai asked the girl casually between bites of his breakfas. Eggs, potatoes and a meat he cannot place all fried up.
"Y-yes I can, but only Healing Magic.. and without a staff, I can't cast any spells, I don't have enough control of my magic without it." Elise murmured quietly with embarrassment, quietly picking at her food.
So staffs also help people with control, huh?..
Kai thought quietly to himself as he ate before asking another question, "Do you know any spells?"
"I know only minor spells, I have never been able to learn any from a spell book before, since I never had one.." Elise seemed to get smaller as she fidgeted with her food, seemingly trying to hide herself from Kai's questions.
"Well, if you would like to accompany me with actual work sometimes, would you like to get a staff and a spell book?" Kai looked up from his plate as he asked, smiling playfully.
"W-wait, y-y-you mean you will let me actually join you?" Elise's eye grow wide like saucers, her hands stilling completely.
"Not all the time, but who knows some people may need help and could be healed?" He responded as he watched her with quiet amusement.
It might not be a bad idea at all, say if we go to this Adventurer's Guild, and I have to have a party with me, or it is a job where someone with healing abilities is needed, we could do it, with no stress of finding someone else to join us..
Kai thought to himself before adding to his statement, "Let's go get you a staff and spell book, then pick up my armor, and how about we look into a horse and carriage for the road?" I would like to leave first thing tomorrow at the latest.
Elise overwhelmed still by Kai's proposal shook her head aggressively while taking another bite, "O-okay, let's go after breakfast, thank you again..."