12 Chapter Four || This Crazy Lady (2/2)
Akari only glared in response. She was stuck with this crazy lady. But, the fox couldn't deny the rush received in her adventurous soul from the jump.
”Looks like this leads to the nearby town,” Essairyn said, pointing at the wide, dirt road a few feet away. She had purposefully flown near the roadside and walked from the grass onto the bare earth.
Akari followed, commenting, ”Aren't you going to fly to the town? That'd be much quicker.”
Essairyn pursed her lips, reasoning, ”I could, but you can probably only use so much magic in a day, right? Even though I'm not tired, I might as well conserve it for now.”
”Hm, I guess that's right,” Akari murmured, ”Revealing what magic you have to strangers is probably not a good idea anyway, especially since you're human.”
Essairyn nodded, and the two strolled briskly on their way.
Before long, a medium sized wagon appeared from behind the bend of the cliffs. It looked to be made of cherrywood and was drawn by four stout horses. It had an arched roof, a shuttered window on the left side, and a windowed door on the right. Green curtains draped across a window in the front, and metal accented doors closed the back.
It soon caught up with the two adventurers as the morning melted into the afternoon.
”Hello there, young miss,” greeted the middle-aged driver, slowing down his wagon to match their pace.
”Oh? A fox spirit?” he remarked, noticing that the creature walking beside her was not a small dog as he had thought.
”Why're you traveling the roads on foot with a fox spirit, miss?”
Clamor arose from inside the wagon as he spoke, and a little head popped out from in-between the green seat curtains. It was a young boy.
”Huh? A girl? And a fox spirit?” observed the older boy, ”What're you doing with a fox spirit?”
”Now now, don't be rude, Gerran,” a gentle voice corrected from inside.
The little boy scrunched up his face in dissatisfaction.
”It's Jerry, not Gerran, mother!”
The mother laughed and parted the green curtains.
”Oh my, what's a pretty young lady doing out here in the middle of the roads by herself?” she exclaimed softly, ”And what's this? A fox spirit indeed!”
Essairyn smiled politely at the family, and Akari rolled her eyes.
”I have a name you know,” retorted Akari, startling the woman.
”Oh, I'm sorry. You two are..?” she asked.
Essairyn glanced from the father to the son and back to the mother again. They seemed like perfectly ordinary and safe people. Besides, maybe she could get a ride to the neighboring town if she was friendly.
”Essairyn,” she replied, ”And this is Akari.”
”Akari?” the man echoed thoughtfully, ”That name sounds awfully familiar for some reason.”
The woman shooed away her husband's remark, saying, ”Essairyn, if you're going to the next town, why don't you and Akari travel with us in the wagon? It'd be much quicker and safer than walking. And I wouldn't feel right leaving a girl like you to fend for yourself.”
Essairyn smiled gratefully, replying, ”That's kind of you to offer. Thank you.”