The morning in Bell Tine carried the scent of bread, roasted meats, and sweet fruit that clung to the air like a festival. Wads had already given his orders before they left the inn: same strategy as in the last town. Split up, ask around, gather whatever they could, then return before sundown.
Keiya walked at the front, her stride purposeful, her dark blue cloak fluttering lightly with each step. Beneath it she wore a fitted black tunic and sturdy trousers, simple but sharp, her belt neatly clasped with a small pouch at her side. Beside her—well, technically two paces behind—Klyden trailed, humming cheerfully to himself. His brown travel coat was left half-open, showing a plain cream shirt tucked lazily into his pants, and his scarf was tied crookedly, like he hadn't bothered to fix it since morning.
He wasn't paying attention to Keiya so much as the stalls that lined the street. Vendors called out their prices, smoke curled upward from sizzling pans, and skewers of grilled meat sent their aroma drifting temptingly. Klyden's nose twitched.
And then he spotted it—a stall roasting meat over glowing coals.
"Keiya! Keiya!" he called, his voice almost boyish with excitement.
Without looking back, Keiya muttered, "What?"
"Let's buy that!" Klyden jabbed his finger forward like he'd just discovered treasure. His eyes practically sparkled.
Keiya's brow twitched. "Didn't you just eat an hour ago?"
"But it looks gooood," Klyden whined, padding up beside her with clasped hands and the most pitiful puppy eyes he could manage.
Keiya turned her face away and shoved his forehead with two fingers. He grinned instantly—because that shove was as good as a "yes."
Moments later, Klyden was cheerfully paying for three skewers of roasted meat. The vendor handed them over, still steaming, and Klyden skipped a step as he tore into the first. Keiya, meanwhile, kept her eyes forward, her thoughts already on their destination: the church. In Bell Tine, religion ran deep, and if information lived anywhere, it would be whispered beneath holy walls.
"Keii," Klyden mumbled around a mouthful, holding one skewer dangerously close to her face, "you wanna try it?"
Her glare was sharp enough to cut stone. "Do you wanna try dying?"
Klyden barked out a laugh, already chewing another bite.
The streets around them bustled with energy. Merchants shouted over each other, carts creaked under loads of fruit and spices, and children darted through the crowd with the ease of those who had grown up on these streets. Ahead, a group of kids chased each other in a lively game of tag, their laughter weaving through the noise. One girl with her hair tied in messy twin braids sprinted past, while a boy with dirt-smudged cheeks dashed after her.
Then—bump.
One of the smaller boys collided with Keiya's side. He looked no older than eight, thin-limbed, with a mop of brown hair sticking out in every direction. His shirt was too large, sleeves nearly covering his hands, and his shorts were patched at the knees.
"Sorry, miss!" he said quickly, flashing a smile before he tried to dart away again.
But his wrist was caught.
The boy blinked up, startled, at Klyden. The older boy still had two skewers in one hand, the third clenched between his teeth as he chewed.
"What is it, mister?" the kid asked, trying to sound innocent.
Keiya looked between them, confused, but Klyden only finished chewing, swallowed, and finally spoke with an unusually blank expression.
"Give it back. That's not nice."
The boy stiffened, eyes darting. "I don't know what you're talking about…" he said with a shaky smile.
"Klyden, what is it?" Keiya asked, her hand instinctively patting at her side—only to realize her purse was gone. Her eyes widened.
"The purse you just took from this lady right here. Hand it back."
The boy's smile dropped, replaced by a scowl. "Swap it with the food."
Klyden blinked, then let out a chuckle, shoulders shaking. "That's not nice either," he said with a grin, "but fine. Give it back first."
The boy hesitated, then pulled the purse from behind his back and shoved it into Klyden's free hand. In exchange, Klyden offered the last skewer. The boy snatched it and bolted, vanishing into the crowd in a blur of limbs.
Keiya stared after him, lips parting slightly in disbelief, before taking her purse back from Klyden. He grinned as if nothing unusual had happened. "Be more careful, Kei."
Her ears warmed faintly as she muttered, "I know…" and turned quickly forward again.
Klyden strolled alongside her, whistling cheerfully as if nothing had happened.
After a pause, Keiya finally asked, "How did you know?"
"Mm? Me and Wads grew up in towns like this," Klyden answered breezily, his grin returning as though he were proud of the fact.
"What is your town called?" Keiya glanced at him, curious despite herself.
"Cheander! It's on the East side," he said, puffing out his chest like he'd just announced royalty.
Keiya only nodded, but Klyden took it as permission to keep going.
"You'd like it, Kei. Big market days every week, the smell of roasted fish everywhere, and oh—the festival nights? The lights look like stars came down just to join in! Me and Wads used to sneak into the plaza to eat candied nuts until our stomachs hurt. And there was this one guy, always yelling at me for stealing apples—hey, don't make that face, it was only sometimes!"
"And Wads—oh, you should've seen his face, Kei—he tripped over a bucket while chasing me once. SPLASH, right into the horse trough. The whole town smelled like wet dog for days!"
Keiya let out a small breath, her gaze flicking sideways. For a moment, she didn't see the tall, scarf-wrapped man strolling beside her. Instead, she pictured him as a child—hair wild, grin too wide for his face, darting between market stalls with a half-eaten loaf of bread clutched in dirty hands. A boy laughing even as knees bled, Wads running after him, swearing he'd get them both killed.
The image tugged at her unexpectedly, and before she realized it, her lips curved faintly.
"...What?" Klyden asked, blinking at her when he noticed. "Why're you smiling? Did I say something funny?"
Keiya's expression flattened in an instant, and she looked straight ahead. "No. Just thinking how much of a nuisance you must've been as a kid."
Klyden gasped like she'd stabbed him. "Must've been? Excuse you, I was the pride of Cheander!" He puffed out his chest, grinning, then leaned closer. "Actually... I still am."
Keiya rolled her eyes but quickened her pace, as if walking faster could hide the faint heat on her ears.