It truly was wonderful that they made it to Thorn with no complications. The four of them now stood at the top of the road, leading down into the village. Just beyond it was the ocean. Waves crashed up against the shore, and the air smelled of salt. Clouds were over the water in front of them and over the forest behind them. Spikeplant could be seen growing in the sand and along the rocks. To their left was a cliff above the village. It'd make for an easy attack if someone wanted to fire arrows off into the village, and (F/n) made a mental note of that.
(F/n), though, soon passed the reins to Keiran before she went over to Edwin. She rested a hand on his shoulder. "You're going to do great. We're here with you, and I trust you." Edwin gave her a small smile and nod. He gulped before he forced himself to stand up straighter. This was it. He needed to do this for them to succeed with this plan.
And, (F/n) really did trust him. Maybe, some would call her foolish for doing so given his lack of experience and knowledge of leadership, but he knew all that he could given their timeframe. She knew that he would do his best, and she hoped that would be enough. If it wasn't, they'd form a new plan. She couldn't lose hope, and it felt good to trust others again. If she hadn't met Keiran, she didn't know if she ever would've been able to. Then again, she wouldn't even be alive now to think such thoughts. Truthfully, though, Keiran did more than just save her life.
"Okay, let's head in," Edwin spoke, releasing a sigh, as he signaled for May to keep guiding them. "We'll head to stables first and get Finn settled in, then the alehouse." He gave a glance to (F/n), who nodded and smiled reassuringly to him.
As they walked into town, they kept their hoods up, except for May. Some relaxed once they recognized her, but others remained curious as to who the three were beside her, not to mention that she hadn't come into the village with a horse before. Thorn did receive travelers and visitors, but that didn't make some people less curious of newcomers.
With the stables in sight, (F/n) walked with Finn towards the stable hand. May was beside her and communicated that they needed to station Finn there and that they'd pay on a daily basis. When he looked at those with her, she smiled. "I'm just showing some friends around." (F/n) gave a slight dip of her head as acknowledgement. Curiosity remained in the stable hand's optics, but he didn't say any more before he took Finn in and accepted the first day of pay.
May didn't waste time and led them over to the alehouse. It was relatively quiet since they arrived in town in the early morning. There was a light mist in the air as the clouds continued to remain throughout the sky. But when May opened the alehouse door, warmth came out, and the mist seemed to vanish around them for a moment. Inside, there wasn't too much noise.
Only a couple tables were occupied, and a woman, who looked to be in her late thirties, was cleaning a table and wiping down the top around a passed out man. She didn't look bothered and moved his head when she needed to, the man not even waking in the process.
Sunlight filtered in through the windows, but candles were lit in the darker spots of the space. Parallel to the door was a man, who looked to be in his early forties, and was wiping down the bar, where behind him were barrels of ale. Both looked tired, and (F/n) wondered if they worked through the whole night.
May closed the door behind her once everyone was in. She coughed lightly, causing the woman, who heard, to look up. The man didn't hear nor did the other few patrons inside the alehouse. A smile touched her lips before her eyes noted the other three with her. She signaled with her head for them to follow her. The woman looked at the man at the bar and motioned that she'd be going to a room in the back of the building.
Opening the door, she let them go in first. May gave an appreciative smile. Edwin forced himself to stand tall, and Keiran followed in after (F/n), remaining close. Even if the woman was May's friend, he'd rather not take any chances with someone attacking (F/n). In the room was a table with eight chairs around it. The woman closed the door behind them after she lit a candle and set it on the middle of the table. She soon took a seat at the head of the table.
The woman had brown, wavy hair, which went to her mid back. She had light brown eyes and looked to be around five feet and ten inches. On her form was a brown dress, beige apron and brown shoes. Folding her hands in front of her, she motioned to them all, minus May. "You can take your hoods off. May informed me that she'd be bringing friends. My name is Ela, and I own this alehouse with my husband." She looked to the door before she focused back on them. "He'll join us once our son comes down and takes over." Crossing her arms, she continued, "I also understand that this is quite a serious matter." Ela looked to May, who nodded.
Edwin and (F/n) pulled back their hoods first. Keiran was last. None of them wore disguises. May trusted the woman in the room, and they wanted that trust back. It was a gamble, but (F/n) was trusting May's judgement on this. "Ela," May started, "Iet me introduce you to my friends." May sat on Ela's right side, Edwin was next to her, (F/n) was across from Edwin and Keiran was across from May.
"Across from me is a longtime friend of mine, Keiran. He's from Credel, but he's been venturing to Stowwen on his breaks away from the kingdom. Next to him is a newer friend of mine, (F/n), who is also from Credel. And beside me is ..."
"Oh judging by his appearance, I know who he is." Ela smirked a little, cutting her off. "You're the magic user who escaped." She cast a glance at May. "So, you've been hiding him. Well, a magic user would trust another one." Leaning back in her chair, she raised a brow, and there was some fear in her light brown optics, but Ela didn't let it control her. Rather, she looked also amused. "No wonder this is important. What are you planning, May?"
"It's not what I'm planning. It's what he's planning," she motioned to Edwin. "I've agreed to help him."
Intrigued, Ela remained quiet. Now, it was Edwin's turn. Well, this was it. Actually, it wasn't. It wasn't just Ela that he had to convince; it was numerous others. She was simply the tester on whether he'd be successful or not for those in Thorn. "No one is really happy in Stowwen, even those who aren't magic users. They're either hiding in fear or struggling to live if not both. I know that people are talking about getting rid of the current royal family. I want to lead that charge."
Ela remained quiet at first. Her light brown optics stayed fixed on his bright blue ones. No doubt, she was seeing if he was actually capable of what he said he wanted. She leaned forward on the table, chin on her folded hands. "And, why should anyone follow you? I suspect that you no doubt wish to replace the current royals. Why should you be made the new king? Why would we put a king back in power? A monarchy hasn't served us well so far."
Edwin forced himself not to gulp or look over to (F/n). He had to do this. If he couldn't win over a friend of May's, he stood no chance against others. "Yes, I'm the mage who escaped, and, yes, it's true that I shape metal into whatever I desire, but I know the atrocities that the Stowwen family has committed first hand. I've been there since I can remember unfortunately." His hands rested on the table, and his fingers clenched the wooden side. No, he wouldn't cry even if he wanted to at the memories that crossed his mind.
"They're sick individuals. I want them out of power. I want to free the other two magic users trapped there. I want to make this a place where magic users don't have to hide and where the people aren't always wondering where their next meal will come from if they don't live in the castle." His hands clenched the table more. "I've experienced what those out here have experienced. I know their pain, and I wouldn't repeat it under my rule." A frown touched his lips. "I don't care about the power that comes with ruling, except for the fact that it can help me change this kingdom into a better place for those living in it."
"Passionate words. But," Ela now leaned back and crossed her arms, "why do you have to be king to achieve this? Why not work with those in the rebellion you'd be leading? Do you plan to cast your followers aside? Are your words just words?"
"I wouldn't cast them aside. I'd have advisors; I'd rely on their judgement too. I wouldn't just make decisions however I want without consultation and feedback like the current royal family." Edwin felt his heart pounding. His nerves were terrible, and he hoped that he wasn't beginning to sweat. He was just thankful for that month of training. But, his emotions fueled his words too in the sense that he really did know what their suffering was like. He endured it all in that wretched castle.
"And, there needs to be a leader. Someone to guide everyone, or you can end up with chaos and infighting. You could end up with someone just posing for the good of the people, only to end up becoming just like the current family." Edwin didn't break his gaze with her even though he wanted to. He really hoped that she couldn't see his nervousness. "I can be called king or something else if people want, but that doesn't change the fact that they need someone to lead them into victory. There isn't someone leading the rebellion now, and it's gone nowhere. There's only been talk but no movement forward."
Ela's expression was neutral. "I agree that the people in Stowwen need someone to light the fire and move them forward. And, those in Thorn want to fight, but some don't know how and others are scared of what it might cost them. But," a small smirk touched her lips, "you need to work on your nerves." Now, he couldn't hold back his expression, and Edwin paled a little. A chuckle left her. "But, you did do well. Just need some work." She looked to May. "He's passionate enough that he could convince those out there after some polishing up." May nodded, and Edwin sighed a little in relief before Ela reached over and pat him on the shoulder. "You can't be so tense."
He couldn't control the nervous chuckle that left his lips. "Right. I'll try."
Nodding, Ela crossed her arms. "So if you've been a prisoner of the royal family for so long, who taught you to speak like that? Despite your nerves, I believe that you can be successful." Edwin was unsure at first, but he looked over (F/n). Ela followed his gaze before things clicked together for her. "I see. (F/n), right?" (F/n) gave a slight nod. "You share the same name as the late princess of Credel, and you're from there. And, she's now dead." She quirked a brow. "Or, is that just a rumor your sister and her husband are spreading?"
"They believe me to be dead," she answered honestly. Ela already knew too much. There was no going back. May knew what she was doing in bringing them to her. It would be alright. Otherwise, they would need to rethink a lot of things. But if they could get followers out of this, it was worth the risk in her opinion. "Keiran saved me, and Edwin helped Keiran put me back together." She took off her right glove and showed the steel hand to Ela before she placed the glove back on.
"Now, this just keeps getting more interesting. No wonder, you were able to help Edwin out." She smirked and glanced over to May. "You certainly have quite the group of friends here, May."
"I do, and I wouldn't change a thing," May answered confidently.
"I can see why. An escaped magic user, a princess and," she looked to Keiran, who maintained a neutral expression as he crossed his arms, but he sat close to (F/n), "another magic user? Metal typically doesn't move like that unless Edwin didn't disclose everything about his magic capabilities."
(F/n) gave him the signal to go ahead. "Yes, I am one. I can make metal form to one's skin, and it'll act as if it's a part of them. My magic also fortifies the metal," he summarized.
"I don't think that I've ever been in a room with three magic rooms, let alone a royal, ever before. At least knowingly." She chuckled and shook her head. "Quite a powerful group. That does help convince people that you're serious and to take you seriously." Her gaze turned serious. "But," she focused on (F/n), "I trust that you didn't really kill your parents. Otherwise, May wouldn't be sitting here at a table with you. So, tell me what really happened and why you're wanting to help those in Stowwen."
There wasn't a point in hiding it. They needed her to trust them. Ela and her husband were the gateway to getting the support of those in Thorn according to May. After everything and all the time they spent together, May wouldn't lead them astray, especially with her longtime friendship with Keiran. So, she explained it all and how they got to where they currently are.
As she finished her explanation, Ela stayed quiet for a moment, processing all of the information. It was a lot to take in, but (F/n) hoped that she wouldn't turn them away. Before Ela could say anything, the door opened. The man from the bar stood in the doorway. He had shoulder length black hair, which was wavy, and he had light brown eyes. Upon his face was a beard, mustache and goatee, and he looked to be about six feet and two inches. "Cadence is handling the bar. What did I miss?" he asked as he examined Keiran, (F/n) and Edwin.
"Quite a bit of intriguing details, Arthur." He took a seat, and introductions were given, Ela purposely stating who they each were exactly, which caused him to be understandably surprised.
"Well, I didn't expect to share a table with all of you in my life. But, I take it that this isn't just for greeting's sake," Arthur responded, glancing between them all.
"No. Edwin and (F/n), I think that it's best that he hears it from both of you," Ela mentioned, curious to what her husband would think.
When the details were given once more, Edwin had less nerves than the first time, and so it was easier to hide them. The more explained, he became more comfortable as the words were more familiar in his mouth. (F/n) gave her information in the same clear fashion as she had to Ela. Once he heard it all, Arthur shared a stare with his wife before he released a heavy sigh. "If I knew this is why you were bringing your friends over, May, I would've brought a drink in here with me." He rubbed the back of his neck before he focused on (F/n). "You have my condolences, and I understand why you don't wish to have your title used right now. It'd be confusing with Edwin leading this fight. Regardless, I believe you. May wouldn't have trusted you otherwise." Ela smirked a little since she had similar thoughts. "And with the new rule your sister and her husband enacted over in Credel for magic users, those in Stowwen might be willing to help you take back your kingdom. It's clear that they want to take a similar path to Stowwen without having a rebellion on their hands, but that's naive of them if they believe they can get away with it."
"Thank you, and, yes, they're headed down a terrible path for Credel. I wish that I could stop them, but I'm only one person. Just like Edwin needs the help of others to end the nightmares the Stowwen family has created," (F/n) answered, frowning at what was becoming of her kingdom in her absence.
"But, the people here will want to know the truth too," Ela chimed in. "I believe you too, (F/n). May and her family have been good friends of ours. And like Arthur stated, she wouldn't have brought you to us otherwise. But once this gets out, word will no doubt spread about you being alive. We can keep it under control in Thorn until we gain more forces for the rebellion, but once this all gets bigger, it'll get out. It could get out before then even if one person decides to spread the news." Ela sighed in thought. "Then, we might be facing enemies from Credel before we take Stowwen."
"I know. It's a risk. This whole thing is, but I'm willing to take it if you think those in Thorn are. We can start something here and spread it carefully until we're ready to take Stowwen." (F/n) folded her hands on the table. "So, will you two help us? Will you help us convince those in Thorn?"
"I believe that we can," Arthur answered, releasing a sigh as he thought. "We'll need to talk to the burgomaster. It'll be best to ask him here and explain the situation to him. I believe that we can offer him a drink and an interesting proposal." His light brown optics met Ela's. "We'll have him come when we're slow in the middle of the night. Draw less attention." Arthur switched his gaze between (F/n) and Edwin. "You'll need his approval to move this forward, not just ours. But, you do have our support. I'd rather us not live under the rule of the Stowwen family anymore or live in a kingdom that works with one trying to mimic Stowwen. Even worse would be for your sister and her husband to succeed completely in changing Credel to match Stowwen while the Stowwen family remains in power." A frown touched his lips. "And, I don't know enough about Aercen or Solin to make a good judgement about either."
"Neither is like Stowwen, but they both do appreciate the state of peace Anigour is in right now, though; that quickly is fading. But, I doubt that they would offer help without receiving something in return," (F/n) answered, not confident about either completely herself. It would be best not to involve them at this time unless they needed more help with the rebellion than what they could receive in Stowwen.
"Either way, our next step is to talk to the burgomaster, but," Ela stood up, "my husband and I need some rest first. We've had a long night. You four are welcome to stay in our spare room upstairs. We just use it for storage, but we can get you some blankets and stay warm without paying for a room elsewhere."
"Thank you, Ela and Arthur," May answered, standing up herself. "That would be great. It's probably best that we stay somewhere where there are those we trust given who we have in our group."
"Alright, then follow us up."
"Before we go," Edwin started, "is there anything you can tell us about this burgomaster before we meet him?" (F/n) and Keiran wished to know too; (F/n) for strategic purposes for their plan and Keiran to make sure that he wouldn't be someone to attack the woman he loved. May also wanted to know, but she also knew that both of her friends from Thorn were exhausted from a night's work and figured that they wouldn't lead them to meet the burgomaster without more information on him.
"We won't leave you in the dark," Arthur reassured. "It might be a day or two before he can meet with us. He might wish to think it over. Right now, we do still have an alehouse to run and rest is needed." He gave a reassuring smile to Edwin. "You four are safe here. Relax a little bit before we begin the rebellion should the burgomaster approve of your plan."
"I'm surprised that the burgomaster, though, isn't in league with the royal family," (F/n) mentioned, getting up herself. "I would've expected them to buy him out at least given the Stowwen family's nature."
"Thankfully, he values those in his town more than money. Much like you value your people more than power, (F/n)," Arthur explained, a small smile on his lips. Clearly, Ela and Arthur thought highly of this man, and if he really did care about his people, that boded well for him helping them begin the rebellion.
"Then, I look forward to meeting him," (F/n) responded, pushing in her chair. Keiran stood up behind her and remained close. He hoped that this man truly was what Ela and Arthur advertised him to be.
"Well, then, follow us," Ela chimed in, signaling them over, as she opened the door. She stepped out, with Arthur after her. "We'll introduce you all to our son later." Almost, she yawned, but she stretched instead and headed up the stairs. None of them argued since it was very evident that the alewife and her husband wanted to rest from their long work hours.
Briefly, though, (F/n) looked out over the large room of the alehouse out of curiosity and saw a man, who looked to be around nineteen. He had short, wavy and dark brown hair with green eyes. The male wasn't focused on them. Rather, he was pouring a drink for a customer, so she assumed him to be Arthur and Ela's son. As (F/n) looked away, she noted that May was staring towards him as well. When her (e/c) eyes met May's caramel ones, May averted her gaze quickly, which caused (F/n) to raise a brow. That was unusual for May; it was almost as though she was embarrassed.
Quietly, she asked Keiran, "Is there something between May and their son?" She looked up to him as she did so. Since Keiran didn't know Arthur or Ela below now, she had a feeling that he probably didn't know, but she wanted to check out of curiosity. Also if May did have feelings for their son, (F/n) could tease May back for all of the times May teased her about Keiran.
"No, not that I know of. Why?" he whispered back as they were now at the back of the group heading upstairs.
"May, she seemed embarrassed when I caught her eye."
This caused a small smirk to form on Keiran's lips, and a mischievous look crossed his caramel eyes. "Oh, that is interesting." He leaned closer to her ear. "Should we ask her about it? Perhaps, it's time that she gets a taste of her own teasing."
"Maybe, but she teased you too, then?" she asked with a quirked brow, facing him and causing their noses to touch practically.
"Yes, she did. We'll ask her about it. That's for sure," he answered, his optics gleaming with interest still.
"Sounds good." (F/n) smirked before she stole a kiss from him and pulled away quickly. She gave him a small wink, earning a smirk back from him and a skip of his heart. With the two of them close behind the others now, Ela opened the room door, and the four of them peered inside.
Within, there were storage crates, but there was enough space for four blankets. There was also a table with smaller boxes on it, but there was room for their travel bags. Weapons would have to lean against the walls, and there was a lantern to light the space. No doubt, their prior lodging was a lot nicer, but this was better than staying out in the open or having to room somewhere with strangers. Not to mention that they wouldn't need to pay any money for the space. Besides if the burgomaster was to accept their proposal, they might not be staying in Thorn for long if they began the rebellion sooner than later.
"I know that it's not much, but it'll keep you warm," Ela mentioned as she now leaned against the nearby wall. "But, make yourselves at home. You're welcome to head down and get a drink. There is also some food that Cadence can grab for you."
"You're already giving us a room for free," May mentioned. "We should pay for our food and drink at least. Or, we can hunt if needed to bring food in." She looked back to Edwin. "Unless you disagree."
"No. I agree. We should earn our keep at least." Edwin still felt odd to be making the calls. He wanted to ask (F/n), but he told himself that he needed to get used to this.
"Very well," Ela answered with a small smile. "Cadence, our son, could use help downstairs. He's capable of running the alehouse on his own, but with free help, that would give him some relief." She chuckled a little. "I suppose that we'd be skipping us introducing you, then, but May does know Cadence if you're comfortable with that, May." She nodded that she was. Ela smiled in response before she continued, "The rest could go out and walk the coastline. Often there are fish that wind up in the tidepools and other sea creatures that are good for eating. You can also hunt, but I would recommend staying in the nearby woods." She focused on Edwin. "The search for you has died down, but you should remain cautious." Ela changed her gaze to look at all of them. "You could also purchase some items for the alehouse."
"Keiran and May," Edwin started, looking at the two of them, "I want you both to head to the coastline and collect food. I'd like to go out and train some more while collecting seafood, but," he shifted his gaze to (F/n), "I want to train more with you before meeting with the burgomaster. We can help Cadence after we're done."
"Understood. But if I may suggest," (F/n) answered, receiving a nod from Edwin, "you should continue studying after we're done. I can help Cadence out. The burgomaster will be looking to you to see if you're capable of guiding his people here in Thorn. I'll be in a supporting role, but you'll be his king if he agrees to our plan." Her suggestion did make logical sense, and it also let her gain some information on Cadence and May. Perhaps, it was selfish and childish of her, but she needed something fun to distract her before they got more into the thick of things.
"Alright, I can't argue with that," Edwin replied before returning his attention to Ela. "Well, I imagine that you both would like some sleep."
"Yes, and thank you for helping us with the alehouse," Ela answered with a smile. Arthur nodded and left for a moment.
When Arthur returned, he had four blankets with him. He handed them to May. "Let us know if you need anything."
"We will. Thank you both." Edwin gave them both an appreciative nod after his words, and the couple soon left them to get much needed rest.