Taras woke spitting out hay that had lodged itself in his mouth. “Damn, old memories again….” He said to himself.

            He sat up, looking at the inside of the barn they had been staying in for the past three nights. ‘It could’ve been worse’ he thought, ‘like that time we had to sleep in trees during a rainstorm’.

 He then noticed sunlight streaming in from the hay loft, presumably what had woken him up. “Shit, we slept in!” he said. He then hurriedly stood up and put his shirt on, while looking around for his knapsack.

            Noticing a sleeping figure in another corner, he sighed. “Hey Minerva! Time to get your ass up, its late!” He yelled with little effect.

            “Just a little bit longer……..” the figure groaned.

            “We don’t have a little bit longer, remember how Felton said he’d leave us if we overslept again?”

            “Well yeah, but you shouldn’t judge me, you overslept as well.”

            “I’m not judging, I’m just telling you to get your lazy self out of bed!”

            “That’s definitely judging.” Minerva said as she slowly got off of the floor.

            Taras looked over once again, and a short girl with black hair and blue eyes stared back at him.

            “Plus the old geezer always says that and never actually goes through with it, except that one time. But I’m pretty sure he was just too drunk to remember he left us behind.” Minerva said. “What are you staring at? I’m trying to change here, are you gonna be a perv or get out?”

            “Uhh we’re related, and I’m not staring.” Taras replied

            “Not by blood! And yes you are.”

            “Does the fact that we aren’t blood related even matter? I’ve lived with you since we were little, you’re my little sister. Plus, you’re too ugly and annoying anyway for me to stare at you.” Taras said.

            That seemed to make her angry, as she narrowed her eyes and yelled “Just get out already!!” at him while throwing hay.

            “Alright, alright. You don’t have to wake everyone in the village, I’ll get out!” Taras said as he ran outside.

            Taras looked around at the deserted area. They had camped at a farmstead that had been abandoned due to the house being burned out. It was one of the better places that they had been during his time with Felton. Once, when he was a kid and before they found Minerva, he and Felton had to camp for the night during a raging sandstorm. He remembered that night like it was yesterday, and how he had sand in his mouth for weeks afterward.

            Taras’ thoughts were soon interrupted by a man yelling from down the road. The man had grey hair with black streaks in it, and was dressed in a raggedy old coat, threadbare trousers, and old shoes. Under the coat he wore an ancient brigandine with chainmail sleeves that had seen too many battles to count.

            “Oi Taras! Thought you never woke up this early!” the man teased.

            “Um, Felton, the sun position says it’s almost noon”, Taras replied.

            “Oh, I know that! I was just testing you.” Felton said.

            “You were drinking at the pub all night weren’t you?” Taras asked in a disapproving tone.

            “Uh, maybe…? But I didn’t get kicked out this time.” Felton added a hopeful note to that last line.

            “You’re getting too old for that crap and you know it, that’s the kind of thing I should be doing.”

            “But somehow you grew up to be a goody-goody and a prude, against everything I taught you.” Felton said.

            “Yeah, mostly because you need a babysitter old man.”

            “I’m not old!” Felton scoffed, “I’m just mature, like good wine or cheese.”

“Uhuh…”

“Where’s that brat Minerva?” Felton asked, changing the subject.

            “Right here geezer.” Minerva said while walking out of the barn.

On her shoulders was a knapsack that was always filled to the brim with books. Taras knew that because every time he always tried to look; she would beat him senseless. The first time he had seen inside he saw books bound in strange leather. He was pretty sure the last time that had happened she broke one of his ribs.

“Well now that we’re all together, I have two announcements to make” Felton said cheerfully.

“What happened?” Taras and Minerva both groaned.

“I lost the horse” Felton said matter-of-factly.

Taras and Minerva looked at him, then at each other, and then at him again. A long pause followed, and then Taras opened his mouth to chew Felton out for his stupidity. Before he could though, Felton interrupted saying “The second announcement is, I found us a job!”

“To pay for the damn horse?!” Taras finally was able to say.

“Enough about the horse, I said I got us a job” Felton deflected.

“What is it.” Minerva asked in a monotone voice.

“It’s something you two will enjoy.”

“Well spill it already.”

“Last night I met a man from a town not too far from here, Tarlsdale. He told me that the lord needs a problem solved if anyone is interested. He is going to pay a handsome fee too. I’m not going to tell you what this specific job is, but it will be fun for you two.”

“Why not?” Taras asked.

“Well that would ruin the surprise, and relax, its only a half day’s travel.” Felton said.

“Yeah, Without the horse!” Minerva added.

“We can get another if we complete this job right” Felton said.

Both Minerva and Taras looked at him amazed.

            “That much?!” Taras exclaimed.

            “That much and possibly more. We may be able to stay a night at an inn afterwards as well” Felton said.

            “That sounds great!” Taras said.

            “Well if you want this so bad then let’s get out of here before someone else takes that job.” Felton finished.

            They then gathered all of their things, and started down the road. ‘Thankfully we took everything off of the horse last night’ Taras thought while he struggled under the weight of the group’s luggage.

            It took longer than expected to get to Tarlsdale, so they camped again for the night outside the city walls. Felton still wouldn’t tell Taras and Minerva the job for the next day, so Taras barely slept, anticipating what was going to happen.