We traveled through a thicket that had a somewhat narrow road. It was the second day since we set out.

I walked beside the carriage which rode smoothly even on the unstable road, and Creed lay on top of it, left leg arched and his right leg on top of it. His fiddle was in his hands, and he was drawling.

"I had a dreeeeeeeam

Where I was freeeeeeed

But I woke on aaaaaaa

Pile of reeeeeeed- reed? 

I mean haaaaaay.

My back was achiiiiiiing

And my muscles sooooooore

But the worst of aaaaaaall

Was the boooooooooooarduuuuuuuuuuum"

Worse was that his deep voice made me want to sleep and slap his face at the same time.

"Shut! Stop being such a drama queen- I'm starting to feel sorry for the accompanying princess."

He heaved a sigh and put his fiddle back in its case. Then he rolled over and propped his chin on his hands.

His face carried a frown, and he looked at me with boring predatory eyes, as if trying to pry secrets with his mind from mine. Speaking of predators, all we have is some essential foods, like brick bread, tough jerky, dried fruits and water. I was really not looking forward to eating later...

Because I was looking at Creed, I didn't realize when my foot caught on an irregular root and I fell with a "shi- ack!", catching myself with my hands on the hard packed dirt road, thereby scraping them.

Creed cackled gleefully, saying "haha, a shi'ak! A shi'ak!"

I gathered myself up hastily so I wouldn't fall behind the carriage, and then I thought of an idea that might solve both of my current pressing problems, although the likelihood ranged from small to depressing.

"Creed, what do you know about plants?"

He perked up and looked at me excitedly.

"Plants? You mean botany? Herbology?"

"At what level?" I asked, seeing as he clearly knew something.

"Only about as much as three royal botanists," he said. He then explained "The Symphony is pretty close to a nobility college school thing, and they had this muckall library there that for some reason no aristocratic plopheads were using," a cough was heard from inside the carriage, which Creed ignored, "so every once in awhile I'd visit as a hobby and look up some indexes, articles and other things about nature and regions." He leaned over the carriage, which tilted slightly, and whispered "I accidently ripped ten pages in Alonés' Bird Binding, and tore out three from Sawreak's Exaggerated Plants." Then he added in a hiss "By accident!"

I was stunned- "I didn't expect you to be the studios type" I blurted. Which was a mistake because his smug face should be a crime.

Remembering what I wanted to do, I asked "Creed, do you know of any sour-tasting things around here?"

He pointed above me, his tail wagging slowly from side to side. I followed his gesture, spotting a fruit that looked like an blue orange. It was rather high up, so after a running start, I jumped from the ground to a trunk to a low hanging thick branch, landing in a crouch, and from there I jumped up to another branch, and propelled myself higher with my hands to an even higher tree limb. From there I swung forward onto another one closer to my feet, and jumped diagonally, managing to grab three fruit before I fell, being scraped by bark and twigs on the way down. I arrested my fall by consecutive jumps from several trunks in the direction of the carriage, and when I reached the ground I landed and came up with a roll, asking "now where are there sweet berries?"

"Muck," Creed muttered, then asked "What do you even need those for?"

"Cooking," I answered.

"You can cook?"

"I can try," I corrected.

.......

"I can try" Creed said in a mocking tone, "you're full of muck Nock- which banquet did you steal this from?"

Darkness had set near an hour ago, and before that we set a place at the side of the road to sleep. We were sitting around a small fire with a pie and a stew hanging above it. We also had toppings and a sauce from Creed's expansive knowledge.

"It's a skill I picked up when I was twelve- it helps when you have something good to eat in a war, so I learned to cook with trash and forged ingredients."

"War?" A scoff came with an opening carriage door "you? You look like you haven't seen a children's fight."

"And you look like a prissy, but he doesn't act the part" Creed said in my defence.

"What is a prissy?" Nelliny asked.

"Why don't you piss a puddle and look at the reflection to find out?"

She glared at Creed, and I spoke before she said anything else.

"Might I inquire to what do we owe the pleasure for yourself to have graced us with your noble presence?" I asked sarcastically.

She looked at me and said "I'm hungry."

"I hope you know that feeding you wasn't part of the contract," I reminded her.

"I'll be sure to mention it so your pay is increased for your troubles," she assured.

Since it was only a five day trip to her manor, and Creed and I had enough reasons to last us both for ten days, and we could forage for more if need be, I didn't mind giving some away for a good price. Although, the way she phrased that sounded slightly suspicious.

I offered her a slice of pie and a bowl of stew, which she readily took.

"Finally- some edible food! There is nothing palatable in Fruskan!" she exclaimed.

Creed was giving her the stinkeye as she ate, while shoveling spoonfuls of stew into his mouth.

We ate quietly, the only sounds heard the crackle of the fire, and the occasional sounds of animals. Eventually, when the food was finished, Nelliny went to her carriage to sleep, Creed slept on top of the carriage, and I would keep watch and sleep on the carriage come morning.