Horses weren’t common on the Kreishan Islands and so Paen’s sailors appeared to be in various states of nervousness and distress as they sat astride their new beasts, waiting to depart the city. Some of the sailors refused to even ride the horses they were given at all, just using them as pack mules and holding onto their reins. Only Paen, at the front, appeared to be comfortable riding. His horse was turned to the side and he looked out over his men.

Once his men had gathered at the front gates of the city, all looking up at him and waiting for his words. He smiled with bright white teeth and sat up a bit straighter, sucking in a deep breath, and speaking over them loudly in the Kreishan language, “I know you are all unhappy on land! But follow me, and you will be rewarded when I am King of Takkam!”

People coming and going from the entrance of the city gave the Islanders side eyes and glares that ranged from guarded to open, from curious to suspicious to hateful. Paen met eyes with a young woman whose gaze was more open and curious and winked at her. She blushed and hurried her steps.

Paen raised an empty fist and waved it as if he was holding a sword as he turned his horse around. With a light squeeze of his horse's sides, Paen started his journey.

*

A few days later...

Marisol fell behind her brothers, dragging her feet as she trudged a few feet behind them. Her shoulders were hunched and eyelids drooped halfway down. She took a deep breath and whined out, “can we take a break please? My feet hurt!”

Racqein stopped and glanced back while Orfen continued on with his fingers laced behind his head, marching along with a goofy gait, his barefoot picking up dirt. 

“We can’t keep pausing, we won't get to the next city!” Racqein called back to her.

Marisol threw her head back and groaned. Racqein waited until she had almost caught up to him before starting to turn back to the road, his eye widened. Without looking he yelled out, “Orfen! Hide your ears and tail!”

Orfen’s shoulders slumped as he pulled a cloak out of the bag around his shoulders. He put it on and flipped up the hood, his cat-like features disappearing as under the dark clothes. 

Racqein took Marisol’s hand and pulled her forward to make it to Orfen’s side. The trio continued on, huddled together until eventually the sound of horses began to overtake them.

Racqein kept his head down, eyes turned away from the road as he pulled Orfen and Marisol out of the way of the galloping soldiers on horses. One passed them, two, three, four.

Racqein’s shoulders untensed as the king’s guard just ran by.

Then the last horse stopped and turned. The armored man atop the horse tilted his chin up and glared haughtily down at the children, “that sword... seems a bit expensive for you. Who’d you steal it from?”

Still bowing his head down, “no one.”

The man laughed boisterously and the other soldiers stopped, “I don’t believe you.”

Marisol found herself shrinking behind her older brother as he held out his arm to block in front of her, “I am not lying. It was a gift.”

The sharp grinding sound of a sword being unsheathed made Orfen’s ears twitch under the hood of the cloak and the man pointed his blade at Racqein’s chest, “try a better lie, Islander.”