Chapter 2
"What a cheerful place..." Magnus said as they entered the village. He stretched his arms, feeling a familiar ache in his muscles as he took in the view in front of him.
The reclusive village sat in a mountain valley that was rich with various types of vegetation. The houses were all made of thick timber with thatch roofs. It made sense as winter probably had a strong bite in these parts, and wood was a much better insulator than stone. The only problem was the fire hazard. It seemed that the villagers had the same notion in mind when they built their houses, though. The houses were built in an orderly fashion, more or less, with wide streets and a lot of space in between. As with most mountain villages, livestock breeding was obviously the main source of income for the villagers, and Magnus saw barns and pens everywhere.
There was one thing that seemed off, though. Every village he had ever been in was always brimming with life. You could see children running, dogs barking, cattle, carts, and people going about their business. But not here. There were barely any people outside, and no children in sight. The strange part was that it wasn't even that late in the day. The sun had gone below the rim, yet it was still pleasant outside. These late summer evenings and nights were always a delight to Magnus, but it seemed these villagers didn't share his tastes.
"Indeed..." Fiona said, sighing.
"What is the name of this village?"
"Sven's Hollow, if I have been informed right," Fiona replied, pensive.
She didn't like this village either. She also had a feeling that something was off. The whole village had a gloomy air to it. Magnus turned to look at his Mistress. They were both riding horses, having left the carriage days before in a town that had been on their way. She was wearing riding pants and boots, a blouse, and a light jacket. She was dressed very practically, Magnus thought, but somehow, even in those clothes she gave off an air of elegance. One look at her, and you would know this was a classy lady. But that was where her practicality ended. Two packhorses led by Magnus were carrying her clothes, trinkets, and her magical ingredients and potions, of course. Magnus couldn't help smiling. There was no force in the world that could deter his Mistress from her comfort. The fact that she was here, in this god-forsaken place, was a wonder on its own.
But where was 'here' anyway? He knew they were somewhere in the mountains in north Nessia. Nessia was a country sitting on Vistania's western border. Fiona had mentioned she needed something here, but what exactly, was still a mystery. Whatever it was, it was important enough to make her take this trip. He didn't prod her about it as he knew she would tell him sooner or later. She rarely hid things from him, and he appreciated the fact that he had her trust. It made their bond stronger.
"Well, let's see what we can find. It is highly unlikely this village has an inn. The village doesn't lie on any roads, so I doubt anyone ever comes here. I bet we are quite an attraction," Magnus said after a moment.
"There will be no inn but I will ask to pay for some accommodations. Truth is, I can't expect much comfort here..." Fiona said with a sour face.
"My good man!" Fiona said loudly, spotting a villager who was crossing the street. He stopped, looking uneasy. He eyed Magnus and then eyed the sword that hung on Magnus' belt.
"Good day M'lady," the villager said with an awkward attempt of a bow. He obviously thought Fiona was nobility.
"Where might we find some hospitality here? I will need to stay here for a few nights, so I am willing to pay for it, of course."
"Umm, I don't think there is anything that might suit you here M'lady... I don't think you would be happy to sleep in a barn," the villager said, then seeing Fiona made a face, quickly added. "...but there is another option. There is an... abandoned house... Old Ben used to live there before.... Anyway it is abandoned so... you could maybe, sleep there, you know," the villager said with unease.
"Where is this house?"
"It is at the northern edge of the village. Its doors are painted red... You can't miss it."
"Thank you," Fiona said, handing him a silver coin. The man stared at it, incredulous, then went away hurriedly, mumbling thanks all along.
"That was easy..." Magnus said. "There is something fishy about this village though..."
"Yes... Well, we won't be staying long here, if all goes right. Let's go. I want to find this house before dark."
They had arrived in the village from the south, so they needed to go through the whole village to get to the northern edge. Their initial impressions about the village and its inhabitants reinforced, they arrived at the northern edge of the village, and as the villager had said, there was a house with red doors. Luckily, it had a barn as well. It would have to do.
They went into the house, looking around with curiosity. The house had just one, relatively large room. They saw a table and chairs, some cupboards, a fireplace, and a single bed at the corner of the room. A thick layer of dust was everywhere. But there were some peculiarities. They saw some of the clay dishes on the table with remnants of food in them. The bed had dusty sheets and a blanket. There was a pot on the fireplace. If one removed all the dust that accumulated over time, one would think this house was still being used. It seemed that whoever had lived here, had just decided to leave on a whim after having a meal, leaving everything as it was. It was strange and it was one more thing that added to their impression that this village wasn't ordinary.
"Well, my dear Apprentice, I will go and sit outside to enjoy the evening air. I believe you have your hands full," Fiona said with a smile as she went out of the house.
"It seems that I do..."
There was a lot to do to settle the horses and put the house in order. His Mistress enjoyed seeing him work, especially if the work required hard manual labor that would make him strip out of his shirt. But he wasn't the same man he had been when he first became her Apprentice, almost a year ago. Now, he had... tools at his disposal.
