Scara Brae was proving to be, different.

It wasn’t the endless wheat fields like back home, nor was the air sweet with the scent of grapes and wine. The Scara Brae docks actually had a rather foul smell, like old wet wood and fresh livestock smothered with a thick layer of tobacco on the wind. Sage wasn’t disappointed per say, it was after all his idea to accompany his father on one of his business ventures, a few weeks away from the estate would do him some good. At least that is what he kept telling himself each time he tried to reach for a book.

Stepping back onto solid ground after a week’s voyage at sea however was utter bliss, his first venture at sea was now just a bad memory and he was eager to find a library as soon as possible. Sage was quick to spot his father amongst the crowd as he was making his way towards him, he had always been tall, and his face stern and cross in a seemingly endless frown.

“Are you going to be ok?” he asked as he stood beside his son.
“I’ll be fine, father, there must be a bookstore around here somewhere” Sage answered eager to find such an establishment as soon as possible.His father just frowned a little more. “I meant are you going to be ok on your own?”

“Were staying at the Fox and Hounds inn along the docks, so I shouldn’t get lost that easily” He answered, picking out the inn in question further along the road, the Inn was run by an old friend of his fathers who he had met once when he had last visited Crossroads.
“Run by Coren Seith if I remember correctly” he enquired.

His father nodded in reply “I want you back by sundown, no later understand?” he spoke sternly.

“By sundown, no later” Sage affirmed with a bright smile, brushing a long lock of his hair behind his shoulder. His father grumbled in response, it was as good as a dismissal as any and Sage turned to go but stopped when he saw the worry in his father’s eyes.This wasn’t Crossroads, Sage was well aware of that, if there was any kind of trouble he would not be within running distance of the estate, and truthfully, sage was unaccustomed to the larger cities without his father’s guidance.

“I’ll be fine” Sage said warmly.