The town of Stonevale sat perfectly and happily between the winding path of a river and the side of a vast hill. Part of the hill itself had been carved out, with holes dotted over its surface like indecent cheese. Suitably a mining town, with laden barges flowing up and down the water to connect to the other parts of Corone, it was a town which Vaeron deemed harmless enough for a young faun like Celandine to not make too much trouble in. And too small to get lost in.

Naturally, he vastly underestimated her. After all, an heiress in her prime, flowing with dreams of a glorious lady in grass green, and the ability to learn fast and precise could not be constrained to stay on one street. Even though they steadily walked into town side by side, coming down from the hills with the presence of two mighty warriors, the young faun was already thinking about what delights awaited her.

Peopls scattered like frightened doves before the juvenile, but still massive, tera'k and the plough horse that trodded beside him. Each of Megladon's hooves was the size of an ontate dinner place, capable of crushing any man's skull to dust. His rider, proud and unyielding watched the scurrying people before them with the unamusement of a priest of the Etheral Sway. In some ways he was a priest, but of Earlon, the Raiaeran star god of the sea. Not that he had any association with the Etheral Sway at all. Infact, he detested them, and all he had heard of them and their practises from Philomel's mouth.

"Stay close," he grumbled in a low voice, looking over to his daughter.

Erik and she were already over the other side fo the street, staring hungrily at a stall of fresh fruit. Already and only ten metres into the town.

Letting out a long sigh, Vaeron yanked Megladon's reigns. The horse snorted loudly with distate, and even though he followed his master's call it still frightened a few villagers, who scuttled past. Not even the mightiest of the miners seemed willing to bare up against the brown haired, well-toned mage and his steed.

"Not happening," Vaeron growled, reaching over to grab Erik's halter. Calmly the bovine beast followed where he was told and veered away from the apples he had been sniffing.

"Ohhh, but fath-" Celandine caught herself and looked ashamed. "Sorry Mr Vaeron," she said quietly. And she folded inwards and looked down to her lap.

Vaeron watched her for a moment, but said nothing. Guiding Erik back to the middle of the street, where people still gave them a wide berth, he settled them back into a leisurely pace. "We are here to do shopping. To get you a knife, and that is it."