Chapter 7:

The Journey Begins

The Barrister From Beyond


Both Amber and I found ourselves in the manor for the second time in a week, where I stood in front of a mirror trying on clothing made for me on the orders of Lord Remus. It must have been a hard feat for the short-statured tailor I met a few days ago, I imagined. Lord Remus stood beside me with a few of his servants, whispering occasionally as I inspected the dark burgundy suit in the mirror. It was clearly made to match the banners of Luxion. Although the material was not what I had been used to, and the cut was a bit boxier than the blue suit I had worn to death, it was by no means a bad attempt, considering the fact that this was a completely alien attire for everyone I had come across in this world. The fabric felt thick and a little heavy, a far cry from the light wool blends I was used to, but it carried an undeniable richness. I adjusted the lapel, wondering how many hours the tailor had spent puzzling over the design based on my old, faded garment. The color, a deep, almost blood-red wine, felt strangely regal, fitting the new, though temporary, role I was playing.

“Erm, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Remus finally spoke up from behind me, catching my attention. “What do you exactly call that?”

“Oh, we just call it a suit,” I responded, pulling the blazer over my shoulders and turning back to the mirror.

Before he could dig deeper into my odd choice of clothing, Amber walked in with a couple of maids clad in similar colors, though she wore a puffy dress and a corset studded with gemstones and pearls. Her hands were covered by elegant white silk gloves.

“Aha, beautiful, Mrs. Aizawa,” Remus clapped his hands together.

I sank my head low in embarrassment, but given Amber’s prior contentions with me changing her last name, this was the only story we both could agree on. She bowed slightly while holding her dress, giving off the air of someone who had been accustomed to nobility and grace.

Amber walked closer to me, dusting off some non-existent lint from the shoulder of my blazer, “So? What do you think?”

“What he said,” I whispered while clearing my throat.

She nudged me slightly with her elbow in response, a familiar gesture that offered a brief, comforting moment of normalcy amid the strangeness.

“Now,” Remus walked up to the both of us, “If you can follow me,” he said, gesturing towards the door.

We walked through the corridors until all three of us—and a few servants following us from behind but keeping their distance—reached the outside of the manor. A black carriage embroidered with golden patterns awaited us. The two horses pulling it seemed larger and more muscular than any earth horse I had ever seen, their coats a shimmering, dark chestnut. The harness was heavy leather, studded with brass fittings that caught the afternoon sun.

A person who was preoccupied with grooming the horses, standing at nearly ten feet tall, came up the staircase and bowed to Remus. “Lord Remus,” he rumbled, his voice deep and gravelly.

“Where’s the shorter one?” Lord Remus questioned him, a slight note of annoyance in his voice.

“My brother’s sick, my lord,” the giant man said, looking at the floor. “He’s not in a condition to ride.”

“No matter,” Remus said, waving his hand dismissively before quickly turning to the both of us. “Now, Mr. and Mrs. Aizawa, he shall take you to your destination. It should take you both around three days to get there.”

I nodded, my eyes still fixed on our driver in front of us, who towered over every one of us. Even at six feet tall, he made me feel like a midget. His pointed ears and large structure made me realize almost instantaneously that he was an Orc, a race I had read so much about ever since I came here. But to actually see one in person, a living, breathing giant, was still a humbling experience. His skin was a shade of deep olive green, and his massive hands could probably crush a stone. He wore a simple leather tunic and trousers, looking every bit the capable warrior and driver he undoubtedly was.

“You should be able to rest in Feldheim for a night before reaching the Capital,” he said, extending his hand towards me.

I took hold of his hand and shook it, finally looking towards him. He pulled out a bag of Krones, nearly twenty of them, and put them in my hand, closing my fist around the cold, heavy metal. The only thought in my head as he did so was how much more convenient and lighter paper currency was.

“Here’s something extra to help you with any misadventures or for a drink or two,” he said, winking, letting out a loud, booming laugh that echoed in the courtyard.

Amber and I got into the carriage, where some of the servants... or slaves, rather, had already placed our belongings. The carriage was surprisingly spacious, enough to take a few steps in and even stand up fully, with plush purple sofas lining the sides and a carpeted rug in the center. It felt more like a small, luxurious room than a vehicle for travel.

Amber sat opposite me, looking around the carriage in awe, while I gave a last wave goodbye to Remus from the window behind me.

The second we set off, Amber finally broke the silence. “Can you believe it? A royal carriage just for us!”

“And you’re surprised... why exactly?”

“Back in Ur, we didn’t have Orcs, so we really had no one to tame Bergross horses, so we never had carriages like they do here in Mittengrad,” she rolled her eyes. The difference between her home and this new world seemed to strike her in unexpected ways.

“Yeah, these horses are some of the bigger ones I’ve seen,” I conceded.

Amber walked over to the partition towards the front and opened it. “Mr? These are Bergross horses, right?”

The driver, confused at first by the sudden interaction, turned his head back and smiled, responding in the affirmative.

“And how fast can they go?”

“Well, depends, madam; on a good day, they can get you from the far beach to the manor in less than an hour,” he replied, his voice a low, steady rumble.

Amber’s eyes sparkled, her mouth opened in a gasp.

“How far away is the far beach from the manor?” I chimed in, joining Amber at the partition, peering out of the tiny opening.

“Well, sir, it’d be thrice as fast as one of your human horses,” he said, looking back to stare at the magnificent beasts in front of him with a proud smile.

“That sure is something,” I said, nodding in agreement.

“Oh, mister, we never got your name,” said Amber.

The driver turned around, his mouth slightly agape, and his eyebrows wrinkled together, as if completely perplexed by such a simple question. It clearly wasn't a normal interaction for him.

“Well, the name’s Jaeger, madam,” he said, tipping his pointed cap ever-so-slightly.

Both Amber and I exchanged our names with Jaeger and gave him a wave as we made our way back to our seats, looking out through the windows, passing through the town both I and Amber had called home for these last three months. The familiar sight of the thatched roofs and busy market stalls began to shrink in the distance.

“How long do you think we’ll be gone?” Amber finally broke the comfortable silence.

“Well, from what Remus said—”

“No, I know what Remus said. I want to know what you think,” she insisted, turning to face me fully.

I sighed and turned my head towards Amber and just shrugged my shoulders. The uncertainty was a heavy cloak, and I had no answers to offer.

“I’m going to miss Otto,” she said softly, looking back out of the window, her gaze fixed on the receding skyline.

Mika
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