Across The Pond

It was mid morning, the sun already making it's daily climb into the sky, and Ra'Zahmirr was making his way back to the inn where he had left his merchandise. Hopefully that inn keeper, Khanja, kept that unicorn safe, for his sake.

As he entered the inn he noticed the unicorn already awake, sitting in the corner holding what seemed to be a book. Many questions raced through Ra'Zahmirr's mind, the thing was literate, how is it holding a book without fingers, and why is no one else shocked at such a site. But Ra'Zahmirr was just happy that the mare didn't make a habit of sleeping in. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with the belly aching from the client about lazy merchandise. Such complaints often warrant a want for at least partial money back and that was something he wouldn't want to explain to his Lord.

Twilight looked up from behind a copy of Brief History of the Empire, Book II and said "Good morning Ra'Zahmirr, are we leaving now?"

Ra'Zahmirr laughed slightly to himself, such blind trust was unheard of here and Ra'Zahmirr enjoyed it. If nothing else it would make his job easier.

"Yes purple one, are you prepared to leave?" Ra'Zahmirr asked.

"Yes I am, I just need to give these books back." Twilight somberly said.

"Keep them" Khanja yelled out from across the inn. The inn was mostly quite as the Bards usually come at nightfall to play for drunks. "I don't really need them anyway" Khanja finished with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. It's true she wanted more time with these books but didn't want to take Khanja's only reading material.

"Keep them, you'd find better use for them than I could." Khanja told the young mare, still smiling. Twilight met his smile with one of her own and said "Thank you very much Khanja, for everything." Khanja made a slight bow and said "The pleasure was mine." With that, Twilight and Ra'Zahmirr left the inn.

Just as Ra'Zahmirr was about to ask Twilight if she was hungry her stomach spoke up to answer the unspoken question. Ra'Zahmirr smiled and said "How about we find you something to eat"

"That sounds good" Twilight said, wishing she had grabbed something to eat while still at the inn.

"What would you like?" asked Ra'Zahmirr. "We have a variety of food here in Elsweyr" Ra'Zahmirr  continued, gesturing to every direction with his arms.

"Would one of these foods be hay?" asked Twilight

"Hay?" Ra'Zahmirr asked. It was an interesting request, one he felt he should have seen coming. "Sure follow me" Ra'Zahmirr told her as he walked towards the direction of the town stables.

The two walked in silence for about a minute before they reached the stables. "There is hay in here" Ra'Zahmirr  said as he opened the gate for Twilight.

"Thank you Ra'Zahmirr" Said the lavender unicorn with a smile.

"I'll be back soon with a wagon for our journey." Ra'Zahmirr said as he walked away.

Twilight looked around inside the gate, she noticed a large earth pony, maybe the size of Celestia herself. Twilight trotted up and took a mouthful of hay. This was certainly a different taste but not one so terrible she couldn't stomach it. As she finished her first bite she decided to try to strike up conversation with this large pony. "So, this hay has an interesting taste." Twilight said, the hay the only thing she could think of.

The large pony turned it's head and stared at Twilight. "Of course it still is very good" Twilight quickly said, worried she had offended the stranger somehow. She took another bite of the hay and smiled to show the stranger she liked it. The large earth pony just stared.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle" Twilight said, extending a hoof. Twilight dropped it after a moment when she realized this pony wanted nothing to do with her. She frowned and continued to eat in silence.

Another few minutes passed and Twilight began to grow bored. She would have tried talking to the earth pony again but knew the result would be the same. Twilight sighed.

"Twilight Sparkle?" asked a familiar voice

Twilight turned as she said "hello Vallius"

"What are you doing hear, why aren't you eating at the inn?" Vallius asked.

"I forgot to" Twilight said with a smile. "I thought you left at dawn to start your trip back up north?" she asked.

"That was the plan, but when i got here i found my wagon and two horses were stolen." Vallius said, a mixture of anger and frustration in his voice.

"Well someone is taking me to the north, I don't know how far but I don't think he'd mind the extra company" Twilight offered

"Perhaps, where is this friend of your anyway?" asked Vallius.

"He should be back soon" said Twilight.

"So do you know exactly where you are going" asked Vallius

"Someplace called Riverhold, I asked Khanja earlier this morning and he said it was north. Is it near where you're going" asked Twilight.

"No it isn't" said Vallius, "but I am going to pass it on my way to the Imperial City"

As Vallius said this Ra'Zahmirr rode up on a two horse wagon that was being pulled by only one. "Whose your friend purple one?" asked Ra'Zahmirr, eyeing Vallius suspiciously.

"Oh this is Vallius, we met last night at the inn" Twilight said.

"My wagon was stolen and i'll be passing Riverhold on my way to the Imperial City. I would be grateful if you would allow me to travel with you to River City" Vallius asked. "I could offer my services as a guard until then, these roads can be dangerous" Vallius added, hoping it would be enough to convince this stranger to help him out of the trouble he was in.

"Sure, why not" Ra'Zahmirr said with a shrug as he got down from the wagon and went to open the gate. Twilight exited the gate and Ra'Zahmirr guided the large earth pony who Twilight had tried to befriend from the gate. Twilight watched as Ra'Zahmirr strapped the pony into the open spot on the wagon.

"Any particular reason you keep staring at that horse?" Vallius asked Twilight.

"I don't think he likes me very much" Twilight glumly told Vallius.

"And how do you figure this" asked Vallius.

"Well when I tried to talk to him, he just stared at me" Twilight said, her eyes still on the earth pony.

Vallius chuckled and said "I wouldn't worry about it too much."

"Are you two coming?" asked Ra'Zahmirr as he climbed on the wagon.

"Come on, lets not keep our gracious host waiting" said Vallius.

"Alright" Twilight said, her head lowered as she passed the large stallion who had ignored her.

"So what do you do Ra'Zahmirr?" asked Vallius. They had traveled for half an hour without much more than the occasional question from Twilight about specifics in the Empire. For the most part she hasn't torn her eyes away from the books she had gotten from Khanja and Vallius was anxious to break the silence.

"I fish" said Ra'Zahmirr flatly.

Vallius chuckled. "What's so funny?" Ra'Zahmirr asked.

"Kitty likes the fishes huh?" Vallius said, barely containing his laughter.

"You know it's not to late for me to throw you out of the wagon stranger" spat Ra'Zahmirr.

"Don't get your whiskers in a bunch, I was only joking" said Vallius. His temporary travailing companion apparently had no sense of humor.

A few moments passed and Ra'Zahmirr asked "And yourself? Or is the empire all you know?"

"I like to spend my free time at a forge, helps clear my mind" said Vallius, once the laughter had subsided.

"Is that what you do for the empire Vallius? Make weapons?" asked Ra'Zahmirr, not really interested but trying to be polite, it's not like he had to put up with Vallius for long.

"No actually, I am reconnaissance" Vallius told Ra'Zahmirr. "But i'm afraid that's all I can say on the subject."

There was another awkward silence. One that was broken by Twilight "So how long of a trip is it?

"We should be there in a few days" said Ra'Zahmirr.

"Are you sure there is someone in that city that can help me?" asked Twilight.

"I know a friend who is very anxious to meet you, one who, i'm sure, has already planned out what he's going to do." Ra'Zahmirr told her.

"And if that doesn't work feel free to come up to the Imperial City, the Arcane University is full of magical scholars who could help" Vallius added.

Ra'Zahmirr just stared at Vallius, who was no longer paying any attention to the Khajiit. "That won't be necessary, I know my friend will be able to assist us, thank you" Ra'Zahmirr said through grit teeth.

"If you say so" was Vallius' response.