Simon hurried to his room, left all his stuff behind, and rushed back down again towards the stables.
He couldn't believe that he's reunited with his Hero and savior!
He couldn't wait to ask him to teach him more about swordsmanship, after all, didn't he instruct him how to deal with the assassins yesterday?
For sure, Sir Will will be staying with him this time, he was even secretly watching over him from the shadows!
"I'm back!" he gasped, trying to catch his breath as he appeared besidetheir damaged wagon.
"Took you long enough..." June grumbled at him.
Simon looked around the place.
"Where's Sir Will?" he asked.
"Gone."
"What?"
"He just left. He said to take care and be a good hero in the capital and to watch out for your brother Crown Prince Juno. Oh, and you have to assist me as well!" she added with a smirk.
"But... we were going to the market together..." Simon looked disappointed.
June frowned at the younger lad.
"Look, he said your brother was starting to get suspicious, and something about them trying to 'get rid' of you. Have you got any idea what he meant?"
"Why would my brother be suspicious?" Simon asked back. "Of what? And who's getting rid of whom?"
"Well, now that we're on the topic, do you really think what your brother said about those bandits posing as your family's knights make sense?" June asked him. "I mean, I know that our kingdom isn't that big and grand, but how stupid could your knights be, if they never realized that the people with them are bandits in disguise?"
"Well..." Simon paused to think. "You do have a point there... But what would my brother have to do with that?"
"Aren't they your brother's knights?"
"Yes, but perhaps they were new recruits?" Simon pointed out with a smile. "Besides, why would Brother Juno want to ambush himself?"
"Ugh... Simon... think for a minute," said June with a grunt. "Your brother didn't ambush himself. Did those bandits in disguise ever target your brother's carriage?"
"Well... no, but, we were much closer to the back, so maybe they attacked us first! Remember how my brother came to our aid later on?"
"Simon, I was watching from the carriage. I saw how they watched you defeat those knights by yourself before they decided to call your attention," June told him. "In fact, I was tempted to shout at them and tell them to help you out!"
"Well..." Simon's brows knitted as he thought of an excuse. "Ah, then, perhaps they knew that I could easily win against those bandits since I was the hero who defeated the behemoth. Maybe they wanted to see how well I could fight?" He grinned at June awkwardly.
"Really, Prince Simon?!" June crossed her arms over her chest in irritation. "Pardon me for being frank, your highness," she continued, "but Sir Will was right, you really are an idiot!"
"Wha– ?"
"You are a hopelessly gullible and ignorant child. I don't know if you're just naive or simply stupid!" she went on, not giving Simon a chance to speak. "It's a good thing that I am traveling with you!" she added. "Be thankful that Sir Will asked me to look after you until we reach the capital! If not, I bet you wouldn't last a night in this inn with the company you're with!" she harrumphed. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I-I guess..."
"Then what do you say?"
"T-thank you?" Simon said cautiously.
"You're welcome! Now, hurry up and lead me to the inn so I can check myself in!" June harrumphed. "After that, we're going to town to get you ready for the rest of our journey."
...
June paid for her room in gold.
It was a good thing that the room next to Simon's was available. Good, too, that crown prince Juno has locked himself in his room with his attendant Rode.
No one noticed when the two went down and left the inn to visit the marketplace. They headed towards the town center, looking at the shops along the way. They passed by a bakery, a shoemaker's store, a tavern, and a general store, where June bought several things which she all placed in a curious pouch tied to her belt.
Later, they passed by an armory next to a blacksmith's shop where June pulled Simon inside.
"Are you going to buy a weapon as well?" he asked Lady June.
"Not for me, but for you. You need something to defend yourself with!"
"Are you still thinking that my brother means to harm me?" he asked June with a frown.
"Yes, but this is to protect yourself in general."
"Can I help you?" a hairy man with a bare chest shaped like a barrel greeted them as they stepped inside the sweltering shop.
"I would like to buy a weapon for my friend," said June.
"And what kind of weapon would you like to use?" asked the blacksmith.
"Actually, I already have a weapon," Simon replied, "it's a bastard sword."
"You need something small and handy like a knife," June told him.
"Well, we have a variety of knives here, but if bastard swords are your forte, then I might interest you with a new one."
The blacksmith went to a rack of weapons by the wall and took a knife and a sword back to where the two stood.
"Here's one of our finest knifes," he said, handing Simon one with a serrated blade. "And this here's a bastard sword I just forged last week."
"Huh?" Simon stared at the sword the blacksmith held out to him with one hand. It was about as long as his leg. "Isn't that just a one handed sword?"
"Well, basically, it's a hand and a half," June knowingly pointed out. "You use a bastard sword with one hand, with some aid with the other, since it's almost as long and heavy as a two handed sword. That's why it's called a bastard, because it's bastardized between a one-hand and a two handed weapon."
"But..." Simon frowned. "It's too small for a bastard sword!"
He looked at the other racks around the room and went to a corner were several large weapons were placed. He picked one up with one hand and brandished it in front of him.
"Now, this looks more like a bastard sword!" he told June with a grin.
"That is a claymore, young master," the blacksmith told him with a small laugh.
"Huh?" Simon frowned at him some more.
"That's too big to be a bastard sword, Simon, that's called a claymore or literally, 'a great, two-handed sword' used to deploy a large melee range of attack."
"Your tutor is correct," nodded the blacksmith in agreement.
"I'm not his tutor, though," replied June.
"But my bastard sword is about this big!" Simon insisted, lifting up the large claymore.
"Then I suggest you buy something smaller to defend yourself," said June, ending the argument. "It's not like you can drag something that big everywhere you go!"
"A good idea," the blacksmith agreed, "you should listen to your friend."
"So, what do you plan to buy?" she asked her companion.
"Umm... I guess I could buy this small bastard sword..."
"How much is this sword worth?" June faced the blacksmith.
"Just 28 silvers, my lady," he replied, rubbing his hands together.
"Twenty-eight silvers?" June raised her brows as she looked the sword over. "The iron is not of the best quality, this is more of a practice sword than a regular weapon, I bet it wont last long in actual battle, don't you have anything better?"
"Ah, I see you got a good eye for weapons!" the blacksmith grinned at her. "Step this way, my best work are in my inner workshop!"
The two left the forge later with Simon carrying a regular bastard sword on his hip.
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Go to Part 66
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