"So we're to take a boat to Pelta Lunata and then hike from there?"

"That's correct." Wilhelm and Lorena both had made their way south toward the coast where the docks were. The cobbled stone beneath their feet gave way to wooden planks, and several ships towered off in the distance on a backdrop of the sea and sky. The sun was already beginning to inch its way toward the horizon, but Wilhelm wasn't worried about losing daylight. "It should take no more than a couple of hours to travel into Pelta Lunata and reach Rosengoth, the port. We rest there overnight, then make way to the Vanathul Ranges in the morning. We should meet with Lady Ikarvoi just after lunchtime if things go smoothly."

"Much faster to travel by sea than by land, eh?" Lorena chuckled, earning a glance of annoyance from Wilhelm. "It'd take days to go through the Gongor ranges. And then we'd have to go past Pelta Lunata as well?"

Wilhelm returned his eyes forward, feeling rather peeved. "Well, both Mirrah and I are short on money at the moment. If we don't find a boat that I can afford, then I'm afraid it's the land we're going to have to take." He had to admit though, he really should've thought their traveling plans more thoroughly. Not that he'd ever say it out loud. He was pretty confident that he could find a cheap enough boat ride there, though. Besides, he could use the ride there to study the horn more closely. Actually, he would've preferred to study it back inside the tavern, but who knows how long it would take. The passenger ships tended to set sail during daylight and they had to find one soon if they hoped to set sail before night fell. It was okay though, he could afford to be patient.

"By the way, boy, I was wondering why you sent away your bodyguard?"

Wilhelm glanced up at Lorena.

She looked back at him. "Aren't you afraid of being mugged?" She grinned. "Why else hire a bodyguard? And to send her away picking up supplies too."

She certainly did ask a lot of questions. "We do need supplies." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a tattered piece of paper. "Besides, I do need a replacement for this map. I think it's outdated. And no, I'm not afraid of being mugged. You have enough weapons on your person to act as my body guard. Plus, you found your way into that room back in the tavern without even alerting us. I'm sure you wouldn't want your guide to be killed before he could even show you the way there, correct?" He glanced back at her.

Lorena laughed. It seemed a little nervous the way Wilhelm saw it. "Don't you think it'd be easier to buy supplies in Rosengoth than here? We could find a boat sooner after all."

"The sooner we buy the supplies, the better. It's better to get them while the stores are in stock." He grinned. "There's no hurry anyway. Last I remembered, the passenger ships depart around 4 o'clock. Enough time for us to decide which boat to take."

"I must say, I'm impressed. You certainly do think of everything."

"Yes, well, I could say the same of you, Miss Setha'elle." She did know exactly what would tempt him. He could've used the money, but there were others ways to come by it. "By the way, I was meaning to ask you, where did you come across this horn?"

Lorena turned her eyes toward him, looking almost surprised. Surprised that he would as such a question? "The horn? Well, I found it, of course."

"Well... How can you be so sure that it's a Watcher's horn?" How can I be sure that what you gave me is a Watcher's horn? Wilhelm thought.

"The story is a long one." She smiled, looking forward. "I found the body of a dead Watcher once, on the shores of Hsarus It was mangled, as if it fell into the ocean and drifted the entire way here. I knew it was a Watcher because of the horns on it's head." She stuck two fingers up beside her head, mimicking horns. "Just like a goat's horns! One of them had already broken, so I just went ahead and took both of them." She grinned, sending shivers down Wilhelm's spine. Lorena laughed. "Don't believe me?"

Wilhelm looked away. He was slightly more disturbed at the image of the thin, tall woman sawing off the horn that was still attached to the body's head. "I'd just as soon believe that you ripped the horns from a young ram. It's alright if you don't want to tell me how you came across them, no need to make up elaborate stories to fool me."

Lorena chuckled. "I assure you, they are the real things. You have my word, for what it's worth. I have my sources, just as you do."

"So then, what did the Watcher look like? I have to assume that you know the appearance of one in order for you to know that it was a Watcher's horn."

Lorena smiled. "I'll tell you about it later. The ticket desk is right there."

Wilhelm turned, spotting the booth, the first in a long line of shops lining the dock, and sighed internally. He had hoped to get some answers out of the woman, but she seemed so quick to avoid his questions. Well, he just had to take her word on it. He'd have enough time later to decide whether or not it was authentic later.

The two spent what must have been two hours getting the fare prices from the different passenger ships anchored there. Most of them were luxury cruises that Wilhelm couldn't hope to afford with what he had on him at the time. Some of the ships' courses didn't go to Pelta Lunata. Hagar and Hsarus seemed to be the more popular tourist attractions. There were one or two ships with cheap fares, but didn't offer rooms or didn't set sail until the next day. There was one, they found out later, though it wasn't a passenger ship, did have extra space and were willing to take passengers. Wilhelm went and spoke with the captain, taking a look into the rooms at the same time.

Apparently, the ship belonged to some lesser noble of Griswold, and was scheduled to take some goods to Pelta Lunata on account of some holiday or family reunion or another. But because there was supposed to be some national holiday in Pelta Lunata in the coming week, the ship, though primarily a merchant's ship, was to act like a passenger ship/ferry to help ease the number of tourists or passengers going to and from Griswold's neighboring kingdom. The rooms, Wilhelm, found out, were better than some of the other rooms in the second-class passenger ships, and weren't too much more expensive. But Wilhelm really could care less; it was a ship, it was going to sail soon, and it had a room.

He negotiated with the captain, getting a single room--they were only going to be on the ship for a couple of hours, no sense in booking more than one room--and chatted a bit about the weather and conditions of the sea while Lorena went off to check their room out. Both of them waited at the docks for Mirrah to arrive.