I find Ben waiting by the carriage at the base of the hill. True to form, he stands silently, his presence as solid and stoic as ever. I tap him on the shoulder, catching his attention.
"Hey buddy, make sure to check on him periodically, okay? And keep an eye on Mona too," I instruct. He responds with a grunt, which, in Ben's language, means an affirmative.
With that settled, I climb into the carriage and spot Roman, already seated inside. As I enter, he wrinkles his nose. "You reek of pheromones—definitely not the usual kind. These are distinctly... the sex ones."
"Well, that's the price of being a newlywed," I say, closing my eyes and bracing myself for the long ride ahead. The exhaustion of the journey already feels palpable.
*
Later, as the horses drink from a nearby stream, I engage in a sparring session with Roman. At first, my moves are a bit off; it takes me a few moments to find my rhythm. But soon enough, my battlefield instincts kick in, and I'm back to my usual self.
