<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/4/4f/Image084.jpg)</div>One of the great things Hanna had discovered about adventuring, few as those things were, was the chance to see new places.  Back home in her village, she'd hardly even imagined that such grand places existed.  Even castles by themselves were incredible, and she'd had the fascinating chance to see those.<br/><br/>Thankfully, her reputation for good deeds often gave her a degree of clemency regarding the strict rules and regulations of some places.  She never felt truly at home so far away from open grass and the salty sea air, but people didn't give her a hard time about carrying weapons or wearing armor.  Back home, there was always a degree of concern when someone came fully armed and armored, even if he didn't mean any harm.<br/><br/>If not for being able to follow the shadow, Hanna would have been quite late, but the bright sun over the Great Spire pointed the way in conjunction with the marble numeral.<br/><br/>Noticing Rufus, she offered him a smile and wave, settling into the cart.  It was so much easier to stay alert and be ready when the area was brand new, at least from her perspective, since she was still focused on staying every detail.  She knew every curve of the safe parts of the coastline by heart, yet she might not have easily noticed if something had been lying in wait there because she wouldn't have been so concentrated in looking.<br/><br/>She just had to get that ring out of her head.  One of the shops had this beautiful golden ring, beset with a pure sapphire.  Even if she'd had the money for it, though, that kind of money would be much better off going to other things.  The best thing to do was just forget about it.<br/><br/>"Hi, Rufus.  What's the road ahead going to be like?"