The street narrowed slightly as Riven moved deeper into the market district, the usual open flow of people tightening into a slow, crowded stream. The midday sun hung high, warming the stone beneath his feet and drawing sharper scents from every corner—fresh fruit, oiled leather, metal, and dust.
He shifted the sack on his shoulder, adjusting the weight as he walked.
After some time walking he reached an inn and entered. At the counter was a girl about his age. She was short with a petite frame, dark auburn hair and hazel eyes. She looked up as he entered the inn smiling visibly as their eyes meet.
"Hey Riven" she said.
"Hey Mira" he replied, "Vegetable delivery from Mr Toma."
"Sure, you can take it out back to my dad, you'll find him in the storage room."
"Thanks, I'll be right back."
As he went past the counter into the dinning area of the inn, he was hit by the smell of lunch being prepared for the few staying at the inn. They were mostly adventurers staying in Ellmere looking for work or simply people passing through to head to either the royal capital or the surrounding towns.
He walked past the people chatting with one another usually exchanging greetings with them and headed for the kitchen.
In the kitchen he met Mira's mother, a woman with the same auburn hair and hazel eyes as her daughter and a surprisingly youthful look for someone of her age. She looked up from the food she was preparing to talk to him
"Hello there Riven" she said, with the same enthusiasm as her daughter. "Is that the delivery from Toma?"
"Yeah" he replied, " a delivery of very heavy vegetables from the other side of town." He said complainingly.
She chuckled, "I'm sorry you had to walk all the way from the other side of town to deliver the vegetables to me."
"Well you should be, you're injuring my delicate bones." He pouted.
He had always gotten along with her since he was young and even sometimes thought of her as a second mother.
"Well if you're done pouting why don't you take the vegetables to the storage room before you injure your "delicate bones" even further." She told him as she started chopping more vegetables to add to her stew.
Riven walked passed her towards the storage room but not before exaggerating the weight of the sack he slung on his shoulders groaning loudly, which left her laughing.
He entered the room to find Mira's father, Leon arranging the different crates and sacks in order. He was a tall man with a big frame and scars on his body, though fading now due to time.
He looked at Riven immediately he entered the room and gestured for him to go to where he was arranging the crates.
"Is that the delivery from Toma?" He asked while still arranging everything.
"Yeah sir." Riven replied with a hint of respect in his voice.
"Put it next to the other sacks on the left." He said without looking up.
Riven did as he was told. He had always acted stiff around him, not because of fear but because of admiration. It was a known fact in the town that he was a adventurer back in his youth. A very strong and famous one at that, so Riven had always respected him since he was a child.
"Well I don't want to keep you here longer than you should be, i know you're probably on your last straw with Toma so you should probably get going." He said while stretching as he got up.
"I doubt he'll fire me for being late just a couple of times." Riven said scratching the back of his neck shyly.
He looked at Riven almost surprised,"you've been working there two weeks and you're late almost everyday, even a guy like Toma has to get tired of it at some point."
"I guess so, but I make up for it with quick deliveries that has to count for something." He replied.
"You're deliveries are anything but fast and if they are they're usually damaged, but before we get to into this, get back to the restaurant before you upset Toma again." Leon said plainly.
"Yes sir." He replied slightly less enthusiastically as he left the storage room.
As he passed through the kitchen he said goodbye to Riah and headed towards the reception area. When he got there he was about to talk to Mira but remembered he was already running late. Mira seeing this simply smiled and said
"So you're finally taking your job seriously, that's nice to see for once."
Riven looked flabbergasted and said " does everyone think I'm irresponsible and can't keep a job."
Mira simply remained smiling, " well you usually quit your job after a short period of time and it you don't quit,you're fired for constantly being late to don't blame anyone but yourself." She said.
"I'm too tired to continue this conversation, I'll come by to talk when I'm free." He said while walking towards the doors.
"Sure,but I know you'll probably be fired by tomorrow with those sleeping habits of yours." She said playfully as he walked out.
Riven simply ignored her as he was already mentally drained from everyone questioning his job keeping skills.
As he stepped back into the street it was even more crowded than before. But as he walked back he noticed a commotion in the path ahead and went to take a look. He saw that a cart had broken down and some men where trying to fix it, but the horse pulling the cart was acting up, shaking the cart because it was agitated, so they couldn't properly fix it.
When Riven noticed that it was the wheel of the cart that was dislodged, he understood that the horse was agitated due to the sudden weight pulling it down, but the people around didn't seem to notice. He contemplated on whether to help or not with his time run out already, but in the end decided to help.
He stepped through the crowd towards the cart and as soon as he reached it, he went to the horse and started stroking it's neck to calm it down
"There, there, it's alright now." He said as he calmed it down.
The people who watched were surprised by his sudden action but not surprised by the horse finally calming down.
It was a known fact around the town that animals always seemed to calm down around him for whatever reason. Dogs and cats would follow him home simply because he crossed their path and birds where always nearby when he was around. At first people wondered why but in the end simply decided it was a blessing by the gods.
"He's not going to stay still forever," he said to the men who where fixing the wheel, now looking at him. "I'd advise you to put the wheel back in right now while his still calm."
The men didn't waste any more time and quickly put the wheel back in it's place and stabilized the cart. Riven gave the horse a few more strokes and left it alone.
The owner of the cart quickly came to thank Riven for his help with the horse and offered to give him some goods as compensation but he politely declined saying it was what anyone would do.
He then left the now dispersing crowd and continued on his way back to the restaurant
He soon found himself at the familiar street leading to the restaurant and sighed as he braced for the scolding that was to come for his late coming.