If one could call it a village.
In her old world, it would've been labeled a small city, maybe even a proper town. But here, only settlements ruled by noble houses earned the title of city. Everything else was just a "village", no matter how many souls walked its streets. Instead, it was ruled by the village head. An odd label, Sam thought—always made her imagine a giant head propped up in the main hall, doling out decrees.
The line to enter had grown by the time they arrived. A steady stream of merchants, commonfolk, adventurers, and hunters trickled in. Sam maneuvered the cart to join the queue, already preparing five copper in her hand to keep the process smooth.
She was drawing attention.
Well, Sunblaze was.
Guess they don't see many Dawnsveil Coursers pulling wagons. Murmurs drifted from those nearby.
"What an amazing beast… so beautiful."
"Is that… golden shimmer? Gods, it's glowing."
"What's a girl doing with a creature like that?"
"Think she'd sell it?"
Great. Here we go.
'Don't worry, Sunny. I won't let anyone take you,' Sam thought silently to her noble beast.
'I'd like to see them try,' came Sunblaze's cool reply, her mane lifting slightly despite the still air, catching the morning light like fire caught in silk.
A courser like Sunblaze was a marvel, rare and radiant. But even more so as a bonded tame. Beast Tamers didn't part with their companions. Not without death involved. Taming wasn't domination—it was respect, affection, trust. It was choosing each other.
Her turn came at last.
"Name and purpose for entry," the guard intoned, not even bothering to hide his boredom as he looked over Sam, her cart, the noble beast harnessed at the front, and the lightning-eyed feline perched beside her.
"Sam Foreman. I'm here to sell and buy a few things, then moving on in the morning," she replied.
He glanced over her again, then pointed lazily at the cart. "Tarp off."
Sam climbed down carefully, mindful not to jostle Iggy, who was curled over the crate incubator at her feet. She flipped the blankets back to reveal what was mostly her travel gear and packed supplies.
"These are mainly my personal effects," she explained. "I'm relocating. The trade goods are on me."
The guard gave a brief nod, motioning that she could cover it again. "Five copper," he said, palm raised.
She dropped the coins into his hand. A nod to the other guard, and the iron bar across the road lifted with a groan of wood and chain.
They were in.
The road inside was smoother, worn cobblestone framed by buildings of mixed craft. Some were shaped from solid stone, others timbered with care, and many were hybrid creations—stone bases with wood-framed upper levels. Mana lanterns lined the street, humming faintly with arcane light, casting soft halos even in the midday sun.
Crossroads bustled with energy. It had the bones of a town and the spirit of a waypoint—people coming and going, deals being struck, and rumors swirling on every corner. It wasn't flashy, but it was alive.
Sam guided the cart to the nearest inn with a stable—The Hearthpost, judging by the worn wooden sign swinging above the door. As she pulled up, a stable boy came running out to meet her, eyes going wide the moment he saw Sunblaze.
"Wha… what is she?" he breathed, staring open-mouthed.
Smiling, Sam handed him a few copper. "A Dawnsveil Courser. Take good care of her."
The boy nodded dumbly, still staring.
Sam turned to her companions. "Tempy, keep an eye on the cart. I'll just be a few minutes. Iggy… you… just keep napping."
Iggy twitched one ear but didn't move, tucked warmly atop the crate, radiating gentle heat like a living hearthstone.
Sam made her way inside the inn. Like most, the ground floor was similar to a pub, tables scattered about, and across the back wall was a bar and a door leading to, most likely, the kitchen. To the right was a stairway to the rooms on the upper floors.
To the left was a fireplace that made the room a little stuffy. She walked up to the bar that had a large bearded man filling tankards of ale.
"Welcome to the Gatehouse Inn Miss, how can't I help you?" The man said, looking at her for a second, then continuing his job.
"I was wondering if you had a room for one for the night available?" she asked.
"20 copper if you don't mind sharin', 50 if ya do," he said, turning to face her. Looking her up and down, "course, it'd be a room shared with other women."
"Private, if you don't mind." She said taking out a silver coin "Does that cover a meal too? I also need to stable my horse and cart," she said, sliding the coin across. "No change needed if my cart leaves as full as it came," she said with a wink. God, she hoped her charisma would help her out.
The man smiled, "Never fear Miss, we wouldn't have the reputation we did if people were robbed in our establishment. Besides we're close to the guards' barracks, it'd have to be something mighty temptin' to make someone try."
"Clearly you didn't see my horse…even the people in line to get in were wondering how much it would cost to take her off my hands." She said, scrunching up her nose.
"I'll be sure to tell the boys to keep an extra eye out," He said, handing her a key. " Top of the stairs, second door on the right. Even has a window that looks over the stables…though you might want to keep it closed." He said with a wink.
Sam smiled and pocketed the key.
"Thank you. I'll be back later, you wouldn't happen to know if I need permission or anything to sell in the market, do you?" She asked
"Can't say that I do, but there is a commerce building near the entrance for the market, best bet is to go there first." The man said, turning back to a customer to take their order.
"Thanks," Sam replies, turning and making her way out the door. She made her way back to the stable to see a group of stable boys clustered around Sunblaze, petting and feeling her carrots. Sam smiled to herself.
"Thank you for taking such good care of her boys," she said, climbing back on the cart.
"No problem at all, Miss, she's a mighty fine horse. Made sure to keep anyone away. That cat of yours did too." He said, smiling at Tempy, and kept his distance.
Sam looked at Tempy, who looked suspiciously proud. "What did you do?" She asked.
'Sneaky man tries to look in the cart. Tempy pounce, man yell and run' she said, indeed proud of herself. Sam just shook her head. Well I suppose she did her job. She gave a pat on her head
"Good girl," she said, turning to the boys again. "I'll be back later tonight. I'd appreciate it if you took good care of her again."
"Sure thing Miss," they said, still staring at the horse.
'Alright Sunny, let's leave your fawning fan group, we have some goods to sell.' she said in her head to her horse.
'The small one knows where to scratch the best spots' was all she said.
They made their way down the cobbled streets, weaving through the early bustle of Crossroads. Sam followed the slow tide of shoppers and hopeful merchants—ladies with empty baskets, men pushing handcarts piled with bundled herbs, carved wood, and rough-forged tools. The scent of bread, old leather, and morning dew lingered in the air.
At the entrance to the market district stood a tidy two-storey structure, a little fancier than the buildings around it. Columns of smooth stone framed the entry, carved with subtle mana-channel grooves that glimmered faintly in the sunlight.
A copper plaque above the doorway read "Crossroads Chamber of Commerce", the lettering crisp and proud. The tall, arched windows gleamed—crystal-clear glass framed in wrought iron, a sign of wealth and care.
Sam pulled her cart to the side of the street and gave a short whistle. Tempy perked up immediately, tail twitching, and leapt down to perch atop the cart. Iggy, still dozing on the crate, didn't stir. Sunblaze gave a soft snort but remained calm. Trust ran deep.
"Watch the cart," she murmured, and stepped through the heavy wooden doors.
Inside, the air was cooler, tinged with ink, parchment, and polish. It reminded her of a bank from her old world, or maybe a government office.
Polished stone tiles lined the floor beneath thick rugs, and the walls were a clean cream shade with wooden beams and mana-lit sconces providing warm, steady light.
A row of reception desks stretched across the far wall, each manned by a clerk in tidy uniform. People queued up in slow-moving lines, clutching forms or coins or both. The atmosphere was hushed but busy—the quiet, orderly chaos of bureaucracy.
When it was finally her turn, Sam stepped forward. The woman behind the desk gave her a professional, tight-lipped smile—the kind honed by years of repetition and long hours.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"I hope so," Sam said. "I'm in town just for the day, and I was wondering if I needed some kind of permission to get a spot in the market to sell my goods."
"Temporary seller?" the woman asked, already reaching for a drawer of paperwork.
"Yes, just a few items I crafted. Figured a booth or table would be better than walking around shouting about it. Not really sure how this all works," she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck.
That earned her a real smile—small, but genuine.
"No need to worry. Most just set up wherever they can wedge themselves in. It gets chaotic. We appreciate someone trying to bring a bit of order to the madness." She slid a parchment across the desk.
"This will register you for a temporary vendor's license and assign you a space. You can sell off the back of your cart or a table if you have one. Signage and furniture are your responsibility. The cost is seventy-five copper for a 24-hour permit." Sam took the form and filled it out quickly while the woman continued.
"The market runs all night. Once the sun sets, the mana-lamps kick in—plenty bright, no need for extra lighting unless you want the ambiance. Just make sure your area is clean when you leave. No litter, no leftover inventory clogging the walkway."
Sam signed the bottom and handed it back with the coins.
"Great, thanks so much."
The woman nodded and handed over a folded map, marking her designated area with a quill that glowed faintly blue.
"You're set. This'll take you right there. Good luck out there—crafters do well, especially if your work stands out."
Sam tucked the map away, gave a grateful nod, and stepped back out into the rising hum of market day.
Outside her cart was just as she left it. The people walking by stared at Sunblaze, some bumping into others. It made Sam chuckle. She walked up to her horse and patted her neck.
"Was everything alright while I was inside?" She said scratching behind Sunny's ear.
'Yes, Tempest only had to shock one person trying to sneak a peek. Humans are very nosey.' She replied
"Yes, yes we are. Hopefully they learned their lesson. Though I doubt it." Sam laughed getting back on to the cart. "Ok Sunny," Sam said, taking out the map the woman gave her. "Continue through the entrance to the market and turn right. Our stall slot should be halfway down before it starts to curve around. There's a lane way behind them you can take."
The market place was located in a huge open plaza. There was an alleyway along the perimeter that allowed for two way cart traffic. Permanent stalls were located in the middle, six dozen stalls divided into two sections.
Each section had three dozen stalls, further divided into three double rows of six. Those sections were separated by a double row of eight stalls in the middle.
Temporary stalls were located along the edge, twenty four stalls interrupted by the four entrances at the north, south east and west sides of the plaza.
Sam's stall slot was halfway down the right side from the south entrance according to the map. The alleyway was a tight squeeze but they made it to their spot. She had Sunblaze position the cart along the back of the opening. Parallel parking a horse and cart was not fun.
Thankfully this horse could be stored away. She hopped off the cart and undid the harness on Sunblaze and sent her to the beast space. She could relax there after their long trip. Thankfully the boys at the inn spoiled her with snacks so she could hold out until they got back.