"Was your stay satisfying?" asked the clerk.
"Mhm," Miyanna nodded, clearly pleased with both the new weapon at her side and the events of the previous night. "It was."
It was noon by the time the five got ready to leave.
After the festivities of last night and the fun they had after, one could guess they had to recover some of that lost sleep.
But they knew postponing their leave for too long would create more issues.
While this first stop of theirs in Isai was a good distraction, a deception, enough for them to take their mind off all the issues they had going on, it was only a matter of time until those too caught up with them.
Deception is a temporary solution to reality's issues.
And only those who do not have anything to lose can afford to stay in that self-made darkness, that is deception, for a longer period of time.
Blanc, however, had many things to lose, especially now, more than ever.
One could call his choice to marry Celine and Miyanna at this time unwise.
But none could blame him for wishing for distractions.
For wishing for some good through all the bad.
Only he knows the nightmares he wakes up from every time he sleeps.
Only he sees the faces of the dead or hears his family calling for him, unable to do anything.
"I'm happy to hear that. We thank you for your patronage, and until we meet again," said the young lady as she, after staring at Miyanna's ring, took the key from her hand.
"Good day," said Miyanna as the five turned on their heels and went out the door.
"We had luck," muttered Blanc as they began walking, "None recognised us, or questioned us."
"Yes, and once we are out of the Domain, half our worries are gone," Celine replied.
"What is the other half?" Kael asked.
"The road ahead and how to get stronger during that time," Blanc explained, "We need to decide on how to proceed once we pass into the next Domain."
Kael was not satisfied with only that answer, as another question rose until it was on his lips, "Will it be difficult to enter the next Domain?" he asked.
"It might be," nodded Celine, "After all, this Domain had just been at war, so they most likely increased their security at the access points."
"Don't worry," said Miyanna, "There are many points that are not guarded in many Domains, or guards that, for the right amount, turn blind for the right amount of time. That's how we walked an army inside after all."
"That just means those points were and may still be controlled by the enemy," Blanc sighed, "We enter through the normal access points, a few pieces of silver and a good lie will get us through without as much as a second thought."
"Will it be that easy, brother?" asked Lune.
"Little Flower, you two might not yet be accustomed to man's greed." Blanc chuckled at her and Kael's innocence.
As they talked further away from Isai and the inn, Blanc was playing with something that stood proudly on his left-hand ring finger.
One of the two gifts from his wives.
A silver wedding band with four sockets in the shape of a cross, in which two of them each had a beautiful gem inside.
The right one had a wonderful blue sapphire inside it. Celine's eye color.
In the left one, stood a beautiful orange topaz. Miyanna's eye color.
Though Blanc was always reminded of bronze when he watched her eyes, topaz was a good representation, too.
The ring had within it the symbol of his wives.
A most wonderful gift that, after he received it from the two, he could not help to shed a tear before postponing the gift giving by yet another hour or so.
Every time he looked at it, there was a smile on his face, and that made his wives happy as they watched him.
Though when he asked about the two empty sockets, all Celine said was that it was 'Just in case'.
When he questioned what that 'just in case' meant, no answer came from Celine.
So, he had to let go of that question in the meantime.
And even though Blanc's steps were mostly silent, even when he did not focus on it, there was now a constant metal clang as he walked.
Though an issue if they were in a situation where they needed to move unnoticed, today was not such a day, so, in appreciation of this second gift he received, he decided to wear it either way.
The second gift he received from his wives was a large, heavy neck chain made entirely of silver.
He could guess who chose this gift only by seeing it, and it made him chuckle, seeing how hard she tried to understand the Noble Blood's culture, so, of course, he loved the gift.
Though hidden behind the cloaks they bought the day prior, the sound was loud and clear, yet instead of being annoying to him, he found the constant clanging of metal a wonderful melody for his charmed ears.
But an hour of walking later, at a pace that would rather resemble a relaxed stroll than running towards their ally, they managed to get to one of the entrances to the next Domain.
It was a fort that stood on the other side of a river, and to get to it, one would have to pass a large wooden bridge that usually had guards from both Domains protecting their parts of the bridge.
However, now there only stood guards on the fort's side.
No Wardens on the part of Blood Denegis' Domain.
He could only sigh at the random grief that he gave himself by thinking about it.
Still, they kept on going.
And, as expected, as they crossed the empty bridge, with no other people attempting to leave besides them, one of the guards began speaking.
"Halt," he said.
And the five did as they were told, as they stopped about twenty feet away from the two guards.
"Good day," said Blanc, removing the hood of his cape.
"Leave the good days for actual good days," said the other guard, a female one, it seemed from her voice. "What do you want?"
"What else?" Blanc began, "To leave this Domain."
With a wave of his hand, Blanc told the other four to remove their own hoods.
Which they did the next moment.
"As you can see, we are running from war. Children do not need to witness such a sight," Blanc continued.
"Say, say," muttered the woman guard as she tapped the bridge with her spear, "But still that does not change that you cannot pass into the Domain of Blood Certa."
"Oh? Why not?" asked Blanc.
The woman guard shrugged her shoulders, "Noble Blood's orders."
"Marja, enough," hissed the other guard at his colleague.
"Oh, calm down, Laupa, what do you think commoners running from war can do with that piece of information?" groaned the woman.
"Why risk it?" asked the man.
"I wonder why your mother did not ask that same question before giving birth to you," Marja sighed, before turning towards the five, "Either way, you are not allowed to enter."
"Can't we do something about that?" Blanc asked.
"You dog!" yelled Laupa, "Are you trying to bribe your way inside the Domain? Do you wish to hang that badly?"
A heavy slap from Merja's gauntlet made the helmet the man wore fall to the ground with a heavy thud and roll off the bridge into the river.
"You bitch!" Laupa cursed as he watched his helmet sink deeper and deeper.
"Deserved. When did the man say anything about any bribe, hm? Always acting so righteous as if you haven't been able to take a shit in days. Calm down and hear the poor fellows out," Merja replied.
"A woman of reason," Blanc nodded as he threw a coin towards the two, "Though I did not mention a bribe, that was indeed what I meant."
The woman caught the silver coin as she looked over it to see its authenticity.
After confirming it, she threw it at her colleague, "For the helmet."
"Did I just get bribed?" Laupa muttered.
"No, I paid you back for the helmet, now, can you please shut up?" Merja replied before turning towards the five, "Three silver coins a person."
"Merja, what do you think you are-" Laupa began with his antics again before another slap over his cheek sent him to the ground.
"Speak again, and I'll throw you in the river myself. Remain silent, and I'll consider giving you some of the coin, hm?" Merja replied as she loomed over the fallen man.
"Bitch," whispered the man as he was holding his jaw with his hand.
"Good boy," smiled Merja before turning towards the five, "Now where were we… Ah, yes! Four silver coins for a person."
"Wasn't it three a moment ago?" Blanc asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Sorry, handsome, but you see, this colleague of mine got on my nerves, so unless I drink enough ale to put me to sleep, I might just kill the fucker and send his mother a congratulatory letter," Merja explained.
"Fair enough," Blanc nodded, "So two gold coins for the five of us, and we can pass, correct?" Blanc asked to confirm.
"Exactly," she grinned, barely visible through her helmet, "Though you will have to walk around the fort, as you are not allowed to enter."
"Not an issue," said Blanc as they began walking towards her, passing over the fallen guard.
Since Blanc had prepared some coins earlier, in advance, he took two gold coins out and placed them in her hand.
"A pleasure," said the woman as she checked the coins, "Welcome to the Domain of Noble Blood Certa."
"A pleasure indeed," Blanc replied as they put their hoods over their faces and began walking away from the guards.