I’m off to explore the Lime Sink. I will return eventually.

Kane finished writing out his note and before the ink had time to dry, nailed the note to his office desk with a small knife. He leaned back in his chair, tossing an apple in the air as he contemplated his decision to leave on a whim.

“It’s been awhile since my last vacation.” He said to himself before taking a bite from his apple he just caught. “I think the last time was… when I went and spoke to Sylvanus. That’s right.”

Before any second thoughts could creep in, Kane rose from his chair and left his office grabbing his rapier on the way out. Closing the door behind him, he made his way down the hallway and down the stairs to main floor of the Order Garrison. As he went, he could hear several people in the Common Room chatting and laughing. Through it all, he heard the familiar sound of Damian talking away.

“Damian must have everyone enthralled with another one of his stories.” Kane muttered as he turned the corner and headed for the kitchen. “That’s good. I’ll probably be able to get away before anyone notices me.”

The Garrison’s kitchen was not the nicest kitchen Kane had ever cooked in. Not even close, but it was better than nothing when you’re living out in the woods. There was probably enough space for three or four people to move about comfortably and help prepare meals for the members of the Order. There was also an assortment of cooking equipment gathered over the years. Kane could smell the lingering scents of the eggs made that morning.

Luckily, the kitchen was empty. Kane crossed the room to the pantry and quickly began stuffing supplies into a sack that had sat empty in the corner. He grabbed strips of dried meat and fruit, a couple of loaves of bread and one or two wedges of cheese. He didn’t want to take too much because he had more back at his hut or he’d buy whatever else he needed in Canton Village.

As he finished tying the sack closed, he heard someone come into the kitchen. Kane froze, unsure of who it was.

“Oh hey Kane. What are you doing?”, an Irish accent clearly evident.

“Laddy!” Kane said turning around, “I was just getting a snack from the pantry. What are you doing here?”

Laddy eyed the sack in Kane’s hand before responding. “I was just getting a snack too, but you seem to have a lot more than a snack.”

“Yeah, I like to stock my office upstairs so I don’t have to come down as often.” Kane responded with the first thing that came to his head.

“Sure you do.” Laddy replied with obvious skepticism. “But I don’t care. Did you happen to see if there was any of Ja’ika’s deer jerky left?”

Pushing past Kane, Laddy began exploring the pantry but he wouldn’t find any. Kane had the last of it in the bottom of his sack.

“Last I saw it was in the back corner.” Kane shouted as he left Laddy in the kitchen. Turning the corner, Kane headed out the backdoor and into the Courtyard.

A few people were training together, working on drills but the real training session wouldn’t start until after the midday heat had settled. Kane waved his acknowledgement of those training, but pressed forward to the opposite end of the Courtyard.

The Courtyard was walled off by old river stones, piled high into a wall except for in a few places. Some places had been left open as doorways or had fallen over time. At the back of the Courtyard, was one of those collapsed sections the Order had never bothered fixing. Kane didn’t mind. It marked a great shortcut to his home through the woods and it was mostly unused. Within a few minutes, Kane was inside his hut making a more serious effort of packing.

Within a small backpack, he fit the rations along with some fresh fruit he’d harvested from his garden. A flint box and some tinder. He tied on a bedroll and stuffed in a spare cloak he could use as a blanket. He changed from his fighting doublet into some plain clothes and leather jerkin. He grabbed his hat and his traveler’s staff leaning next to the door. As always, he tied his sheathed rapier to the side of his pack with special knots he had learned from his friend, Ohanko, last. They would hold well enough while traveling, but would release easily if pulled on.

Slinging the pack onto his back, Kane smirked to himself at the thought of a new adventure. With the sun high in the sea of blue, Kane set off for the Lime Sink.

Suddenly the door burst back open and Kane rushed in. He grabbed a small bundle of cloth tied together at the corners, with a budding rose on top.

“I almost forgot my gift for Titania.”