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Count Liam Wilhelmina, now Duke of the Dairy Isles, he supposed, was enjoying for once, a moment of solitude. He’d been years since he moved to the Isles of Lacramor and married his sweet Primsy, yet the mountains of his childhood always called to him. So he’d packed up his old gears, kissed his wife on her bottle forehead and left for the Great Stone Candy Mountains. They were bigger these days, after his wish for Candia to grow so much, richer in life and magical beasts.
Strangely though, he’d been following a track of footsteps for days now. He was supposed to be alone, high up here. He vaguely remembered the area, his last time here had been the birth of Saccharina’s dragons and he vaguely remembered a conversation about the temple being sealed off, so it made no sense for someone to traverse these frigid mountains unless they had a goal in mind, and Liam was nothing if not a curious man.
Hefting his old crossbow under his shoulder he pushed forward, cold ice cream wind whipping his rosy cheeks, his nose already feeling cold and hard. The steps were of a man, he could confirm this, and seemed armoured, with a slight limp in the right leg. His hunt brought him on the steps of the Ice Cream Temple, where a man stood, a hood drawn over his features.
“What are you doing here?” Liam called out over the wind, hefting his crossbow up and pointing it at the man. “Are you with the queen?” He continued, taking a guess. The man’s hand went to his hilt in instant, unsheathing it with a noise. The blade was clearly made of some sort of cheese steel, from what Liam gathered and the man turned to him. Under the hood, a poached marked face, sunken eyes and a slightly greying and greasy mop of hair. The man had a slight mustache, which curved at the end. For a tense moment, Liam feared the man would attack him. But he simply shrugged and retorted “No, I work for no queen”. His voice was strange, like Liam had heard it somewhere else. “I’m here because I heard reports of the Sanctis Putris operating in these parts” The man turned quickly, pointing his sword to the door.
Liam shook his head “No, the Queen caved in the Temple after we defeated the Sugar Plum Fairy” He informed the man “I heard there were plans to rebuild it though, maybe you should stick around”. The dairy-man simply gave a short laugh and shook his head in return “No, I think I’ll move on, got more work to do” he said, a bit curt. Suddenly Liam cut in “What’s your name?” He asked the man, more out of curiosity “And also, I love your sword” he continued, remembering an old lesson about meeting new people. The man gave a dry laugh “My name’s not important, but you can call me Provolone. And thanks, it’s just a sword”, the now named Provolone shrugged and hefted his bag on his shoulder. “What’s your name?” He asked Liam. “Liam” the candy man answered, lowering his crossbow as Provolone sheathed his sword. “Well Liam, if you hear about the Sanctis Putris, send me words. I live in Comida most of the year, except when on the hunt, I guess” Provolone said with a shrug, and then curtly turned and walked back down the steps, lower into the mountains. Not bothering with another word.
Liam was suddenly struck by how much the man reminded him of Cumulus, in some ways, and also Lapin. He missed the old rabbit and thinking of Lapin always reminded him of Preston. Dammit now he was crying. Anyways, seeds had to be found, and strange encounters notwithstanding, his trip was still going on and he was getting a bit cold. He’d need to find a place to camp soon enough.