The name of the small town the unlikely duo would reach soon was Eastshallow. It was famous for its mead and its highwaymen, so Seonghwa kept his eyes on their surroundings at all times. He ignored Hongjoong as much as he could ignore the gloomy demon with the cruel smirk on his lips.

Piers had told Seonghwa about Eastshallow before. Eastshallow was the chief village of their dukedom and Piers often travelled there for merchant business. It sat nestled between the juncture of Morden River and Lewes River and its population and economy boomed with the number of resources the water supplied. Morden River divided Cardend from the rest of the kingdom. Strictly speaking, Cardend would even be part of Morden Kingdom, but some petty squabbles between the two countries ended in Cardend as a grey zone between the two. The borders to Morden now travelled along the mountains and the sea. Seonghwa's father had always considered Briar Glen to be their capital.

Once they were in Eastshallow, they would best get a map so they wouldn't lose their way. Hongjoong had revealed little about the witch, only that they needed to go west. Since Briar Glen was northwest, it would be a suitable goal to find information.

In the afternoon, Hongjoong and Seonghwa crossed the same river Hongjoong had killed a man in. The forest cleared out to make space for agriculture near the village and after two long days of travel, Seonghwa finally saw people again. They tended to their fields, ploughed their acres, and gathered their harvest in massive baskets. Children jumped around to see who would pluck the most fruit, and friendly neighbours discussed their farming business with each other.

The blue band of the river wound through the fields and parted them from the forest. It nourished both humans and nature with its soothing touch.

The sun cast the warm light of afternoon over the far village of Eastshallow. As the name gave away, it laid flat in the land and was surrounded by the two rivers. It was much bigger than Cardend and Seonghwa already knew he would get lost between all those houses. More roofs than he could count invited them for a visit.

Hongjoong garnered a lot of attention on their way through the farmlands. People whispered about his devilish appearance and made crosses over their chests. They accepted his company, being led by a priest, but none of them looked convinced that he wasn't a wild monster.

If Hongjoong hadn't proved to Seonghwa how vile he was the day prior, Seonghwa would have pitied him. Not after killing a man, however. The lone wanderer might have been a citizen of Eastshallow on his way home and Hongjoong had drowned him viciously.

At the crossroads between their path and a street leading south, a young man garnered their attention. He was tall and carried the air of one who had wandered as long as they had and who didn't belong to this place. When he noticed them, he gave them a dazzling grin that manifested in the lively blond of his hair.

"Good morrow, Father. On your way to Eastshallow?"

Seonghwa blinked at him and the way his hair was tied to a messy bun of spun gold. The man carried an impish glee that reminded Seonghwa of a child. Yet, his belt carried daggers and his bundle was branded with the sigils of the southern sea. Experience made his eyes seem older.

"Blessed be you. Indeed, we hope to reach the town by nightfall." Seonghwa jerked his chin towards his companion. Hongjoong stood with his upper body bare and lean muscles on display. His indecent appearance didn't disturb anyone, for he was not human.

The man grinned again and nodded down the path.

"Shall we make the rest of the path together, then? I have the same goal and I would delight in some company."

Seonghwa was surprised that the adventurer had no issue with Hongjoong's presence, but it was a welcome change of atmosphere. Gladly, he agreed and joined sides with the stranger as they followed the field path.

"My name is Yunho. I come from beyond the southern sea. Are you a faring priest?" The man introduced himself and Seonghwa listened to his chest and its insistent throb. He felt lethargic, but that might be the shock that still froze his bones and robbed his sleep.

"I'm on an unusual pilgrimage of enlightenment, but I will lend my ear to anyone who seeks the word of the Lord," Seonghwa smiled with a gracious nod. Gleeful, Yunho ruffled his hand through his hair. The few loose curls that had fallen out of his hairdo whispered around his face like rays of the sun he had robbed from the sky.

"Fascinating! I came to Alverton to find adventure; perhaps love? My home grew much too boring for me, so I wanted to try my luck here. I would love to settle down in this country. The seasons are mild and the women are beautiful."

Seonghwa smiled a polite smile, not too concerned with marriage and family.

"Personally, I haven't travelled much, but I hear Alverton attracts visitors from far and wide. Its charms must be everywhere."

Yunho beckoned a hand at Eastshallow and its surroundings.

"They are! Look around, at these charming homes and the peaceful workers. The crusades swamped my birthplace when I was young and made it an outpost for soldiers. It's unlivable for anyone outside of knighthood. Here, anyone can settle and take a breather."

Burdened by the tragedy shared so offhandedly, Seonghwa turned his head to look up at Yunho. His perpetual smile was unbothered, but Seonghwa still pitied him.

"I'm sorry to hear that. The crusades are a holy war and yet not all knights respect their own people."

Yunho waved it off with a dismissive hand. His eyes searched the sky as if counting the lazy clouds.

"It's nothing. I was made for adventures and I love being out and about. Alverton offers a lot to explore and if I find nothing to stay for, I will be on my way again. It's the charm of wandering."

A bird passed by them, low in the sky on its search for a foolish mouse in the fields. At first, Seonghwa watched its awe-inducing grace full of marvel, then he immediately grew uncomfortable when the creature drew closer than expected. Soon, it was near enough to see that it had no feathers but scales and that a slender neck and a razor-sharp maw sat where a beak should be.

Yunho held out his gloved left arm, and the creature dashed at him as if in an attack. Seonghwa stumbled away, but Yunho snickered and motioned him to stay calm with his free hand.

"Don't worry, Father. This one is a friend."

When the creature settled on Yunho's arm and folded its wings, Seonghwa gaped at it. It was some sort of dragon, though a tiny version of it that held itself on Yunho's arms with two legs as a hawk would. In its jaws, it held a honeycomb that Yunho took from it with a coo.

"This is Perie, a wyvern. I obtained her by coincidence and she has stuck with me ever since our paths crossed. She's tame, but you shouldn't provoke her if you want to maintain peace."

Seonghwa eyed the rare creature with big eyes. Wyvern tails carried poisonous spikes that could kill a grown man within minutes, so Seonghwa didn't doubt its danger. Yet, the clicking of its jaw sounded almost like purring as Yunho fed his pet a piece of raw meat from a pouch at his belt.

"Are they common in your home country?"

"Not at all." Yunho caressed the sweet green head of Perie that sprouted tiny horns. "I was lucky to meet her. She's my dearest friend."

Perie clutched the upper tips of her wings to Yunho's glove as she gargled down the meat. The scaly tail whipping behind her brushed Yunho's side harmlessly.

Yunho helped Perie climb into his backpack after her meal. He cooed some soothing promises to let her out soon as he closed the bag. Cosied up, she sat still, just as tame as he had said.

"Impressive," Seonghwa marvelled. Even if she was a hatchling still, she was domesticated well. Not that he knew much about their kin but he imagined any creature from a dragon family to be rather violent.

"I'm a ladies' man; she can't resist me. And I can't resist the honey she brings me." Yunho took a bite out of the comb with a blissful sigh before he stored the rest for later. Once his undiverted attention was back on Seonghwa, he laughed at his astonished expression.

"Am I that extraordinary to you? When you have an entire gargoyle as your companion?"

On cue, both of them turned to look at Hongjoong. The demon trudged behind them without a word, though intrigue gleamed in his eyes as he regarded Yunho's backpack.

Seonghwa rubbed the back of his neck.

"He's a special case. You seem knowledgeable about the creatures of mystery," he noticed. Eastshallow drew nearer and greeted them with the noise of street vendors and a farrier working on a new set of horseshoes.

"My intrigue sticks to them as magic does. I am no magic-user but I find interest in their kin. In my country live no gargoyles, so this is the first I'm seeing outside of book illustrations. Does he not need a leash?" Yunho peered over his shoulder to catch Hongjoong scowling at them.

"He acts as a person would, and he speaks our language." That was half a truth, but Yunho didn't need to know of Hongjoong's murderous side.

"My apologies. I didn't want to insult him." With a polite bow at Hongjoong, Yunho focused on Seonghwa again.

"So he is a companion more than a pet?"

"I... guess so." Seonghwa hesitated. He didn't want to refer to Hongjoong as a companion, knowing of his foul morals. Seonghwa had to atone for the sins the demon committed, but he didn't want to be the face of them.

"He accompanies me as my personal guard."

Yunho looked thrilled.

"Not bad for a guard. But why is a guard needed on a pilgrimage? For a priest, no less? Most highwaymen must respect you too much to attack."

Seonghwa laughed and Yunho added a good-natured grin.

"Not at all. Priests here make a fair deal of money and most have no fight training, which makes them popular targets. Though my reason for having him with me is much simpler. He helps me find my way as much as he protects my illness-stricken body."

"Oh, I-" Yunho's eyes flickered over Seonghwa's frame as they tried to find anything about him that was off. "I wasn't aware."

Seonghwa wanted to shrug it off as easily as Yunho had shrugged off his bleak past, but he couldn't. Instead, he gulped around the new knot in his throat.

"I seek healing on my journey. That makes us opposites," he smiled so Yunho wouldn't worry too much. The adventurer took the bait and giggled again.

"Indeed, it does. I seek the wallop of something new while you seek peace."

"Perhaps both of us can find a formula to achieve those dreams in Eastshallow." They had entered the outskirts of the village, and its tumult demanded most of Seonghwa's attention. He was nauseous with the movements and noises, so he stuck with Yunho at the corner of the road that led through the open gates. The few guards stationed out here looked bored out of their minds.

The two rivers encased the little town and offered many foods based on fish whose smells wafted through the streets. Seonghwa's stomach was interested.

Despite his better judgement, he glanced at Hongjoong to get an opinion on the next step. Food before information sounded like a good idea, and they should find an inn to stay the night.

The gargoyle looked at him blankly. He wouldn't help Seonghwa plan the rest of their day, and he didn't care for Yunho's presence as much as his presence would bother him.

With a sigh, Seonghwa concentrated on dodging townspeople.

"How about we have a meal together, priest? I would like to hear more about the country and what it offers," Yunho suggested as he cradled his bag with Perie inside. The wyvern struggled in the sack as she wanted to spread her wings, but Yunho clutched her firmly to his protective chest.

Glad about the distraction Yunho offered, Seonghwa conceded. He much preferred Yunho's attitude over Hongjoong's sadism that wafted after them like smoke.

Confident in his step despite never having visited the town before, Yunho led them deeper into the labyrinth and followed his nose as he picked out the most appealing scent in the mixture. Seonghwa clutched his belongings to his body so nobody would steal them as he gladly accompanied his new friend.