The Devil's Betrothed novel Chapter 58

Chapter 58: To The Capital City

After they finished the meal, Oriana started instructing her grandfather.

"When I am gone, you have to take all your medicines. I have prepared the new batch in these jars. This is the one for your aching joints, this one is the supplements you need to drink daily, while this one..." Oriana meticulously explained each one, from usage, to dosage to intervals of drinking. "I will also tell Aunt Gwen to look after you so I won’t have to worry. About your food—"

"Alright, alright, stop nagging. Are you the old man or am I the old man?" Phil laughed. "Do not worry about me. Just be careful, and strive to learn as much as you can. I am cheering for you, Ori."

That night, Oriana packed her things, stuffing as much portable food as she could in her bag, a little traumatized by the starvation she suffered on her trip from Jerusha to Selve. She also carried two spare headwraps.

’For unforeseen circumstances...’

She looked at the cloth in which she had kept the remaining three stalks of black nightshade.

She carefully opened it. ’I cannot carry them all with me. I might lose them or there is a risk of getting caught if I keep them with me. One should be enough when I meet that apothecary. ’

She only packed one stalk with her, while the other two, she cleverly hid inside the wooden trunk she had in her room. She put it at the bottom, under stacks of clothes.

It was dawn the next day when Oriana woke up, ready to leave the village. She didn’t wake her grandfather to bid goodbye, but slowly walked towards the sleeping old man and kneeled next to his bed. She slowly put her hand over his and caressed it.

’Take care, Grandpa. I will return soon with the remedy for your sickness. I promise."

When she closed the door of the cabin behind her, She found Luke waiting for her outside, clad in a sturdy-looking traveler’s coat.

The two of them began to walk.

"How are we going to Karlin?" Oriana asked.

"By joining a caravan."

"Eh? Is the capital too far?"

"Yes."

"Why can’t we buy a donkey with a cart—"

As if triggered by her constant questions, Luke explained in a low voice, "We’ll take months if we walk, but it’s also too dangerous for us to buy a donkey and travel on our own. We will be targeted by bandits. So we will join the merchant caravan leaving from Jerusha. I have already talked to a merchant and he agreed to bring us for fifty copper coins each."

"Hmm, got it," she replied. "I forgot to ask what work you have in the capital."

"Carpentry," he answered, but knowing she would attack him with another question, he took the initiative to explain. "A noble family is reconstructing their home and they urgently need a large number of carpenters. My cousin working in the capital sent me a message that he recommended me to the butler."

"I didn’t know you’re a builder!" she exclaimed. "That’s good. That skilled work will pay you more."