When the King is Killed.

Ralline bit down of the potato that was crisped and slightly burnt. 

"This sucks." 

"Well we ran out of rations Bell." Audrey said. "We're supposed to last another three weeks with the Silver that we've got. Besides... Potatoes are pretty good."

"Not this one." Ralline said. "I want beef stew." 

"Well let me just go find a cow, milk it, and then murder it for your food." Audrey said sarcastically. "I'm going out shopping. Say no to strangers. And no yelling at the old lady in the next room. She's a cripple."

"She shouldn't be throwing knives at the wall." Ralline said.

"It's practice for when brat's like you try sneaking in." Audrey grinned. 

"Oh har har." 

______

"Oh gods..." A guard whispered. "Not here... Not like this!" 

Turning, he abandoned his five friends, running towards the edge of the forest. 

He heard the betrayed screams of his comrades quickly silenced by crunching noises. 

He redoubled his efforts of escape and finally breached through the forest's edge. 

"THEY'RE HERE!" He screamed. "THE GRIMLOCKS! THEY'RE-" He was silenced as a barbed tongue pierced through the back of his throat and started to reel him backwards as he choked on his blood. 

'No no no!' He thought as a shadow bit into his leg tearing it off. 'NO! NOT LIKE THIS!'

He saw the inside of the monsters mouth as it's barbed and wooden looking teeth emerged from it's skin. 

He fought with everything he had, even as on of his arms was bitten off by another one of the beasts.

'Veinren... Is doomed.' He thought as the teeth easily pierced through his collar bone and decapitated him in one single bite. 

Ten of the creatures started to devour and drink the body. 

And a thousand sets of eyes eagerly waited for their turn with the next victim. 

______

Audrey looked through the butchers selection. Ignoring the glare that an opposing butcher on the opposite street was giving her for ignoring his calls. 

A stupid stall for scamming hard working people out of their money for heavily overpriced meat.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" The butcher asked. 

"Oh, yes." Audrey said turning to the butcher. "Your scraps. is there anyway I can buy your clean scrap meat?"

"Ah." The Butcher nodded. "Sorry, we just don't have many travelers pass through here. Just butchered an Oxalo a few days ago. I've got... maybe twenty pounds of scrap meat. Twenty silver."

"Twelve silver." 

"..." 

"..." Both of them looked at each other for a second. 

"Sixteen silver." The man compromised. "Any less and I'm basically giving it away." 

"Deal." Audrey said. "But through in it's heart."

"An Oxalo's Heart is inedible." The butcher raised his eyebrow. "Highly toxic." 

"Potion ingredient." Audrey said. "It's not the highest of quality but I'm teaching my son."

"Ah." The Butcher nodded. "Good man. Do you want all of the fat with the scraps?"

"Yes." Audrey nodded. She pulled out sixteen silvers and passed the coins to the man. 

"Just wait right here." The man said. 

He left for a few seconds and Audrey looked at a slab of fresh Oxalo Beef. 

Sighing she pinched the bridge of her nose. 

The Butcher came back and she pointed at a small cut. "Add that as well? Four silvers?"

"...Mm Sure."

The butcher added the small cut of Oxalo Beef. 

"Thank you for your patronage." The butcher said. 

"Thanks as well." 

She left, shooting a smirk at the opposing Butcher.

Decent deals were always going to be better the price hiking. 

After finishing with groceries she walked back to the Inn. 

"My first lesson... is food prep." Ralline asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"Yep." Audrey said. 

Blane leaves covered the dirty floor, giving them room to work. 

"I splurged." Audrey said. "So if you pick this up fast enough, I'll make us both a beef stew for dinner in a few days."

"You mean it?!" Ralline asked eyes wide! "I've been eating bread and potatoes for a week!"

"Then try your hardest." Audrey said. "Or it's all mine." 

"Yes Ma'am!" 

"Sir!" Audrey hissed. "I'm Ren, We're in a public place!"

"R-Right."

"Good." Audrey said. "Now let's start. Vegetables are usually simple. You always eat them first during a trip as you can't really do much but slightly prevent them from spoiling. So we just wrap them in Blane leaves and bag them." 

Audrey showed exactly how to wrap them and Ralline followed her instruction. 

"Potatoes are different." Audrey said. "Yes wrapping them is a good idea but they're basically the longest lasting food for trips. Growable anywhere with soil and water. The earth apple is a good name for it."

Audrey held up a few fruits.

"Fruits are hard to store." Audrey admitted. "We can fruits with preservatives like sugar and honey. It makes it hard to eat normally but a great spread for bread, but we'll do that later since it's messy."

"And the meats?" Ralline asked. 

"Meats are the hardest part." Audrey admitted. 

She created a small ball of smoke, using magic. 

"This is the first spell I'm going to teach you." 

"But my element's water?" Ralline asked confused. 

"This is the first spell I'm going to teach you." Audrey repeated. "Because if we get separated you need to know this spell. Kill an animal and you can smoke it's meat."

She lathered the meat in salt, and snapped her fingers. 

They floated in the air and Audrey created a ball of smoke four feet wide that covered them all. 

"With a normal fire, smoking meat takes about twelve to twenty hours depending on how much smoke there is. Magic on the other hand."

The magic continued for a few minutes before Audrey let the smoke vanish. 

Browned jerky like beef floated down onto the Blane leaves. 

"Whoa!?" Ralline said. She picked up a small piece and tossed it in her mouth. 

Her lips puckered and she swallowed the food. 

"So Salty..." She gasped.

"I was about to warn you." Audrey said with a smile on her face. "Salted preserves are usually used in stews, though you can wipe a bit of the salt off and eat them normally if your not short on water."

Audrey slid a cup of said liquid over to Ralline who greedily drank it.

"My tongue burns now." Ralline pouted. 

"It'll be fine." Audrey said. She snapped her finger. 

All of the food, now wrapped in Blane leaves levitated and was wrapped in a serries of large Blane leave.

"Now for the fruit." Audrey said. "First y-"

A blood curdling scream cut through the sky. 

"What was that?!" Ralline said. 

"Do you have the dagger?" Audrey said. 

"Y-yes." Ralline said. She ran over to her bed and pulled it out from under the pillow. 

"Don't open the door till I come back." Audrey said. 

She pulled out her shortened staff and pointed it at the window?

A bluish purple barrier formed over the entirety of the room. 

"No one but me can pass through the barrier." She said. "Stay on the bed, Keep the knife ready. Don't be too scared."

"O-Okay." Ralline nodded, climbing onto the bed.

Audrey pulled open the door and left Ralline alone in the room. 

"..." She held the dagger to her chest. 

Just in case.