Isobella paced around her foyer, triple checking her to-do list. The Autumn sheets had been dispersed throughout the rooms to keep the guests from complaining. Her primary food merchant had arrived that morning to restock the chateau with seasonal food crops, meats, and sweets. Drasna had chopped more than enough wood, Tristan had begun replacing the decor with autumn colors, and most importantly Calathiel had given her blessing.

  Isobella had always liked autumn, she enjoyed the cooler weather along with the seasonal crops such as apples and pumpkins. She was looking forward to the colorful two hour trip to town she would get to share with Drasna.

  Isobella walked up the stairs and entered her room's walk-in closet. Her noble dress and mary janes simply would not do for her trip, especially once she got to the desert. She looked through her fall section of clothing and pulled out a few she liked, and more importantly ones she thought Drasna would like. After at least twenty minutes Isobella made her decision. A purple cold shoulder traveling dress with black trim and a soft brown cincher corset. She selected a pair of cocoa-brown calf boots and a lavender cloak to go with it. With her outfit assembled, Isobella took a moment to admire her new look in the mirror. Deciding she’d picked a winning ensemble, she packed the rest of her stuff.

  “I dare not bring my perfume with me, so I’ll use 4 spritz of it to last me. I’ll also need an extra outfit, and of course my Moonsteel dagger from Calathiel.” Isobella thought aloud while strapping the cool silver dagger to her thigh under her dress. Just how Calathiel taught her.

  She leaned onto her toes then back on her heels before turning around to walk back downstairs. She spotted Drasna as soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was wearing her same outfit as usual, except for a tattered brown cloak. Isobella was slightly disappointed, but supposed Drasna was always ready to travel.

  Drasna spotted Isobella and clasped her hands together, “Wow! Don’t you look like a regular adventurer right now, look at you!”

  Drasna stepped closer and gave Isobella a twirl to admire her entire outfit. Isobella giggled, enjoying the extra attention, she would have to change her style more often. Once Drasna let go of her, the noble crossed her arms and shook her head at the monk.

  “Don’t forget, I’m still gonna get you into a ball gown, for the winter gala. Honestly, don't you have anything else to wear?” Isobella teased, she’d love Drasna even in rags.

  Drasna let out a playful scoff, “I find only having one outfit is quite liberating. Spending half an hour worrying about what to wear sounds like a rich person's problem.”

  Isobella huffed and turned away, “Don’t be flippant!”

  Drasna snorted, “Oh, the vocabulary…, Tristan! Flippant means, being a pain, right?”

  Tristan walked into the room pulling his gloves onto his hands, “In this case yes, very good miss Drasna. I must say you two make an adorable traveling duo, though I feel I must go over a few things with you both.”

  Both girls turned to Tristan and gave the butler their attention.

  Tristan continued, “Isobella, please try not to flaunt your wealth and get yourself kidnapped. Drasna, I understand this is a vacation, but you will effectively be on bodyguard duty.”

  Drasna started stretching, “Of course, I won’t let her out of my sight, and well if I do, I’ll hold her hand, deal?”

  Tristan grunted and nodded, “Very good, now you two best be off, I will handle the estate and ensure everything is in its proper place still upon your return.”

  Isobella curtsied, “I’m pleased to hear it, farewell now.”

  Drasna put her hands on her neck and grinned, “Later, Tristan”

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  The two were walking down the dirt road, stopping to admire all the colors on the trees every once and a while. Drasna had pulled out two apples for them to share, Isobella watched in terror as Drasna devoured the entire apple from the bottom up to the stem. Isobella looked at the monk, then to her apple, then back over to Drasna.

  “What?”

  Isobella sighed, “Aren’t apple seeds poisonous?”

  Drasna shrugged, “I don’t know maybe? I always eat ‘em like that.”

  Isobella crossed her arms, “Drasna! Please don’t eat poison!”

  Drasna interlaced her fingers behind her head, “You underestimate the constitution of a monk.”

  Isobella shook her head in annoyance, “You’re impossible.”

  Isobella returned her attention to the path they were walking, she could see the town in the distance. Hundreds of acres of land were already being used to grow pumpkins, carnival squash, and corn. It was contained within cobblestone walls, she could also spot a few animals far in the distance. Isobella made a mental note to get some horses if she and Drasna made a habit of these vacations. She could hardly wait for it all to ripen and to inevitably purchase them in bulk. She took notice of a man leading a horse drawn carriage full of hay into town. He tipped his hat to the ladies, but Isobella was weary.

  “Greetings, dolls, out on a date?”

  Drasna nodded and smirked, “Something like that, just enjoying the fresh country air.”

  The man had his horses stop, “Ha, I was right, say do you ladies wanna see a magic trick?”

  Isobella scoffed, “We are busy, please leave us be.”

  Drasna disagreed, “Aw c’mon Izzy, it’ll be a fun story to tell everyone later, at least hear him out.”

  The man smiled and pulled out some rope, “I suppose it's more of a love test than a magic trick.”

  Drasna smiled, “You hear that? A love test, how's it work?”

  The shifty man explained, “Well I’ll tie both of your hands together and you pull them apart. If the knot slips you’re not meant to be, and if you stay tied together, you’ll live happily ever after.”

  Isobella rolled her eyes, “That might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, this man obviously has ill intent for us.”

  Drasna did not hesitate and stepped in front of Isobella, “What makes you so sure?”

  “I’m a noble, I’ve been taught to recognize many scams, and facades. He means to bind our hands and then kidnap us once we can’t fight back.”

  The man grumbles and pulls a knife out on the girls, “Mouthy noble brat, at the end of the day you're still just helpless dames!”

  Drasna cracked her knuckles and stepped forward with a smirk. In a snappy and fluid motion she delivered a kick to the bandit's chest, knocking him down into the mud. The man squirmed to his feet and foolishly attempted to charge at Drasna, but she side stepped and clotheslined him. Now on the ground once again his knife was kicked away and wrist pinned down by the monk’s foot. Isobella’s eyes began to glow purple as she snapped her fingers. The bandits' eyelids quickly became heavy until she couldn’t keep them open and fell asleep.

  Isobella muffled a giggle, “He makes a better clown than a bandit don’t you think Drasna.”

  Drasna snorted, “I can see it, so what should we do with sleeping beauty."

  Isobella smirked deviously and began to draw a fancy circle with her foot in the mud. She hummed a tune while Drasna watched confused. Isobella began to mutter under her breath, which made both her eyes and the circle glow purple. In a flash of light the unconscious man disappeared, unknowingly sent to her secret room back at the chateau for Calathiel to find.

  Drasna spoke up, “Whoa, what was that? And where did he go?”

  Isobella pondered an appropriate answer, “I sent him to my patron, that way we won’t have to deal with him again. I’m certain he will be given a very stern talking to.”

  Drasna crossed her arms, “I see, some of that warlock stuff goes over my head, but I trust your judgment. Let’s hope that beating taught him a lesson too. I can’t believe I almost fell for that, I guess you’re kinda like my body guard too, huh?”

  Isobella chuckled, “I rather like our brain and brawn dynamic, but I’ll teach you how to spot a kidnapper.”

  Drasna snickered, “I await your tutelage…hey what about the horses?”

  Isobella yawned, “I’m quite tired after that exchange, shall we ride the rest of the way?”