Serna was ooohing and aaahing practically everything she saw. East Port had many wonders and the Shield Maiden was enjoying exploring all of them.

Caliaphy wrinkled her nose when the scent of something sweet hit her, "Ooooo! I smell pastries! Let's go Serna!"

"Right behind you, Caliahphy!" The Shield Maiden began to run off in the direction of the smell from the tasty treats.

"So much for sticking together," Irzen muttered under his breath before he said aloud to both the Fairy and the Shield Maiden, "Be careful, you two, and watch each other's backs. And remember, our rendezvous point is the castle. Okay?"

"Looks like they're going west, Irzen." Alyson pointed down the street, "So really we're staying together just out of reach of a certain kurori with a wicked sweet tooth."

Lazheros nodded, "One way of putting it, and it will allow one of us at any given time to watch the two of them from getting into too much trouble."

Quake followed after Serna and Caliaphy without uttering a word to the elementalist and found the 'kids' taking in the smells of freshly baked fruit pies sitting on a shelf.

Madeous gestured to the swordsman before heading down the street himself taking in the various wares people were selling.

Irzen joined Madeous as he sampled the wares that were being sold, "Try as I might, I can't really collar those two any tighter than I already do. Serna and Caliaphy are two peas in a pod and getting into mischief is pretty much their stock and trade."

Caliaphy jumped to get a better view and found a box to climb onto. The pies smelled so sweet, she couldn't help herself as she reached for it.

"Oy! They're not free! You got coin to pay for them?" A woman in a baker's outfit stood in the doorway of her shoppe.

The kurori jumped off and turned to Serna, "Let's get an apple pie."

"I agree," Serna smiled, "An apple pie would hit the spot right about now."

Quake pulled out a pouch of gold, "How much for the pie, ma'am?"

Lazheros stopped before he went into the herbalist store spying Caliaphy, "Hmm."

The baker gestured to all three pies, "They're five gold each. Finest in the land that borders the Fire Sea."

"I'll take your word for it, ma'am." Serna began to reach into her own pouch, "Do you need any help, Quake, or do you have it?"

"I got this," Quake went through a pouch and pulled out five gold pieces handing them to the baker.

The woman reached over to the window sill grabbing the pie carefully, then wrapped it up in some paper with a string. "One apple pie. Thank you for your business."

Quake took the pie and handed it to Serna, "Here you go."

"Thanks, Quake!" Serna smiled, "Let's go find a nice place to sit and eat this thing. Okay?"

Caliaphy practically drooled the entire way to a bench off to the side, "Yummmmmmm!"

The trio found a nearby bench outside of a park and sat down. Serna pulled out her knife, opened the paper containing the pie and proceeded to carve the pie up into equal thirds. "Okay, everyone, grab a slice and dig in."

Caliaphy took her piece and practically inhaled it, well sort of. She was wearing more of it on her face when Quake burst out laughing right after she took her share of the pie.

"HAHAHAHA!"

Serna joined in the laughter as well. The Shield Maiden actually ate her pie and was able to place more of it IN her mouth as opposed to being ON her mouth.

Lazheros wandered into the herbalist shoppe and came out with a full bag of herbs to replenish his supply. Alyson picked up some for herself and came out with a small bag.

Madeous spied the general goods shoppe, "Basic items that a traveler can't get anywhere else except by those who trade any given city, or road. Wouldn't you agree, Irzen?"

"I would," The Swordsman admitted, "Although I travel light these days. Too many years spent on the move with my Shadow Riders taught me that the lightest traveler is the best traveler. Do you see anything you need, Madeous?"

"Just a few items to replenish what I'm low on," He said walking into the general shoppe and spied a whet stone, a cooking pan, and some twine. He bartered some of his dried meats and caltrops that he seemed to have a lot of, "My brother was a little paranoid about not having enough of these damn things. He always over stocked his supplies when we were on some sort of smash and grab quest."

"I didn't know you had a brother," Irzen smiled as he followed Madeous into the shoppe, "I was an only child. I never knew the luxury of having a brother or a sister in my life."

Madeous just stared at the swordsman for a moment before he replied, "For someone as old as Lazheros, you seem to have short term memory, Irzen. Jack is my brother and Alyson's father, who could break into and out of any castle with the help of Madeline. Those two really caused a lot of headaches for Venger."

"I'm sure they did," Irzen held up his hands, "I mean no offense when I say this: When tales of your adventures are told, bards and storytellers always mention the Platinum Knight and the Bronze Man. They seldom mention the others in your party. Who were the others who took part in your hell-raising campaign against Venger?"