"Sir Cassian Aethelgard."
The raspy voice chuckled softly.
"Don't call me that," I cut in quickly, sweeping my gaze around the tavern before looking back into his eyes.
Ronnie chuckled again, then pulled over the wooden chair beside me without being asked.
The burly man with the scar running across his face rested his elbow on the table. His sharp gaze studied my dull expression before slowly shifting toward Tywin, who was still busy eating his wheat porridge at the corner of the table.
The playful look on Ronnie's face suddenly faded, replaced by cold seriousness.
As a war veteran now making a living as a mercenary, he didn't need long to piece together the riddle before him.
"So... the rumors are true," Ronnie murmured in a lowered voice.
"The bloody conflict between the Houses..."
"And the hunt for House Ashford's only son."
He let out a heavy sigh, looking at me with sympathy and pity in his eyes. Ronnie knew perfectly well that I was a knight sworn to House Ashford. He understood just how heavy the burden pressing down on my shoulders had become.
"You have my condolences, Cassian."
"Then... where are you taking the boy?"
The question struck me squarely in the chest.
I leaned my back against the cold stone wall.
The truth was... I had no truly solid plan. All I had in my head were survival calculations, moment by moment.
"As far away as possible," I answered honestly. "Anywhere, as long as it's far enough to keep Tywin out of reach of those nobles."
Ronnie shook his head, worry etched across his face.
"If that's your plan, then you need to leave Kingspire tonight."
His rough fingers tapped repeatedly against the wooden table.
"The Royal Guard is tightening security on every major road. In fact, I think... you two need to get out of Asr as soon as possible."
I raised an eyebrow as I listened to his analysis.
"The situation in Asr is completely unsafe for the boy now," Ronnie continued, narrowing his eyes as he watched the noisy tavern's corners.
"Even inside this tavern... I wouldn't be surprised if one or two pairs of eyes were watching your every move."
His words triggered a rapid calculation in my mind.
If I had to take Tywin beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Asr, that meant we would be facing an extremely long and dangerous journey. Traveling on foot along open roads would only make us easy targets.
I needed a more thorough disguise. Hiring passage with an inter-kingdom merchant caravan seemed like the only sensible option for crossing the border without arousing the guards' suspicions.
Ronnie reached inside his leather coat. His hand extended across the table, pushing a worn, folded leather map toward my beer mug.
"Take this..." Ronnie whispered.
"It's a map of trade routes and hidden border roads. Not many people know about this route."
I looked at the rolled map, then at Ronnie. Any help at a difficult time like this felt incredibly valuable.
"Thank you."
I slipped the leather map into my coat pocket.
"Stay alert and move quickly. Don't stay in one place for too long."
Ronnie patted my shoulder once more, this time with a firm grip.
But before the tension at our table could envelop the atmosphere any further, the veteran's hard expression suddenly softened. A broad grin spread across his scarred face.
"But then again... when you think about it."
"Even a dozen elite Royal Guard soldiers would be nothing if they had to face a Sir Cassian, right?"
I couldn't hold back a smile.
A small laugh escaped my throat—a rare moment amid the weight that had pressed down on me since the night of the massacre.
"You're exaggerating, my friend."
I raised my cold beer, and Ronnie raised his wooden cup.
The soft clink of our cups brought the conversation in that crowded tavern corner to a close. A silent prayer from two old friends before the lines of fate cast us back onto our separate roads.