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The carriage rocked on the dirt road, threatening to toss Eaton at every moment. He was able to ignore it, but when they first hit the rural roads the day before, he had to grip the ledge of the small window just to keep vaguely upright. At least it was still relatively cool. If they'd left just a few weeks later, he imagined the carriage would be stifling. After a week of travel, they were due to arrive at the garrison today. In fact, the only reason they didn't arrive last night was at Darrin's insistence that they take to an inn for the night so they could arrive at a more reasonable hour in the day. Eaton stared out of the window, watching the scenery slowly roll past, and letting his mind wander wherever it chose. That was one of the big problems with long travel. After the first day or so, especially with only one other passenger, conversation meters out. After a week of long days on the road, Eaton was sure that if he wanted to -- or remembered -- he could have recited almost every moment of his life to the mouse. Instead his mind rode its reverie, through both the past and ideas of what lie ahead.

Today it was on the past. Nearing the end of his journey sparked the thoughts of how it began. It wasn't a big affair, of course, but his father and brother saw him off -- a sturdy handshake from his father, and a tear-laden embrace from his brother -- that was the hardest farewell of them all. He couldn't remember if he'd ever even gone a day without seeing his brother, and now it would be for a year at least. It was one of those things. They'd always known they wouldn't be able to stay together all the time, but when the time came to separate, it was hard to process. Those first few hours were spent with Darrin's constant attempts at calming him, to no avail. He wondered how long it took for Aeryn to calm down. Eaton was always the stronger wolf, physically and emotionally. His brother must have been a wreck all day, though he hoped not. Darrin assured him that the coming year would go by quick and he'd be back before he realized it. Deep down, he didn't believe the mouse, but he chose think it was true. It helped.

The carriage shook violently after hitting a large rut in the road, throwing Eaton out of his reverie. He righted himself without a word, and noticed that Darrin seemed to have slid almost to the other end of the bench from where he was sitting. Eaton had to stifle a laugh. The mouse couldn't help his short stature and easily-tossed weight, but it was still comical. Once he turned back to the window, he could just make out a large gray structure coming out from behind a hill. It wasn't as large or imposing as the palace, but it definitely stood out amongst the nearby squat buildings that were just appearing behind the hill.

Eaton perked up. "I think we're here."

Darrin's large ears lifted and he looked up from the book he was reading. How the mouse could read with all the tossing about baffled Eaton. "Hmm. That must be the barracks, then. Should be there in just a few minutes. I'm sure they've had advance warning of our arrival."

Eaton nodded. Of course, there would be scouts about. He hadn't noticed any himself, but when he wasn't in a daydream, he was lazily looking across the terrain. Someone could have shouted at them, and he probably wouldn't have noticed. He watched as the garrison came further into view, sticking his head out of the window when the road turned to head directly toward it. It looked like a small village, really. All of the typical camp followers obviously having taken at least a semi-permanent residence in the area. It was still far enough away that he couldn't make out small details, but he tried to assign roles to the buildings. The smaller buildings were obviously houses for the soldiers' families, the larger most likely being general stores or taverns. He could make out the stables and the farrier's lean-to, and saw the thick smoke indicative of a forge's coal fire.

"Your Highness!" Darrin hissed. "Stop hanging your head out of the window. They'll be able to see us soon, at least act decent on the first day."

Eaton smiled at the mouse as he leaned back in the carriage. "Okay. Just for today, though. Tomorrow I'm going to run around the garrison bare as birth."

Darrin rolled his eyes, causing Eaton to chuckle. "You know, one of these days you're going to have to mature."

"You're, what, five years older than me?" He tilted his head.

"Physically, maybe." The mouse scoffed. "Mentally, I'd say more like twenty. You haven't matured since you were ten." He lifted his arms, mock-pleading to the sky. "Two years! If I were two years older, I could have been your brother's valet."

Eaton snickered. "You wouldn't want to be Aeryn's valet. He's far less exciting than me."

"Believe me, I'd much rather handle boredom." The mouse smiled back.

As much as the trip had been boring and tiresome for Eaton, he'd never seen Darrin so relaxed. Maybe he really was the cause of the mouse's irritability. He'd never admit that out loud, of course. Despite the fact that Darrin was paid to attend to his every need, he still viewed him as a type of friend, and as such, Eaton was obligated to harry the mouse occasionally. He turned his head back to the window - careful not to `hang his head out' as Darrin put it, but since the carriage was now turned to face the garrison head-on, his view was relegated back to the rolling hills. His paws gripped the wood of the bench, fingers tapping unbidden, and his tail started to twitch, accompanying the fluttering he felt rise in his gut.

"Nervous?" Darrin asked, glancing at Eaton's constantly moving fingers and tail.

"Yeah." Eaton dropped his head. "Wasn't just a few minutes ago, but now that we're getting closer."

"You'll do fine." The mouse reached over, putting a paw on Eaton's to still the tapping. "Just remember, they're more scared of you than you are of them." He smiled.

Eaton shot Darrin a deadpan look that sent the mouse into a fit of laughter.

"It's true!" He chuckled. "You may never have noticed - or acted like it - but you are a prince. Common people tend to get nervous around royalty if they're not used to it."

"Har har. I'm sure they're a bit more nuanced than spiders or snakes." He glared.

Darrin shrugged. "They're soldiers. You've never met one, so how do you know?"

"Um." Eaton raised an eyebrow at the mouse. "I've met plenty of soldiers. What are you talking about?"

"Correction - you've met plenty of palace guards and generals. Different breed entirely." Darrin waved a paw. "It'll probably work in your favor. Even with your rough edges, you'll still be princely compared to them."

"Hmph. I'm sure Aeron's valet doesn't talk to him like this." He crossed his arms, mock-angry at the mouse.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. Hells, I think they're even sleeping together if some of the servant rumors are right. Come on," he smiled, "you've been my near constant companion for years. I think I've earned the right to harry you sometimes."

Eaton almost winced at the reflection of his own thoughts about the mouse. It was true, having a valet from such a young age created a sort of bond between them that went beyond simply servant and master. But sleeping together? Aeryn never told him anything of the sort, but he did have to be more discreet now that he was married, he guessed.

"So does that mean in a few years, we'll be sleeping together?" Eaton smirked.

"You're not my type." Darrin rolled his eyes. "Tits are too small, for one."

Eaton stuck his tongue out at the mouse. "Well you're not my type, either."

Darrin shook his head in response as the carriage slowed to a stop. Eaton took a breath and looked back at the mouse across from him, his nerves rising in his stomach. Darrin nodded and gestured a paw toward the door, signaling him to exit first. He unlocked the latch, and opened the door. Even as he stood to exit the carriage, he could see the small retinue lined up to meet him. They bowed as he exited, the plate of their armor the only real sound as it seemed the small `town' had come to a halt at his arrival. The soldiers were lined up in two rows on either side of him, headed by a muscular panther wearing a leather jerkin instead of the plate worn by the others. He assumed the panther was Captain Jacobson, of course, and walked toward him.

As he approached nearer, the panther raised from his bow and Eaton noticed the red band of fabric around his head, covering one eye. An angry looking scar rose above and below the band, giving an easy hint to what happened. He silently wondered how a one-eyed soldier could be effective in battle, much less make it to the rank of Captain, as the wound didn't look recent at all.

"Your highness," the panther said after Eaton reached him. His voice deep and raspy, "I am Captain Jacobson. I'm glad you made it safely."

"Pleasure to meet you Captain." Eaton had to admit, even with the missing eye, the Captain was attractive in a rough sort of way - definitely different than his myriad of paramours at the palace.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you. I'm sure your travel has made you anxious for some rest, so I can show you to your quarters, if you'd like, and show you around the town on the way." He gestured down the main road with his arm. "If it would please you to follow me?"

Eaton followed the panther, and had to hide a smile at his obviously novice attempts at decorum. It seemed Darrin was right. They walked together, nearly side-by-side, as they entered the town. He heard the soldiers start to trail behind them - not too close, of course - and said a silent apology to Darrin for leaving him alone to deal with their luggage.

"I'm told this is your first time visiting a garrison of this size." The panther started. "As you can see, aside from the actual garrison building, it is more of a small village than anything. Many of the soldiers' wives and family follow them, hence all the houses. They do work as well - mostly as tailors, laundresses, cooks, and so on. We really are quite self-sufficient here. Well, as any small non-farming village would be. We have a store and an inn, and even a tavern for the off-duty soldiers. Ah, your highness?"

Eaton caught himself as he gravitated toward the open smithy they came to. Before he could correct his path, the Captain moved to walk alongside him as if it was the plan originally.

"Ah, yes, we do have our own smithy as well." The panther continued. "Many of the conscripts sent to us are outfitted quite meagerly, so Craston here smelts all the shoddy pieces down and reworks them. It's not the best method of course, but it makes for much better armor and weapons than they came with."

Eaton stopped at the stall as the grizzled badger stopped his work and bowed. "One blacksmith for a garrison this size?"

"Ah, yes, your highness. Right now he's the only one we have, unfortunately. It's tight, but Craston here does a fine job of keeping up with the needs of the garrison. It would be nice to have two, but it seems our requisitions for more fall on the deaf ears of the local lords."

"Hm." Eaton pondered. He would have to find a way to keep himself busy while he was here, after all. "Well," he turned to the badger, who seemed nervous and wary of Eaton's presence, "if you need help, I can surely assist Craston here."

Both the panther's and badger's eyes went wide, threatening to pop out of their heads. "Ah! Y-your highness!" The badger blubbered. "There be no reason t' trouble yourself at all." He bowed uncertainly.

Eaton chuckled. He reached down to his sword, pulling it from the sheath, and presenting it hilt-forward to the badger. "Examine my sword. I want to know your honest opinion."

Craston slowly and warily took the proffered sword, turning it over in his paws. As he examined it, Eaton couldn't help but smile as the old badger's face shifted into an expression of awe. "I-It be a beauty, you're highness. I haven't seen the ukku steel used in this type of sword afore. Most like you get Eastern styles in ukku. It be gorgeous craftsmanship, definitely a master's work. But no, not the work of old Ferris in the palace, no."

"You know Ferris?" Eaton cocked his head at the badger.

"Aye, Your Highness, we be originally from the same village. I have seen his work since, and this is most definitely a different hand. Might I ask who made this?"

"I did." Eaton smiled as he saw the badger's jaw drop. In his periphery, he saw Captain Jacobson's drop as well. "I apprenticed under Ferris, but toward the end of my apprenticeship, I learned how to make ukku steel. This sword was actually my last project as an apprentice."

The old badger offered the sword back to Eaton. "Your Highness, you do be a very skilled blacksmith." He bowed as Eaton took the sword, and he could detect a bit more respect in the motion this time. "Still, Your Highness, I be sure you have much more important duties to attend to."

Eaton sheathed the sword and smiled at Craston. "I'm sure I'll be fairly busy, but if I get some free time I can come help you out here. Smithing relaxes me anyway. Pleased to meet you, Craston. Shall we, Captain?" He motioned to Jacobson to lead the way.

The panther was silent at first, but finally spoke once they made their way further down the main road. "I must say, I am impressed, Your Highness."

Eaton glanced at him. "By what?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm surprised that a prince would know blacksmithing. It. Well it doesn't really fit with what most usually think of as a prince."

"What, pompous? Self-absorbed? Lazy?" Eaton smirked.

"Ah, no! I apologize, Your Highness." The panther dipped his head.

Eaton had to laugh. "No need to apologize, Captain. I get the same from everyone in the palace. I guess I'm not very princely. Also, no need to be so formal. I've always hated it. If we're not in front of subordinates, just call me Eaton. You'll be the one teaching me, anyway."

"Ah, okay, Your- Eaton." He could see the panther visibly relax. "I've never been very good at decorum, anyway. I'm Teryn."

"I could tell." Eaton smiled. "I guess you don't get much practice at it out here anyway, so it's understandable."

"So, uh, since we're dispensing with the formalities, what would you like to know about the garrison?" Teryn asked, turning his head to face Eaton and look him in the eye for the first time.

Eaton stared back at the panther's golden eye. It was quite striking against the dark of his fur. "Honestly, Teryn, I'd like to know where my bed is."

Teryn chuckled. "This way."