Too Much Meat

The morning was still young when a resonant thud echoed through Valerie's humble abode. As the sun's first rays filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow on the wooden interior, Ravian stood by the table, his arms laden with an assortment of creatures. From the familiar forms of deer and rabbits to the more fantastical beasts of the forest, their forms still and lifeless in the early morning light.

"Well, Valerie," he began, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "it seems we won't be needing to trouble you for meat any longer."

Sigmund's eyes widened in astonishment as he heard the loud thud and turned his gaze toward the source of the sound. Before him, on Valerie's table, lay a stack of creatures that Ravian had hunted during the night. The sight was nothing short of extraordinary, leaving Sigmund in awe of the sheer quantity and variety of the animals.

"Woah!" Sigmund exclaimed, unable to contain his surprise. His voice carried a mixture of amazement and curiosity as he tried to comprehend how Ravian had managed to gather such an impressive haul.

"How were you able to get this much?!" Sigmund asked Ravian, his voice filled with wonder and a touch of incredulity.

Ravian, bathed in the soft morning light, turned to address Sigmund. His golden eyes, sparkling with amusement, met Sigmund's wide-eyed gaze. "Well, Sigmund," he began, his voice no less graceful as it was yesterday.

"Living in the wild teaches you a few tricks." He points his head at their killing wounds, deep and devastating gashes bereft of blood. The rest of the bodies seemed entirely pristine, at least as pristine as a beast in the wild would be.

Sigmund, still in the process of processing the sight of the game-laden table, turned to Ravian, a perplexed expression etched on his face. "I thought you were a prince?" he asked, his voice carrying his confusion.

The image he had conjured in his mind of Ravian's life before their unexpected journey was one of opulence and luxury, of golden-haired aristocrats being waited on hand and foot by an army of butlers. The sight of Ravian, a self-proclaimed prince, returning from a successful hunt was a stark contrast to that image. He looked the part and talked the part, but certainly did not act the part of a prince.

Ravian, catching the question, turned to Sigmund, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. "Not all princes are pampered, dear Sigmund," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. His golden eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment, lost in a memory from a time long past. "My father once made me wrestle a bear for food. It was fun and I believe I traumatized the bear." he added, his laughter echoing in the room.

Sigmund was left speechless, his mind struggling to reconcile the image of this man, handsome and refined, wrestling a bear with his bare hands and winning. And perhaps the fact that it was his father's idea to do that. But the shock of being transported to another world, of waking up in a place so vastly different from his own, outweighed the surprise of Ravian's revelation. He simply nodded, accepting the fact as another piece of the puzzle that was Ravian.

Just then, Valerie entered the room, only to halt in her tracks at the sight that greeted her. Her eyes widened in surprise and mouth agape, taking in the assortment of creatures that now occupied her table. "By the gods, Ravian," she exclaimed, her voice echoing around the room. "Did you hunt the entire forest last night?!"

Valerie's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, her gaze darting from one creature to the next. It was as if the forest had emptied its inhabitants onto her table, a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The sheer variety of creatures, some of which she had only heard of in stories, was overwhelming. She could feel a sense of awe creeping up on her, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to comprehend the enormity of what Ravian had done.

Ravian, watching her reaction, gave a cheeky smile, his golden eyes twinkling with amusement. "Perhaps," he replied, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. He then leaned against the table, crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded her. "So, Valerie, how many of these do you think we could keep, give to the poor, and sell?"

Valerie, pulled from her thoughts by his question, turned to him. She took a moment, her eyes scanning the assortment of creatures as she began to mentally calculate. With Ravian's help, she started to identify each creature, her fingers tracing their contours as she worked. At one point, she held her mouth in shock, her eyes wide as she recognized a particularly rare creature.

"We... we could sell this for a fortune," she stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief. She turned to Ravian, her gaze filled with awe and gratitude. "Ravian, this... this could change everything for us. For the village."

Meanwhile, Sigmund, who had been watching the exchange in silence, could only shake his head in disbelief. He had thought he was getting used to the surprises this world had to offer, but this... this was something else entirely. He couldn't help but marvel at Ravian's abilities, his mind struggling to comprehend the reality of the situation.

Valerie, her eyes still wide with awe, turned to Ravian. "Ravian," she began, her voice filled with a newfound determination, "I think it would be best if we take the rarer meats to the butcher. I can't cook things like that.." She gestured towards the pile of creatures, her gaze lingering on the rarer, more expensive specimens. "The butcher at the market would surely give us a fortune for these."

With a nod of agreement, Ravian began to gather the rarer creatures, his supernatural strength allowing him to carry the load with ease. Sigmund, still in a state of disbelief, followed suit, helping Valerie with the more common creatures. Together, they made their way to the village market, the morning sun casting long shadows on the cobblestone streets.

As they entered the bustling market, the villagers turned to stare, their conversations coming to a halt. The sight of Ravian, a stranger in their midst, carrying a pile of dead animals with his bare hands was a sight to behold. Whispers spread through the crowd, their eyes wide with shock and awe as they watched the trio make their way through the market.

The village butcher, a burly man with a thick beard and a hearty laugh, was a well-known figure in the village. His stall was always filled with the freshest cuts of meat, his skills as a butcher renowned throughout the village. However, even he was taken aback by the sight of Ravian and the assortment of creatures he was carrying. His eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the rare specimens, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to touch one.

"Well, I'll be," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd get to sell these things" He turned to Ravian, his eyes filled with gratitude. He inspects the meat further, identifying it as a marble deer.

Though white and thick-skinned, its meat was a delicacy that placed even lamb to shame. Its meat was soft and juicy, full of mouthwatering fat intertwined with tender meat. A high price is fetched for this, for its rarity meant that even nobles cannot always dine on it. Even a city butcher would only sell one creature of similar caliber in their entire life.

"I'll have to sell these out of the village, maybe even to the city. But for now, I'll pay you what I have up front." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small bag of gold coins minted with the face of the middle-aged king surrounded in fìrmen letters. "Here you are, eighteen sharnins."

Ravian, his hands now mostly free from the weight of the creatures, accepted the coins from the butcher. The coins were cool to the touch, their metallic sheen glinting in the morning sun. He turned them over in his hand, studying the unfamiliar symbols etched onto their surfaces.

Then, with a nod of gratitude towards the butcher, he transferred the coins into a small pouch and handed it to Valerie. In his other hand, he held a sack, its contents a selection of the finest cuts of deer meat, enough to last them a year. The rest of the meat had either been sold or set aside to be given to others.

As they made their way back to Valerie's house, Ravian turned to her, his voice barely above a whisper. "Valerie," he began, his golden eyes reflecting the curiosity that danced within them, "Could you explain to me the value of these coins?" Valerie, taken aback by the question, blinked in surprise before quickly realizing as a smile spread across her face.

"Of course, Ravian," she replied, she supposed that Ravian did not use coins here before in his travels. Very strange, but then again the man hunted aj entire forest's worth of creatures. This would have to probably be the least mysterious part about him.

"The highest value coin we have is the sharnin. It's worth about fifteen times the value of a silverling, the silvef coins we use the most" She paused, her fingers tracing the edges of a silverling as she showed it laying upon her palm to Ravian. "A silverling is what we earn for a day's work. Just one can feed you bread enough for ten days."

"And the copper coins," she continued, her fingers now playing with a small copper coin, "we call them coppers. Five coppers make a silverling." As she finished her explanation, she looked up at Ravian, her eyes sparkling with a sense of pride. Ravian, for his part, nodded in understanding, his mind working to memorize the information. Sigmund, who had been listening in silence, nodded as well to this information.

With a nod of gratitude, Ravian thanked Valerie for her explanation. "Thank you, Valerie. Your explanation was most enlightening," he said, his voice carrying his appreciation. His golden eyes met hers, a silent acknowledgment of the bond they were slowly forming. With the money, Valerie made some purchases in the market, accompanied by both Ravian and Sigmund.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the village, Ravian, Valerie, and Sigmund made their way back to Valerie's home. The midday sun was harsh, its rays piercing through the canopy of trees that lined the village streets. Ravian, despite his best efforts, couldn't completely hide his discomfort. His golden eyes squinted slightly, and there was a subtle tension in his shoulders.

Once inside the cool confines of Valerie's home, the discomfort seemed to melt away from Ravian's features. Valerie, ever the gracious host, quickly set about preparing a meal. The aroma of cooking food soon filled the house, a tantalizing blend of spices and fresh meat.

They gathered around the wooden table, the meal served on simple earthenware plates. The conversation was sparse, the lingering sense of surprise from the morning's events still palpable. Yet, the silence was comfortable, filled with the sounds of cutlery against plates and the occasional compliment to Valerie's cooking.

As they finished their meal, Ravian couldn't help but wonder what the coming days would bring. It seems he had made quite the impression already, whether for good or bad.