Dulce kept his head down, his hair tightly bound behind him, in an attempt to take some of the attention off him. Although his hair was the last thing people saw when they stared at him, his features incredibly striking.
A group of ladies carrying tasseled parasols giggled loudly as they walked past him, but all it did was make Dulce walk even faster, eager to get out of the public eye.
Even though both Demons were towering, at nearly eight feet tall, no one paid attention to them, not even to their strangely colored skin.
The station was even more crowded, people filling the roads after late morning rain, coachmen calling out their wares as passengers milled around.
"Where are you headed, mister?" A bushy-bearded man singled Dulce out and approached, his deep-set eyes glittering, thinking he had found an easy prey.
"I would like to hire a carriage," Dulce spoke softly, doubly nervous because he didn't know how much it would cost.
The coachman grinned, rubbing weathered hands together. "Of course, of course. Come with me." He invited them, not once glancing at either Demon.
The coachman took them to a separate and much quieter section of the station. There were carriages lined, up, most new and well-maintained, gleaming in the gentle spring sun. "Simply pick any and it's yours."
Dulce glanced at Asael, "Which is the cheapest?" He asked shamelessly.
Some of the light went out of the coachman's eyes, but he dutifully brought them to a bare wooden carriage. It was more of a cart than a carriage, with hay scattered to provide some cushioning.
"I'm not getting in that." Kath'tan flatly refused.
Asael barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes, "We'll take that," He pointed at the biggest carriage in the station. The cart would have been a decent choice if it weren't for the rain, because carriages weren't built for Demons, it would be a rather snug fit.
The coachman immediately regained his sparkle, hastily leading them over. "This is the perfect carriage for such fine gentlemen as yourself, with padded seats, cushions, and curtains, it is-"
Asael interrupted his monologue by tossing him a pouch of coins, "Have your fastest horses draw the carriage." He tagged on, the sooner they got to their destination, the sooner he could be on his way.
The coachman opened the pouch, gold coins reflected in his eyes. "C-Certainly, sir." He saluted. The money in the pouch was enough to buy the carriage, it didn't matter where they were going, it was already paid for.
Dulce got a glimpse of the pouch of gold coins, placing a hand over his chest at the sharp pain he felt there. A simple handful would resolve a lot of his problems.
"The carriage is ready," The coachman grinned. It had barely been a few minutes, yet the arrangements had already been made. The coachmen riding the horses were paid off and given the information on where they would be riding.
Asael got in first, choosing the far window seat. There was enough leg room in the carriage, a little side shelf filled with books and hard candy.
Dulce had been waiting for Kath'tan to get into the carriage before he did, only to be caught by his bag and thrown face-first into the carriage. He fell against Asael, and before he could reorient himself, he was grabbed by his bag straps again by the Fiend and pulled off.
Dazed, he sat in the middle, taking a moment to put himself together. Unaware of both Demons staring each other down over his head. He shrank into himself, although the carriage was spacious enough, timidly taking off his bag and placing it on the wooden ledge across from them.
For a moment, he considered sitting on the ledge, he didn't mind, it was far better than walking or having to share the coachman's seat, and he wouldn't have to spend the entire journey at risk of injury. They were out of the woods now, acquiring blood would be a hassle.
"What are you doing?" Kath'tan's dark voice stopped him as he was in the process of lowering himself down to the wooden ledge.
Asael hadn't been paying attention, looking out the window to watch coachmen bustle around, their conversation interspersed with neighing horses. He only glanced over when the Fiend spoke up, jaw clenched at the authority in his voice.
Dulce froze, "Sitting down?" He replied harmlessly.
Kath'tan never had to justify his anger before, but for the first time, he felt self-conscious about it. "Sit here." He pointed at the empty space between them, giving no further explanation.
"Don't want to sit next to a recreant?" Asael quipped, his tone desert dry.
Kath'tan just shot him a look, making no effort to give him a response.
Dulce wanted to insist that he was perfectly fine sitting on the wooden ledge, then he remembered that Asael was still an assassin sent to kill Kath'tan and thought the better of it, returning to where he was previously seated.
The journey began without preamble, the interior of the carriage completely silent. It had been a while since Dulce had been in a carriage this nice, if only he had a book to keep him company.
In a polished carriage such as this, there were bound to be books in the built-in compartments, but he was wary about moving around, so he sat tight, the carriage rumbling through the busy streets of the town. The journey soon picked up speed when they left the crowded areas, wide paved roads aiding their journey.
Kath'tan wore a dark scowl, his gaze was out the window, but he wasn't seeing anything. There was barely enough leg room to stretch his legs out, and when the carriage went over any bump, he had to duck his head to avoid knocking it against the roof of the carriage - walking was starting to seem like a far better option.
"How long is our journey estimated to take?" He broke the silence, anger threading the words.
Dulce timidly moved an inch away, closer to Asael. "About three to four days."