Bringo, at thirty-five years old, was considered the last hope for perpetuating the Valverde surname. His older brother, Bongo, was already sixty-five and had a palpable aversion to children, making him an unlikely candidate for continuing the family line. Together, they lived in an old and dilapidated house on the outskirts of the now diminished halfling community of Green Hill.
The population of Green Hill had suffered a notable decline over the past centuries, largely due to the allure of Iclys, the Traveler's City. For more than four hundred years, Iclys had drawn numerous adventurers and merchants with its bustling market and business opportunities. This transformation had led many halflings to leave Green Hill in search of new prospects in the thriving city.
However, Bringo resisted leaving his home, primarily because he did not want to leave his aging brother alone. Unlike most, his interest in moving to Iclys was not driven by commercial motives but by a more personal reason: his love for Lina Greenbeautiful, a charming halfling who had settled in Iclys with her parents.
From time to time, Bringo traveled to Iclys to sell his sweets, which had earned a reputation as the most exquisite in the region. According to him, the secret of his success lay in a recipe passed down through generations by none other than Dorita of Green Hill. He took advantage of these trips to meet with the beautiful Lina.
That morning, Bringo broke his routine by waking up earlier than usual, an uncommon event that would surprise anyone who knew his tendency to stretch out his mornings until the last minute. However, his mood could not have been more different: a mix of nerves and excitement had kept him on edge from the moment he opened his eyes. Today was not just any day; today was the day everything would change.
With his heart pounding, Bringo hurried to prepare for the journey to Iclys. He had planned to bring his sweets to sell at the market and take the opportunity to purchase some essential spices for his culinary creations. But, more importantly, he eagerly anticipated visiting Lina's house and formally introducing himself to her parents as her boyfriend.
The thought of formalizing his relationship with Lina filled Bringo with indescribable joy. After so much time and effort, he finally felt that fate was smiling upon him. Every step he took toward the future was marked by hope and the longing to build a life with the woman he loved. With his heart brimming with excitement, Bringo prepared to embark on the journey that would mark a new chapter in his love story.
The night before, Bringo had meticulously prepared everything for the momentous day ahead. In his mind, every detail had been carefully planned and organized, as if it were a military strategy. He knew the journey would be long and demanding, but he was determined to face it with perseverance and good spirits.
To carry out his plan, Bringo relied on the invaluable company of Rodolfo, a donkey of remarkable strength and endurance. Although he did not consider himself an experienced adventurer, he fully trusted in the robust animal's ability to guide them along the paths leading to Iclys. Tying Rodolfo securely to a modest cart, Bringo loaded his most prized goods: the sweets he had so carefully crafted. He knew that the key to his success lay not only in the exquisite taste of his creations but also in the calculated scarcity with which he offered them. It was a closely guarded secret, a perfect balance between quality and quantity that ensured his products remained highly esteemed among the most discerning customers.
In addition to the delicacies awaiting sale at the market, Bringo had carefully prepared his finest attire for special occasions. He knew that this day would not be just another in his life; on the contrary, it would be an unforgettable day, one to be remembered for a long time. With every gesture, with every detail, Bringo strove to convey the importance and solemnity of the occasion he was about to experience.
He had a hurried breakfast, making more noise than usual, disturbing the usual morning tranquility and earning protests from his brother, who was still resting in the adjacent room.
—Bringo, for the love of the hills, can't you at least be quiet? —grumbled Bongo from his bed.
—Sorry, brother! But today is an important day! —Bringo replied enthusiastically.
However, there was no time to waste, and with a quick hug, he said goodbye and departed.
The path to Iclys stretched before him, both familiar and tempting, but the shadow of the old rivalry between the halflings and the scrillch advised him to avoid the shortcut through the Quiet Forest. He chose instead the longer but safer route, the one he had traveled countless times without major incidents.
By his calculations, he would reach the Trident River by midday. From there, he would follow its right bank for two more days until he arrived in Iclys.
As he rode comfortably in his cart, following the contours of the peaceful White Lake, Bringo began to daydream. Wild ideas were a common occurrence in his restless mind, and this time was no exception. Though he had already earned a reputation among his people for his eccentricities—often with questionable results—he could never resist the temptation to venture into new possibilities, even if they were filled with risks and surprises.
Since his anxiety was so great, and traveling for two and a half days just to see Lina felt like an eternity, he had an idea: if he could devise a kind of raft that could hold him, his cart, and his donkey, he could descend the Trident River all the way to the docks of Iclys in just one day. The challenge was how to build it without wasting too much time. He remembered an old dock project that had never been completed, leaving its foundations on the riverbank. Though the wood had been submerged in the mud for quite some time and was somewhat rotten, he supposed it could still support his weight along with Rodolfo and the cart.
He urged Rodolfo to quicken the pace, though the donkey, accustomed to his leisurely rhythm, showed some reluctance to his master's sudden urgency. Nevertheless, Bringo's determination did not waver, and with each step, they drew closer to bringing his daring plan to fruition.
They reached the riverbank before second breakfast. Bringo, always diligent and not wasting a second, stepped into the muddy shore in search of the half-buried structure he had envisioned as the start of a dock. With skills honed through countless moments of necessity, he unfurled the ropes he carried with him, deftly tying the platform, preparing to transform it into his bridge to the next stage of his adventure.
However, Rodolfo's temperament, his faithful companion's stubbornness, had become as unpredictable as the river's currents now stretching before them. Tied to the end of the rope, the donkey expressed his displeasure. The beast refused to move, as if his obstinacy rivaled the river's own flow.
—Come on, Rodolfo, don't be like that! We'll get there faster! —Bringo coaxed.
Rodolfo, however, snorted in defiance, planting his hooves firmly in the mud.
Bringo's patience ran out faster than usual. Facing his companion's stubbornness, he applied a more energetic encouragement than he normally would. Between words of encouragement and gestures of impatience, he finally managed to persuade Rodolfo to move, though the tension between them remained palpable in the air.
With the makeshift raft finally in the water, Bringo decided to take a well-deserved break before embarking on the next stretch of his journey. Despite his sincere apologies to his loyal four-legged friend, Rodolfo's anger lingered, like a fire stoked by the wind of contradiction.