During the journey to Harvena, Rem remained silent. He refused to speak the common tongue in the presence of the crew, preferring to spend the voyage gazing out at the sea or lying in his cabin, staring up at the ceiling. Nita didn't know what to make of it. She felt nauseous in the cabin but was too frightened to stay on deck alone. What disturbed her most was the captain's unnerving gaze — those wide, fish-like eyes that fixed on her every time she appeared. She tried to hide from his eyes as much as possible — behind water barrels, cargo crates, or piles of tangled rope. Because of this, Rem scolded her, claiming she was hindering the crew. It hurt her feelings. Eventually, she found a nice spot among the wooden crates where she could sit for hours, eavesdropping on snippets of the crew's conversations. Though she understood little, the mix of creaking wood and the murmur of waves created a background that soothed her growing unease.
On the last day of their voyage, Rem woke Nita at dawn. They stood together by the ship's railing, watching as Harvena emerged from the morning mist like a shadowy silhouette. First the tall towers, then a mixture of various buildings. The city had no walls and looked like a gigantic ant colony sprawling into the surrounding countryside. The mist quickly dissipated, and as the ship sailed into the harbor, the streets were already bathed in sunlight and full of life.
The harbor buzzed with a cacophony of sounds. Dozens of other ships were anchored on the water, from the smallest fishing boats to enormous trading vessels. Nita stood in awe and would have completely forgotten she was supposed to disembark if Rem hadn't grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her ashore.
The pier was crowded with sailors, merchants, and dockworkers. Representatives of all sorts of races were present — many she didn't recognize, and for some, she just guessed based on Rem's stories and pictures. At one point, she even caught sight of a tall, slender female figure whose eyes and hair seemed to shine in the morning light. An elf, Nita thought. She watched her until a crowd and Rem's grip carried her away. There were also many humans Rem tried to avoid.
The air was a mix of roasted meat from nearby stalls and the scents of salt, fish, and spices. The aroma made Nita hungry, but Rem kept pulling her deeper into the city's streets. The surrounding buildings began to change. Wooden stalls selling fish and fruit gradually gave way to stone buildings with whitewashed walls. The streets were paved with light-colored stones, and the morning sun reflected off them so brightly that Nita had to squint.
At one moment, Rem turned into a side street and stopped in front of a small, inconspicuous shop.
"Wait here," Rem said quietly without looking at her and went inside.
Nita looked around. The street was almost empty; occasionally a person or someone from the Elders would pass by, but no one paid her any attention. Yet she suddenly felt alone and lost. Before her fear could take hold, Rem came out of the shop holding a piece of dark fabric, which he handed to her.
"Take this and cover yourself."
Nita took the piece of fabric and was surprised to find it was a cloak with a hood. It was made of light material, so it didn't weigh her down when she draped it over her shoulders. She pulled the hood over her head and suddenly felt safer, as if the cloak was protecting her from the entire world.
Rem gave her a measuring glance and nodded approvingly. "Stay hidden and stick with me."
Nita nodded and stepped behind him.
"How much further do we have to go?"
"Just a few streets. We're in the commercial district, and if nothing has changed, my old acquaintance has his shop here."
"What does he trade?" she asked curiously.
"With whatever's available," Rem growled a vague response.
Nita frowned. She was starting to grow angry with Rem for his reticence and cryptic answers. She couldn't understand what had changed — his usual sharp wit was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, Rem stopped, and Nita, lost in her thoughts, bumped into him. They stood in front of an ostentatiously impressive building covered in polished stone, with tall windows and massive wrought-iron doors. Above the doors hung an iron ring — the symbol of the Elders — adorned with intricate engravings.
"Is this it?" she sighed. She felt out of place and couldn't understand how Rem, who lived in that old house with a thatched roof, knew someone from such a grand building.
Rem just growled something vague and banged on the door.
To Nita's surprise, a human dressed in an elegant coat opened the door.
"May I help you?"
"I came to see Lox."
The man raised his eyebrows, evidently considering whether to slam the door in their faces. "Mr. Lox doesn't have any appointments today."
Rem narrowed his eyes and hissed. "Then inform him that Remmurch has arrived and demands repayment of a debt."
The man glanced from Rem to Nita, who instinctively pulled her hood further over her face. Then he reluctantly muttered for them to wait and disappeared into the building.
Rem cursed and shook his head in disbelief, causing his earrings to jingle. "A human butler!"
"What is that?" Nita asked.
"A butler? Someone who serves rich folk like Lox. He manages the household."
"How do you know this Lox?"
"From the past."
Nita was about to take a deep breath to scold Rem for his short answers, but the butler reappeared at the door.
"The master will see you now." His voice held a condescending tone.
Rem let out a dry chuckle and followed him inside with Nita close behind. The butler led them through a hall adorned with tapestries and up a staircase to the upper floor. He stopped before one of the rooms.
"Mr. Lox is expecting you," he said, gesturing to the slightly open door.
Stolen story; please report.
"Wait here," Rem muttered to Nita before entering alone.
It was a room dripping with luxury — paintings on the walls, a library filled with leather-bound volumes, and sofas piled with cushions. By one of the tall windows stood a chair, and in it—
Rem scowled.
"Greetings, Lox."
"Now it's 'Sir Lox,' so you know."
The goblin sitting in the chair was incredibly fat. From his shirt — obviously very expensive — a plump belly protruded. He even had breasts larger than most goblin women. And on top of that, he had shoes!
"Ha! A human title for a goblin?!" Rem could hardly hide his disgust.
"You haven't changed much, have you, Rem?"
"You have changed quite a bit yourself."
Lox chuckled, but there was not a trace of friendly cheerfulness in his laugh. "I hear you want to choose debt repayment."
Rem nodded. "Are you still trading with Rovisk?"
"Of course. You wouldn't believe what some humans will pay for trinkets from the Elders."
Rem clenched his fists but continued in a calm voice. "I need you to deliver a human child to Rovisk, to the kljatvoložecs."
Lox hesitated, narrowing his eyes. "A human child?" He thought for a moment before his gaze turned cold and calculating. "No one uses that old term anymore; they call themselves warlocks now. You're lucky, Rem-" he plucked a piece of sweetened fruit from a bowl with his thick fingers and began to chew it loudly. "-my ship plans to arrive in Rovisk before the autumnal equinox holidays."
"What's so lucky about that?"
"You’re sending them a child, and you don’t know? The warlocks always buy children on the first day of the main festivals. Orphans or hungry necks of poor parents. Not many survive their care." Lox chuckled, wiping his fingers on his bulging belly. "But they do it well. They get their apprentices, and the people spend the money at the festivals. The king hasn’t put a stop to it yet."
Rem watched Lox’s movement, disgusted by the sight of his wobbling, jelly-like belly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed Lox’s help. He couldn’t keep going with Nita; he just couldn’t. He had been thinking about it the whole journey to Harvena, admitting to himself that he would miss that girl. But the resistance he felt inside himself was too strong to overcome.
"I want you to assign a companion to that girl who will take her to them. You can keep whatever money the warlocks pay."
Lox laughed again. "They don’t pay much for children. It won’t cover the cost of ensuring she’s both safe and someone waits with her in Rovisk."
"How much do you want?!" Rem growled.
Lox smacked his lips and thought for a moment.
"Don't get upset. I'm a merchant, Rem. I repay my debt by letting her onto my ship. If she still has to get food and water from me during the voyage, and then a companion to the warlocks, I want five gold. Per day."
Rem flinched. Five gold coins a day for a piece of bread for a child? Five gold would be enough for an entire family for a week. Maybe even two. His eyes narrowed.
"That's an outrageous price, Lox," he said quietly but firmly. "Nita will cost you barely a few copper coins per day."
"But not her companion!" Lox snapped. "And I pay an undine on my ship. Thanks to her, I reach Rovisk two weeks faster and safer than others. That affects the price too."
"I'll give you a gold per day."
"Get lost with that."
"Two gold... and my services. You're still trading in medicinal goods, aren't you? For your special clients..." he drew out the last words with a meaningful emphasis.
Lox looked at Rem suspiciously.
"For someone who once said the best human is a dead one, you’re trying awfully hard. What’s the deal? Who is this child?"
Rem remained silent.
"Keep your secrets then!" Lox hissed and waved his fat hand. "Three gold and your services. For a year. That will clear our debts."
Rem nodded, reached into his bag, and tossed a leather pouch onto the table. "Thirty gold. An advance payment. When the ship sets sail, I'll pay you the rest."
The fat goblin laughed wheezily, his whole body shaking. "There's a bit of a trader in you after all! Three days from now, at first light, bring the girl to my dock in the harbor. You’ll know it by my mark. Her escort will be waiting for her."
Rem turned away in disgust and was about to leave.
"You're sending her to her death, you know that?" Lox called mockingly after him.
Rem didn't turn back.
He found Nita in the hallway, staring at one of the tapestries with her head tilted and her mouth slightly open. The butler stood a short distance away, watching her as if he feared she might try to steal the tapestry.
"Come on," he said in a weary voice, letting the butler lead them out of the house.
They took lodging for the night in a modest inn, tucked away from the bustle of the city's busiest quarter. The following days were spent wandering through the streets, where Rem gradually grew more talkative. He spoke of Harvena’s history, of how it became a neutral city, and even mentioned Lox and his dealings, though he refrained from delving into the details. From this, Nita gathered that the word "smuggling" likely referred to transactions best left unspoken.
In the evenings, as they sat by the inn's window, Rem would point out the various creatures passing by and tell her of the races they belonged to. Nita experienced those days as though in a fevered dream, overwhelmed by the rush of impressions and new experiences. Yet, amidst it all, a pang of something unfamiliar began to stir within her chest. She was slowly coming to the realization that she would have to part ways with Rem. The first time the thought crossed her mind, her heart clenched in fear. What if she never saw Rem again? The idea of being left alone among strangers filled her with dread. Yet, deep inside, an unquenchable curiosity thrilled at the unknown future ahead. Her childish imagination painted pictures of her someday calling forth fire, moving objects with a mere thought, or even flying.
As the day of departure drew near, these conflicting feelings grew stronger, tearing her apart between a longing for home and the safety Rem provided, and the excitement of what awaited her. At one point, she caught herself wanting to plead with Rem to stay together. But just moments later, she found herself dreaming of the journey’s end and the power she longed to wield. The last night in the inn, she barely slept. Fear and excitement waged war within her, as if she were caught between two worlds.
When Rem woke her just before dawn, leading her to the harbor, her heart pounded so fiercely she feared it might burst from her chest. The city was slowly awakening to its fevered life, with few travelers or merchants yet on the streets. Rem guided Nita to Lox’s pier, where one of the grandest trade ships was docked.
"Is this the child for the warlocks?" A man with blond hair, falling to his shoulders and obscuring his eyes, approached from a group of sailors. He scowled at her.
"You look like a boy."
Nita shrank back under his gaze.
"It’s safer for her that way," Rem snapped.
The sailor shrugged. "It probably is. Saves me some trouble, too. Lox pays me to see her safely aboard."
"I hope he made it clear that no harm must come to her until the warlocks accept her," Rem’s voice carried a note of suspicion.
"Of course," the sailor waved a hand dismissively and leaned down to meet Nita’s eyes. "You can call me Glen."
Nita didn’t reply, but Glen hadn’t expected her to.
"Say your goodbyes. The ship won’t wait for you."
Rem shot him a glare before turning to Nita, placing his old, wrinkled hand on her shoulder.
"Never forget, you are Aconitum. And never return here."
He gave her one last squeeze, then let her go.
She wanted to ask why she mustn’t return, but Glen seized her hand and pulled her toward the ship, away from Rem. "Come along, girl."
She looked back one last time, but Rem was already gone.
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