“After some time here, I came to a realization that one of the things I sorely took for granted was money. As a paladin I never really had to dabble with it, and it was the same before, when I was a child or an adolescent. Unfortunately for me, that meant I never really learned how to budget properly…”
* From the Journal of Eratus Riverwood
The Blackstone Liaison didn’t say anything. The old man was as still and stone-faced as a statue. Not even the whiskers on his beard moved when he contemplated my request.
“You’re being serious?” he finally answered.
“Yes.”
He burst out laughing. I expected as much, to be honest.
We were standing in front of the hiring board. All the other mercs had left for their jobs or joined the crowd watching the latest match at the fighting pit. There was a loud cheer that overwhelmed the normal bustle of the marketplace as the combatants clashed. His clerks were in the opposite direction, packing up scrolls with all the tasks that were taken up for the day.
“So… are there any jobs that pay that much?” I asked again.
The Blackstone liaison stopped laughing, but the smirk on his face told me he was still amused.
“Listen. If I knew of a job that did there are two things. One, whatever they were asking me to do probably wasn’t worth the trouble. And two, if it was, I’d take it up myself.”
“Well do you know of something that wasn’t worth the trouble?”
“Did you listen to what I just said? There is nothing. And what makes you think I would hand it over to some upstart like you in the first place?”
“Because I asked nicely?”
His clerks walked up next to him; their arms full of wrapped scrolls. The stern looks on their faces told me they were rather impatient to leave.
“You’ll have to try better than son. Look at board tomorrow,” he said. “Maybe I’ll miss something and you’ll get lucky.”
Before he turned to walk away, he glanced at the brigandine I was wearing.
“Where’d you get that heap of garbage?”
“Wade’s Emporium.” I tapped the tattered plates stitched over the leather vest. “I know it doesn’t look pretty but it does its job.”
“Since when does Wade hand off second-hand pieces like that?”
One of the clerks, the same one who recommended the place to me, sheepishly looked away.
“I suggest you go find something more suitable,” the old man continued. “You’re one of us now, not some punk on the street.”
They departed without another word, taking the hiring board with them and leaving me alone on the street. With them went the only plan I came up with to gain access to the Chantry library.
“I believe your attempt was unsuccessful.”
“Yes, I am well aware,” I muttered, not really appreciating the snark. Although I wasn’t sure the Lorekeeper meant it that way.
There was little hope of finding the house Flemeth referred to without access to the library. I asked a few passing Chantry sisters if such a place existed on the assumption and hope that this was common knowledge. I’d have assumed that the home of a major spiritual figure would be an object of veneration. Like Tyr’s fall or Light’s Hope Chapel. Surprisingly, it wasn’t.
According to the answers I got, there was a whole host of disagreements as to where Andraste actually lived in Denerim. Apparently, there was even a whole field dedicated to this study, something that caught the interest of scholarly debate for centuries. In an attempt to settle all the disputes, and to allay all the pilgrims who wanted to pay her homage, a monument was erected in Denerim as her symbolic home. Andraste’s rock as they called it.
All the supposed theories, as far as to her actual home, were chronicled in books that were locked up in the Chantry library. For which I needed 500 silvers.
500 silvers to gain access to a few bookshelves. There was no feasible way for me to get that much money through whatever was on the job board, especially before the Chantry closed when the vigil ended in a month. They either paid too little or took too much time.
I heard another sharp clash from the fighting pits. One of the combatants must have fallen because there was a loud roar and I saw the arbitrator rush into the field. The victor was announced and the winners among the spectators applauded while the losers stayed silent.
Maybe I could win enough silvers through the fighting pits. I wasn’t sure how quickly before everyone started betting for me. Then I noticed a familiar sight of long ruffled hair among the crowd. It was Taoran Hawkwind, standing near the edge of the fighting pit.
I certainly wasn’t going to get 500 silvers through whatever was on the job board, but I was probably able to do so through… less reputable means. It would be morally dubious at best. I wasn’t looking forward to working with him after the last debacle but I didn’t see any other choice.
Whatever, I just wanted to get off this damn world and go home.
I shuffled my way through the crowd, sidestepping and ignoring the angry or happy exchanges of coin. Up ahead, Taoran was patting the shoulder of a man who had to be a noble or rich, judging by his clothes. He wore a fitted tunic with gold embroidery patterned over orange cloth. Something I would have seen on the people who frequented Madame Lebois bakery. And like the same people he had retainers, one of which who stepped in my way.
“Nobody is to disturb our lord,” one of the retainers said. Another moved next to him. Both of them were large imposing men, probably hired for that very reason.
“I only want to talk to the other fellow.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
I was impatient, but I wasn’t going to have a physical altercation with them just for a talk. I could wait.
“Very well,” I said then stepped to side. Regardless, I could overhear their conversation.
“If it isn’t another lucky day,” Taoran said. “Where does that leave us at. Four to none?”
“Oh, sod off.” The man knocked the hand out of the way.
“All in good humor Vaughn,” Taoran laughed.
“I’ll get you next time. Luck doesn’t last forever.”
Vaughn handed over a pouch that jingled with money to Taoran, who snaked it into a pocket. The “lord” then puffed up his chest.
“Now, I must get going now. I have an arrangement to be at.”
“Oh? I knew you didn’t wear that bright outfit to impress me. Must be a pretty important arrangement for you to dress up in something other than your usual livery.”
“Ha… Ha…. My family has dinner with the Arl of Southend,” Vaughn said then smirked. “And apparently, his daughter, will be there.”
“Arl Bryland of Southend. Well lucky you my good man.” Taoran said, patting his friends back again. “I hear his daughter is quite the blooming rose.”
“A quarter-Orlesian too, and you know what they say about Orlesians in the sheets.”
“Now is that any way a lord should speak?”
“Bah. I get enough pestering from the servants about mannerisms. If I cannot speak freely then what is the point of being a lord? Restraint is for peasants.”
“True… True… Though, are you quite okay with that. King Maric’s revolt wasn’t too long ago after all. Can’t say your peers would look too kindly upon Orlesians diluting noble blood.”
“Hmph, not that it matters much. The Arl of Redcliffe Eamon took an Orlesian for his wife. Sure, it raised a scuffle across the entire Bannorn but the old man seems pretty happy. Can’t say I’m too impressed, especially after seeing her in-person. And besides, Arl Bryland is a war hero. I doubt the Bannorn would give a fuss about his daughter being of marriageable worth.”
“Well I do hope everything works out.”
“Hopefully… anyhow, I must be off.”
Vaughn and his men stepped away. I had a feeling the dinner was going to go less well than expected, but that wasn’t any of my business. I stepped forward to Taoran.
He looked far worse for wear. He had bruises all around his neck, and cuts on his face that were not there earlier. There was a dark look on his eyes, the same look I saw from soldiers who had witnessed something horrifying.
“Oh,” he said, with a glum look. “It’s you.”
“Good Afternoon.”
“Didn’t expect to see you again after that last job. How did Knives do?”
“He is doing fine,” I lied, very well aware that the he was in fact a she. “Left him with a healer.”
“Really? Well, I haven’t seen him anywhere since then. He was a damn good bet in the fights. Any idea where he is now?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“Shame,” he sighed. “Anyhow, I doubt you came up to me to talk about that incident. What do you want now?”
“I’m looking for a job.”
“The hiring board exists for that reason.”
“Not just any job. I need something that pays well and in a hurry. I was thinking you had something up your sleeve.”
“Up your sleeve?”
“I mean if you had something… not on the board. Off the books? Not on record? Preferably something that paid a large amount of coin.”
He didn’t laugh which was a good sign.
“And how much coin are we talking?”
“500 silvers.”
Taoran blanched.
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“That is enough for a noble’s ransom. What in the Maker do you need that much coin for?”
“It is… a private matter.”
Taoran’s face went from disbelief to suspicion to curiosity.
“Hm…” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I have something. I… tried it earlier, but it didn’t pan out as intended. Can you meet me at the gate tomorrow morning?”
“I will.”
“That’s it? You know, you are a strange one. Most mercenaries would start asking more questions before taking up a request like this. You… seem to be far too chipper about everything.”
“Well let’s just say I don’t have too many moral qualms,” I lied.
“Good. Your work last time spoke for itself, and poor Balt hasn’t recovered. I suppose I don’t have much of a choice now. Even still come prepared. It won’t be another midnight stroll like the last job.”
Taoran left without another word. I was hoping there wouldn’t be any more compromises like last time, but it didn’t matter. My job wasn’t to save this world but to get back to my own.
Now that the main issue was resolved that left the rest of the day free. The first thing that popped in my mind was how I was starting to feel the ground through the soles of my boots. I should probably replace them, as well as getting supplies for my next venture.
It was odd, but I felt sorry to replace them. I never thought I’d get attached to something as trivial as boots, but they were among the few mementos I carried over from home.
The marketplace was less busy than usual. It wasn’t quite the dense whirlpool of activity as in the past, but there were enough people wandering about for shopkeepers and merchants to keep their shops open. I had about 8 silvers left after collecting coin from my work with Madame Lebois and my last job with Taoran. That should be enough for a decent pair of boots.
I walked around, keeping my eyes out for the supplies that I needed. Then I noticed a textile merchant along the corner peddling his wares.
It wasn’t the same place I bought that itchy tunic from, otherwise I would have continued walking. His stand had a wooden panel where sets of clothes were ordered from side to side. Shirts, pants, tunics, even some undergarments, all of varying shapes and sizes. Then I noticed several large leather boots, hanging from a long thread by the side of the shop.
The man behind the stand noticed my gaze and smiled.
“Greetings!” he said waving me over then pointed to his wares. “Something catch your fancy?”
I walked up to the stand, and pointed to the boots hanging from the wire.
“Mind if I try a set on?” I asked.
“Certainly!” he said. “Be mindful however. The boots are threaded with silverweave silk from Rivain and made out of cured Antivan elk-hide. Precious wares, only suitable for the finest of nobles and merchants.”
“Uh… right.” I didn’t have a clue what he was saying but they did look rather well-made.
I slipped off my worn footwear and tried a pair. They were comfortable, although a size too large. The merchant eyed me as I tried on more pairs, trying to get the right fit.
“Perhaps you need something under that armor of yours? Or a new set of pants to go with the boots?”
“No thank you,” I said then found a set that matched. I took a few steps. I hobbled a few times, but otherwise they were adequate.
“How much for these? I only have eight silvers…”
“Oh, that will be fine. These boots, they typically run for 20 silvers, but I have a bargain for you. Seven silvers, not a coin more and not a coin less.”
Well that pretty much dried up my budget for the day. On the other hand, having a solid pair of boots was the most important item on my current list of priorities.
“Very we-“
“Eratus?” a voice interrupted.
I turned around to the voice that piped up behind me, and came sight-to-sight with an elven woman in red hair. It was the same one from earlier, who helped me find my way to the marketplace, and like that time she was dressed in the same beige dress and holding the same basket.
“Oh, pleased to meet you again,” I said.
“I thought I recognized you,” she said, smiling.
That didn’t bode well. I was hoping to be as plain-looking and unrecognizable as possible.
“Uh.. right. You’re… Shianni correct?”
“You remembered my name!” Her smile grew brighter. She looked down to my new footwear then then peeked over to the stand. “I see you are looking to add a bit to your wardrobe.”
“Just a pair of boots.”
“I see,” she said then bent down for a closer look. Her eyes narrowed in concern. “You sure about that? Those don’t look too well-done.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
The merchant interrupted. “This isn’t any of your business knife-ear.”
Shianni scowled back at the man. “It is when you are trying to sell shoddy goods.”
She got back up then brought up her free hand. “Mind if I take a closer look?” she said. “I can prove it.”
“Uh… sure,” I said taking off the boots, and handing one to her.
“Let’s see here…” She brought the boot up in front of us, pointing at the various deficiencies. “Well first the threading is rubbish and will probably fall apart within a few weeks. Also, this leather isn’t real. You can tell from the texture, someone probably tried to glue a bunch of old pieces together. Guarantee it will fall apart the moment it gets wet.”
I looked at the merchant who just angrily glared at Shianni.
She looked to me. “How much were you about to buy this for?”
“Seven silvers.”
“Seven silvers!” She looked back at the merchant. “These are hardly worth a copper. Are you trying to swindle people too?”
“Shut up,” he said then looked back at me. “Listen my good friend. You don’t need to listen to her, all you need to do is-“
“No thank you,” I said, handing him back the boots.
We walked away from the stall, leaving the merchant to grumble to himself.
“Thanks,” I said.
“It was no problem at all. Honestly, there are far too many predators in the market looking for easy victims. I couldn’t just leave you to it.”
“Ah. Also, am I really that noticeable?”
“Well let’s see,” she said. “Your hair is a complete mess, your… suit has the texture of a dead tree, and you walk around like some noble, though you clearly aren’t. I think a better question would be how someone couldn’t notice y-.”
She brought a hand to her mouth.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean to be rude. My mouth runs ahead of my head sometimes.”
“No. no, it’s alright,” I said. “No offense was taken. Thanks for pointing that out, I’m trying not to draw too much attention to myself.”
“Oh,” she said. “Then the pleasure is all mine. Anyway, now that I have saved you from being swindled by that thief, what are you up to now?”
“Well, I still need boots, so I’ll probably try my luck elsewhere.”
“Hm… if you don’t mind then I can tag along and help you out.”
“It’s okay, I don’t want to be a bother.”
“No. It’s perfectly alright. I have my own errands to run here but it shouldn’t take too long. Besides! You helped me out once, so I feel obliged to help you out in turn.”
“Well if you put it that way...”
We traveled through the marketplace, from vendor to vendor in search of a decent pair of boots. In the following hour, it became highly apparent that the elf knew a great deal about the marketplace. It didn’t stop at the boots, she helped me scrounge up all sorts of other supplies.
She worked with surprising efficiency. I told her what I was looking for and she knew exactly which stall sold the goods. She talked me through what to look for in well-tailored clothes and leather. She would even haggle the merchants to lower their prices, which was even more impressive given what I knew about how elves were treated here.
By the time we were done, I was wearing a new set of boots, and hauling whole host of other supplies in my travelpack. All at the cost of 4 silvers.
“Thank you,” I said, as we stepped to one of the streets leading out of the market.
“No problem,” Shianni replied. “You know, it doesn’t seem like you deal with too many merchants before.”
“I suppose so. I never really had to deal with want for goods.”
“Really?”
I thought back. There actually never was a time where I ever had to deal directly with purchasing goods. Aunt Tiana handled all of that when I was a boy. The Church handled all of that when I was an initiate. The Alliance Military handled all of that when I became a full-fledged paladin.
“To a certain extent, I’ve always had other people take care of it for me.”
“So, you are some kind of noble after all?”
“Not quite…”
“But that sounds like exactly the type of thing nobles do. Have other people take care of all the petty stuff.”
“Well… I guess if you put it that way. But no, it isn’t the same.”
We walked quietly for a few moments.
“You are an interesting person Eratus,” she said. “I don’t think there is another human quite like you out here.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” I said.
“So… how much longer will you be here?” she asked.
“Can’t tell.” I thought back to the lie I told her the last time we met. “Only… a few ships go back to my homeland. Have to wait until one of them arrive. Till then, I guess I’m stuck here.”
“I see. Well, I hope to see you more often.”
She looked up at the sky, which was beginning to blur from blue to orange.
“It looks like it will be dark soon. I should get home.”
“Didn’t you need to go run some errands in the market?”
“Oh.” She shrugged, then laughed. “Guess they weren’t so important after all. Sorry I have to go!”
I stood there watching her scurry through the road, and out of sight. I felt a bit bad; it was nice not being swindled, but I didn’t mean to intrude on any business she had. Life was hard enough for elves here, and I didn’t want to saddle her with even more burdens. She must just be a really nice person. On a personal scale, she was definitely leaning towards one of the friendlier elves I’ve met thus far. Right alongside Merrill.
I wondered how she was doing. Among the Dalish, she seemed the most reasonable of the bunch. It wasn’t any of my business however. I stepped off the opposite direction, and back to the tavern.
----------------------------------------
By the time the tavern came into view the sky was a smear of yellow and orange colors. The sun loomed over the horizon, slowly drifting into the ocean. Foot traffic had grown less and less dense as the day began to end and it was nonexistent along this stretch of the road. All save for myself.
The road I was on was quiet now, save for the faint echoes of activity from busier paths. Everyone had retreated into their homes, probably in preparation to bed down and rest for the next day.
I trudged along, intending to do the same when the Lorekeeper’s voice piped up.
“Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood. I have detected a lifeform displaying hostile intent.”
“What? Where?” I stopped, keeping my eyes peeled for any sudden movements. I didn’t reach for my sword this time. The Lorekeeper’s recent warnings on what he considered “dangerous” tended to be a bit overblown in the city. Still, it did help to be careful.
“It is following you from behind.”
I looked back. The street was as empty as ever. The Lorekeeper’s ability however was never wrong.
“Who’s there?” I said. “I know you have been following me. Show yourself!”
A few heartbeats passed, and a familiar figure stepped out from behind a building. The last time I saw her she was wrapped up in a blanket and had left in a hurry. Now, she seemed to have ditched the sheets for clothes. She wore a simple black tunic and a shawl that covered the bottom half her face. Not the same ones from the night; I knew that much given that I had torn them up as bandages to treat her wounds.
It was Knives or Tabris or whatever her actual name was. She stopped at the middle of the road and faced me, standing straight almost in defiance. One hand lowered the shawl, to reveal a mouth twisted into a scowl.
“I want the daggers back,” she said.
“Oh?” I said pulling the twin weapons from my belt. “You mean these?”
“They are mine.”
“Now is that any way to speak to someone who saved your life?”
She bit her lip, like she was aware of the fact while refusing to acknowledge it. Instead she doubled down with the enraged tone.
“They don’t belong to you. Return them.”
“I’m not too sure I want to. Tell me, is it custom to kick someone in the nethers after they took care of you?”
She broke eye contact and looked away. I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment or shame or something else. It certainly wasn’t repentance.
“I think these daggers would be fair compensation,” I said then looked at the handle of one. “The engravings in the hilt is a nice touch.”
She glared back at me.
“If you don’t return them I’ll-.”
“Sorry but you’ll what? You’re wearing a cloth tunic and I have armor. You have no weapons from what I can tell while I have a sword. If the city-guard gets involved, whose word do you think they will take?”
She didn’t respond, but the anger and acknowledgement were visible from her body language. It felt harsh saying it but good at the same time. The memory and pain from her little stunt were still fresh in my mind.
We stood there at an impasse. I wondered what she was doing following me like this. Probably waiting for an opportunity to ambush me when I wasn’t paying attention. With the Lorekeeper however, the odds of that happening were slim to none.
I sighed. “Relax. I was half-expecting you to come to the inn to take them back there.”
I walked towards her. She bent her knees, shifting to a stance ready to pounce.
“Don’t try it,” I said.
She kept her gaze on me, but did nothing as I stepped closer. I tossed the daggers over to her feet.
She kept her eyes toward me as she knelt down and picked up the blades.
“I didn’t do anything to you,” I said. “I don’t know what you went through with humans but not all of us are like that.”
I turned back to the road, leaving her standing in the lonely street.
“Knight-Lieutenant Riverwood. I must question your peculiar behavior at assisting lifeforms that have demonstrated hostile intent toward your well-being.”
“She was going to keep chasing me until she got her things back. I’m not one inclined to murder in cold blood either, and that is not something I want to explain to the city guard. Especially not with the templars out for my blood.”
“I see. Understandable.”
I didn’t mention that I was thinking of pawning off the blades for more coin, but the Lorekeeper seemed to have not caught that. However, that just brushed wrong with me. The weapons weren’t really mine to give away in the first place, regardless of her earlier behavior.
I passed through the double doors of the inn.
“Another rough day?” the innkeep asked from behind the bar.
“M hm,” I replied.
We didn’t share any more words, and I stepped into my room. I put my travelpack on the ground and began to organize supplies for tomorrow’s expedition. As I did, I noticed several vials of blue liquid at the very bottom. Lyrium. I should probably dispose of it, especially given that I knew there were templars on my tail. Possession of this substance was illegal already, and odds are that someone would tie it back to what happened at the forest. Then I recalled something the Lorekeeper mentioned earlier.
“You mentioned that this had… some sort of power, right?”
“Correct.”
“In what sense?”
“Unknown. The energy signature in the material is high.”
“And in what manner would I be able to use this?”
“Through the most common medium for organic life-forms. Ingestion.”
Huh. That made it seem like some sort of mana potion, or the like. I weighed the options in my head and decided to pack them up in my bag for tomorrow. It might come in handy then. If not, then based on what Taoran said, I would probably be far enough away from the city to toss it out.
I finished packing my belongings, lay down on the bed, and sleep overtook me in seconds.