Galen Vesa

I have seen much in my life and yet I still had trouble accepting what I heard.

“A, but this one is of the finest quality! I assure you dear friend you will not find a better piece! Two coins, gold.”

The paper seller of black skin and hands bleached dust white took my silence as an invitation to barter. The price dropped a whole coin while I stared at him.

“Two gold coins for that scrap?”

Perhaps my odd ability to understand their language failed me? Logic could not accept that price.

“O cursed my fate must be! You take food of my table! One and a half or my children will starve!”

“What children?”

Inra asked with a dubious look on her face.

“One coin and I shall fast tonight because of my loss, o heartless one!”

“Not my intention, friend. Best of fortune to you, let those with heavy purse come your way.”

I made the customary bow and turned on my heels but a strong grip around my arm stopped me.

“Eighty silvers and it is yours, you daemon!”

*Dolt, buy it or we may never be rid of him. *

“Fifty, I have no more.”

The man’s eyes flashed with happiness. The fish took the bait, the hook sank in and now he would reel us in.

“No! This for fifty I cannot sell!”

He assumed a troubled look.

“But I may have just the right one here… For fifty silvers I can offer this in high confidence!”

A new and visibly less perfect roll of paper appeared in his hands. Almost grey and much thinner than the one he shown me before. Papi, people called it and lots of it passed through my hands. The market value of what he offered hardly could justify twenty silvers.

“Ten silvers for that and I may forget the insult you deal me. Ink may not even hold onto that.”

I’ve wrecked several very nice shirts trying to write something on papi. It smudged and fell apart and the ink just did not stick to it. All the girls hated that but the guild reserved paper for important business only.

“Twenty! And I include a pencil, much better writing than ink!”

A pencil, huh? A thin bamboo like stick with a short piece of sharpened charcoal glued to its tip. Whatever good it may do to papi… I think I can come up with better ways to poke holes in paper.

“Fifteen.”

“Sold!”

I received about twenty inches of papi which he measured at least five times, and the said pencil. I gave him three silver ingots, each worth five coins or more if he were to swindle someone into a less favorable conversion.

“Was that a fair price?”

Inra’s ears perked up with excitement.

“Fair? No. Practical? Yes. I’d say that’s the best price we can get without some big trading company name to support us. Come, I have all I need.”

Getting paper held the last spot on my to-do list. With all the ingredients in my hand I…

Erta scoffed at me from within.

*And what do you intend my dear dolt? They are watching. The whole city is full of eyes, paid eyes. Waiting. *

That, what we do every night, pinky. We’ll do something very stupid. But first I think I will have something to eat. Those shish kebabs smell interesting and, if nothing goes well tomorrow, that may be our last decent meal in a while. Also, can you please, please, tone down your magic? My bones are melting.

I had to stop and lean on a wall when she cancelled her spell. Such powerful release washed over my body I moaned with pleasure.

*See, you are getting better at it. Your body can and will adapt. *

That or you’ll kill us in the process. Erta it hurts. It hurts beyond whatever I can describe. It takes all I have in me just to walk straight without screaming. Please, no more practice for a while. Not this way, it does not work.

“You’re sick? ”

A pair of shining eyes gave me a bothered look. How should I answer that? Yes? No? I wonder what they prescribe here for hearing voices.

“An old magic wound. Sometimes the pain comes back.”

Inra swallowed the lie with a flick of her ears then cast a glance over the rooftops. She too felt that presence.

“The smell from the stall over there seems promising.”

I put few coins in her palm.

“Mind checking it out while I rest for a bit?”

I sat myself on a wooden bench and watch her haggle with the stall owner, pointing at this or that piece of roasted meat.

*Do you still wish to go on with your plan? It may put her at risk. *

You like her, don’t you? Big softie.

*We could go alone. With the blessings we have, a guard or two would not stop us. *

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Erta, we've been stuck in this for a while now. You should know already I don’t care what would become of me. The bystanders are what trouble me. I don’t want people to die for me or because of me.

*Then don’t send her. *

And risk an open fight with, let’s call them authorities? No. That would not end well. Also, we don’t know for sure if they are waiting for us or somebody else. No. If she agrees, we will send her.

But first, I needed a message to sent in the first place. I unrolled the papi I bought and wrote.

Dear sister,

I hope this letter finds you well. I know you would rather deny my existence than hear from me but please, I beg you, at the very least consider my apologies. I did not intend what happened that morning and I cannot express my shame. I understand I may never again be welcomed under your roof so I will not trespass upon your hospitality, but I pray mom or you would bless me with enough grace as to see me. I know I may not hope for a reply, but I shall await one by the sunset of a second day of the new moon near the bridge over Daar river.

If you remain silent, I will no longer call myself a sister to you and in shame I may as well become dead to all that knew me.

Always loving,

Veronica.

That should do it. I hope. Beatrice knows my handwriting and perhaps should see through it. I thought about embedding it with my mana but that could probably trigger some alarm or so the dragon told me.

I folded the letter and addressed it to Beatrice when almost a pound of half-burned meat skewered on a stick appeared before me.

“That is quite generous.”

I took my stick and surveyed it for the best place to bite in.

“A, he became quite generous when I told him we saw how he doused that ale with water.”

Inra sat in front of me and chewed on. A sharp learner. Very sharp learner.

Hey roomie, think I can talk with our soon to be messenger out here?

*There are eyes and ears nearby but apparently, they do not find us interesting. Not at the moment at least. *

Best I do it now then.

“This will be the place where we part our ways.”

That sounded odd even to my ears. Inra showed no reaction apart from lowering her eyes.

“If you agree, I will have one last task for you. It may endanger your life so…”

“I don’t mind. My life has no value.”

Oh, to that I could say nothing. Nothing that wouldn’t be hypocrisy.

*It stings when others toss your words back at you. Does it not, dolt? *

“Well, it has to me. I don’t want to send you head-on into something that might turn into a death trap.”

She chewed on her meat, watching me closely. Her eyes had a look I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I continued after swallowing a bite of my portion.

“I have a message that must be delivered to the owner of Emerald guild hall. Although, as you might noticed, the whole city is being watched and such message and the messenger may be intercepted and, dealt with.”

I pushed the letter to her and put atop of it the leather pouch with my remaining gold. Inra did hesitate but only for a moment and took both the letter and the gold.

“There are inns around the plaza. Pick one and book a stay for three days. The rate in this area is ten silver a night. There are cheaper ones further away from here, but these are the safest. Wait until tomorrow noon and go to the guild, big green building by the fountain. Look for a maid in red-rimmed glasses. If she’s not there, ask for Beatrice. It is best if you give the letter to her but if you can’t any maid should pass it on to her. If they decide to detain you, tell them whatever they want. I'll be long gone. The rest I leave to your judgement. If you decide it is too dangerous, dispose of the letter and go your way. The gold should last you two or three moons if you stay frugal.”

She finished her stick as I spoke. I gave her the rest of mine.

“Be safe.”

I got up and walked away. As simple as that.

The streets melted away behind me as I walked back to the gate. The traffic dwindled and stopped when sun hung low over the horizon. I watched from the edge of the forest as they closed the gates for the night. The bundle I bought hung heavy over my back.

“Are we clear?”

*Yes. *

My bones cracked and shuddered, shifting back into my banana-less form. No matter.

Shades and colors disappeared, and world became equally bright. Erta whispered her charms and I run.