What wasn't there to say about Quawin?

Ever since a young age, he knew he was made for business. Little deals between childhood friends, managing to cheat them out of whatever toys or food they had on them when he cornered them into striking some sort of deal. Then it got a bit more serious, starting to deal with adults in his teenage hood. Fair deals shifted to not-so-fair deals, and then what the locals began calling 'scams' (he would never use such a harsh word, however), and eventually, one too many of these very deals ended up getting him kicked out. No matter, though. He knew where the nearest city was, and he had enough (legally acquired) items to make himself a living somewhere else. Unless, of course, he got kicked out again. Which he did. And this continued, for about... eh, five years or so? He had lost count. But the City of Dissonance... wow that was a sight to behold!

When he saw it, he instantly knew it was where he'd finally feel at home.

The amount of things every person had in their possession and how much the leader was taking away from everyone – There was a gap in the market for someone who was willing to work off-the-books, was there not? He started out small, providing a very simple service where he would keep items in a safe storage for a small price, away from the prying eyes of Dissonance and his lackeys. Sure, some things from the storage would go missing every now and then, and he would actively deny taking anything. But he had to make a living for himself somehow, right? People in that city were all business and no heart – He barely had anything for himself, and Dissonance taxed him even more than he did anyone else after he found out how many things he was conducting behind his back.

Quawin was sure now – He did not feel at home here.

Was it his fault, really? Just wanting to get by in the only way he knew how? It wasn't his fault the world made it as difficult as it did. Whether it be the lack of food on his table as a kid or a shortage of wood to build with as he got his house prepared, he wasn't to blame for having to get creative. Dissonance and his taxes didn't make it easier, either. He was about ready to abandon everything and leave again – As gratuitous as it was, he'd be kicked out himself anyway. Maybe Dissonance was a little more stubborn than other rulers he had faced before, thinking he could break him down himself before he rid him personally, but Quawin was not one to challenge his abilities. He'd leave himself once he got ready – He was despised here, there was no business left for him, and he couldn't even make a home directly in the city. Truly, he had nothing to-

"So, I've heard you can get things done?"

Now, Errett's proposal was what made him hesitate.

"...Maybe. Maybe not."

Quawin wasn't paying him much mind, initially. His focus was mainly on his house, and which parts of it might come in handy if he were to take them along to the next city. Errett was leaning on a nearby tree, watching him curiously.

"I'm not staying here, though. I don't belong here any more. This place can't handle a guy like me, I guess."

"And what if I were to give you a place to belong?", Errett muttered, getting an instant response.

Quawin hesitated, looking back and stopping his work. The man with the sunglasses chuckled, pulling out a small piece of paper.

"I need these uniforms made. Five of them, for me, Taza, Tom, Fonda and Will. I have all their measurements there."

"Hold on, you never even said how you're gonna pay me."

Quawin crossed his arms.

"I don't do things for free or for made up favours. You need to be more concrete."

Errett shrugged.

"Lasenberg. That new nation, have you heard of it?"

Indeed he had. He hadn't been very interested in it, though.

"Once it all gets going... I could grant you citizenship."

"Yeah, well, I don't trade with 'maybes'."

The man, even though interested, did not show it. He couldn't risk losing the few things he had for something like this.

"...I know. But what other choice do you have? Run again? Find another place where you don't belong? Why not take a risk, so you can hope to stay?"

Quawin hesitated. His first mistake was considering the deal, and his second, was accepting;

"Five uniforms for you, Will, Fonda, Taza and Tom. I'll even put your names on as a bonus. But I better be guaranteed that citizenship, yeah?"

Errett laughed dryly under his breath and raised his hands, a strange gleam in his sunglasses.

"Do I seem like the type to lie to anyone, Quawin?", the man spoke slowly, with a strange tone of voice.

At the time, of course, he disregarded it. But soon everyone would hear the news of what Errett had done only a few months later, all in exchange for his crown.

And Quawin, knowing he had made a mistake, lost all hope in ever feeling at home.

Still, he wanted to get paid. That's how fair deals work. You give something, you get something. You might give a lot and get a little, you might give a little and get a lot. It all depended on how smart you were, how well you could talk someone into a deal, and how committed you were to your ideas. But to get something and give nothing in return? That was theft. So, just at the height of the war, after that gruesome duel he decided to skip out on, he marched right into Errett's 'Castle'. Now, with building only beginning, it was just a large throne in the middle of a construction site, with Errett sitting on it aimlessly while a few people rushed around beginning the build. Dissonance had made it a requirement for every citizen to work on the castle for a set period of time – Of course, he wouldn't do the work himself, when he had so many people under him.

"Hey! Errett! You asshole, we had a deal!"

Quawin charged into the site, causing everyone there to give him a confused look. The King himself, sprawled out on his throne with a red cloak on his shoulders and a large, golden crown on his head, leaned forward with an angry grimace.

"Have some respect!", he shouted out almost instantly.

"You wouldn't want to make Dissonance angry, would you?"

Quawin stammered – Without being prepared to leave yet, getting kicked out suddenly would be bad. He rolled his eyes and got down on his knee, lowering his head.

"King Errett... I apologize for my behaviour. May I speak?"

Although his phrasing was quite professional, his tone of voice was very much fed up. The King grinned as he spoke;

"...You may. But watch your tongue."

Quawin wanted to lunge forward and punch that douche bag in his face, right then and there, but he knew he had to keep his cool.

"We made a deal, Err- King Errett."

The man narrowed his eyes.

"You promised me Lasenbergian citizenship. And how do you plan on granting me that after all the shit you've done?"

"Things change, Quawin.", the King responded, his smile growing wider.

"I made a deal that profited me more. I'm sure you'd understand. You always prioritize yourself too, don't you?"

"What the hell do I do now, then?! I barely have anything left because of you! I have nowhere to go!"

And in response, all Errett did was shrug. Frustrated more than anything, the man turned back.

Walking away from the King, he knew for sure he would never feel at home here.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Dissonance hated him. Errett lied to him. Lasenberg was gone. He barely got by any more, gathering scraps of anything he could. Even when the revolutionaries did come back, securing their independence through the single stupidest deal Quawin was ever witness to, he still could not hope to try and use Errett's promise to get citizenship. He tried other things – Selling potions with barely any potency on the side, which he got caught doing eventually. Gathering wood out in the forest and selling it was another idea, but with how much everyone had already, that barely ever paid off. As much as he gripped onto this place, he knew he was slowly but surely getting to a point where running away from it all again would be his only choice. Maybe the whole 'businessman' thing wasn't exactly for him, with this many failures, but with how committed he was and how deeply he pushed himself in by that point, he couldn't really get out. So he made himself a promise – He would stay one more day and then would leave. It wasn't like anything could happen-

"Um... Yeah, hello. I'm Nat. Uh- Natalie, that is."

The woman who arrived at his house only a minute prior reached out with her hand and smiled. He reached forward and shook it, noting how cold her hands were. She must have been out walking in the woods for a while...

"Ms. Natalie in the flesh! You're the newest addition to the city, right?"

The woman's face turned sour and she looked away, her eyes noticeably focused on his pile of legally acquired building supplies. At least, that was what he planned to say if anyone asked for their origin.

"Lasenberg, actually. I'm a new citizen of Lasenberg.", she corrected him finally, her eyes giving him strange, shifty looks.

"I've never seen you before... do you live in the city? I don't think I've seen you around there before."

The man shifted where he stood slightly and laughed.

"Ah, right! I just... live out here! Part of the city but at a distance far enough to... uh..."

The woman's calm look suddenly turned into an angry glare, silencing him instantly. She moved closer, crossed her arms and stared right through him as she spoke;

"Far enough to get away with theft?', the woman mused, her eyes gleaming as she watched him stammer and back away.

He nervously fixed up his hoodie and grinned.

"Now, uh- Theft is a very strong word- And uh- See ya!"

Quawin did try to run, he really did, but how could he have expected the woman to put her foot in front of him so easily.

"You stole from my friend! I'm not gonna let you get away like that!", Nat shouted as he hit the ground, now standing above him with her sword pointed towards him. He quickly put up his hands.

"Hey, hey, hey! Come on! Don't get violent with me here!"

The man shifted away and sighed.

"I've heard you're from the woods but geez, you are aggressive."

"Explain yourself! What's your name?"

She came even closer, her sword now so close to his neck he couldn't even find strength in himself to continue joking around.

"Quawin! My title is Quawin!"

He backed away into a wall of his makeshift house and rolled his eyes.

"And I stole for a good reason, alright?"

Nat didn't move her sword, but her shoulders relaxed.

"A good reason? And what would that be?"

The man rearranged his beanie and slowly stood up as soon as the woman allowed him to. She didn't let him move away, however.

"I don't really... have anything else...", he said slowly.

"I had to steal some supplies because I'm about to move to a new city. Just... forget I took anything, I'll be gone tomorrow."

"You're leaving?"

The woman finally lowered her sword and sheathed it.

"Why? The forest is dangerous, and the city is still standing, why would you want to-"

"Because I don't belong here.", he snapped back quickly, looking aside.

"I never did. I'm gonna try to find an actual home... in another city... somewhere far away."

"Why not... why not join Lasenberg?"

At the woman's words, the man recoiled, for just a moment. He scratched the back of his head, wondering if he should tell her about his and Errett's deal.

"Why would I join your little country?"

I want to, I really do, why can't I say it? Nat flipped her hair back and offered him an incredibly kind smile, a complete opposite to her anger earlier.

"Lasenberg is the home of people who are tired of running but don't want to stay with Dissonance, either. And right now, we need more citizens than we ever did before. You are the ideal person for a nation like ours... and hey, if it stops you from stealing from our main supplier, that's an added bonus."

Quawin hesitated. A home, finally a home, isn't that what I want?

"...You'd... let me join Lasenberg?"

The woman giggled. There was this calming aura around her – Something with the way she smiled, the way she looked at him. Even though she was angry beyond belief just a second ago, she was now calm and collected, considering his view of everything. No further questions, just belief in him and how he saw the world around him.

"I'd have to ask Will about it, but he usually listens to me!", the woman exclaimed.

"We've got to stick together if we want Lasenberg to be strong. So... wanna come along? Give it a try?"

"I..."

He knew he wanted to. As much as his mind screamed at him to keep his old habits, his body moved forward on its own accord.

"I suppose... I could give it a try..."

"Great! Come on!"

She grabbed his hand, causing him to jump back.

"What? Right now?", he asked, more confused than anything.

"Yep! Let's go! Will should be back from the talks by now..."

Lasenberg definitely wasn't the lonely caravan by the lake Quawin always saw before the war - But it wasn't the large crater it became after, either. The city seemed to be in a middle ground between chaos and control, with most of the destruction cleaned out but nothing else left in its place. Nat led him through the wooden poles that symbolized where the wall would be built and showed him the camp at the centre of the nation, with three tents standing around it. Fonda was drawing something, Tom and Taza were training by the nearby lake, and Will was nowhere to be found. And even as he entered, they paid him no mind. He even got a friendly wave from Fonda himself as he passed – Far from the treatment he got when he was seen around the City of Dissonance. Already, he felt more comfortable standing tall here.

"I'd be nice if you helped out with something to start. It'll convince Will to let you stay more.", Nat explained as she looked around, eventually passing him a list.

"These are some of the things we need to get done. We still don't really have stable water and food sources..."

"Whoa there, I never said I'd stay!", Quawin exclaimed, but he knew more than anyone he was already feeling far better here than he ever did in any other city.

No business, no deals, just... work. Trying to get by. Living a peaceful life with other people... it just seemed right.

"...Well, still. Help out. You wouldn't want me to tell Ayala who actually took those supplies from her, right?", Nat asked with a playfully malicious smile and a wink.

"Treat it as a deal. You know a bit about those, don't you?"

The woman turned away and Quawin was left to think alone.

The man began doing some of the tasks from the list, getting a few passing glances from Tom and Taza as he did. He wasn't sure why, but it almost felt like they were both incredibly interested in whatever he was doing. The two boys, clearly bored out of their mind and without much to do, eventually started approaching him and excitedly asking him questions all about his 'business'. It would seem, around here, the true nature of his work hadn't really reached them. Still, he talked on. He could see an opportunity in these two...

"Well, you see, the true importance of a deal is to know exactly how to spin it in your favour...", he talked on to the two as they helped him out with the tasks Nat had laid out for him, the two not even realizing he was distracting them from their work by speaking and made them do most of the harder tasks.

Even with this, he still found it incredibly entertaining seeing how their eyes lit up as he revealed his trade secrets, and with how much enthusiasm they asked him questions. He didn't even realize when they got done and ended up just sitting around and chatting, having far too much fun to notice how quickly time was passing them by. Eventually, he was approached by the President himself, accompanied by Nat. He stood up, said goodbye to Tom and Taza and put his full focus on whatever the two had to say to him.

"So... Nat told me you're considering staying.", Will started when they were finally at a distance from the two boys, clearly wanting to avoid them hearing the conversation.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not."

Quawin cleared his throat and paused, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"Uh... can I, though?"

Nat and the President looked between each other.

"With how you've been handling everything? You've got a knack for business.", the woman said, her lips curving into a smile.

"Someone like that could be useful."

"We need to get things. And we need to get them cheap. Ayala and Palmer will only have as many favours before prices rise again. But you..."

Will paused.

"You know how to get things easier, right?"

"...What you're saying is... you need a skilled businessman to actually make this place work?"

Quawin crossed his arms and grinned.

"I can do that. And this place ain't so bad."

"Great! Fonda should be done planning the wall by now!"

Nat grabbed the man by the arm and started pulling him along, barely giving him enough time to think through the choice he had just made. As he walked away, he could see Will smile at him... with how he was normally treated in-between cities, it almost felt unnatural. He got a briefing of his tasks that evening, talked with Fonda about his plans, and was once more bombarded by questions from Tom and Taza – Those two were looking for trouble, it was clear. In Tom, he could almost see himself when he was younger. Ambitious, sure, but a bit too much at times. Still, he humoured them both, unable to hide that he himself enjoyed spending time with them. And as the day that was supposed to be his last anywhere near the City of Dissonance came to an end, he didn't even consider leaving.

He looked around Lasenberg, his eyes gleaming with anticipation for the future.

He was sure now.

Quawin had finally found a place where he felt at home.