The following week went by quickly as Alania dealt with builders and deliveries to her new shop, keeping her too busy to think about a curse or the vague disquiet that ate at her stomach. She kept her mind on what books to order, how many shelves the bookshelves needed, and directing strong-backed men where to place her new furniture. It was like a dream come true, regardless of the small, dark spot of growing concern in her mind.
It was the second Twinsday of her arrival when her bed and drawers finally showed up from the furniture shop. She inspected the woodwork of the bedframe while two brawny orcs lifted and carried it into the shop. Carved into the headboard was a family of jackalopes foraging in a field. It was a nice touch and made Alania smile. The craftsmanship was top-notch, and when the orcs set it up completely in her new bedroom, she put the small mattress that had arrived the day before in place across the support beams of the frame.
She made the bed with the bedlinens she purchased the day before and dusted off her hands.
"There. Now it's truly mine." She beamed, talking to no one in particular. The two orcs finished their work, and the taller of the two tipped his cap.
"Ma'am." he grinned as he left, his lips stretching over his bottom tusks. Alania smiled and tossed him a silver, which he caught with ease. Nodding, he left, and the shop grew silent.
In the small moments of silence that had come up during the week, Alania would feel her anxiety flair up, the quiet boring into her like a mole burrowing into the soil, leaving hollow tunnels in which a growing dread took hold. It caught her in these times, the unease slowly creeping in until she could make herself busy again.
She decided it was time to take her leave of the inn now that she had a bed in her room and a lock on her door. So she made her way through the town, the late afternoon sun warming her skin even as the chill autumn wind blew.
However, her feet had other plans, and before she knew it, she was in front of the bakery she had visited her first morning in Quakeshire. Deciding she could go for a scone and possibly grab some bread for her dinner, she went inside, and the bell once again chimed her arrival. Bell came from the back two moments later, flour on her nose and apron. She smiled brightly and clapped her hands, a puff of flour flying free of her hands.
"Miss Alania! It's a pleasure! How are you settling in? Got your shop up and running yet?" Alania couldn't help but smile back, the halfling's joy infectious.
"I am almost ready to open! You should come by! I could make us some tea and you can see how it is coming along. I've almost gotten everything I need to open. Shouldn't be long now."
They chatted as Bell packed up Alania's order, and it came out that she had purchased the cursed building on Lonestreet. Bell's eyes darkened at the news, but she was kind enough not to say anything. Alania smiled nervously, rubbing her hands together in the practiced gesture she defaulted to when unsure of herself.
"I could bring some tea around tonight after closing. It would be nice to have a friend in town again. How does that sound?" Alania's smile brightened an entire magnitude.
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"That sounds lovely. I could use a friend to bounce ideas off of, and it would make the first night in my new place less lonely. I need to grab the rest of my things from the inn. I'll be sure to put a kettle on when I am finished unpacking."
Bell nodded and added an extra package of scones to Alania's order with a wink and a smile.
"A snack for tonight. I will arrive just after sundown. Can't wait!" Alania made her way to the door and opened the door, causing the bell to chime once again.
"I look forward to it! Now get on, or you won't be done in time, and I do get cross without my evening tea." Bell's face took on a mischievous glint as she made a shooing motion with her hands. Alania giggled and made her way to the inn, the packages in her hands and a warmth in her heart. For the first time since arriving, she didn't feel so alone.
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The smell of cooking meat and the sour taste of ale hit Alania at once when she opened the door to the inn. It was meal time, and it seemed all the village was there, eating their fill. A bard picked on their lute in the far corner, their hat out for tips and generosity. Alania shifted the packages in her arms to one side and made her way to the bar, making eye contact with the keeper.
"Hello, miss! Havin' a good day, I hope." Hubert polished a glass with a white rag as he spoke. Alania placed her packages on the bar and scrambled up into a seat.
"It is. My new place is finally ready for me. I will be taking my leave of the inn. Could you get someone to deliver my things to my shop for me? I have coin for whoever agrees." She shuffled through her coin purse, pulled out a silver coin, and placed it on the bar. Hubert took it and bit into it, presumably to make sure it was good.
"Aye, just leave your things outside your door, and I'll have Keliv run them over as soon as he returns from the market. It'll be a shame to see you go, but I am mighty glad you found a spot for your shop. Care to have one more meal? Think of it as a welcome present." Surprised, Alania smiled.
"That sounds wonderful, yes. Thank you, Hubert. I'll go collect my things and be right down." He nodded, watched her walk to the stairs, and then turned to get a plate ready.
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After piling all her worldly possessions outside door number four, Alania scurried downstairs for the meal she had been promised. She took the plate from Hubert and went to a small table before climbing into the seat and digging in. Feeling a prickle on the back of her neck, she looked up, more out of instinct than conscious thought. Across the inn, a small cloaked figure leaned against the wall in a forgotten corner. Alania couldn't tell, but she could feel their eyes on her. She shifted uncomfortably under the figures' scrutiny but tried not to shiver under the unseen glare of the stranger.
She returned to her meal, looking up ever so often to see the figure still facing her. As she finished her last bite, she went to the bar to return her plate. Hopping on the barstool, she beckoned Hubert in close.
"Who is that person in the corner over there?" She inquired, trying to keep her voice hushed. The figure wasn't facing her anymore, which was a relief, but the thought of the unknown person following her home made her feel paranoid.
"Oh, her? That's the Red Wench, that is. She's a mercenary for hire, but not many can stand her long enough to work with her, so she is usually a solo act. Dangerous as they come and deadly with a dagger. She's not one to mess with." Hubert replied in a quiet voice. "But if you need somethin' doin', she'll get it done."
Alania nodded, wondering why she caught the attention of such an individual. The woman took out a blade and began to clean her nails with it, her face still hidden from view by her cloak. She noticed with growing anxiety that the Red Wench was looking her way once again, and even though she couldn't be sure, she felt the woman was looking straight at her. She said her goodbyes to Hubert and the inn and decided to return to her new home, looking over her shoulder the whole way. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on her.