When Alania walked in, her mind started whirring. The shop lay empty, save for a small counter on which sat an oil lamp. Behind the counter, a stool lay forgotten on its side. Alania slowly paced around the room, taking in the small shop. In the back corner, a ladder lead up to a small loft leading to a small hallway. There were two doors on the left side leading to what Alania guessed was the washroom and a bedroom. In the back wall, there was another window, this one with a small shelf running along the bottom. It had the potential to be a great reading nook if she placed a few pillows down.
The shop wasn't large by any means, but she could easily erect a half dozen large bookshelves and still have room for a table or two if she was economical with the layout. It was coming together in her mind; she could see the potential. The floors were made of a nice dark hardwood, the wooden walls, while a little worn, seemed to be in good enough condition. She would need to get a professional to look into the building to make sure it would come falling down on her, but the building itself was built well in her unprofessional opinion.
Alania made her way to the ladder to explore the two rooms upstairs. She realized the ladder was made for fullings, the rungs spaced far apart and making her ascent a smidge more difficult. She finally made it up to the second floor, cursing the wide rungs, and made her way to the first door.
Inside was a nice, wide copper tub with a small stove to heat water before pouring and bathing, as well as a water pump with a rusted handle. That would need to be replaced, but when she gave it a few experimental pumps, water splashed from the nozzle. Pleased with the setup, she dusted off her hands and made her way to the second door.
Inside was an empty room, the floor covered in a fine layer of dust. It was big enough to hold a bed of Alania's size, a desk and a set of drawers. The small round window on the far side of the room was positioned in a way that the first rays of sunlight in the morning would cascade into the room, making the mornings bright and warm. She smiled at the thought o the sun waking her gently each morning with a warm kiss on her cheek to start off the day. When she came back out, she looked down at Hailey and smiled.
"It has a great atmosphere, and its completely gutted, as you can see, so you can make it into whatever you please." Hailey smiled as she watched the gnome akwardly make her way down the ladder. The floorboards creaked as Alania stepped back onto the first floor, echoing in the empty space of the shop. It seemed to be whispering to her, as if ready to reveal its secrets. She smiled at the thought as Hailey came to stand by her. "What will you be doing with the space?" Alania looked up at Hailey with a fire in her eyes.
"I am opening a bookshop. I plan on having books from all over Elanzea. Books on magic, history, fairy tales, stories, biographies; everything you can imagine." Her enthusiasm was contagious, making Hailey's smile widen.
"Sounds lovely. I, personally, would love a bookshop in town. I have to order books all the way from Tweeds. It takes a fortnight to get anything new. Having one in town would definitely be faster. Make sure to grab some of the newest romance novels for me, would you? Especially anything new by Dunhurst Dunnes! I just love his novels." She let out a dreamy sigh.
A titter of laughter flew from Alania's mouth, pleasant and melodic. "Oh, a romance lover, huh? I have a few book recommendations for you, then. I will make sure to order the newest Dunnes novel in my first shipment!" Alania felt as if her dream was coming together. The small shop would need work, and it would no doubt cost her all her coin, but she couldn't imagine her shop in any other building. She took one last look around, her imagination painting the area in what it could be, and turned to Hailey.
This place was perfect, it was a no-brainer. She could live above her shop, and there was enough space for what she needed. The place was ready for renovations; she would find the right handyman to help her spruce the place up, add a few candelabras here and a few bookshelves there. Yes, Alania could see it. For the first time that morning, she felt certain she would succeed.
"Where do I sign?" He smile shone in the small space, filling the entire room with warmth.
----------------------------------------
Alania and Hailey made their way down the now bustling road to the Town Hall, talking about the logistics of getting the shop in Alania's name. It seemed pretty straightforward: a form to fill out, signed by a witness, and made official with the city seal stamped on the bottom right corner. And, of course, there was the matter of payment.
"Since the town owns the shop, you can pay us directly. The price of the shop, plus the tax and deed transfer fee, comes to three gold and two silver. Then the deed is yours. You'll have to pay the city one silver a month to cover taxes. It really is quite the steal."
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Alania sat on a chair, her legs dangling and the end of an ink pen in her mouth. The paperwork seemed to be in order, saying the same price and taxes Leno had given. The price was a bit steep, but the shop was in a pretty good area of town as far as she could tell. Alania ran the numbers, making sure she had enough to front a few months, along with money for repairs and stock. The pen tapped absentmindedly on her lip as she read. With another look at the terms of residency Alania finally nodded, a small 'humph' escaping her mouth. She considered for a few seconds longer, letting the two wait in anticipation, then, taking the ink pen from her lips, she signed the paperwork as the Mayor and Hailey watched eagerly.
"Sounds fair to me. You've got yourself a deal." She smiled, and they all shook hands. Hailey signed the witness line, and the Mayor stamped the town's seal on the bottom.
"Very good! Now, just hand over the payment and the place is yours!" Leno held out his hand with a good-natured grin. Alania retrieved the coins from her coin pouch and handed them over, noticing the weight of the pouch had gone down since she had left Frostguild. She brushed the anxiety out of her mind; she had enough, barring any unforeseen events.
The mayor let out a quick bark of a laugh and handed Alania the deed and key to her new shop. "Congratulations, Ms. Silverwind. You are officially a shop owner and resident of Quakeshire."
Hearing the mayors words set Alania's heart on fire. She was so happy she could run a marathon. Instead, she again shook the mayor's hand and folded the deed, carefully putting it in her pouch for safekeeping. She would need to get a strong box for her few valuables, but that was a chore for another day.
"I look forward to you both coming by the shop!" With a wave of her hand, she took off for the inn to get her things. She hadn't expected to find a place so soon, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She knew from experience not to question good fortune.
----------------------------------------
The walk back to the inn was uneventful, if not more crowded now that everyone was up and about. Alania made it to the inn around mid-afternoon. There were only a few patrons, and there was a woman manning the bar rather than Hubert. Alania made her way to the bar, deciding to get some food since she hadn't eaten in a few hours. She clambered up the stool to sit and waved over the woman.
The woman wore a green cotton dress with a white apron dusted with flour and ale. Her hair was wound up into a cap, the wisps near her face hinting at a brown peppered with elegant grey. Her green eyes found Alania's and she smiled, wiry wrinkles appearing next to her eyes showing this gesture was genuine.
"How can I help you, dearie?" She asked in a gentle coo. She was drying glasses as she spoke, polishing them to near perfection then moving on to the next glass.
"I'd like some lunch. How much is a plate?" Alania reached for her pouch to grab the appropriate amount.
"One copper per plate, love. And an extra copper for an Ale. Waters free." Alania quickly made the change and handed it over to the woman, who plunked it into the cashbox on the counter behind her. "Comin' right up." The woman's voice was like a song. "Say now, I haven't seen your face around before. You new to town?" The woman resumed her polishing.
"Oh yes. Arrived last night. I just bought the old shop on Lonestreet. I will be moving in as soon as I can get a new lock and a bed in the place."
The women's face darkened, and she let out a little breath before she recovered and relaxed her face.
"Lonestreet, you say? Oh my. Well, good luck then. Let me get that plate for you." She quickly turned to the kitchen and, before Alania could question her, she was gone.
That was odd. She thought to herself. She was fine just a moment before. But she wasn't about to let some strange behavior from a woman she didn't know dampen her spirit. When the woman returned with the plate, chicken thighs and veggies that smelled heavenly, Alania took it and ate hungrily, only remembering after she finished to wipe her chin. She had almost forgotten about the woman's strange reaction when a man approached her, clearing his throat.
"That shop is cursed, you know?" He said in a gruff voice. His clothes were torn and ill-kempt, his hair wild and uncombed, and he smelled of ale and dirt. Alania tried to hide the wrinkling of her nose as she responded.
"Excuse me?" She said, a bit taken aback by the man.
"The shop on Lonestreet. Its cursed. The last man who lived there died a gruesome death, and the man before that, well, we don't speak of him. He dealt in the Dark Arts if you get my meaning. You best be careful."
Alania was struck dumb. A kernel of fear ignited in her chest, which she tried to smother down immediately. She shook her head and laughed nervously, slowly recovering. Was this man trustworthy? He seemed down on his luck, perhaps he was touched by the Darkness himself. She tried to smile at the man but only managed a grimace.
"I'm sure I will be fine. I know a bit of magic myself, if it counts for anything, being a gnome and all." She waved her hand in front of her face and a small orb of light appeared, dancing in the space between the man and herself. "I think I will manage. Thank you, though!" She tried to scoot away from the man, but he invaded her space.
"You'd better leave while you still have the coin! Nothing good comes from that place! Leave, now!" His breath smelled of death, adding to the pungent scent around him. Just as Alania attempted to reposition herself, the woman behind the bar slapped the man over the head with a wet cloth.
"Off you go, Regalf. No more of that from you." The man spit out an expletive and wandered off, leaving the two women with a dismissive wave of his hand. Just as Alania's heart calmed, the woman spoke.
"He does speak some truth, love. That place has some shady history. Best get a cleric to bless it. if nothing else." Alania only nodded before abandoning her half eaten dinner to retire to her room. The mans words coupled with the woman's recommendation took away her will to eat. What had she gotten herself into? Better to get that cleric as soon as possible. Just in case.