On the way home, I stare up at the sky. Dark clouds are rolling in, and Chisa says it's going to rain again. Twice in one week? Ugh... At least tomorrow is Nuvoday, so it's not like I'm missing class and work, but still, I probably could have used my day off to practice something. Weapons, magic, whatever. That's not going to happen if I'm stuck inside all day...
It's especially bad, since I have so little time left. The next battle is only two weeks away. So after this weekend, I'll only have next weekend free, and then it's time again... I gulp anxiously, which draws a questioning look from John as he carries me, but I try to wave off his concern. He wouldn't understand.
Already putting together my thoughts on the things I'll need, I will have to get them in my free time before the battle. And I spent most of my money on writing supplies, so I'll be on a tighter budget than I'd like...
My thoughts don't really get me anywhere for the rest of the night, and I wind up going to bed with Emily just about as anxious as before. She doesn't ask, but she doesn't have to. I've mentioned the next battle coming up to her already. She knows how dangerous it is. I should contact Effy again before then, see how much mana she wants and get that to her in advance since it takes a really long time...
----------------------------------------
I spend the following morning meditating while the freezing cold rain beats on the roof of the house. Even Myra, Gram, and Avara find what cover they can in the forest. None of the nasty stuff out there is active in the miserable weather. Hilde is luckier since he can fly, snuggling into a nice covered spot in the town wall, where the the stonework wore out.
At breakfast, Marrianne tells everyone that winter is right around the corner now, so we're all going to have to work together to gather up the things we need. It sounds like that mostly means wood from the forest, for burning in our otherwise unused fireplace to keep the house warm. Since Karl Liffan is supplying the food from the government now, we don't need to stockpile food to feed ourselves. From the sound of it, that's going to make things way easier for the kids than they're used to from previous years.
When we get back upstairs, I take some time to wash my clothes and bathe with the other girls. I plan to go shopping tomorrow anyway, and some clothing is on my list since I only have a couple outfits left with the way I'm always destroying mine. Emily manages to drag me out of our room for a while too, so we can play some games with the other kids. I know I should focus on my practice instead, but... well, like Emily says, I need to relax once in a while at least, and it's just so much fun...
Nothing much else happens, so I still end up spending the majority of the day sitting on my bed, buried in my own head, relentlessly practicing with my mana to make it do what I want, without having to manually control it myself.
I'm actually starting to feel like I'm on the right track. My instinct for mana - the same one that helped me teach Eryk and Emily - it's telling me that I'm getting closer. Something about the way my mind has to move, it's becoming clearer bit by bit, as the mana begins to subtly follow my intentions some of the time. I'm still a long way off from being able to use it well, and it's just as absurdly difficult as before, but I'm finally sure that I'm accomplishing something and not just wasting my time.
----------------------------------------
Shanaday morning, everything is still damp and chilly when we finish breakfast and head down the sloshy, muddy road to church. It wouldn't be so bad if the roads were kept up better. There's so much dirt coming through the cobblestones that big freezing mud pits are all over the place and Emily has to warn me to be careful to avoid getting my shoes completely filthy - and soaking wet. Apparently, that's the fastest way to lose toes to the cold...
Of course that's not a problem when we get further south where the roads are actually decent. We arrive at church, people packed in like it's been lately, and I greet Claire happily.
For the most part, the service goes as usual, with a story about Hurena today, and talks about how she has blessed us this year and it looks like the last harvest will be a good very good one. Which means an easy winter, apparently. And a great harvest festival.
...What's a 'harvest festival...?'
Once the head priest finishes up with that, he goes on to something a little different.
"Hurena has also favored us greatly with her angel! Thanks to her, we will soon be rid of the dangers in our forests. In barely a month, Dame Catherine Lundrum has nearly wiped them out! Our borders will be secure and our people will soon be able to come and go freely once more, with no need to fear!"
There's a small pause after the man speaks, before a round of deafening applause breaks out through the crowd. I just cover my sensitive ears and endure it until they quiet down again. I think he's kind of exaggerating about how close they are, but still, it is pretty incredible how fast she's been wiping out the monsters and dangerous animals. It feels like she's taking out as many as all of the magical creatures combined.
Well, she does have those other men working with her too, but they're only human, so it's still impressive. I'm just glad she's left my friends alone since that first attack. Especially after seeing that monster hunter guild's bounty on them...
The head priest has a few more remarks, but nothing else important to say before he brings things to a close.
----------------------------------------
We stop in at the clinic and talk to Beth a little like always. I don't have too much to say, I've been feeling way better with things lately, and kind of end up babbling about how much fun I had getting to play yesterday for longer than I should. I wish I could just play with the other kids more often, I have to spend all my time learning and practicing things just to try and survive past the next few weeks.
When I realize how much I've talked her ear off about something silly like playing games, I go bright red and start to apologize, but Beth only laughs and rubs my head.
"Aria, getting to play and have fun is what you should be doing at your age. I know you have a lot on your plate, but you can't forget that you need some balance in your life if you want to grow up well."
She's right, but at the same time, I don't get to grow up at all if I die. Even so, I answer, "I'll try." That's the best I can do.
"Good, now was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" she asks gently, a hand stroking my hair.
I shake my head. "No, I think that's all for now." I didn't get into talking any more about everything that happened back with the rail units, but I can always dig into that more next time. I also haven't mentioned the upcoming battle yet either, but I just want to keep feeling good today.
"Alright, then head on home, girls." With a few waves and a bow, we leave the clinic for the day.
"So..." Emily says outside.
"I'm thinking clothing first?"
"Sure, let's do that," she agrees easily before asking, "you don't need anything from the central market?"
"Umm..." I think about it while we walk. I only have two weeks until the next battle. What do I need for it...?
I still need to have new metal disks forged to replace my old ones. Smaller this time... I should go to a higher class smith for the alba ones, but Gremory's place is along the way to the clothing store. I'll need more mira sap too, I can pick up that at the market. I keep thinking, and a few more things come to mind, like some candles and a new basket for carrying things, maybe that metal pot I was wondering about that other time... I don't have much money in my pouch though, so I doubt I'll be able to afford everything. I'll have to focus on the most important ones.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
I tell Emily as much, and we get a few things as we pass through the central market. We skip the sap for now, I'll probably buy as much of it as I can afford next weekend. Emily says it doesn't always stay good for that long, so it's safer to wait.
When I realize I don't have any of my metal with me, I decide to put off visiting Gremory's shop until later, and we start on our way to the clothing store instead. We walk through town at our own comfortable pace, passing by the garrison and the construction at the west gate.
It looks about the same as last time, no real differences in just the few days since I saw it last. At least the other buildings in the area around it are starting to be rebuilt too. It's weird having blocks of mostly empty space.
On the way up the road, I carefully avoid the worsening mud the further north we go, and keep my ears trained back on the one person following at a distance. I don't show it though, having Chisa keep an eye on the man from above. This man is different, she points out.
Beneath the big cloak like most people are wearing lately to deal with the cold, his clothing isn't actually as nice as a lot of the people I avoid. That's why I didn't catch onto him and we passed by him on our way through the central market. He wouldn't have stuck out to me if it wasn't for his pace. Too slow for an adult, clearly matching our speed so he can keep his distance. He's not even taking cover properly like they taught us for stealth and sneak attacks.
Unfortunately, whoever's following us is not the one I've been feeling, like hidden eyes on me lately. I know, because I do wind up feeling them watching, just briefly, when we're first turning onto the shopping street. But the feeling vanishes shortly after, leaving us with the single man following.
While that all plays out in the back of my head, I continue to chat with Emily. I point out the kitsu sign on the building to the right when we pass and tell her all about my crazy guild visit to the three guilds, all smashed together into the one building, and soon after, we make it to the clothing store.
Chisa settles on a rooftop nearby to keep watch. The man disappears down the road rather than waiting around outside. There are no other suspicious people, so we should be fine now.
----------------------------------------
Earlier, I was thinking about how I don't have much money because I spent most of it. In the clothing store, I'm reminded again how my view of money has completely changed over the last half year or so. A whole outfit only costs a few coppers. I buy a bunch so I won't have to worry about them too much in the near future.
Among the clothes, I also get some cloaks, since it looks like everyone wears them to stay warmer in the winter, and I eye the pants on one table. I never remembered to ask about those, at least from anyone who could give me a good reason we're not supposed to wear them... I grab a couple so I'll have them if I need them. They're cheap, and I can cut them up for patches later if I can't wear them after all.
Even though the clothes are cheap, they do add up with how many I get, so the cost comes to a few irons, which actually does take a chunk out of the tiny amount of money I have with me. Despite the amount, and even eying the pants in the pile, the shopkeeper doesn't question me. She definitely remembers that time when John embarrassed her...
Once I have everything I need, we go back home to drop off the armfuls of clothing, along with my earlier purchases, sticking to the northern wall on our way back this time. After stopping for lunch, I grab my metal disks from the last battle, except for the chromium one since Gremory can't work with it. I'll get that one remade along with the new alba ones at Montley Smithing, like last time.
When I pick up the metal, a couple of them are missing big chunks from those arrows that hit me. The iron one has a nearly circular hole in it except for where it took the edge off since the hit was near one side. One of the nuvrite disks has a similar hole, but the whole rest of the thing is shattered, so it's actually in a handful of large pieces.
I dump them all in a bag and sling it over my shoulder. "You coming too?" Emily considers the question. Since it's Shanaday, she could spend the time with her other friends while they're home.
"Sure," she decides anyway.
Thankfully, we don't run into anyone on our way south. Looks like the people watching me have to let up once in a while at least.
----------------------------------------
We walk the couple blocks into the northwest district to reach Gremory's blacksmith shop and knock on the door. It quickly becomes apparent he can't hear me though, there's constant banging coming form inside. We share a look and I shrug, then tug her to follow, around to the other side of the building, so we can go into the shop front this time.
"Welcome." It's Bob at the counter, his greeting as normal as ever. Without Eryk or anyone else like I usually have with me, his eyes scanning our clothes puts me on edge. I try not to show it though. Gremory's clearly busy working, so I just walk up to Bob for now.
"Hi, I wanted to place an order," I tell him, trying to stand up as straight as I can. Does he remember me? Or does he think I'm just some peasant...?
Thankfully, he doesn't look troubled by us talking to him as he pulls a little sheet of wood from behind the counter to write on. "What'll it be?"
Swallowing my earlier anxiety, I pull out the disks and put them on the counter. "I had these made here a while ago, but I realized they were too big. Could you remake them, but about a quarter of this size? So... a bit larger than coins, basically." With my explanation, I go up on my toes to reach on top of the counter. I make a circle with my hands over a disk to show him the size I have in mind.
"Alright," he nods evenly, scratching out a few lines on the wood block before stopping to point out the broken nuvrite disk. "What about this one?"
"A-ah, that one got broken, could you make it like the others again?
"Sure sure," he agrees, easier than I expected. "Do you have a preferred smith for this?"
"You were the one who worked on it before, could you do it again?" I ask. Again, he agrees without a single bit of trouble, and gives me a price of two irons, just like last time. I hand over the metal along with the money, and he tells me it'll be done within a few days, since they're backed up filling other orders. I thank him, then ask about the next thing I had in mind.
"Umm, I was also wondering, how expensive are metal pots? I was thinking of getting one for our house, but I don't really know..."
The man rubs a thumb along his scruffy cheek for a moment or two. "Those are really expensive, especially for larger ones. Copper is cheaper, but it doesn't last. For iron, you could be looking at anything from twenty to fifty irons, depending on the size."
I wince a little. Even with the way I've been making and spending money, that's more than I have left over. And compared to other blacksmith work, it's way more expensive. "Why does it cost so much?" Maybe there's a good reason I don't know about?
"It is much harder than you would think if you don't know anything about forging. I'm sure shady smiths will offer them for much cheaper than we do, because theirs won't work like they should." Bob leans a little further forward over the counter, vaguely gesturing with his hands, kind of like the shape of a pot.
"A properly made cooking pot needs a skilled blacksmith. Otherwise you'll run into all sorts of problems when you use them. Like, they won't cook well, or they might warp, or even crack, and then you've got a broken pot to deal with. That's why Gremory makes all the cooking pots himself. Besides, a quality pot will last a family for generations." With his explanation finished, he shrugs.
"Hmm... Alright. Thanks, I'll remember that."
"So, is that all?"
"Yeah," I nod, then bow. "Thank you, I'll come back in a few days to pick up my order, ok?"
"Sure, see you then." Bob gives an easy wave, while I turn together with Emily, and we leave the store.
As soon as we're outside, she blows out a big breath and says, "I had no idea pots were that expensive. I mean, I have enough for one now that we're selling big stuff, but still... Why do you want one anyway?" she finally asks with a little tilt of her head.
"Oh, I guess I didn't mention that?" I think aloud as we get on our way home. While we walk, I take some time to explain about Marrianne not having a good way to heat water for cleaning earlier in the week when our metal pot was dirty from making food with it. Even as I speak, I keep an eye on our surroundings, but we still seem to be in the clear.
Once we get back home, the rest of the day is spent patching up my new clothes so they look presentable - as presentable as peasant clothes can look anyway. I feel like I can finally sew without a ton of trouble now, which is nice. Not to mention it makes the work go way faster, especially with both of us. I'm also glad I have a ton of material to use for patches, even if it mostly comes from all the old clothing I've wrecked... As long as it works, I guess...
I feel like I need new shoes though, my feet are starting to feel tight in the ones I've been wearing. Unless I buy some myself, I'll have to go back for that, won't I? If I show up early for the next battle, I can probably deal with it then, I'm not going there any more than absolutely necessary. I'll keep that in mind for now. One more thing to add to my running checklist of all the things I need to do and deal with...