July 2023 ver.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Avery had lightly applied his hand to Rowan’s shoulder blades. It inched over the area. Devin couldn’t help smirking. Served him right.

She hadn’t spoken to him much the last couple days. So him and Avery had been focused on messing around with their magic. He had apologized several times by this point that he had temporarily given up. It didn’t matter to her. Frankly she was still pissed. Both of them were going to have to wait until she was ready to forgive him.

The sunburn was helping. His back wasn’t used to being exposed and the top of it had fried up nicely. It was uneven too since he had his bag slung on one shoulder. For hours.

“How’s that?” Their cousin rolled his shoulders to check Avery’s work.

He nodded approval, “Much better. Guess I don’t have anything to teach you healing wise.” Her brother grinned, always gobbling up every bit of praise given to him. Rowan stood, “We should be coming up on that village pretty soon here. I’ve actually never been to it so I don’t know what to expect.”

Devin gave a dry, disinterested, “I would have thought you’d been everywhere traveling for so long.”

Rowan was taking whatever she decided to throw at him in stride, “Yeah… I usually stick to jumping from one fire to the next when I can. This area never had anything terrible enough going on for me to pass through.” They could maybe use more boring given the last notable happenings.

They set off again. The eldest was sure to carry his pack evenly this time. He unrolled the map, Devin leaned in to peek. “Wait, is it that scribble we’re headed to? The one that’s not actually part of the map map?”

Rowan replied, “Yeah? Why?”

“Because you clearly wrote it in, but you just said you’ve never been there.” Her hand indicated the spot. “How do you know it’s there?”

He shook his head, “It’s too small to be on official records.” The young man raised a pointer finger. “A true traveler swaps map info with their fellows! So they can find even the tiny places in the tiniest of pinches. Although, there is always a small chance it’s not actually there.”

Her brother was worried now and peering over Rowan’s other arm, “D-didn’t we go out of our way for this place?”

Their cousin glanced between the double teaming, “It’s a very small one. Small settlements can go up in smoke out of no where. Like… Rallen did. Occasionally someone will make-up a settlement too, but that’s only happened to me once.” He chuckled at a memory, “Bunch of idiots.”

Avery’s interest lit, “Why would someone do that?”

The map was rolled up so Rowan could launch into talking with his hands, “Well, you see, people- actually let’s call them unsavory types, make-up settlements so they can ambush travelers.” Palm up on the left, “Take their money,” palm up on the right, “maybe their stuff. Then they can stay in one place, people come to them, and they don’t have to be close to anywhere with soldiers or guards. I walked into one of those traps once.” His customary display of confidence graced his features. “I just did some barrier magic and walked right on through. Couldn’t even touch me. Honestly it was more of a hassle trying to get the word out that it was fake.”

Devin had to admit his cockiness about past encounters did make her feel safer. There was little he couldn’t handle. His butchering of that wolf. She knew it was to protect her. That he had misinterpreted the situation. That he had underestimated her ability to handle herself. But did that last fact make it better or worse?

“Buildings!” Her brother chirped excitedly, “That’s a good sign, right?”

Rowan patted the shoulders of his family on either side of him, “A very good sign.” Pause. “Race you!” He pushed off them into a run. They both wobbled a second before it sunk in.

“Cheat!” Devin shot off after him and Avery quickly followed. The mage at first grinned at them, but was soon alarmed. The brawler was hurtling toward him at a full sprint.

“Oh, shi-!” He snapped back and picked up the pace.

Avery hollered from behind, “HEY! I’M SHORTER THAN BOTH OF YOU!”

The buildings grew larger quickly. They looked a little odd, but she had a race to win. She pulled ahead despite his head-start. The gap slowly grew between them. Her time to throw a glance with a grin. The look on his face was priceless. Devin crossed the space between the first two buildings along the road and cut to a jog. This tapered to a walk then she stopped. She looped back, chest heaving, and hands at her hips. A victorious smirk spread on her lips as she saw her kin stopping then doubling over to pant. Rowan’s hands were on his thighs and Avery was clutching his side. The latter had a cramp.

“H-how?” Was all their cousin could breath.

She laughed, in a flamboyant manner that would make Phoebe proud. The back of the hand to the side of the mouth and everything, “Easily, that’s how!”

Her brother poked at him, figuratively, “Why did you think you’d beat her? She works out!”

“Because I cheated!” Rowan whined.

They were straightening up, finally catching their breath. The three reconfigured their group to take in the village. A couple of women stared from a few yards away. They soon continued their conversing as the excitement faded, but they never really took their eyes off of them completely. Another man in some leather garb was also watching them. Probably a guard or watchman of some sort.

All the buildings here were on stilts. That and the odd woods were what had caught her eye. Much of the railings, fences, and stilts didn’t look processed at all. They weren’t even from the same type of tree on the same structure. It was like they found snapped off tree limbs out and about and brought them home to use. She wondered if they procured the bigger pieces like that too since the colors varied so much.

“Huh,” Rowan remarked, “An elf village.” Now she was studying the watchman staring, sure enough, she could see his ears from here. They were pointed, but not in the manner that hers and Avery’s were. Elf ears were very similar to human ones but longer and only the tips contributing to the point. Notably longer. Maybe two or three times longer.

Her cousin pointed, “I think that’s a tailor shop.” The sole thing to indicate such was a sign carved to display what could be interpreted as a crossed needle and scissors nailed out front. An open sign dangled below it. He bounced up the steps and held the door open for them. A little bell jingled.

She was startled when she entered. The lighting difference was astonishingly negligible. Curiosity demanded that she look up. Not quite in each corner was a decently sized orb of pure light. She quickly lowered her gaze. They weren’t blinding, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable to look at one longer than a second. Thankfully they were far up there so one wouldn’t catch a glimpse unless they really wanted to do so. Why didn’t their grandfather light their shop like this? He used magic too, but he used it to ignite their sconces. For something like a cluttered bookstore, this elven way of doing things seemed exponentially safer.

“Welcome!” A cheery voice called.

To their right was a section of fabrics rolled up neatly. Each one was horizontally slotted carefully onto wooden arms. A variety of different base materials and weaves of them. Some were plentiful and others looked pitifully small. Particularly the priciest looking ones at the top. Silk maybe? The colors were nothing to write home about in this section as the next section following was an array of cloth swatches plastered to the wall. Each row’s material corresponding to the previous section and each column a different color to show how the materials dyed. There was a sign declaring that this would be the color, not after the dyeing was done, but after it was washed once. The next was a sample of many different embroidery works. Following this was the half cut off from patrons by a counter. The work area.

The left wall consisted of two ropes draped along at the top and middle. Each center dip had a garment clothes-pinned to the rope. All made to be as adjustable as possible through the use of multiple buttons, toggles, or stays. All the dull base color of each material. There were a couple dresses she noted. The latter half of this portion was hidden behind folding screens. A changing area. Probably for taking measurements too.

They wandered to the counter for more delighted service, “How can I help you today?” A white-haired elf girl who didn’t look a day older than Devin. Did she run this place by herself?

“Noeme?” Who? She found Rowan to be addressing the tailor.

The girl’s surprise matched theirs, “Um, do I know you?” She was readily distressed. “I don’t remember having met before.”

“Right,” He smiled and assumed a posture of submissive awkwardness, “I looked a lot different then. It’s Rowan.” He pointed to his own face, “Rowan Blackhurst?”

A wrinkle came to her forehead as the name didn’t click, “Blackhurst?” She suddenly recoiled, ripping her hands from the counter where they had been gently stacked until that second. “Oh. Rowan. From… before. The boy who used to try to catch me changing.”

The young man cleared his throat trying to pretend that didn’t sound nearly so disgusting, “Uh, yeah. Sorry about that.” He couldn’t make eye contact during the confession. “I was young and… curious. But uh, I’m an adult now and don’t, ya know, do that… anymore…” This was painful merely watching from the sidelines. “And you’re… you look the same.” Devin examined her fingers tangling around one another and wondered if maybe her and Avery should give them some space.

“Um,” Noeme was still looking at him, but not his face, “I’ve gotten a little taller.” It fell flat compared to him since he’d gained a foot or so from twelve to twenty-two.

A couple seconds of quiet discomfort. “As weird as it is that I look older than you now, it is really good to see you.” He was so genuinely happy. The energy bled into his speech, “I would have never thought we’d run into each other again. Which we’re not the only two who grew up some. You remember my cousins, right? Devin and Avery? Not so tiny any more, are they?” Another dumb grin from the young man.

The girl looked to each of them. They both offered pathetic little waves and she nodded.

“So, h-how are you? How’d you end up here? It’s kind of the middle of no where.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

His high energy questions only made Noeme tenser, “All of us came here after…” The event remained unspoken as it always did. She clarified, “All of the survivors, that is.” The air staled. This whole village was founded by the elves that used to live with them?

The mage’s joy vanished, “I see. We-. We moved to a pretty small human settlement on the other side of Marion.”

“Why are you here?” As soon as he’d stopped talking the tailor threw the question.

He flinched, “We need a dress. I sort of ruined Devin’s last one.”

Noeme wasn’t looking at any of them now, just the counter, “Human currency, right?” She didn’t wait for an answer, “The dresses on the wall are a silver as is. An additional quarter if you’d like it dyed.”

All their eyes flew wide, Rowan was the one to stammer first, “That much?” Sure clothes from a certified tailor were supposed to be a little pricey, but that was a week of food for them. Her cousin leaned onto the counter, “Noeme, I hate to ask, but we’re not in a good spot right this second with our funds. Do you think you could cut us a deal, just this once? For an old friend?” He brought his palms together above the surface to beg. “Or a partial loan? I could look for some work to help out in the village and come back in a few days to pay the full amount.”

“Prices aren’t up for negotiation. Pay or leave.” The last word bordered on hostile. It took her aback. Sure, Rowan wasn’t the best as a kid, surprise surprise, but he was still generally a good person. He had always been a lot of fun too. Why was she holding it against him so much?

“I’m sorry for how I was as a kid. I mean it. I was stupid, but there were lots of good times too though, right?” He was scrounging his absolute hardest for any leeway.

She repeated, cold as stone, “A silver as is. A quarter to be dyed.” The mage peeled himself from her furnishing. He turned away from her, frowning. Devin and Avery flanked him, expectant of an answer of where to go from here.

But Rowan was defeated, “I’m sorry, Devin. I know I promised, but I can’t afford it. I don’t have very much left.”

“How much do you have?” she asked.

“Well,” Rowan dumped out the contents of a little satchel that was in his pack. The three crowded around his hand. “Two copper, a silver and a half, and an endel. Which…” He lifted his head from their huddle to call to the girl, “Do you accept endels?”

The reply was flat, “No.”

“Yeah, that. Zefiil probably don’t travel through here. I tried to spend those first back in Marion, but…” He sighed.

Devin rubbed her face. This was barely anything. They should have taken up jobs while they were in the city. Spending an entire silver on a new dress for her would be bad enough, but a silver and a quarter? They wouldn’t have enough to stay anywhere!

She glanced at the plain garments on the wall. She couldn’t wear it like that. They traveled and slept on the ground too much. The stains would show through too fast. Why was it so much anyway? She walked from the boys to let her eyes wander around the shop. True the variations were small, but how were all of them that much? Were they all silk? This girl was just jacking up the prices, wasn’t she? It was obvious they were desperate and she was holding a grudge.

Her ears lifted, Devin returned to the counter, “What about the bodices?”

The tailor blinked, “A bodice? A half silver. Still a quarter silver to dye.”

“Even the leather ones?”

“…yes? But leather is a half silver to dye.”

She snapped a hand out to Rowan, “Dress.”

“What?”

“My old dress, cough it up.” Her fingers gave him the give-me flex. He seemed puzzled, but obeyed. Devin looked at his arm. She grabbed the strip of cloth he kept wrapped on it, “And I need this.”

“O-okay?” His face said it all as it was unraveled from him. He had no idea what she was cooking up, but didn’t want to refuse her anything.

After that she went to the leather bodice that had caught her eye. She lobbed another command at Rowan, “I don’t need it dyed. Pay the girl!” She took both behind the folding screen.

Rowan and Avery shared a look as she went. He paid as told while she left them waiting. They jumped at the sounds of tearing. “Uh, you okay back there?”

“Fine!” Devin sliced and diced the ruined garment with her knife, taking off as much of the blood stained fabric as she could while keeping enough to work around. Yeah, this was it. There were still stains on what she kept, but only the faint ends and small speckles. It almost looked like an intentional design in the new arrangement. She checked in the mirror to make sure she had it even and then attempted to tie it to her waist with the strip she had taken from Rowan. Then the bodice on top of that. She hoped it’d help keep everything in place, but it was probably in vain. One good pull would be a disaster. Maybe they’d at least make it through a job. Then she could pay someone to sew it together. Someone cheaper. The feline nodded to herself smugly. She stepped into view, throwing Rowan his shirt.

They all stared. Her cousin barely caught the clothing with a haphazard juggle of the hands. Her smile died, “Wh-what? Does it look bad?”

Avery was awestruck, “Badass!” He came to give it a closer look. “Now that’s thinking on your feet.”

She blushed, “Really?” The new leather addition was potentially thick enough to work as a light armor. A small overlapping portion in the front laced a couple inches off center to her left, eliminating any possibility of her bare skin showing. Not only that, but it went nearly all the way to her hips and adjustable straps about an inch thick on both sides so it wouldn’t be slipping unexpectedly.

Devin had cut her old dress in half, discarding almost everything from the waist up. The bodice held the skirt portion in place, covering the worst of the stains that remained. She had also kept a portion of one of her draping sleeves and tucked it under the left strap. Only about an inch covered the front of her shoulder, but the corresponding five in the back added a flare.

The mage finally started to say something, “Isn’t it a little too…” He trailed off, fidgeting uncomfortably, but quickly trying to appear like he wasn’t.

“Eh?” The girl quirked an eyebrow at him. “A little what?”

The smile was forced, “A little too good looking!”

She crossed her arms, “That’s not what you were going to say.” A flick of the tail.

“Never mind that.” He waved it away.

“Would you just say it? I’m self-conscious about it enough as it is. It’s a little too what?”

Rowan looked away and rubbed at his neck, “Um, form fitting?” He had to fish for less blunt words.

“Form fitting?” She snorted, “Well if you don’t like it, then you shouldn’t have wrecked my clothes.”

“I-I didn’t mean that I don’t like it! It looks good! I swear to all the gods! The elf ones and the emeran! Plus it’ll probably help if something hits you in the gut.” He slid in to give her ribs a playful nudge with his elbow.

She was flustered again, “Yeah. That’s what I thought too.” For having snipped at him, she was still pretty concerned about his opinion, “It really does look okay, though, right?”

He nodded, “Yeah. Honest, it does.” He offered kind words to the tailor as well, “Thanks, Noeme.” There wasn’t a reply. “Noeme?” Rowan sought her attention again.

“Was that everything you needed?” Another curt response.

His shoulders sagged, “Yeah.”

“Then I’d like for you to leave.” This elicited Devin glaring at her.

“Let’s go, guys.” Rowan didn’t want a fight and took up their shoulders to guide them all out.

“Are you serious?” Devin didn’t mean to snap at him again. Nevertheless. She wiggled from his hold to confront the elf, “What is your problem? We didn’t do anything to you. I know Rowan isn’t a saint, but he’s trying to be respectful. He’s grown!”

“Didn’t do anything?” The brawler withdrew a step at the despair clouding the tailor’s eyes when her chin lifted. “Your family-!” The elf girl’s voice cracked. It came back very quiet, “Please. Please leave.”

Devin was stunned, “I don’t…” Was this girl crying? The thoughts were churning, but she couldn’t figure it out. She barely felt the hand on her again as Rowan recollected them. Devin bumbled every step. ‘Your family? Your family what?’ How did that sentence end?

A sound struck her ear as they reached the bottom of the steps outside. The bell of the shop had jingled again. The sign had been flipped to ‘closed’ by the door.

Avery begged for an explanation. “What did she mean, ‘your family’? What did we do?”

They were hoping their elder had answers, but he shook his head, “I don’t know.” The brawler clenched a fist. The way he said it sounded so strange. Empty. Was he lying to them? What the hell did that mean?

He quickly swept them past the question, “I would say we should find a place to stay, but apparently we should actually find jobs while we still have some daylight to work them.” The mage walked on ahead. The siblings weren’t so eager to follow this time. It forced their cousin to a pause to glance at them, “Uh, guys?” Both shifted, uncertain about carrying on like everything was normal.

“Rowan…” he knew more than what he was letting on, “why aren’t you upset?” She was sure of it.

“Hm?” He shrugged, “Well. What’s worrying about it going to do for us? Do you want to go back in to try talking to her?” A hand lifted toward the closed sign. “Because I don’t think she’s interested in explaining.” He did have a point there.

Devin dragged herself forward and Avery took her lead, “I-I guess you’re right.” The felines fell in line and the three resumed pushing through the day.

Their cousin jogged to the next person they saw on the street, “Excuse us, miss? Do you know where we could find some work? Anyone need anything done around the village?”

“Funny you sh-.” Another female elf. This one was an adult and her response suddenly dropped off the second she laid eyes on them. “You’re-. Y-You can’t be. That mercenary, he-!” The woman fled.

This time Rowan was left standing with his head tipped in confusion. Devin’s attention slid to the sidelines in the meantime. There were more people whispering, looking at them. Her brother noticed too, his ears went limp, and anxiety visibly crept into him.

This time Avery went to their cousin to voice his concerns, “Now shouldn’t we be worried? Everyone is staring at us and half the people who turn the corner run the other way.”

The mage rubbed at the back of his neck. “We’ll… find someone who is willing to talk to us?”

Devin brought attention to his inflection, “Is that a question or a statement? Maybe we should leave.”

“Maybe.” So it was getting to him. “But we really need more pocket change…”

“I don’t get it,” Avery attempted to see the logic, but couldn’t find anything to grasp onto. “We haven’t seen these people since we were kids, right? What could we have possibly done to them as kids?” They didn’t have time to discuss it among themselves.

“Blackhurst!” Their heads lifted. It was the watchman from earlier and two other men in similar dress. All three were approaching from the direction they’d come. The elf’s face twisted, “I thought so. Spitting image of your father. Albeit shorter.” Although, calling them men felt a little premature. They all seemed young despite their height.

Their cousin strolled to the front of the group to meet them head on, “Is there something I can help you with?” His hands went to his hips. Rowan spoke to them as polite and up-beat as he would to anyone.

Then the guards exchanged disconcerted expressions, “We don’t want trouble.”

A different one finished, “But you need to leave.” What the hell was going on here?

Their youngest went to the defense, “We haven’t done anything! We’re not going to do anything either, s-sirs.” Again, calling them sir might have been doing them more harm than good. Eyes had fallen to Avery and he cowered where he stood. “W-we’re just looking for work.”

Another glance was shared between the guards before one of them asked, “You’re Ram and Wren’s kidaren’t you?”

“Y-yeah?”

The same one, the oldest one, looked at her, “Then you must be their daughter, Dravidant.”

Her eye twitched slightly, but this wasn’t the time. Instead she responded reflexively with a question of her own, “You knew our parents?”

“You two can stay if you need, but,” the speaker’s attention fell back to Rowan as they formed a wall of solidarity, “you have to go.”

“We will resort to force if we have to.”

Devin charged in, sick to death of this. “Why? You know who we are because we lived together.All of us were kids before. We’re from the same family. Why is it only Rowan that you won’t accommodate!?”

“Having a Blackhurst around… We can’t go through that again.” She blinked at this. Did they blame his father for what happened? How was it his fault?

“…Devin.” A pat landed on her head. Her ears flattened. Rowan smiled at her, “It’s okay.” He nodded to the men, “I’ll go.” She was beyond bewilderment. How could he just swallow all of this? How could he even pretend to smile? “We won’t have any trouble then, yeah?”

The elves nodded.

“We’re not staying without you.” The brawler and scholar declared in unison. She gave him the tiniest of side glances. She hated when they did that, but they were both going to stand by the assertion.

His gaze drifted between them, “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but we’re really tight on money, guys. Not that I like the idea of you two having to do all the work either…”

“We’ll figure it out.” Devin doubled down and Avery follow with his own affirmation. The girl scoffed, “They’re probably as tightfisted on pay as they are price jacked here anyway.” She tossed the guards a scathing glare as they passed.

They left the way they entered. They could feel the eyes of everyone they passed on them. Her and Avery kept twitching. Paying it no mind at all, Rowan lead them onward. They kept going for a few minutes then he consulted the map. A point in a new direction to get back on track to their true destination. It was too tense to talk. Again. Even after they had walked another couple hours and sat to rest.

Devin picked at the ice building up on them, “Rowan?”

“Hm?” He looked to her from his stump. Not a worry to be had.

Her thumbs pressed against each other, “Are you okay?”

A smirk came, “I’m fine.” A rock settled in her gut. He was lying. She somehow just knew it. The girl went to hover over him. He kept his gaze on her, “Uh?” She hugged him. The suddenness of it swayed his figure for a second.

Her chin settled at the crown of his head, “It’s okay to not be okay.”

“Devin, honestly,” he patted at the arm around his neck, “I’m fine.”