No insight as to how to survive in the wilderness for two months near the beginning of winter came to me. The contemplation on the issue ended with the arrival of Kella with the nurse.
Vara. Need to keep my terminology straight, especially since I'm unaware of any differences.
Vara Lyssa looked at Kella while biting her lip ever so slightly. She seemed to be on the verge of chastising the disciple, but a bit pensive of doing so. For the few moments of silence I wondered what Kella’s status among them was; Dann had inadvertently qualified her as something other than a Disciple, even though that was the title Helena had used with her.
Dann broke the silence with an unproductive greeting.
“Kella, you're here! How are you feeling? I hope you don't feel too nauseous.” Disciple Dann immediately went to fawning over her condition, stepping over to her side. Though not making any signs of rejection, his Princess wore a tense expression.
“I think I’ll be okay. But…” Were I a weaker man, I would have drawn close and looked at her with concerned eyes. Thankfully, there was only one Dann, and I managed to keep an incredulous look off my face. Vara Lyssa rolled her eyes at the scene as well, interrupting it to keep Princess on track.
“About the matter Aide Helena sent us here for, Disciple Kella?”Outwardly polite, with an undercurrent of irritation. Idly, I wondered whether the church valued face or honesty more. I was thinking face.
The look Dann gave her said she should have given the Princess more time to collect herself, but the Vara currently faced Kella and the message went unheeded. The Princess herself took deep breaths and seemed troubled to look my way. Eventually she managed to speak.
“I apologize for using the healing incantation on you outside proper...protocol. As a result you required a healing incantation from the temple. I will cover the costs of the treatment.” That wooden and stilted phrasing, why didn't you just say ‘I will pay [treatmentCost] coins for your treatment?’. Anyone could tell you were just told to do this!
Managing to keep my own expression under control, Dann sent a pitying look towards the Princess, and the vara did a slightly better job of maintaining appearances this time.
“I have my health, so all is well. There's really no need for an apology; in fact it was in part due to my own negligence, so I apologize as well.” Something felt lost in the recitation of her script, but there were no clues to work with. A quick glance out the window showed that evening approached, and I had yet to find lodgings for the night. “However the hour is beginning to grow late, and seeing as I no longer need any treatment, I feel like my business here has concluded. A pleasure to meet you Disciple Kella, and thank you for keeping me company Disciple Dann.”
This seemed to be all that was required for the Princess to consider herself dismissed. Dann followed her out quickly, but after stepping halfway out the door, he remembered to bow to Lyssa. He did so in a quick and halfhearted manner, and it was known where the other half of that heart was.
“This is the first time Snowflake’s had to own up to anything.” Lyssa commented casually. Really, this sort of talk seemed quite unprofessional; was the stern attitude of the church just a pretense? She couldn't see through my poker face, but the extending silence must have tipped her off. “You can talk freely with me. My Da was a farmer, I've lived outside the city. It’s not just faith that's put me here.”
“How much...no, why is it you called her Snowflake?” I scrapped the informative question and asked the interesting one instead. Lyssa chuckled.
“Pure, fragile, and knocked about by wind. Though you're a bit more sturdy than a gust of wind. How'd you end in such a sorry state?”
“Just as I said. I suppose my luck really was just poor today.”
“No such thing as ‘luck’. Wouldn't be able to cause that mess even if it were.” She gestured to the blood covered sheets I sat on. “Think that’s what saved you. Snowflake’s never seen anyone that beat up, even I rarely do. Must have stirred up whatever responsibly she's got.”
“Does she...or rather does this happen a lot around her?”
“Nothing so bad as this time, but a broken nose or finger every month or so.” A fiery glint shone in her eyes for a moment “She’s the niece of Cleric Joshua, head of the temple here. Snowflake can memorize the words fine, but can't complete a chant successfully. Cleric Joshua doted on her when younger, and never rescinded his favor even after failing. Besides, not like she's the only disciple out wreaking havoc.”
Her lips failed to enunciate the final sentence, but it was audible nonetheless. If her thoughts were as I thought she thought, then my question wouldn't be quite as risky in this case. The glint of fury behind her azure eyes was not something easy to fake, and unless her actions so far were a mere setup, I could catch the gist of the situation.
Paranoia isn't a defining trait of my personality, but I do indulge it frequently. To clarify my suspicions, I asked a different question beforehand.
“How much would my treatment have cost? And...how much does a Disciple have to spend?”
“One novice incantation for four argents, though special cases like Dann can charge more, around 10.” She smiled sadly as my eyes bulged at the price “Not worth the cost for those in the field is it? Doesn't do too much other than stop the bleeding. You aren't draining Snowflake’s pocket though, even I get an aurum each year. No idea how much her da and uncle give her, but it’s more than you can imagine I bet.”
“Very little falls outside of what I can imagine.”
“More than you'll ever see, then. Speaking of, I didn't see a coinpurse among your things.”
“Most of it is with my companion from the village. The rest’s in the hem...” Bending over, I reached into the inside of my pant leg, grabbing a few coins out of my Inventory. Much safer than a coinpurse. Lyssa nodded at my precaution.
“I'd best get your things then. We’ve talked for quite a while and I've duties to attend to.”
That would have been a good point to segue, but I wanted my shoes on in case I needed to make a break for it. Psh, how much good would shoes do when I was in the middle of a temple? Well, they wouldn't hurt, and if things only went slightly south, I could leave post haste.
The vara returned and handed over the tunic and shoes. They were cleaner than before, but dark red stains were still embedded in the rough fabric of the shirt. An easy enough fix for myself.
“Since you managed to not bleed all over it, we’ll be taking the shirt back. You've ruined enough cloth as it is.” Only half in jest, she complained about the ruined fabric. Standing up and swiftly changing, I looked at her.
“But what if I am able to take care of it?” Lyssa didn't seem to feel a great bond with the Church, so it didn't seem too risky. She was also in a station to inform me how to properly register for one of those haramakis.
She gave me a curious look for a moment. Wizards and that sort probably weren't so common as to be the first thing thought of when mentioning cleaning. Though the ‘Brannish’ accent likely helped her bridge the gap.
“Can you?”
“The merchant that brought me here mentioned in passing magic was regulated. Not knowing what the consequences were, I have avoided doing so.” I cast several successive
Lyssa’s mouth opened and she stepped back slightly, but quickly recovered. Girl really needed to work on concealing her reactions. T’would be terrible if I was exposed through a poor choice in confidants. Luckily her reaction seemed favorable at least.
“Thanks for saving me from washing that. But I never took you for the magic sort.” Again with the ‘don't seem like a wizard’ thing! Are there no magical eccentrics in this world? Or do people think they just sprout up ex nihlo? Crazy archmages come from somewhere people.
“That's why I'm looking to get one of those blue *haramakis*, or would it be better to try and remain unnoticed?”
“I can't say to not get one, but having one isn't the end of it. For someone without much ability, the demands are more stringent. If you don't find your way into the church, you'll end up drafted into the army. And lately war seems to be getting closer.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“But it’s not immediate, is it? As much as I find peace in the village, I'm still a traveler. By the time war actually comes, I will likely be somewhere the *haramaki* means nothing.”
“It's your decision in the end. Be aware that few look kindly on the bellybands. There's no distinction between yourself and a battle caster. Expect disdain and fear.” That evaluation was quite different than the one I received from the village. Who were the odd ones out? Only break rules when you can properly evaluate the consequences, but finding the rule set for this world made my head ache.
Not that I follow that self imposed rule, but when I can it lowers the chance of being led by paranoia. Then again, dealing with chaos and paranoia were entertaining enterprises in themselves. Probably my favorite things after accumulating power.
“It’s an acceptable cost to be able to use magic once again. I may just be spoiled, but traveling is much more relaxing when you can wash up in an instant.”
“You value strange things.” Lyssa shook her head at my trivial reasons. “I have time off before midday tomorrow. Come to the temple courtyard, I'll make sure you don't say anything too foolish.”
“You have my gratitude.”
“Now go find your companion. You've been gone a while, chatting for far too long already.” Vara Lyssa unfolded her arms and started to make the bed.
“I shall leave you to your duties then.” Giving a slightly tongue in cheek bow, I left. A lot of time had passed at the temple, but despite not conversing with Snowflake, the task at hand had been cleared.
Though rendered unconscious before being taken to the room, the layout of the building was still easy to intuit. Quickly finding the way out the front door, the guard had changed. They didn't give me a second glance as I made my way off temple grounds.
Unfortunately, as I returned to the streets of Glaucen, I had no direction to go. Corsair separated from me hours ago, and he wouldn’t be looking for me. Pan had given me coin to spend, more than enough to find lodging, but likely not enough to also purchase any potential remedies.
Considering my Inventory would keep any and all items safe and
Before doing so, there was still time to stroll through the farmers’ market. Food acquired this way would end up cheaper than purchasing a meal at whatever hovel I ended up staying at, and Inventory yet again saved the day by allowing me to preserve any leftovers. I allotted 20 cupra to my food budget for the trip, one quarter of what Pan had given me.
While Castor had helped give me a rundown on market prices, he and his merchant contacts dealt in much larger quantities than I could afford. For a meal’s worth of bread, fish, or meat, the prices were 2, 5, and 12 cupra respectively. Vegetables varied from 2-4 cupra, and most fruits were the same; except for one that looked like a bunch of tightly packed, tiny grapes. One wouldn't end up eating a meal of one type though, bread made a portion of most courses.
Still, even if I could live on small amounts of fish and gruel, I was more of a glutton, I needed more fuel. 20 cupra for most was more than enough, but I wanted three meals a day and wanted to be stuffed. To do that I would need to get a good price, but I was new, so I looked around for advice.
(Sometimes it's easier to speak in verse, so long as communication doesn't get any worse.)
As evening approached, the stalls grew more crowded. The background noise rose with the voices of haggling. Bartering didn't seem to be a preferred method of trade, but common among farmers who traveled in from the surrounding fields. Craftsmen, identifiable by their far less grimy garments, seemed to have plenty of currency, and were the primary purchasers of meat and grape-like fruit.
Most buyers started by underpricing an amount smaller than they intended to buy, and the seller worked up the price. In response, the quantity increased and the price ever so slightly went up as well. Though it was clear that the sellers consistently gained the upper hand, while they didn't seem to have a monopoly, the vast majority of them looked to be part of the same guild. It took sharp eyes to notice, but occasionally I caught the glimpse of a tattoo on their left shoulder. The bottom of a sickle and bundle of wheat in front of a sack of coins, symbol of the Carmens Guild.
Thanks to Castor’s advice, I avoided them and was able to get a good price. They didn't make unfair trades, but the Carmens Guild apparently had a reputation for getting the most they could out of a trade. Keeping to more local sellers, I was able to do well. Even divided up among bread, fruits, and vegetables, 20 cupra was a lot to spend all at once on food, and most distributors were happy to make sure they didn't end up with any wastage. In this manner I acquired about two weeks of good meals, minus meat unfortunately.
Discreetly, and I suppose discretely as well, I put the food away into my Inventory while eating and making my way to the shadier part of town. A generous person might call it the old city, the original foundations of Glaucen where the buildings were tightly packed and far more apparent in their aging.
More telling of the nature of the district, were those few who still wandered the streets. Throwing glances over their shoulders, hands moving towards their waist at a loud noise, and many who wore cloaks despite the agreeable weather. Ramshackle buildings rising tall cast shadows over almost every street, where I caught site of the occasional shifty meeting.
But despite the stench and general sense of malaise, it was the city proper once upon a time. Finding an inn wasn't too difficult a matter.
Named Bloody Goblin Ear, I couldn't help but be drawn to the stereotypical adjective-noun naming schema. If the ears nailed on the sign hadn't still been dripping blood, forcing me to time my entrance, I would have been happier, but oh well.
Stepping inside, the floorboards bent slightly under my weight, old and starting to decay. There were strange patterns of mold in the corners, from where the floorboards must have been replaced with less regularity than the rest of the establishment. Not that it seemed to bother the patrons.
What I'd walked into was a combination tavern/inn. A veritable rogue’s gallery for the unsavory to meet with one another and make deals. All manner of scarred and cloaked figures sat with each other sinisterly chuckling as they drank to their future schemes. Such a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
“How much for a room?” I questioned the muscular balding man.
“15 cupra.” The innkeep responded flatly, not bothering to send a glance my way. That definitely was too high a price for this area. Luckily, or perhaps because I was looking for it, I noticed the glances sent between some of the groups. They each had a representative start playing rock-paper-scissors.
Thieves, please don't act so friendly with each other. This amiable way of resolving things makes me want you to succeed.
“Are there locks on the doors?”
“Aye.” What are you, a pirate?
“Seven cupra, no need for meals.” I set the coins on the table in a very final manner. Or at least, I hoped that's how it seemed. It was still more than an inn smelling of stale ale should have costed, but the man swept up the coins and handed over a bronze key.
“Up the stairs, third on the right.”
He didn't further elaborate, so I immediately headed up to my room. Closing and locking the door behind me, I went on to repeatedly cast
Before retiring for the night, I set Hans in front of the door to wake me if the thieves started knocking on my door. With magic, despite the danger and prior grime, I was at ease and slept soundly.