Kalydren – Year 1344, Month 1, Day 7. Spring

Olea Munroe

I stepped out onto the well-trafficked road, leaving behind the tall red stone apartment building I had spent my night in. People were busily walking up and down the street, errands to run and all that. I saw a small stall selling warm meat buns across the way, the man extolling the virtues of a good snack before the business of the day could get under way. I happily agreed with the sentiment, I was famished.

The sun was shining brightly this morning, giving warmth to the stiff, cool breeze rolling east from the lake. It would be better if it did not also carry the early morning smells of last night’s catch with it. Light cloud cover barely obscured the vivid blue sky I could see above the five and six story buildings in this part of the city.

I was in the northern part of the city, by my estimates the lower-middle folks. The further east you went from here the more lavish the homes became until you reached Artisan Alley. Every other outer road in the city was called Wall Road but once it passed north of East Market it became Artisan Alley and that took you back onto Imperial Way, the north-south running main concourse. I don’t think they did any type of specific phrasing in this world for people of different income levels, at least not in as much of a strict line as we had on earth. You had the beggar poor, various working middle classes, and the upper-class government pricks. Maybe it was a little like earth after all.

Enough of that for now though, I was hungry, and I wanted breakfast. I made my way across the street from the apartment, closing in on my goal.

“Two, please!”

“Milady?” ask the man at the stall.

“Two, please!” I repeat, making sure to pitch my voice in the exact same manner as before. Unlike many people I would never complain about repeating myself. Favorite childhood games of repeat-repeat to the annoyance of others... Excellent practice for growing up!

The man looked at me oddly before reaching down to retrieve the two drizzling bear claw sized meat pies. He wrapped one in a deli-style sheet of something close to paper. “One for you, and I wrapped the other for you to save for later. That will be one small silver and four!”

How cute, saving the meat for later. Nope, wouldn’t last the walk to the end of the lane. Read: Hungry. “Yes sir,” I said opening my coin pouch to retrieve two small silvers, not a purse “thank you ever so much!”

He handed me back my six copper pieces and I was on my way. Where was I headed you wonder? Well, I had to get to the Jobs Hall and deal with the grumpy old master of the Hall.

I headed down Topaz, the street that ran parallel and east of Imperial Way north of the Job’s Hall. It was a mile long stretch of road from start to finish. The north end of the road spilled onto Prattle Street while the southern end joined with Market Street East. These were not specific names for Market Street as they were both one road, but the locals had long ago begun amending the street with east and west respectively to be more concise. It did make it easier to understand directions at least.

I had just started to think of what Doogan was planning to talk about when I heard a shrill cry from above. That damned crow again! He-she-it had been hounding me since I left the Jobs Hall last night. I mean it did probably save my life or at least my remaining dignity when that rat was poised to snag my neck after the Bakers Basement incident. We won’t discuss the particulars. Argh!

“What do you want!” I shouted at the cheeky little chipenjaw. Is that a real word? I don’t know. This meat pie is so good. Is that sage I taste?

“CAW! Gruuunk!” cried the crow, or maybe it was a raven. I think I read somewhere that ravens were basically crows on steroids, bigger with more curve to the beak. Yeah, this one was large. With a wingspan of nearly three feet, I was willing to go with raven. It had that longer warbly quality to its call. The demon had black feathers with a purple-green shimmer of dark oil on water, depending on the light levels.

At this point I had gathered a few curious glances from the street vendors and even the children around me. Weren’t they supposed to go to school, was there a school in the city? No idea. I did not appreciate the scene; the crow was making me look like a nutter. In an attempt to normalize my actions, as best I could think of at least I raised my left arm to shoulder height, extending my forearm to kind of point and not point at the same time. I am sure I was not the only one who watched over simplified animal planet specials.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The response I got was nearly immediate. The beaky bastard dropped like a rock from twenty feet up and smashed down with its considerable weight on my upper arm. One thing I could clearly think of at that moment was idiot. I had nine Strength! I really was at the physical level of a pre-teen girl, not a strong one. Not even a helps-mom-with-chores strong. My arm dropped so I was not pointing at the ground briefly as my body shifted to the left. I grabbed a nearby street pole for support as the bastard bird held fast to my arm, its claws only barely breaking the skin. Another ruined shirt! Dammit.

“I know I did the whole roost invitation thing, but why did you have to dive bomb my arm!” I shouted at the flapping bird, it hit me several times in the head with its large wings. I guess it was blaming me.

“Ra-a-a-a-a-t-t-tle, CAW!” was the only response I got.

“That’s enough out of you!” I snapped back. I don’t think this did anything to dampen the scene. If anything, even more people were now staring at the silly little girl getting accosted by a bird that was nearly half her size. I exaggerated a little bit, it’s fine.

The bird snapped its beak shut, turning its head to the side to level one eye on me. Was I being silently mocked? I raised my right hand up to bop the silly bird on the beak and teach it some manners. Instead, the bird pulled its head back before snapping forward with an open mouth and clamping down on my finger.

“You bastard! That REALLY HURT!” I exclaimed, damn the onlookers. I got a shrill caw in my ear for the trouble. The bird was looking down on me. Fine. I shook my arm up and down to dislodge the hefty thing, this only served to kill my balance. The bird must have weighed nearly twenty pounds. Better I just concentrate on standing upright. Come to think of it.

Help-Chan! Status Report!

‘Blah’

Name: Olea Munroe

Level: 2

Archetype: Merciful Blade [Street Surgeon]

Sex: Female

Age: 16 Winters

HP: 61/61

Mana: 64/64

Stamina: 63/63

Attributes:

* Strength: 9

* Dexterity: 13

* Constitution: 9

* Charisma: 16

* Intelligence: 13

* Wisdom: 7

You have two Attribute Points Remaining

Skills:

Three skill points remaining.

Stealth [1/4]

* Pierce [1/4]

* Sneak [1/4]

Piety [2/4]

* Cure Wounds [2/4]

Experience Till Next Level: 4940/5000

There it was, two attribute points! Let’s prop up Strength by one, and Constitution by one.

* Strength: 9 increased to 10

* Constitution: 9 increased to 10

At once I felt the weight on my shoulder become less of a hindrance and more of a small annoyance. I was at least no longer teetering sideways. I think I just graduated to soccer playing schoolgirl in strength. Win!

I straightened up and ignored the odd murmur of conversation going on around me. I was above such trivial commentary. It was time to get moving, was it nearly noon? How long had I slept in?

I had spent the night in a nice warm bed comfortably encased in the warmth of another only to wake up alone. Granted some people had to work early, but I’d have gladly gotten up and started my day as well. I was not a heavy sleeper! The bed was still warm and smelling of sweet springtime flowers among other things when I rolled over and got dressed. It was a good night; I had even learned a few things.

Getting my mind back to my appointment and out of that space, not the thing to be thinking of pre-Doogan. He never really mentioned a set time when we were talking, though the mention of a place to pass the night in the guild apartments as they were, may lead some to think that he wanted me close to hand early in the morning. Nah, no way was I making myself so available. We’ve only just met! Where then did I spend the night, not telling. We’ve only just met! Don’t judge me, I am not a hypocrite!

I rounded the corner, heading west on Market Street West, I say I was heading that way, but Topaz dropped off at the same corner as the Jobs Hall occupied. The entrance was just at the fountain plaza, I couldn’t access the front area from the read entrance as that required more clout, the guards at the various doors were quite clear on who could use what door when traversing the inner rooms of the Hall. I stepped up to the entryway and walked inside, wobbling only slightly. I still had the big ass bird on my arm.

Upon entering I was greeted by not one curious glance; everyone here had grown accustomed to strange and unusual long ago. Nothing to see here, just a nearly five-foot-tall girl with a two whopping turkey sized bird on her shoulder.

“Caw!” croaked out my previously mentioned stowaway. This did get people to turn their heads, some people anyway. Even Sicily looked up at the noise, there was a moment when she only saw the bird and had a small, confused look pass her face before she looked slightly down and to her left and saw me. I was only giving an ugly face to the bird for a second before I smiled at her. Another confused look before she just smiled and shook her head. Right. Some people had work to do.

“Where in the twelve hells have you been!?” came a bellow from the back of the room “YOU WERE TO BE HERE AT DAWN!” Well, crap. I guess he did have a time in mind. Maybe it would be a good idea to pass on my spare meat pie after all.

Still hungry though, these decisions are never simple.