Chapter 28
By the time they had finished their walk Jay was completely dry and put his socks and boots back on, rolling his pants back down. As they walked Jay had found a few items. A silver ring with a crest, a copper piece which he had given to Aiden 'to help finance his future,' and a small one inch decorative knife which he had given to M'redith.
“You guys think we could find the owner of the ring? The crest seems pretty unique.” Jay said as they flagged down a cart to return to The Guild.
Aiden looked over at Jay, “Well whoever lost it is probably pulling their hair out trying to find it. A ring like that is like a signature and is used to sign and seal documents. Losing one is a huge headache and isn't looked at favorably by those in charge. If you do find the owner they'd probably be very thankful for its return.”
M'redith sighed as she moved her body slightly and got comfortable in the cart next to Jay. “I know exactly where we can go – at least where we can go to find out who the crest belongs to if not the ring.”
Aiden looked up from the small rectangular calling card that he had been turning over and over in his hands.
“I bet a librarian would know.” M'redith finally said.
After returning to The Guild and paying off the cart driver they walked along a cobblestone path and through a tree lined road until they came up to the library and found Glenda the Librarian on duty. From behind the front desk she smiled wide at the sight of the three. “Hello!” she exclaimed but very quietly.
Glenda's smile was infectious and Jay found himself smiling as well. “Hi again Glenda, I was wondering if you might be able to help me find out whose crest is on this ring?” he said as he dropped the ring gently on to the table taking care not to be too loud about it.
Glenda nodded. “I can do this thing you ask.” She placed a sign on the counter that said 'Back in 5!' and led the group to a section far in the back of the library where the lighting didn't work as well. Pulling a thick dusty volume off of the top shelf she handed it to Jay who almost fell over from the weight.
Jay thanked Glenda for her time and the group sat down at a table and began flipping through the book while Glenda went back to her desk and put away her sign.
The book was huge and finding the exact crest on the ring would have been impossible if the book wasn't organized in a variety of ways. For example, there was an index ordered by animals displayed on a crest. Alphabetically. Another index of family names. Yet another by dominant crest color. There was even an index showing what indexes each crest was included in. The variety of indexes eventually made identification of the crest quite easy.
Jay hadn't heard a last name from anyone he'd been introduced to so far in Eden. No one had spoken of family names at all in fact. “Quick question for you two. Do you have more than one name?”
Aiden and M'redith looked a bit embarrassed. “Sure we do. Everyone does. It's just considered extremely rude to discuss it unless you're having a discussion about marriage or something business related. Otherwise it just isn't spoken of. You use your name to make a 'name' for yourself. Your deeds are attached to your name and yours alone.”
Aiden sighed, “Well not everyone. The rich seem to go by different rules and speak about it a lot more openly but since I'm not rich I stick with what everyone else does.”
They finally found the crest's family owner. “Stringe. Odd name.” read out M'redith. “They own an auction house in the crafter's section of K'tharkle. Wealthy and with some political power they tend to avoid politics and use their power only when things directly affect them. Small family, one head and with three or four families under her. The auction house is a family business but a well off one.” she said as she read the book's description of the family Stringe.
They left the library after putting the book back (it took a couple of tries and was a group effort) and said goodbye to Glenda – quietly. Jay thanked Glenda for her time as they passed by her on the way out.
“Now I need a small box, some paper, an envelope, and someone to deliver the entire thing.” Jay said as he listed things as he thought of them, slowly and methodically.
Aiden wasn't very helpful but M'redith had everything he needed and left them to go retrieve it from her room.
“We can pay someone to run it over for you. There are plenty of people willing to do that for a small fee.” Aiden said as the two sat down in Jay's room.
“How small?” Jay asked.
“Trust me, you can easily afford it. A couple of copper? You do realize that most people only earn a few copper a day, right?”
“I did not realize that as I had no way of knowing that information.” Jay insisted, “But thank you for telling me.” Jay realized his fortune was larger than he had earlier assumed.
Aiden flipped a small rectangular card from hand to hand and a few moments later M'redith arrived with the supplies. Jay wrote a short note with The Guild's address and his room number and then signed it. He folded the note in to the envelope and folded it shut.
“Do you have a wax kit?” she asked.
Jay looked at her like she was crazy. “Do I look like a guy that has a wax kit?”
Aiden laughed while M'redith sighed. “We're going to have to get you one. You're going to need to design a crest and pick up a seal with that crest too at some point. Otherwise people are going to look at your letters like they were from a child.”
She rummaged around in her satchel for a moment. “Here, you can use mine for now. Remind me to remind you to get one though,” she said as she handed over a small box that folded open to reveal bright red wax sticks, matches, and a metallic seal.
Jay lit a match and used the wax to seal the envelope shut but didn't use the seal itself as it did not belong to him and it would be inappropriate for him to use it. Instead he used the smooth side of the metal seal to press the wax on to the envelope leaving a plain circular indentation in the wax.
It wasn't great but it was better than nothing.
Jay put the ring in to the small gift box and sealed it shut with wax the same way he had the letter. Jay wrote “To the Head of the Stringe Family” on the front of the envelope and turned to Aiden. “What now?” he asked him.
Aiden thought about it for a moment. “I know someone that could use some work. 5 copper ok?”
Jay immediately asked, “Is 5 copper a normal amount for a job like this?”
Aiden nodded. “If the runner took a cart it would cost more than the delivery fee so they'll have to run the whole way. Its good pay for the work.”
Jay thought about it seriously before handing over some copper, “Here's 20 copper. That is ten copper for the delivery and an additional ten copper to wait and bring back a reply if there is one. Give it to him with my thanks for a job well done as well as for delivery of the items unopened.”
Jay rubbed the back of his neck before continuing, “Tell him that the items are to be handed to the head of the family and no one else. If the head of the family refuses to meet with him then he can leave and return the items to me. If that happens he still keeps the money.”
Aiden looked a little shocked at the amount before realizing what Jay had said, “He would never open a delivery! I'll tell him to only give the items to the head of the family. That might take a bit longer though.”
“I don't care about the time it takes as long as the delivery person doesn't care. The Stringe family has gone without the ring this long, they can wait a few moments longer.” Jay said with a raised eyebrow.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Aiden shrugged, gathered the items, and left.
M'redith looked like she was trying to convince herself of something and appeared to finally have come to a decision and moved closer to Jay. Since she had been sitting on the chair arm practically on top of Jay they were already very close.
Jay immediately noticed and was just about to try and figure out what was going on when a knock suddenly came at the door. M'redith got a frustrated look on her face but stood right up off the chair and went to the door and opened it.
There was a package on the ground and she caught a glimpse of a delivery person as they waved and ran off to their next stop. She picked up the flat package and closed the door. “Looks like you got something! Have you ordered anything?”
Jay couldn't think of anything. There was no online shopping and he hadn't bought anything that needed to be delivered that day. M'redith excitedly put the package on the table just as Aiden returned. “Done. Should be there within the hour.”
Seeing Jay's face he said “What? He has to run there, an hour is good time!”
M'redith pushed Jay playfully and Jay finally smiled, “I have a package. Want to see what is in it?”
Aiden came over to the table and Jay unwrapped the carefully folded package until he held in his hands a number of pictures. They were all of various sizes. There were a few absolutely tiny ones the size of a thumbnail and went all the way up to a few 8 by 10 inch pictures. Each size had a variety of poses and each displayed Jay standing straight and tall with M'redith almost folded up against his body while looking up at him with a smokey expression or, in some photos, directly in to the camera.
Jay wore his black suit with red trim and M'redith wore her red dress with black trim. The pictures were all in black and white and were motionless except for Jay and M'redith, who appeared in full color and looked to be moving ever so slightly the way a couple naturally would in real life.
“Holy Gaia those came out good,” remarked Aiden in a hushed voice.
Jay smiled. “Now I know what the deluxe package is I guess. I'm glad I got it though.”
He motioned to M'redith, “Take a copy of each if you'd like, I got the package for the two of us.”
M'redith grinned as Aiden continually complimented M'redith on her outfit. “I had no idea you cleaned up that well!” he finally remarked which earned him a slap on the shoulder from M'redith.
She took a copy of each and wrapped them up in the original wrapping before happily storing them in her satchel. “Thanks Jay,” she said with a wide smile as she gave him a warm hug.
Jay looked over at Aiden during the hug and grinned which made Aiden laugh.
They took some time looking at all the photos again and Jay mentally added picture frames to his list of future purchases.
The three left the room after that and went to sit out in one of the grassy courtyards on the Guild grounds. Aiden leaned back in the grass and stared at the clouds. Jay lay down as well with M'redith laying her head on Jay's stomach. The three cloud gazed for a time as they traded stories.
M'redith told them about her family who were in farming she claimed. Not farmers, but 'in farming,' whatever that meant. Neither of her parents had Classes and she was the first in her family to leave the farm and try and make something of herself.
Aiden followed up with a story of his huge family. They grew up poor and he told stories of fighting his brother and sisters for food at meal times. He started to describe how he had gotten admitted to the Guild before he remembered that wasn't something they spoke about and went quiet again.
Jay didn't tell them stories about his family. Instead he told them stories about the internet, television, drugs, drag racing, and football. Each topic naturally led in to the next in a manner Jay would have found impossible to reproduce if he had tried. None of those things translated over in to Eden concepts very well and left his two friends with a lot to think about.
Dinner time came and the three picked themselves up and walked contentedly to the dining hall where they feasted on plates filled with ricotta stuffed manicotti, zesty lemon peas, and steaming hot garlic bread sprinkled with sea salt that was crunchy on the outside but airy soft on the inside.
They ate mostly in silence as they enjoyed their meal. The food had been great at the dining hall so far and Jay was happy with the quality of the food. Everything was delicious. Jay sighed in contentment.
----
At the Stringe family compound things were not going nearly as smoothly. The man Aiden had hired had arrived at the compound and found someone to speak with but was having difficulties finishing the delivery.
A large man about 5'6 stood at the doorway clad in metal armor. He held a spear in one hand and held his other hand out in front of him. “Give me the items and I will see to it that they are delivered to the head of the family. I assure you I will place it directly in to her hands. This is what I do all day. Surely you can trust me?” he said for what felt like the hundredth time.
The thin man standing in front of him did not seem cowed the way normal delivery men would be but kept on insisting that the items must be handed to the head and only the head of the family. Usually a delivery person would have given in by now and at this point the guard was being obstinate just to make a point.
“It is not about trust, it is about duty. I was hired with certain instructions and I intend to follow them. If the head of your family does not wish to receive these items I have been instructed to return with them. I do not know what is inside but I can't imagine she would be happy to hear she had missed a delivery.” he said calmly.
Aiden had sent V'ncent, a friend of his with prior guard experience, to deliver the items. V'ncent didn't scare easily and could hold his own in a fight. He didn't have a class though so he could really use the money. V'ncent had been paid enough that he wasn't about to leave without a struggle.
This went on for an hour at which point V'ncent was preparing to leave when the guard shift changed and the large 5'6 man was replaced with another large man wearing duplicate armor. The first guard motioned to the second guard and passed down what had happened during his shift.
“That guy has been here for an hour. Wants to hand deliver something to the Head.” the first guard said.
The second guard blinked in confusion. “I don't understand. Why then is he still here?”
“Oh I've kept him here since he refuses to hand over the items for delivery. Can't have every person off the street walking in to deliver things personally.” the first guard replied.
The second guard paused, still confused, “And you were told to do this? Or did you make that decision all on your own?”
The first guard realized that the second guard didn't seem to be happy with the way he had handled things. “All on my own, why?”
The second guard laughed. “You must be new. No worries. I doubt I'll be seeing you again after today.” He turned away from the first guard and waved the messenger in after calling for an escort. “Personal delivery for the Head,” he said directly to the escort who then took V'ncent inside.
The first guard seemed thoughtful. “Am I in trouble you think?”
The second guard laughed. “OH yeah.”
V'ncent was led along a dizzying array of stairs and twisty corridors until he arrived at a desk with a few chairs along the wall. He barely had time to sit down before the man at the desk got his attention with a wave, “The Head will see you now.”
The doors behind the desk opened and V'ncent was admitted to a vast office, the walls lined with books and the far wall being dominated by a floor to ceiling window where a thin looking woman sat behind a beautifully carved wooden desk.
V'ncent didn't wait but walked up to the desk and handed over the box and letter.
She didn't wait either or play any power games. There would be no point, V'ncent was a nobody to her and games would be useless. The letter was quite simple:
To the Head of the Stringe Family: Greetings. I have recently acquired an ability to find lost things and it appears I have found one of yours. I found this item at the lake outside of K'tharkle along the shoreline buried deep in muck. I don't know who its prior owner was but I know the crest itself belongs to you. And so here it is, returned to its rightful owner.
Respectfully, Jay
The Adventurer's Guild, Room B4
She looked up after reading the letter and opened the package, exclaiming in surprise at finding the ring. V'ncent politely asked, “Will there be a return message Ma'am?”
She nodded, “Oh there will be, but not at this time. You may inform Jay that we will speak with him soon.”
V'ncent took that as the dismissal it was and left. As he was escorted out past the exit he saw the first guard from earlier being yelled at by another guard wearing much fancier armor and a rank device on his shoulder. Someone was in trouble, V'ncent thought to himself happily.
He returned to Jay's room and on not finding him there left a note that the delivery was completed along with how it went in general and left for dinner. He was eating out tonight!