Chapter 15

This time when Brissi shrieked, they at least checked under bed first. Dajshi sighed and pulled on the blankets, slowly dragging them and my entwined body out. I was fine with just lying there on the floor until she mentioned my first lesson of the day was already here and would I want them to come up to my room. If it was Shrike, I could only imagine how she would react to me being late again, so springing up, I threw on some pants, shirt and jacket, much to Winnia and Brissi’s dismay, no corset or waister, then ran down the stairs.

I headed to the Conservatory where Shrike had wanted to have lessons the other day, but she wasn’t there. Just to be sure I checked in the tops of the trees as well as low hanging foliage. I was surprised how many plants I recognized after getting a closer look. The little signs staked or planted next to each called them by different names than what I knew them by, such as Redcurrant- Ribes rubrum the sign said. To me they would always be birdberries, and I greedily stuffed my face with them. Waking up late meant I’d had to skip breakfast again. It might be worth it waking up on time to get three full meals a day.

On another row I found a Chinquapin tree, or what the sign called a Chestnut- Castanea dentate. It wasn’t the biggest of its kind I had seen, but it was still rather impressive to see a tree I knew grew taller than the houses of New Castle here inside the family Conservatory. The lowest branches were still over a man tall, but the bark was old and rough enough that I thought I could climb it. I wondered what they would do when the branches finally reached the ceiling. Would they open the roof or just cut the tree down?

I could see the delicious little potato nuts in their spikey coats peeking out between the leaves. I looked around. Still no sign of Shrike nor anyone else for that matter. Without another hesitation I pulled myself up the tree. My enthusiasm soon dwindled though. Though a few had begun to split, most of the chestnuts were still firmly entrenched in their spiny little pods. Frustrated, I carefully picked one, juggling the pin cushion before letting it fall to the ground. No good. I would have to get a knife or a rock to wrench it open.

As I shifted to begin climbing down, I felt eyes on me. I checked the ground and the entrance. There was a rapping sound on the glass wall. When I looked up I nearly fell out of the tree. There was a woman hovering in the air nearly as high as I was on the other side of the glass. She gave me a rosy-cheeked smile and waved. Stunned, I hesitantly waved back. She flashed a huge smile of white teeth then gestured to something. I looked around then I realized she was pointing to the chestnuts. I gingerly held one up, trying to show her how spiny they were, but she just gave a thumbs up and gestured, sticking a bunch of them in my pockets. I imagined how painful it would feel if I lost my grip on the way down the tree and fell on a pocket full of spiny chestnuts. I shook my head, but she just gestured again then pointed down to her feet. I looked down to realize she was not hovering in the air; she was standing on the back of a great gray elk who was also peering in the window while calmly chewing a mouth full of verbena from the outside garden bed.

She gestured again, and I was sold. Eagerly, I stuffed my pockets with as many of the close-lipped spike balls as I could handle then half-climbed, half- slid down the tree taking care to make sure my feet hit the ground and stayed steady. After giving myself a cursory dust off, I found a door that led to the outside and trotted out into the yard. When I got there I wasn’t sure what to think. She was certainly like no other Castelian I’d met yet.

“Mornin’, sprite! I’m Tabby Porter, here to get you edumacated and what not. How about them chestnuts?”

Tabby Porter sat backwards on the elk, her legs swinging like a child’s at a picnic as she held out her hand expectantly. Her hair was pulled back in a single long, black braid which snaked down her back until it touched the elk’s flank. She wore no other adornment on her head, just a dark blue kerchief around her neck. Where other women around the ward insisted on stockings or at least puffy pants they called bloomers, Tabby wore fitted breeches that buttoned at her knee, blue and purple striped socks and ankle boots. This all went marvelously with the long brown leather duster she wore that didn’t do much to cover the holster and carbine; although currently, both the side arm and boltgun I assumed went in the sling on her back were absent.

I walked up and wordlessly handed her the chestnuts. Not even flinching at the spiny cretins, she deftly pulled out a pocket knife and began peeling away the protective shell before popping it into her mouth and munching happily. She continued peeling and munching without offering any to me.

“Hey! Lorus wants some too!” I complained.

She grinned and tossed me the next one she cracked.

“I was wondering if there’d be a service fee,” she said, her mouth still full of chestnuts. “Well, kiddo, you brought me breakfast, so what do you want to learn about today?”

“Euhhh, if you’re the teacher, aren’t you supposed to decide what the lesson is?”

Tabby shrugged and cracked another nut.

“Sounds like Shrike and Fox have already been here. Honestly, I’m not really sure why they asked me to stop by. I’m a Rover, not a scholar. I don’t even live in New Castle anymore. Most of the time I’m on the road or in the Shoals helping with their livestock.”

I thought about it then I pointed to her elk.

“How about that?”

She pointed to its butt, “What about it?”

“Can you teach me about elks?”

Tabby brightened and held out her hand, “Sure thing! Now that’s something I know a bit about! Grab hold!”

I should have known better, but I reached out my hand and with a yank she pulled me over the elk’s hind quarters and on to its back with her. Somehow she managed to flip around so she was facing forward. With a clicking noise to the elk, it lurched and we were off.

I had seen much from my trip across the rooftops. Being up there gave me a sense of freedom being above it all. Down in the streets of New Castle was a different story. As we flew up one street and plunged down another, I found my hands growing sweaty with the worry we’d trample someone. Even at the pace we were moving though, it seemed everyone knew their place- a beat in time to a dance I hadn’t yet learned.

“As long as you stay in the middle of the street, whether it’s driving an elk or pulling a rickshaw, everyone else moves around you,” Tabby explained. “It’s like being surrounded by a swarm of bats. They all know what they’re doing. You’re better off keeping your course, not getting jumpy, and just trusting them to dodge around you.”

Indeed on either side of us foot traffic flowed, and except for the occasional well-timed dart across the street, cog to Warden moved around us as our elk swam down the road.

“This is Watson, by the way,” Tabby pointed to our elk. “I thought about bringing Sherlock, but he can be a bit high strung, and I was hopin’ I could talk you into a little exploring. Have you seen the city center yet?”

I started to say yes, but that might incriminate me so I said, “Not up close.”

Tabby nodded and we veered off into a narrow alleyway. While the roads and avenues were broad, obviously made for vehicle traffic, the space between buildings was barely wide enough for a man to pass. Tabby grunted as Watson passed a little too close to a wall, scraping her toe against it. She patted him on the shoulder anyway and clucked to straighten him out.

“Sherlock’s a little better at these ways than Watson. Ole Watty’s a bit fluffy, aren’t you boy? Like your oats a bit much,” she tapped my knee. “If you’re worried we’re getting a bit close to the walls, feel free to throw your legs up over mine like a possum. I’m wearing riding leathers so scrapes don’t bother me. Glad you wore pants though!”

I nodded but kept my legs to myself. Although, it occurred to me how useful riding leathers would be, especially for other activities like climbing trees or falling out of them. Then we came to a dead end, or so I thought. The alley ended in a low connecting wall that boxes and garbage waiting for collection had been stacked against.

“Right, hold your seat and make sure your grip’s good. Here we go!”

With a cluck Watson gave a little hop then actually leaped onto one of the wooden boxes. I stifled a shriek as I felt his back end drop, but Tabby clapped one hand over mine now frantically clinging to her waist. She gave a chuckle then a sound like, “Hiyup!” and Watson sprang straight in the air, touched off the top of the wall, then leaped over the other side into another ally way.

“Bet you never thought about going through the city by going over it!” Tabby laughed.

“Well, not just that way,” I managed catching my breath and disentangling my legs, which had somehow also wrapped themselves around Tabby’s middle in our jump over the wall.

“Yup, but the fastest path between two points is a straight run, or something like that. It was one of Fox’s observations.” Tabby nodded and pointed towards Watson’s feet. “Not every elk can do it, but Fox made my boys some fancy little shoes. Hated them at first they did, but now, except straight up a wall, they can go just about anywhere,” she paused to calculate. “Depending on how tall the wall is, I won’t even rule that out. Hey, here we are!”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I wanted to get a better look at Watson’s feet, but about then we burst out of the narrow alley right into the thick of sunlight and traffic. Another elk pulling a hansom bellowed at Watson who flickered his ears and bellowed back as he picked up a trot and joined the flow of other carriages, hansoms, pedicabs, and rickshaws. The noise was already monstrous, and it was so early in the morning too. Besides the clamor of voices, all vehicles had funny little trumpets on them. It seemed their riders or drivers took no end of delight in squeezing the bulbs attached to these to make a high pitched honk as they careened past each other, jockeying for position on a loop that never ended. I felt bad for the rickshaw pullers running on their own two feet pulling customers through the bustle. At least the pedicab cyclists sat a little higher pulling their carts behind them, wheels flashing with little bits of tin for decoration. But neither of the human powered types of cabs seemed at all worried about the snorting and bellowing competition.

“I would think everyone would want to ride an elk. Why so many vehicles?” I asked. “All they do is clutter things up.”

Tabby nodded, waving to someone who called her name.

“Not everyone can afford an elk. They’re a little scarce in their own rights. That’s why really only Warden families or the very well-to-do scholars have them.”

“But you have two!” I pointed out then considered. “Does that mean you are well-to-do?”

Tabby chuckled, “I’d certainly call myself well-off, but not in the way most Castelians would think. Sherlock, Watson, and I are a special case.”

Once we entered the circle around the central dome, it seemed like everyone knew Tabby and shouted her name. It was a little off putting, but she just grinned and waved back as cart after carriage pulled by and greeted her. Tabby would exchange a few words, they would stare curiously at me, and then they would pull off to be replaced by another.

“You could always introduce yourself,” Tabby suggested. “I’m sure Pilosa will fuss about you not being kitted out spectacularly, but she wouldn’t mind you introducing yourself to a few of the Wardensans. After all, once you turn thirteen you can take driving lessons. Then you can join the grand parade.”

A man in blue striped pants with a white apron and white hat waved at us from the side walk and held up an odd pastry shaped like a ring.

“Hey Tabby! Heads up!” he called then threw two of the pastries to us over the traffic. Tabby deftly snagged them out of the air and handed one, still very warm, to me.

“Thanks for the doughnuts, Bill! I owe you!”

He grinned and gave her a thumbs up, “Nah! Visit any time you like Miss Porter!”

The Circus, the loop that ran all the way around the dome, was massive. I hadn’t realized just how long the circuit really was from up on the roof tops. It also housed quite a few shops, some with the most interesting gadgets and gizmos in them. Tabby said they were pretty high end, but that more of the middling Alchemists and Thaumaturges or dabbling Wardensans visited them as a reason to see people and be seen. Apparently, the most expert in their field had secret sources and vendors that they frequented, some of those shops staying open predominantly because of one patron’s contributions.

I sighed, “So that really is all Wardensans do. Just trot about throwing coins here and there and looking pretty. How wonderful.”

Honestly, it didn’t sound all that terrible, but I had decided I would much rather be riding elk-back with Tabby, than strutting about in too-tight clothes or pretending interest for something for which I really had none.

“You make it sound so bad!” Tabby chuckled, “Eh, true most Wardensans seem to be a pretty useless bunch, but that doesn’t mean you have to be.”

I was a little stunned to hear her agreeing with my assessment so easily.

“I was told that if I become a Warden, I’ll never get to leave the Ward again! Even as a Wardensan, I’ll be corralled for the rest of my life, just in case they need a spare!” I complained.

Tabby rolled her eyes, “And here seeing you up that chestnut, I’d thought you’d figured a thing or two out for yourself. You’re really that much of a GND?”

“A what? What do you mean?” I looked away just as another carriage drove by waving. I waved back. This seemed to utterly thrill the boy and girl in the cart who turned to begin excitedly talking to each other.

“Girl Next Door-GND, Goody-Two-Shoes-GTS, Daddy’s girl, Pollyanna, Loli; pick your character. Besides coming to ride about the Circus for their Grand Parade, you suppose all these young, virile Wardensans just stay put in their own Wards like good little boys and girls?” Tabby asked.

I looked around at the other travelers. Some matched each other’s speed, and I realized they were actually carrying on conversations between carriages.

“…meet at the Pennywhistle later?...”

“…found a great new wax joint. They even play authentic dub…”

“…thought Alchy Torty’s brew a smash better than that stuff Alchy Boron foisted on us…”

“…Trochi’s having another little thing in Ward 3 tonight. You’re going, right?...”

I blinked, suddenly feeling like I had been listening in on a private conversation. But, if they didn’t want anyone overhearing them, why do it in public?

“But Wardensans aren’t supposed to go to other wards unless they have express written permission,” I frowned. “How do they get past the Regulars at each gate?”

“Ah, you caught some of that, did you?” Tabby grinned and we veered off the Circus back down another broad road then into another narrow alley. “What makes you think they use the gates?”

My eyes widened. I tried not to look up at the skyways. And here I’d thought it was my own sneaky discovery. Although, it was difficult to imagine some of the Wardensans with their slick shoes and belted on corsets flinging themselves across the rooftops.

Tabby pulled up at a small shop with multicolored bottles dangling in the window. She swung down off Watson and gave me a hand doing the same. The shop was not nearly as bright or flashy as the shops on the Circus, and when Tabby opened the front door, a wave of strange odors flooded my nose and set me to sneezing.

We walked in and Tabby waved to a bored looking middle-aged woman behind the counter.

“Hey Joy, what’s good with you this week?”

Joy shrugged and waved a hand lethargically, “Same ole, same ole. Levonovich hasn’t come by for his order yet. Della is late on her delivery. Haven’t heard hide nor hair from Tommy what said he’d bring me a whole crate of amaranth. Shrike stopped in though.”

She glanced at me.

“Babysitting today?”

Tabby shrugged, “Edumacating. Mind if we use the hatch? I’ll look into Della’s delivery, if you like.”

Joy returned the shrug and jabbed a thumb over her shoulder.

“Sure thing.”

Tabby nodded at me, and I followed her around the counter into the back store room. It was a veritable maze of stacked goods. We wove around barrels, boxes, and crates until we came to a curtain partitioning the wall. Tabby pulled this aside, slid the wooden screen to one side and stepped through. On the other side was more storage, but the boxes were stacked in tidy towers and practical pyramids. Tabby read a few of the names on the boxes then grabbed two and pushed them back through the curtain shaking her head.

“Della should be better about that. ‘S a good way to start a squabble,” Tabby stood up and dusted her hands on her pants. “Well that’s settled. Come on, Loris.”

Perplexed, I followed her deeper into the store room. How far did this go? We reached another door then through that strolled out into another shop. This one was much brighter with every imaginable variety of soap piled on tables, wrapped in paper, or available to carve off a large block as big as my head.

Tabby waved at another middle aged woman standing behind the counter who brightened and cheerfully waved back.

“What’s good this week, Sorrow?”

“Ooo everything! My shipment of lavender came early, and Stan was such a sweetheart he threw in an extra bushel, so I can sell the rest on special around the holidays. Everyone loves that scent! And Della swung by for something, and we had a lovely talk about her mum and dad, and she says her brother’s thinking to come up to the City for the next field day, and that he and my little Everly should meet because they have so much in common! Really, it’s been such a splendid week. Oh, and Shrike came by earlier. Were you looking for her?”

Tabby waited patiently for the woman to finish then shook her head, “I suppose she’s heading for tea. That’s all right, ‘Row, I’ll catch her at the White Tree.”

“Oh, ah, and you’re taking her there?” Sorrow whispered behind her hand as thought I couldn’t hear.

Tabby nodded, “Part of her Edumacating. Figure the best way to help her learn the ins and outs of New Castle is to show her. Let her draw her own conclusions.”

“Oh, I see, that does make sense. Salt with the sweet, you might say,” Sorrow beamed then turned to me. “Well, good luck then dear! Would you like some soap to take with you?”

I shook my head, but she pressed a bar smelling of lavender into my hand and smiled. Tabby wished her a good morning then headed for the front door. Outside, we were back into another street and once again into the bustle of traffic, this time on foot. Tabby hooked her arm through mine and pulled me along at a brisk pace. Now that I was on foot level, I realized the road actually had two heights. The middle of the road was a good step down, while most of the foot traffic stayed on the narrower but higher walkways to the outside. As long as I didn’t fall off the sidewalks or no elk jumped out of the lane, traffic did indeed move along briskly and smoothly.

After a few more streets and just as I was thinking to complain about my feet hurting, we pulled up at yet another little shop front. This one had a huge bay window in the front. Inside, I could see a couple of individuals in long, black robes with red or blue trim sipping an amber liquid and gesturing adamantly to each other. Over the heavy oak door hung a wooden sign painted a deep ochre with a white tree bearing one golden apple in the middle of it. Without hesitation Tabby stepped in and gestured for me to follow.

“Stay close, and as a rule, don’t say anything until somebody says something to you. Oh, and don’t make eye contact, and if you do, don’t stare, but don’t look scared.”

I swallowed and blinked my eyes trying to adjust to the dim lighting inside as I followed after.

I hadn’t made it two steps in before a large meaty hand attached itself to my shoulder and spun me around.

“Just a second, twerp!” A large man just as broad and sturdy as the front door, a pipe puffing furiously like a chimney clenched in the corner of his mouth, pointed to another sign just inside the door. “No brats! I’m pretty sure you’re not 16 yet, so scram!”