Tislo was slumped over Artemis’s shoulders on the walk over to the country office. His limbs twitched as he regained function and he whispered in a short breath to be let off on the ground. Whatever inflated pride was left over from confronting the man was thoroughly expelled. She smiled and told him to rest.
The office was built in a peculiar location stuck between a large inn and a small general store. There was no practical reason to connect the three buildings and it served to diminish the official designations embroidering the knockers and frame. The door was unlocked so they entered to find a poorly lit room decorated in a drab theme evoking none of the colors outside. A young man sat at the receptionist desk leafing through a legal book without noticing the guests.
When the door slammed shut, the sound caught his attention and he rose from his book to motion them forward. He was a bookish individual with pale skin and spectacles sitting on the bridge of his nose, informing them that they should expect to wait two hours before the local official would meet them, though it could possibly take until late afternoon. The message was not relayed in a haughty tone, it sounded to be the honest truth. Artemis stood in front of the desk.
“Why is there such a long delay in meeting him?” She asked.
The young man blushed and bowed slightly in apology.
“He is preoccupied with other matters.”
Artemis unfurled the cloth from her head and looked at him with her naked face.
“And should they take the full two hours?”
The young receptionist sat in his seat for ten hours a day, spending half an hour for lunch in the backroom after locking the front door, and another hour walking around outside looking for dinner. Artemis’s clear blue eyes were so brilliant and crisp they reflected the morning sky in their clarity, sending a sharp chill through his legs to rouse him awake. Captivated by her beauty he dropped to his seat in defeat.
“I will check with the master.”
The young man ran off into the next room. His muffled voice could be heard in conversation and it grew exceedingly panicked with each returning shout. Rustled papers and heavy footsteps echoed in the air, when not a minute later, an older looking man with a balding head and a spirited mustache entered the room to examine the visitors. When he spotted Artemis, the anger on his face evaporated and a cordial smile replaced it.
“Good morning Markova, my name is Capan, how may I serve you?”
“We have a property we would like to sell.”
“Very well, if you would provide me with the documentation.”
Capan did not delay in standing face to face with Artemis in full expectation that she would provide him with the papers, only to be interrupted by Danica’s hand extending over his chest. He retrieved the papers and looked confused by the property under discussion, taking cursory looks over the top while he read through the details. Once he had finished, he again turned to Artemis and spoke.
“The owner of this deed is Danica Babic, may I ask your relation to this woman?”
“I am Danica Babic sir.” Danica interrupted.
“And what terms are you looking for in this transaction?” He asked.
“There is no need to find a buyer, I am fine with a sale at the fixed rate.” Danica said.
“And the proceeds, they will go to the Markova?”
“I am fine with that arrangement.”
After hearing Danica’s request to put the proceeds toward Artemis’s name, he looked visibly relieved, able to justify the transaction as repossession of a peasant’s house. The thought of enriching the young Markova made him unusually happy and he was all too eager to conclude what must have been an unpleasant affair for her.
A story came to life in his head, imagining how the slow-witted old woman had reached an age where she was unable to provide a living from the land, and her young master, generous in her disposition, was willing to overlook the obligations and debts in exchange for a mere pittance. This made perfect sense to him but the property would only fetch eight Kruna, a sum equivalent to a monthly expenditure for women of her stature and so it might be taken as offensive when the price was discussed. He desired to change the subject.
“Markova, may I ask for your name?”
“My name is Artemis.”
“I do not intend to intrude on your private affairs but may I ask about your lineage?”
“I could not say even if I wanted to.”
Capan tried to make sense of her statement. Nobles were not always forthcoming about themselves but this answer was somewhat suspicious.
“She is of divine lineage, Mr. Capan. A Madi.” Danica said.
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The allegation of religious authority was not a small matter. If Artemis were indeed a Madi, Capan would need to follow the proper protocol in his interactions with her, demanded by both official decorum and his own religious leanings. Only one had to be roundabout in asking for evidence, and he was not aware of any new Madis being inducted into the Earthly Council, more so a beautiful young woman.
“Boy, did you come along with them?”
Tislo sat up from a waiting chair in the front.
“Yes sir, I was their guide in the valley.”
“I see. Then you are headed to the Capital in Restreika?”
“No sir, we are headed south to Istora.” Danica said.
“A dangerous endeavor. It will not be safe traveling without protection.”
“We will find a way Capan.” Artemis said.
“You are quite optimistic Madi, but I suppose it is easier to be optimistic when the gods reveal the future to you.”
Capan shuffled the papers in his hands and continued speaking.
“Now then, Danica, I believe you must be a woman of great faith if you are willing to donate your life savings to the Madi.”
“It didn’t require any faith sir, she performed a miracle for me.”
Capan raised his eyebrow at this statement. The lull in conversation made his interest obvious.
“Forgive my insolence Madi, but as a believer, it is rare to be presented with such an auspicious occasion. I would like to make a proposition to you.”
“Very well.” Artemis said.
“If the land is sold at the fixed rate, I will give you the eight Kruna without complaint and our business is concluded. However, if you were to honor me with a miracle, I would add an additional twelve Kruna to your sum for a total of twenty Kruna. This is double the compensation you would receive if an eager buyer were to make an offer. For the scale of the miracle, I leave you to judge what twelve Kruna is worth.”
“Sir Capan, this is unusual. I dare say it is sacrilege!” Danica said.
“Don’t worry Danica. If it will make our journey easier, then I will accept.” Artemis said.
“Wonderful! Now it is just a matter of finding someone to receive your blessing.”
Artemis looked around the room and down to the floor. They all followed the path of her eyes, curious to discover what it was that she was looking for.
“There is no need to involve outsiders in our agreement. I can heal your injury Capan.”
“Artemis Madi, I have no idea what you are referring to.”
“Your foot Capan. I will heal it.”
Artemis raised her arms and the miracle was complete. Capan’s eyes expanded in shock as he felt an extremity that had long been severed from his body.
During the Three Year War with the Wageutz, Capan acted as a stand-in for the son of the local lord Jalovic Markus in the battle over Eastern Crusetchia. He joined for a single skirmish on the Telgrade Plains and had a forked pike driven through his foot after a horseman missed his chest. When the two sides had retreated to their respective positions, the doctors sawed his foot off to prevent infection and the injury sent him to the back lines for the duration of the conflict. For the next thirty years, a wooden block had served as a poor replacement until the force of a newly grown foot sent it flying into the air along with his shoe.
The young receptionist watching the scene hidden behind the office door gasped. Tislo duplicated his shock with an open jaw. Capan wiggled his toes and began tapping it on the floor to test if it were an illusion and when he realized it was permanent, started shouting in disbelief. “How?” Capan asked no one in particular.
Taking ample time to calm down, Capan started speaking to Artemis with a deferential tone.
“Forgive me Madi, it was wrong of me to test you.”
“You are forgiven. I only ask that you honor the deal.” Artemis said.
Capan pointed to the back room and the receptionist disappeared behind the office door to retrieve a small metal chest with a padded lock. Capan tore the key from around his neck and removed twenty Kruna from its contents, presenting the sum to Artemis with both hands and his head bowed. Artemis accepted the coins and assumed an accurate accounting, she did not know what one or twenty Kruna looked like.
“Madi, I received reports from the royal messengers that say the siege of Istora will not lift in the coming weeks. The territories around Istora and Crusetchia have become dangerous and the army is preoccupied. Many opportunists have emerged to take advantage of chaos. I think it would best for you to head north to the Temple of Restreika where it is secure.” Capan said.
Artemis thanked him for the advice. The miracle of regaining a foot made Capan unfocused in his duties and he was forced to instruct the receptionist to fill out the documents for the deed transfer in his place. It was an awkward environment having performed a miracle before all the paperwork was signed and they conducted the rest of the proceedings in silence. Artemis was not happy to see her name listed on the records with the title “Madi” but made no objections to the designation, having to spell out her name due to its foreign origin. When all the work was concluded, Capan thanked her profusely and the three of them left the office exhausted.
Artemis clutched the silver coins in her hand, counted out ten pieces, and handed them over to Danica. She removed a single coin from her own share and rewarded Tislo for serving as their guide to the city. Neither protested the sum out of modesty and Artemis wondered if it were not much after all.
They turned away from the office and continued down the main thoroughfare to the sound of hawkers shouting from portable stalls. The streets were an absolute mess down the center and the lack of a proper sewage system made itself apparent to anyone arching their legs over the muck, periodically refilled by the inhabitants dumping their waste with indifference. Without the strength of the summer sun, the puddled liquid would have risen to the edges.
A sickly smell wafted all around the street but was even more concentrated around a donkey drawn cart led by a scruffy old man staring at them with a thousand year old face. He offered to collect their trash for two Crowns and turned away when they refused his services. They walked along to the other side of the street where a storefront window display caught Artemis’s attention. A red and white dress laced with intricate geometric patterns and floral designs over the waist and shoulders were adorned on a wooden mannequin. She did not care for the red shawl draped over its head but the dress she wore was torn at the edges and in need of retirement. Artemis asked if they could wait for her to make the purchase, to which they agreed and entered the crowded little room piled with folded clothes.
The owner, a dour middle-aged woman wearing the same red scarf, greeted Artemis with anticipation, leading her in a circle to inspect the best garments offered at her store. Artemis pointed to the mannequin and offered to buy the dress if it fit her and the woman started to measure her neck and arms. Tislo and Danica stood around uninterested, waiting for the purchase to be completed. Once the preparations were complete, Danica took the owner aside and haggled the price down to two hundred Crowns from one-fourth of a Kruna. The number seemed exorbitant to Artemis either way but she accepted the deal. Clad in new clothes, they made their way over to the inn to settle in for the night.