Chapter 136 A Normal Day at Red Cedar City.
Only a being that has been through pain,
can empathize with the pain of others.
And only one such being can relieve the pain of others.
And through relieving the pain of others,
will they relieve their own pain.
Amaret, The Great Sinner.
I gather my things and turn to leave my chambers after Jerro. I channel a few extending patterns into the ‘Invisibility’ spell to keep it going.
Walking the blue carpeted halls without being greeted by the roaming maids and menservants is an odd experience. I'm too used to how they all make way, and I find myself enjoying the need to dodge a rushing maid with a tray.
I see quite a lot of things I normally wouldn’t while I am invisible. A maid verbally bullying another to tears, another spitting inside a dish on her way to Talbot’s quarters. I can't help but tug the bullying maid's hair while invisible, and spill the dish on the spitting maid's dress. The terrified reactions are quite amusing.
But also a maid hugging a crying child and comforting him, and another bringing treats for her working friends from the kitchen. I push each of them and insert a golden coin into their hands. The second one panics at that and starts looking for ghosts, making me regret my attempt to reward her good deeds.
While the small chaos I caused is entertaining, I do have to get out of my palace.
The palace is a living breathing place containing more people than I thought it would. It’s way bigger than my father’s mansion too. It's at least three times its size, and that doesn't count the outer palace wall and the various courtyards and gardens. I wonder how many rooms there is in here, has anyone ever counted? And everyone here needs to eat, stay clean, and deal with their social life along with all the small necessities life presents us with. It’s an odd way to realize that. Seems like they keep showing me everything in tip top shape when I'm present… Do I need to do something about the bullying? I’ll take care of it and talk to Tasiya when I’m back.
I leave the palace and make my way to the first small alleyway I can find. I make sure no one is present before I drop my invisibility spell and observe my plain clothes. I adjust the stuffing in my shoulders and begin my stroll around the city.
My heart thumps rapidly, and I look around more than once. I worry about potential assassins despite Jerro's words. My boots sink into the mud with every step, and the earthy smell in the air speaks of a recent rain. Crows perch on the brown slated rooftops, one lands near a puddle of water to drink. A mousy street vendor sells a meat pie to a woman in a coif with a group of children on my right. To the left, a bald beefy peddler declares that these are the last minutes to buy anything from his buttons and needles since he’s closing for today.
He’s not the only one to close at this late afternoon hour, the market stalls shut down one by one. Merchants collect their goods back into their containers, and a few customers make their last purchases. I see various workshops closing their doors and windows. The crowd flows toward the northern part of the city. I wonder where they're going...
Unable to resist my curiosity, I follow the small crowd that forms around me. Jerro did say to stroll around the city first and it looks like they're all headed toward the opposite side of the city anyway. I just hope no one is going to jump me... If that Shaf can locate me anyway... That's a lot of trust I'm putting in Jerro. He earned that, and he hadn't been wrong before. Except with Agila and Kolag... But that was a divine intervention... And a Shaf of Tiyadi isn't divine intervention?
It soon becomes clear where the crowd is headed. They all enter a large temple dedicated to Jalier, Demigod of Magic. Speaking of divine intervention...
I watch the circular white building with awe. It's almost as large as my palace, and the blueish green dome on top gives it a taller majestic feeling. I step into the temple, carried on by the crowd's flow.
The round temple walls are bare white marble. A teal dome overhead makes the place a bigger feeling than it probably is. The painted murals on the floor are unclear due to the insane amount of people currently present. I do make out a partial image of a short stocky man with a white beard performing some unclear feat of magic that is hidden behind too many feet. Rows of round wooden benches circle the center of the temple, facing the middle.
A painted marble statue placed on an elevated position in the center of the temple depicts an elderly short man with a bushy white beard. His shoulders and body are too wide for his relative height, he’s stocky, not fat. A wizardly brim hat in blue on his head. A small colorful hummingbird perches on his left fingertip, and he holds a tall black staff in his right hand, a staff that is twice as tall as he is.
When I enter, people all stand near their seats in a silent prayer, their hands locked in an odd gesture I'm unfamiliar with. I stand near an empty seat and pretend to take part, even if I have no intention of worshiping this mad god.
When the prayers are over, I sit when everyone else do. I'm just another face in this massive crowd, no better place to hide. I wonder if staying at a temple of another god shields me from divine eyes and the ability to see the feature the clerics of Tiyadi have...
“Good folk of Red Cedar, heed the word of the almighty Jalier!” A gray bearded man in deep blue and green robes takes the stand right below the statue. People finish their prayers and sit down. It’s hard to count how many people are under this large dome, if I had to guess it’d be over a thousand.
The man near the podium continues. “Sorcery is a gift from the gods, the true power of creation. Sorcery creates worlds and destroys them. Sorcery is the words of the gods, the weak and the mighty. Sorcery is the essence of the world itself, the essence of all living things. May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”
“May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next,” the crowd chants, repeating his words.
What a bunch of bullshit… As much as I like spells and power, there's more to life than magic. I can’t ever understand this religious babble…
“Every sorcerer may ascend to godhood one day. The almighty Jalier was once mortal like you and me. The world is not equal. The gift of sorcery isn’t given to every person, you are either born with it, or you are not. But the almighty Jalier promises you this: Follow his three tenets, and in your next life you shall be born with the talent for sorcery, with the potential to ascend to godhood! May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”
“May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next,” the crowd chants, repeating his words.
Empty promise. There’s no way to make sure he follows through on this. People don’t remember their past lives if people are even reborn at all… Was Jalier truly a mortal once? Is it possible for a mortal to become a god? Or is this a lie too? How would anyone even become a god?
“Never harm a sorcerer. There’s no greater sin,” the bearded man on the podium chants.
“Never harm a sorcerer. There’s no greater sin,” the crowd repeats.
Oh really? Even if the sorcerer is trying to kill you? Should you just lay down and die?
The priest sways in place, eyes stuck to the book on his podium, his long gray beard fluttering on an unseen wind. “Obey a sorcerer’s every demand or request, for they are gods in the making.”
“Obey a sorcerer’s every demand or request. For they are gods in the making,” the crowd repeats.
And what if a sorcerer commands you to harm another sorcerer? I remember Luard doing exactly that!
“Study magic and the secrets of creation. For they are your path to ascendance.” His deep green and blue robes swirl as if an invisible breeze lifts them.
“Study magic and the secrets of creation. For they are your path to ascendance,” the crowd chants and the murals on the ground flicker with starry lights. Some children look at the lights with awe, but most of the crowd is already used to it.
At least one thing here is harmless... More knowledge can help these poor people see how dumb the first two tenants are.
The priest raises his hand and illusionary stars appear in the space of the large cathedral. “Do this, and the almighty Jalier promises, you shall be born again with sorcery in your veins! May sorcery and magic carry us in this life, or the next.”
This is ridiculous, I've heard enough, these people are beyond insane. There's no way to verify how anyone is reborn in their next life, if anyone is reborn at all. I think I prefer Aisha, she spat on me for selling them to the orcs… I have to find a way to make her actually participate in the meetings and talk to me about what people need... She's been avoiding me. Anyway, this is a waste of time, I think I’ve strolled enough…
I turn to leave the temple and find my way to the Queen Rest’s Tavern.
*
The Queen’s Rest Tavern is a large place. It serves as a small Temple to Koshavi, Goddess of Love. But her wooden statue looks rather old, and the paint is fading. It's clearly been moved in here to allow the Zephyrs of Dreams to seduce men in here rather than a real worship toward the Goddess.
Fire crackles at the edge of the room, and I notice that the barmaids use the fireplace to warm up food. The brown stone walls are decorated by high shelves, holding metallic cases of green creepers with red flowers that climb the brown walls.
Barmaids wearing gray and brown bodices and skirts, carry wooden trays with food or drinks. The girls make their way through the loud mostly male crowd. Some openly flirt with the men, and when coins exchange hands, they drop themselves into a man’s arms with squeals and giggles. The pair usually end up going upstairs.
The smell of food makes my stomach growl. I still haven’t eaten a single bite since the long meditation and the attempt on my life.
Other than food I smell sweat, alcohol, and smoke. The sounds are composed of laughter, dice games, chatter, and music.
A beautiful red headed woman stands on an empty table. The green dress she wears shows too much of her shoulders and ample chest. The right slit exposes her alabaster thigh with each movement. She holds a string instrument in her hands and sings a song to the music she provides.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!
With magic and iron together we stand!
Defending our land hand in hand
No matter the challenge, no matter the end.
We shall never bend!
Oh my paladin…
I take a seat in a corner, rolling my eyes. That's one weird song... Got to stop rolling my eyes, Sharla said it was identifiable. I'm starving! I haven't eaten in days and I've just spent a few hours roaming the streets and not eating... Food! Food! What's taking you so long barmaids? Not serving me because I don't have a dumb snake to pay you with?! Just as I get annoyed, a plump middle aged woman in a gray bodice stops near my table. “Anything I can get you, lassie?” she asks, tucking her brown curly hair away from her face.
“Three servings of whatever you have for dinner. Who do I talk to about renting a room for a week?”
“That’d be me, lassie, I’m the owner. That’ll be three silver scales including three meals during your stay, or a silver scale and fifteen copper bits if you just want a place to sleep without food. It doesn’t include drinks if you partake, nor access to the wenches if that’s yer wind, lassie.”
Snakes... I haven't been carrying silvers and coppers for a while now... In hindsight, that was really dumb not to take some, I wish Jerro told me to take some silvers... Oh well, I couldn't think of everything. I hand her a gold coin between my index and middle finger. “I prefer men, and I rarely drink. I am famished though, and I won’t say no to a drink right now, it’s been a while.”
The chubby woman bites the coin and gives me a sheepish smile. She fumbles in her pouch, counts, and places twenty seven silver coins as a change on the table. She then heads toward the door at the back when I collect the small pile to my now inflated pouch. “I’ll be back with yer food and key, lassie.”
I'm so hungry... I sigh and wince, listening to the oddly pleasant music, if not for the odd words.
Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!
I’m the queen! You are a knight.
You are to serve me day and night.
All my enemies you shall smite!
When we’re alone, hold me tight.
Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!
I’m evil, you’re surely good!
In defiance before me you stood!
I’m powerful, as you can tell.
And you carry a demon from hell.
Oh my paladin where are you now?
Kiss me and honor your vow!
Take my heart! Take my soul!
Take everything! Take it all!
Wait... Is this about me and Kolag?! My face flushes with heat I wasn’t aware people write songs about us now. It’s flattering… Since we’re important and popular enough to write about… But why does she make me evil? I grimace without any control of the flushing heat all over my upper body. I really shouldn’t have kissed him in front of all these people…
A moment later, a small group of rough looking men crowds my table. “Got more o’ that gold, milady?” one of them asks as he sits near me on the bench. A few teeth are missing in his smile, and his greasy black hair falls on his face. At least he shaved his ugly chin...
“Not for you,” I reply nonchalantly.
“Ah, what a shame, are you alone? Maybe one of us can provide you with company and protection, eh?” the other says. His bald head reflects the light from the nearby torch.
“No thanks,” I answer without tensing up. They don’t see me as a threat, they wouldn’t try to kill me. Worst case scenario they would attempt to rob me or force themselves on me, and they’d try to take me to a less crowded place in order to do it. I can kill them all with a couple of words. Nothing to be worried about. I’m more worried about Jerro’s warning of leaving the inn and exposing my identity. He repeated that like three times. Must be important.
“You should find someone who's interested, lads. Plenty of wenches in me tavern.” The plump innkeeper places the food on my table aggressively enough for some of the sauce to spill. She gestures at one of the barmaids who wears a more revealing outfit. The barmaid is clearly eyeing the group, and the men are too oblivious or busy with their attempted shakedown to notice her. “You don’t wanna deal with Gar.” The owner slaps the back of Baldie's head.
I follow the worried men’s eyes to a large muscular man who stands near the red headed singer.
I catch the wrist of the man near me as he attempts to reach for the pouches on my waist. “Try that again, and I’ll kill you,” I state coldly, looking into his eyes. Looks like these three managed to escape Kolag's peacekeepers and city guards somehow... I wish we weren't so understaffed after the damned wars and the orcs.
Ugly Chin's brown eyes open wide, he then bursts into loud laughter, followed by his friends who decide that this is a good joke. “Oy look at that, Ozi.”
“What are you going to do, girlie?! Scream us to death?” Baldie asks.
A large metallic mace falls on the table, my plates shake as it nearly breaks the wood. “A problem?” The muscular man in the sleeveless gambeson stands near our table now. The plump woman at the other side of the tavern sends me a friendly wink.
“No problem, Sir Gar, we were just leaving,” says the third, tugging lightly at his shaggy brown beard. He seems uncomfortable to be associated with his friends. They get up and leave the inn in a hurry, Ugly Chin stumbles and almost falls on the way out.
“Thanks!” I smile at Gar and the plump woman, and dig into my food.
*~*~*
Interlude 136.1
Jerro
Jerro sits on a pillow in his room. He’s in a deep trance. Using the Queen’s stroll, he had created multiple possible locations for the Queen's meaningful life. All of them are realistic positions she could be by this time. Mainly based on her disdain for the unimportant people of this city and their beliefs, mixed with her mild curiosity about their way of life. However, these locations are false.
Her life is nowhere and everywhere. The Shaf will not be able to spot her, and the assassins will now assume that the Queen is in the palace as per usual. They will wait a few days for the guards to calm down, and then attack again. But by the time they’ll attack again, it’ll already be true autumn, and Sharlafyn will be ready for them.
Or not.
Timeflow shifts widely. Currents change. The most likely future is swept by the raging streams of silver. There are two sources of flowing silver now instead of the single one that was there originally.
A new Shaf. A pair of Time Focused Battle Clerics. Someone Sent not one but two servants of his Lord. Whoever is behind them must've been overly prepared for things to go wrong.
Or.
They may know about Jerro's presence in this Timeflow.
Jerro fades away to time.
Time is most precious.
Time is utterly worthless.
Jerro no longer shelters the Queen, allowing the pair of Shafs to pinpoint the location of her life. It is only a matter of time now.
Jerro shifts on his pillow and focuses on the inn. He finds the closest person who resembles the Queen in appearance. From within worthless time, he makes her shine into precious time. From a worthless life to a worthy life. Threads shall twist and mingle.
Time is most worthless.
Time is utterly precious.
Time won't stop flowing. Timeflow shifts yet again.
Jerro's head aches. His plans changed. Everything changed. Time to gather his forces and march.
*~*~*
Interlude 136.2
Zoe
"Are you sure, k...?" Salik asks for the fifth time, swallowing the word "kid." She already taught him not to say that to her. He can say that to Master Inara if he likes, she does look like a kid, but Zoe is not a child and she will not be treated as one.
Zoe is Sure. She wants to wed to this man.
It's the only way Zoe can be happy. Her family is gone, she has no one, no one that is capable of responding anyway. She can take care of her nephew, but her nephew isn't... hers. No. The only solution is to start a family of her own. She needs someone she can rely on, and Salik may pretend he's unreliable and roguish, but he's the most reliable man she knows in this world. "Would you stop asking me that? And stop seeing me as a kid, I'm a grown woman, and I make my own choices. If you aren't sure you can just go now."
Salik sighs, resting his head on the curved wooden table, his straw hat hiding his features. Zoe barely hears his voice, mumbling into his arms. "I'm not someone you'd want to marry, Zoe. Nor would you want to have my children. I have some snowy baggage, and a lot of unpleasant history you might not want to be a part of."
Zoe crosses her hands with a grin. "Like the wife I resemble?"
Salik jolts up. "How..."
"You talk in your sleep, dear. I don't care." Zoe smiles smugly, she does enjoy catching him off guard.
The man she loves averts his eyes, tugging down the ugly hat to hide his handsome face again. "I... Zoe. It's not a laughing matter. There's a goddess who wishes me ill, you're risking your life by marrying me."
Zoe is not convinced. "Which goddess?"
"Don't say her name. The Maiden of War."
"Why is she mad at you?"
Salik's voice is barely heard above the crackling fire from the fireplace in their room. "She's not mad. She's just a spiteful bloody bitch. It's a long story... An unpleasant one. It's not something I think I'll ever talk about again."
Zoe is still not convinced. Sounds like excuses. "Tell me."
"I'm not telling it again, Tulips, I'm sorry."
"I want to marry you. I deserve to know."
Salik looks up and mumbles. "There was only one person who needed to know that story, and I'm not sure it even helped him."
"Again? Who did you tell it to?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. It matters. It's clearly someone I know or you wouldn't mentioned that you talked about it already."
"It's not someone..." Salik doesn't finish, Zoe knows he cannot lie to her. "Fine." He sighs. "Kolag. The kid needed to hear that. I can only hope he'll make the right choice when the time comes."
"So you'd tell Kolag, but not me?" How dare he?!
"He needed to... Fine... If you're sure about marrying me, I'll tell you, just so you'll know what you're getting into."
Finally! We're getting somewhere.
*~*~*
Power level: 3rd stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Crown-knot: Affinity 10: connected: 1 gem replenished per minute.
Neck-Bridge: Affinity 6: formed: max amount of gems drained per day: 91
Abdomen-storage: Affinity 5: connected: 41 neutral gems. Conversion ratio: elemental : neutral-3:1, neutral : elemental-1:1
Air: Affinity 4: formed: 34 gems
Fire: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Light: Affinity 3: formed: 22/26 gems
Water: Affinity 6: connected: 75 gems
Earth: Affinity 1: formed: 8 gems
Wood: Affinity 2: formed: 17 gems
Gravity: Affinity 9: connected: 102/113 gems
Cantrip known:
Air: Shavi’s Breeze, Shavi’s Sword. Shavi’s Hair Dryer, Aria’s Enhanced Hearing. Aria’s Sonic Scream. Aria's Increased Voice.
Fire: Nuriss’ Flame. Effrat’s Firefly, Effrat’s Fire Breath. Sorladika's Lesser Heating. Nuriss’ Ignite. Oniga's Soap Creation.
Light: Noxi’s Light. Lako’s Blinding Light. Rika’s energy hand.
Water: Water Evocation, Water to Ice, Ice to Water, Water to Vapor, Vapor to Water, Mayan’s Icy Spike, Ayla’s Water Jet. Ayla’s instant freezem. Ayla's Flowing Shield. Ayla’s Freezing Vapors. Hot Water Conjuration. Boiling Waterjet.
Earth: Alice’s Oil Summoning, Reiko’s Acid Spray. Alf's Copper Bolt
Wood: Arigor’s Lesser Vines. Kolosu’s Vegetable Summoning.
Gravity: Lumina’s Kinetic Burstm. Tukado’s Repulse. Tukado’s Lesser Shield IIm. Imari’s Minor Telekinesism. Imari’s Jump. Leo’s Pullm. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s Light Body. Alino’s Heavy Body. Alino's Orbiter.
Transmutation: Oniga's Laundry.
Spells known:
Light: Wassho’s invisibilityb2 Rika's Electric Channelb1x2
Gravity: Alino’s Weightless Bodyb1x2. Tukado's Pushb1x3. Tukado’s defense IIIb1x4m. Imari’s Lesser Flightb2m.
Life: Brigit’s Lesser Cure Poison. Brigit’s Skin Restoration.
(Little letters by spell sides: m=mastered. a=advanced. b=bound spell, number near the b is how many gems of the mana pool binding the said spell takes.)
Focus capability: 21 patterns.
Social status: The Queen of Red Cedar City. Inara, Daughter of Mysteries. Apprentice to the Maven of Mysteries. Sorceress.
Carried Wealth: 37 Golden Peas, 27 Silver Scales.
Personal Items:
Magical necklace. Contains 100 gems of general mana, can be drained like a mana pool. It’ll recharge by itself at the rate of five gems an hour.
1 potion of lightning body.
1 potion of mana, medium grade.
5 potions of Lesser Healing.
5 potions of Pain Tolerance.
An enchanted belt with eight pouches, the enchantment keeps the pouches’ content fresh. Each pouch may contain 10g of petals or six potion flasks.
40g Rose petals.
4g Lavender petals.
10g Sowbread petals.
10 empty soul bottles. Glass with a diamond stopper, put in scaled leather wrapping.
The Great White Egret grimoire. Dedicated by the Maven of mysteries to Inara. 31/100. Unlocked.
Present Companions:
Languages:
Toml’a
Sinteo
Myrsha
Felul
Nim
A'arkalu
Injuries and scars:
Curses: unknown extracted parasite, possibly bloodline related. Gone due to an unknown bloodline magic.
-
Kingdom’s treasury: 26,123 Golden Peas. 965 Magic Gems.
Kingdom’s citizen:
Red Cedar City: 3,609 adults. 1,654 children.
Apricot City: 1,877 adults. 504 children.
Total: 7,644 souls.
Kingdom's army: 123 Footmen. 16 Peacekeeper Knights. 500 Blood Spears.
Notables at Court:
Tasiya Keyholder.
Jolla SilverQuill.
Talbot Bookkeeper.
Aisha?