Time seemed to slip away. My attempts to spend a little of my coin at the tavern that had opened their business to me as I made distance between me and the Youthful Maiden. I was sure that they were onto me cheating and I had no desire to dissuade them by losing my hard earned fortune. My students started to make good progress and had prepared one song well within their skill. I taught them how to read sheet music and spend several nights penning a few songs for them to practice when I was gone. I got a foot run message that my clothes were ready and then that the Rutherfords were returning.
I decided I would start by getting my new clothes. They fit perfectly and the cotton breathed through and brought chill to my skin in the cold spring air. The bright colors would make me stand out like a lump on the head. I decided to wear it and meet the Rutherfords next.
They were unloading from a cart with large trunks and baggage. Some of them seemed to bulge with how stuffed they were. I was noticed by the servants that were unloading the trunks into the house. I could hear Missus Rutherford praising her children as they called over and over to ask that they play a song for them. If I knew where the baggage would go I would have grabbed a trunk but I waited for myself to be able to slip into the line of servants so I could see the lord and lady of the household.
I was met with the squawking of flutes as nervous children struggled to remember how to play in front of their parents. As I stepped into the room emanating the music I was met with a few frown as Mr. Rutherford motioned at his children. An unasked question of why they didn’t seem to make any progress. I smiled and held up my hands.
”Children, I have a suggestion. Why don’t you turn around so you’re not looking at your parents and feel yourself like you were just in another lesson. Take a deep breath.” I stepped to them and turned them around. I whispered encouragement and squeezed each of their shoulders reassuringly. “Now play me Whispers in the Wind.”
The music was much better as the kids closed their eyes in concentration. I sang the simple song that went with it.
Listen to the wind my children
Hear it upon the leaves
Know the gods are watching
Float in the breeze
Listen to the wind my children
They whisper things you need
Know the gods are watching
Pay the words their heed.
Listen to the wind my children
It is hard to hear them
Know the gods are watching
Cup your ears and prick them
Listen to the wind my children
Know the gods are watching.
The song ended and the children smiled broadly as their parents began to politely clap behind us and I turned them around. “See you can do it my students. Sometimes it is harder to play in front of other people. But with time it gets easier.”
”Well done Dolan,” Called Mr. Rutherford. “I didn’t know that it would have become so much better without them thinking of us watching.” He stepped forward and placed warm hands upon the crowns of his children.
”Oh my darlings, you just did so well. I am so proud of you.” She stayed down into the couch and held her belly as it was full of child.
”Thank you mother, thank you father. Did you bring us any gifts?” They called one after the other.
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I was pulled aside and brought into a study. The papers strewn about and ledgers full of numbers written in excellent penmanship sat open. Mr. Rutherford sat down and groaned now resting his aching bones. Carriage travel wasn’t very luxurious. The quick nature and lack of walking was the benefit.
Clearing his throat he leaned back and gazed with eyes hard as steel. “Now we agreed on five pence. However taking in the fact you ate meals with my children and not with the servants will cost three bits per meal. So six meals is one pence, and eight bits.”
I fought the desire to argue about the quality of the food not being worth three bits but I knew when I was being fleeced. I was powerless in this moment.
“Then there is the matter of us singing your praises to the other nobles in the court. Paving a way for you, truly reputation is priceless but we will call it two pence worth.” He did some math on an abacus and nodded to himself. “That leaves you with one pence and two bits. That balances our account.” He set the measly coins on the desk and looked at me in challenge.
“I’ll just value your recommendation for the rest. Truly it is invaluable.” I grit my teeth, this was the proper way to respond. If I took the money I’m sure letters against me would be sent ahead of me and I cursed myself for not seeing past the honeyed words of his praise and his wife’s.
Feeling foolish and a little more than put our I stepped away from the desk and moved out into the room. I couldn’t blame my students and I didn’t want them to know of my displeasure. This was a family that was more trying to look well to do but the very fact that he fleeced me of my time and skill showed that they must be in dire straights for their finances.
I decided that I would not let it bother me more than a passing displeasure. I could hold a grudge like no one else, but it had long since become tiresome. Though I wouldn’t forget that I would never trust a human with magic to ever keep his word and not fall to power.
Leaving the home I walked past the last of the trunks of clothes and had a petty desire to spook the horses so that it would run off but that would only effect the servants that were tasked with chasing after it. Exhaling through my nose I smoothed out my new tunic and centered myself. I walked slowly and deliberately towards Featherdown and decided that I would be free of Greenstown today. I wouldn’t keep myself here any longer.
I had plenty of coin. It wouldn’t bother me too much to leave now. It was a displeasure for me to have to suffer such an indignant lesson having been learned. I had been better treated by an innkeeper and tavern keepers. I guess I had paid for their treatment to be better. With my rent fees and the fees I paid for playing from what I earned.
I entered Featherdown and approached the young man as he was at the duty of dealing with people at this time. His father had been working late into the night before he eventually locked the doors to the outside. The young man with his fiery red hair nodded to me.
”I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I would like to gift the rest of what I’ve paid to the family for one more plate of that delicious breakfast. I know it is an inconvenience that I do this and your family has been more than kind to spoil me so.”
The young man opened the ledger to the proper page and went to where I had paid my account. It was still six bits worth of stay after this night. They would net four extra bits from me but their hospitality had been more than what that amount of coins. The young man cleared his throat, “I’ll have to check with my father to see if he is amenable. I’m fairly confident that he will though.”
I nodded and leaned forward, “I do want to tell you that there is nothing wrong with wanting other men. However, some of us are far too old for someone your age while your just now walking into being a man. Plus if someone seems less than happy at your gaze you need to learn to cool that with some self control.”
The growing hope in his face dispersed as I more kindly talked to him than the time I scolded him for staring at my bare chest just a few days ago. He nodded, “I’ll work on keeping my gaze to myself unless I’m sure that they’re interested in me in return. Just can’t help from being hopeful. You’re just so handsome.”
I smiled, “Thank you for the flattery. I appreciate the compliment but I am in the camp that you are far too young for me. So, hopefully I will see a nice plate of food in the morning for me to enjoy before I leave this town for now. If the attempt to ingratiate myself into the court will succeed and it will be some time before I return. Eventually I will though. I know now that Featherdown is the best place I’ve ever had the privilege to rest my feet.”
THe young man just nodded as I left and went to my room. I decided that I still had plenty of time to be a little lazy with my day. I had been very busy for a long time and dealing with nobles and politics of the descendants of the very dragon I had found in a forgotten castle. It would be exhausting for me to keep from looking at them with displeasure and that would do me no good to be hostile to the very people I needed to infiltrate and maneuver amongst so that I could check everywhere for even the bones or a whisper of hope that he was still alive locked into some random chest hidden deep within.
I hoped this because of one thing. This place had grown in influence amongst its trade partners and had a recent boon of wealth. I hoped it was because they were allowing Profitable to thrive a little and not keep him locked away like some ancient trinket. Or they had earned the gods favor in other ways and that was worth looking into as well.
I slipped my boots off and took off my wool socks and let the cool air flow around them. I closed the shutters of my window and sighed as I laid down. Once more though as I relaxed I felt that nagging feeling of being watched. Some deep part of me hoped that whomever was causing it would get it over with so that I would be free of being watched. An ancient instinct to be careful warred with a quiet desire for things to end.
If I let it end though I would snuff out any hope of a dragon born into the world now or in the future. I was free to wander and had some level of anonymity no one else would know the dangers of mortals without learning that themselves and the people had grown too powerful for one of us to survive such a stumble. I hoped deep down that the gods would turn things into our favor sometime soon.
Lacing my fingers behind my head I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. I would be free of people for a short time while i was between towns. I had one small stop before I would make it to the capital. I had enough money to not have to stop and ply my trade. Though, telling stories was built to be one of the most pleasurable things I could do with my time.