Chapter 5

“So Talia,” Gus started, “do you have anything interesting to tell us?”

Niall, Talia, and Gus were sitting at Ryu’s table while the old man worked on their dinner. Niall had offered the help but Ryu made him sit back down. A plate of crispy karaage was placed in the middle of the table and Niall’s stomach audibly groaned. From the kitchen, Niall could smell rice cooking and fresh fish roasting over a fire.

“I don’t gossip, Gus, you know that,” Talia said dismissively as she dunked a piece of fried chicken in a dark sauce.

“Oh I forgot,” Gus mockingly cried, “you don’t talk, you just listen. Watch out for her Niall, she knows everything about everyone in this town.”

“Shut up,” Talia cried, then she shot an edamame bean at Gus who deftly caught it with his mouth.

Ryu whistled softly while he cooked.

“Why don’t you tell us what you’ve heard, Mr. Wanderer?” Talia asked. “John’s been gone for almost two weeks so no one heard any news from the rest of the world for a while.”

“Who is John?” Niall interrupted.

“Oh sorry,” Talia said, “I forgot you don’t know everyone yet. John is the town porter, he travels back and forth between Silvermoss and Ballast every few weeks selling stuff for people in town and buying things people need. He’s a nice guy, I’m sure you’ll get to know him well, everyone does. His wife is Laura. She owns the general store.”

“That must be boring, riding back and forth forever,” Niall said.

“Not for John, he usually has a companion, people wanting to take a trip to Ballast or visitors coming to Silvermoss. Be careful though,” Talia warned with a raised finger, “if you ever go with him he’ll talk your ear off, and he likes to compose poetry aloud! Gus, what news do you have?”

“Well,” Gus began after taking a long swig of beer, “I came from the North this time so there isn’t much to tell. Up there, they’re even more bumpkin than you lot. I’ve heard sailors warn that the spring storms are coming early this year. I met a fool who was hoarding thousands of smelly snails because he said purple clothes are becoming the new fad among Toren River Cities’ cosmopolite. And there are rumors the Empress across the Eastern Sea has finally returned. Niall, this is all gibberish to you.”

“Clear the table,” Ryu called and a second later a steaming pot of rice came barreling towards the table. Next came the crispy baked fish and a large bowl of grilled vegetables.

“Ah, this is what I live for,” Gus sighed as he began heaping food onto his plate.

“What was your favorite thing you saw today?” Talia asked Niall.

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He was taken aback by the question, it was something his mom would have asked him when he was a kid. Niall swallowed the rice he had been chewing on, “well, I’m not going to lie but I can’t stop thinking about that espresso Antonio gave me.”

“It's addicting isn’t it,” Talia nodded knowingly. “Once you’ve had his stuff you can never drink anything else. People get more hooked to his stuff than mine,” she remarked as she slightly lifted her stein.

“Do you make your own beer?” Niall asked.

“Some of it, I have a lager recipe I keep secret and I try to do one seasonal brew at a time. I also stock some ale from the monastery.”

“Monastery?”

“Oh, sorry forgot again,” Talia gasped, “there are a few monks who have a monastery a few miles east on the coast. They make killer ale. It was their stuff that leaked all over my pub last night.”

“Do people really still believe in that stuff now that they’re here?” Niall asked.

“Yes,” Ryu said, breaking into the conversation, “don’t assume you understand reality Niall. Many people believe in greater beings to make sense of this world. It not for you or anyone else to judge them.”

“Sorry,” Niall muttered, he felt embarrassed.

“The monks think we’re all in some kind of purgatory, waiting for the old world to be remade,” Talia explained. “I don’t know if I agree with them but they are kind and they make a good ale so I’ve no problems with them.”

“Some say that is the next step for us,” Gus said, for once serious. “We’re in the world to find true perfection and when we finally reach it we ascend as gods.”

“That’s one crazy theory,” Talia snorted.

Gus shrugged, “just what I’ve heard.” He went back to gobbling up his food.

“What’s it like having a pub?” Niall asked Talia.

“Busy,” she sighed then laughed a little, “but fun. I know everyone and everyone knows me so I’m never lonely but I always have something to do. But having nights like this where I can relax is a nice little reset.”

“So you think you’ll just be able to do it forever?”

“Well, it doesn’t sound nice when you put it that way,” Talia smiled. “I try to always keep a goal in mind, something to work towards, that helps to break things up and make it so I don’t feel like I’m running in circles.”

“What's your goal right now then?”

“Well now I’m trying to reach the final level in my brewing skill because then I’ll be able to start looking for an apprentice,” Talia answered.

“Skills?” Niall asked, confused.

“Don’t worry about it for now, I’m sure Dom and Rodrico will have lots to show you tomorrow,” Ryu said.

“So you’re staying?” Talia squealed.

“Um… yeah,” Niall said, raising an eyebrow at Ryu who nodded in return.

“Oh this is great! I love it when someone new moves to Silvermoss,” Talia cried.

“You just love having another person to gossip about,” Gus remarked. Talia slapped him from across the table and everyone laughed.

“I guess I’m staying,” Niall said, this time more certain.

“Good, I was afraid I wasn’t going to be getting rid of you,” Gus joked.

“I think it's the other way around,” Ryu said.

They all laughed again then Talia went around and poured the next round.