Our path twisted until we reached a river on our left. The river cascaded down the mountain before joining the creek to carve a path between the two mountains that separated the city and ocean from the rest of the country. The day moved on, with a few restroom breaks as we made our way to the port down. Ani moved to the carriage during one of these breaks, jumping in and onto my lap. Sera eyed him but gave no protest. I perhaps should have, but instead took comfort in the only other being I knew from my life. Every once in a while, we passed by other travelers who would gape and whisper at the sight of us. I was more grateful than ever for the cloak, which hid my status as an outsider.
The road steadily grew more populated, trees thinning into fields, farms populating the area until finally, the gray stone walls and turreted gates of the city popped into our view. Perhaps more exciting than the city itself was the sight of the aqueduct connecting the river with the city–It meant running water.
The guards waved us through, and we lurched onward. A horrible stench struck as we rumbled through, and I gagged on reflex, eyes watering at the smell of sewage running underneath, and sometimes on top of, the streets. The city was crammed, perhaps even more than a modern city, but was so unclean I felt filthy sitting in the carriage. A dull roar of chatter was constant in the background as merchants and shoppers discussed the city’s wares. The number of pedestrians increased steadily as we reached the business district at the center of town, slowing our progress. We rolled to a stop in front of an inn, closest to the small castle in the center of the city. Sera, Ani, and I waited as Helia chatted with a few of the men who’d been standing outside. She stepped down off the driver’s seat, waving Millie off her perch to follow a terrified-looking boy into the barn, then opened the carriage door.
“It seems that His highness hasn’t arrived yet. I went ahead and reserved us a few rooms next to each other.” Helia informed Sera. My curiosity was piqued by her statement–I thought it was common for royalty in this time period to stay in the noble’s castles rather than inns.
“Thank you, Helia.” Sera turned back to look at me. “We have some free time to wander the city–perhaps we should get you a set of clothes and get Ani tested?”
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I looked down at the kitten sleeping on my lap, then nodded and shoved him off. He caught himself before hitting the floor, looking up at me as if to ask “why.” Before stepping out of the carriage, I checked the ground for any unfortunate puddles. Seeing none, I stepped down, Ani leaping out from behind me. Helia led the way through the streets, Sera and I following in the wake she left behind her, mindful of where we placed our feet. Luckily, the roads this close to the main part of the city were paved and puddles were easy to spot, though my limping gait made the going slower. Ani dogged our heels, occasionally jumping out of the way or risking getting trampled by the dirty passersby. He soon stopped and began crying, refusing to stop until I picked him up. I did so grudgingly, and he stayed calm in my hands the rest of the walk.
Our destination was a small clothing store that was jammed between two buildings that leaned so far into the street I feared they wouldn’t hold. Sera and Helia, not feeling the same uncertainty, made their way in, and I padded in behind them. The door creaked as we slipped in and were met with a mountain of a man sitting behind the counter. Though no leather was visible in the shop, the smell of leather, dust, and dirt permeated the air.
“‘Ello there! Wha’ can I help ya for?” He asked, his eyes sweeping us over. Sera and Helia seemed immune to his greedy gaze while I shifted under it, uncomfortable.
“This poor fellow got mugged on the way into town. He needs his own cloak and two full sets of clothing.” Sera said politely, tugging the edges of the cloak covering me to the side to demonstrate. The shopkeep gave an understanding ‘ah.’
“Tis becoming a common problem ‘round these parts. Poor lad.” He said, no hint of real sympathy in his voice. He looked at my now revealed form for a few seconds, then judged me, saying, “no wonder ‘e got mugged, look at ‘em. Got no muscle. You sure you wan’ him, girlie?”
“My business with him is my business.” Sera politely informed him. The shopkeep gave a disbelieving snort.
After a quick nonverbal exchange, outfits were rapidly picked for me by Sera and Helia. When they were finished, the shopkeep was kind enough, or paid enough, to let me slip into the back to change. We then moved next door, and I was given a brown leather belt and pair of brown leather boots to go with new earth-colored leggings, tunic, and cloak. The outfit was much more uncomfortable than anything I’d ever worn in my life and was scratchy in all the wrong places, but I was grateful nonetheless for the modesty and invisibility they offered. The boots, in particular, were a blessing.
Now fully dressed, I picked Ani up and strode through streets and alleyways to an even more densely populated area. The new area was lined by sturdy-looking buildings and filled to the brim with colorful individuals and clearly magical creatures. Fortune tellers, staves, and expensive-looking jewelry filled the stores. We stopped outside a building marked by a plain circle, whose headache-inducing incense reeked so powerfully it covered up the filthy smell of the city.