Lexi was wide awake. Her skin tingling with excitement. An epic quest, motivation fueled her by the second. She got dressed in the only outfit Henrik owned. No, not Henrik. This is her body, her mind, her soul was simply dormant for a while. According to a four-armed skeleton she met in her sleep. Yet even now that she is awake the words are there in the back of her mind. Find the crown, but she had no idea where to even start. Her first order of business today will be to find a clue of any kind, about the first king of this, Olaris place. Henrik had never heard of the place so it must be rather old. It could be some lost civilization for all she knows. Okay don’t over think. One step at a time. First find someone who would know about the world. A historian of some kind. As she tried to think of anyone in this town that might have some information, a few people came to mind. The town’s Law Master who is essentially the mayor. The traveling merchant that shows up in town occasionally. Henrik’s mother’s co-workers at the brothel, they tend to talk to all kinds of people. At that thought Lexi shuddered. She would prefer to ask random strangers rather than risking seeing Henrik’s, no. Her mother. The mother that three years ago, suggested that Henrik join her, that he was still young and would make good profit even after she takes a finder’s fee. What a disgusting woman, Lexi’s stomach turned. She would rather talk to strangers. Strangers like the owner of that griffin, surely they have a map or some information of where this Olaris place might be. If only Gah’Roth had given her more information to go on.

Lexi vacated the room she had rented for the night and headed to see about that griffin rider, the inn they were staying at was just up the street. She shuddered at how she was kicked out last time. The cringe replaced by hunger, this growing body of hers seems to be almost always hungry. She pushed the front door of the inn open the place was almost empty now, most patrons must still be asleep. She walked up to the bar and asked about the griffin riders location. Only to be told that the rider had left before it was fully light outside. Lexi shot the bartender a quick thank you and ran toward the stable. She got there some what out of breath just as the rider was leading the griffin out.

“Excuse me miss!” Lexi waved at the woman trying to get her attention.

“Hello?” The woman stood on tippy toes to look over the griffins back and looked around until she made eye contact with Lexi. “What do you want kid?” Her tone was cold.

“I just have a question for a traveled person such as yourself. Do you know where Olaris is? It’s a kingdom, or was one, maybe you know anything about its first king?” Lexi asked as politely as she could. The dark-haired woman stood silent for a moment.

“Not at all what I expected from a dirty street kid.” She spoke, “unfortunately I’ve never heard of this Olaris or its king.” She paused. Lexi began to thank her for her time when the woman cut her off. “You should go to a bigger city. You might have more luck there. Clean yourself up first. If you want proper folk to talk to you.”

“Thank you.” Lexi forced a smile, “have a safe trip.” That last bit came out on autopilot. She turned around and began to walk away. This bitch didn’t have anything to say that Lexi didn’t already know. But she was right about the dirt, it had to go.

Next stop was a small store where Lexi bought a second set of clothes and a few pairs of what passed for undergarments, as well as a sack that barely passed for a bag, she didn’t have enough coin to get a backpack and also still eat and have a place to stay for tonight. The walk outside of town to the river to wash up was much longer than she thought. Would have been nice to have a hot bath but she can’t afford that either. The river water was cold but refreshing after the walk. She washed the clothes then her body. When she was finally done, the water reflected a rather handsome face. She needed a brush or a rake for the hair. It was matted so badly that she began to consider cutting it all off. She longed for hair conditioner, shampoo, scented shower gel and other modern luxuries. A few others were coming towards the river. Lexi hurried to put on her new clothes. She was still a little wet and that made it that much harder. On the walk back to town, she thought to herself about the more immediate need for money. The money she spent of new clothes, soap and the bag left her being able to afford two nights stay at the boarding house and two meals a day at the cheapest kitchen. It’s almost noon now so the best course of action is to look for a job. After a cheap plate of grey goop that may or may not have been oats and sawdust mixed together Lexi set out to look for work. The general store was too small for the owner to need help. The two inns had all the staff that they needed, and the taverns and drinking halls were owned and ran by families. Ah the old have a bunch of kids so you can have as work force shtick, Lexi thought to herself while exciting the last tavern in town. Across the street was the brothel. Lexi turned and speed walked away, slowing down only once she turned a corner. It was dark now and the only light in the streets came from the windows. Such a small town constricted by the walls that surround it. She looked up at the empty sky. Why are there no stars, she wondered. Best to continue her search tomorrow. She returned to the room in the boarding house and went to sleep.

***

Three weeks had passed. Lexi had been picking up jobs here and there. Today she was supposed to work with the woodcutters. Cutting down some trees and dragging them back to town to be worked into planks for building. However the rain would not let up for the past two days and the other team lost a horse in a mud slide yesterday. The boss doesn’t want to risk anymore of the horses until the earth is a little more solid, so today Lexi enjoys a day off for the first time in weeks. Saving up money has been slow. Between essential spending, an occasional drink after a hard days work, lugging buckets of water from the river to the town, in the morning. Back and forth and so on and on until noon. For some reason the wells in town had all dried up and no one is really doing anything about it. Good for Lexi selling water to inns has been profitable enough to buy a good pair of boots. In the afternoon, she joined wood cutters, the first few times the job was being a look out for monsters. Lexi would climb a tree and watch the surrounding areas for any movement. Her body had gotten filled out more, no longer malnourished. She even found a way to fix the hair and now keeps it in a braided ponytail. The long dark brown hair reminded her of her own original hair, she was very happy not having had to cut it all off. Now she tended to run the tied-up ends of the hair against her lips, whenever she found herself lost in thought. She daydreamed about being able to use magic, but she wasn’t an Awakened. Right now she was just laying in bed and listening to the rain. The sound was relaxing, it was familiar to her. Rain sounds the same no matter what world you’re in, she guessed. A sense of happiness washed over her, and she felt at home. Happy and safe.

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Lexi thought that she would lay in bed all day but she found her body with energy to spare. Right of course, she thought, this isn’t her home, and she doesn’t want it to be. No, she wanted to go and see this world.

She looked over to the corner of the room with a chair that was her wardrobe. She really needs to wash her clothes. She could splurge and get someone to wash them, but she knows she can’t. She needs to get out of this tiny town. A horse costs so much and protection costs even more. She doesn’t know how to ride, so here’s another expense. Also, it’s been weeks, and the traveling merchant has not shown up once. She wondered if this tiny town has been forgotten. The towns folk figured that the road got too dangerous, or he may have found a better place to sell his goods. Then a week ago the general store owner packed up and left to get new wares. Lexi thinks he won’t be back. Because he left with this family.

“I got it” Lexi shouted; she had come up with a brilliant idea. She smiled and went down the stairs, left the boarding house, darted across the street into the Three Trunk Tavern, sat down at her usual table and ordered breakfast. She was halfway through her second helping of eggs, when a familiar voice rang out.

“Hey, man it’s been a while, look at you I probably wouldn’t have been able to recognize you if not for the fact that there are only three horned humans in this sorry little anthill.” Lexi looked up to see Moss, the so-called best friend. She pointed to her mouth to indicate that she isn’t done chewing and used that time to think of what to say.

“I thought it’s about time I got my shit together and saved up to get the fuck out of here, man.”

“Good for you, buddy, hey let’s celebrate, you got some coin on you for a drink?” Moss asked.

“Are you serious? It’s not even noon yet.” Lexi was not going to buy this guy any more drinks.

“Since when does time of day matter to you man? Well okay, have it your way. Maybe another time.” Moss said obviously disappointed, but he tried his hardest not to show it. He failed. Lexi was onto his game of getting someone else to pay for your drinks.

“One more thing Moss,” Lexi was going to really give it to him about these actions but decided that he’s not worth it. “Never mind, find yourself someone else to pretend to be friends with to score free booze off.”

“Come on, don’t be like that we’re friends.” Moss smiled. “Let’s have a drink,” he lifted his hand in the air and waved until a waitress saw him, “a pitcher of summer ale.” He pointed at Lexi’s table.

“I am not paying for it.” Lexi said in a dry tone. Stood up, she no longer wanted to finish her eggs, she had lost her appetite, she began to walk for the door, but Moss grabbed her by the wrist.

“Please, Henrick, I need to talk to you, I need help.” There was something so pathetic in his eyes that she forgot the shock of being grabbed. Lexi sighed and sat back down. Moss didn’t waste this chance and took the plate that she had left behind. Lexi narrowed her brow at him.

“So, what is it you need help with?”

“My father hasn’t come back,” he started stuffing his face with eggs, “and I’m broke.” He smiles momentarily. “You’ve been doing well, and I’ve seen you with the wood cutters. Let me borrow some money.”

When he was finished, she didn’t know what to say, and the waitress placed a pitcher of summer ale on the table. Moss immediately began pouring himself a cup. The insolence. She thought to herself.

“Moss, I told you that you are paying for the drink yourself.” She folds her arms.

“Oh, please man, I’m in a bad way and if I don’t pay off Shawn. I’m a dead man. I’m begging you, let me borrow some.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

“How much do you owe this guy?” she asked coldly.

“Seventy-one gold pieces.” He muttered in a barely audible voice.

Lexi just stared at him, “how exactly, did you end up owing someone the equivalent of how much it costs to buy four horses?”

“Well, Shawn lent me coin while I was gambling at the Vile Table and he kept buying the drinks and I kept losing but, when I lost, he would just give me more coin so…” he trailed off from his sheepish explanation. “By the morning, he said I owed him 71 gold and if I don’t pay by the end of the week he’s going to kill me.”

“Okay I’ll help you, not because I care but because you don’t deserve death just because you’re an idiot.”

“Hey!” Objected Moss but she raised her eyebrow at him, and he lowered his head. “So how much can you give me?”

“No. I’m not going to give you any money, but I am going to take on the quest. You will pay me back I’m just not sure how yet. To begin with have you any written contract that you owe him any coin to begin with?”

“No, I don’t!” He jolts out gleefully.

“Well, that might not matter, if there are other people who know that you owe him this money, they would be his witnesses. You need to go to the guards and at least tell them that you are being threatened.” Lexi put up a finger not allowing Moss to talk, he drank some of the ale, while she continued. “The guards can protect you from Shawn, you can set up some kind of official contract with the Law Master. You know to pay him back what you owe, in a more reasonable time frame.”

“Man that’s, real smart. Except Shawn is a guard.” His eyes seem to dig themselves into the ground.

“Okay, not ideal, but not impossible.” Lexi grinned. “Let’s go to your house, we need to talk more privately.” Lexi had realized that if the guards were corrupt here, she simply needed to find someone who isn’t and rat Shawn out as a loan shark to help Moss, but she needed evidence and the trust and good graces of the town’s pillars of community. Theres also other unknowns, like who is trustworthy.

“Hey! You need to pay for the ale!” Calls out the waitress, Moss seems to shrink into his collar like a turtle trying to hide its head.

“Put on his tab.” Lexi shoots back to her.

“We don’t do tab here. Pay or I’m calling the guards and they can shake it out of you horns.” The waitress jeered.

“Miss, I’ve been nothing but nice to you,” Lexi begins, walking towards the woman, and tosses a silver to her. “This is the last time I pay for your drinks Moss.”

“Thank you, thank you, buddy, you’re the best Henrick.” Moss grinned at Lexi.

Once outside in the rain Lexi made a b-line for the boarding house.

“My house is this way” pointed Moss.

“Yeah. I know, I’m getting my stuff. I’ve decided to come live with you for a while.” Said Lexi.

“Yes! With the two of us it’s going to be safer, and we can look out for Shawn” Moss seemed to agree with the idea of Henrick staying with him, but Lexi just wanted a free place to sleep so she can have less expenses.