Chapter 7 The Happy Dragon
Hafoc passed the bird seller and avoided eye contact as he went by. He wasn’t sure which he found more abrasive, the honking noises or the obscenely bright outfit the vendor wore. Just want me some warmth, a drink, eats, and sleep, yeh. The Happy Dragon stood out, thanks to a large hand-painted sign above the entrance depicted a playful dog-like dragon looking ready to greet travelers at the door.
Hafoc shouldered the door open and was greeted by an "Oye!" as an empty jug crashed into the wall. Another almost careened off his head, but, to his surprise, a gnarled, old woman reached up and snatched it deftly. She sat down again to resume her ale. Swaying slightly, she stared at him and winked as he took in her hooked nose and rouged cheeks.
"Ye ain't from here, are ye?" She chugged her drink and looked him up and down with open curiosity.
The other tables were full, but she was alone at a large table. Probably good reason for that, he thought. What the hell. She can’t be crazier than that lot I’ve been traveling with. The chair squeaked as he dragged it out.“You seem like a woman who has her wits about her. Howzabout I join you?”
The old woman smiled a semi-toothed grin… She craned her neck, scanning the room, then whispered, ”Not everyone knows I can tell the future..." She glanced, side-to-side, " but you have a strong aura about ye."
She stopped to chug more ale, slammed down the tankard and belched low. "Yea. I see danger to come. Danger, blood, and...cold."
"That I tells ye as a public service, like. Anything more will cost." She eyed her empty mug as Hafoc considered if he wanted his fortune told.
As the tavern door opened again, Hafoc saw the Aamonwelp and kitty come in. He snickered as they were greeted by an "Oye!" as an empty jug crashed into the wall. Tine looked ready to take one of the drunkards out, but Autumnus patted her on the shoulder and pointed at Hafoc. Augh, it’s them again. But, mebbe that’s not so bad. After all, that cat’s backpack seems like it’s got something worth her weight in gold innit, the way she acts. He’d noticed that she never took it off or even opened it. Seeing them again reminded him it might be worth his while to hang out with this bunch a bit longer and see if he could get his hands on whatever’s inside. Guess I’m not done with them just as yet.
Hafoc wasn’t a fan of being part of a group. He didn’t even like sitting in a crowded place like this, and had to hold back the occasional urge to quietly stab one the more raucous patrons with a dagger. Not worth it. I’ll be on my way soon enough. He just caught a glimpse of Kylia, who sat quietly at the bar, drinking a beer. When did she slip in? Ach, me, I’m losing my touch.
Hafoc regarded the old sot, who still stared at her empty mug as Autumnus pulled out a chair for Tine.
Hafoc rubbed the stubble on his chin. “Well then, what's the cost? I'm sure we can give you a round or two if that's what it takes to see the future.” He wasn’t so sure of her fortune telling skills, but to be honest, he found her less annoying than the other people in this place. Probably worth it just to stay at the table.
"Two silver. Two beer. Each." She nodded, justified. "How many you want? I can focus on one big topic at a time....love...money...fate... what's yer fancy?"
Tine held her hands up and shook her head, "No thanks. No future for me. I can barely deal with today!"
Autumnus nudged him, and whispered, “Ask about the curse.”
Hafoc shrugged. “You don’t have’ta whisper. She kin hear you, y’now.” Fine. I’ll ask about the stoopid curse. Dunno why he thinks we can break it, but this should be entertaining at least.
As demon boy blushed, Hafoc turned back to the old lady. “Fate. Money I know, Love is a game of fools. What does the booze tell you of me? What does the ale tell you of the weather horror spreading throughout?” He raised an arm with a over-dramatic flourish.
The old woman held out a palm to take her silver. Hafoc nudged Autumnus this time, “Your topic, your coin.”
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Autumnus plunked a silver into the woman’s swaying palm, then leaned forward as she began scrying the foam residue on her newly emptied tankard as Hafoc signaled for a round.
While they drank the round of ale, the crone took her time. Finally, she cracked her knuckles and chugged the last of Tine’s beer before Tine could object. Suddenly, her eyes rolled back, and she moaned.
"Oooooo.oooh. I see...ice, lots of ice. And blood bought at a price behind closed doors. Ooooh. You will travel many miles to find what has been forgotten, and…." Her eyes grow larger. “…you will communicate with the lost—and find a lethally dangerous babe...."
Hafoc leaned forward in as she spoke. He was surprised how interested he was in all this. Until she mentioned “the babe.’ Always with the romance mush, he thought as he leaned back again in his chair.
Done with her theatrics, she hiccuped, and asked, hand open, "Fortune for anyone else?”
Autumnus sat back, looking unimpressed. However, he slid over a few copper toward her on the table. “I what I really need is a map of the town or, at least, to the butcher shop. The one with a pig head on the sign.”
The old woman nodded in thanks and pocketed the money. She pushed her gray hair back, and began to fish through her pockets, pulling out various trinkets, bits of food and, finally, something to write with. She also found a bit of crumpled paper and drew on it with serious sloppiness and proudly presented the scrawls to Autumnus with a flourish. "This is of the neighborhood, at least. It'll get you to your piggy, son." Then she took a swig from the nearest ale that wasn’t hers.
Suddenly, a slightly disheveled man poked his head out the kitchen while still drying a mug. He spotted the old woman and shook his towel at her. "Hey, Crazy Annie, what're you doing here? I told you no!"
She crossed her arms. "No? No what? No living? No breathing? I be where I want," she snarled.
"Not in my place, Annie. No drinking, no betting, no fortunes!" He shouted now, and shook the towel with each syllable. Then he turned to Hafoc and the others at her table apologetically. "She sells fake fortunes, she does. Don't listen to 'er."
At this, Crazy Annie looked ready to tackle the owner, growling, "Take that back! You couldn't spot a fortune if it was in a cookie!"
Hafoc chuckled. Crazy Annie did not come off as intimidating, but he liked her spunk. It looked like she would be thrown out of The Happy Dragon any minute now. He nodded and lifted his tankard to demon boy and kitty as they made to leave. He wanted to see this play out a bit.
Hafoc turned to Crazy Annie. "No gambling?" Maybe you know of a place with a little more excitement in this po-dunk town?”
He was rewarded with a semi-toothed grin. “You bet I do! There're the spider fights down at Lou's Underground." Standing up, she looked unsteady on her feet, but ready to go.
Hafoc took a sip of ale and considered this. She might be crazy, but this is the most fun I’ve had in a while. He slammed his drink down. ”Well, I love spiders & I love fights,” he proclaimed and held out his arm for Crazy Annie grab on to. He also cast a glance at Kylia, implying an invite.
Crazy Annie straightened her hair, and said, "You're a man after my own heart. Let's get there on the quick and party the whole night." She caught the look between Hafoc and Kylia. Annie frowned, but she waited to see if she was coming, too.
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Kylia had been eavesdropping at the bar. So far, she just heard the usual: politics, the price of turnips, a child gone missing, an affair, the usual gossip. She heard a language or two she couldn’t understand—Was that dwarvish? She drank as she listened, hoping for something more.
Kylia's pointy ears pricked a little when she heard a couple of sailors complaining about the ice. "It just comes in waves, it does. Haven't been to Northfell, but I hear it's cursed. That anyone who goes near freezes like that—crack!” said a sullen man over an ale. His sandy-haired companion disagreed. "Naw, that ain't so, it's just some pissed-off witch, I'll bet me britches.” As they continued to talk she managed to overhear that the safest route is to on the eastern side of the ice up to Exland, then head west towards Northfell, if one dares.
Seeing Hafoc’s unspoken invite, Kylia took the last swig of her drink, and headed his way, eager to share what she heard. Should ask Crazy Annie what she knows of Northfell and if it’s cursed, after all... She hopped off her stool and asked her without saying hello.
"Northfell, hm?" Crazy Annie was unfazed by Kylia’s social awkwardness, "Do you want ’ta know about its past or its future?” She added, as she scratched her chin. She held out a palm.
Kylia paused, not sure she wanted to pay for information she could likely overhear. She looked out of one of the tavern’s latticed windows, stalling. The light was fading outside.
Dropping her hand, Crazy Annie followed Kylia’s gaze out the window and blurted out impatiently, "We have to get moving before the vamp passeggiata starts. We can take the tunnels to Lou's. That should be safe." She tugged at Hafoc's arm.
Hafoc snorted. “I’m not one much for Italian food, off we go then.”
Kylia, not wanting to horn in on the old woman’s ‘romantic’ adventure, slid back on a stool to eavesdrop some more. She waved them off and faded into her unnoticeable self again. Perfect.
She considered a moment. Was Hafoc joking about food, or does he really not know what a passeggiata is? Kylia shrugged and took a drink. If vampires were going to be walking about at night, she’d prefer to stay at the cozy inn, she thought. But hey, one person’s trauma is another person’s fun.