It had been just over a month since Aliza’s tumble and fall. On the rare outing that she would have a night, she could see the aberration staring her down in the alleys. But from that point on, she would make sure she was in the busy streets while being mindful of her surroundings. She still never told anyone what or who she was running from. The guards had tried to launch an investigation but had little evidence to go off of. And with Aliza not forthcoming on testimonials, the subject was dropped.
Her shoulder and wrist healed up nicely, and in just 4 weeks, she was able to carefully function without her sling. At her 6-week mark, Dr. Fahana cleared her with a clean bill of health. He didn’t ask at all about her potential visits to the temples or cathedrals, but he could see her mental healing when she went on a small tangent about the books she read in the meantime. He laughed and commended her for staying busy while highly recommending to read more on Sardior and Bahamut when she could.
Bahamut… now where have I heard that name before?
Returning to her room to grab gold for another month of rent and lunch money, she reached into her pack for one of her pouches, for a nervous vibration to hum her body as she looked. 8 bags of coins left. And one of those bags only had 3 GP left.
“Where did all my money go?! I couldn’t have-” Looking around the room, her back stiffened and her head filled with regret. A wardrobe that was overfilled with clothes and shoes, bags of new makeup on the floor, a box of brand new books and stationary next to the crate of used books, and remembering in her bathroom of all the new skin and hair care that probably wasn’t needed if she were honest to herself. “Gods, was I this bad before? Then again I didn’t need to think about it when I lived in the manor. Ugh… what to do now? I’ll be broke by the end of next month if I keep going at this rate.” Aliza said while pulling her hair back from her now sweaty forehead. Feeling the attack that would claim her mind and heart, she gathered herself for her breathing exercises.
In through the nose, out through the mouth. Find your center. There we go.
With one final breath, she looked at her collection and thought not to worry about it at that moment. At least, not until after lunch.
A plain chicken sandwich with steamed vegetables and ale was all that she cared to spend on. She had to be a bit frugal from this point on, though she would miss the flavors of the more expensive items on the menu. But why should people have to pay extra for flavor? Better yet, why was the menu so… limited for an Inn?
For breakfast, it's just porridge and toast. It’s leftover soup, chicken pasta, or a sandwich for lunch. And for dinner, it’s the steak bites, seafood platter, or yet again soup. Then again, most people come for the bards or drinks. I’m sure more would come if the food was better.
“Mind if we join you?” A low voice asked snapping Aliza out of her thoughts. Looking over her shoulder was Olif and a few men she worked with on the ship, Tabby, Sean, and Luke. One that she was close to was Thomas Malley, a skinny man with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. His appetite put Orges to shame, he once ate ate 5 plates of dinner in one sitting. He was also known as the “ship dad”. Breaking up fights, making sure everyone eats before him, and despite his size was one of the strongest people on the ship. He made sure that Aliza was as safe and comfortable as possible while being on a ship with nothing but men. She was forever grateful that someone like him was there to protect her.
“Thomas! Hi! Long time no see!” Aliza exclaimed embracing him.
“Well, that shy girl is unrecognizable now. You look great.” Thomas complimented.
“Yeah, had to clean up the drap. Much better look on me.” He and Olif chuckle.
“And what do we look like? Chameleons? Give us some love too!” Luke said tapping Aliza’s shoulder. With that warm smile, she embraced each man tightly and felt her vibrations heighten. After the men ordered their food, they spent the next hour catching up with each other. Tabby, Sean, and Luke gushed about their families and what they did for Halloween. Dressing up as dragons and ghosts and royalty as they went trick or treating. Sean went to his in-laws in Hania and spent the day making popcorn balls for the trick-or-treaters and reading ghost stories to his kids.
“Ok, I’m glad that there are those similarities between our countries.”
“Really? What does Icurus do?” Sean asked.
“Make treats for trick-or-treaters dress up, the usual. In Argos, we would have home decorating contests. The best and scariest house won a grand prize of 400 gold!”
“Impressive! You ever took part in it?” Olif asked.
“No. Exterior design isn’t my specialty. Even my pumpkins looked like it was attacked by birds.” The table snorts and laughs. “I tried to improvise and make it look like a zombie but… a zombie would be insulted by my work. I just decorate the interior and cook for the holiday.”
“You can cook?” Olif asked curiously.
“Hell yeah, she can! She made these pots of collard greens that had the whole ship drool. What shocked us the most was that Sean here only had one bowl!” Luke exclaimed.
Olif rounded at his friend.
“It’s true. It was filling.”
“It was all we had for dinner that last week. Our captain practically licked the pot clean.” Olif turned surprised to Aliza who had her blushing and turning away. Luke seeing the exchange grew a cheeky smile at the corner of his mouth and leaned into Olif. “She’s gonna make someone a lucky husband one day I always said.”
Aliza was practically a tomato when the table erupted in laughter. Luke was like an instigating older brother, but she still loved him for it.
“Gods can you be more embarrassing.”
“You still love me, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“So yes. I can be. Try me!” The table laughed.
Seeing her sad excuse for lunch that was hardly touched, Olif leaned over to Aliza, “Not hungry?”
“Mmmm… not really. More like… it's plain. Though I’m trying to be more frugal with my spending.”
“Ahh, I see. Finally hitting the bottom of the well?”
“Yes. Would any of you know about job openings around here? I need to ensure I have enough for the immigration judge next month.”
The men looked around the room pondering. Aliza couldn’t help but be anxious about their silence.
“Unfortunately there are no permanent positions open as far as I know. But there are odd jobs you could pick up.” Olif said.
“The docks always take people to help with the cargo and ship maintenance. Could ask Holstic about that.” Tabby said.
“The lumber mill is also a good place to start. They’re not hiring per se but they pay by the log.” Luke informed. “That is if you don’t mind getting those pretty manicured nails dirty.” He then mocks snapping his wrists femininely.
Though there were chuckles, Aliza's neutral and calculated face quickly turned the others silent. She just needed enough to get through the next few months depending expectations of this immigration judge. Aliza had asked around estimating what she usually charges for her services. Depending on who she talked to said anywhere from 100 GP to 500 GP.
If I can find good work, I can probably set aside the rest of my stash for a down payment on a house. Don’t want to be reliant on the inn forever.
Snapping back into the moment, Aliza’s smirk flicked to the corner of her mouth.
“I’m pretty sure I can make physical labor look good.” She cheekily replies admiring her hands.
“Then come,” Sean says grabbing her plate and huffing the lunch down in one breath. “We can take you to Holstic now.”
The grumpy red-headed dwarf was barking orders at one of the repairmen for one of the ships from Sia. Just like when she first arrived, the men addressed him like he was captain of the guard. Though the smoke from his pipe that the wind wafted to their faces they could go without. Once dismissed, Holistic turned to see the five men accompanied by Aliza in the middle of them.
His brow raised upon seeing them and narrowed down at Aliza.
“Welcome back men. Who's this with you?”
The sailors giggled, “You remember Aliza don’t you? The Icurus stowaway?”
And like before, his face remained neutral, though the hidden shock wasn’t lost upon Aliza’s gaze. “Nice to see you clean up girl. What brings you here?”
“I was looking for work sir. I was told you always look for extra hands to help on the docks.”
“You would be right. Never too many hands on deck when it comes to cargo. Though our next shipments don’t arrive for another week. But, I need more hands-on sail repairs. Would you be able to return tomorrow morning for that?” Holistic asks while prepping more tobacco in his pipe.
So quickly. I like it.
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“Absolutely sir!”
“Very good. I’ll have my assistant jot you down as help for tomorrow. If you're looking for other work, uhh- the lumber mill will pay by the log. They close at 7.”
“Ok, I can change and head up there now.”
“Good for you. Now if you’ll excuse me. NO, YOU IDIOTS! YOU SWING THAT PIPE THERE YOUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE WORKING FOR ME!”
The group masked their snorts as they walked out of the docks. Walking back down the main street, Aliza held her chest a little higher.
“That was fast. I didn’t think work came this easily.”
“Odd jobs come easy. Just be careful while you're at the sawmill. You’ll be learning a new form of labor from those men.” Thomas sternly informed like the ship dad he was.
“I mean it can’t be that hard, could it? Just chopping wood, right?”
The sailors burst out in laughter bellowing throughout the street. Olif facepalmed, praying that Aliza wasn’t serious. But the deer caught by a hunter look plastered on her face said otherwise.
“Oh you’ll see when you get there girl,” Luke said lighting his laughter.
“Hey, my next post is on the way to the mill. If you hurry and change, I can escort you there. Sergeant Kalan needs to know that you're picking up work anyway.” Olif offers.
“Sure! Thank you. I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Before you dash off, we need to be getting back home. It was nice to see you again Aliza.” Thomas said. A warm smile curved her lips as she and the other sailors joined in a group hug. “See you next Welden!”
With that final goodbye, she raced to her room, changed into a plain white tunic, black pants, and boots, and was back outside in two minutes.
Olif was astonished, “I don’t think a fireman can dress faster than you!” He jests.
“It’s a little talent I have.” she nervously says.
Olif shook his head but then drifted his eyes from her boots to her face. Something about her presence made him so… relaxed, calm, and warm. Her innocent demeanor made him feel oddly protective of her as well. As they walked down the street and eye-peered at her, he found himself glaring at spectators with not-so-pure thoughts. Looking at Aliza, she seemed oddly oblivious to the lustful glances towards her. Did she not see? Or does it not bother her? Either way, he didn’t mind being her watchful eye for now.
Making it to the lumber mill, Olif gave Aliza a solid pat on the back before taking his leave.
“I’ll leave you to it. You kept in mind the route to get back right?”
“Yes. I won’t get lost this time I promise.”
Olif chuckled, “I hope not. I’ll see you around Aliza.”
“You too.” Aliza grins, and a bright rouge grows on Olifs face when he turns to leave.
The mill was massive compared to the ones in Icurus. A large house with a water wheel in the back occupies the majority of the river. It looked to be their private river with the dame on one side. Up the stairs to the sawmill showed a huge pile of to-be-cut logs stacked to an impressive pyramid. At the bottom were the freshly cut logs were was a stump and axe where some stray smaller logs scattered. Some of the workers were lugging more logs up the stairs while others tended to wheel maintenance and gathering wood from storage to wrap and transport to the city.
I should have asked where to go from here.
Seeing a big burly firbolg standing at the top of the sawmill, she figured she could ask him how this was done. She was already nervous about the physical aspect of this job, just going up the stairs was taking the wind out of her. Getting to the top, she saw that the firblog was napping with his arms crossed. He was tall, at least 6 or 7 feet, with greyish blue skin, and chestnut brown hair and beard. His neck and arms were hulking, and his nose had a reddish hugh at the tip and around the nostrils. His loud snores made her chortle, but she straightened up before lightly tapping his shoulder.
“Excuse me, sir?” she softly said.
He nearly chokes on his spit as he shakes himself out of his restful coma.
“Oh! I’m sorry sir.” Aliza quickly steps back.
“Huh-what? Oh! Welcome to Wooden Fates Lumbermill. I’m Herris Thure. How can I help you?” His deep raspy voice greets. Still keeping his arms crossed he eyes down the confused young woman.
“N-nice to meet you. I’m new around here, I heard you charge by the log?”
“Yes. For every log you chop, it's 5 gold.” He steps to a box of hooks and searches for a sizable one for her. He finds a small one with a rugged grip that was already giving her calluses. But she was confused as to why he was giving her the hook.
“Umm, sir… what am I supposed to do with this?”
He returned her confused look with his own with a hint of irritation in his eyes.
“Haul the log? What else?”
She looked at the pile below the mill and thought, Oh it must be to carry the sliced ones to the stump. Odd. I could carry those but must be a safety precaution.
As she walked away, Herris grabbed her arm and stared down intently. “Where do you think you're going?” He growled.
Aliza's fight instincts kicked in as she yanked her arm from his grasp and glared. “What does it look like? I’m going to haul the logs there.” She points to the cutting table below.
Herris heavily groans while pinching the bridge of his nose. “Oh… you're one of those privileged princesses.”
“What did you call me?” She snarls.
“Here.” he grabs his hook and steps to the pyramid. “Like this.”
He hooks one of the logs at the top of the pyramid and pulls and hauls it onto his shoulder. He steps to the cutter and rolls the log over his back and shoulders and drops the log in place. He then walks to a lever that when pulled, turns on the machine and moves the log down the middle to be sawn in half and drops down to the bottom to be cut in down more.
Aliza’s face paled and stilled. The log had to be at least a ton! How could someone as small as her lift something like that?
“Well, princess?”
Her eyes narrowed and she growled at the now smirking firbolg. Now she just had something to prove to the arrogant lumberman.
“Don’t call me that! Fine! It should be easy in this case.” She huffed and stormed to the other logs. She hooked onto one of the logs, but she couldn’t move the damn thing no matter how hard she pulled. Flexing all her arm muscles and grunting, there was no moving the accursed log. Herris walked over to the struggling young woman and leaned his forearm on the pyramid.
“If you want to strain your shoulders and triceps keep trying. No. Use your legs and core to pull and lift.” Flicking her eyes to him for a second, the confused look returned.
“What do you mean?”
“Your abs princess. Power with your abs and use your leg strength to pull and support the log on your back.” he shows her the proper stance to take for it and the movement that should be seamless.
Still getting a grumble out of her for the name, she did as was instructed and prepared to do it again. One deep breath, she pulls and her thighs and calves flex with all their strength. Her core flexed and hardened as if she were about to haul a cart of barrels. With one swift movement, the log was free from the pile. Aliza celebrated for a moment before catching the log and rolling it to her back. It was as heavy as she thought it was. It took all her strength just to keep it on her back and her buckling knees wanted to falter. Her back was screaming at the sudden force thrust upon it, she could barely step to put the log on the machine.
“What are you doing? Not on your spine! The shoulder princess! Shoulder!”
In no position to argue, she managed to roll the log on one shoulder. With the last of her fortitude, shoved the log into the machine. Hunched and aching, she drudged to the lever and pulled it. She plopped down on the floor as if she got plowed by 100 Rothes fighting to get into the water on a hot summer day.
“That’s one. Nine more to go, princess.”
“Fuck me…”
She only managed to get one more log out of that. She nearly caved when moving the log to the machine. Herris had to support her the rest of the way. When it was off her shoulder, she rested her hands on her thighs hoping with enough grip, it could stop them from throbbing.
“Fuck it. I can let it slide for now. Now you just need to cut them for payment.”
“Fine… you said… 5 GP… for each piece?” Huffs and gasps for air. Herris nodded gesturing her down the stairs. “Th-thank you.”
Each step down the 15-step stairs felt like someone lighting a match under her muscles. She hadn’t felt a burn like that in years yet, this was more intense than any training she had gone through. Even stepping on the grass to the stump, she could feel every dip and pebble underneath her boot and the burn radiated.
Herris brought her all the logs she could cut. Just five and the gold was hers. He hands her an axe and gives her a concerned glance. Remembering the techniques of the lumberman back home, Aliza raises her axe and slices down on it. It hardly made much of a difference, the axe was stuck at the top and she came down on the log at an uneven angle. She managed to get the axe free and tried again. The cut was even, but only got the blade a quarter of the way through.
“You have a lot to learn princess.”
“Would you… stop calling… me that?” she growls clenching her teeth.
“When you’re wiser, then I will.”
“What does that-”
“You’re using your arms again and not your core. You’re strong enough in your arms to lift but there’s no power in your core to cut all the way through. When you are about to come down, engage your core. You should be able to cut all the way through doing that.”
Aliza’s brow raised as she laid a hand on her stomach. Engage. She felt her abs tighten form into place. Giving a nod, Herris stepped out of her way. She lifted the axe in the air and kept repeating in her head, Keep engaging. Keep engaging. Swing. Slice. Thud. A perfect clean cut!
“Yes!” She screams in pure pride. A small grin flicked to Herris’s mouth giving a soft nod. “Give me the next one!”
She managed to cut all 5 logs. Slumped on the side of the building sweating and covered in sawdust, she only thought of one thing. I hope this can get easier. Training with Father seems like a walk in the park now. Looking up to the sky, the once light sky now had the peaking of stars across it. Was I really here all evening?! For just 5 logs?!
“Here’s your payment,” Herris said towering over Aliza. A small ouch with the lumber mill initials engraved on it with 25 GP inside. “Don’t spend it all at once princess.” He jesters as he turns back around and leisurely walks back to the shop.
That does it! I don’t care how long it takes to get stronger. I never want to hear princess ever again from him!
Scorned (and incredibly sore) she took her leave back to the Twin Barrels. The night was quickly engulfing her with only the few guards she passed and the street lamps keeping her calm. Through every shadow she passed by until the light was exposed was convinced that it was her pursuer again. But the Band of Jackals couldn’t have followed her here, could they? Crossing the waters for a debt doesn’t seem in character for them. She pondered on this to herself several times until it quieted the ongoing voices of fear.
“No, even for Jal he wouldn’t. That would mean exposing himself. He wouldn’t take that risk for me.” The more she thought about it, the lighter her head became. And by new instinct, found her way back to the Inn safe and sound. The place was lively as always, and seeing the smiles on everyone's faces warmed something in her. Seeing a group of workers who looked to be in a similar state as her, she strolled over and had dinner with them.
22 GP to her name now. She was going to hold herself to that standard now that she was going to make things happen on her own from now on. Her stash would only be reserved for her future house. No piggybacks. But she only had enough energy for when she crossed her room's threshold to strip naked and fall into bed face first.