“What do you think Grandma wants to talk to him about?” I asked after we left her shop.
Dad answered, “First, by leaving Onre alone in her shop, she makes it clear with no words at all that she trusts him. He may or may not get the message intellectually, but he will feel it. As far as any topic or topics, I can only speculate.”
Arrjee added with a grin, “Grandma is sneaky.”
I was thinking the same thing.
Dad continued, “I believe she is the most well traveled of us in the village. I don’t remember for sure if she has been to the First Duchy, but she has very likely been to places like it. So she will likely try to learn more about him and what his life was like. I don’t expect a full interrogation, but I do expect her to end up knowing a lot more than just, ‘he is a disciple of Einvigi’s from the First Duchy’.”
“Aren’t you really glad you spoke to her when you first got here?” Arrjee asked me.
“Yes, very. She is going to end up changing his life, isn’t she?”
My brother replied, “More like continuing the job Einvigi has already started.”
Dad stopped us outside the jewelsmith. “Forrest, Rhetta split the reward from the guard. You and Arrjee got seven gold each, and she kept six. You paid 3s 50b to the duchy in taxes, and 70 bronze to the village. Rhonda is holding your part because, as a merchant, she has change.”
That’s a Duchy tax of 5% and 1% village. Very fair.
“Do we pay sales tax too?” I asked.
Dad asked me what sales tax was and I explained. He responded, “No, we keep it simple. Your earnings are taxed, and that is it. Anyway son, you are Level 2 already, so it is up to you to pay for setting your stone in … whatever.”
“Even at Level 0, I paid for this ring.”
Just after we entered the shop, a middle-aged male Covargh also entered, from a back room. “Hello Mayor Silverstone, Arrjee.” Then, once he knew he caught my eye, “Hello, friend. I am Werol Jorden, the finest jewelsmith in town. And,” with a smile, “the only one. How may I assist you?”
I responded, “Hello Werol Jorden. I am Forrest Rhodes, newly adopted son of Barrie and Rhetta Silverstone. You may call me Forrest.” Then I pulled off my necklace and opened the box.
“Please , I am your soon-to-be friend Werol.” Seeing my river stone, “Rhetta and Arrjee both informed me I would likely have another customer with such a stone. Magnificent! Yours is a little different, with its streaks of green. I am sure I can meet your needs. Would you like a charmed ring like Arrjee’s?”
I didn’t even know his ring was charmed. There is a lot to keep track of.
“No thank you, Werol. I am a martial artist and expect to fight often with my bare hands. I don’t think I would like a necklace either. Do you have a recommendation?”
“Young Forrest, your best options would then be either a bracelet or an armband. If I were a martial artist, I would probably choose the latter. It is unlikely to catch a foe’s weapon, as a bracelet might. An attack like that is unlikely to hurt the bracelet, but it could complicate an injury. Also the bracelet might interfere with the wearing of gauntlets or gloves.”
Damn, this guy knows his stuff. “Interface, do you agree that an armband would be a good choice?”
Yes. He makes a very good case. When you get a chance, perhaps you should analyze Arrjee’s ring.
Geez, there is so much that I am not doing.
“You have convinced me, Werol. Do you need to measure my arm?”
He almost succeeds in masking a smile. “No, Forrest, that should not be necessary. If you choose the standard charms, I can select the right general size. Then it can fit itself to your arm, whether unarmed, leathers as you are now, or even chainmail. I would not expect a martial artist to have any plans for plate mail. Am I correct?”
“Interface, I think he is right, right?”
Yes. Martial arts and plate armor have a low degree of compatibility. But you know that.
“I’m about to spend my first real gold and want to be sure I’m not doing something stupid. I trust your opinion, alright?”
“Yes. But what if I get a lot stronger and really bulk up my biceps?”
Werol answered, “As long as you don’t go into gorilla territory with your biceps and pectorals preventing your arms from hanging straight down, it should be fine.”
That’s funny, ‘kung-fu gorilla’. I’m sure it’s possible, but not my style.
I looked at Dad and Arrjee, “Do you guys agree that an armband would be a good choice?” They both said they did. Then I asked Werol, “Do you have any in stock I could look at?”
He brought me to a display case at the left of his store. The others followed. I saw five styles of bands all having a large enough gap to allow them to be placed around my arm like a spring. Dad warned me off the two most ornate ones, saying they will be both more costly and possibly clash with the armor I wear.
I wondered something different. “What keeps them in place? Why would they not just slide down my arm?”
“That is taken care of by one of the charms. Not only will they resize within a respectable range, their combination of pliability, toughness, and spring strength will all keep the armband in place and comfortable even with the most sustained and strenuous activity. They also provide strong damage resistance for themselves and a small amount for you as well.”
I ask how much for me. Werol responds, “It will reduce incoming damage to you by about 2.5%. If you have a set of two, that is 5% damage resistance. Also, each piece cancels damage to itself by 95%. They will be very rugged.”
I ask Dad if that is a lot. He replies, “Yes, that is quite respectable for something which is not even armor.
Plus, since it is charmed and not enchanted, you will eventually be able to invest ki to raise its damage resistance to you even further.
“Thank you.”
“Thanks, Dad. Werol, with the charms you are talking about, does it matter what metal I choose?”
“No, Forrest. Any difference will be very minor. Most of the durability comes from the charm, not the material. With your river stone, even the plain copper one would be very nice. It would complement the blue and green of your stone very nicely. If you buy a set, I am sure I could find an opposite semi-precious green stone with blue streaks. You would be very handsome.”
I like a good salesman. Not pushy, but senses when and how to close well.
“I do like the simple band, but I am also interested in the one next to it, with the two horizontal bronze lines along the edges. I like the contrast and think it might go well with the green of my stone. How much will it cost to get that one, charm it, and set my river stone?”
“You indeed have fine taste. The normal cost would be 6 gold, but as you are a new customer and I like the company you keep, 4 gold. The matching band would cost 4g 5s since I would be supplying the gem.”
That sounds good to me. I look at Dad and Arrjee. They both give a slight nod indicating a fair price. “It is a deal, sir. I cannot afford two bands at this time, so could I get the other one later at the same price?”
“The 4 gold for the one is sufficient for me to guarantee the price of the other for up to a month. But a merchant faces certain risks, and I am unable to guarantee the price beyond that. On the other hand, it is potentially possible the price would go down during an extended delay.”
Yeah, when has that ever happened?
Heere it could happen a lot. I do not know, just saying.
While Werol awaits for a reply, Dad says, “I could loan you the money for the second band now, son. I’m sure you will be earning more.”
I think for a minute. Then, “Thank you Dad, but with the price guaranteed for a month, I’ll just get the one now. Who knows, maybe the price really will go down. If in a couple weeks I cannot pay for it myself yet, I probably would borrow from you at that point.” That is three tuesdays.
I look at Werol. “I’m sorry, I do not have the gold on me now, but my grandmother is holding it while I was away. Can I or someone else bring it later?”
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“With your family’s business, that will not be a problem at all. I should be able to begin work later today, and it should be done by 14 next Firstday.”
I handed him my river stone and redonned my necklace with the now closed box. While doing so, I told him, “Thank you for your service. I look forward to receiving the band.” Then we shook hands and our three left, heading for the village center.
----------------------------------------
[Rhonda’s point of view]
As I walked back, I thought, “The boy is probably wondering why I suddenly left him alone in my shop. Good, get him slightly off balance. If a customer came in, all he had to do was be polite and let them browse until I got back. He seemed smart enough to figure that out. More than smart enough. Then I’ll give him the opportunity to ask the questions he does not even know he has yet.”
As I walked in, he gave me a big smile, then said. “‘Let the new kid see that you trust him. Give him a few minutes alone to think.’ Good plan. It worked, thank you. You had no customers.”
This kid really is as sharp as a claw.
I smiled back “You are welcome. There is one salient element you failed to mention. Do you know what that is?"
He thought for a moment. "I cannot think of anything else."
"I had to pee. Never overlook the obvious things."
He grinned. "Obvious things. Got it."
I grinned back. "Too bad no customers, but not really a surprise this time of day. I was hoping to see how you might respond to an unexpected situation with a stranger. I expected you to handle it well, though. Why don’t we both take a seat? During midday we should see a smattering of customers, but we still should be able to hold a decent conversation.”
After taking seats, he asked me, “What questions do you have for me?”
“I only have one. Then I expect you to have some, so get that quick mind of yours thinking of things you need to know. Mine is, ‘Do you want really want to live in Cottages?’”
“Like I already told the Mayor – your son?”
“Technically son-in-law, but yes.”
“He did not look like a ha-hybrid, but I still wondered – neither did Arrjee. Anyway, he asked me the same question. My answer remains unchanged. Yes, I would very much like to make Cottages my home. As you already realize, I have just begun adapting to living among Covargh. It is different, but in an unexpectedly good way.”
“How so?”
He smiled again. “That’s two, but I am willing to answer as many as you have. Living here is forcing me to constantly think as well as question things I always took for granted. ‘Why are hybrids bad?’ I cannot answer that. It was just what everyone I knew thought, even my foster father. Also, everyone here seems so casual, happy, and, I don’t know, safe. I haven’t met that many yet. The guard at the gate. He did not even have a uniform. He talked to me, not at me. That is not how I grew up knowing guards would be. But I like it.”
“You said ‘even my foster father’ as if you now think he could have or should have thought differently. Why is that?”
Just then, customers entered. I stood, and was happy to see Onre holding his answer. He was probably surprised. She is with her two youngest, about 9 and 11, and they seem slightly nervous. “Hello, Kella Smithson. Hello, kids.” I walked behind the counter and grabbed two sweets and gave them out. They thanked me, and didn't seem nervous any more, just very curious.
“This young man is Onre Litman. He is new to our village and plans to live here.” He stood and said hello.
The older of the two kids, the girl, says, “You are Human.”
With a grin, “Yeah, I just found out today. You are too!”
“As Rhonda has already announced, I am Kella Smithson. My daughter is Kenna and my son is Mols. They have another sister, Kossa, about your age. You may refer to all of us here by our first names.”
“It is very nice to meet all of you. Please call me Onre.” He made a point to shake all of their hands.
He can be polite, too.
“Kella,” I asked, “how may I help you today?”
“Oh, that’s right. We are in your shop. I came in to buy the large-size bottle of your general health elixir. I have found that if I dilute it with four parts water, it really does wonders for my plants. Oh, Onre, I am a florist.” He acknowledges with a nod of his head and a smile.
He should have shared something about himself there, but he’ll learn.
“It will be 7 bronze for one bottle. There is a special today, though, two bottles for 6 bronze each. The shelf life is over a year.”
“How wonderful,” Kella responds. “I will take two bottles.” Onre had been searching the shelves and found the proper elixirs and brought two bottles to the counter.
“Thank you, Onre. Will there be anything else, Kella?”
“That will be all today, Rhonda. Thank you.” Then she turned to him, “I look forward to seeing you again, Onre.” She took out a 10b stack and 2 free ones from her purse and laid them on the counter.
“The same for me. I look forward to meeting the rest of your family and seeing your flower shop.”
“It is a dual-shop with my husband Mista. He is a tinker, and keeps quite a few gadgets and hanging pots ready for sale. He can also repair just about anything.”
“It sounds like you have a unique shop, and I will visit it soon.”
I had to add, embarrassed. “As will I. I am sorry I have not found the time during the past weeks since you moved here.”
It would seem I still have things to learn about politeness also. They are new in town, and I can't think of a good reason I have not visited.
Kella had the polite reply. “That’s fine. I’m sure your shop and potions keep you very busy.” As they left the shop, I heard her say, “He is a very handsome boy.”
Mols added, “I don’t care if he is ugly as mud. People can stop saying we are the only Humans in town now!”
Then the door completed closing. Onre joked, “I’m somewhere between ‘mud’ and 'handsome'.”
Then thoughtfully, “Forrest had told me that Cottages was ‘almost entirely Covargh’. Are the Smithsons the rest?
He sat. I did too. “Yes, they moved here about two months ago, from the Fourth Duchy.”
“That Duchy is the one where interracial polygamy is common, right?”
“Yes. I understand when their second husband, also Human, died in an accident, they moved here. I think probably to get away from memories.”
“I understand moving. But polygamy has got to be complicated.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Not polygamy itself. It sounds like it could be fun, but complicated. I will need to adjust my attitude toward the interracial part, though. I wonder why they generally join in threes.”
“I really don’t know. But I agree complicated could be fun. Going back, I had asked you about your foster father.”
“That’s right. He was an elderly scholar and healer. A cleric/empath. I respected him very highly, and so did everyone else. But now I realize he shared the same disrespect for half – I mean hybrids – as do most Humans in the First Duchy. If a goddess needed to tell me to reconsider my biases, how could that knowledgeable man hold them? By the way, you are the only person I have met that might be as knowledgeable as him. I don’t mean the same facts, but just in comprehending how things work.”
“Thank you. I recognize that as the high praise it is. You know the old saying that with old age comes intelligence and wisdom?” He nodded affirmatively. “Forget that. It’s crap. While those attributes will tend to go up with levels and age, the capability to apply those attributes well – most attributes really – depends on the individual’s drive to excel. Without drive, they are little more than numbers on your character sheet. So what you feel we might share is not intelligence or wisdom, but drive.”
“I can see that. Bren Statz certainly had that drive. He would study things that interested him with almost a ferocity, almost matched by his desire to share that knowledge. I never did my grades with other kids. He taught me, and I believe he taught me well. He always treated me like an adult. I don’t think he knew how to treat kids. If I am lucky, I will match his drive, but also remember what it is like to be a child.”
“When did he die?”
The light in the boy’s eyes partially dimmed. He thought for a moment, maybe deciding if or what to say. “About four and a half years ago. Circles, our village, was burned down by a gang from the city of Cycles. They were probably there to kill me as part of some old vendetta. One of them found our house. He thought he had killed Bren and began to rape me. Bren was not quite dead, though, and he froze the half-br hybrid’s mind and managed to kill him before he himself died.”
“I would have understood using ‘half-breed’ there. But I hope you can come to understand that he did those things not because he was a hybrid, but because he was a monster masquerading as a person.”
“I know that in my head, now. And I also know that The Grease – that was the gang’s name – mostly consisted of Humans and was headed by Humans. And three out of the four who murdered my parents were Human. But it is his hybrid face I see when I think of them.”
I got up and hugged Onre. He hugged back, and I realized I needed a hug too. I didn't approve of his biases, but I understood them. And he seemed to be overcoming them.
After a moment, we sat with tears in both our eyes. “Son, How old were you when this happened, and how old when your parents were murdered?”
“Ten and six. I hardly remember my parents at all. I was told I was the one who discovered their murdered bodies, but became catatonic soon after. That was how Merz Statz got involved. Anyway, there was some kind of stupid gang war, and my parents were the first victims. I thank the gods the other gang, Daddy Large’s, won. The Humans who murdered my parents had to be turned over to Daddy Large. Actually the hybrid did too, but Merz thinks he probably got killed during the war and could not be turned over. But I like to think that was the one Merz killed. Poetic, you know?”
“About four years later, Daddy died. Soon that old gang war started up again. I heard from an early age that The Grease wanted to kill me to complete the job they started with my parents. I don’t know if that is true or not, but our house was the only one broken into and where anyone inside got directly murdered. So I think it’s true; they were after me.”
“The war ended just days after Circles was burned. Daddy’s organization won again, even without him. Some old friends who knew my parents found me in Circles. The Sholut’s had often visited during those years I lived there, and they cared about me. Their daughter Niscus was one of the few kids I ever played with. They did not think it was a good idea to take me back to Cycles with them, though. Merz, her Father, had a cousin who lived on a farm about 50 miles from there. They brought me over, and the other Sholut’s fostered me for two more years. The parents were okay, but their two sons seemed to resent my presence. I worked as hard as they did, though, and I never did figure out what their problem was. Perhaps they felt I thought I was better than them, acting more mature. But that was just how Merz raised me.”
“After two years of constant stress in the family, the parent’s realized it just was not working. I would not say the kids were evil, but I seemed to constantly irritate them. The boys were always nice enough when Niscus visited though. ‘Be nice around the pretty girl,’ I guess. Anyway, when I became old enough to be a live-in student at a sort of academy, the Sholut’s brought me there in the hope that it might take me in. It did. It is probably much like the one Einvigi plans here. Not exactly like it though.” He managed a smile, and I knew what he meant. “I was not required to become a disciple, but I felt the need to be really connected to something, so after about three months I did.”
I told him, “You have lived a much more harsh life than I imagined. You have great inner strength – drive – to be the man you are. Thank you for sharing your past with me. Now it is finally your time to ask me questions, but there is not a lot of time left before you are to meet Barrie and sons at the school.”
“Well, the most important one I can think of is, where will I be sleeping tonight? I can pay for a room at an inn, if Cottages has any.”
“Yes, we have one, but you won’t need it. I have a spare room upstairs. You are welcome to stay here, and we can figure out longer term arrangements in the days to come.”
“Then I’ll pay you.”
“Yes you will. You also need income. It turns out I know a merchant who could use a good part-time assistant and offers flexible hours.”
He looks at me expectantly, and in not quite a whisper, “You?”
“Of course. You think I’d let you work for those other lazy merchants in town? No. You work for this lazy one!”
He got a big smile, and we hugged again.
I asked him, “Do you know where the school is?”
“Yes, Arrjee pointed it out to me on the way to his house. Let me check my map.” After a brief pause, “No problem. It is just a few blocks from here.”
“Alright. I will likely see you at the meeting this evening, whenever/wherever that is.”
“Okay, Rhonda. I’ll make sure you know. This may be the first time I have ever entered a normal school. Weird. I’ll leave my alchemist’s bag here like Forrest did.”
He dropped it on a shelf behind the counter, then he left. I had things to think about.