Chapter 10

Nambe was perhaps a sixth of Abo’s size, but with all of the farmland outside the city walls, and everything built up instead of down, it still felt large. Everywhere they went there were businesses. Buildings had wooden floors, and wooden ceilings. There was wooden furniture everywhere. People burned wood in their fireplaces. Burned. Wood.

It was appalling. Mato could have carried a couple of pieces of firewood home and sold them for enough to pay for the trip. Maybe not a huge profit, but a profit nonetheless.

There was metal everywhere. Soldiers wore entire suits of iron. People used chain instead of rope. One of the shops they passed had an iron stove--Ezhno had to tell him what it was--instead of a fireplace. There were copper kettles, tin storage containers, and tools made from bronze.

It was shocking how much metal there was. Ordinary people carried steel knives. Iron nails were used for carpentry!

“Is everyone here rich, Ezhno?”

Ezhno snorted gently. “Not even close. When you have a lot of something, it loses its value. We think silver is more valuable than gold, but here it is the opposite, because silver is easy to get, but most of the gold comes from Abo. There are differences in what people find valuable, but they have rich and poor, just like every other city in the world.”

They went into a medicine shop, and Ezhno bought ingredients to replace the things they had consumed on the way here. Via leaves, worm root, holder’s powder, turtle oil, powdered dragon bone, and others. There were also normal things like honey, garlic, cheese cloth, and olive oil.

Back out in the street they encountered a giant with blue eyes and a massive red beard. Mato figured his head came up to the giant's elbow. He was the biggest person Mato had ever seen. Come to think of it, the women in bathhouse had been the biggest people he’d ever seen. Maybe there was someone even bigger around the corner.

He had scars on his hands and forearms, a sword on his belt, and a massive ax on his back.

“Greetings,” Ezhno said, and extended a hand. “I am Ezhno, and this is my student, Mato.”

The giant looked him up and down, then returned the handshake. Mato was pretty certain he could crush Ezhno’s hand to mush if he chose.

“You don’t look local,” the giant said.

“No, we are trail masters from Abo. Across the salts.”

The giant’s face relaxed into something resembling a faint smile. “This meeting is auspicious. I am trying to decide if we will visit your city. Do you have as much gold as people say?”

Ezhno chuckled. “Did they tell you we make entire buildings from gold? That we make tea from powdered gold? That you can find nuggets in our shit?”

“Huh,” the giant huffed. “Pretty much.”

“Then no, we don’t have that much, but there is enough for healthy trade.”

“Enough to weigh down a wagon?”

“Yes.”

“What would trade well?”

“Metals. Iron, steel, copper, silver. Gemstones. Honey. Molasses or malt. Red meat, if you can take it there before it spoils.”

“I’ve heard about the caravans selling teams and wagons before returning.”

Ezhno nodded. “Abo is rich in some ways, and poor in others. Wood is also a good trade material. To a lesser degree, so is grain.”

“Will I have any problems with my daughters there?”

Mato felt his face warm.

“I wouldn’t think so. Of course there are bad men in every city, but the guards can be trusted to help you.”

“They’re rare beauties. Pretty much every city I visit men offer to buy them.”

Ezhno shook his head. “There is no slavery in Abo. Men will offer to marry them, but there will be no pressure to sell.”

The giant turned on Mato and stabbed a thick finger into his chest. “Why are you blushing?”

“I… I…”

Ezhno slapped him on the back. “You need to shake that habit, Mato.”

“I think so. Tall, beautiful, red hair, and blonde hair?” Mato asked.

“Aye.”

“Then yes. They seem very nice.”

His brow furrowed. “Very nice? Where, exactly, did you meet them?”

Mato’s eyes widened, and he gulped. “The baths?”

“Then you meant it when you said they were beautiful.”

Mato covered his face with his hands, and the giant roared with laughter.

“My name is Erik Bloodaxe. You be a gentleman with my daughters, yeah?”

“Of course,” Mato said.

“Good lad.” Erik slapped him on the back and sent him staggering.

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“Thank you for the guidance, Trail Master Ezhno. May the sun shine on your fields.”

They exchanged another handshake.

“Well met, Erik Bloodaxe. May you find water and shade.”

They walked a bit farther, with Mato trying to take in everything. The blacksmith putting iron shoes on a horse brought him up short.

“What is he doing?”

“Shoeing a horse?”

“But why?”

“When horses travel long distances they can develop problems with their feet. The shoes keep their hooves from wearing out or splitting.”

“And that is worth spending iron on?”

Ezhno laughed. “Remember? Iron is not as valuable here as it is at home.”

“Ezhno, if Erik is worried about his daughters, why were they walking around the city by themselves?”

Ezhno gave him an incredulous frown. “You didn’t notice the guards?”

“No.”

“Follow me.”

The common area in front of the baths was fairly large. There was a kitchen, a church, and a couple of houses surrounding it. People moved through the area with loads, pulling carts, and leading animals.

On a bench in front of the church Mato spotted a pair of red haired men playing a game, but their eyes shifted to the baths every couple of seconds.

“I see them now.”

Ezhno slapped the back of his head, a sure sign he had missed something.

Sure enough, there was a black haired man with a shield on his back leaning against one of the houses. He clearly wasn’t local, based on his light skin. There were two more in the kitchen, eating. One blonde, one brown haired.

Ezhno turned around suddenly and stuck his hand out to greet a tall bald man with a great white beard.

“What’s so interesting over here?” he asked, ignoring Ezhno’s hand.

A couple of seconds passed, then Ezhno pushed Mato forward a step.

“You’ve got to learn to talk to people, Mato.”

“Um. Hi. I’m Mato Stone Foot. I’m learning to be a trail master. This is my teacher, Ezhno.”

“Doesn’t answer my question,” the old man said.

“Well, I suppose you and your men are interesting,” Mato said. He could see Ezhno shake his head in the corner of his eye.

“I mean, we met Erik’s daughters, and then Ezhno said I should see you…”

The old man’s frown grew progressively worse.

“Allow me to help,” Ezhno said. “As he told you, he is my student. We just arrived this morning, and went to bathe. We met the girls in there,” he pointed to the bathhouse, “then we walked down the street and met Erik Boodaxe. Erik told Mato to be a gentleman around his daughters, and after Erik left Mato asked me why the girls were walking around the city alone, if Erik was worried about them.

“As his teacher, it is my duty to point out his mistakes.”

The old man growled deep in his throat. Mato tried to take a step back, but Ezhno stopped him.

“You didn’t see any of us before?”

“No, sir.”

He glanced at Ezhno. “Should I strike him?”

Ezhno nodded. “Yes, but not so hard he cannot work.”

Mato braced himself, and the old man reached out and poked him in the middle of the chest. Just one finger.

Ezhno laughed loudly, then pushed Mato forward. “Defend yourself, boy.”

Mato glanced back and forth between them, then reached out and poked the old man back.

The old man broke down in giggles. “Well lad,” he said, while slapping his thigh, “you’ve a decent heart, but perhaps not enough brains. I’m Lief Longbeard.” He stuck his hand out.

Mato shook it, wincing at the old man’s strength. His hand felt like it could crush rocks.

“Thank you, I think,” Mato said, risking a bit of a smile.

“You do understand you’ve been gravely insulted, don’t you?” Ezhno asked.

“I have?”

“I said he could strike you, but not so hard you could not work. He’s worried you’ll break like an egg.”

Mato looked from Ezhno to Lief, who nodded.

“What should I do about it?” Mato asked.

“Duel to the death, of course,” Lief said. He emphasized the words by taking a greatsword from his back.

Mato noticed a rune on the blade, then reached out and turned the blade over. Lief cooperated, with a raised eyebrow. Sure enough, there was a glyph on the other side.

“You have a working pair on an iron blade?” Mato asked.

“Not exactly,” Lief said. “I got this blade in a trial. It’s an essence blade, it’s just the iron essence instead of another type.”

Ezhno drew his blade and held it across his palms. “Would you call this an essence blade as well?”

“Sure. Tree essence.”

“Have you ever heard of an iron blade, Ezhno?”

“No. But Lief is from far away.”

“Do you know what this is?” Mato asked, and drew his sword, placing it across his palms like Ezhno had.

“Water essence. Rare, that one. Blade’s almost as new as mine.”

“Do you know what it does?” Mato asked.

“I’m afraid not, but I can tell you how to find out. After dusk, sit down on the floor, cross-legged. Place a candle in front of you. Don’t light it. Lay the blade across your knees, hold a glass of water in each hand, and then hold your breath. If the answer doesn’t come right away, you may need to repeat the seeking. Just keep at it, I promise, it won’t take long.”

Mato thought through the test, then nodded. “So, if we didn’t already know what Ezhno’s blade did, we could find out by doing this, but having him hold a piece of wood in each hand?”

“That’s right,” Lief said. “Maybe you’re not so dumb after all.”

“No offense, sir,” Mato said. “How do you have a new blade at your age?”

“Still looking for that duel to the death, aren’t you?”

Mato felt like he was getting the hang of talking to Lief, so he put his hand on his sword grip and frowned right back.

Lief’s beard split to show bright white teeth, and he chuckled. “I like you, lad. Here, this isn’t something I show everyone, and I’ll be pleased if you keep it to yourself.”

“I will.”

Lief pulled a leather bracer on his forearm back a knuckle, and underneath there was a water bracer.

“Hide that,” Ezhno said softly. “Right now.”

Lief let the leather fall back into place and cocked his head. “Care to explain?”

Ezhno nodded. “Yes, but not here. Can Mato and I visit you somewhere private, after dark? Bring Erik and anyone else you wish.”

“Our camp is just off the main road, beyond the tree line,” Lief said. He pointed east.

“Very good,” Ezhno said. “Tell your men to keep their spirit items out of sight until you have a chance to hear me out.”

Lief nodded and his eyes flickered toward the church. Ezhno nodded back.

“Thank you for the guidance, Ezhno Trail Master. We look forward to seeing you again.”