Happiness in Numbers

by Nicole Field

  Dain'la glanced from Letycja, to Helva, to Klimeau. When her serious eyes rested upon the mother, she set her jaw, her decision made. "She's our family now," Dain'la said. "If she'll have us." Her lovers and Helva turned and stared at Dain'la, then, as one, nodded.

  The woman scoffed. "You lot? A bunch of… war criminals from Gevdin?" Something akin to fear and relief flickered in her eyes. "Fine, you can have her. I don't care." She turned her back on them, head held high.

  The four glanced between one another, then Helva crouched before Shae. Xie gently took the girl's hands from her ears.

  "Would you like to come with us, Shae?" xie asked, xer voice carefully bright. "We can take care of you, if you want?"

  Shae looked them each in the eyes, her own dark eyes calculating. It struck Letycja as a mature gesture as Shae considered them. Finally, Shae looked towards her mother who stood stiff, facing away.

  Beyond her, Shae's sister peered from the cracked doorway. 'Go,' she mouthed, tears brimming.

  A fit of coughing wracked Shae, and she gave a weak nod.

  *~*~*

  At the local inn, Helva broke away from the others so xie could give Shae a bath while the rest of them planned. Letycja ordered a pot of tea and dinner in the common area where she, Dain'la, and Klimeau sat. Together, they pooled their currency and assessed the total, setting aside a majority to purchase new supplies and clothes for Shae and Letycja. At the start of their journey, the money they had collectively stolen from various officers in the New Gevdinian army was intended to buy them safe passage through the mountains. Now, however, they needed a new plan.

  Biting her lip, Letycja pulled out the crude map she had bought earlier. There were several settlements within a week's travel, and more further west beyond the mountains. "Celest City is a straight shot if we take the western road through the mountains. But we can't afford to make the journey on our own, what with bandits and mountain lion-sharks... We'll need to find somewhere closer to live, temporarily at least, where we can also work."

  "Not here," Klimeau said, wincing when he tried to reach for his teacup with his injured arm. Dain'la held it up to his lips until he secured his hook in the handle.

  Dain'la, whose hood was still drawn, doing her best to escape the notice of the locals, said, "Somewhere a little more secluded."

  "There's an elven settlement here," Klimeau said, tapping his teacup on part of the map.

  "Careful!" Letycja said at the same time Dain'la said, "No."

  "I drank most of it," Klimeau said first to Letycja. Then, raising an eyebrow to Dain'la, "No?"

  Dain'la nodded. "No. They probably wouldn't let me in."

  Letycja shrugged. "But there's the possibility."

  The dark elf shook her head. "Not likely. They aren't happy their cousins allied with dwarves and went to war with humans. It makes things awkward here in Soldari."

  "If we backtrack a few days, there's a road to the capitol. Still a month or more out, but fewer mountain lion-sharks. There'd be plenty of jobs there," Letycja said.

  "That's not very secluded," Dain'la said wryly.

  "Our budget wouldn't allow for us to travel that far, anyway," Klimeau said, eyeing their small stacks of coins remaining after budgeting new supplies. "We need to buy clothes for the kid and Lettie."

  Letycja pouted, sinking in her chair until only her eyes were above the tabletop. "I forgot about that. We could share clothes, though. Shae's almost the same height as me. It'd save some coin."

  Dain'la chuckled, "She'll swim in them."

  Scowling, Letycja hopped down from her chair. "I'm going to take over so Helva can come down to get something to eat," she said, standing on tiptoe and taking a plate of dumplings they'd been served. "I'll send xer out, so don't eat everything."

  Letycja padded off. Dain'la and Klimeau looked at each other. "She did that on purpose, didn't she?"

  Dain'la nodded. A smile played on her lips. "It's just like Lettie." Sipping her tea, Dain'la raised an eyebrow at Klimeau. "This will give you the chance to apologize to Helva."

  Klimeau stabbed a dumpling with his hook and grumbled to himself. Helva trotted over and took Letycja's open seat, helping xerself to a cup of tea. Xer entire front was soaked through.

  "Shae's not a fan of baths," Helva said, cheerfully. "But she looks like a real child now, not some pile of scraps. So. What have you gone over?"

  After updating xer, the three stared at the map, identical frowns on their faces. "We could stop at a town and work until we can afford to continue through the mountains," Helva said.

  "We might be there a while, though, if other places are like this town," Klimeau said.

  Chewing, Helva squinted at the paper. "What about in the foothills, here? Forested, secluded, near a river," xie said, covering xer mouth with a hand.

  "We can try," Klimeau said, reluctantly. "It's a catfolk village, but they might have customs I'm not familiar with. It has been… a long time since I've been around my people."

  Dain'la ducked her head and put her hands under the table as a group of people passed by. "It'd be safer than going to an elven settlement," she said, shifting uncomfortably until the last of the strangers passed.

  Watching the humans settle at a table out of the corner of xer eye, Helva nodded. "Safer than a human settlement, as well. Is it settled, then? Barakiv Village," xie said, noting the weapons hidden beneath cloaks, and the way their leader kept glancing over at them. In a low voice, xie said, "We're going to have to leave without rousing any suspicion."

  Klimeau's ears swiveled towards the group of humans and he gave a minute nod. "I don't think they saw you, Dain," he said, casually rolling up the map as Helva divided the coins into pouches. "You should go to the room. We'll stay here for a while and see if we can lead them away."

  From the shadow of her hood, Dain'la's mouth tightened. "We'll wait for you, then. See if you can get shoes for the girl." She stood, careful to keep her back to the group. A few of the humans tensed, but relaxed when she made her way to the room.

  Helva and Klimeau finished eating, each pretending to be immersed in the food.

  Eventually, it was Klimeau who spoke first, keeping his tone casual. "I think they're bounty hunters, looking for deserters and refugees."

  "Lovely," Helva said, swirling xer tea leaves. "Were you able to pick anything else up?"

  "They're looking for a dark elf magic user," Klimeau said. "I'm glad we left our stuff in the room. Dain's staff would have been a giveaway."

  "Why don't I buddy up to them while you get what we need," Helva said, sipping the cold tea before choking on the tea leaves. After xie was done coughing, xie added, "If you can manage with your arm."

  Klimeau nodded. It'd hurt, but he'd make do. "I'm ready when you are," he said. "And hey… sorry about earlier."

  Xer eyes widened, then Helva put xer hand on his shoulder for a brief moment, a soft smile on xer lips. "I understand where you're coming from," xie said. "Alright… time to get into character."

  Helva's entire demeanor changed. Xie grinned and sprang to xer feet.

  "It's on me, Finndal! You can get the tab another time," xie said, boisterous, patting Klimeau on the back. He tried not to wince through his smile. "I hope to see you at the tourney in a fortnight, yeah?"

  "All my bets are on you," Klimeau said, playing along and jingling one of the pouches. He braced himself and used his injured arm to shake xer hand. "I'll see you then," he said.

  "I'll win, no question," Helva said with a laugh. "That's how I know you'll pay next time." Xie marched over to the bar and paid their bill while Klimeau retreated.

  Leaving a tip, Helva swirled around and caught the bounty hunters staring at xer.

  With a broad smile, xie sauntered up to their table. "Hey, now, you look like you're interested in a little fighting." As one, the group tensed. "I've got great news for you! There's a tournament not too far from here, just two weeks out."

  The bounty hunters relaxed, and the l
eader grunted, "That so?"

  "Yes!" Helva said, bouncing on xer feet. "It's over in Vervain—" a city in the opposite direction of where they were heading, "—a free-for-all with a cash prize! Supposed to be enough to set you up comfortably for a year.

  "Of course," xie continued, "there is an entry fee." Xie lowered xer voice, "but I hear the sponsor, Septimus Tell—" the name of Helva's crotchety great uncle, "—is waiving it for folks who've crossed over from Gevdin. Desperation adds a lot of flavor to a battle, yes?

  "Unfortunately for them, they're up against me, the fantastic Fortuna Picket—" the name of Helva's childhood bully, "—so make sure you place all your bets on me," Helva finished, winking at the discomfited group. Without asking, Helva pulled up a chair and sat with them. "What do you say? Will I see you lot in two weeks' time?"

  They exchanged glances, and the leader turned towards Helva, her eyes calculating. "You're saying even… foreigners are participating?" she asked.

  Helva nodded, enthusiastic. "Practically encouraged! Mr. Tell loves a good fight."

  The leader finished her glass, and set it down. "We'll see you there, then," she said, dubious. "Er…"

  "Fortuna Picket, and don't you forget it!" Helva said with a laugh. Xie then began to describe Fortuna's fictional feats of strength and cunning, reminding them now and again to bet on xer at the tourney. By the time xie was finishing a ludicrous tale of a wrestling match with a bear-beaver, the bounty hunters were fidgeting in their seats, anxious to get away.

  "We have business to attend to, Miss Picket," the leader said, standing. "We'll see you there. Vervain, in a fortnight," she added before Helva could interject with more helpful information. They made a hasty retreat, a couple of locals discussing whether they should consider going as well to try their luck.

  Helva sighed, exhausted. Xie made xer way back to the tiny room where xer companions waited. "I think I sent them and half the town to Vervain for a fake tournament," Helva said, leaning on the door.

  Letycja giggled, stroking Shae's damp hair where she slept. "Thank you for working your magic, Hel, dear."

  From where Klimeau sat on the bed, breathing shallowly, he said, "It was a knock-out performance. Extremely overbearing."

  "Anything for you all," Helva said, bowing.

  Dain'la stood from where she had been crouching in the corner, fiddling with their packs. "I've redistributed our belongings," she said. "We'll be moving slower because of Klimeau's injuries and…" Her gaze fell on Shae's sleeping form. "And our… child?" She suddenly seemed uncertain.

  "I know what you're thinking," Klimeau said, eyes closed. "You didn't ask us permission, blah blah blah. But we all would have made the same decision."

  "I was definitely thinking it," Helva said.

  Letycja was gnawing on her lower lip. "It might be best if we found someone else to care for her, when we reach our next destination."

  This was met with silence. Her lovers stared at Letycja, who was staring at her feet.

  "You don't want her to stay with us?" Helva asked in a small voice.

  "That's not…" Letycja stopped, folding her hands in her lap. "She's human," she said quietly.

  Helva flinched a little, and Klimeau cocked his head in confusion.

  But Dain'la understood. She made a noise of pain. "Oh, Lettie… I didn't even think of that."

  Understanding dawned on Klimeau's face next and he shrank, head downcast.

  And then the tears started coursing down Letycja's cheeks. "I-I never wanted to outlive my lovers, let alone a child of mine. I don't know if I c-can stand it."

  Dain'la enfolded her in her arms, hushing the other woman. "I know, dear, I know," she whispered into Letycja's hair. It was a reality Dain'la had lived through already in her lifetime.

  Klimeau and Helva shared a glance; they both knew they would die long before Dain'la and Letycja. While elves and halflings lived several hundred years, humans and catfolk were lucky to reach one century.

  It just wasn't something they had discussed. It was something Klimeau and Helva weren't comfortable thinking about. For their long-lived lovers, it was a reality they had to face someday.

  *~*~*

  They left that night, grateful for the sickle thin moon providing just enough light to keep their footing. Nobody spoke again of Letycja or Dain'la outliving the shorter-lived races. That was a problem for another time.

  Travel was slow going; Dain'la carried Shae on her back within a bedroll to keep her warm, while Helva hauled a majority of their bulky belongings on xer back. Klimeau had a light pack with only clothes in it, and Letycja was bent under provisions and snap peas.

  Breaking often, the four gathered around the bundle that was Shae and, when she was awake, made sure she was warm and had enough food and water. At dawn they broke away from the road and made camp in a copse of trees. Dain'la set up wards while Letycja started a fire. Helva unrolled their sleeping bags, then wandered off to the distant burble of a stream.

  Klimeau sat beside the watchful Shae. "Do you remember our names?" he asked. "You seemed a little out of it when we introduced ourselves yesterday."

  Shae stared at him, unblinking, coughs shaking through her chest.

  "Um… Look, I'm going to need your help," Klimeau said. "If you can nod or shake your head at my questions, that'd help me out a lot. Do you want me to go over everyone's names again?"

  Shae looked around at the others, then nodded.

  "I'm Klimeau," he said.

  "Claw," she said, voice rough from illness.

  Ears pricked up, Klimeau carefully held out his hand and extended his claws. She took his hand and inspected how he relaxed it to retract his claws. Dropping his hand, she reached over and tugged on the sleeve of his other arm, so Klimeau showed her his hook. "I lost my other hand a long time ago," he explained. "Letycja, there, made me this hook. She's good at working metal and leather. Also cooking and identifying plants and even some healing." Klimeau smiled, watching Letycja's black braid bounce as she hauled an armload of sticks to her small fire. "She's good at most things, except fighting."

  Shae nodded once.

  Klimeau continued. "The person who wandered off is Helva. Instead of calling xer 'she' or 'her', use 'xie' and 'xer'. Helva doesn't think of xerself as a woman. Do you understand?"

  Shae nodded again, unconcerned.

  "The woman with the short white hair is Dain'la. She's a magic user, see her staff? She's putting up a barrier right now to keep us safe."

  "Grey?" Shae asked.

  "Some elves have grey skin where we're from. They're called dark elves."

  Shae sat, processing the information, then she turned to Klimeau and said, "That's silly."

  Klimeau blinked. "It's silly?"

  Shae nodded and gestured at Helva who had returned with a pot full of water. "Is xie a light human? No."

  "Xie's pale because xie's from Gevdin. Xie's a Gevdinian," Klimeau said, glancing over at Helva for help.

  "Why not Gevdinian elves?" Shae asked, staring hard at Klimeau.

  Helva sat the pot beside the fire. "She has a point," xie said, grinning.

  "I… I don't know," Klimeau admitted.

  "It's because Soldarian elves have lived apart from dark elves for so long, they no longer want to be considered the same," Dain'la said. "We have different customs, so to keep us apart we're called dark elves. It isn't just about our skin." Dain'la sat on the other side of Shae and held out her dusky hand for the child to hold.

  After a moment, Shae took her hand in her small brown one. She ran her fingers over the white scars that crisscrossed Dain'la's knuckles. "Still silly," she said.

  Dain'la smiled softly. "We've made it our own; we're proud to be dark elves, different from other elves."

  Shae hummed at that, coughing lightly.

  "So, Shae," Letycja said from beside the fire, stirring oats into the pot. "Tell us about yourself. How old are you?"

  Shae's face closed off; she said nothing and dropp
ed Dain'la's hand. The adults exchanged concerned glances, but didn't press.

  "Well, I'm twenty-eight," Helva said, doing routine stretches in xer armor.

  "Thirty-two," said Klimeau. "Give or take a year."

  "I'm thirty-five," said Letycja. Then, "Do you like nuts with your porridge?"

  Shae shrugged, and glanced at Dain'la. Dain'la raised an eyebrow at her in wry amusement. "I'm very old. Care to guess how old?"

  Hesitantly, Shae answered, voice croaking. "A hundred?" She looked skeptical.

  Dain'la chuckled. "That's a better guess than what Helva said. I'm two-hundred and three."

  With wide eyes, Shae gaped up at Dain'la. "That's a lot! I'm only seven!" A coughing fit wracked her body.

  Letycja hopped to her feet, worried. "I'm going to gather herbs. Someone tend to the porridge, please."

  Helva took over while Dain'la peered at Shae in concern.

  "Give her extra," Dain'la said. "And add some dried fruit." To Shae, she said, "You're too small for seven. We're going to get you big and strong."

  *~*~*

  They stayed a full day in the copse, taking turns sleeping and keeping watch.

  Letycja had managed to scrounge up some herbs, and made a tea to soothe Shae's cough. "I'm sorry I couldn't quite find the right herbs to clear your lungs," she said as they packed. "Maybe on the way we'll run across some."

  Shae didn't answer, but that was to be expected. The four had learned that Shae would lapse into extended silences where she seemed unwilling to interact with anyone. When Shae broke from the quiet stretches, she would leave behind a patch of ground with pebbles and twigs arranged in elaborate patterns. When asked about them, Shae would sullenly stop talking and begin a new pattern.

  At the moment, Shae was sipping her tea in between braiding blades of grass together. In front of her was a partially formed living basket being woven, the dome of which shaded over a pine cone.

  Letycja finished hanging bunches of herbs from Klimeau's pack. "Oh, don't give me that look," she said. "It's not adding much extra weight at all."

  "You're not the one with the broken rib," Klimeau said, batting at a tied clump of feverfew.

  "It's going to be slow going, anyway," Dain'la said. She hoisted her baggage onto her back. "I'm ready."