The Witch's City

by M. Gregg Roe

  “Enter!” he called out in response to the single loud rap on his office door. His second, Lieutenant Eomera, marched up to the front of his desk and dropped a paper-filled folder onto his desk with a resounding thump. “Last month’s crime summaries,” she proclaimed, grinning to reveal teeth that were both stained and crooked.

  A member of the Guard for longer than he had been alive, Eomera was both the ugliest and the toughest elf that Hagen had ever encountered. She routinely involved herself in bar fights and drunken brawls and was rarely the one who ended up hurt. Her current rank was apparently exactly where Eomera wanted to be. It gave her great authority without the responsibility that came with being captain.

  Hagen opened the folder and skimmed the cover sheet. Only three illegal robberies had been reported, and only one was still unsolved. But reported was the key word. Some people were too ashamed or too frightened to report a theft.

  That there were now such things as legal robberies had taken some getting used to. Most people had been certain that Ermizad’s decision to legalize the Thieves’ Guild would lead to complete chaos. Happily, things had worked out. With people and businesses now buying insurance against being robbed, Hagen had expected that the robbery and mugging rates would drop, but the rates of most other crimes had also decreased. The legalized thieves—“insurance collectors” according to Celebern—that now roamed the city were almost like a second guard force. They had captured a number of criminals and turned them over to the Guard. Illegal thieves were another matter. The ones caught by Novox tended to just disappear without a trace.

  “Is there something else?” he asked Eomera, noting her crooked smile.

  “An unlicensed thief tried to rob Audrey this morning.”

  “And?” he asked after a moment. He hated the way that Eomera liked to drag things out.

  “Natalia showed up before she could do her charity thing. Novox has him now.”

  He suddenly realized why Eomera was still standing there grinning. “Novox is stuck with him,” he said, smiling.

  Eomera didn’t so much laugh as cackle. “Yes, and I am never going to let Natalia forget it.”

  2

  ‡ Audrey ‡

  Audrey felt ashamed as she continued her journey. The gathering dark clouds matched her mood. She had dealt with unlicensed thieves before by simply talking to them, reasoning with them, sometimes even taking them to a temple for assistance or buying them food. Instead, irritation and impatience had caused her to lash out at the poor boy. The look of shock on Owen’s face as he stared at his injured hand was still vivid in her mind. And now he was in the clutches of Novox, with only her threat to keep him safe.

  The sight of the two-story building that housed Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy cheered her slightly. She spent so much time there that it felt like her second home. But once inside, she found that her timing was poor; Grasapa was busy teaching the morning Shorinken class for beginners. After making use of the washroom, Audrey went to Grasapa’s office. She passed the time by reviewing her shopping list, adding several additional items in the process. There were actually two lists: things she needed to buy for her cottage soon, and things she hoped to buy in the future. Both lists were depressingly long.

  “Welcome back,” called out Grasapa as she entered.

  Audrey looked over and smiled. “Thank you. It’s nice to finally be home.”

  Grasapa’s demeanor as she seated herself behind her desk made Audrey feel even more guilty. The woman practically radiated calm. That was the one part of Audrey’s training that she really struggled with and obviously needed to spend more time working on.

  “And how is your friend in Farmerton doing?” inquired Grasapa.

  “Violet’s not happy about being in bed all the time, but everyone says her pregnancy is going fine. Alessandra visited her just as I was leaving.”

  “No woman at her stage of pregnancy is happy; I certainly was not. And you are still worried about her, Audrey. I know you are.”

  “Yes,” she replied with an embarrassed smile. She was already wondering if she should have stayed until the baby was born. She wouldn’t be able to completely relax until she knew that both Violet and the baby were safe. And maybe that had been part of her problem earlier.

  Knowing it was expected of her, Audrey launched into a description of what had happened to her that morning. As her teacher, Grasapa both deserved and needed to know how Audrey used the skills she had been taught. Following her explanation, Grasapa simply sat with a neutral expression as she pondered what Audrey had told her.

  “I have no issues with your actions,” Grasapa finally said. “You were the victim, not the instigator. Even if your opponent lacked skill, injury to yourself was still a real possibility. Disarming him was a reasonable choice.”

  Audrey’s relief at hearing Grasapa’s judgment was tempered by her continuing concern for Owen. “Thank you. I was worried.”

  Grasapa nodded. “Zalina is pregnant, I would like you to begin teaching for me, and I am moving you to the advanced Shorinken class.”

  The barrage of information threatened to overwhelm Audrey, so she spent some time thinking things through before answering. “I’m happy for Zalina and her husband Bennet. I’m willing to help teach, but can I get paid? Also, I don’t think I’m ready for the advanced class.”

  “Of course not. That is so like you, Audrey. You are ready, and I will be paying you to teach. Cinda informed me of your new living situation. Do you prefer the morning or afternoon class?”

  She was clearly moving to the advanced class whether she wanted to or not. Audrey tried to think quickly. When Cinda eventually moved to the advanced class, she would choose the afternoon class because she frequently worked late. And that was the class that Kora attended. Audrey’s eyes widened in shock. Kora!

  “Afternoon, but not today. I’ll start two days from now.” Audrey rose to her feet. “I need to go see Kora. I was supposed to move in with her when I got back.”

  “Relax, Audrey. Kora knows about the cottage. But it would be polite to go see her.”

  Audrey smiled at Grasapa, who still looked blissfully calm. “Okay.”

  Grasapa waved her right hand. “Off you go. Talk to Kora. Enjoy your new home. Relax.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  Kora lived nearby, so Audrey was soon knocking on the door of her log house, thinking that it looked like a larger version of her cottage. That gave her an idea. After a moment, Kora answered wearing a white flannel robe and blinking at her in surprise.

  “Audrey,” she said in her soft and quiet voice. “Come in. I didn’t know you were back.”

  “I got back yesterday morning, but I’ve been busy.”

  Kora simply nodded in reply. Audrey followed her to the sitting area, taking a seat opposite. The upholstered chair was very comfortable, reminding her that she only had simple wooden chairs to sit on now. She decided that she would sew some cushions for them as soon as she could manage.

  Audrey tried to look apologetic as she said, “I’m not going to be moving in with you as I had planned. Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. Cinda told me about the cottage. May I see it?”

  “Yes. Of course. I’m not attending today, but Grasapa moved me to the afternoon advanced Shorinken class. We’ll be training together.”

  “That’s nice.”

  Kora wasn’t pretty, but Audrey thought that she had a nice smile. “Yes. It will be fun. Kora, I’m trying to come up with a budget now that I’m living alone and paying rent. I thought maybe you could help me.”

  “Of course.”

  Audrey watched as the woman stood up and went down the hallway to her bedroom, soon returning with a book bound in blue-dyed leather. Audrey joined Kora on the sofa and was soon impressed by the neat handwriting and organization. Kora tracked all of her income, purchases, and expenditures in great detail. Audrey spent some time looking it over before asking any questions. One item definitely concerned her an
d she pointed at it and asked, “Taxes?”

  Kora nodded. “Yes. Taxes are owed to the government on all income. The employer often takes care of it, but not always.”

  “Uh …” That had never even occurred to Audrey. She wondered if she might already be in trouble for not paying taxes on her income. She quickly explained her concerns to Kora.

  “I am certain that Desires is taking care of the taxes on what they pay you,” she stated with an earnest expression. “But you should ask Almera to see if she is also paying the proper taxes.”

  “Okay. I’ll do that.” She really hoped that Almera was taking care of it.

  Kora’s monthly budget was shocking in many respects. Kora owned her house, simply paying a monthly fee to a company that provided maintenance. Kora did her own cooking and laundry, but she paid to have her cleaning done twice a month. Her tuition was the same as Audrey’s, but it was partly offset by Kora teaching some classes. Amazingly, Kora’s primary source of income was still Desires. She now worked independently, usually taking three or four jobs a month. Audrey still thought that Kora, with her plain face and rather flat chest, looked nothing like a courtesan.

  “There is also Novox insurance,” said Kora, pointing at an entry. “Both personal and for my home.”

  That hadn’t occurred to Audrey either. She was still covered under Draymund and Almera’s policy, or at least she thought she was. She would definitely need to check on that.

  Another surprising item was how much Kora spent on cosmetics, hair care, and skincare each month. Audrey wouldn’t need to spend as much as Kora, but it was still startling. It was also interesting to see that Kora ended up with a surplus nearly every month.

  “Thank you, Kora. This is very useful. I’ve got a lot to learn about managing my money.”

  Kora simply nodded before closing the book and setting it aside.

  Audrey pointed to the square dining table nearby. “Are you playing some kind of game?” The table was covered with small, rectangular wooden tiles, each colorfully painted.

  Kora nodded and smiled ever-so-slightly. “Yes. It’s called Sparrow. I am having three people over tonight because it requires four to play.”

  It looked familiar to Audrey. Then she remembered: She had seen it played at Desires in the courtesan’s common area. “Is it hard to play?” she asked, now curious.

  Instead of answering, Kora went to a bookshelf and soon returned with a small, cloth-bound book that she handed over. The front said simply “The Rules of Sparrow”. Audrey quickly looked through it, finding each page filled with a mixture of text and illustrations of the tiles. Each tile depicted either a bird or a flower, and there were a dozen types of each.

  Audrey closed the book and said, “It looks complicated.”

  “Yes,” agreed Kora, nodding. “That is why it is both fun and challenging. Would you like to learn? You could come over and watch this evening. You may keep the book. I have another.”

  “I’ll just read the rules for now. I’m kind of busy getting settled at the moment. Maybe some other time.”

  “I understand. Take your time. Just a moment.”

  Kora went down her hallway again. This time she returned with a canvas satchel and held it out. “You can borrow this to carry it in.”

  Audrey smiled at Kora as she carefully placed the book inside the satchel, closed the flap, and slung it over her left shoulder. It was much nicer than her own, which she had sadly forgotten even though she planned to go shopping.

  “Thank you, Kora. I’ve got to go now.”

  After departing, Audrey thought for a moment and then decided to go to the Novox building to check on her insurance. It was actually on the way to the central plaza where the daily market was held. From the building’s main entrance, she followed the signs to the insurance office. Inside was a large room split by a wooden counter, behind which she could see tables, desks, filing cabinets, and a small army of clerks. In front of the counter were three lines of people. Large signs hanging from the high ceiling marked each line, and each had a picture in addition to the words. Audrey got into the line labeled “Personal Insurance” that had a simple drawing of a person.

  A few minutes later, Audrey found herself looking at plump, gray-haired woman with a friendly face. “How may I help you?” she asked, flashing a smile.

  “I’m not sure if I have personal insurance,” Audrey told her. “Can you check, please? My name is Audrey av Marilee.”

  The clerk picked up a stylus and wrote on a small piece of paper. “Is this correct?” she asked as she held it up.

  “Yes,” replied Audrey, admiring the clerk’s neat handwriting.

  “One moment, please.” The woman hopped off the stool that she had been sitting on and headed to the large mass of filing cabinets. She returned impressively fast in Audrey’s opinion, but with an odd expression on her round face. “Your employer is paying for your personal insurance,” she said. “I’m surprised you didn’t know that.”

  “Employer?” Audrey didn’t have a normal job.

  “Yes. Desires. I’ve never met a courtesan before.”

  A quick glance showed every clerk within earshot staring at her, and everyone waiting in line probably was too. And why not? Desires was a high-end brothel, and they all thought she was a prostitute now. Gods, this is embarrassing.

  “You still haven’t,” said Audrey, trying to hide her irritation. “I just do sewing work for them. I am not a courtesan.” But she had applied there once and even received a job offer.

  “Oh.” The clerk looked disappointed. “Well, you’re also on the list, so you don’t actually need insurance.”

  “The list?”

  “You don’t know about that either?” asked the mystified clerk. “It’s the list of people who are provided with free insurance, and who can use Novox transportation without charge.”

  Audrey had thought that Hankin had arranged for her free return to the Witch’s City, but it apparently went further than that. She suspected that Draymund had asked Celebern to put her on the list when it had become clear that she would be staying with them in the Witch’s City. Draymund, Almera, and Saxloc were obviously all on the list. Getting herself off the list would certainly require dealing with someone higher up than a clerk, and she decided not to worry about it for now.

  “Thank you,” said Audrey, forcing herself to smile.

  “You’re welcome. Take care!” called out the clerk as Audrey turned and walked away. She studiously avoided making eye contact with any of those waiting in line.

  When she reached the building’s entryway, an incredulous voice asked, “Are you checking on Owen already?”

  Audrey turned and saw Natalia scowling at her. “No. I came here for something else. Does he need to be checked on?”

  Natalia sighed. “No. He’s been healed, fed, and given better clothing.”

  “Was he badly hurt?”

  “His wrist was broken. Wasn’t that what you were trying to do?”

  Audrey felt terrible. “No. I lost my temper. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  Natalia shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. He’s fine now. He’s staying with the trainees. And tomorrow, we will start evaluating his skills.”

  “Okay.” That did make her feel better.

  “It’s almost noon. How about if the two of us take Owen to lunch?”

  Audrey returned Natalia’s smile. “I’d like that.”

  Cleaned up and properly dressed, Owen looked like a different person. Instead of being angry at Audrey, he kept thanking her. That did make her feel better. Natalia was friendly throughout their meal, but Audrey had a suspicion that it was just an act. Nonetheless, she now felt certain that Natalia would keep her word, and that Owen would be safe.

  After lunch, Audrey finally set out to begin her shopping and it promptly began to rain.

  3

  ‡ Courtesan ‡

  Cinda basked in the applause and approving looks cast her way by the ot
her courtesans seated in the common area. Lilina showed a contented smile as she stood by the huge stone fireplace currently providing welcome warmth to the spacious room. The beautiful half-elf had just informed everyone that Cinda’s probationary period was at an end. And now, in accordance with tradition, Cinda would address the others. As Lilina seated herself, Cinda rose to her feet and bowed formally to Aurelia, the ancient elf that oversaw Desires.

  From this point on, Cinda would have a say as to which clients she accepted. She would also be able to take time off, albeit with minimal pay. Her training, however, would continue in a variety of areas. She had already decided that in addition to her training in singing and dance, she would also learn to play a musical instrument. It was a skill that she could employ on some of her jobs, and that might prove useful in the future.

  “Thank you for your kind words, Lady Lilina.” Cinda adopted an almost somber expression. “I wish to speak not about the person I now am, but the person that I was and am no more. Or so I hope.”

  Cinda paused and allowed her gaze to roam. Surprise, empathy, and approval were the most common expressions. She felt sad as she composed her thoughts.

  “I grew up as the youngest daughter of a wealthy family,” she began, projecting her voice as she had been taught. “I wanted for nothing and was well-educated. Some of you have a similar background, but others are of common origin, so I must explain. I was trained in proper etiquette, how to dress, how to host social events, how to manage a household that included servants, and other skills required of a girl who would be marrying into a wealthy family. That was to be my fate, and I never protested.