Girl in the Bearskin

by C. L. Stone

  Heinrich looked around the room he was staying in, slightly bigger than my own. “I feel like I should invite you to my home. I could introduce you to my sons. My youngest is probably around your age, maybe a few years younger.”

  “Oh that’s a bad idea,” Shaytan said. “Are they as bad as him?”

  “They’re old enough to obtain occupation,” I said. “Why didn’t you encourage it?”

  “I wanted them to get a proper education,” he said. “And to take over the investments. I’ll admit, I’m not very good at it. I was hoping with a proper education, they’d be better at it than me. And to be honest, perhaps I did wrong by them to spoil them so. But I believe one of them may like you enough. You travel alone, yes? Do you wish to be married?”

  I didn’t comment at this. I was pretty sure he was wrong about them liking me. “I’ve a man downstairs. An assistant who has been helping me. Would it be okay to bring him?”

  “Absolutely! I think this may just end up being the best thing for you. No need to stay in a cruddy old inn like this. Go find him. Let’s return to my home tonight.”

  I left him, going to my room. Shaytan followed, closing the door behind me. “You see,” he said. “What do you need Thorne for? You humans have enough to quibble about in your short lives. What if one turns away from you? There’s usually another waiting.”

  “Don’t say his name again.” I squashed every last thought I had of Thorne. I would not seek him out. I didn’t care to know.

  I’d fill my life with something different. Something else. Let him keep his wife, if the rumors were true. Let him keep his his secrets.

  And I vowed not die and give Thorne the satisfaction, if he ever even cared to think on me at all.

  Shaytan would lose his bet. I’d find a way to survive. And now that I thought he didn’t even care about the bet, he just wanted me, it put me into a position I hadn’t considered.

  He’d said he’d do whatever I wanted.

  He said he’d protect me.

  I should learn to listen.

  SONS OF ROTH

  The home of Heinrich Roth was one of the smaller homes in one of the nicest districts in the city.

  After we exited the carriage, Wilhelm stood out in the street with me at the tall white wall surrounding a home bigger than any inn we’d ever stayed in.

  “How exactly did you come across him?” Wilhelm asked. I’d gone to him, explained as brief as I could about a business opportunity, but hadn’t yet found a moment to tell him everything about what happened.

  Part of me was ashamed to tell him about what I was doing upstairs before it all happened.

  “Just go with it,” I told him.

  Shaytan stayed behind me this time, observing but staying quiet. His clothing had changed into something similar to what Heinrich wore, fancy and soft materials replacing the rags.

  Heinrich approached the house and a servant of his opened the door. Heinrich went to him quickly, putting a hand on his shoulder to speak to him privately, motioning to me.

  Yet I still heard some of it. “…don’t mind what she looks like. Treat her like normal. I know how it looks. Trust me.”

  The man at the door didn’t seem to trust him at all. He made a snide face at me. However, he said nothing and let us inside.

  Wilhelm kept a step behind me, although I think he heard what was said, and he put a steady hand on my back, a comforting move. Even as he’d bought himself newer clothes, they were always of utility for our travel. Compared to even the servants of the house of Roth, we looked poor, me being the worst.

  The hall we entered was elegant, with a rich red carpet runner through the center. I stepped carefully, aware that the bearskin would shake dirt and sticks onto the floors. I didn’t wish to make extra work for the servants.

  It stunned me, however, that Heinrich was risking all this on a spice ship.

  There was a parlor to the right. Heinrich stopped our progression into the house to turn to me. “Look, my boys are all in there,” he said. “Let me go have a talk with them to let them know who you are before you go in.”

  He needed to prepare them for my unkempt appearance. “As you wish,” I said.

  “If you’ll allow me,” the servant from the door who had followed us spoke. “Perhaps I can take your… coat? And your things to your room?”

  “I’ll take our things,” Wilhelm said. “I should go and leave you to talk.”

  I agreed with him. Wilhelm took our packs and lifted them together. The servant walked away, showing Wilhelm where we’d be staying.

  Heinrich walked into the parlor. Shaytan continued behind me, following where I went. He kept his arms at his sides, and seemed uninterested in the grandeur around us. He was far more interested in the people.

  I peeked into the room, standing just outside the door, yet I couldn’t see anyone around Heinrich’s frame.

  “Boys!” he called to them. “Are you studying?”

  “Where did you go?” one of the male voices asked.

  “You were upset when you left,” another said. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine now, I had to…fix a problem,” Heinrich said. “Sons, I want you to meet someone, but I wanted to tell you about her before…”

  “Oh no,” one of them said. “Please, don’t tell me you’re about to set us up to marry.”

  “Not unless she’s from a wealthy family,” another said. “Is she?”

  Shaytan snorted behind me. “Brats. They should be so lucky to marry you.”

  “Now, now,” Heinrich said. “This is my business partner, not to mention a former soldier of our great country, and I expect you to show her the same respect you’d show to anyone I was in business with. I won’t ask you to consider her for marriage either, but she is unmarried and available. I’d hope one of you would have the sense to take such an opportunity seriously.”

  I wanted to cough but held back. I wished he wouldn’t push that idea on them. I knew how this might end, so I readied myself for the looks of disgust and rejection. I’d no need for them.

  “But I also warn you,” Heinrich said. “Her appearance is…different. Please show respect.”

  “If she’s rich, what do looks matter?” one said.

  “Right,” Heinrich said, although his tone seemed to be full of doubt. He came back to the doorway and then motioned for me to follow. “Will you please?”

  I kept my hood up, unsure if it helped or not with my appearance. I kept my eyes cast down. Hoping to hide my embarrassment of my appearance in such conditions.

  I didn’t care what they thought of me, but I hoped at least, if we were to be around each other, to maybe at least be friendly. I was going to do my best not to frighten them off.

  I held my hands together outside of my cloak.

  Heinrich stepped out of the way, presenting me. The room was big, with several couches and they all faced a large, roaring fire in the fireplace. “My sons,” he said, “this is Adelina Yousef.”

  There was a deep gasp, a loud groaning following.

  “You joke with us,” one of them said.

  I looked up, noting it came from who appeared to be the oldest. He met my gaze head on, with a sour expression. He’d been standing by the fireplace with his arms crossed and when he saw me looking back at him, he dropped his hands. His lips contorted into something of horror.

  “What is this thing you’ve brought in front of us?” he said. “You dare play us for idiots?”

  “Don’t be like that,” his father said. “I asked you to be respectful.”

  “You’ve no right to bring someone like this to us and mock our unmarried state.” He lifted his nose in the air, and walked to the door behind us, skirting me entirely. “I’ll not be the butt of some joke.”

  I swallowed, lowering my eyes once again. This outcome was worse than I expected. I should have made sure Heinrich wouldn’t talk about me like a potential bride.

  “You know, I don’t like him,” Shaytan s
aid behind me. “His eyes are too close together and his soul looks like horse urine.”

  “Son!” Heinrich called after the eldest. “I should disown you!”

  “He’s right, Father,” one said. He appeared not much younger than the first, and I thought him to be the middle son. His voice was more annoyed that disgusted. Although he did address me. “I respect if you’ve gone into business with our family, but I’m sure you understand. If he wished to pawn one of us off on you for marriage for something you’ve agreed to, you can’t expect one of us to do so blindly.” He squinted at my face. “Is there something wrong with you? Are you dying?”

  I sighed. “No.”

  He stood up and then went to his father, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Please, get yourself some new partners. You’ll be the laughing stock if she’s sent out into the business world with you.” He flashed his eyes at me. “And I don’t care how much money you have. I won’t marry a beast.” He nodded shortly. “I hope you understand.”

  I did, but his rudeness still stung.

  The middle son left.

  Shaytan clicked his tongue. “I don’t understand these humans. They’ve no idea of quality and their souls rot at these extravagant nothings surrounding them. Fat and lazy things.”

  His father raised a fist at his middle son’s departure. “I should strangle them both for being so spoiled and rotten that they don’t even stay or greet you properly.”

  I put a hand on his arm, so he might lower his waving fists. “Please,” I said quietly. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have introduced me as a potential marriage partner. I don’t expect anyone to find me desirable.”

  Heinrich lowered his hands. “It’s just as well.” He turned his attention to the third son still in the room. “What of you, Klaus. You never fail me. Will you at least be respectful?”

  The youngest in the room, appearing perhaps a couple of years younger than myself, was also a little shorter than his brothers, though he was still inches taller than I was. His brothers’ builds was softer, but everyone appeared so to me after the war.

  Yet Klaus had some strength in him, although the cut of his muscles in his arms seemed more born from family line and youth rather than worked for it.

  His hair was lighter than I expected, with shades of blond, clear that he spent time in the sun more than inside the home.

  And his eyes were wide as he looked at me, sparking blue, a color not common at all.

  His head tilted as he took a step closer. He extended his arm to me, looking at my face, not showing one ounce of fear.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, his voice not as deep as his brothers, but young and fresh to my ears. “Any friend of father’s, I’m sure I’d like to be a friend of.”

  His words and lack of fear and disgust on his face had my hand reaching for his, although my shake was weaker than his, more due to shock of his reaction.

  “Hm,” Shaytan said behind me. “Interesting. His soul isn’t too bad. A little rough around the edges. Perhaps his brothers beat some humility into him.”

  “There,” Heinrich said, clapping me on the shoulder until I almost tumbled forward. “I told you this wouldn’t be so bad.”

  I’d had enough of the attempts of matchmaking on his part. But at least one of his sons had been agreeable. “If you don’t mind,” I told him. “I’d like to learn about these investors you had business dealings with. I’d like to meet them.”

  He coughed once and nodded. “Klaus, if you’d excuse us.”

  “Actually, I’d like to stay,” he said. Klaus looked to me. “He always says he wants us to learn his trade, but he never lets us in on any of his meetings.”

  “If only your brothers had more of an interest,” Heinrich said.

  “If he’s the one interested, why not encourage it?” I said softly, not wishing to muddle in their family affairs, but wanting to show support to the one brother who was willing to at least be friendly. “I think they’ll be more understanding of the situation.”

  Heinrich coughed once and then went to the door of the parlor, closing it quickly. “Yes, well, let’s keep it just between us, then, right? No need to involve the rest of the family.”

  They moved further into the room, Klaus motioning to me to sit on the couch. “Would you like to remove your cloak?”

  “I can’t,” I said. “And don’t let me sit. I’ll ruin the furniture.”

  Klaus tilted his head and still looked at me curiously. “Why can’t you take it off?”

  “Don’t ask such things,” Heinrich said and he, too, motioned to me to sit down. “And please. Let the servants earn their pay. I want you to be comfortable.”

  It was going to be easier to comply rather than explain at every instance. I sat down as lightly as possible.

  Heinrich told Klaus about the investment he’d made, without going into details about everything they own going into the deal. He just admitted it had been very bad, and he’d put a lot of money into it. “So I went out, disappointed. But then I met Adelina,” he said. “And she’s agreed to partner with me to cover the losses and to look into other ventures.”

  “However,” I said, “I should like to meet with these other investors you’d had dealings with. Let’s see if we can rectify this situation.”

  “I agree,” said Klaus. “Actually, I should like to accompany you.”

  “It’ll be a long journey,” I said. “Are you prepared to walk and camp?”

  “Camp? Walk? Why? Let’s just take the coach. We’ll get there much faster.”

  “Indeed,” his father said.

  Taking a horse or coach was something I hadn’t bothered with before, but then, I hadn’t been in any hurry.

  “You should consider the offer,” Shaytan said behind me, as if reading my thoughts. “The carriage will get you there much faster and you’ll need to hurry if you wish to catch who he was talking to. We’ll be lucky if they are still around at all. I imagine they’ve disappeared with their money by now.”

  “I suppose we should hurry along,” I said to them. “Will there be room? I’m to take Wilhelm with me.”

  “I’d suggest not taking the old man,” Shaytan said. “The coach will be crowded and honestly, I couldn’t guarantee he won’t try to get involved in any more shady deals. Perhaps the son will do better.”

  Over top of Shaytan, the old man spoke. “There should be enough room for us all.”

  “Father,” Klaus said. “If I might…”

  “Son, if you’re going to be a part of these meetings, you should know better than to speak your ideas when you don’t know anything yet. Learn first.”

  Klaus pressed his lips together but met my eyes.

  I raised a brow, trying to understand what he was thinking but not wanting to go against what his father wanted.

  His father mumbled out a list of things required for the trip, and a lot of it seemed unnecessary. Clothes. Finery. Thoughts of throwing a party for friends in the town we were going to.

  His son, however, kept his eyes on me. Quietly, he did hand signals.

  I understood him. He didn’t believe his father should go, either. He was worried about him. Heinrich spoke like it was a trip of amusement rather than business.

  After what happened at the inn, perhaps it was for the better. “Heinrich,” I said. “If you don’t mind me suggesting…”

  “Of course not,” he said.

  “Would you mind if I took a coach ahead of you? I think it’d be better if I arrived before you did. If you don’t mind me saying so. With my appearance, we should be careful who we approached and how.”

  “But then how will you know about who I was dealing with? Shouldn’t I point them out to you? And I wouldn’t want you going alone.”

  “I’m not going alone. I’ll have Wilhelm. And perhaps…Klaus can join me?” I thought it better, that Shaytan was right and Klaus could do better without his father around. If I could get their affairs in order, then I could move on to so
mething else.

  To what, I wasn’t sure. This all gave me a good distraction until I could figure out what to do next.

  Klaus seemed agreeable to this.

  Heinrich looked at me, then at his youngest son and then back at me. “Oh, oh I see…Well in that case, I should delay for a week…or two…”

  Shaytan groaned. “Great. Now you’ve given the poor sod hope.”

  Even Klaus seemed embarrassed.

  “Right,” I said slowly. “Well, if you don’t mind, perhaps us travelers should get some sleep. If we’re to go, let’s head out in the morning. I’d like to go as soon as possible.”

  Heinrich nodded, seeming more excited than before. “I’ll make arrangements and have a rider go ahead and prepare a place for you to stay while you’re there.”

  When I left him, he was speaking to Klaus, no doubt encouraging him to make good use of the time we’d spend together for…romantic endeavors.

  I wished I had said more to discourage this. Part of me wondered why I hadn’t insisted I wasn’t available or some other reason not to get involved in such ways.

  I wouldn’t admit that I looked to get back at Thorne for being married, like it would hurt him if I was as well. I wasn’t serious about the idea but it was very tempting.

  Wilhelm’s Curse

  The bedroom I was given was much bigger than any I’d stayed in. The bed was dressed in fine cotton sheets. The rug below it looked expensive.

  “Where’s Wilhelm?” I asked.

  “I think they put him with the servants,” Shaytan said. “And I have to say, you gave a marvelous performance downstairs. Although I can’t believe you’re willing to entertain interest in the youngest son.”

  “He isn’t so bad. You said so yourself.”

  “But he’s not for you. He’s a puppy. He’ll follow you because you gave him attention and the next thing you know, you can’t shake him.”

  I smirked. “Loyalty isn’t a bad thing.”

  He pressed his fingertips to his brow. “Don’t torture me. You can’t keep collecting men like you would trinkets.”