The Steel Harvest

by J. D. Miller

  Upon their return, Ramus insisted Carter stable his horse at the inn. He knew his scrap couldn’t possibly cover this kind of lavish treatment but humbly accepted the offer.

  Can’t complain really, considering I’m almost broke.

  With the increase in temperature, Carter stripped off his hoodie. Wiping his brow, he loaded and organized the cart. His tank top stuck to his chest, damp with sweat as his long hair dripped onto his lanky arms. As he loaded the last crate into the wagon, Carter heard the scuffs of fast-approaching feet somewhere behind him. The steps were light and uneven, unlike the usual locals. Carter grinned to himself, feigning ignorance as he checked over the cart’s inventory.

  “Looks like you’ve been working hard,” Silvia drawled. Standing next to the wagon, she peered up at him, yawning like a child.

  “Oh?” Carter shot her a bemused smile. “Good to see you’ve finally woken up.”

  Silvia didn’t even give Carter the satisfaction of frowning. Quick as ever, she shot him an evil grin. “No thanks to you. I’ve never been so bored in my life! How long did you expect me to keep company with all the drunks in the bar?”

  Carter chuckled, continuing to pack. “Well, I was going to wake you, but my old master taught me never to poke a sleeping bear.”

  This time his ruse paid off. Silvia gaped at him, her jaw slack. Then, jumping up, she slapped the back of his head. Carter’s grin only widened.

  “I’m sorry if I gave off such an impression.”

  Carter’s smile dropped immediately. Silvia’s tone didn’t match his expectations in the slightest. She sounded utterly defeated.

  Did she really take my joke that seriously?

  Turning around, Carter caught Silvia’s gaze. She looked up meekly from behind her amber bangs, clutching her hands tightly in front of her.

  “N-no, hey, it’s fine,” Carter said, his heart tearing. “I-I was just kidding, you kn—”

  “Heh, hahaha!” Silvia burst into laughter, cutting Carter off.

  After a few moments, he let his shoulders sag and he sighed, annoyed.

  She’d fit right in on a stage. Damn actress.

  “Oh, haha, you’re very funny,” Carter muttered.

  “Oh, no need to brood. I was only jesting!” Silvia’s fake noble-speak was backed by her bright spirits.

  Carter continued packing, refusing to look behind him. He could still hear his companion chuckling under her breath.

  Checking off the last of his inventory, Carter hopped down, preparing to close up the back of the cart. However, at the last moment, a rush of amber hair whirled in front of him. Silvia jumped into the wagon, crouching down to point her finger in his face. Her eyes squinted, giving her grin a mischievous overtone.

  “Honestly, though, loneliness is a cancer,” she said. “I’ll be damned if it kills me before I can make it home, so you better take me with you next time!”

  “Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I just thought you could use the sleep.”

  “Well, thank you for being chivalrous in any case.”

  Carter snorted. “Why all the knight metaphors?”

  “Why not? They suit you.”

  “Eh?” Carter shot his companion a doubtful stare.

  She shrugged. “They do. You saved me, and now you even own a horse. It makes total sense!”

  “You mean Dullahan?” Carter asked, patting his horse’s side. “You hear that, boy? I’m a knight, and you’re my steed.”

  Silvia sighed. Pursing her lips, she shot Carter a reproachful smile.

  “Anyhow, now what?”

  Silvia stared at Carter, hands on her hips. Wearing his spare clothing, she looked like a child playing dress up. Hiding his smirk, Carter grabbed his hoodie off the side of the cart and stepped outside. Silvia followed him.

  “Well?” she asked again.

  “Hmm? Oh, well, if we can, I’d like to get out of town by tomorrow evening. It’s a three-day journey to New Manhattan, so the sooner we leave, the better.”

  “Wonderful! You have all of the preparations made then, I assume?”

  “But of course.”

  Silvia smiled happily, her eyes brimming with excitement. Carter smiled back, but inside his heart split down the middle.

  I was that optimistic once, too…

  “Oh, hey, I almost forgot,” Carter said, changing the subject.

  “Hmm?”

  “Ramus has asked us to dinner tonight. He wants to see us off.”

  As if on cue, Silvia’s stomach growled audibly. Gasping, she cradled her stomach with her arms, flushing red. Carter chuckled, earning himself a spiteful glare.

  “What?” she mumbled. “It’s not my fault I’m hungry; someone didn’t leave me any money for lunch.”

  “Lunch?” Carter scratched his head.

  What is she talking about?

  “Yeah, lunch,” she said, shooting him a queer look. “You know, the meal that comes after breakfast and before dinner?”

  Carter stopped in his tracks, legitimately confused.

  Three meals a day?

  Most people ate once in the morning and then again at night. Nomads like Carter even dropped down to one meal a day when funds got tight. Stories even told of men boiling leather on the road to stave off starvation.

  Silvia stared at Carter, her jaw slack. “Are you serious? You’ve never heard of lunch?”

  Carter nodded.

  “So, only two meals a day?”

  “Yeah.”

  Silvia gaped at Carter like she’d just been slapped. “Are you kidding me?” she cried.

  Carter took a step back. Around them, the crowd gave them a wide birth. Silvia trembled, glued to her spot.

  “Are-are you crying?”

  “Wha— No! O-of course not!” Silvia quickly wiped her eyes and then turned away, bright red.

  Carter took a few deep breaths and then sighed. “Gosh, you sure cost a lot.”

  Silvia’s back went rigid the moment he said it. Turning around, she looked up at Carter, her eyes wide. Then, regaining her composure, she smiled. “I’m sorry. I wish I could be more useful to you.” She laughed, her voice cracking.

  Carter felt his chest tighten. “It’s okay, I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just kidding.”

  “No, you were right. I really am a burden to you.” Silvia’s smile seemed almost sad.

  Carter stepped forward, suddenly resolute. Putting his hand on her shoulder, he gave her a very serious look. “Silvia, listen to me. You’re not a burden.”

  Carter, you idiot.

  Silvia smiled faintly. Looking up at him, she nodded, her cheeks regaining their color. “Hey, Carter?” she asked.

  “Yeah?”

  “I know I’ve already cost you a great deal, but I have a favor to ask.”

  “What is it?”

  Silvia glanced at the ground and then back at him. “Well, I was wondering if we could get me some clothes.”

  Carter relaxed, relieved.

  Well, if that’s all.

  “Yeah, sure,” he said. “I didn’t expect you to wear my clothes forever, after all.”

  Silvia’s face lit up immediately. “Can we go get them now?” she asked, grabbing his shirt. “I’d like to change out of these ratty things before we go to dinner.”

  Carter glanced over, feigning a frown. “Ratty?”

  Silvia suppressed her smile, staring at Carter innocently. “Err, I mean, they’re baggy. They don’t fit me at all.” Putting her hands behind her back, Silvia cocked her head to the side, completing the act.

  Carter gave her a grudging smile. “Whatever.”

  “So can we go now or not?” Silvia’s cheeks were puffed out like tiny balloons.

  Pulling out his money purse, Carter sifted through its contents. Silvia watched the bag intently, as if it were dangling the new clothing just out of her reach.

  If I’m careful, I should be able to afford some clothes and keep some money back in case shit hits the fan between here and N
ew Manhattan.

  “Yeah, I think we can go now.”

  “Come on then!”

  Carter found himself being pulled along by the sleeve. “H-hey! Just remember, nothing too expensive! I’m not made out of money!”

  “Yes, Dad.”

  When she reached the market square, Silvia finally stopped her speedy advance. She turned back, staring at Carter imploringly. He merely looked away, as if staring at a nearby booth.

  “Ahem!”

  “Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry, does the lady still need help finding her way around? I could have sworn I was just the money handler.”

  “Oh, please. What, don’t like a girl taking charge, hmmm?”

  “T-that’s not what I—”

  Silvia cut him off, wagging a finger in his face, breaking into a triumphant smile. “I guess you’ll have to be a little more generous funding my wardrobe to make it up to me, huh?”

  Is she always two steps ahead?

  Carter groaned audibly. He gripped his chest, feigning pain, but Silvia paid him no notice. Giggling to herself, she slugged his shoulder.

  “You are slowly ripping a hole in my coin purse, you know that?” Carter scoffed.

  “Oh ho, but it’s good for you,” Silvia retorted. “You really were a bit too tight along the strings before I showed up, am I right?”

  “Oh, please. When you travel non-stop like I do, you learn just how important managing your money is. Spend too much, and you will soon starve. Spend too little, and you will starve anyhow. It’s a very fine line.”

  Silvia nodded, her smile losing its nasty tinge. “Those seem like wise words, but what’s the point if you don’t enjoy the money you’ve made every once in a while?” Playing coy, Silvia nuzzled up to his arm, mimicking her ploy from the night before.

  Carter stood stock-still, repressing the urge to pull away.

  “Well, I guess I’ll just have to teach you a thing or two while I’m here.”

  “I don’t doubt you will.”

  Silvia pulled away, pouting. “Are you going to lead the way or not?”

  Carter smiled in exasperation. As his companion stared at him pointedly, he lifted his hand and patted her on the head. Silvia blushed, shooting him a bemused smile.

  “I suppose. You’d get lost without me, after all.”

  “Well played, sir knight.”

  *****

  “Welcome, sir and madam. How can I help the happy couple today?” the shopkeeper asked as the two stepped into the tailor’s shop.

  Carter smiled wryly, letting the comment slide. He was easily identifiable as a trader, but females in his occupation were rare, so it made sense the clerk assumed they were a couple. Silvia, however, turned as red as her hair.

  “H-hey now! We are just traveling together, that’s it!” she sputtered.

  The clerk, a rather plump man, chortled as he waddled around the counter.

  “Oh ho, is that so? I’m deeply sorry then, miss.”

  “I-it’s fine.”

  Turning to Carter, the man extended his hand. Carter shook it firmly, flashing his signature grin. The clerk did the same, showing his teeth and squinting his eyes. Carter’s mental defenses rose. Such a smile marked a well-versed tradesman.

  “In any case, how may I help the two of you today?” the shopkeeper asked. “Winter is coming, you know; no better time to stock up on warm clothes and blankets!”

  “That’s part of why we came, yes,” Carter responded. “You see, we were caught in a rather nasty storm a few days back, and my companion lost most of her spare clothes in her rush to find shelter.”

  “Ah, I see. Wouldn’t want the young lass freezing, eh?” The clerk beamed from ear to ear.

  Silvia smiled back, embarrassed, but Carter fought the urge to grimace. This man could clearly smell a profit. Carter would have to stay on his toes with this one.

  “So, what did you have in mind, miss?”

  “Well…” To Carter’s relief, Silvia looked up at him. Her eyes searched his pointedly. Grasping the opportunity, he put his arm in front of his companion and cleared his throat.

  “She’s going to need two full sets of clothing and a coat. I will also need a coat, but something a little more suited for a trader.”

  The clerk looked down, rubbing his chin. After a moment, his smile returned. “Let’s start with the coats, aye?” he said. “I’ve got them in the back, so it won’t be but a moment.”

  Carter nodded, and the clerk rushed off, leaving Carter and Silvia alone in the room together. The noisy streets outside were muffled by the shop walls, making the room seem quiet.

  “You have that look in your eye,” Silvia muttered, walking across the room.

  “Hmm?”

  “That look. My father used to get it when he was negotiating a business deal. What are you up to?”

  Carter glanced over at his companion. Silvia busied herself, examining a set of clothes in the front window.

  “What does your father do exactly, anyhow?” Carter asked.

  “He deals with part replacement on The Shell.”

  “Does he ever deal with people from the surface?”

  “Sometimes. He buys scrap metal and uses it to make replacement panels for circuit boards.”

  Carter whistled. “Well, that’s just the look a tradesman gets when he’s in battle.”

  “In battle?”

  “Yeah, so to speak. When two traders negotiate, it’s like a battle of words. The quickest thinker with the sharpest tongue comes out on top and makes a profit. The loser, on the other hand, takes a loss.”

  “But in this case, we are buying from that man, not negotiating. Won’t he profit no matter what?”

  “Yes, but here on the surface, money is a lot harder to come by. He wants to get as much as he can from me, and I want to spend as little as possible. So he’s going to try his best to wring every last cent out of me.”

  “And you’re going to do everything you can to make him lower the price?”

  Carter nodded. Silvia smiled, turning her eyes back to the clothes in front of her.

  It’s a shame, really. Had she been born on the surface, she would have made an incredible trader.

  “Okay!” the shop clerk announced, carrying a lump of fabric under each arm. “These two coats should be in a traveling merchant’s price range. Both have been field tested, of course, and are guaranteed to keep you warm on those cold nights.”

  Carter walked back to the counter and inspected the coats. They were older, one grey and one black. Slipping on the larger of the two, he tossed the other to Silvia.

  “What do you think, Silvia?”

  “Sir, did you say it would keep us warm ‘on those cold nights’?”

  The clerk smiled at Silvia as if she were a lost puppy. “That’s right, miss,” he said. “I guarantee it.”

  “Still, I doubt it would keep me dry, correct?”

  The clerk’s smile immediately vanished. Carter, equally surprised, glanced over to his companion. She stared innocently at the pudgy little man, but the clerk looked wounded. Carter noted the man’s trembling hand as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

  What is she getting at?

  “I’m sorry, miss, I’m not exactly sure what you mean.”

  Exaggerating her movements, Silvia moved away from the window, lifting her arm above her head. Pointing to her armpit, she stared at the clerk expectantly.

  “Why, sir, there are rips here under the arms, and the patches on the inside are stitched so poorly they will surely come undone soon. Even if the coat itself is waterproof, it will surely leak where it’s ripped. Not only would the person wearing it get drenched to the bone, but their coat would surely mold as well.”

  Coming to a rest next to Carter, Silvia pointed to the patch on his shoulder. “This coat is in a similar condition, too, is it not?”

  The store clerk stood glued to his spot, utterly speechless. Carter suppressed a snicker. Pulling off his coat, he took Silvia’s and se
t both on the counter.

  When your opponent is weak, go for the kill! No mercy!

  “I’m sure it’s just a mistake, Silvia. Isn’t that right, sir?”

  The clerk’s eyes flicked between Carter and his discarded wares. No doubt he would lunge at the opportunity to salvage the situation. A store owner’s reputation held more value than a traveling merchant’s. He couldn’t just pack up and leave when his name got sullied.

  “A-a mistake? Yes, a mistake!” the man bumbled.

  “It’s no matter, sir. Surely, you will rectify the situation.”

  “Y-yes of course!” The man practically ran to the back room, looking more like a pig at the slaughter than a store clerk.

  Silvia grinned, putting her hands on her hips.

  “I’ll admit, I’m impressed,” Carter said. “You have quite the eye.”

  “What’s that, a compliment? I thought I was nothing but a hole in your purse.”

  The clerk scrambled back into the room, his face burning. Waddling forward, he handed new coats to each of them, bowing slightly. Giving it a once over, Carter slipped his on. It felt firm and stiff, seemingly brand new.

  “It’s a nice fit.”

  “It’s the best I have, sir.” The clerk wore a smile like a man about to be whipped.

  “What do you think, Silvia?” Carter asked.

  “Tis a perfect fit. Worthy of any traveler!”

  The clerk sighed quietly, mopping the sweat from his forehead. “Shall we proceed to the lass’s clothing next, then?” he asked, glancing between Carter and Silvia.

  “Sounds good.”

  This time, instead of heading for the back room, the clerk walked to the front of the store and sifted through the piles of scattered clothing. Pulling out a long-sleeved shirt, a pair of black pants, and a sturdy set of traveling moccasins, he offered them to Silvia. She took them tentatively, as if appraising them.

  “They seem nice enough,” she muttered, glancing up quizzically.

  “You can try them on in the back, if you’d like, miss. I assure you, they are of the upmost quality.”

  Silvia immediately scampered off with the clothes. Carter eyed the store clerk curiously.

  Is he going to try pulling anything else?

  “While your friend changes, why don’t we talk about price?”