by M. Gregg Roe
“Audrey wasn’t close to her father either,” said Draymund, “but she still mourns him. Still, you have a point.” He put his arms on the chair and pushed himself up. “And now I must go report to your mother. Go back to bed, son. You did fine.”
Saxloc was pleased by his father’s compliment, but he was no longer sleepy. After getting dressed, he looked through a book about water magic until it was time for breakfast.
“So,” asked Audrey, trying to sound nonchalant, “how is your relationship with Medea going?”
“It’s none of your business,” snapped Tobias, crossing his arms and frowning at her mockingly.
Audrey glanced over to where the twins were still shopping with assistance from Shimora, the shop clerk who spoke in an odd fashion. “I wasn’t asking for intimate details,” she said, matching his pose. “I’m just curious if it’s serious.”
Tobias allowed his arms to relax, and Audrey followed suit. “We have no plans to marry or even live together,” he said. “But we have become good friends.”
And lovers from what Audrey had heard, but she wasn’t about to say anything. An older man pushed opened the shop’s front door, and Tobias broke into a friendly smile as he rushed over to greet him. Audrey continued to loiter in the center of Witch’s City Clothing, next to the area where purchases were completed.
Tobias was still occupied when the girls walked up with Shimora following. Audrey was speechless as each girl deposited a stack of clothing on the table. Iris had opted for a sky blue shirt, a pale yellow shirt, and dark brown pants. Ilona had chosen an emerald green shirt, a dark red shirt, and gray pants. Even the leather shoes they had picked out were different styles. Only the socks and underpants matched. It was unbelievable.
“We’ve never had a choice before,” said Ilona, waving at the clothes. Iris nodded and said, “Mother always made us the same clothes.”
Berna had probably assumed they wanted identical outfits, and they obviously hadn’t protested. But it was a huge surprise. “These are all a little large?” asked Audrey, directing her question at Shimora.
“Grow into them, they will,” responded the woman. “Delivered, you want these?”
“Yes. Please deliver them to Draymund’s mansion and address the bill to his wife, Almera.” Shimora nodded, then began to tally up the prices on a small piece of paper.
Audrey led the girls toward the entrance where they all retrieved their cloaks. The wolf-skin cloaks were somewhat unusual, but they fit well and were perfectly serviceable. It had taken a while to convince Almera of that, and even longer to persuade her to let Audrey be the one to take the girls shopping.
Not insisting on identical clothing meant that they could also try thrift shops, of which there were a number in the city. That gave Audrey a chance to show her cousins even more of the city that would be their home from now on. Ilona and Iris really seemed to enjoy it. Even though all the clothing was all second-hand, much of it was of good quality, and there was a wide variety of styles. By the time they reached their last stop, Dragon Thrift, they were all carrying sizable bundles of clothing. And it really hadn’t cost all that much.
Draymund happened to be there, and he waited on them personally, also expressing surprise that the two girls seemed to have different tastes when it came to clothing color and style. When they finished shopping, he helped them carry it all back to the mansion.
After helping the girls to put everything away in their huge wardrobe, Audrey sought out Almera, finding her in the greenhouse tending her herbs. The woman listened quietly to the description of their shopping trip, looking incredulous when Audrey told her how little she had spent at the thrift shops.
“You never change,” said Almera, smiling wistfully. “Frugality is part of your being.”
“Yes, it is,” said Audrey, jutting her chin upward. “They’ve got some nice clothes from Witch’s City Clothing, and the rest are perfectly good for wearing around. And when they outgrow them, we’ll donate them to thrift shops and buy more.”
“You win,” laughed Almera. “What about their hair? Are you planning to cut it yourself?”
Audrey decided not to fight Almera about that. “No. You can take them to where we both go.” She pointed a finger. “But I only go there because it’s one of the perks for working for Desires.”
“I am well aware of that.”
That evening the twins showed up for dinner not only dressed differently, but with decidedly different hair. Iris had decided to grow hers out while Ilona had opted for shorter hair with long bangs. Audrey was absolutely thrilled.
The twins had worn him down.
Draymund hesitated in front of the door to his trophy room. Turning to face them, he asked, “Are you absolutely certain? Romee couldn’t handle it. She ran away screaming, and it gave her nightmares.”
“We’re not Romee,” declared Iris, scowling at him. “And you’re exaggerating,” added Ilona, narrowing her eyes. “Romee just said it was scary.”
Draymund spread his arms in exasperation. “Just don’t blame me when you wake up screaming.” He was more worried about how his wife would react. And Audrey, when she found out. Those two were both scary in their own ways.
He unlatched the door, pushed it open, and gestured for the two of them to enter. After glancing at each other, Iris went first with Ilona right behind her. Draymund followed, but he left the door open in case they decided to flee.
His trophy room was both wide and deep. Small squares of frosted glass high up on the walls provided ample light. The walls and ceiling were paneled with dark wood, while the floor was a wood parquet that depicted dragons, of course. There were free-standing exhibits and others mounted on the wall or contained within glass cases. A huge plaque listed all of his kills, with room for many more. The room was proof of his prowess as a dragon-slayer.
The two girls remained close together as they moved around the room. Everything was labeled, but he knew that they couldn’t read. They were tense, but he could read the determination in their expressions. They were going to look at everything, no matter how frightening it seemed.
Draymund found himself thinking back to when Audrey had first come to live with them. He had caught her in the trophy room and yelled at her, scaring the poor girl half to death and earning himself Almera’s wrath. And now Audrey had fought a dragon, acquitting herself well. It certainly wasn’t what he had expected.
“Are these magic?”
He couldn’t tell which of them had asked the question, but they were standing in front of the stands that displayed the tools of his trade. After walking over, he said, “Yes. Those are the DragonSword, and the DragonShield.”
“They look heavy,” said Iris, furrowing her brow.
People often found it hard to believe that he slew dragons. As a half-elf, he wasn’t exactly tall. But he was much stronger than he appeared. Draymund picked up the sword, moved to a clear area, and then executed a series of movements that included thrusts and slashes. It was part of a routine that he practiced nearly every day. The girls actually applauded when he was done, and he bowed to them before replacing the sword in the display.
He watched silently as Ilona and Iris continued their tour. One day he hoped to display an entire dragon, instead of just various parts. That would be a major undertaking. The body of a small dragon would need to be transported to the Witch’s City, prepared for display, and then somehow gotten into the trophy room. That would probably require temporarily removing a wall. Or maybe he could talk Almera into letting him display it somewhere on the grounds. Then the dragon wouldn’t have to be small. He smiled at the thought of an enormous dragon looming over visitors. But his wife would never approve.
“We’re done.” “Thank you, Draymund.”
“You are welcome.” He scratched his chin as he thought. “What now? It’s still a while until dinner.”
“Can we see the part below?” “Romee told us about it.”
It really was cute when
they talked that way. “Of course. There’s the practice area and several storerooms.”
The storerooms bored them, but the twins had a good time in the practice area playing with some wooden practice knives. They also loved the secret panel in the parlor that he used to access the stairs. Afterward, he sent them to their suite to get cleaned up for dinner.
Ilona and Iris would probably be living with them for at least a decade, and Romee nearly as long. The thought of it was comforting. Draymund had always liked children, and now, counting Saxloc, they had a total of four. There would definitely be interesting times ahead.
10
‡ Alessandra ‡
Celebern was rapidly approaching his limit. Clarissa continued to perform her job as his assistant adequately, but she had taken sullen to a whole new level. He didn’t expect her to smile at him—a flat expression would have been fine—but he was thoroughly tired of her scowls and looks of disapproval. And she still limped, which had to be deliberate.
Clarissa had been born with an unusual defect, having one leg significantly longer than the other. Even wearing custom-made shoes, she had frequently limped. Acts of charity were not in Celebern’s nature, but he did believe in rewarding his more valuable employees. And so he had tasked some of his people with looking into the matter. The solution was straightforward: remove a piece of bone from the longer femur and graft it into the shorter one to make the two equal. The procedure had involved both alchemy and healing magic. She had even confessed to remembering nothing and feeling no pain. The issue was that she hadn’t wanted to undergo the procedure and forcing her had apparently been a mistake. But there was no going back now.
It took her nearly three minutes to appear after he pulled the lever beneath his desk to summon her. For Clarissa, that was slow. And she was limping noticeably as she walked in and seated herself in front of his desk. But at least she was properly equipped to take dictation.
“Is there a problem with your shoes?” he asked, maintaining a neutral expression. She was so startled that she nearly dropped her stylus. “Or perhaps you have forgotten how to walk? Shall I hire you a tutor?”
“They’re new shoes,” she said, clearly flustered. “I had to buy all new shoes afterward. I’m still adjusting.”
“And how long is it going to take you to adjust?” he asked, leaning forward and frowning his own disapproval. “Months? Years? The rest of your life?”
This time she did drop her stylus. Staring downward, she said, “I just can’t stop thinking about it. They cut open both my legs. They used saws on the bones.” Turning pale, she suddenly shivered. “It doesn’t hurt, but it feels strange. It feels wrong.”
Celebern reconsidered. After so many years of living with her defect, it probably did feel wrong to her. Perhaps he was being too impatient. But he still didn’t care for her attitude or understand why she was so squeamish.
“I would like for you to speak to a cleric,” he said after she retrieved her stylus. “Tell them about your issues. Ask for advice.”
Staring at her lap, she pursed her lips. “I had been thinking about that. I’ll go after work.”
“See that you do. This is affecting your work performance.”
“I’m sorry.” She looked up sadly. “I know you were trying to help me, but I need time to get used to it. I’ll try to do better.”
“You will do better,” he retorted. “You may go.” She left quietly, closing the door behind her.
As it turned out, Clarissa saw a cleric earlier than planned.
Alessandra considered the questions that the young man had just asked her. She was cold and damp, and really just wanted to go somewhere that was neither of those. But she needed to answer as truthfully as possible even if she wasn’t certain.
“I am planning to stay here for six days,” she said imperiously. “Celebern will be arranging my accommodations. My temple does business with Novox. Perhaps you have sampled our grape wine?”
“I don’t drink,” he said, making notations on a complicated-looking form. Then he scribbled on a small square of light blue paper imprinted with a complex pattern. He waved it at her. “Show this to the gate guards and any city guards or Novox insurance collectors that approach you. Next!”
Smiling, Alessandra took the paper and walked over to where Bianca was waiting, holding her own square of blue paper in her left hand. The gate guards barely glanced at them as they entered the city. Bianca had been to the Witch’s City before, but only briefly. Alessandra had never been to such a large city, and she stopped just a few yards inside to take it all in. More people lived there than in the entire region that surrounded Fog Lake. And the surrounding wall was odd, looking as if it had been crafted from a single piece of stone. Magic had clearly been involved.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?” asked Bianca.
Alessandra smiled at the stocky, masculine-looking woman. “I will be fine. Simply send word to Novox where you are staying.” Bianca was planning to stay somewhere cheap near the docks. She would no doubt be carousing with sailors and similar ilk.
Bianca pointed straight ahead down the wide street they were on. “Just keep going straight. The Novox building will be on the right. It’s big, square, and three-stories tall. And it’s got a big sign. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you, Bianca. Enjoy yourself.”
After a harsh laugh, she said, “I plan to. See you in a few days.” She headed right down a narrow alley without saying another word.
With her head held high, Alessandra strode down the busy street, marveling at all the people and the sheer variety of shops. It was tempting to stop and peruse some of them, but she really needed to find somewhere to stay first. She received a few interested looks, possibly because of the blue crystalline staff she was holding in her left hand. It was an enchanted item that Kyran had guided her to, but not a particularly powerful one. She carried it more as a symbol than anything else.
As she walked, Alessandra wondered why so many people seemed to be in such a hurry. Hardly anyone was walking in a leisurely manner. But this was a true city, unlike Rohoville, which really did feel more like a small town in some ways, even if it did have an impressive castle.
The Novox building was as described although she had to walk part way around it to find the public entrance. Just inside was a counter manned by a pretty female elf with elaborately styled auburn hair, perched on a high chair. “How may I help you?” she asked, displaying perfect teeth.
Alessandra pushed back the hood of her cloak. “I need to speak with Celebern.”
The frown was instant. “Lord Celebern sees people only by appointment.”
It was just like the man to adopt a fancy title. “This visit was not planned. My name is Alessandra. I am a Priestess of Kyran, and my temple does business with Novox.”
Recognition showed in the woman’s alluring emerald eyes. “I just love your wine!” she exclaimed, then looked embarrassed. “I will send a message to see if he is available. Please have a seat, Priestess.”
After leaning her staff against the wall, Alessandra removed her cloak and backpack and placed them on the floor. Then she sank into one of the padded chairs with a sigh of relief. She simply was not accustomed to so much walking.
A few minutes later, a rather homely half-elf rushed into the waiting area limping slightly. “My name is Clarissa,” she said with an unconvincing smile. “I’ll take you to Celebern’s office. It’s on the top floor.”
Of course it was. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Clarissa.”
Alessandra retrieved her staff and then found Clarissa awkwardly holding the cloak and backpack. They passed what was obviously a guard before entering the stairwell. The outer area of Celebern’s office was clearly Clarissa’s domain. She put the backpack on a table and hung up the cloak on a peg just inside the door. Alessandra placed her staff next to the backpack.
Celebern met her at the entrance of his well-appointed office. “This
is an unexpected pleasure,” he said, sketching a bow and ushering her inside before closing the door. “What brings you to our fine city?” he asked after seating himself behind his large desk.
Now seated in front of the desk, Alessandra arched an eyebrow. “I know very well that Hankin will have already reported everything to you. You should have been expecting me.”
“In the city, yes, but not here. I assumed that you would head straight to Draymund’s mansion.”
“I will be going there at some point,” she said, staring at him intently.
Celebern cracked a smile. “Would you care to stay with me while you are here? I have ample room.”
“I would not dream of imposing,” she said, playing his game. During his one and only visit to her temple, he had shared her bed.
“It is not an imposition,” he said, winking. “I would welcome your company. I also have an excellent cook.”
After briefly pretending reluctance, Alessandra nodded. “I accept.”
“Excellent.” He hesitated briefly. “I have a few matters to attend to before I leave. Perhaps you could do me a favor while you are waiting?” He launched into a description of Clarissa’s current issues that amazed Alessandra.
Heeding his warning, Alessandra wasted no time trying to sweet talk Clarissa, instead using magic to make her more cooperative and pliable. By the time that Celebern was ready to depart, she felt that she had made real progress with the young woman.
Celebern’s house was large and had a view of a nearby circular lake. The inside was expensively furnished, which was certainly no surprise. He escorted her to a guest room on the ground floor that included a bathroom with a large tub. She promptly made use of it, soaking for nearly an hour.
Dinner was as good as promised. Afterward they sat in his parlor drinking warmed rice wine. She enjoyed the warmth radiating from the large stone fireplace as they discussed business matters. And later, they warmed each other thoroughly in Celebern’s huge bed.