by Colt, K. J.
Mother tugged on my sleeve. ‘Fetch us some spiced wine. I need to think.’
Upstairs, I checked in on Butter. He licked my hand and buried his soft snout into my neck. I breathed in his puppy smell and used a ladle to fill two cups with wine. On the way back down, I managed to clear all sixteen steps without spilling a drop.
‘Thank you,’ Mother said distantly as I passed her one of the cups.
I sipped, and the liquid warmed my belly, adding to the comfort Butter had given me.
The front door burst open, and I jumped. My wine splashed on the floor.
‘Phew, lugging water and clothes all that way. May as well be a pack mule.’ Jemely gave a yawn. ‘What’s wrong with you two?’
‘No sales,’ Mother said.
‘Really? Yours used to be the most popular shop in town. What happened?’
‘One woman knew Adenine as the forest girl and that seemed to put her off.’
‘Why?’ Jemely asked.
‘I don’t know, Jemely,’ Mother said impatiently.
I wiped my foot over where I thought the wine had spilled, trying to hide the evidence. Mother was in a bad mood, and I didn’t want to upset her further.
‘I’ll go see what I can find out,’ Jemely declared, and she left again.
Minutes later, when my efforts at trying to converse with Mother failed, Jemely burst through the shop entrance.
‘No good, stupid, ridiculous…’ Jemely muttered.
‘What is it?’
‘The boys who chased Adenine in the forest are spreadin’ rumours. They’re sayin’ she was possessed by a demon that used her to lash out and then navigate the forests with its magic eyes.’
‘Flap-wagging commoners,’ Mother spat. ‘What nonsense.’
‘They’re sayin’ the girl is cursed because of Garrad’s dealings with gambling and women of the night, and that Ardonian’s and Garrad’s ghosts haunt Mystoria because of you, Capacia, and that you…’
Mother’s boot was tapping against her wheelchair. ‘Go on. What’s my part in it?’
‘Well… that you and your brother-in-law were… layin’ together.’ Jemely whispered the last part.
I didn’t understand what laying together meant. I had lain in the bed with Mother every night for the last week, and that didn’t seem wrong or bad. But maybe people knew what my uncle was like, and maybe they thought he had attacked her as he’d attacked me.
‘Let’s hope these rumours don’t hold strong. A woman can be put in the stocks for such things,’ Mother said.
‘They can’t do that, Capacia, because it ain’t true! And besides, they wouldn’t put a cripple in the stocks, would they?’ Jemely gulped. ‘Oh, Capacia, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—’
Mother’s laugh cut the air. ‘I am a cripple. You only speak the truth.’
Mystoria’s doorbell jingled. ‘Ahh, such a change,’ Varago said. ‘The light flatters without all that suffocating dust. Oh, and how novel, I can see the bottom of my boot reflecting in the polished floorboards. I see no one is here—have they all come and bought it all? Is the coin chest overflowing yet?’ He chuckled.
Jemely groaned at her uncle. ‘Has your head been stuck in the sand all day?’
‘What? I was wrist deep in the stomach of a young boy whose appendix had festered green. Can’t a man take pleasure in the smiles of his friends to erase such awful memories?’
‘We need more friends. We’ve sold nothing,’ Mother said.
‘Intolerable. This store is an icon in Borrelia. Always popular, always busy. At least three hundred folk wandered the market square when the town crier yelled out the announcement earlier,’ he said.
‘There’s a rumour,’ Jemely said with a hushed voice, as if she believed that merely talking about it would strengthen the truth of it.
‘Oh?’
Jemely relayed the story in full.
‘Hah, those rumours will die once women run out of perfumes and sparkly knickknacks to fuss over, eh, Capacia?’
‘This is what I feared, though… we’ll have to close if it continues,’ Mother said grimly.
‘Give it two more days. If nothing changes, I will personally go around town and dispel these nasty rumours.’
‘Thank you, Varago, but this is our battle.’ Mother began to cry, great bursts of sobs that ripped at my heart. I hated to hear her so upset, but there was nothing I could do for her. I stood, found her shoulder, and put my arms around her neck. Then I had a better idea. I raced upstairs and came back down armed with Butter. I placed him in her lap.
‘Oh,’ she said, and a fresh lot of sobs filled the room. Butter’s tail thumped against my thigh.
Varago had another patient, so he bid us goodbye and left. Jemely returned to her chores and Mother went up to bed and closed her door. I almost went to comfort her but Jemely touched my shoulder and said to leave her be. I deferred to Jemely’s judgement, her being older than me, and besides, I was afraid Mother would tell me it was all my fault.
Later, Jemely left with the setting sun and Mother finally emerged from her room in her creaking chair. I was sitting at the hearth and stroking Butter’s floppy ears and pretending not to be listening to every sound Mother made. As she rolled, bits of grain or dust crunched under her wheels, and when she was near, she rubbed her hands together at the fire. Silence hung in the air like thick, smothering smoke. Mother ate nothing at dinner, and as she read a book, Butter released a soft whine which made her huff at him.
Every page she turned made me feel lonelier, as if she were shutting me out. Driven by agitation, I went downstairs, undid the back door latch, and went out into the night. Spending that night in the forest alone had made me braver. A week ago, going outside alone would have scared me.
Butter stood next to me, and pawed at my leg as if to say, ‘Come back inside.’ After a little while, I did just that.
Mother was in bed. She made no sound, and as I crawled up beside her I held her hand. With her useless legs and my useless eyes, our fortunes were at the mercy of the gods.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I WAS WOKEN BY MOTHER’S calls. ‘Adenine, breakfast!’
Downstairs, the living area had long since been warmed by a fire. Obviously, Mother had been awake before dawn. As soon as I exited the bedroom, parchment was thrust into my hands.
‘I want you to take these three notes to Jemely immediately,’ Mother said, her voice full of resolve. ‘You’re to go with her while she visits the general supplies man and the town crier. Hurry up now.’
My sleepy morning state drained in the face of her urgency. I blindfolded myself and got dressed.
As I moved to leave, Mother said, ‘Take the dog.’
‘Butter?’
‘Yes. Trust me. Take him with you.’
I picked up Butter and fled the house, escaping Mother’s harsh mood. Outside, the sky was a light grey with the rising sun, and the air felt thick and smelled of wetness. Perhaps it would rain.
Navigating the market square alone proved difficult. People grumbled at me to ‘watch out’ and ‘get out of the way’. Despite bumping into things, nothing was broken, and the nicer people helped me with directions. One man physically turned me around, which drew a round of snickers from onlookers and caused my cheeks to flare.
The village square seemed emptier than usual. I knew how many people flocked there to buy things, and when I asked someone the time, she said it was five in the morning. That explained it. The shops hadn’t even opened yet.
Jemely found me before I even reached Varago’s. She called out my name and, after a pattering of footsteps, took my arm. ‘What are you doing out here?’ she asked. ‘Why do you have Butter?’
I put the papers Mother had given me into her hand, and after Jemely read them, she led me to the supplier of general wares. On the way, I asked questions, but all she said was that Mother had a plan and to keep quiet and let her do all the talking. She knocked loudly on the general supplier’s door.
‘It’s Jemely, the doctor’s assistant. We need to speak with you.’ The door unlatched. ‘We got coin.’ The metals jingled in her purse.
‘This isn’t…?’ he asked warily.
‘Yes. The forest girl. No, she ain’t cursed or diseased. Can you get us the things on the list, or am I to take my business to someone else?’
‘Of… of course. A-anything for you, Jems.’ He seemed compliant, yet confused. Jemely had a strange way with people.
‘Good. We need them today. This afternoon, in fact.’
‘Sure thing. They’ll be delivered there at three. Nice dog, too. Good hunting dog, that one.’
‘Yes, we know,’ Jemely replied. When the man closed the door, Jemely whispered, ‘Holding that puppy, you look sweet as honey.’
Next, we went to the town crier’s home. Jemely rapped on his door.
‘Who be waking me up at this ungodly hour? I don’t rise until nine; that’s me job!’ But he opened the door anyway. ‘Fie! Get that mutt away from me.’
‘Get a hold of yourself, man. It’s just a dog. Here’s some news for you,’ Jemely said.
Butter began to whimper, and the man sighed heavily.
The man rustled the paper. ‘I don’t like dogs. Especially puppies that lick and whine. Hm, I see Capacia is trying to get people to buy her stock. She’s a smart one, isn’t she?’
‘Smarter than you,’ Jemely said as we moved away.
When we were out of earshot, I asked, ‘Why were you mean to the town crier?’
‘He’s a gossipmonger with influence that spread a rumour about Varago a while back. It cost him business.’
We visited a few more stalls. People recognised me, but Jemely told them straight that they should stop being stupid and see I was a harmless blind girl. Jemely’s bold manner made people pay attention while she related the story of how my father, Garrad, had been murdered by his brother. They pitied me, but it was awful that people thought my real father was some kind of monster.
I turned away from the voices and hugged Butter tightly to my chest.
Jemely tapped my shoulder. ‘What’s wrong with you?’
‘Father was a good man.’
‘I know, but people like a sob story, and ain’t no sob story better than yours. Least this way they don’t think you got weeping pox, or a curse, and can buy your Mother’s wares.’
‘I am cursed,’ I said drearily.
‘You’re not cursed, and you never carried the plague. When will you get it through your thick head?’
Mother and Father wouldn’t have lied to me about that, but I didn’t continue arguing with her. I met hundreds of people that morning, and having Butter in my arms seemed to ease their fears about me.
‘Such a cute hound,’ they’d say. ‘So white and clean, like snow.’
And whenever I said his name, they’d giggle and make adoring exclamations. At first, I thought people were laughing at me, but then Jemely whispered that they laughed out of amusement when Butter licked their hands. That explained why Butter was wriggling around in my arms.
There were a few scornful comments, such as ‘Blind, she may as well be dead’ and ‘Her father was a strumpet lover.’ Those remarks hurt, but there was nothing I could do.
We stopped by the stall of Mr. Fat Man, the vegetable seller that I used to watch from my attic window, and I learned his name was Derkal. He laughed and said that Butter should have been named Onion, like the white onions he sold at his stall. I didn’t find his joke funny. Onion was a horrible name, and Butter didn’t stink.
‘Derkal’s son is a scraggly runt,’ Jemely told me as we walked away. ‘But don’t you be tricked by that man’s friendliness. He’s a nasty one and works his sickly son like a horse.’ Jemely knew a lot about the people we met. Many had secrets and had done bad things, which made me confused why others judged me when they were just as bad.
When we arrived back at the house, Mother was waiting downstairs. ‘Did you do it?’ she asked as soon as the smell of incense touched my nostrils.
Butter struggled and kicked, so I put him on the ground.
‘Wares will be here at three o’clock,’ Jemely said. ‘Took Adenine about. Some people were wary, but most seemed to like her, especially with Butter in hand. And how could they not when he’s so appetising?’ Jemely roughed Butter up, and he growled and yapped at her. She growled back, which made Butter become even more hysterical.
‘Please, Jemely,’ Mother scolded.
Jemely asked, ‘Sell anything?’
Mother sighed. ‘No, but the town crier will be just the trick. It has to work.’
Jemely and I helped Mother get a few things in order before ‘the big rush,’ as Mother kept calling it. But I had my doubts. How could she be so confident after we had sold nothing the day before?
Midday arrived quickly and the town crier made his announcement. ‘Hear ye! Hear ye! Capacia of Mystoria is selling all her stock for half price with the condition that each buyer talk to and shake hands with her niece, the forest girl, Adenine.’
My stomach quivered and my heart drummed when I thought about strangers touching my hands or talking to me. Out in the street, Jemely had done all the talking while I’d done my best impression of a fool. Now people were coming to Mystoria for me. I turned slightly, considering locking myself upstairs behind the barricade door.
As if she could read my thoughts, Mother grabbed my wrist. ‘Be strong. They fear you, but fear is an illusion. Smile, talk, and be pleasant. Your confidence will give them confidence. You are a merchant now. Be ready to sell your goods and yourself.’
I would obey Mother, and I would keep her happy as Father had asked me to do, but being the centre of attention would be difficult. I’d say the wrong thing, and they’d laugh, and find me so disgusting they’d scrub their hands raw. To my face, they would speak with honey-covered lips, then spit at my turned back. They would do all of that so they could buy our precious wares at a low price. Scoundrels.
And as Mother had predicted, many people came.
The front door had to be wedged open. I hugged Butter to keep myself from falling apart. There were so many footsteps, so many voices. Women, men, children. There was laughter. I felt exposed. People could see me from outside; I knew that much. Some made jokes about my blindfold, others commented on my long brown hair, my height, the shop, and Butter.
Mostly, people bragged about how much they intended to buy. Coin bags rattled, and some people tried to push in front of others, causing fights, and Jemely shouted at them to keep order. Soon they calmed, and one by one entered the store. I clutched at Butter with one hand and held the other out so people could shake it. Each person greeted me, and asked me a question or two: ‘What’s your age? What hobbies do you enjoy? Are you feeling better? What’s your puppy’s name? What does Butter like to eat?’ In fact, many of their questions were about Butter.
Not only did the townspeople talk to me, but most gave their sympathies. ‘I’m sorry about your aunt’s legs.’ They praised her new chair and marvelled at its originality. Mother told them of future plans to sell more general wares, but also to sell some of her most precious collectables. Almost everyone said they would visit again.
And then we had an unusual visitor.
‘Mayor Vawdon, what a pleasure.’ Mother’s greeting sounded strained.
People stopped moving. Some whispered, ‘Do you see her? Look at those fine clothes.’
The mayor had brought company, and it wasn’t his wife.
‘Capacia, it’s been a while,’ he said. ‘How goes things? I am sorry to hear of your misfortune. What a terrible thing for a merchant to lose the use of her travel legs. This is Healer Euka.’
Of course. The healer woman was here.
‘A pleasure,’ Healer Euka said, and her pronunciations instantly gave away her wealthy bloodlines and superior breeding.
&nbs
p; ‘Lovely to meet you also,’ Mother replied. But I could sense something was wrong. Mother was holding herself back somehow. I didn’t know why, but it wasn’t good, because she rarely struggled to keep her voice pleasant.
‘Look at the gold,’ a man standing next to me whispered.
I wondered if Healer Euka wore lots of jewellery, but they were likely referring to their famous gold hair. The healer’s perfume had a distinct honey smell that floated about my nose, making me think of bees tending to nectar-filled flowers.
‘She’s scared, she is. That’s why she brought Meligna soldiers with her,’ someone whispered.
‘If they weren’t here, I’d give her a piece of my mind,’ another person replied.
‘Are you here to purchase one of our wonderful trinkets?’ Mother asked.
‘Well, maybe my wife and daughter will be in later,’ Mayor Vawdon said jovially. ‘Forgive me, but I’m quitte confused. A few years ago, I read a report from Captain Festral that noted Garrad’s child lived with you, yet the report said she was infectious. Is this her?’ he asked.
‘She went back to her mother since. And as you can see for yourself she’s quite well,’ Mother said.
‘Well met, young lady. You’ve caused quite a stir,’ he said to me.
I put out my hand, knowing that the mayor was an important person and I’d have to make my best impression. He took it, and his hand was large and warm over mine.
‘There’s certainly a family resemblance with your husband, Capacia.’
‘Yes.’ The tension in Mother’s voice had butterflies flapping about in my gut. Why was she so worried about the mayor? Or maybe she was worried about Healer Euka?
‘That same report failed to mention the girl’s blindness, though I suppose it’s an inconsequential detail. How did you hurt your eyes, Adenine?’
‘She burned them a long time ago,’ Mother answered for me.
‘Oh, how tragic,’ Healer Euka said smoothly. ‘With fire?’