by Eric Vall
Chapter 11
When the five of us walked outside, I was unsure of how much time had passed. The sun appeared to be in approximately the same position as it had been before. That meant that either hardly any time had passed since we had entered the dungeon, or that we had been inside of our illusions for so long that the sun had made at least one full cycle since our arrival. It was possible that time in the illusions moved at a much slower pace than the real world. If this were the case, it would be impossible to determine how much time had gone by, but it didn’t matter. There was nothing that we could do but move on to the next dungeon. Distressing over time lost would serve us no purpose.
As the women began to make the necessary preparations for our departure, I summoned my shadow slaves and sent them into the dungeon to see what treasure they could find. When the creatures returned, Carmedy and Rana gasped as piles of gold and jewels floated out of the tunnel. I didn’t know if they were still not used to my shadow slaves or if they were simply pleased with the amount of treasure that was piled into brown sacks on the donkey cart.
“Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.” Rana rubbed her paws together excitedly. As the last armful of loot was placed in the cart, the fox woman began to rummage through the contents in the same way as I had seen her do outside of my dungeon. She sat cross-legged in the back of the cart and carefully scooped out one pawful after another of the treasure. She frowned as she examined each of the jewels and trinkets that she had removed. Nothing seemed to catch her eye this time, and she replaced the contents before moving on to look through the other two bags. After she had sifted through the last bits of golden goods, she sighed and began to pour what she had taken out back into the third sack. Then she ran a paw through her messy red curls and bit her lip in frustration.
“Did you not find any of the trinkets pleasing?” I asked the fox as I walked toward the cart. I figured that it was about time I tried to get to know the red-headed woman better. I knew that she wasn’t too fond of me as she had already so boldly informed me.
“Huh?” Rana turned to me and furrowed her red brows.
“The last time you looked through the treasure you found that talisman.” I pointed to the jewelry around the fox woman’s neck. “Was there nothing that suited your tastes among this horde?” I gestured to the bulging bags. Rana’s blue eyes blinked rapidly, and she pinched her lips together tightly.
“No, I didn’t find anything that suited my tastes,” she said mockingly. “What’s it to you? You some sort of jewelry expert or something?”
“Not at all,” I said calmly. “It was merely an observation. I was trying to make conversation.”
“Yeah well, I don’t really feel like talking right now,” Rana sneered. “We need to get moving anyhow.” She hopped off the back of the cart and walked past me without another word.
I knew that she still didn’t trust me. Rana didn’t make a habit of conversing with me, and the few verbal exchanges that had taken place between us always seemed to end badly. It didn’t seem to matter what I said to the red-headed woman. Every word that came from my mouth seemed to offend her in some way.
Still, I needed to spend more time in conversation with her if I was going to gain her trust. This would also help me to discover what she was trying to keep from the rest of us. The way that she had reacted when Carmedy had spoken of the sacred objects was very peculiar. Her mood had changed so abruptly. The topic seemed to anger her, and I wanted to know why.
But for now, I would leave her alone. She was clearly upset after her examination of the treasure, and I found it hard to believe that she would have been so troubled merely because there hadn’t been a piece of jewelry that struck her fancy. There was more to it than that, but I didn’t know what. At least, not yet.
A few minutes later when we were almost ready to leave, I observed Rana speaking to Morrigan beside the cart. The elf had her usual bored and self-righteous expression plastered across her face, and Rana appeared to be the one doing all the talking. Suddenly, the pale elf’s expression changed to a look of curiosity, and she looked over Rana’s shoulder in the direction of the treasure chests. She was no longer listening to the fox-tailed female, though she may not have been, to begin with.
Morrigan slowly walked around Rana who was in mid-sentence.
“Um, excuse me, I was talking.” The curly-haired fox wrinkled her nose at Morrigan’s blatant rudeness, but the elf didn’t notice. She made her way to the back of the cart and hoisted herself up into it, then slowly bent down to pick up a small flat brown bundle that hadn’t been replaced into the wooden boxes. I walked a bit closer and saw that the tied-up bundle was made of leather and there were elvish letters etched into the material. Morrigan softly ran a pale hand across the leather.
“Anything interesting?” I asked as I leaned forward to peer over the cart’s side. Despite her irritation, Rana also walked over to see what the dark-eyed woman had found.
“Yes,” Morrigan said quietly, and she began to untie the string that bound the item. After she did so, she unfolded the leather piece to reveal an array of eight very impressive-looking daggers of various sizes. Some came to a straight point, others had a very sinister looking curve. Despite those differences, each blade was made from gleaming flawless metal, and I marveled at the craftsmanship. Every weapon bore a twisted silver handle that resembled the body of a serpent. The creature's eyes were two black gems, and its scales had been carved with remarkable skill, it looked incredibly realistic. The quillon curved downward and reminded me of a pair of bat’s wings.
“They’re incredible.” I nodded to the small weapons.
“Yeah, they are pretty cool looking.” Rana nodded in agreement.
“Of course they are,” Morrigan said nonchalantly. “They are elvish daggers. Elves are known for crafting weapons that are not only impressive in appearance but also in combat.”
“Yes, I know,” I said with a slight chuckle.
“Take them.” Morrigan held them out to Rana.
“What?” Rana furrowed her brow. “Why? I don’t need them.”
“Of course you do,” Morrigan said as she dropped the leather bundle into Rana’s paws. “Being of High Elvish descent, I, of course, am worthy to wield such weapons. However, seeing as though I am a master of the dark arts, I have no use for them,” the elf said callously.
I held back a chortle at the word master, Morrigan was nowhere near that title.
“You, Rana,” Morrigan continued, “may not be worthy of such prestigious weaponry, but you must carry something to defend yourself. You will not find a more capable set of daggers.” The white-haired woman nodded. “Use them and endeavor to deserve them,” Morrigan said plainly, and she walked away.
“Gee thanks,” Rana snorted, but her eyes lingered over the elvish weapons, and she carefully rewrapped the leather bundle before she placed them next to her seat on the cart. Morrigan’s words may have been offensive, but in her own way, it had been kind that she had bequeathed the daggers to Rana. And Morrigan was right, there were few weapons better than those crafted by the High Elves.
The women finished their preparations quickly, and after a quick meal, we were soon on our way. We agreed to stop at the next town to sell the treasure from the illusion goddess’s cave so that we could buy more supplies. After a few hours of travel, the edge of a town began to come into view.
This town was no better off than the last one that we had passed through. However, it was a great deal larger. As we rode through the bustling cobbled streets, I beheld the tall structures of crumbled stone and wood swollen with rainwater which reached up all around us. The tightly packed buildings were at least five or six stories tall, and I could only barely make out the edges of the roofs that sat atop them. Countless clotheslines were strung above our heads in between the buildings. Dingy linens, worn shirts, and socks that had more holes than material flapped in the breeze. As our party dismounted and proceeded to tether our riding animals in front of one
of the shops, I looked at the town’s inhabitants more closely.
The townsfolk that passed by had the look of peasants. Many of their faces were dirty, and their clothes held an array of patches. Men’s trousers were held up by pieces of rope, and most of the children raced through the streets in bare feet. These people reminded me a bit of Rana. Not physically, of course, the townsfolk were primarily human with the occasional elf mixed in. No, it was their manner of dress, something I noted as Rana tied up the donkey and spoke with Carmedy.
Rana always appeared to be clean. Her face was never smeared with dirt and grime like these people. But her clothes, while tidy, did have patches, and they were ill-fitting. The cream-colored long sleeve shirt that she wore had a yellow tint as though it had been stained by too many hours in the sun. The sleeves were always rolled up to her elbows, and due to the size of the cuff, I suspected that the sleeves were too long. The dark blue vest that she wore over it was faded, and the black trousers that she wore seemed too large for her. She never wore shoes, but I didn’t know if that was because she preferred her fox feet to be free of coverings or because of financial reasons. While I knew nothing of her past, or which of the continents she hailed from, it was clear that she came from a humble background.
As Rana continued to speak with Carmedy, she became aware of my gaze, and she wrinkled her nose at me.
“What’s with you?” She smirked. I figured that if I were to tell her the true reason as to why I had been staring at her, it would come across as rude.
“I was thinking about your talisman.” I pointed to the piece around the fox’s neck.
“Yeah, what about it?” Rana asked suspiciously.
“You seem quite pleased with it,” I said as I approached the fox woman. “I thought that perhaps I could help you find something similar to it. May I see it?”
“No,” Rana said quickly, and she took a step back as she placed a paw over the talisman’s chain protectively. “You don’t need to see it, and I don’t need you to go jewelry shopping for me.”
“As you wish.” I folded my hands behind my back. She had bought my story, but unfortunately, my lie had upset her even further. I would have to be more careful in my interactions with her or she would never trust me.
“Alright,” Annalíse said to the rest of us as we formed a group beside the cart. “Who’s going to stay behind while we trade all of this in?” She gestured to the treasure-laden bags in the cart.
“I’ll stay!” Carmedy said cheerfully. “I promise I’ll--”
“Don’t even think about it, pussycat.” Rana held up a paw to silence Carmedy. “No adventures for you today, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Agreed.” Annalíse eyed Carmedy who began to pout. “Morrigan?” Annalíse turned to the elf.
“Very well.” Morrigan shrugged. “I shall remain here.”
“Good,” Annalíse said. “The rest of us will be at that shop over there.” The freckled woman pointed to a structure about five buildings down from the one we were currently in front of. There were so many people in this town that naturally most of the hitching posts had been occupied, this was the closest that we could get. While it wasn’t ideal to walk that far with loads of valuables in tow, we had no choice. Besides, there was no cause for fear while I was present. If anyone were feeling particularly foolish and audacious today, they would quickly be put in their place.
“Send one of your ravens if you need anything, okay?” Annalíse nodded to the winged pets perched on the elf’s shoulders.
“I doubt that I will require any assistance,” Morrigan said flatly. “Should something occur, I am more than capable of handling the situation.”
“Fine.” Annalíse rolled her eyes. “Rana, I want you to handle the negotiations.”
“It would be my pleasure.” The fox bowed her head slightly and grinned.
“Alright then, let’s get going,” Annalíse said as she picked up one of the bags and turned on her heels. Carmedy followed close behind her as Rana and I grabbed the other two. As we began to walk down the street, Carmedy’s eyes bulged at the goods that the street vendors were peddling. She paused for a moment to look at a display of golden jewelry whose value I greatly questioned.
“Ooh,” she muttered as she eyed the various trinkets.
“Oh no you don’t,” Annalíse said as she grabbed Carmedy’s wrist and yanked her away. “I don’t have time for your disappearing acts today.”
“But… but I just want to look for a minute,” Carmedy whined as the swordswoman pulled her through the crowd of townsfolk. “You guys could go on ahead while I look for a bit. I won’t be long.”
“Sure, Carmedy,” Annalíse said as she weaved through the street, “and when we come back, you’d be gone and have hightailed it to another bakery or some other shop that sells shiny things.”
“There’s a bakery here too?” Carmedy excitedly looked back and forth at the buildings on either side of the street. “Where? Did we already pass it?”
“Nevermind,” Annalíse groaned. We had nearly reached the trade shop when Annalíse came to an abrupt stop. She stared ahead of her into the crowd for a moment and then quickly leapt into a nearby alley with Carmedy in tow. The cat yelped in response and almost lost her balance as she followed the swordswoman.
Why had Annalíse stopped all of a sudden? She wasn’t fond of time wasting, she had scolded Carmedy for doing so more than once. And yet she had bolted into this shadowy alleyway when we had nearly arrived at our destination.
Rana and I exchanged curious looks before our eyes rested on Annalíse, at least the parts of her that we could actually see. After the female warrior dove into the alley, she released her grip on Carmedy and proceeded to crouch behind a large rain barrel. At the moment, we could only see the tops of her chestnut-colored braids.
“What on earth are you doing?” Rana raised a red eyebrow as she approached the alley. “I don’t think this is the best time to be playing hide and seek. We’ve got stuff to sell.” Annalíse didn’t respond to the fox’s words, and Rana and Carmedy looked at each other in concern.
I turned my head in the direction that Annalíse had been facing when she stopped. Because of the way that she had hastily concealed herself, I guessed that she had seen someone she knew, and for whatever reason, she obviously didn’t want that someone to see her. I scanned the busy area, but there were far too many people in the street to tell whom exactly she had seen, so I abandoned my efforts and turned my attention back to the alley where Annalíse hid. Rana crossed her arms and tapped her fox feet impatiently.
“Well? Are you going to tell us why you’re crouching behind a barrel?” Rana asked as she swished her tail. After a few moments, Annalíse cautiously poked her head out from behind the edge, and she squinted at the cobbled road beyond the alley. She slowly rose to her feet and began to slink across the wall. Carmedy and Rana wrinkled their noses in confusion as they watched the tall warrior peer out from the alley and look up and down the street.
“Okaaay,” Rana said as she looked at Annalíse in disbelief. “You’re acting like you stole something.” The fox chuckled. “Wait, did you steal something?” Rana’s eyes widened. The freckled woman said nothing as she carefully scanned the street. I tried to follow her gaze, but her eyes didn’t seem to focus on anyone for more than a moment. Whoever she had seen was no longer there. “You did steal something, didn’t you?” Rana asked excitedly.
“Wow, I can’t believe it.” Carmedy’s mouth gaped open. “Annalíse, a thief? It doesn’t seem possible. I never thought she’d do something so… underhanded. Oh, uh, no offense Rana,” the cat said sheepishly.
“None taken.” The fox casually waved her paw.
I too was in disbelief. I had found Annalíse’s character to be noble. A woman such as she would never take up thievery, so I concluded that my earlier guess was correct, and she was hiding from someone.
“I never would have guessed. I’m so proud.” The fox wi
ped away a fake tear. “So, what was it? Gold? Jewels?”
“I didn’t steal anything,” Annalíse hissed over her shoulder.
“Aw, too bad.” Rana slumped her shoulders. “I had high hopes for you, kid. Wait, if you didn’t rob somebody, then why are you acting so sneaky?” The fox tilted her head to one side and placed her paws on her hips, but Annalíse ignored her once again and continued to survey the area. “We’re not going anywhere until you tell us what’s going on,” Rana said impatiently. Annalíse looked out at the street one final time and then she finally sighed, her tense shoulders now relaxed as she turned to Rana.
“I saw someone I knew, that’s all,” the human woman said simply.
“Alright, I get that,” Rana said slowly. “But since when do you hide from people? What did you do?” The fox narrowed her eyes.
“Yes, please tell us,” I said as I took a step toward the female warrior. “If you are in some sort of trouble, perhaps I can--”
“I didn’t do anything,” Annalíse said annoyedly as she brushed past me and walked out of the alley. “I just didn’t want to talk to them.”
“You didn’t want to talk to them?” Rana smirked. “No. When you see people you don’t want to talk to, you walk on the other side of the street. You literally threw yourself into an alley and jumped behind a barrel.”
“I agree with Rana,” I said, and the fox looked at me in surprise. “That was quite an extreme reaction. Whoever you saw, you must either despise them greatly or fear them.”
“No, it’s- Look, I saw a man that I used to know, and that’s it,” Annalíse mumbled as we followed behind her.
“Ohh, I get it now.” Realization began to flood onto Rana’s face. The fox winked at Carmedy who smiled and nodded. I glanced at the two women curiously and then looked back at Annalíse. Clearly, I had missed something, but these two seemed to have figured it out.
“He must have been pretty awful for you to want to hide from him,” Carmedy said as she and Rana jogged to match Annalíse’s long, determined strides. “Was he mean? Was he not ready to settle down?” Carmedy gasped suddenly. “Did he leave you for another woman?” She and Rana looked at the swordswoman with wide eyes in anticipation of her response. I doubted that any of Carmedy’s theories were reason enough for Annalíse to take such drastic measures to avoid someone, but I shared the cat’s desire to uncover the truth, and I eagerly awaited the female warrior's explanation.