The Witch's City

by M. Gregg Roe

  They stood there for a long while, holding hands and watching the alligators.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “This cottage is amazing! Do you think if I ask nice they’ll build us one?”

  Audrey smiled at her friend, still hardly able to believe that she was there. After dinner, she had offered to show Violet where she lived now. “That’s not how it works,” she lectured. “First you need to have a fake engagement to Saxloc for several months. During that time you make yourself indispensable to Almera. Then you threaten to leave and they build you a cottage.”

  Violet shook her head. “I still can’t believe that you moved out of that … mansion thing. They would never have gotten me out of there! I’ve only been here since this morning and I never want to leave. Do you think Orian will mind living alone in Dymar while I live here?”

  Audrey laughed. She really had missed her friend. “That’s just me, Violet. I don’t like to rely on other people or accept charity. I like having my own place.”

  Violet simply shook her head and smiled.

  “Would you like some rice wine?” Audrey asked.

  “Yes, but I can’t. I’m still nursing. I’m afraid it might affect Quentin.”

  Audrey felt ashamed for not having thought of that. “Fruit juice then? It’s something you’ve never had before.”

  Violet nodded. “Sounds good.”

  Audrey fetched the jug and two cups from the kitchen and then poured for them both. Violet took a sip and nodded approvingly. “This is good. What is it?”

  “Pear juice. A pear is a fruit they grow south of here.”

  Violet took a much larger sip. “Audrey, my friend, you really have been blessed by Lasrina. You have a wonderful place to stay and this city is amazing! I can’t wait to start exploring it, but it’s going to have to wait until Quentin is older.” Violet frowned. “And by then I’ll probably be pregnant again.”

  “You don’t have to be, Violet. You can get something from the alchemists here to prevent that. It’s called AP powder. It doesn’t cost much, and it’s been working for me.”

  Her friend frowned as she thought about it. “I do remember you mentioning that before. I’m not sure how Orian will feel about it, but I’d like to get some. I’d like to wait a while before the next one. I was in bed for months! And you have no idea how painful it is to give birth, Audrey.”

  “And I’m not planning on finding out anytime soon. I’ll give you some of my supply to take with you. It’s just a powder that you mix with water or tea. Everyone here seems to use it.”

  Violet grinned. “Okay, but if it doesn’t work, I’m making you raise the next one.”

  31

  ‡ Staff ‡

  Saxloc couldn’t believe it when Audrey went forward to see the alligator that had brought their journey to Dymar to a halt. They had found themselves traveling behind a wagon filled with plant trimmings and food waste, no doubt destined to become compost.

  He watched along with her as a short, wiry man use a wooden staff to prod the creature. The alligator had stopped in the middle of the road, but he soon had it heading to the left. They walked over and watched as it descended the slope and smoothly entered the marsh. The man with the staff nodded at them as he stowed it in the wagon. He and the other two men picked up the harnesses and began to don them.

  “You seem to be coping well with your fear of alligators,” he remarked as the two of them walked back to the smaller wagon that was piled with Violet and Orian’s possessions. He would soon be pulling it from the front and steering, while his father and Orian pushed it from behind.

  “Yes, that was interesting. I need to get a staff like that for when I visit Violet.”

  “I think they sell them in the village store.” He would have offered to buy her one, but he knew she would never accept.

  Saxloc picked up the hinged wooden piece at the front of the wagon, waved at the others, and then tucked it under his left arm. He began to walk forward and pull as he felt the wagon being pushed. Audrey walked alongside to his right with a pensive look.

  “I’m going to buy one,” she declared suddenly. “And I’m also going to ask Grasapa to teach me to fight with a staff. I’d still like to learn to sword-fight some day, but this seems more appropriate. I’ll be able to fight with it and poke alligators!”

  Saxloc smiled at her overeager expression. “That sounds like a good idea, but you will need something better than the staff that man used. It’s marshwood and might break if you tried to hit someone with it.”

  “Probably. It’s too thin to make a good weapon.”

  “That was exciting!” said Violet as she walked up from Saxloc’s left.

  Her loose gray dress had short sleeves that revealed plump arms. He remembered how thin she had been when he first met her and wondered if she would be able to lose all the weight she had put on.

  “Yes,” agreed Audrey. “These alligators would barely be a light meal for the crocodile that nearly killed me.”

  “That may be true,” said Saxloc, “but don’t underestimate them. They can still be dangerous.”

  He was startled when Violet hit him on the arm while frowning comically. “Stop that! You’ll scare Audrey.”

  “It’s fine,” put in Audrey. “I’m only mildly frightened of them now. And I’m going to buy a staff to poke them!”

  “Ooh! I want one too. Is that Dymar?” asked Violet, pointing with her right arm.

  It was misty, but Saxloc could now make out the large and wide mound the village was sited on—essentially an island in the Witchmarsh. “Yes,” he replied. “That’s Dymar. Your new home.”

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “Audrey, I am very pleased that you have decided to learn how to employ a quarterstaff. I will not, however, be teaching you initially. There is a man named Piran that I will be paying to instruct you. He is both skilled and a good teacher.”

  “I see,” replied Audrey, trying not to show her surprise.

  Grasapa leaned forward slightly. “Piran is a very private man. Just learn all you can from him. You do not need to know his personal history.”

  “Okay.”

  “I mean it, Audrey. Limit yourself to questions about what you are being taught. I know you. You want everyone to be your friend, and you want to help anyone that you perceive to be troubled or in need. Do not try to socialize with him, and do not ask anyone else about him.”

  “Okay. I understand.”

  “Good. Attend your class today as usual. Two days from now, Piran will be here as your new teacher. Then you will alternate between the advanced class and quarterstaff instruction. Is that acceptable?”

  “Of course.” That sounded like a good plan.

  As Audrey walked to her classroom, she couldn’t help but wonder about her mysterious new teacher. Her curiosity was piqued. She actually had been planning to ask others, but she wasn’t about to disobey Grasapa or do something that might impact her training.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Piran did not look at all like the person that Audrey had been imagining. He was human, and she estimated him to be in his early thirties. Neither tall nor short, he seemed to be in perfect physical condition. Muscles bulged on his exposed forearms beneath his tanned skin. Short brown hair and a thin mustache contrasted with pale blue eyes. Add to that high cheekbones, a thin nose, and a dimpled chin, and Audrey thought him remarkably handsome. She couldn’t hide her surprise as she stood at the entrance to the room and stared.

  The room measured eight yards wide by six deep with a high ceiling. Two large windows on the far wall filled the room with sunlight. The floor was composed of narrow wood planks, tightly fitted together and polished smooth. Light-colored wood paneled the walls and ceiling. The only furniture was a small table to her left in the corner. On it were a pile of small towels and two leather water-skins. Leaning against the right wall were two oak quarterstaffs and two practice quarterstaffs—their ends milled down and wrapped with gray cotton.

&n
bsp; Piran was standing in the exact center of the room, poised and relaxed with his hands behind his back. He nodded at her. “I am Piran av Piran.”

  His name is the same as his father’s? Wasn’t that confusing? She nodded back, keeping her expression serious. “Audrey av Marilee.”

  Responding to his simple gesture, Audrey walked up and positioned herself facing him at a distance of two yards, standing with her arms hanging loosely at her side.

  “I will begin by demonstrating the Shorinken Staff Form,” he stated in an emotionless voice that reminded her of Wilawin. “I will first perform it slowly, which is how you will initially learn. I will then perform it at the proper speed.”

  “Shouldn’t it be called the quarterstaff form?” Audrey blurted out without thinking.

  “That is an excellent question. It should indeed be called that, but the name is traditional. A staff is a long, thin object that can be made from a variety of materials. It might serve as an aid to walking, or it might be a symbol of authority or even a magical device. A quarterstaff refers to a staff designed to be employed as a weapon, and is usually crafted from hardwood. The name comes from the traditional manner of manufacture. The trunk of a sufficiently straight hardwood tree is quartered, and a staff is fashioned from each portion.”

  “Thank you. I understand.” She remembered the blue crystalline staff that Alessandra had been carrying the first time she saw her. She wasn’t certain if that was a symbol of authority or a magical item. It might be both.

  “Please stand against the wall between the windows and observe.”

  Audrey moved to obey as he went over and picked up one of the quarterstaffs and then walked to a position directly opposite her. He assumed a pose with the staff touching the floor, held steady by his right hand grasping it at shoulder level. His left hand was held next to his waist in a guard position. He began to smoothly execute a series of movements, utilizing both the staff and his free hand if there was one. It included blocks, punches, and kicks in addition to staff moves. It was complicated and lasted for nearly four minutes, each motion slow and precise.

  He ended the form in the same location from which he had begun, and in the same pose. He nodded at her and then launched into the faster version. Graceful movements of the staff were now lightning-quick jabs, strikes, and blocks. This time he finished the form in well under two minutes, again returning to the same spot.

  Audrey was awed by his skill. She smiled as she walked up to him. “That was impressive. I am looking forward to learning the Shorinken Staff Form.”

  A nod was his only reply. “Please retrieve the other quarterstaff. I will begin by teaching you the proper methods of gripping it.”

  By the end of their session, over two hours later, Audrey had learned the first two movements of the form. She wasn’t surprised to be tired afterwards. She wasn’t accustomed to handling a quarterstaff, and performing the motions slowly was actually more difficult, requiring near-perfect balance. The two of them went over to the table and Audrey toweled off her face, neck, and arms, before draining an entire water-skin. Piran didn’t look tired, but he was sweating and clearly thirsty.

  “I expect you to practice on the days between your lessons,” he told her, still looking serious. “Do you have sufficient space?”

  “Yes. There is room outside of where I live, and I also have access to an indoor practice area if the weather is bad.”

  “Then you are quite fortunate,” he remarked.

  “Yes. I am. What I don’t have is a proper quarterstaff. Can I borrow one of these until I buy one?”

  “Yes. You may use it for as long as I am your teacher. From what Grasapa has told me, you will wish to purchase one like hers, with steel end-caps.”

  “Yes. I will eventually be using it in actual combat.”

  “Very well. I will see you in four days.”

  “Okay. Do I need to do anything to maintain it? They look like they’ve been treated with oil or something.”

  Piran raised his eyebrows with a surprised look. “Yes. Very good. It is actually a mixture of three different oils. I will bring some next time and teach you how to properly maintain the wood.”

  Audrey smiled at him. “Okay. Thank you, Piran.”

  She was surprised when he returned her smile. “You are welcome. Fare well.”

  “Fare well,” she replied as he walked out of the room.

  After she had cleaned up and changed, Audrey went to Grasapa’s office carrying her borrowed quarterstaff, finding the door open. Grasapa promptly looked up and asked, “How was your lesson with Piran?”

  “Fine. He’s a good teacher. Is his father’s name really the same as his?”

  Grasapa showed a slight frown. “Yes. Did you ask him about it?”

  “No. Of course not. I didn’t ask anything that wasn’t about what he’s teaching me.”

  “Good. Keep doing that. In time, he may warm to you and tell you something about himself. He might even smile.”

  Audrey shrugged. “He already smiled at me.”

  Grasapa was astonished. “Already? It usually takes months.”

  “Maybe he likes me,” Audrey suggested.

  “The problem in the past has been students that liked him a little too much.”

  “Well, he is incredibly handsome.” Audrey adopted an overly-serious expression. “I promise not to throw myself at him until after after he’s done teaching me.”

  “That will do,” said Grasapa, smiling. “Take care, Audrey.”

  On the way home, Audrey decided that she really would ask Piran out once he was no longer her teacher. But that was far in the future. Mastering the form and learning how to fight with a quarterstaff came first.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Saxloc scowled at Audrey as she lightly tapped him on the head with the end of her quarterstaff. “I win again,” she said with a smug look he found annoying.

  He had learned to keep her at bay using a practice longsword against her unarmed combat skills, but he had been curious about fighting against someone wielding a quarterstaff. Not having a practice staff, Audrey had improvised by sewing padded covers for the ends. He was thankful for that because she had struck him numerous times. Despite the padding, he felt certain that he was going to have quite a few bruises.

  “Are you sure you’ve only had three lessons?” he asked, pointedly looking at his practice sword that was lying off to the side. He still wasn’t sure how she had managed to disarm him.

  “Yes,” she replied with a proud look. “I’m just using some of the moves from the form I’m being taught. Maybe you should use a shield too.”

  “I don’t like fighting with a shield. I’m not used to it. I’m going to ask my father for advice. I’ll get you next time.”

  “We’re done?” she pouted. “I’m just getting warmed up.”

  “Then practice your staff form. I’m going upstairs and count my bruises.”

  Audrey laughed as he walked out of the room. After cleaning up and changing, Saxloc found his father in the parlor looking through some papers. “I need help,” he announced as he walked up. “Teach me how to fight against a quarterstaff.”

  Draymund laid down the papers and smirked. “How badly did Audrey beat you?”

  “Very badly.”

  “To be honest, son, I’m not very skilled at it either. A staff can be used for offense and defense, one-handed or two-handed. They are very effective, especially in the hands of someone skilled. Grasapa is untouchable when she’s using one.”

  “Well, Audrey is untouchable after only three lessons,” he said drolly.

  “If you want to beat her, you should consult the one who taught me most of my combat skills.”

  “Carlinda?”

  Draymund nodded. “She can teach you some techniques, but it is going to take some practice.”

  “And Audrey is just going to keep getting better. I understand. I’ll ask Carlinda. Thank you, Father.”

  It wasn’t being beat
en that was so galling, it was being beaten by someone who had been both overweight and weak a year earlier. Audrey was now taking to the quarterstaff the same way she had taken to unarmed combat. He needed to improve his skills while there was still time.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  “You and Carlinda? In the practice area? Alone?”

  “Yes. Are you jealous?”

  “Very jealous. Are you going to start dating her?”

  “Yes, Audrey. I am going to date the wife of the Captain of the Witch’s City Guard.”

  “Okay. I was just curious. So she’s going to teach you how to fight against a quarterstaff?”

  “Eventually. She insists on correcting the defects in my sword skills first. You should have heard the argument that she had with my father.”

  “She won?”

  “Yes. Remember that she’s known him since they were children. How was your visit with Violet today?”

  “Okay. She’s getting to know people there.”

  “Any alligators?”

  “No. I didn’t get to use my alligator-prodder.”

  “You could take some raw meat with you and use that to lure them onto the road.”

  “Very funny.”

  “Audrey, exactly what are we doing?”

  “What do you mean? We went to dinner, then went for a walk, and then I invited you back to my cottage. You know what happens next.”

  “Yes, I do. My question relates to your current situation.”

  “You’re the one that tied me up. I don’t like this new rope. It’s too soft.”

  “You asked me to tie you up, and I don’t want you hurt. That other rope is too abrasive.”

  “And I told you I don’t mind as long as you heal me afterward.”

  “Audrey, why did you change into that old dress and then ask me to tie you up?”

  “It’s something Cinda told me about and I wanted to try for myself. This dress is old, stained, and worn. It’s only good for rags now.”