by M. Gregg Roe
When she arrived, she went to the woman’s changing room and found Zalina already there. “Welcome back, Audrey,” called out Zalina with a friendly smile.
“Thank you, Zalina. I’ve been really missing this.”
“You will need to report to Grasapa first,” Zalina told her.
“Okay. I understand.” She was expecting to receive another lecture.
“Greetings, peasant,” said Cinda to Audrey as she strolled in. But she stopped abruptly when she saw Zalina was there too.
“What did you just call Audrey?” asked Zalina with a look of disbelief.
“Um … peasant?” Cinda looked terrified.
Audrey quickly moved up next to Cinda and held out her hands. “It’s okay, Zalina. Cinda and I are friends now. I call her ‘rich girl’ and she calls me ‘peasant’, but it’s all in fun.”
Zalina relaxed, and Cinda sighed in relief. “I’m glad that you two are now friends,” she said, “but please don’t use those terms when you are here. I don’t care what you two call each other outside of the school.”
Cinda nodded solemnly. “I apologize, Lady Zalina. I never seem to learn, do I?”
“Yes, you do,” said Audrey with a grin. “You didn’t call me a filthy peasant.” That brought a smile to Cinda’s face and made Zalina laugh.
“That is because you are a clean peasant at present,” Cinda smilingly explained.
Audrey went to see Grasapa but didn’t receive the lecture she had been expecting. Instead, Grasapa asked her to demonstrate that she could fully utilize her right shoulder. She complied and then waited while Grasapa simply sat and thought.
“Very good, Audrey,” Grasapa finally said with a satisfied look. “Today you will be assisting Nissa to teach a woman’s self-defense class.”
It wasn’t what she had expected or wanted, but she wasn’t about to object. And it was certainly better than another lecture. She agreed, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Erwin and Falk were also assisting, taking the role of assailants. They were both happy to see her back. Afterward, she spoke privately with Nissa.
“What were you thinking?” asked Nissa, utilizing her standard rapid-fire delivery. “You live with people who can use magic to heal you and you didn’t ask them for help? You’re crazy! When I get hurt bad, I have to go to a temple for help, and I feel guilty if I don’t give them a donation. But I go even if I’m broke. I figure I can always make it up to them later.”
“Okay, okay,” replied Audrey as she held up her hands. “I messed up. You don’t need to lecture me. I’ve already heard it from Almera, from Draymund, and especially from Grasapa. Saxloc would probably lecture me too if he knew what I had done.”
“What’s going on with you and Saxloc?” she asked eagerly. “Has anything changed?”
Audrey sighed before replying, “No. Nothing ever seems to change anymore. It’s frustrating.”
“Then you should just give up and find a boyfriend,” said Nissa with a shrug.
“I’m working on it. I’ve been out with Erwin twice, and I plan to see him again.”
“Erwin’s nice. I think you’d make a good couple.”
“Maybe. I hope so.”
“Are you really friends with Cinda now?” Nissa asked, looking skeptical. “She’s been saying that, but most of us don’t believe her. I thought you two really hated each other.”
“We did,” admitted Audrey. “But now we’re good friends. She lives close by, and we go to each other’s houses to visit.”
“Really? Well, I guess that’s good. But I still don’t like her. She’s snooty.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Audrey went for a long walk that evening despite it being cold and damp. There weren’t many people out, and that suited her just fine. All she really wanted to do was think things through.
She had been in the Witch’s City for over four months. She had learned many things. She had made friends, including an unlikely one. She had found in Shorinken what might be her life’s calling. She loved living in the mansion, but the situation was just untenable. It was causing problems for all four of them, and also for Gabriel and his mother. Almera simply refused to cancel the engagement. Audrey suspected that she now feared how Saxloc would react if he found out that his mother was the one responsible. It certainly wouldn’t be pretty.
Audrey was beginning to seriously doubt her plan to accompany Saxloc on an adventure; he would never agree. Hankin and Siljan probably wouldn’t either. Thanks to Saxloc’s lies, she was certain that they both still had terrible opinions of her. Gabriel knew the truth, but he was also Saxloc’s best friend. And even Gabriel didn’t approve of the way that she had gotten herself to the Witch’s City. For that matter, she didn’t approve of it herself.
She had also begun to imagine how she might fare during an adventure. She could handle someone armed with a dagger, but what if they had a sword or a big axe? Fighting unarmed against creatures with teeth and claws also sounded like a bad idea. She knew that Grasapa had once been an adventurer, so it must be possible, but that didn’t mean that it was possible for her at her current level of training.
Audrey continued walking and thinking hard. By the time she finally returned home, she had made several decisions.
She would speak honestly with Grasapa about her concerns about training to be an adventurer. If Grasapa advised her to just give it up, then she wouldn’t protest. She would simply go back to taking the regular classes.
She would start investigating possible jobs. With her skills, she hoped to find employment as an assistant to a seamstress or tailor, but she would settle for working as a cook if necessary. Even a job like Nissa’s would at least allow her to survive, although she could hopefully find one in a nicer place. She had walked by the Axe & Spear, and she didn’t like the looks of it at all.
She would scout out possible places to live because she was going to have to move out eventually. Her only real options were a small apartment or renting out a room from someone. She hoped to find something relatively close to Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy, but she wasn’t sure if the apartments in that area were affordable.
She would start saving up money. The money that she earned from Almera had seemed generous at first, but it always seemed to go quickly. She needed to buy some new clothing if only to replace those that were worn out. She had stopped donating at the Temple of Arwon, but that made her feel guilty. She would resume her donations, although they would be smaller than in the past.
She would restart her relationship with Erwin. She liked him and hoped that he still liked her enough to try again. This time, she would make certain that she didn’t end up inebriated. Saxloc just seemed to think it was funny when she got drunk, but Erwin had obviously been bothered by it.
And if things didn’t work out with Erwin, then she would find someone else. She wanted—needed actually—to find someone. She wanted a boyfriend. She wanted someone to love her. She wanted someone to make love to her because her first time certainly hadn’t been very enjoyable. She needed someone, and Saxloc was no longer an option.
19
‡ Desire ‡
Nothing went according to plan.
Instead of her next lesson, Audrey ended up speaking with Grasapa. She spoke at length of her concerns about adventuring. She apologized again for over-training and injuring herself, and for her altercations with Cinda. She told Grasapa that she was willing to return to the regular classes with the other students.
Grasapa sat patiently and listened, occasionally asking for a clarification or more detail. When she finally finished, Grasapa smiled and said, “Audrey, I am very pleased. Now I truly believe that you understand what is involved in becoming an adventurer. When you return for your next lesson, I will begin teaching you how to properly fight with a knife. It is a useful skill to have, and we often teach it to the advanced students. After that, we will work on throwing knives. They allow you to attack from a distance and are easily concealed. Is that agreeabl
e?”
It was more than agreeable, it was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.
After her talk with Grasapa, Audrey waited around for Erwin to finish his class and change clothes. They walked together after leaving the building, and she told him about what she had decided, and that she wanted to try again.
“I’m so glad that you came to a decision,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’m leaving tomorrow on a trip to Zardis with my father. I’ve been under a great deal of pressure to learn the family business. It will probably be gone for about ten days, but I would like to see you after that.”
Audrey was disappointed, but she hid it and smiled sweetly. “Okay. Let me know when you get back. I’m looking forward to it.”
She was going to have to wait, but the long and passionate kiss he gave her was very encouraging.
♦ ♦ ♦
Audrey told Almera she wouldn’t be there for lunch, and she set out on her initial job search. It was cool, but otherwise a lovely and sunny day. She started out feeling optimistic, but that didn’t last. She visited tailors, weavers, taverns, restaurants, and a variety of shops. It didn’t take her long to discover that no one was interested in hiring a teenage girl as a seamstress or cook, no matter how good she claimed her skills were. Her only options appeared to be barmaid, waitress, or shop clerk, and none of them paid well. One man suggested she consider taking a job at a brothel, and she wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or offended.
The next day, Audrey asked Nissa about her job as a barmaid and was appalled to discover how little she was paid. She couldn’t imagine how Nissa could afford to even live on so little, let alone pay tuition for her training. She assumed that Grasapa must be giving her a discount, but when she asked Nissa about it, it turned out that she was wrong. Nissa’s tuition was the same, but Grasapa paid her whenever she taught a class or acted as an assistant instructor. Nissa told her that most months she was able to completely offset her tuition and even to earn some extra money. Nissa hoped to eventually become a full-time instructor and quit her job as a barmaid. That was definitely something for Audrey to think about. Becoming an instructor at the school was far more appealing than the other jobs she had been considering, and it hadn’t even occurred to her.
Audrey found that she really enjoyed her new lessons with Grasapa. She learned that most street thugs didn’t actually know how to properly fight with a knife. They waved it around like it was a sword, making it easy for a skilled opponent to simply kick it out of their hand or grab their arm. Grasapa taught a style that kept the knife well back except when it was being used to attack or defend. The style also incorporated many of the kicks and punches that Audrey had already learned.
Grasapa was pleased by Audrey’s rapid progress and soon had her practicing against others. Of these, Zalina turned out to me the most challenging. She was not only skilled but could fight equally well with either hand. Audrey had to constantly watch for the woman to switch the knife to the other hand. It was almost like facing a right-handed and a left-handed opponent at the same time.
Before long, Audrey decided that it was time to buy herself a real dagger. (The ones she used in her lessons were wood or blunted metal.) Many people in the Witch’s City walked around with some kind of sheathed knife on their belts, so she would hardly stand out if she started doing the same. She asked Draymund for advice, and he took her to a large shop that sold a bewildering variety of edged weapons, and was actually called “Sharp Edges”. The dagger Draymund recommended was more expensive than she had expected, but it looked like a good choice. He wanted to buy it for her, but she insisted on paying for it herself.
♦ ♦ ♦
Audrey was desperately trying to complete her two sewing projects because she now had a deadline. Almera was going to be hosting a large party on the final day of the year, and Audrey wanted to be able to show off her new dress, even if the new design was now somewhat embarrassing. But the robes needed to be finished too. They were fairly straightforward to make, so she decided to sew them first.
Her only real issue with the robes was solved when she showed her designs to Elina. She told Audrey that she knew how to embroider, and offered to do the names. Audrey accepted her offer but insisted on paying the woman for her work. By the end of the second month of Autumn, she was able to turn all three completed robes over to Elina, who promised to have the embroidery done quickly.
The dress was proving to be much more difficult than she had anticipated. Her design was complex, and the fabric was hard to work with. She was eventually going to need someone to help her in order to get the fit right. Cinda liked to come over and watch her sew, so Audrey drafted her to be her assistant. Cinda was flattered rather than offended, and Audrey hoped that her friend might actually learn something useful.
♦ ♦ ♦
Audrey had also begun to explore housing options. Cheap accommodations were available in the Witch’s City, but the ones she found had absolutely no appeal to her. They were either in undesirable areas, very run-down, or both. They probably wouldn’t have looked that bad to her when she first arrived, but after months of living in a luxurious mansion, she just couldn’t imagine living like that.
She realized that she had become completely spoiled. She still cooked and did some cleaning, but the only laundry she did were her uniforms. Every ten days, she returned home to find fresh bed linens, clean towels, and all of her dirty clothing clean. And the rooms were always spotless. She certainly wasn’t going to have maid service when she moved out.
The more she thought about the things she would have to give up when she moved out, the more depressing it became. There would be no more running water, and no hot water unless she heated it herself. There would be no large tub to soak in. There would be no flush toilet. She would have to go back to using a privy. Or a bedpan. She didn’t even like to use the more primitive toilets at Cinda’s house.
The list went on. She would have to cut her own hair or find someone to do it for her cheaply. And there would be no more expensive hair products. She didn’t even have her own combs or brushes anymore; she had thrown away the pathetic ones that she had brought with her. She was going to have to buy everything, and it would all have to be cheap.
Audrey would also be giving up something that she had come to dearly love: the incredible grounds that surrounded the mansion. She absolutely adored strolling the paths and looking at all of the lovely flowers and trees. And it was completely private. They probably wouldn’t object to her coming over to walk the grounds after she moved out, but it just wouldn’t be the same.
Audrey decided to speak with Almera about it one morning as they were fixing breakfast. “Almera, I have concluded that I am now so spoiled that I won’t be able to move out of here until I have enough money to buy or build some place just as nice. But I strongly suspect that I will die of old age first.”
Almera was very amused. “Very well. I would offer to arrange for you to have this place after Draymund and I pass away, but we may well outlive you.”
“That’s true,” laughed Audrey. “I hadn’t thought about it, but it’s going to be a very long time before Saxloc inherits this place. Well, unless the two of you decide to move out.”
“Oh no. We are not leaving. Saxloc will have to find somewhere else to live.” Almera grinned. “But you can stay as long as you like.”
“Good. Then it’s decided. Saxloc will move out and I will stay here for the rest of my life. I’ll start looking for a husband, and then we will live here and raise our children. Well, that’s a relief. My future is now assured.”
Almera looked wistful. “I know that you are joking, Audrey, but that actually sounds quite nice. I sometimes miss having children running around. That is one reason I visit Ermizad so often. Her daughter Ermiana is adorable.”
Almera suddenly looked serious as she asked, “How is your reading going? It sounds like you have been neglecting it.”
“Uh …”
Audrey ha
d been neglecting it. She just had too much to do.
♦ ♦ ♦
After being sternly lectured by Almera for neglecting her studies, Audrey made time and read a good-sized portion of the book about Andoran. It was wordy, but it also covered a lengthy timespan. No one seemed to know exactly when Andoran had been born, or where for that matter, but it was indisputable that he had lived for over two thousand years.
Andoran had possessed immense magical powers, as had another man named Rymac. The two had cooperated for many centuries, bringing peace to much of Thren and doing a great deal of good. Then something happened between them that transformed them into enemies.
The Wizard’s War had devastated large portions of Thren, killing countless innocents. Finally, a mighty warrior named Valadek appeared and slew Rymac with a magical sword that was said to have been given to him by the gods themselves. Andoran fled, and Valadek became the High King of all Thren. Valadek was greatly revered, and his descendants ruled after him.
Everyone believed that Andoran had perished, but eight hundred years later he reappeared with a massive and powerful army. Shipbuilding became the primary industry as people began to flee Thren, making dangerous voyages across the Great Ocean as they sought new lands to settle. Within four years, Andoran ruled all of Thren. The few survivors worshiped him as a god.
Andoran’s reign over Thren was relatively brief. After only sixty years, he created the Gray Forest around a small portion of Thren and retreated within it. Outside what came to be known as Andoran’s Realm, things slowly returned to normal. Meanwhile, some of those who had fled had indeed found new lands and thrived. Occasionally, ships would return from those new lands bringing news and trade goods, but not often.
♦ ♦ ♦
On the last day of the second month of Autumn, Audrey received an unexpected job offer. The pay was quite generous—easily enough for her to afford her tuition at Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy. The work hours would allow her to maintain her current afternoon training schedule. Meals and housing were provided as well. The establishment was every bit as modern as Draymund and Almera’s mansion. It even had a lovely wooded area in back and flower gardens in front. But there was one major issue: It was a brothel.
