The Walled Cities

Chapter 34

Eyeing her current project for a moment to check that she was sewing it up right, she replied, "Yes. He talked about you every night that was after you and he had done some type of trade..."

Her pause came as she blushed deeply before continuing, "At times I was jealous. Here was a young nobody that my father could talk about for hours. After awhile I had to admit that your furs and herbs were the finest quality that anyone had to offer. My father's favorite story to tell was when you showed up two years ago in the middle of a storm. You were covered in blood but had the skins of three wolves slung over your back. Apparently you collapsed just outside the gate, snow falling down all around you. Against the guards wishes he had rushed out there and hauled you and the skins all the way to the hospital. When you woke up two days later you could hardly remember anything after you had killed and skimmed the wolves just a mile from the city. He was more delighted that you woke up and healed than at the fact the wolves had been for him. Two days later when you left he described you at a man who would not let a few cuts an a bout of unconsciousness stop you from getting home. I can never forget the admiration he had for you then or since."

Reminded of the event I grunted in amusement as the memory surfaced. Perhaps it was because she had shared or maybe just because this felt right I started, "The first time I met your father, I did not know what to make of him. I was a thirteen year old kid with an old back pack and a slingshot. Cassie and Ezekiel had me and their two to look after, which was not easy. My haul had been meager, a few squirrels and rabbits I had managed to kill with the slingshot. I had a few plants that my mother and father had taught me about, but I figured they would be worthless. The trek had been the hardest walk of my life, and the wall had been huge. Not to mention the guards carrying rifles and bows and all watching me walk up to the gate and announce myself. Part of me had thought they would shoot me on the spot or send me away while they laughed. When they opened the gates I almost fell on my face in shock. Your father met me in the square. He towered over me, but there was a spark in his eye that somehow told me ai knew I could trust him. Logically he had been shocked when I had showed him my small catch. He seemed like he was going to give me money out of pity for my state, but I showed him the plants I had brought. They were still fairly fresh and so could be replanted and with the right care would grow. All I had was some Blue Starflower and some Marsh Violet. Before I could so much as ask how much he was walking me down to Mary Annes for what he deemed a proper meal. Having never had such rich food, I had gorged myself before he had stopped me. Stuffed but thankfully able to move he took me to some women who clucked her tongue as she measured me before telling him to come back in a few hors for the clothes. Never had I thought to protest, as I was so caught up in everything that was happening and all the things I had never seen before. Those next few hours Shaw spent showing me the town and asking me about myself and more specifically what I wanted out of life. Young, I had told him I wanted to make my niece and nephew to want for nothing. He laughed at this and said, that it is an admirable goal. His laugh was so much like my fathers, booming and full of delight. My tears shocked him as he patted me on the back, and spoke comfortingly to me until I stopped. When this was all done and I had begun to become rational, I asked him how much I owed for everything he had dome for me. Never had I seen someone more shocked than your father as he laughed until realizing I was serious explained that I was the one owed. Apparently you had numerous people hurt and your father the merchant he was knew that that the plants would help the people hurt. Being alive and having full confidence he could get them planted and growing, your father offered me five hundred a plant. The animals were not worth much but he thanked me for them with a old blackpowder shotgun. Cassie had it when we met her, you even told me that she was coming at us with it..."

At this Kaleyn blushed and I smiled warmly before continuing, "Fifteen hundred dollars plus a meal, a new set of clothes, and a shotgun was too much. Besides I was worried Cassie and Ezekiel would think I stole it. Your father understood my dilemma and offered to take me home along with any goods I wanted to buy. Five chickens, twenty pounds of salt, and bolts of cloth for Cassie to make clothes out of later, and I was perched besides Shaw as he guided the oxen pulling the wagon down the winding road. Cassie could barely restrain herself from swatting me until she saw what was in the wagon and Shaw explained to her hoe much I had helped the Walled City of Notredram. Shaw even had me get him more plants and promised me a decent foragers bag, a sturdy canvas tent, along with other items of my choosing when I next arrived at Notredram. That left quite an impression with Cassie, who was already struggling to handle the fact we had five chickens, plenty of salt for curing/cooking, and enough cloth to cloth everyone for a few years..."

"I remember that day. The whole city was talking about the trader whom my father had gotten the plants from. No one even stopped to consider how much he gave you in compensation. Besides those plants have multiplied and have healed plenty of people who have gotten hurt. I did not know that was you though, thank you." Kaelyn interjected.

"Shaw was and still is a good man, and merchant. He saw an opportunity and took it, without exploiting me. That is one of the reasons I have never once doubted his prices, well that and the fact I feel that I will always owe him for that first day. Now here I am teaching you how to survive and make a profit from the land. It seems fitting that I am in a way returning that day of kindness with you."