The sky transformed into a beautiful mixture of vibrant colours as the first rays of the sun appeared, signalling the arrival of a new day. The narrow streets were silent, only the chirping birds and the rhythmic clatter of my cart were echoing between the tall, wooden buildings. A warm breeze swayed my dark locks against my damped cheeks. Although summer was just beginning, the heat in the air was already warning me of the forthcoming warmth of the day.
It would be the eleventh day without rainfall, we would have to be even more wary of our water if we wanted to get through this summer. I cast a concerned glance at the flowers that were nestled within my cart, their sweet scent attracting the attention of buzzing bees.
If the rumours circulating in town were to be believed, it would be an even worse drought than the one we had three summers ago. Anxiety gnawed at me, how could I tend my flowers if the townsfolk themselves were deprived of sufficient water? I should be extra careful with my funds if I want to get through the next couple of months.
As I approached the town's square, the sounds of joyous banter grew louder. The market vendors were chatting with each other while setting up their stalls, sharing captivating tales and thrilling rumours that they brought from other parts of our world.
I weaved my way through the maze of stalls, catching glimpses of baskets full of fresh food, tables covered with colourful fabrics and displays showcasing exquisite hand-painted pottery. Amidst the organized chaos, stood Lord Wilfred Thorbrand, the town councillor. His confident demeanour demanded obedience and attention from the queue of people forming before him, as he checked the names of the extensive list clutched in his hand. I joined the rear of the line, patiently awaiting my turn.
"State your name and the goods you trade", Lord Thorbrand's piercing gaze bore down on me as he waited for my answer. I felt a tremor of anxiety as I replied. "Esmara, selling flowers and healing herbs."
Despite facing him several days a week, his demeaning posture still managed to unnerve me. Dressed in long, green velvet robes and matching hat, he exuded wealth and power and it was clear that he commanded respect and order.
His eyes roamed over his list, a deep frown creasing his forehead as he knit his bushy eyebrows together. Finally, his stern voice declared, "Ah, there you are. You will be situated on the western side of the church, next to the baker's stall. The fee for your placement is two grey shards."
I retrieved my pouch that was tucked beneath the folds of my dress, took out two metal coins and placed them into the outstretched hand of the councillor.
Pushing my cart towards the appointed area, I was greeted by many familiar faces. "Good morning, Esmara!" called out Mrs Wheatley as I arrived at my stall. Her warm smile lit up her face as she passed loaves of bread to her husband who was arranging everything neatly. Her locks of grey hair were put together in a tight bun. Remnants of flour smudged her apron, dress and even her face, proof of her early morning efforts in baking all the fresh goods. "How are you today?"
"I'm doing well, thank you. How are you and Mr Wheatly doing?" I replied while preparing my own stall.
Mrs Wheatly sighed, her face reflecting a touch of fatigue. "Oh, dear, I've had a restless night. I can feel an unsettling sensation in the air. I blame it on the full moon, that bloody thing was as big as a dragon's egg last night."
Mr Wheatly interjected with a hint of irritation, "Not this again, Astrid! Talking about moons and superstitions."
"It's not mere superstition" Mrs Wheatly defended herself, her voice tinged with conviction. "Strange things are happening. I had a chat earlier with a vendor from Olmsfield who told me that more and more shifters have been spotted in his town for weeks now."
A gasp escaped my lips, my eyes widening in surprise, the flowers in my hand forgotten. "Shifters?" I whispered, unable to conceal my astonishment.
"Oh, yes" Mrs Wheatly nodded eagerly, knowing that she had my full attention in her grasp. "The man told me that they've been coming in for weeks now, scouting out the town. Maybe they are searching for a way to take over our villages, who knows? There was even a rumour that there was an encounter between two shifters about a woman they both loved and that they destroyed the local tavern during a fight. Apparently, a young human girl and her mother have been severely injured because of it."
"Nonsense" grumbled Mr Wheatly. "We have a treaty with the shifters for more than twelve decades now. They wouldn't jeopardize that for something so preposterous."
Mrs Wheatly puffed, irritated by her husband's words. "It's not mere nonsense. My grandfather used to say that these shifters would slaughter each other for even less. Imagine what they did to us normal folks. We should go back to the old days, I'd say. Hunting them down before they hunt us."
"I agree with you" Hollis, a middle-aged woman who is also a regular trader like us, mingled with the conversation. She was installing her booth with fabrics opposite us. "My sister knew some people who had been up north once and she was told that the werewolves had underground dungeons over there. Torturing humans just for their amusement."
Mrs Wheatly gasped, even Mr Wheatly's face turned a few shades paler. "What did I tell you" Mrs Wheatly sputtered to her husband. "These beasts have it in on us, aiming for our houses and children. I'm sure of it." Hollis nodded with her head, agreeing eagerly with the words of Mrs Wheatly.
"The moon is telling us something" she continued. "And you know how they worship the moon. I even heard they hold a feast every full moon, sacrificing virgin human girls to their moon goddess and eating them raw on a silver platter." Mrs Wheatly's eyes snapped to mine, looking at me sadly. "You young girls should be extra wary. Apparently werewolves like to breed with human girls too."
"That's nothing" Hollis added with a chilling tone. "Naguals on the southern islands will haunt you in your dreams, giving you sleepless nights until you die from exhaustion. And berserkers like to bathe in the blood of the prey they murdered."
"That's enough". Mr Wheatly interrupted the two women when he noticed that his wife opened her mouth eagerly to comment on Hollis. "Don't scare that girl with more of your rubbish tales." He added while nodding his head to me. I listened full of dread to their stories and each new one sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't have to look in the mirror to know that the fear drained the colour from my face. I was already scared enough of shifters without these tales, so I was grateful for Mr Wheatly to put an end to their chatter. However, his statement sounded less secure than before.
Mrs Wheatly and Hollis noticed my startled attitude, as they didn't go against him but continued to share their titbits among themselves.
I returned my attention to my stall, trying to alter my thoughts on my flowers and herbs but my mind kept returning to the things the two women said to me.
Were the shifters really harbouring some hidden agenda like Mrs Wheatly suggested? Having dungeons full of people or sacrificing them sounded a bit exaggerated, but then again, what would I know? Just like most people in this village, I never left our town Terrassen. The stories we hear from visiting merchants and buyers are what make our lives more exciting. Having to believe in the rumours they told us for we had little knowledge of the outside world to compare it with.
I've only met three werewolves in my entire life, it wasn't that scary but I only witnessed them from a safe distance. I never really encountered one. There are only some facts that I know to be true.
One is that there are seven shifters in our world, and each one of them can shift into another beastly creature. The shifters are divided over several continents, we share ours solely with the werewolves. We have to cross the oceans in order to meet other shifters.
I also know that these shifters can grow to be hundreds of years old. They are stronger, faster and bigger than us mere humans, making them almost indestructible, immortal beasts.
Lastly, it is known that the humans and shifters have forged a treaty, in order to protect both humankind and beasts.
Back in the old days, humans used to hunt the shifters as fiercely as the beasts did. Faced with the overwhelming supernatural strength of the shifters, humans relied on their ingenuity and intellect to invent weapons that aid them in a fight. The devastating consequences of the last war inflicted heavy losses upon both humans and shifters, which led to the treaty we honour today.
The tales we've been told as children, recount a world where fear permeated the very air we breathed. Women and children were confined within the walls of their own homes for their safety. Imprisoned almost their entire lives, and obliged to have as many children as possible to ensure the human race would survive.
Men had to fight every day, experiencing a constant struggle for survival. The boys were taken away from their families when they were just fourteen years old, forced to fight in the war.
I am grateful for the treaty we have today. I can't imagine the hardships people had to go through, the constant fear they would have endured every day. Although the treaty didn't foster a bond between us that we would treat each other as friends or family, it did establish that we could share our world in harmony now, allowing us to coexist peacefully. We could now focus on building our own lives rather than destroying each other's.
All of a sudden the town bell rang, its sound ranging across the entire town, signalling the start of the market. I swiftly took the last pieces of goods off my cart before I took my place behind my stall. Forgetting the conversation I had earlier, I concentrated solely on my flowers, creating all kinds of bouquets before the customers arrived.
It didn't take long before I had my first buyer, a young man searching for some chamomile flowers for his younger sister who had been suffering from an irritated cough for weeks. An older man, wanted to buy a bouquet of flowers for his wife, surprising her with this gift for their anniversary. The little girl and her mother who came next were regulars. The mother suffered from aching bones, she always bought some birch leaves from me that reduced her pain. I was very fond of them, she was not just buying her necessities, but also showed interest in my personal life.
"Here is your medicine Marielle" I tied the leaves together in some wrapping paper and gave it to the mother, who took the package from me with slightly trembling hands. "I added some extra leaves, so feel free to take two each day. It would definitely aid with the pain."
"How kind of you, Esmara" she replied. "How much do I owe you for the extra?"
"The same as always, no extra charges. Consider it as a gift from me." I reassured her quickly when I noticed she wanted to repay me.
"Thank you, Esmara. You are truly a kind soul." Marielle spoke, her voice filled with gratitude, as she gave me two bronze knods.
I turned my attention to Marielle's daughter, who was eying the flowers during our talk. "And what flower would you like to have today, Tauriel?" Tauriel's face lit up with excitement as she contemplated the options. It became a custom to gift the little girl with a flower whenever they visited the market. Tauriel wanted to be a florist just like me when she grew up, or so she said. "I don't mind, Esmara. Surprise me!" Tauriel finally replied, a joyful glimmer in her eyes.
I gazed at my flowers carefully, wanting to surprise her with something great before I reached for my favourite flower. Its crimson petals were dancing radiant in the summer breeze. I placed it in Tauriel's outstretched hand. "Here you go, my favourite flower, can you guess what it is?"
Tauriel's face turned thoughtful as she considered the answer. "Is it a poppy?" She replied, a note of hesitation lacing her voice.
"Very good," I exclaimed, impressed by her quick answer. "Do you also know what their meaning is?"
"It's a flower that serves as a tribute to the loved ones we have lost. It's a symbol of honouring those who gave their lives in times of war."
"Again, correct answer. You will become a great florist one day if you keep studying like that." Tauriel's smile widened with the compliment and thanked me before clutching the flower close to her chest. I turned my attention back to Marielle, who gave me a thankful nod. "How is your father doing, Esmara? Has he finally recovered from his cold?"
"Yes, he is much better now. He even returned to his work a couple of days ago. Thank you for asking."
"I always say that the labour in the harbour is too much, especially for men your father's age. However, we must persevere in order to make ends meet, don't we?" Marielle sighed, fully aware of the toll that hard labour can take on the body.
"Please, convey my best wishes to your father and take care of each other, Esmara. Once again, thank you for the flower and the herbs," she added, before clutching her daughter's hand and vanishing into the bustling crowd.
I turned my gaze back to the flowers, creating more bouquets of flowers when all of a sudden the crowd gasped in shock. A wide path was created, allowing a tall figure, to get through.
The stranger was draped in a long, hooded cloak that concealed its features. Whispers rippled over the square, as the people fixed their eyes on the foreigner, making its way to my stand. The stranger towered over me, scanning my goods carefully. "Do you sell anything against poisoning?" the stranger asked, her voice sounding uncomfortable. At that moment, I understood the unease that had gripped the onlookers. The stranger before me was a werewolf.
My eyes widened and my heart quickened to a fast pace as fear washed over me. Paralyzing my thoughts and movements.
"I'm not here to harm you" the werewolf reassured me quickly with a pleading expression in her bright green eyes, a few blond curls peeked out of her hood, framing her face.
Her tall and muscular physique was in stark contrast to my slim build, making me feel even more vulnerable. I quickly averted my gaze to my feet, scared to offend the werewolf if I looked her in the eye for too long.
"I just wanted to buy some medical herbs. But if I make you uncomfortable, I can leave and search elsewhere" she added, her words barely audible.
I struggled to compose myself, the hurt in her voice made me regret my reaction toward the shifter, yet, I couldn't bring myself to meet her gaze. Years of ingrained fear gripped me, whispering warnings in my ear. However, when the werewolf started to move away, my regret heightened, leaving me feeling a strange guilt.
"Wait," I whispered, struggling to conceal the quiver in my voice. "What do you need?"
The werewolf let out a sigh, evidently relieved that I would assist her. "My friend, she was caught in a silver trap," she began, her speech rapid as if she understood my apprehension. "We were able to remove all of the pieces, however, I am to believe that the poison is still affecting her in some way. She keeps limping on her bad leg and the communication between us has been suffering from noise ever since then. Hence I am now standing here before you."
I listened to her flood of words attentively, yet I had no clue what she was talking about. I was conflicted, unsure whether I should ask further questions for more clarity or just give her something random so she would leave. The werewolf waited for me to provide her with the necessary goods as if she didn't just speak in riddles. The uncomfortable silence between us became oppressive as the seconds slipped by.
"Is she sensitive to metal?" I finally asked, listening to my initial instinct. I still hadn't lifted my gaze from my feet.
"Well yes, but silver only" the werewolf girl responded, as it was an obvious fact.
"I'm not sure about silver" I began as I reached for the big pile of green herbs and weeds rapidly. "But garden cress, seaweed, parsley and purslane are always good for removing toxins."
"I buy them all" the girl exclaimed immediately. "How much does it cost?"
"Four gilded crowns" I answered, stunned that someone would buy such a large amount of herbs. I heard her rummaging through her pouch, carefully counting the appropriate number of coins before holding out her hand, offering the money.
"A few extras, as a token of gratitude" she explained as I gaped at the six golden coins in her hand.
I cautiously lifted my head, mustering the courage to meet the werewolf's gaze, and was met with a surprisingly gentle look in her eyes. Still, my hand trembled as I accepted the coins and carefully handed over the bundle of herbs to her.
"Believe it or not, but you're the third herbalist I visited today; no one else was willing to assist me." She smiled sadly, securely tucking the herbs away in her pocket. "Thanks again, human" she uttered while leaving the stall and disappearing into the distance.
As soon as the werewolf was out of sight, a group of people engulfed me, bombarding me with questions about the encounter. They pressed me for details, seeking to understand the intentions of the werewolf and whether I knew her. I tried to calm the crowd and provide answers, but my words fell on deaf ears. Fear spread among them like wildfire, as they exclaimed that shifters were probably trying to invade Terrassen too.
"What's going on?!" Lord Thorbrand shouted, interrupting the group of people who were getting more restless by the minute. The group responded loudly, trying to overpower each other's voices as they were eager to answer the question first.
"One at a time" Lord Thorbrand ordered with a stern voice. He was greeted with immediate silence. "You" he barked, pointing at a black-haired man who was standing in the middle of the crowd, "speak."
"There was a shifter here in Terrassen my lord, she seemed to know the girl" he spoke while gesturing at me, a smug expression on his face as he was chosen to utter the first words. I shook my head forcefully as all eyes were directed at me again.
"Is this true?" Lord Thorbrand asked his attention now on me.
"Well yes, there was a shifter here" I stuttered in a small voice. "But I did not know her my lord. She simply wanted to buy some of my goods."
"So what seems to be the problem?" he asked again, refocusing his gaze back to the crowd.
"It was a shifter, my lord, they don't have any business here in our town" Hollis objected, taken aback by the lack of a shocked reaction from the councillor. Some people murmured in agreement.
Lord Thorbrand looked irritated by her statement. "We have a treaty, don't we?" Hollis nodded but opened her mouth to utter more. "But you know what they say– "
"SILENCE!" Lord Thorbrand's face turned red with anger. The veins in his face looked like they were about to explode as he was not used to contradiction of any kind. Hollis's lips were pressed together tightly, withdrawn by the hostile demeanour of the councillor. "I will have order in my town" he continued to bark. "There is no room for whispers of tales and rumours, am I understood?"
He was met with agreeing mumbles from the crowd. Hollis nodded once more, this time accepting her defeat in silence. Satisfied with the response, Lord Thorbrand turned away, striding back to his post with confident steps.
The crowd dispersed, most returning their attention to their own pursuits. However, a few gave me a resentful glare, as if I were the cause of the disturbance that had just occurred.
Ignoring their stares, I began to tidy up my stall. The day was drawing to a close anyway and it felt like a good time to pack everything up. And thanks to the generosity of the werewolf I had earned even more than the past two weeks combined.
I purchased a loaf of bread from Mr and Mrs Wheatley, who gave me a sympathetic look and pushed my cart towards the harbour.