Keeping Mrs. Dotham's warning in mind, today I stay in the market district not wanting to wander far from the Inn in case I get lost. This place is still unfamiliar to me. Now that I have some coin, I am able to buy some things and actually have a look in the stores. It's exciting being able to do this. I could buy food, toys, even a book if I wanted or an instrument too. Although I don't know how to use those. For now I'll just buy something to eat that I couldn't steal as a bird because I am interested in what kind of food this city has to offer. Like that sandwich I had yesterday. Having another one of those would be splendid.
Maybe I could buy a gift for Sebastian and the girls at the Lucky Star to show my gratitude. But what should I get them? The only gifts I have ever gotten were little trinkets. One gift I remember most though is the one I got from Elyse, it was a dessert pastry. A generous slice from a strawberry rhubarb pie. It was about a month after she came, she had it ready for me the morning after one of my private shows with Hearthgrim. It was a particularly hard night for me because I had disobeyed Hearthgrim which ended in him shocking me. Drakon wasn't impressed with me either and refused to feed me dinner. I felt utterly alone in the world that night.
Elyse had woke me early the next morning and asked me to follow her quietly to the kitchen. When we got there the piece of pie was sitting at the table. Steam was rising from it like it had been freshly made. Most of my meals were cold, nothing with too much flavor or seasoning to them. But that pie, it was sweet and sugary. The warm fruit melted in my mouth and the crust was flaky and soft. Just by eating that, it made my sorrows disappear in that moment. And I knew someone was there for me. I knew Elyse would be a good friend to me from then on.
A lump forms in my throat thinking of that memory. Elyse had been so kind to me... She had looked out for me time and time again. I need to get the satchel so I know that it is safe. I swallow down that lump continuing on down the streets. I ask a passerby where the closest bakery is and they give me the directions. Not too far from the Inn.
This bakery is smaller than the one the young King took me to but it smells just the same. Once inside, I glance around me seeing the different pastries placed on the wooden shelves. There are little labels hanging below them that I can't read. Which one would be the pie that I want? It doesn't have to be strawberry rhubarb but it's the only flavour I know...
"Are you looking for something in particular?"
I hope they do make strawberry and rhubarb pies here, it would be delightful to give one to the girls and maybe one to Sebastian.
"Miss?" Someone says behind me, tapping on my shoulder. I turn around and they are staring at me. A woman with skin as dark as a the ground after it had rained and brown eyes like an old tree in the woods stare back at me. What catches my eye the most though is her hair. Dark black, darker than mine with tight curls that puff out into a ball around her head. She's very pretty.
"Oh." I place a hand on my chest. "Sorry. Um could you," I turn back to the shelves and then back to her. "I would like a strawberry rhubarb pie please... If you have one."
She smiles. "Of course! How many would you like?"
I tell her how many then follow behind her as she walks behind the counter into a door at the back of the store. I wait on the other side grabbing the coin purse from my pocket. When she reappears there is a pie in either hand in a simple white box.
"That'll be..." She taps her fingers onto buttons of a little metal machine in front of her and it makes a ringing noise. "8 silvers please."
"Oh, okay.." I look into my purse only to find gold coin in here, no silver all gold... I bite my lip handing her one of those gold coins.
She takes it and presses more buttons and a drawer opens from the machine towards her. The gold coin drops in and she grabs more coins and hands them to me. Two silver coins. Do I keep this? She nudges her hand forward so I lift mine up. She drops them into my open palm.
"Thank you kindly and I hope you enjoy the pies." She says stacking the pies into a thin fabric bag and hands them to me.
I put the coin into my pocket. "That's it?" I ask reaching for the bag.
The lady chuckles. "Yes transaction complete. Unless you want to buy more?"
I shake my head. "No, thank you for the pies." Although looking around this shop, I could buy more. Try each of these pastries and find out which desserts I like and which I don't but I can't. I don't want to spend the money the King gave me. I still don't know why he would do such a thing when he has already paid for my living quarters. How long will he allow me to live there?
"Okay well have a lovely day then." She says with a smile then bows her head before I turn to the door.
"Thank you, you have a lovely day as well." I say as I'm leaving the store. That wasn't so bad, interacting with another person. What a nice woman...
I realize as I am walking back to the Inn after looking around some more stores, that one pie wouldn't be enough for all the girls at the Lucky Star. And it wouldn't be fair to give nothing to the King, after all he let me stay in his city and paid for my stay at the Inn... I stop in one more store hoping to find something as a gift.
"Did some shopping did we?" Mrs. Dotham asks with a raised brow as she sees me walking in with the bag hanging from my arm.
"Yes. I wanted to give something back to the women at the Lucky Star and to the King for being so generous."
She nods pursing her lips and hums. "That's nice of you to do." We share a stare then she walks to her front counter shuffling some papers around. "Dinner will be ready soon. Would you like me to bring it up to you?"
"No, I will eat down here." She gives me a nod and as I take a step up a stair, I stop, looking back to the dwarf. Her head's down while she reads the different papers. "Would you like some help with dinner?"
Her thin lips spread across her face. "I could use an extra hand." She juts her chin to my bags, "Put those away then you can come help."
I wait until night has fallen to retrieve my satchel since it is so close to the wall. I don't want to be spotted by someone in case I'm not allowed to be out there. Just to make things faster, I shift into a bird and fly out from the Inn. My windows that overlook the street open enough that I am able to push the pane out so my smaller form can fit through. If I went through the front door I might have been stopped by Mrs. Dotham and asked where I would be going at this late hour. I know I wouldn't have come up with good enough lie to get me out...
An odd feeling hits me when I land on the grass by the trees, it's been a while since I was last here. I'm not on the wall so I wouldn't be in trouble if someone found me out here... I hope. But that feeling doesn't leave me as I search the ground for my satchel. I know I hid the satchel around here somewhere, it was underneath some bushes. It had berries on it...
Trying to retrace my steps, I keep looking under the plants. It's too dark now to even see. Curse this darkness, curse this place, curse my eyes for not seeing in the dark well enough. I shouldn't have left it here. Panic builds as I search more bushes that don't have a satchel under it. Am I at the right spot? I look up to the wall seeing the tower that I climbed near. It is the north wall. I back off a ways to see the wall properly. I jumped off... Glided down a ways. I follow the path that I flew towards the city. There weren't any trees around or tall grass.
A few moments pass as I keep my eyes to the ground and underneath a small bush with little red berries growing on it, I see the satchel. Thank the Divine it's still here and nothing is damaged. I use my beak to grab the strap and pull it out to get a better look at it. Nothing is moved out of place and it's dry. Even after that storm we had the other day.
I move the strap so it is not tangled and step over it and grip the leather with my talons. I'm about to jump up to fly but I hear larger wings beating in the air above. The clouds have drifted over the moon so I can't see the figure overhead very well. But I can tell just by the sheer size that it is the King riding his griffin to the wall.
His cape flares out as they glide to the stone wall behind me. I stand still hoping that the griffin's eagle eyes don't see me. Not that I think it will come down and attack me but it might cause the King to change his attention to see a little bird trying to carry a large satchel for no reason...
They keep on flying above and behind me. I hear the griffin landing on the wall, the metal from the King's armour clanging. It has been a whole week since I was here, when Sebastian caught me. Now I'm to be his friend and spend a day with him the day after tomorrow. I wonder how that will go.
I continue on my course, making myself a bit larger so I am able to carry the bag. That lightheadedness hasn't hit me yet but I do feel tired only because of how late it is. There is no doubt that I will sleep soundly tonight.
The trip back went quite smoothly. I had to stop on a couple of rooftops to rest and gain my bearings as I tried to find the Inn again.
The window is open as I had left it. I glide in dropping the bag to the floor then hop over to the bathing room to shift back. With the window wide open, I don't want anyone seeing me use magic...
I stretch out my back as I walk towards the satchel I had dropped. I never really had the chance to look inside here, to find out what the contents are. Before I go through it, I shut the window and close the blinds. Next I make sure the door is still locked then after sitting down on the floor in front of the fireplace, I dump all that is inside. Papers and the daggers clatter before me. I have three blades in total now and I don't know what to do with them. I could keep one on me and hide the other two around here somewhere. If anyone found out, who knows what they might do. There could be a rule to not have them on you while in the city but if remember correctly, the king had one on him the other day.
As I bite my lip I push the daggers aside and grab the papers. They sit inside a tan coloured folder and I neatly align them as I try to read the words written on the many parchments. Why is there so many? I count ten in all with writings on the front and back, there's numbers written in at random spots. One piece in particular grabs my attention the most. It waits at the bottom of the pile and when I touch it, it feels different from the rest, rougher. It's thicker, even the material looks different from the others, a darker shade of white with fading ink but still readable. All the lines and wrinkles tell me that it has been passed down for many years. I wonder what purpose this one has.
After neatly stacking them, I slide the papers between the flaps of the folder and set them back in. Then I reach for Elyse's necklace that's sitting on the floor. I didn't get a good look at it when she gave it to me but it is a single purple stone set in gold that also hangs from a gold chain. The stone itself is quite pretty. It's three shades of purple, from the top down the hue gradually gets darker in colour. White to black.
I set it in the bag carefully, not being able to bring myself to wear it yet... It's too precious to wear with everyday clothing anyway. The latch on the satchel snaps shut then I look about the room as I clutch it to my chest. Where would be a good hiding spot for this? I may be over cautious about this even when the King has said only me or Mrs. Dotham can enter here. I still remember what Elyse told me before she... died... it was to not trust anyone. So that is what I will do, I'll play it safe and hide this in the room for now. But I will need someone to read this for me or find someone to teach me how to read. And who knows how long either of those tasks will take.
As I wander around, I think of what information these papers might hold if anything. They must be about me, maybe it'll have something about my parents or where I came from. I chew on my lip and my gaze falls to the large wardrobe sitting against a wall. That could work...
Mrs. Dotham wakes me too early with her loud knocking on my door. What could this woman want? I slump out of bed and throw a robe on and tell her to hang on. When I answer her she has her hands on her hips.
"Late night?"
I scratch my head with a yawn. "No. Just didn't get a restful sleep is all." Old grey eyes and bright red stained clothing have been haunting my dreams lately. Why would she be concerned about my sleeping anyway? I'm free to come and go as I please am I not? Maybe she heard me last night...
An eyebrow raises as she looks me over, which causes me to wrap the fabric around me tighter. "Breakfast is getting cold if you are coming down."
"Okay. Thank you Mrs. Dotham, I'll meet you down there."
She nods and turns to the room next to mine. With a sigh, I shut the door and step over to the side of the bed where my slippers are and grab my key. But before I head down I check myself in the mirror to see my hair in a frizzy mess. I comb out the nest that's in my hair and leave my room to eat breakfast.
Once I gathered my things and dressed for the day I head out to find the Lucky Star and pay the girls a visit. And remembering to bring the pies as well. With my not returning they must be worried.
I had to ask for directions as I got deeper into the Night District, that's what I overheard people calling it as I walked past them. Some gave me odd looks when I asked and weren't very clear in telling me. But after a while I ended up stumbling upon it. No one is standing outside this time so I step up to the door.
I'm about to knock when a man steps out almost hitting me with the door.
"Oh goodness!" He says laughing. "I'm sorry lass, didn't see your pretty little self there." His eyes linger on me and it sends an unsettling shiver through my spine.
"You don't work here do you?" He asks wide eyed, leaning forward.
My mouth holds shut as I step aside while shaking my head. "That's too bad, you're gorgeous." The man winks, tipping his hat at me and walks past with a smile. I hold the door open but I watch as the stranger continues stumbling down the street.
"Star!" My head twirls around to see Cherry running towards me. "By the gods I was so worried!" She says, her heels clacking on the dark wood flooring and wraps her arms around me.
"I'm sorry." I say into her red unruly curled hair. "I didn't mean to cause a fuss."
She pulls away grinning. "Oh it's okay. As long as you are fine that's all that matters." One of her hands pats me on the shoulder lightly. "Did you find a job then?"
"Yes." I may not have found a job but I did find a better place to live at the Inn. Although, if Miss Trewlany had let me stay longer I wouldn't have minded. After that run in with the man, I'm glad I'm staying at a different place.
"That's great Star!" Her eyes fall to the bag I'm holding and asks what it is.
"They're a gift to the house." I say pulling out the pies. "For taking me in..."
Cherry gasps as she takes the pies. "How sweet of you!" She grabs my hand and leads me into a parlour and calls Audrey in.
Audrey and three other girls, that I can't remember their names, come strutting in. Audrey's face lights up when she sees me.
"Oh my goodness! You're alive!" Audrey exclaims giving me a hug just as tight and warm as Cherry's.
Cherry rolls her eyes at her friend. "Of course she is! And you should know she found a job too and thought to buy us a couple pies for taking her in."
"I do love pie. Thank you Star." She says with a small smile as I help her take the desserts out of the bag and unbox them.
"Well I just wanted to say thank you for helping me and being so kind." I tell her and to the rest of the girls standing around. I am grateful for their kindness. I was able to get restful sleeps and warm meals from them while no one else bothered to. Not that anyone else would know since I was a bird most of the time. These kind ladies took me in and made me feel welcome when I felt so alone...
After each one of us has a piece we sit together on the plush furniture. Me on the couch between Audrey and Cherry and the other girls sit across from us on the armchairs. Audrey asks where I found work and I tell her that I help out at the Rosemary Inn.
"That place is so charming. I heard only good things from there." Cherry says before taking a mouthful of food.
I nod, eating a piece they offered me. I never thought to eat some since I had intended it to be a gift to the girls. The strawberry is tart but delicious. The crust is nice and crispy too and I hope that I am able to eat another slice after this one.
"There is something else that I heard too..." Cherry says cheerily as she looks to me.
I don't like that look. What else could she have heard? "What?" I ask with a frown and the others stare at the redhead.
She starts to giggle. "Rumour has it that you were spotted with the King at the college the other day!"
The girls' mouths drop open as they gasp. The one with porcelain skin and yellow hair even goes to say, 'No way!'
"What? Are you serious?" Audrey asks with wide eyes as she grips my arm. "How do you know it was Star?"
"People described her as a small, thin girl with pale skin and a white streak in her hair." Her brown eyes turn to me. "She's the only one I know that batches that description."
Not even two days and word has spread to the lower district. This is what Mrs. Dotham was warning me about. I shift uncomfortably in the chair as they stare at me. "Uh... Yes, I met him."
Then all the girls squeal so loud that I flinch to the sound and they start asking me questions about him. 'What's he like?'
'Does he smell good?'
'What are the colour of his eyes?'
Too overwhelming as they barrage me with questions and I start to panic under their attention. Why are they so interested in him anyway? He's a regular person.
"I, um... What was the first question?"
Audrey points a finger at the girls and tells them to quiet down then she turns to me. "What's he like?"
I set my fork down to think. I don't really know him all that well but he seems nice for the most part. "He's kind." Well he was more than that in the little time I was with him. He gave me a place to stay and allowed me to join him at the college. "Quite the gentleman I should say."
All the girls sigh quietly at my answer, sitting back in their chairs looking up to the ceiling. What has brought this on?
"He is so sexy." Cherry comments softly then shifts her body so she's facing me. "You are lucky, Star." She pauses with a frown then beams at me. "Lucky Star! Ha! Would you look at that!" She guffaws with a snort then slaps at her knee and I hear Audrey chuckle beside me.
Sexy? What does that mean?
"If I could just run my hands through that chocolate brown hair of his... I would do anything for it." One girl says sitting across from me.
The girl on the far left hums, twirling a strand of dark hair between her long fingers. "I bet it's soft and silky."
What is happening? My fingers grip the small dish tighter as I watch the women around me act differently.
Audrey sees the discomfort in my eyes and giggles. "You don't find the King a little attractive?"
I blink at her and then think of his sharp, rugged features. At first sight of him I thought he was handsome, his blue eyes and strong jaw. There was something about his lips too... I shake my head and shift in spot when I feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "Attractive, yes but I don't know what sexy means..."
None of the girls laugh they just look to me with small smiles and Audrey explains what sexy means. "It's basically a level of attractiveness, there's; cute, handsome, hot and sexy."
"So... sexy is the highest level of attractiveness?" I ask, my brows now furrowed. The girls all nod together. Cherry and Audrey argue about if being cute really is a level of attractiveness but end up agreeing. Is this what these women talk about? Who's cute or sexy or handsome? I could admit that I am attracted to the King... The first man I've been attracted to in a while.
"So are you going to see him again? What did you guys do that day you met?" Audrey asks me.
"We talked a bit and he let me attend a class with him... Oh and he wants to see me again tomorrow."
The girls again all sigh with an 'awe' and Audrey speaks again with giddiness. "Oh! So soon! Is it like a date or what? What you wearing, I hope you didn't think to wear those stained miner's clothes."
Date? They aren't that stained, I wouldn't think the King would mind much of what I wore but I hadn't thought of what I should wear for tomorrow. I'm about to answer when Cherry cuts me off saying that they should take me clothes shopping and they could help me with makeup for the day of.
The front door swings open cutting off my answer and footsteps sound on the hardwood floors. I am happy to see Miss Trewlany walk into the room. Almost instant the girls fall silent as she stares back at them with a cool gaze.
"What is going on in here?" She asks too softly as she takes her overcoat off. "You girls shouldn't be chatting like a bunch of ninnies."
Audrey stands up, setting her plate on the table then bows her head. "We're sorry Miss. It's been awfully slow this morn and Star came by to give us these pies as a gift."
I stand up next to her and lower my head. "I wanted to show you my gratitude Miss Trewlany, for letting me stay while I found a job."
Miss Trewlany hangs her coat up on the iron hanger and steps over to us as if she is floating. She stops between the armchairs and rests her hands on top of the backs. She eyes each of the girls then they land on me. "You needed shelter and we had a spare bed... Thank you for the desserts Camellia, we appreciate the gesture." I instantly freeze. How does she know my name. It was spoken to only me and the king.
Her gaze again lifts to Audrey and Cherry, who is now standing. "Even if it is slow there are plenty of things to do while waiting on clients."
"Yes Ma'am." The women say together lowering their heads at the same time. I watch as all the girls gather up their dishes and walk out of the room leaving me and Miss Trewlany alone.
I turn to her. "Please don't be mad at them. I came unannounced to bring them the pie and to let them know I was all right."
She blinks once before turning to me. "Yes, you are living fine at the Inn with the King's help." Not a question. My mouth drops open, how does she know that? She must really be a seer to know this. I gulp down on a drying throat as she eyes me with a small smile.
Miss Trewlany grabs a teacup and pours herself some tea and sits down on the chesterfield. "Sit with me for a moment child." She says patting at the cushion next to her.
I sit down quickly with wide eyes and listen to her.
"So did he ask to see you again?" She asks then takes an empty cup from the lower table in front of us.
I nod. "Yes. Tomorrow, he is meeting me at the Inn." Is she interested in the King like the girls are?
The cool old woman only nods as she pours the steaming tea from the pot into the small white cup. Before taking a sip she blows on it then takes a drink. She crosses her legs causing her skirt to flutter out then settle to the floor once again. I chew on my lip trying not to watch the old seer. But her jade eyes find my own staring back.
I clutch my hands tightly together to wait for the old seer to speak. Upon getting a closer look at her, I can tell she is much older than she appears. Seers can live a long time. They age slower than normal humans, gifted with the sight of seeing glimpses of the future. What did she see in mine? She was the one that suggested to go to the coronation. But why?
She sets her cup in her lap and finally speaks. "The King is a kind man and a cautious one at that. You should be cautious as well child, but trust in his character. Become a friend of his and be truthful to him because he needs that most right now."
I blink at her for a moment then peer down at my hands, frowning. Mrs. Dotham said to stay away from him but Miss Trewlany says otherwise. She wants me to be honest with him... Why? She can't tell me what she saw, otherwise that would alter the future. At least that is what I heard. With a sharp breath I peek up at her and nod. "I will."
She nods. "Good. Now you better find a good spot to watch the sunset."