《The Tale of the Traveling Mender》 Chs 1-10 1 ¡°More ale!¡± Kenric shouted to Jon, the innkeeper. He finished his cup and glanced into it. If I get drunk enough, I¡¯ll be able to do carry on with what is expected of me. ¡°More wine and mead as well!¡± The dozen men with him shouted their approval and banged their cups on the table. I hate having to put on an act like this. ¡°We could use some more food too!¡± Tanner, one of Kenric¡¯s men yelled. This brought another round of shouting and banging of cups from the rest of the men. Others in the inn shook their heads and muttered their disapproval. Though none dared to speak too loudly. ¡°Here is the next round. Stop beating on the table before you ruin it,¡± Jessica, Jon¡¯s daughter, said as she brought a tray of filled cups to their table. She smiled demurely at Kenric. He grinned and winked in return. ¡°Have a drink with us,¡± Kenric told her. Before she could reply, he pulled the buxom red-haired beauty into his lap. Her father frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. He knew his daughter could handle herself, having delt with drunken men since she was old enough to help in the inn. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? You normally don¡¯t behave like this,¡± Jessica said. ¡°It¡¯s the eve of battle,¡± Kenric replied with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°How about that drink?¡± ¡°I would be honored to, but my help is needed in the kitchen,¡± Jessica replied, gesturing to the busy common room. Not one table was free, and the four serving girls were being run ragged delivering food and drink to the other patrons as they avoided or encouraged grasping hands depending on whose hands they were. ¡°Jon won¡¯t mind if you have some mead with us,¡± Kenric said, laying a hand on her right thing. She slapped his hand away to snickers from his men. ¡°I¡¯m not one of the serving girls or a camp follower. If you want that sort of thing, see one of the other girls,¡± Jessica said, grabbing his wrists so he wouldn¡¯t try to touch her thighs again. ¡°Brian Sawyer is also courting me.¡± ¡°The woodcutter?¡± Kenric asked. They would make a decent match honestly. Brian is probably the best match she can hope for unless a merchant comes along. No noble would marry her because Jon isn¡¯t wealthy enough and they¡¯re not nobles, Kenric mused. I¡¯m just teasing Jessica and only get this way when I¡¯m in my cups. She knows and puts up my act until I get drunk. We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids, so she knows the pressure I¡¯m under from my father. ¡°Yes. And you know he can be very jealous.¡± ¡°Bah! That woodcutter is nothing to be concerned about,¡± Kenric replied pulling his left hand away. The men thumped the table again. He drank from a cup while laying his right back on her thigh. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop that?¡± Jessica said, slapping his hand again as she shifted a bit on his lap. Kenric noticed that despite her protests, Jessica hadn¡¯t gotten off his lap. She wasn¡¯t really protesting either. She¡¯s teasing me just as much as I am her. I can¡¯t have that since we won¡¯t go beyond the teasing. The men wouldn¡¯t treat me well if I let the teasing stand. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go up to my room?¡± Kenric whispered into Jessica¡¯s ear. He nuzzled her neck too. ¡°There won¡¯t be any of that,¡± Jessica laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you have a battle to fight tomorrow?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be ready for the morrow,¡± Bruce, another of Kenric¡¯s men said. ¡°Drinking and wenching puts us in the right frame of mind!¡± The other men cheered, banging the table again. Kenric laughed. ¡°Well, you all need your strength and I¡¯m not a whore or available,¡± Jessica replied. She stood. ¡°Besides, I need to get back to work. If you really want that sort of company, I¡¯ll send over one of the serving girls when things slow down.¡± ¡°With the way that lot is behaving, Viscount Blackwood is going to lose the battle tomorrow, and we¡¯ll all be paying taxes to Viscount Hawthorne,¡± someone in the common room stated loudly. ¡°Quiet you fool!¡± several voices exclaimed at the same time. The room fell silent. Why did you have to open your big mouth? Kenric thought. Now I¡¯ll have to say something or lose face with the all these people, especially the men I¡¯m supposed to be commanding. ¡°Who said that?¡± Kenric shouted, jumping to his feet, and nearly knocking Jessica down. He grabbed her hips to keep her from falling. ¡°I demand to know who insults my father and me!¡± Nobody answered. ¡°Well?¡± Bruce demanded on his lord¡¯s behalf. ¡°Why don¡¯t I have Becca take you upstairs, my lord?¡± Jessica asked. Kenric glanced at Jessica and the brunette she pointed out. This Becca is new and isn¡¯t as buxom nor as pretty as Jessica, but she has wider hips and a willing smile, and Jessica¡¯s teasing has me aroused. But first things first. I must set things in order. ¡°I will have a name, or we will teach all of you to respect your betters,¡± Kenric said into the silence, fingering the dagger at his hip. ¡°I said it,¡± a voice called out. ¡°Irvin!¡± a different voice hissed. ¡°You fool!¡± another whispered. ¡°No. I said, what I said,¡± a short, stout man said, getting to his feet. The man, Irvin, stood a little over five feet tall, but was very broad in the chest and was wearing leather armor. ¡°Are you a fighting man?¡± Kenric asked. He noticed the other man only had a dagger at his hip. He must be a half dwarf or a very tall full blood dwarf. I can¡¯t fight this man. If anything happens to me before tomorrow, father will have my head. ¡°Aye. I¡¯m a caravan guard,¡± Irvin answered. ¡°Bruce, take a couple of the boys and teach him a lesson outside,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°As you command,¡± Bruce replied, getting to his feet. ¡°Alright lads. Let¡¯s teach this pig licker a lesson.¡± Half of Kenric¡¯s men stood and joined Bruce as he swaggered toward the caravan guard. Grumbling could be heard, but nobody spoke loud enough to draw Kenric¡¯s ire as Irvin was escorted outside. Jessica waved to Becca, who then made her way over to Kenric. ¡°Are you ready for me, my lord?¡± Becca asked, grabbing his crotch. ¡°Oh yes!¡± Kenric said. He grabbed Becca by her waist. The serving girl giggled as he buried his face in her bosom. His men cheered. Kenric released her, grabbed Jessica, and kissed her. Once the kiss ended, he picked Becca up and slung her over his shoulder. Jessica mouthed ¡°asshole.¡± His men cheered as he carried the laughing serving girl up the stairs. * Kenric swaggered down the inn¡¯s stairs, quite pleased with himself. Becca had been most willing and very enthusiastic. He glanced around the common room, noticing some of his men passed out at their table. He guessed the others were in rooms upstairs. Kenric shrugged and tossed a pouch of coins onto the bar. ¡°That should cover last night,¡± Kenric said. Jon opened the pouch and glanced inside. He nodded, though he didn¡¯t look happy. I wonder what¡¯s on his mind. I know I behaved boorishly, but I¡¯ll apologize in private after the battle when everyone else will be distracted by the victory. ¡°Aye my lord. We are square,¡± Jon replied. ¡°Would you like breakfast?¡± ¡°What are you serving?¡± ¡°We have a barley porridge flavored with honey and some ham,¡± the innkeeper answered. ¡°There¡¯s also some ripe apples and if you¡¯re willing to wait, today¡¯s bread is almost done.¡± ¡°That is acceptable,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll have a mug of warm spiced mead as well.¡± ¡°Aye my lord,¡± Jon said. ¡°Should I wake that lot up too?¡± Kenric considered it. ¡°Let them sleep a while longer. If things don¡¯t go as planned, they¡¯ll need all the energy they can get.¡± * Kenric stepped out of the inn with a full belly. He was also feeling a slight buzz from the spiced mead. I probably shouldn¡¯t have drunk that mead with breakfast. ¡°Get my horse,¡± Kenric told Edward, the stableboy, who was Jon¡¯s son. ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± the boy replied. He bowed slightly and rushed off. ¡°Edward is always eager to please and earn a silver or two,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°Kenric!¡± a voice shouted. ¡°What?¡± Kenric asked, turning around. A large fist smashed into his nose. He went flying into the mud. Kenric looked up and saw a large, muscular man standing with his fists clenched. Kenric was a little larger than most men, but this man made him look small in comparison. It¡¯s Brian Sawyer and he struck me. In fact, it feels like he broke my nose! ¡°That¡¯s for how you treated my Jessica!¡± Brian exclaimed. ¡°And I¡¯ll do worse if you ever touch her again. In fact, why don¡¯t I teach you a lesson right now, you noble brat?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Kenric shouted, getting to his feet. Brian grinned. ¡°Come on prick. Show me what you¡¯ve got,¡± Brian taunted. Kenric pulled his sword from its sheath and lunged at the larger man. Brian Sawyer sidestepped the lunge and punched Kenric in the jaw. The young nobleman went crashing into the mud again. His sword flew from his hand as his head swam. ¡°I always knew you were a wuss!¡± Brian taunted. ¡°So much for your vaunted skills and training!¡± Kenric lost his temper and pulled his dagger. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Brian gazed at him calmly and pulled a hand axe from his belt. Kenric lunged once more. The woodcutter once more sidestepped the attack. This time, he trapped Kenric¡¯s wrist and brought the axe down onto Kenric¡¯s outstretched arm. The sharp blade sliced through the forearm¡¯s skin, muscle, and bone. Blood spluttered. Kenric screamed in pain. He grabbed the stump of his arm, trying to stem the blood. Brian gazed at him with cold eyes. The large man spun the axe in his hand and struck Kenric in the side of the head with the blunt end of the axe head. Kenric went down like a sack of potatoes. ¡°You will never touch my Jessica again, hear me?¡± Brain Sawyer said. Kenric muttered something incomprehensible. Brian slammed the blunt end of the axe head into Kenric¡¯s left knee, shattering it. Kenric screamed again. Brian did the same to Kenric¡¯s right knee. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do something like that to you.¡± Kenric passed out from blood loss and pain. Brian stood, glanced at the inn, and ran off into the woods. Jessica and Jon ran out of the inn a moment later. ¡°Get some towels so we can tie off his arm!¡± Jon ordered. Jessica ran back into the inn. Edward arrived with Kenric¡¯s horse. ¡°Edward, go fetch the healer!¡± ¡°Yes pa!¡± the boy shouted. He dropped the reins and took off towards the other side of the village. 2 Viscount Donovan Blackwood was led into the inn by Tanner and Bruce. Blackwood¡¯s eyes roamed the common room. People shrunk and tried not to draw his eyes. Blackwood¡¯s eyes landed on the innkeeper standing behind the bar. ¡°Where is my son?¡± the viscount demanded. ¡°Upstairs in a room being tended by Agatha, the village healer, my lord,¡± Jon answered. ¡°I know who Agatha is. I brought her here after all,¡± the viscount replied. ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± the innkeeper said. ¡°Apologies my lord.¡± ¡°Take me to my son,¡± Blackwood said. ¡°Right away my lord,¡± Jon replied, moving around the bar. He called into the kitchen while walking, ¡°Jessica, watch the bar.¡± The innkeeper led the viscount up the stairs and to the room Kenric had rented the night before. Bruce and Tanner followed. Two more of Kenric¡¯s men were standing in the hall outside the doorway. Ruffus, the shorter of the two, knocked on the door and opened it. ¡°Damnation! Stop interrupting me!¡± an older woman¡¯s voice shouted. ¡°I¡¯m working here!¡± Donovan¡¯s mouth quirked up at the outburst, but he quickly squashed his humor. He assumed that Agatha was in a mood. She hated being called away from her home. He strode past Jon and into the room. ¡°How is my son?¡± Donovan asked. Agatha spared the viscount a glance but didn¡¯t bow. For his part, the viscount dismissed the disrespect. If she didn¡¯t push things, he could let her behavior slide. The old crone was set in her ways and Kenric needed her skills after all. ¡°Bad,¡± she answered as she continued to work. ¡°He has two crushed knees, a broken nose, missing teeth, and he lost his sword arm below the elbow. Plus, he¡¯s drunk.¡± Blackwood cinched his fist. He would make whoever did this to his son pay and pay dearly. He would also have to talk to Kenric about drinking so much. Again. Donovan considered sending for Jason, his personal healer. But Jason was helping Amee, his¡¯s second wife, as she delivered their first child. The health of the child was paramount, especially if the babe turned out to be a new son. A spare heir never hurt and if Kenric continued to be a disappointment, the new child might not be a spare. Donvan also knew he could send for one of the healers that was with his army, but he would only do so if Agatha wasn¡¯t up to the task. ¡°What have you done so far?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°I¡¯ve stabilized him, cleansed him, put him into a healing slumber that will utilize his energy to accelerate any healing, and started to set his nose.¡± ¡°Can you fully heal Kenric, including restoring his hand and teeth?¡± ¡°I know the spells, but I don¡¯t have the mana,¡± Agatha replied. ¡°That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t done more than I have. My mana pool is simply too small.¡± Donovan didn¡¯t doubt that was also why she was working in this small village instead of a larger village, town, or for a higher ranked noble. He pulled a large mana crystal from his inventory. The crystal was the size of his fist. ¡°Will this be enough, or do you require more?¡± ¡°That will be more than enough,¡± Agatha answered. She could feel the mana in the stone. ¡°Use as much of the crystal as you require. I don¡¯t care if you use the whole thing,¡± Donovan instructed. ¡°I need Kenric whole as quickly as possible.¡± Agatha nodded. ¡°If he is restored and back on his feet by this afternoon, I¡¯ll pay you another crystal this size for your efforts.¡± Jon, Ruffus, and the other men gasped in the hallway as did the healer. Even the smallest mana crystals were expensive, and a fist sized one was worth more than most people made in a year. ¡°It will be done, my lord,¡± Agatha said, finally addressing Blackwood with the proper respect. He nodded and exited the room as she held the crystal in her left hand while laying her right hand on Kenric¡¯s stump. ¡°Come innkeeper. We must discuss this attack on my son and who did it.¡± * ¡°I find it hard to believe that no one saw whoever attacked my son,¡± Viscount Blackwood stated as he paced back and forth in front of the bar in the common room. None of the customers or the serving staff said a word. ¡°The only one that we know of that had issue with Kenric was some caravan guard named Irvin,¡± Tanner said. ¡°Oh?¡± Donovan said quietly. ¡°Aye my lord,¡± Bruce said. ¡°Lord Kenric had me and a couple of the lads rough up that pig licker for badmouthing your lordship.¡± ¡°And where is this Irvin now?¡± the viscount inquired. Donovan didn¡¯t mind that Tanner didn¡¯t address his son properly since the man was loyal to him and kept an eye on his¡­ unruly son. ¡°At Agatha¡¯s hut in a deep recuperative sleep like what she put Kenric under since Bruce and the boys dropped him there last night,¡± Tanner answered. ¡°Was there anything else that happened last night,¡± Donovan asked. ¡°Kenric was a bit different than his usual prebattle self, my lord,¡± Bruce answered. ¡°Meaning?¡± ¡°That he got drunk and spent some time with one of the wenches,¡± Bruce answered. Then he added, ¡°my lord.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, Kenric did grope Jessica, the innkeeper¡¯s daughter, and tried to get her to go upstairs with him as well,¡± Tanner added. ¡°That¡¯s not in his normal behavior at all.¡± ¡°Did he now?¡± Blackwood asked, turning to face the innkeeper. ¡°Kenric has known her for years.¡± ¡°He did, my lord,¡± Jon confirmed. ¡°But I¡¯m not a violent man and my Jessica knows how to handle herself when it comes to men that¡­ have been in their cups.¡± ¡°And did you, girl?¡± Blackwood inquired. ¡°Aye, my lord,¡± I gently refused lord Kenric¡¯s advances and got him interested in Becca, whom he took upstairs to his room.¡± Tanner snapped his fingers. ¡°Tanner?¡± Donovan said. ¡°Jessica¡¯s betrothed is a big woodcutter named Brian Sawyer,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing him in the common room last night, but he still may have heard of Kenric¡¯s advances on his fianc¨¦, and he does have the strength to cut off a man¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Blackwood mused as Jessica¡¯s eyes widened in fear. The ceiling creaked and then a voice could be heard. ¡°Take it slower you oaf! You¡¯re healed, but you¡¯re not ready for battle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kenric¡¯s voice replied. A moment later, he and Agatha could be seen descending the stairs. ¡°Son,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Are you whole?¡± ¡°Father,¡± Kenric replied, flexing his regrown hand. ¡°I am.¡± The Viscount nodded. ¡°Did you see who assaulted you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Kenric lied, staring at Jessica. Oh no, Father. You won¡¯t be killing or enslaving Brian. If anyone does anything to him, it will be me. ¡°Someone shouted my name, and I turned right into the fist that broke my nose.¡± ¡°Hmmm. We will still question the woodcutter later,¡± Donovan said. He turned his attention to the healer. ¡°Agatha, you did as you promised.¡± ¡°Aye. There¡¯s a bit of mana left in the crystal I used.¡± ¡°Keep it,¡± Blackwood said. He pulled a second fist sized mana crystal from his inventory and tossed it to the old healer. ¡°Your payment.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Agatha replied. She even bowed. Donovan turned his attention back to his son. ¡°Hawthorne has agreed to a champion¡¯s duel instead of a battle. You will be my champion as always. It is time for others to see what our line is capable of once more.¡± ¡°Of course, Father,¡± Kenric replied, hoping he kept the bitterness out of his voice. He wants me to make an example out of Hawthorne¡¯s champion in the cruelest manner possible. 3 ¡°Blackwood,¡± Viscount Hawthorne greeted Viscount Blackwood with a nod of his head. ¡°Hawthorne,¡± Donovan replied returning the nod with one of his own. ¡°My counselor has drawn up the agreement,¡± Hawthorne said, getting right to the business at hand. ¡°Our champions will duel in place of our armies battling for the marble quarry on our shared border. The winner will be the champion left in fighting shape.¡± ¡°And death is allowed?¡± Donovan Blackwood asked, dismounting from his horse. ¡°Indeed,¡± Hawthorne replied with a smile on his face. He gestured to a nearly seven-foot-tall muscular man wearing chainmail and carrying a battleaxe. ¡°Derian is my champion and I know your son is yours.¡± ¡°Let me see the contract,¡± Blackwood replied. Hawthorne handed him a copy. Kenric¡¯s father examined the document and signed both copies. Hawthorne signed both copies as well. The two viscounts then shook hands and put their copies into their inventories. ¡°Bring out the meat. My axe is ready!¡± Derian shouted as he stepped forward after the two nobles retreated to their men. Hawthorne¡¯s men cheered their champion¡¯s taunt. ¡°Kenric,¡± his father said, waving him forward. ¡°Father?¡± Kenric inquired, clenching his regrown hand. I may be physically whole, but something feels off inside of me. ¡°Make an example out of that oaf,¡± Donovan said, frowning as he noticed his son clenching and unclenching his hand. ¡°Finish him quickly.¡± ¡°As you command,¡± Kenric replied, dismounting his horse. He equipped his chainmail armor from his inventory. The armor appeared on him. He then pulled his sword and shield out as well. I need to remember to add a couple of points to my inventory space the next time I level up so I can carry more. Currently, I¡¯m at my limit. Kenric turned his attention to the huge man in front of him. This Derian reminds me of Brian Sawyer. Kenric grinned. Derian noticed and scowled. ¡°Something funny meat?¡± Hawthorne¡¯s champion asked. ¡°You¡¯re about to find out,¡± Kenric answered, walking into the fighting circle that had formed between the two fighting forces. He pulled up his stats and skills. Most people just think of me as a spoiled braggart. While I am that, I have the skills to back it up. Kenric Blackwood Class: Warrior Level: 10 Vitality: 500 Inventory: 100 pounds Mental: 30 Physical: 50 Spiritual: 30 Skills: Bladed Weapons Blunt Weapons Dueling Archery Defender Swift Stride And that¡¯s what irked him most about the woodcutter. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible for an untrained person to humiliate him like that. Perhaps I overestimated my skills and underestimated Brian, Kenric thought as doubt creeped into his mind. Perhaps I am doing the same now. No. I was caught unaware and blindsided while drunk. This is different. Kenric took a deep breath and cleared his mind after dismissing his stats. Mirabel, a local priestess stepped forward. ¡°Is there no way to peacefully resolve this conflict?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hawthorne answered. ¡°We are beyond talking at this point,¡± Blackwood replied. ¡°Very well. And may the Heavens be praised that you both have sense to use single combat instead of a full-scale battle to resolve your dispute,¡± the priestess said. She held up her arms and called to the heavens. A barrier appeared around the two combatants, separating them from the rest of the armed men. She turned her attention to the chosen champions. ¡°May the heavens guide and protect you. You may begin when I count to 10.¡± * Kenric waited as the priestess counted. He returned his sword to his inventory and pulled out his mace. He grinned at his larger opponent. I will do as father demands and do to this man what Brian Sawyer did to me. Just as soon as her count was finished, he activated Swift Stride. The skill was rare and allowed a person to move far more quickly in short bursts than one could normally move. In Kenric¡¯s mind, he wasn¡¯t moving faster. It was the world that had slowed down. He dashed to Derian¡¯s right side swinging his mace at the big man¡¯s knee. The spiked ball mace head slammed into Derian¡¯s kneecap, shattering it, and drawing blood. Hawthorne¡¯s champion dropped his battleaxe and fell clutching his ruined knee. Viscount Hawthorne cursed loudly as Kenric¡¯s father cheered. Blackwood¡¯s men started chanting Kenric¡¯s name as Hawthorne¡¯s men booed. Kenric ignored them and slammed his mace into Derian¡¯s other knee, destroying that kneecap as well. ¡°Please have mercy!¡± the large man begged. Father wouldn¡¯t like it if I showed mercy. In answer, Kenric swung his mace into the other man¡¯s left shoulder. Bones broke loudly. Kenric put away his mace and picked up the fallen battleaxe. He stepped onto Derian¡¯s shattered shoulder, making him scream. The larger man passed out. Kenric kicked Derian¡¯s right arm. He stepped on the man¡¯s elbow and raised the axe over his head. He froze. The booing from Hawthorne¡¯s men became louder as did the cheers from Blackwood¡¯s men. Over them all, he could hear his father¡¯s laughter. ¡°Finish him,¡± Kenric¡¯s father¡¯s voice carried over the noise. Kenric stared at Derian¡¯s arm. He brought the axe down and stared at his own regrown arm, stopping his swing. Can I keep doing this? Kenric asked himself. He suddenly felt like he wanted to throw up. It¡¯s not right. He dropped the axe, spat on the ground, and started to walk to the protective barrier¡¯s edge. ¡°He¡¯s done. Let me out,¡± Kenric said. Mirabel nodded and lowered the protective barrier. He walked past the priestess and towards his father. ¡°What are you going boy?¡± Donovan hissed. ¡°Finish that huge pile of dung.¡± ¡°He¡¯s finished,¡± Kenric replied. He pulled a wineskin from his inventory and drank from it. ¡°And right now, so am I.¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°Away from here.¡± Donovan watched in disbelief as his son mounted his horse, kept drinking from the wineskin, and rode away. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! 4 Kenric looked over his shoulder to make sure he hadn¡¯t been followed. He dismounted and vomited into some bushes beside the dirt road. He drunk some more from his wineskin. His stomach rolled a bit and he retched into the bushes again. What is wrong with me? Kenric thought. I¡¯ve never felt like this before. Usually fighting and humiliating an opponent is just something that is done to make father happy. It¡¯s never bothered me before. He pulled a piece of jerky from his inventory and ate it. His stomach rolled, but he didn¡¯t retch. Kenric drank some more from his wineskin. That stayed down as well. Better, Kenric thought. He looked at his regrown hand. It started to shake. Kenric clenched his fist until the shaking stopped. I know just the thing I need to do and it¡¯s not getting revenge on the woodcutter. Kenric put his wineskin in his inventory and mounted his horse. The willing serving girls at Jon¡¯s inn would take his mind off whatever was going on in his head. * Kenric entered the inn and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light. Jon was talking to some merchant, at least Kenric thought the man was a merchant by the way he was dressed. Jessica looked pensive behind the bar as she realized who had just entered the inn. The other serving girls weren¡¯t in sight. He shrugged and walked to Jessica at the bar. ¡°I need wine, mead, ale, and any other spirits you have behind the bar and in storage,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I also need¡­ what was her name¡­ Becca, yes, Becca.¡± ¡°Is that all, my lord?¡± Jessica sarcastically asked. She grinned and looked at his regrown hand. ¡°You don¡¯t want food and someone to feed you by¡­ hand?¡± ¡°In time,¡± Kenric replied, clenching his fist. ¡°And drop the sarcasm. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± She must have heard something in his voice because Jessica dropped the grin and bowed. ¡°The girls are sleeping but I can get you all you want to drink.¡± ¡°I should take you upstairs,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t after what Bri¡­ after what happened to you,¡± Jessica replied, placing a mug of ale in front of Kenric. ¡°Besides, we both know that¡¯s not who you are.¡± ¡°Do you really think your betrothed would have stood a chance against me if he hadn¡¯t caught me unawares and half drunk?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Half drunk?¡± Jessica asked. ¡°Alright, I was more than half drunk,¡± Kenric admitted. ¡°You need to lay off the spirits.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do, Jessica. As I said, I¡¯m not in the mood,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Are you going to do as I asked or not?¡± The merchant Jon had been talking with walked over to the bar along with the innkeeper and a girl before Jessica could answer. Jessica and Kenric turned to look at them. The merchant wasn¡¯t too fat, but overweight. The blonde-haired girl was pretty with piercing blue eyes. She was perhaps a couple of years younger than Kenric was. Some would say she was willowy. Calling her willowy is being kind. That girl is malnourished. ¡°My lord,¡± Jon quickly said. Kenric nodded and drunk the rest of the mug. ¡°Jessica, take Claire here and give her a bath and something to eat.¡± Kenric tapped his mug on the bar. Jessica glanced at him and refilled his mug. Kenric¡¯s regrown hand started to shake again, so he pulled it down so the others couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Of course, Father,¡± she said to Jon as she placed the mug in front of Kenric. She gestured to Claire. ¡°Come with me.¡± Jon went behind the bar after Jessica led Claire upstairs. The merchant used the bar as a desk and wrote out something. ¡°Here you go Jon,¡± the merchant said. The innkeeper took the parchment and read it. He nodded and signed his name at the bottom. ¡°Right. And here¡¯s your coin Randel. Don¡¯t spend it all,¡± Jon said. The merchant laughed. He counted the coin, pocketed it, and left. ¡°Did you buy the girl from him?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°It was that or he would try and sell her to your father¡¯s men at their barracks,¡± Jon answered. ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t want to miss out on the extra profit another new girl would bring you,¡± Kenric said, his voice slurring slightly. He burped after draining his mug. ¡°Another.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the way of the world. She was evidently one mouth too many,¡± Jon shrugged. He refilled the mug and handed it to Kenric. ¡°Claire is a half elf, so she¡¯ll make my coin back and then some once she¡¯s cleaned up and put on a little weight.¡± ¡°Does she know all that she¡¯s here for?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yes. Randel bought her from her parents in Viscount Vonder¡¯s lands. He¡­ broke her in while on the road,¡± the innkeeper replied. ¡°I bet,¡± Kenric said. Jon shrugged. Kenric drank. ¡°She hasn¡¯t been raped,¡± Jon said. ¡°Not that your flesh peddler is willing to admit to,¡± Kenric muttered. The innkeeper shrugged again. Jon truly doesn¡¯t care as long as the coin rolls in. ¡°Jessica will find out and tell me,¡± Jon said. Kenric shrugged and finished his mug. It¡¯s none of my business. Ah! There¡¯s the muddleheaded feeling that takes away most concerns. His hand stopped shaking. Kenric checked his inventory and was pleased to see he still had half a dozen coin pouches. He selected the smallest and tossed it on the bar. Jon refilled the mug and placed it in front of Kenric. ¡°I want a room, a bath, and the half elf if she hasn¡¯t been raped,¡± Kenric slurred. ¡°That should cover this week.¡± I won¡¯t rape a girl or try to sleep with one that had been recently. Ha! Some would say that¡¯s my one redeeming quality. Then again, they don¡¯t know me, Kenric thought. Since when did I become introspective when I drink? He shrugged. It didn¡¯t matter. I plan on drinking a lot this week, so maybe I¡¯ll figure it out later. ¡°Your usual room is clean and free,¡± the innkeeper said. Kenric nodded, making his head swim. He belched and patted his stomach. Nothing came up. He started walking towards the stairs. ¡°And what if Claire has been raped?¡± ¡°Then wake Becca or one of the others instead,¡± Kenric said as he started to make his way up the stairs. ¡°And have them bring food, hot water, soap, and such for the bath.¡± 5 ¡°Tanner, where is my son?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°Still at Jon¡¯s Inn drinking and¡­¡± Tanner replied, sparing at glance at Amee, Blackwood¡¯s lady wife, and their newborn son, ¡°¡­wenching.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a month since the duel!¡± the viscount shouted, slamming his goblet down. ¡°Donovan, the babe!¡± Amee chastised in a hiss. She rocked the baby to keep him from crying out. ¡°Sorry dear,¡± Donovan said. He turned back to his underling. ¡°We are presenting Elric publicly for the first time tomorrow. Tanner, bring Kenric home and make sure he¡¯s presentable.¡± ¡°As you command, my lord,¡± Tanner replied. He bowed and exited the hall. * ¡°Another round for everyone!¡± Kenric exclaimed, holding his mug over his head. The half-filled room cheered. Most people worked during the day and didn¡¯t drink heavily until their labor was done, but Kenric didn¡¯t care about that. They would drink on his coin or not as it suited them. Kenric flopped back into the chair, nearly falling over. Claire caught him while giggling and helped him to sit upright. ¡°I have you, my lord,¡± the half elf said, reaching for his crotch. ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Kenric slurred as she grasped his member. There¡¯s that itch again. ¡°Scratch the right side.¡± The girl did as she had been told with her left hand while her right maintained its grip. Kenric¡¯s head slumped forward. Jessica approached his table with a frown on her face. Kenric¡¯s breathing became heavy. ¡°My lord?¡± Jessica asked. She glanced at Claire. ¡°Is he asleep?¡± The half elf lifted Kenric¡¯s head and then let if fall forward again. He didn¡¯t stir. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, he is,¡± the serving girl answered. ¡°See if you can wake him¡­ gently,¡± Jessica instructed. ¡°That round of drinks used the last of the money he had paid my father.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wake him,¡± a man said from behind Jessica. She turned. ¡°Tanner!¡± Jessica said in surprise. Hope had been in her voice as well. Kenric paid well, but he monopolized the new serving girl, which meant the inn didn¡¯t make as much money as it would have with her addition. ¡°Have you come to take him home?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± the warrior answered, stepping around the woman. Before he could get to the table, Kenric jerked awake. He rubbed his crotch and noticed Tanner. ¡°Tanner!¡± Kenric bellowed, slurring the man¡¯s name. ¡°Have you come to drink with us?¡± ¡°No. The viscount requires your presence,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°Bah. You can fight for my father,¡± Kenric said, picking up a mug and drinking from it. Was that my mug or someone else¡¯s? Eh, doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°Viscount Blackwood requires you to attend the public unveiling of your new brother,¡± Tanner said. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying myself,¡± Kenric said, scratching himself again. That itching in my crotch is getting worse and is starting to burn a little. ¡°You can come along peacefully, or I can force you to come,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Kenric slurred. He tried to stand but fell back into the chair and then to the floor. He scratched his crotch again. Maybe it¡¯s a good thing Kenric was the only one that had been sleeping with Claire, Jessica mused. With that itch, she might have passed something to Kenric that would have ruined the inn¡¯s business. She would have to mention it to her father so he would pay Agatha to examine the girl and treat her if necessary. Tanner shook his head and walked around the table. He knelt beside Kenric and whispered, ¡°Come my lord. Let¡¯s get you to Agatha to see about that itch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Kenric said, scratching himself again. He tried to stand and failed. ¡°Help me up!¡± * ¡°Who¡¯s paying for this?¡± Agatha asked as Tanner helped Kenric to the old healer¡¯s examination table. ¡°The viscount through me,¡± Tanner answered. ¡°And you have the coin or mana crystal on you?¡± Agatha asked. ¡°Aye. I have the coin,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°So do I,¡± Kenric told them. At least I think I do. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Agatha said. She pulled a small mana crystal from her inventory and grabbed Kenric¡¯s right hand. Kenric started to snore. Tanner shook his head. Agatha snorted a laugh. She then shook her head. ¡°What is it?¡± Tanner asked. ¡°So much wasted potential,¡± Agatha whispered. Tanner snorted. He doubted Kenric had potential for anything other than drinking and making a fool of himself. The healer then recoiled from Kenric. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Tanner asked. ¡°He has the pox,¡± Agatha answered. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s not pissing blood yet.¡± ¡°Can you cure him?¡± Tanner asked. Agatha nodded. ¡°And sober him up?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Agatha answered. ¡°Who¡¯s he been sleeping with?¡± ¡°The girls at Jon¡¯s Inn,¡± Tanner replied. ¡°When I fetched him, some half elf that I haven¡¯t seen before was hanging onto him.¡± ¡°That would be Jon¡¯s new girl. I was told her name is Claire,¡± Agatha said. ¡°Several of the village idiots have been complaining about not getting a go with her since she is supposed to be the looker.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± the warrior said. ¡°And she is, if you like them skinny.¡± ¡°Idiots!¡± Agatha spat. She put the small crystal into her inventory and withdrew one of the large ones the viscount had paid her with a month ago. ¡°This healing is going to be expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tanner asked. ¡°Yes, but not as expensive as I¡¯m going to charge Jon for treating those girls,¡± the healer answered. ¡°Get on with it then,¡± Tanner laughed. ¡°Get on with what?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Just lay there,¡± Agatha said. Then under her breath, ¡°Idiot!¡± 6 ¡°You have 15 minutes to get presentable,¡± Donovan said just as soon as Kenric dismounted from his horse. Tanner stepped up to his lord¡¯s side and whispered something to him after two stableboys took away their mounts. Here we go, Kenric thought as his father looked surprised. ¡°This way my lord. I¡¯ll lead you to your chambers and bath,¡± one of the servants said to Kenric. Kenric held up a finger as he saw his father mouth ¡°the pox?¡± and the man nodded. ¡°Really son? A pox ridden half elf?¡± Viscount Blackwood said, shaking his head. Kenric shrugged. ¡°I am most disappointed.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Kenric muttered under his breath. I had been expecting someone with elven blood to be wilder than Claire was. She was good enough, but I had hoped for something different. Then again, I was drunk most of the last month, so I¡¯m most likely not remembering our time together correctly. That thought made him grin. ¡°Something amuses you?¡± the viscount asked. ¡°Just my lack of proper memories of the last month,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯re wasting time,¡± Donovan stated. He pointed at the clock tower. Kenric nodded and gestured to the servant. The man led him past his father. Kenric¡¯s grin became a smile as he noticed his father¡¯s eye twitching on his way past the older man. * ¡°Are you sure you want to do this, my lord?¡± Connor, Donovan¡¯s counselor asked. Donovan considered the question. He nodded to himself after confirming his decision in his mind. He picked up his old will and testament. He ripped the document in half and threw it into the fireplace. The two men watched it burn. ¡°I am, Connor. I am,¡± Blackwood said as he signed his new will and testament. ¡°Kenric is too much of a disappointment.¡± * Figures he would be late to this after rushing me, Kenric thought as he stood beside his stepmother and new brother. He noticed his father¡¯s healer, Jason, lurking behind them. Father must not want the babe to even sneeze. ¡°Isn¡¯t he just the most precious thing?¡± Amee asked. She made cooing noises at the baby. ¡°Adorable,¡± Kenric replied dryly. He looks too much like my father if you ask me. ¡°Have you and father named him yet?¡± ¡°We have,¡± Amee answered. ¡°My husband will announce it when he presents his son.¡± Hopefully, your life will be kinder little brother, Kenric thought. Then again, our father isn¡¯t a kind man. So, good luck. ¡°Tanner, quiet the crowd. Connor, you may begin once the peasants have fallen silent,¡± Donovan commanded as he and his counselor arrived. * It¡¯s about time. I¡¯m ready for a drink, Kenric thought as his father took his new brother from Amee. The viscount held the baby boy up over his head. The baby started to cry and Kenric choked back a laugh as he caught the viscount¡¯s posture stiffening. Father can¡¯t be happy about the crying. Blackwoods are supposed to be stoic in public which is one reason I keep being a disappointment for him despite my victories in combat. ¡°Good people, I give you Elric Blackwood, my son and heir,¡± Donovan shouted. The crowd cheered. ¡°What? You can¡¯t!¡± Kenric exclaimed. Donovan ignored his outburst and handed the baby back to Amee. ¡°Kenric, come with me,¡± Connor quietly said. Bruce and Tanner stood behind him. ¡°I will not!¡± Kenric said, his anger boiling over. ¡°I¡¯m to be discarded after all I¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°You¡¯re making a scene,¡± Connor hissed. ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Kenric exclaimed. Finally, his father turned his attention to Kenric and the others. ¡°Get him out of here,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Tanner, make sure he only leaves with what he can carry.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kenric asked in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out as well?¡± ¡°Come Kenric,¡± Bruce said, reaching for Kenric. ¡°You dare?¡± Kenric said. ¡°My lord has issued a command,¡± Bruce said as he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Never touch me!¡± Kenric shouted. He activated his Swift Stride skill and punched the other man in the chest. Bruce went flying into Tanner. The two men fell to the ground. They got to their feet but didn¡¯t attack as his father signaled them. Amee screamed. Donovan moved in front of his wife and baby. Kenric shook his head and walked into the keep. I wouldn¡¯t attack the baby or your wife. But you want me to leave only with what I can carry, huh? I can do that. * 25000 should be enough for a good while, Kenric thought as he put the last coin pouch into his inventory. He was taking a fourth of his father¡¯s treasury. I can use my skills as a mercenary and make more silver as I need it. ¡°You can¡¯t take that!¡± Connor exclaimed, entering the treasury. ¡°That¡¯s Viscount Blackwood¡¯s money.¡± ¡°It was my fighting as his champion that made this money,¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°I¡¯m taking my share and you¡¯re welcome to try and stop me.¡± Connor sucked in a breath. He¡¯s going to scream. Kenric surged forward, punching the counselor in the jaw. Connor fell back into the treasury wall and then slumped to the floor. Kenric checked him for a pulse. Thankfully, he¡¯s just unconscious. Now it¡¯s time to leave. Kenric put action to his thoughts and slipped out of the keep through an escape tunnel. He doubted if he would ever return to his father¡¯s keep again. 7 Kenric Class: Warrior Level: 10 Vitality: 500 Inventory: 100 pounds Mental: 30 Physical: 50 Spiritual: 30 Skills: Bladed Weapons Blunt Weapons Dueling Archery Defender Swift Stride Father really disowned me, and the system removed my family name, Kenric thought. He dismissed the information. I suppose I should give myself a new surname. Kenric looked around the inn¡¯s common room. He had traveled north and then east for weeks after leaving his father¡¯s lands to escape with the money he had taken. Like Jon¡¯s Inn, Crossville¡¯s Inn was unimaginatively named and filled mostly with workers, merchants, and a few guards. The guards must be caravan guards in the employ of some merchant house because they¡¯re all wearing the same surcoat, and I don¡¯t recognize their colors and emblem. I could ask them if they¡¯re hiring, but if they¡¯re heading south back toward Blackwood lands, that wouldn¡¯t be good for me. A serving girl arrived with his lunch. She sat the bowl of stew down in front of him along with a quarter loaf of bread. She refilled his mug of mead too. ¡°Will you be needing anything else, sir?¡± the attractive girl asked, smiling. She placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in, giving him a view of her cleavage. ¡°Perhaps a bath and someone to wash your back and other¡­ parts?¡± ¡°Food and mead are all I need for now,¡± Kenric answered. She frowned slightly. He grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll most likely take you up on your offer before I leave though.¡± The girl¡¯s smile returned. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll come back to check on you in a few minutes.¡± Kenric watched walk away and stop at another table. He appreciated the sway of her hips. She didn¡¯t even look his way as she made the same offer to the men sitting around the table. Kenric shivered a little. Didn¡¯t take her long to make that offer to others, Kenric thought. Pah! Getting the pox is still on my mind. Perhaps I should take her up on her offer instead of just lying so as not to upset her. Then again, rumor has it that some of the poxes can make a man¡¯s member rot and fall off, so maybe I should be more careful. Kenric shivered again and dismissed those thoughts as he turned his attention to the stew. He ate a spoonful. A little too salty, but not bad. They probably used salted meat that had been stored before it went bad. Or maybe the cook just likes things salty. He tried the warm bread. Hmmm. Light and buttery. Now that¡¯s great bread! Kenric gave the stew and bread his full attention. * Kenric was nursing his third mead refill and had just a bit of lightheadedness as he listened to the merchants talk. The caravan was returning from the Carolina Kingdom in the east. Most of the merchants were returning further west into the heart of Knox¡¯s Empire. A few were heading north along the Empire¡¯s border with the Commonwealth. ¡°I¡¯m just glad to be out of the mountains and back into civilized lands,¡± Scott Hancock, one of the merchants, said. Kenric had caught a few of their names during their conversation. ¡°Aye,¡± Clay Campbell, another merchant agreed. A few of the remanding others agreed as well. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± one of them disagreed. ¡°The dwarves had some things worth sticking around for.¡± ¡°Spencer, you just want more of that dwarf courtesan you were messing with,¡± Clay countered. The merchants laughed. ¡°Aye! She was about half my size, but I haven¡¯t had better,¡± Spencer replied. ¡°And she didn¡¯t have a beard either like the stories say about dwarven women.¡± The merchants laughed even harder. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind my asking, what¡¯s so bad about the mountains?¡± Kenric asked the merchants. They fell silent. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have opened my mouth without introducing myself first. The serving girl came back around. ¡°A round of drinks for my new associates.¡± ¡°Aye sir,¡± the girl said, taking Kenric¡¯s coin and walking back to the bar. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric,¡± Kenric told the merchants. ¡°Monsters, dwarves, and Carolinian bandits,¡± Scott answered after a moment. ¡°You look like a fighting man. Are you a mercenary?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t been one yet,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Who knows what tomorrow may bring though.¡± The merchants laughed and agreed. ¡°Third or fourth son of a noble most likely since he doesn¡¯t look like a scoundrel or starving peasant, Clay muttered. Kenric smiled. Introductions were made. They can think what they want if they provide me with information I want. ¡°Kenric, if you¡¯re interested in mercenary work, the mountains are the place to be,¡± Scott said. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility,¡± Kenric replied, finishing his mug. He held it up and waved, catching a serving girl¡¯s eyes. Kenric gestured to the merchants. She nodded. The merchants smiled and finished their drinks. ¡°What¡¯s a Carolinian bandit?¡± ¡°Never been east before?¡± Spencer asked. Kenric shook his head. ¡°The bandits here in Knox¡¯s Empire are more civilized and will ransom a merchant off if they can or at the least just take enough to tax us, like.¡± Kenric nodded his understanding. ¡°But those bastards from Carolina will kill you just as soon as look at you,¡± Clay explained. ¡°I think they raid across the border and attack caravans on orders of the Carolinian queen,¡± a different merchant said. ¡°We rarely get attacked in Carolina.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible, Alexander, Spencer agreed. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense to add extra troops and mercenaries to the border. She can¡¯t attack Knox from any other direction.¡± ¡°So, why journey to Carolina if it¡¯s so dangerous?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°For the only reason that matters,¡± Scott said. ¡°The money!¡± the merchants chorused before drinking their cups and laughing. Interesting, Kenric thought. He listened to the merchants and paid for more drinks, which kept loosening their tongues, for the rest of the afternoon. I think I¡¯ll venture east into the mountains. It might be worth my while. 8 Kenric woke and yawned. He disentangled himself from the pretty redheaded elf he had been sleeping with. She murmured something and fell silent, except for her breathing. He couldn¡¯t recall if she was one of the Hamblen Inn¡¯s serving girls or just a prostitute that he had found. Kenric shrugged. It doesn¡¯t really matter where she came from. I made the same mistake I always make and let my little head do all the thinking while getting drunk. He walked to the window and opened it. The sun was just rising over the mountains in the clear blue sky. The magnificent view captured his attention. This is a beautiful land, and this is the first time I¡¯ve been sober enough to realize it. All the flowering plants and trees just add to the beauty. The cooler air does as well. I¡¯ve fought a few monsters, but these mountains have been more peaceful than I had been told they were. He stood there enjoying the view until his bladder demanded his attention. Over the past eight months Kenric made his way east into the mountains drinking and wenching the entire way. He had also made regular visits to healers to make sure he hadn¡¯t contracted any diseases from his entertainment. His journey had included a two month stay at a pleasure house in Knoxville, which had been the capital of the empire before Knox had conquered a kingdom to the west and moved his capital to a more central location in the middle of his lands. At least that is what Kenric remembered being told. He didn¡¯t know if it was true or not. And it really didn¡¯t matter. Knoxville was behind him now. ¡°Ahh!¡± Kenric sighed as he sat in the bathtub filled with hot water. Indoor plumbing was something he had come to enjoy more than the women he paid to entertain him and the booze he often drank. Hot water delivered through pipes was a thing of wonder and not something found in the western parts of the empire or south in Augusta, where he was from. The same was true for the indoor toilet and sinks. The dwarves must be true master craftsmen to have invented such things, Kenric mused as he relaxed in the bathtub. Too bad it¡¯s not winter or late fall. I would like to see if it¡¯s true that the inn has a dwarven way to keep warm without large amounts of firewood. That makes me wonder if the dwarves can do the same for keeping a building cool. His thoughts drifted. I bet Knox has these pleasures in his palace. If I were a merchant, I think I would try to get the dwarves to teach me how to do these things or work for me to sale them far and wide. His stomach rumbled. Kenric pushed his thoughts aside and washed himself. It was time for breakfast. * ¡°What do you have for breakfast?¡± Kenric asked the innkeeper. ¡°Grits, bacon, biscuits and gravy, eggs, ham, and sausage,¡± the woman answered. Kenric tried to remember her name but couldn¡¯t. And it wasn¡¯t like it really mattered to him anyway, so he stopped trying. ¡°What are grits? You also said biscuits and gravy as if it were a dish of its own. What is that?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Grits are a type of porridge made from maize or hominy,¡± the woman replied. ¡°They¡¯re quite good, especially with butter and black pepper added. Biscuits and gravy are exactly what it sounds like. You get two biscuits served covered in gravy. It¡¯s very filling and a favorite of the locals.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have both of those along with two eggs and some bacon,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Will you be wanting ale or mead with your breakfast?¡± the innkeeper asked. She has been paying attention to me. Kenric checked his coin. His eyes widened in alarm. He only had 10000 silvers left. How did I burn through 15000 silver coins in less than a year? At this rate, I¡¯ll be out of silver in another couple of months. I need to find some work! ¡°Are you alright?¡± the innkeeper asked. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± Kenric answered after a moment spent composing himself. I should lay off the spirits though. ¡°Do you have something that would go better with breakfast than ale or mead besides water?¡± ¡°We have yaupon tea,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of an acquired taste, but people like it.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yaupon is a holly plant. The leaves are roasted, and ground. The grounds are then boiled in water. The resulting beverage has an earthy, perhaps grassy, and herbal taste,¡± the innkeeper explained. ¡°We also have some fresh apple juice.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll try the yaupon,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I have a question,¡± the woman said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt Cynthia, did you? She hasn¡¯t come down yet.¡± ¡°Not that I know of. She was well and still sleeping when I got up to take a bath and come down for breakfast,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Very good. You¡¯re new to these parts and some men are a¡­ little rough with the girls,¡± the innkeeper explained. ¡°I promise you madam, I¡¯ve never hit a woman,¡± Kenric declared. That is an afront to my honor. And my honor is the only thing I really have. ¡°I had to ask. The girls are my responsibility,¡± the innkeeper said. And you don¡¯t make as much silver if you must pay for a healer and they can¡¯t work, Kenric cynically thought. ¡°I understand. Think nothing of it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman said. ¡°Find a seat. I¡¯ll have your breakfast brought to you.¡± Kenric nodded. * ¡°What did you think of breakfast?¡± the innkeeper asked. ¡°It was great, Mrs. Hancock. Please give my compliments to your cook,¡± Kenric answered. She smiled, looking pleased. ¡°The grits, biscuits, gravy, and yaupon tea were especially good.¡± I can¡¯t tell if she is pleased, I know her name or for complimenting her inn¡¯s food. Most likely the former, Kenric mused. Thank you, local customers! If not for you loudly saying her name, I wouldn¡¯t know it. ¡°I¡¯ll pass the word along to Elizabeth. She will be happy to receive the compliment,¡± Mrs. Hancock said. She had a thoughtful look on her face. ¡°If Elizabeth wasn¡¯t betrothed to my son, Edward, I would introduce her to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of you madam,¡± Kenric replied. No doubt she is only saying that because I¡¯ve spent a lot of silver here. ¡°But I¡¯m not ready for marriage or even courting yet. I need to make my fortune first.¡± ¡°Oh? Aim to do that with a sword?¡± she asked. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a merchant and didn¡¯t arrive with a group of guards.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to know of any mercenary or guard work in the area, would you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll want to go up to Mountain City,¡± Mrs. Hancock replied. ¡°Mountain City is a small town, but they do business with the dwarves there and always need warriors. The beasts tend to be more aggressive the further up in the mountains you go though.¡± ¡°Ah. I¡¯ve heard that¡­ ruffians from Carolina also abound near the border,¡± Kenric said. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Mrs. Hancock agreed. She grinned. ¡°Lots of work for those inclined.¡± ¡°Sounds like Mountain City is where I need to go for a while,¡± Kenric said. ¡°It¡¯s a four-day journey,¡± the innkeeper advised. ¡°Stick to the Johnson Trail so you can pass through other small towns and villages.¡± ¡°And I suppose the Johnson Trail is patrolled by guards.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll heed your wisdom and advice,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll also stay until the beginning of the week.¡± The innkeeper smiled. 9 Kenric smiled as he took in the view from horseback. Mountain City spread before him in a small valley. The small town was ringed by a large stone wall. Hmmm. There¡¯s maybe 2500 people living there. And that¡¯s counting the mercenaries, adventurers, hunters, and outlying farmers, Kenric thought. Still, it¡¯s a pleasant enough looking place and if people are right about the opportunities it holds, I¡¯ll be happy enough. Kenric urged his horse forward. * The Chicken Licker Inn, Kenric read on the inn¡¯s sign. That¡¯s creative as far as inn names go, but who names their inn that? ¡°Can I take your horse to the corral or stable?¡± a human boy sitting on the steps asked. ¡°You work for the inn?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yes, my lord. My ma and I both work for the inn,¡± the boy said. ¡°I¡¯m a stableboy, and my ma works as one of the cooks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no lord,¡± Kenric said as he dismounted and handed his reins to the stableboy. And I never will be, Kenric thought bitterly. ¡°Yes sir,¡± the boy replied. ¡°Stable the horse,¡± Kenric instructed. He handed the stableboy a silver coin. ¡°Yes sir. I¡¯ll take extra good care of your horse, sir,¡± the boy said with a huge smile on his face. I guess he doesn¡¯t get much in the way of tips. Kenric nodded and watched as the stableboy talked to and led his horse around the inn. The building itself was a large wood and stone built structure with the top floor being wood while the lower floor was built of stone. Kenric started walking up the front porch. This is a bit different. I¡¯ve never seen an inn with a porch before. The door burst open and Kenric stepped to the side, pulling his sword as a big body went flying out of the inn. An older dwarf followed wiping his hands against each other. ¡°And don¡¯t come back,¡± the dwarf warned the taller, fatter man that scrambled to his feet and took off running. The dwarf turned to Kenric, barely glancing at his sword. ¡°You plan on using that pig sticker or should I stick it in you where the sun doesn¡¯t shine?¡± ¡°Habit, especially with bodies flying,¡± Kenric replied, returning his sword to his inventory. The dwarf grunted. ¡°Are you the owner of this establishment?¡± ¡°Nah. I¡¯m the bouncer,¡± the dwarf replied. Kenric paid attention to the shorter man. The dwarf was just under five feet tall and had solid muscles under a chainmail coat. He had a short neatly cropped beard. His long graying brown hair was tied back into a low ponytail. The bouncer¡¯s brown eyes were observant. ¡°I¡¯m Beorn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kenric,¡± Kenric said. They shook hands, both appraising the other. Hopefully, he notices I¡¯m a warrior not to be underestimated because Beorn is dangerous. ¡°Well met.¡± ¡°Aye. Same,¡± Beorn replied. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to drink all you want, but don¡¯t give Ursula a hard time.¡± He knows I like ale and mead. How? Is it a skill or just experience? ¡°Ursula?¡± Kenric asked, shaking off his thoughts. ¡°Is she a serving girl?¡± ¡°Nah lad. She¡¯s the owner of the Chicken Licker Inn,¡± Beorn answered. He grinned. ¡°And my wife.¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°But you¡¯re not the owner?¡± ¡°Nope. Ursula opened this place 10 years ago while I was doing mercenary work. The inn is all hers,¡± Beorn replied. ¡°I retired two years ago and started helping her however I can, mostly by taking out the trash.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why you say you¡¯re the bouncer,¡± Kenric said. I get his point. Cause trouble, and he¡¯ll beat you black and blue before tossing you out the door. Beorn laughed. ¡°Aye lad. I¡¯m glad you take my meaning. Are you looking to stay at the inn or just looking for a meal?¡± ¡°Both if the beds are clean and the food is good,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And some information.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t find finer food, beds, or bath in Mountain City,¡± Beorn boasted. ¡°I¡¯m eager to see that for myself,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re a warrior,¡± Beorn stated. Kenric nodded. ¡°Looking for mercenary work?¡± Kenric nodded again. ¡°That I am.¡± ¡°Cone on then. Let me introduce you to Ursula and she¡¯ll help with the first two things you want. Then you and I can talk about the third.¡± * ¡°If you were a dwarf, I¡¯d recommend the Iron Foot Company,¡± Beorn said after Kenric finished his meal. That was the best beef stew I¡¯ve ever had-, Kenric thought. And this ale is something else! ¡°Go easy on the ale, lad,¡± Beorn suggested. ¡°Dwarven ale has a kick that takes a while for humans to get used to.¡± ¡°I can feel that already,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°This is my first one and it¡¯s great, but I¡¯m starting to feel a little lightheaded.¡± ¡°Maybe we should get you some yaupon tea or water,¡± Beorn said. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll drink this slowly.¡± ¡°Have it your way, but I¡¯m not carrying you up to your room.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask you to,¡± Kenric replied. Beorn laughed and Kenric joined him. ¡°What made you say if I were a dwarf when you mentioned the Iron Foot Company?¡± ¡°The Foot is the finest mercenary company in the region, but they only take dwarves,¡± Beorn explained as Kenric took a sip of his ale. ¡°Ah. So, who would you suggest I contact?¡± ¡°The Crimson Ravens. They take human, dwarf, and elf,¡± Beorn answered. ¡°Elf?¡± Kenric asked with a laugh. I¡¯ve never met an elf that was a good fighter. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled,¡± the older warrior said. ¡°Before our races united in overthrowing them 500 years ago, the elves had a long history of war and conquered several kingdoms. They¡¯re still fine fighters and the best archers if trained.¡± ¡°But who would allow an elf to fight, much less train them? Every elf I¡¯ve ever met has been a servant of some sort. And they seem born to the role.¡± ¡°Who said they were allowed?¡± Beorn countered. He shrugged. ¡°Some people always want to fight regardless of race and well, mercenary companies always need bodies.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Kenric said noncommittedly. I¡¯m not sure how I feel about elf warriors. The notion seems ludicrous. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have a problem with elves, would you?¡± ¡°Never have before,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯m used to the female elves being under me or on top of me, but I¡¯m not sure how I feel about elves fighting beside me.¡± ¡°Eh, you get used to it,¡± Beorn said, shrugging his shoulders again. ¡°Anyway, the Ravens are the best non dwarf mercenary company in the region. That¡¯s who you want to join if you can get over your biases.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Can you give me directions to their headquarters?¡± ¡°Aye. I¡¯ll even through in a letter of introduction,¡± Beorn said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. His head swam. He burped. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯ll have the letter ready for you in the morning,¡± Beorn said. 10 ¡°The rest are running!¡± Tara, the Raven lieutenant in charge of this escort job, shouted as the bandits fled into the hills around the convoy. ¡°Make sure the merchants are alive.¡± Kenric grunted as he pulled his bloody sword from a bandit¡¯s chest. He dropped the sword, doubled over, and threw up. Kenric wiped his mouth, pulled a wineskin from his inventory, and rinsed his mouth out with the spirit. ¡°Are you alright Laddy?¡± Osric, a Raven sergeant, asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been throwing up like that after a fight quite a lot the last few weeks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kenric replied to the dwarf. ¡°Maybe something I ate isn¡¯t sitting well with me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look fine and you ate the same breakfast the rest of us did,¡± Orvyn, one of the elven archer¡¯s in the unit, commented. Kenric glared at the man, who smiled in return. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Tara said, walking up to them. ¡°Orvyn, get a few others and loot the bodies. Don¡¯t let the merchants beat you to it. Then stack them up and start a pyre.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± the elf replied. He signaled to two other Ravens, and they started their work. ¡°Make sure you start that pyre upwind!¡± Osric yelled at the retreating mercenaries. ¡°We know!¡± Orvyn shouted back. ¡°Kenric, go see Pascal, and find out what¡¯s wrong with you,¡± Tara ordered. ¡°You haven¡¯t done that,¡± she said, gesturing to his vomit, ¡°until a few weeks ago since you first joined us five years past.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing some wine won¡¯t fix,¡± Kenric said. He started to lift the wineskin to his lips when strong hands stopped him and took the wineskin away. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had enough of that,¡± Osric said. He wiped off the mouthpiece and upturned the wineskin. He belched and grinned at the others after draining the wineskin. ¡°Kenric always has the good expensive stuff.¡± ¡°You could have given it to me if that¡¯s the case,¡± Tara complained. Osric laughed and shrugged his shoulders. Kenric stared at the dwarf. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there Kenric. Go see the healer now!¡± Kenric saluted, picked up his sword and cleaned it. He returned the weapon to his inventory and went in search of the healer. * ¡°Kenric, you don¡¯t have food poisoning or any diseases,¡± Pascal said after finishing his examination. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a heavy drinker, so, it¡¯s not that even if I had to cure your hangover again this morning. And you¡¯re still in surprisingly good health.¡± ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°Now, don¡¯t be like that,¡± the healer replied. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that maybe there¡¯s something else going on with you.¡± ¡°Seriously? Like what?¡± ¡°Yes. There comes a time when people get tired of seeing blood, gore, and fighting,¡± Pascal answered. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve reached your limit.¡± ¡°So, my vomiting after a fight is some sort of psychological reaction?¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know that big of a word, but yes,¡± the healer dryly answered. Kenric balled up his fist. Pascal gazed at him impassively. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I¡¯d have you in a deep sleep before you could even stand.¡± What does it mean for me if he thinks I¡¯m done fighting. If Pascal thinks that, does that mean the Ravens will throw me out? The Ravens¡¯ compound has been my home these last five years. And why did he insult my intelligence? That pisses me off! ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hit you, healer,¡± Kenric lied. ¡°But I don¡¯t appreciate insults.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get over it,¡± Pascal replied, not concerned in the slightest. And how can he not be concerned? Healers aren¡¯t warriors. Then again, good healers are highly prized and well paid. Maybe that¡¯s why. He knows if it comes down to a choice, I¡¯ll be gone before he will. ¡°So, if I can¡¯t fight¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that. Maybe you just need a break,¡± Pascal countered. ¡°I¡¯m going to suggest to Tara that you be given guard duty at our barracks or perhaps a training job for a while.¡± ¡°So, we can determine if my vomiting is a psychological issue or not,¡± Kenric concluded. ¡°Exactly,¡± Pascal agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Bogdana won¡¯t toss you out on your backside even if you can¡¯t fight any longer.¡± ¡°She let Beorn go.¡± ¡°Beorn chose to walk away when he retired so he could help his wife. Besides, that was Randolf before that old bastard retired and turned over the Ravens to Bogdana.¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also going to recommend you be allowed rest in a wagon for the rest of the day. Even with this delay, we¡¯ll reach Mountain City before nightfall.¡± * ¡°Ready to go upstairs?¡± Kenric asked Erika, one of the Chicken Licker¡¯s serving girls, as he ran a hand along her thigh. It had been a year since he had been taken off the Ravens¡¯ active-duty missions and he had found himself wenching and drinking more than ever before. ¡°Do you have the coin?¡± Erika asked from his lap, picking up his hand before he could slide it under her skirt. ¡°I have coin,¡± Kenric answered, his voice slurring. I¡¯ve developed a thing for elven girls over the years. That surprises me. ¡°Good. But can you get it up?¡± the elf whispered into his ear, pulling him from his thoughts. She rocked her hips. ¡°Because I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you once we get upstairs,¡± Kenric replied. Is taunting me? I¡¯ll do more than show her once we¡¯re upstairs. Then again, maybe she made a good point. I can¡¯t recall the last day I wasn¡¯t drunk. ¡°Kenric, if you want to take Erika upstairs, you must pay upfront,¡± Ursula said as she arrived at his table. ¡°Huh. I¡¯m out of silver,¡± Kenric slurred after checking his inventory. He picked up his mug and finished it. He slammed the mug down. ¡°Come on, Ursula! You know I¡¯m good for it.¡± ¡°Lad, can you remember what I told you six years ago when you first arrived?¡± Beorn asked as he joined his wife. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered after giving it some thought. ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re causing trouble now,¡± Beorn said. ¡°I¡¯ll trade you my horse for a month¡¯s room, board, and time with the girls,¡± Kenric said. Erika got off his lap and retreated behind the dwarves. ¡°You did that six weeks ago,¡± Ursula countered. ¡°I¡¯ll trade my sword then!¡± Kenric exclaimed. ¡°You did that two weeks ago,¡± the innkeeper reminded him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trade my mace and armor,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t have my armor and it seems I only have this stick in my inventory. Where is my mace?¡± A three-foot-long stick appeared in the drunken human¡¯s hand. He dropped it on the table. Ursula exchanged a look with her husband. ¡°Right. I figured spirits would be the end of you when we first met,¡± Beorn said. He hauled Kenric up and carried him to the door. The dwarf threw Kenric out the inn¡¯s front door. Kenric landed face first in the mud as rain continued to fall. He sat up, spitting mud from his mouth, and turned to look up at the dwarf. Beorn wiped his hands against each other as he shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t come back. Ever.¡± 11-15 11 ¡°Woof! Get a load of this guy¡¯s smell,¡± the guard told his patrol mates. ¡°Ugh! I can smell him from here,¡± a different guard said. ¡°Thankfully, I can¡¯t smell,¡± the third member of the patrol said. ¡°Is the dirty bum alive? ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± the first one said. He poked the bum laying in the alley mouth with the butt of his spear. The bum moved a little and moaned. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s alive,¡± the second guard said. ¡°Is the bum a man or woman?¡± ¡°You¡¯d have a go with that, if it¡¯s a woman?¡± the third guard asked. ¡°Depends on what it looks like cleaned up,¡± the second answered. The other two shook their heads. The second shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a guy,¡± the first said after poking the body again. ¡°We should beat the stuffing out of him for smelling so bad,¡± the second said. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of effort for a bum,¡± the first replied. ¡°But it would warm us up,¡± the third pointed out. ¡°It¡¯s cold as a witch¡¯s tit out here.¡± ¡°How do you know a witch¡¯s tit is cold? The second guard asked. He grinned. ¡°You know some witches?¡± ¡°Bah! It¡¯s just an expression!¡± the third retorted. ¡°Pick up the bum and I¡¯ll start the beating.¡± ¡°Look at how nasty he is. It¡¯s not just the smell,¡± the first guard said. ¡°I¡¯m not touching him.¡± ¡°We have to touch him to get him out of town,¡± the third guard pointed out. ¡°Good point,¡± the second said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some extra gloves and a cart.¡± ¡°And what are we supposed to do while you¡¯re gone?¡± the first asked looking at his gloves and shrugging. Different gloves that he could throw away would be nice. ¡°Light a fire in a barrel like the bums do,¡± the second guard suggested. He turned and ran off, sparks bouncing from his torch while he ran. ¡°That fool is going to catch himself on fire,¡± the first guard said. The third laughed. ¡°We could just leave the bum. He¡¯ll probably die tonight with how cold it is,¡± the third guard said. ¡°Then we¡¯d hear it from the commander tomorrow,¡± the first guard countered. ¡°True. I¡¯ll see if I can find some wood or something to burn,¡± the third guard said. He walked down the alley, taking more torchlight with him. ¡°This freaking sucks!¡± the first guard complained. He sat his torch down and walked in a circle around it rubbing his arms. * ¡°Bayen, what does your patrol have there?¡± the gate sergeant asked the first member of the patrol that had found the bum. ¡°Some stinking wretch that we¡¯re going to toss out of town,¡± Bayen replied. The sergeant started to step towards the wagon. ¡°Careful Benwick. This boy smells something awful.¡± ¡°He must be wasting away too,¡± the second patrol guard said. ¡°He weighs next to nothing.¡± ¡°That happens Corbett,¡± Benwick said. ¡°It usually means that they¡¯re starving, having a wasting disease, or both.¡± ¡°Thank the heavens that I got extra gloves from the barracks along with this cart,¡± Corbett said. ¡°Ho the gate!¡± a voice shouted from outside the walls. ¡°Derian, who¡¯s out there?¡± Benwick shouted up at the wall. ¡°Osric, Tara, and a few more Ravens,¡± the wall guard shouted back. ¡°They¡¯re all on horseback.¡± ¡°Faran, help Denys open the gate,¡± Benwick ordered the third patrol guard. ¡°Jeremy hasn¡¯t gotten back from the outhouse yet.¡± ¡°Aye sergeant,¡± Faran said. ¡°What about the bum?¡± ¡°Bayen and Corbett can take him out once the Ravens are through the gate,¡± Benwick answered. Faran nodded and helped the other guard crank the gearwheel that opened and shut the gate. ¡°I wish this thing was enchanted,¡± Denys complained. ¡°Hush. You know the town council won¡¯t pay for that. They barely agree to pay our salaries,¡± Benwick said. The other guards laughed. The gate opened enough to let the mounted mercenaries through and the cart out. Greetings were exchanged between the mercenaries and the guards. ¡°Here Benwick,¡± Osric said as he tossed his fellow dwarf a wineskin. ¡°Something to keep you warm tonight.¡± ¡°Ah, Osric. It¡¯s good to see you still remember your old comrades,¡± Benwick said happily. He took a sip and smacked his lips before making the wineskin disappear in his inventory. ¡°That¡¯s good stuff!¡± The mercenaries and guards laughed. ¡°What¡¯s in the cart?¡± Tara asked. ¡°Some bum we found in the mouth of an alley near the market that we¡¯re tossing out. He can die and rot beyond the walls,¡± Bayen answered. Tara and Osric urged their horses a bit closer so they could get a closer look at the bum. ¡°Damn, he stinks,¡± Tara remarked. She rode a few steps away. ¡°This bum is Kenric!¡± Osric exclaimed. ¡°What?¡± Tara asked. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Aye. That¡¯s him despite the grime, stink, and unkempt appearance,¡± Osric replied. ¡°I always wondered what happened to him.¡± ¡°You two know this bum?¡± Benwick asked. ¡°Aye. He was a Raven once,¡± Tara answered. ¡°Pascal said he had lost his fighting spirit, so we assigned him to guard duty at our compound. He disappeared four, no, five years ago.¡± ¡°Living at the Chicken Licker isn¡¯t exactly disappearing,¡± Osric countered. ¡°We just let him drink and wench himself until Beorn threw him out. And we shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ¡°True,¡± Tara admitted. ¡°But Bogdana said he had made his choice.¡± ¡°Do you two want to claim him?¡± Benwick asked. ¡°No,¡± Tara said. ¡°But we will take him to the clinic and pay for the healers to heal him. After that, he¡¯s on his own.¡± ¡°I can agree with that,¡± Osric said. ¡°You two are far kinder than I am,¡± Benwick said. ¡°But so be it.¡± 12 ¡°Where, where am I?¡± Kenric asked after waking up. I¡¯m in a bed. I haven¡¯t slept in a clean bed in years! He opened his eyes. I can¡¯t see anything! ¡°Why can¡¯t I see?¡± He heard rapidly approaching footsteps. He tried to sit up. ¡°Don¡¯t try to move yet,¡± a gentle voice said, pushing him back down. ¡°We¡¯ve healed the worst of your wounds and diseases, but you have a long way to go before you¡¯re fully mended.¡± ¡°Diseases?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°What about my vision?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the woman answered. ¡°You had three different poxes, bronchitis, a failing liver, and scrapie! I¡¯m not sure how you got that wasting disease since I¡¯ve only ever heard of it being found in animals.¡± ¡°Just lucky I guess.¡± I think I got it from the gutter rats a week ago when they attacked me while I slept. No wait. She said it was a wasting disease. That means I got it months ago. ¡°That¡¯s misfortune alright,¡± the healer agreed. ¡°But you had some good luck too. Some kind people found you two weeks ago and brought you here instead of letting the city guard toss you out to die a horrible death in the wilderness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here two weeks?¡± Kenric asked in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve been asleep that long?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you remember your name? Sometimes people forget things thanks to those diseases,¡± the healer said. ¡°Kenric. My name is Kenric,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Just Kenric?¡± ¡°Yeah. My father stripped my family name away from me a decade ago when he disinherited me. What about my vision?¡± ¡°Well met Kenric. My name is Elisaria and I¡¯m a healer,¡± the healer said. ¡°You can¡¯t see because we wrapped a cloth around your eyes to help you sleep.¡± ¡°Oh. Can you remove it??¡± ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Elisaria replied. He felt soft, gentle hands brush his face and head as the healer removed the cloth wrapping. ¡°There! Give it a moment for your eyes to adjust to the light.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said. He blinked a few times and waited as his eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room. A pretty, older elf was sitting on the edge of his bed. Her dark hair was just starting to gray. Still, Kenric felt a part of him stir that hadn¡¯t in a long time. Elisaria laughed. ¡°Well, something is working.¡± ¡°I apologize,¡± Kenric said. I¡¯ve never felt so embarrassed! ¡°Think nothing of it. It¡¯s a natural reaction to someone you find attractive. I¡¯m flattered by the way,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°That said, you don¡¯t stand a chance with me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes. For one, I¡¯d kill you,¡± Elisaria laughed. Kenric liked her laugh. ¡°And for two, my wife would kill you if I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ah. Then in that case, I doubly apologize,¡± Kenric said. Huh. My manners have returned for the first time in years. ¡°Again, think nothing of it. We can¡¯t control who we¡¯re attracted to or our reactions. As Catalina, my wife, says, the heart wants what the heart wants. In your case, your little friend wants what he wants.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Kenric laughed. He started coughing. ¡°Here,¡± Elisaria said, helping him drink from a cup of water. She pulled it away as he tried to gulp it down. ¡°Not so fast. You haven¡¯t had much more than some porridge and water poured down your throat since you¡¯ve been here.¡± Kenric¡¯s stomach grumbled. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°If you need to go, just go. You don¡¯t have the strength to walk yet, and we¡¯ve been cleaning you,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing I haven¡¯t done before.¡± ¡°Now I feel even more embarrassed,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Every healer here at the clinic has given you a bath and cleaned you at least once,¡± Elisaria laughed. ¡°Even the men!¡± ¡°I think I could have done without knowing that!¡± ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s always funny when to see people¡¯s reactions to finding out that sort of thing. Do you think you want to try to eat something?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kenric answered as his stomach rumbled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have one of the others bring you something. It¡¯ll most likely be more porridge,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°Once you can hold that down. We¡¯ll start moving you to more solid foods.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. If you need anything while I¡¯m gone, just holler. The wards will let us know,¡± Elisaria replied. She smiled, patted his hand, and walked away. I have many questions, but they can wait. Kenric wiggled his toes and smiled. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been able to do that in months! The last time I felt them or even saw my feet they were withered, shrunken things. * ¡°Feeling better this morning?¡± a man asked the next day. Kenric noticed he was average height and had a pretty solid build. He also noticed the dark-skinned man had kind brown eyes. ¡°Yes. I thank you for what you¡¯ve done,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the healer replied. ¡°My name is Jakob, and this is my clinic. The others told me you had questions.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Ask away while I check on you,¡± Jakob said. He checked Kenric¡¯s pulse and then started doing something that made his eyes glow. ¡°I¡¯m just doing a simple examination spell in case you¡¯re wondering.¡± ¡°Who brought me here and what do I owe for all this treatment?¡± Kenric asked. I know I owe something even if someone else paid the money. ¡°Your benefactors wish to remain anonymous,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°So, I won¡¯t tell you who they are.¡± ¡°Do any of the other healers know?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t. As for how much you owe, you owe nothing.¡± ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t make sense. I don¡¯t know anyone with that kind of silver to spin, especially with me needing a lengthy rehabilitation!¡± ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°Your benefactors paid for your healing and that coin went no further. Your healing was very time consuming and took a lot of mana. The rehabilitation is something the clinic is doing for free since we don¡¯t want to let a patient leave that isn¡¯t fully healed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that¡­ simple?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but don¡¯t thank me yet. It¡¯ll take weeks, if not months to get you back to where you were physically depending on how much you put into it,¡± Jakob replied. Kenric asked other questions including a few variations on who paid and how much he owed. The answers were always the same. ¡°My goodness!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kenric asked, worry clear in his voice. ¡°You have a large unused mana pool. It¡¯s almost as big as mine!¡± Jakob explained. ¡°Just how high are your mental and spiritual stats?¡± ¡°Good. You can teach me a spell to help me when I¡¯m hungover. I¡¯ll even pay silver once I acquire some more,¡± Kenric laughed. He frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how high my stats are. I can¡¯t bring up the system, but they were in the 50s or 60s the last time I looked.¡± ¡°I could teach you,¡± Jakob said seriously. Kenric stared at the other man. ¡°Think about it. You could be a powerful healer.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Kenric promised. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll have one of the others bring you something to eat. Perhaps grits, toast, and some strawberries.¡± ¡°Wine too?¡± ¡°That is something I don¡¯t recommend you ever drink again. Same for any strong spirits,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°You have a¡­ thirst that would see you right back in the gutter you were pulled from.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see,¡± Kenric muttered, horrified. I can¡¯t drink strong spirits again¡­ ever? But I¡¯ve done that¡­ I mean I¡¯ve spent most of my life in a bottle or wineskin. If Jakob and the others are correct, I¡¯ve not just been feeding an addiction and drinking away all my coin, I¡¯ve been poisoning and killing myself. And that put me in the gutter with several ailments. I never want to end up like that again. I really need to make some changes if I¡¯m going to keep living. Jakob held Kenric¡¯s gaze for a moment, nodded, and walked away leaving Kenric to his thoughts. 13 ¡°Kenric, you¡¯re doing great!¡± Virgil, a half dwarf healer just out of his teen years, encouraged. ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Kenric retorted as he struggled up the stairway to the staff¡¯s quarters on the second floor. It had been a week since his talk with Jakob and he was making progress in his recovery, but not as much as he wanted. Kenric was being moved to the upstairs floor to free up a bed for others that needed the clinic¡¯s services and because he had agreed to try to become a healer. ¡°Don¡¯t be that way,¡± Fiora, a human healer that was the same age as Virgil, said. She was in front of Kenric while Virgil was just behind him to make sure he didn¡¯t fall. ¡°You¡¯ve made a lot of progress in a week.¡± These two are annoyingly chipper. Was I ever that way at their age? Kenric thought. No. No, I wasn¡¯t ever annoyingly chipper. I was annoying to others in a different way. In fact, I was an annoying arsehole. Kenric laughed at that realization. ¡°Something funny?¡± Virgil asked. ¡°Just thinking of the differences between you two and me when I was your age,¡± Kenric answered after sitting on the top stair. He sucked in a long breath and exhaled it. ¡°Are we that different?¡± Fiora asked, giving the two men a smile. ¡°Very,¡¯ Kenric replied, pulling a waterskin out of his inventory. ¡°Sip it,¡± Virgil said. ¡°I know,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°So, what kind of differences do you see between us?¡± Fiora asked. Kenric sipped his water as Virgil frowned. ¡°What? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Curiosity killed the cat,¡± Kenric said. ¡°What?¡± Virgil laughed. Fiora laughed as well. ¡°It¡¯s an old saying,¡± Kenric replied with a smile on his face. ¡°Anyway, I was much more of an arsehole at your age than you two are.¡± ¡°You still are,¡± Virgil said. ¡°Virgil!¡± Fiora hissed. ¡°It¡¯s alright because it¡¯s true,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve promised to myself and the heavens to try to do better, but fear that it will be a long process.¡± ¡°You can always pretend,¡± Fiora said. ¡°We all do that sometime.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Virgil agreed, grinning. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get you up to your new room. You then get to tackle the stairs again so you can start your lessons with Catalina.¡± ¡°Oh joy,¡± Kenric sarcastically replied as he got to his feet. ¡°She¡¯s not that bad once you get to know her,¡± Fiora said. ¡°But she can be grumpy.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll give her a run for her money in the grumpy healer department,¡± Kenric said. The two youngsters laughed. * ¡°Hello Catalina,¡± Kenric said in greeting, giving the elven woman his best smile even if it was hidden by his growing beard. The healers had shaved him, but the facial hair was growing back quickly. ¡°Hello Kenric. You can cut that crap out right now,¡± Catalina said. Catalina is attractive and looks to be about the same age as Elisaria, but she¡¯s not quite as pretty as her wife. She¡¯s the more powerful healer though. And from what I¡¯ve seen, they mesh well and are truly in love. Must be nice. ¡°What crap?¡± Kenric asked, dismissing his thoughts. ¡°The flirting and smiling,¡± the older healer answered. ¡°You¡¯re not my type, too young, and I¡¯m happily married.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to flirt. I was merely being friendly.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s alright,¡± Catalina said. ¡°Take a seat. We¡¯ve got quite a bit of information to cover and we¡¯re starting with the basics.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Kenric replied, sitting in the chair closest to her. ¡°What do you know about magic?¡± ¡°Only that it¡¯s rare and mostly used for healing and enchanting things like water purifiers. Combat magic is ultra rare and almost nonexistent.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Like the different types of healing magic,¡± Catalina answered. ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, you know the bare minimum despite being a noble¡¯s brat.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± I don¡¯t think I ever told anyone here that I came from a noble family. ¡°Your speech, you can read, and you do show you have a couple more brain cells than the common person on occasion,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°Very observant of you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°It¡¯s part of the job. You¡¯ll get there in time,¡± she said. ¡°Do you know what mana is and how it empowers magic?¡± ¡°Yes. Mana is a¡­ force that is in everything and every being. Miners find crystals that can store it and even find crystals that are full of mana once in a while,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Mana provides the force needed to perform magic. So, it¡¯s sort of like a waterwheel moving a wheat grinder.¡± ¡°Crude analogy, but close enough,¡± Catalina said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see that you didn¡¯t totally waste the education you were no doubt provided.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yeah.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go over the two main forms of healing magic,¡± Catalina said. The first is regenerative magic. It uses the body¡¯s energy or an outside source, such as mana crystals, to accelerate the body¡¯s natural healing. This is simple healing and cannot cure diseases, regrow missing limbs, and do other great healing feats.¡± ¡°So, the Lesser Heal spell is an example of regenerative magic?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the older healer said. ¡°The spell heals wounds and can be cast from a distance. The amount of healing is based off the level of the spell.¡± ¡°Spells can be leveled?¡± Kenric asked. I didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Indeed. Think of spells as skills for mages,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°I get that. Thank you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± she said. ¡°The second major form of healing is restorative. Restorative magic uses outside energy as well as the body¡¯s own energy to heal whatever is wrong. This type of healing can regrow limbs, cure diseases, and possibly counter aging. Greater Heal is an example of restorative magic. It can be cast from a distance and used as a faster Lesser Heal. To do great feats, Greater Heal must be done with the caster laying hands on the person they are healing. The amount of healing is once again based off the level of the spell.¡± ¡°The naming of the two forms is a bit confusing since both make me think they can be used to regrow things,¡± Kenric said. What great feats? Not aging? ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to say that and I doubt you¡¯ll be the last,¡± Catalina said. ¡°Still, it is what it is.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. I think I¡¯ll wait to ask about the greater feats. ¡°There is a third form of healing magic that is a specialized version of a general magic discipline,¡± the older woman said. ¡°Wards are an area of effect form of magic. They can be used to defend against damage and heal depending on the type of ward and skill of the healer. I¡¯ve never met a mage that can heal with a ward, so that¡¯s probably something only a healer can do.¡± ¡°I recall seeing Pascal, the Raven¡¯s healer, use a ward once,¡± Kenric said. ¡°It helped the foes we were fighting just as much as it did us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem with area of effect spells. They do not discriminate. Did the spell heal and defend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then your Pascal used Greater Ward. Lesser Ward only works as a shielding spell,¡± Catalina said. ¡°We¡¯ll teach you versions of both.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± ¡°One other thing that is good to know is that if you do change your class to healer, the system will reset your stats to a certain point as a penalty for changing to a class outside of your class¡¯s domain.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡± ¡°Thinking of backing out?¡± Catalina asked with a smug grin on her face. ¡°No. I¡­ I feel I need this,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Good. Come with me. I feel the best way to learn is by doing,¡± Catalina said. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to teach you how to feel me doing an examination spell.¡± 14 ¡°I have a question,¡± Kenric said as Catalina led him back to the clinic. ¡°Ask away,¡± the healer replied. ¡°What is to stop me from learning the healing spells, if I can learn them, and then going off to learn other forms of magic?¡± ¡°Oaths and the system,¡± Catalina answered. ¡°The system I get, but what oaths?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°You will see once we find out if you can learn.¡± ¡°Alright. But what happens to me if I can¡¯t learn or perform the spells?¡± ¡°We finish healing you, you give an oath to not share what you have been taught, and then you go on with your life,¡± Catalina answered, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°What you do after you leave here is your business. Hopefully, you won¡¯t waste our efforts and end up back in the gutter.¡± ¡°That makes two of us,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to not end up back in the gutter, including giving up strong spirits.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Catalina said noncommittedly. I¡¯m thankful she has walked slowly. She normally walks quickly from what I¡¯ve seen. ¡°I think I¡¯m as slow as an old man.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re not falling down like a babe does when they learn to walk,¡± Catalina replied. Kenric laughed and agreed. They stopped at the doorway leading into the main healing chamber of the clinic. Fiora and Virgil were talking to Jakob near the outside entrance while Elisaria and Gomes, another male healer, were tending to the only patients. ¡°Hmmm. Elisaria is with a mother and child. With your looks, you¡¯ll most likely scare the child, so we¡¯ll see if Gomes and his patient will mind us teaching you using the man as a test subject.¡± ¡°Why not just practice on one of the others?¡± Kenric asked, ignoring the slight about him being ugly enough to scare the child. Is it me she has a problem with, nobles, or just men in general? And I¡¯m not ugly! But that¡¯s vanity talking. I don¡¯t look like I did when I was younger. ¡°We will if we have to, but why do that when you can get practical experience?¡± Catalina countered. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll need all the help you can get with your bedside manner.¡± ¡°Is it me you have a problem with, those of noble birth, men in general, or are you always like this?¡± Kenric asked with a smile on his face. Catalina narrowed her eyes and then barked a laugh. ¡°Just you nobles,¡± she replied. ¡°Even with what you¡¯ve been through you still have that haughtiness in you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Let me finish,¡± Catalina said. Kenric nodded. ¡°You admitted you were kicked out of your family, then you were brought low by your own doing, and finally you were saved by healers born of peasants.¡± Kenric nodded as she paused. ¡°Yet you still have that belief that you are superior to others. But know this, you are not! The accident of one¡¯s birth does not make them better or worse than others. Only our actions and deeds do that.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see your point,¡± Kenric replied. And I do. ¡°I am trying to do better, but how does your snide comments and digs make you any better?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never claimed it does, nor will I. I am not perfect, though my darling Elisaria will probably disagree,¡± Catalina admitted with a grin on her face. ¡°You do better, and I¡¯ll try to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly fair.¡± ¡°Neither is life. Come on.¡± * ¡°Greetings Gomes,¡± Catalina said. Gomes was a very fair skinned and handsome elf. I never thought I would admit that about another man, Kenric thought. ¡°Hi Catalina. Hi Kenric,¡± Gomes replied. Kenric returned the greeting. Gomes gestured to his patient. ¡°This is Sven. He¡¯s a lumberjack that thankfully has all his limbs still.¡± ¡°Hi Sven,¡± Catalina and Kenric said at the same time. ¡°Is there something I can help with?¡± Gomes asked. ¡°I was wondering if I might convince you two to allow me to perform an examination spell so Kenric can see if he can learn it,¡± Catalina said, not beating around the bush. ¡°I don¡¯t mind as I haven¡¯t gotten that far yet,¡± Gomes said. He winked. ¡°It¡¯ll save me some mana too. Sven do you mind?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the same to me,¡± the lumberjack said. He coughed. ¡°So no, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Gomes stood from the chair he had been sitting in and bowed while waving towards it. Catalina laughed, nodded her head, and sat in the chair. ¡°Sven, have you ever been healed before?¡± Catalina asked the lumberjack. ¡°Once when I was a child back in Asheville,¡± Sven answered. ¡°The process hasn¡¯t changed and is still painless,¡± Catalina assured the man with a gentle smile. Sven nodded and smiled back before breaking into a coughing fit. She patted his back. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Gomes handed the man a cup of water and sprinkled some shredded leaves in it. He urged the lumberjack to drink it slowly. ¡°What did you add to the water?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°A little diced peppermint. It helps with coughing and colds,¡± Gomes answered. Seeing Kenric¡¯s surprised look, he laughed. ¡°What? Did you think all healing was done with magic?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not. Magic is costly while herbs and other plants are free,¡± Gomes replied. ¡°If you pass Catalina¡¯s test, we¡¯ll teach you about herbal remedies too.¡± ¡°Sven, just relax. You might feel some tingling while my mana flows through you,¡± Catalina told the man. ¡°I recall feeling a tickling feeling when it passed over my skin when I was a kid,¡± Sven replied, smiling. Catalina smiled and nodded. ¡°Kenric, come closer. I want you to focus on water or perhaps wind flowing over and through Sven starting from his right fingers up to his head and then down to his feet in a circle back to his fingers,¡± Catalina instructed. She glanced at Kenric and grinned. ¡°It might help to clear your mind first, which you should find very easy to do.¡± I guess it was too much to hope for her not to joke at my expense. Kenric shook his head and grinned while Sven and Gomes laughed. ¡°You might not feel anything to start,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Don¡¯t rush it. Sensing mana can take time.¡± Kenric nodded and closed his eyes. It helped him to imagine water flowing through Sven. So did his knowing that blood flowed through the body in the same way. At first Kenric didn¡¯t feel anything, and he started to grow frustrated. He squashed his frustration with some effort and took a calming breath. After calming down and emptying his mind, he tried again. This time he imagined that Catalina was a mountain and that a river flowed out of her hands and into Sven, who was lowlands. Kenric smiled at the absurdity of the image in his mind. A moment later, he felt something brush up against his mind. It felt a bit like a breeze on his skin. The breeze felt stronger the second time Catalina¡¯s mana started flowing through Sven. ¡°I can feel it,¡± Kenric whispered, his smile becoming wider as he opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s like a cool, gentle breeze.¡± Gomes and Catalina smiled. Both said,¡± Congratulations!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric replied. A message appeared in his eyes. You have learned how to sense mana. 15 ¡°Very good,¡± Catalina praised. ¡°Sven, you just have a common cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give him some herbal remedies to help with that,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Are you going to take Kenric to Jakob to swear his oath?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Catalina answered. She looked at Kenric. ¡°That¡¯s if he¡¯s ready to give it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Make sure you are committed to this Kenric. The oath is bound by the heavens and upheld by the system. If you break it, there will be severe consequences,¡± Catalina said. ¡°I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t have to take such oaths,¡± Sven coughed. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Gomes replied. ¡°At least as long as you mean what you say and promise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Kenric said. ¡°But I do have a question or two to ask about the oath.¡± ¡°Ask Jakob,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°Come on.¡± She and Kenric nodded to Sven and Gomes before walking towards the healers. * ¡°You have questions about the oath,¡± the senior healer stated after Kenric had read the oath in the book Jakob had handed to him. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Ask away,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°Why swear an oath in the first place?¡± ¡°To make sure the healer honors their life path, themselves, their customers, the needy, the heavens, and their teachers.¡± Kenric raised an eyebrow at that last bit. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jakob laughed. ¡°It¡¯s really all about honesty and all always doing the best you can for those that need your services.¡± ¡°Thats more understandable.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°How does the system enforce the oath?¡± Kennric asked. ¡°In different ways but the punishment is always severe and life changing if the person that breaks the oath lives through the punishment,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°And it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re aware of that and don¡¯t look surprised.¡± ¡°Part of my education was spent making sure I was well aware of oaths.¡± ¡°Makes sense since you¡¯re from a noble family,¡± Jakob replied dismissively. ¡°Your upbringing is your past and should be left there.¡± Kenric nodded. ¡°An oath is not something lightly made or broken. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because of my third question,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Is there something in the oath that you feel you can¡¯t do?¡± Jakob asked. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Explain,¡± the senior healer urged. ¡°As you know I was a warrior. Well, I suppose I still am,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Ah. You are afraid you won¡¯t be able to keep the part of the oath about not harming others,¡± Jakob guessed. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric admitted. ¡°Part of me knows I¡¯m through with fighting and violence. But part of me also understands the world we live in and knows fighting might be necessary.¡± ¡°I see what you¡¯re saying but know that self defense is not the same as instigating a fight,¡± Jakob said. ¡°We¡¯ll show you some nonviolent ways to defend yourself and your patients. Most people are surprised with how easily a healer can put an end to a fight. Does that ease your mind?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Kenric answered. I wonder what he has in mind for stopping a fight. A sleep spell perhaps? ¡°Do you have any questions about the system penalty for changing classes?¡± Jakob asked, bringing Kenric¡¯s focus back to where it belonged. ¡°No. I know the system will penalize me by taking some skills and stats. I¡¯m prepared for that.¡± ¡°Good. Any more questions?¡± ¡°Just one. The part about being pure¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you have to be celibate for the rest of your life. We all have sex,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Kenric said, making Jakob laugh. ¡°Very well. Are you ready to take the oath?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Kenric confirmed. ¡°Very well. Follow me to the chapel,¡± Jakob said. ¡°The clinic has a chapel?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Jakob answered with a smile. ¡°There you¡¯ll have some time to prepare yourself and make sure this is truly the path you want to take while I gather the others. Jakob grinned and winked. ¡°This will be your last chance to backout without being penalized.¡± * ¡°I swear to the heavens that I will carry out this oath to the best of my ability and judgement. I will use my skill and knowledge to heal the sick and needy. I will do no harm or injustice to others. I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art,¡± Kenric vowed. ¡°In whatsoever houses I enter, I will help the sick and abstain from intentional wrongdoing. And whatsoever I shall see or hear during my profession, I will never divulge and hold such things to be secret. If I carry out this oath and not break it, may I gain reputation among all men for all my days and for my art. If I break this oath and foreswear myself, may the opposite befall me,¡± Kenric recited that night. ¡°Congratulations and welcome to the family!¡± Jakob and the rest of the healers shouted at the same time. Most hugged him, though Catalina and Virgil only clapped him on the back and shoulders. ¡°Thank you everyone,¡± Kenric replied. He paused as a system message popped into his vision. Your actions and words have prompted a class change from warrior to healer. Warning! This change will cost you all your warrior skills and two thirds of your stats. Your level will also be reset to one. Are you sure you want to make this change? I am, Kenric thought. He accepted the change and pulled up his class information. Kenric Class: Healer Level: 1 Vitality: 250 Mana: 300 Inventory: 100 pounds Mental: 30 Physical: 25 Spiritual: 30 Skills(spells): Mana Sense Then the pain hit, and he doubled over in agony as his body adjusted to the changes. Kenric slumped to the floor and passed out. 16-20 16 ¡°That¡¯s the way,¡± Jakob said encouragingly. Kenric ignored the man and kept his focus on sending the trickle of mana he had managed to corral in his right palm. It had taken a lot of effort to do that. He felt the mana move from his right hand and flow through his upper body into his left arm. The trickle of mana dissolved. ¡°Blast!¡± Kenric exclaimed. Jakob just looked at him questioningly. ¡°I could feel it move from my right hand into my left arm. Then it just disappeared or faded into nothing.¡± I can feel the mana in me, and that¡¯s the furthest I¡¯ve gotten, but the mana just doesn¡¯t want to do what I want it to do! Kenric thought. ¡°You¡¯re focusing too hard,¡± Elisaria said from where she was reading a book. ¡°Jakob, you don¡¯t mind if I help, do you?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve been trying to explain this to Kenric for two days,¡± the senior healer replied. He smiled to take the sting out of his comment. ¡°You did well by learning to sense mana so quickly, but learning to control it is a different thing entirely.¡± ¡°And evidently a lot harder to do,¡± Kenric complained. ¡°What did you do to learn to sense mana?¡± Elisaria asked Kenric. She wasn¡¯t looking up from her book. ¡°I thought of Catalina as a mountain and her mana as a river flowing into the patient. Then it felt like a cool, gentle breeze was blowing against me,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°That¡¯s another reason why I told Kenric to imagine his mana as a river that was dammed and allow only a stream out of the dam and then to imagine it in a trench and direct it where he wants it to go,¡± Jakob said. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to do that, but it¡¯s like the mana has a mind of its own,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°That¡¯s part of the problem,¡± Elisaria said. The two men gave her questioning looks. ¡°Humans always want to control everything when there are some things that are just uncontrollable. For example, can you control a river?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°You build a dam and block it. Then you can control the flow.¡± ¡°That only works if there¡¯s high enough walls on each side of the river which to anchor your dam,¡± Elisaria countered. ¡°What about beavers?¡± Kenric asked, interrupting her. ¡°They don¡¯t need high walls.¡± ¡°True,¡± Elisaria admitted, a smile on her face. ¡°But what happens behind their dams?¡± ¡°The land floods and becomes a pond or lake,¡± Kenric answered. Elisaria¡¯s smile got bigger. ¡°I see your point. Water behind dams is still not controlled even with blockages.¡± ¡°But Kenric¡¯s mana didn¡¯t flood and scatter. It dried up as if there wasn¡¯t enough to fill the trench,¡± Jakob said. Then he smacked his forehead. ¡°Kenric¡¯s imagined dam is blocking too much of the mana flow.¡± ¡°So, what should I do?¡± Kenric asked, looking back and forth between the other two healers. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡¯ Jakob replied. ¡°The dam and trench were how I was taught, and that method has worked for others I¡¯ve trained.¡± ¡°Jakob, you didn¡¯t train Elisaria or Catalina, did you?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No dear boy,¡± Elisaria laughed. ¡°Jakob isn¡¯t that old.¡± ¡°Thanks. That makes me feel better,¡± Jakob laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve trained Fiora and Virgil though. Gomes was trained by my instructor.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Kenric, close your eyes and try thinking of your mana as the wind as you think about your hand being whole. You don¡¯t want the wind to be strong like in a storm nor can you direct it. You want it to be a gentle breeze that starts in your right hand and flows through or over your body to your left hand,¡± Elisaria explained. Jakob started to object but stopped when Elisaria held up a hand. ¡°You can only feel the breeze. It feels good against the cut.¡± Kenric did as the older elf said. This is way easier than imagining a river and trying to dam it up and controlling the flow of water. Everyone has felt light breezes on their skin before after all. Kenric felt a gentle warmth spread over him from his right to his left. Then he felt a soothing coolness touch his palm. He gasped and looked at his palm. The cut was healed. There wasn¡¯t even a scab. You have learned Lesser Heal. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Elisaria and Jakob said together. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric replied as he dismissed the notice. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°Now you get to keep practicing after getting something to eat,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°Your body needs more energy, and your mana needs time to recover.¡± Kenric nodded. ¡°I am suddenly feeling hungry.¡± Elisaria pointed at the knife Jakob had used to cut Kenric¡¯s palm. ¡°Keep cutting different body parts and healing them after eating a snack. Once you¡¯ve leveled the spell a time or two, we¡¯ll move you onto learning how to diagnose problems with your mana.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t we do that before cutting my hand and teaching me the spell?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Because you can see a cut and know what the problem is,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°The same for a broken bone.¡± ¡°Kenric should learn how to heal one of those before learning to diagnose issues,¡± Elisaria pointed out. ¡°Wait! That means you¡¯re going to break one of my bones,¡± Kenric said. That¡¯s going to hurt! ¡°Yep,¡± Jakob agreed. ¡°And yeah, it¡¯s going to hurt. But we¡¯re here to help if you need it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there another way?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No. As we¡¯ve told you before, you know your body better than others,¡± Jakob said. ¡°And it¡¯s going to hurt a lot,¡± Elisaria added, giving Kenric a sympathetic smile. 17 ¡°Here, drink this,¡± Catalina said, holding out a mug to Kenric. ¡°What is it?¡± Kenric hissed through the pain. I can¡¯t believe Gomes broke my leg with a thought! ¡°It¡¯s a tea made from ginseng and willow. It¡¯ll help with the pain so you can focus,¡± Gomes said. ¡°I hate you Gomes,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. That¡¯s the pain talking,¡± the other man retorted, winking at him. ¡°If you were into men and I wasn¡¯t in a long-term loving relationship with Jakob, I would make this up to you later.¡± ¡°Cut out the flirting, Gomes,¡± Catalina said. ¡°Kenric, take this before I pour it over your head.¡± ¡°As you¡¯ve been told, we¡¯ll teach you these herbal remedies in time,¡± Elisaria said as Kenric took the mug and sipped it. ¡°Drink it all.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t expect it to magically fix you,¡± Catalina said with a grin plastered on her face. ¡°Herbial remedies help, and over time can solve some ailments like colds, but broken bones are another matter entirely.¡± Figures, Kenric thought. Still, he drank the cup of tea. ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s not good at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you know it works,¡± Gomes said. Kenric shook his head and flipped him off. ¡°Learn that one on the battlefield?¡± ¡°No. I learned it when I was a child from some of the adults I grew up around,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°How long does it take for the tea to start working?¡± ¡°Depends on the person, but usually a few minutes,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°It will dull and sooth the pain. Your healing magic will fix the rest.¡± ¡°You said that before,¡± Kenric pointed out. ¡°I thought you could use the reminder,¡± she replied. Kenric laughed. ¡°Laughing makes my leg hurt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a broken thigh bone. What did you expect?¡± Catalina said. ¡°Sunshine, rainbows, puppies, and unicorns,¡± Kenric answered. He grinned until it became another grimace of pain. ¡°Look at that!¡± Gomes exclaimed. ¡°Kenric does have a sense of humor.¡± ¡°Not much of one,¡± Catalina muttered. ¡°Ease off him,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°Kenric may be noble born but hasn¡¯t been one for a long time and has been through a long rough patch. He needs our support just as any other patient and trainee does.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Catalina can and probably will take digs at me all the time. I¡¯ve got thick enough skin to take it, Kenric said. ¡°And a hard enough head,¡± Catalina added. Kenric laughed and agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s get Kenric started on the diagnostic spell,¡± Gomes suggested. The others agreed, especially Kenric. ¡°The spell is simple really. You¡¯re going to use your mana to ¡®see¡¯ what is wrong.¡± ¡°You are doing this on your own body, which will make it easier since nobody knows one¡¯s body like they do,¡± Catalina added. ¡°Remember, this spell is all about intent just like any other.¡± ¡°If all magic is intent, then it should be easy to learn how to make fireballs and such,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°Offensive magic is easier to learn when you understand the basics. That¡¯s one of those dirty little secrets that every mage and healer knows but generally doesn¡¯t talk about. It¡¯s so much easier to learn other forms of magic once you learn one,¡± Gomes said. ¡°And that¡¯s what the oaths are partially for. It keeps you from going down that road of learning them all and doing what you want.¡± ¡°Was there some powerful mage in the past that did just that?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Augustin, who founded the Kingdom of Augusta,¡± Elisaria answered. Huh. I should have known that but all the history books I can remember reading as a child said were that Augustin was a great king. None mentioned that he had been a mage. ¡°You can read about that in history books. Now focus on the task at hand unless you want to keep your broken leg,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Right,¡± Kenric replied. He focused his mind on what he wanted to do and imagined his mana as a gentle breeze again. Instead of his hand, he imagined the breeze blowing ¡®south¡¯ toward his leg. Kenric smiled a moment later. ¡°My bone is broken in half in one place.¡± You have leaned Medical Diagnostic ¡°Nicely done,¡± Elisaria said. The other two healers congratulated him as well as Kenric dismissed the notice. Elisaria had a knowing smile on her face. ¡°Did you imagine your mana as the wind again?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°It was easy to do.¡± ¡°You must have some elven blood somewhere in your family history,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°Using the wind as a learning concept is an elven technique that comes easy to those with elf blood in their veins.¡± Kenric didn¡¯t say anything, but he did look thoughtful. ¡°With the way nobles are so protective of their bloodlines?¡± Catalina scoffed. Elisaria nodded. ¡°It¡¯s possible even though the portraits of my grandparents and great grandparents were human looking. I know my father always claimed to be full blooded human. I¡¯m not sure about my mother since she died when I was a child,¡± Kenric said with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°I was always told undesirable things and deeds are hidden away and not talked about ever, even to family so they are forgotten.¡± ¡°There¡¯s probably some inbreeding in your bloodline too,¡± Catalina said. Kenric shrugged. It¡¯s possible and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. ¡°Anyway,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Heal your leg, Kenric.¡± Kenric nodded. It took him a couple of tries, but he was able to heal his leg completely. He collapsed back in the bed exhausted. ¡°I don¡¯t think I used that much mana. Or at least I don¡¯t feel that way, but why am I suddenly so exhausted?¡± Kenric asked. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°You most likely used more of your mana that you thought you did,¡± Catalina replied. She shrugged. ¡°It happens when you¡¯re learning.¡± ¡°Plus, you were healing yourself,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Even magical healing using mana only takes a toll on the body.¡± ¡°That is one reason we normally put people in a healing sleep to heal broken bones and other bad injuries,¡± Elisaria added. ¡°You¡¯ll learn that spell and Greater Heal after you show proficiency with Lesser Heal and the diagnostic spell.¡± I feel like I keep getting told different things, Kenric thought. The others stood and started filing out of the room. ¡°Rest and practice the diagnostic spell on yourself for the rest of the day,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°Someone will bring you something to eat in a little while unless you feel up to joining us in the dining hall. Make sure you get a good night¡¯s sleep tonight. Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be teamed with one of us in the clinic.¡± ¡°Am I ready for that?¡± Kenric nervously asked. ¡°Probably not, but we like throwing trainees into the deep end,¡± Elisaria answered. She winked. ¡°You¡¯ll either sink or swim.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Personally, I think you¡¯ll swim just fine. I have that feeling,¡± Elisaria said. She smiled and left the room. This is what I wanted. I¡¯ll do the best I can, Kenric thought. He smiled. I healed my broken leg! 18 ¡°You¡¯ve done well for the most part these last couple of weeks,¡± Jakob told Kenric after he had finished with his last patient. ¡°Thanks. What do you mean for the most part?¡± Kenric replied, wiping his hands on a towel. He grimaced. There was still blood on them. ¡°Your bedside manner needs to get better,¡± the senior healer answered. ¡°Have you gotten complaints?¡± Kenric asked. These people complain too much, and I¡¯ve kept my temper in check. ¡°There¡¯s been a couple,¡± Jakob admitted. ¡°I haven¡¯t cussed anyone out or refused to heal them,¡± Kenric said. ¡°The complaints have been that you¡¯re too blunt and don¡¯t seem to care as much as the person feels you should.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met a few healers in my life that are a lot blunter than I¡¯ve been with my patients,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And one of them works here!¡± ¡°And people expect it from Catalina at this point. She¡¯s been here for years,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°But you are young and new.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as young as Fiora and Virgil,¡± Kenric pointed out. ¡°True and nobody expects you to be that excitable and enthusiastic. They come to be healed and understand we don¡¯t get paid as much here as a healer does that is hired by the nobility, mercenary companies, or merchant caravans, so they¡¯re forgiving on some things,¡± Jakob said. ¡°But they do still expect us to be compassionate and sympathetic.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Kenric said. And I will. But working with the public has shown me that I¡¯ll be better off working for a merc company or a merchant caravan. That reminds me that I hadn¡¯t considered my future other than learning to be a healer and showing my thanks to Jakob and the others. I need to start making plans. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± Jakob said, pulling Kenric from his thoughts. ¡°So, have you leveled up yet?¡± ¡°Not my class level, but I have gotten the diagnostic spell, and Lesser Healing up to level 2,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Mana Sense doesn¡¯t seem to level though.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t since it¡¯s more of a traditional skill than a spell. You¡¯ll always just sense mana the same way and the sense never gets stronger or weaker,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°You¡¯re making good progress. Let me know when you get Medical Diagnostic and Lesser Healing to level 5. We¡¯ll teach you Healing Sleep and Greater Healing then. You should also be at least level 2 by that point.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°In the meantime, it¡¯s time to teach you one of the best utility spells.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Cleanse,¡± Jakob answered with a huge grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been so jealous of seeing you and the others use that spell,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Having to clean blood and other fluids by hand is not fun.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. That said, it teaches you humility,¡± the senior healer said. ¡°If you say so,¡± Kenric replied. Jakob laughed. ¡°Are you ready to learn the spell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. Do the breeze thing you do or whatever but imagine that your hands are clean.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Jakob replied, nodding his head. ¡°Magic is all about intent.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said. He did as he had been told. Kenric felt the mana flow through and over him. Kenric¡¯s skin felt different. He glanced down at his hands. ¡°They¡¯re clean!¡± You have learned Cleanse. ¡°So are your clothes and the rest of you,¡± Jakob laughed. ¡°You learned that quicker than I thought you would.¡± ¡°It was easy,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. He dismissed the notice. ¡°Does this spell level?¡± ¡°No. The key to Cleanse is learning to target it on just what you want to clean.¡± ¡°And that can take some time,¡± Kenric concluded. Jakob nodded. ¡°Most healers can use a targeted Cleanse 20 to 30 times before draining their mana,¡± Jakob advised. ¡°So, don¡¯t just constantly use it until I learn to target the spell,¡± Kenric guessed. ¡°Exactly. ¡°Even then, you won¡¯t want to abuse it,¡± Jakob agreed. ¡°And while it works great, don¡¯t think of it as a replacement for a bath. People will think you¡¯re weird if you do.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Cleanse removes all smells, good and bad.¡± ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying. People are used to scents,¡± Kenric replied. Jakob nodded again. ¡°Hunters would love this spell though.¡± ¡°Yeah, they would,¡± Jakob laughed. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go get some lunch.¡± * ¡°That was good,¡± Kenric said, praising the meal. ¡°Virgil and I thank you for the compliment,¡± Fiora said with a smile on her face as Virgil nodded and continued to eat. ¡°We put our best efforts into cooking.¡± ¡°Kenric, can you cook?¡± Gomes asked. ¡°No. I never learned how,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Truly?¡± Virgil asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric replied with a nod. ¡°There was always someone to cook for me growing up and I lived at inns or the company barracks where there were others paid to cook when I¡­ left my father¡¯s lands.¡± ¡°You need to learn,¡± Catalina said. ¡°I agree,¡± Jakob said. ¡°Being able to feed yourself or others is an important thing.¡± ¡°We can teach you,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°Oh joy,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°More lessons.¡± The others laughed. ¡°But until you learn, you can wash the dishes after each meal unless you¡¯re on shift in the clinic,¡± Catalina said. Jakob nodded his approval. ¡°Can I use Cleanse?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Once you can target the spell. Until then, you can use soap and hot water,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°We all use Cleanse,¡± Virgil mock whispered. ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡± Kenric objected. The others laughed and he joined them. 19 ¡°You¡¯re bored,¡± Gomes said as he finished chopping up the onions. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I am,¡± Kenric sighed as he started peeling another potato. ¡°It¡¯s been two years since I became a healer and I¡¯m happy but¡­¡± ¡°You crave more than just healing cuts, viruses, and the occasional missing limb,¡± the other healer said. ¡°Or you at least want a change of scenery.¡± ¡°The latter more than anything else,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough fighting and excitement in my life already.¡± ¡°Losing a hand tends to do that to a person,¡± Elisaria said. The other healers except for Jakob were watching Kenric and Gomes prep for a beef stew. ¡°That is very true,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Would one of you stir the beef in the pot?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just so stupid it took you over another decade to realize that fact,¡± Catalina quipped. Kenric shrugged while the others laughed. ¡°Kenric isn¡¯t that stupid,¡± Fiora protested as she stirred the meat. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Virgil replied. ¡°He did work as a mercenary for years after losing his hand.¡± ¡°To be fair, I was drunk most of that time,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And thank you, Fiora.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Fiora replied. ¡°Kenric, that makes your decision-making process even worse,¡± Catalina said, dismissively. ¡°I agree,¡± Kenric admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve made a lot of stupid mistakes over the years.¡± ¡°Is that why you became a healer?¡± Virgil asked. ¡°You wanted some sort of redemption or something?¡± ¡°Becoming a healer seemed like the right thing to do at the time and offered me a way of repaying those that had helped me,¡± Kenric said after thinking over things. ¡°Redemption is one way of looking at it.¡± Jakob entered the kitchen. He looked frustrated. ¡°What¡¯s eating you? It¡¯s not Kenric¡¯s cooking, is it?¡± Gomes asked his husband. ¡°We know Kenric isn¡¯t the best cook, but he¡¯s become passable.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not Kenric¡¯s attempt at beef stew that¡¯s bothering me,¡± Jakob answered, shaking his head. ¡°Is it that merchant again?¡± Catalina asked. ¡°Yes. Nathaniel Norwood refuses to take no for an answer,¡± Jakob replied. ¡°What does he want?¡± Fiora asked. ¡°To hire one of us to accompany his caravan into Carolina,¡± Jakob answered. ¡°You and Virgil are too inexperienced and young, Catalina, Elisaria, Gomes, and I are happy here.¡± ¡°So are we. We¡¯re city kids,¡± Virgil interrupted. Jakob nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to speak for you Kenric, but you¡¯re still learning and seem happy enough here,¡± Jakob said. ¡°He¡¯s not happy,¡± Gomes said. ¡°He¡¯s bored.¡± ¡°Thanks Gomes,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Gomes replied. ¡°Kenric also knows just as much about healing as one can for being so knew to the craft,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be a bad choice to go with a caravan. Plus, it would be good experience.¡± ¡°He has caught up to us in everything but herbal remedies and wards,¡± Fiora said. She grinned. ¡°Oh, I forgot his bedside manner still isn¡¯t as good as ours.¡± ¡°He¡¯s improved because Kenric has taken our shifts in the clinic a few times,¡± Virgil said. ¡°We also still cook better than he does too.¡± ¡°Trying to get rid of me?¡± Kenric asked as he washed the vegetables one more time. ¡°No,¡± Catalina said. ¡°We¡¯re presenting you with a choice though. The clinic doesn¡¯t really need seven healers after all.¡± The clinic isn¡¯t busy enough for six either except for a couple times of the year, but the others are all couples and I¡¯m not involved with anyone, Kenric thought. Breaking up couples wouldn¡¯t be good though. Plus, I do want a change of scenery. Going on the road with a caravan would give me that. ¡°Is traveling with a caravan something you would be interested in Kenric?¡± Jakob asked as Kenric added the vegetables to the stew. ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Kenric answered after giving it a little more thought as he added some water to the stew pot and stirred the contents. ¡°But I¡¯m not ready. I still have so much to learn about herbal remedies.¡± ¡°We can provide you with a book or two that would take care of your lack of herbal knowledge,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°We can also teach you how to cast wards,¡± Gomes said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to travel, you¡¯re going to need to know how to cast them.¡± ¡°Kenric, I¡¯ll write a message and send it to Nathaniel if you want,¡± Jakob said. ¡°You can at least meet with him and see if the fit is right for you.¡± ¡°Make sure he provides you with a wagon,¡± Catalina advised. ¡°That merchant can afford it.¡± ¡°Ask for at least 2000 silvers along with the wagon and meals,¡± Gomes added. ¡°Make sure he provides high quality food,¡± Virgil suggested. ¡°A cook probably wouldn¡¯t hurt either.¡± They all laughed. ¡°See if he¡¯s willing to provide your herbal ingredients,¡± Fiora said. ¡°If you use any, it¡¯ll most likely be in service to the caravan, so you shouldn¡¯t have to pay for them.¡± ¡°A dedicated guard would be good to have too,¡± Jakob said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Bandits do tend to hit healers if they can be identified.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll also need to give yourself a surname for the contract,¡± Elisaria stated. ¡°While the system is perfectly happy with just first names, the legal types aren¡¯t. I would suggest using curer, mender, or some other term that means healer.¡± ¡°Sounds like you four have done something similar before,¡± Kenric said. ¡°We have,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°And the youngsters offered sound suggestions too.¡± ¡°All of you have given me sound advice. Thank you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the others chorused. The clinic doorbell chimed. Virgil and Fiora went to see who it was. The others left Kenric to cook and think things over. 20 Nathaniel Norwood is a dwarf. That surprises me. Every traveling merchant I¡¯ve seen has been human. Still the dwarves need merchants just like everyone else. So, why shouldn¡¯t they have traveling merchants too? Kenric thought. He schooled his features so Nathaniel wouldn¡¯t see his surprise and walked over to the merchant¡¯s table. ¡°You¡¯re Kenric?¡± Nathaniel asked, looking up from his lunch. Unlike a lot of his folk, Nathaniel had a long, braided blonde beard. He was also a bit on the skinny side for his race. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric answered. I like my chosen surname. ¡°Nathaniel Norwood,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Take a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric replied, sitting in a chair across from the merchant. ¡°Would you like a drink or some food?¡± Nathaniel asked, waiving to a server. ¡°Glenn¡¯s food is quite good.¡± ¡°A cup of peppermint tea please,¡± Kenric said as the server arrived. The boy nodded. ¡°Is that all?¡± Nathaniel asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have a slice of apple pie for desert and a mug of yaupon tea.¡± ¡°Would you like me to take those empties away?¡± the server asked. The merchant nodded and the server picked up the empty dishes. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with the yaupon tea, tea, and pie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to cut to the chase, if that¡¯s alright with you,¡± the merchant said. ¡°Sure. That¡¯s one of the things I¡¯ve always admired about your people,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°In my experience, dwarves are forthright and expect the same in return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Nathaniel agreed. ¡°We also reward as has been earned.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned that the hard way,¡± Kenric said. On more than one occasion too. ¡°Here¡¯s your peppermint tea,¡± the server said, interrupting them. He placed their orders in front of them. ¡°And here¡¯s your apple pie and yaupon tea. Is there anything else I can get you?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll flag you down if we want something else,¡± Nathaniel said. The server nodded and left them. He tried the pie. ¡°Hmmm. Fantastic!¡± ¡°Bad for the waistline though,¡± Kenric said. He sipped his tea and then added some honey to it. ¡°Only if you don¡¯t work it off,¡± Nathaniel laughed. He sipped his yaupon tea as Kenric tried his tea again. ¡°Right. I need a healer because my last one decided he didn¡¯t want to go into Carolina again. He had also said something about a family emergency, but I think that was hogwash.¡± ¡°Jakob did say you were looking to hire because your old healer quit. Though he didn¡¯t say why he quit.¡± ¡°It really doesn¡¯t matter why. What matters is that he did.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°As you¡¯re aware, the journey into Carolina isn¡¯t the safest. Where exactly are you going to? Asheville?¡± ¡°Ever been to Wilkesboro?¡± Nathaniel asked. Kenric shook his head. The merchant pulled out a map and spread it on the table. He pointed to a name on the map. ¡°Wilkesboro is the gateway to the Appalachians from the Carolina side of the border. It¡¯ll take about a week to get there because we¡¯ll stop at Boone and a couple of other little towns and villages along the way.¡± ¡°Coming directly back?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯ll loop down to Hickory, then to Asheville, and finally back here. The whole trip will take a month or little less than that depending on travel conditions and any monster and bandit attacks,¡± Nathaniel answered, tracing his route on the map. ¡°I¡¯ve made similar trips when I was a mercenary,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Just never that far east.¡± ¡°You were a merc?¡± ¡°Until I let my bad habits get the best of me,¡± Kenric answered. He explained about his wenching and drinking problems as well as briefly about his desire not to fight any longer. ¡°I haven¡¯t had anything stronger to drink than a single cup of watered down wine in over two years. I¡¯m willing to take this trip with you as a trial run if we can come to an agreement.¡± ¡°I appreciate the honesty,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I know you healers swear an oath not to do harm, but do you think you could defend yourself if needed?¡± ¡°Yes, though I¡¯d prefer to let others do that, so I don¡¯t get in their way.¡± ¡°Makes sense. So, you¡¯d want a dedicated guard or two.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I suppose you want me buying any ingredients you need for poultices and the tinctures too.¡± ¡°Yes. They would be used in service of your caravan after all.¡± ¡°So, ingredients, and a guard or two in addition to your pay,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you 1000 silvers.¡± ¡°I would also need a wagon or horse, good food or a stipend to buy my own food and cooking utensils, a few mana crystals, and at least 3000 silvers,¡± Kenric said. His eyes are bugging out of his head. He barely kept from laughing. ¡°Any ingredients and the crystals I don¡¯t use, are yours to do with as you please.¡± ¡°We have a cook, and she insists on providing the best for us. I wouldn¡¯t have that any other way either. That means you can forget about a stipend or having your own food,¡± Nathaniel replied. ¡°I agree about the crystals though. If you ran out of mana after an attack, things could get bad. So, I¡¯ll provide those too.¡± ¡°That works for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll provide a vardo for your use. That¡¯s a wagon with a bed and a few other comforts in it. It¡¯s the same sort of wagon that me and the other merchants and guards use,¡± Nathaniel explained. Kenric nodded. ¡°Yours won¡¯t have all the enchantments though.¡± ¡°Fair enough. It¡¯s not like the summers here get too hot.¡± ¡°True. As for your pay, I¡¯ll go up to 1400 silvers.¡± ¡°I see we¡¯re wasting each other¡¯s time,¡± Kenric said. He stood. ¡°I thank you for the tea and meeting.¡± ¡°Sit down,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯m a merchant. We haggle and you¡¯re not as experienced as some of the other healers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one willing to travel with you and you¡¯re desperate,¡± Kenric countered, sitting back down. Unless he hires a merc, but he doesn¡¯t seem keen on that idea. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you have your own guards and haven¡¯t hired a merc company.¡± ¡°True. It¡¯s usually cheaper in the long run to have your own guards and healers. They¡¯re also more loyal.¡± ¡°Then this is a simple case of supply and demand,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You have a demand and I have the supply.¡± Nathaniel scowled and then threw his head back laughing. Once he finished, he said, ¡°Aye, you made a good point. I¡¯ll pay 2000 silvers.¡± Dare I? Kenric thought. ¡°Make it 2500 and I want 1000 up front so I can buy traveling clothes and other needs¡± ¡°2000 and not a silver more.¡± ¡°2500 and I¡¯ll set a ward around the camp,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°Every third night I¡¯ll set a greater ward that will heal our aches and pains as well as protect the camp.¡± Nathaniel grinned. ¡°You truly know that spell?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Kenric replied. He smiled. I have him! ¡°Then we have a deal,¡± the merchant said, extending a hand. Kenric shook it. Nathaniel grinned wider. ¡°Now we just need to sign a contract and I¡¯ll pay you the upfront fee.¡± Crap! I could have gotten more. 21-25 21 ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jakob asked as Kenric handed him a coin purse. ¡°500 silvers, which is half my up-front fee for signing on with Nathaniel¡¯s caravan for a single month-long trip into Carolina and back,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Keep it. It¡¯s your money,¡± Jakob replied, trying to hand back the purse. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be here, and the clinic can always use the money,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Jakob, take it,¡± Gomes said. ¡°Let Kenric do what he feels is right. Even if you don¡¯t want to use it for the clinic, you can use the money to help others.¡± ¡°Are you sure about this, Kenric?¡± Jakob asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure. The other 500 silvers will be more than enough to buy me some traveling clothes and other necessities,¡± Kenric answered. In fact, it might be enough to buy a mana crystal or two as well. It would be good to have my own. ¡°Did you get everything we advised you to ask for?¡± Elisaria asked. ¡°Everything but my own food. Nathaniel says he and his cook insist on the best and I¡¯ll have to eat that,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Though I suppose I could buy some food along the way if I need to or don¡¯t like what they serve.¡± ¡°What about your pay?¡± Gomes asked. ¡°That¡¯s not our business,¡± Jakob quickly said. ¡°2500,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You probably could have gotten more,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°Yeah, I think I could have as well. But¡­¡± ¡°But you were excited to get the 2500 and the merchant got away with not paying more,¡± Catalina concluded. Kenric nodded. ¡°Learn from your mistake.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kenric said. Catalina grunted and nodded her approval. ¡°Jakob, do you want me to work in the clinic this afternoon?¡± ¡°Not really. We got it covered. Why?¡± the senior healer asked. ¡°I thought I would go find some traveling clothes if you didn¡¯t need me,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Go and do what you need to do,¡± Jakob said. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°Three days from today,¡¯ Kenric answered. ¡°That¡¯s not a lot of time to get clothing made,¡± Elisaria said. ¡°I know,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Still, I should be able to get something already made and the tailor should have enough time to make some alterations for me if needed.¡± ¡°Have fun,¡± Gomes said. ¡°I hate getting fitted for clothing.¡± * ¡°I have pants and shirts that will fit you in the back,¡± Natasha, the tailor or seamstress who owned Natasha¡¯s Clothing & Alterations, said as finished taking Kenric¡¯s measurements. He wasn¡¯t sure which term really applied to her nor cared. She tapped her lip. ¡°I¡¯ll probably need to hem the pants though.¡± ¡°How soon could you have that done?¡± Kenric asked. That is the only thing that really matters. I can¡¯t afford a delay. ¡°I can have any alterations needed done tomorrow,¡± Natasha answered. She smiled. ¡°Do colors matter to you?¡± ¡°Not really. As I stated before, the clothes need to be sturdy since I¡¯ll be working for a caravan.¡± ¡°I have what you need,¡± Natasha said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with a pair of pants and a shirt for you to try on.¡± That comment about having what I need can be taken in a few different ways, Kenric thought as he watched the woman walk to the back. Does she always sway her hips like that or is that for show? She stopped at the curtain to the back, looked over her shoulder and smiled. Natasha then stepped through the curtain. Most definitely a show for me and I¡¯m surprised. I haven¡¯t had a woman flirt with me in years. Natasha is attractive for an older woman too. I don¡¯t see any gray in her brown hair but wonder how old she is and if she¡¯s married. I don¡¯t recall seeing a ring on her finger¡­ ¡°Here you are,¡± Natasha said as she emerged from the back. She was carrying a white long-sleeved shirt, a brown pair of pants, and something else. ¡°I have other colors of shirts, but since you¡¯re a healer I felt you might prefer white better since people like healers to wear white.¡± ¡°Thank you. I hadn¡¯t considered that,¡± Kenric replied as she sat the clothes down. ¡°What else are you carrying?¡± ¡°A short sleeved over tunic and vest,¡± Natasha said, showing him the two garments. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure which you would like, if either of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try both since you put some thought into completing the outfit for me,¡± Kenric said. He smiled and she returned it. ¡°Do you have a changing room where I can try these on?¡± ¡°Right over there,¡± Natasha replied, pointing at a curtain to the left. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said, picking up the pants and shirt. ¡°I can try the tunic and vest after putting these on.¡± * ¡°What do you think?¡± Kenric asked, emerging from the changing room. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Natasha said with a smile on her face. She walked around him, touching and tugging at the pants and shirt. ¡°The pants are about half an inch too long, but if you tuck them into boots you¡¯ll never notice. Or I can hem them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tuck them into my new boots,¡± Kenric replied. Natasha ran a hand over his chest. She then handed him the vest. He tried it on. She reached around and opened it from where he had fastened it closed. With her arms still around him, she turned Kenric to a mirror. ¡°I think you look good,¡± Natasha said over his shoulder, her lips very close to his ear. ¡°The clothes fit you well. What do you think?¡± I hadn¡¯t realized she was nearly as tall as me. He turned to face her. She didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡°I agree and I¡¯ll need four shirts and four pairs of pants. I¡¯ll take two pairs of pants in brown and two in black,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And the vest and tunic?¡± Natasha asked, not breaking eye contact. ¡°Two of each in whatever color you think best.¡± ¡°That will be 250 silvers and I guarantee my work,¡± Natasha said. ¡°You seem a little breathless,¡± Kenric said, deciding to see if she wanted more than to just flirt with a customer. He grinned. ¡°Perhaps you need an examination.¡± ¡°I think I do too. Let me lock up early,¡± she said with a coy smile on her face. 22 I can¡¯t believe I spent 400 silvers just on clothes yesterday, Kenric thought as he looked at the clothing spread on his bed in his room at the clinic. He had the four sets of pants and shirts from Natasha. He had two vests and two tunics that were more colorful that Natasha promised matched his pants and shirts. He had a new sturdy, yet comfortable pair of waterproof leather boots. The boots came up to just below his knee. He had also bought two waterproof hooded cloaks and a hat. One cloak was for warm weather and the other for cold weather. The hat was just to keep the sun off his head and out of his eyes. They¡¯re not the best clothes, but they¡¯ll do until I can afford better clothing. They¡¯re also a far cry better than what I¡¯ve worn the last few years, so I can¡¯t complain. ¡°Kenric?¡± Fiora called as she knocked on his door. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Nathaniel has sent a runner. He wants you to come to his shop. The runner is to accompany you and show where it is.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll be right down,¡± Kenric replied. I wonder what the merchant wants. He shrugged and put on the new boots. They¡¯re comfortable, but still need to be broken in. * The runner was a young dwarf girl named Eira. She was short and skinny with curly brown hair and brown eyes. She¡¯s too cute and friendly to be related to Nathaniel, though that¡¯s still a possibility. Friendly turned out to be a bit of an understatement. Eira was a talker and chatted about everything she could think of in the 10 minutes it took to reach Nathaniel¡¯s shop, which was a walled off compound instead of being the simple shop he had assumed, including asking him a ton of questions about being a healer. They entered the shop, which sold a wide variety of goods, and with a wave from the clerk, were allowed to pass into the back. Eira led Kenric past some storage areas and into a courtyard. In the yard were two dozen vardos and open-air wagons of different sizes. The open-air wagons were being loaded with crates, wood, and other thing things from warehouses that surrounded the courtyard. Kenric stood watching the activity. ¡°First time seeing a caravan loaded up before?¡± Eira asked. ¡°It is,¡± Kenric confirmed. ¡°I know how wagons are loaded, but never expected anything like this.¡± ¡°Uncle Nathaniel employs the best,¡± the little girl said. Kenric smiled. I bet she heard someone else say that. Most likely Nathaniel himself. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go get Uncle Nathaniel,¡± Eira said. ¡°Is he really your uncle?¡± Kenric asked. She nodded. ¡°And he uses you as a runner?¡± ¡°Sure. I get paid good too!¡± ¡°I bet you do,¡± Kenric laughed. She laughed and took off. ¡°You handled Eira well,¡± a woman said from behind him. Kenric jumped and looked behind him. Crap! I need to start paying more attention to my surroundings. I wonder if she had been following the girl. The woman was a dwarf wearing full chainmail with two small axes belted at her waist. He saw a dagger sticking up from each boot. The woman was pretty with short black hair and gray eyes. The only thing that marred her looks was a scar that ran from the corner of her left eye across her face to the corner of her mouth. She grinned. ¡°Like what you see?¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve little experience with kids. And yes, I like what I see.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She taunted, turning her face so the scar stood out even more. ¡°What do you see?¡± She seems angry and is trying to toy with me. I shouldn¡¯t let her do that. I imagine getting on her bad side would be a bad idea. But how to defuse¡­ ah! I got it. ¡°An attractive, strong, and capable woman.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Because you¡¯re still alive and I doubt whoever did that,¡± Kenric said, gesturing to the scar, ¡°is still alive.¡± The woman laughed. ¡°You¡¯re alright healer.¡± ¡°Thanks. So, you know who I am?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re Kenric Mender and you¡¯ve hired on for this trip into Carolina and back.¡± ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Revna Norwood. Nathaniel is my cousin and I¡¯m in charge of the guards,¡± Revna answered, completing the introduction. ¡°Interesting,¡± Kenric said. ¡°In what way?¡± Revna asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think this was a family venture.¡± ¡°Nathaniel is the next in line to be our clan leader. That makes almost everything he does family business.¡± ¡°That makes a bit more sense to me and I¡¯m well aware of how much clan and family mean to your people,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Do you want that scar healed? I will not charge you for the healing.¡± ¡°No. It makes me look fierce!¡± ¡°I doubt you need a scar to look fierce.¡± Revna laughed again. ¡°Keep it up healer and I¡¯ll start to think you¡¯re flirting with me.¡± Kenric smiled and shrugged. Revna smiled. ¡°Thanks for the offer though. The scar is also a reminder that I don¡¯t¡¯ want to forget.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kenric replied. I¡¯m not going to pry. ¡°But the offer is open for as long as we¡¯re working together.¡± He grinned. ¡°After that, you¡¯ll have to pay.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Is Eria coming along?¡± ¡°No. She¡¯ll stay here with her dad, Bertram. He¡¯s Nathaniel¡¯s younger brother and will run things here while we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Is Bertram more of a city boy?¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Kenric!¡± Nathaniel shouted from halfway between the wagons and where they were standing. The merchant waved Kenric over. ¡°Thank you for your company, Revna. I¡¯ll see you later,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯ll probably be sick of me after the first few days,¡± Revna replied. ¡°You can¡¯t be any worse than any of the guard and mercenary captains I¡¯ve been around before,¡± Kenric said as he walked away. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± 23 ¡°Don¡¯t mind Revna. She¡¯s not that bad but she can be strict,¡± Nathaniel said when Kenric was close enough that he didn¡¯t have to yell to be heard. ¡°Captains are who they are because they take their responsibility seriously,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯ve not met one that isn¡¯t strict but fair.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t either,¡± Norwood agreed. ¡°So, I¡¯m sure you want to know what I called you here for.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to show you how lucky you are.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°The vardo I had planned to put you in has two cracked axels and we don¡¯t have time to repair it,¡± Nathaniel answered. Kenric nodded. ¡°So, I¡¯m putting you in my old wagon.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°My new vardo arrived this morning,¡± Norwood replied. He pointed to a large wagon that was off to the side. It was slightly longer and wider than the others. ¡°That one is big enough for my wife and son to accompany us.¡± ¡°Is that a good idea? The road isn¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. We have more than enough guards for anything that is stupid enough to attack us. Besides, my wife and I don¡¯t like to be separated for a month at a time and my son is finally old enough to travel.¡± ¡°I suppose I might feel the same way if I ever get married,¡± Kenric said. Nathaniel laughed and agreed. ¡°So, why give me your old wagon instead of someone else?¡± ¡°This way I don¡¯t have to hear the other merchants going with us whining about me picking favorites. I can blame you for wanting comforts,¡± Nathaniel answered. Kenric laughed. ¡°And it¡¯s the most expedient use of resources.¡± ¡°Makes sense. Can I see the vardo? I¡¯ve never seen the inside of one before.¡± ¡°Right this way,¡± Nathaniel said. He guided Kenric to the last vardo in the line. The wagon was old but well cared for and maintained. That said, the green paint was fading just like the others. ¡°Is the faded paint and sort of worn look on purpose or are all the wagons just old?¡± ¡°Both depending on the wagon. Bandits tend to go after the more expensive looking wagons first. That¡¯s why my new wagon looks faded and worn already too.¡± ¡°May I?¡± Kenric asked, gesturing to the door. In answer, Nathaniel tossed him a key. Kenric climbed up the front wheel and onto the little porch. There was a slight overhang for shade and to keep the rain off the driver and a bench built into the walls on either side of the door. Kenric opened the door and looked inside. On the right side of the vardo was a stove, sink, and storage cabinets. On the left side was a door. Kenric stepped inside and felt the wagon shift as Nathaniel climbed up behind him. ¡°That door leads to the bathroom,¡± the merchant explained. ¡°There¡¯s a toilet, sink, and small tub inside. All are enchanted so you won¡¯t have to worry about water and waste.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something I expected,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Most people don¡¯t, but like I told you before, I look after my people. All the vardos have a bathroom like this.¡± Kenric nodded and looked into the bathroom. He shut the door and stepped past it. Behind the bathroom was a two-person booth or table. Above the table was a storage cabinet. The rest of the space was taken up by a full-sized bed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised all of this looks like it¡¯ll fit me,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Your legs aren¡¯t that much longer than mine,¡± Nathaniel joked. Kenric laughed. ¡°Everything was made to suit human, elf, or dwarf. The vardo is also enchanted for comfort, so if something doesn¡¯t fit quite as it should, you¡¯ll find it does the next time you use it.¡± ¡°Interesting. Does comfort extend to heat and cold?¡± ¡°It does. The interior has lights that come on when it¡¯s dark enough and the lights go off when it¡¯s light enough outside.¡± ¡°That might make it hard to sleep.¡± ¡°Nah. When you¡¯re in bed and not moving much,¡± Nathaniel said, wiggling his eyebrows, ¡°the enchantment will turn off the lights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Aye. Dwarven enchanters are the best at what they do,¡± the merchant proudly said. ¡°There¡¯s storage space for clothing and linens on either side of the bed. Dishes, pots, and pans are in the storage above the stove and sink.¡± ¡°Considering how small the storage spaces look, I take it they¡¯re all enchanted.¡± ¡°Yes. So are the stove, sink, and icebox.¡± ¡°This is a house on wheels,¡± Kenric said with a smile on his face. ¡°Indeed. The other vardos don¡¯t have the kitchen setup and all the enchantments this one does. Well, my new one does,¡± the merchant said. ¡°This is the vardo I used and lived out of while I started my business. She¡¯s been good to me, and I¡¯ve been good to her in return.¡± ¡°I promise to take care of your vardo as well,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Good man,¡± Nathaniel replied. He paused in his tracks, looking thoughtful. ¡°Can you drive a wagon?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kenric admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll get Revna to assign you Crispin or Petra as your guard. Both were wagon drivers before becoming guards and can teach you how to drive the vardo,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Keep the key. I have another.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric replied. He shut the wagon and locked the door after they exited. He put the key into his inventory.¡± ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll introduce you to some of the others.¡± * ¡°We¡¯re going to miss you,¡± Elisaria said. She hugged him after giving him a book on herbs. The others had already said goodbye and given him food or other light gifts including an enchanted satchel and backpack that held 50 and 100 pounds of weight respectively, before heading back into the clinic. ¡°You act like I¡¯m not coming back,¡± Kenric replied, slipping the book into his inventory. ¡°You won¡¯t be unless it¡¯s just to visit,¡± Catalina said. To his surprise, she hugged Kenric as well. She handed him a small mana crystal. ¡°Take this.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take this,¡¯ Kenric said after examining the crystal. This thing can be refilled and is worth 500 silvers or a little more than that. ¡°Just say thank you, you twit,¡± Catalina retorted. ¡°Accept the gift and use it well.¡± ¡°You guys didn¡¯t use the money I had given Jakob to buy this, did you?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No. This is a small refillable crystal that I used in my traveling days,¡± Catalina answered. ¡°It needs a new chain so you can hang it around your fool neck though.¡± I¡¯m not going to miss her barbs and digs, but I will miss Catalina just as I will the others. ¡°Jakob is using the money you gave to buy needed supplies for the orphanage,¡± Elisaria added. ¡°Thank you. Thank the others for me again please,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Elisaria replied. ¡°Good luck,¡± Catalina said. ¡°Tell us about your adventures whenever you get back this way.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be coming back with the caravan?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± Catalina answered. ¡°Wanderlust has taken hold of you and who knows where it¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°Make sure it takes you to the ocean,¡± Elisaria said with a tinkle in her eye. ¡°That is something everyone should see once in their life.¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Catalina replied to her wife. ¡°Do you remember that time we went 20 years ago?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Eliasria answered. ¡°You had almost got eaten by a landshark!¡± ¡°A what?¡± Kenric asked, interrupting them. ¡°A shark is a creature of the sea,¡± Elisaria replied. ¡°There are different types and they¡¯re all predators.¡± ¡°Alright. But what¡¯s a landshark if a shark is a fish or whatever?¡± Kenric said. ¡°A landshark is a monstrous version of a shark that has legs and pincers like a crawfish,¡± Catalina explained. ¡°You¡¯re joking,¡± Kenric said. ¡°No,¡± Catalina replied. ¡°And that¡¯s something you think I should visit?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± the two women answered at the same time. Kenric smiled, shook his head, and started walking. He could hear Elisaria and Catalina laughing as he walked away. * ¡°Are you ready?¡± Crispin asked. The guard was standing beside the vardo. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Good. Let me introduce you two our team,¡± Crispin said. He walked up to the two massive donkeys that were hitched to the wagon. ¡°This is Jack and Jill. They¡¯re Mammoth Jackstocks.¡± ¡°Mammoth is right. They¡¯re huge!¡± Kenric replied. Both stood at least five foot tall at the withers with the black one being a few inches taller. ¡°I guess Jack is the black one.¡± ¡°Yep. Jill is this lovely little sorrel girl,¡± Crispin said, patting Jill on her neck. ¡°I don¡¯t know about her being little.¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t talk about the lady¡¯s size like that,¡± the guard replied, laughing. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here!¡± Nathaniel shouted. The merchant didn¡¯t do much more than nod at Kenric and Crispin as he kept walking toward the front of the line. ¡°Let¡¯s mount up and roll out!¡± ¡°That¡¯s our cue,¡± Crispin said. ¡°You can organize your stuff while we¡¯re underway. Petra will switch off with me every other day.¡± ¡°That works for me,¡± Kenric said. He climbed up and entered the vardo. Crispin followed and sat on the driver¡¯s bench. ¡°After you get your gear sorted out, you can join me up here if you want. If not, leave the door open so some of that coolness slips out, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Kenric replied. 24 ¡°Come on drunken princess!¡± Crispin taunted. ¡°Hurry it up. The boss is already moving out.¡± I wonder who told him I had been born into a noble family. Crispin had been holding that little factoid against me for hours. And I guess I earned a reputation for being a drunk in Mountain City. ¡°I¡¯m coming,¡± Kenric called, shaking off his thoughts. The caravan had stopped for lunch and to trade at a small village named Zionville. ¡°Healer, thank you again,¡± the woman he had just finished healing said. ¡°If you wait a moment, my husband will be along with some fruit and vegetables to pay for the healing you did to me.¡± I¡¯ve forgotten her name. Maybe it was Claire. I¡¯d better play it safe, Kenric thought. ¡°It¡¯s alright ma¡¯am. I¡¯m just glad to be of help. Though I won¡¯t say no to some fresh fruit and vegetables if your husband gets here before the wagon departs the village.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go make sure he¡¯s coming,¡± the woman said. Crispin shook his head and clicked at the jackstocks as the woman rushed off. Jack and Jill looked over their shoulders at him and turned back to eating grass. Kenric smiled. ¡°Giddy up!¡± Crispin said, snapping the reins. Jack and Jill started slowly moving. Kenric frowned. ¡°Crispin,¡± Petra said in warning. The female guard was astride a horse and had been obviously waiting on them. The male guard grinned and shrugged his shoulders. Asshole!- Kenric thought. He glanced at Petra. ¡°I¡¯ll say something to Revna. He knows he shouldn¡¯t be doing this,¡± Petra said. Kenric smiled and nodded his head. ¡°Healer!¡± the woman he had healed shouted. Kenric and Petra turned their heads to see the woman and her husband rushing to them. ¡°Take it all,¡± the man urged. Kenric spotted watermelons, cantaloupe, apples, cucumbers, tomatoes, and potatoes in the man¡¯s wheelbarrow. He also noticed the worn clothing the two wore. ¡°Your wife needs this more than I do,¡± Kenric said. Petra shot him a questioning look. I guess she hasn¡¯t heard of a healer turning down payment before. By the looks of surprise on the woman and her husband¡¯s faces, they haven¡¯t either. I suppose I can take two of the watermelons though. He smiled at the farmer and his wife. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly take two of the watermelons and a dozen apples though. It¡¯s been over two years since I¡¯ve had any watermelon.¡± ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want all of this, sir healer?¡± the farmer asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure. As I said, your wife needs to eat well. Her body will need the energy to recover from the healing,¡± Kenric replied. They looked at him in confusion. Maybe I¡¯m laying it on a little too thick. ¡°You and your children will need it as well.¡± ¡°As you say, sir,¡± the man said. Kenric took the two watermelons and a dozen apples. He put them in his inventory and nodded to the farmer and his wife. ¡°Take care of yourselves,¡± Kenric said. He shook their hands. ¡°Kenric, we need to hurry,¡± Petra said. ¡°Crispin didn¡¯t wait.¡± Kenric glanced down the trail. The vardo was disappearing around a bend. ¡°Right. Can I ride with you?¡± Kenric asked. My dignity will have to suffer. ¡°Yes,¡± Petra answered, extending a hand to help him up behind her. Once he was seated behind her, she whispered, ¡°You¡¯re sharing that fruit, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course. Just not with Crispin.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll ask Revna to just assign me to your wagon and remove Crispin,¡± Petra said as they rode out of the village. * ¡°Rock Thrashers!¡± The shout came from one of the scouts. ¡°Shit!¡± Crispin cursed. ¡°Get in the wagon and shut the door, you lush. That should keep your worthless hide safe.¡± ¡°The inside of the wagon won¡¯t keep me safe from a four feet long bird that can crush rock,¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°It¡¯s enchanted for defense. Get in there!¡± Crispin ordered. Kenric started to protest but held his tongue when Revna and Petra rode up to the wagon. ¡°Fine,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Prepare yourself healer,¡± Revna said. ¡°Crispin set the brake and get in cover.¡± ¡°Yes captain,¡± Crispin replied, putting words to action. Petra dismounted her horse and tied its reins to the wagon. She ducked under the wagon. Crispin joined her. Kenric shut the wagon¡¯s door as Revna rode off. Hiding from those monsters is not a good strategy. Then again, trying to fight a flying opponent that isn¡¯t vulnerable to arrows isn¡¯t a good strategy either, Kenric thought. The lights in the wagon came on. I hope that light doesn¡¯t attract the thrashers. Kenric sat at the little kitchen table or booth. He pulled out his herbal book and started to read. Might as well get some studying done while the caravan waits to see if the thrashers attack or just fly by. * ¡°You can come out now, worthless noble brat,¡± Crispin said as he banged on the vardo¡¯s door a couple of hours later. ¡°The Thrashers checked us out and flew away after a while.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my healer¡¯s oath,¡± Kenric mumbled to himself. He unclenched his right hand that he had unknowingly balled into a fist. Hopefully, Petra will talk to Revna and get Crispin assigned elsewhere. I should probably talk to Nathaniel about him too. In the meantime, I can pay attention to how he drives the wagon. 25 ¡°I can¡¯t believe you traded healings for supper,¡± Nathaniel said. Kenric shrugged. ¡°Still, I appreciate it. You¡¯re saving us money.¡± The caravan had stopped for the night at a tiny, poor village named Vilas. The village was made up of about 15 homes behind a tall wood wall. Kenric had agreed to heal several lingering health issues some of the villagers had and give everyone that wanted it a once over with his diagnostic spell. That turned out to be everyone in the village. The Vilas elders had insisted upon paying for his service. Since they didn¡¯t have much in the way of hard coin, Kenric had talked them into cooking supper for the caravan in exchange for whatever he did for them. ¡°The worst issue any of the villagers had had was a poorly healed broken ankle, that I broke again so I could set the bone correctly and heal it as well as a whooping cough one of the children had,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°The relatively good health of the village surprised me.¡± Nathaniel grunted an agreement and the two fell into a companionable silence for a few minutes. They ate some of the stew the villagers had prepared. ¡°So, how was your first day on the road?¡± Nathaniel asked. ¡°Not bad despite the delay from the monsters and a certain someone. And I have no doubt that you heard about him.¡± ¡°True. Revna and I decided to move Crispin to guard one of the supply wagons. That won¡¯t stop him from talking to the other guards about whatever issue he has with you, but at least he won¡¯t be around you more than the bare minimum.¡± ¡°Thanks for that,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°He just seems to hate the circumstances of my birth.¡± ¡°Oh. There¡¯s nothing we can do about that,¡± Nathaniel said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Do you want another guard to join Petra, or do you think she will be enough to protect you?¡± ¡°Crispin had said something about the vardo being enchanted for defense. Is that true?¡± ¡°It is. The wagon can take quite the beating,¡± Nathaniel replied fondly. ¡°In the case, I¡¯ll leave that decision up to you and Revna about putting another guard with me or not,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to Revna. She¡¯ll have a fit if I try to override her security plans,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Every guard and mercenary captain I¡¯ve known has been that way,¡± Kenric said. ¡°They think they¡¯re the experts and they¡¯re most often right about that.¡± ¡°True. But the smart ones listen to input from others,¡± the merchant replied. Kenric nodded his agreement. ¡°So, why are you here visiting with me instead of spending time with your family?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Taking care of caravan business,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°Besides, Amelia and Alaric ate supper before we stopped.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t join them?¡± ¡°Nah. I was driving our vardo and then had to check on everyone and do some trading. Then the villagers offered supper and well, here we are because it would have been rude of me to refuse them.¡± ¡°And bad for business,¡± Kenric quipped. ¡°That too,¡± Nathaniel laughed after looking around to make sure no villagers were near them. ¡°I understand you received some fresh fruit when we were stopped at Zionville.¡± ¡°Two watermelons and a dozen apples,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I had thought to share the watermelons at some point on the trip.¡± ¡°That will be appreciated,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You can put them in the food pantry in the wagon. It¡¯s enchanted to keep food fresh just like how our inventories do.¡± ¡°Thanks for the tip,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Nathaniel replied. He stood and stretched. ¡°I¡¯m going to do one last circuit of the others and spend some time with my family.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll set the ward up and catch up on my reading,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You won¡¯t need to do that tonight. The village is warded and behind decent wood walls to boot. We¡¯ll be safe enough tonight,¡± Nathaniel replied. ¡°That¡¯s why none of the guards are on duty right now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said. Nathaniel nodded and walked off. I¡¯m not sure why Nathaniel doesn¡¯t have guards watching his supply wagons, but maybe he has them warded. He yawned and decided to turn in for the night instead of reading. I think I¡¯ll try the tub and take a bath before trying out the bed. * ¡°Good morning, Winifred,¡± Kenric greeted the caravan¡¯s cook. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that I had arranged for the village to cook for us last night.¡± ¡°Morning. And no, I don¡¯t mind. I know you had to charge something for the work you did for them. A meal was an odd choice though,¡± Winifred replied. ¡°Just don¡¯t make it a habit. A lot of these villages have more coin than they let on.¡± ¡°Live and learn,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. She does make a good point though. I suppose I became too trusting while working at the clinic and depended on Jakob too much to take care of the business side of things. I won¡¯t be able to do that now. ¡°Thank you for the tip. I¡¯m not used to handling the business side of things.¡± ¡°As you said, you¡¯ll live and learn,¡± the cook said. ¡°Now, what do you want for breakfast?¡± ¡°I know I smell bacon, so some of that, a mug of yaupon tea, and is that grits in the pot?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Grits and a chunk of bread if you have any.¡± ¡°I do. Want a crunchy end piece?¡± Winifred said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Anything else? Eggs? Sausage?¡± ¡°No thank you,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Give me a moment and I¡¯ll fry you some fresh bacon,¡± the cook said. She held up three fingers. ¡°Three rashers?¡± ¡°Four please,¡± Kenric answered, patting his stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll have to work it off later. Perhaps I¡¯ll work off the bacon by walking beside the caravan for a while.¡± ¡°Your guards won¡¯t like that,¡± Winifred pointed out. ¡°They¡¯ll get over it,¡± Kenric replied. He took the watermelons out of his inventory. ¡°I want a big piece, but other than that, you can share them with everyone." 26-30 26 ¡°What?¡± Kenric shouted at the vardo¡¯s door. He had been woken by a loud knocking. They had been in Boone for the past three days and would be setting out toward Wilkesboro today. ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Petra called out in a very happy sounding voice. ¡°It¡¯s time you learn to hitch Jack and Jill to your wagon.¡± ¡°The sun¡¯s not even up!¡± Kenric yelled after looking out the window above the bed. It¡¯s more than light enough to see though. ¡°It will be in a few minutes and we¡¯re getting an early start today. No more slacking off for you!¡± Petra shouted back. ¡°You need to be out here in 10 minutes, or I¡¯ll get the key from Nathaniel, and you don¡¯t want me to do that.¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯m getting up,¡± Kenric called. Though it might be fun to see what Petra would do to wake me. She looked nice out of her armor last night. Then again, she does have a temper and beat that guy that wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer badly. With that in mind, Kenric got out of bed. * Kenric was feeding Jack and Jill when Petra returned. The jackstocks nudged him at the same time, sending him stumbling forward. Petra laughed. ¡°Eat your oats. I¡¯ll give you each half an apple if you¡¯re good,¡± Kenric told the big mules. He patted them both as they started to eat. ¡°They¡¯ve taken to you well enough,¡± Petra said. ¡°It¡¯s the apples,¡± Kenric replied. He smiled. ¡°But I like them and think they return the sentiment.¡± ¡°Could be the apples like you said,¡± the guard said. She grinned. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling them.¡± ¡°Nah. If I was giving them sugar cubes, I would be spoiling them.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± ¡°Is my ¡®spoiling¡¯ them why you¡¯ve making me learn to hitch them?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No. I¡¯m doing that because we¡¯ve already got you tending to them in every other way, so you might as well take on the rest of the responsibilities just like the other wagon drivers do. Plus, it keeps the others from having to hitch your wagon too.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Has Winifred started cooking breakfast?¡± ¡°Yeah. She even has some bacon done and made some biscuits.¡± ¡°Great! I¡¯m going to go get breakfast and that way Jack and Jill can eat and partially digest their oats and hay,¡± Kenric said. He grinned and stuck out an elbow. ¡°Would you care to join me, my lady?¡± ¡°Why certainly sir!¡± Petra laughed after rolling her eyes. She looped her arm through his with another grin on her face. ¡°You know we look ridiculous.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Kenric asked, trying to keep a straight face while acting innocent. ¡°I¡¯m a dwarf, so there is the height difference between us. Plus, I¡¯m wearing chainmail,¡± Petra replied. ¡°I think we look great,¡± Kenric said as they walked arm in arm towards where Winifred was set up. Some of the other people they passed laughed. Petra looked up at him and scowled. ¡°You¡¯re having a go at me!¡± Petra accused. ¡°I promise I¡¯m not,¡± Kenric replied. She held his gaze for a moment and nodded. He winked. ¡°You¡¯ll know it when I have a go at you.¡± ¡°How?¡± Petra asked. She grinned and gave him an exaggerated wink. ¡°Are you proportional and do I get to find out?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kenric floundered. How should I answer that? Petra laughed, holding his arm tighter. She refused to let go when he tried to take his arm away and kept a slow pace as they walked toward breakfast. * ¡°After you,¡± Petra said when they were ready to board the vardo. She had taught Kenric how to hitch the mules and then double checked his work. ¡°You just want to check out my backside,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Sure do,¡¯ the guard agreed. Kenric glanced down at her. She grinned and smacked his butt. ¡°Get a move on!¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have started messing with you earlier,¡± Kenric muttered as he climbed up onto the little porch. Petra has really turned what I had thought would be a bit of fun around on me. Maybe I should apologize. He fought down the laughter that wanted to come out. Father would have a fit if he knew I was thinking about apologizing to one of my ¡°lessers¡±. ¡°Nice butt,¡± Petra said. Kenric glanced behind him and saw her smiling. He shook his head and unlocked the wagon¡¯s door. ¡°Not so fast. You get to drive from the start today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to use the bathroom before we depart then,¡± Kenric replied. He offered a hand to help her up. Petra took it and allowed him to help her. ¡°You¡¯re not as weak as other healers I¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°Used to be a mercenary. The system let me keep a lot of my physical stats.¡± ¡°I heard that rumor and it shows,¡± Petra said as he disappeared into the wagon. He emerged from the bathroom and washed his hands. Kenric then took a waterskin from the icebox. ¡°Is that frozen?¡± ¡°Nope. It¡¯s nice and cold though,¡± Kenric answered after taking a sip. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°No thanks. I have an enchanted waterskin that keeps its contents cold,¡± Petra replied. Kenric shrugged and put the waterskin into his inventory. ¡°Julian, one of the merchants, sells them if you want one.¡± ¡°This will do for now. I might talk to Julian after I get some more silver.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Petra said as he sat on the driver¡¯s bench and disengaged the brake. ¡°Hopefully, you¡¯ll start getting paid at our next stop.¡± ¡°Where is the next stop?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°A little village called Rutherwood. Then we make a stop at the village of Deep Gap,¡± Petra answered. ¡°We¡¯ll most likely spend the night in Deep Gap if the trading is good there and in Rutherwood. Though, if Nathaniel wants to push it, we¡¯ll push on to Stony Fork and stay the night there.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Kenric said. The caravan started to move. He clicked his tongue and snapped the reins as he had been taught. Jack and Jill pulled the wagon forward. 27 Guess we might be sleeping outdoors tonight. The sun was starting to go down and they were still only about halfway to Stony Fork. The merchants had traded for longer at Deep Gap and Rutherwood than anticipated, but Nathaniel had insisted on pressing on to Stony Fork despite the lateness of the day. ¡°Birds have stopped singing,¡± Kenric murmured. He was sitting on the passenger seat on the other side of the vardo¡¯s door. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Petra asked from the driver¡¯s seat. She had been talking to Revna and another guard who were riding horses beside the vardo. ¡°The birds have stopped singing,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Shit!¡± Revna cursed. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± She swung her head around looking around them. She pulled a horn from her inventory and blew it. The guards all around the caravan perked up just as an arrow flew and smashed into the horn, knocking it from her hands. ¡°Bandits!¡± The guard captain didn¡¯t need to shout the warning though as screaming human and elven men and women wearing mismatched armor burst from the trees around the caravan. Petra hauled on the reins and set the brake as Revna and the other guard turned their horses to confront the nearest bandits. Nathaniel had chosen the jackstocks as the beasts of burden for his caravan because the massive animals were known for their strength and endurance, not speed. Kenric noticed the other wagon drivers had done the same as Petra. There would be no running from this fight. ¡°Damn,¡± Petra cursed. ¡°I want to help them, but I can¡¯t leave you!¡± ¡°I can hide inside,¡± Kenric offered. ¡°Yeah, but that would mean I still abandoned my post and charge,¡± Petra pointed out. Kenric shrugged. It¡¯s not my decision to make. An arrow flew towards him and slammed into the vardo beside his head. He ducked after the fact. He noticed the arrow had bounced off the wall instead of sticking in it. ¡°Son of a¡­¡± ¡°Kenric, get inside!¡± Petra ordered. He nodded and slipped inside the wagon. Before he could shut the door, a huge man grabbed Petra and pulled her from the porch. She kicked him as hard as she could, which wasn¡¯t much considering she was hanging in the air. The bandit laughed and tossed the guard to the ground. The man kicked her axe away. I should help her, Kenric thought, stepping back onto the porch. But my oath¡­ Petra kicked the bandit between his legs. He fell to his knees, dropping his axe. ¡°You little bitch!¡± the bandit screamed as Petra scrambled away from him and to her feet. Another bandit hit Petra in the back with a club, sending her sprawling into the dirt. ¡°Hold her!¡± ¡°For what?¡± the other bandit asked. He still pinned the struggling guard to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m going to make her pay,¡± the big bandit answered as he started pulling at his pants. ¡°Knock her out and rape her later,¡± the other bandit retorted. ¡°There¡¯s loot to be had!¡± I can¡¯t let them rape Petra. But I can¡¯t fight either. Maybe I can put them to sleep. ¡°Hey!¡± Kenric shouted. The two bandits turned to face him. ¡°Sleep!¡± He tried to cast Healing Sleep on them both. The two bandits exchanged an amused look and laughed. Crap! Come on! Please work! Kenric tried casting the spell again and felt something give. ¡°I¡¯ll kill this dumbass,¡± the big bandit said. He reached for his axe. His eyes shut and he fell forward, fast asleep. ¡°What the blue hell?¡± the second bandit asked, before he joined his comrade in slumber. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. You have learned Somnus. Somnus is an advanced form of Healing Sleep. It can be cast without touch. This spell will replace the weaker Healing Sleep on your skill list. Somnus cannot be leveled. You have gained a level. Later, Kenric thought as he dismissed the notices. He quickly cast Somnus on the bandits attacking the rear of the convoy. The guards rallied around Revna and surged toward the front of the convoy. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Petra asked, getting to her feet and retrieving her axe. ¡°I learned a new healing sleep spell,¡± Kenric answered, slumping to the porch floor. ¡°You¡¯re healing them?¡± Petra asked in disbelief. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± Petra asked, shaking her head. ¡°Just tired and hungry. The spell is powerful and casting it about half a dozen times has nearly exhausted my mana,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°The more important question is if you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Petra said, waving off his concern. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve been attacked.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to check your head and neck anyway,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Nah. I¡¯m hardheaded,¡± Petra joked. She tied the two bandits up as well as the other sleeping bandits near them. Kenric nodded and pulled an apple from his inventory. He started to eat it as she started to loot the bandits of any coin and weapons. ¡°Let them go!¡± They heard Revna shout. ¡°Guess that means the bandits are retreating,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Petra agreed. ¡°Thanks for helping me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. He pulled up his stats and added all five points to Spiritual. This brought his mana pool up to 375. He sighed as he felt the pool refill. ¡°Your pool just refilled, didn¡¯t it?¡± Petra asked. ¡°I heard you sigh.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. You should go see if the others need your help. I¡¯ll stay here and watch over these guys.¡± ¡°You can come with me. Somnus is a healing sleep which means they¡¯ll sleep for a while even if the ground starts to shake,¡± Kenric explained. He cast Medical Diagnostic on her. ¡°You have some bruising, but you¡¯re fine otherwise.¡± ¡°Told you I have a hard head,¡± Petra replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± 28 ¡°Kenric, are you well?¡± Revna asked. ¡°Yes. Is everyone else alright?¡± Kenric replied. ¡°No,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°A couple of the other merchants and some guards sustained some injuries.¡± ¡°Kenric was able to put some of the bandits to sleep and I hogtied them,¡± Petra announced. ¡°Good going Petra,¡± Revan said. ¡°Healers aren¡¯t supposed to be able to fight.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t fight. I put the bandits into a healing sleep,¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°Will you do that to our injured?¡± Nathaniel asked. ¡°I can,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°But are we pressing on to the village or camping here tonight?¡± ¡°Revna?¡± Nathaniel asked. ¡°I suggest we kill the bandits and camp about a mile down the road,¡± Revna replied. ¡°That way we won¡¯t have to worry about scavengers looking for an easy meal.¡± ¡°That works for me,¡± Nathaniel said. Kenric sighed. ¡°They¡¯re bandits and would have killed all of us.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°It¡¯s just that whole healer oath thing vs common sense.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be killing the ones you put to sleep,¡± Revna pointed out. ¡°Me and my guards will be doing that.¡± ¡°Take me to the worst of the injured,¡± Kenric instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll heal them so we can get going. The others will have to wait until we make camp and I throw up a greater ward.¡± ¡°That works,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it.¡± * A soft white light settled on the ground where the caravan had circled the wagons for the night. Kenric bent over and breathed hard as people sighed in relief all over the campsite. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Petra asked. ¡°Mostly. That spell took a lot out of me,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Is that the first time you¡¯ve cast the greater ward?¡± Revna asked. ¡°Third,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°It¡¯ll last 24 hours.¡± ¡°Too bad we can¡¯t stick around and charge other travelers,¡± Nathaniel mused. ¡°How much will it heal people?¡± Petra asked, ignoring the caravan master¡¯s comment. ¡°It should heal most minor wounds, injuries, and colds overnight,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Good,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Go rest Mender. You¡¯ve earned your pay today.¡± ¡°Supper first,¡± Kenric said, standing upright. ¡°Then rest.¡± ¡°Petra, make sure he makes it to his wagon,¡± Revna ordered. ¡°Right boss,¡± the guard replied. She grabbed Kenric¡¯s arm. ¡°I got you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that out of it,¡± Kenric protested. Though the ward took more out of me than I remember. I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t have to cast it every night. * ¡°What are you doing?¡± Petra asked Kenric. ¡°Making a campfire,¡± Kenric answered after finishing setting up a ring of small stones. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be resting,¡± she pointed out. ¡°This is resting¡­ at least of a sort,¡± Kenric countered as he added wood. He backed up and pointed at the wood. ¡°Ignis¡± The wood caught fire and started to burn. Kenric sat on a log near the fire. ¡°That¡¯s not a healing spell,¡± Petra pointed out. ¡°No. Ignis is a utility spell that is handy for cauterizing wounds and heating up needles and other instruments as well as starting fires,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Do you have any other utility spells like that?¡± Petra asked. ¡°A couple,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know what they are if I need them.¡± ¡°Fine. Keep your magic secrets.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kenric replied, shooting her a grin. ¡°Is supper about ready?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s venison stew tonight,¡± Petra replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go get you a bowl, a hunk of bread, and a cup of tea.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°But I can go get it.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re going to sit here and rest. Besides, I owe you for earlier today,¡± Petra replied. ¡°Fetching your supper is the least I can do.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a guard, not a servant.¡± ¡°So. I¡¯m helping a friend,¡± Petra retorted with a shrug. So, we¡¯re friends now, Kenric thought. He shrugged and smiled. ¡°Alright. I can agree with that. Thank you.¡± * ¡°What is it?¡± Kenric asked the knocking at the door. ¡°Kenric, open up,¡± Petra said. He walked to the door and opened it a crack. ¡°Does someone need me?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah. Me,¡± the guard said, pushing the door open. She reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kenric asked after they broke the kiss. ¡°Repaying a friend and satisfying an urge,¡± Petra answered, kicking the door shut. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Shut up and help me out of my chainmail.¡± It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been ordered around like this. Kenric grinned and shrugged. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± 29 ¡°We had our fun,¡± Petra told Kenric as they arrived at Wilkesboro. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenric replied uncertainly. I wonder where she is going with this. He glanced at her questioningly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll still guard you,¡± Petra said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want things to get weird.¡± So, she just wanted casual sex. Kenric nodded. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want more?¡± ¡°Only what you¡¯re willing to give,¡± Kenric answered. That¡¯s about as diplomatic as I can be. ¡°That works for me,¡± Petra said. ¡°Once we park the wagon, I¡¯ll be around, but you won¡¯t see me much the next few days while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Because you guys aren¡¯t needed as much or because you have someone here, you¡¯ll be visiting?¡± Kenric asked, gesturing at the numerous town guards. ¡°A bit of both.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t help you cheat on someone, did I?¡± ¡°No. But would it matter if you did?¡± ¡°In the past, not a chance. Now? Yeah. I¡¯m trying to do better,¡± Kenric answered. Plus, I don¡¯t want to lose another hand. ¡°Plus, there¡¯s the whole oath thing to consider since cheating would be hurting someone.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. But I don¡¯t know if the system would consider cheating hurting someone.¡± ¡°Huh. Most men don¡¯t care, oath or no oath,¡± Petra said, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°Anyway, as I said, you didn¡¯t help me cheat. Bart and I are more friends with benefits than anything serious.¡± ¡°Do you have more than one friend with benefits?¡± Kenric asked. I¡¯m going to end up like the cat. ¡°Maybe,¡± Petra answered. Kenric didn¡¯t fail to notice the huge smile on her face. Yeah, I won¡¯t sleep with Petra again even though she was a lot of fun. I don¡¯t want to have to heal myself from a case of the pox. * ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll get much of a chance to ply your skills while we¡¯re here,¡± Nathaniel said. The caravan had setup in an open market area. A few other caravans occupied the space too. ¡°Wilkesboro has a few healers then?¡± ¡°Three clinics for the common folk, two for the wealthy, and the nobles have their own healers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a lot of healers,¡± Kenric pointed out. ¡°Wilkesboro is a trading hub,¡± Nathaniel replied, as if being a trading center explained everything. ¡°Anyway, here¡¯s 500 silvers.¡± Kenric gazed at the coin pouch the merchant offered him. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°I know you spent the advance I had given you, so take this so you have some spending money,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°My wife convinced me to pay you at each major stop instead of all at once at the end of the trip.¡± ¡°Thanks Nathaniel. Thank your wife for me too,¡± Kenric replied, taking the pouch. He grinned. ¡°Do I need to count it?¡± ¡°Always,¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°We¡¯re here for three days and Winifred won¡¯t be cooking, so just be back on the third day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stay in the vardo. It¡¯s cheaper than an inn and has everything I need except for food, which I can now go buy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re learning,¡± a smiling Nathaniel said. ¡°I¡¯m slow, but I get there,¡± Kenric laughed. Maybe I am doing better. A few years ago, I never would have joked about myself like that. * 500 silvers on the nose, Kenric thought after counting the coins. I should leave most of it here and go get some food. I¡¯m not a great cook, but I can cook well enough for myself. I need to check the cooking gear in the wagon too. I didn¡¯t do a real look when I moved in. With that in mind, Kenric separated the coins. 300 went back into the pouch, which he left on the table. The rest went into his inventory. ¡°Let¡¯s see what Nathaniel left me,¡± Kenric mused. He checked the cabinets and storage spaces. There were only a couple of old pots and pans in them as well as a few old pieces of cutlery. ¡°So much for Nathaniel leaving me any cooking gear like he had said. He¡¯s either using what was here himself or most likely sold it but I¡¯ve been eating for free, so I can¡¯t complain too much.¡± Right. So, I need to buy some cooking gear, cutlery, and such in addition to food, Kenric thought. A small door in a lower cabinet caught his eye. He reached for it. Unbound Blood Locked Safe. Use a drop of blood on the handle to bind this safe to you. Interesting, Kenric thought, dismissing the notice. He used a knife from his inventory to cut his finger and rubbed blood on the handle. He dismissed the notice advising him that the safe was now bound to him as he healed his finger. Kenric put the coin pouch into the safe and shut it. Right. I¡¯ll let Nathaniel or Revna know I¡¯m going shopping and go see what I can find. Some of these merchants should have cooking gear. 30 ¡°Nathaniel, I noticed you only left me a couple of worn-out pots and pans,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. Once I decided that it would be best for you to eat with the rest of the caravan, I took the other stuff and added it to my new vardo,¡± the merchant replied. ¡°I''ll sell you a set of cooking gear for 10% over cost.¡± He doesn¡¯t look sorry, not one bit. ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Kenric said. ¡°So, what is the price?¡± ¡°100 silvers,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°It''s dwarven made, so the quality is good for the price though there are higher quality items available...¡± ¡°Here is the money. I¡¯m not a chef, so don¡¯t need super high quality cooking gear,¡± Kenric replied. He handed the merchant the money. ¡°I''m going to go buy some food and books.¡± ¡°I''ll send a guard with you and have the gear delivered to your vardo once you get back,¡± Nathaniel said, putting the silver coins away in his inventory with a smile on his face. Easy come, easy go, Kenric thought. ¡°Is Wilkesboro so dangerous that I¡¯ll need a guard?¡± ¡°Probably not. Besides, you¡¯re still big enough to be a warrior and scare off most would be thieves. Besides, you could always put anyone that tried anything to sleep.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Plus, your clothing looks decent for working sorts and isn¡¯t expensive like mine,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°So, that¡¯s another advantage for you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenric replied, shrugging his shoulders. There¡¯s nothing wrong with my clothing. And my, how my opinions on that have changed over the years. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You need plates, bowls, and such too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll be 50 more silvers,¡± the grinning merchant said. ¡°Now you¡¯re robbing me,¡± Kenric muttered. Nathaniel laughed as the healer counted out the coins. I¡¯ll go back to the wagon and get out some more coin before going shopping. * My clothing isn¡¯t too different from what most people are wearing here. Just inexpensive, sturdy stuff. Though there are quite a few people wearing cheaper homespun clothing and a small group of folks wearing more expensive clothing. Kenric kept walking toward the bookstore while paying attention to his surroundings. He had gotten directions from a merchant he had bought food from. Thankfully, the bookstore is just down the street from the open-air market where the caravan is parked. He noticed that people didn¡¯t pay him much attention at all. Guess they¡¯re caught up in their own lives or don¡¯t care about strangers. Kenric arrived at the bookseller and opened the door. The place had a bit of a dusty smell to it under the smell of books. ¡°Welcome to Mayo¡¯s Books. I¡¯m Martin Mayo,¡± the pudgy old man behind the counter said. ¡°Is there anything in particular you¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Do you have any books on herbology?¡± ¡°I do. I also have a few books on gardening as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll have time for gardening, but I¡¯ll take a look at what you have,¡± Kenric said. That sort of thing might make a good gift. ¡°Do you have any history books?¡± ¡°I have several history books detailing the kingdom¡¯s history,¡± Martin answered. ¡°What about the neighboring kingdoms?¡± ¡°A few,¡± the bookseller answered with a nod after giving it some thought. ¡°I also have some books on local lore and monsters.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see those and any maps, if you have them,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Maps of just the mountains and bordering the neighboring kingdoms or maps of the entire Carolina kingdom?¡± Martin asked. ¡°I have new maps of both.¡± ¡°Do the kingdom maps show the coast and ocean?¡± Kenric asked. Martin confirmed they did. ¡°Then both.¡± ¡°Why the interest in the coast? Are you a merchant?¡± Martin asked. ¡°I¡¯m a healer traveling with a caravan and some friends suggested I should visit the ocean and see it with my own eyes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯ll want a book about the sea serpents and other ocean monsters then,¡± Martin suggested. Kenric agreed. * I¡¯m glad I went back and got the rest of the coin Nathaniel had paid me before I left the market. Six books and three maps ended up costing 300 silver. That means I only have 50 silvers left. Kenric sighed. Easy come, easy go indeed. Still, I can¡¯t complain because the books will keep me occupied for weeks. He started walking back toward the caravan. ¡°Kenric!¡± a voice called. He looked around and spotted Petra. ¡°Petra!¡± Kenric called back, waving his arm over his head. The guard rushed to him. She looked distraught. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Come quick! You¡¯re needed at Nathaniel¡¯s vardo. Something is wrong with Christopher, his son.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Kenric encouraged. The pair took off running back to the caravan. 31-35 31 ¡°What happened?¡± Kenric asked as Nathaniel urged him into his vardo. ¡°Christopher was eating some peanuts and then started to wheeze,¡± Danica, Nathaniel¡¯s wife answered. ¡°Then he complained of stomach pain.¡± ¡°His throat is swollen,¡± Kenric said, starting to examine the boy. He cast a diagnostic spell. ¡°What would cause this? Poison?¡± Nathaniel asked as Christopher broke out in hives. Severe Allergic Reaction- Peanuts ¡°No,¡± Kenric answered, dismissing the notice. ¡°Christopher is having a severe allergic reaction to peanuts.¡± ¡°That is not an allergic reaction!¡± Danica exclaimed. ¡°You must be wrong!¡± It¡¯s the worst reaction I¡¯ve ever seen, but it makes sense since he was eating nuts. But at least he¡¯s breathing well enough. That¡¯s a positive sign that he won¡¯t die despite how worrying his swollen throat and other symptoms are. ¡°We should send for another healer,¡± Danica said. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing!¡± Danica tried to push Kenric away from her son. Nathaniel stopped her by wrapping his arms around his wife. ¡°Kenric, don¡¯t make me regret this,¡± the merchant warned. ¡°Human, if my son doesn¡¯t recover and dies¡­¡± ¡°Trust me. Christopher will be fine,¡± Kenric said, dismissing the threat, and giving the dwarves a positive smile. At least I hope they take my smile as encouraging and positive. He cast his greater heal spell on their son. ¡°You hired me for a reason after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you were willing to travel and cheap,¡± Nathaniel retorted. Danica cried into her husband¡¯s shoulder. Well, just speak the truth, why don¡¯t you? I already knew that, so it doesn¡¯t hurt me the way you think it does, Kenric thought. He shrugged. But it does make me think I would leave tonight if I could end the contract without penalty. That comment and his threat also makes me think I won¡¯t take anymore contracts with Nathaniel no matter the pay. He dismissed his thoughts and focused on the child. Within ten minutes, Christopher¡¯s symptoms began to fade. The boy¡¯s breathing became noticeably better. Kenric ended the greater heal spell and cast the diagnostic spell on the child again. ¡°He¡¯s healed and will recover overnight,¡± Kenric announced after dismissing the results notice. ¡°I¡¯ll cast somnus on him tonight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your healing sleep spell, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nathaniel asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°Why cast it on Christopher if he¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°Just a precaution and nothing beats a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± Kenric answered, giving them another smile. ¡°Mama,¡± Christopher said. ¡°Baby!¡± Danica exclaimed, rushing to her son¡¯s side. She pulled him into a hug and held him. ¡°Can I have some more peanuts?¡± Christopher asked. Nathaniel snorted a laugh. ¡°I advise against eating peanuts,¡± Kenric said, fighting his own laughter. ¡°Almonds, chestnuts, cashews, walnuts, and most other nuts should be fine to eat though.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s allergic to peanuts, wouldn¡¯t he be allergic to other nuts too?¡± Danica asked. ¡°No. It¡¯s very rare for that to be the case,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°But if it eases your mind, you can rub a nut on his skin to see if Christopher breaks out in hives before letting him eat them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but I¡¯m just doing what I do,¡± Kenric replied. He walked to the door and opened it. ¡°As I said, I¡¯ll come back tonight to put Christopher in a healing sleep.¡± Nathaniel followed him out. ¡°Kenric, about that¡­ harsh comment I made earlier¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard worse,¡± Kenric said. I don¡¯t want your apology, excuse, or whatever you¡¯re going to say. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He walked away without looking back. * ¡°Are you a fool?¡± Revna asked Nathaniel after he finished explaining things to her. He looked at her in disbelief. ¡°You threatened our healer and hinted that the only reason he was hired was because he was cheap!¡± ¡°That¡¯s partially true¡­¡± ¡°And he probably won¡¯t want to keep traveling with us! It took you weeks to find a healer that had been willing to travel with the caravan.¡± ¡°I was upset and so was Danica! I wasn¡¯t thinking,¡± Nathaniel retorted. He sighed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse my words though.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Revna agreed. ¡°But if you run Kenric off like you did Stephanie, you¡¯ll develop a bad reputation amongst the healers, and we won¡¯t be able to keep running the trading circuit because no healer will travel with us, and the other merchants and guards will balk at the suggestion of doing so without a healer!¡± ¡°I know! I¡¯ll make it up to him somehow,¡± Nathaniel said. Revna raised an eyebrow in question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how yet.¡± ¡°Give him the vardo and mules,¡± Danica said from inside their wagon. ¡°Are you mad?¡± Revna asked before Nathaniel could. ¡°No,¡± Danica replied. ¡°It¡¯ll appeal to the healer¡¯s ego.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pricey payment,¡± Nathaniel muttered. ¡°It¡¯s still cheap compared to our son¡¯s life,¡± Danica countered. ¡°True,¡± Nathaniel admitted after thinking it over. ¡°Plus, Kenric¡¯s gratitude might bind him to us even more.¡± ¡°Put it in writing that the wagon and mules are a gift for saving Christopher¡¯s life and nothing more,¡± Danica suggested. ¡°That should keep him from thinking otherwise while overwhelming him with our generosity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure which of you is the most devious,¡± Revna commented. ¡°We¡¯re equals,¡± Nathaniel laughed. ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons we¡¯ve been so successful in love and life,¡± Danica added. ¡°I¡¯ll write up the paperwork and give it to Kenric when he returns tonight,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°Should we invite him to supper as well?¡± Danica asked. ¡°No,¡± Revna answered. ¡°Let him have some space The wagon and mules should be more than enough of a gift.¡± ¡°Plus, we can invite him to supper or lunch tomorrow,¡± Nathaniel added as he started to write up the paperwork. 32 ¡°Kenric?¡± a voice said while someone knocked on the wagon¡¯s door. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Kenric called out. He glanced down at the herbs he had been working with and sighed. I wonder if it¡¯s one of the guards or wagon drivers looking for a hangover cure. If it is, they¡¯ll have to make do with these herbal remedies since I¡¯m not wasting mana to instantly fix stupid decisions. He stood and went to the door and opened it. It¡¯s not someone with a hangover. ¡°Morning Nathaniel. Is Christopher alright?¡± ¡°Morning Kenric. He¡¯s doing great and has been up and running around since shortly after sunrise,¡± Nathaniel replied. ¡°He keeps wanting more peanuts though.¡± ¡°Seems we always want what is bad for us,¡± Kenric said. Nathaniel agreed. ¡°So, what can I do for you this morning? Want me to check him out again?¡± ¡°No. Thanks for the offer though. Danica is keeping a close eye on Christopher, and we¡¯ll let you know if your services are needed again,¡± the merchant answered. ¡°What I came here for is to give you an apology and a gift for saving my son¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Neither are necessary.¡± ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Nathaniel said. ¡°I let my temper get away from me and my fear control me yesterday. That¡¯s not who I am.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a concerned parent,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. And I¡¯m not in the mood to listen to your excuses. I think you showed me who you really are yesterday. ¡°Losing one¡¯s temper in such situations happens. Think nothing more of it. The past is the past.¡± As I well know, Kenric thought, but didn¡¯t say. ¡°Thank you for your understanding,¡± Nathaniel replied. ¡°Still, Danica and I feel a showing of our gratitude is in order.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. You¡¯re paying me to be your company¡¯s healer for this trip.¡± ¡°Still, we want you to have this vardo and the mules that pull it,¡± Nathaniel said. He pulled the paperwork he had drawn up and showed it to Kenric. ¡°This is a title for the vardo, Jack, and Jill. All you need to do is read and sign it for them to be yours. I¡¯ve already signed and sealed the title.¡± ¡°That¡¯s beyond generous,¡± Kenric said, more than a little stunned. ¡°Perhaps, but it¡¯s still a small price when compared to my son¡¯s life,¡± Nathaniel replied. He smiled. His expression is mostly earnest, but his eyes show he¡¯s hiding something, Kenric thought. Maybe I¡¯m being too suspicious and holding a bit of a grudge over his outburst yesterday. ¡°I accept your gift in the spirit that it is being given in,¡± Kenric said. Heavens know I wouldn¡¯t be able to afford something like this otherwise. And now I have a way to travel to the coast to see the ocean. ¡°Thank you. Would you like to come in and have a mug of yaupon tea?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ve many things to do today including selling my wares,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°I understand. Trading and such are why we¡¯re here after all,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Well, technically we¡¯re here to make a profit,¡± Nathaniel gently corrected with a grin on his face. ¡°True enough,¡± Kenric laughed. That goes for me too. Nathaniel hopped down from the porch. When he stood straight, he almost bumped into another man. ¡°Van, is everything alright?¡± Nathaniel asked the wagon driver. ¡°Just feeling bad boss,¡± Van answered. ¡°Kenric?¡± Nathaniel asked. ¡°I¡¯m on it,¡± Kenric replied. Van looks hungover to me. He cast his diagnostic spell on the wagon driver. Kenric grinned as he dismissed the results notice. ¡°Had a bit too much to drink last night, Van?¡± ¡°Shh! Not so loud,¡± the dwarf replied. He swayed on his feet as Nathaniel walked away shaking his head. ¡°But yeah, I may have overdone it last night.¡± ¡°I have just the thing for you,¡± Kenric said. He walked back into the wagon and sat the title on the table. He then picked up two small pouches and carried them back out. ¡°Here.¡± Van looked up and tried to catch the pouches Kenric tossed to him. He dropped both to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Medicine for your hangover,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°The blue pouch is willow bark. Chew it for your headache. The green pouch is ground up ginger root. Make a tea with it. Drink the tea for your nausea and any stomach pains. It¡¯ll also help with the headache.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re not going to cure me with your magic?¡± Van asked. ¡°Nope. You¡¯re hungover, not dying or sick,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Just magic my hangover away!¡± Van ordered. ¡°Hangovers as I well know are a consequence of a bad decision and should be learned from,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting mana on just a hangover. If you don¡¯t like it, go to another healer. Odds are they¡¯ll do the same thing I just did and give you an herbal treatment while charging you for it.¡± ¡°Pissant human!¡± Van huffed. He picked up the pouches and stumbled away. Kenric grinned. ¡°Excuse me,¡± an elderly woman said. Kenric turned and gazed at the older human. She was short, had white hair, and kind blue eyes. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a healer?¡± the woman asked. ¡°I am,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°My name is Kenric Mender.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Helen Foxhollow,¡± the woman replied. ¡°May I ask why you gave that fellow an herbal remedy?¡± ¡°Mrs. Foxhollow, did you hear what I told him about not wasting mana for a hangover?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I did. I wasn¡¯t sure if you were serious though.¡± ¡°I was and am. Herbal remedies work well in some cases such as a hangover, cold, or rash.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Not according to the healers here, they don¡¯t,¡± Mrs. Foxhollow said. ¡°I suppose the healers here charge quite a bit for healing too,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Indeed,¡± the old woman replied. ¡°Even the cheaper healers charge 25 silvers just to see what is wrong with someone. A healing is at least twice that if not three or more times as much.¡± ¡°Even for the poorer folk?¡± Kenric asked. She nodded. Damn! That¡¯s nuts. The diagnostic spell only takes a couple of mana points and a few minutes to do. ¡°How much do you charge to see what is wrong with someone?¡± Mrs. Foxhollow asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Kenric answered absently as he thought about how the healers in Wilkesboro were making a lot of money off the citizens of the city. ¡°Maybe 5 silvers.¡± ¡°I can afford that,¡± Mrs. Foxhollow said. She produced the coins. ¡°Would you check me please? I¡¯ve been having pain in my joints.¡± ¡°Uh, yes ma¡¯am,¡± Kenric answered. I put my foot in my mouth because I got lost in thought. He cast the diagnostic spell on her. ¡°You have arthritis.¡± ¡°Can you heal that?¡± she asked. He nodded. ¡°How much would you charge?¡± That¡¯s the big question, isn¡¯t it? If I charge too little, word will get around and I might not get another moment¡¯s rest while we¡¯re here. I could also get in trouble with the local healers for undercutting their prices, Kenric thought. He noticed people paying attention to them. He hopped down from the wagon¡¯s porch and whispered something to the woman. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± she asked. ¡°And that includes the 5 silvers for examining me?¡± ¡°For you, yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°My husband has an itchy rash. He tripped and fell into some kind of ivy plant,¡± Mrs. Foxhollow said. ¡°What would you recommend for that?¡± ¡°A salve made from either calendula, chamomile, aloe vera, or even rose flowers,¡± Kenric answered after thinking about it. ¡°If you know a trustworthy alchemist or herbalist, they may recommend something else.¡± ¡°Heal me, Mr Mender, please,¡± Mrs. Foxhollow said. She counted some coins and handed Kenric the 40 silver he had said he would charge her and 10 more. ¡°Here is a little something extra for you. You can buy your own food. I know an alchemist that can make a salve for my husband.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± 33 Today has been a long one. Word spread about me quickly. I must have examined over 100 people and healed or recommended herbal treatments for a third of them. Kenric yawned and smiled. He checked his inventory again. But it¡¯s been profitable too. My money problems are over with for the time being thanks to the 650 silvers I made. I should do this well tomorrow since the town guards sent people away when the market closed, and those people promised to come back tomorrow. He yawned again. Having my charge of five silvers for an examination and the hours I¡¯m willing to work should hopefully keep people from asking the same questions over and over. That¡¯s if the people coming to see me can read, Kenric thought as he examined the hastily made sign he had put up beside his wagon. I have forgotten how most common people can¡¯t read. ¡°Excuse me,¡± a tentative sounding female voice said. Kenric turned and saw a young girl. She was pretty but dirty and wearing an old worn dress. ¡°Are you the mender that doesn¡¯t charge a lot?¡± Kenric felt his lips twitch into a smile. That¡¯s the first time someone has used my surname that way. It feels good too. Still, it¡¯s been a long day and I¡¯m beat. I should send her away until tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and yes, I¡¯m a healer,¡± Kenric said. The girl coughed. ¡°You need a healer?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl said and coughed again. ¡°I don¡¯t have coin, but I could pay in other ways¡­¡± Kenric frowned. She looks too young to be suggesting what I think she¡¯s suggesting. ¡°How old are you girl?¡± ¡°Old enough,¡± she answered. Kenric¡¯s frown deepened. She reached up and slipped her top from her left shoulder while coughing again. ¡°Please sir.¡± Her cough doesn¡¯t sound right. It almost sounds fake, Kenric thought. He noticed her eyes move from his face to behind him. Kenric turned as something hit his head. Pain exploded in the side of his head, and he went crashing to the ground as his eyes watered and vision blurred. Kenric groaned and rolled on the ground. He caught sight of two large, muscular men when his eyes started to clear. The one on the left was tapping a cudgel against his left palm. The one on the right fingered a dagger at his hip. ¡°Well done, Vera. You distracted him as you said you could,¡± a woman said from behind the men. ¡°Here is your reward.¡± She tossed a few coins towards the girl. Kenric heard the girl gathering them up. He started to cast a healing spell on himself. The man fingering the dagger drew it, bent down, and placed the tip of the blade at Kenric¡¯s throat. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about healing yourself,¡± the man said. Kenric gulped as he felt the blade prick his flesh. He nodded, sending fresh pain surging through his head. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. Do you need me for anything else?¡± Vera asked. ¡°No,¡± the woman answered. ¡°I might later,¡± the man with the cudgel said, grabbing his crotch. ¡°As long as you have the coin, you know where to find me,¡± the girl said. Kenric heard her run away. ¡°Oliver, Tomas, pick him up,¡± the woman commanded. The two men complied and lifted Kenric to his feet. His head swam again. ¡°Tomas, you may have hit Mender too hard.¡± ¡°You wanted him down, so I put him down,¡± Tomas replied. Kenric felt mana wash through him. A moment later, he felt more mana wash over him and his head clear. ¡°I¡¯ve healed your concussion, Mender,¡± the woman said. She¡¯s a healer. Guess I ticked some people off today. Hearing my name from her lips doesn¡¯t sound so good, Kenric thought. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re one of the local healers.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± the woman said. ¡°And this is a warning not to heal people in your town?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No. This is a message,¡± the woman replied. ¡°You can heal all you like. You just can¡¯t undercut our prices or cut us out of the profit.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Kenric murmured. ¡°Do you?¡± the woman asked. Kenric didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Oliver?¡± The man with the dagger punched Kenric in the mouth. Kenric¡¯s head jerked back. He spat blood onto the ground. ¡°You answer the mistress when she asks a question worm,¡± Oliver snarled. ¡°I think the mender gets my point,¡± the woman said. ¡°Now Mender, pay me the 650 silver you made today for healing your concussion. I will send Tomas and Oliver to you tomorrow to collect the fees for allowing you to operate in our town tomorrow.¡± How does she know how much I made? They must have been watching me all day. ¡°And how much are the fees?¡± Kenric said, spitting out more blood. Thankfully he didn¡¯t knock out any of my teeth. That prick hits like a bull. ¡°We¡¯ll take two thirds of whatever you make tomorrow,¡± the woman said. ¡°I see that defiant look in your eyes, Mender. Gentlemen if you please.¡± ¡°With pleasure mistress,¡± Oliver said. The two men punch Kenric in the stomach and face. Kenric was allowed to fall to the ground again. ¡°Your oath¡­¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°I haven¡¯t broken the oath,¡± the woman replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t personally hurt you at all and in fact have healed you. Now pay my fee for healing you.¡± ¡°Extortion is hurting someone,¡± Kenric slurred. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that word means,¡± the woman said. She frowned. ¡°Tomas, Oliver, get my money from the mender.¡± She turned to leave and froze. ¡°That¡¯s enough of that,¡± a woman growled. ¡°Touch Kenric again and I¡¯ll gut this supposed healer right here.¡± ¡°Revna,¡± Kenric sighed. He heard and saw other caravan guards surround them. ¡°Tomas, Oliver, let¡¯s go,¡± the woman said. She glared at Revna. ¡°This isn¡¯t the way we do things here.¡± ¡°It is now and this better be over with,¡± Revna retorted. ¡°If it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll end it now because I know the town guards are in your pocket and won¡¯t do a thing to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky your caravan is important to the city,¡± the woman said. ¡°I will let this slight go because of that.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Revna said. ¡°Don¡¯t bring this mender back here again though. Bad things could happen to him if he does return,¡± the woman said. She walked away with her two thugs trailing her. ¡°Are you alright, Kenric?¡± Revna asked after the trio had disappeared. ¡°No, but I will be in the morning,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯re going to heal people tomorrow, aren¡¯t you?¡± Revna asked. ¡°Yes, and the day after if people need it,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°It¡¯s what I do and honestly, I need the money.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll post a couple of guards with you then. And just in case, Odel stand guard over Kenric¡¯s wagon tonight. I¡¯ll get someone else to cover your duties tonight.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± the guard replied. The guard captain and the other guards left. ¡°Come on Kenric. I¡¯ll help you get in there.¡± ¡°Thanks Odel,¡± Kenric said, accepting the man¡¯s help. 34 Kenric woke feeling much better than he had the night before. He stretched and got out of bed and cast the diagnostic spell on himself. ¡°I¡¯m back in top form,¡± Kenric muttered to himself as he dismissed the results notice. He glanced out the front door¡¯s window and sighed. There¡¯s already about 20 people out there, all of them poor by the look of their clothes. Just how badly have the local healers ignored them? It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll do what I can for them. He shook his head and went into the bathroom to take care of some personal needs. At least my bladder and guts feel better, Kenric mused exiting the bathroom. He stripped and cast his cleanse spell on his clothes. He then cast it on himself instead of taking a bath and put on a different set of clothes. As father always said, appearances are important. While that¡¯s a load of bull, it helps set people¡¯s minds at ease. He dismissed those thoughts and sat down at the table. He signed the title and put it in the safe knowing he should have done that the day before. I¡¯ll take a nice relaxing bath tonight, Kenric promised himself as he put on his boots. His stomach growled. Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll fill you soon. He exited the wagon and paused. Eydis, one of the guards was sitting on the passenger seat. She glanced at him and turned her attention back to the gathering crowd. ¡°Morning Eydis,¡± Kenric greeted her. ¡°Morning Kenric. Sleep well?¡± Eydis replied. ¡°Considering I put myself into a healing sleep, yes,¡± Kenric answered. She laughed. ¡°That¡¯s good. I can¡¯t believe you got jumped and beaten like that,¡± the guard said. ¡°Me either,¡± Kenric replied. He grinned. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve let my senses go.¡± ¡°It happens when you get old,¡± Eydis quipped. She was smiling. ¡°I¡¯m not that much older than you are,¡± Kenric retorted, returning the smile. ¡°You¡¯re a decade older than I am. So, you¡¯re old,¡± Eydis stated. Her smile grew. ¡°Keep that up and I won¡¯t offer to buy breakfast.¡± ¡°Breakfast?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Nope. I switched off with Odel an hour ago and haven¡¯t had a chance to grab something yet,¡± Eydis answered. ¡°Revna had promised to have someone take my place in a couple hours so I could eat though.¡± ¡°How about we go to the stable so I can check on Jack and Jill. Then we go grab a bite to eat,¡± Kenric said. ¡°That could work. But what about this crowd? It¡¯s only going to get bigger.¡± ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Because five more people have walked up in the last couple of minutes.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenric sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go check the mules.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Eydis agreed. She stood and spotted another of the caravan guards. ¡°Urban!¡± ¡°What?¡± the other guard shouted back. ¡°Are you free or working?¡± Eydis shouted. ¡°Free and thinking of going after breakfast,¡± Urban answered. ¡°Good. Come with us,¡± Eydis yelled as she hopped down from the wagon. Kenric followed. Urban started walking to them. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Urban asked as he joined them. ¡°To the stable so our healer can check on his mules,¡± Eydis answered. ¡°My mules?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yep. We all know that Nathaniel gave you the wagon and mules for saving Christopher,¡± Urban answered. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m off work and hungry. I¡¯m going to go get something to eat.¡± ¡°Come with us and escort Kenric back here,¡± Eydis said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get us some breakfast from Langley¡¯s using Kenric¡¯s money since he offered to buy breakfast.¡± She winked at Kenric and gave him a crap eating grin. So, that¡¯s how it is. I don¡¯t mind since I owe the guards for last night. ¡°Langley¡¯s?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°An inn two streets over. The food is fantastic,¡± Eydis answered. ¡°Alright. I can do that if it means Mrs. Georgia¡¯s biscuits and gravy,¡± Urban said. Kenric laughed. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± ¡°Leave it to the guards and mercs to know where the best food comes from,¡± Kenric replied, with a smile. ¡°This is true,¡± Eydis said. ¡°Here,¡± Kenric said, handing Eydis a pouch ¡°That should be enough to buy us and the rest of the guards breakfast too.¡± ¡°Want your change if there¡¯s any silver left?¡± Eydis asked. ¡°Nah. You can divide that up between you and Urban if there is any money left,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to get something for Revna.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way I would forget to buy something for the boss,¡± Eydis replied. ¡°Thanks!¡± Urban said. ¡°You¡¯re not the asshole we were told you are.¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°Oh, most people would probably say I¡¯m still that.¡± The two guards laughed as well. Kenric looked at the crowd. ¡°At least you¡¯re learning to laugh at yourself,¡± Eydis said. Kenric smiled and shrugged. ¡°Are all of you here to see me?¡± Kenric asked the crowd. ¡°Are you the healer?¡± a man asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°Then yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back folks. Even though it¡¯s not eight yet, I¡¯ll start doing examinations once we get back from checking on our animals,¡± Kenric called out. People in the crowd nodded. The trio headed to the stable. 35 ¡°Mr Sanderson, you have a pinched nerve in your wrist,¡± Kenric told his patient. ¡°That is what is causing the pain and numbness in your hand.¡± ¡°Can you heal it?¡± the man asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How much would you charge to do so? I don¡¯t have a lot of money,¡± Mr Sanderson said. ¡°I do have a pig at the butcher that I could trade a part of for the healing though.¡± That¡¯s the same story a lot of these folks have told me since I started healing them two days ago. I have enough fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat to last me a month. The wagon¡¯s food storage spaces are full, and I didn¡¯t spend a silver to do it. Still, I won¡¯t turn the man away. ¡°Let me ask you something,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°How much would you get if you sold the meat, you¡¯re offering me?¡± ¡°Maybe 60-70 silvers,¡± Mr Sanderson replied. ¡°At least 50 though.¡± ¡°Do that and pay me 25 silvers,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Keep the rest for yourself.¡± ¡°I¡­ that¡¯s all you¡¯ll charge me to heal my hand?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°That includes the examination.¡± ¡°I can give you that now,¡± Mr Sanderson said. ¡°I expected you to charge a lot more.¡± ¡°I charge what I charge,¡± Kenric said, shrugging as the man counted out the coins. Besides I¡¯ve made over 1500 silvers over the last couple of days in addition to the food. He checked the mana crystal Catalina had given him since he was almost out of mana. Just enough mana left for two more healing spells in the crystal. It¡¯ll take a couple of days to recharge it and I still need to buy a chain for it. ¡°Here you go healer,¡± Mr Sanderson said. He handed Kenric the coins, which disappeared into Kenric¡¯s inventory. ¡°So, how are we going to do this?¡± ¡°If this was a proper clinic, I¡¯d have you sitting on a bed or laying down,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°But this isn¡¯t that.¡± ¡°Right. We¡¯re in a market,¡± Mr Sanderson said. ¡°True,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Just relax Mr Sanderson. This won¡¯t take long, and you¡¯ll be right as rain.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the patient replied. I should buy some camp stools. Kenric started to cast his greater heal spell on the man¡¯s injury. Perhaps some kind of camping cot wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea either. Kenric pushed those thoughts aside and focused his intent on what needed to be done. * ¡°The city guards have cleared out the crowd a little early today,¡± Odel said. ¡°The market doesn¡¯t close for another half hour.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to complain. I¡¯d have to stop anyway because I¡¯m tired and all but out of mana,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m not going to complain either,¡± Eydis said. ¡°And we¡¯re leaving in the morning, so no more standing around guarding wagons and booths.¡± ¡°Guarding Kenric was more entertaining that watching over the merchants, so I should probably thank Revna for that,¡± Odel said. ¡°Plus, he kept buying us meals, so thanks for that Kenric,¡± Eydis said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°What about watching over me was interesting?¡± ¡°Just seeing how healers work,¡± Odel answered. ¡°Huh,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°You got to remember Kenric, most folk don¡¯t have magic,¡± Eydis pointed out. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I do.¡± ¡°What would you be doing if you didn¡¯t?¡± she asked. ¡°Most likely dead in a ditch or drunk in one,¡± Kenric answered. The two guards exchanged a look. Kenric shrugged. ¡°You guys have heard talk about my past and I won¡¯t deny who I was back then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you keep saying you¡¯re trying to do better now,¡± Odel stated. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Eydis said. ¡°Kenric, are you buying supper tonight?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°He handed her the money that Mr Sanderson had paid him. ¡°Bring me a plate or bowl of whatever you get back. I¡¯ll be in the wagon resting and recouping mana.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be back when I get back,¡± Eydis said. She hurried off. ¡°Want to keep the sign?¡± Odel asked. ¡°Not really. I need to make something better or get someone to make me a better sign,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Do you want it?¡± ¡°Nah. I¡¯ll toss it once you¡¯re safely locked up in your wagon though,¡± Odell said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenric replied. He climbed up to the porch and entered the wagon. * ¡°Kenric, you got a minute?¡± Nathaniel called as he knocked on the vardo. Kenric opened the door and saw the merchant, Revna, and four more people. ¡°Sure. Just a moment,¡± Kenric answered. He opened the door and scowled at the other four people with Nathaniel and Revna. Three of them were the woman and her thugs from the other evening. The other, younger woman he didn¡¯t know at all. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He better not tell me I must pay that¡­ woman anything, Kenric thought. She had a smug look on her face. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut to the chase. I¡¯m ending our contract,¡± Nathaniel said. Kenric glanced at Revna. She didn¡¯t look happy. ¡°Why?¡± Kenric asked, fighting to keep his voice calm. He can¡¯t do this! We had a deal. Then again, he did leave himself several outs in case I didn¡¯t pan out or proved to be a drunk. I should have insisted on more penalties for breaking the contract and ending it early. ¡°This is Adelaide Edwards and her prot¨¦g¨¦, Lea. They will be joining the caravan for the reminder of the journey. Adelaide has significant ties to the merchant community in Wilkesboro that will greatly benefit my company and Lea will become our new permanent healer,¡± Nathaniel explained. The healer and her thugs grinned at Kenric. ¡°I¡¯ve already paid you for up to this leg of the journey, so we¡¯re square on that front.¡± ¡°And my wagon?¡± Kenric asked ¡°It and the mules are yours as I promised,¡± Nathaniel answered. ¡°You¡¯ve made some decent silver over the last couple of days, so you should be alright. Thank you for your service.¡± The merchant turned and started to walk away. Revna hung back. ¡°Mender don¡¯t be in Wilkesboro at dusk tomorrow,¡± Adelaide warned. She turned and left with her group. ¡°Sorry Kenric,¡± Revna said. ¡°But Nathaniel is in charge of these decisions, and he feels this new arrangement will help him in the long run more than working with you will.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s always about money with merchants,¡± Kenric said bitterly. ¡°Be careful tonight and tomorrow. We¡¯re leaving at noon, but I won¡¯t be allowed to have guards watch you any longer since you¡¯re not under contract to the caravan,¡± Revna said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenric replied. Revna nodded and left. Kenric entered the wagon and locked the door. ¡°This is bullshit!¡± Kenric swore. ¡°I need a drink.¡± 36-40 36 No, I don¡¯t need a drink though I do want one. Kenric made himself a cup of tea instead of leaving the wagon and looking for something stronger. He stared at the wall drinking peppermint tea until he calmed down. ¡°Think Kenric,¡± he muttered. ¡°And quit talking to yourself.¡± Odds are those thugs will be watching the market and gates tomorrow. That means I should hire guards or adventurers to accompany me to the next town or village. But which direction should I go? And can I trust any of the guards, mercs, and adventurers here? I probably shouldn¡¯t trust anyone since I don¡¯t know how deep that woman and her crew have their hooks set here beyond the merchants. Kenric drunk more tea. He pulled out his maps. Going west back to the mountains and to Knox¡¯s lands doesn¡¯t appeal to me. Neither does going south back to my homeland. I don¡¯t want to visit the commonwealth either. That means going east, which happily enough is the direction of the ocean, which I want to see anyway. Kenric studied his map. There¡¯s one main road heading east to Winston Salem, which is the next big town. Off that road are several side roads and villages. I can take my time and visit several, which should make me more money. There¡¯s also a couple of larger villages along the main road if I just want to stick to it. ¡°I think I¡¯ll head east to Hamptonville and then see where the road takes me,¡± Kenric told himself. But what about protection? The wagon is enchanted for protection but I¡¯m not. Neither are the mules for that matter. ¡°I wonder,¡± Kenric muttered as an idea came to him. He cast Lesser Ward on the kitchen table. The spell stuck to the table and the ward activated. He felt the ward extend to the floor and to the roof. Kenric smiled. That should do nicely. I¡¯ll just cast the ward on the driver¡¯s bench and should be safe that way. I¡¯ll have to risk Jack and Jill just like they¡¯ve been risked all this time. Kenric finished his tea and washed out the cup and teapot. He used the bathroom and crawled into bed. I¡¯ll fetch Jack and Jill at first light and leave the city as soon as I can. Hopefully that way I can avoid the thugs. * ¡°Wake up,¡± Kenric said as he tapped the stableboy on the shoulder the next morning. The boy snorted and lifted his head. Then his head slumped back against the wall. ¡°Wake up,¡± Kenric said again. The boy didn¡¯t stir. Kenric shook the boy¡¯s shoulder. The stableboy sleepily brushed Kenric¡¯s hand away. I¡¯ve had enough of this. Kenric stepped on the brace under the chair and pushed down with his leg. The chair snapped down onto its front legs. The stableboy jerked awake but didn¡¯t fall out of the chair. ¡°Why did you do that for?¡± the boy demanded to know once his eyes found Kenric. ¡°Because you wouldn¡¯t wake up the last five minutes while I tried waking you gently,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Help me get my mules.¡± The boy looked around. ¡°It¡¯s not even light out yet!¡± ¡°It¡¯s light enough to see by and the sun will be up in moments,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°So, come on and you can return to your nap once I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± the stableboy grumbled. ¡°What mules are yours?¡± ¡°Jack and Jill. They¡¯re mammoth jackstocks.¡± ¡°The male and female pair that came in with all the male pairs a few days ago?¡± the boy asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°They¡¯re nice enough but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll want to leave their stalls this early.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name boy?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender.¡± ¡°Jon Shepard,¡± the stableboy answered. ¡°Jon, help me feed my mules and hitch them to my wagon and I¡¯ll pay you 10 silvers,¡± Kenric said. The boy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You got a deal!¡± * Kenric watched Jon happily run back towards the stable. I wish a little coin would make me that happy. He rubbed Jack and Jill on their heads. ¡°I¡¯ll make this early start up to you later.¡± ¡°Leaving already?¡± Revna asked. Kenric jumped and she chuckled. ¡°Yeah. I figured an early start would be best.¡± ¡°That¡¯s smart.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wondered since we started traveling if you ever sleep. Do you?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Sure, but never a lot when I¡¯m working,¡± Revna answered. Kenric nodded. He understood that line of thinking. ¡°Here to see me off?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m here to make sure you get out of the city safely. After that, you¡¯re on your own,¡± Revna replied. ¡°Won¡¯t you helping me tick off Nathaniel and his new partners?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Maybe, but they¡¯ll get over it if it does,¡± Revna replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the gate. Daylight¡¯s burning.¡± * ¡°Someone¡¯s watching the wagon from that alley,¡± Revna said, subtly indicating an alley on her left. Kenric glanced that way. ¡°And judging by his clothing, he¡¯s not a bum either.¡± Kenric turned his head more fully and whispered, ¡°Somnus,¡± while casting his sleep spell. The man fell to his knees and then onto his face. ¡°Nicely done but I don¡¯t see how you can cast a healing spell offensively like that,¡± Revna said. ¡°Most likely because something is wrong with the man,¡± Kenric replied, shrugging his shoulders. Revna grunted but didn¡¯t speak. A few minutes later , they stopped at the east gate. ¡°Now what? The gate doesn¡¯t open for another hour.¡± ¡°Now, give me 50 silvers so I can speak to McGrady, the friendly guard captain in charge of the gate this morning,¡± Revna explained. Bribery is never cheap. Kenric gave her the silver. Revan jumped down and spoke to the guard captain. He saw her hand off the silver. ¡°Open the gate and let this wagon out,¡± McGrady ordered his squad. ¡°Nothing else in or out until we officially open in an hour.¡± ¡°Good luck Kenric,¡± Revna said. ¡°And safe journeys.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help. Safe journeys to you and your guards as well,¡± Kenric replied. He clicked his tongue and snapped the reins. Jack and Jill pulled the vardo through the gate. A moment later, it closed again. 37 It¡¯s a pretty morning, Kenric thought as he enjoyed the gentle cool breeze that was blowing. He pulled his hat down a little bit more. Kenric had been traveling nearly two hours and was almost at a tiny village named Antioch according to his map. He spotted two elven boys riding together on a horse as they emerged from a side trail. The two pointed at him and seemed to be discussing something. I can¡¯t hear them over the clomping of the mules¡¯ hooves, and I hope they don¡¯t try anything since they look barely to be in their teens. The boys stopped their horse and waved at him. I guess they want to talk. I¡¯ll see what they want but it¡¯s best to be prepared. He readied the Somnus spell as he pulled on the reins to stop Jack and Jill. Kenric also refreshed the ward around him. ¡°Excuse us sir. Are you a merchant?¡± the slightly older looking boy sitting in front said. ¡°Do you have any healing supplies we can buy or that you can spare?¡± The other boy asked hopefully. ¡°No, I¡¯m not a merchant and I don¡¯t have any healing supplies,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You two look healthy enough. Why do you need healing supplies?¡± Kenric cast his diagnostic spell on both boys after releasing the Somnus spell. Birds were singing and there wasn¡¯t anyone on the road besides them. ¡°I¡¯m Wymond Elkin and this is my brother Wilkin,¡± the older boy replied. ¡°Our village was attacked by monsters this morning.¡± ¡°We were able to chase the monsters off, but people are wounded, including our pa,¡± Wilkin added. Kenric dismissed the notice after seeing that both boys were fine even though they were slightly malnourished. ¡°We should head on to Wilkesboro to buy what healing stuff we can,¡± Wymond told Wilkin. ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and I¡¯m a healer.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford a healer,¡± Wymond said. ¡°But he could heal pa!¡± Wilkin exclaimed. I¡¯m not sure what they thought they could buy in Wilkesboro, but I doubt whatever they could afford would be enough for their village even if it¡¯s just three or four families living together. ¡°Lead me to your village,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can for the wounded and your parents, and the other adults can discuss payment with me after the fact.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Wymond replied. ¡°Was anyone sev¡­ badly wounded?¡± Kenric asked. They might not know what severely means. ¡°Our pa and two others,¡± Wilkin answered. ¡°Then take me to them,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Every minute counts when dealing with bad wounds.¡± ¡°How do we know you¡¯re a healer?¡± Wymond asked. ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Kenric replied. He pulled a knife from his inventory and cut his left palm. He then healed it before their eyes. ¡°Good enough?¡± ¡°More than good enough,¡± Wymond answered. ¡°Follow us. Antioch is about a quarter mile down off this road.¡± * This is one tiny village, Kenric mused. Then again, I¡¯m not even sure if four houses and some barns can be considered a village or not. Instead of a wall, the village had a simple wooden palisade composed of sharpened posts around it. He stopped the vardo just inside the gate and locked the brake. Kenric stood and stretched. He watched the boys dismount their horse. The younger one ran toward the first house on the right. Wymond stood rubbing the horse. ¡°Ma! We¡¯re back and we¡¯ve brought a healer!¡± Wilkin screamed while he ran to the house. ¡°A healer?¡± some called from the first house on the left. Kenric saw people emerge from the houses and barns. All were women and teenagers. Some look hopeful and others look¡­ like they don¡¯t trust me. I guess it was the men that got wounded defending their homes. ¡°Are you really going to help us?¡± Wymond asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered, hoping down from the wagon. He walked up and patted his mules on their flanks. ¡°Want me to water those big mules?¡± Wymond asked. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°So would Jack and Jill.¡± ¡°Like the nursery rhyme?¡± Wymond asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Kenric replied with a grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why the merchant I got them from named them that, but I¡¯ve heard worse.¡± ¡°So have I,¡± Wymond said as his brother and the older women approached. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a couple of buckets filled with water for your mules.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenric said as the boy led the horse away. Kenric turned his attention back to the women. Most of them have that worn look I¡¯ve seen on hundreds of farmers, other poor people, and their families. Despite that, they¡¯re still attractive for the most part. Focus! You¡¯re here to work and help these people out, Kenric thought. I blame my years of wenching after leaving home for my attraction to elves. I was always attracted to voluptuous human women before that. ¡°You¡¯re a healer?¡± the woman Kenric assumed was the boys¡¯ mother asked, pulling him from his thoughts. ¡°I am. My name is Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯m Jocosa Elkin,¡± the woman replied, introducing herself. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a healer traveling alone before. Are you from Wilkesboro?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford any Wilkesboro healers,¡± another woman said. ¡°I¡¯m Erin Mathis by the way.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not from Wilkesboro, though I did just pass through there,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I was contracted with a caravan. The caravan master decided he preferred the partnership the Wilkesboro healers offered him to my services, so he ended our contract. I then decided to travel east for a time.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°How much would you charge to heal our wounded?¡± Erin asked. ¡°Show me to the worst of the wounded. I¡¯ll start with them, and we can discuss price once I¡¯m done,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Erin started to say. ¡°If they¡¯re severely wounded, it could be life threatening,¡± Kenric said, cutting her off. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to discuss this if that¡¯s the case.¡± Erin and Jocosa exchanged a look. ¡°Erin, your Paul is the worse wounded,¡± another woman said. ¡°Then Erin¡¯s Tobias.¡± ¡°Lead me to Paul,¡± Kenric said. * Two broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a missing right eye. Kenric dismissed the notice after reading it. ¡°Tobias will be fine though I¡¯ll have to come back to heal his eye since I used so much mana healing Paul and want to check the others.¡± ¡°What was wrong with Paul?¡± Jocosa asked. ¡°Head trauma and blood loss mostly, though he did have a few other wounds,¡± Kenric answered. He started to cast Greater Heal on the woman¡¯s husband. ¡°Erin said storm crows attacked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jocosa replied. ¡°The army and guards regularly patrol the road and since we¡¯re so close to it, monster attacks are rare. We mostly worry about bandits who come to steal food.¡± A tale as old as time, Kenric mused. He focused on the spell. 38 I slept like the dead, Kenric thought as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. He stretched and got out of bed. He filled up his kettle with water and put it on the stove. A cup of yaupon tea will help wake me up. With the kettle on, Kenric stepped into his bathroom to take care of his morning ablutions. He emerged from the bathroom just as the kettle started to whistle. Kenric made his tea and took a sip. ¡°Hot!¡± he exclaimed. I knew better than to sip it so quickly. Kenric shrugged and checked his mana crystal. It was full once more. Only took it a day to refill. I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind. My mana is full once more as well. Kenric checked his medical supplies again and sighed. I wish Nathaniel had forgotten about the crystals, herbs, and stuff he had bought. But I knew he wouldn¡¯t. It was too expensive, and I imagine his wife or new business partner would have reminded him about that stuff if it had slipped his mind, which is why he had sent Petra to retrieve it late that night. At least she left some of the empty vials, jars, and tins along with the mortar and pestle. ¡°I suppose I can find some useful herbs around here before I move on,¡± Kenric muttered to himself. That¡¯ll save me some silver at least. Speaking of silver, I need to decide what to charge these people for all the healings I¡¯ve done. Kenric sighed. His stomach grumbled. I hear you. Breakfast before business. I need to check on Jack and Jill this morning too even though Wymond and his brother promised to take care of them for me. I¡¯ll check on them after I eat. * ¡°Mr Mender?¡± Wilkin called as he knocked on the vardo. ¡°The door is open¡­ Wilkin. Come on in,¡± Kenric called back. I¡¯m glad I remembered his name. ¡°Ma wanted to know when you could finish healing pa,¡± Wilkin said as he opened the door. The lad hesitantly entered the vardo. He looked around wide eyed. ¡°Ever seen anything like this?¡± Kenric asked as he finished chewing some egg and bacon. ¡°No sir. But it¡¯s homey looking enough,¡± Wilkin answered, his gaze stopping on Kenric¡¯s breakfast. ¡°It¡¯s not much but it¡¯s home,¡± Kenric said. His eyes haven¡¯t left my bacon and eggs since they landed on them. I¡¯ve eaten enough. ¡°Want some of these eggs and bacon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten,¡± Wilkin replied, tearing his eyes away from the food. His stomach rumbled and the boy blushed. ¡°Eat the rest of this,¡± Kenric said, pushing his plate across the table. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Wilkin asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kenric replied, taking a sip of his tea. Wilkin sat and started to eat with a smile on his face. The boy¡¯s smile slipped after tasting the food. Kenric grinned and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not the best cook, but it¡¯ll fill your belly.¡± Wilkin nodded and continued to eat. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk with your mouth full. That is bad manners,¡± Kenric said. The boy nodded. ¡°After you eat, you can tell your mother that I¡¯ll be along after I clean up to tend to your father.¡± * Kenric walked into the stable he had seen Wymond take his mules to. He waited a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the dimmer light in the structure and walked over to his jackstocks. Jack brayed at him while Jill whinnied. Both stuck their heads over the stall¡¯s door for him to rub, which he did. ¡°I see the boy fed you two,¡± Kenric said with a smile on his face. He pulled two carrots from his inventory. ¡°I have a treat for you two.¡± Kenric watched the mules eat the carrots. He glanced over them and saw that Wymond, or his brother, had brushed the large beasts as well. I¡¯m going to have to give those lads a silver or two for taking such good care of Jack and Jill, Kenric thought. He rubbed his mules again and muttered words to them. A whimpering could be heard coming from the back of the stable. That doesn¡¯t sound like an animal or monster. Maybe I should go get Tobias or one of his sons, Kenric thought. It was their stable after all. He dismissed the idea. If that¡¯s a person, they sound hurt or in trouble at least. Knowing there really wasn¡¯t a choice to be made, Kenric walked to the back of the stable. He found a stall with a darker corner. His eyes widened in alarm and horror at what he saw in the corner. Kenric felt something break inside him. What in the heavens is going on here? How could anyone do this? Kenric thought as he opened the stall. Who did this to her? And the stench! Why leave this girl in her own filth? ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be back there!¡± Wymond hissed. Kenric spun and saw that the lad looked scared. 39 ¡°This girl needs help,¡± Kenric retorted. He cast his diagnostic spell on the girl. ¡°Wymond, help me untie her so I can start healing her.¡± ¡°Pa won¡¯t like that,¡± Wymond protested. He did inch forward to join Kenric though. Kenric noticed the girl¡¯s dress was ripped and torn and barely hung onto her thin shoulders. ¡°Why not? Does Tobias own her?¡± Kenric asked as he gazed at the bloodied and battered girl. Nobody deserves to be treated like this. ¡°No. At least I don¡¯t think so. Diadra is my cousin.¡± ¡°She¡¯s family?¡± Kenric asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes. She came to live with us a year ago after her ma and pa were killed in a bandit attack at Roaring River, which is a village to the north.¡± ¡°And your parents took her in and accepted responsibility for her? ¡°Up until she had sex with some boy from Roaring River that she liked. Then ma and pa disowned her,¡± Wymond replied. He started to shake and looked fearfully from Diadra to Kenric and back. ¡°Pa said she was a¡­ a harlot because she had sex out of wedlock.¡± ¡°So, he disowned her for that?¡± Kenric asked. Was she talked into having sex? It¡¯s not my business. I¡¯ve seen girls as young as 12 be married off. ¡°Ye¡­ yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you, Wymond,¡± Kenric said. His eyes widened in alarm at the list of her injuries. Sweet heavens! I¡¯ve never seen such a list of injuries. One injury made him as angry as he¡¯d ever been. ¡°Who raped her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Wymond cried. ¡°Honest!¡± ¡°She¡¯s only 13!¡± ¡°I¡­ I know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± Kenric said, fighting his anger and forcing calm into his voice. He dismissed the notice and started to untie the girl. She flinched away. He pulled out his waterskin and uncapped it. He held it to her bruised and bloody lips. In as gentle a voice as he could, Kenric said, ¡°sip this. It¡¯s water.¡± The girl started to drink. She tried to guzzle the water, but Kenric wouldn¡¯t allow her to. Wilkin appeared behind his brother. Seeing what was going on, the boy turned and ran out. Kenric let the girl sip more water. ¡°Wilkin will tell ma and pa,¡± Wymond warned. ¡°Untie Dia¡­¡± ¡°Diadra,¡± the boy supplied. ¡°Untie Diadra,¡± Kenric ordered. ¡°Be gentle.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wymond agreed. Kenric grabbed the boy¡¯s wrist as he reached for the rope. The boy looked fearfully at Kenric. ¡°You haven¡¯t done any of this, have you?¡± Kenric growled. ¡°No sir! I swear!¡± Wymond exclaimed. ¡°I haven¡¯t even kissed a girl before!¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Kenric said more gently. I¡¯m not even sure where to start. She has so many injuries. Broken bones, cuts, bruises, swelling, bites, internal injuries, and the bloody pox! ¡°Cleanse her first and get the filth off.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wymond asked. ¡°Nothing. Just talking to myself,¡± Kenric replied. He cast Cleanse on the girl. ¡°I¡¯ve untied her,¡± Wymond announced. Kenric nodded. The spell hadn¡¯t removed all the filth from her because the girl had been so filthy. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Cleanse is a utility spell that cleans whatever it is cast on,¡± Kenric answered. He gently picked the girl up. She weighs next to nothing! Diadra cried out and tried to pull away. Kenric cast Cleanse on her again. ¡°Shh! It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going to heal you as much as I can after I get you out of here. No one else is going to hurt you again.¡± ¡°P¡­pr¡­pro¡­promise?¡± Diadra croaked. Kenric looked down at her head and found two sorrowful green eyes staring at him. ¡°I promise,¡± Kenric answered. What am I doing? Helping a child. ¡°I give you my word even if it means breaking my healer¡¯s oath.¡± You have sworn an oath to protect the child known as Diadra from harm from other people. Breaking this oath will result in severe penalties. That was unexpected, Kenric thought. He dismissed the notice. I¡¯ll think about that later. I need to get her into some better clothes and start healing her. Kenric walked out of the stable with a nervous Wymond trialing him. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing healer?¡± Tobias demanded to know. Kenric looked up and saw Paul, the other two adult men as well as their older sons. All were holding spears, axes, and bows. ¡°Wymond, get over here!¡± ¡°Yes pa!¡± ¡°What does it look like?¡± I¡¯m going to heal this child,¡± Kenric answered as Wymond ran over to his father. ¡°You¡¯ll do no such thing!¡± Tobias retorted. ¡°She is my property!¡± The man grinned. ¡°You like ¡®em young, huh? If you want a roll in the hay with Diadra, it¡¯ll cost you 20 silvers.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Kenric replied, ignoring the taunt. ¡°You¡¯re claiming ownership of this girl?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tobias answered. ¡°I¡¯ll sell her to you for 200 silvers. She doesn¡¯t earn her keep and I¡¯m getting tired of feeding her.¡± I can see the greedy gleam in his eye from here. Perhaps there is a way out of this without me breaking my oaths. ¡°Do you have ownership papers stating Diadra is your slave?¡± Kenric asked. The girl whimpered in his arms. ¡°I have papers granting me authority over her,¡± Tobias answered. That¡¯s not the same thing. Still, I think I can make this work. ¡°You lot owe me for the healings I did yesterday,¡± Kenric said. ¡°That totals 250 silvers based off the rates I charged while in Wilkesboro. And Tobias, you still want your eye regrown, do you not?¡± The other men spit and sputtered their outrage. Their wives and children gasped in surprise. ¡°You know I do,¡± Tobias replied. ¡°What are you suggesting, trading the girl for our healings?¡± Paul asked. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that trade as long as the paperwork is properly signed and witnessed,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra tried to push him away. Kenric tightened his grip on her and whispered, ¡°I promised to protect you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll not¡­¡± Tobias began when Paul hushed him and whispered something in the man¡¯s ear. ¡°Fine!¡± Kenric heard Tobias say to Paul as Diadra stopped struggling. Then he spoke louder, ¡°Healer, I¡¯ll trade the girl for those healings you¡¯ve done, my eye, and you healing our families too.¡± ¡°In that case, I want whatever property Diadra owns and for one of the women to come and change her clothes in my wagon,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I also want a haybale for my mules.¡± ¡°The only thing Diadra owns is the clothes on her back,¡± Tobias replied. ¡°So, I agree to your terms. Jocosa, fetch the papers so we can get this done.¡± ¡°Erin, go with Kenric to change the girl¡¯s clothes,¡± Paul instructed. His wife gave him a withering look. ¡°Exactly what am I supposed to change her into to?¡± Erin asked. Paul shrugged. ¡°Diadra can wear one of my shirts until I get somewhere with a shop,¡± Kenric said. He walked to his wagon and placed Diadra on the porch. Kenric walked around and climbed up the other side. He picked her up and opened the door. ¡°In there?¡± Erin asked as Kenric entered his wagon. ¡°Yes. Out of sight of prying eyes,¡± Kenric answered as he laid Diadra on his bed. ¡°Be gentle. Diadra has been sorely used.¡± Erin entered and gasped as she saw the girl¡¯s condition. ¡°I had no idea.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a shirt,¡± Kenric said. I don¡¯t believe you. ¡°It should be more than big enough to cover her. I¡¯ll be on the porch.¡± 40 ¡°She¡¯s wearing your shirt,¡± Erin stated a few minutes later. ¡°What are you going to do with her?¡± ¡°Heal her,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I meant afterward,¡± Erin retorted. ¡°That¡¯ll depend on what decisions are made,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Thanks for changing her. You can go now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget your agreement to examine and heal the rest of us,¡± Erin huffed before leaving. Guess I angered her. She¡¯ll get over it. Diadra¡¯s future isn¡¯t there concern. And judging by her treatment, they never cared for her future either. Diadra looked at him fearfully and tried to inch away from him, but there wasn¡¯t anywhere to go. Kenric held up his hands. This is going to be hard. ¡°The promise I made to you has become a system bound oath,¡± Kenric told her. ¡°In case you don¡¯t know what that means, it means I¡¯ll be punished if I break that promise. Do you understand?¡± Diadra nodded. Kenric turned and got her a cup of water. Her eyes fixed on the cup. ¡°Think you can drink this?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra answered, her voice little more than a whisper. ¡°Think you can drink this by yourself, or do you need help?¡± ¡°I think I can drink it without spilling any,¡± Diadra replied in the same soft voice. She sat up. ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said, handing her the cup. ¡°Remember to sip it instead of guzzling it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold!¡± Diadra said in surprise after taking a sip. ¡°The sink is enchanted. The right handle produces cold water while the left produces hot water,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°The bathtub and sink in the bathroom work the same way. The dwarven craftsmen and enchanters that made this wagon are true masters of their crafts.¡± Diadra finished the water and Kenric took the cup. She slumped back onto the bed. She must be exhausted, Kenric thought. ¡°Tired?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. To help you take a nap, I¡¯m going to put you into a healing sleep. That will heal some of what is wrong with you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go finish with the villagers. When you wake up, we¡¯ll talk about your future.¡± ¡°Can I eat then too?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll most likely be famished by then. Just be warned that my cooking isn¡¯t the best.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Sleep well,¡± Kenric said as he cast Somnus on the girl. * Good riddance, Kenric thought as Jack and Jill pulled the vardo out of Antioch a few minutes past midafternoon. I won¡¯t be returning to this village if I can help it. Part of me does feel sorry for the children and wonders if any of them will be abused the way Diadra was. Perhaps I should have tried to put the adults in a permanent sleep. But that would have left the children to risk starving or be killed in an attack unless I took them all with me. And I can¡¯t care for a bunch of kids. Such thoughts don¡¯t become a healer, but I¡¯m only human. Kenric shrugged off those thoughts thankful that the system and the heavens didn¡¯t punish people for their thoughts. If I push them, Jack and Jill might get us to Hamptonville before it gets too dark. He glanced back at Diadra. She was still sleeping. I should have checked on her before leaving Antioch. Kenric shook his head and tied the reins to the driver¡¯s bench. He stood and walked back into the wagon to check on the girl, trusting the mules would keep pulling the vardo down the road. Her breathing has relaxed, and the bruising is fading. That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll have to use the diagnostic to see if her ribs are healed though. I¡¯ll probably have to wake her shortly to keep her body from cannibalizing too much of her stores healing her. Kenric walked back to the driver¡¯s bench and sat down. I¡¯ll let her sleep another hour. * Kenric heard a scream from inside the wagon. He turned to see Diadra sitting up. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It was just a dream and you¡¯re safe,¡± Kenric said. The girl nodded. ¡°I was going to wake you in a few minutes, but I¡¯m glad to see you woke on your own.¡± She shifted uncomfortably on the bed. Diadre also looked like she had to take care of something. ¡°The bathroom is through that door,¡± Kenric said, pointing at the bathroom door. He turned his head back to the road as she started inching to the end of the bed. I don¡¯t want to see if she is wearing small clothes under my shirt or not! ¡°Thank you,¡± Diadra said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. He heard the bathroom door open and shut. The bathroom door opened a few seconds later. ¡°How does that thing work?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°You mean the toilet?¡± ¡°I think so. It¡¯s not the same as the outhouse I¡¯ve grown up using.¡± ¡°And thank the heavens for that!¡± Kenric exclaimed. ¡°Lift the lid. It¡¯s on a hinge. Then sit and do what you need to do.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t see anything to wipe with,¡± Diadra objected. ¡°No wiping. There are three buttons on the left of the side of the toilet with pictures. The one with the little line hitting the front of the stick person is for women after they¡¯ve relieved their bladder. The middle button with a picture of water hitting the backside of the stick person is for when you¡­ you know, solid waste. The last button with the wavy lines is to trigger warm air to dry your bottom,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°To stop the enchantment, just press the button a second time.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra said uncertainly. ¡°To empty the bowl or flush as the dwarves called it, press down on the little lever behind you. The enchantment will take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Diadra replied. The uncertainty was still clear in her voice. Kenric glanced back at the young redheaded elf and smiled. ¡°It takes some getting used to, but it¡¯s simple and works great,¡± he told her. She nodded and went back into the bathroom. ¡°How does those¡­ enchantments do that?¡± Diadra asked when she came out a few minutes later. She sounds intrigued and awed. ¡°I honestly have no idea how the enchantments do what they do,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Oh,¡± Diadra muttered, disappointment in her voice. ¡°Perhaps we can find an enchanter to explain it in Winston Salem or one of the villages along the way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going much further east. Those are just stops along the way so I can practice my craft,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss the future after we stop for the night.¡± ¡°Are we stopping soon?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°According to the last mile marker I saw, we¡¯re about two miles from Hamptonville,¡± Kenric replied, glancing back at her. She looks confused and scared still. ¡°Hamptonville is a village in case you¡¯re wondering. I¡¯m hoping they have an inn that serves food since I¡¯m not much of a cook.¡± ¡°And if they don¡¯t or the gates are locked for the night?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Then we stay in the wagon, and you get to see how bad a cook I am,¡± Kenric answered, giving her a smile. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll tell you where you can find some fruit, cheese, and bread to snack on.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Diadra said. 41-45 41 ¡°Looks like you¡¯re correct, Diadra,¡± Kenric announced. ¡°The gate is shut.¡± ¡°So, what do we do?¡± Diadra asked fearfully. ¡°I¡¯ll put up a greater ward around us after tending to the mules. Then I¡¯ll cook us something to eat,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Between being so close to the village and the ward, we should be fine.¡± Hopefully. I really should have hired some guards or mercs before leaving Wilkesboro for nights like this. Yeah, ones you aren¡¯t sure you could trust. Makes great sense, Kenric mused. He saw the girl glance at the single large bed. Right. Sleeping arrangements. That¡¯s another problem. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about how we¡¯ll sleep later. In the meantime, just try to relax,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡± Kenric unhitched the mules, hobbled their front legs, and fed them a little hay knowing they would graze on grass. He used a pot to water them. I need to get a small water trough or something so I can water Jack and Jill more efficiently. Kenric then brushed the mules down and petted them a bit. I suppose I could share the bed with Diadra, but I doubt she¡¯ll want to do that. I can¡¯t make her sleep on the floor either. That doesn¡¯t feel right. I could try staying up most of the night to watch out for predators. He sighed. That¡¯s not a good plan either. I suppose I could sleep on the floor for one night. That¡¯s the best of the available bad options. Kenric nodded to himself and entered the wagon. He shut the door. Diadra¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I shut the door because the wagon is enchanted for protection. Between the wagon¡¯s protection and the ward, we should be safe,¡± Kenric told her. ¡°Jack and Jill are huge, so it¡¯ll take a big predator to mess with them if they get past the ward. And don¡¯t be afraid of me either. I only intend to heal you.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°I already have, remember?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Diadra said in a scared voice. ¡°Still hungry?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. It¡¯s getting late, so how about some sandwiches tonight?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I should have some bread and even I can¡¯t mess those up too much.¡± * ¡°Told you I can¡¯t cook,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Even my fried beef sandwich wasn¡¯t good.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Diadra agreed with a little smile. Kenric returned the smile and finished washing the frying pan. That¡¯s progress at least. ¡°I need to cast Greater Heal on you,¡± Kenric announced after finishing the last of the dishes. ¡°Then we can talk about your future, and I¡¯ll cast Somnus on you again to help you sleep and finish healing any physical ailments you have.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Diadra said uncertainly. ¡°You can relax on the bed or keep sitting at the table until I cast Somnus on you,¡± Kenric said. She nodded and kept sitting at the table. I¡¯m not surprised in the slightest that she made that decision. Kenric cast his diagnostic spell on her first. The first Somnus did more for her than I thought it would without draining her too badly. He noticed her shiver a little. ¡°Did you feel the spell?¡± Kenric asked. She might be mana sensitive. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just suddenly felt a chill,¡± Diadra answered. He got up and handed her the blanket from the bed before sitting back down. ¡°The wagon is enchanted to always be comfortable temperature wise, but wrap up in that if you want to,¡± Kenric said. She nodded and wrapped herself up in the blanket. ¡°What might have given you that chill was a diagnostic spell that tells me what is wrong with you.¡± ¡°Is there a lot wrong?¡± ¡°Not anymore. Only half of what was wrong with you when I found you in the stable,¡± Kenric answered. Which is still quite a bit but there¡¯s no need to worry her. ¡°Alright. Here comes the healing spell.¡± He focused his intent and cast the spell. Kenric felt Diadra¡¯s ribs finish healing as well as her other internal injuries. He smiled and released the spell. ¡°I feel better,¡± Diadra announced. ¡°And I felt another chill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, except for the chill,¡± Kenric replied. Further testing is needed. Too bad I¡¯m bound not to teach anyone until I get permission. I¡¯d like to test her like I was tested if I could. He dismissed those thoughts. ¡°Ready to talk about your future?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Diadra answered. He could hear the fear in her voice. ¡°To start, you¡¯re nobody¡¯s slave.¡± ¡°But you bought me!¡± ¡°Your uncle didn¡¯t have paperwork saying he owned you or that you¡¯re a slave. All he had was papers that said he had responsibility for you,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°He signed that responsibility over to me.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°I¡¯m not your slave, but you¡¯re still responsible for and can control me?¡± She¡¯s smart. ¡°You got it,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to be responsible for a young girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that young. I¡¯m almost old enough to be married,¡± Diadra objected. Kenric suppressed the smile that threatened to bloom on his face at her youthful outrage. ¡°Only in certain cultures and areas. Most people wait until they are 18 or older to marry, not 13 or 14,¡± Kenric said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not going to marry you in any case. I¡¯m 20 years older than you which makes me more than old enough to be your father.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve been thinking is that we could find a family in Hamptonville, Yadkinville, West Bend, Lewisville, or Winston Salem to take you in. If not that, maybe we could find someone that would take you on as an apprentice,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°As a last resort, I could leave you at an orphanage.¡± She shook her head. ¡°An orphanage would only kick me out in a year or two or sell me to someone.¡± ¡°I hate that you¡¯re aware of that,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Me too,¡± she replied, nodding her head. ¡°Could I stay with you?¡± That¡¯s surprising. Why would she want to do that? We¡¯re strangers. But I did take her from an abusive situation, so maybe that¡¯s it. ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the best idea. Besides, being on the road is dangerous,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra looked like she wanted to argue, so he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get in bed, and I¡¯ll cast Somnus on you to finish the healing process.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just heal me with the other spell?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°That way I can think about things.¡± ¡°Uh sure,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± 42 ¡°My back hurts,¡± Kenric complained after sitting up. This is the last time I sleep on the floor in my own house or wagon. ¡°Sorry,¡± Diadra murmured. ¡°It¡¯s alright. One quick spell and the pain will be gone,¡± Kenric replied as he stood up and stretched. ¡°How did you sleep?¡± ¡°Good. The bed is very soft and comfortable,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°I think it¡¯s enchanted to be that way,¡± Kenric remarked and grinned. ¡°Truly?¡± ¡°Yeah. Nathaniel, the merchant I got the wagon from had everything else enchanted, so why not?¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Except for some bruising, you look better. Let me run another diagnostic on you to be sure. Then I¡¯ll heal the bruising and anything else the spell finds.¡± ¡°Then breakfast?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°After I make sure Jack and Jill are outside and take care of them,¡± Kenric said, casting the diagnostic spell on her. ¡°I could cook or take care of them,¡± Diadra offered. ¡°Just some bruising,¡± Kenric commented while dismissing the results notice. ¡°Thank you for offering to help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°I helped my cousins tend the farm animals.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Kenric asked. The girl nodded vigorously. Kenric chuckled and then pointed to her feet. ¡°While I appreciate the help, you don¡¯t have any shoes or clothes other than my shirt and any small clothes you may be wearing.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°You don¡¯t know if I¡¯m wearing anything other than your shirt?¡± ¡°No. Why should I know that?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t looked at all, even when I was asleep?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°No. Why would I look?¡± Kenric replied. She is worried I peeked at her. Hopefully, I can reassure her. ¡°Because you¡¯re a man and I¡¯m a girl,¡± Diadra answered matter-of-factly. ¡°Men and boys always look.¡± ¡°Not all of us,¡± Kenric said. Damn. This girl has been through a lot more than she should have at her age. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, I promised not to hurt you and I won¡¯t allow others to do so either. Looking at your small clothes and¡­ girl parts could be considered hurting you since you didn¡¯t ask me to look.¡± ¡°You would look if I asked?¡± Diadra asked after a minute or so. I could have phrased that last statement better. ¡°No. As I said yesterday, you¡¯re young enough to be my child. That makes you way too young for me,¡± Kenric answered. She looked relieved and nodded. ¡°Aunt Jocosa and my mother had taught me how to cook and clean,¡± Diadra said, changing the subject. ¡°Mother and Aunt Jocosa had said I was becoming a good cook before¡­¡± ¡°Right. We don¡¯t have to talk about your past if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I know all about having a past you¡¯d rather move on from.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And I forgot my manners. I¡¯m Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric said. He bowed slightly, earning a giggle. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Diadra.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too, Mr Mender,¡± Diadra replied shyly. ¡°Let me heal your bruising and use the bathroom. Then I¡¯ll take care of the mules,¡± Kenric said, casting Lesser Heal on her. ¡°Do you really think you can cook better than me?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Diadra answered. Kenric smiled. She smiled shyly back. She may want to repay me for healing her and Diadra is old enough to cook and do some chores. I might as well let her help if she wants. ¡°Alright Diadra. I¡¯ll leave breakfast in your capable hands,¡± Kenric said. ¡°After I get done in the bathroom, you¡¯re welcome to use it as well as my hairbrush and toothbrush if you like since I don¡¯t have any spares. I¡¯ll also show you how to use the stove and where the pots and pans are.¡± * Kenric checked Jack and Jill over for injuries in the early morning light. The sun had been up for a few minutes. It¡¯s a pretty day, Kenric thought. After feeding and watering them, he hitched the jackstocks back to the vardo. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading into the village just as soon as they open the gate,¡± he told the mules. Kenric sniffed as a scent blew from the wagon. That smells good. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you two in a bit.¡± * ¡°That was great! I¡¯m not sure what you did with the eggs, but they were excellent,¡± Kenric praised. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that to humor me,¡± Diadra said. He noticed she had blushed at the praise though. ¡°Not true. I meant what I said,¡¯ Kenric countered. ¡°I¡¯m a healer. I don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Then thank you,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Want me to clean up?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk first,¡± Kenric answered after glancing toward the gate and seeing it still closed. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me here!¡± Diadra suddenly pleaded. ¡°Diadra, I¡¯ve told you¡­¡± ¡°I know you said you don¡¯t think you¡¯re able to care for me,¡± the girl interjected. That¡¯s not exactly what I said, Kenric thought. ¡°Hamptonville is close enough to Antioch that Uncle Tobias and the other men come here to drink in the tavern because it¡¯s cheaper than in Wilkesboro.¡± If that¡¯s true, then I don¡¯t want to leave her here. It would be cruel to heal her only for her to end up back in the same situation. ¡°Alright. I won¡¯t leave you here,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Does your uncle visit Yadkinville?¡± ¡°Sometimes. There¡¯s a general store and inn there in addition to a tavern,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Winston Salem, Shacktown, West Bend, or Lewisville?¡± Kenric asked, spreading his map out on over their plates on the table. ¡°No. those were considered too far away or too small,¡± Diadra replied. Shacktown and West Bend are no bigger than Antioch while Lewisville isn¡¯t any larger than Hamptonville.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°You seem to know a lot about the villages along the way to Winston Salem. We¡¯ll see what we can find for you there since it¡¯s a bigger town.¡± ¡°My parents were farmers and sold their crops to those villages and in Winston Salem and Wilkesboro depending on prices,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean you would have inherited your parents¡¯ farm?¡± Kenric asked softly. She ignored my comment about leaving her there. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Uncle Tobias sold the farm over a year ago,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°And he didn¡¯t give you any of the silver,¡± Kenric stated. She shook her head. I should have charged those assholes a lot more than I did. ¡°Ho the wagon!¡± a voice shouted from outside. Kenric and Diadra turned to see a guard standing beside Jack. ¡°You want to move this contraption? We have a traveling merchant that wants to leave in about an hour.¡± ¡°Is there a place for me to park inside the walls that¡¯s out of the way?¡± Kenric asked as he walked to the door. ¡°Aye,¡± the guard answered. ¡°Are you a merchant?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and I¡¯m a healer,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Is that so?¡± the guard asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your prices, Mender?¡± Kenric told him the prices he had charged in Wilkesboro. ¡°Pricey, but not as high as the healer with the merchant is charging. You¡¯ll find some work here.¡± ¡°Will you show me where I can park?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Aye. Follow me,¡± the guard answered. ¡°I¡¯ll wash the dishes,¡± Diadra said. She handed him his map. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said, taking the map and returning it to his inventory. He sat on the driver¡¯s bench. ¡°You might want to wait until we stop again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You can sit up here across from me if you want,¡± Kenric offered. ¡°I¡¯ll stay inside, if that¡¯s alright,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Suit yourself. It¡¯s a pretty day,¡± Kenric said. He picked up the reins and snapped them at the same time he clicked his tongue to get the mules moving. 43 The guard pointed Kenric off to the right a few feet past the gate. He nodded once Kenric stopped the wagon. The guard then started talking to the few other people out and about as he returned to the gate. A couple of times he pointed at Kenric. ¡°Guess he was letting them know what we are,¡± Kenric said. Diadra didn¡¯t respond. Guess it¡¯s not us, but me. He noticed a few people standing in front of two covered wagons across the path from where he parked. ¡°I guess that¡¯s the merchant the guard spoke about.¡± ¡°Uh huh,¡± Diadra replied. Kenric grinned. I was stating the obvious and she let me know it. I suppose it¡¯s also good I didn¡¯t snap at her for being cheeky. When I was younger, I would have. It¡¯s good to see she¡¯s getting more comfortable with me too. Perhaps Diadra isn¡¯t as emotionally and mentally scarred from what she¡¯s been through as I feared or maybe she¡¯s simply stronger than I thought. Then again, she¡¯s an elf and assuming elves are the same as humans is ignorant. I need to see if there¡¯s a book or treatise on the differences between elves, humans, and dwarves. ¡°Diadra, you¡¯ve lived around this area your whole life. Do you know if the lone traveling merchants like this usually carry clothes and boots?¡± Kenric inquired, pushing aside his thoughts. ¡°I think most carry fabric because people normally make their own clothing and other things from it,¡± Diadra answered. She glanced down at her feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know about boots, but even if they did, it probably wouldn¡¯t be something small enough to fit me.¡± ¡°Good points. I guess I¡¯ve gotten used to city life,¡± Kenric conceded. I had forgotten people outside of the larger towns and cities are more self-reliant. Plus, living in the gutter like I had been doing meant not paying attention beyond my own being. And living at the clinic provided me with what I needed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to ask them if they have anything that might fit you anyway.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± the girl said. ¡°On the contrary. Providing you with clothing is part of being responsible for you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware I¡¯m confusing you. On the one hand I say I¡¯m looking to leave you somewhere and on the other, I¡¯m saying I¡¯m responsible for you. If it helps, I¡¯m confusing myself too. We can talk more about that later if you want,¡± Kenric said as he engaged the brake and put the reins down. He turned and smiled at Diadra. ¡°I need to measure your foot, so I have an idea of what size boot to look for. I just healed you, so I don¡¯t want you risking your health walking across this muddy path.¡± Telling her that the diagnostic spell gave me her current height, weight, and such as well as her ideal measurements might freak her out, Kenric mused. Knowing she¡¯ll end up 5ft 2 inches tall and ideally weigh between 95 and 120 pounds is unusual. I¡¯m not sure why the system and spell informed me of those details. Diadra is currently 5 ft and weighs 80 pounds. She needs good food. ¡°And the merchant wouldn¡¯t want me trying on anything with dirty feet,¡± Diadra pointed out. He focused on what she was saying. ¡°Too true,¡± Kenric agreed, standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s see if I have some string around here.¡± * ¡°Who is the merchant?¡± Kenric asked after walking across the path. Three guards on horses and two more walking around the merchants¡¯ two wagons eyed him suspiciously. ¡°That would be me,¡± a tall, dark-skinned man said. ¡°The name is Adam Asbury.¡± He¡¯s my size and if I was a woman or into men, I might be interested in more than his wares, Kenric thought. And I wouldn¡¯t want to fight him. Especially now with my oath in effect. Kenric shook off those thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric replied. The two shook hands. ¡°You¡¯re a healer?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d ask if you were looking to travel with a merchant if I wasn¡¯t working with Deacon Talley already,¡± Adam said, gesturing to a shorter man sitting on the driver¡¯s bench of another wagon. ¡°Heading east?¡± Kenric asked. I wouldn¡¯t mind traveling with others for safety. ¡°No. We¡¯re heading to Wilkesboro and then Asheville,¡± the merchant answered. ¡°I take it, you¡¯re heading east?¡± Adam asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°Too bad. But you came over for a reason. Are you looking to buy something?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Do you have any dresses or other clothing that would fit a young 5ft tall girl?¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Clothing? Afraid not,¡± Adam said, giving Kenric a questioning look. ¡°I carry bolts of fabric though.¡± You can keep wondering. My business is none of your business. ¡°What about boots or shoes?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam answered. ¡°Steph!¡± ¡°Yes sir?¡± a girl shouted. A second later, a blonde-haired girl that looked a few years older than Diadra stuck her head out of the wagon. ¡°Do we still have any of those little girl slippers?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Let me check,¡± Steph replied. Adam nodded. ¡°We have three or four different sizes of the sandals left but no slippers or boots.¡± ¡°Would any of them fit a girl with feet this small?¡± Kenric asked, handing the merchant¡¯s assistant the knotted strings he had used to measure Diadra¡¯s foot. Steph disappeared back into the wagon without saying a word. She reappeared with a pair of brown leather sandals about an inch longer than the string. The sandals were barely what Kenric thought of as shoes. The sole was roughly shaped and thin. A leather thong was attached to the front of the sole where he assumed it would sit between the big toe and others. That thong was woven to two other thongs that fit across the foot and were attached to the sole. The other end of the main thong was woven to a thong loop that tied around the ankle. They look cheap and like they¡¯ll fall apart if they get wet! But needs must. ¡°I¡¯ll sell you these fine sandals for 35 silvers,¡± Adam said with a grin on his face. ¡°Those¡­ sandals can¡¯t be worth more than 10 silver,¡± Kenric retorted, biting his tongue. You greedy prick! ¡°And I¡¯m not sure they¡¯re worth more than 5 silver.¡± ¡°Ah! But my friend, this is a case of supply and demand. I have the supply and you have the demand,¡± the merchant happily countered. ¡°15 silvers.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t possibly sell the sandals for less than 30 silvers,¡± Adam replied. I loathe merchants! ¡°20 silvers,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°Since you¡¯re a healer, I¡¯ll go as low as 25 silvers,¡± Adam said. ¡°And not a silver less.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Kenric agreed. I hope your member falls off from the pox. He paid the merchant and put the sandals in his inventory. ¡°Do you have any hair and toothbrushes?¡± ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ll sell one of each to you for 20 silvers total.¡± * ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Diadra asked after Kenric entered the wagon. ¡°You look upset.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand cheating merchants,¡± Kenric replied. He sighed, letting his anger go. ¡°I got you a pair of sandals. They¡¯re not much, but they¡¯ll let you walk around outside without getting your feet too dirty.¡± ¡°They look like they¡¯ll fall apart if they get wet,¡± Diadra said. She covered her mouth when she realized what she had said. Kenric laughed. ¡°You thought the same thing?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered, handing the sandals to her. ¡°But we¡¯ll get you something better in Lewisville or Winston Salem. I also got you a hair and toothbrush.¡± ¡°Thank you! Truly,¡± Diadra said, taking the brushes. ¡°No dresses or other clothes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome and no,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Maybe the general store in Yadkinville will have something.¡± ¡°I could tie a string or cord around my waist as a belt,¡± Diadra said. ¡°True. I could go see if the merchant has any belts too.¡± ¡°No. You have more string, and that will be fine.¡± ¡°Alright. If you want to walk around, feel free to. Just don¡¯t wander off too far,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯m going to offer my services and see if anyone wants a healing.¡± 44 Not much in the way of healings today, but I did a lot of examinations. I think I saw nearly every villager here. That¡¯s about 400 more silver for me. And some more vegetables and meat I didn¡¯t have to buy. So, all¡¯s well, Kenric thought as he finished tending to Jack and Jill. I¡¯m not sure what Diadra is cooking, but it smells amazing. Kenric popped another roasted peanut in his mouth. These are amazing too! I don¡¯t like the boiled ones that Farmer Henderson offered me though. I think I¡¯ll have to buy roasted peanuts whenever I can find them from now on because these won¡¯t last long with both Diadra and me eating them. ¡°Excuse me healer, but could I trouble you to check on my mother?¡± a man asked. ¡°I¡¯m done for the day, but I¡¯ll be glad to see her in the morning,¡± Kenric replied. He turned and saw the man had an old woman in a pushcart. ¡°Please¡­ she has pain and swelling in her joints,¡± the man said. ¡°It¡¯s alright Brandon,¡± the woman said. ¡°Perhaps Maria could bring me in the morning.¡± ¡°Ma, you know Maria is doing laundry tomorrow,¡± the man, Brandon, replied. Diadra stuck her head out of the wagon¡¯s door. The tips of her ears could be seen through her curly red hair. She pointed into the wagon, mimed eating, and rubbed her stomach. Kenric snorted a laugh. The girl smiled and disappeared back into the wagon. Brandon¡¯s eyes widened. He and his mother exchanged a look. I like seeing her smile. These two probably think Diadra is my slave or young wife though. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look,¡± Kenric said, focusing their attention on him. ¡°Thank you!¡± Brandon gushed. His eyes kept glancing toward the wagon door though. ¡°Like them young, do you, healer?¡± the man¡¯s mother cackled. ¡°Most men do.¡± ¡°Ma!¡± Brandon exclaimed. ¡°I apologize Mr Healer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that ma¡¯am,¡± Kenric said. But I would bet good silver that your son likes young girls. ¡°And my name is Kenric Mender, not Mr Healer.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± the woman said. ¡°The girl is an elf and you¡¯re clearly human. So, that makes her your slave, wife, or¡­ plaything. Which doesn¡¯t matter to me. It¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°Ma¡­¡± Brandon said in warning. The old woman made a circle with her left-hand fingers and then pushed her right index finger in and out of the circle. She cackled again. ¡°The girl is my ward, not my wife, slave, or anything else,¡± Kenric said getting tired of the taunting. ¡°Got paperwork to prove that?¡± Brandon asked. I see that look in your eye and don¡¯t like it. I better get the subject of their visit back on track so I can get rid of them, Kenric thought. ¡°Enough!¡± Kenric ordered. Brandon and his mother hushed. ¡°I charge 5 silvers for an examination and the healing fee is based off what I need to do to heal the problem and yes, though it¡¯s not any of your concern, I have the proper, legal paperwork.¡± ¡°We can afford the examination,¡± Brandon replied more than a little miffed. He handed Kenric 5 silvers. Kenric put the coins into his inventory and cast his diagnostic spell on Brandon¡¯s mother. ¡°Your mother has arthritis,¡± Kenric announced after dismissing the results notice. ¡°Can you heal it and how much would it cost us?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°45 silvers for the healing,¡± Kenric answered. Though I should charge you more for annoying me and delaying my supper. ¡°We can afford that if it means I won¡¯t have this pain and swelling anymore,¡± Brandon¡¯s mother said before Brandon could say anything. ¡°Pay the healer, Brandon.¡± ¡°Yes ma,¡± Brandon replied sullenly. He paid Kenric. ¡°Alright. Here goes,¡± Kenric said as he readied his Greater Heal spell. ¡°Out here?¡± the mother asked. Kenric nodded and cast the spell. He wasn¡¯t going to invite the woman or her son into his home after all. A few minutes later, and it was done. ¡°I feel so much better! Brandon, I don¡¯t hurt at all!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great ma!¡± Brandon exclaimed. ¡°Thank you Mr Mender,¡± Brandon¡¯s mother said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, ma¡¯am,¡± Kenric said with a nod. ¡°You folks have a nice night.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you and your¡­ ward have supper with us?¡± Brandon asked. ¡°No thank you,¡± Kenric replied. Is his sense of smell that bad or is he just ignoring the good smell coming from the vardo? Either of those or he just wants to see Diadra again. ¡°My supper is waiting for me.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Brandon said. ¡°Enjoy it,¡± Mr Mender,¡± the old woman cackled, making her obscene gesture again. Kenric shook his head and climbed up the vardo¡¯s porch. He paused before going in and cast a Lesser Ward over the mules. He then cast the same spell over the wagon. Kenric entered and shut the door. * ¡°Supper is getting cold,¡± Diadra complained as he washed his hands. ¡°Sorry. I got rid of them as quickly as I could,¡± Kenric replied, sitting at the table. And why am I apologizing? Right. She cooked and I want to show her I appreciate it. ¡°What did you cook? It smells fantastic.¡± ¡°Stuffed bell peppers,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°I used the rice, tomato gravy, and beef Farmer Lee left us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember any rice or tomato gravy,¡± Kenric said as Diadra served them both. ¡°His son brought it while you were seeing another person two hours ago,¡± Diadra explained. ¡°Oh. Did he leave a lot?¡± ¡°A bag of rice that weighs about 10 pounds and three jars of the gravy,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°He said that his parents didn¡¯t think they had paid enough and wanted us to have the extra food. I thanked him too.¡± ¡°Good. Thank you for doing that,¡± Kenric said. She smiled and nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t someone give me milk too?¡± ¡°Yes. Dalton Hall left three gallons of fresh milk,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Do you want some?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. I like the fact that she can remember names. Heavens know I can¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already up,¡± Diadra countered. She served them both a cup of milk. She¡¯s trying to be useful. If I get used to her helping, that¡¯ll make it harder for me to leave her in Winston Salem. ¡°Try the peppers!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said. He tried the food. ¡°Hmm. This is great!¡± Diadra smiled after a moment and dug into her own food. I suppose she wanted to make sure I was telling her the truth. They ate in silence for a few minutes. ¡°Who were those two?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t like the way the man looked at me.¡± ¡°Just a patient,¡± Kenric replied. I didn¡¯t like the way he did either. ¡°I¡¯ve cast wards over the wagon and mules. You won¡¯t have anything to worry about and we¡¯ll leave just as soon as the gate is opened in the morning.¡± She nodded. ¡°What about sleeping arrangements? I can sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°The bed is large enough to share it,¡± Kenric said after thinking it over. ¡°I promise to stick to whichever side you don¡¯t want, and we can use the blanket that hunter gave me as another divider.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°If,¡± Kenric said, interrupting her. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle that, I can cast a healing sleep on you or one of us can sleep on the floor. But I must warn you that the comfort enchantment doesn¡¯t extend to the floor as my back can attest.¡± Diadra giggled at his last statement. She nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Just remember my promise and oath to you, alright?¡± Kenric tried. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I see there¡¯s two peppers left. Why don¡¯t we eat one each?¡± 45 Kenric woke sometime in the night to thunder, lightning, heavy rain, howling wind, and sobbing. Lightning flashed and he made out a small shape curled up under the blankets shaking. ¡°Diadra?¡± A whimper answered him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kenric asked as he sat up. The lights turned on a few seconds later after the enchantment detected their movements. That enchantment is amazing! ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°You had fallen asleep before I had.¡± ¡°The storm woke me. I¡¯m afraid of them.¡± ¡°Between the wagon¡¯s protections and my ward, you¡¯re safe,¡± Kenric said. I hope that reassures her. I also hope it¡¯s true. This is the first storm that¡¯s hit since I started living in the wagon. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°As sure as I can be,¡± Kenric replied confidently. ¡°Would you like me to cast a light Somnus spell on you so you can sleep?¡± I¡¯d offer to hold you, but don¡¯t think you¡¯d accept my offer, Kenric thought. That thought surprises me. Is it the oath that makes me want to protect her or is it something else? ¡°I¡­¡± Diadra started to say only to squeal in fear when thunder boomed right over the vardo. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you,¡± Kenric said, reaching over and patting her shoulder. He cast Somnus weakly on her at the same time. She gasped in surprise before falling asleep. That should keep her sleeping until morning. I had focused my intent on sleep and healing anything else wrong with Diadra. And that makes me wonder if the spell can help with mental and emotional issues and pain. Jakob and the others never said if healing spells could or couldn¡¯t. Then again, I never thought to ask. That¡¯s something else I need to find out because if they can heal those kinds of issues, that would explain how Diadra is recovering so quickly from her ordeal. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to chalk her recovery up to her strength or the differences between our peoples. Kenric forced his thoughts away and closed his eyes after turning off the lights. The storm started to move further away, and he fell asleep to the relaxing sound of rain hitting the vardo¡¯s roof. * Kenric woke the next morning shortly after sunrise. He yawned and stretched, after wiping the sleep from his eyes. I can¡¯t believe how quickly I got back into the habit of getting up this early. He checked on Diadra and was happy to see she was still sleeping. He entered the bathroom and took care of his morning ablutions. Kenric used Cleanse on his clothes and put them back on. He reached out to his wards. They were still intact and hadn¡¯t been disturbed. He exited the wagon to tend the mules. Ugh. It¡¯s muddy. ¡°Morning you two,¡± Kenric told Jack and Jill after carefully making his way to them through the mud. Both mules nuzzled his hands, and he rubbed them. He fed them some hay and oats. He then returned to the wagon to get two pots of water so they could drink. ¡°I really need to get a water trough for you guys.¡± The mules nodded their heads. Yeah, you didn¡¯t understand me. He smiled though. The guard at the gate waved and Kenric returned it. He walked over to the woman. ¡°Good morning,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Morning,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Could you open the gate for me in a few minutes?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I¡¯m ready to get on the road.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she replied. She rubbed her left palm. ¡°It¡¯s a bit early.¡± That¡¯s a strange way of asking for a bribe. He counted out 10 silvers and she frowned. ¡°I was thinking of leaving in 10 minutes,¡± Kenric said, handing over 20 silvers. The guard smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have the gate open by the time you turn your wagon around,¡± the guard said as the coins disappeared into her inventory. ¡°Could you forget you let me out early as well?¡± Kenric asked as he handed over 20 more silvers. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m talking to myself,¡± the guard said with a grin on her face. The coins disappeared like the others had. Kenric smiled and nodded at the guard. He walked back to his wagon and hitched the mules. Bribery works wonders. Too bad I had to spend most of the money I got from that old woman and her son though. Now that I think about it, I probably didn¡¯t have to bribe her with so much silver. If the village has rules against opening the gate before a certain time, she will want to be able to deny that she let me leave early to save her own butt, Kenric thought. He used Cleanse on his boots again and got the mules moving. I want to be in Yadkinville by midmorning. 46-50 46 Such a pretty morning, Kenric mused. The remaining clouds had cleared, and the sun was up high in the sky. A refreshing breeze blew gently from the north. He noticed that the world had slowly changed from mountains to tall foothills to smaller foothills. Won¡¯t be many more days before we¡¯re out of hill country. I¡¯ve been paying more attention to the weather and sights around me than I used to and enjoying what nature offers. ¡°Good morning. We¡¯re already on the road?¡± Kenric turned his head and glanced back into the vardo. A sleepy looking Diadra was standing near the bathroom door. ¡°Good morning sunshine,¡± Kenric greeted the girl. She smiled. Her smile really lights up her face and I¡¯m glad to see it. ¡°Yes, I thought it would be best to get on the road. If Yadkinville needs a healer, I¡¯ll be able to start healing after lunch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Diadra replied. She looked a little uncomfortable. ¡°Could we stop for a few minutes?¡± She glanced at the bathroom door. Oops! I hadn¡¯t thought about that. Though the wagon rides smooth enough we could use the bathroom without making a mess, I¡¯ll still stop for her. ¡°Uh yeah, we can stop¡± Kenric exclaimed. We¡¯ve been on the road for an hour at least and I¡¯m getting hungry. ¡°I apologize. I should have started pulling over when I saw you were awake. Take your time.¡± Kenric pulled over so most of the wagon was off the road but the mules were off enough so Jack and Jill could graze on grass. Diadra disappeared into the bathroom while he set the brake and cast a lesser ward around them. I¡¯d rather use my mana than risk something or someone attacking us, Kenric thought. He got up and walked into the vardo. He started scrambling some eggs. ¡°I¡¯ll cook!¡± Diadra hollered from the bathroom. ¡°I can cook eggs,¡± Kenric replied, a couple minutes later. ¡°Doesn¡¯t smell like it,¡± Diadra stated. ¡°You¡¯re overcooking them!¡± ¡°You might be right,¡± Kenric muttered. He glanced at his eggs. They were slightly burnt. He sighed as he heard the bathroom door open. ¡°Would you like me to help?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me how it¡¯s done instead?¡± Kenric asked, grinning at her. ¡°I¡¯ll toss these and clean the pan.¡± ¡°Sure. You didn¡¯t drink all the milk last night after you put me to sleep, did you?¡± Diadra replied. She was smiling again. ¡°No. Want a cup to drink?¡± Kenric asked. Her smile warms my heart for some reason. Diadra is very pretty and will be a true beauty when she matures. While I acknowledge and appreciate her looks, I don¡¯t feel a sexual attraction to her at all. I¡¯m too old for her and Diadra is too young for me. And I just want to protect and care for her. That has to be my oath affecting my thinking or I¡¯ve really matured myself, and perhaps want a younger sibling or child of my own. ¡°No,¡± she replied, shaking her head, pulling him from his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to use some milk to scramble the eggs.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said, tossing the eggs out the door. * ¡°Your eggs were amazing,¡± Kenric said as Jack and Jill pulled them down the road to Yadkinville. I think we¡¯ll arrive at the village within in the hour. ¡°Thank you,¡± Diadra replied. He glanced over to the passenger seat. She smiled at the praise and then frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The land is getting flatter,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°I¡¯ve never been out of the hills before.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still in the hills,¡± Kenric said, gesturing around them. ¡°Not the hills I¡¯m used to.¡± ¡°True, but if we go to the coast like I planned, it would take us a little over two weeks of all day traveling with only stopping at night,¡± Kenric replied. Would I take Diadra with me instead of leaving her in Winston Salem? Perhaps. I¡¯ll think more about this later. ¡°Imagine seeing the ocean. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing a giant body of water that extends as far as the eye can see.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Diadra asked. She pulled her knees up under her chin. ¡°That sounds scary.¡± ¡°Adventure I suppose. I¡¯ve never been as far east as you can go before nor have, I ever seen such a huge body of water,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°The thought of entering the water scares me. I was warned there are monsters in it.¡± ¡°There are monsters here.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I was told there are certain ocean monsters that are larger than a castle!¡± Kenric said enthusiastically. ¡°Can you imagine something so large?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to imagine something like that,¡± Diadra said with a slight shudder. She fell silent and then asked after a few minutes, ¡°Though how would something like that walk?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been told those kinds of monsters only live in the water.¡± ¡°Oh. So, they swim?¡± ¡°If what I was told is true,¡± Kenric answered, nodding his head. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Because I had started to think that getting into this ocean up to my knees could be fun,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Now, I think I was wrong.¡± ¡°The deep ocean where such creatures live would be far from the shore,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I think you would be safe enough in the shallow water along the shore.¡± Diadra nodded, then frowned again. ¡°Are you making fun of my height? I¡¯ll grow taller!¡± ¡°No,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°Well, maybe a little.¡± And you¡¯ll only grow a little bit taller. ¡°Does this mean you want me to go to the ocean with you?¡± Diadra asked in a tiny voice. ¡°Maybe. Most likely,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it some more.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She jumped up and hugged him from the side. She gasped and immediately backed away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I don¡¯t know why I did that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the hug. It felt nice.¡± This might be further proof that the healing spells are doing something to her mental state. Then again, it could be her. I still need more information. ¡°Can I borrow another shirt to change into and take a bath?¡± Diadra uncertainly asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you. Why are all your shirts white?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m a healer and white is a sign of cleanliness.¡± ¡°Huh. That makes sense,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Yep,¡± Kenric agreed. I¡¯m glad the tailor had thought of that. Heavens know I wouldn¡¯t have had that idea until much later. 47 ¡°We¡¯re coming up to the Yadkinville gate,¡± Kenric called into the vardo. ¡°I¡¯ll be right out,¡± Diadra yelled back. I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s been in the bath all this time, Kenric thought. I would have fallen asleep and probably drowned if I had spent that much time in the bathtub. ¡°Look! My fingers are pruney!¡± Diadra happily exclaimed after exiting the bathroom. Kenric turned his head and looked. He smiled. ¡°So, you were really enjoying your bath?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Did you know the bathtub can make bubbles and shoot bursts of water that feels really nice?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s neat! There are little gems along the top of the tub under the faucet that controls the bubbles and bursts of water,¡± Diadra informed him. ¡°You should try the them!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try the bursts of water later. I¡¯m not sure if bubbles are for me though,¡± Kenric replied. That¡¯s something Nathainel failed to mention, and I hadn¡¯t noticed the jewels though I should have. ¡°Spell my finger. The bubbles are some kind of soap and smell so good!¡± The mules stopped at the gate after Kenric slowed them so a small three wagon caravan could exit the village. He leaned over to sniff her finger. ¡°You smell like strawberries.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Diadra happily agreed. ¡°I¡¯m going to brush my hair.¡± Kenric nodded and turned his attention back forward as she reentered the bathroom humming to herself. An old guard walked over to the wagon. ¡°State yer business,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a merchant travel without guards before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no merchant,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m looking to shop the general store I¡¯ve been told this village has and to offer my services if they¡¯re needed.¡± Kenric heard the bathroom door opened and the guard¡¯s eyes focused on the inside of the vardo. I should have told Diadra to shut the door. Diadra was still humming. ¡°Oh,¡± Kenric heard her say. He heard the bathroom door open and shut again. Nothing suspicious about a young wet girl suddenly hiding. Nope, not suspicious at all. ¡°And what service might those be?¡± the guard asked suspiciously. ¡°Healing,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯re a mender?¡± ¡°Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric replied. The old fellow laughed. ¡°And yes, I¡¯m a healer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure that¡¯s all you are? The guard asked. ¡°Most men with a young girl, elf or otherwise, are up to no good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m just a healer. Diadra is my ward.¡± ¡°Got proof of that?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Alright then. I¡¯m Fred Courtney,¡± the guard said. ¡°You¡¯ll find work here depending on what you charge. It¡¯s been quite some time since a healer passed through Yadkinville.¡± ¡°Where can I park my wagon?¡± Kenric asked. I wonder how many healers have passed through this village without him realizing it. ¡°Anywhere in the village square,¡± Fred said, pointing past the gate to an open area. Kenric saw what he assumed was the general shop on the other side of the square. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenric replied. Fred nodded and waved him through. * Kenric finished hobbling the mules after unhitching them from the vardo. There wasn¡¯t a stable nearby. ¡°Hopefully the shop has a water trough I can get for you two,¡± Kenric told Jack and Jill. He fed and watered the mules. He spotted Diadra watching from inside the wagon. ¡°Want to go with me to the shop to see if they have a dress or something that¡¯ll fit you?¡± ¡°Yes, but not just wearing this,¡± the girl answered while pointing at his shirt. ¡°Going to trust me to pick you out a dress if the shop has any?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra answered. She looked like she wanted to say something else but closed her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Kenric asked gently. ¡°If they have more than one color, could you get me a light blue or green dress?¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Shut the door so others can¡¯t get to you or the stuff in the wagon.¡± ¡°Alright. What about Jack and Jill?¡± Diadra replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to cast a ward around them,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra nodded and shut the vardo¡¯s door. Kenric cast a Lesser Ward around the mules. 48 Kenric¡¯s eyes adjusted to the light in the shop. He spotted a dwarven man and woman around his age behind the counter and walked over. ¡°Newcomer, huh?¡± the man asked. ¡°Or just passing through?¡± ¡°Passing through while hoping to put my talents to use,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Welcome to Beechwood¡¯s General Goods,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m Penny Todd and this is my husband, Philip. We¡¯re the owners. What talents do you have?¡± That question can be taken several ways. So can the way she¡¯s staring at me, Kenric thought. And her husband knows it, if his scowl is anything to go by. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and I¡¯m a healer,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You¡¯ll find work here as long as you don¡¯t charge too much,¡± Philip said. ¡°Staying long?¡± Penny asked. Kenric looked around the shop and saw some clothing on a table. He couldn¡¯t spot any dresses though. ¡°Overnight and moving on in the morning,¡± Kenric replied. Another human man entered the shop. ¡°Howdy Bill,¡± Philip greeted the other man. ¡°Bill is a carpenter and woodcutter,¡± Penny told Kenric as if it was a secret. This woman is a busy body gossip too. ¡°Hey Philip, Penny,¡± Bill said. He nodded at Kenric. ¡°Do you have those sawblades I ordered last month?¡± ¡°Caravan left them yesterday,¡± Penny answered. She turned and hollered, ¡°Rhett, bring out Bill¡¯s sawblades.¡± ¡°Yes ma,¡± a voice shouted back. ¡°Bill, this is Healer Mender,¡± Penny said. ¡°He¡¯s here overnight.¡± Yep. A busybody. ¡°I¡¯m Bill Woodman,¡± Bill said, offering his left hand to Kenric. ¡°Kenric Mender,¡± Kenric replied, shaking the man¡¯s hand. He noticed the carpenter was favoring his right hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be open for examinations and healings after I buy something to make a temporary sign with.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll look at my hand and heal it, I¡¯ll make you a sign with whatever you want on it,¡± Bill said. ¡°That way you won¡¯t have to keep buying materials and making temporary signs. If you want, I can make it large enough to hang on the side of that wagon in the square, which I assume is yours.¡± ¡°A sign I can stick in the ground and take with me will be good enough for what I need,¡± Kenric said. ¡°The wagon is warded.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rare thing,¡± Philip remarked. ¡°Not so rare as you might think,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°I¡¯ve known many merchants that have warded and enchanted wagons.¡± ¡°Rich ones maybe,¡± Penny said. Kenric shrugged. ¡°Healer Mender, I noticed you were looking at our clothing offerings. Do you require a new shirt?¡± ¡°No. I need a dress, preferably in light blue or green,¡± Kenric replied. The other three looked at him oddly. ¡°The dress is for my 13-year-old ward.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Penny said. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything in blue or green, but we do have a white shirt and brown skirt that should fit depending on how tall the girl is.¡± ¡°Show me please,¡± Kenric said as a boy brought out some sawblades. He told the shopkeeper Diadra¡¯s height and weight. Penny led him over to the clothes and showed him the skirt and shirt she had told him about. She showed him a belt that went with the skirt and shirt as well. This isn¡¯t well made at all. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°40 silvers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ high,¡± Kenric replied, holding back what he truly wanted to say. ¡°These aren¡¯t well made clothes and I can see several loose threads.¡± ¡°Supply and demand,¡± Penny countered. ¡°Mr Mender, I¡¯ll stop by your wagon shortly and we can talk about the sign,¡± Bill said. Kenric waved and the carpenter exited the shop with his blades. ¡°I¡¯ll examine yourself, your husband, and your son in exchange for the clothing,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And if we need a healing?¡± Penny asked. ¡°Negotiable,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Deal,¡± Philip said. ¡°Write me a bill of sale and I¡¯ll get started on Mrs. Todd,¡± Kenric said. Her husband agreed. I¡¯m getting ripped off but needs must. * ¡°It¡¯s not the best clothing or even good clothing, but it¡¯s what they had,¡± Kenric said, laying the folded skirt, shirt, and belt on the table. ¡°It¡¯s also not in the colors you wanted I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°You still bought it for me,¡± Diadra said. Kenric pretended not to notice the tears in her eyes. ¡°This is just as well made as what I¡¯m used to. Thank you!¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Kenric started, only to fall silent as Diadra hugged him. He gently put his arms around her and returned the hug. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. We¡¯ll get you something better in Winston Salem as I promised before.¡± She pulled away and he let her go. ¡°I¡¯m going to put it on.¡± ¡°Hang on. Let me cast Cleanse on it,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra replied. He cast the spell. ¡°Can I learn to do that?¡± ¡°Perhaps one day,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the shop didn¡¯t have any small clothes your size though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. I only started wearing bloomers the last few months because Aunt Jocosa had insisted.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aunt Jocosa had said I was old enough to wear them and that good, moral women wear them, so she made me some,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°She also said it would keep the boys away¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get you some in Winston Salem,¡± Kenric quickly said. She picked up the clothes and walked to the bathroom. She returned wearing the skirt, shirt, and belt, looking happier than she had just minutes before. The shirt was slightly baggy, and the skirt only came down to her calf, meaning it was short on her. Still, it was better than nothing, Kenric supposed. ¡°The skirt is a little too short and the shirt a little too big, but what do you think?¡± Diadra asked. She twirled around. ¡°Cute,¡± Kenric answered. She blushed. ¡°I forgot this. It¡¯ll make you cuter.¡± He handed her a white ribbon. ¡°For my hair?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She hugged him again. Diadra broke the hug. ¡°There¡¯s a crowd outside the wagon. I¡¯ll make sandwiches for lunch and something good for supper.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I know. I want to though,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go tell the crowd I¡¯ll start after we eat,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Can I help?¡± ¡°Maybe. Can you read and write?¡± ¡°No,¡± Diadra answered, shaking her head. ¡°We¡¯ll have to correct that. I¡¯ll go get some paper and a pen or quill and ink from the shop if they have it,¡± Kenric said. ¡°If they do, I¡¯ll start teaching you tonight.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Diadra asked in disbelief. Kenric smiled and nodded. She hugged him again. 49 Kenric cast his diagnostic spell on the babe again and dismissed the notice. The croup can be scary for a new mother, but it¡¯s really nothing to fear. He made a face at the baby boy. The child laughed and Kenric handed him back to his mother. She smiled nervously at Kenric. Blue hell! She doesn¡¯t look much holder than Diadra. ¡°Is he healed?¡± the young woman asked, taking her baby and cuddling him. The woman¡¯s husband looked on stoically. Or at least he¡¯s trying to be stoic. He¡¯s not much older than his wife. ¡°Your baby is fine. He just had the croup,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°If he or any of you get a cough, make a syrup using ivy leaf, thyme, aniseed, or elderberry. Those herbs can at least shorten the time you have the cough, if not heal it naturally.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the young father said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much to pay you with.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. He glanced around to make sure the young family were his last customers again. I could tell him to keep his silver and use it on his family, but that would hurt his pride. I know it would have hurt mine at that age. ¡°Raising your son well so the next time I come through, I don¡¯t have to heal him is all the thanks I need.¡± Besides, the other villagers have paid me 500 silvers or more, Kenric thought. I¡¯ll have to count it later since Diadra doesn¡¯t know how to count that high and I hadn¡¯t paid as much attention as I should have. Thankfully, she does how to count to 20 like most uneducated people do. ¡°We must pay you something, lord healer,¡± the young mother said. Diadra exited the vardo and sat on a log people had used as seats throughout the afternoon. ¡°I¡¯m no lord,¡± Kenric gently rebuked. That chance was taken from me a long time ago and I¡¯m still a touch bitter about it. ¡°I¡¯m just a healer.¡± ¡°We should still pay you something,¡± the young father said. Kenric shrugged. The man tapped one of the hunting knives strapped to his belt and legs. He grinned and removed one of the knives and its sheath from his belt. ¡°I¡¯ve used this knife for three years, but it is still razor sharp. Would that work as payment? Kenric took the knife and examined it. The blade is razor sharp and I could shave with it. He nodded. ¡°I accept your payment.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± the couple said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Have a good night.¡± ¡°We will,¡± the husband said. They walked away. ¡°You¡¯ve been very quiet this afternoon,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Was it the crowd of people? ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb you and wanted to learn what I could,¡± Diadra replied. She glanced at the knife. ¡°What are you going to do with that?¡± ¡°Leave it in the wagon most likely,¡± Kenric said, popping his neck. ¡°Leaving it in my inventory or wearing it might tempt me to use it eventually.¡± ¡°Yuck!¡± Diadra exclaimed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That sounded like it hurt.¡± ¡°It felt good though,¡± Kenric said. ¡°So, did you learn anything today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra answered, standing up from the log she had been sitting on. ¡°You recommend common herbs a lot.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Have you figured out why?¡± ¡°Because most people can mash them up into a¡­ paste and salve, or they can make a tea from the easily found plants,¡± Diadra said uncertainly. ¡°And?¡± ¡°And¡­ that will help them with common ailments?¡± ¡°Good answer,¡± Kenric said, praising the girl. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. I need to check Jack and Jill¡¯s water again.¡± His stomach grumbled. Diadra giggled and followed him to the small water trough they had been given as payment for a healing. It was mostly full. ¡°Think that is enough water for tonight?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said. He fed the mules some more hay and oats. Then, he cast a Lesser Ward over them. ¡°The cure for what ails your tummy is waiting on the stove,¡± Diadra informed Kenric. ¡°I made a beef stew and baked a loaf of fresh bread.¡± ¡°You can bake?¡± Kenric asked. Diadra smiled shyly and nodded. ¡°We didn¡¯t have any yeast or anything to make bread with. I don¡¯t even have a bread pan.¡± ¡°A Mrs. Davie gave us a bread pan and everything needed to make bread with earlier today,¡± Diadra explained. ¡°She was really grateful that you healed the pain in her bad knee and wanted to show her appreciation with more than just silver.¡± ¡°Ah. I remember her,¡± Kenric said. His stomach rumbled, making Diadra giggle again. ¡°If you cannot tell, I am really looking forward to trying your stew and bread.¡± ¡°I noticed,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat! I¡¯m hungry too.¡± ¡°In that case, after you, my lady,¡± Kenric said. He performed a sweeping bow. That earned another giggle. ¡°Thank you, my lord,¡± Diadra replied. She tried to curtsy but didn¡¯t bow correctly. ¡°That is the wrong way. Ladies curtsy like this,¡± Kenric said, curtsying. That earned a full belly laugh from the girl. ¡°You look silly!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kenric replied, laughing. I like making her happy. Making her happy has started making me happy. Diadra curtsied correctly. ¡°That¡¯s the way.¡± ¡°Are you a lord like they said?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Others called you a lord too. Why?¡± ¡°Difference in our statuses and showing respect, I suppose,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra climbed onto the wagon¡¯s porch. ¡°I can see that, but I think it has something to do with the way you talk too,¡± Diadra said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You try to talk like normal people, but sometimes you talk all¡­ proper,¡± Diadra explained. ¡°Yeah, I guess I do,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Were you taught to talk that way?¡± ¡°Yes. I grew up the son of a viscount.¡± ¡°You are a lord!¡± Diadra said, wide eyed. ¡°No. My father was. I haven¡¯t been in that social sphere since I was 18 or so,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m just a healer.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Diadra asked as he climbed onto the porch. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about my past the day you tell me about yours,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Sure, it is,¡± Kenric countered, shutting the wagon¡¯s door. ¡°It¡¯s trading a story for a story.¡± ¡°Will you tell me your story first?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell my story first once you decide to tell me yours,¡± Kenric answered. He pointed at the bed and table. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°A quilt and throw blanket that a Mrs. Eaton gave us instead of paying with silver. She had said I was so skinny and small I would have trouble staying warm without something to help me,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°They¡¯re pretty and very warm.¡± The quilt was thick and made up of several patterns, mostly flowers. The blanket was thinner but looked sturdy and was sky blue in color. ¡°They are pretty,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Looks well made too. She probably could have gotten 100 silver or more for them in a large town.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Diadra asked. Kenric nodded. ¡°You can have them,¡± Kenric said, seeing the way she kept looking at both. ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She hugged him again. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Gladly,¡± he replied. ¡°Afterwards, we can start working on your letters or numbers.¡± ¡°I can count to 20!¡± ¡°Good. But you¡¯ll need to be able to count higher than that,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°If for no other reason than silver comes in a lot higher amounts than 20.¡± 50 ¡°The shop doesn¡¯t have any fountain pens or education books,¡± Kenric said. ¡°They did have paper, ink, and quills though. I bought paper and ink.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra said. She looks confused. I guess I am sort of babbling though. ¡°So, what this means is I¡¯m going to write out the alphabet and help you learn to write them. It also means I¡¯m going to let you use my fountain pen to practice writing with,¡± Kenric explained. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve never taught letters to anyone before, so bear with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Diadra replied. Kenric smiled at her and laid several sheets of paper on the table. He pulled his pen from his inventory. ¡°This is A,¡± Kenric said. He wrote the letter, so it filled half the sheet of paper. ¡°Do people always write so big?¡± ¡°No. In the early education books I had as a child, the letters were big,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°I assume it was to help a child learn to recognize individual letters.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Seems silly?¡± ¡°A little, yeah,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Unlike the books I had, I¡¯m going to do two letters per sheet of paper,¡± Kenric said. He wrote the next letter. ¡°This is B.¡± Diadra reached out to trace the B with her finger. ¡°Don¡¯t do that until the ink dries,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯ll have messy fingers otherwise. It shouldn¡¯t take the ink too long to dry.¡± ¡°How long does that take?¡± ¡°Usually about a minute,¡± Kenric answered. He touched the A and then held his finger up so she could see the pad. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Alright. This is C,¡± Kenric said. * ¡°Like this?¡± Diadra asked. She wrote the letter A. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My writing is messy,¡± she complained. ¡°When you helped me write it looked neater.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because this is the first time you¡¯ve tried to write by yourself,¡± Kenric replied. And I¡¯m amazed you didn¡¯t do more than flinch when I first held your hand. It¡¯s got to be the healing spells. Diadra can¡¯t have given me her trust this quickly, could she? ¡°Your writing will get better with practice and over time.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Yes. Plus, girls generally have neater handwriting than boys,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. At least in my experience.¡± ¡°Neat!¡± Diadra exclaimed. ¡°I look forward to being able to write better.¡± She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Will I really be able to learn to read and write at the same time?¡± ¡°Yes. I can tell that you¡¯re smart,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And no, I¡¯m not just saying that.¡± ¡°You really think I¡¯m smart?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll start with simple two and three letter words to make it easier too,¡± Kenric replied. She smiled and then teared up but didn¡¯t cry. Diadra wiped her eyes. ¡°Need a minute?¡± Diadra shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± I might should have had her keep writing A, but I think going through each letter might help Diadra see that I believe in her. Kenric smiled. ¡°Alright. Show me how to write a B.¡± ¡°But I thought you said I had to write each letter a bunch of times.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be doing that tomorrow,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Even when we¡¯re on the road to Shacktown you¡¯ll be practicing your letters.¡± * ¡°Diadra, do you have an inventory yet?¡± Kenric asked after they finished breakfast. ¡°I do. It¡¯s small though,¡± she answered. ¡°I can only hold 5 pounds in it. I have some fruit in there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Keep my pen in there too please.¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me your pen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m loaning you my pen,¡± Kenric corrected. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of it,¡± Diadra promised. Kenric nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to set up and see if anyone else needs my services this morning.¡± ¡°Want me to help?¡± ¡°No. I want you to write each letter 25 times today,¡± Kenric answered. Her eyes widened in alarm. ¡°I can¡¯t count that high!¡± Diadra protested. ¡°Sure, you can,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°Nuh uh!¡± she exclaimed, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ll show you that you can. How many fingers do you have?¡± ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°And toes?¡± ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°Is that how you count to 20?¡± ¡°That or count my fingers twice,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°And what happens when you add one more finger?¡± Kenric asked, holding up his right index finger. ¡°Um¡­ 21?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric agreed, giving her a smile. She returned the smile. He held up another finger. ¡°And if we add another finger?¡± ¡°Um¡­ 22?¡± ¡°You got it, kitten,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Kitten?¡± ¡°Sorry. It was an attempt at a nickname, and you remind me of a kitty,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I won¡¯t call you that again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± Diadra quickly said. She smiled again. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a nickname before so, you can call me kitten or kitty if you want.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll do that from time to time then. Now, back to your letters and counting.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you see how to add up to 25?¡± ¡°Yes! I just add five of my fingers,¡± Diadra happily answered. ¡°You got it¡­ kitten,¡± Kenric said, booping her nose. ¡°Hey!¡± Diadra mock protested. Her bright smile betrayed her fake outrage though. ¡°Get to work,¡± Kenric laughed. Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get rid of her, though I will ask her if she wants to stay with me or not once, we arrive at Winston Salem. 51-54 51 ¡°We¡¯re leaving?¡± Diadra asked as Kenric walked Jill over to the wagon so he could hitch her to it. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve only examined one person, and that was two hours ago,¡± Kenric replied while he hitched Jill to the wagon. Jack is more cooperative when Jill is hitched first. ¡°So, yeah, I think it¡¯s time we get back on the road.¡± Diadra nodded, put away his pen and her papers. She hopped down from the wagon and ran over to Jack. ¡°Come on Jack,¡± she said to the huge mule. The jackstock hee-hawed at her and allowed himself to be led to the wagon. Kenric laughed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just watching you leading Jack is funny,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°The top of your head barely reaches Jack¡¯s withers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± Diadra said with a pout on her face. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll get taller.¡± ¡°A little bit, yeah,¡± Kenric said, showing her a gap between two fingers. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a trade secret,¡± Kenric replied, tapping his temple. ¡°You¡¯re teasing me!¡± Diadra claimed. ¡°Just a little,¡± Kenric agreed. He smiled and winked at her. She walked over and punched him in the stomach. He laughed. ¡°Ow!¡± Diadra exclaimed, cradling her fist. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Yeah, it just hurt a little. You don¡¯t need to heal me,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said, casting the diagnostic spell on her anyway. ¡°Why are you so hard?¡± Diadra asked. He dismissed the notice after confirming she hadn¡¯t done any damage to herself. ¡°I was a warrior once upon a time,¡± Kenric answered as he hitched Jack to the wagon. ¡°And my physical stats are still sort of high.¡± ¡°But your oath.¡± ¡°I took the healer¡¯s oath long after I stopped being a warrior and if you¡¯re willing to take the hit to your stats and skills, there¡¯s nothing stopping you from changing classes like I did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why did you stop being a warrior?¡± Diadra asked as they walked to the wagon. ¡°Isn¡¯t being a warrior what most men dream of being?¡± ¡°That my little fiery kitten, is part of my past,¡± Kenric said as he picked Diadra up and sat her on the wagon¡¯s little porch. ¡°As far as being a warrior is most men¡¯s dream, I have no idea. I liked swinging a wooden toy sword around as a small child, but that quickly gave way to actual training which wasn¡¯t nearly as fun.¡± ¡°Why wasn¡¯t training fun?¡± Diadra asked. Kenric started to step up the wagon¡¯s wheel. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the new sign.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said, turning and pulling the sign up. He placed it in his inventory for the time being. ¡°Getting beaten by a strong grown man with a wooden sword when you¡¯re five for every little mistake you make is not a good time. It hurts mentally and emotionally as well as physically.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Diadra said getting up and sitting on the passenger¡¯s seat. Kenric climbed up and sat in the driver¡¯s seat. He disengaged the brake and got the mules moving with a click of his tongue and snap of the reins. The conversation lapsed until they were almost at the gate. ¡°My upbringing did not make me a good person,¡± Kenric said, breaking the silence. ¡°I think you¡¯re a good person,¡± Diadra replied. She smiled at him. ¡°Thanks kitty kat,¡± Kenric said, reaching over and ruffling her hair. ¡°Stop!¡± Diadra squealed, slapping at his hands. She laughed as did Kenric. ¡°In all seriousness, I¡¯m trying to do better,¡± Kenric said after their laughter stopped. ¡°Mender!¡± a man shouted just as the vardo exited the gate. Kenric and Diadra turned to look around them. ¡°There!¡± Diadra said, pointing to the left. Two men were carrying a third. 52 ¡°Whoa!¡± Kenric said, pulling on the reins. Jack and Jill stopped, and he engaged the brake. Kenric stood, stepped past Diadra and dropped to the ground. He met the men halfway to the wagon. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Ray, Henry, and I were hunting this morning,¡± one of the men said. ¡°And?¡± Kenric prompted as he cast his diagnostic spell on the man they carried. ¡°I mistook Ray for a deer and accidentally shot him,¡± the talker answered. ¡°We tried to pull the arrow out, but the broadhead is stuck, so we just snapped the arrow off as close as we could.¡± ¡°Lay him down,¡± Kenric instructed as he dismissed the results notice. He cast Cleanse on his hands. ¡°Diadra, I need that new knife! It¡¯s beside my spot at the table.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Diadra shouted back. A moment later, she shouted, ¡°Here!¡± Kenric turned and caught the sheathed hunting knife the girl tossed at him from the porch. He noticed a crowd had gathered and ignored them. Thankfully she stayed at the wagon and the arrowhead got stuck between two of his ribs and didn¡¯t puncture a lung. I¡¯m also thankful that he hasn¡¯t lost too much blood, which can be replaced by drinking fluids, and that Ray is unconscious. Kenric cast Ignis on the blade. I didn¡¯t think I would be using the hunting knife I was given yesterday so soon, if ever either. Henry and the other guy backed off seeing the fire in Kenric¡¯s hand. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Healers cast healing spells.¡± ¡°We can also cast utility spells like Ignis, which I just did,¡± Kenric replied. Once the blade was red hot, he said, ¡°Hold Ray down. I need to cut the arrowhead out.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t magic it out?¡± the unnamed man asked. ¡°No. Now do as I said,¡± Kenric answered. Perhaps I could magic it out if I had some form of a telekinesis spell. I¡¯ve only ever read about those kinds of spells. Focus! The two men complied. Kenric cut the arrowhead out. He dropped it on the ground and stabbed the knife into the ground beside him. Kenric then cast Greater Heal on the wounded man. ¡°Will Ray live?¡± Henry asked a few minutes later. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. He cast Greater Heal again and then the diagnostic spell. ¡°In fact, after a healing sleep, it¡¯ll be like he was never wounded.¡± ¡°Mender, if you don¡¯t mind waiting about half an hour, I can give you half a deer we took this morning as payment for what you¡¯ve done,¡± the unnamed man said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Kenric asked the man. ¡°Kirk Courtney,¡± the man replied. ¡°Well, Mr Courtney, make it a fourth of the deer with a few choice cuts and make sure Ray eats and drinks a lot of water or milk when he wakes. He¡¯ll need fluids for the blood loss,¡± Kenric said. ¡°But no beer or other spirits for at least two days.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kirk asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kenric answered as he cast Somnus on Ray. ¡°He¡¯ll sleep most of the day healing any damage I missed with the other spell.¡± ¡°Thank you, mender,¡± the villagers said. Kenric nodded and cast Cleanse on his hands, clothes, and the hunting knife. He returned to the wagon while putting the knife in his inventory. ¡°We¡¯re going to be delayed a little bit longer. The hunters want to give us some venison,¡± Kenric explained to Diadra. ¡°I¡¯m glad we were still here and that you saved him,¡± Diadra replied, nodding her head. ¡°Me too. Now get to working on your letters!¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Diadra replied with a big grin on her face. She rushed into the wagon and sat at the table. Kenric smiled and pulled up his notices. Well, I¡¯ll be. You have learned Analyze. Analyze is an advanced form of Medical Diagnostic that costs less mana to cast and can reveal more information. The spell can be cast without touch. The spell will replace the weaker Medical Diagnostic spell on your skill list and cannot be leveled. You have gained a level. Greater Heal has gained a level. Kenric Mender Class: Healer Level: 7 You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Vitality: 250 Mana: 400 Inventory: 125 pounds Mental: 40 Physical: 25 Spiritual: 40 Skills(spells): Analyze Cleanse Greater Heal(3) Greater Ward Ignis Somnus Lesser Healing(10) Lesser Ward Mana Sense 53 I wonder why I only got a few stat points with yesterday¡¯s level up, which the system assigned, Kenric thought. He shook his head. Who knows what the system is up to, but at least my inventory expanded for the first time in years. Analyze will be more useful too since it costs less mana to cast and gives a little more information. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Diadra asked. He cast Analyze on her. The results notification not only said she was in good health but showed an outline of her body around a skeleton in green. Perhaps if something was wrong, it would show up in a different color. He dismissed the notice and his thoughts. ¡°Not much little one,¡± Kenric answered, returning his eyes to the road. A mounted squad of warriors rode past. He nodded respectively, which the warriors ignored. Kenric caught movement out of the corner of his eye. ¡°I don¡¯t like that nickname,¡± Diadra proclaimed. ¡°Sorry Diadra,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You know, you can call me by my name if you want to.¡± ¡°I¡­ was trying to be respectful like I was taught but wasn¡¯t sure how to address you,¡± Diadra explained. ¡°That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t called you anything. I mean, you¡¯re a healer, a noble, and according to you, my guardian. Should I call you my lord, healer, sir, or Mr Mender?¡± ¡°Former noble, though you¡¯re right about the others,¡± Kenric corrected. ¡°I lost those privileges when my father disowned me. And as I said, you can call me Kenric.¡± ¡°Oh. Why would he do that... Kenric?¡± Kenric smiled at Diadra¡¯s use of his name. He turned his head and glanced at her before turning back to the road. ¡°He thought I was a disappointment,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I grew up spoiled and let nearly everyone I ever met know it,¡± Kenric replied. With very few exceptions. He told her a bit of his teenage years, though he glossed over the wenching. ¡°After I lost my hand, I lost the desire to fight, though I didn¡¯t know that is what happened at the time.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± Diadra asked quietly. ¡°I traveled north wasting silver I had taken from my father¡¯s treasury,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°When I realized how much money I had thrown away, I ended up working as a mercenary for a few years in Knox¡¯s lands on the other side of the mountains. A few years later and I ended up drunk, diseased, and in the gutter on the verge of death.¡± ¡°Oh Kenric,¡± Diadra whispered, wiping at her eyes. She got up and hugged his side. ¡°Thanks kitten. I¡¯ve mostly come to terms with my past.¡± Kenric said. She nodded and sat back on the passenger seat. ¡°Someone took pity on me and paid to have me healed. The clinic¡¯s healers agreed to teach me the healing arts after it was discovered I could sense mana.¡± ¡°How did you end up traveling east?¡± ¡°The clinic didn¡¯t need seven healers, so when a merchant came along asking for a healer to travel with his caravan, I ended up accepting the job. I had grown bored at the clinic anyway,¡± Kenric explained. He explained about Wilkesboro and his parting from the caravan. ¡°And you know the rest.¡± ¡°You may have been a bad man, but you¡¯re not anymore,¡± Diadra said with all the certainty one her age could muster. ¡°Thanks Diadra,¡± Kenric said, he leaned over without thinking and kissed the top of her head. I¡¯m not sure why I felt like doing that nor why I did it. ¡°See!¡± Diadra giggled. Perhaps that is why. They fell into a companionable silence. * ¡°A boy named Rick, that is four or five years older than me and that grew up on a farm outside Roaring River, told me that I was beautiful when he and his dad came to visit Uncle Tobias¡¯ farm,¡± Diadra said a few minutes later. She had a sad smile on her face. ¡°Rick started visiting the farm after that to see me even though he pretended he was visiting my cousins. When I turned 12 a few months later, he convinced me to sneak into the barn so he could give me a birthday kiss.¡± ¡°Diadra, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡°I want to,¡± Diadra interrupted. ¡°That was the first time I had been kissed by anyone other than my parents. We started meeting up in the woods between Uncle Tobias¡¯ farm and Roaring River soon after that.¡± ¡°That was dangerous.¡± And that was a dumb thing to say. ¡°Maybe. There¡¯s a pond near some old temple ruins that the monsters never go near. My cousins fish in the pond a lot,¡± she replied. ¡°That¡¯s where we would meet.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Too bad the monsters or bandits didn¡¯t get this Rick before he got to this pond. ¡°Once my body started to change, Rick wasn¡¯t happy with just kissing. He started to touch my chest and backside,¡± Diadra said in a hoarse voice. Kenric glanced over and saw fresh tears in her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it but let him do what he wanted since Rick kept telling me he loved me, and that this is what people in love did, and I thought I loved him.¡± That conniving little horny bastard! Kenric thought. ¡°One day Rick convinced me we were ready to truly show our love for each other. We laid in the grass beside the pond, he pushed my dress up, pulled¡­ his pants down, and¡­ and¡­ then there was pain¡­ and he wa¡­ was in¡­ inside me,¡± Diadra cried. ¡°A few minutes later, he¡­ he¡­ got off me¡­ and said he had to go home. I never saw him again. So¡­ you can see that I¡¯m not a good girl.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make you a bad girl, Diadra,¡± Kenric said. He reached over and touched her shoulder. She shrugged his hand off and fell silent for a few minutes. Diadra was a bit calmer when she next spoke. ¡°Aunt Jocosa and one of my cousins found me while I was crying because¡­ of¡­ of the blood and sticky stuff between my legs. They took me back to the farm and Aunt Jocosa made me drink some kind of tea after helping me wash. She said the tea would¡­ keep me from having a baby in case Rick¡¯s seed took,¡± Diadra whispered while crying. ¡°When Uncle Tobias came home that night, she told him what happened. He yel¡­ yelled and scre¡­ screamed at me. He called me a strum¡­ strump... strumpet and other things while¡­ beating me before¡­ locking me in the barn that night.¡± ¡°You can stop Diadra,¡± Kenric said in a soft voice. She shook her head, tears flying. ¡°After I started running away, they started chain¡­ chaining me up. One night¡­ someone came into the barn,¡± Diadra got out. Her crying got worse. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see who it was, but they started touch¡­ touching me and ri¡­rip¡­ripped my dress. He¡­ he¡­ forced me down into the hay and d¡­di¡­did what Rick had done. He was bigger and it hurt worse. He covered my mouth to¡­ to¡­ to keep me from screaming and left me crying alone in the dark.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Kenric said, pulling on the reins. The mules stopped and he stood, dropping the reins. Kenric stepped over to her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Diadra asked fearfully. ¡°Don¡¯t put me to sleep!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise I won¡¯t put you to sleep unless it¡¯s necessary to heal you ever again,¡± Kenric said. He bent down and put his arms around her. Diadra stiffened, then melted into him crying. ¡°Why me? Why? Why?¡± Diadra cried into his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know kitten. Sometimes bad things happen to good people,¡± Kenric said as he tightened his arms around her. She did the same to him. They held each other until Diadra calmed down. ¡°Please don¡¯t get rid of me,¡± Diadra begged into his chest after her crying lessened sometime later. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel safe with you.¡± ¡°You want to stay with me? The road can be dangerous, and we just met,¡± Kenric said. He felt her nod and mumble something about not caring that they had just met. I can¡¯t just leave her, can I? No. No, I can¡¯t. She¡¯s been through too much. Besides, is this destiny or heaven ordained? ¡°You can stay with me as long as you want, and I¡¯ll be your surrogate father, uncle, or big brother.¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!¡± Diadra said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome sweetie,¡± Kenric replied. He kissed the top of her head again. I¡¯m not sure where sweetie came from. Perhaps one of the inn keepers or some such. She pulled back a bit and looked up at him. She smiled. ¡°I like that one.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah. I like kitten and kitty too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Kenric said, returning the smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go inside and rest?¡± ¡°Can I stay out here with you instead?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Always, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± 54 The Shacktown gate was open. It¡¯s just past noon, so it should be. As the they road to the gate, the few people outside the gate cast dark looks their way. They¡¯re all elves and they don¡¯t look happy to see us or maybe just me. ¡°They don¡¯t look happy,¡± Diadra said, after sticking her head out of the vardo. ¡°No, they don¡¯t,¡± Kenric agreed. The dark looks became looks of surprise at Diadra¡¯s appearance. Then those same looks became hostile as they tracked from her to him and back. ¡°Oh boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± Diadra asked, turning her attention to him. Kenric noticed one of the young men run through the gate. ¡°I don¡¯t think they like seeing us together.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Most likely because young girls like yourself are usually bought and sold by flesh peddlers as¡­ how can I phrase this¡­¡± ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She blushed bright red as she plopped onto the floor. ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know that do they?¡± Kenric asked. And at one point when I was younger, I might have. ¡°Guess not, unless a mage can read thoughts and they have one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of one that could thoughts,¡± Kenric replied as the young man led a group of armed elves to the gate. They stopped just in front of the gate as he pulled on the reins to stop the mules. ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°They really look mad,¡± Diadra pointed out. ¡°Really?¡± Kenric asked sarcastically. ¡°Yep,¡± Diadra replied, looking up and grinning at him. ¡°Smartass,¡± Kenric muttered as one of the armed men started to walk to walk towards the wagon. He¡¯s staying on the side furthest away from me. ¡°I don¡¯t like that one,¡± Diadra said, pouting. ¡°I apologize,¡± Kenric replied. She smiled and said, ¡°Apology accepted.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know you human,¡± the elven man said. His eyes focused on Diadra after dismissing Kenric with a glance. He smiled. ¡°You on the other hand, sweet child, are welcome to come with me.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Diadra started to say as she scooted back a little further. ¡°Don¡¯t know you either,¡± Kenric said, speaking over her. Focus on me asshole. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t matter,¡± the elf said, staring at Kenric while cutting him off. ¡°Whatever you are human, we don¡¯t want your services or whatever you¡¯re peddling unless it¡¯s her. Her we¡¯ll take and let you leave with your life.¡± ¡°Kenric is a healer and my¡­ fa... guardian,¡± Diadra said barely above a whisper. Kenric could hear the fear in her voice. ¡°Come with me girl,¡± the man said, reaching for Diadra. ¡°Kenric¡­¡± Diadra whispered. The man¡¯s hand closed on empty air as Diadra snatched her hand away. The man tried again, making Diadra scream, ¡°No!¡± The mules reared while braying. This kept the others back. Kenric cast Somnus on the elf. The man fell to the ground, fast asleep. The other armed elves rushed towards the wagon. Kenric cast Lesser Ward around the mules and then another ward around the wagon, that overlapped with the first in his hurry. You have learned Overlapping Ward. This defensive spell cannot be leveled. Its strength increases depending on the amount of wards overlapping. Kenric dismissed the notice and stood in front of Diadra. ¡°You¡¯re safe! I¡¯m here.¡± She got up as an arrow bounced off the ward. Diadra screamed again and buried her face in his chest, crying. Kenric wrapped his arms around her and cast another Overlapping Ward over the existing one. He was pleased to see the spells combined. This Overlapping Ward is a happy mistake from a rushed casting that worked out. ¡°Human, what did you do to Wyatt?¡± one of the other elves asked. Another one tried to stab the ward with his spear. It bounced back, knocking the man down. ¡°And what in the blue hell is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright Diadra,¡± Kenric told the girl, ignoring the other elves. She shook her head as she sobbed. ¡°Wyatt is asleep,¡± a woman said after checking on the man. ¡°This human must be a mage!¡± That woman is afraid of me. Perhaps I can get us out of here without any harm done to anyone. ¡°Diadra, I need to talk to these people,¡± Kenric whispered to the girl. ¡°Get inside and shut the door.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be alright. I learned a new ward and it seems to be quite powerful.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Kenric said. She nodded and entered the vardo, shutting the door. He turned to the gathering crowd. ¡°Yes, I do know some magic and the man that tried to attack my ward will awaken in a few hours.¡± He¡¯ll most likely be the healthiest person in the village too. The crowd muttered amongst themselves. ¡°The human needs to pay for his attack!¡± an elf shouted. Others agreed. ¡°Are you going to try to fight a mage, Herbert?¡± a different elf asked. ¡°No,¡± the first man answered, sullenly as Kenric cast Ignis into his hand. Some of the elves flinched and backed away. ¡°I¡¯ll turn my vardo around and be on our way,¡± Kenric stated. ¡°What about the girl?¡± a different elf shouted. ¡°She¡¯s one of us!¡± Some of the crowd voiced their agreement. ¡°You saw the way she rushed into the human¡¯s arms. She¡¯s obviously a human lover,¡± another woman spat. ¡°She can go with her human.¡± Even more of the crowd agreed with that statement. The elves backed away, dragging Wyatt with them. Kenric nodded. He clicked his tongue and got Jack and Jill to turn around while keeping the Ignis spell in his left hand. ¡°Don¡¯t come back! Ever!¡± one of the elves shouted. ¡°Gladly,¡± Kenric murmured. Thankfully, I won¡¯t even have to knock the dust from your village off my boots either. He kept the spell going until they reached the road again. Kenric dismissed Ignis and knocked on the door. ¡°Diadra, we¡¯re safe now.¡± Or at least as safe as possible outside of walls. Diadra opened the door and hugged him from the side. ¡°Why did they hate us?¡± Diadra asked into his shoulder. ¡°Heard all that, huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know Kitten,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Some people just hate those that are different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid!¡± ¡°Yes. Yes, it is,¡± Kenric agreed. 55-59 55 Kenric glanced down at Diadra. She was sitting on the porch floor beside the driver¡¯s seat. In fact, Diadra had been sitting there for over an hour practicing her letters using a pan as a small brace or tabletop to write on. ¡°I suppose I need to buy a couple of stools,¡± Kenric said. I also need to get one of those scholar boards or whatever they¡¯re called I¡¯ve seen people use to write on. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯d be nice to sit on them while seeing patients and we could use them around campfires at night instead of staying couped up in the vardo,¡± Kenric said, explaining his reasoning. ¡°Plus, that way you could sit beside me and not in the floor.¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds nice,¡± Diadra agreed with a smile on her face. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind sitting here. It¡¯s sort of nice.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yep. I can feel the cool air in the wagon plus the heat from the sun on my face.¡± ¡°You can feel the same on the seats,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I know,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°I just want to be close to you. Plus, I could stretch out if I wanted to and nap here on my throw blanket.¡± ¡°Should have known you weren¡¯t sitting just on the floor,¡± Kenric said with a grin. She smiled. ¡°And yeah, being able to stretch out would be nice.¡± ¡°Can we stop to eat a late lunch?¡± Diadra asked, changing the subject. ¡°I can make some sandwiches.¡± ¡°I can make sandwiches for us,¡± Kenric offered. ¡°I¡¯ll even let you drive the wagon while I do so.¡± ¡°I¡­ I would rather make lunch for us,¡± Diadra countered. ¡°Am I that bad of a cook?¡± Kenric asked. She nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve improved.¡± ¡°Keep practicing,¡± Diadra murmured. Kenric laughed. She laughed too. ¡°I can see the river ahead. We¡¯ll stop there so the mules can drink easier.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worried about monsters in the water?¡± ¡°Not really. I¡¯m going to cast the new ward spell over where we stop at including part of the river.¡± ¡°Oh. I guess that will be alright then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad my plan meets with your approval, my lady,¡± Kenric said, twisting slightly and bowing slightly to Diadra. She giggled and slapped at his arm. He laughed again. * ¡°So much for stopping at the bridge. I hadn¡¯t anticipated that the bridge would be so high up over the river or so long,¡± Kenric said. The old stone bridge that spanned the Yadkin River started and ended a couple of hundred feet or more past the riverbanks on either side of the water because the ground steeply slopped towards the river. ¡°Looks like there is a clearing on the other side of the bridge. We¡¯ll stop there if there is a clearing.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Diadra agreed. ¡°We could snack on fruit instead of stopping.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll stop. Jack and Jill need some water and a break too,¡± Kenric replied. Diadra nodded and turned her attention back to her letters. Kenric glanced down at the river as they started to cross the water. Huh. It¡¯s not that deep looking. ¡°Diadra, you can see fish in the water.¡± ¡°No thanks. I don¡¯t like looking down from high places.¡± ¡°Yet, you like living in the hills.¡± ¡°Most of the ground is covered by trees and they¡¯re tall,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°That makes it easier not to notice how high up I am.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Kenric laughed. He pulled wagon over into the little clearing past the bridge a few minutes later and set the brake once the mules had stopped. Kenric then cast the Overlapping Ward three times. ¡°Alright. The ward is up and I¡¯m going to water Jack and Jill.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fry some bacon and we can have bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches,¡± Diadra said, putting away her paper and his pen. ¡°Unless you would rather have some ham?¡± ¡°Whichever you prefer kitten,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I like bacon more than ham,¡± Diadra informed him. ¡°So do I,¡± Kenric said before hopping down from the wagon. ¡°Good. Ham is too salty!¡± * ¡°We should reach Lewisville in an hour and a half or so,¡± Kenric said as he consulted his map after they had finished eating. ¡°We could also stop over at West Bend and see if they need a healer.¡± ¡°This big mark is Winston Salem?¡± Diadra asked, pointing to a spot to the east of where Kenric was pointing at. ¡°Yes. This mark is Lewisville.¡± ¡°Both look close to Winston Salem,¡± Diadra said. ¡°They might go there for any healings they need.¡± ¡°True. West Bend is probably three hours away while Lewisville is about two hours away from Winston Salem,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°That¡¯s close enough for anything except an emergency.¡± ¡°Emergency? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Like the hunter that had been shot at Yadkinville, a mother giving birth, a monster attack, or a few other situations like that,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Oh. Yeah, those are mostly bad,¡± Diadra said. Kenric agreed. She pointed at several words on the map north of Winston Salem. ¡°Are all these villages?¡± ¡°That or the name of mountains and hills,¡± Kenric said. He pointed at one. ¡°This one says Pilot Mountain.¡± ¡°I know that one! That¡¯s Jomeokee or the Great Guide,¡± Diadra excitedly said. She rushed over to the little window over the sink and looked out. ¡°We¡¯re too close to the trees, but if we weren¡¯t, you could see Jomeokee from here.¡± ¡°Interesting. Does Jomeokee mean Great Guide?¡± ¡°It does. Could we go visit it?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Jomeokee isn¡¯t as tall as the mountains to the west, but everybody has always said people have used it as a guide or landmark for generations.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kenric said. There are a lot of villages along the way that I might be able to find some work in. Plus, there¡¯s a town called Mt Airy to the northwest of Jomeokee. But that takes me further away from the coast. ¡°Please! I¡¯ve never seen it before,¡± Diadra said. She gave him the puppy eyes. ¡°Jomeokee is supposed to be a spiritual place, and you could heal people along the way.¡± Oh no! She¡¯s already figured out that look! Kenric thought. He sighed. It¡¯s not like I need to get to the ocean this year. I suppose we could travel a bit and explore, though some protection wouldn¡¯t hurt if we do. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, and we¡¯ll talk to some folks in Winston Salem. If the trail isn¡¯t too dangerous or we can hire some trustworthy guards, we¡¯ll go,¡± Kenric said after thinking about it some more. I really do have a hard time saying no to her. ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but I did say it depends on what we find out in Winston Salem.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Diadra replied. She then grinned. ¡°You need a shave.¡± ¡°I like my scruffy beard, thank you,¡± Kenric retorted. She giggled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back on the road. And you get back to your letters.¡± 56 ¡°There¡¯s the Great Guide,¡± Kenric announced. Diadra put away her papers and his pen. She then moved over to the passenger seat and sat facing him so she could stare at distant Pilot Mountain. ¡°Jomeokee is so far away that it looks like a waterskin¡¯s cap from here,¡± Diadra remarked. ¡°Except it looks like it¡¯s covered with trees, and you can barely see it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an unusual comparison,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°And the mountain is many miles away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like to me,¡± Diadra said, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°We¡¯re almost to Yadkinville and I can see the tops of its wall,¡± Kenric said. Diadra turned and looked. ¡°I think I was told wrong. This place looks a lot larger than Hamptonville,¡± Diadra said as more of the village¡¯s wall came into view. They could see a line waiting to enter the gate. That wall is at least 40 feet tall with the bottom fourth or so made of stone. Looks like there¡¯s a watch tower at each cardinal point, though I can¡¯t be sure of that until we enter the village and look around, Kenric thought. ¡°It¡¯s possible the village has really grown since the last time your folks had visited,¡± Kenric suggested. ¡°Yeah,¡± Diadra agreed, nodding her head. ¡°If Lewisville is much larger than I thought, do you think you might find some work even though it¡¯s so close to Winston Salem?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°If anything, if the village is as large as that wall suggests, they¡¯ll most likely have their own healer.¡± He grinned. ¡°Hopefully, that means we can find you a decent pair of boots there too.¡± ¡°These are fine,¡± Diadra said, sticking her feet out to show off her sandals. She then frowned. ¡°They¡¯re falling apart already,¡± Kenric pointed out. ¡°Yeah,¡± Diadra said. ¡°You got ripped off no matter how much or little you paid for them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Kenric agreed. That made Diadra grin. ¡°Hopefully, those sandals hold together until we can get you some proper boots.¡± * ¡°Don¡¯t recognize you or your wagon,¡± one of the gate guards said. He glanced into the vardo¡¯s open doorway. Diadra had needed to use the bathroom and was still in there. ¡°What are you peddling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a traveling healer,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Name¡¯s Kenric Mender.¡± ¡°I¡¯m George Peterson,¡± the guard replied. A second guard was looking under and around the wagon. Kenric wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking for. ¡°We have a retired healer living here that handles emergencies and for everything else, we go to one of the clinics in Winston Salem.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine and I sorted expected as much once I saw how big your village is,¡± Kenric said. ¡°So, we¡¯ll spend the night here, buy some supplies if the village has what we need, and move on in the morning.¡± ¡°We?¡± George asked. ¡°My ward,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone inside when I glanced through the doorway,¡± George said. ¡°My wagon has a water closet,¡± Kenric explained, gesturing to the bathroom¡¯s door. ¡°Ah. I¡¯ve seen a few merchant wagons with those, but never got a close look,¡± George replied. The man looked thoughtful. Please don¡¯t think about asking me to let you inside, Kenric thought. Diadra chose that moment to exit the bathroom. She glanced at the guard and smiled nervously. ¡°Diadra, this is George. He¡¯s one of Lewisville¡¯s guardians.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± Diadra said. She then backed further into the vardo and sat at the table. Kenric saw her pull out her papers and his pen. ¡°She¡¯s an elf!¡± George exclaimed. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°But you¡¯re human,¡± George said. Kenric nodded and the guard frowned. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s just your ward? You¡¯re not some flesh peddler, are you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re good, decent folk in Lewisville. We don¡¯t want any flesh peddlers here,¡± George added. ¡°Speak for yourself, George,¡± the other guard said. George gave the other guard a rude gesture, making the man laugh. ¡°Go, check the next wagon,¡± George ordered his comrade. The man kept laughing and moved down the line. ¡°George,¡± Kenric said, getting the guard¡¯s attention again. ¡°I swear by the heavens that I¡¯m no flesh peddler, that I care for Diadra as my ward, and that I¡¯m just a traveling healer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trust your word,¡± George replied. ¡°It¡¯s known healers can¡¯t lie after all.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. The guard nodded. ¡°Is there a tavern or inn in the village where we could eat a meal that we don¡¯t have to cook?¡± ¡°A few of both,¡± George answered. ¡°Would you prefer good food or cheap food?¡± ¡°Both, if I can get it,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°But good is the preference.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Looking for a couple of rooms to rent as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯d prefer just the meal and a place I can park my wagon so we can save some silver,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Can¡¯t blame you for that. Head into the village until you get to the first village square. On the left you¡¯ll find Alex¡¯s Tavern. There you can get a good meal at decent prices,¡± George said. ¡°North of the Tavern you¡¯ll find a stable that will rent you a spot for your wagon and a stall for your mules.¡± ¡°Thank you, George,¡± Kenric replied. I wonder if you get paid for the recommendation. The guard nodded and waved him past. ¡°I have one more question, George.¡± ¡°Make it quick. We¡¯re holding up the line.¡± ¡°Is there a tailor, cobbler, or shop where I can buy my ward some new boots?¡± ¡°There is. Head past the first and second squares. You¡¯ll find the Country Market on the left,¡± George answered. ¡°At the market is a tailor, seamstress, and cobbler. The cobbler usually makes all the boots and shoes but works with the other two on special orders. You¡¯ll probably get cheaper boots in Winston Salem though. More competition there.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll check with them on the morrow. Diadra¡¯s sandals aren¡¯t going to last much longer,¡± Kenric said. The guard nodded again and stepped away from the wagon. Kenric clicked his tongue and snapped the reins. Jack and Jill got moving again. 57 ¡°I¡¯ll rent you a spot for your wagon tonight and stable your beasts for 25 silvers,¡± Ryan Pepperidge, the stablemaster, said. He coughed. That¡¯s steep, Kenric thought. The stablemaster coughed again and spit up some yellow phlegm. This isn¡¯t a big town or city either. That¡¯s where I would expect to pay so much for what he¡¯s offering, not a village. ¡°As I said before, I¡¯m a healer,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯ll analyze and heal whatever is wrong with you in exchange for stabling my mules and the spot in your yard.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never heard of a healer traveling alone before,¡± Ryan said. He coughed once more and that turned into a coughing fit. One of the stableboys ran up and handed his boss a waterskin. After he was over the coughing, he said, ¡°Thanks Toby.¡± The boy nodded and ran back to his fellows. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your offer Mr Mender,¡± Ryan said. The two shook hands. ¡°Toby, you and Frank come take care of Mr Mender¡¯s mules.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± the boys shouted. They started to do as told and unhitched the mules from the wagon. ¡°Um¡­¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll have the boys push your wagon out of the way and turn it around. It¡¯ll be easier,¡± Ryan replied. Kenric nodded. ¡°My Analyze spell will only take a moment,¡± Kenric advised the stablemaster. ¡°Then we¡¯ll see what kind of healing you need.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Just a sinus infection,¡± Kenric said after dismissing the results notice. ¡°Blasted ragweed,¡± Ryan muttered. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it has affected you this much this late in the summer,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Still, it¡¯ll only take a moment to heal.¡± * ¡°Are we really going to the tavern the guard mentioned to eat?¡± Diadra asked a little while later. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind cooking.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°But I figured you would like to eat something you cooked or that I attempted to cook.¡± She doesn¡¯t look happy. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Are you worried about me dumping you if you¡¯re not being useful?¡± Kenric asked gently. ¡°You promised you wouldn¡¯t dump me,¡± Diadra answered, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯ll keep your promise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy that you believe me,¡± Kenric said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to phrase it.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Kenric said. She wasn¡¯t thrilled about the guard looking at her. Being afraid of men could be the problem. Yet, she trusts me and I¡¯m still mostly a stranger. ¡°Are you afraid of being around a bunch of strangers, especially what will probably be a bunch of men?¡± She nodded. ¡°Men staring at me makes me uncomfortable, but I¡¯ll go if you want me to though.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll go order two meals and bring them back,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°People staring at us can be uncomfortable even without what you¡¯ve been through. Perhaps we can talk about it later.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kenric,¡± Diadra said, nodding her agreement. She hugged him and he returned it. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, kitten.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat whatever you get,¡± Diadra said, sitting back down at the table. ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric said, walking toward the door. ¡°Come and lock the door. I have my key.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra replied, getting back up. ¡°Are you going to cast a ward too?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯d have to take it back down when I get back, and I think the wagon¡¯s enchantment will be protection enough. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re camping outside the walls.¡± * Kenric turned the corner to enter the stable yard and saw one of the stableboys go flying away from his vardo. ¡°What the blue blazes?¡± He ran over. ¡°Get up Frank!¡± the other stableboy said. ¡°What happened?¡± Kenric asked. The boy looked up in fear. What did the stablemaster call him? Toby. ¡°Toby, tell me what happened!¡± ¡°We saw the girl in your wagon looking out through that window,¡± Toby said, pointing at the window over the sink. ¡°We thought she was pretty, and Frank wanted to talk to her.¡± ¡°And?¡± Kenric asked, casting Analyze on the boy. ¡°He¡­¡± Toby fell silent. Kenric gave him a warning look. ¡°Frank climbed up onto the wagon and tried to open the door. Then he went flying into the side of the stable.¡± ¡°Is that all that happened?¡± Ryan, the stablemaster, asked coming up behind them as Kenric checked the results notice. ¡°Yes sir. I swear!¡± Toby answered. ¡°Damn it boys!¡± Ryan swore. He glanced at Kenric. ¡°You didn¡¯t say your wagon was spelled, healer.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask either,¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°The boy is unconscious and has some swelling in his skull. That could be deadly.¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Ryan swore again. ¡°How much to heal him? Frank and Toby are my nephews.¡± ¡°30 silver and I¡¯ll use two spells to heal him,¡± Kenric said. ¡°The first should do the job, but the healing sleep I¡¯ll put him under will make sure he wakes up in the morning feeling just fine.¡± ¡°Can we move him?¡± Ryan asked. ¡°After I use the first spell,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Do what you have to do,¡± Ryan said. ¡°Toby, go get the pushcart. We¡¯ll use it to take Frank home.¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± the stableboy said and rushed away. Kenric cast Greater Heal and then Analyze again. ¡°The swelling is gone as is any possible brain damage,¡± Kenric announced. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he awake then?¡± Ryan asked. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to wake him,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°The important thing was to fix the damage first.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you just cast that same spell on him again, so he wakes up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because a healing sleep is better for the body in the long run than the other healing spells,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°At least that is what is believed by some healers.¡± ¡°Do you believe that?¡± Ryan asked. Kenric nodded and cast Somnus on Frank. ¡°You said he¡¯ll wake in the morning?¡± ¡°Yes. Bring him by and I¡¯ll check him over again.¡± ¡°Thank you, healer,¡± Ryan said. He paid Kenric the silver. The two men loaded the sleeping boy on the cart Toby brought. Kenric watched them leave the stable yard. He climbed up the wagon and unlocked the door. Diadra looked up from her letters. She smiled. ¡°Diadra, are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. Why do you ask?¡± the girl answered as Kenric shut and locked the door. He explained about the boys. ¡°I saw them in the yard rough housing but hadn¡¯t realized that one of them climbed up onto the porch. I¡¯m glad you healed him.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Clear that away and let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°Fried beef sandwiches they called hamburgers and fried potatoes cut in strips,¡± Kenric answered, pulling out the food after she had put away her papers and his pen. ¡°I¡¯ve had them before and they¡¯re good.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Except the potatoes were cut into then round slices instead of these strips.¡± 58 ¡°You¡¯re healed and in better health than you were before last night,¡± Kenric told the stableboy. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Frank said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°You did learn your lesson about not trying to open another¡¯s property, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes sir,¡± Frank answered. ¡°I apologize sir. But the girl in there is so pretty.¡± ¡°Enough of that!¡± Ryan said, smacking his nephew on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t make me have to heal him again,¡± Kenric said. Ryan snorted. ¡°Frank¡¯s head is harder than that. Alright boys. Get back to work.¡± ¡°How far is it to the country market?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I need to see if the cobbler has some boots that¡¯ll fit my ward.¡± ¡°Three blocks,¡± the stablemaster answered. ¡°Should only take you 15 minutes or so to walk it if you want to leave your wagon.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I¡¯ll see what my ward wants to do.¡± ¡°Is ward another term for slave or courtesan?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve never personally owned a slave or courtesan, nor do I intend to,¡± Kenric replied. And I¡¯m not fond of that tone in your voice or look in your eyes. ¡°Diadra is someone I healed and took responsibility for.¡± ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯ll expect you to be on your way by noon or pay for a longer stay,¡± the stablemaster said before walking away. Asshole. He hasn¡¯t even seen Diadra and is disappointed anyway, Kenric thought. He shrugged and headed back to the wagon. He shut the door after entering it. ¡°Is the boy alright?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s in better health than he was before his accident,¡± Kenric answered. She nodded. ¡°So, should we take a walk to the cobbler¡¯s shop, or should we ride in the wagon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Two reasons, well three reasons. First, I don¡¯t want your sandals to fall apart, and you get something nasty on your feet,¡± Kenric answered. She giggled. ¡°Second, we can get back on the road quicker if we take the wagon. And finally, and most importantly, your fe¡­ issue with others,¡± Kenric added. ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, I want the best for you Diadra and to take care of you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra exclaimed as she slammed into and hugged him. She sniffed. ¡°You¡¯re welcome little one,¡± Kenric replied, returning the hug. ¡°I don¡¯t like being called that.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kenric said with a grin on his face. ¡°So, want to take a walk or should we ride?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really my choice?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°This might be a big village, but it¡¯s just a village,¡± Diadra reasoned. ¡°Let¡¯s ride and leave quickly.¡± * Kenric stopped the wagon behind another wagon that was parked on the right side of the main path in the village. He set the brake and looked at Diadra. ¡°Ready?¡± She took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°I guess.¡± He stood and offered her his right hand. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. Diadra then pulled the door shut behind her as Kenric jumped down. He hobbled the mules¡¯ front feet. He returned to Diadra and helped her down. ¡°Just a second. I want to cast a ward around Jack, Jill, and the vardo,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Why do you call the wagon a vardo?¡± Diadra asked as he cast the Lesser Ward. ¡°That¡¯s the name for the type of wagon it is,¡± Kenric answered as they crossed over to the market. They entered the market square. Kenric looked around at the various signs. ¡°Is that the shop you¡¯re looking for?¡± Diadra asked while pointing at a large wooden shoe hanging in front of a door across the market. ¡°Good eyes. That should be it,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra stuck to his side very closely as they walked towards the shop. He noticed she barely glanced at the other stalls and what was offered. Others didn¡¯t pay attention to her either, though people did move out of their way after a glance at him. Guess people still think of me as a warrior or someone not to mess with because of my size. Motion caught Kenric¡¯s eye. Diadra was reaching for his arm. She moved her hand away and reached out to him again a few seconds later. ¡°Here,¡± Kenric offered, holding out his arm, while slowing his walk. She glanced up and smiled shyly. She took hold of his wrist. ¡°Not like that, like this.¡± Kenric showed Diadra how to loop arms. ¡°Now I have you and you have me,¡± Diadra said. Kenric nodded. * ¡°Welcome to Moser¡¯s Boots and Shoes,¡± an old dwarf said as Kenric shut the shop¡¯s door behind them. ¡°I¡¯m Rhett Moser.¡± ¡°Well met Mr Moser,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and this is Diadra.¡± Rhett nodded. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Diadra needs some new boots. I was hoping you might have something already made that would fit her,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Come here child. Let me measure your foot,¡± Rhett said after stepping around his counter. ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Kenric whispered. Diadra nodded and stepped towards the old dwarf. Rhett glanced down at her feet and frowned. ¡°Those sandals are crap! You need some socks or stockings too if you want boots.¡± Diadra nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°This might help,¡± Kenric said. He cast Cleanse on Diadra¡¯s feet. ¡°That¡¯s a right handy trick. You¡¯re a mage?¡± Rhett said as he knelt beside Diadra. ¡°Healer,¡± Kenric answered. The old man grunted and measured Diadra¡¯s left foot with a tape. He did the same for the right. ¡°That tickles,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Most people are ticklish on the bottom of their feet,¡± Rhett replied. ¡°I know I have some socks and stockings that will fit you young lady. I think I have some boots too but look around and see what you like. I¡¯ll then check the back for your size.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Kenric added. ¡°The boots are for you, not me.¡± She smiled and nodded. Then she started checking out Rhett Moser¡¯s wares. * ¡°You didn¡¯t have to buy me two pairs of boots and another pair of sandals,¡± Diadra said as they exited the cobbler¡¯s shop. ¡°Sure, I did. Now you have something to wear when it¡¯s hot and cold,¡± Kenric replied, lifting a sack with Diadra¡¯s new knee high, fur lined boots, new sandals, and three pairs of socks in it. He put the sack in his inventory. ¡°Then you have those ankle boots for whenever else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too much.¡± ¡°Nonsense. You needed the boots, so that¡¯s that,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Thank you. I like them all.¡± ¡°I know and you¡¯re welcome. No come on. Let¡¯s go see if that general goods shop Mr Moser mentioned has camp stools, Kenric said. ¡°We also need to stop by the seamstress and see if they have any small clothes that will fit you.¡± 59 ¡°State your name and business,¡± the Winston Salem gate guard said. A scribe or other official sat at a small desk to write down whatever he answered. ¡°If you¡¯re trading or selling, you¡¯ll be expected to pay a tax on your profits in addition to the entry fee. The fee is based off what you¡¯re offering.¡± ¡°Kenric Mender, traveling healer,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And this is Diadra, my ward and assistant.¡± ¡°Healer?¡± the guard asked with a raised eyebrow. He looked back at the official at the desk. ¡°Reginald?¡± ¡°Just a moment Jefferson. I¡¯ll have to look at what we tax healers and what we would charge them to be allowed to offer their services in the city,¡± the official replied. He pulled a book from his inventory and started to read it. Reginald looked up for a second. ¡°Have the healer pull off to the side so as not to disrupt traffic.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t plan on offering my services here,¡± Kenric said. He was ignored by the guard and official. Jefferson, the guard, looked at a boy standing in the shade of the wall. ¡°Timmy, run and fetch Gaston to take over for Reginald while he looks up the information.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± the boy replied, before taking off through the small gate beside the larger one. ¡°Mender, do you see that courtyard on the right just past the gate?¡± the guard asked. ¡°I do,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Pull your wagon into it and wait. Reginald or another official will be with you presently,¡± Jefferson said. ¡°Sure. Is this normal?¡± ¡°Everyone pays a fee to enter Winston Salem. You¡¯ll be offered a chance to purchase a permanent pass,¡± the guard replied. He then waved Kenric through. ¡°This isn¡¯t what I expected,¡± Kenric told Diadra when they entered the courtyard a couple of minutes later. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect at all other than the city being big,¡± Diadra replied. She kept looking around. ¡°This place is huge and there¡¯s so many people!¡± ¡°Let me know if you start feeling there¡¯s too many people,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I will,¡± Diadra replied, nodding her head. They fell silent. A few minutes later, she said, ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s warmer here than it was further west,¡± Kenric agreed as she moved the passenger seat to the doorway floor. He smiled. ¡°Cheater.¡± ¡°Nuh uh! I¡¯m taking advantage of my smaller size,¡± Diadra countered as seriously as she could. She ruined it by giggling. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s warmer the more we head east out of the mountains. This city¡¯s walls, the buildings, and all these people don¡¯t help.¡± ¡°How does all this make the city hotter?¡± ¡°Basically, the walls and buildings trap the air, keeping it from flowing as it does out in the open.¡± ¡°Like in the woods?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Sometimes the trees keep you from feeling the breeze.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Then here, in the city, the body heat of the people and animals just add to that.¡± ¡°Sorta like when people huddle together for warmth in the winter,¡± Diadra pointed out. ¡°Good point,¡± Kenric agreed. He stood and stretched. ¡°Do we have any milk left?¡± ¡°We drunk the last of it at breakfast,¡± Diadra answered. She grinned. ¡°Have you forgotten already?¡± ¡°Shame,¡± Kenric said. ¡°And yeah, it slipped my mind. I¡¯m getting old!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that old,¡± Diadra said. ¡°No, I¡¯m not an old man yet,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Let me slip past you so I can get a cup of water.¡± ¡°But what about if the official comes?¡± Kenric shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here.¡± * ¡°Healer Mender?¡± a feminine voice called out. ¡°Yes?¡± Kenric replied from inside the vardo, where he and Diadra had started working on a few simple two and three letter words. He stepped onto the porch. ¡°I¡¯m Grace Ardsley,¡± an attractive woman about his age said. ¡°I¡¯m a city official here to discuss your options for entering the city and applying your services here in Winston Salem.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to offer my services here,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°All I want to do is talk to a magistrate about a personal matter, do some shopping, and perhaps hire some guards or adventurers for protection. The other official and gate guard ignored me when I told them I wasn¡¯t looking for work.¡± ¡°I that case, the city admittance fee is 20 silvers for one week or you can buy a permanent pass for 100 silvers,¡± Grace said. ¡°I¡¯ll only be here for a few days and don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be back this way for quite some time,¡± Kenric said. He handed her the week fee. She gave him a wooden token after counting his coins. The token was signed by Grace. ¡°Leave the token with the gate guards on your way out of the city,¡± Grace instructed. ¡°Now, if you are caught healing anyone without the proper license, you¡¯ll be jailed one month for each offense.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°In addition, any silver made from your services and property you may own can and will be seized to pay any fines issued,¡± the official said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ steep,¡± Kenric replied. Keep your temper in check. ¡°Those are the consequences of illegal actions,¡± the woman countered. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°I assume that my entry fee doesn¡¯t cover the cost of renting a spot for my wagon.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Where can I find a parking spot and stable for my mules?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Green City Farm. Go up three blocks and take the first right. You¡¯ll see the stable two blocks on the left,¡± Grace said. ¡°They handle everything you need. Any other questions?¡± ¡°Where can I find a magistrate?¡± ¡°Town hall. Return to High St and head right until you get to the market. From there, take the next left and go four blocks. The town hall is the largest building, so you won¡¯t be able to miss it. Magistrates are available from 9-12 and 1-4.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Grace replied. ¡°Welcome to Winston Salem.¡± * ¡°What do you need with a magistrate?¡± Diadra asked as they neared the stable. ¡°I thought I would see about adopting you,¡± Kenric answered. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, as long as you¡¯re alright with that,¡± Kenric replied. Diadra started crying and crashed into him. He wrapped his right arm around her. ¡°I take it this is a yes.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra cried. And now a word from our sponsors ¡°Have you ever thought you needed a vacation to get away from everything? And no, I don¡¯t mean just a trip to the beach or perhaps a few days spent in some theme park shuffling from ride to ride with thousands of others. ¡°No. What I mean is an escape to someplace where you can do what you want when you want. Where you can be your true self. 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Bioweapon platforms have built in safeguards activated upon order by rival corporations and nations to safeguard SL3 employees and facilities. Bioweapon purchases are nonrefundable. 60-65 60 ¡°Are you going to pay so you can heal people here? Diadra asked as they approached the town hall building, which was large indeed. The first floor was made from large off white or grayish stone blocks. The second and third floors were made of a smaller, red brick. ¡°Wow! That building has a lot of windows!¡± ¡°Yeah, it does,¡± Kenric agreed. I¡¯ve seen castles with less glass. This building looks positively ancient in comparison to the others. ¡°And yes, I¡¯ll pay for the license. Arnie Hawthorne offered too good of a deal on stabling and lot rent not to heal his arthritis.¡± ¡°Why not just heal him without the license?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t have one before, did you?¡± ¡°Because that could get me in trouble with the city at the very least and perhaps with the kingdom too. Besides, if I get thrown in a cell, there won¡¯t be anyone to take care of you,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And I didn¡¯t know I needed a license. I had assumed Nathaniel, the merchant I had been traveling with, had all the paperwork. I guess others thought the same.¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s not get in trouble,¡± Diadra said, taking his hand in both hers. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for you,¡± Kenric replied. Diadra feeling alone even while living with her kin wasn¡¯t something I had thought about before, though I should have. Heavens know I felt alone at her age. ¡°Hopefully the license will be worth the cost.¡± * ¡°Healer Mender?¡± an older woman with very dark skin, gray hair, and brown eyes asked. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Kenric answered, standing up. Diadra stood as well. ¡°I¡¯m Magistrate Regina Ardmore,¡± the woman said. ¡°Step into my office and we can discuss the reasons for your visit.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. He and Diadra followed the magistrate into her office and sat in the offered chairs in front of her desk. ¡°Now, I see on your application that you are a healer,¡± the magistrate said, looking up from the application he had filled out earlier. Kenric nodded. ¡°Can you prove that?¡± ¡°Will I get in trouble for healing without a license?¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°No,¡± Regina laughed. ¡°In that case,¡± Kenric said. He pulled a small knife from his inventory and sliced his left index finger. The knife disappeared back into his inventory as he showed the bleeding cut to the magistrate. She nodded. He cast Lesser Heal on the cut and then Cleanse. Kenric turned his finger so she could see his healed finger. ¡°Impressive,¡± Magistrate Ardmore said. ¡°Most healers I¡¯ve met would have had to cast some sort of diagnostic spell, waited to recover some mana, cast the heal, waited, and then cast the cleaning spell.¡± ¡°Thank you. My trainers back in Mountain City insisted on my learning and training to heal myself before others since the body you know best is your own,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Mountain City in Knox¡¯s Empire?¡± Regina asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve traveled quite far east to practice your trade,¡± she said. Kenric explained about the caravan and their parting of ways, including how he and Diadra came together. ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me. That cabal has been flexing their muscles of late.¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone stopped them if you¡¯re aware of them this far east?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Politics,¡± Regina answered with a shrug. ¡°And our clinics are long standing and owned by fairly powerful families.¡± ¡°Figures,¡± Kenric muttered. Regina smiled and shrugged. ¡°Is it just the city that requires a healing license or is it the whole kingdom?¡± ¡°The kingdom,¡± Magistrate Ardmore answered. ¡°You¡¯ve been lucky not to get caught so far and I¡¯ll consider the past the past.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said. She nodded her head. ¡°How much is the license?¡± ¡°The yearly license fee is 50 silvers, or you pay 500 silvers for a permanent license,¡± Regina answered. The price is steep, but the permanent license makes much more sense to buy, especially if I stay in Carolina for years. But if we leave Carolina in a year or two, it¡¯s wasted coin, Kenric thought. He glanced at Diadra, who had been very quiet since entering the town hall. I suppose I could stay here a decade or so while she grows up. The people are the same as in Augusta or Knox¡¯s lands. Besides, I should be able to make that much silver back and then some in a few weeks. ¡°I¡¯ll take the permanent license,¡± Kenric announced. ¡°I thought you might,¡± Regina said with a glance at Diadra. He saw the knowing look on the old woman¡¯s face. She counted the coins after Kenric placed them on her desk. She then pulled a round disc and an engraving tool from a drawer. The magistrate showed him the disc. ¡°The front side has the red cross or X symbol that clinics use. On the other side will have your name, my name, and a drop of each of our blood. I¡¯ll enchant the disc so guards, magistrates, and other officials will be able to tell your license is in good stead.¡± ¡°I noticed you said clinics, not healers. Do not all healers use the same symbol?¡± Kenric said. ¡°No. Some prefer not to advertise or are in service to a noble,¡± Regina replied. Kenric nodded. Diadra smiled as she watched the magistrate fill out the information and enchant the disc after Kenric and Regina each gave a drop of blood. Kenric healed and Cleansed both wounds. The silver disappeared into Regina¡¯s desk. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said, handing the disc to Diadra so she could examine it. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Magistrate Ardmore said. ¡°This also means you are now considered a citizen of the Carolina Kingdom.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be subject to any press gangs or other ¡®voluntary¡¯ service, does it?¡± Kenric asked as Diadra gave him the disc back. It disappeared into his inventory. ¡°No,¡± Regina laughed. ¡°Healers are exempt from such service and paid for their work even in times of war. But it does mean you can buy property and will of course be expected to pay property tax if you do.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°And the adoption?¡± Diadra sat up straighter. ¡°There is usually a fee for that, but your situation is more akin to¡­ ownership since she was signed over to you as payment for services rendered,¡± Regina replied. ¡°So, are you sure you want to formally adopt the girl?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kenric answered, giving Diadra a fond smile. Diadra returned the smile. ¡°In that case, and since she wasn¡¯t in an orphanage, I can wave the adoption fee since this doesn¡¯t cost the kingdom anything,¡± Regina said. She pulled a scroll from another desk drawer. ¡°What sort of adoption will this be?¡± ¡°What about it, kitten?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Do you want to be my niece, little sister, or¡­¡± ¡°Daughter!¡± Diadra exclaimed, cutting him off. ¡°Guess that answers that question,¡± Regina laughed. She filled out the paperwork and turned it around so Kenric could sign it. He then helped Diadra write her name. The magistrate dried and sealed the document with another enchantment. ¡°Congratulations to you, Healer Mender and your new daughter, Diadra Mender.¡± 61 ¡°Why did you ask for an older healer¡­ pa?¡± Diadra asked after they exited the town hall building. ¡°Because I have some questions that I need a more experienced healer¡¯s opinion on,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And you can call me pa, dad, father, or Kenric if you want.¡± Diadra nodded and wiped at her eyes. ¡°Okay¡­ pa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to take some getting used to, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kenric asked. Diadra nodded. ¡°Right. The magistrate said her sister¡¯s clinic was two blocks on our right.¡± ¡°Okay papa.¡± ¡°Papa? Aren¡¯t you a bit old to be using that word?¡± Kenric asked, glancing at his daughter. I can¡¯t believe I adopted her! What was I thinking? That I wanted to make her happy. Hopefully I don¡¯t screw this up. Diadra grinned at him. ¡°Oh, so calling me papa is payback for the slight teasing of your height?¡± ¡°Papa! How could you even think that?¡± Diadra said. Her grin threatened to split her face. ¡°That¡¯s alright, Miss Minder. I can take it,¡± Kenric replied. Her grin became a full-blown smile. He pulled her into a side hug. * ¡°Welcome to Samaritan Clinic. I¡¯ll be with you in just a second,¡± the woman behind the counter said without looking up from what she was doing. She had a smile on her face that Diadra returned when the receptionist looked up. The woman¡¯s smile slipped when she focused on them. Figures. This area is filled with big houses and fancy shops, Kenric thought. Diadra¡¯s and my clothing show we¡¯re not as well to do as the folk that normally visit this clinic. Diadra¡¯s smile faded. She glanced up at him as the woman behind the counter said, ¡°Perhaps you would be better served by Old Salem Clinic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see Healer Ardmore,¡± Kenric said as he spotted a guard moving towards them. He placed an envelope on the counter. ¡°My name is Kenric Mender and Magistrate Ardmore recommended her sister to me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the receptionist said, waving the guard away. She picked up the envelope. ¡°Let me see if Healer Ardmore is available.¡± Kenric nodded. The receptionist rushed away as the guard settled a few feet from them. ¡°They¡¯re not friendly people here, are they?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°No, sweetie, it appears they¡¯re not,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Silver most likely.¡± ¡°Does money count that much?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°To some people,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Have you noticed that the buildings here are large and the shops fancy?¡± ¡°The people are dressed up too,¡± Diadra added as she nodded her head. ¡°She looked at his clothing and then her outfit. ¡°Our clothes don¡¯t match theirs.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric said. ¡°My clothing is sturdy, comfortable, and a step above what most people wear.¡± ¡°Mine isn¡¯t,¡± Diadra sadly said. She then quirked a grin and lifted the helm of her skirt to show off her ankle boots. ¡°Except for my boots.¡± ¡°Yes, your boots are well made. So are your new sandals and knee-high boots,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°We¡¯ll get you some new clothing while we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Kenric retorted. ¡°You deserve it, and I¡¯ve promised you that I would.¡± She hugged him again. ¡°Thanks papa.¡± ¡°Healer Mender, Healer Ardmore will see you now,¡± the receptionist said as she appeared in a doorway to their left. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra giggled, making the receptionist frown slightly before forcing her smile back into place. I hate that fake smile, and I loathe being called Healer Mender. And unlike my daughter, this woman seems to dumb to know that she is calling me healer twice. * ¡°Healer Ardmore, this is Healer Mender,¡± the receptionist said, introducing the two healers. Diadra pouted at not being introduced. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you Healer Ardmore,¡± Kenric said. Healer Ardmore looks quite a bit older than her sister. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Diadra.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, my lady,¡± Diadra said. She curtsied. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you both as well,¡± Healer Ardmore replied with a smile on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to curtsey child, I¡¯m not a noble.¡± Diadra returned the smile and shrugged. ¡°Do you need anything else, ma¡¯am?¡± the receptionist asked. ¡°No Stephanie. You may return to the front desk,¡± the healer answered. The younger woman nodded and disappeared through the doorway. ¡°Ma¡¯am, is there someplace I can sit and practice my letters?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°You can use my desk while your father and I chat over here,¡± the older healer answered, gesturing to some chairs in front of a fireplace. She smiled at Diadra as the girl walked over to the desk. ¡°You¡¯re teaching her to read?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered as the two of them took seats in the chairs. ¡°Education is important.¡± ¡°But your adopted daughter is a peasant orphan according to my sister¡¯s letter of introduction.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter Healer Ardmore. Diadra deserves whatever advantages I can provide her and that includes an education.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± the senior healer said. ¡°You may call me Natasha.¡± ¡°Thank you, Natasha. You may call me Kenric.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Kenric. Why don¡¯t you brief me on your concerns,¡± Natasha said. Kenric spent several minutes going over his concerns about Diadra¡¯s recovery, the healing spells¡¯ possible side effects, and his oath. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting hypothesis.¡± ¡°Have you ever read or heard anything like that before?¡± ¡°Not even once in my 50 plus years of healing and studying. From the research I¡¯ve read, elves are a little less emotional than humans. Most likely because most are more left hemisphere dominate than humans or dwarves.¡± ¡°Which means they¡¯re generally more logical than humans and dwarves,¡± Kenric concluded. Natasha nodded. ¡°Diadra is smart, clever, and emotional though.¡± ¡°Most likely she is one of the elves that are right hemisphere dominate,¡± Natasha said with a shrug. ¡°Personally, I think that would be a good thing if it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve met several elves that are¡­ cold, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°I just want her happy.¡± ¡°And loved?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that,¡± the senor healer said. ¡°I can tell you love the girl, and she loves you as well even if neither of you are ready nor willing to admit it.¡± ¡°Is that some skill?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s experience and good old female intuition,¡± Natasha laughed. Kenric nodded and smiled to concede her point. ¡°If you want some advice?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about why you two get along and care for each other so much so quickly. The truth is that it doesn¡¯t matter. Sometimes life just throws people together when they need each other.¡± Kenric took a deep breath. ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Natasha said. ¡°Can she sense mana, and have you thought about teaching her to heal?¡± ¡°I think she can. When I healed her feet, she said something about it being ticklish,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°But my oath.¡± Natasha said the oath from memory. ¡°Is that the same oath you took?¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where does it say that you can¡¯t teach others, especially your children?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t. But my instructors said it would be a long time before I was ready to pass my knowledge.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hogwash!¡± Natasha exclaimed. Kenric laughed. ¡°Teach her if she wants to learn and is willing to take the oath.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it while I teach Diadra her basic education,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Natasha said with a nod. ¡°Is there anything else I can assist you with?¡± ¡°Perhaps. You wouldn¡¯t happen to know a bookseller that has basic education books, do you?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°And a quality seamstress that isn¡¯t too expensive?¡± 62 ¡°Welcome to Church Street Apparel. I¡¯m Theresa Church and this is my husband Thomas,¡± the dwarven woman behind the counter said as Kenric and Diadra entered the shop. ¡°How can we help you?¡± They¡¯re the first human and dwarf couple I¡¯ve seen in a long time. ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender and this is my daughter, Diadra. She needs new clothing,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been assured your shop makes quality clothing.¡± ¡°We do,¡± Thomas stated. ¡°Mender? You¡¯re a healer?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Licensed?¡± Thomas asked. Kenric nodded and showed his new disc to the other man. I should see if I can get this mounted to a chain. It would make a decent amulet. ¡°Would you be interested in trading your skills for some clothing?¡± ¡°Yes, depending on the deal we come to,¡± Kenric replied. My skills are valuable, as are their wares, especially if the quality is good. ¡°Thomas¡­¡± Theresa said. ¡°No Tea. You need an examination and possible healing,¡± Thomas told his wife. ¡°Think of the baby.¡± She sighed and nodded. Now that they had mentioned it and he was paying more attention to them, Kenric could see the swell of her stomach. ¡°Let¡¯s get you measured Miss Mender,¡± Theresa said. Thomas stepped around the counter with a measuring tape. Diadra shrank away from the tailor. ¡°Apologies,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Diadra has been through a lot and doesn¡¯t trust men easily.¡± Thomas nodded his understanding and stepped back as his wife frowned. ¡°Sherry!¡± Theresa called out. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am?¡± a girl three or four years older than Diadra asked, stepping out of a doorway that Kenric assumed led to the back of the shop. ¡°Be a dear and measure Miss Mender please,¡± Theresa said. Sherry nodded and took out a measuring tape and stepped around the counter. ¡°Sherry is our apprentice,¡± Thomas informed Kenric and Diadra. He smiled fondly at the dwarven girl. ¡°She¡¯ll be ready to become a journeyman in a year and a half or so.¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Sherry replied. ¡°Diadra, I¡¯m going to step over here to talk to the Churches,¡± Kenric said. Diadra nodded and started to listen to Sherry. ¡°Your¡­ daughter is full elf while you¡¯re human,¡± Theresa stated. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric agreed. I¡¯ll be glad to never have to explain this again. Seeing the expression on their faces, he gave them a summary of his and Diadra¡¯s meeting and relationship. He glanced over at Diadra and saw she and the apprentice were looking at dresses. ¡°That¡¯s quite the story,¡± Thomas said. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re trying to do right by the girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not going to be a girl much longer,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I have at least three years,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Hopefully, five or more.¡± The married couple laughed. ¡°Do you still want to visit the coast?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know. It¡¯s an option but it¡¯ll all depend on where the road takes us,¡± Kenric answered. He glanced back towards Diadra when he heard her giggle. Sherry was showing her something with her back turned toward the counter. ¡°Ah. Mr Mender, you don¡¯t want to know what Sherry is showing Diadra right now,¡± Theresa informed him. ¡°Uh¡­ sure,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Settling down would be best for her,¡± Thomas said, ignoring his wife¡¯s comment as well as Kenric¡¯s reply. ¡°Probably,¡± Kenric agreed. He shook himself and cast Analyze on Theresa. ¡°But lets make sure you and your baby are fine.¡± ¡°What about our negotiations?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure everything is fine first,¡± Kenric replied. * ¡°Papa, I can¡¯t believe you got me three new dresses, three skirts, a pair of britches, and four shirts,¡± Diadra said as they entered the wagon. ¡°You needed the clothing, and the Churches were very happy to trade my services for some of that clothing even if all I healed were a few aches and pains,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Their baby is developing well, and she and her mother are both healthy.¡± ¡°So, peace of mind that the baby is fine is that important?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Oh. You did get some small clothes, didn¡¯t you? I remember Theresa saying something about them while we were settling the bill.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra answered shyly. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re blushing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Diadra quickly replied. ¡°Come on my little one. Spit it out.¡± ¡°Sherry had convinced me to get something she called panties instead of bloomers. They¡¯re a lot smaller. I¡¯ll show you if you want to see.¡± ¡°No! No, that¡¯s alright,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°If you¡¯re comfortable wearing them, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°I do like them. The panties are comfortable and very soft. They just show more skin than I¡¯m used to,¡± Diadra explained. ¡°That¡¯s quite alright,¡± Kenric said. ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy with them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Now, let¡¯s get started on these new books I got you,¡± Kenric said, changing the subject. ¡°Sure,¡± Diadra happily agreed. 63 Huh. It seems this lot isn¡¯t just part of the stable yard, but a small market square, Kenric thought as he watched a small four wagon caravan set up in the spots near his vardo through the window over the sink. I should have asked the stablemaster about that yesterday evening when I healed him, his three stableboys, and extended our stay for a week. ¡°What are you looking at papa?¡± Diadra asked. Kenric turned and saw the huge grin on her face. He mock scowled at her, and she laughed. That¡¯s music to my ears, Kenric thought. ¡°It looks like this isn¡¯t just part of the stable yard, but a small market square. There¡¯s a caravan setting up in a few of the other spots.¡± ¡°Maybe they have something good for sale or need a healer¡­ dad,¡± Diadra replied. ¡°Perhaps. And I can deal with dad better than papa. Being called papa makes me feel old,¡± Kenric said. ¡°But you are old!¡± Diadra joked before laughing. ¡°I see you¡¯re trying to make me feel bad already,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Never!¡± Diadra exclaimed. ¡°And I know you¡¯re joking too.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°I¡¯m going to step out to see what these guys are offering and check up on Jack and Jill. Want to come?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Diadra answered, putting away her paper, introductory reading book, and his pen. I need to get her a pen of her own. And that reminds me of something Kenric mused. ¡°I just thought of something. Come here and let¡¯s see if I can add you to the safe.¡± ¡°What safe?¡± ¡°This one,¡± Kenric said, showing her where the hidden safe was. ¡°I¡¯ll need a drop of your blood.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the safe bonds to people by blood,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this will work, but let¡¯s try it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in the safe that I would need to get into it for?¡± ¡°Some silver and the title for Jack, Jill, and the vardo.¡± ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t need that. You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°True. But I¡¯d rather you have access,¡± Kenric replied. Plus, it shows that you have ownership if anything happens to me. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure,¡± Diadra said. Kenric nodded and she gave him her left hand. He pricked her index finger and then his. They touched the safe handle. He healed them both. Bound Blood Locked Safe. This safe is bound to Kenric Mender. Would you like to transfer ownership or add Diadra Mender as an authorized user? ¡°Add Diadra as a user,¡± Kenric answered. He reached in and pulled out the title. ¡°Sweetie, can I borrow my pen for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra replied, handing him the pen. He added her name to the paperwork and signed it. ¡°Write your name beside where I just signed mine,¡± Kenric instructed, handing her the pen back. She did as he said. Kenric smiled. ¡°There! Now you¡¯re part owner of the wagon and mules.¡± ¡°Dad! You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Of course I did,¡± Kenric replied, placing the title back into the safe along with some more silver. He locked the safe and closed the cabinet. Diadra helped him up and then hugged him. Kenric returned the hug. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s see what the new neighbors have in stock.¡± ¡°And see if they need healings after checking on Jack and Jill?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°That too,¡± Kenric agreed. * ¡°I¡¯m Hasan Wilshire and this is my wife, Kamala,¡± the merchant said by way of introduction. ¡°It¡¯s always nice to meet new potential customers.¡± ¡°Kenric Mender and this is my daughter, Diadra,¡± Kenric replied. The men shook hands. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± ¡°Pardon me for asking, but is your daughter part or full elf?¡± Kamala asked. ¡°Full,¡± Kenric answered. The two gave him a look. Here we go again. ¡°What sort of wares do you offer?¡± ¡°Fabric, blankets, quilts, towels, and the like,¡± Hasan answered. He glanced at Diadra. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a healer,¡± Kenric replied, gesturing to the sign he had placed next to his wagon. ¡°Do you normally park in this little market square?¡± ¡°No. We got bumped from our normal market square,¡± Kamala answered as Hasan and others started setting out their wares. ¡°We may need your services. What do you charge?¡± Kenric told her his basic prices and hours. He noticed Diadra wandering back and forth between the merchants¡¯ wagons looking at their merchandise. She perked up when she spotted a stuffed animal. ¡°And does your¡­ daughter help with your services?¡± Hasan asked. ¡°No. Though she has hinted at wanting to help with record keeping and accounting once I finish teaching her enough,¡± Kenric answered. The merchant and his wife looked chagrined. ¡°Dad!¡± Diadra called. ¡°Come look at this.¡± ¡°What did you find?¡± Kenric asked. Kamala followed him over to the display Diadra was in front of. ¡°These blankets are softer and feel sturdier than those in the wagon do,¡± Diadra said once Kenric and the merchant arrived. ¡°You have a good eye,¡± Kamala said. Diadra smiled at the praise and glanced at the stuffed animal that was at the next display. It¡¯s a bear. ¡°These are some of our best works.¡± ¡°This quilt is very nice, but it¡¯s not quite as nice as the one Mrs. Eaton gave me,¡± Diadra added, glancing at the bear again. Kenric felt the light blue blanket and quilt. ¡°How much for a set of blankets, the quilt, and the stuffed bear?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯ll sell them for 250 silvers,¡± Kamala answered. ¡°How about a trade of my services for the blankets, quilt, and bear?¡± Kenric countered. ¡°I won¡¯t haggle that way.¡± ¡°Done,¡± Hasan called out as his wife smiled and nodded her agreement. * ¡°You didn¡¯t have to buy me the stuffed bear,¡± Diadra said as they carried their new purchases into the wagon. ¡°Or the other stuff.¡± ¡°I know. But you wanted it,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°If that bear will make you happy, then it makes me happy. And we can use the blankets and quilt.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Diadra said, hugging him. ¡°You¡¯re welcome sweetie,¡± Kenric said, returning the hug and kissing the top of her head. ¡°Let¡¯s eat an early lunch so I can start doing those examinations and healings I owe the Wilshire¡¯s and their crew.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra replied, placing the bear on the bed. ¡°Can I work on my letters and watch you from the porch?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± 64 ¡°Things have been pretty slow, huh?¡± Diadra asked, looking up from her book. ¡°Yeah, they have,¡± Kenric agreed. They were sitting on newly bought camp stools beside the vardo. She was using a large tray with collapsible legs as a portable desk. At least I think it¡¯s a tray. It could be a portable desk. I didn¡¯t ask the merchant since Diadra said it would do nicely. ¡°The city has a few clinics and healers sworn to the few nobles here.¡± Diadra looked around. ¡°You¡¯ve still made enough to pay for everything you¡¯ve bought and then some over the last three days.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°And we¡¯ve made that. You¡¯ve helped.¡± ¡°But dad, I¡¯ve only written names, what was wrong with them, what you healed, and how much they paid in this notebook,¡± Diadra said, lifting her educational book and tapping the notebook under it. ¡°And you¡¯ve helped with that by spelling out almost all of the names and words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still a major help, kitten. Record keeping is important, and it¡¯s excellent practice for you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t do this before.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t bound by any laws before either,¡± Kenric countered with a grin on his face. ¡°I only had to adhere to my oath.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Diadra replied with a shrug. She smiled and turned back to her book. ¡°How¡¯s your reading going?¡± ¡°Slow. Reading is hard.¡± ¡°Just wait until you start reading bigger words.¡± ¡°Like arthritis?¡± Diadra asked, grinning at him. ¡°Exactly!¡± She laughed and he smiled. Four people walked up. Kenric glanced at them. Adventurers. ¡°Are you the traveling healer?¡± one of the two men in the group asked. The blonde fellow was a little taller and more muscular than Kenric was. Women probably think he¡¯s handsome too, Kenric mused after taking in the man¡¯s size. ¡°I am. Name¡¯s Kenric Mender.¡± ¡°Sabre,¡± the man replied like his name should be known, with a smile on his face. The smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Just Sabre?¡± Kenric asked, trying not to laugh. The other, even larger male adventurer growled as Sabre¡¯s smile slipped from his face. ¡°Easy Mace,¡± Sabre said, lifting a hand. ¡°If Mender here has been traveling, he most likely hasn¡¯t heard of us and introductions are in order.¡± ¡°True,¡± Mace muttered. ¡°This big fellow is Mace,¡± Sabre said, with an unfriendly smile back on his face. ¡°These two dear ladies are Kestros and Skane. We¡¯re adventurers, if you didn¡¯t know already.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going inside,¡± Diadra announced. Kenric turned to look and saw she had already stowed her stuff in her inventory, including the camp stool. ¡°Alright sweetie,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I¡¯d like to get inside,¡± Mace murmured, grabbing his crotch as his eyes followed Diadra as she climbed up onto the porch. Kenric glared at the large man and readied Somnus after casting Overlapping Ward over the vardo twice. ¡°How much Mender?¡± ¡°She is lovely, but not what we¡¯re here for Mace,¡± Skane said. ¡°My daughter isn¡¯t for sale,¡± Kenric said, getting to his feet. His right hand was clenched into a fist. ¡°Here we go again,¡± muttered Kestros. ¡°Any man would defend his daughter, but think about your oath, Mender,¡± Sabre said, holding up both his hands and stepping in front of his companion. ¡°We¡¯re here to offer you a business proposition.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Kenric asked as Mace took a step bac at the urging of the two female adventurers. ¡°To accompany us into the Old Town dungeon,¡± Sabre said. ¡°You¡¯ll get a fifth of the loot provided we all make it out alive. Any special or rare items found will be offered to whoever wants the item at a discount if we don¡¯t sell them to merchants first.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Perhaps you didn¡¯t hear my generous terms,¡± Sabre said. ¡°I heard you and I¡¯m not interested,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Go find a different healer.¡± Sabre grabbed Kenric¡¯s shoulder as he put his camp stool into his inventory and turned to walk to the vardo. Kenric jerked away. He heard a blade being unsheathed. ¡°Starting trouble again, Sabre?¡± a stern sounding woman asked. Kenric heard the blade being sheathed again. ¡°Captain Tabor! It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Sabre quickly said. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± the woman said as Kenric turned to see who had intervened. She has a pretty face. ¡°Not starting trouble at all,¡± Sabre said with a frown on his face. ¡°We were just trying to offer Mender here a lucrative deal.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯s not interested. Why don¡¯t you move along?¡± the captain said. Her squad fanned out behind her. ¡°Now.¡± That guard with the limp needs healing, Kenric thought as the adventurers started walking away. Mace stopped and started to say something but didn¡¯t as the captain stared him down. He turned and left. ¡°Thank you, captain,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Does your guard need a healing?¡± ¡°Aye, she does, and you¡¯re welcome,¡± Captain Tabor replied. Kenric nodded and pulled his camp stool back out. ¡°Take a seat,¡± Kenric said as he gestured to the injured guard to take a seat. Diadra stuck her head out of the wagon. ¡°I¡¯ll examine your injury, and we¡¯ll go from there.¡± ¡°More bookkeeping, dad?¡± Diadra asked as the guard nodded her agreement. ¡°Yes, sweetie,¡± Kenric answered. He turned his attention to the guard and cast Analyze. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Holly. Holly Seward,¡± the guard answered. Diadra sat on the driver¡¯s seat and wrote the name and injury as Kenric helped her spell out the words. The guard is cute too. ¡°How much will you charge?¡± Captain Tabor asked to heal Holly fully?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say¡­ 50 silvers. No make that 35 since you helped me with a problem,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°I was told you were cheaper than our clinics, but that is low,¡± Captain Tabor said with a laugh. She paid Kenric before he could change his mind. Kenric noticed that Diadra wrote the amount down without being told to and smiled. ¡°Guard Seward has a cracked patella,¡± Kenric announced as he dismissed the notice. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have been walking.¡± ¡°Happened while we were patrolling outside the wall,¡± the captain said. That explains why she came to me besides the cheap price. I was the closest healer, Kenric thought as he spelled out patella for Diadra. He focused his intent and cast Greater Heal on the guard. * ¡°Want some advice?¡± Captain Tabor asked after making sure her guard was recovered enough to walk. ¡°Sure,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Find a different lot closer to the main markets or a guard barracks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re expecting I¡¯ll have more trouble with the adventurers.¡± ¡°Yes. Sabre and his crew are troublemakers,¡± the captain said. ¡°And you¡¯re alone with just your daughter.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. Guess it¡¯s time to move along and perhaps leave the city. It¡¯s also time to hire some guards or mercs, but I¡¯ll need more silver for that. ¡°Captain, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know of such an available spot, would you?¡± ¡°Why yes. Yes, I do,¡± Captain Tabor answered with a grin. ¡°It even includes stabling.¡± ¡°Diadra,¡± Kenric called. ¡°Let¡¯s get Jack and Jill. We¡¯re going to follow the good captain here to a new lot.¡± 65 ¡°Mar¡­ Mart¡­ Martin?¡± Diadra said uncertainly, reading the old sign out loud. The sign was hanging over the old blacktop road their new lot was beside. ¡°Very good,¡± Kenric replied, praising the girl. ¡°Can you read the rest?¡± ¡°Lu¡­ Lut¡­¡± Diadra read. She shook her head in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s too much for me.¡± ¡°Good effort,¡± Kenric stated, giving her a smile. ¡°That word is another name, Luther.¡± ¡°Luther,¡± Diadra repeated. She then moved to the rest word. ¡°Ki¡­ King.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an easy one,¡± she said with a smile. Kenric nodded. ¡°J¡­ r?¡± ¡°When you see just a j and an r beside each other like that, it¡¯s pronounced junior,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make a lot of sense,¡± Diadra complained. ¡°Perhaps, but it¡¯s the way our language works,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Going to finish?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Diadra answered, nodding her head. ¡°D¡­r.¡± ¡°Well done,¡± Kenric praised. ¡°That one can be a little confusing as it can mean two different things.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Uh huh. In this case the Dr is short for drive, which is what the ancients used to call some of the roads.¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Why not just call a road a road?¡± ¡°Beats me. People are strange and evidently have always been that way,¡± Kenric replied. Diadra giggled. ¡°What¡¯s the other meaning Dr can have?¡± ¡°Doctor if my history lessons were correct.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a doctor?¡± ¡°A healer of sorts that didn¡¯t have magic according to some of the books I¡¯ve read,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°So, this sign is from the ancients?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How did it survive all this time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t honestly know sweetie. Magic of some sort would be my best guess,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°You don¡¯t have any of those books, do you, dad?¡± ¡°Afraid not kitten,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°We¡¯ll get you some history books if you want them once you can read better.¡± ¡°Magic and healing books too?¡± Diadra asked with a hopeful look on her face. ¡°Those are hard to find and expensive. Odds are something like that will have to come from a big city or be specially ordered,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°But we¡¯ll see what we can do. I¡¯ll also let you read my herbal books if you want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to read them and will work hard on my lessons,¡± Diadra replied. Her stomach rumbled, making her blush. Kenric just smiled. ¡°What do you want for supper?¡± ¡°Want to try the tavern across the road?¡± Kenric asked, pointing at the building in question. ¡°The captain had said they have good food.¡± ¡°You mean drive,¡± Diadra jested. ¡°Reckon I do,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°Want me to join me there and eat with others or do you want me to get something, and we eat it here?¡± ¡°I can just cook something,¡± Diadra offered. ¡°True, but you shouldn¡¯t have to cook all the time even if you don¡¯t mind doing so,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Besides, we can afford it.¡± I really don¡¯t want Diadra to feel she is more of a servant or cook than anything else. Perhaps I should make it clearer that I care for and value her more than I have. ¡°It¡¯s cheaper if I cook,¡± Diadra pointed out. ¡°We can save the silver for other things.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°But the guards had told me there was this baked bread with sauce on it that was amazing. I think I want to try it.¡± ¡°Hmmm. That could be good,¡± Diadra admitted. ¡°You want to wait here?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll study while you¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be back as quickly as possible. Lock the vardo¡¯s door,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Always,¡± Diadra replied as she walked to the wagon. * ¡°Mender!¡± a voice called out. Kenric turned in the direction the voice came from and saw Captain Tabor¡¯s squad sitting at a couple of tables. Holly Seward waved him over. He walked over. ¡°Have a drink with us!¡± Kenric glanced at the mugs and bottles on the table. He felt the desire to have a drink, especially as a few of the guards raised their cups. Coming over here was a bad idea. I haven¡¯t felt the desire to drink this badly in months. One drink wouldn¡¯t hurt, would it? ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Come on, healer. One drink won¡¯t kill you!¡± another guard said. What would Diadra think if I gave in and came home drunk? Or if I didn¡¯t come home at all? Kenric thought. I can¡¯t do that to her or myself. I¡¯ve come too far to go back to drinking. ¡°No, thank you,¡± Kenric said, shaking his head. ¡°I just came here to order that baked bread you guys told me about.¡± ¡°Eh, come on. You can have a beer while waiting for it to cook,¡± a third guard said. It¡¯s all women encouraging me. Perhaps they want more than just to share a drink. ¡°No thank you. Diadra is waiting for me to help her with her lessons,¡± Kenric said. Seeing they were about to say something else, he added, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve had an issue with spirits in the past. I¡¯d rather not start drinking again.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Holly said, cutting off one of her squad mates. ¡°Have a nice night.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Kenric said before turning and heading over to the bar to order a meal. * ¡°Dad, this saucy bread is amazing!¡± Diadra exclaimed. She took a bite of the other one he had gotten her. ¡°This one with cheese is even better!¡± The two small bread loaves were round and about six inches in diameter. The outside was built up almost like a bowl with the sauce, herbs, and cheese in the middle. ¡°You¡¯re right, sweetie. They¡¯re both very tasty with the cheese adding even more to it,¡± Kenric said after trying his two. ¡°I want to learn how to make these,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Do you think the tavern¡¯s cook would share the secret?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. We can ask tomorrow and maybe trade a healing for the knowledge,¡± Kenric replied. Diadra smiled. ¡°Thanks dad,¡± she said before attacking her meal again. He smiled and resumed eating his own meal. 66-70 66 ¡°Your tooth ache is caused by a cavity,¡± Kenric told the child sitting on the camp stool. He dismissed the results notice. I should try to be gentler with the little boy. He smiled. ¡°Just how many sweets have you eaten?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± the little boy answered. His mother snorted, making the boy blush. ¡°Tom eats sweets every chance he gets,¡± the mother said. ¡°Can you heal the tooth?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°How much do you charge for such a healing?¡± the mother asked. Kenric took in her attire and that of her son. Their clothing is oft mended, and the child¡¯s looks like it has been handed down more than once. But he could also just be rough on his things. I was at that age though my parents could afford to buy new clothing whenever they decided I needed it, and I doubt this mother can. I won¡¯t charge them much. He glanced at Diadra sitting on the porch. She was watching them instead of working on her reading and letters. Perhaps she is what has made me so softhearted instead of my desire to be better than I was when I was younger or my healer¡¯s oath. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Kenric said, making a show of considering things. ¡°Five for the examination and 5 for the healing itself, so 10 silvers total.¡± The mother¡¯s eyes widened in shock and doubt. ¡°Are you sure healer? That¡¯s less than half or maybe even a third of what the clinics charge.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Kenric replied. Hopefully, you¡¯ll use the rest to buy more food or at least save it. ¡°Thank you, healer!¡± the mother said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°You can chew or make a rinse from some peppermint, spearmint, parsley, thyme, clove, or basil to help with teeth and breath in general.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± the mother said. ¡°The mints can be found in the woods here in the city or outside it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Kenric said. He looked at Tom. ¡°Now, hold still. This will only take a few minutes and you¡¯ll be right as rain.¡± * ¡°You treated several people this morning and didn¡¯t charge them much,¡± Diadra said as they sat down to eat lunch. ¡°And you haven¡¯t been charging a lot in the first place according to what people are saying.¡± ¡°Noticed that, huh?¡± Kenric asked before taking a bite of the fried potato biscuit. ¡°Yep,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Like the potato biscuit? It¡¯s something my ma had made a lot when I was younger.¡± ¡°Yes, I like it. The potato slices are almost like the strips we had gotten at that tavern,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°I think I like these round slices better.¡± Diadra smiled and took a bite of her biscuit. After she swallowed, she asked, ¡°Dad, why are you charging so much less than the clinics?¡± Kenric took a sip of milk before answering. Diadra really likes milk with meals, and I¡¯ll admit, it¡¯s good when it¡¯s cold. ¡°I think I do so for a few different reasons.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve told you before, I¡¯m trying to be a better person for one.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re a good person papa,¡± Diadra replied. She grinned. ¡°Tease!¡± Kenric exclaimed. He smiled and she laughed, nodding her head. ¡°What¡¯s the other reasons?¡± ¡°Well, some people just can¡¯t afford to pay what the clinics charge. Plus, we¡¯re making good money charging what I charge anyway,¡± Kenric answered. Diadra nodded. ¡°And I think I¡¯m trying to set an example for you.¡± ¡°I think you just don¡¯t want to disappoint me,¡± Diadra said. ¡°That too,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably the real reason.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t disappoint me,¡± Diadra replied confidently before starting to eat her biscuit again. * ¡°Mender!¡± a voice shouted. ¡°Figures we would barely get to eat lunch in peace with the barracks being across the way,¡± Kenric muttered. ¡°Think it¡¯s a guard shouting?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°With that voice?¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s most likely a sergeant bellowing too.¡± ¡°Going to see what they want?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s best to stay on the guards¡¯ good side,¡± Kenric answered, standing up. ¡°Would you mind me trying to make a pizza tonight?¡± Diadra asked, referring to the tavern food they had had a couple of nights before. The tavern owners had been happy to exchange their recipe for a healing, especially since Kenric and Diadra wouldn¡¯t be staying in the city. ¡°It¡¯ll probably take me all afternoon to make the sauce though.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to make all that effort?¡± Kenric asked, stopping at the door. ¡°Yep. I really loved the pizza and want to try making it myself,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°You¡¯re the cook,¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll eat whatever you fix.¡± ¡°Thanks dad!¡± Diadra said with a huge smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re welcome sweetie,¡± Kenric replied, stepping out the door. * ¡°Ah Mender. Do you mind stepping over to the training yard and healing some training injuries,¡± a stout man asked. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°And you are??¡± ¡°Sergeant Addison,¡± the man answered. ¡°And thank you. We can discuss your fee after you see the extent of the injuries.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Lead the way.¡± * ¡°Mender!¡± ¡°Not again,¡± Kenric muttered. The farrier whose bone he was setting laughed. ¡°Are the guards making that much use of you healer?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s starting to border on abuse,¡± Kenric answered. The man laughed again. ¡°Let¡¯s get you healed first though. The guards can wait.¡± ¡°I like that idea,¡± the farrier replied. A loud cracking sound could be heard over the crowd noise in the market square. ¡°Mender!¡± 67 ¡°Captain Tabor, what is the best mercenary company for traveling guard work?¡± Kenric asked as they watched her squad train squad movement. ¡°Looking to get back on the road?¡± the captain asked instead of answering. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered as Guard Seward swept the feet of her opponent. I¡¯m almost tempted to offer Seward a job. She¡¯s good and easy on the eyes. ¡°It¡¯s past time to move on and I made Diadra a promise.¡± ¡°What sort of promise?¡± ¡°That we would visit Pilot Mountain.¡± ¡°The village?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a village named Pilot Mountain?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Oh. You meant the mountain,¡± Captain Tabor replied. Kenric nodded. ¡°But yes, there¡¯s a village with the same name an hour northeast of the mountain. Why not visit the mountain and come back? The trip would only take two or three days.¡± ¡°Trying to offer me a job?¡± ¡°Maybe. You¡¯re a good healer.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ve seen all the battle I care to experience and that includes the aftermath,¡± Kenric explained. ¡°I just want to live life with my daughter, help others, and visit the coast eventually.¡± ¡°My sister married a merchant from down near the coast. I helped her move down there and visited the coast. All that water is not for me,¡± the captain replied. ¡°To answer your question about mercenaries, the Rocky Rams or Demon Deacons are probably the best for what you want.¡± ¡°The Rocky Rams?¡± Kenric laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± Captain Tabor said, though she smiled. ¡°While the company¡¯s founder chose such a ridiculous name is beyond me. Same goes for the Deacons.¡± ¡°Some local connections perhaps,¡± Kenric mused. ¡°That¡¯s the story. Both are named after two schools the ancients had here,¡± the captain stated. ¡°Though, why a person would choose either name is mind boggling.¡± ¡°Unto each their own,¡± Kenric offered. ¡°True. Anyway, the Rams focus more on guard work while the Deacons focus more on offensive contracts.¡± ¡°Ah. They¡¯re warmongers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way of looking at it. The local nobles hire them a lot,¡± Captain Tabor said. Seward took down another of her squad mates, making the captain smile. ¡°Holly is good.¡± ¡°Yeah, she is,¡± Kenric agreed. ¡°Is she a prot¨¦g¨¦ of yours?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± the captain replied, smiling fondly. ¡°She should honestly be a sergeant at least, but I¡¯ve upped Holly¡¯s pay and not promoted her to keep her in my squad.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine she¡¯s happy about that.¡± ¡°Neither of us are happy about it, but Holly doesn¡¯t want to work for a different captain, so accepts it.¡± ¡°How did she get injured?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°A trap. It was getting too dark to see clearly and she missed the upturned earth and stepped right into the hole,¡± Captain Tabor answered. ¡°Some of the locals like to get cute and hide traps along our patrol routes.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that cute.¡± And trying to injure the people responsible for their safety is the height of stupidity. ¡°It¡¯s probably stupid kids,¡± the captain replied. ¡°Nobody had been severely injured until Holly. Hopefully, the higher ups put a stop to the traps now.¡± They fell silent and continued to watch the guards train. Perhaps I should ask the good captain if she would be alright with me offering Seward a job. I¡¯d rather have at least one guard that is a direct hire than just some mercs that may bail out on the contract if things go badly. ¡°Do you think Seward would be up for a little change of scenery and new job?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°I fucking knew it!¡± Captain Tabor exclaimed with a smile on her face. Kenric laughed and shrugged. ¡°Yes, I think she would be interested, especially if you were to put her in charge of whoever else you hire. And don¡¯t think you can hire the rest of my squad away from me either.¡± ¡°Thanks Captain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Mender. Just take care of Holly if she decides to go with you,¡± Captain Tabor replied. She walked away. * ¡°What do you think Kitten?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Should I try to hire Guard Seward?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Diadra replied. She was leaning against a wall. ¡°Holly is nice though.¡± He smiled. ¡°You really don¡¯t have an opinion?¡± ¡°I know we¡¯ve had this talk before, but do we really need guards?¡± Diadra asked with a grin on her face. ¡°I trust you¡¯ll make the right decision dad.¡± ¡°Thanks sweetie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Diadra replied. She hugged him. ¡°I¡¯m going to go study some more and put some beef stew on for supper.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll be along after I talk with Holly.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Diadra said, she ran across the way and quickly entered the vardo. * ¡°Your offer is interesting, and the heavens know I could use a change of scenery,¡± Holly Seward said. Kenric nodded. ¡°I¡¯d want you to hire my fianc¨¦ as well if I accept your offer though.¡± ¡°Fianc¨¦?¡± Kenric questioned. ¡°Brent Woods,¡± Holly replied. ¡°He¡¯s a hunter, tracker, and former guard.¡± ¡°Interesting skill set,¡± Kenric mused. ¡°Yep. That would leave a couple of spots open for mercenaries or other guards,¡± Holly said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d need more than four total, especially since you can cast wards. Where are you planning on going and how quickly are you wanting to leave?¡± ¡°Up to Pilot Mountain. Diadra wants to see the great guide,¡± Kenric answered with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about where after that. Timewise, maybe in a week or less.¡± ¡°Would you be interested in going up to Mayberry after that?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Mayberry?¡± ¡°A small town up near the Commonwealth border that is sometimes called Mt Airy on some maps. Brent and I have family there.¡± ¡°Ah. I have no problem with going that far north,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Great! I think Brent and I can handle the guard duties by ourselves. The road is heavily traveled and mounted guards patrol it.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Kenric said. ¡°So, free healings and other medical care, 100 silver a month each, and free meals?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Plus, the wards at night.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr Mender. I accept your offer,¡± Holly said. The two shook hands. ¡°Brent and I will need a week to settle our affairs though.¡± ¡°I can work with that,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°But I want to meet your fianc¨¦ before I agree to hire him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring him by your wagon tonight. Don¡¯t worry about supplying horses, Brent owns two.¡± 68 ¡°Most of those villages send their sick and wounded to the clinics here,¡± Brent argued. ¡°Stopping at each of them to see if they need your services will be a waste of time.¡± ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s my time and coin,¡± Kenric retorted. Despite this disagreement, Brent doesn¡¯t seem a bad sort. I think I can work with him, but if he thinks he¡¯ll be in charge, he better get used to disappointment. ¡°And it¡¯s what dad does,¡± Diadra quietly added, making Kenric smile. ¡°And it¡¯s what I do,¡± Kenric agreed, reaching over and side hugging her. ¡°I agree with all of you,¡± Holly said. ¡°But as Kenric said, it¡¯s his silver and that makes him the boss.¡± ¡°And you in charge of our defense,¡± Kenric replied. The four of them were sitting around Brent¡¯s steel firepit outside the wagon. I¡¯m surprised the elven hunter brought that firepit with him, but I¡¯m glad he did. Perhaps I should ask where he got it from. Having our own would be better than building campfires whenever we¡¯re out on the road at night. ¡°Alright, I can live with that,¡± Brent conceded. ¡°Holly told me about our pay. Is this trip to Pilot Mountain and Mayberry a test run or are you keeping us under contract for a month?¡± ¡°Some of both. If things don¡¯t work out then I¡¯ll pay you both for the month and we can go our separate ways at Mayberry,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Mayberry?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°The town of Mt Airy on my map,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Mayberry is evidently the town¡¯s current name.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Diadra said. ¡°That sounds nicer than Mt Airy. And we¡¯re going there? Is it a nice place?¡± ¡°We are going there after visiting Jomeokee,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Mayberry is a nice small town,¡± Holly said. ¡°It¡¯s also growing because of mining and trade with the Commonwealth,¡± Brent added. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the leaders here are happy about that,¡± Kenric said. ¡°From what I understand, they don¡¯t mind so much since the majority of the merchants come here even if they stop in Mayberry,¡± Brent replied. ¡°Those merchants bring some of the metals and gems that are found in Mayberry¡¯s mines here too, which saves Winston Salem¡¯s merchants from having to pay for transportation,¡± Holly added. ¡°Why are we going to Mayberry?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Brent and I have family there,¡± Holly answered. ¡°Your dad agreed to go.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Diadra said, shrugging her slender shoulders. ¡°When are we leaving? I can¡¯t wait to see Jomeokee.¡± ¡°Beginning of next week,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Holly and Brent need a few days to settle their affairs here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Diadra said. She yawned. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath and get ready for bed.¡± ¡°Alright sweetie. I¡¯ll be along shortly,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Goodnight, everybody,¡± Diadra said before turning and climbing onto the vardo¡¯s porch. Brent and Holly wished her goodnight before Diadra entered the wagon. ¡°Is she really your daughter?¡± Brent asked. ¡°Yes. I adopted her,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°It¡¯s not wise to take a child on the road,¡± Brent said. ¡°I travel and will do so until I find a place I want to settle down at,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Besides. I have my wards and just hired the two of you.¡± ¡°True,¡± Holly laughed. She stood and stretched. ¡°Would you mind examining Brent before we go?¡± ¡°Be glad to,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Where did you get the firepit from? I wouldn¡¯t mind buying one.¡± * ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re leaving,¡± Diadra said as the vardo passed through Winston Salem¡¯s north gate a week later. Brent was riding ahead on his stallion while Holly rode beside them on her fianc¨¦¡¯s mare. Kenric glanced down at where she sat in the doorway beside him. She was sitting on her throw blanket. ¡°I got tired of feeling your magic.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Winston Salem is not a bad town, but it does not feel like a place I would be happy living in.¡± ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Diadra replied, pulling out her beginning reader book. ¡°There were too many people.¡± ¡°Wait! You sensed my magic?¡± ¡°I could feel it. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s the same.¡± ¡°Did it still feel ticklish?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°No. It was just a¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to describe it,¡± Diadra said, shaking her head. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that when we stop for the night,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I might need to go ahead and start training you.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Diadra replied happily. They fell silent. ¡°If you thought that were a lot of people, just wait until we visit the capital,¡± Kenric joked a few minutes later. ¡°That¡¯s not funny dad!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little funny.¡± ¡°Are you serious about visiting the capital?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°Not really. Though if we go to the coast as we¡¯ve talked about before, we¡¯ll probably have to pass through and get supplies,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°Most, but not all roads do lead to Raleigh,¡± Holly chimed in. ¡°We could avoid the capital if you really wanted to.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll decide after we visit Mayberry. There are a lot of villages in this region that I could offer my services to according to my map,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°So, taking things one day at a time?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°That works for me,¡± Holly said. ¡°I¡¯m going to ride up with Brent for a while since it¡¯ll be a couple more hours before we get to Tobaccoville.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kenric replied. His guard urged her horse ahead. 69 ¡°There¡¯s a dead catamount up ahead,¡± Holly announced over an hour later. ¡°She¡¯s a big one too.¡± ¡°She?¡± Kenric questioned. ¡°Brent says it¡¯s a female and wasn¡¯t killed too long ago,¡± Holly replied. ¡°So, throw up your ward if it¡¯ll move and let¡¯s take it nice and slow. Brent hasn¡¯t seen any scavengers but better safe than sorry.¡± ¡°True,¡± Kenric agreed. The ward has been up since we set out. He glanced at Diadra as he got Jack and Jill moving again. She looked concerned. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright sweetie.¡± She shook her head and brushed a lock of hair behind her left ear. ¡°I hear something.¡± ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯s just an animal or better yet, your imagination,¡± Kenric said, grinning at her. ¡°Maybe,¡± Diadra agreed, giving him a smile. A couple of minutes later, she said, ¡°Nope, not me. I hear it again.¡± ¡°I think I heard something too,¡± Kenric said, stopping the wagon. ¡°Holly! We hear something.¡± ¡°I hear it too,¡± Brent shouted. ¡°That chirping sounds like a cub.¡± He dismounted and handed his reins to Holly. The hunter then started to search the area on each side of the road. Diadra glanced at the catamount¡¯s body. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at the body Diadra,¡± Kenric said. ¡°I know,¡± she replied. She suddenly jumped up and pointed. ¡°The sound is coming from over here!¡± ¡°Stay there!¡± Brent ordered as he moved to the spot Diadra had indicated. ¡°Dad don¡¯t let him hurt her. She sounds like she¡¯s in pain!¡± Diadra said. Kenric and Holly stared at Diadra. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Holly asked. Diadra shook her head. She then hopped down from the wagon and dashed to where Brent was standing. ¡°Diadra!¡± Kenric shouted. He set the brake and followed her. ¡°Dammit! Don¡¯t do that,¡± Holly exclaimed. ¡°We can¡¯t keep you safe if you don¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her!¡± Diadra screamed as Brent pulled a spear from his inventory. The hunter glanced up at the girl. ¡°This monster would kill us all if she was an adult,¡± Brent said. ¡°Besides it¡¯s wounded, so killing it would put it out of its misery.¡± ¡°Dad, please heal her!¡± Diadra begged. Brent looked at the catamount cub and shook his head. ¡°Brent is right sweetie. It would kill us or Jack and Jill,¡± Kenric said. ¡°We can take her with us and feed her. She¡¯ll help protect us!¡± Diadra replied as tears started falling. Dammit! Are they bonded? If so, what happens if the cub dies? I know nothing about familiars other than they exist. ¡°Not happening,¡± Brent said, starting to stab at the cub. Kenric threw a Lesser Ward over the cat. The spear bounced off the ward. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Kenric answered. The two men stared at each other. Holly looked torn between duty and love. I know that feeling. ¡°But Jack and Jill haven¡¯t freaked out nor have your horses.¡± ¡°Asgina won¡¯t hurt us,¡± Diadra said. ¡°Who?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Asgina is the cub,¡± Diadra replied as the others stared at her. ¡°Diadra, how do you know that?¡± Kenric asked. She shook her head. ¡°You need to tell me sweetie.¡± ¡°She told me,¡± Diadra hesitantly answered. She tapped above her heart. ¡°I can feel her in here.¡± ¡°And the name?¡± Brent asked. He had a thunderous expression on his face. ¡°It popped into my head,¡± Diadra answered. ¡°Witchcraft!¡± Brent hissed. ¡°Magic,¡± Kenric countered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some mages have familiars.¡± ¡°What are familiars?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Demons,¡± Brent answered. ¡°Powerful monsters or spirits,¡± Kenric answered, casting Analyze on the tawny colored cub. ¡°Though I suppose demons could be familiars as well.¡± Name Asgina. Catamount Cub. Mutated cougars, known as catamounts, are often considered monsters. Catamounts have superior intelligence, strength, stamina, and quickness compared to some species. Some may have other powers such as a stunning strike or an armored hide. This cub has suffered puncture wounds and blood loss. The cub is also suffering from internal bleeding. That¡¯s a detailed results notice and it¡¯s nice to know my intent affects the spell to that degree. It¡¯s also nice to know that the cub is not a demon or spirit, Kenric thought as he dismissed the notice. ¡°The cub is just a mutated cougar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what catamounts are,¡± Brent retorted. ¡°They¡¯re monsters.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a big cat, but whatever,¡± Kenric said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m going to heal the cub and let Diadra take her with us.¡± ¡°Uh Kenric,¡± Holly muttered. ¡°Thanks dad!¡± Daidra said, wiping her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Brent exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re trusting our lives to a monster!¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m trusting my daughter with my life,¡± Kenric said as calmly as he could. I think I¡¯ve had enough of your attitude already. ¡°You can leave and go your own way if you like.¡± ¡°You would end our contract over this mon¡­ er, cub?¡± Holly asked as Brent stomped back to his horse. Diadra looked at Kenric and smiled. Kenric focused his intent and cast Greater Heal on the cub. He then cast Cleanse to clean off the blood and grime from Asgina. ¡°Diadra seems to have a bond with the cub,¡± Kenric said, watching his daughter squat down and whisper to the cub. She stroked its head, and the cub pressed its head into her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this makes Diadra a witch, a mage, or if it¡¯s just fate putting two hurt souls together like it did us. But yes, I¡¯ll end our contract if you two won¡¯t travel with the cub.¡± ¡°Idiot,¡± Brent muttered. ¡°We¡¯ll go with you to Tobaccoville at least,¡± Holly said quickly, keeping Kenric from replying to her betrothed. ¡°Brent and I will talk about this situation once we get there.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Kenric replied as Diadra picked up and cradled Asgina in her arms. She smiled at him. ¡°Asgina is heavy,¡± Daidra said. The cat nudged her chin. ¡°But I have her.¡± Kenric smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to put your new¡­ friend in a healing sleep to make sure all her injuries are healed.¡± ¡°Thanks dad!¡± 70 Kenric smiled as Diadra played with Asgina before breaking camp two days later. Surprisingly, the hired hands had stuck with them. He turned his attention to Jack and Jill. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you two are tolerating the cat.¡± The mules glanced at him and then went back to eating. He chuckled. Tobaccoville and Jefferson Oaks had been a bust as far as work went. Dalton was the next village they would stop at and should reach before noon. ¡°Are we going to break camp soon?¡± Holly asked as she walked over to Kenric. ¡°In a half hour or so,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°That¡¯ll give Jack and Jill time to finish eating and for me to hitch them.¡± ¡°Our horses are ready and so are we whenever you are,¡± Holly said. Kenric nodded after stealing a glance at the horses. They were indeed saddled and appeared ready to go. ¡°Holly, what made you two decide to stay?¡± ¡°We signed a contract even if you offered to let us out of it.¡± ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± Kenric asked. I don¡¯t think I want them around if the only reason they¡¯re still with us is a sense of obligation. ¡°No. You did say you were going to Mayberry, and we do have friends that we want to see that live there,¡± Holly replied. ¡°Brent has gotten over the cat even if he still thinks it should be put down.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not happening,¡± Kenric said. Part of me had been hopeful that she wanted to keep doing the job because she liked us and wanted to travel. Guess that isn¡¯t the case. ¡°I know. Anyway, I¡¯m going to make a circuit around the camp.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Kenric replied as she walked away. Wait. Didn¡¯t they say they had family in Mayberry before or am I misremembering? ¡°Dad, Asgina and I are ready to get on the road,¡± Diadra announced as the two ran up to him, forcing his attention away from his memory. ¡°Alright sweetie. Want to help me with Jack and Jill?¡± Kenric asked. ¡°Sure. Just tell me what to do,¡± Diadra answered. She glanced at her new companion. ¡°Asgina, don¡¯t get underfoot.¡± Kenric smiled as the catamount cub chirped and climbed onto the wagon¡¯s porch. Smart cat. * ¡°I¡¯m Seymour Ogburn,¡± the older man said by way of introduction. ¡°I¡¯m Dalton¡¯s headman or chief, if you prefer that term.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kenric Mender, and this is my daughter, Diadra,¡± Kenric replied, leaning down to shake the older man¡¯s hand. Diadra had joined him up front as they neared the village since her cub was asleep. She smiled at the headman. ¡°Those two are Holly and her fianc¨¦ Brent, our guards.¡± ¡°You a merchant?¡± Seymour asked after the guards greeted the older man. ¡°No. I¡¯m a healer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome to set up and see if anyone wants a healing, but as far as I know, everyone is healthy enough,¡± Seymour said. He scratched his beard. ¡°We¡¯ve an herbalist that makes tonics and the like that handles most of our ills. For anything else, we go to the clinics in Winston Salem.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gladly offer my services anyway,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Is there a place I can park my wagon and perhaps stable my mules?¡± ¡°You can park in the open square in front of the inn. The inn is pretty much the hub of our village. Bea, the innkeeper, has a stable around the back of the inn, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be glad to rent a stall to you in addition to rooms. Though, I¡¯m not sure if she has enough rooms free with that party of adventurers that came in two days ago.¡± ¡°Adventurers?¡± Holly asked. ¡°Aye. There¡¯s five of them out exploring the countryside. Said something about looking for a dungeon they heard was near here,¡± the headman answered. ¡°I¡¯ve lived here my whole life and never even heard of a dungeon around here before. But rumors are rumors.¡± At least it¡¯s not the assholes that accosted me. There were four of them. The inn looks small, so I wonder if it has more than six rooms to rent. It doesn¡¯t matter if it does or not. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kenric said as Holly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯t. Diadra and I can do what we normally do and sleep in the vardo.¡± ¡°Have it your way,¡± Seymour replied. ¡°Come on and park. Then I¡¯ll introduce you to Bea.¡± * ¡°Are we still going to visit Jomeokee?¡± Diadra asked as she ladled some soup into a bowl for lunch. ¡°Yeah. This place has been a bust,¡± Kenric said. She handed him the bowl and got one of her own. ¡°Thanks sweetie.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, dad,¡± Diadra replied. She glanced down at Asgina. The cub was eating some pork she had fed it. Kenric hid his grin after seeing Diadra shudder as the catamount ripped the meat apart. He pulled out his map and spread it out beside his bowl. ¡°Why are you looking at the map?¡± Kenric chewed and swallowed the spoonful of soup before answering. ¡°I¡¯ve started to think the other villages along this road will end up being a waste of time unless someone is in need of an emergency healing.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re starting to plot our next move?¡± Diadra asked after blowing on her spoonful of soup. ¡°Yes,¡± Kenric answered as she started to chew. He dipped a piece of biscuit into his bowl to sop up some broth and ate it. ¡°So, we¡¯ll skip the villages along the way, visit Jomeokee, and then I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Mayberry like you told Holly and Brent?¡± ¡°And then what is the question,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°Everything I¡¯ve heard about going east is that it gets less populated and more dangerous between the capital and the coast.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you want to visit the ocean?¡± Diadra asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°For one, it wasn¡¯t really my dream. It was an idea planted in my mind by others that I agreed to because I didn¡¯t have any better ideas at the time,¡± Kenric answered. ¡°And more importantly, I adopted you.¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s too dangerous to take me to the ocean?¡± Diadra asked. She looked sad. ¡°No more than it is for me to go,¡± Kenric replied. He smiled. ¡°If I really wanted to go, I would take you.¡± ¡°Thanks daddy,¡± Diadra said, returning the smile. ¡°So, what do I have to do with things?¡± ¡°I think we should settle somewhere that needs my skills and that would be good for you. Maybe someplace with a school and more kids your age,¡± Kenric replied. ¡°A house where we could have our own beds would be nice too.¡± ¡°Cities would have all that,¡± Daidra said. ¡°And I like the idea of having my own bed.¡± ¡°True, but I¡¯m not thrilled with the idea of living in a big city,¡± Kenric said. ¡°Perhaps a small town or large village would do though.¡± ¡°Like Mayberry?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Kenric answered. They ate in silence for a few minutes. ¡°We¡¯ll check out Mayberry and make our minds up about what to do next while there.¡± ¡°Would you consider going back into the hills to live?¡± Diadra asked shyly. ¡°Yes sweetie, I would,¡± Kenric answered. She smiled.