SJ was awoken by Kibble nibbling at her ear.
“What?” she said, rolling over in bed. Kibble bounced on the bed.
“Okay. Okay,” SJ said, rolling from bed and standing before stretching and moving to the rear window, which looked down onto the yard. Opening the window, Kibble shot through it and down to the yard below.
“When you gotta go,” SJ said, walking to the wash basin and looking in the mirror. Running some water, she splashed her face to wake herself up. The icy cold water invigorated her. It had been late by the time she had returned from the restaurant with Alice the previous evening. They had sat chatting for ages while they picked away at the buffet of food that they had ordered. It was the closest SJ could remember since her arrival on Amathera of some normality. They had discussed Killic’s matters and then had just been discussing various topics.
Kibble came flying back in the rear window.
“Shall we get you some breakfast?” SJ asked him, his little head bobbing excitedly.
The kitchen on the first floor was quiet, and SJ checked her display. It was only 0530 hrs, as she groaned, realising the actual time. After filling the kettle, she put the water on to boil and prepared a coffee pot. Then, she dug out some meat from the cupboard for Kibble. Chopping it up, she placed it in a bowl and put it by the kitchen table. Kibble chomped away merrily, his purr easily heard over the kettle. As soon as it was boiled, she made a pot of coffee and, picking up a cup, moved to the rear door.
The downstairs yard area was surrounded on three sides. The only open side was a ten-foot wall, which offered security from the street. There was no door in the wall, and SJ had considered adding one. She will be using this area for her portal once she levels. Lurtew and Yawnee had cleared the area. Only a couple of chairs and a table to one side and several flower pots sat around the edges. The rain had cleared overnight, and the sky this morning was lightening with the first rays of the sun. SJ knew as it rose, the area where the chairs were situated would get the morning sun.
Kibble joined SJ in the yard once he had finished his breakfast. SJ was sitting leaning back in one of the chairs. Her eyes closed, holding her coffee in her hands when her peace was disturbed. An enormous crash came from out on the street, and a clatter of hooves. SJ set the cup down, climbed the back steps, then looked over the wall. Out on the street at the corner, a large wagon had lost its load. Four horses were baying as the wagon and its driver were lying on their sides on the street.
Without thinking, SJ shrunk and flew over the wall, landing and growing as soon as she reached the ground. At this time in the morning, the streets were virtually empty; only a few were moving around, and she went straight to the wagon driver, where they lay. Kibble had flown up and sat on the wall watching.
“Are you okay?” SJ asked, reaching out to them. The being lying on the street wasn’t one SJ recognised. It was humanoid but had an avian appearance and plumage on its head. Its head turned to look at her, and its large, round eyes blinked rapidly. It indeed had a beak rather than a mouth.
“I think so,” it replied as it tried to stand. SJ reached and helped the strange being to stand.
“What happened?”
“Something spooked the horses, making them tip the wagon.”
The street was littered with the wagon’s contents, crates and barrels lying where they had fallen. It didn’t look like anything had broken open. Several others who had been on the street started to approach, and eventually, between them, they righted the wagon again. Several moved off once it was the being, thanking them profusely for their help as SJ helped to pick up the scattered contents and place it back into the wagon. Eventually, the street was empty again, and the wagon repacked.
“Thank you for your help and kindness. I am Caperca.”
“And I am SJ. Nice to meet you,” SJ smiled. “The wagon wheel looks damaged.” SJ pointed to a broken spoke.
“It should get me to the store at least. I can get it repaired later.”
“You are a trader?”
“Yes. I own an alchemy store. I just hope the contents of the crates weren’t too badly damaged. Several contain new vials for my potions.”
“Would you like a drink before you head off again? I was just making coffee.”
The bird, like being again, blinked its enormous eyes before replying. “That would be kind.”
“Bring the wagon around to the front of the house; it will be safe parked outside,” SJ said, pointing around the corner. SJ walked back to the front, removed her keys from her inventory, and opened the front door. Kibble had come and flown up landing on her shoulder, looking suspiciously at Caperca.
“SJ, is that you?” a voice called downstairs as Yawnee’s head appeared, looking down towards the front door.
“Yes. Sorry, Yawnee and I have brought a guest back for a coffee,” she called. “Caperca, please.” SJ indicated with her arm that they should go up the stairs.
On reaching the kitchen, SJ walked in, and Yawnee turned and froze as she saw Caperca.
“A wildling,” Yawnee said.
SJ frowned, looking at Yawnee. “Sorry?”
“Oh my, how rude of me. Please come in and sit down. The water will be boiling in a minute. Now, where did I put the coffee pot?” Yawnee said, turning away awkwardly.
“It is in the yard. I was down there when I heard the crash, so I went to investigate.”
“That must have been what woke me,” Yawnee replied as she went to the backdoor and hurried to collect the pot.
“I see that you are a fae,” Caperca said. “It appears we are both unusual beings in the city.”
“I have no idea about what race you are. I have never seen one of your kind before.”
“I am a race known as a kenku, although we are commonly known as wildings. We don’t originate from this continent.”
“I see. Then how did you end up in Asterfal?”
“There are a few small Kenku settlements across various territories where members have travelled over the years. I have been here in Asterfal with my nest now for almost five years. What brings a fae to Asterfal? Your kind is usually as frowned upon as my own.”
SJ was a little taken aback by his forthright comments but couldn’t argue with his statement. Fae was indeed frowned upon by so many. Still, she had come up against enough racist comments since her arrival. “I am an ambassador for a town several days travel from here.”
“I see.”
“May I ask why you say your kind is frowned upon?”
“Many of my kind are thieves. Our reputation precedes us in most cases. I am an alchemist, and my partner is a jeweller, and we are both clerics by class.”
“Do you not follow the church?”
“We have our own beliefs. We believe in the gods as many of the clerics of Amathera do, but don’t follow the ways of the Amatherean Church.”
“I see.”
“Very unusual for a wildling to be based in a city,” Dave suddenly spoke.
‘Where have you been? You haven’t spoken all morning.’ SJ thought in reply.
“I was watching the latest release of John Wick. I love the main actor. You could learn a lot from him.”
SJ had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Yawnee re-entered the kitchen and hurried around making the coffee before presenting them both with a steaming mug. Kibble jumped from SJ’s shoulder and cautiously moved towards Caperca, sniffing his hand.
“Thanks, Yawnee,” SJ said. “I missed you yesterday. You were out when I came back.”
Yawnee let out a deep sigh. “We had to go to the brewers guild.”
“For what reason?”
“It was our annual review.”
“You have annual reviews? I had no idea.”
“Yes. They go over all our quotas and then grade everything for the previous year.”
“How did you do?”
“Not good. We have been docked a grade.”
“What? Why?” SJ asked in shock. Yawnee and Lurtew worked every day making barrels for the guild.
“They had decreed that the barrels were not of the expected quality compared to previous years.”
“That’s ridiculous,” SJ barked.
“There is nothing we can do about it. If we wish to continue performing our trade-in Asterfal, we have to work through the guild. There is little we can do about it.”
Lurtew walked into the kitchen and froze as Yawnee had to see the wildling sitting at the kitchen table. After a moment, he spoke, “Morning all.”
“Morning Lurtew. Yawnee was telling me about your review.”
“Don’t get me started,” he scowled angrily. “That new supervisor is a jumped-up obnoxious upstart who wouldn’t recognise quality if it smacked him across his lizard face.”
“Lurtew, this is Caperca. He had lost his load outside, so I invited him in for a coffee before he continued back to his store.”
“That is why there is a huge wagon parked outside.”
“I am sorry. Is it in your way?” Caperca asked.
“No. It’s fine,” Lurtew said.
“What happens with your new grading?” SJ asked, returning the conversation to the guild.
“Our rates for materials increase.”
“That is ridiculous!”
“What do you make?” Caperca asked.
“We are coopers,” Lurtew said, looking at the wilding. SJ could still sense uncertainty from Lurtew towards the wildling.
“Can you not change your guild to one more fitting?”
“What do you mean by that?” Lurtew frowned.
“There are other guilds which will hire good coopers. Not everything is controlled through the Brewers guild. I have heard enough bad stories since I arrived in Asterfal about the corruption of that guild.”
“Which guilds?” SJ asked.
“The alchemy guilds use coopers, and the smithing guilds hire coopers. Do you also make crates?” Caperca asked them.
“We have looked at other guilds before, and there are never any long-term or full-time contracts. Not specifically, but we can do it. Coopering has always been our profession, though, and barrels are our speciality,” Lurtew replied.
“Well, I don’t know the rates they pay, but I bet they are fairer than the brewers guild. I can enquire if you wish when I speak to my guild next.”
“And why would you do that for us?”
“I would be returning a favour after the kindness SJ has shown me this morning. Anyway, I must be heading off. I need to open the store soon, so my partner and I will be wondering where I am with the shipment.”
Caperca stood, and SJ escorted him back downstairs. “If you come to District 12, my store is on Lerwisk Street. It is easy to find. Please make sure you call in, and I will speak to the guild about alternative work for your servants.”
The final comment made SJ stare in shock. “They aren’t my servants. They are my friends.”
“I am sorry. I just assumed, since you are the obvious house owner, that they worked for you.”
Before SJ could reply again, Caperca ushered the horses forward down the street.
‘He is rather forward,’ SJ thought.
“I have had very few dealings with wildings, but they are known for speaking their minds. They can come across as rude, but it is just their nature,” Dave said.
SJ returned upstairs, and after gathering the things she wanted for today, she turned to find Kibble tugging at the corner of the blanket on the bed. “Stop that. You will tear it,” she scolded.
“Come here. If you are coming with me today, you are going on your lead.” SJ picked the little beastie up and, taking the leather lead Darren had made for her, attached it to the small mithril collar that he wore.
“There we go.”
Kibble turned and looked at the lead and then attempted to bite it.
“No, you don’t,” SJ said., pulling the lead out of his way. Not considering it was attached to his collar, Kibble squeaked as he was suddenly dragged sideways. “Sorry.” SJ reached out and stroked his little head. The lead was only a few feet long, meaning that Kibble couldn’t take off and cause chaos, but it was long enough that he could sit comfortably on her shoulder as he usually did when she walked around. She wasn’t sure if he would continue to be able to do it when he grew fully, but at his current size, it would be fine.
Once Kibble settled on her shoulder, she made her way back downstairs. Yawnee and Lurtew were already busy in the garage as SJ entered.
“SJ. You need to be careful of that wildling,” Lurtew said, noticing her. “They have a bad reputation.”
SJ scowled, turning to Lurtew. “I would have expected better from you. Do fae not have a bad reputation.”
“Yes, but you are different,” Lurtew stammered.
“Not everything is always as you believe. Anyway, I need to go. I have things to do and only have a couple of days before I will head back to Killic again,” SJ said before she said something she might regret later. The manner in which different races treated each other still frustrated her.
‘Right then. I am going to go and see Holly. I have a job for her,’ SJ thought.
“I was wondering what you had planned for her after yesterday.”
‘She knows District 10, having lived there for years. If anyone can assist me in getting to the bottom of what is going on, she is. First, though, I will go and grab some clothes for them. They can’t walk around in those rags.’
It didn’t take SJ long to locate a tailor’s shop. Many of the stores were opening at that time of day, and SJ was the first customer in the store. It didn’t take her long to pick several items of clothing for the family and pay for them, placing them in her inventory. They weren’t fancy but practical clothes. Sizes weren’t a problem. Her skill as a tailor had allowed her to judge the needs of the basic garments they would require
The inn was only two streets away from her home, and she headed back towards it. The main inn was not open yet, and she suddenly realised she had no way to get inside, having given the key to Holly.
‘Damn it,’ she cursed. Quietness enveloped the street as she shrank, then took off to fly around to the front of the inn. She was unsure which window in the room they were assigned overlooked the street. Trying to judge the inside of the inn from the outside was not easy. She knew they had gone to the second floor and turned back away from the top of the stairs.
‘It has to be one of these,’ she thought as she flew to the furthest set of windows. The drapes were still closed, and she couldn’t see inside. Flying to the next, she again peered in. The inside was the same as she remembered from the brief visit: a large open fire, a table, and chairs sat by it. There was no sign of anyone inside, and she flew back to the window with the drapes before she knocked on it.
It wasn’t until after a while and several knocks that a recognisable face appeared from behind the drape. Harry stared at her wide-eyed. He pulled the drape back further before he opened the window. SJ flew in and landed on the bed. Joel was still asleep at one end of the large bed, and SJ could see Holly’s still form lying in the other. The room smelt of fresh oils, and SJ knew that they must have all bathed the previous evening.
“Morning,” SJ whispered, not wanting to disturb the sleeping forms of the others. She flew across the room. Harry climbed from the bed following her as SJ grew.
Harry stared at her in amazement. It was probably the first time he had ever seen a fae change size.
“I brought you some new clothes,” SJ said as she emptied her inventory onto the table. After sorting through them briefly, she turned to Harry. “These are for you,” she smiled.
Harry’s eyes were agog. Amazement painted his face as he took them from her and started to undress from his rags, pulling them on. As soon as he was dressed, he couldn’t hold back his excitement. “Thank you,” he yelled as he turned and ran back into the bedroom.
“Mum. Mum, wake up. Look what SJ has brought us.”
“What is that Harry?” SJ could hear Holly’s sleep-filled voice.
Holly came flying out of the bedroom, almost falling over. She stared wide-eyed at SJ and then at the clothes on the table.
“Morning,” SJ said. “These are for you.” SJ pointed to the pile of women’s clothes she had laid on the table. Holly walked over to the table and picked up the jacket that rested on the top. She held it in her hands for several moments, running her fingers across the material before dropping it again.
“What is it you are after?” Holly turned, looking at SJ accusingly.
“I am just after some information. That is all, and I believe you may be able to help gather it. You have lived in District 10 for a long time and also have told me about several things that were going on. That is if it was the truth.”
