Chapter 6

Yvonne gave me an evil look, refusing to speak with me for some odd reason the next morning. I left her be and headed to breakfast next door. The Stalwart Tavern was almost full and it even contained a few familiar faces.

Instead of my usual seat in the corner, I pulled a chair next to Sir Laughing Boy, sitting next to him and his cronies. “Morning, Sir Laughing Boy.” At his grimace, a few others at the table started getting angry at my imposed nickname of the honorable knight officer.

“Good morning, Lady,” he replied with his customary smile intact, quelling the other knights.

I poked him playfully. “You can call me Cynthia.” The tables around us began whispering. “Do drop by and speak to Yvonne for me, please. It seems she is missing something and sincerely needs your assistance.” I stood and waved bye before absconding to a different table. My usual one.

The tale of the maiden and the basilisk began in earnest. I deliberately ignored the tale being spun and snuck out after a quick meal. Off to beard the dragon in his den.

The sole person in the front of the White Shield stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me through the unshaded windows. Mincing my steps, I inched in with my head down as a reluctant child done wrong.

“I ottah spank you,” Richard declared menacingly.

Jumping up and down, “Goodie.” A long-suffering sigh escaped his lips. “Deana, we have a guest.” Seconds later the dark blonde armor smith entered with a hurt expression.

Ignoring Richard, I went up to the much larger woman and hugged her strong but smaller than expected waist. Deana was almost ten full inches taller than me and the first time hugging her really brought that home. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you. I just hoped for a few more days where I could hide. I never intended to display my power, but was ambushed by the basilisk and had to fight him to the death. Nothing good will come of everyone knowing, so I naively tried to put it off for as long as I could. I was wrong and am sorry for not telling you earlier.” I babbled.

“It’s okay, grandpa explained it to me this morning. I have to get back to work.”

“Bugger that.” Deana didn’t like swearing even if it were done by someone else. I grabbed my friend’s hand and didn’t release it.

“Master Richard, I have need of your journeyman for the day. You may price her services according and I will meet them when we return.”

“I have work. I am not like you and can do whatever I want,” Deana tried to object and pull her hand away from my clutches.

“It is not your decision. Master Richard? Your answer.”

He nodded, “Deana, go with her and report on Lady Cynthia’s activities.”

“Grandfather, I still have scrollwork to finish for...”

“Deana, attend Lady Cynthia,” he snapped.

“Yes, grandfather.” Unwillingly, she removed her oversmock and handed it to her Grandfather.

Thank you. I mouthed to him. He nodded; he had never been angry in the first place. I knew he, of all people, would understand.

First stop was the tavern for an ale for the both of us. “Look at the other tables. No, don’t stare. Not like that either. Sheesh, you’re hopeless.”

We left our watery ales half-finished after spending little time commenting on the soldiers all observing and gossiping about me. Grabbing her wrist, I dragged the much larger and muscular woman to various shops that I had frequented in the last week. Every single one reacted or overreacted upon recognizing me. The little pastry shop girl was one of the highlights. She almost jumped over the counter and sexually assaulted me while begging me to take her as a follower, servant, sex-toy, or any and all of the above.

“I loved those pastries. Do you think I can go back there easily anymore?”

“No,” the journeyman smith admitted.

“Remember the bakers with those amazing flakey rolls that your granddad loves, that nice gossip made the sign to ward off evil. What about there?”

“They are good folk, just superstitious,” she hedged.

I stood Deana up, facing her closely. “Deana, I do not blame them. Come on.” I was the equivalent to a dragon slayer. Of course, they would all act in extremes in my presence.

The next hour was the same. Seventy-five percent of the populace heard the tale, fifty-percent believed it from the knight troop that returned at sundown last night. The Order, Merchants, and Mages all confirmed it, and before three hours after sunset, the majority of the city of Belfast knew of me and the basilisk.

At the Adventurer’s Guild entrance, I paused. “The last few times I entered, this place was loud, fun, and energetic. Each time I entered, at least one person made a jest of taking me somewhere to have sex. Nothing insulting, just teases. Go on. Just don’t react, see what happens when you enter. I pushed the reluctant woman in through the opening, closing the door behind her at the burst of noise. Then I followed five seconds later to abrupt absolute silence.

“Hi guys, this is my friend Deana. Be nice to her or I will have Lars breathe on you.” A few unsure polite chuckles came from nearby tables. The only one who reacted was the big man himself. He lifted his new shield and batted the axe against it, standing tall and proud. Soon the hall was full of applause.

Not knowing the proper response, I did what I would have done in my home world if I was out with friends. I stole Lars’ Ale and finished it.

“A round on me, I called out.” I held up the empty mug. “One for her too. And you over there in the corner, no swearing – that one is a proper lady unlike you lot.” Not that I knew who that person was, I just was making a point for the rest of the crew.

While everyone was getting a refill, I dragged Theresa from her endless paperwork and had everyone sit in a circle. I regaled them with my poor skills telling the tale of the Maiden and the Basilisk.

Heckles, catcalls and the like appeared as the atmosphere broke. I spoke of the two knights that saved my life and the healer that wanted my secrets, who left without a word when I refused to give into her demands. Causing the room to get angry. I spoke of the merchants and mages low balling my efforts, to disgusted mutters. I concluded with my entering the city and gorging on pastries before finding these fools.

“We’re off. Be good kids. Oh, and Lars.”

“hmm?” he replied jovially.

I got in his face and grabbed his scraggly beard. “If I find you drinking tomorrow, I will extract your liver through your spine and serve it to the dogs. We all suffer losses. Its life. We live, we love, we win, and we lose. Giving up is the only crime. Grieving for a period is acceptable. Failing to live is NOT.” Releasing his beard, the oversized man collapsed in his chair sliding to the ground.

“You are his friends. He is down. What are you all waiting for? Help him up.” I was third to offer him a hand. Others reached to get there first. “You are not alone, Lars.” I patted him on the arm.

“Neither are you.” I whispered to Theresa on my way out, leading Deana by the hand.

This time we went to the merchant’s Guild. Striding up to the counter, “Hi,” the man behind the counter looked like he was about to be eaten by a demon. A manager came out of an office and took over.

“My friend here wants to get a chess set for her grandpa. Lots of knight motifs. Any suggestions?” After that the manager started speaking of using Diamonds and rubies to make pieces from. I stopped him with a palm to my forehead.

“That’s absurd. Do you expect a journeyman smith to be able to afford diamonds and rubies?” Turning to Deana, “is the picture getting clearer?”

“I’m sorry for getting upset.”

“I was, am glad you did. It proves you like me. Come on. These morons’ brains are broken. Taking her hand, I dragged my larger friend to her home, a small second-story four-hundred-square-foot flat. I didn’t know why she moved out from Richard’s large house and didn’t ask. We sat, ate some stale cheese she had stored, broke apart yesterday’s bread, and opened a bottle of red wine. No label. just a wax seal and a wooden cork.

“I’m not from this world. At least I don’t think so. I appeared ... and after I met your grandfather I hoped to stay for a while. Not too long. There is a lot I want to see on this world. You can tell Richard later when you are alone and in a safe place, but no one else. Friends?”

“Friends.” We hugged, that girl was solid. And not just in the literal sense.

“I may have to do some odd things sometimes. Don’t take them to heart.” She thought she understood. “I think your grandfather is worried about you. Let’s go back.”

Richard was indeed worried about her. Deana reacted badly from hearing I kept secrets from the both of them. I probably was her first real friend since she was young and felt betrayed. Metal smithies are almost completely dominated by men. Even as strong as she was, scrollwork was difficult and fine detail work was her chosen specialty. Her body didn’t have the mass to keep up with the men, so she chose to do the hardest, most mentally intensive work in the shop to prove her worth. Since Deana enjoyed the environment and was encouraged by her grandfather and elders, her work excelled. Noticeable talent increased her worth both to herself and to the shop.

Richard was dealing with a young knight when we returned. He looked up, nodded and returned to discussing the particulars of the replacement elbow piece. The current one was damaged beyond repair.

“I need to go back to work.” Deana informed me before heading to her enclosed workspace. I pulled a chair next to the old smith behind the counter and observed. The young knight was obviously one of the groups that didn’t know of me yet. His puzzlement was understandable. Not that Richard paid either of us any heed and continued on with his questions.

Richard found a replacement that met both of their criteria, and after the kid removed his armor he left half dressed. I thought it was a funny look. Tan long-john top and steel plate-armor trousers.

“Better?”

“First, we went to ... and the pastry girl, wow, over the top ... by the time we got to the Merchants Guild. I did say to them she wanted it for you. They still proposed diamonds and rubies ... then we went back to her place and chatted.”

“She takes after my daughter...” he stared at the back wall unfocused.

“Deana is a wonderful woman. You might want to consider letting her get out more.”

“No one is good enough, I looked.” He knew his standards were too high. No parent thinks that anyone is good enough for their children. Grandfathers were even worse.

“See that shield?” I pointed to the one in the glass case that was enchanted.

“No fear of dust, rain and anything. But what good does it do in a glass case? A shield is meant to protect. A life is meant to be lived.”

A long drawn out sigh escaped him, “I am too old.”

“Nah, any younger and you wouldn’t be you. You would be some know-it-all whippersnapper, like me.” Even though he never heard that term before he grasped the meaning.

“If I knew beforehand that the basilisk’s blood was poisonous, I would have ran like hell. I was damn lucky that it didn’t kill me three times over.”

“Three times?”

Since no one was around I gave the condensed, yet true version. He understood most of what was left unsaid.

“Any word on an enchanter?”

“Orin. Ask at the Mage Guild, he only returned from Crystal Plains three nights ago.”

“Hopefully, he is free then.”

“Get, I have work to do.” I got.

I made my way to the Mages’ Guild, retracing my steps from earlier. Though this time was without the frequent stops. I pretended to not notice the squad of mounted soldiers with the baron’s colors on their tabards heading to Yvonne’s as I exited Richard’s White Shield.

An apprentice was copying from a book or tome or whatever they called it here onto a scroll, when I entered the Guild. Though without the fancy squiggles along the edges.

“Excuse me, I would like to see Mage Orin if he is available.”

“Is he expecting you?” The kid in the yellow robe didn’t even pause his transcribing. Good focus.

“No,” That is why I was asking if he was available ... okay, maybe not so good of a focus...

“Your name and purpose please.”

Ah, rote questions. He probably asks the same ones, time and time again, “Lady Cynthia.”

I winced. Poor kid, that is going to leave a mark. He would have to start over, I thought, as he shouted after dumping the ink over his foot-long scroll. Drawing attention from everyone in the room.

“What’s going on here? Oh, it’s you.” That was a new. “Jerrimaih, clean that up and report to Master Lance for punishment.” The miserable kid hurried off. “Who are you here for?”

“Master Orin, Mage,” I replied politely.

“Why?” I wondered at the hostility.

“I would like him to enchant something for me.”

“He is not taking commissions.”

“Is Guildmaster Clair in?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Not yet.”

“She is busy. Leave your name with one of them and go away.” he offhandedly gestured at the other apprentices manning the counter.

“I am in no hurry. I can wait.” Since they had no chairs, I promptly sat in the middle of the floor in the lobby of the Mages Guild. I knew how to deal with a stonewall. The best way was be ugly enough that it was easier to quietly do what I wanted, in hopes that I would leave soon.

“You can’t sit there. I don’t care who you think you are.”

“What is going on out there?” the voice sounded like it came from far away. I couldn’t even tell the gender.

“Master Lorn, she barged in here and threatened one of the apprentices, now she refuses to leave.”

Ignoring them, I felt something help me concentrate and used that. While waiting and making a spectacle of myself, I worked through what I could do differently to change the Strike skill. I knew I was missing something fundamental. When I rotated my wrist and thrust, the energy gathered like this ... but when I did Smash, my fist was squarer and more straightforward. I could feel the energy gather with the sudden acceleration. Like this! Whoosh. What if I do it with the palm like Horror Touch? No ... even with the acceleration it still lacked something.

Hmmm... something in this building was helping my focus, I’d definitely have to return for more practice...

Oh, someone was talking to me ... I looked up to see Sparklie mage. “Sorry, I was trying something and lost track of where I was.” I hopped up and brushed myself off. “Can I take some of your time?”

“Lady Cynthia, what was that just now?” She had eight of her closest friends with her. I think I overdid it again.

“Guildmaster Claire, I’ve been trying to figure out how to alter the strength of my attacks.” I heard a few hisses from the peanut gallery. The mage in peach robes looked ill.

“Any luck?”

“I am getting closer. When I focus the energy, and begin to thrust, it condenses as normal. At the critical release point, I think I should be able to control it, but am missing something. For now, I can either release or choose not to release.”

“Would you care to demonstrate for us?”

“This is my Jab.” After I demonstrated my basic Jab, I switched how I attacked for them, “Now this is without releasing the energy. I might have to try a couple times; I’m just figuring this out.” Three Jabs later, I was able to use the skill without the energy on the third try. My eyes popped as the pain from the backlash running through my hand was harsh, similar to punching a wall of needles.

Rubbing my hands together, “Ow, that hurts. I think the energy backlashed.”

“Indeed it did, that was ... remarkable,” she spoke. As expected of a Mage Guildmaster, she saw much more than I did.

“I hope you will forgive me; I don’t think I will be trying that again today.”

“That’s quite alright. But please. Whenever you are free to experiment with your spells like that, I would love to join you.”

‘Cough, can I come too’. ‘Me too’...

I noticed it was dark out... oops... “Sorry for being a pest.” I sighed at the long day passing with too little to eat.

“This is the mages Guild, Lady Cynthia. What you just did will never be a bother. If you need, you can even use our training facilities. We would be happy to accommodate you.”

Bringing me back to the reason I came to the Guild, “Was there something you needed me for?” Claire asked.

“I was hoping to have a chance to meet Mage Orin, but it seemed I wasn’t ... liked?” Her head whipped so fast, that I wasn’t the only one who jumped. An older bald gentleman replied ‘Hank’ without prompting.

“Then I asked to make an appointment to see you. When that was rejected, I decided to wait for you and somehow got distracted.”

“Lance, where is he now?” Claire followed up with a question on ‘Hank’s’ location.

“I sent him to his room for now. I was preoccupied.” ‘Mage Lance hinted that I was the cause of the preoccupation.

My stomach rumbled; I burned a lot of energy fooling around. “Is it possible for me to get an appointment to see Mage Orin? It’s getting late and I burned too much energy. I do need to eat.”

A few rueful chuckles spontaneously emerged, “How does ten tomorrow sound?” Clair asked.

“I would be grateful.”

“If you have time, would you visit me after?” The Guildmaster way-yy too politely asked. If I said ‘No.’, I feared that begging or kidnapping was the next alternative.

“I think I can. I’m not sure how much time he will need.”

“I look forward to your visit tomorrow. Have a good evening, Lady Cynthia.”

“I really am sorry for the commotion, Guildmaster. Night everyone.” The elder mages surrounding the Guildmaster all wished me a pleasant night expressing various amounts of regret at my departure.

Oh Boy!

“Did anyone else notice that?” Clair asked her tower masters in a reserved manner.

“I definitely did not see a girl, barely old enough to be half way through apprenticeship, just directly manipulate mana,” stated the head of apprentices. Copious sweat soaked his robes.

“It looked that way to me.” Cough...

“She might be writing the spell in her consciousness and releasing it through motion. Since not all spells need a material or a regular manipulator,” Bats wings, eyes of newts, etc... “Instead, she may have been taught how to replace the verbal component with a physical manipulator, in this case a punch. Her master is a genius. They may not even be human.” The eighth master present, a summoner, had a different view which the others hadn’t considered.

“If the master is not human, is she?” one asked.

“She is, I had a chance to scan her. Just that she has an absurd amount of mana,” replied the Guildmaster.

“Guildmaster, is her mana concentration high enough to break the limitations of normal spells?”

“I think...” Their discussion continued into the early morning.

I wasn’t sure of the time and since the food stalls were all shut down in that part of the city, I made my way to the tavern. I missed my watch for the thousandth time. Thankfully, the White Tavern was open until midnight most nights. One of the girls, a child of a current White Order knight, brought me some stew, bread, and an ale. Only one other table was occupied, a trio of younger recruits sat quietly and chowed on their late supper.

For once Yvonne was not at the desk when I returned. A woman even older than Richard snoozed in her chair. Quietly, I bypassed the sleeping woman only to find a scroll hanging from my door.

Dinner tomorrow at the Baron’s... “Yay...”

...

“Why did you tell Sir Lakewood I was looking for him?” An irate landlord growled at me on my way out to breakfast.

“Was I wrong? Did you not want to confirm that I knew them?”

“Just go,” Yvonne fumed.

“He is pretty handsome, isn’t he?” I grinned, hurrying to open the exit door. Yvonne’s response was not repeatable in the presence of small children, farm animals, teens, nursing mothers, hardened criminals, fishwives, or goats.

Speak of the devil... To my surprise Sir Lakewood rose when I walked in the Tavern for breakfast, “My Lady, your fans arrived from the mage Guild. And I must thank you again for your generous gift. With the tooth, I can get a new shield made.”

“Shield? I thought you would have it made into a weapon?”

“I believe that a shield would be more useful with the properties of the tooth.”

“I hope it works as you expect. Can you deliver the fans to the my room later?”

“Assuredly, my Lady.”

“Thanks. One other thing, Sir Lakewood,” ‘Jarl’, he corrected, “Be gentle with her.” I quietly advised while patting his overly tall and broad shoulder before finding an open table. Being 5’2” had its disadvantages. Flabbergasted, Jarl Lakewood stood mute in the center of the tavern. After sitting at my usual table, I regarded the pleasant knight while waiting for the girl to take my order. Only after getting unstruck by that thunderbolt, did he make his way back to his breakfast.

I had always been very good at reading people. No idea why, it certainly didn’t come from my parents. Dad was and would always be clueless unless mom hit him with a piano. The last few years at my job practicing as the unofficial plant mediator advanced my natural talents in that area even more.

Since my transfer on this new world, I was even better than ever at understanding people and the motives behind their actions. I don’t consider myself flawless, just pretty damn good at reading the barely hidden in people’s behavior.

Having a couple hours to kill, I headed out to Richard’s to chat, bringing the Baron’s invite with me. I wanted his opinion.

Richard agreed with me that this was more of a sounding out than a service offer. But. If I sounded like I would be amenable, that would not preclude the Baron from offering one.

I slipped in back to peek on Deana’s work. She had her own work space. It wasn’t very large and the only room in the smith with one door with a small window in the double walled room. The extra walls were necessary to minimize sound from the constant hammering.

I watched the larger woman at her station, sitting on a wide triangular stepped stool while polishing a curved front shoulder piece. Since she wasn’t doing fine work, I knocked. At her wave I entered and chatted for a bit before returning to the front. I didn’t want to interrupt the work she was so proud of.

After returning to Richard’s side so that Deana could get some work done, the old smith asked me to watch the storefront while he used the little boy’s room. I had no issues, besides outside customers were few and far between. Most of the work done was strictly for the Order or the local nobility. City guards used other, less expensive smiths. They didn’t need, nor could afford, the high tier armor sold in this shop.

Of course, someone just had to walk in at that moment...

“Gramps, I’m back!” A well-built, early-twenties, brown-haired, goateed man announced his presence loudly. I recognized the neat sturdy clothes of a successful craftsman. He stopped and stared at me suspiciously, “Who are you?”

“Good morning, customer. I am Cynthia, may I be of service?” Obviously, he was familiar enough with Richard to call him ‘Gramps’. Probably a cousin of Deana or friend of the family.

“Why did Gramps hire a shop girl? What are you after?”

Attacking me already? Sheesh. “I’m helping out while Richard is occupied. May I assist you with something, Goodman?” the intruder’s eyes dangerously narrowed at my casual use of the Master Smith’s name.

“What are you up to?”

“I am sure I don’t understand?” I understood all too well...

“What’s the noise?” Richard entered back in, moving to his seat behind the counter while I stood and assisted him with my fingertips lingering on his arm. I wanted to see how far this would play out.

“Richard, dear. This noisy customer was seeking you.”

“Jin is not a customer, Cynthia. He is a friend of Deana’s.”

Offering my hand, “I’m Cynthia, a friend of Richard and Deana. It’s nice to meet you.”

Blatantly ignoring my proffered peace offering, he barreled on, “Gramps. If you wanted a shop girl, my cousin Niki is looking. I told you before. Strange women only want to use you and take your money.”

Master Smith Richard, who was at least in his early seventies, coughed a smile, originally thinking that this was a joke, “What would a pretty girl want with me?”

“You’re so sweet. Besides, older men have charm. Why wouldn’t I like you?” I patted his hand.

“Whore! Keep away from him.” I was shocked at the sudden outright attack. Completely unexpected, I was stunned speechless. That left an opening for him to rush on. “Gramps, she just wants to use you and get your money.”

Richard coughed, that time I was not sure if it was from outrage or amusement. I patted my friend’s back while retorting, “I’m not a whore and I would appreciate it if you left.”

“Admit it, you are just after his money. Even using makeup at an armor shop. Master Richard, this type of person is the worst. She will bleed you dry.”

“Enough! I will not have you besmirch Cynthia any further. Get out!”

“I will not. If this whore steals all your money, what will happen to Deana?”

“Richard, I think I should go. I’m upset.” I stood and started to leave. Inexplicable anger and a flood of sudden sadness overwhelmed me.

“Gerrold, Aims, get out here!” Two younger smiths rushed out from the back. “Cynthia, stay please. You two, Jin is about to leave. See him out. NOW.”

“You’re taking her side over me? Master Richard, she is bewitching you.” The irritating guy was out in a flash. Both smiths that Richard summoned were huge. One was even larger than Lars.

Richard came up to me while I fought tears. Freaking hormones. Freaking teenaged GIRL Hormones! I was so angry I could spit. “Cynthia...”

“Let me guess. Deana’s suitor.”

“Yes, Jin is the nephew of Alex at the White Mace.”

“‘If I steal all your money, what will happen to Deana... ‘“

“I know that he has been after Deana for control of the Shield. But she hasn’t said no.”

“Too soft.” Still not cooling down. “I am going out. I am supposed to go to the Mage Guild. Not sure if I will be back later.”

“Child, please do not take things he said to heart.”

“If that man comes within arm’s reach of me again, his family will need a closed casket.” I left. It wasn’t Richard’s fault. Gods, I was PISSED. FUCKING TEENAGED GIRL’S HORMONES!!!

Returning to the inn, I stomped up the stairs, flopped on my bed and cried. Ugh. So, this was the negative of being a girl. Fucking HORMONES. I washed my face and headed out to the Mages Guild. Headache and anger in tow...

“Master, will she be back?” Asked Gerrold, the larger of the two journeyman smiths. His primary job was repair. Banging out the dents from heavy plate was the most physical demanding of all the jobs at the Shield.

“Cynthia just needs to cool down. She is still very young.”

“About Jin, Master?”

“It’s time to pay a visit to Alex.”

“Master, she wouldn’t really kill Jin, would she?” worried Aims aloud. The girl he had seen with his Master up to now was sweet and cute. Master Richard hadn’t smiled that much since his wife died.

“I’m afraid she wouldn’t stop at just Jin.” Richard worried for, not about his new friend. “Watch the front, Aims. I’m going out.”

Entering the White Mace, “Child, where is Alex?” The Master of the Shield asked the latest attendant of the weapon shop.

“Master Alex is at the forge, Master Smith.”

“Good.” The older smith walked past the counter boy and into the smithy, blowing off the feeble attempts of the youngster to prevent intrusion. Finding Alex was easy since the Master always occupied the number one station centered in the large smithy.

“We need to talk, Alex, bank that blade.”

Angry and curious, no one entered into another’s domain and gave orders. Even if it were from a respected elder smith. “What’s the issue, Richard?”

“Private.” Was Richard’s response without giving away anything.

After handing off the work of folding the new blade to a journeyman, the master of the Mace washed up and followed his compatriot to the yard. Richard’s behavior was very odd and he needed an explanation or their lukewarm generational friendship would disappear.

“What is it that is so important, Richard?”

“Your nephew returned today and caused a scene in my shop.”

“He must have missed Deana, that isn’t so surprising.” The master weaponsmith was still not sure where this conversation was headed.

“Your nephew assaulted Lady Cynthia repeatedly. As far as naming her a whore, multiple times.”