Chapter Nine

Dawn was creeping in when they returned to the city. Jay retrieved his pack before escorting his two companions through the streets, much to the gawking of early morning risers. Leading them into a side alley next to the inn, Jay pulled himself over the back wall while the Drenz deftly leapt over the top, safely landing in the spacious back area of their new home. The many back alleys would allow for easy access to and from the various city gates in relative peace for the big cats. Jay would have to build a sheltered section for all three of them when time allowed.

After ensuring Kara and Bane were both comfortable, Jay walked back through the inn which was already bustling with early morning activity. Jay marveled at the work efficiency of Heidi and the women. New coats of paint already adorned the walls. The bar, tables and chairs were all lightly sanded down and the floors had the polish of fresh wax. The children were all occupying a booth in the corner where parchment, quills and ink could be seen stacked as they diligently practiced the assignments Heidi had given. Jay smiled in appreciation before stealthily creeping out of the front doors. He would only be in the way.

Hefting his pack of goods, he made the short jaunt to Market Circle, one of three market districts within Shren and the nearest to Drenz Rest. Here he sold most of the jewelry, clothing and other miscellaneous baubles and trinkets he had scavenged from the bandit camp. One piece of jewelry, a white-gold braided necklace with an emerald pendant, stuck out to him, and, while he no doubt could have sold it for several gold pieces, likely making it the most valuable item in his possession, something about it caught his eye and he could not bring himself to sell it, stuffing it deep into his pocket instead.

He had left his Drenz fur makeshift cloak with a tailor early on who, with excited eyes bordering on fanaticism, told him he would create a magnificent fur cloak with the material, to be picked up in a few days’ time.

Left only with his collection of personal and looted weapons, Jay made his way to the second market district, Smith’s Row as the morning sun crawled up the path to its peak. The first primarily dealt in the day-to-day necessities and luxuries, while the second catered to the needs of those who sought out arms and armament crafted by its namesake smiths. While it was named Smith’s Row, it was actually a series of streets orderly spaced in rows that covered what Jay judged to be several blocks worth of space.

Jay heard the area long before he reached it. The clanging, banging and clamor of craftsmen at work sounded out into the surrounding city. It was several hours of perusing the various smith’s wares before Jay felt prepared to try and sell his own. All of his previous items were easily sold, as prices for similar items were comparable and gave an easy point of reference for haggling, which Jay had never done before, but knew was necessary in this kind of world if he didn’t want to be taken advantage of.

Weapons and armor were different. Weapon and armor quality were measurements that varied slightly from smith to smith, and it took several hours of research before Jay felt confident enough to benchmark his own steel’s grade. With his research complete, Jay entered Vince’s Arms and Armor for a second time that day. He had visited Vince early during his research and the man struck him as a straight dealer, helpful when Jay posed questions but also brooked no nonsense.

It turned out that despite the relatively peaceful times in the various kingdoms, the guards still regularly fended off attacks from bandits, as well as so called rebels, and, occasionally, monsters from the west. Many people seeking fame and fortune also went hunting for the various monsters in order to collect long standing bounties. It was a dangerous profession, but was necessary and paid extremely well for those skilled or lucky enough to achieve success. There was even a central “Adventurer’s Guild” based in the capital, which typically hosted the monster bounties and various quests, a popular branch of which also resided within Shren.

Despite the fact it was labeled ‘Adventurer’s Guild’, it was really just a glorified mercenary’s guild. The title was typically used interchangeably, used to describe people who didn’t mind getting their hands a little dirty to make a living. The needs of the guards accompanied by the various adventurer factions managed to keep the smiths in business, for which Vince was grateful.

Jay looked over the various weapons on display once again as he waited for Vince to reappear in the front. The shop was attached to the workshop out back and sounds of hammering and tinkering could be heard bouncing through the door. Jay waited patiently. He knew a true artist at work could not be interrupted and that Vince would appear when he was able. It was several more minutes before Vince finally peaked through into the shop as he mopped his forehead with a rag.

“Back again, eh? Finally ready to show me all the crap you’ve been lugging around?” Jay simply grinned. He was definitely a fan of the big man’s honest personality.

“Yes sir. I have a few items I’m sure are better off as scrap metal, but I think I have some real gems stashed in here too,” Jay said as he gestured with a thumb at the still massive, but now partially empty makeshift pack. He started by pulling his own weapons out of scabbards and hidden locations around his body. The short sword, longsword and three daggers were all laid out on the blacksmith’s counter. Jay then pulled out the contents of his bag one at a time, organizing them along the entire length of the remaining countertop by quality. All counted, he had thirteen daggers, three longswords, five short swords and a one handed mace. By quality, he would have judged four daggers and a longsword to be scrap, two of the short swords and the mace to be poor quality, two short swords, five daggers and the remaining two longswords to be rather standard, while the remaining four daggers and short sword were of excellent make, which Jay pointed out as he went.

Vince perused the small armory set out before him before pointing at two of the scrap daggers, saying they were most likely salvageable, but Jay was, for the most part, correct in his assessment. Vince was impressed by Jay’s eye for detail. One of the excellent daggers had been even been crafted by a very famous smith many years ago, which Vince pointed out, informing Jay all about the Great Smith Zacharias and his craftsman’s mark, a notable Z that looked like a slithering dragon imprinted on the side of the blade. What could he say, he’d taken a shine to Jay, just as Jay had to him. All said, Vince offered Jay thirty-five gold for the lot. Jay considered for a moment, looking around the shop. Most of the weapons on display were standard quality, so after removing three of the excellent daggers, including the Zacharias, and the short sword, Vince, slightly disappointed in losing out on the dagger, dropped his offer to eighteen gold. The Zacharias blade alone would have sold for close to twenty, if not more.

Jay readily accepted, and after the transaction was completed, he asked Vince about custom works and his better wares, as he couldn’t believe the few excellent quality weapons displayed were the only ones Vince had crafted. Jay still needed a longsword to complete his weaponry and was hoping to requisition a replacement for his animal part claw weapons. Conflict warred in Vince’s eyes for a moment before he moved into the back workshop, returning with three cloth bundles.

Giant’s hands gently cradled each like a newborn child as he delicately withdrew each blade and set them within Jay’s view. The first longsword was exquisite, a masterpiece rivaling the dagger he now had stashed at his waist. The blade shined and the edges were honed sharp enough to easily slice rock, bone and steel. With wide eyes, Jay watched as the blacksmith withdrew the second weapon. A katana equaling the first blade was gently placed on the table. The long curved edge swept back, catching the light filtering in from the windows. The blade appeared to sparkle as the light bounced off the honed, layered steel.

The final blade stole away what little breath Jay still held. Just as the necklace had seemed to speak to him, this longsword begged to be held in Jay’s hands; to be wielded on the field of battle and to drink the blood of its master’s enemies.

Vince noted as Jay stared, trance-like, for long seconds at the black blade, which seemed to absorb the surrounding light, snuffing it out while the others beside it gleamed. As he reached out to grasp the hilt, a tingle raced up his arm causing him to flinch back in surprise. It was a moment before Jay recovered and simply pointed to the blade which had captivated his attention. Vince hesitated before quoting him six gold. Jay gaped at the price. The other two blades would easily go for ten times that and this seemed a greater treasure than both. Vince knew it was a beautiful blade but the truth was, he had acquired it at a rather cheap price from a traveling foreigner, same as the katana, albeit for a far heftier price tag, and informed Jay of this. The fact he wasn’t even sure what metal the blade was made of created a difficult to sell weapon. It wasn’t steel, of that much he was certain. It acted similar to steel, but no one would stake their gold or lives on an unknown.

Jay would not be dissuaded and, shortly thereafter, left the shop with the blade swinging at his waist in an equally black scabbard. It had not provoked another shock after the initial tingle, causing Jay to dismiss it as a one-off fluke and a product of the intensity of the moment. His total sales had brought his purse to thirty-eight gold, seventy-three silver and sixteen copper. His personal request for steel claw gauntlets had run him six more gold, but with Vince he was sure the quality would be excellent, so the cost was well worth it. The bandits had managed to accrue quite a stash of jewelry and heirlooms from their victims and Jay had managed to capitalize on his acquisitions. He did feel a little guilty selling the valuables of the deceased for his own gain, but they no longer needed them and Jay would be a fool to leave them in that camp for others to eventually find and do the same.

Fully weaponized, and with his purse bulging, Jay made his way to the third and final market across the city as the sun made its way back towards the horizon. All of the tanners within the city worked in this area per orders from the governor himself in order to contain the smell. Its official name was Tanner’s Square, as to fit with the naming trend. However, it had long ago received the nickname The Shit Pot, due to the terrible stench of the tanner’s practice.

Jay winced as the first smells wafted past him. It was a nickname well deserved, but he would not be deterred from his purpose. He had his weapons but he still required some form of defense, and in order to take advantage of his natural agility and reflexes, he preferred to equip a lighter set of armor. It was another two hours before Jay left a shop with a black leather cuirass to match his sword. The cuirass was tough, thick leather, with chain mail woven and pressed into the material. It was both light and, with some minor adjustments, had fit him well.

He had previously picked out a pair of black leather gauntlets plated with steel at Vince’s shop, as well as a pair of black steel toed boots and similar plate greaves that covered his shins and thighs. Vince told him the plate could be stained black and, due to his patronage, Vince had tossed in the service for free.

The colors of sunset streaked across the sky as Jay made his way back to the inn to unburden himself of his load in the far room. Heidi had assigned everyone rooms and had graciously given Jay the suite at the end of the hall, despite his protests to the contrary. The children were split into boys and girls rooms, while the women were paired off with those of similar age who got along well together. This left four rooms available for rent to patrons.

Over the course of the day, the repairs and touch ups to the building had gone smoothly, and the refurbished inn would be ready to open by the week’s end in three days’ time according to Heidi. Jay passed her a few additional gold from his replenished purse to ensure everything would be covered. After spending some quality time with Kara and Bane before they left to go hunting, Jay once more headed out into the rapidly darkening city.

Jay made his way to the only bank in Shren to deposit his newfound wealth as the street keepers lit lamps along the main roads. It was the street keepers’ duty to maintain the main roads throughout the city. Cleaning, maintenance and lighting or snuffing lamps were their main concerns. Jay had been pleasantly surprised when he learned that all major cities held sewage systems constructed by mages specializing in earth manipulation. Shren’s sewage system was fed and drained into the river Ygg which was a few miles south of the city, and ran northwest to southeast before curving south into the dense elven forests.

The bank stayed open several hours into the night, so Jay was not overly concerned with the building closing as he strolled through the still bustling streets of Shren, appreciating the sights, sounds and smells of the evening city. Well-armed and fearsome looking guards flanked the entrance to a marble building as Jay entered. For a small fee of three silver, Jay was able to set up an account which would be available at all branches throughout the kingdom of Drenna and magically back up his account information. Even in a less developed world, he couldn’t get away from banks and their fees, he thought with a sigh. His balance of twenty-three gold and sixty silver was recorded in an enchanted logbook, of which identical copies could be found at each bank branch. He was then given an enchanted black token on a leather strap with which to identify himself for future transactions. Jay placed the strap around his neck, tucking it under his shirt with his now lightened purse of two gold, ten silver and sixteen copper.

After exiting the bank Jay made his way to Talli’s shop to check in on the girl who had yet to wake. He sat and perused another manual while chatting amicably with the ever busy elf. Tonight she was brewing tonics for a merchant’s family who had all come down with what sounded like the flu. After an hour of medicinal and herbal self-education, Jay invited Talli to dinner which she hesitatingly declined. As hungry as she was, she couldn’t leave until the tonics had finished which would take another hour and a half. Jay nodded in acceptance as he replaced his borrowed book and went in search of food.

A nearby restaurant held exactly what he was looking for, and after purchasing two meals with a little bit of everything, as well as two small fruit pastries, Jay returned to Talli’s shop, thoroughly surprising the elf who showered him with thanks as her stomach growled to the smells drifting from the plates. Jay hadn’t known what her diet consisted of, but figured he could get a little of everything and whatever she did not want he was sure to finish. They continued chatting as they ate. Talli told Jay much of elven society and customs while Jay told her of the few adventures he’d had over the past months.

Jay was surprised to learn that the elves of this world had no qualms about eating meat, which was good news, as he no longer had to worry about offending sensibilities. It was true however, that they valued all life and to intentionally waste that life was a great sin. Or so she stated as she polished off the last of her giant meal. Elves, as he had previously learned, were extremely long lived compared to humans, the oldest of which had reached a millennia in age. Much of their society was similar to their younger but more proliferate neighbors. They retained a council of elders which assisted the king and queen in matters of state. However, they did not have a noble class as societal importance was based on age, knowledge and wisdom.

Much of the old elven clichés that Jay knew held true. They were unmatched archers, their senses far superior to humans. Enhanced hearing, eyesight and smell along with the ability to be able to see in near total darkness. Their reflexes matched their senses. Much of their weapons and armor were magically grown and crafted, the elegance of their steel rivaling that of the northern dwarves. Jay wasn’t sure how much of that part of the discussion was bias and how much was truth, but the value of elven crafts was uncontestable.

When Jay broached the subject of why Talli had chosen to live amongst humans, she deflected the question, citing a vague need to journey out and improve her knowledge of the world. Jay took the hint and moved on. Jay was hard pressed to maintain his cover of amnesia, as Talli’s questions increasingly probed his knowledge and background. Some details he was able to reveal but others he could only shake his head and apologize. She kept him on his toes as he had to be careful to not reveal anything that would seem out of place or did not yet exist in this world.

Talli had finished her tonics and the conversation was winding down when they both heard a groan, followed by a scream from the recovery room. Jay was up and in the room with a dagger drawn before Talli could stand. He quickly sheathed his dagger as he saw a wild eyed and frightened girl slightly sitting up, eyes darting around the room before resting on a handsome man with a gentle smile on his face.

“Hello there, sleeping beauty.” Jay spoke in soft and friendly tones. “Glad to see you join us in the land of the living.” The girl shrunk back as Jay slowly moved to sit at the foot of her bed. “My name’s Jay Trinity. You can call me Jay. This lovely elf is Talli, the woman who has been taking care of you for the past few days.” Jay gestured at Talli who hovered in the doorway. The girl was silent for a moment, glancing between the two suspiciously.

“Wh-…” The girl croaked slightly before coughing. Jay helped raise her head and handed her a small cup of water which she greedily drained before weakly holding out the cup for more. Jay glanced to Talli who nodded before he refilled the cup.

“Slowly this time,” Jay said as he handed the cup over. The girl nodded and slowly finished the cup, which Jay promptly and patiently refilled.

“Where am I? What happened? Who are you, really?” The girl rattled off questions as Jay handed her the cup once more. She stared into the clear liquid as she continued. “I was on the way to Shren with my father. I remember the bandits. He…” she hesitated. “He died and they took me away. I was at their camp.” The girl’s eyes went wide as tears welled up and began flowing in earnest as memories of what she was subjected to returned in force.

Jay shifted closer and sat beside her, hugging her to his chest while gently stroking her hair and murmuring soothing noises and words. She clutched his shirt, drenching it in tears as she sobbed into his chest. They stayed that way until her tears dried and she brought herself back from the crushing memories. Talli had taken the opportunity to seat herself on a stool on the other side of the bed and began answering the girl’s questions as she composed herself.

“Right now you’re in my apothecary shop in the city of Shren.” Talli began. She gestured at Jay, “Jay saved you and the others from the bandits four days ago and carried you here. You’ve been unconscious the entire time.” The girl had finished wiping her tears but still looked incredibly fragile in Jay’s eyes, like the most delicate porcelain which could break at any moment if it was not handled with the utmost care. “For now you need to eat a light soup and continue resting to try and recover your strength.” She gestured to Jay to vacate the room as she gently began to check the girl over.

Jay went to Talli’s kitchen and twenty minutes later returned to the room with a bowl of broth with peas and carrots. The light broth mixed with the soft vegetables would help her nutrient deprived body acclimate to solid food.

“Open wide, sleepy head.” Jay slightly nudged the dozing girl resting against the wall.

“Katie,” the girl said as she jerked awake. “My name is Katie.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Katie.” Jay politely responded. “Now, open up. Your dinner is getting cold.” Jay gently commanded before slowly spoon feeding her the bowl of soup as she blushed at her own helplessness. Talli simply watched with eyebrows raised. The entire time Jay had been gone, Katie hadn’t said a word. She had meekly allowed Talli to poke and prod, but wouldn’t respond to a word Talli had said. After finishing the bowl of soup, Jay helped her lay back down. As he and Talli moved to leave, the girl grasped the hem of Jay’s shirt.

With pleading eyes she begged, “Don’t go…” Jay hesitated before he nodded and returned to his seat on her bed, stroking her hair as she closed her eyes. A half hour later, Jay exited the room to an amused elf. She praised his bedside manners, joking that her books and knowledge must be rubbing off on him, and asked him to return tomorrow morning. Talli had a feeling the girl’s recovery would be easier if Jay was around. Jay simply shrugged and yawned as he agreed to come back tomorrow, however, he had an appointment with the governor in the afternoon, so he could not stay the entire day. With arrangements made, Jay returned to Drenz Rest, which he noted with a tired mind was filled with studious women and children as he quietly passed through on his way to bed. Kicking off his boots and dropping his shirt on the floor, he landed on the straw mattress and was instantly whisked into darkness.