« Chapter 02

Kvothe glared at the door a few meters away. The last rays of sunlight had already vanished from over the surrounding buildings and darkness now filled the alley. The smell there wasn’t as bad as central plaza’s, probably due to the lack of people. In the half hour he’d been there, not a single soul had come his direction.

He took a deep breath and began walking towards the door. Once more he looked at the sign that hung over it, "Lorraine’s” was beautifully engraved in cursive letters in the darkened wood. This was definitely the place Asha told him about.

Inside, a pretty woman in her thirties, stood behind the empty counter. She had light brown hair the reached the middle of her back, dark green eyes that lit with the prospect of that day’s first client. As soon as Kvothe entered the room, she gave him a good look and the courteous smile she had, vanished. It was and understandable reaction, since he wore his beginner clothes and was still sweaty from his training with Cain.

Despite the reaction, Kvothe remained impassive. He wore a serious expression, one that meant business.

“Are you the owner?” Kvothe asked.

“Yes, I am.” The woman answered.

“Then I presume you’re Lorraine. I’m Kvothe. Please show me your best wares.”

Despite being a request, Kvothe’s tone was demanding. Lorraine glared at him, but he still looked at her with serious expression. Kvothe glared back at her and their eyes met. A battle of wills had begun. One whole minute had passed before Lorraine broke eye contact and sighed. She moved to a near rack and grabbed a set of clothes.

“Here they are.” She said while putting them on the balcony, "This isn’t my absolute best since it’s a cheap material. But it’s a good sample that you may be able to afford.”

Kvothe let the comment slide mainly because he couldn’t afford even the cheapest of clothes. All he wanted was to analyze the clothing. It was marvelous. Despite the low quality materials, the clothes were beautiful and soft to the touch.

“So it was really true...” He muttered.

“What is?”

Kvothe’s comment spiked Lorraine’s curiosity since he was so focused on the clothes the moment he said it.

“What?” He asked returning to reality.

“You said something was true.” Lorraine explained, "What is it?”

“I said that out loud?” Kvothe tried to brush it off but Lorraine was still staring at him so he explained, "An acquaintance of mine said you were the best tailor in Rhodium.”

Lorraine laughed upon hearing that. That was the reaction he expected when he said it.

“I’m flattered.” Lorraine said, "But I’d be a fool if I believed that.”

“Well...” Kvothe said, "I agree with her.”

Lorraine’s raised an eyebrow at that. It wasn’t the kind of comment you’d expect from a customer that would probably have to haggle. Kvothe appearance cried he hadn’t a single copper in his pockets, and yet that’s what he said. Seeing that puzzled look, Kvothe decided to explain.

“I was skeptical at first as well. How could a no name shop have the best tailor in town?! So I went to your competitors. They all showed me their best work. All made with the best materials they could get their hands on, much better material than yours. But all of those were terribly made and the prices were outrageous.”

She had been extremely anxious at Kvothe's presence, an understandable reaction to his appearance. It did nothing in the least to inspire trust, any rational person would have considered his objectives to be less than upstanding. After the simple explanation, Lorraine's doubts were greatly assuaged and her harsh expression softened, even her posture loosened.

“Yours on the other hand...” Kvothe continued, "Even with this simple material, has a softness that is really close to those others. It looks practically seamless and even the fitting looks just right, and I’m quite particular about fitting. Have you chosen it especially for me or is it coincidence?”

At this point Lorraine’s chin was almost hitting the ground. A dirty random man had entered her shop and displayed more knowledge in tailoring than most of the people that actually worked with it. Kvothe raised his eyes from the clothes to Lorraine since she hadn’t given him an answer and waited. To that she just nodded in agreement.

“How thoughtful of you.” Kvothe said with an appreciative smile, "But that wasn’t necessary. Despite really wanting to, I won’t be able to buy this from you.”

Lorraine’s gape turned into a scowl. It was obvious she was furious with him. He had entered her store, wasted her time ,even demanded her best clothes and all along, he had no money whatsoever. She was about to throw him out when he spoke again.

“I came here to make you a proposition.”

The scowl turned into a glare. For a few long, silent minutes she glared at Kvothe and he didn’t budge, always looking her in the eyes. Murderous intent filled the air, obviously coming from the angry woman. Kvothe knew she probably wouldn’t attack him, but there’s always a possibility. Atmosphere had become so heavy that Kvothe was on the brink of excusing himself and leaving.

“What of it?” Lorraine asked without breaking eye contact or diminishing the intensity of the glare, "What kind of proposition?”

“Business proposition. A trade of sorts.” Kvothe said and waited for a response.

“Continue.” Is all she said.

Kvothe pondered if that was a wise decision. Maybe it’d have been better to leave and return later when she cooled off her head. But his intuition said that there would be no return if he left. He could almost see their low relationship index diminishing even more. It was all or nothing.

“I can help you save your shop.”

Despite Kvothe’s assumption it was impossible, Lorraine’s glare intensified even more. He could almost hear the gears turning inside Lorraine’s head trying to figure him out. It wasn’t hard to see that her financial situation wasn’t that great. The shop was so well hidden that it took Kvothe 40 minutes to find even with directions. She had a great stock of merchandise, and some had begun losing its shine from excessive exposition. But even with that, she was suspicious of Kvothe.

“What is in it for you? Since you know the condition I’m in, you know I can’t repay you.”

Kvothe still felt heavy air that filled the shop. Her mood was as bad as it could get and what he wanted to ask, would get him a sure no. So he took the leap of faith and unleashed his secret weapon.

“Would you believe if I said that I have a pure and noble heart?” Kvothe said feigning an innocent grin.

Lorraine burst into laughter. It was so infectious that Kvothe started laughing as well, and both laughed until they were left gasping. The joke was bad, but the atmosphere had been so intense that it was still effective. Bad jokes can be funny if told at the right moment.

The heavy, intense atmosphere that was filling the shop vanished. Lorraine’s mood appeared better as well.

“That was a good one.” She said while wiping some tears.

“Thanks.” Kvothe answered, "I’m glad you liked it.”

A awkward silence threatened to fall upon them, so Kvothe decided to take the initiative.

“I must apologize. My behaviour was less than appropriate. And I also wasted a lot of your time. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry too much about that.” Lorraine brushed aside the apologies, "It’s not like I was busy anyway.”

That behavioural change surprised Kvothe. He was good at gauging people’s moods and Lorraine had been about to burst from anger. But suddenly she was being amicable and easygoing. Unsure if or when an opportunity to strike would show itself, Kvothe decided to act quickly.

“Back to the proposition. I’m really interested in helping. You can send me to fetch materials, lure clients, whatever you want…”

“And in exchange?” She cut off Kvothe mid sentence.

“In exchange...” Kvothe gulped, "You teach me tailoring.”

Lorraine gave him a puzzled look. Apparently he had taken her off-guard with his request, since she took some time pondering her answer.

“You know...” She said in the same friendly manner, “You can learn it at the tailor’s guild for a really low price.”

“I do know.” Kvothe confirmed, “But I don’t like doing things half heartedly. If I’ve got to learn something I might as well learn from the best.”

Another moment passed before Lorraine spoke again.

“I’m flattered that you think so highly of me, but tailoring is not something I can just give away to anyone. Since my childhood I’ve dreamt of being a tailor and making people the best clothes possible. The time I’ve spent training and developing my skills isn’t measured by hours, days or months. For twenty five years I’ve cut and sewed to get where I’m at. For me, tailoring isn’t just a tool of trade, it’s my life.”

Kvothe stood there, speechless for a few moments. He almost couldn’t believe that Lorraine was just a program and not a real person. The complexity of her actions and depth of her thoughts were amazing. Especially since he knew real people that thought the same way she did, though he disagreed.

“I understand.” Kvothe answered, “I’m sorry for making such an inappropriate request. Had I know how much it meant to you I wouldn’t have even dared to think about it.”

“Sorry I can’t help you either.” Lorraine said apologetically, “I hope you find someone else to teach you. Tailoring is a wonderful art.”

Even after that bad start, Kvothe came to like her. Despite his disappointment, he wasn’t angry at her. After all, he could learn that skill at other places.

“It was nice to meet you Miss Lorraine.” He said while walking to the door, "I hope we meet again.”

He turned to leave, and found the door already open. Three men, two in full leather armor and one dressed in high quality clothes, were suddenly entering the shop. They shoved Kvothe out of their way and trampled in as if they owned the place. Kvothe glared at them but decided to leave it be since they were potential customers. The door closed behind him and his thought wandered to what should be his next step.

Muffled voices could be heard coming from inside the shop. Although Kvothe thought they were being a bit too loud, he gave them no further thought. In his mind he went over the list of numerous tailors he had visited and the quality of their products. There should be one eager to get an apprentice.

Male laughter could be heard coming from inside the shop.

Lorraine’s voice could now be heard as well, she was shouting.

Kvothe looked back at the door. He heard Lorraine’s scream.

********

“You’re already two months overdue. Pay me now, with the interest, and I’ll leave. But if you don’t...”

The speaker was the well dressed man. His companions were each on a side of him. At his cue, one of them grabbed a dress from one of the racks and tore it in half.

“No!” Lorraine pleaded, “Please, don’t destroy my merchandise. How can I get your money if you destroy my livelihood.”

“You know, invasion and damage of property can give some serious jail time.”

All people inside the shop jumped at the sudden voice. None had noticed the door opening and Kvothe standing there. He was leaning against the doorpost, arms crossed and sword in hand. One of the henchmen came at him.

“Go mind your own business.” The gorilla-like man said trying to look intimidating.

An aura emanated from the man confronting Kvothe. It was murderous intent. It wasn’t bad, but it felt like a breeze if compared to Cain’s. Kvothe gave a small sigh of exasperation.

“You’re in my friend’s. You weren’t invited here. You’re destroying her stuff and… Oh yeah… You’re threatening her. How can that not be my business?” He said in a single breath, “If you want me to leave I’ll do it, but I’ll return with a few guards to solve this problem.”

“Who said you’d be able to leave?” The man said approaching him.

Kvothe had no intention to fight, but he fell into a fighting stance nonetheless.

“Why do I always play the hero?! It’s stupid!”

He knew he’d die the moment the other man hit him. For that reason he wanted to intimidate them by mentioning the guards but, apparently they didn’t care about that either. His plan had backfired...Not that it was a good plan from the start.

“Boris, stop!”

They were about to clash when the well dressed man interrupted. One word and the big henchman had stopped.

“I don’t want you to get in trouble with the guards again.” The man completed.

“You’re lucky boss has such a good heart.” The man called Boris said, “Or you’d be dead already.”

“C’mon boys, we’re leaving.” The Boss said his minions, “And Lorraine, you’ve got two weeks to pay what you owe us or we’re taking this shop of yours.”

They smirked as they passed by Kvothe on the way out, he, in turn, glared them until they left the alleyway. As soon as they were out of his sight, Kvothe went to Lorraine. She had crumbled under the pressure and was in tears. He got her a chair and made her sit on it.

“So...” He begun, “What was that about?”

Between sobs she explained her situation to him. Those men were thugs from a local gang that appeared a few years ago. They were called The Black Bunnies. Vicious and ruthless, they were using every known way of extortion to gain control of the region. They had subdued most of the locals and had been using their shops as fronts for their own black market deals. Lorraine’s shop location was very concealed, perfect for clandestine dealings. Especially if you wanted to hide illegal products.

Ever since the Black Bunnies saw the potential of her location, they had been harassing her. All of the signs she put up were destroyed. The few clients she had were intimidated until they stopped showing up. And the shop had been targeted in various robberies.

All that had drained Lorraine’s finances, but she was stubborn and wouldn’t give up her shop. So she went and borrowed some money from the moneylender guild and managed to stay afloat. The attacks had also stopped after that, she thought they had given up on the shop. She thought wrong.

A few months after that, the Black Bunnies showed up in her store. After discovering her debt with the guild, they had bought it from them. That meant that her debt with the moneylender guild was now with them, but they still had to honor the contract that she and the guild had agreed on.

That contract however, stated that she had to pay them within one year. And that was in one month so, she had to pay them back soon, or they could collect her collateral. The shop.

Light sobs were the only thing breaking the silence that hovered after her story. Lorraine had her head down and hid her tears behind her hands. Kvothe stared at her blankly, the gears in his head spinning faster than ever.

“I’m sorry.” Lorraine said quietly without moving an inch, “That’s not of your concern. Thank you for your help.”

“What are you talking about?!” Kvothe said promptly, “You think I wouldn’t help you after hearing something like that?!”

“I can’t ask you to help me.” She said raising her head, “I can’t offer you a single copper coin as payment.”

“And who said I wanted payment?” He asked with a grin, "Cheer up! I’ve got a plan.”

She looked at Kvothe expectantly, waiting for him to explain the plan. An explanation was not forthcoming. Instead he asked.

“Do you have a bathroom?”

He was still reeking from Cain’s training. For his plan to work, he would first need to get rid of the stench. After all, people didn't like being approached by odoriferous things. Lorraine, however, didn’t understand the sudden change of topic.

“Yes.” She answered with a quizzical look, "There’s one in the back.”

“Ok. I’ll also need this.” Kvothe took the clothes she had shown him earlier.

Her puzzled look intensified, making him realize that it looked like he was just trying to rip her off. So he drew his sword and put it on her lap.

“Here, take it as a collateral. I don’t know it’s value, but for me it’s all I’ve got. It’s something as valuable to me as your tailoring is to you.”

(Lorraine still couldn’t understand what had happened...)

Without waiting for some response, Kvothe went to the bathroom with the new clothes in hand.

******

All his life, people said he was quite the charming fellow, but now Kvothe realized he had no advertising experience. He had been roaming through Rhodium for almost an hour, trying to lure people to Lorraine’s shop. It hadn’t been a successful venture so far. His techniques were more suited to court girls and befriend people than convincing them to visit a dark alley.

Upon arriving at the central plaza, he was so lost in thought he had almost fallen into a muddy pothole. As he felt the sudden change in the road, he looked down and saw the puddle. Reflexively, he quickly shifted his weight, making his step into a jump, and safely landed on the other side.

It was a terrible trap, since it blended really well with the road, making it almost impossible to dodge if one weren’t watchful. Had it not been for good reflexes coupled with an outstanding balance, he would have surely messed up his borrowed clothes.

The central plaza was a place filled with shops and cafes. Most of the famous NPC artisans of Rhodium, as well as a few players, had their shops there. The number people that went there, each day, was in the thousands. Kvothe’s decision of staying there was based on those facts.

He chose to sit at the plaza’s central fountain. It gave him a good view of the people that were passing by. Lots of well-dressed girls could be seen among them, so Kvothe begun analysing the situation. Most of them had what were called “Branded” clothing. High priced clothes that were reasonably well created, but lacked the fitting that Lorraine’s had.

His eyes had been following a group of girls, when he realized they were heading to where the puddle trap was. They hadn’t noticed it and were approaching it rapidly. Kvothe stood and begun running towards them, trying to warn them of the imminent danger. However they were apparently too excited with their conversation and couldn’t hear him.

It was too late. One of the girls had fallen into the puddle and had muddied all of her friends in the process. They were all trying to wipe themselves when Kvothe reached them. He offered the girl, who was still calamitously stuck in the puddle, his hand.

“Are you ok?” He asked with a charming smile, "That was quite a nasty fall.”

She gaped at Kvothe as if he was her knight in shining armor, then she went red from embarrassment. Kvothe turned his head slightly and kept the smile, he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable. While going through his growth spurt he suffered accidents all the time. That even owned him a nickname that lasted for quite some time and still embarrassed him.

“Thanks!” She said, taking his hand, "I’m fine nonetheless.”

He helped her stand and greeted her equally frazzled companions. This was probably a night they’ve been looking forward to, Kvothe observed. They were all wearing make-up (aka war paint), dresses and high heels. Probably heading for a group date or a girls night out. So the dismay in their voices when they greeted him back didn’t surprise him, since their dresses (and the night) had been muddied. Sensing their distress, Kvothe saw a golden opportunity. He only hoped their expensive tastes reflected well the contents of their purses.

He looked at the muddy girl. She was trying to wipe the mud off her fine silk dress. The originally white and green attire looked expensive. The monsters that produced such rare material were above level 300.

“Such a shame.” Kvothe said in a low depressed tone.

The girl turned and caught him staring at her. A deathly glare fell upon Kvothe and made him shiver. If she was as strong as her fighting spirit, he didn’t want to fight her under no circumstances. It felt as if three of the henchmen were holding swords at him and he was only in his underwears. He raised his open hands trying to show he was harmless.

“Wait, you misunderstood me.” He said quickly.

Cold sweat run down on his face. If she attacked, he’d be dead in the blink of an eye. That’s how weak he was. His hopes of surviving rested on the possibility of she hearing what he had to say.

“What are you talking about?” She asked angrily, "You were looking at my butt!”

“No...Well...I...” He gulped, trying to stop staggering, "I can’t deny I was looking at you, but the main reason is the dress you’re wearing.”

The murderous intent diminished, but didn’t disappear. Kvothe took that opportunity to take a deep breath. He’d have to explain himself really well if he valued his life. It all depended on this. His first step would have to be decisive. So he decided to introduce himself. Names are important things. They can increase your familiarity and make “the pervert” into a person.

“My name is Kvothe.” He wanted to be as thorough and straightforward as possible, "I’ve got a friend who is the greatest tailor I’ve ever met. She’s been teaching me about clothing and stuff, so I couldn’t help but admire yours. It’s made from such beautiful material.”

“Oh!” She let a surprise exclamation escape, "Thank you…”

“A shame it’s not really fit for you.” Kvothe interrupted.

“What?!” She asked, raising an inquiring eyebrow, "You just said it was beautiful...”

Kvothe gave her a comforting smile. He had her attention now.

“It is a beautiful dress. The tailor’s skills, however, were lacking.” Kvothe answered pointing while explaining slowly, "He neglected to take into account the curvatures of your body, especially around the waist. It clearly wasn’t made especially for you, maybe for someone with fewer curves. You must be feeling really uncomfortable with it. But the material is really good, a shame it was wasted in such savage way.”

She and her friends were gaping at him. Kvothe had never been knowledgeable about clothes or fashion, he had actually never cared about it. However, he was very cunning and knew how to feign knowledge in unknown subjects. His roam through Rhodium had taken him to the famous tailoring stores. In each he had asked about the best clothes and their particular features, receiving information about needlework, fitting and materials. All he needed to do was mimic that information and use the same terminology, and there you have a tailoring expert.

“You’re right.” The girl said still astonished, "This dress is uncomfortable as hell. But I’ve never worn a different kind of dress...”

“Really?! That’s because you’ve never met Lorraine. I’ll do you a favor. I’ll take you, com with me Miss...?” He said inquiringly looking into her eyes.

Rules of first encounters: offer your name before anything else and, if the person doesn’t offer their name back, don’t ask. A question fives margin to refusal and that margin is usually used. However, if you make a request, that margin is extinct. That’s the reason she couldn’t deny him.

“Luiza.” She told him with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Miss Luiza…” He said, savoring the name and offering his hand, "Allow me to take you to the greatest tailor in all Rhodium.”

His flawless smile was receive by Luiza’s slight apprehension. Nonetheless, she gripped his hand firmly. Kvothe turned to face Luiza’s friends.

“Will you come as well? I am sure there will be something.”

That was enough to convince them. Kvothe filled the short walk with small talk, getting to know the girls, and their names. When they arrived at the alley entrance, the girls stopped. Their anxious face and furtive glances showed their worry. It was indeed the bad part of town. Players knew it well, since it’s where cheaper weapons and armor [ of suspicious origins] could be bought.

“Kvothe, wait!” Luiza called him when he didn’t stop, "Are you sure this is the right place? Most stores here are just a cover for black market dealings.”

“I know, but she’s different.” He said. When their faces didn't change he gave them a wry smile and added, "You can trust me.”

Luiza answered with a smile of her own, and followed him into the alley. The others followed a few steps behind, ready to flee at the smallest sign of problem. Seeing that, Kvothe gave a small soundless sigh. He understood their reaction, since he had spent half an hour building up the courage to enter the shop, even with Asha’s forewarning.

Pushing the door open, he entered the shop and urged the girls to enter as he held it. Lorraine’s surprised look gave him an automatic smile. He had completed his part of the scheme, now, it was her turn.

“Girls!” He called, "This is Lorraine. Great friend and best tailor this world has ever seen. She’ll be helping you choose your new clothes this evening.”

Lorraine replaced the surprised face with a courteous smile, the perfect saleswoman face, and welcomed the girls. She gave each girl a good look and promptly surveyed her stock, picking different sizes and styles. Her skillful eyes didn't miss a thing and her various selections fit each intended girl perfectly.

“Such a beautiful dress!” One of the girls exclaimed.

“I can’t believe this used to be a fox pelt. It looks like high quality material.” Another said while touching a dress.

In the end, all of them decided to try on the clothes Lorraine had picked for them. Kvothe had to wait for them, while bearing the silent thank yous from Lorraine. When they reappeared, he’d comment on their appearance, but most of them were just compliments on how good they were.

Each of the girls selected a few clothes and waited for Lorraine to calculate the total sales price. Kvothe gulped in anxiety, he had told the girls it’d be cheap without having asked Lorraine the price of her merchandise. He just hoped his scheme wouldn’t come bit him in the ass.

“What?!” One of the girls screamed, "Is that really the price?”

He felt his heart rate speed up. Did he make a mistake in assuming her prices would be resonable?

“Yes.” Answered a perplexed Lorraine.

Remembering how highly she treated her tailoring it was obvious she’d never sell her products at low prices.

“Are you sure?!” Luiza asked for a confirmation.

“Yes, I am sure.” Lorraine confirmed.

Kvothe couldn’t hide his sadness. All that effort he put into luring clients would be a waste if her price was too high. At least now, he knew the strategy he would be using to lure clients.

“Then wait a minute… I’ll see if I find anything else I like.”

“Me too!”

“Me three!”

“Me four!”

The girls went back to the racks to search through more of the beautiful, and apparently low priced, outfits.Kvothe stood there in the middle of the store, gaping. Everything had exceeded his expectations.

Each time a girl tried something that didn’t fit her quite right, Lorraine would alter it within seconds. Her skill level was extremely high, since all she needed was a look. She got it right at the first time. Kvothe finally understood the god-like admiration Asha had displayed while recommending her.

A quick hour later, Lorraine and Kvothe were saying the girls goodbye. Each was outfitted in new clother and weighed down by the numerous bags they carried.

“Thanks for coming!” Lorraine said with a smile from ear to ear.

“Be sure to tell your friends about the shop!” Kvothe added.

The girls turned and left. They were already at the main street when Luiza said something, gave her bags to one of the other girls, and begun walking back to Lorraine and Kvothe. Thinking she had forgotten something, Kvothe waited in front of the shop. Lorraine had already returned inside, where she was setting things in order.

“Did you forget something?” Kvothe asked as soon as Luiza arrived.

“Erm...Hmm...No.” She was jumping from foot to foot, "I wanted to ask you something.”

Anxiety, Kvothe realized. Whatever she wanted to ask, wasn’t easy for her.

“Sure. Shoot!”

“Erm...I know we just met...But...”

“Oh, Yeah!” Kvothe interrupted her, "Can I add you to my friends list?”

Considering the girl's nervousness, he guessed that she wanted to ask the same of him. Instead of letting her get even more flustered than she already was, he asked her himself.

“Of course!” Luiza answered with a smile.

Kvothe sent her an invitation and she accepted. She had such a delighted look on her face that he answered with a truthful smile.

“Thanks! What was it you wanted to ask?”

“Nothing important.” She answered, dodging the question, "Gotta go now! My friends are waiting.”

“Hope we meet again!” He said as she ran back to her friends.

“Me too. Bye!” She waved from distance.

Kvothe watched as she left, her long, dark brown hair flowing in the wind. She was just his type of girl. Strong minded, courteous and, above all else, she had a smile that would make you steal the moon from the sky just to see it again. With that thought, Kvothe returned to the shop to help Lorraine.

*****

The sun had just risen, yet Kvothe was already concerned. Based on the previous night, his estimates were grim. Unless some heavy selling, or a substantial rise in prices occurred, Lorraine would be out of business. And yet, she had dismissed the second option. Said it’d make her clothes inaccessible to some of her clients (Such as Kvothe).

The night had rendered 150 gold to Lorraine and fourteen friendship requests to Kvothe - all of those from girls. Despite the sum being astronomical, - at least in his eyes - it wasn’t enough to pay off even half a percent of Lorraine’s debt. Even if Kvothe was an optimist, believing that each satisfied customer would return with two more, the sales income would barely pay the debt on time. Yet, even in that utopian scenario, she’d go bankrupt. Materials aren’t free after all.

So they needed a new plan, one that would attract a substantial number of clients. Preferably rich ones, since custom made clothes were more expensive than the ones that were already done. Rich people usually brought their own high quality materials, so the price was clean profit. But to attract rich customers they needed something they didn’t have. All rich people care about is showing off, clothes wise that meant ‘brand’. In Royal Road that meant having your clothes done by an famous tailor.

Worrying about Lorraine’s situation is what kept his mind busy as he walked back to the training hall. The previous day had been spent learning swordsmanship, but now he had a “quest” to complete. Only that was more urgent than learning the sword. Even so, Lorraine had made him leave the shop. She said she had to produce more clothes to replace the ones they had already sold and Kvothe would only be in her way if he stayed.

He arrived at the training hall to find Cain already at the entrance. They exchanged greetings and Kvothe headed to the back of the hall. After stretching and taking out the dark wooden sword, he began hitting the scarecrow, each time using one of the stances he had learnt the day before. That cycle was repeated 50 times before he changed it. Next were the continuous strikes, combos if you prefer. Fifty sets of those and then he changed hands. It was a one handed sword style, but he might as well be able to do with both.

When he took note of the time, Cain was already calling him for lunch. Apparently Cain had taken a liking to Kvothe, or ‘young pup’, as the old man called him. During lunch, he told Kvothe stories of his younger days. With almost palpable amazement, Kvothe listened as the master told about when he fought the true blood vampires. For Kvothe, the already strong master was now seen as a monster, since those vampires were middle 200 level monsters.

“Thank you for the lunch, master. It was delicious!” Kvothe said after finishing the meal.

“Yeah, yeah...” The master replied, nonchalantly shooing Kvothe away, “Stop the bantering and go back to your training.”

“Yes, sir!” Kvothe answered giving a perfectly mocking, deep bow.

Cain responded to him with a smack to the head. Laughing, Kvothe was returning to his scarecrow, but was interrupted by an unexpected whisper. He answered and was talking to the other person, when a malicious grin spread over Kvothe’s face.

“Master...” He called to Cain. His tone denoted a question, but he still wore a devilish smile, “How well can you dance?”

Chapter 04 »