“….for one to properly engage with the wise beasts, remember these helpful tips first and foremost to never refer to them as beasts. Second, ask them a question regarding education, justice, or purpose of life, and they will be so eager to jump in a discussion with you that often dangers….”

“Thank Mother of Gods, there is father’s shop.”

“But it was just beginning to get exciting,” proclaimed Avery.

“Ja, ja, I almost couldn’t control myself from the anticipation of the next page. Tell me how do the Giants like their tea prepared?”

“You can tell me all about giants later, ok? I am going to pull the boat up to the pier, can you jump out and help tie her up?”

“Of course.” Avery gracefully jumped out of the boat, grabbed the stern, and almost as expertly as Sylvie, tied it up.

Fergus Fineries had a small but very functional pier with three different docking areas. Two smaller spaces, for naturally smaller boats, and one larger space that could hold a large medium sized boat. Their mother had created the sign for the shop, and Blanca every year planted fresh flowers all around it. Their mother had also chosen the name of the shop, which sometimes confused people.

‘Fergus Fineries’ did not sell the typical silks, furniture, or jewellery that is usually associated with the word finery, but rather the finest weapons in the entire East. When Fergus was only a young lad, he was working as a blacksmith apprentice, his master wanted more unique materials and sent him constantly on adventures throughout the known world. On one of these adventures, near Linlia, where he also met his wife Celeste, he travelled with a troupe of elves, who taught him the art of elven enchantment. Fergus being the smart man he was, combined his two trades.

Mages in particular, travel great distances to visit Fergus Fineries, expecting magical auras or trinkets to pop out, and are every time disappointed to see this humble looking weapon shop ironically covered in flowers and plants. Fergus often had a pair of apprentices helping him. He would always try to purposely choose one elf and one human. As an apprenticeship lasted four years, the apprentices would often become good friends.

People would say to him, “you can’t end traditions of hate simply because a few apprentices are now friends”. But Fergus would always have the same reply, “Aye, but it’s a place to start.”

Thus, often the apprentices would stay friends, opening up their own shops, and trading among each other. Teaching their children and families unconsciously about tolerance, and creating far stronger networks than they would have otherwise had. Auntie Mabel would pat her younger brother on the shoulder and say, “see Fergus, you have created a ripple in the water far larger than you could have ever imagined.”

Avery had the sandwiches from the beaver colony tucked in her pocket; she couldn’t wait to tell Blanca about their unexpected river detour.

With the boat secure, Sylvie grabbed Avery’s hand, “Thank you for today, I can’t imagine what would have happened if you wouldn’t have been with. Now let’s hurry up; maybe Father will show me the other 900 arrows!”

“I am sure they won’t look any different than these 100,” Avery said smiling.

As they walked in the shop, Sylvie crinkled her nose. It smelled nauseatingly sweet. She looked down; there was a trail of blood.

“Mother of Gods, what happened here?”

Avery shook her head disapprovingly, “this is blood from last night. I suppose our father first came here before he drunkenly stumbled home”.

“Avery, this is a lot of blood. I don’t know what father has been up to but he is making me nervous.”

They followed the trail of blood, it led right up to the cauldron, on the left side lay a huge basket filled to the brim with the delicate white arrows.

Sylvie ran over to investigate, they were speckled everywhere with blood, and right before the basket was the pool of blood.

She sniffed again and instantly felt sick, “That is not human blood and look at my arrows!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, father would cut off his own arm before hurting an animal. And your arrows will still do their purpose just fine. They just look a little, hmmm, more dangerous now. Come Sylvie, didn’t you say you wanted to talk to Mrs. Penna? I will go set the table, plus I got to clean up the lagerraum where Blanca has our extra food wares.”

“Why were you in there? And yes, that’s a good idea, maybe Mrs. Penna can shed some new light on the situation”.

“Don’t ask”.

“Blanca is going to kill you later.”

“What is the worst she will do? Plus, it was for a good cause”.

“That’s what you say every time! And remember when she was mad at me? She shrunk my sandals one size smaller; they pinched my feet all day, and gave me blisters for a week. It had even affected my target shooting!”

“Aye, I do,” Avery remembered laughing. “She is a sneaky one, looks so innocent and sweet”.

“Just like our mother,” Sylvie added.

The sisters look sadly down at the floor for a minute, and then both began to exit the shop.

Avery grabbed Sylvie’s hand, squeezed it, and said “ok, see you in an hour or so? If you see Blanca heading towards the house before me, will you whistle to warn me?”

“Aye” Sylvie squeezed back.

Sylvie walked the well-worn path from behind their house towards the stables. The stables, like their house, were also a part of the old elven ruin that her parents had transformed. The horses and bats made their home there, and any other animals that sometimes the girls would nurse back to health. Sylvie especially loved the occasional wolf that would keep them company. She waved to Meta, who still was in the pasture connected to the stables, and rounded the corner to the bats enclave.

“Good Evening Mrs. Penna”.

“Why hello Sylvie, shall I take one guess why you are here?”

Mrs. Penna, was an absolutely beautiful bat. Her wings were softer than silk. Sylvie simply thought bats were one of the Mother of Gods most beautiful creations. Mrs. Penna was constantly expanding her clan, and as Sylvie looked closer, she noticed the unmistakable bump.

“Are you pregnant again?” exclaimed Sylvie.

“What a rude question my dear. You really need to work on your tact if you ever want to be a respected leader. And yes, I am expecting another bundle of joy any day now.”

“First, why is everyone talking to me about being a leader? I don’t want to be a leader! Second, I am sorry, I didn’t mean at all to offend. I know I need to work on asking better question. I just think that baby bats are so lovely”.

Baby bats, cling to their mothers just like babes to their mums. They looked just like they would when they become adults, with the silky wings, and little tiny thumbs, but in mini form. A mother bat could tell her baby’s cry from over 1 million other baby bats. Mrs. Penna’s babies were exceptionally beautiful.

“It is ok Sylvie; we will work on that. But let’s get to business. I know you are here to discuss the orcs. Like Cato and the other horses, our troupe heard the commotion before we saw it. I reached out to all my cousins to see if they knew anything additional. This is what we have gathered so far:

A small group of orcs, cousin Louis says ten of them, came thundering out of the woods unto the path. Waiting on the path, a mixed group of heavily cloaked elves and humans, fired upon them with arrows. I asked where the heavily cloaked men came from, and so far, no one has additional information. Seven of the orcs got injured, and retreated back to the woods. They ran until they were all the way out of Azure. The other three, the large ones, stayed and fought. One of the cloaked men was stabbed, when all of a sudden, a huge bear mauled the remaining orcs to a pulp. Where the bear came from, we also don’t know. My other cousin, Ethel, says the Hermit Frida watched from the bushes, too horrified to move, but no one paid her any attention. The bear was the infamous blue-eyed bear. He was hit a few times, but as my cousins confirmed he ran off seemingly ok.”

Sylvie let out a low whistle. The information helped, but she now had even more questions. Who were the cloaked men? Where were the orcs initially heading? Where did the other seven run off too? Why was the blue-eyed bear there? And the one question that she had been scared to think of all day, why today, the 10th anniversary of my mother’s disappearance, is there a connection?

“Thank you, Mrs. Penna, this is valuable information.”

“No need to thank me, Sylvie dear. It is also in our interest to know what is going on. If you like, I shall ask my cousins to find out where the remaining seven orcs retreated to”.

“That would be great. I will catch up with you in a few days”.

Sylvie waved goodbye, trying not to stare at Mrs. Penna’s belly.

She could see Cato, Diella, and Blanca in the distance, and quickly walked towards the main house. She let out the loudest whistle she could muster and heard Avery shout out, “Thanks sis, I am just about done!”

Avery had been busy. First, she sent a pigeon to Faren asking for help to find a birthday present for Sylvie. Then she set the table. Sage, their house cat, kept stalking her. He loved dried bread and knew if he was persistent enough, she would cave. Cleaning the lagerraum she eventually found a hard crust of bread. She threw it towards him to be met with a hiss. “Oh come on Sage, I didn’t throw it at you.” She then heard Sylvie’s loud warning whistle.

Five minutes later, Blanca walked through the door, didn’t say a word and started her beloved wood stove up. She had made a delicious potato dish, served with garlic pesto, that she had learned from her mother years ago. Blanca could still remember her mother singing in the kitchen, laughing, and teaching Blanca an enchantment to peel potatoes on their own. She must have only been around ten years old at the time, but it was still one of her favourite memories.

Avery’s voice snapped her back to reality, “Where is that beloved father of ours?”

Sylvie nodded, “I was wondering the exact same thing. I have a few questions for him”.

“Earlier today, he made me promise that we would all be home because he had something he wanted to share with us,” added Blanca.

The girls waited another 30 minutes, and then began to eat without him. Avery gushed the entire time about the beavers and although the potato dish was delicious, their father’s absence had annoyed all of them. Another 30 minutes had passed, and still no sign from him.

“This is seriously ridiculous. I say we go look for him.” Avery’s normally lovely voice, had taken a dangerous tone. “I think we know exactly where to find him”.

“The Poisoned Oak?” whispered Blanca obviously horrified. “At night time?”

“Yes, we will be fine. What do you think Sylvie?”

“Aye. I will pack some of my new arrows with just in case.” Sylvie began to make a mental check list, “Justah will stay here and look after Meta; she is still too young and nervous. Avery, are you ok with riding Ace? I will get Cato and Diella saddled up, I better bring them some treats with, they won’t be happy to ride out again. Blanca were you able to sharpen my daggers for me? And Avery, grab your sword too.”

“Are you expecting a fight when we get there or what? But yes, I will grab my sword,” Avery was already standing up and bundling her wild hair up in a bun to fit under her cloak.

“No, I don’t know what to expect which is exactly why we’re are going to go prepared.”

“If we must,” sighed Blanca. She knew there was no point in trying to persuade her sisters otherwise and she’d rather be with them than sitting alone at the house. “I will bring my crossbow and if you two like we could try out my first poison?”

Sylvie and Avery looked at Blanca surprised. “I am impressed, you already made a poison?” asked Sylvie.

Blanca blushed and look downward, “Yes, just a little one. It can’t kill anyone, but upon impact, it will blind them for about one hour.”

Avery laughed, “Splendid! I think you are far more dangerous than you realise”.

Blanca laid a heavy canvas on the old wooden table, and then lined their weapons up on top of it. Her crossbow, six daggers for Sylvie, 20 arrows for Sylvie, and Avery’s small but sharp sword. She then grabbed a thick white cheesecloth, and dipped it into the oozing green gel she had made earlier in the evening. Her Auntie had been very proud of her. Her first poison concoction had been easy for her to make. And although she didn’t want to admit it, she was already looking forward to learning more complicated ones. She then delicately smeared the gel onto all the weapons. Waited a minute, did a second coat, and said, “Ok, that should do”.

Sylvie was already outside with the horses, her eyes dancing excitedly, “Ok, let’s go find our father”.

The three hopped up onto the horses, Avery and Ace leading, Blanca and Diella in the middle, and Sylvie and Cato pulling up the rear. Sylvie would be able to shoot anything coming from either in front of them or behind, the only problem would be a side attack. I wish we had one of our wolf friends with, she thought to herself.

Cato answered her thought, “Do not worry, if we need them, they will come”.

“Aye” she nodded. And with that, the three girls rode briskly and silently towards the city.