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Fia maneuvered the boat into the docks of Emlestra. She tied it off and prepared to disembark.
“Well, Thessa. I guess this is where we part for now.”
“I can’t think you enough for your help, Fia.” Thessa said.
“Will you be okay in the city by yourself?”
“I remembered after thinking about it that I may have passed through here a long time ago, but I don’t remember much. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly back then. I will be fine. I have Sarren with me.” The cat jumped out of the boat.
“Oh yes, I forgot about her.” She smiled and Thessa got the feeling she really had not forgotten the cat.
“When will I see you again? Are you staying in the city long?”
Fia seemed anxious about answering. “I won’t be here long, no. Once I finish my business, I will be heading back to Maslah’s camp.”
Thessa was not sure what she meant, and Fia must have seen it in her face.
“Maslah is my father. His camp is home.”
“Oh, okay.”
Fia reached in to give Thessa a hug and she stiffened like a board while the White Mage embraced her. “Not used to hugs I see.”
Thessa snickered awkwardly, “No, sorry. I will have to work on that one some more. I think the only one who has ever hugged me is my mother, my true mother that is.”
“Well, you will like them once you get used to them. Ta-ta for now.” She waved.
“What?”
“That’s a nice, non-permanent way to say goodbye.”
“Oh, Ta-ta then.”
Fia smiled and bounded off down the dock, leaving Thessa and Sarren to find their own way to the city.
Thessa entered Emlestra proper just after sundown with Sarren chasing after. The river flowed noisily to the east of the gates. The coin Sarren had left was in a tin box near a tree just slightly out of the way of the main road. It took only a few minutes to dig it up.
When inside the gates, the city patrons had taken to the streets in celebration and could be heard even over the roaring rapids of the river. Thessa couldn’t help but smile at the goings on. There were people obviously taken with drink, and others enjoying the dances of the city folk spurred on by the lively music being played by a merry throng of minstrels. There were young girls holding sticks with ribbons tied to them, which flowing behind them, as they ran together crisscross in the streets. Boys chased after them as if they were going to snatch the ribbons away from them. The older boys and girls joined in the dances. The elders sat along the street’s edges in foldable wooden chairs stretched with canvas. Thessa had seen such chairs in her youth at the beaches. She looked at the shops to see if she could find the numismatist’s place of business. She saw the sign of the coin collector not far down the street behind a crowd of seated elder folk. One of them was bound to be the numismatist. She hoped she could tear him or her away from the festivities long enough to look at her coin. She needed the money to secure lodging.
She stopped along the way to peer at herself in a shop window. She had to make sure the beauty spell was holding, even though she knew it was. For some reason, she didn’t trust the magic. Her brown eyes stared back at her in the dimming light of the setting sun, her features were captivating from her dimples to her beautiful pale complexion. She was stunning to behold, even to herself. She raised her chin and wandered over to the older crowd.
“Hello, I don’t mean to bother you all, but I wonder if you know the person who owns the coin shop?”
An older man with a short white beard and deep laugh lines around his eyes smiled at her, “That would be me, but I have closed the shop for the festival, I’m afraid. You will have to come back tomorrow.” He put the stem of his pipe in his mouth and took a long puff.
“I would, but you see, I’m new here and I need to sell this coin, or I will be sleeping in the alley tonight.”
The coin shop owner glanced at one of his friends, “It’s always a dire story.”
“Excuse me?” Thessa asked, slightly offended.
“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you show me this coin of yours and I will see if it’s worth anything to me.”
Thessa could tell he was hoping it was junk so he could just turn her away and be done with it. She took out the ancient coin and held it up for him.
“Well, you are going to have to bring it closer. My old eyes can’t see that far away in the dimming light.” He said.
Thessa held it closer and the old man held out his hand. Thessa hesitated, not wanting to just hand it over to a stranger. He stared at her, his eyes widening in an expression of impatience.
“Well?” He said.
Thessa handed him the coin. After he examined it a moment, he got excited and sat up. He looked at Thessa and then immediately calmed down and resumed his relaxed posture.
“It’s rare alright, but not worth much. We can go to my shop and I will give you something for it.”
“Excuse me, sir, but you looked pretty excited when you first saw it. Are you sure you want to shortchange me?” Thessa could feel the man’s heart race when he first laid eyes on the coin and it had not subsided despite his now calm demeanor.
“I am not sure I understand your tone, young lady.” He said.
“It’s easy if you try. I want the full worth of the coin, sir.” She said. “Nothing less.”
“Of course, I will give you it’s full worth, such that it is, when we get to my shop.”
“Thessa could tell he was still planning on giving her far less than the coin was worth, but she nodded anyway so she could get him into the shop and away from the prying eyes of the man’s friends.
“Ah, here we are.” The man said as he produced a key to the front door of the shop signed Coin Exchange. Smoke from his pipe lifted above his head in a white-grey cloud. The solid wooden door creaked slightly as the man pushed it open. A bell rang out when the door bumped into it. Thessa entered behind the owner and he pushed the door to, locking it again. Thessa gave him a worried gaze. He must have sensed her concern.
“Oh, I am closed, and I don’t want anyone wandering in. You are quite safe with me.”
Thessa nodded. Inwardly, she knew she was far safer with him than he was with her.
He rounded a glass and wood countertop and proceeded to light one of the lanterns nearby with a long-stemmed piece of straw he lit by placing the end in his pipe and inhaling to excite the burn of his tobacco. He turned back to Thessa and placed his pipe on the counter in a small, worn wooden holder. Wisps of smoke snaked up from its bowl. He took out an eyepiece and examined the coin, then he took down the lantern and looked even closer in the light.
“It’s rare. I will give you two gold magi for it.”
Thessa coughed uneasily. “Sir, I know it’s worth. That coin is easily worth one hundred gold magi pieces. What are you trying to pull over on me?” She blinked as she stared at the man’s exposed neck. Something within her made her instincts flare, and she very nearly lurched at him. She was no longer a blood feeder. It must have been the resurfacing of the old habit.
The old man coughed, “Well, I can give you twenty.” A bead of sweat appeared on his brow.
“Thank you, no. I will travel to the next town.” She reached for the coin and the man recoiled. She grew more determined and reached again. The man pulled back even farther. Thessa felt her face become hot. Her breathing was shallow and calculated. The veins in his neck pulsated as she leaned into the urge to strike.
Her expression must have been convincing because his eyes had a tinge of fear in them and he relented, “All right, you win, I will give you eighty gold magi.”
“Eighty-five.” She was relieved that the tension had subsided.
“All right, eighty-five if you need to feel like I treated you more fairly. I do have to make a profit too, you know.”
“You will.” Thessa stated blankly.
The man smacked his lips and muttered something under his breath as he turned to go to the back room.
“Leave the coin here on the counter, please.” Thessa said.
“The man feigned irritation and left the coin on the counter as he slipped into the back room. Thessa saw a light appear where the man obviously lit a lamp or lantern. A mere moment later and the man appeared with Thessa’s gold. He reluctantly handed the leather pouch of coins to her. She dumped them out on the counter and carefully counted them before she replaced them in the pouch and cinched it closed. “Nice doing business with you.”
The man grumbled and managed a weak grin. “Who are you, anyway?”
“Me? I’m nobody.” She replied.
“Your eyes. You look as though you could benefit from a good meal.”
“Thanks for the observation. Perhaps you had better not comment further.” She was anticipating the old familiar critique on her unusual appearance.
“I meant nothing by it. I was just going to suggest the Suckling Pig.
“The what?”
The man broke the building apprehension with an unexpected hardy laugh, “It’s the inn at the edge of the main street. The proprietor is a friend and I send her business when I can.”
“Oh, yes, thank you.” That was awkward, she thought. He must get kickbacks. “I will visit the place.”
“Good, good.” The man said rubbing his hands on his shirt nervously, while he uncomfortably glanced around looking for something else to say.
Thessa wasted no time leaving the numismatist’s shop. The Suckling Pig would work for her. She didn’t care. She just wanted to get to an inn for a nice meal and a bed.
Your guise has dropped. Sarren said in her head.
“Oh, how do I keep it going?”
You can’t let things get to you. Stress will sometimes make the appearance spell drop. You must remember to keep it going in times of stress.
“I will try. I am too tired to try again tonight. I will just leave it for now.
The Suckling Pig Inn was much nicer than she had thought it would be. The common room was well kept and there was a roaring fire in the fireplace. I minstrel sang in the comfortable lounging area as a well-dressed maiden served drinks. Thessa approached the counter.
“Well, you look like you have been through it!” The woman behind the counter said, and Thessa shrank back a bit. “Oh, she means nothing by that.” A portly man said, pushing the woman aside. “Go on, Sienna, let me tend to the customers at the counter.” Sienna grunted and wandered off toward what looked to be the kitchen. “Sorry about that. Sienna owns the place, but she has no business savvy.”
Thessa nodded uneasily.
“She doesn’t know people.” He paused as if Thessa was supposed to reply. When she did not, he went on. “What can I do for you? A room perhaps? A meal? You do look a bit undernourished.”
“Both actually, and I wonder if I could have the meal brought up to my room?” She was not all that hungry due to Fia’s fish meal, but she ordered for appearances.
“Certainly! We aim to please here at the Suckling Pig. I would understand why you wouldn’t want to eat here in the commons, people’s prying eyes and all.”
“Why would I mind that?” Thessa asked.
“You know.” He leaned in closer so he could whisper, “Your appearance.”
Thessa looked down at her shabby attire. Once the spell dropped, she was reminded that she had not cleaned up much since the dirty water of the cavern where she had been left by her mother and Asleth. In fact, the rust colored spots on her blouse were probably faded blood. “Can you launder my clothes?”
“I can. I can also have some new clothes brought up for you, assuming you can pay for all this.” A look of concern suddenly appeared on his face. “By the way, how are you going to pay for all this?”
Thessa opened the pouch with the gold and took out a gold magi. She glanced up at the innkeeper just in time to see him hide his surprise. Perhaps she shouldn’t have advertised to him she had a full pouch of gold. She quickly cinched the pouch and tucked it away. “I assume this will do?”
“Yes, indeed.” The innkeeper said. “This and you have change coming.”
“No, use it to buy the clothes and for laundry service. I would like two meals, one tonight, and the other tomorrow morning. You may keep the rest.”
The innkeeper nodded happily and turned to a peg board behind him. “One key? Are you expecting anyone else?”
“No, one key is fine.” She thought it was odd for him to ask. Maybe it was common practice.
He gave her the key to room number six. “Room six, up the stairs and to the left.” He pointed to the stairway. “The numbers are painted over so you will have to look hard at them. I will have Sienna bring up a tray for you in say ten minutes?”
“Yes, ten minutes would be fine.” She said as she gathered herself and made her way to the stairs. She felt the innkeeper’s eyes on her the entire way to the top.
The room at the Suckling Pig was as nice as the rest of the inn. Well, maintained and clean, the room consisted of a washbasin, a good-sized bed. A small table with two chairs, two lanterns for light, and a chest of drawers with a large mirror on the wall behind it. She sat on the bed and found it to be comfortable. She laid back on it and started to drift off until her stomach growled. She was more hungry than she thought. The fish meal did not stick with her long, it seemed. A knock at the door and Thessa let in Sienna with a tray of food. Once the woman was gone, Thessa dug into the roast chicken and potatoes, tossing Sarren a scrap of meat here and there. Before long, another knock at the door brought a new set of clothes. Thessa was dumbfounded at how the innkeeper knew her size, but assumed it was due to his expertise at guessing what his patrons wanted. Thessa donned a soft robe and let the girl who brought her new clothes take the old clothes for laundering.
The clothes were a bit odd. The black dress was made of a solid fabric, but it still felt silky. The dress also had thin bands of fabric for the arms and legs. She has seen the style in the city before, and she felt it left little to cover the midsection. The top was a metallic, leafy fabric, which unnaturally conformed to any way you molded it. She put the odd clothing aside. She would have to deal with it later. She was not about to wear something like that out in public.
She prepared for bed by brushing her hair with the brush provided by the inn. She paused at the mirror for a long moment to gaze into her gaunt face. She did look malnourished.