Lyniana stared at the sediments left at the bottom of the heavy wooden cup she held in her hand. She almost finished her first tea of the day but hesitated in ordering another one. She didn’t have to check her purse to know how many coins were left.
She knew she couldn’t afford it. That is, if she wanted to eat at some point during the day.
She already abstained from ordering anything for breakfast but her morning cup of tea.
Lyniana felt excited, but also anxious about the new recruit they were about to welcome in their adventurer group. A fresh guild member. Despite reading her application for the guild, she didn’t know what to make of her. Would she be a team player?
Her mind wandered to distant memories; Lyniana remembered her younger days with her old squad of woodkeepers – the oath of sisterhood, the prestige, and the laughs. At the time, she could buy any food or comfort she would fancy, and party every night.
Lyniana scoffed. She didn’t reach her thirties yet but was already thinking of herself as an old woman.
A tall figure fell on a chair next to her and startled her.
Hesel put his long leg on the table, raised his arm to get the attention of the innkeeper, and shouted for a beer.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked Lyniana while scratching the chaotic golden-brown stubble growing on his face. He spoke loud enough to cover the other adventurers’ voices and laughs.
Lyniana pushed his boots off the table. “How many times do I have to tell you to keep your feet on the ground?”
“Fine,” he replied, straightening himself on the chair.
Gertalia, the innkeeper, approached them with an ale on her plate and avoided the various drunk adventurers stumbling around. She dropped Hesel’s cup on the table, spilling some beer in the process.
“Can you put it on my tab?” Hesel asked her with a big smile.
The innkeeper ignored him and walked back to her counter without a word.
Gertalia treated most of the guild members as friends, but Hesel’s thick Alnerian accent remained very much unwelcome. Foreigners commonly traveled and lived in this part of the queendom, but the hate and rivalry between Alnerians and Sobrums barely faded away after a couple of decades of a fragile peace.
“You should drink fast,” Lyniana said. “We have to leave soon.”
“Don’t worry, I know.”
Hesel and Lyniana roughly shared the same age. They had been working together as adventurers for five years, she knew him well at that point.
“We don’t have time for breakfast either,” Lyniana said.
“I know.”
“Where’s Mahtli?”
“He’ll join us there,” Lyniana replied. “He has to finish up with some paperwork beforehand.”
Hesel shrugged and guzzled his beer.
The guild’s main hall served as a tavern. Lively in the morning, adventurers were often taking their breakfasts and first drinks there before a big job or a long journey.
While the wooden floors were covered with dirt and spilled alcohol, trophies decorated the walls. Adventurers have brought back several shields and diverse weapons from the battles, quests, or championships they participated in. Sometimes, wealthy patrons also offered gifts. A painting behind the counter of the innkeeper depicted the founding of the Golden Sword Guild a couple of centuries earlier, legendary adventurers shaking hands and sharing drinks.
“Lyn! Hesel! What are you doing here?”
Lyniana groaned when she recognized the nasal voice. “Eliea, how nice to see you.”
“You don’t have to lie, Lyn.” Eliea hiccupped while sitting in front of her. “I know she can’t stand me,” she added for Hesel.
The tall woman was a fierce warrior, sturdy, and her height almost reached Hesel’s. Eliea swayed so much on her chair, she made Lyniana seasick.
“Where is Mahtli?” she slurred.
Her glossy green eyes were alternating quickly between Lyniana and Hesel, not sure who to focus on.
“We don’t know, actually,” Hesel said.
“I miss the old fart. Didn’t see him in a while.”
“Maybe he’s avoiding you,” Lyniana intervened.
Eliea snorted and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. “Oh, I missed our banters! Really! It’s been so long since we have worked together.”
“Last time we took a job with you, we ended up in two tavern brawls,” Lyniana said with emphasis. “In one night. On a stealth job.”
“We made it out though, didn’t we?” Eliea burst out laughing.
“My jaw still cracks when I open it too wide,” Hesel said.
Eliea laughed louder and patted him on the shoulder. “It was so much fun, right?” She hiccupped and made a discomforted face, before burping. “I heard you’re taking in a novice today. Where is she?”
“She’s not with us yet.”
“And you better not come near her,” Lyniana said. “I know how you behave with new recruits.”
Eliea smirked. “You know she’s part of the guild now. Your little band doesn’t have exemptions.”
“That doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want,” Lyniana said. “If she can smell your fetid breath, I can assure I’ll break your knees.”
Hesel’s walnut-colored eyes widened. He cleared his throat and appeared suddenly interested in the contents of his wooden cup.
Eliea clenched her jaw, and slurred, “easy, now. I’m not looking for a fight.”
Lyniana crossed her arm. “Have a good day then, Eliea.”
“We can’t even have fun now.” Eliea snorted. “Anyway, I better go. I see my group is waiting for me. We got a big job. Lots of coins involved. A countess needs some muscles to kick her rival’s butt. We may meet some of the Green Teeth girls– they’re working for the rival. Good luck with the novice– and don’t go easy on her!”
As Eliea walked away, Hesel glanced at Lyniana with an expression she recognized instantly.
“We better get going too,” Lyniana said as she got up and picked up her cloak.
“But I’m hungry,” Hesel protested.
“I know. I saw that.” Lyniana sighed. “You should have joined me earlier if you wanted breakfast.”
“But I wasn’t hungry earlier. Look, it’s still early. We still have time.”
Lyniana massaged the top of her nose as she sat down again. She wanted to be there early, but recognized Mahtli liked to be late, probably as much as Hesel did.
“Fine, I guess you’re right,” she admitted, “Order something quickly and let’s go.”
Hesel
Hesel mumbled. He was walking back and forth between Lyniana and Mahtli. His stomach grumbled.
“What did you say?” Lyniana asked.
“We could have waited for her at the guild’s tavern,” Hesel repeated.
“And let the poor girl be bullied? You know how they behave as soon as they smell fresh meat,” Lyniana retorted while leaning against the wall.
“At least, I would be eating right now.”
“Hesel, don’t tell me you’re still hungry. We just had breakfast an hour ago.”
“It’s almost lunch time,” he protested.
“I don’t know how you manage to stay so skinny,” Lyniana said.
“Also, I’m cold.”
“Stop bickering,” Mahtli intervened with a soft voice. He didn’t lift his bright blue eyes from the pages of his book.
The three guild members had been standing for about thirty minutes under a shop’s wooden sign. Its humble name Spice and Herbs was written in Sobrum letters.
The sun rode high in the sky, shining on the brown melted snow covering the muddy streets of the city. To fight the treacherous cold of the early spring, the adventurers still wore their winter clothes.
At this busy time of the day, a crowd filled the market street from both directions. People came in and out of buildings, transported goods on barrows, while some people stood on makeshift platforms trying to sell their products on the spot.
Lyniana wrapped herself up with her thick cloak to stay warm. She shared a couple physical traits in common with Hesel: a complexion of a light shade of brown and monolid eyes. Her black-colored hair ran long and wild.
She observed the faces around her to look for the novice.
“It would have been easier for her to find us at the guild’s tavern,” Hesel said.
Lyniana didn’t reply. She shook her head, and buried the lower part of her face with her cloak.
“What’s her name, again?” Hesel asked.
“Seyfimel something,” Mahtli replied.
Mahtli wore a heavy linen and cotton coat, reinforced with fur and leather. Despite coming from a desertic country Hesel always forgot the name of, he never seemed affected by the cold. Mahtli stared at the pages of his book about ryh conductivity between earthly elements. He acted patiently, but Hesel noticed his fingers tapping on the side of the cover.
“Maybe that was a mistake,” Mahtli wondered.
“It’s a pretty straightforward job,” Hesel said.
“I didn’t mean the job.”
Hesel smirked. “I know.”
“There’s no going back now anyway,” Lyniana said. “If you think you’ll hate it so much, having an apprentice, remember the reason why you’re doing it in the first place.”
“The money?” Hesel snarked.
“Not the–” Mahtli paused to weigh his words. “Well, a little bit I guess.”
“Talking like a true adventurer.” Lyniana slowly clapped as the two others laughed.
While they were bantering, curious eyes briefly glanced at Mahtli and Hesel. Of the three of them, only Lyniana was born in Sobrune. Many foreigners from the continent traveled to the Queendom of Sobrune to become adventurers, but two foreign men definitely attracted attention, especially one with such a dark skin tone like Mahtli.
“I think I see her,” Lyniana said under her cloak.
Hesel and Mahtli turned their heads towards a small young woman a few feet from them wearing a xiudan, a coat-jacket with ample sleeves. She was holding her large pouch close to her chest. Her purple-dyed hair fell on her shoulders and face, and her gold-colored eyes looked all around her, trying to make sense of the naming of streets. She was walking uneasily on the slippery mud.
“Are you sure, Lyn?” Mahtli whispered. “She doesn’t look very fierce.”
“Look at her hair. Do you see a lot of Zarimese fresh out of school around here?”
Hesel waved his callous hand to get her attention. “We’ll know soon enough.”
Seyfimel noticed his tall figure among the crowd, hesitated, then walked towards them. Her thick eyebrows and strong nose could have expressed some confidence, but her awkward smile undermined it.
“Hello,” she greeted them with a shaky voice. “Are you from the guild?”
“Depends. Which one?” Hesel joked.
“Yes,” Lyniana replied to Seyfimel, ignoring him. “Your name?”
“Seyfimel,” she said with more self-assurance.
Her long wavy hair fell on her shoulders. As she nervously ran her fingers through it, Hesel noticed she wore earrings, and fancy ones at that.
“You must be Mahtli,” Seyfimel said with enthusiasm to the older guild member.
“It’s Professor Antecawa to you, thanks,” Mahtli replied with an annoyed tone as he was weighing her up.
His long curly hair was almost turning completely white, as his beard.
“We sometimes call him Grumpy,” Lyniana joked. “You can call me Lyn. This is Hesel.”
“N–nice to meet you all,” Seyfimel stuttered with a shy smile.
“Yeah, yeah, same,” Mahtli said with agreement. He grabbed her shoulders to hurry her and to guide her to the entrance of the small shop. “Enough small talk. Let’s go in.”
“What’s happening?” she asked as Mahtli pushed her inside.
A bell rang each time one of them passed the door.
“Hello, customers!” a raspy voice greeted them behind the counter. “What can I do for you?”
A pungent smell of different spices mixed into the thick air welcomed them. There was barely enough room for the four adventurers in the narrow store; numerous glass jars of different sizes and colors cluttered the tables and shelves.
Mahtli led the group to the shopkeeper, a short and aging woman with a crooked smile and large glasses resting on her flat nose. Unceremoniously, he took a tiny linen-covered box out of his pouch, along with a stack of pages filled with dense writing.
Mahtli gave the package to Seyfimel and instructed her to hand it to the shopkeeper, before slapping the papers on her desk.
He scratched his nose. “Sign here please. It’s your delivery.”
The shopkeeper grumbled about the rudeness of foreigners and unwrapped the box to inspect it.
Once satisfied with the product, the shopkeeper took a quill and ink from her desk to sign his papers. She stared at Mahtli during the whole process.
Mahtli grabbed the receipt from her as soon as she was done, and handed it to Seyfimel, confused about the whole exchange.
“There,” Mahtli said with a fake enthusiasm. He mimed throwing party rice in the air from his pouch. “You just finished your first quest; you’re officially part of the guild now. Congratulations.”
“Great!” Hesel rejoiced. “Can we go eat lunch now?”
Seyfimel
When they entered the tavern, Seyfimel coughed as the thickness of the air, full of smoke from water pipes, filled her lungs. Hesel sat first on one of the heavy wooden stools in the middle of the tavern, then the innkeeper, a sturdy and wrinkled woman, joined them.
“What can I do for you today?” she asked.
The innkeeper dry cleaned the table with a white rag stained by numerous shades of brown. Crumbs and pieces of food fell on the floor, but sticky dried residues of alcohol resisted the cloth.
“Four beers and some food!” Hesel eagerly replied.
“I don’t drink alcohol,” Seyfimel whispered to him.
“Well, you do now!”
Seyfimel turned to the innkeeper. “Do you have coffee?” she muttered.
The innkeeper scoffed. “If you believe we have fancy beverages, you’re in the wrong establishment, sorry.”
The other guild members laughed.
Seyfimel looked down. She ran a hand through her hair.
“I have buttered potatoes and flat bread. It's fine with you all?” the innkeeper asked.
“That’s perfect, thank you,” Lyniana said.
“Alright, my son will be right with you if you need anything else.”
The innkeeper then disappeared behind a door next to the counter.
In the small independent tavern, a couple of rough-edged women were drinking by themselves in different corners of the room. Decorations were kept sober and outdated. Dust covered the shelves on the walls and the wooden beams reinforcing the building. As little sunlight came through the windows, candles were placed on every table. A large rusty suspended light also hung from the ceiling.
Seyfimel had hoped to visit a proper adventuring tavern, but Lyniana insisted on making Seyfimel more comfortable with the group first, before showing her around the guildhall.
“What now?” Hesel asked Mahtli.
Even though he sat down, Hesel still towered over everyone. His height puzzled Seyfimel, especially as he told her he originally trained as a thief. Tattoos covered his lower arms, some replaced by burn scars. Hesel was also missing a couple of teeth when he smiled.
“We already wasted half of the day with paperwork,” Mahtli said, “we need a quick job for the afternoon.” He added to Seyfimel, “I’ll give you the opportunity to show me what you’re made of.”
“What do you mean?” she asked with a higher pitch than she intended.
“I want to see you do a job. How quickly you find one, and how you manage it.”
Mahtli’s blue eyes looked straight into hers with determination. She struggled to understand if he expected her to comply or to protest.
“Alright,” Lyniana said. “Give her some slack. It’s her first day with us.”
“Come on, Lyn,” Mahtli retorted. “She just got out of the most prestigious school of the whole continent. She can handle it.”
“I’m not saying she’s stupid, but she doesn’t know the city. You probably expected a visit of the city for your first day, right?” Lyniana asked Seyfimel.
“I arrived yesterday in Laech Coile,” Seyfimel said timidly.
“Don’t worry, we’ll help you through this afternoon.” Lyniana smirked at Mahtli. “We’re a team, right?”
“Fine.”
The young son of the innkeeper came to their table with their orders on a large tray. He distributed to each adventurer their plates and cups without a single word. They thanked him. He waited.
“Can we pay with credit?” Mahtli asked.
The waiter shook his head negatively. “Sorry,” he said with a soft voice.
“Alright, it’s my turn to pay, then. How much?”
“Twelve coins. In total.”
Mahtli reached his purse and gave the money to the waiter, who then quickly went back behind the counter.
“By the way, where do you stay?” Lyniana asked Seyfimel as Hesel was devouring his boiled potatoes.
“I’m renting a room in a blacksmith’s house, west of the city.”
“The Narrow District? Pretty colorful neighborhood after dusk. You like it there?” Hesel asked with a mouth full.
“It’s not what I’m used to. But I can’t afford anything better. Yet.”
“How much do you pay for it?” Lyniana asked before taking a bite of her food.
“Forty coins a week,” Seyfimel said. “Is that a lot?”
“For the Narrow District, any price would be too much,” Hesel joked.
“Speaking of money. Did you talk with Ceran?” Mahtli asked Lyniana. “She needs to give us a big job soon.”
“The city keeps throwing the best ones to the Golden Silk or the High Yielders,” Hesel said between bites.
“We’re getting to know Seyfimel.” Lyniana drank from her cup. “We can sort it out later.”
“No, we can’t.” Mahtli scoffed. “We don’t even have coins for dinner.”
Lyniana dismissed it. “We’ll get something with credit at the guild’s tavern. Seyfimel, tell us, what’s your story? Where are you from?”
All eyes fell on the young new guild member. Seyfimel swallowed her potatoes with difficulty and cleared her throat. The cook salted the plate a little too much for her taste.
“Zarim,” Seyfimel blurted. Her shoulders were slouched above her plate. She straightened her back, copying Lyniana’s posture, and scratched her cheek.
“Maybe tell us something we don’t already know,” Mahtli joked.
Lyniana punched Mahtli’s shoulder with such strength he almost fell off his chair – and she seemed to have gone easy on him.
“What he meant was tell us more,” Lyniana said as Mahtli complained about the pain.
Seyfimel awkwardly cleared her throat. “I don’t know what to tell you.” She didn’t have the most exciting life. “My aunt sent me to school in Sobrune when I was sixteen. I studied. And here I am.”
“Did you see a little bit of the city at least?” Lyniana asked.
“I arrived late. I barely had enough time to sort everything out with the blacksmith. Do I have paperwork to go through with the guild?”
“I took care of it,” Mahtli said as he finished his plate.
Hesel intervened, “Seyfimel, once you’re done with your food, we’ll go talk to the innkeeper. She may have a couple of jobs for us.”
“Probably another delivery,” Lyniana said.
“Again?” Seyfimel asked.
“These days, it’s usually either that or working in security,” Lyniana replied. “Or both.”
Seyfimel
For her first day, to give her new fellow guild members a good impression, she put on a pretty dress, nice earrings, fancy boots, and freshened up her hair.
It may have worked great at the beginning, but as she was walking around the city, her clothes got more and more soiled by mud, trash, and waste.
With the help of Hesel, she took an easier job, delivering yet another package – as expected.
Seyfimel then followed them as they guided her from one end of Laech Coile to another. Hesel took the opportunity to point her to some shops on the way: a couple of herbalists, a ryh-infuser, a bookstore, a jewelry store, a bakery, and a few taverns. She didn’t think she would remember the points of interest he pointed to on the map he bought for her, but she appreciated it, nonetheless.
Seyfimel first tried to be mindful of where she stepped but quickly gave up. Her teachers had warned their students about adventuring. The school kept its halls constantly clean and pest-free thanks to trained cats and spiders, along with ryh-infused repellents. However, as soon as they finished university, the students would have to face lice, rats, and cockroaches more often.
The group picked a small package from a hooded figure in the Narrow District. Seyfimel didn’t ask any questions about it, as Lyniana insistently made clear. Seyfimel took the opportunity to show them where she rented a room in the area.
Then, they cut through the city to reach the surrounding the castle of Laech Coile that housed the duchess of Buire.
Established on a hill, many stairs led to this fort. According to Mahtli, the nobility took refuge there to keep them elevated from the muddiest part of the city.
As they climbed higher, the wooden and cramped houses disappeared, leaving room for buildings made of stone. The air smelled fresher. Floral scents from various blooming trees overpowered the slight city stench. The apparent residents of these districts were wearing fewer and fewer colored clothes, but from finer material, and displayed elaborated haircuts.
“I miss the countryside,” Lyniana lamented.
“Not me,” Mahtli said. “I do hate stairs. I’ll give that to you.”
“The jobs are getting so boring here, though.”
“You forgot how it is in the farmlands.” Mahtli shortly laughed. “Don’t you remember the first thing you said when we met?”
Lyniana smiled. “I told you I was tired of retrieving lost pigs and chickens.”
“We can thank the woodkeepers,” Hesel said.
“I sort of have the feeling they will soon replace us in the city,” Mahtli added.
“The nobles would definitely love it,” Lyniana said.
Seyfimel panted behind them. “That’s– a lot– of– stairs.” She struggled to keep their pace.
“We’re almost there,” Hesel reassured her.
Once they reached the top of the steps they were climbing, they entered another small cobbled public square. The area was infinitely nicer than the Narrow District. City houses and mansions surrounded it, along public parks and shops. Seyfimel recognized the fronts of a bookstore and a jeweler.
This square almost seemed empty. A couple of people were relaxing and chatting around the fountain, while others left or came back home under the watch of city guards.
Walls, fences, and gates protected the various dwellings made of stone, decorated with some golden and wooden ornaments in fashion with Thiaran architecture.
The adventurers walked past the public square into a wide street. At its end, Seyfimel couldn’t help but notice the immense angular castle of Laech Coile, behind another wall and a guarded gate.
“H–her house should be– close.” Seyfimel said, still out of breath. She looked around at the street signs, still confused by how they worked.
“Hello, young one,” a low and silvery voice said. “You seem lost.”
Seyfimel jumped. She finally noticed a shadowy silhouette next to them, previously hidden by the corner of a narrow adjacent street. A coin clinked on each ring of her fingers while playing with it.
“I’m alright– thank you,” Seyfimel replied.
The woman scoffed. “You seem awfully nice. First day in the city?”
“Second–”
“Get lost, Gwynid,” Lyniana said.
“You know her?” Seyfimel asked.
“Who doesn’t,” Hesel mumbled.
“I missed you too, Hesel.” Gwynid grinned with a false warm smile.
Gwynid stopped leaning on the wall and walked closer to them. As she passed her hand over her waxed hair, she stared at Seyfimel with smoky eyes.
Behind her, two other women appeared from behind the shadows. One was bare-chested, despite the cold, showing impressive abs and several ryh-infused tattoos on her torso. The other was shorter and stouter, with a crooked nose and multiple scars on her face.
Seyfimel swallowed with difficulty and stepped back a few feet.
“How new is she?” the smoky-eyed woman asked playfully.
“I’m not afraid of you,” Seyfimel said.
“Sure, kid, sure. You obviously don’t know me then.”
The two other women laughed and snorted.
“I’ll present myself, then,” Gwynid said ceremoniously. “I’m Gwynid Laghbhaim. Born and raised in the north, quite close to Lyniana’s hometown, actually.”
Lyniana crossed her arms. “It doesn’t make us friends.”
“These are Aiswen and Neylea,” Gwynid went on. “We’re with the Golden Silk, you’d be welcome to join us, but I don’t think you’d have the guts.” She paused. “Speaking of which, if you don’t want yours spilled on this beautiful cobbled floor, you better give us what you came to deliver here.”
“Enough of your theatrics, Gwynid,” Hesel said. “You should cut your losses, you’re outnumbered.”
“You don’t remember Entaun’s job, then,” Gwynid replied with a chuckle.
“You really want to pick a fight right now? With city guards all around you?”
“Do you think I’m dumb? They’ve already been provided for. I’ve done my paperwork.” She extended her hand towards Seyfimel. “Alright. I don’t have all day, kid, please hurry up. I still have a job to finish.”
Seyfimel looked at Mahtli for help. In return, he simply stared at her with anger in his eyes. He didn’t want to let it go, but the new guild member could have done anything to avoid the fight.
And it showed.
“Kuilt,” Mahtli blurted.
As he raised his hands towards the three women, a thin layer of sprinkling ice grew on his skin. It wasn’t a warning. Gwynid immediately shouted to her friends, who charged. Aiswen tackled Hesel and the tattooed woman jumped on Lyniana.
Seyfimel froze.
Mahtli had formed a hailstone in his hand and threw it at Gwynid to knock her out. Before it reached her, she made a movement with her hand, and the ball melted in the air. She charged at Mahtli as he threw another one, but she avoided it with a step to the side. Once close enough, she punched his guts and face, his blood splattering on the cobbled floor.
Gathering herself, Seyfimel raised her own trembling hands to help Mahtli, and remembered simple steps from her training. She breathed, emptied her head. She focused on the task at hand, but a metallic glow caught her attention.
Lyniana lay on the floor, Neylea on top of her with an iron knife in her hand.
Without thinking, Seyfimel instinctively focused on the blade. Ryh flowed through her hands.
When Neylea tried to plunge the weapon into Lyniana’s chest, it stopped mid-way. With ryh, Seyfimel was repelling the iron from Lyniana. Neylea counter-weaved it right away, trying to neutralize the hold Seyfimel maintained on the blade. The knife finally twisted Neylea’s wrist and flew away from her.
This small victory gave Seyfimel a smile, but it didn’t last long. What felt like a brick suddenly slapped her face. The shock threw her to the ground.
Flashing lights and pain disoriented Seyfimel.
Gwynid’s head appeared above her. She grinned. “Is it enough for you, kid?”
Seyfimel coughed and couldn’t answer. Her mouth felt too heavy.
“Fair enough. Alright, girls! Let’s go!” Gwynid crouched to take the package out of Seyfimel’s pouch and winked at her. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
