“What now?” Dave asked once Fran had flown off.
“Now I practice.”
“Practice what?”
“Moving my wings. Things will be easier as soon as I get this sorted out.”
“What about the quest? It’s on a timer, remember.”
SJ had forgotten about the quest in the excitement of meeting another fae and being taught the basics of flight.
“Bah,” SJ grumbled. Having so many things she wanted and needed to do was frustrating. “What do we know? A supposed human alchemist has conned Setu. He has already paid a fortune to get nothing to help and is expected to pay more for a miracle cure that doesn’t work.”
“You know you asked him what he looked like, but you never actually asked where he met him.”
“Damn it,” SJ could have kicked herself. Having been so analytical in her Forensics role, she was now not even considering the basics. “I wonder where Setu lives; maybe I can speak to him.”
“I would not advise that!” Dave said, surprise in his voice.
“Why?”
“If Margu has GoblinPox, you don’t want to get anywhere near it.”
“I was thinking about that.”
“What?”
“Do you really think it is GoblinPox? Who diagnosed it as GoblinPox? If there hasn’t been a case in 25 years, how has it suddenly appeared in this town? I am not sure that it is GoblinPox. It sounds suspicious. The way the quest was worded was to deal with the culprit.”
“That is a good analysis but a little presumptuous. What if it is, and the culprit wording was related to the money he has taken?”
“How transmissible was it?”
“I told you already, very.”
“Yet, Setu had no signs.”
“True, but it depends on when the illness hits. Like most illnesses, it takes time to show.”
“Do you know how long?”
“Give me a minute.”
Silence.
“Okay, I found the details. I just had to visit the medical archives. It is a horrible place. Some very strange AI works there.”
SJ imagined Dave shuddering. “Were the details not just on your Wiki?”
“No. Medical details are kept confidential. You must go digging for them.”
SJ could imagine rows of filing cabinets full of document separators containing medical notes. “So, what did you find out?”
“It has a gestation period of 24-48 hours before signs show.”
“If only for 24-48 hours, and he said that the alchemist had already given him stuff and that he already had to get money for the cure. If he had been exposed, he would have symptoms by now. That, to me, means it isn’t GoblinPox.”
“I like your analysis, my YLF. Although still an assumption.”
“What does YLF mean?”
“I thought your world was full of them?”
“What?”
“Acronyms”
SJ thought for a moment. “Young loophole finder, by chance?”
“Yes. See, they do work.” Dave said happily.
SJ rolled her eyes. “I need to find where Setu lives.”
“Agreed, Watson.”
“Watson?”
“Well, I would have to be Sherlock. I am the all-knowing one, after all.”
Shaking her head, SJ headed back downstairs. The common room was very quiet, and the scare of GoblinPox meant enough to keep many patrons away. Kerys was not in view, so she walked over to Bert.
“Hi, Bert,” SJ said, smiling at the massive troll.
He turned from where he stood and looked down at her. “Yes,” he said flatly.
SJ felt nervous under his gaze. “Do you know where Setu lives? I wanted to donate towards the money he needs.”
“That is very generous of you. He lives down by the docks. I’m not sure which house, though, sorry. I am sure it won’t be hard to find. There are not many houses on the island.”
“That’s great, Bert. Thank you,” SJ replied, smiling at the big troll.
Bert smiled back, showing a missing front tooth. All Bert was missing was a black eye, and with his large, squashed, flat nose, he looked just like a prize-fighter.
“Docks, perhaps?” Dave said.
“Yes,” she replied, turning and leaving the inn.
SJ had never visited the docks before, but when they arrived, they reminded her of the old fishing villages around the coasts of the UK. The dock was situated on a small island just off the town’s shore. It was reached by a large, sturdy-looking wooden bridge that could easily handle a wagon or cart. Thick wooden posts supported the frame. On the small island area, SJ could see several homes and other buildings, which she assumed were storehouses or something similar.
She had loved going to the docks as a child, and the smell reminded her of her childhood holidays with her parents when she was crabbing off the side of the harbour. A draconian was leaving one of the homes on the mainland by the bridge, so she asked if they knew Setu and where he lived. Informing her that he lived with his family in the first house on the Island. She crossed the wooden bridge that stretched a couple of hundred feet before reaching the island.
The smell of fish permeated her nostrils as she walked along until she reached the first of three homes. There were lights on, and she was sure she saw a small green face in the front window. The house wasn’t very large, but considering the surroundings, she bet it was beautiful most days living here. Down from the house was a short jetty with several rowing boats attached to it, full of nets and fishing equipment.
She walked up to the house’s door, knocking gently. There was no answer, so she knocked a little harder. Hearing movement inside, she stepped back from the doorway and waited. She saw a face appear in a window, and its eyes widened in shock before disappearing again. SJ wasn’t sure if it had been Setu. It was such a fleeting glance.
She waited a few moments before she heard the bolt being slid on the door, before being pulled open slightly. A small goblin face peered around its edge.
“Hello,” SJ said.
“Hi,” the small goblin replied.
“I am here to see your dad?” SJ asked, unsure if Setu was the father.
“You are visiting late.”
“I’m sorry. I needed to speak to him about what is going on at the moment. Is he here?”
“He is with Mum.”
“Could you get him for me?”
“Not sure he will come. He is very upset. He has been crying since he got home.”
“Is your Mum okay?”
“Mum has been asleep for ages now. Dad says she took some sleeping medicine.”
“I really do need to speak to your Dad. I think I can help with your Mum.”
“Help? What’s wrong with Mum? She is just asleep,” the goblin child said, suddenly looking scared.
“No. I mean to help her sleep better.”
“She has been sleeping well. She has done nothing but sleep. I don’t think she needs to sleep better. Dad cooked dinner, and he isn’t a great cook. He managed to burn the fish.”
“Could you please see if your dad will speak to me?”
“I can try.”
The door closed again, the bolt slid back across, and SJ waited.
“Dave. Can you tell by seeing the illness whether it is GoblinPox or not?”
“I should be able to. I saw some horrific cases during the pandemic, burst boils and everything, leaking yellow and green puss everywhere. Very unpleasant, I might add.”
“I didn’t need such a vivid description.”
“It was no worse than the spider ichor you got covered in.”
SJ heard footsteps, the bolt slid again, and the door opened wide this time. Standing in front of her was Setu. His face looked even more worn than it had at the inn.
“You?” he said in surprise.
“Yes. I am so sorry for disturbing you.”
“You do realise you are putting yourself in danger coming here?” Setu asked.
“I don’t think I am, and that is what I want to discuss with you.”
Setu frowned, looking at SJ. “What do you mean? Fae can catch GoblinPox.”
“I don’t think it is GoblinPox.”
“The alchemist diagnosed it as GoblinPox.”
“I think he has made a mistake.”
“How do you know?”
“I will be able to tell if I can see her, but also, if it was GoblinPox, you would have it already. There is only a short period between infections.”
Setu looked confused, “But the alchemist swore it was GoblinPox.”
“Let me see, and we can find out.”
Setu stepped to the side and allowed SJ in. Setu walked SJ down a short hallway towards the back of the house, passing the front room, where sitting on the floor was not just the small child who had answered the door but six other smaller goblins. Setu led her into the kitchen. There were stacks of bowls and plates all over the sides and tabletops. The bin also looked overflowing, and SJ assumed that Setu could not keep on top of anything.
For the house to have so many in it, it was deathly silent, none of the smaller goblins making a sound, all quietly sitting there reading. It was the strangest scene she had ever witnessed. Leading from the backroom was a set of steps that led upstairs. Following Setu upstairs, he led her to the room at the front of the house, opening the door quietly. The stench that hit her nostrils was horrendous. It smelt of rotten fish. Scrunching her face up slightly, she walked in.
SJ could not resist asking, “What’s that smell?” holding her nose.
“Oh. Sorry, I need to wash them off,” Setu answered with an embarrassed look reaching behind the bedroom door and removing some overalls, screwing them up onto a ball and throwing them into a basket. He then grabbed the basket and removed it from the bedroom, closing the door. “I was on cleaning duty today at the docks. Always get covered in the guts.” He smiled sheepishly.
SJ saw a small form lying on the bed, wrapped under the sheets.
“Do you mind if I check?”
“No.” Setu walked up to the bed, slowly lifting the sheet, and pulled it back slightly, revealing Margu’s face.
SJ looked down on Margu’s still form, her goblin skin pale green. On her face, she had small reddish-coloured marks. As Dave had stated, there were no lesions or boils. To SJ, it looked more like measles.
“That is not GoblinPox,” Dave said emphatically.
SJ moved closer to look at the markings more clearly.
“That isn’t GoblinPox,” SJ said.
“What do you mean?” Setu said.
“GoblinPox creates boils and lesions that weep. Has Margu had any of those symptoms?”
“No.”
“Then it is not GoblinPox.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I just know.”
“Then what is it?”
“Can you tell me all her symptoms?” SJ just hoped that Dave understood what she needed him to do. She could not exactly speak to him now.
“She started feeling unwell about eight days ago. She got tired and sleepy. Then the rash appeared, and she would not wake up.”
“So, she has been asleep for nearly eight days?”
“No sleeping for nearly five now.”
“Has she had a temperature?”
“Sorry?”
“Felt hot to touch? Burning up or a fever?”
“No. The rash appeared, and then four days ago, I saw this alchemist. Who diagnosed it as GoblinPox.”
“Did the alchemist come and see Margu?”
“No. He couldn’t visit due to his other patients. He did not want to chance passing it on, although as a human, he could not catch it.”
“Okay. I have visited the archives again,” Dave coughed as though he had been in a dust-filled room.
SJ could not understand why an AI would be coughing. It was not as if he could suffer from dust.
“Looking at the rash and the symptoms, I believe she has Torupiatiarriallyisy, more commonly known as Torup. It is a sickness brought on by eating raw fish from a pregnant Torpi, and the chances of it affecting you are exceedingly rare. I believe this is a fish that lives in this lake. It only gestates every decade and then gives birth to thousands of fish at a time. It is not contagious, and symptoms will last ten to twelve days. It says that most feel better after they have been affected by it due to the amount of rest they get. It is completely harmless, apart from tiredness and its impact on sleep. There was a footnote saying that some people deliberately try and fish for pregnant Torpi to try and get the sickness as once the rash clears, it is supposed to leave the skin better than it was before.”
“Have you ever heard of Torup?”
“No.”
“Do you fish Torpi in the lake?”
“Yes. We occasionally catch one, but not very often though. The last one we caught was probably about nine days ago. I remember because Margu made us some raw fish salad. It is one of the kid’s favourites.”
“She has Torpu. It is harmless, and the symptoms will pass in another few days.” SJ said, not even going to attempt to say the full name. “It is caused by eating raw Torpi from a pregnant fish.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“She has no signs of GoblinPox. If she did, she would have boils on her skin, not a red rash.”
“Wait, so what about the potions the alchemist gave me?”
“Can I ask who directed you to the alchemist in the first place?”
“I bumped into a half-orc at the docks the other day and was just talking to him. He said I should see an alchemist suggesting one over near the tailor’s shop.”
“Could you describe exactly where near the tailor’s shop?”
“It is across the street on the other side and then second left behind Kilo’s and a few doors down.”
“I have no idea what Kilo’s is or where that is.”
“I can show you if you wish.”
“That would be great.”
“I need to speak to Situ and let him know we are going to nip out.”
They walked back down the stairs, and Setu spoke to his eldest sprogling before leaving the house and heading towards the bridge. When they arrived, a large wagon had been brought onto it and parked across it, blocking access.
“Who has left this here?” Setu said, annoyed, and walked up to the wagon. The animals had been unhitched, and empty reins were left dangling.
SJ noticed a large sheet of parchment tacked to the rear of the wagon, facing the inhabitants of the Island.
Until further notice, all residents of the docks are hereby under quarantine and must remain on the Island. No one shall be permitted to leave without prior written permission from Mayor Maxwell.
Signed,
Captain Broadaxe.
“We could go in one of the boats, I suppose. I have the small rowing boat tied up at the end of the sproglings’ jetty.”
“I think we need to visit this alchemist as soon as possible to try to end this.”
“He was going away, though?”
“I don’t think he has gone anywhere.”
“You think he has lied to me,” Setu started to look angry.
SJ wished she hadn’t said what she did. “I am just concerned that he misdiagnosed something from your sickness description.”
SJ had not mentioned that there was no cure for GoblinPox, and until Margu woke, didn’t want to panic him further. He stood with a look changing from confusion, fear, anger and embarrassment, all in seconds of each other as the emotions tore through him.
They made their way to the jetty. The rowing boat was a small affair, with only room for the two of them, and it was more suited to the sproglings. Setu was a proficient rower, and within minutes, they had crossed the small open lake area, reaching the bank on the other side. The moon had taken over in the sky, and now, the sun was completely hidden for the night. Her night vision allowed her to see clearly in its soft, pale light.
It reminded SJ of night vision goggles she had tried off a friend back on Earth, with a pale green colouring, but much clearer. It was quite a strange sensation. Setu pulled the small rowing boat up onto the side of the shore.
“This way,” he said, leading SJ into the town’s streets.
She had never seen this part of town before, and the houses that looked directly onto the lake were much larger than the ones in the centre where she had spent her time. They all had front gardens and small stone walls that separated them, reminding her of some of the villages in the Yorkshire dales. They used to go to Yorkshire regularly, where her Uncle Dave lived. He always joked about Yorkshire beer and Yorkshire countryside being wasted on Yorkshiremen. He was originally from Lancashire, and there was still an ongoing camaraderie dating back to the War of the Roses. The memories pulled at her.
“It’s just over from the tailor shop,” Setu said as they came onto the main street, which SJ now recognised. Fizzlewick’s shop was over to the right, and they crossed diagonally from it and then down another street. This street was much narrower, and there was little light to reach it due to the overhanging, thatched roofs nearly touching each other, apart from weak light shining from the odd house window. Her eyesight was still able to cut through the gloom. After walking down the street, they took the second left, past a building called Kilo’s Tattoo Parlour and six other buildings, before Setu stopped at the door. Seeing a tattoo parlour in the town amazed SJ.
“Here it is.”
The building looked like any other in the town, with no discernible features making it stand out. A sign was tacked to the door. Darjey’s Emporium of Alchemical Cures. Any illness or sickness can be diagnosed and cured with one of my potions. Enquire within. If there is urgent care and there is no answer, please contact Niweq at the Wandering Ogre.
No signs of light came from the building, and it looked empty. SJ tried the door out of chance, and it was locked.
“I think you should head back home, Setu. I can investigate from here, and if I find anything out, I will let you know.”
“I told you he wasn’t here,” Setu said, his shoulders slumping.
“Look. I know it is difficult to understand, but Margu doesn’t have GoblinPox, and there is no chance that she will die from what she has. If anything, she will feel much better when she wakes up. Go home, clean up the house, and take care of the sproglings.”
“If I do find out he has robbed me!”
“You won’t do anything about it. I will deal with it,” SJ replied, her tone quite stern for the first time.
SJ had no idea how old Setu was and knew he was not a child, but she felt she was scolding one when she spoke to him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so harsh.”
“No. I understand,” Setu replied forlornly.
“I will see you as soon as I find anything out.”
“Thank you.”
“Make sure you clean up, though. You don’t want Margu to wake up in the state you left the kitchen in.”
If a goblin’s cheeks could have gone a brighter shade of red, SJ was not sure how. “I was so worried about Margu. I have spent my whole time upstairs when I was not at work. Situ has been feeding the sprogs. I was only out with Gary because I needed the money and had no other way of making it.”
“Go head back home. I will see you when I get to the bottom of this.”
Setu turned, walking back down the street.
“Time to go and visit the Wandering Ogre,” SJ whispered.
