Chapter 2 - Supplies

Alazia meets Sarn for the first time. He is not who she thought he was...

 Supplies (3/13/10)

   Alazia frowned at the cloak hiding her hair from the townsfolk.  Normally she wouldn't have bothered with it, but today Sanual had arrived and everyone in the valley were crammed into the already crowded streets.  She wanted to get her supplies and get back to Zail as fast as she could, so she covered her unusual hair to avoid the conversations and hold ups she knew would happen otherwise.

   Sanual...  She loathed that man.  She supposed that he might be a decent person, but the way he treated his servants was in-excusable.  He treated them like animals that had no feelings or emotions.  He treated them like things instead of beings.  Given, most everyone did the same thing, but at least the townsfolk's servants weren't forced to pull wagons for days on end and made to sleep outside.

   Were she not in desperate need of supplies she would have waited until he left to journey into Gaffy's Valley. Sanual always had a large organization.  He had his own personal servants and guard detail on top of the hired hands to tend the wagons and service animals.  And this year, he had found himself a lady companion and she had a large wagon of her own that no doubt held her many effects. 

     The Lady Renae, as she introduced herself, was staying with Sanual in the River View suite, which was the entire third floor of the Cedar Lodge, while their servants slept two to a bed in the servants quarters behind the Inns kitchen. The suite had been added on only two years ago in response to Sanual's constant bickering and threats of never returning were he not provided with better accommodations. Still, he complained about wood heating and candlelit rooms. He much preferred the comforts of more established cities.

   Alazia was shopping for items that she couldn't make herself.  She needed fishing hooks, a new cooking pot and rope fine enough to make netting from. Also any new herbs and seeds that she didn't already have.  Oh, and a shovel.  Don't forget the shovel, she reminded herself.  She broke hers just this morning on a hidden stone while harvesting herbs from the forest on her way here.      

   Oh, I miss Zail.  She thought.  She didn't like being away from him.  He had planned to hunt while she was gathering supplies. Hopefully his luck was good.  They always tried to maintain a healthy supply of dried and canned meats and fruits just in case.  They lived far from any village. It would be a long walk if game was scarce or the garden didn't put out when expected.

   "Zail?"  She thought to him.

   "I am with you my love."  He returned and she smiled, less anxious.

   She had everything on her list and she was debating with herself if it was worth checking out Sanual's wares.  Hannamay didn't have any herbs to add to her collection and there was one in particular that she was looking for.  At last, her herb quest won out, but first she needed to refill her stomach. She hadn't eaten since a dinner of dried meat and tough bread last night when they had stopped to camp.

     I hope Zail has found game to hunt, she worried to herself as she ducked into the Shadespire, the towns only tavern.

     "The game is plentiful, I have had my fill my Love.". Zail assured her.

     I love that beast, she thought, shaking her head.

     Thankful of the darkness inside, she tossed back her hood and shook out her hair. It was just dark enough inside that her dark blue hair wouldn't draw much attention. Standing to the side of the entrance she scanned the room for an empty table. There were many to choose from as everyone were waiting for their turn at Sanual's wagons.

     "Alazia." The barkeep acknowledged with a tip of his head as she passed on her way to the darkest corner.

     "Thad." She nodded. "How's business?"

     "Oh, slow now of course, but later tonight..." he laughed. "Later tonight I'm guessing everyone in the valley will be in here wanting their food and drink quicker than it can be cooked. The Inn can handle Sanual's servants, but I've no doubt that he will bring his company here at dusk.   I've hired a couple young'ins to help.   Say, you wouldn't want to help out tonight, would ya?"

     "Uh, no thanks Thad." She wasn't expecting that offer. No one in town wanted to hire her, she was too much of a spectacle with her odd appearance and strange ways. Since living on her own she had always had to fend for herself. She made her coin selling extra harvestables.   “I have to be getting back to my farm, thanks for the offer though."

   "Of course." he replied. “Mery will be out soon to get ya all fixed up, I'm sure.”

     So she smiled and continued on to her dark corner. It wasn't long before Mery came out with a plate heaped with steaming food and a pitcher of strong spiced ale. Alazia took her time with her meal hoping that the crowd at Sanual's would thin out a bit while she ate.

     The Tavern was beautifully constructed. Her table was in the farthest corner from the door, tucked in beside the river rock hearth. The fireplace itself was huge enough for her to stand in and probably twice as wide as she was tall. The stone floor had been polished smooth by many pairs of boots over the decades. The building was one of the oldest in the valley.

     Just as she pushed her plate away and leaned back in her chair, a young man appeared at her table. Odd day today, she thought, first Thad and now this curious fellow.

     "Hullo." he said, extending his hand. "I'm Sarn; looks like you could use some company."

     Thinking he intended to shake her had as she had often seen others do upon greeting, she offered her hand to him. But instead of shaking it, he took her hand to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. Shocked, she sat with her mouth agape while he watched her expectantly.

     "Um, yea. Sure." She stumbled. "Zail, did you see that?!"

     "Indeed Love, be wary of this young man. I am not close enough to sense his intentions."

     "I don't recall seeing you before, are you from outside the valley?" Sarn asked.

     "In a way." What did this guy want?

     "Ah, yes. Well, I am Sanual's son and as I intend to take his routes someday, I thought I might acquaint myself with the customers I will one day be serving."

     Okay, she thought. Since escaping from her foster family at the age of ten, she hadn't had much experience with other people.   Zail was all she needed.

     "So,” He cleared his throat, beginning to feel uncomfortable. "Is there something you came into town to purchase? I'm sure my father has it, I could go check myself..."

     "Everything ok here?" Thad asked, interrupting Sarn. The barkeep was suddenly there, apparently concerned about her well being.

     "Thanks Thad, everything is fine." Strange, she thought, but fine. "This young merchant has offered his personal assistance to acquire my last few items."

     "Yes, well. Let's keep It that way, shall we?" He warned the merchants’ son.

A very strange day indeed. She couldn't remember the last time one of the towns people had intervened on her behalf.

     “Are you seeing this Zail? What do you make of it?"

     "I'm intrigued my love, why don't you stick around a little longer and see if you can discover a reason for their sudden change of attitude towards you."

    "Will you be needing a plate of food before you go, stranger?"  Thad said in a gruff voice. 

     "Yes, please, good sir."  he introduced himself to the barkeep but Thad only grunted in reply as he stalked back to his bar. 

    “I’m looking for an Aloe Vera plant."  Alazia said after Thad had left.  "It’s a very handy plant used to treat burns and other skin illnesses.  Hannamay never has it, but she only has the local stuff.  I read about it in a field guide that a traveler had this past year.  I think its from the sands of the south.”

     Said traveler had happened upon her homestead on the coldest day of winter this past year. It was just luck that Zail had found him unconscious and near death while hunting deer one morning. Had she not been who she was, he would have passed on from the world. Zail had tapped into his healing powers to revive him.

     They had learned a lot about herbs from him, more even than Hannamay could teach them. She was always amazed by the knowledge that one little book could hold.

     "And any Field Guides he might have as well.  I've just recently discovered the wealth of information those contain."  she added as an afterthought.

     "Will you be on your way now that you've had your fill?"  he asked, indicating her empty plate. 

     "No, I think I will hide out here a bit longer.  Wait for the crowd at the wagons to thin a bit."  she unconsciously brushed a hand through her hair.

     "Join me for a game of dice then?"  He asked, pulling his leather dice cup from his pocket.

      A look of astonishment crossed Sarn's face when she told him that she had never played and therefore didn’t know the rules.  Dice was the favored past time from here to the mountains and down to the coast.  Everyone played.  She couldn’t recall walking into the tavern when at least one dice game wasn’t in progress.

   "Ah, well then.  I shall teach you the ways of dicing then." 

     And teach her he did.  By the time his food came, she had beaten him twice.  She hadn't had so much fun with another person since her family died.  She couldn’t even remember the last time she had laughed like that.  The dice game was pretty simple.  Sarn had chosen to teach her one of the easier ones since they didn’t have much time together.  It was basically a matching game with a little risk thrown in.

     "Love,"  Zail spoke softly to her.  "We haven't much daylight left."

     "Oh my.  I really lost track of the time."  She said to Sarn.  "I have to meet my…  Companion... at our camp before full dark and it's quite a hike.  I really must be getting to Sanual's wagons."

     "You aren't staying at the Inn?"  Sarn asked, and when she shook her head he said, "It really isn't safe to travel alone through the forest, I will accompany you."

     "No, no."  she replied quickly.  "No need for that.  I'm well trained in the ways of defense.  I've lived in these forests since I was a child.  I just need to get to my camp before dark."

     "Hmm…" He frowned.  "Your… Companion…  should be meeting you here to escort you safely back to your camp.  In the sake of your safety, I will track down your wares this evening and you can make the hike back to your camp in full daylight."

     "Oh, you don’t have to do that.  I have plenty of time left to visit Sanual and the blacksmith and still be back before dark."

     "Nonsense."  He almost demanded,  "It's done.  What is it that you need from the blacksmith?"

     She told him about the shovel and then remembered the netting she needed as well.

     "Done." He said,  "I will have your things waiting for you and your… companion... here in the morning.  That should give you adequate time to get yourself back home before dark.  You live just outside the valley, correct?"

     "Yes…  but I never told you that…"  She had never mentioned where she was from.  This guy was starting to spook her.

     "Time to return, Zia.  We will get supplies after Sanual leaves and takes this boy child with him." 

     "I told you, I'm acquainting myself with the villagers so that I might provide the proper merchandise when I take over for my father.  Its' not hard to find information about a lady with…," he gently touched a lock of her hair, "with your qualities."

     With a slight gasp and a loud growl coming from Zail, she took a step back and almost knocked over the stool she had been sitting in.

     "Also," he said in a whisper, "I've been studying the Ancient Ways."

     "Who are you?"

     "I'm a friend, no fears."  and in a more normal voice, he said.  "So I shall see you in the morning then.  Safe travels to you this night, may you find your campfire warm and inviting."  He once again kissed her knuckles and strode off, leaving her standing dumb stricken in his wake. 

 

***

   She walked in silence the whole way to their camp.  They each had been thinking their own thoughts about the Sarn.  Who was he and how did he know about the Ancient Ways?  Was he one of them?  Concerned that Sarn would follow Alazia to their camp, Zail had ridden the winds to watch her back trail.  Sarn hadn't been following.

     "I think I should go back in the morning.  We really need supplies and I want to know what he knows about us."  Alazia decided.

     "I don’t think its safe my love, but I agree that the need to know outweighs the danger.  I will stay close to town in the event that I need to protect you."  he was always concerned about her well-being.  It hurt him that he couldn’t be at her side to defend her every honor.

     "My love will always belong to you my great beast.  Lets rest."

     She curled up between his front legs and he rested his head across her on his arm.  Sleep came, then morning came.

     She packed up camp, stowing everything in Zails packs.  Together, they made their way back towards the village.  Her following a game trail and him soaring above the clouds.

     "I will be close to you, my heart."

     "I know, my beast."

***

     Sarn was waiting for her, as promised, with a sack at his feet and resting a hand on the upright shovel. 

   "Ah, Lady Alazia!"  he shouted out to her as she came into view.  He slung the sack over his shoulder and walked to meet her.  "I wasn’t for certain you would honor our arrangement."  he said as he stopped in front of her.

     "Alazia, please.  I am no Lady"

     "Alazia then, shall we breakfast?  I have arranged a private dining room so we can share our stories in private."  Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to the tavern, taking her supplies with him.  She had no choice but to follow.

     "This child is acting more and more like cocky hatching who needs a good shake…" growled Zail.  "And I want to shake him!"

   "I think I just might do that." Alazia muttered.

   So she followed him into the tavern, smiled at Mery and she passed, and into a well lit room that she had never been into before.  It had its own fireplace, unlit at this time of year.  A table that could comfortably accommodate 15 people and a corner near the fireplace held 2 comfortable looking chairs with a small table between them.  Sarn gently dropped the sack onto the table and balanced the shovel on the arms of a chair then took a seat by the cold fireplace.

     "Breakfast will be in shortly, lets talk."

     "I would like to settle up our deal first if you don’t mind."

     "Suit yourself." He shrugged and told her what she owed him.  She fished out the coins and placed them in a stack on the table near her sack.

     Opening the sack, she was pleased to find her Aloe plant on top with the roots wrapped in a damp cloth.

     "That," he said, "Took a little effort.  My father had never heard of it so I asked his mistress where I might find one so I could bring it to you on our next visit.  Lucky for you, she had a mother plant in her rooms that had just put off a few new starts.  I convinced her to give me one in return for not telling father a little secret we shared.  She isn't the most…  faithful…  Lady my father has courted."

   "I truly appreciate the effort you have gone through for me, but I would have paid her for it." Alazia returned.  She wasn't fond of where this conversation was going.  She didn’t want to be indebted to this boy.  He was turning out to be a really crude person.

   "I was hoping I could barter for information."