Chương 5: V. The City of Oakheart

The village had grown. When I had left, there were no walls – nor a [Guard], come to think of it. We made eye contact, and that lasted longer than I'd have liked. Thankfully he broke the stare first, and turned his attention back to the influx of others coming and going. A woman bumped into my shoulder and kept walking. Her friend didn't stop talking at any point. I had only begun to wipe my shoulder when someone else touched me. I jerked back, but they already moved past. When did Oakheart become so… big?

I wasn't gone for that long. I followed the dirt path, tightening the straps of the backpack. It was surprisingly light, and though I had put my canteen of water, work boots, and carrots in it – admittedly, that didn't weigh that much all together – it still felt empty. But the leather straps and brass buckles were something to play with. The new houses looked like tenements that were in Flowers-By-The-River. White-clay exterior with the red roofs. Some of them were painted differently, but that didn't do much.

Kind of like a barn, with different stalls to keep all the animals from running off. I had thought that home was cramped with Ma and Pa, but those apartments were smaller than my bedroom! And it cost an entire 1 gold piece a month to rent – not even own.

"Excuse me," another person said, and touched my shoulder. I shivered and shrank away, but they were already gone, rushing past me to go… wherever. When I was younger, there were only three places worth visiting here. Graham's General Store, The Gryphon, and Bellamine Emporium. All three of them were around the central fountain; the one that had the late Lord McReer atop of his own horse, Archibald. Archibald's mouth spat fresh water into the basin, though Nana scolded me for washing my hair in it.

I still did it anyway. Now though, it was fenced off. It wasn't a large fence, but it was made of iron and had a sign that read 'DO NOT THROW COINS' and 'DO NOT CROSS'. I crossed my arms, and again, felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I moved to the side, but the hand didn't let go.

"Ashley?!" An irritating voice said from beside me. Jasmine pulled me in, and then forced me into an awkward hug. I pulled away, and she kept her grip.

"Elora's Laces, Ashley! Ya gotten so thin! Bless your heart, you look like a proper capital lady now! An' I luv the dress, did Missy ma–""Jasmine, you're talkin' straight into my ear, you–" I said. I raised my hand to her lips, and Jasmine, as always, weaved her pale face around it and pushed her face right against me. Her blue eyes stared expectantly at me, before glancing downwards.

"Way Lord Skye was talkin' ya up, I was thinkin' ya had become Elora herself. Guess Capital fashion is to be that ski–" I pushed her face away from me.

"What are ya talkin' about? Lord Skye? Capital Fashion? I was at Flowers, not – ""Ah! Bless your heart, I thought he had already come visitin'? I offered to go greet ya myself, but he said you'd burn my ear off he reckoned, with how close to being a proper [Scholar] ya are. Can ya do any magic tricks, Ashy–""No! I mean, yes. Sorry. Jasmine–""Awh shucks, you can just call me Jazzy, Ashy –""No," I interrupted her.

"Jasmine, Lord Skye?"

"Uh.. yeah? Didn' he come visit ya? The Skye Boy is a [Paladin] now, ya know? Lesser Nobility an' all that. Says we can all keep callin' him Addy – ""Adrian." Jasmine's tilted her head, and her neatly combed blonde hair fell to the side.

"Okay..? Addy-Adrian. But I jus' fin' it weird an' all. He caught me and Lord Hawthorne's other maids wheelbarrow racin'. Okay, he got called since I uh…" She leaned in against me. Jasmine was Adrian's height, except that was preferable since she was a girl. She was pretty in my opinion; though whatever that frilly hat she was wearing did compliment her face. Red lipstick graced her lips, and her eyelashes fluttered with carefully donned mascara.

The black and white uniform she wore was a bit too lacey for my liking, but she did have a neat bat in the center of her white, bow-tied choker. She also smelled like her namesake, as she pressed herself to my ear.

"I broke my leg racin', but by Amaril's Grace, he just touched my leg and it snapped together anew! Like new, Ashy!" I pushed her away again.

"Amaril's sake, woman, why are you so close to me? And why are you whisperin' that? Of course that pious fuck – ""Because we're friends now? I mean, you're friends with Missy aren't ya?"

"What? Why in Rhyvest—" Jasmine's eyes widened and she jolted forward, putting both of her hands atop of my mouth and smoshing my lips together.

"Amaril! Just 'cause you came from the Capital doesn' mean you can be breakin' all the taboo's. I get that ya Capital folks ain' Amaril Fearin' but, Plains Below Ashy!" I pulled away from Jasmine's hands and glared at her.

"Okay, okay. What in the Grand Deceiver's name are ya on about, ya loon? We aren' even friend–""WHAT! I mean, I know we isn't as close as you and Lord Skye are, but how about all those times that we–""Shouldn' ya be bothering Melissa, Jasmine?" Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"I… no? I'm on a task for Lord Hawthorne. Well, Lady Hawthorne, actually. She wants me to go to the [Witch] to pick up some goods."

"Amaril, give me the strength to deal with this woman…" I muttered, rubbing my forehead.

"Okay, from the top – Jasmine."

"Uh huh, Ashy?"

"Stop callin' me that. Why is it a secret that Adrian – Lord Skye – healed your leg?"

"Oh, it ain't! But bless his heart, if everyone knows Lord Skye is that free with Amaril's Grace they won' stop houndin' the poor boy."

"... That is a stupid reason," I said. More people passed by us, but no one seemed to pay either of us any mind. A few glanced at Jasmine, but none of them at me. Never at me.

"Now, why are you talkin' to me?""'Cuz I hadn't seen you in six years, Ashy!"

"It's Ashley!" Jasmine patted my shoulder.

"Look, Ashy, if you're Missy's best friend, you hafta gonna be mine too. Ya can call me Jazzy if ya like!"

"I don't like. Wait – why are Melissa and I friends?" Jasmine stared at me. Her mouth creaked open, but no words came out. She closed it, and glanced to the side.

"Uh… Since you're friends with Adrian..?"

"He's not my friend," I said.

"Elora's Laces, ya haven't changed at all. I thought he got her to make the dress for yo–?"

"... What does that have to do with Mel–""Did Lord Sk– Adr… Addy fill ya in with what's happening, Ashy?"

"Um.. he's the Inquisitor of the Town..?" Jasmine stared at me. For once, she broke eye contact first, and looked away.

"... Beggin' your pardon, Ashy. Just a silly [Maid] oversteppin' her bounds! I had thought you and Missy were like Elora and Azadin by now."

"Um.. alright. Well, you have fun with whatever you're doing, Jasmine," I said, and began to turn around. She grabbed my wrist.

"Hogwash, Ashy! I gotta get ya filled in. An' you didn't tell me a lick about yourself since you got back from the Capital! An' besides, you gotta meet Madsy, she's real nice!" She turned around, looking at the people passing by. They were in fact looking at her, but with how noisy Oakheart was… well, Jasmine was louder. She leaned into my ear again, and I couldn't stop her.

"She sells [Underworld Goods]! Lady Hawthorne wants me to get some blood crops for their dinner! But I'm thinkin' Madsy might have somethin' to make my cart go faster. Addy says you're wicked smart and I wanted ya to look over somethings before I bought em. Can't afford another lemon an' all." I blinked. Then blinked again.

"What?" I slowly, flatly said.

"Nothin' too hard, Ashy! I just need some help designin' my –""NOT THAT!"

"Oh? Well, I cain't ask Addy since he'd have to Arrest Madsy and I like her. She makes really nice bre–""Amaril Above, blood crops?!"

"Ah! Right. The Hawthorne's are vampires."

"Rhy– Great Deceiver, what?" We had turned the corner, and were in a part of the Old Oakheart Minor. The store used to be a bookstore, but now a sign with a sleeping cat inside the cradle invited passerby in. The 'Cat's Cradle'. The window displayed various oddities. There was a broom that sprinkled some dust on the floor, a glowing dagger, and even a box that held glowing potions! In the back, there was still a shelf filled with books.

"Hmm?" Jasmine said, releasing my wrist and pushing her face against the window.

"What do you mean they're vampires?"

"Oh! I already told Lord Skye if that's what you're thinkin'. Says it's not a crime under the Phoenix Queen, so he cain't do much about it, yeah? So now I get to be a good runner, and Lady Hawthorne pays an extra 2 silver a day! Just to go talk to Maddy and pick up some foul crops!" She paused, and looked at me.

"If the farm thing ain' gonna work out, I can put in a good word for ya with Lady Hawthorne! Me an' her are as thick as thieves."

"Why are you sayin' all of that so casually?!" She peeled her head from the window and turned towards me.

"Elora's Laces, Ashy. The Hawthorne's hire a lot of us, yeah. I mean, the contract ain't the greatest, but… remember Mary? She's workin' there right now too. It's like an open secret, ya know?"

"I don't! That's the problem."

"Bless your heart, Ashley. Ya don' even know that Missy an–" She said and then stopped. I waited. She looked up to the sky instead.

"Missy's another good frien' of mine, yeah?" I narrowed my eyes at her, but motioned towards the door. Jasmine smiled and pushed it open. The lingering fumes of rosemary, thyme, and oddly, cinnamon wafted out. We stepped inside, and the door closed on its own. A bell rang from above, and a Martivian Voice yelled from upstairs.

"One moment, si vous plait!"

"Take your time, Madsy! I'm just here for Orphy's shipment," Jasmine called back, but she had already disappeared behind the stalls.

"Ashley's with me. But she's good!"

"Pipelette, you have no sense of mystery," Madsy yelled from upstairs. Light footsteps came from upstairs, and then a door opened. She had foreign books! 1001 Nights, The Fay Piper… and even The Ugly Princess Married to The Winter Duke! It was in its original elvish, and the scenes were too risq— It was 5. Silver. Pieces. The book had a holographic cover, which shifted between the 'ugly princess' and the tall, strong fae.

"You can have it, demoiselle," Madeleine said. I quickly turned around, clutching the book to my chest. She looked me up and down, and her black lips dropped into a frown. It quickly righted itself back to a smile, followed by the fluttering of her eyes." Maman will buy it for you." She was just a hair taller than Jasmine, but wore this ridiculous dress with an incredibly long, black hat. The dress itself was black silk, and rested right above her thighs. The V-Cut was fairly generous, and well…

she definitely didn't look like a 'Capital Woman' as Jasmine put it. Her necklace was a tree – a willow tree to be precise – encircled in a wood frame. To complete the look, she wore black slippers, a tight sash, and shining, silver jewelry.

"You like?" she said, raising a finger to my chin and lifting it up.

"Cute." Her brown eyes were natural, but her black hair was dyed – I could see the blonde roots staring down at her.

"Madeleine La Croix, et toi?"

"Ashley," I said. I moved away from her touch and immediately looked at the book. My face was far too warm, but she had already moved to the back of the store and waved her hand over a cabinet holding imported wine. The cabinet slid to the side, revealing a staircase that led down. She pulled out a wand from her inventory and cast [Light]. The tip lit up, and Madeleine pointed it to the spiralling steps.

"This way, Chérie et Pipelette. Alons-y, alons-y."