Beyond the Bakery (1x1)

[Helene]

A tiny snort of laughter penetrates her lips with the last line of his story. "That's quite a story! It must be true if the whole village came to see you!"


She looks over the impending road. She had never traveled this far without her family, "I have to admit," her words are quiet, "I'm quite nervous for the rest of this journey. I've heard so many terrifying things, seen so many of my people return to us battered and broken.." Slowly, she bends, reaching into her boot and removing a small blade, the hilt grabbed in a fine leather, the blade shining in the sunlight.


"This was my fathers. He brought it with him on his trips to the capitol. It belonged to his father before him, and his before that. It was wielded by a well-known blacksmith in the Square we're headed to." She hesitates, holding the blade in both palms now, her eyes wandering over the fine metal. "That man was a good family friend, but he was also involved with a group unknown to me. My father was vague about who they were, but from what I gathered, they were some sort of mercenary group with a vengeance. Something to do with the king.."


She stops herself there. The group the blacksmith belonged to had been dying one by one in the last year, all violently murdered, the kind of murders that sent a message. She had heard bits from her father before he disappeared. She had no doubt that these assassinations had something to do with the state of the capitol. But she didn't care to share anything else.


"Anyways, I show it to you because it's a well-known blade, the forgery and the inscription on the sheath mean something that I'm ignorant of. But if I must use it, it may bring more violence to use. I don't want you to suffer at the hands of my blade."


With that, she looks up to him, her face stern, tough. "Now, stay close, and let's go."

 

[Steviemac]

He looks over at her knife, it's blade reflecting the light of the sun. It definitely appears to be well made. The one he is carrying is just a play thing by comparison. "Hmmmmm. Mercenaries and kings huh?", he thinks to himself. Was her family somehow affiliated with an outlaw gang? He glances at her face, trying to discern anything that may give him cause for concern. So far, she has exhibited nothing but genuine hospitality toward him. He's already made up his mind to travel with her to the capitol, so if she in mixed up in something involving mercenaries he'll just have to cross that bridge when they get there.


"That's quite a blade," he states, clearly impressed by it's craftsmanship. "Don't worry, if anyone tries to take it from you, they'll have to go through me first," he says grinning. "I may not be an expert fighter, but I'm quick and hard to catch." His voice is full of confidence, but inside he knows that if they run into trouble, he really won't be able to do much in the way of fighting. Battle skills isn't something that you learn working on the family farm. He stays close close to her as they continue on their journey.

 

[Helene]

She shakes her head, attempting to ward off his thoughts of her involvement with mercenaries. “I personally don’t have any interest in his clique of criminals nor their behavior.. But my father was a mysterious man and this was merely a warning to possibly improbably expect the unexpected.” She flashes a sly grin, then a chuckle, sliding the blade back into her boot. She feels a certain security with this man, almost causing her to withdraw any ill-feelings she may once have held for him.


They carry on down the path, passing this and that, the area unfamiliar to her. She tries her hardest not to stop and admire the changing scenery, her curiosity something she’s always had trouble repressing.


At last they arrive to the outskirts of the capitol. The sun is high above them, but steadily declining into the west. The air is chilled and carries a light breeze that wafts through her hair. Her eyes are bright but her heart is heavy. She again ponders her business in this city, and what she will tell him when they’ve found his healer and must go looking for her supplies.

 

[Steviemac]

Thad looks around at the city before them. He has never been anyplace like this before. His experience has only been with his village a couple of villages close by. He is awed at the bustle and enormity of it. "Wow!," he exclaims. He looks over at Lou. "I've never seen anything like this before!" He is nearly exploding with excitement. His first thought is to explore everywhere, inspect everything. But, he knows he has no time for that. His village is counting on him.


He tries to find some indication as to where the healer district might be, but see nothing to indicate where to go. He turns to Lou, "You said you know people who have been here. Did they ever mention where the healer district was?" He continues looking for anything that might tell them which way to go. A burly man pull a cart yells at him to get out of the way. He realizes they have stopped in the middle of the street. With the heavy traffic bustling about them, they're in danger of being trampled. He moves to the right, pulling Lou along with him. They stand up against the wall of a glass blowers shop as people pass them by without a second glance.

 

[Helene]

Louisa is just as flabbergasted with the whole scene. There are people everywhere. There is a man sitting up against a wall with a small basket in front of him, unmoved with the business of the Square. There is a young woman at a nearby fruit stand fussing about the lack of quality produce, surrounded by what looked to be servants of the crown.


She turns to answer his question right as he grabs her, the man's cart knocking into her bag, just missing them. Catching her breath, she shakes her head and thinks for a moment. She has heard of medicinal shops in the capitol that sell herbs and potions and things made from old wives tales, but never of any healers. At least not traveling ones.


"There is a medicine shop in town here somewhere. I suppose it may be best to find that first, and go from there." She looks around for someone moving slow enough to stop, remembering the old man and his basket. There is an opening in traffic. She takes Thad's hand quickly, dragging him across the road without a word.


They barely make it as she stumbles a bit catching herself with the wall. Again, the man is not phased. She approaches the man slowly, noting that his basket is full of coins - probably a an handler. "Excuse me.." she steps to him, crouching down beside him so that she is at the same eye level. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but my friend and I are looking for the medical supplies. Can you tell me where we might find them?" One hand reaches into one of the satchels, removing a small coin purse. She grabs a few, lesser-valued pieces and throws them in the basket. She locks eyes with him, "And if you take us there, I can give you more."

 

[Steviemac]

Thad watches in silence as Lou drops a few coins in the mans basket. The old man looks down at the coins she dropped in and his eyes light up when she says she can pay more. He is familiar with every part of the city, having been born and raised here. Never once has he even been anywhere else. He looks at the two of them, sizing them up. Apparently satisfied that they are harmless, he agrees to Lou's request.


"Sure I'll show ye," he says in a raspy voice. "Been here me whole life. Why my friend Jasper runs an herb and medicine shop not to far from here. It's around this way. Come on you lot." He heads off back the way he came.


Thad beams at Lou. "That was smart thinking Lou. You've probably saved us hours of searching." The two of them follow the old man up the street. After a journey of five minutes, they reach a small, nondescript shop. Hanging on a pole outside is a faded sign depicting a bundle of herbs and a vial.


"Here ye be lassie," he says, looking at Lou expectantly. She hands over two more coins. "I thank ye. These'll come in mighty handy to me." The man disappears into the crowd, returning to whatever business they had taken him from.


They enter the shop, their nostrils being assaulted by the pungent aroma of many types of herbs mingling in the air. A man, almost as old as the one who led them here, is standing behind the counter. He looks at Thad and Lou as they enter.


"Well now. What can I do for you fine folks today?" His tone is jovial and welcoming.


"We're looking to hire a healer. Do you know where we might find one that is willing to travel?" Thad asks the man, an almost pleading note to his voice.

 

[Helene]

Louisa's eyes dart around to each person that passes them on their way to the shop. There is a man. He looks almost inanimate the way he standing. He is clad in dark fabric, a hood over his head, a sword at his hip, and a pennant around his neck with some sort of inscription. She cannot read it until they are just about to pass him. It matches the symbol on the sheath of her father's blade. Before she knows it she is stumbling, almost falling into the old man leading him. She catches herself, shakes her head, and carries on - How peculiar.


She smiles to the man as she hands him the final payment. She walks behind Thad as they enter the shop. She is mesmerized by all the variations of plants and potions the shop holds. Her attention is then directed to Thad as he asks the man about a healer.


"Oh, I don't know that you'll get anyone to travel with ye. That might cost a pretty coin. And the men who have those skills are in short supply. There's been an outbreak of sickness around these parts." He looks at the two, clearly from out of town, "I'm guessing your village has been effected."


Lou looks over to Thad to gauge his reaction. He seems nervous and upset.


"Are you a healer, sir? Perhaps you may be inclined to join us. With pay."

 

[Steviemac]

Thad listens, his heart sinking with every work the man speaks. It seems this illness is not just localized to his village. Without hope, he replies to the mans inquiry about the plague in his village. "Yes. It started about a week ago. We have tried everything that we know to try and cure it, but all for naught." He looks to Lou, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "It looks like I've been sent here for nothing," he says, the sadness weighing heavily in his voice.


Then Lou gets an idea.

"Are you a healer, sir? Perhaps you may be inclined to join us. With pay."

.
Brilliant! Why hadn't he thought to ask that? It seems the fates have brought them together so that she can help him get a healer for his village. He looks up at the man, hope returning to his features.


"Well, I'm not really a healer. However," he continues, "all of the good healers come to me for the ingredients and potions that they require to combat this illness. I know exactly what they've been using and how to prepare it. For the right price, I could travel to your village and administer the remedy to your people."


Thad all but jumps for joy. "That would be the best thing ever! I can give you some coin now and my village has taken up a collection to pay you when you arrive. I can give you the directions to get there."


They begin to haggle over the price the man wants.

 

[Helene]

Louisa smiles to Thad when the old merchant agrees. Her father always told her that anyone with a skill can always be bought, whether by coin or by virtue. As they begin to haggle, Louisa begins to wander around the shop. It is full of all sorts of things. There are several herbs from places all around the area, near and far. In a small corner sits a case with shelves of stones and rocks, supposedly bringing good fortune to the one who wears them. She is enthralled with the whole place, unlike anything she's ever seen before.


Stepping back to the conversation, Thad and the old man have yet to agree on a price - "That simply won't do. I will need to compensate for all the business I will lose for being closed. And I am the only shop in town that sells these supplies, so the demand is high. If ye want my help. ye'l have to pay up!"


Louisa is growing angry with this man. "There is a shop across town that sells everything here and then some. People can go there for your products. As for your price, we can match it as well as pay for your living expenses to and from our village." She has pulled her coin bag from here satchel, "15 gold coins for you and your supplies, we'll cover your food and housing. Enough to help however many Thad tells you. Not a cent more until we see your work."


Her voice is stern, her eyes narrowed onto the man's. She had no idea if there was another shop or not, but the old man knew they weren't from here and most likely assumed they were ignorant to their surroundings. But it was worth a shot and she had enough coin on the table to hopefully convince this old man to join them.

 

[Steviemac]

The man shoots daggers at Lou with his eyes. Clearly, he hadn't expected them to know that there were other medicine shops in the city. "Fine," he says gruffly. "I accept your offer. But, I can't leave until the morning." Thad thinks it over. "Agreed," he tells the man. "We'll return shortly after daybreak." He turns to Lou, impressed by her negotiation skills.


"Well," he says to her, "now that that's taken care, we should try to find those supplies that you need. Maybe we can have someone deliver them ahead of us. Then we can do some exploring if you like. This place is truly amazing!", he says with excitement. He turns and heads toward the door.

 

[Helene]

It worked! She couldn't believe the old man had agreed so easily to her demands. But her sense of accomplishment soon turned to nervousness when Thad brought up the supplies. She had already forgotten that she'd used them as an excuse to travel with him. Her eyes darted to the floor, searching for an excuse to avoid this task.


"Uh... I-I.. Maybe we should find somewhere to lodge first. Just to be safe. It seems pretty busy here and I'd hate to sleep on one of these trifling streets."


She nods to the old man, making her way to the door, "Be ready to go at dawn. If you're not here at sunrise, we will come find you."


With that, she pushes the door open and lets herself out, holding it for Thad to follow her.