Aliandra

  Laurel’s Café arently far too upscale aablishment to exist in any proximity to an unsophisticated location like Artisan’s Row. It took a while for them to walk across the several districts to reach the fancier, more upmarket end of town.

  Ali didn’t mind though, enjoying the beautiful te m sunshihat cast the eown in a much more pleasant light. With something as simple as a ge of clothing, Ali was amazed at the ge in behavior from the townsfolk. No longer did they draw hostile gnces and angry looks. Instead, there were many muttered ents such as: ‘Excuse me, my dy,’ and people looking down aing out of their way as they walked by.

  led them across a small cobble-stone bridge that spahe river dividing the town, and Ali paused on top to gaze out at the view for a moment. Her sightseeing romptly interrupted by an angry shout.

  “Seri! Stop daydreaming!”

  led up against the far bank of the river, stood a small wooden dock with a well-worn wagon pulled up alongside it. A red-faced man stood in front of the empty barrels stacked on the wagon, with his hands perched on his hips like an irritated teapot. A tiny Gnomish woman in a bright-blue dress with white-blonde, pixie-cut hair yelped, scrambling up from where she had been sittihe riverbank staring at the water flowing by.

  “Sorry! Sorry!” Her high-pitched voice carried clear as a bell across the river.

  Quickly, she reached her hands toward the river and an enormous fountain of water gushed up into the air, splitting into smaller streams and flowing down gracefully to fill each barrel. The girl glowed with su intense cobalt aura that Ali gasped in amazement. So cool! Heh – literally cool. The vibrant aura flickered and flowed with water-affinity magic as the Gnome maniputed an absolutely colossal amount of water to fill all the barrels – without spilling a drop.

  Mage – Gnome – level ?? (Water)

  Ali smiled, amused by the mostly harmless altercation, and enjoying the opportunity to exercise her mana sight o another fasating use of magic.

  This is never going to get old!

  More or less ten mier, they finally arrived at a small, stylish stone-walled shop with a red roof and a bright sign advertising: Laurel’s Café. The entire area was spicuously devoid of trash and hawkers, and there were no burnt-out husks of buildings in evidenywhere along this road. Ali had even spotted several uniformed guards discreetly walking the streets. Guards that were not dispying the Town Watch colors.

  The café had a small area with outside seating that already had a couple of patrons enjoying the sunshine and food.

  “Oh! we sit outside?” she asked excitedly.

  Her question was interrupted by an unfamiliar voice from behind.

  “Oh, my! Mirabel, look! How cute, a little Fae!”

  Ali spun around, finding two young-looking human women, wearing ostentatiously expensive dresses and carrying brightly colored parasols, staring at her. They had obviously been walking the tiny, fussy-looking dog that was yapping incessantly and scampering about their feet. Ali frowned. It was on for the rger races to inflict the dreaded ‘cute’ word upon her, and she quite hated it. Just because I’m smaller than they are! She was about to give them a piece of her mind when she was suddenly interrupted.

  “Actually, she’s a pretty fierce adventurer,” Malika chipped in, using a carefree and nont attitude that caught Ali by surprise.

  “Oooh!”

  To Ali’s further surprise, the two women seemed openly impressed by Malika’s bold decration.

  “But she’s freeng as a model for this new, stylish boutique down on Artisan’s Row. Have you heard of it? It’s called Lydia’s Allure. It’s really an undiscovered fashion masterpiece. To think there would be such a gem in Myrin’s Keep, of all pces!”

  “Aah!” the irl breathed, nodding knowingly.

  Ali gawped openmouthed at Malika, somewhat stunned and speechless for a moment. Wow, she really took Lydia’s offer seriously.

  The two dies tinued fawning over Ali and Malika for a while. Malika even performed several graceful pirouettes to show off her outfit, after which the noble dies bid them goodbye a. Ali overheard them talkiedly about their new discovery and how their friends were going to be gnawing out their own livers in jealousy.

  Wow, I had no idea alked like that.

  “I’ve had to talk my way out of sticky situations before,” Malika answered their curious looks, as they stepped into the café – an expnation that left so musaid.

  As they looked around, Malika whispered, “, your mother is a devious genius. I’m holy in awe.” At his surprised look, she simply added an enigmatic, “Wait, you’ll see.”

  “Wele to Laurel’s Café, sirs, dies,” the waiter said, showing them to a perfectly located table oerrace – polished white marble ated with gold filigree. “For your venience, your table has a privatment that blocks sound,” he announced while pulling up a taller chair for Ali without missing a beat.

  . Lunch without a cri my neck. Ali already loved the pce. The fact that they were aced t the smaller races, and hadn’t made an issue of her height, gave her a wonderfully warm sense of being weled.

  After taking their orders, the waiter left them to enjoy the view and the privacy of their table.

  Naturally, the versation immediately turo the crazy events from the st week. While it wasly pleasant subject matter, catg up with what Malika and had been through was something that had been put off for too long.

  “I guess I owe you guys an expnation,” Malika said after their first course – a rge ptter of artfully decorated appetizers – had arrived. The food smelled heavenly. “You probably guessed that the guys who pushed you down that hole were Kieran Mori, Adrik, and Edrik. And I guess Ta. They’re all members of the Town Watch – an anization that supposedly protects the town and townsfolk, but – as you saw – uhat fa?ade, it handles most of the dirty business for the Hawkhurst Trading pany. Prote rackets, thievery, and simir shady business so that Jax Hawkhurst keep his hands and his precious Town cil position unassaible while pulling the puppet strings on his criminal syndicate.”

  Malika paused, but everyone simply waited for her to collect herself.

  Ali dipped a lightly salted cracker into the small bowl of uifiable green dip and s before taking a tentative nibble, noting that her nor Mato seemed surprised by Malika’s pronou. Ooh, that’s amazing! She still had no idea what it was, but she grabbed a couple more crackers before Malika tinued.

  “I told Ali this story already, but my parents were killed in a dungeon-break about ten years ago. I stowed away on a mert caravan to escape, ending up here in Myrin’s Keep. I was young and desperate, and easy prey for the Hawkhurst loan sharks. Long story short, they pawned me off on the goons iown Watd made me work for them to pay back my debt.”

  “I guess that expins your ability to pick locks?” asked soberly. “And the Street Rat title?”

  Ali g Malika, seeing a grimace appear on her face. She didn’t share that information with me.

  “Yes,” she said. “Adrik and Edrik were my handlers. They forced me to take jobs of petty crime, making me learn to pick pockets and locks, all supposedly to pay back what I owed. I only found out much ter that nobody cared about my debt, they were just using it as an excuse to make me work for them. Makiake those skills and do the jobs was desigo force me into a Thief css so that I would be stud reliant on them forever. It’s also why I have Appraise instead of Identify.”

  “Isn’t Appraise a mert skill?” asked curiously.

  “Yes, but it’s also a crucial skill for thieves, it lets me know the value and quality of items. But it means I ’t Identify people or monsters anymore.” Malika looked down at the table. “So yeah, I’m sorry I dragged you all into my mess. I’m really not sure how to make it up to you.”

  She looks sad.

  “It’s ok,” Ali answered. “You taught me how to use my css, and how teamwork means having everyone’s back. You’ve been looking out for me at every opportunity. And you’re my friend.”

  Mato made an agreeing grunt. “Yeah.”

  “Do you mean that?” Malika asked, looking up at her, her voice thick with emotion.

  “Yes,” Ali said firmly. She didn’t know much about this new world, other than it was dirty and hostile, but Malika was loyal and ho, and she hated to see her sad.

  “You broke me out of those cuffs and saved my hide more times than I t already,” offered quietly.

  “You saved me too, and you don’t even like me,” Mato added dramatically, drawing a surprised ugh from Malika, and suddenly the mood lightened.

  “What is it that you want to do?” asked, and Ali realized that the two boys had not heard Malika’s full story yet.

  “For the loime, I wao get strong enough to destroy the duhat killed my parents and razed my hometown, but someone already beat me to that. I think I want to be a respected martial artist to honor my parents’ memories. It would mean a lot to bee strong enough to prevent something like that from happening again,” she said. “I think I want to join the Adventurers Guild.”

  “I’m not so sure about being an adventurer,” Ali said. “I’m scared all the time in battle.” As the others looked at her, she added, “I was terrified most of the time down in the ruins with those Kobolds. For most of my life, I lived in safety, w in the Grand Library Ara, or studying in the Grove. I had such bold ideas for taking back my home when I was first offered a bat css. Now I don’t know. I don’t think I’m made for bat.”

  “You’re pretty good at it,” Mato said, in his typically blunt fashion. “Also, you remember how scared I was dowht?”

  “You were scared?” asked, a look of genuine surprise on his face.

  “Yes,” Mato said, pausing for a long moment. “You were right, – Primal Rage is a terrible skill. I lost trol in the first fight, and I attacked Ali.” A haunted shadow passed across his face. “I nearly killed her. If she hadn’t learo inscribe a Druidic Restoration spell from my book down there in the dungeon while we were both dying, I wouldn’t even be here.”

  “So that’s why you removed your skill,” Malika said, stating it as a realization rather than a question.

  Mato simply nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you either.”

  “You got me out of that Bugbear situation, I think I might be in your debt at this point,” Malika observed.

  A small smile touched his lips. “I thought you had those Bugbears right where you wahem? You know, the hug of death and all that?”

  “Oh yes. I was lying there on the ground all beaten up because I knew you wahe opportunity to help. You’re wele.”

  Ali ughed with them at the ridiculous take on their dangerous fight.

  “Anyway, now we have a Kobold problem and a Goblin problem,” Mato said, back to his normal self. “And the garriso want to believe us about the Goblins. What do you think we should do?”

  “We’ve always had a Kobold problem in Myrin’s Keep, I think they will keep till ter,” said.

  “Yes, the Goblio be the most urgent issue,” Ali agreed.

  “I think the Town Watch is a bigger problem,” Malika said.

  “Do you really think Mori cares about us? He already got his money for selling you guys,” Mato said. “Maybe he was just… uh, marking his territory?” Malika stared incredulously at him. “Sorry. Crap. That came out badly.”

  “Right.”

  scratched his head. “I don’t know, Mato, it felt more like a sp on the wrist, but maybe there’s some higher-level politics going on we don’t know about, and this was a message meant for someone else? Malika?”

  “Maybe, that sort of makes sense,” Malika mused. “Maybe we’re too small for Mori to bother with, but Ta seemed weirdly vindictive. And I have a history with Adrik and Edrik.”

  “Myrin’s Keep is quite rge, what are the ces we run into them by act?” asked. “Also, I think if we stick together, we’re high enough level we safely get away from those thugs now.”

  “Maybe we should join the Adventurers Guild for safety?” Malika tered. “I’d feel safer if we finished up our business in town this afternoon and headed baderground to get a few more levels under our belts. We’d be less visible down there.”

  Mato grunted his approval.

  Ali remained quiet, listening to her friends discuss options and pns. Getting back to the shrine sounded like a fantastic idea for many reasons. Something had bee clear to her on the rescue trip in the forest – and she wasn’t sure the others had even sidered it yet. They all had great csses, suitable for a wide variety of jobs or adventures. But she was always going to have to deal with domain withdrawal. No matter what, there would be pces they would want to go to that she simply couldn’t reach.

  “Are you sure you guys all want to tiogether?” she asked. The versation around the table suddenly died, like she had dropped a fireball on it.

  “What do you mean?” Malika asked.

  “We’ve been forced together by crazy circumstances, and we haven’t had much of a choice up till now. But now we choose what we want to do. I’m sure all of you have dreams and goals, but I’ll always be rooted here. My css limits how far I move. Do you really want to be stuck here, with me? This town looks pretty awful, but all of you have great csses and could get work anywhere.”

  Surprisingly, it was Mato who spoke first. “When I was younger, my dad would tell us stories from his days as an adventurer. He would always insist that the most important choice was who y with you on your quests and adventures. You guys are alright, and you’ve had my baany times already, I’ve lost t. So, I’m in if you are.”

  “Me too,” Malika answered. “It's been perhaps a little riskier than I would have liked, but I have never heard of anyone leveling quite so fast after unlog their csses. I feel like I learn a lot, and there are plenty of opportuo train my skills and grow. Also, we make a strong team, those Bugbears would be a very tough fight for a our level.”

  Ali looked over at , who paused thoughtfully and then spoke, “I’m an explorer at heart. I love disc new pces and hearing the stories of dungeons and ruins. The ruins of the lost city of Dal’mohra are the greatest find i memory. I’m actually jealous that you got to explore it already.”

  Surprised at their passionate answers, Ali responded, “Then, perhaps you all teach me how to be a better teammate?”

  Mato coughed in amazement, “You… really?”

  “Ali, I’m sure we will all learn a lot from each other,” Malika answered. “How do you pn to better amazing?”

  “Malika, please.”

  “Miss Aliandra, I am extremely stubborn about my opinions, especially when I’m right. Fine. I hear you. We talk about it,” Malika teased.

  As the versation moved on to lighter subjects, Ali focused a little more on sav the extraordinarily delicious food that came a in endless courses until even Mato sat back with a groan, deg that he needed a bigger belt. During a bit of a post-dessert lull in versation, the waiter approached her.

  “Excuse me, my dy,” he said and waited for her to aowledge him.

  “What is it?” Ali asked. She had never been addressed as ‘my dy’ before and she wasn’t quite sure how to respond to his excessive politeness. Just A Mistress, she thought, and that had made her unfortable too.

  “It’s but a trifling matter,” he said. “Your dress is quite sensational. In fact, several of the other patrons insisted on interrupting your lunch to inquire where you were from and where you acquired such finery. I informed them that they were not to disturb you, but, if it pleases you to share, I would like to inform them accly.”

  Ali looked down at her dress, suddenly remembering that she was wearing something signifitly more elegant than her usual outfits. Malika had e up with a remarkable response earlier, and Ali racked her brains to e up with something clever.

  But in the end, she decided to stick with the simple truth.

  “Oh. It’s my first time in Myrin’s Keep,” she said. “I don’t mind sharing if it will make them happy. Our outfits were all designed by Lydia Avery, a Tailor who has just opened a shop called Lydia’s Allure on Artisan’s Row.” She offered him the opportunity to ihe dress. “She’s quite talented, don’t you think?”

  “Indeed, my dy,” the waiter said. “Thank you for your indulgence.” As he turo leave, Ali noticed an almost imperceptible smile flicker across his stoic face.

  As soon as the waiter left, Malika turo . “See?”

  “No, what?”

  “This is a very expensive café, popur among the high crowd. Everybody who wants to be somebody dresses up to e here and show off. To be seen. Our outfits, oher hand, look extremely expensive, but uated. Particurly Ali’s. She looks like she could buy the entire restaurant as easily as the appetizers but is trying to dress down – to be inito. It’s extraordinarily devious. Those people out there ot hear our versation so they must be dying to knoe are – they’ve all been surreptitiously gng at our table the eime.”

  “We haveen particurly much or expensively, but when Ali gave up the he waiter probably made more in tips from all the curious people than our entire bill will e to.”

  “Oh,” said, realization w its way across his face.

  Ali hadn’t even sidered the situation at all – not even notig the other patrons – and was astouhat Malika had figured it out in an instant. She shook her head slowly. It’s all just a ing scheme, I would never have imagined.

  “Your mother said to tip well?” Malika asked.

  “Yes, how much do you think I should leave?” asked.

  “We should leave before he brings the bill. Just casually drop the gold in the ter of the table and we’ll walk out.”

  “Before – really?”

  “Yes. It will be memorable, trust me. All the people watg will see the gold and the stories will spread like wildfire. Your mom’s going to be a busy dy, .”

  “A whole gold?” he wheezed, looking as if the had just stu his throat.

  Malika ined her head. “Trust me, and put that nose high in the air, my friend, as you loudly pliment the fare on our way out.”

  Leaving Laurel’s Café was almost more exg – in a destine way – than the experience of eating at the best p town.

  timewalk