13 KiB
| title | availability | access |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Service | private | private |
The tradition of the bride price has not caught on among most of the more egalitarian of countries. --- Richol dea Lamaster, The Tarsan Influence
Karin moved stiffly as she came around the corner toward Lilard's. Her leather armor creaked with each step. She had freshly repaired and oiled it, preparing for a battle. She had no doubt that Tristoh was expecting her to come back. Her ex-husband always said she was predictable.
The usual crowds around the restaurant were gone. There was no one swaying in time to music. No one reading books while enjoying Lilian's voice. Tristoh's corruption had already taken root and it was obvious that the restaurant's fate was on a knife's edge.
With a second look, Karin realized she was wrong. The old lady who had pointed out the empty table to Karin remained on her bench. She knitted quietly, her head bowed with concentration.
Karin slowed to a stop near her.
"Looking for Lil?" asked the old woman.Her eyes were narrow as she glared at the glass window. She worked her lower lip as she glanced at Karin and back.
Head already throbbing from her hangover, Karin took a moment to process the unexpected question. She nodded. "Yes."
"She's in the back."
Karin turned to face the woman.
The old woman bent over to dig into her kitting back. She held up an impressive-looking knife in a sheath. There was a name carved into the side of the sheath, "Sindil Lilard". Flipping it over, she held it hilt-first to Karin. "Need a weapon?" she asked cheerfully.
"W-What?" Karin couldn't help but smile. She glanced down, looking for another weapon and noticed the same name on the side of the bag of yarn.
"You obviously are going in with a plan," asked Sindil.
Karin shrugged. "Well, more of a vague idea. I was just going in to... make sure she knew she had an option."
"That's good. The girl needs to know her options. Even if it takes a woman to have the balls to speak up."
Karin smirked.
"After what Jon did, it isn't our place anymore. All the customers have already left, the ones left are going through the motions. It's a shame," she said shaking her head. "Lilard's has been in our family for five generations. Thanks to Jon, there won't be a sixth." The older woman held up the knife again with a silent question.
Karin shook her head. A weapon would be nice, but that would make everything worse if she got caught. The city guard never responded well to armed hunters.
Tossing the knife back into her kitting back, Sindil returned to her knitting. "Three of his men are at tables one, seven, and fifteen. Two on the right when you come in, the other is by the window behind you."
Suddenly things seemed brighter. "Thank you," Karin said. "Who are you?"
The old woman smiled sweetly. "Just an old widower who is severely disappointed in her greedy son. So try not to kill him?"
"I'll do that." Karin turned, took a deep breath, and started for the restaurant. She stopped. "Are you a hunter?" she asked.
Sindil shrugged. "The men who fell for me were always mean drunks. Needed a little encouragement to send them on their way." She hefted her knife before jamming it back into her kitting bag.
Amused, Karin shook her head and headed into the bakery.
Jon, Lilian's father, looked up from where he was serving food. "You aren't wanted in here."
Karin glanced around, spotting Tristoh's three men sitting at different tables. They were all grunts and armed with short swords and leather armor. They also were turning toward her, their hands dropping to their weapons.
She looked at the counter leading into the back room and then to him. "I just want to talk to Lilian."
Jon stepped toward the center of the room and held the metal tray with one hand at his side. "Get the hell out of my place. You aren't welcomed here," he announced.
Karin shook her head. On one of the tables nearest to the door, she spotted a metal pitcher. She reached over and grabbed it. Her energies flowed through her hand as she focused on the rim to sharpen it while she spoke. "I'm going to talk to her."
"She's on her way out. You don't need to talk to her."
"Your daughter is not something to sell. Tristoh is going to hurt her and you know it."
Jon's jaw tightened. "At least the restaurant will survive. You don't understand how close I was to losing everything."
"That was your daughter!" Karin stepped forward. She flipped the pitcher so she was holding it upside down. Water poured out across the floor.
One of Tristoh's men lurched out of his seat.
She backhanded him with the pitcher, slamming the side of the heavy metal into the side of his face. It collapsed from the impact but she followed with a left hook that connected.
He fell backwards, his foot lashing out and catching her elbow before she could bring down the sharpened rim into his thigh.
The pitcher missed and caught the edge of the table. Magically sharpened metal sliced off the corner.
Before the hunk of wood hit the ground, Karin was attacked from the other side. The second warrior swung his sword down, the blade whistling through air.
She jerked back, slipping on the water and ice. Desperate, she funneled her energies into the crumbled edge. The metal screeched as it was flattened and sharpened again. Heat radiated through the metal, burning her fingers. She threw all her weight into blocking the blow.
The crumbled metal slammed into the blade. The edges, each one sharpened to narrower to a supernatural edge, sliced into the steel weapon and tore out a large hunk of the forged metal.
The remaining edge smashed against her hand and the tip snapped off.
Karin's knee hit the wet ground. She pulled back with her free hand, balled it into a fist, and punched the man in the balls with all her might.
His eyes almost popped out of his head. A low gurgle escaped his lips.
She released the ruined pitcher to uppercut him. Her knuckles slammed into the bottom of his chin, throwing him back.
Staggering to her feet, she stepped out of the puddle. She should have known better than make the fight worse by spilling water across the floor. Roal could never know.
Jon gulped as he inched back.
She grabbed the serving tray from his hand.
He flinched and held up his hand to blow a block.
Karin shoved him out of the way and stalked toward the door. As she walked, she sharpened the edge of the serving tray.
The last warrior stood up.
She threw the tray into his chest. The metal edge sliced through his sword and chest armor, embedding into his chest. Blood sprayed across the ground.
Karin pointed at warrior who stood in shock as his face paled. "Sit," she commanded.
He did.
She slammed the door into the baking area. "Lil!"
Lilian stood in the center, trembling as she stared at the door. Her eyes widened. "Kar? Is that you?"
All the speeches and things Karin was going to say slipped out of her mind at the sight of the frightened young woman. She rushed over and caught her hand. "I know this is stupid, but I had to tell you this: you don't have to go with Tristoh."
"I-I do. I'll lose the restaurant if---"
Karin interrupted her. "You've already lost it. If you stay with Tristoh, he's going to take you to Tarsan and you may never return here. I know him, there is nothing good about him."
Tears sparkled in Lilian's eyes. "W-Where would I go?"
Karin inhaled and shook her head. She hadn't really planned this far. "I don't know where. Pick a place and I'll send you there. I have enough money, I swear."
"What about you?"
Karin stared at Lilian for a long moment. Then she lurched forward to kiss her. The touch of her soft lips to Karin's was everything Karin had fantasized about. She let out a moan and inched closer to slid her arms around Lilian's waist.
Lilian gasped, her body still trembling. Her hands lowered to catch Karin's hip. She didn't pull or tug, but held herself still.
There was no passion, not even a hint.
Karin broke the kiss with a soft sigh. "Not a peach."
Lilian shook her head. "I'm sorry."
Karin shrugged. She turned to hide her embarrassment. Spying a stack of trays, she hurried over them. "Pick a place."
"Even though...?"
Karin took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she put on a smile before looking back. "I promise you, I will send you anywhere you want to go. Your voice is something that should be treasured as one of this country's wonders, not something Tristoh will use to enrich himself."
Lilian smiled broadly. "I... I always dreamed of singing at the Harmony Opera. So maybe Stone Over Moon Waters?"
"Done." Karin picked up the now sharpened trays. "Come on, lets get you on the road."
Lilian looked nervous and pale. She looked around the stone hearths and ovens. "Just leave?"
Someone started to crawl over the counter.
Karin threw two trays at the wooden beam over the counter. The metal rim easily cut through the wood but it held. She threw two more before the beam collapsed.
The warrior had only a chance to look up in fear before the wood crushed him against the counter.
Karin grabbed another two trays and kicked open the door. The sharpened edges shone in the air.
The door bounced off someone standing behind it and swung back.
She kicked it again as she entered the restaurant side of the building. To her relief, the man with his chest impaled by a tray was still alive but sitting down. The one that she punched in the balls wasn't visible, so she swung the tray hard and slammed it through the door.
Stalking forward, she headed straight for Jon.
The older man gulped and backed away.
"If she wants to leave, she's leaving. Do you understand?"
He nodded violently. Then his eyes widened as he looked toward the kitchen.
Karin didn't look back. She focused her attention on the last warrior in the room who was blocking the door. It was the first man she had attacked. She pulled back her tray and smiled at him.
He held up his hands and dropped his sword. "He doesn't pay me that much."
"Get out of here."
Karin followed after him.
Outside the street was empty except for Sindil, who still knitted on her bench, and the retreating warrior. The old woman had a smirk on her lips as her needles clicked together.
Adrenaline surging through her veins, Karin stepped away from the door and prepared for another attack.
Lilian came out after her. She hurried for the old woman. "Nana? I so sorry, but I have to leave---"
Her grandmother put down her knitting and hugged her tightly. "Go, my love. Right now, I trust her more than your father."
"I'll write. I promise."
"You better. Now go." Sindil stood up and gave Karin a hard look. For all her words, there was a threat from the spry old woman.
Karin smiled grimly and nodded. "Yes, Mother," she said in a deferential tone. Using "Mother" was just one way of saying that.
Then the grandmother gestured with one gnarled finger at the window. "Run. I need to have a long talk with your dad."
Lilian wiped the tears from her eyes and then headed for Karin. She held out her hand.
Karin took the soft palm then took it firmly. Together, they hurried in the opposite direction of the fleeing warrior. She didn't know where to go or how she was going to get Lilian there, but she had hope that something would turn up.
Three streets and two alleys of frantic running later, she came around a corner to find Roal sitting on a wagon with a horse already harnessed into place.
Karin gasped in relief. "Oh, thank the Couple. Roal!"
He didn't seem surprised to see her; his talent was to show up when he was needed. Slipping off the bench, he came around to open the back of the wagon and held out his hand to Lilian. "Just her or both of you running away?"
No question of what had happened. No hesitation. No doubt. Roal showed up knowing that Karin needed it and answers would be given later.
Karin worried her lip. "Just her. If I run, the Rat Hunters will pay the price."
Lilian gasped. "You're staying? No, you can't do that. Come with me."
Karin looked at the beautiful woman. It was heartbreaking but she knew Lilian would never be her peach. Without that passion, going along would just be torture for both of them.
Groaning, she turned to Roal. "Draw ten thousands crowns from my pay and give it to her. That should be enough to pay for room and board for a year. And find her someone to take care of her in Moon Waters. Someone trustworthy that won't take advantage of her."
Roal grunted and nodded. He helped Lilian get into the wagon and then underneath a heavy canvas tarp. He crawled over to the bench and sat down. "I'll come back for you."
"Roal? She's not a peach or an apple. Please?"
He nodded without looking at either of them. "Of course."
Karin nodded grimly and looked around. It was going to get messy but she could trust Roal to take care of Lilian. She smiled at Lilian who was peaking out of the tarp. "Be beautiful and never stop singing."