I jolted awake, my heart racing, as for a few moments, I had forgotten where I was. Immediately, the memories returned, killing Clark, abandoning my husband to be; It was a lot to process. I chuckled without humor, marveling at how much had happened in only a few weeks. After stretching, I reached for my bag and pulled out all my items.
The quill and ink from Emyr, 40 more bits, the silver bridal band, Sim’s dagger, the math primer, and a single square of hardtack.
It wasn't much, but compared to a few of the peasants, I carried a fortune. I ran my hand through my now black hair. There was no point in trying to keep it a secret anymore, since I was far away from anyone who knew me.
The plan for the day was simple: Information. I needed to know who to talk to and who to avoid. Eventually, I needed to find out if a Magus was working for the baron. I still had no tangible way of convincing a magus to teach me, but I figured getting as physically close to one as possible would be prudent. Who knows, maybe he has books and magic scrolls lying about. I’d be perfectly willing to steal if necessary.
Even before all that, I needed work and a permanent place to stay. I figured it would be rather suspicious if the first thing I asked people about was magic. Playing the part of the young lad seeking employment in the big city seemed the best approach.
I slapped both my cheeks in an attempt at waking myself up, packed my things, and then made my way to the door.
~
Spotting Hendrick sitting by his table, I walked over intending to seek information.
“Good morning, Ser Hendrick,” I said, approaching.
He nodded, “Anier’s blessing upon you, Emyr.”
“Can I bother you for a few minutes of your time?”
Hendrick Chuckled, “Come, come. No need for all that. What can I do for yuh?”
“I mean to look for work, I have a few places in mind, but finding them in this maze seems impossible.”
With a laugh, Hendrick said, “Aye, it would be difficult for a village boy to make his way around. Tell me, where will ye' be lookin’ for work?”
“Darry’s ditch, Jess’s herbs, Mother’s milk, Ironborn blades, Morehouse leather, and Sear’s pottage”
He raised an eyebrow, "I know ‘em all, 'cept for Darry’s Ditch. Ironborn blades won't hire yeh. They're a mercenary company. You lookin' for that kind o’ work?”
I shook my head, “Mother’s milk is a brothel; could be work for yuh, Morehouse leathers; they tan mostly leathers; doubt you'll get work too upper crust, but feel free to try. Sear’s Pottage burnt down.”
‘Well, there goes fifteen bits worth of information. ‘
“Can you offer directions?”
“Sure, sure, and I can even do you one better. Mother’s milk is only a street over.”
I raised a hand, “Let me take this down.”
I pulled out my quill and ink. He whistled as he saw it, “Mighty fine quill,”
“Belonged to my father.”
I opened the math primer to the first page. With the ink faded, I could easily write over the old text.
“Good, you can read and write, that will help.”
After a few minutes of taking directions, I reached into my bag for coin before he raised a hand, “No payment needed, consider it Anier’s blessing.”
I wanted to roll my eyes, but instead I offered a grateful smile and a nod.
~
The streets, even though the sun had risen only an hour prior, were crowded. Ignoring the numerous shops lining the streets, I carried everything I owned, not trusting Hendrick’s words. Walking on cobbled streets was strange; even more so were the people. Perhaps it was the stale air or the lack of easy access to free-flowing water, but some people I passed stank to high heaven.
Not like I could judge since I was a bit ripe myself. Bathing while traveling in the caravan wasn't an option for me.
Following Hendrick’s directions, I finally reached Mother’s milk, and what a sight it was. The building was three times the size of the one back home and stood two stories tall. The entire thing was painted red. Even in the early morning, people were heading inside.
Women in scantily clad clothing waved at passersby out of the second-story windows. I shook my head at their style of low-cut dresses. One false move and they would be bare-breasted for all the world to see. Though I supposed that was the point. Their body was the product.
A man stood guard out front, so big, tall, and well-muscled that he made Greg look average. He had an actual war hammer belted to his waist and wore thick brown leather. Laughter and music could be heard from the entrance.
I immediately rejected looking to them for work. Not because I looked down on whores, they were some of the nicest people I knew, but because I doubted working for a brothel would help my situation in any way.
Unless I became a whore desirable enough for the baron himself to request me, I wasn't likely to get consistent access to the keep. Even less was doing any grunt work needed to keep operations running. I stared enviously at one woman’s impressive chest. The blonde woman caught me staring and, with a seductive grin, pulled the front of her top down, almost revealing everything.
I nearly tripped over my feet, just managing to catch myself before I face planted with the cobbles. The woman giggled, then blew me a kiss. I shook my head, slowing my suddenly racing heart, and moved on.
‘That was different. Let's save Mother’s milk as a last resort.’
~
As a villager, you mostly hear stories about cities being cesspools of human filth and villainy. But Lakeshore wasn't like that; sure, there was the occasional dead horse in the road or homeless begging on the streets, but there were consistent guard patrols.
I didn't see stabbings or whores plying their trade in dark alleys.
After another half hour of walking, I finally found Jess’s herbs. The small, squat apothecary was nestled between a tailor and a cobbler.
Entering the store, I was greeted with the ring of the doorbell and the fresh scent of earth. The store was small, more of a hole in the wall, really. To my left and right were shelves of herbs, oils, and an assortment of herbal remedies. An old woman, wearing a simple brown tunic and apron, stood behind a counter, eyeing me as I perused the shelves. She was chewing something that made her teeth red. After a few seconds, she spat a thick glob of blood-red saliva into a bowl.
“What can I do for yuh lad?” The decrepit woman asked.
“Greetings, I’m new to the city and was curious if you had a position available,” I asked, trying my best to speak proper.
“Speak sense, boy,” The woman commanded.
I shrugged, “I need work. You offerin'?”
“Mmmmmmmm,” the woman mumbled while chewing. Then spat in the bowl again.
“You do this kind of work before, brewein', prepin’ ‘erbs, mixin’ oils?” she asked.
“No, but it–” She immediately cut me off, “If you don’t know shite 'bout my work why you come in 'ere askin.’ I don't give ‘andouts,”
“I was just–”
“Get out of my shop. Ain't got no time for no freeloaders,”
I couldn't be bothered with the irate woman. I shrugged, turned around, and left.
‘Well, it's not like I expected to get work immediately. On to the next one, then.’
~
The man in fine armor laughed as if he had just heard the greatest joke of his life. Now I understood why Hendrick thought asking the Ironborn Blades was a waste of time. I stood in the entrance while half a dozen men in armor laughed at me.
“A little chicken bone thing like you lookin’ for work with the Ironborn. Boy, don't make me laugh, you ever swung a sword?”
“Ah, no.”
“Ever killed a man?”
‘Yes, actually.’
“No, sir,” I said, maintaining respect. The man was polishing a big arse sword after all. It wasn't really an office or greeting room, just a slightly larger hole in the wall store where men in armor and weapons sold their services. There was no seating or counter, just a bunch of men standing around looking intimidating.
“We don't need extra weight and we ain't got time to train someone with their mother’s milk on their breath.” That brought a chorus of laughs from the surrounding men.
I sighed in frustration. I despised mockery.
“Very well, good day,” I said, turning to leave.
‘It's alright, it’s the first two only the first two.’
~
‘Ok, it's time to admit it, I’m lost.’
One wrong turn and suddenly I'm halfway across the city, unable to tell one bedraggled building from another. Based on the dilapidated houses, with even more homely, starved wretches littering the street. It wasn't the best neighborhood.
“What you doin’ round here, boy?” Two men walked out of an alley. They were practically half naked, clothes stained with who knows what. My fear calmed down a bit. Both were half-starved and looked like they couldn't fight off a small dog. Their only weapons were small, rusted metal shivs.
I could defend myself if I had to.
I wasn't going to endure another humiliation. I let my rage flow, completely willing to end their lives. I immediately drew my dagger, the cold steel glinting in the sun. That gave them pause.
“Which of you wants to die today?”
The cowards immediately held up their hands. “Wow, wow, wow, we ain't lookin' for no trouble,” The slightly taller red-haired man on the left said.
“Smart, now point me to the main road.”
“Turn around, follow the road for a while, until you see the Krippled Kat, and make a left. That’s it, swear to Anier.”
I tossed two bits at their feet, turned, and followed the direction. I remembered passing the whore house, “Much obliged, sir,” The other boy said as I walked away.
~
“I can cook,” I said a bit too belligerently, to the barman and owner of A random eatery on the main road.
“Is that right? Can you roast a pig or braise a flank of ox so it's not like tree bark? You think I've got the time to teach you all this? We're a proper eatery, not your mother's kitchen.”
“I can learn. Everyone has to start somewhere.” I tried to reason.
“Everyone can learn, but I need proper chefs and training costs coin. I got half a dozen proper apprentice chefs looking for work with my eatery. If’n you know to bake at least, that could work, but I ain't got nothin’ for you boy,”
My anger was rising at each rejection. Everyone wanted to hire someone with experience, but where was I supposed to get experience if no one would hire me? It was paradoxical.
No one seemed to care that I could read and do numbers. I stomped off, not willing to beg any further.
I walked out into the street and headed to the main road once again. I was getting the hang of keeping my direction based on where the main road was. Spotting a boy selling meat on a stick, I walked over, tossed him some bits, and walked away with two. It was half-burnt, but I could tell it was cow and not dog.
‘That’s five failures today. And I still can't find Darry’s Ditch.’
I looked at the sun, guessing I had little more than a few hours of sunlight. I wasn't even able to speak with the owner of Morehouse Leather since it was in a more affluent neighborhood. The guard at the door looked ready to draw his blade as soon as I approached.
‘Hendrick would serve supper around this time, so I might as well head out to him.’
I didn't even bother to visit Davos’ family's textile business since it was near the poorest part of the city.
~
“No Luck?” Hendrick asked as soon as I walked through the door.
“None at all. Soup’s on?” I asked.
“Got a nice pork shoulder and beef ribs. should make for a hardy stew.” He said.
I smiled.’
A proper hot stew should do me good, considering all the walking I had done.’
I went into my room, sat down, pulled my boots off, and flopped onto the bed. Hours of walking and talking to people who only wanted to hire those with skills I didn't have were annoying. It was only the first day, though.
I sniffed deeply at my scent. It was the longest I had ever gone without a simple washing. At that moment, I decided to clean myself properly and take the rest of the day off to reevaluate my approach, debating if it was worth posing as a boy anymore.
“If I try to get work as a girl, what should my name be? I’m certainly not going as Edith.”
~
Four days passed with failure after failure, and now on the fifth day in Lakeshore, I caved and went to the brothel.
At least I was slightly cleaner. The only bathing facilities Crows’ Rest offered were a bucket of water and a clean cloth. Still, I smelled slightly better, and my hair was decently clean. It was starting to grow past my shoulders.
Walking into the brothel was quite an experience. It was nothing like home. There were the familiar tables and bar, but the floors looked polished, and every chair was upholstered with red cushions. There were even booths with curtains drawn.
A familiar woman sat by the bar. Her red dress was even more revealing than the last.
‘I need to avoid her.’
Unfortunately, she spotted me, threw on that seductive smile, and came sauntering over, swaying her hips in a way that had to be practiced.
“Oh, hello there, finally came to see me,”
“Not quite, I was–”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me to the bar, “None of that now, it's alright. Is it your first time?”
“In a brothel, no,”
‘Don't make a bad impression; remember, you need work. Play along; you’re a young boy after all, and she's a pretty woman.’
“Ah,” she said as if coming to a great realization, “So you’ve never been with a woman.”
I chuckled with actual humor, “No, certainly not.”
‘How would she react if she knew? Can two women have sex? How would that even work?’
“Well, sweetie, I offer discounts for first timers, only twenty bits.”
‘TWENTY BITS? Men paid more than twenty for a toss in the sack, which amounted to a few minutes. What insanity.’’
“Perhaps another time, I'm strapped for coin,” I said, trying to hide my surprise.
Two men entered the front door dressed in bright finery.
“I say it was quite the meal, probably the best in the middle district. The glazed duck was quite delectable,” The man in bright purple said.
“Truly? I've been ignoring Darion since it opened,” The man in a green blazer, with a bright yellow hat, said.
“No, no, no, that was a mistake. Sometimes a man must venture forth bravely.”
“You read too much of Dumar’s work. But I shall visit Darion's Dish at your word.”
‘Darion’s Dish? Recently opened? Sounds rather close to Darry’s Ditch. Did that moron mishear the name? I have to ask. ‘
A hand crawling up my leg brought me out of my eavesdropping. Before it got dangerously close to my nethers, I stopped her. “Darion's Dish. Was that opened only a few months ago?”
She looked disappointed, “Aye, quite the spot. I heard even Baron Redstone himself went there once,”
‘A restaurant that the baron visited. I have to see if I can find work there. Learning magic was still far away, but at the very least, I could close the distance. ‘
I held her hand and brought her knuckles to my lips, the way men do. “Thank you for your time, miss?”
“Darla.”
I smiled, “Darla, but unfortunately, I have business to attend to.”
Her warm smile showed a slight amount of confusion as she tilted her head to the side. Not waiting for a response, I hopped off the stool and headed for the Inn. I could have asked Darla, but she was too distracting. And she made me feel strange.