I pulled my shawl over my face as a mild snowstorm blew across the plains. Silhouettes flickered between the white sweeps around me, then colorful headdresses appeared in the distance.
Nearly a hundred chieftains, if my math was right, as the tribes seemed to have thirty or fifty members each.
They stood up as I approached.
“You can’t stay here,” I said plainly. “You know that… don’t you?”
There weren’t enough roots or fish for all of them under this patch of frozen ground. The tribes were scattered for a reason.
“What choice we have? Nowhere to go.”
A chieftain nodded. “Two-legged wolf country below, many tribes.”
Mist blew out of my mouth as I pulled at the shawl for air. “But you’ll starve at this rate. How many days of food did you bring?”
“Many days. We ran before wolfs steal most things.”
“Glad to hear it...” I kicked the snow underfoot, revealing the bleak gray-brown dirt below. “But then I hope you like turnips.”
“What’s that?” they asked in unison.
“Bleh!” Predslava gagged nearby. “I hate turnips!”
I smiled sheepishly at them. “It’s not that bad.”
Turnips could be harvested in forty to sixty days when planted from seeds. I could think of little else that would grow well here in the north.
“I’m not a farmer, so you’ll have to figure it out yourselves. But proper agriculture will allow you to settle the region for good.”
“No more running for food…?” they asked.
“Yeah, no more.”
“All days?”
I chuckled. “Hopefully.”
They burst into celebration.
I turned and walked back to my palace, smiling. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?” Predslava asked.
“Bjornhavn. I’ll need to buy the first batch of seeds myself to get them started.”
She sneakily shifted into a bear behind me.
I shook my head slowly.
“Aw…”
We grabbed some of my sculptures and a few pelts from the Snoutlings, then left. Fortunately, turnip seeds were dirt cheap everywhere—a couple of eggs for a handful of seeds was a common rule of thumb. I also left them with some basic instructions for tilling and land clearing, but since I didn’t know much about the subject myself, we’d just have to wait and hope for the best.
“I bet five iced teas they’re going to fumble it,” Predslava said.
I pursed my lips. “I don’t know; you might lose that one.”
It wouldn’t be the first time they surprised me.
Buildings came into view ahead, thin lines of smoke rising from their roofs. First, I tried my luck again with the art dealer.
“Hm,” he said. “You surrendered to the muse, I see.”
“Wouldn’t you happen to know someone fond of elephants, by any chance?”
“No. Such filthy animals.” He smacked his lips. “But I appreciate your dedication. I’ll give you a little something for them.”
My eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
His thin eyebrow arched. “Do I resemble a jester to you, miss?”
“N-no, not at all.” I shook my head rapidly. “I’m sorry.”
He handed me a small purse. “There you go, then.”
It was lighter than the handful of coins I got the last time, but it would do.
“Thank you.” I curtsied politely and left for the pelt dealer.
“Good for him to finally recognize a masterpiece,” Predslava said. “Otherwise I’d have to punch that silly mustache out of his face.”
“I think that was a pity sale, I’m afraid… he might just end up throwing it in the trash.”
“What?!”
“Shhh…” I glanced around.
Two werewolves stared at us from across the street, long steel claws hanging from their belts. I’d never seen a weapon like that.
“Look who’s here,” she whispered.
“I noticed.” I pulled us to the alley beside the shop. “Stay here.”
“Huh? But the shirt thing worked the last time!”
I shook my head. “Not this time, sorry. I have a bad feeling.”
She deflated. “Okay…”
I grabbed the hide bundles and went inside. Frost goblins passed by me on their way out, carrying heavy coin purses.
I frowned.
Again?
The nice shopkeeper waved at me from the balcony. “Hey, beautiful! You got some goods for me, I see.”
I chuckled and laid out the bundles on the counter. “No sculptures this time, I swear.”
“That’s some nice reindeer, too. Where’s your neighbor?”
“They couldn’t come. Busy.”
“I wish I had such helpful neighbors myself.” His eyes rolled down to my belly, then widened. “Congratulations on your baby! Is the big kicker a boy or girl?”
“Changeling,” I muttered quickly.
He drew his hand behind his ear. “Sorry? I didn’t catch that.”
“Never mind,” I said, diverting the subject. “By the way, do only frost goblins sell pelts here?”
“Most of my sellers are frost goblins, yes. Coin is coin, I guess.”
“I see…”
“Speaking of which.” He pulled a bundle of reindeer hides to the counter. “This reminded of something.”
The hides were identical to mine.
“The goblins sold you this?” I asked. “Are you sure?”
He nodded. “They drop reindeer hides like this here all the time. Maybe you two know the same person?”
“No, it doesn’t make sense…” I muttered.
“What doesn’t make sense?”
I shook my head. “Sorry, I was just thinking aloud.”
“In any case.” He counted my hides and filled a purse heavy with coins. “Here’s your payment. Six silvers for each.”
My jaw dropped. “That’s a lot…”
He nodded. “As I said, we’re paying full price lately. The south is starving for hides. So, keep them coming, if you’d be so kind.”
“Will do...” I turned to leave, but the weight of the purse made me realize something.
We don’t need so much for seeds.
“Do you know where I may acquire iron tools wholesale?” I asked. “For farming.”
“Not in Bjornhavn, no. Sorry. It’s kind of a loss to ship iron to the north. But you can try—”
A loud crash rang out from the alley nearby.
My spine chilled.
Predslava.
“What was that?” The shopkeeper rounded the counter and rushed outside to check it.
I followed him.
“Oh.” He stopped at the alley entrance, frowning. “It’s just your… donkey? I’ve never seen a white donkey.”
“Uh… It’s a rare breed. Albino.”
“Well, if you ever want to sell it, I know a guy.”
A pair of metal claws lay by Predslava’s feet.
I stared at her. “I might… thanks.”
He went back to his shop.
“What happened?” I asked, glancing at the claws. “Were the werewolves here?”
“Don’t worry.” Predslava burped. “I ate them.”
“What?”
“I think they recognized you, though. We should scram.”
Murder scene aside, she was right. The Snoutlings were on their own, and if the werewolves were putting two and two together as I suspected, there could’ve been some complications.
I peeked out of the alley to make sure we weren’t getting followed, then hopped on Predslava’s back. We scurried to the market to get the seeds—I didn’t even bargain—then rushed out of the town with our bags full.
Katarina the peddler wouldn’t be able to show up at Bjornhavn any time soon, by the looks of it.