"What was that about?" Killum asked.
"Insurance."
That sounded ominous, but what was he to do? Killum led the merchant back to the forest, and to the spot he hid the egg. He panicked when he saw the dragon was well into hatching, having torn enough shell away to thrust his little pointed head through. But the merchant cried out in joy and rushed to claim it. His bodyguards followed, and Killum made good his escape.
He took a different route back into town, noticing some more armed men hurrying up the road toward the merchant. Killum didn't know if those men were friends or foes of Colum, but assumed they were the "insurance" he sent the urchin to summon.
A bell rang from behind the town walls just as he reached the edge of shantytown. He looked up in time to see the town gate boom closed as people raced in and out. Killum let out a gust of air, feeling that the wind was kicked out of his sails.
"I didn't make it in time. I bet the others are all inside waiting for me."
Killum considered exiting the game and calling it a day. It's been his experience that the time of day in the game mirrored that in the real world, though the Game ran on Pacific Standard Time. That meant it was already two hours past sunset where he lived in Austin, Texas. But then he spotted a beer garden, with some very scantily clad serving girls.
Human serving girl (Lvl 5). Easy virtue.
"Well now, this realm seems to have other perks that need to be explored."
Killum hurried over and found a table. There were five serving girls; three were human and all blonde, blue-eyed beauties with bikini model faces and bodies. Their clothes made Asha's outfits look matronly.
"Hello, milord, how may I serve you?" one of the girls asked in the most sultry voice imaginable.
"I'm Killum. What's your name, beautiful?"
"Bambi," she said with a giggle and wiggle. She bit her lip while looking him over, eyes lingering on his heavy purse. "I'm going to take such good care of you tonight, milord."
Chapter 12
The streets of Oxenbluff were pretty dry, compared to those down in the shantytown, and a lot less crowded. Overall, the residents dressed better, too. But as the end of the day neared, she noticed the poorest looking people of all races were heading for the gates.
They probably can't afford to live in the town proper, Asha thought.
It became dark in the town's narrow streets long before sundown. The houses were all half-timbered, though many had stone ground floors. Only the widest, main thoroughfares were paved with cobblestone. The rest were hard-packed earth. She noticed a pair of elves, male and female, astride magnificent horses, and a lone armored knight who was mounted, but everyone else walked. Even the ox carts were hand-led, not driven.
None of the windows had glass. Just open air, with heavy wooden shutters to close and secure them. Half of the ground floor shutters were closed, and she was starting to see light in the upper floors. There were no gas lights, or mage lights, on the streets. Not even torches.
"It's actually going to get really dark, really fast," she said, looking around. Spotting a friendly face, she caught her attention, "Excuse me, ma'am."
The elderly human stopped and regarded her kindly. "May I help you?"
The woman was dressed in a plain brown blouse and long skirt, and a flowery headscarf wrapped around her head. Up close, she didn't look as old as Asha first thought, and the reason she walked stooped over was because she was carrying a heavy sack of candles on her back. When the woman's eyes glazed over looking above her head, Asha took the opportunity to check her out, too.
Corinne. Human chandler (Lvl 19). +3 Light. PK: 1.
"Hello, Sorceress Asha," Corinne said. "Why do I think this is your first day in the Kingdom?
"Kingdom?"
"Kingdom of Kumar. Oxenbluff is located in the far south of Kumar."
"Ah, yes. I forgot. Thanks," she said. "Yes, this is my first day, and it's has actually been very eventful. And not in any good ways, either."
"Well, you've managed to level up and win some weapons, I see," Corinne said. "Is there something I can help you with? A candle maybe?"
Asha smiled at the candle maker. She'd like to buy a candle to reward the woman for helping her, but a candle wouldn't stay lit out on the street.
"Could you recommend a safe inn that isn't too expensive?"
The chandler nodded and pointed up the street. "The Crooked Staff Pub is the next street up, on the corner of Witchers Alley. It's not an inn, but they rent rooms to spellcasters, and are pretty reasonable. And it is where the local spellcasters congregate. And if you need to work off your room and board, the owners are pretty reasonable about that, too."
"Perfect," she said. "Thank you so much, Corinne."
The sorceress hurried up the street. And it was UP. Prince Carl Street was pretty steep in places. She found the next intersection, and looked up and down Witchers Alley. It wasn't an alley in 21st Century terms, but a street. Asha noted an herb shop, another called Gale's Grimoire Shop, and other shops selling anything and everything a sorceress could want or desire. The Crooked Staff Pub tilted out over the intersection on the south-east corner.
"They should call it the Crooked Building Pub," she said, leaning back to look it over. For a second, Asha worried about going inside. It wasn't the safest looking building she'd ever seen, but then none of the surrounding structures looked all that straight and safe. "It should be okay for one night. Tomorrow I'll find the others and we can figure out what is going on."
The door was open, and flickering orange light came out the door and windows. She heard voices and laughter inside. The heady scent of fresh baked bread and roasting goat wafted out to sing to her senses.
Asha's stomach tightened and growled.
After palming her purse, to ensure she hadn't been robbed, the elven sorceress stepped inside. The common room slowly quieted as everyone turned to stare at her. Asha quirked a brow, tilting her head.
"Take a picture," she said, seeing enough of them grin to know she didn't have to complete that sentence. Everyone she checked out was a player. Immortals, she reminded herself. Then a drop-dead gorgeous redhead stepped out from the kitchen. "Half-elf?"
Tilly. Half-elf human hedge witch (Lvl 45). +38 Light.
Asha smiled brightly to see such a powerful follower of Light. Tilly didn't look elven at all, though her ears were just a little more pointed than common for a human. She had the most piercing shade of blue eyes, with her dress being the same shade. The half-elf was tall and willowy, with her long red hair braided with small white flowers.
"Hello, sorceress," Tilly greeted her with a bow. "Welcome to the Crooked Staff. How may I serve you?"