ALL NOVEL Chapter 1.14
The manor was a small stone palace dominating a secondary road in Kumhar, not far from the central avenue. It was a practical building, a small two-storey fort made of marble blocks, with narrow slit windows just wide enough for a crossbow to pass through. The roof of the building was flat and surrounded by a fence. From up there came the shouts of an instructor, and the grunts of recruits training. The entrance was guarded by a single soldier, wearing the large circular visor helmet typical of her militia. What the locals thought of as a town would have been considered a proper small city in the Principality. The white rectangular facade of the manor was decorated with numerous reliefs, which depicted people working the fields and carrying out other common jobs. Some figures were bright and colourful. An artist balancing on a small wooden scaffolding was about to paint even more.
The street in front of the manor was almost deserted. Jiriel explained that, since the witch's arrival, farm animals had been anxious. People were complaining of constant and widespread nightmares. Therefore they kept their distance from the manor, where she was held captive, as much as possible.
«Do you think she might hurt anyone?», Nene asked.
«No. But the gift she received from the Evil One is closely connected to the natural world, so to speak. She doesn't know how to manage it. How to put it… Let’s say her presence disrupts the mortals nearby. That's it»
Nene knew better than anyone how scary Adanara could be. She was insane, to the point of believing she was doing something good, yet she hadn't hesitated to capture, beat, and nearly kill her.
«How can I help you?», she asked.
«I want to discover all her secrets. To protect the city from witches, we need to understand them better»
«You said there aren't many around here»
«What if things change? They always do. That's why I asked you for help»
They approached the manor. Four stone steps led to a large, heavy dark wooden door. The guard was barely standing. The young woman tried to hide her dark eye bags under the visor of her helmet.
«Jiriel, thank goodness», she said in an exhausted tone. «I haven't slept for two nights, my husband has moved into the stable and they say it's all the prisoners' fault! Do something, I beg you!»
«We'll take care of it! My assistant and I will fix everything»
The guard, leaning on her halberd as if it were a crutch, pointed to Nene.
«What are those weird clothes?»
The black cloak embroidered with silver was a unique sight in that place. People reacted differently from what she was used to. Instead of reverence, it got her curious glances. Her clothing made her easy to recognize as a foreigner in Kumhar.
«They protect me from the witch», she explained.
The soldier scrutinised her carefully and was dumbfounded.
«Is that silver? Oh boy, I was hoping to trade one like yours so I could sleep at night, but I can't afford it»
Jiriel burst out laughing. She opened the door as if it had no weight. The guard didn’t bat an eyelid.
«Silver is useless, it's just a mineral. You should try some wine»
Nene ran after her, leaving the sighing, desperate guard behind. They entered a cold building with a beamed floor. A narrow corridor led to a spiral staircase that disappeared into the upper floor. The dark plank walls made the place even darker and more eerie. On either side were wooden doors, with a tiny metal window in the centre. Jiriel knocked on the one to the right.
«Sonhir! Are you there?»
The small window in the door slid open. A man cursed something and opened the lock. They were greeted by a small, middle-aged man, wearing breeches with white and brown stripes, held up with suspenders that accentuated his noticeable belly. He wore the typical leather jacket and an unusual triangular-based hat, also made of leather, the top of which curled inwards, like the petals of a half-opened flower. He had a short dark beard streaked with white hair, a large aquiline nose and very pronounced features.
«Jiriel! ‘Twas about time?», he snapped furiously. «You were supposed to come yesterday!»
«You're right, but I got distracted and then it was night already. This is Nene, my assistant»
The man looked exasperated. He squared her off from head to toe, suspicious.
«Since when do you have an assistant?»
«Since today! She’s an Inquisitor, an expert on Furies, witches and such»
«You must be the mayor», she said, bowing. «I serve my Lady, who has commanded me to help deal with the witch»
«Aren't you the girl who came with them? The one on the chariot»
«Sonhir, she's fine, trust me. You should be happy, that by pure chance one of the Church hunters is here»
«Yes, I know the legends about the Church and their monster hunters... All right, let's find out if there’s some truth in them»
The man led them through a bare room filled with empty shelves, scattered baskets, and the faint scent of vegetables. It looked like an empty warehouse.
«What happened here?», Jiriel asked.
«I've had all the supplies moved elsewhere. Everything was rotting damn fast since you brought that bloody witch here!»
«I'm sorry, but there's no other safe place to lock her up»
«I'm fucking sick of it! I haven't slept in days, we almost lost all the harvest! You always do as you please and then I have to fix everything!»
The Emissary lost her bravado. She lowered her head, her light dimmed and her wings faded to grey.
«Sir», Nene interjected. «I understand your disappointment, but allowing us to keep the witch locked might help us better understand how to destroy them»
«We haven't seen a witch since my grandfather was still alive», he grumbled. «Can't we just execute her and call it a day?»
It was a tempting proposition. However, Jiriel's instructions had been crystal clear: getting information from Adanara was a unique opportunity. The previous night, while having dinner with Oto, she had forbidden her from harming the witch without a specific order. Not that she could have done much without her dagger and cross, even if she wanted to.
The mayor picked a set of keys from his belt. He slipped one into the lock of a ramshackle little door at the back of the warehouse. From there, a series of slimy stone steps led underground.
«Jiriel, would you mind?»
The angel entered first, illuminating the way. They went down several metres into a cave dug under the manor. A brazier illuminated the room, and the smoke escaped from a small opening in the ceiling, sealed with metal bars. At the back of the cave stood a heavy metal door, without openings. The mayor reached for a second key and inserted it.
«Be ready»
Apparently, he expected to be attacked. Nene nodded. The man pried open the lock and stepped aside. No noise came from within, but she immediately recognised the disgusting presence of Adanara. It was even sharper than she remembered. The stench from the dungeon certainly didn't help her feel any better.
Jiriel who entered the cell first. She slammed the door open, causing Nila to scream.
«Let's get comfortable, shall we?»
The Emissary increased in brightness. Nene could make out the depressing hole where the sisters were confined, barely tall enough to stand. Jiriel, with her above-average height, had to bow to fit in.
Nila was on the ground, staring terrified at the angel. She was covered with a simple sack, the kind used to store seeds, with two holes for the arms. Adanara was in a similar condition, but was curled up at the back of the cell, shivering. Both were tied to the wall by heavy chains, hooked to huge black steel rings, nailed into the living rock. Next to the door was a bucket that gave off a bad smell. They were locked up in ugly conditions, which would never have been allowed in the Principality... Yet they hadn't been kind to her, so why pity them?
«W-what do you want?», Nila muttered, turning to the angel.
«Um… you're the one with the boring soul», she said. «Nope, I'm more interested in you»
Adanara didn't budge, giving her back to them. Jiriel approached her, and her tremors increased.
«Nene?», Nila saw her.
Their gazes met. She felt sick and felt pity for her. Despite everything Nila had put her through, she couldn't help but have a soft spot for her. She was covered in filth. Her wonderful blond hair was reduced to a mess of mud and dirt, her face marked by tears and scratches.
«Nene», the angel called. «Let's focus on the witch»
She followed her mistress. Adanara was whispering something. She immediately thought it was some curse or witchcraft, but unexpectedly she recognised some words of a popular and old prayer, invoking salvation through Saint Arianna. The prayer was banned together with the Saint. She wondered how she knew it since it was only mentioned in ancient history volumes, which were kept in the Citadel, not being printed nor shared.
«Hey, girl», Jiriel said. «I wanna talk to you, not hurt you»
Adanara continued to whisper. It wasn't clear whether she was ignoring them on purpose or had lost her mind. Nila crawled up beside her and began to caress her back. Her hair was soaked in dust and mud as well. At the touch of her sister, she began to sob.
«Go away, you fiend», she whispered.
Jiriel rummaged in the small shoulder bag she had brought with her. She picked up a loaf of bread. Nila's gaze made it clear that she was hungry
«I brought you something yummy!», the angel sang as if trying to persuade a crying child to gulp a bitter medicine.
«Don't, Nila!», the witch shouted.
«Uh? What did I do wrong? Nene, you try»
«Me? What do you want me to do?»
«Talk to them»
Nene took a step forward. Nila was startled, but stood between her and her sister, to protect her. Nene resisted the temptation to kick Adanara, instead she leaned towards them.
«The Emissary has no intention to kill you. You should cooperate»
«W-what about you?»
«She commanded me not to»
«Have you found a new master already?», Adanara said. «Can't you do anything else but obey?»
She reached out to the witch. She wanted to force her to turn around, but Nila stopped her. She spread as wide as possible to cover her sister. The chains jangled with her abrupt movements.
«Leave her alone!»
«My Lady, I think I have the solution»
«Really?»
«Could you get me back to the Principality?»
«Are you homesick?»
«Not really. But since we are dealing with a witch, I might get the Church involved»
Nila was visibly scared. Adanara stopped shaking: she got their attention.
«I could report to them how an entire village sheltered and protected a witch»
Adanara struggled up. Messy hair covered her face almost entirely. She panted and kept her eyes on the ground.
«You fucking monster!», she growled.
«Nene, please… T-they are innocent. It was us! Dena's people didn't do a-anything wrong!»
She grabbed Nila's arm. She was beside herself but somehow felt like she couldn’t stop. The memory of all the pain, the humiliation they had inflicted on her, how they had corrupted her soul, how Nila had teased her and played with her emotions made her so angry that she was about to leash out on them. The herbalist sobbed. Suddenly, a resounding slap hit Nene on the back of her neck. She turned around and saw Jiriel glaring at her furiously.
«Your soul will become awful at this rate»
She came back to her senses. She met Nila's terrified eyes. She was still gripping her arm tightly. What was wrong with her? Her mission was to purge the damned, to protect innocent people from the Evil One. Cruelty was unnecessary. Those principles distinguished an Inquisitor from a fanatic, from a Knight of the Church. She let go and walked next to the angel.
«Forgive me, my Lady. I gave in to emotions»
«I know, I know. Happens to me all the time…»
Surprisingly, Nila stood up. She was very weak, struggling just to stand. She was covered in cuts and bruises. Jiriel had asked the mayor not to mistreat or torture them, so those wounds must have dated back to their encounter with the Emissary, the day they arrived in Kumhar. It had been a few days, and if left untreated, they would become infected, in that filthy cell.
«W-what do you w-want from us?»
«I want to know about the witch», Jiriel replied. «Especially why she’s out of control. She’s causing trouble because of her gift»
«My sister is not trying to hurt anyone!»
“Except me”, Nene thought. Her grudge against Adanara came to the surface yet again. She kept silent so as not to get scolded by her Lady again.
«Also, there's one more thing Nene told me. I want to know about that thing you do with the crystal ball»
Finally, Adanara lifted her head. She was dazzled by the angel's light. She narrowed her eyes and struggled to sit up.
«What do you know about it?»
«I know what my assistant told me. You have somehow transferred the gift of the Evil One from one mortal to another. I want to know more»
The witch giggled. Nila helped her up. They were both battered and would have soon died of disease or starvation.
«The Church is afraid of me, they've been hunting me for years… Why should I trust one of their angels?»
«I'm not “one of their angels”»
The perfect imitation of Adanara's voice gave everyone creeps, including Nene.
«What are you, then?», Nila asked.
«I'm Jiriel. I told you the other day. Don’t you recognise me? Something with my hair?»
«My Lady, I don't think many individuals look like you»
«If you're telling the truth, then why do you care so much?», Adanara said.
«The crystal ball trick? Because, as I understand it, when you transferred the gift from a Fury to Nene, her blessing destroyed it. Her soul is pure»
«So what?»
Jiriel shone a little brighter. She approached Adanara, who hid behind her sister. Nene knew that look of the Emissary’s, and she didn't like at all what she knew was about to happen.
«That’s brilliant! I wanna learn how to do it myself!»
«My Lady! This witch is… she…eternal damnation… is bad»
Jiriel observed her puzzled for an instant, then turned to Nila.
«Has she always been like this?»
«D-Do you want to… D-do the experiment again?»
«Sure. If it can heal the Furies, I mean, the damned, that sounds useful»
«How am I supposed to believe that an angel wants to help us?», Adanara interjected.
«I’d love to see the experiment. Also, I could teach you how to keep your gift under control. People in town are unable to sleep ‘cause of you. Your soul is a huge mess. If you don't do something you could break. It’s painful, to break, you know?»
«M-my sister… She… I-it's not her fault»
«You. You look like just an ordinary girl», Jiriel stated. «Do you help her with the experiments?»
«Oh, w-well… I…»
The sisters became wary again. The Emissary's request was absurd, and Nene could hardly believe she was interested in Adanara's sorcery. There had to be more. She had to trust her, to shut up and let her do things her way. The Emissary couldn't be wrong... could she?
«We’re leaving. Think about it. We’ll be back tomorrow. I'll leave you the bread. Wait, no. You said you didn't want it»
What in the eyes of the sisters looked as malicious, for Nene was the usual naivety of the Emissary, who had taken Adanara's refusal literally.
«My Lady, if they are not given any food and care, they might die»
«Oh, you're right. Catch!»
She threw the bread to Nila. Jiriel laughed for some reason.
«Split it. It’s tasty. I put a little of my… “magic” into it»
She pretended to be waving a wand. The Emissary had claimed that magic was a fantasy, yet she was the first to perform impossible feats, to say the least. Her very existence was borderline unbelievable.
«Let's go, Nene!»
They got out of the cell. Nene looked back one last time. She met Nila's desperate eyes and felt guilty. Part of her wanted to get her out of there, forget what had happened and start over from that day when Nila had taken care of her. She had made her feel safe when she was alone and scared.
The mayor was waiting by the brazier. He closed the metal door and together with him, they went back upstairs. He led them past the warehouse into another room on the ground floor. It was completely different from the rest of the building. The floor was covered with fur rugs. A desk dominated the centre of the room, in front of which were two black leather armchairs. Hanging on the walls were numerous hunting trophies, deer antlers, boar tusks, and others that Nene couldn't recognize. The mayor sat at his desk in a padded chair and motioned them to sit.
«What happened down there? I eavesdropped a bit, but I didn't understand much»
«We tried to get the witch to help us. I will wait for her reply»
«Help us?»
«My Lady! I thought you weren't serious! Do you… want to see her sorcery?»
«Sorcery, you say? They called it an experiment, I think»
«Can you explain?», Sonhir grumbled.
«I believe the witch has discovered a way to heal the Furies», Jiriel said.
«What?! Are you kidding me? We asked scholars from everywhere, and they all turned out to be scammers!»
«Nene witnessed it»
«Oh yeah? Where are the Furies that the witch has healed? Show me!»
«She only healed one and we have no clue where it is»
The Emissary's statement made the mayor rage. He had a fair point: how was he supposed to believe the words of a stranger, without any evidence? From his perspective, Nene could be complicit in an elaborate deception, and sadly she had no way to prove otherwise. Only Jiriel didn't realise it, too busy fidgeting with the quill stuck in the inkwell on the mayor's desk.
«What about those nightmares? About the animals that are going crazy?»
«To solve that problem I'll have to train the witch. But only if she agrees to help»
«Are you telling me to be patient?! Why are you talking like that bloody demon deserves to be helped? Also you… You're the one who brought her here! You created the problem, you solve it! Otherwise, I'll send her to the gallows and have a good night's rest afterwards!»
Sonhir shouted so loudly he was scary. He was short of breath, his face purple. Jiriel, once he recovered, assumed a serious tone.
«It will work this time. I have seen Nene's soul, her story makes sense. Sonhir, I know I'm asking a lot. But if it works, we'll never have to fear the Furies again»
The man settled down. He stared at the inkwell for a few moments, thoughtful. He looked like he was about to cry.
«I'm done, Jiriel. If I get disappointed once more, I’ll…»
«I don’t want anyone to suffer. I asked the witch to show me her cure. I hope tomorrow she will say yes»
«What if she doesn’t?»
The angel looked him in the eyes. She had the same creepy look as the previous night, when she had admonished Nene, forbidding her to spread the Church teachings.
«I'll get rid of her myself»
They took their leave from the manor. At the entrance they found the guard crumbled on the ground, asleep. The painter had come down from the scaffolding. He was laying a cloth under her head and was watching over her. Kumhar’s people couldn't keep going like that for much longer. Nene followed the Emissary. She wasn't sure how to feel: furious that her Lady was showing interest in blasphemous witchcraft, scared that she was about to free Adanara, or worried about Nila's condition.
«My Lady?»
«Yes?»
«Are you sure you want to get involved with the witch?»
«You're worried, aren't you? You keep pushing back»
«Yes, obviously»
«What’s wrong with it?»
«Sorcery is the work of the Evil One. Its servants are dangerous, everything they do is evil»
«Sounds like Oroel is a pain as usual. Listen to me: if that girl can heal the Furies, what's the problem?»
«It’s ... the soul of the damned. It stays corrupted, filthy. It will never receive God's forgiveness!»
Jiriel laughed. She covered her mouth and looked at her amused.
«I don't think Yave would mind. In any case, it would be up to It to judge»
«But... God judges souls, and for this sole reason we keep them clean»
«Oh, Nene. The world is so much more… I don't know who taught you all this stuff, but let me tell you, they were pretty dumb. It's all right. You don't need to understand everything. Not that mortals could, even if they wanted to»
«What... What does that mean?»
«It means you don't have to worry. Hey, listen, I asked the witch to prove herself, didn't I? You know I can see souls. If she does her thing before me, I can tell whether or not she has actually healed the Fury, and what their soul will be like after that»
What scared Nene was the memory of Cosco forcing the cross on little Gil, who hadn't reacted. Her worst fear was the chance that Adanara could be right. If that were the case, then... She was just a murderer, who had killed an innocent man for no reason. It couldn’t be! Had that hag shown the Emissary her sorcery, her Lady would have changed her mind. She was sure of it.
«My Lady, if Adanara were to cooperate you’ll need a damned. And a… “sacrifice”»
«We keep a Fury locked up in Sevika's tavern»
«What?! Why there?»
«Because we closed him in his room. He's easier to manage when he’s among his things. Also, we already have the sacrifice we need»
«Please, don't ask me to do this…»
«You're the only one in town bearing Oroel's blessing. I'm sorry to ask, you told me how painful it was, but... I'll help you. I promise you won't suffer»
«I hope you have a better idea than just getting me drunk»
Jiriel didn't answer and fastened the pace. She ignored Nene's repeated attempts to continue the conversation.
They returned to the long main street, full of stalls of wandering merchants, who sold the most weird, exotic objects. Nene asked the Emissary for permission to look around. She stopped at a stall selling "magic stones" according to the strange woman yelling to promote her wares. She wore a long turquoise dress wrapped around her head, leaving only her face visible. In the Principality, such weird clothes would have cost her a visit from the city guard, but in Kumhar nobody minded. The locals listened with interest to her absurd claims, about how those stones could heal a stomach ache simply by placing them on one’s belly, and more.
At the next counter, she found a craftsman carving small puppets in wood, as big as the palm of a hand. What left her amazed, together with the large crowd of children and adults gathered in front, was that those puppets moved! She saw one walking, another holding a pickaxe, and raising and lowering it as if it were working. They all had a sort of key in their backs and, when the craftsman turned it a few times, a metallic sound came out, and they began to move again. The children's questions about how those toys worked were useless, as their creator merely smiled and replied that he was a wizard and that that was his secret magic. Of course, Jiriel laughed at his statement, as she firmly believed that magic didn't exist. Nonetheless, she offered the merchant a bronze comb in exchange for the awkwardly walking puppet, and the merchant accepted it. Looking around, Nene soon realised that the main method of exchange was barter. The Emissary explained that there was little money in Kumhar, so most foreign merchants followed the same etiquette. Only those who sold the most valuable goods accepted nothing but money, such as those who traded in medicines and other stuff important to the town. For these reasons, the mayor collected precious metals at the manor to purchase that kind of goods. Nene learned that the mayor’s role was one of responsibility and not power, which left her puzzled as to how that place could function. Yet it was before her eyes, a city of folks who helped each other, without using money, nor a Prince to lead them and a Church to protect them.
«Oto!», Jiriel chirped.
The boy was waiting beside a small monument at the centre of the avenue where was a statue of a rampaging deer. The Emissary ran towards him. Her wings became a rainbow of warm colours and her dress and hair fluttered in the breeze. Nene envied her. She envied how happy she seemed with her life. She felt ashamed for it and remembered that her Lady had promised to help her be happy too. She followed her.
«Look what I found!»
Jiriel enthusiastically showed the toy she had bought. She did as the craftsman did: she turned the key on the puppet's back, and it began to move its legs and arms. Oto stared at it, bewildered.
«Cool! How does it work?»
«Dunno. I'll try to find out, back at home»
Jiriel's infinite curiosity was her most human trait. If God had involved her in the creation of some mortals, it was pretty obvious which ones.
«What did it cost?»
«I gave him an alloy comb. Humans are so obsessed with metals!»
Oto laughed. He wore his usual clothes, but also a wide round hat, similar to those used by other peasants. He lifted it from his head for a moment, facing Nene. Was it supposed to be a greeting? She raised a hand in response.
«Have you solved the witch thing?»
«Unfortunately, no», she admitted.
«Not yet», the angel added. «Oh, I sure hope she'll accept, that would be great!»
«Will accept what?»
«You won’t believe it! The witch can heal Furies!»
«Really?! Haven't you tried a thousand times already?»
«Yes, but that’s my best shot so far. You tell him, Nene»
She didn't answer. She was going to help out of loyalty to the Emissary, but she strongly disagreed with her decision and secretly hoped she would change her mind.
«The mayor will be happy!»
«Kind of. He’s at his limit. Poor fella»
«What happened to him?», Nene asked.
«When Oto was still a child, Sonhir was a soldier in town. You see, sometimes merchants hire guards as escorts. He and his brother followed a caravan going east. They say there are a lot of Furies down there. His brother went missing»
«That’s why he was so nervous…»
«Every time I talk to him about Furies he lives through it, a hope he'd rather abandon once and for all. You see, even if I find a way to heal them, his brother would still be lost somewhere. If he's still alive. But I need the mayor’s help»
Oto walked along the street, in the opposite direction from the hill. They followed him. To Nene's questions about where they were going, Jiriel only answered vaguely. It looked like she was having a blast keeping her in the dark. They reached the end of the avenue at the northern gate. There, a couple of soldiers kept watch, and construction workers carried blocks of white stone. Once past the gates was a dirt driveway, surrounded by pig and chicken pens. Some ranchers were wandering idly among the animals, handing them food from their shoulder bags. The road continued for a hundred metres before disappearing into the forest. It was close and dark. The undergrowth seemed tangled and thick, a difficult terrain to traverse. The colossal tree towered over all the others. Nene threw her head backwards and tired to see its top among the clear sky. A mass of clouds was sitting around the tree, hiding its branches. From that distance, its sight was dizzying and aroused even more awe and interest.
Oto stopped at the chicken farm, saying he wanted to trade some mushrooms he had picked for some meat. He returned with a satisfied look, holding a decapitated and plucked chicken by its legs. After that, they went on. The grunts of the pigs became distant, overlaid by neighing. There was a horse menagerie down there.
«Someone asked me to bring you here, Nene» the Emissary said.
«Who’s that?»
«Him»
Jiriel pointed towards the dim light inside the stable. It was a rather large structure, a bug shed enclosed by beams. Nene counted six gates, one for each shelter. She followed her Lady's finger. She got closer and was left speechless.
«Oo?»
The horse began to nod as soon as he saw her. She approached cautiously, still not entirely convinced it was him. How did he get there? It had to be a very similar horse, there was no way it was hers. When she came before him, the animal snorted and craned its neck at her. She rested a hand on his head, and he began to breathe more slowly and deeply. Tears filled her eyes.
«Oo, it's you! But… how?»
Oto approached the horse and caressed its neck. He smiled at her.
«It is your horse, then»
«Yes, but… I left him… Oh, I was afraid that wicked innkeeper had sold you, or worse!»
«When Jiriel attacked the witch's chariot, he was pulling it. Luckily he wasn't injured. So I brought it here»
«My Lady… how did you know that Oo wanted to see me?»
«That’s his name? Anyway, I saw that his soul felt alone, and was looking for one like yours»
Nene dried her tears. The saddle was gone, but that mattered little. Oo was one of the few friends she ever had, getting him back meant a lot. She felt guilty for involving him in that story, and angry towards the sisters, for using him. They had taken advantage of his docile nature. At least they were together yet again if nothing else.
«Hi guys», someone said.
An elderly man with a gentle expression came from behind the stable. He wore one of those flabby hats typical of local workers and had a thick grey moustache and a white handkerchief around his neck.
«Morning, Miir», Oto replied.
«Hi», Jiriel said. «We have found this horse's friend»
«Really? Nice, he looked sad. Is that you?»
Nene nodded. Oo looked very well taken care of. His coat was clean and he hadn't lost any weight.
«Thank you for looking after him»
«You're welcome, girl. I owed Jiriel a favour. Oh, the saddle is on the back»
«Can… Can I have it?»
«Of course you can, it's your stuff»
The old man led her behind the stable to a small lopsided shed built with salvaged planks. Inside were numerous tools, ropes and other odds and ends. On a shelf above all else, was the saddle. Miir took it as if it were weightless and handed it to Nene. She grabbed it with both hands and almost lost her balance. The old man laughed.
«Do you mind if I take a look? I glimpsed some funny stuff. Of course, I haven’t touched anything»
She was a little taken aback by his pushy manners, but he seemed a nice person. He had taken care of Oo and hadn't stolen her belongings, even though it would have been easy for him, so she could have at least done that for him. Meanwhile, Oto and Jiriel joined them. Nene set the heavy saddle down on the grass. She had lost most of her equipment, as Adanara and her accomplices had stripped her of almost everything when they had kidnapped her. Inside the saddle’s pockets she used to keep only a few ropes, some stale bread and her breviary, so she was surprised not only by the weight but also by the metallic sounds when she dropped it to the ground. She unfastened the leather straps holding the side bag closed, and was surprised to see her stuff.
«Woah, shiny!», the old man said.
«You guys and your metals…»
She took the large silver cross out of the bag. She rummaged again, pulled out the ropes, threw the mouldy bread away, and found it: the silver dagger of the Inquisition, safe in its sheath. She brought it to her chest, finally feeling safe. She had felt so vulnerable, at Adanara's mercy, but she was herself again, what she had promised to be.
«Ah, this one too»
The old man searched the shed for a few moments. After a few moments, he came out, handing her her sword. Even though the scabbard was battered, she pulled it out and saw that the blade had taken a few hits, but nothing beyond repair.
«I…didn't leave all these things with Oo»
«They were on the chariot», Jiriel said. «The two silver things are gifts from my brother, so I thought they were yours. I figured the sword was too»
«Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how much these things mean to me!»
«Unfortunately, our stable is too small», Oto observed. «There’s no room for a horse»
«Miir, can he stay here?», the angel asked.
«Sure, no problem. As long as you bring him food yourself. This year the hay harvest has been pretty crappy, you know?»
«I will come every day!», Nene said.
She then remembered that she was living at the expense of the Emissary and Oto, so she turned towards them. They both nodded, making her extremely happy. She picked up the objects she had scattered on the ground, unfastened the bag from the saddle and put it over her shoulder. Miir agreed to keep the saddle in his shed. Having recovered her weapons and the cross, Nene looked at the terrifying tree that towered over Kumhar, and for the first time since she had arrived, didn’t feel scared of its sight.