Chapter 18: Peddling runes

 Darius had taken a week, but now he had fifty different runes to peddle. He got them all in his backpack, in a nice folder, and told his father that he was going out on a walk. He had gotten his archery practice and swimming time out of the way, and there were about five more hours before dinner. 

A dinner that will probably be just peanut butter and jam, once again. Darius knew that, if it hadn't been for the preservation rune, they wouldn't need to cut corners when it comes to food. 

But Beth deserved a flower crown that she got to keep. She deserved a warm home too, but all I could give her was an eternal flower crown.

Darius became saddened then. He knew that he had done the right thing. No matter how tough it got, he was never going to dig out the treasure that was the flower crown, to sell to some noble. Beth will be remembered, and honored. 

His feet took him to the tavern, and he walked inside. It was strange to come in here, without actually needing to take a job. He made it to the bar, and hopped on one of the stools. 

"Hey Tom, can you please help me?" Darius asked, and the barkeeper nodded. 

"Sure, do you need me to give you a tip about what job you can do?" Tom asked, but Darius just shook his head. 

"No, that won't be necessary. I would rather you tell me how to sell these runes right here," Darius took out the folder with the runes, and showed them off to Tom. 

"Oh my, those are made with personal blood," the keen eyes of the demon, or maybe it was his nose, Darius was not certain, told him as much. 

"I eat Galtea plant stew each day, to produce enough blood," Darius clarified. Then he showed off his hand. The one he cut for the runes. "Dad taught me how to close wounds without leaving scars." 

"Does your father know how many times you have hurt yourself this week alone?" Tom asked, and Darius shook his head. 

 "Don't tell him. I have to sell these runes because we have money problems. It is all because of me. I just needed a preservation rune, and those cost..." Darius gulped, when he saw the stormy expression on Tom's face. 

"You are blaming yourself for the decision of an adult?" Huh? That was not what the demon boy had expected. "Foolish boy. If your father didn't think it was as important as you did, you would have never seen the inside of the rune shop, much less the price tag of a preservation rune." 

"You think so?" Darius's tail began to wag behind him. 

"I know so. Hey, everyone," Tom yelled, to get the attention of those that were in the tavern. "Darius here is not only a capable hunter, he is a runesmith. Come and get your runes for less than what those spinners in the shops would ask for." 

A man, a Fey with gnarled wings, with his clothes covered in old bloodstains, came forward. 

"Do you have blood removal?" The Fey asked, and Darius carefully went to the very bottom of the stack, and took out his second made rune. 

"It works with demon blood as well. Although I have no idea if it works with Basilisk blood, since I have never come in contact with it," Darius said, and the Fey pressed the rune to his clothes. The stains vanished, and the hard-looking man grinned. 

"Well, I'll take it. Here is a silver coin," the Fey placed a silver coin inside Darius's hand, and then walked away with his rune. 

"Wait, it is..." a shake of Tom's hand stopped Darius. 

"Sell the runes for one silver coin, boy. You bleed for them. Don't underestimate their price," Tom said, and Darius nodded. A crowd began to gather, with different tavern goers asking for different runes. A water nymph took a water rune and a warmth rune. A goblin took a stone armor rune. An elf took another blood removal. 

Of his runes, Darius had made the blood removals the most. He had figured that the bounty hunters would need to remove the blood of their enemies more than they would have to make water appear in glasses. Still, he had about twenty runes that were not blood-removals. Much to his joy, they also sold. 

With a pouch filled with seventy silver coins, almost the entire gold coin that Andy had spent on him, as some customers had paid more than a silver coin, giving him tips and demanding he made a list of runes that he would come and sell to them the next week. He walked back home. 

On his way, he passed by the church, and saw an old man begging on the ground. Darius took out a silver coin, and placed it in the man's cup. 

"Orc's eye has cheap rooms. They are nice and warm," Darius told the now tearful beggar, and walked away. He felt bad that he couldn't give him more than a single coin, but he was still just a child. This will all change, when he grew up, and become better. Both with money, and with his strength. 

"Wait," the beggar called, and Darius stopped. He turned around, and saw that the man was limping towards him. "Take this." 

It was a dagger. A sturdy one. Darius took it in his hands. The entire weapon was slick, and well-kept. 

"With the silver coin you gave me, I can pay for registration with the workforce. I will get a job, my boy. Thank you," the man bowed low, and walked away. Darius blinked. 

"Wait, what is this registration?" Darius called, and the man turned towards him once more. 

"It is so that people who don't get a job can get in contact with employers. The registration is just one copper coin, but you need to get an address to register. I have a copper coin already, and with the silver coin, I can have an address for ten days. Mark my word, my boy. In ten days, I will have a job," with a final wave, the man walked away. 

"That is not fair," Darius murmured, when he thought about it. "Beth could have registered for a copper, had she had an address." 

And just like that, a new fire was lit in the boy's heart.