Ch: 36 A Good Hard Dickering

 

Every tavern keeper is expected to listen to travelers' complaints, it’s part of the job. Instead of pouring more wine, the hostess smiled wickedly and shouted at the giant redhead on stage with the band. “Tallum, ye hae some work, an this worthy would hire ye. He hae a broken wagon wheel.”

 

The giant smith and an old warhorse strode out into the misty wet before a half hour passed, pulling a brightly painted cart of tools and supplies without complaint, they didn’t even insist he accompany them. 

 

The lovely red haired innkeeper seemed to be enjoying herself immensely, so he did a little half hearted haggling, just for form’s sake. It’s always nice to be polite.

 

“Half a copper mark for a bed and six iron bits each meal? Woman, I could be sleeping in a feather bed in the finest merchant’s hostel in Port Fallon for that price!” He scolded cheerfully.

 

“Aye, an their lice an bedbugs would charge ye additional fees fer sharing their bed!” Her wide eyed innocent act nearly broke him, this girl was a player in the great game of commerce. “Should ye find vermin in yer bedding in this house, tis thy guest an none o mine.”

 

“I do suppose you have a far better class of vermin, do the roaches bring tea and cakes at dawn? Shall your rats serve at table?” He snapped back, rising to the game.

 

“Ye can bed down in the stables and eat bread an water fer an iron bit, an ye be too poor fer civilized accommodations…” She barked, eyes flashing merrily. “Me heart is filled wi charity fer the misfortunate an wretchedly impoverished.”

 

Esperanza and Ivy were watching the games with interest, while Becky was almost trembling with excitement and taking notes nearby.

 

“It will be darker and wetter night than this before I stay in a leaky, drafty hovel for so princely a sum!” He called out, playing to the room. “Your demands are almost criminal for such a tumbledown shack as this!”

 

“Hey!” A new voice shouted rudely, interrupting his opponent before she could retort. “Dude, I’m ‘bout done with your…” The whole room turned and glared at the mouthy musician on stage. 

 

“Shush Gary, This be rare fun, an ye ruin it ye shall sleep in the stable!” She barked at the man. “Fie, now me rhythm be spoilt.” She turned back to her opponent and bowed gracefully. “Me mate be from far away, he dinnae understand the subtleties o commerce. Shai, be meself, and he be Gary Ward, be welcome traveler…”

 

“Master merchant Yost Preven of Flintspire, I journey down the Uplands Road to Port Ellis and home by the River Road.” He said with a sweeping bow to his opponent and the room, deliberately excluding the oaf on stage.

 

A copper half for a bath and a bed was not extravagant. The wine and meal were very pricey, but the food was marvelous. He was going nowhere and the innkeeper knew it. 

 

“Yer horse and cart be in good hands, bide a while and take yer ease.” The innkeeper said, smiling as though she were taking shameful advantage.

The gracious innkeeper had him warming his toes in a splendid outdoor bath almost before the smith was on his way out into the damp night.

 

His wagon trundled into the inn yard shortly. Listing slightly on a mismatched spare wheel and pulled by the sturdy old war horse, with the tiny blue cart in tow.

 

The giant smith promised to have a new hub and bearings mounted by morning, ready to leave by second bell. His quoted price of a bronze mark and a copper half for the job was more than fair. Most smiths charged a premium for bestirring themselves, even in good weather.

 

Negotiating wagon repairs with a fine meal tucked away and his familiar giving off very contented feelings through their bond put him off his game. 

“I’ll make it a bronze and a full copper mark if you shoe my horse, she’s been complaining about her left rear since the wagon wreck.” He murmured from the bath. “Even if I am forced to stay here longer, such are the trials of a life on the road.” He mourned in his most sorrowful  tones, while sipping a glass of very nice red wine.

#

 

In the private bath, Shai and Tallum were almost crowing over how much they had squeezed from the merchant and sailors.

 

“Aye, ye did pinch him for better coin, but ye will be working fer an hour before dawn tae keep that pace brother, I shall sleep easy with a fat purse and wake late. Twixt the sailors’ food and drink, an the merchant’s bed and board, sweet Shai is a bronze mark tae the good. After expenses mind ye.” 

 

Ivy and Dannyl sat up and took notice. “After expenses, Shai? When did you pay your kitchen staff?”

 

“Or your waitress?” Becky called.

 

“Nobody ever remembers to pay the band…” Gary complained.

 

“Sweet Shai did not offer to sell the sailors supplies nor offer any other repairs or maintenance that might be needed.” Esperanza offered.

 

“You didn’t charge the merchant for stabling his horse, nor fodder. Annie says that was very generous of you.” Luna added

 

Shai was up on the curb, wearing only water and steam, scribbling in her little green notebook with her tongue just peeking from between her lips. “I shall fleece those lambs good and proper next time!” She muttered fiercely. 

 

Gary leaned close to his beautiful grifter and whispered for a while. Slowly, a smile read across those sweet lips, a twisted and hard edged thing, so different from her usual easy grace. “Mini bar ye say… how much? Nae! None would pay so much…” She gasped. 

 

Gary whispered again. “On the pillow? Aye, a tiny chocolate, that would soften their resistance tae the ruinous prices o the mini bar. Tis evil, this thing, I dinnae ken ye had it in ye Gary.” She eyed her man with a newfound respect. “Ye seem tae have little care fer yer own business affairs and profits boy, tis mostly free gifts and openhanded low prices.”

 

“Sweetie, If I’m gonna be sold into slavery for five years, I’m bringing nothing to the party but what they can drag out of me.” He grinned even more wildly than usual. 

“Whoever buys my ass gets nothing but that ass and we all know what an ass I can be.” 

 

He kicked back to float freely in the bath. “Until I’m free, one way or another, I’m building only things I plan to give away. Like chocolate, music and free marketing advice for my avaricious mate.”  

 

“Avarice be a wicked thing, Fer me, tis the thrill o the deal. Dinnae tell, but I would fain nae send any tae sleep in the woods.”  She pulled her musician in for a kiss that lingered. “A bit o sharp haggling gets me feeling… sleepy.” She said, not looking sleepy at all.

 

“As you wish.” He said with his silly grin, as he began dragging her out of the bath to go upstairs. Comically stuffing himself and her into robes, and then pawing at her, while chasing the poor girl to the stairs.

 

“Gods those two are exhausting” Ivy complained, while shoving Talllum along in similar fashion.

#

 

Gary and Shai were joined by Becky in the dream house almost immediately, everyone was tired it seemed.

 

The trio wandered down into the garden, looking for Thirp, only to witness the summary reincarnation of another hideous undead amalgam of human limbs.

 

The spidery chorus of angelic harps played the unfortunate souls off into their next life with rapturous joy, while another amorphous horror slowly evaporated. 

Once more the masks within the rapidly dwindling dark cloud relished and celebrated their presumed release from bondage.

 

“Another one, what are those things, Thirp?” Becky asked, looking at the vanishing monster in disgust.

 

“We must pity the Hollow Ones, even as we resist their plots and seek to extinguish them from all existence.” Thirp played a mournful dirge, heavy with emotion, but defiant. “Their story is as unique as it is pitiful. It will be a mercy to them and to all sentients when their shadow has been expunged.”

 

Thirp blinked four of her eyes closed for a moment and continued. “I shall tell you what you can understand of their tale.” Gary summoned a wide sofa and settled in by the girls to listen.

#

 

In all the infinite realms floating through the limitless void, many lights of sentience have ignited, faded away, burned out and been snuffed in the endless dance of the universe. Just as in each realm, lives begin and end, so do realms and their peoples eventually fade.

 

Minds great and small have sprung into being, grown and diminished in millions beyond counting.

 

A few have grown and developed to the point of purely spiritual or mental existence, but none so strangely as the Hollow Ones. 

 

None know what form their race took originally, or how their end came to be so unique, or even their race’s home reality.

 

What is known of their origins is not encouraging. They will attempt to plant their horrid ziggurats in any soul like Gary’s, that bridges the void. Their intent is to drain the etheric essence from that conduit for their own ends.

 

Each ziggurat consists of the melded bodies of any number of individual victims of this process. Trapped in eternal torment and forced to channel those energies and serve their master’s dark will forever.

The result of implantation of a ziggurat in a being such as Gary is unknown, but unlikely to be good.

 

Somehow they divorced themselves from physical bodies, becoming beings of the outside, while not becoming outsiders. 

Much as some outsiders develop the ability to touch physical realities, through mortal agents or pawns, the Hollow Ones attempt to infiltrate worlds with their inscrutable influence by some occult means. 

Their filthy ziggurats are some manner of tool or construct to facilitate their entry into uninfested worlds.

 

While largely immaterial, they do contain those semi physical masks. Each one is a soul trapped in undying torment, feeding the creature in some way. 

 

This allows them to act on the physical world in limited ways, usually by influencing the thoughts and perceptions of their victims without revealing their presence overtly. 

A person infected by a  hollow one might even be unaware of the being or its influence. 

 

Thirp’s bedtime story was less restful than a bed of nails, the trio were still mulling and contemplating the spider’s tale when they slipped into normal sleep together.

As usual Gary woke early and slipped away, eager to get down in the workshop and prepare. Even from this distance, Port Ellis seemed a bit more cheery and open than Port Fallon, that could just be the disembowelment… or Brennan Fallon. Gary planned on avoiding both in the future.

 

Tallum was already up and seating a set of bearings in a new wheel hub, driving them into their cavity with a wooden sledge. The wheel hub itself was nicely done, turned from a single piece of ash on the lathe and bound with iron straps. 

 

“Looking good. I saw that love chain you carved for Ivy, nice work ya big lug, we’ll make a carpenter of you yet!” Gary blustered, enjoying the way his friend flushed bright red.

“How about Dannyl’s toy, any progress?” Gary asked, peeking under a sheet on Tallum’s bench.

 

“I tried bronze like you suggested, it’s too soft. It takes the vibrations and handles the energies, but starts to wear almost immediately.” He grumbled. “Steel just corrodes away into rust when it powers up.”

 

Tallum’s prototype chain whip, mounted with a miniaturized version of Gary’s mana powered ‘sandwich’ motor, was not progressing well. “How did you deal with that on Shai’s bells? She’s always got them on and they show no wear at all.”

 

“Magic baby, etheric enchantments have room for little perks like that. When Ivy and Shai get up we’ll take a poke at it.” He grinned at his big friend, who sighed and prepared himself for nonsense. “While we are awaiting the lovely ladies, let’s scheme..”

 

Scheming with a fully functional Gary was still a confusing and exhausting process.

 

“You and Dannyl are going to draw up designs for my chocolate machines, we will build them together. When we get home we install them in a convenient basement.”  Tallum nodded, this was in line with their prior discussions… 

 

“By the time the forces of tyranny track down where our secret base is located, it will be too late. Operation: Sweet Tooth will have bitten off way more than they can chew. Operation: Garage Band should be paying dividends by summer, that should distract and confound the normies. Let’s talk Operation: Skate Park and Rec Center…”

 

Nearly an hour later and there were sketches posted up everywhere. The mad boy wanted to build some undulating landscape feature, for riding those wheeley boards the kids loved so much. Some other scheme was in the works, whatever a Garage was, it sounded harmless; that had Tallum extra worried.

 

“Shai would kill me… but if you drowned in your own bath…” Tallum mused.

 

“It's all part of the grand plan, Tallum my boy! Stick with big brother Gary and just see what happens!” He said with expansive gestures. “My buddy Thirp says the ritual will be ready before we get back to Wheatford, you are gonna be the second nerd to join the magic a/v club. That means you gotta call Becky senpai!”

 

Madness aside, they had a productive start to the day, after the usual morning workout. Before full sunrise, they got to mounting the merchant’s new hub and wheel onto the wagon. 

 

Shai attended to Miriam’s hooves and had a nice long chat with the horses while her boys worked on the wagon.

 

“Aye miriam, ye did pull a few nails frae yer left rear. I shall gi ye a shoe a bit higher on that side, since I must needs trim that hoof a mite” She cooed, while wielding a long rasp to even the damaged hoof out for a new shoe. 

“yer regular ferrier shall set ye right when ye get home love.”

#

 

Sandpiper cast off with friendly farewells and a bit of noise. A ukulele and recorder lifted their voices in exuberant, if atonal music. The small cargo hauler pushed off and set sail into the dawn mist, with sunrise at their stern. 

 

Esperanza stowed her money box away below and grinned. Those sailors hardly bargained at all, hangovers made the game too easy. 

They could have resupplied in Port Ellis, but the dock fees would have more than made up for her higher prices… or so they told themselves as they paid dear for salt pork, smoked beef and rice.

 

Esperanza swaggered back inside and settled across from the merchant, Yost while he ate. “We have just come from Tingly village, we may have stripped that town of loose coin already.” She said quietly. 

“This one’s land bound kin will be heading for the Uplands Road and Wheatford, their home. Good trading will be had from Wheatford in coming seasons, guild brother.”

 

“Wheatford you say? I came to Port Ellis seeking a rumored ‘aroma band’, only to find they do exist and currently cannot be sold by ducal decree.” He winced, recalling many miles and cold nights on the road. 

 

“Now rumor points to their origin lying closer to home. Wheatford in fact, though the details remain mysterious.” His gaze sharpened a little. “I am highly motivated to find this ring or its creator, my wife has a dog familiar… he is an enthusiastic scavenger and rubbish digger.”

 

Esperanza smiled and leaned over, gaining the merchant’s full attention, he was only a man after all. “Ask this one's shorebound companions, they come from Wheatford, largely. They may have… insights on such matters.” She said casually. “Esperanza too sailed in search of such treasures…” She said, tying idly with a thin silver band on her thumb. “Fortune and fate are unpredictable.” 

She waved across the room. “Gary, come meet master Yost, your guest.”

 

Neither man seemed overly enthusiastic. “Welcome master Yost, I hope you slept well in my ‘tumbledown shack’. I shall have to speak with my designer, I was aiming for ‘shabby roadhouse’ at worst.” Gary sulked.

 

“Those things said in the game of commerce are not to be taken to heart, young man. Journeyman Shai battled well, her hospitality does this house credit.” Yost replied mildly.

 

“I’ll tell you a secret…” Gary leaned closer to the pair of merchants, whispering confidentiality. “This isn’t really an inn. We are a band of monster hunting adventurers out to save at least two worlds.” He peered around the room, as though seeking any skulking listeners. 

 

“Interesting thing about secrets and truths, if you tell one and no one believes, it’s still a secret, but the truth gets harder to credit… if you tell a lie and everyone believes it, in many ways, that’s the truth now.” 

 

“Gary…” Shai called from the kitchen. “Dinnae spook our guests! Me apologies, me man be a bit moon touched, he means no harm.”

 

“Shai my sweet, shush.” Esperanza said. “This one has heard of master merchant Yost, He is a canny trader with wide connections.” She locked her dark brown eyes on Shai. “Your new venture will need distribution on land as well, sweet Shai.”

 

The merchant smiled widely. “Esperanza has become well known these last two seasons, becoming quite a force on the waters, among those who watch such matters.” He eyed Gary up and down. 

“Moontouched or no, Miriam says this place is more than it seems and you and journeyman Shai, are if not the whole of it, at least the heart. Now I must know.”

 

Gary smiled sadly. “I’ve told enough secrets for now, the rest come more dear. I don’t think you’re ready to pay full price and Shai has a no discount policy. I see your wagon is ready, was there anything more you needed?”

 

“Esperanza suggested I ask your group about these aroma bands that have been making rumors fly. Were her broad and uninformative hints accurate?” He asked, hardly daring to hope with these loons.

 

The madman smiled, bobbing his head cheerily. “There we can come to terms, but not right now. I have tax troubles.” He smiled even wider as he carried on. “Come see us in Wheatford in a few weeks and maybe we can strike a bargain. Liam and Mikkel were right, those are popular!” 

 

Yost looked to Esperanza, who nodded and grinned. “Strange winds are blowing from unusual quarters, there will be trade and changes afoot.” She said silkily, almost shivering with the thrill. 

 

“Journeyman Shai and her pet will have much of interest, and Esperanza cannot reach land-locked villages and towns.” She directed the end of her patter at her two friends as much as to the merchant himself. 

 

“This one sails no more from Port Ellis, Esperanza will dock in Wheatford come the spring season. Let that tell you what it may.” She said firmly as her crew nodded. “We sail now friends, to conclude our affairs in Port Ellis, when our run through Port Sunderland finishes, we will see you at… home, in Wheatford.” 

 

She and her crew flowed out the door and down the little dock. They clambered aboard and with speed born from long practice, made ready to sail. “Onward Falco! Watch for Esperanza to come soon brothers and sisters!”

 

“Wow, she is all over the place.” Gary complained, catching one of Shai’s temporary snowballs in the ear for his troubles. 

 #

 

Sunrise brought the first travelers on the Coast road, farm wagons rumbling down smaller tracks from isolated farms and ranches in the hills. 

 

The inn was attracting some early morning interest from the farmers. More than one eyed the common room windows as they rolled by, clearly planning for the evening.

 

Tallum the giant smith and lovely Shai helped him hitch a very happy Miriam to the wagon. When all was ready, Gary pushed a small box into his hands. 

 

“A gift and apology, sorry to spoil your games last night, there’s a sample of something fun in there too, we start production in the spring.” He said, before strolling into the stable without further fanfare. 

 

 The box contained a pair of slippers, in the shape of hairy, plump human feet and a small packet wrapped in pink waxed paper. The slippers were hilariously huge and stupidly plush inside, promising nicely warm toes. “Odd boy, that.” He said, tucking the box away and forgetting all about it.

“So, we never decided, are we going into town loud or quiet?” Gary asked the group, while Yost climbed aboard his wagon and clucked softly to Miriam.  

 

“Please, quietly Gary.” Tawny said from behind her veil. “This was supposed to be a simple road patrol, I am eager to be home.”

 

“Aye, tis past time, we were back.” Shai’s vote set off a chorus of similar calls. 

“Ok, let's pack it in, everybody ready?” 

 

Yost was fiddling with his cloak, checking his reins and tack carefully and generally stalling to watch what these strange youngsters might get up to. They gave him friendly waves as they rode out the gate, leaving it open behind them.

 

Yost stood, mystified as the whole crew trooped out on horseback and dog cart, headed down the Coast Road to Port Ellis without looking back. He watched them ride off, vanishing into the mist after a hundred yards. “Huh, let’s go Miriam.”

 

As their wheels started rolling, Miriam gave him the snuffling chuckle she reserved for when he was missing something important. 

“What about the damn inn girl?” He demanded, turning to look. A slightly denser patch of mist blew away on an errant breeze that failed to stir the rest of the fog. Inn, garden, baths, dock and stable were gone.

 

The entire small compound simply no longer existed. The soil in the area did look remarkably different… but he was no farmer.  “Well that is certainly something. Let’s plan for a busy spring season eh, love?”

 

They reached Tingly village by midmorning, clopping down the abnormally quiet streets alone. He pulled the muffle off his wagon bells and jingled through to the village square without being stopped for news or trade at all. 

That was very odd; even in a village so close to a major city, a merchant boat or wagon almost always gathered attention.    

 

He had Miram unhitched and grazing on the village green before the first customer even approached. Roland, the young village smith and cartwright was first. 

 

“I’d have some of tat new chocolate if you have any. Tat wife uf mine wint let me be at peace since she triesd some of what tee kids lefrt grama Sonja.” He winked broadly and smiled so wide his eyes squinted closed. “Ay can birly walk ‘fter last night!”

 

“New chocolate? I have none of any kind. How is it new?” He pressed, his senses tingling with thoughts of Esperanza’s cryptic remarks about ‘new ventures’. That girl’s reputation for sharp eyes and keen dealing was new, but well founded.

 

“I din’t try it… dir’ctly, but kissin Molly last night were sweet en fragrant err late summer en twice as warm, i’ yah know what I mean.” He said with a rakish grin.

 

“You say ‘the kids’ left it for elder Sonja? Were they a pair of loons and their band of insane people?” He asked sharply.

 

“Hey, yir known in tese parts master Yost, but te kids were fine fun and did no harm. Grama Sonja counts t’em friends now.” Roland said, sounding miffed, Miriam gave him an indignant snort too.

“Yes, that’s them. Even my damnable horse likes them more than she does me.” He grumbled plying his whip on the disobedient beast viciously. 

 

Once he had scratched her itchy flank to her satisfaction, she went back to grazing. Yost dug in his wagon for a moment, fetching out the slipper box. He fished out the colorful paper packet and cracked the seal, releasing a familiar aroma.

 

“Och, that’s it, I’m din’t fer coin, but I git a sliver ounce fer that bit o sweet…” He said, showing a small, oblong silver tablet.

 

“An ounce of silver, for perhaps six ounces of chocolate?” Roland, if I took that ingot from you, Sonja would chase me down for a ‘treatment’, wherever I may try to hide.” He broke off a chunk from the smooth, shiny bar and passed it to the young man. 

“I’ll save the rest for  my wife, boy. But take that to Molly, she deserves it for managing to wrap you in her skirts so thoroughly.”

 

“We ‘ill see what yer sayin when yir mistress Ally tastes that, Master Yost,” The young man called as he hustled away. “Bless yir for yir generosity, please din’t tink poorly off me when you git home…” He yelled while disappearing into his forge with a joyous shout. “Molly, meet me upst’irs!”