The Innocence of Teacups

With his shoulder bandaged up he sat at a table strewn with plates of meat and vegetables. Sasha had paid for a lavish dinner but rather than have first pick told him to take whatever he liked. When with Freyr he’d been ordered to wait for what was left. As well as his shoulder tended to and free meal, he also sat in new clothes which were made with summer in mind rather than vampyre clothes which were designed to endure cold nights. A sleeveless yellowy-brown shirt, white trousers which cut off at the knee and sandals were light to wear and went with the Zotican fashion trend.

“Aren’t you hungry?” asked Sasha on tearing through a chicken leg.

“Grateful.” He wriggled his toes in new sandals. “Reflecting on how kind you’ve been when I’ve brought nothing but grief to your doorstep.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s all doom and gloom.”

“You wouldn’t? But you’ve lost your home, career, and friends all in one day.”

“Home is where you feel most comfortable. Friends I’ve still got you, and career well I’ll think up a new one. I’ve always fancied myself as a sailor.”

“Sasha do you know anything about sailing?”

“Not exactly but I could... I see what you mean. I suppose sailing isn’t something you can just jump into.” Sasha prodded at some potatoes. “Have you got any plans? Don’t tell me let me guess you want to join a troupe and become an acrobat.”

He shook his head and picked at some chicken.

“No. Well then I don’t know. Oh a calligrapher! You’ve lovely handwriting.”

“A merchant.”

“A merchant are you sure Eagle? I’d have thought you’d want to start a fresh.”

“It’s the trade I’ve been taught if you set aside the assassin stuff. Freyr’s one of the best merchants in Kazara and I want to outdo him.” He put his hands in his lap where he’d laid his knives to rest. “But maybe I’m too young to start up on my own. I couldn’t bear serving another master though. I think I could make a go of it. Working for Freyr for fourteen years has taught me heaps about the trade.”

“How do you plan on getting started?”

Voicing his theoretical plans with Sasha was helping him see his path more solidly. “I’ll sell my knives and buy some beads, polish, wire and pliers. I know how to make tasteful fake jewellery only I was figuring to let my customers know it wasn’t real rather than fob them off like Freyr did. Look like the gentry for half the price; that type of angle.”

“Sounds good.”

“Then I’d have to hire a stall somewhere. That’s the trouble I don’t know Zoticas.” It dawned on him he should be in Kazara because he knew where all the best deals were. Seeing Freyr made him bolt in the wrong direction. Now his thoughts were clear he knew he couldn’t possibly start up somewhere unfamiliar if he wanted to be successful quickly.

“Sell your knives hey? I’m thinking they couldn’t buy your supplies, stall, food and accommodation. Plus a merchant needs a weapon to protect himself from bandits when out on the road with his goods.”

“I’ll have to go without essentials for a little while.”

“What you need is an investor.”

“Who’s going to invest in a seventeen year old?” He sighed.

Sasha placed a velvet coin pouch on the table. “I would.”

He eyed up the bulky pouch, blinked, then shook his head. “No I couldn’t take your coins. They’re all you’ve got left of your career. You ought to rent a room with them or something.”

Sasha gave the coin pouch a nudge. “How boring. Investing them in you would be more worthwhile. I could help you start up while I figure out what to do with my life. If you’re serious about being a merchant take them.”

How very tempting. “You’d trust me with them?”

“Sure you’re intelligent and like you said have learnt loads from Freyr. I think it’s a safe investment.”

Always the optimist. He smiled. “I’ll pay you back with interest. Double interest. Are you quite certain?”

“My investment is proving its worth already seeing you smile.”

“You can’t live off smiles Sash.”

“We won’t have to because you’re going to sell plenty of jewellery.”

“And on the slight off chance I don’t?”

“You’ll have tried your hardest and I don’t expect no more of a person than that. Just do your best and have fun too. No point in choosing a career you don’t enjoy; life is too short.”

All his life he’d been bogged down by Freyr’s pessimistic moods and crash bash here was some cheerful optimist dragging him out the bog, making the heaviness lift. He placed a hand on top of the coin pouch. “Thank you.”

“No thank you. I was having a rotten day till you showed up, cooped up in barracks listening to everyone calling me delusional. I’m not am I? I did go to another world?”

“Yeah, Nocta Umbra. Spirits, demons, and pixies live there amongst others.”

“They must have been scary to see.”

“Mostly but Lignum and Sophos were ever so kind.”

“Did they get us back to our world?”

“No that was Alaric. He’s the reason I got my true form back, and let me stay with him until I felt better.”

Sasha raised his ale mug. “A toast to Alaric for such splendid assistance. I’d like to meet him myself to show my appreciation.”

“I think he’d like that. Maybe you’ll get to meet him one day.”

“Where does he live? We could go now.”

“I’m not exactly sure. His house wasn’t in Zoticas or Kazara. Besides he’s nocturnal so we’d only end up waking him . Besides I’m not sure his father is fond of visitors. Alaric tends to call on me when he wants to say hi.”

“He sounds like a strange fellow.”

“Outlandish.” He wiped his fingers on a cotton napkin as a serving girl took away emptyish plates. Lunch guests in The Juggler were trickling out the doors to enjoy the midday sun.

Sasha lent back in his chair. “If we can’t visit your Alaric how about we make a start on these bracelets?”

“I need glass beads and a certain type of polish.” He’d no idea where to start looking for them in Azure. Did they even sell beads loose here?

“You’ll be needing the Craft Market.”

“Is it on today?”

“Why sure. The Craft Market rarely sleeps. Actors always need material for costumes and artists have a habit of running out of paints. If the Craft Market closed for a day there’d be meltdown in Azure.”

They joined the trickle of customers leaving the inn. Fabulous sunshine dazzled on Azure as citizens went about their lives oblivious to spirits causing problems for their protectors.

What an amazing day. They’d come across a stall selling glass beads by the barrel in all the colours of a prism when the light hit. However the only real colour he’d chosen was red, the rest were white and black. He wanted to try create gothic designs in honour of Alaric.

They’d spread themselves out on the floor in the room they were staying in at the inn. While he threaded beads onto wire, Sasha polished them. they’d managed to make four bracelets. He used pliers and twist his fifth bracelet came together then there was a knock at the door.

Sasha instinctively reached out for something to defend himself with which happened to be one of his knives. “Who’s there?”

“Only me,” replied Kalama.

He grimaced as the unlocked door opened. They really ought to have locked that considering the circumstances.

“What have I walked into?” Kalama dumped a pack on a bed. “Are you actually playing with beads?”

“Making bracelets. Eagle is going to sell them,” said Sasha.

“Ri-i-ight.” Kalama gave him this warning type look as though to say I’m onto you. “I brought you some gear. Your wardrobe was a disgrace.”

“Ah you went in there?”

“Scattered coins, clothes tangled up all over the shot. And what’s with all those dead bouquets of flowers?”

“Those were Lanzo’s not mine. I was hiding them for him and forgot all about them.”

Kalama stuck a hand into a pocket sewn onto her shirt and came out with several strips of parchment dyed night blue with a sorcerer’s hat etched in gold on their fronts. She still gave him the evil eye but then closed her eyes and pursed her lips. On speaking she re-opened her eyes and battled to keep her tone controlled to sound civil. “I thought you two would like to accompany me to watch The Sorcerer’s Lantern. My treat. Call it a leaving present. I’ll miss you at barracks Sash.”

Sasha beamed. “That’s very kind of you. We’d love to go. Right Eagle?”

“Urmmm I think I’ll stay here. Thanks though.” He busied himself threading a bead onto a new piece of wire.

“Kalama’s bought you a ticket now,” coaxed Sasha.

Kalama looked as though she’d quite like Sasha all to herself. “Won’t three be a crowd?”

“Four actually. My cousin was desperate to come for some reason.” Kalama rolled her eyes and stuffed tickets back into her pocket. “She’s having a drink downstairs, I could use one myself. You wouldn’t imagine the afternoon I’ve had. Most of the trainees were in uproar.”

“About what?” asked Sasha.

“What do you think? Lady Lev practically called you dumb. I think they will stage a protest. Eighty percent of the trainees think highly of you. Obviously they do seen as you always got them banging on your door for advice or a pick me up and you gave it them. Lots of people are going to miss you.”

Sounds like Sasha possessed a real fan base and he believed it of a kind guy like him. Just as this thought was crossing his mind a blur of blue came through the floor, upsetting all the beads, purposely spilling them out their tubs. He grabbed a fistful of red ones before they rolled under the bed but couldn’t save them all.

“Lanzo!” Kalama exclaimed as she flung herself at him. His form wasn’t exactly solid so she half went through him then ebbed back as though clutching at frog spawn. “Is it really you?” She gave a lock of his hair an affectionate flick on looking up into his face.

“Not exactly he’s a ghost,” said Sasha.

“No a phantom,” he put in and kept busy retrieving beads from under the bed.

“A phantom but phantoms are supposedly sinister beings... How did this happen?” said Kalama.

“Lanzo’s soul got angry,” he explained from under the bed.

“Angry why?” asked Kalama testily.

“Because Sasha’s life was in danger and he thought I pursued him into Nocta Umbra with intentions of killing him. So Lanzo turned phantom to try save Sasha.”

Kalama grabbed hold of his legs and tried to yank him from underneath the bed. “It’s your fault Lanzo’s soul isn’t resting in peace.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in religious stuff like gods and souls resting in peace,” he shrieked.

“Just call me spiritual rather than religious. Any case you scrawny brat as well as killing Lanzo you’ve caused him to turn phantom too.”

“Eagle killed me!!!”

“Jeez Kalama don’t encourage him by saying the k word,” said Sasha.

“So you’re okay with Lanzo being this way?”

“No but it’s not Eagle’s fault Lanzo is over protective of me.”

Kalama heaved a sigh then let go of his legs. He bumped his head on the bed, gave a youch, then crawled into the open hoping the sigh meant Kalama was calming down. “Would it help to say I’m sorry?”

“You say sorry a lot don’t you? I think you should join my cousin in the tavern while I talk to Lanzo.”

He dropped some beads into their tub. “You won’t get much sense out of him. He’s a phantom now so is obsessed with telling Sasha I – ”

“ – KILLED ME. KILLED ME. KILLED ME.”

In response to Lanzo’s yelling Sasha put an arm round his shoulders and yelled back. “Friend, friend, friend. My friend Eagle.”

Which wasn’t a great move as it riled Lanzo up; his eyes actually turned to flame and he bunched his fists up all set to explode. “I am your friend not demon-child.”

“You’re dead. Please stop slandering Eagle, he’s been through enough.”

“It’s okay. He’s not entirely Lanzo anymore so can’t help but scream at me. I’ll yeah go to the tavern and let you and Kalama talk about all this.”

What there was to discuss he didn’t know but knew those three had been close friends, so would need a moment. He descended the stairs into the tavern and scanned the room for a vacant table. There were only a few left. He made for one but on his way distinctive hazel eyes caught his attention as their owner sipped at a glass of white wine. She inclined her head at an empty chair opposite her. Having a feeling he might regret sitting there he did so anyway; braced himself for more criticism.

Zora pushed a glass of wine over to him. “Sorry for calling you a demon.”

He blinked. “Sorry?

“If Sasha trusts you that’s good enough for me. Kalama told me Lanzo was sent to kill you. Mishaps happen as a Sapphire Knight.”

He circled a finger round the rim of his glass. “How come Sapphire Knights think on Sasha as unintelligent?”

“He was brought up in the slums. Scally Alley. Only well off decent folk get to be Sapphire Knights, not uneducated poor people like Sasha.”

“So why’d Lev let him in?”

Zora shrugged. “You’d have to ask him or Kalama.”

“Sasha seems educated to me.”

“Well yeah he trained at barracks. His friends must have rubbed off on him. Well Lanzo none of the others ever took to him.”

“But you trainees have.”

“You’d think Lev would let people with just personalities be Sapphire Knights rather than those who have etiquette and wealth. You don’t get anymore genuine than Sasha. How could Lev imply he was stupid? He’s the only one who got you right or at least I hope he did. Kalama isn’t fully convinced. She is stubborn my cousin.” Zora straightened out a crease in her blue skirt. “So are you looking forward to the theatre?”

“I think so. I’ve never been before.” Freyr never approved of the theatre; thought on it as a frivolous waste of time not to mention coins.

“Really? What in the world do you do for fun?”

His acrobatics. He tapped his glass.

Zora gazed into the depths of her wine. “The lady selling tickets boasted there’d be special effects produced by light magic.”

“I hope you’re not getting cosy with that young man,” said Kalama as she and Sasha invaded their table, “he’s bad news.”

Zora blushed. “Then why have you bought him a theatre ticket?”

“I’m turning a blind eye for one night. Besides Sasha is taking off with him.”

“We are here you know,” said Sasha. “And yes we’re off to Kazara in the morning.”

“Kazara! Why?” spurted Kalama.

“Don’t worry I’ll be back after I’ve helped Eagle set up shop. That way Lev will calm down and I’ll be forgotten.”

“I wouldn’t count on it,” said Zora. “We think you’re very clever in your own way.”

“What way’s that?”

“You know right from wrong and act on it. I’d like to see Pavel challenge Lev then track after that wicked warlock to stop him turning Eagle demon. Kalama explained everything to me.”

“You challenged Lev for me before you knew Freyr was going to – you know...”

“Remember when you confessed to killing Lanzo then I chased you? Well right after I let you go I went straight to Lev because something still didn’t fit right. That something was everyone had been conspiring against you and Freyr planned on turning you demon.”

“His instincts were spot on,” smiled Zora.

“Don’t wade too fast. I still say he’s a crafty little sneak.”