Way of The Wand

Jira smiled at the clothes merchant as she passed his shop, having declined to make any purchases from him. Truth be told, on another day she would have bought the dress he tried to sell her, but today she’d come to the Witches’ Market for one thing and one thing only.

She hadn’t been here for a while, mostly because it was hard to find time to go shopping when you had a school of witchcraft to run. She’d pushed back purchasing a new cauldron for as long as she could, even after it exploded the day her Mum visited her. She should have bought a new one then, but she chose to mend and continue using it instead.

After more than a dozen mends, her old cauldron had lost its effectiveness. She only finally accepted that fact when the previous night she cooked up a healing potion to clear her headache and obtained a final product nowhere near the usual quality.

That loss in quality was what necessitated this trip to the market.

She navigated through the crowded market with expertise, grateful for the rush as no one paid her any attention. Had they been looking at her face, no doubt someone would have pointed out she was the teacher whose students were competing against Airad in the Witches vs Wizards tournament and Jira didn’t want that kind of attention right now, especially with the way Tomi’s spar against Zaria went.

Things weren’t looking up. Tomi had three tries and barely got a shot in. At this rate, Daila would end their match a minute after it starts.

How was she supposed to mould Tomi into a formidable warrior in just a month? And all the witches looking forward to a victory in final match, what would they think of her if it ends in a wizard victory?

She stopped walking when she realized she’d reached the heart of the market. If she continued down this path, she would have to pass by the Afolabis’ broomstick shop to get to her destination, the cauldron section of the market, and Jira didn’t want to risk running into Tomi’s parents at the moment.

What would she say if they asked how Tomi’s training was going? “Oh, well I’m pleased to tell you your daughter is going to get her ass kicked.”

Jira imagined they wouldn’t take the news very lightly. She escaped having to pass by the Afolabi shop by cutting right into a narrow road between files of potion ingredients shops. She did her best to ignore the temptation of stopping by one of those shops to purchase items she most certainly did not need. She had enough hawk’s talons, and exotic leaves to last another two years.

One more cut to the right and she finally arrived at the cauldron section of the market, opposite the line of stalls were wands were sold.

She halted in front of Agu’s shop, an old friend from whom she usually bought her cauldrons.

Agu was engaged in a bargain with a customer and didn’t notice Jira standing by the door flap to his shop.

His display of cauldrons, big and small, crooked and smooth, sat on wooden mounts arranged from the foot of the door all the way to the darkest part of his stall.

Jira used the opportunity to look around for which cauldron to pick. A big one like the one she was replacing would be a waste, but if she picked a cauldron that was too small, she would no longer be able to brew her potions at a satisfying volume.

She solved her dilemma by deciding to buy two medium sized cauldrons. That way in case one got damaged again, she would have a backup.

As for the design, she singled out the cauldrons that had images and geometry etched around the sides, preferring those over the plain smooth cauldrons.

She glanced behind her at the file of wand stalls. One of the merchants caught her eye and beckoned on her to come.

Jira declined the invite with a polite smile, explaining she’d come to get a cauldron and nothing else.

The sound of her voice alerted Agu to her presence. He slithered past his customer and rushed to the entrance, beaming as he spread his arms open to embrace Jira.

“I…What in…I didn’t know you were…” He struggled to finish one train of thought. “Haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I know…and I’m sorry. But it’s your fault for selling such high-quality cauldrons,” Jira said, “the last one just simply refused to become ineffective, even after I patched it up a dozen times.”

Agu smiled. “If you’re here, that means you must have finally worn it out.”

Jira gave Agu a mock bow. “Guilty as charged.”

Agu’s customer shouted from inside the stall, obscured by the platform of cauldrons between him and the entrance. “Agu are you going to sell them to me or not?”

Agu retracted from Jira, wiggling his finger to apologize to Jira. “I’ll be right back.”

He disappeared into the darker parts of his stall again, and a few moments later the customer emerged with a smile on his face, even nodding a greeting to Jira as he passed by her.

“He seems very satisfied,” Jira said to Agu as she stepped into the shop.

“Yeah,” Agu agreed, “I sold him five cauldrons for a huge discount.”

Jira raised her eyebrows. “How very generous of you.”

“Well,” Agu said, scratching his heavy beard, a mass of facial hair he’d spent years growing to take attention away from his balding head, “that man is one of my best customers. He’ll be back here in a month or two to make new orders. It’s good business.”

Agu waved to his impressive assortment of cauldrons. “What tickles your fancy today? I know you brew potions in large volumes so, if you’re looking for really gigantic cauldrons, I’ve got some you might be interested in.”

Jira raised her hands in the air to stop him before he surged towards the bottom platform of oversized cauldrons.

“I think I’ll be taking medium sized cauldrons this time. Two.”

Agu smiled. “If you say so.”

He led her to another segment in his overstuffed shop and let her check out which cauldrons she wanted.

“That one,” Jira said, pointing to a heavily designed grey cauldron, “and that one,” a black cauldron bearing similar markings as the grey one.

“Excellent choice, as always,” Agu retorted. “That will be hundred gamnis.”

Jira cocked her head sideways. “Don’t I get a discount too?”

Agu laughed and rocked on his feet. “Make that ninety-nine gamnis then.”

Jira burst into a laugh of her own. “Fair enough.”

She was about to produce the gold coins from her pocket when she heard a familiar voice call her name from behind.

“Jira?”

Jira whirled round and looked through the entrance.

Arron Tartian pulled aside the flap that covered the exit, looking well groomed in his black fur coat. “What a pleasant surprise.”

Arron descended the small stairs down into the inner part of the store, joining Jira and Agu.

He stretched his hand for a handshake with Agu who took it eagerly.

“Mr Tartian,” Agu’s voice became rasped, like he’d just finished jogging. “What brings you to my shop?”

Arron gestured to the wand shops across the street. “Tartian Wands needs new retailers for a new set of crystal wands we’re about to release. I came to talk it over with the good merchants over there, then I heard her voice,” he paused and turned to Jira, giving her a soft look with his eyes, “and I just knew I had to come in here.”

Agu looked from Arron to Jira and back to Arron. His finger hung in the air as he put the pieces together. “Are you two…?”

“Yes,” Jira answered before he could complete his question. “Yes, we’re working together. Arron is helping me with the tournament.”

She caught the interest in Agu’s face and quickly submerged it by adding, “Which I don’t want to talk about right now.”

Agu took the hint and dropped the conversation.

Before an awkward silence could develop, Arron thought to make Jira an offer.

“I suppose you came here to get new cauldrons. Might I offer to pay for them?”

Jira protested with her hands, all the while plastering a smile on her face. “Thank you, but I’ve got it.”

She removed a pack of coins from her pocket and handed it to Agu who collected it without reservation.

After paying her bill, Jira walked up to the grey cauldron, pointed her wand at it and muttered, “Translocate.”

The cauldron vanished, teleporting to the kitchen in Jira’s home.

Jira pointed to the black cauldron next and repeated the spell.

She thanked Agu for his service and left the shop, with Arron hanging a few feet behind her.

As they reached the street, Arron pressed for them to continue their earlier conversation from inside the shop.

“Where are you headed to?”

“Home,” Jira answered, trying to hide her impatience. She was done here and would love not to be held back.

“My carriage is parked right at the mouth of the market, over the curved bridge. I could give you a ride home if you want.”

Turning down an offer like that would seem rude, especially as Arron was helping her with Tomi’s training.

“Yeah, sure. I’d like that,” Jira answered.

Arron asked after Jira’s wellbeing to make small talk as they walked to the carriage.

They talked about unnecessary things, like the weather, and how the rains were expected to start soon.

Jira was relieved when they finally came upon his carriage.

He opened the door for her and let her step in first. Then after closing the door behind him, signalled to the coachman to get the vehicle moving.

Not long into the drive, Arron pulled a crystal wand out of a small box in the back seat.

“I was planning on presenting this to you tomorrow, but since you’re here now, I see no reason to wait.”

Jira eyed the crystal wand as she accepted it. Model 25, just like the one he’d given Tomi the other day.

“Thank you,” she said, “but I’m not sure I need a new wand.”

“No, I know,” Arron admitted, “but I felt, since Tomi has one, you the teacher, ought to have one also.”

Jira forced a weak smile. “Very thoughtful of you,” she said as she hid the wand in her pocket.

Jira thought that was the last surprise she would be getting from Arron, until they arrived in front of her house and he asked her to go on a date with him the following night.

“Excuse me?” Was the reply that followed his request.

“Just…to talk,” Arron clarified. “Since we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other over the next few weeks. It might be useful to get to know each other better, wouldn’t you agree?”

Jira shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to talk and get to know him better, after all, her students would be spending a lot more time with him in the following weeks.

“Very well then.”

“Excellent!” Arron exclaimed. “I’ll send a carriage to pick you up.”