Once Kylie had sat down and calmed herself, I was given the chance to explain my history with Kithran. How I worked under him since I was ten, and how I was taught how to use Enesial Magic, at least the ones Master Kithran knew at the time. Although when she asked why I had to separate with him, I unfortunately had to lie. I did not know if I was able to share the truth about my predicament around the city. Something about it had sent a sense of unease down my spine. I would have to ask the Prince if I could though just to be sure, but then again, I wasn't sure when I could meet him again considering his standing among the kingdom, the city, and the academy.
"I still can't believe that grumpy old tool actually took in a fledgling." Kylie muttered to herself before clapping my arm. "Hey, if yer need anything. Sword, Dagger, Shield, fuckin underwear? I gotcha okay? But only if yer got the money."
Oh right. Money. I never got the chance to really purchase anything for myself since my landing due to the fact that Miss Maryanne had bought and brought all material I needed for my studies and Esshiek handled all my other material goods. I needed a source of money if I was to really survive in this city. Well...anywhere within the kingdom really. I looked around, taking in the quiet and dark lonely atmosphere of the shop once more before an idea struck and a smile grew across my face.
Turning back towards Kylie, I planted my palms against the counter, giving it a good loud thud before I leaned over. "Give me a job here."
"A fuckin what?" She exclaims, startled by my request.
"Lad are you nuts? Do you see the shop? Does it look like I'm raking in enough pieces to hire an employee?"
"You can work the smith and I'll work the store." I started to explain.
"Go on..." Kylie crosses her arms, sitting upright as if to brace herself for any sort of stupidity that I might say.
"You can continue working on the product. Without any sort of interaction to the people, and I can work the counter. I'll be bearing the talking for customers and I'll also be able to meet more people in the city. At least whoever wishes to come in to the store." I spoke out. A droplet of sweat riding down the side of my face as my nerves start to shake my hands. Anxious as to what she might say, considering her brow still remained furrowed, I added one last part in a low whisper.
"I'll work for free for a month, then we can talk about my pay?"
"Deal."
As I joined Esshiek back outside, waving goodbye to Kylie. The proud lizardman couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh, before asking questions as to how I survived the Lady Menace of Steel. I simply answered with "Maybe starting with the fact I did not call her that."
We continued the tour of the city and soon, the once lonely and quiet streets filled with the bustling busy bodies of the morning. Storeowners, children, and parents moving along to fulfill their daily tasks. It was quite a sight to behold. Especially as the sun started to paint its beautiful yellow glow along the stone roads and marble walls of the city. This was the beauty I had seen above, now taken in as a citizen within the walls. It was truly breath taking. However, my sight seeing was cut short as Esshiek spared no time moving along. Although as the tour continued, I soon realized that Esshiek might've not been so kind to tour me around the city and more like he wanted an extra pair of hands for his own purchases as I tailed the Lizardman with bags of goods sat firmly within my crossed arms. I had started to think that Miss Maryanne's warnings about Esshiek might actually be life advice and less personal at this point. Although, just as we continued walking along the streets, I did take note of all the locations we had visited. The stalls where we could purchase harvests at a decent price. Stores where books and scrolls were stored. Inns and Taverns to stay in for a night's rest or a quick drink. All the while he told stories of his own adventures.
He told stories of how he had hunted wolves the size of Goliaths. How he had seen the mythical Deep Sailors of the Cobalt Shores. How he had taken down a band of trolls with nothing but a beaten body and a broken sword. He went on about this in between his visits with the locations and his chats with his friends. One would think they were exaggerated with some keen details that sometimes wouldn't make sense if someone listened thoroughly through his story, but nevertheless I still kept listening, as Esshiek seemed proud to tell these tales. He seemed to be quite chipper having someone listen to his tales. It reminded me of when Master Kithran would do the same...
"You remind me of a grandparent, Ser Esshiek."
"You what?"
As the sun had now fully shown itself in the day sky, we soon climbed back up the stairs of the dormitories where Esshiek, along with his own purchases, separated from me at this point on as we waved goodbye to each other. At this point in the day, the Dormitories were as quiet as the night before it. Every student with a class were already within the mess halls for breakfast or within the classes for this period, although there were always some students who decided to skip out for an extended break. I had expected another full morning and afternoon of studying and practices before something had caught my attention. A melodic tune. Almost like a lullaby echoes across the empty hallways. I had assumed that it was just another student, either skipping their class or seeking a quiet place to study, but as I climbed to the last floor of the tower, the voice was somehow still higher than where I was.
As if I was in a trance, I continued to trace the voice, eventually leading myself outside the tower and into a very windy balcony. The height of the tower causing howling winds to pierce along the walls of the structure, making it impossible to hear the voice for just a second, but as the door closed behind me and the winds started to calm down. I could hear the voice once more. This time clearer. A woman's voice. Soft and melodic. A calming tune sung by an alluring voice. I shifted my sight upwards, along the parapet of the tower and I was gifted a rare sight to behold.
It was a humanoid, but somehow she had a tail. Scales ran along the length of her tail, running upwards and into the rest of her body concealed by the crimson red clothing she had. On the back of her shirt were holes cut out for the wings carefully tucked into her back. Her arms, scaled on one side had sharp obsidian like glass claws that seemed to be made out of stronger material than the plates that ran across her body. I wasn't able to see her face, but I was able to catch an eye on the short auburn hair that danced with the wind. I wasn't able to believe my eyes. She was a living myth. A legend come true. A dragon-kin.
I was left speechless once more and as her head shifted to stare down at the balcony I stood in, I quickly tucked myself into the wall, hiding myself. I had asked myself why, but I just cannot find the reason. My instincts had told me to simply do it, but I wondered why I trusted it. As I peeked over my hiding place to start an apology for whatever reason I could muster, the woman was gone. Like I had merely imagined her. I left the balcony thinking if I truly did.
The rest of the day was spent within my dormitory, eyes glued to the pages of my books as I slowly mouthed and read out the longer, more complicated words Miss Maryanne had told me to read last night. What time I could spare was spent scribbling what I could find on books into spare parchment. Since ink was too expensive to practice on, Miss Maryanne had given me a charcoal chunk to use, saying how I should control my grip and not break the charcoal chunk, otherwise she would punish me with more assignments. Since the chunk was too small in my hands, it was a challenge to say the least. Soon, as the day passed and the night comes, I was tutored once again by Miss Maryanne. Once she had assessed the new heights of my learning, she would adjust our lessons accordingly, making sure of hasty progress yet grueling punishments. However, halfway during the tutorial, Miss Maryanne spoke out.
"How about I start teaching you magic?"