(Vol 2) Chapter 19: Brackenhome

Grinning, Sammy held her hand up to the light to appreciate her new bling — of course, she hadn’t really made it gaudy. It was a gold band with the Eye of Horus carved into the shape and a small lapis lazuli as the center of the eye. But it was made to be easily spun on the inside and thus just appear as a gold band on the outside.

She noticed Azure watching her appreciation with her own private smile. Sammy turned the ring’s face inward as she explained, “I’ve had this one-off item creation thing on my sheet ever since we saved the Marchioness of Oldaster. Feels good to make use of it. The Eye of Horus is an ancient symbol of protection on Earth… particularly to threats on one’s health. In this case, his warding shall be as a shield.”

Sammy spoke the command word — an encoded runic translation of ‘Left Wedjat Eye’ — then gestured with a hand and the big circular disk appeared in a flash of light. It was a perfect, gleaming mirror on both sides, floating above her hand. She played with it a little: making it spin like a top, juggling it from hand to hand, using it to smack Dart on his rear end.

“Hey!” Horse-eyes rolled at her in offense.

“Hay is for horses, Dart,” Sammy taunted childishly.

“Hardy-har-har.”

Azure laughed and even clapped politely at the performance. “Seems to be a fine choice, Your Majesty. I’ll have to buy you a drink to celebrate.”

Snickering, Sammy spoke the command again and the shield disappeared. “Sure. Hmm… come to think, I’m kinda stuck with you being my Sugar Momma right now. I have no money.”

“A… what did you say? Though I do like the sound of it.”

Sammy tried an admonishing look at her, but it ended up as a smirk anyway. “Someone that buys me stuff, essentially. That isn’t a relative if you catch my drift.”

“I’d buy you whatever your heart desires, if in my power to. So I will certainly be your Sugar Momma.”

“Let’s actually not keep saying it.”

Azure bowed her head, though with a trace of a smirk. “As you say, My Goddess.”

I definitely don’t want to let on about my weakness for receiving gifts like the completely spoiled brat that I am.

Travel was much the same as the day before through the sparse woodlands, hills, and grasslands of the deep, coastal south. They never quite saw the coast but Azure assured her it was near.

Jeeves contacted her while they were still proceeding. “Your Majesty Samantha — pardon the intrusion, but I took the liberty of keeping tabs on our ‘friend’ Andemen and his cronies. He has already set out back for his harem isle along with his coterie. I have recorded what of his dealings I could, some of which were unrelated purchases. But he left two of his men in Geirkos, and another he spoke with appears to be a major contact.”

Sammy was cautiously optimistic about the news. “Ah! Well done, Jeeves, you’re a badass! So do you think they are informants and spies?”

“Yes, Madam. Sadly, my observation of the contact did not include useful audio. But I picked up from his men blatant indicators he intends to track her. To what end exactly isn’t clear.”

“Mm. Thank you, Jeeves. Keep it up. I am likely to give you some more agents to work with soon. Perhaps one extra to each Servitor Line at first.”

“Understood, Madam. I’ll certainly put them to work when you do. Good day for now.”

When Sammy related the information to Azure, the Naugite just nodded soberly and said, “Only he knows what he’s planning, and maybe not even him yet. He will want to keep tabs on me no matter what. Whether that is all or if he inevitably tries something through proxies… only time will tell.”

Anger boiled up in Samantha about it — and a fairly righteous sort at that. I have better spies, motherfucker, and they’re getting better by the day. Keep poking your nose where it doesn’t belong and you’re gonna get a punch in the face. If you’re lucky.

There was the option of going totally illusory for her, but it would be finicky and she didn’t think Azure wanted that as opposed to just being herself — somewhere at least as a home base. She deserved it, too.

Despite this thought, Azure began applying some sort of blackish cream to her exposed skin when they neared their destination. She used a mirror to ensure complete coverage… it seemed to soak, absorb, and spread from where she touched… and turned her skin vibrantly blue.

At Sammy watching her, Azure finally grinned and shrugged. “I like doing it occasionally, anyway. Never when Ande was home, as it happens.”

“Well, well,” Sammy exclaimed. “Aren’t you a sly one, after all.”

Around noon they arrived at Brackenhome, an absolutely massive inn that took up most of a small village. It seemed to be composed of multiple buildings connected together for more and more space, and across the road there were additional separate buildings. An entire large stable. There was a tavern, identified by a huge wooden sign in the shape of a mug.

The inn, meanwhile, had a bed as a symbol, and below it was a mug with a huge X through it. Another sign had written, ‘NOT a tavern!’ on it in bold, red paint, then in smaller, green paint under it, ‘Go across the street for beer!’ Higher up, carved, red-and-green painted wood letters spelled ‘Brackenhome.’ The ‘B’ was especially fancy.

It was fairly bustling, with people coming and going from both buildings as well as activity around the stables. Many were sitting at their ease and drinking on numerous shaded porches in wooden chairs, some the rocking variety. Many were old and venerated sorts watching the younger bustle around, but hardly all.

Ah, the old pastime of people-watching. It was not invented in the modern era, clearly. Then again, there’s the past lives they brought with them… guess there really is nothing new under the sun in that case.

Sammy fully utilized her illusion disguise to change her face and general appearance up. Made her voice like her friend Jen. It was easy enough. The combination seemed like it would hide her god-like qualities. For Dart, they once again pulled the parrot maneuver before they arrived, as he disliked the idea of a ‘smelly stable.’ As such, they walked up to the inn with the horse in tow.

At the entrance was a guard of sorts, in a simple but sturdy leather jerkin and cap. He was an exceptionally thick-looking guard with a face like a dropped pie. Sitting next to him on the porch and panting in the heat was a giant mastiff, eyeing events indifferently.

The guard nodded to them amiably. “Ma’amses’. Welcome to Brackenhome. Lookin’ for a stay? Cause there ain’t no beer or ale here.”

“Indeed, my good man!” Azure said cheerily with a false voice and accent, speaking up through a face covered by a scarf. “Hopefully you still have room.”

“I reckon we do. Not too busy. You can tie your horse right there, me and Anvil here will keep an eye on it for ya. Stable’s free with any purchase here. They’ll send someone for it. And you heard there’s no beer or ale here, right?”

Azure blinked. “Uh, yes. Loud and clear.”

“Okay good. There’s wine with meals, though.” He opened the door for them with a grin that showed multiple missing teeth. “Go on in then, Ma’amses, if ya please.”

When they passed through, it was unusual in that there was a small enclosed vestibule, with unusual glass windows for light. The guard closed the door as soon as they were through, and they had to open another door to enter. As soon as they opened it, there was a surprising blast of refreshing cold air that hit them. Azure sighed in relieved pleasure from it.

Immediately Sammy knew that it was magically derived. The air or the area itself was enchanted with some sort of cooling effect and breezy airflow. Unlike typical buildings she’d seen on Calrenazzod, particularly southerly, it didn’t have any apparent, direct, ventilation outside. It was enclosed, with more glass windows evident, though all of them were composed of two narrow, tall panes put side to side with a divider in the middle.

“I’d heard that they renovated the place, but this?!” Azure exclaimed. “Incredible! I didn’t realize they were wealthy enough for such an enchantment.”

There was a small, all but packed area of tables, with a combination of merchants and adventuring types scattered around. It had a restaurant vibe to it, and everyone had at least a bit of food and drink in front of them. Sammy imagined one had to purchase something to hang out in the perhaps literally expensive ambiance.

In addition to another guard-like figure, a young woman in clothes like a simplified servant’s livery (the fancy ‘B’ was the only tangible symbol) smiled at them from over the lip of a large front desk. “Welcome to Brackenhome! Are you looking to stay with us for a spell?”

No. No, she did not just pun!

Azure walked up to the desk. “Yes! We’d really like-”

They were interrupted by a precession of three people coming from an inner door behind the counter. A thin man in fine blue and green robes and a short, conical hat, followed by someone possibly in servant’s garb, followed by a man dressed similarly to the initial clerk.

The thin man had strong ‘haughty noble’ vibes as he declared, “I do hope you don’t fall behind yet again, Mister Alecto. However you bit off more than you can chew, new oversight seems unlikely to help things. Alas, my hands will be tied should you fail again. So it goes.”

“Yes, yes, the bank will assuredly get their coin, Keeper,” Alecto said anxiously from the back with an air of wanting to rush the others out. His eyes flashed to his nearby new guests. “I’ll thank you kindly to keep such discussion private, however.”

“Of course.” The Keeper delivered it blandly and said no more. His eyes did not stray from the path out, ignoring everyone else as if beneath his notice. The servant hopped along behind him, carrying a massive satchel that jingled with coins. A couple of tough characters rose from a table, finished their drinks quickly, and then followed right on their heels.

I’m surprised he opened the door for himself, honestly.

Alecto dabbed sweat off his forehead that didn’t have much business being there in the cool. He smiled amiably at Azure and Sammy. He was a prime sort of middle-aged, not handsome but pleasant somehow, with a very prominent rounded nose and a huge, bushy mustache. “Welcome! I’m Alecto Bracken, innkeeper and mayor of Brackenhome. Seeking a room?”

He also touched the girl on the shoulder and nodded to her, after which she left from behind the counter to go wait on the other customers.

“I’m Seddia and this is my friend Dymonei,” Azure said. “We’re looking for a decent room. Preferably in this wonderful air.”

Alecto nodded and appeared to flip through a log on the unseen lower countertop. “There is one with a single bed and another with four. Two ovals for the single, four for the other. Three or more days in advance shaves a coin off. That’s room and board with common wine. I can give that in other mints if you like.”

“The Geirkos mint will work fine. 3 days for the single. And worth every piece, I presume?”

Alecto grinned at her and nodded. “I believe that strongly to be the case, Madam.”

As ‘Seddia’ pulled out a purse to exchange the coins, Sammy approached to lean over the counter and whisper, “I couldn’t help but overhear: trouble with your bank, Mister Alecto?”

Embarrassed, Alecto winced, met her eyes briefly, glanced around for other potential eavesdroppers, then sighed. “Not my bank: the Bank of Geirkos. Sadly, there is no other option.” He affected a wan smirk to one corner of his mouth as he regarded Sammy. “You wouldn’t happen to be a rich, altruistic benefactor looking to invest gold, by chance, would you?”

Sammy returned the smirk and shrugged. “I’ll take a raincheck on answering that.”

“By all means. But I’m always willing to talk business with anyone possessing massive heaps of disposable funds. To loan, mind you. And generous on returns, I assure you… the Bank is into the category of… unreasonable. In a perfect world, they’d have competitors.”

Drumming her fingers on the countertop, Sammy had the distinct feeling she was staring into the eyes of a potential future ally, and a staunch one at that. Questions flared: if, when, how… but the dice had certainly been placed in her palm, itching to fall.

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