---- The child could spend the entire day and night getting dressed, but the urgency of a last moment together pushed her along. Still, it took her nearly an hour before she stood ready.
They made their way across the city, stopping at oddity stores and strange attractions. They toured the old silver monolith at the limit of the northern quarter. They tried foreign treats and heard alien music.
For a final day, it could have been much worse. Their route had been meandering but intentional. They were headed to the smithy as slowly as they could. What might have been a five-minute walk became a six-hour adventure. They stopped at every mummer and busker, every stall and taleteller. It was only as the smithy came to view that they decided the time was right to get some food.
--- The two found a small café across from the smith and settled within. Evara ordered some fanciful dish, found only in the Conclave. Olives and garlic, cheese and herbs, and some kind of bloody meat. It looked undercooked to Ash's eye, but Evara insisted it was supposed to be.
Ashtik settled with something more typical and wholesome; beaver tail stewed in ginger, garlic and onions. A real meal, not like Evara's.
"How is it?" Ash asked as she stabbed a chunk of fat with a sharp wooden skewer and brought it to her mouth.
"Hot," Ev laughed. "But I suppose that's the point. Do you wish to try?"
"No," Ash scoffed.
She appraised the absurd dish with complete disdain. Meat with a pulse was a sure way to catch an illness, and pulsating her dish was. Every time Evara would stab into the admittedly tender chunks, a gush of red juice would pour from within and soak over the peeled potatoes beneath. It was an awful cut, to Ashtik's sensibilities. Not a string of fat clung to it, just pure meat. She'd be better off living like a hermit, eating mushrooms and mould.
"What did you think of the monolith?" Ev asked.
-- "Bigger than I expected. Did the guide say there were more?"
"Aye," Ev nodded. "One for each Champion's claim."
"Right. Each Champion gets a kingdom of their own," Ash recalled.
-- "Well... Once upon a time they did. Most have ceded the lands by now, or passed them on to their unchosen descendants. Only a few Champions still contest their claims."
"Do I get one?" Ash chuckled.
"I have no idea. I'd love to see what lands would call you queen," she teased.
Ash joined her laugh. "Somehow, I doubt queendom is in my future."
"We- You'll find out in the Forgelands, I guess," Ev said. She tried a smile, but it didn't quite seem to fit her lips. She couldn't keep her gaze high enough to even look at Ash. Her whole demeanour changed in an instant.
"I'll tell you what," Ash whispered with a grin. "If I get my own castle, I'll drag you over so you can rule it for me."
"Deal," Ev grinned, though her eyes never lost their weight. "Though I get the big bedroom."
-- "All the bedrooms will be big, Evy. It's a castle. And each will have their own personal bathhouses attached."
-- "Yeah, and a grand feast hall with a hearth every three seats."
"A big marble table at the head for you to preside over," Ash added.
-- "And a little cupboard nearby, for you to hide in when they want to celebrate your many heroic victories!"
"I'll get right on it," Ash giggled.
--- Once bellies were filled, and as the sun shrank beneath the tides, the two made for their final destination. They crossed the cobbled street and came upon the clanging of steel on steel. The smell of pitch and iron. The heat of the open-air forge.
The master ruled over his anvil while his assistant kept at the bellows. It was no wonder the smiths she had known were better built than any soldier. The young assistant glistened with sweat despite the somewhat bitter cold air. He kept a perfect pace as he puffed his bellow, like a rhythmic drum at the rear of a vast orchestra.
The master's work seemed no less operose. He wore a strange band around his head which seemed to wick away any rogue beads of sweat. He shattered his hammer down time and again against a molten rod, turning it upon each contact.
A third man stood silently in the forge; one she had seen briefly in the early hours of the day. His name didn't come to her, but she recalled his purpose. He wanted to be taken on as the smith's apprentice. It seemed that despite his blatant refusal, the man had yet to give up. He seemed entranced in the smith's art, noting his every exertion and movement.
"Excuse me!" Ev called out to the smith. His focus broke from his work and his eyes lit up as they came upon Ash.
"Sparrow!" He excitedly called. "Callum, take a rest boy."
The younger man nearly collapsed back from the bellows, but the third was kind enough to catch him.
"Master Toblik, would you like me to maintain the heat?" The third man offered. The smith sighed and seemingly only just realised that the other man was still there.
"Don't bother, I'm done for the day," Toblik, the smith, sighed.
-- "Then I'll return on the morrow, ser!"
"Hang on," Toblik grunted. He seemed to appraise Ashtik for a moment before he turned back to the interloping man. "Sparrow, please step inside," he offered. "Sujin, follow."
The third man's face lit up at the invitation, but a dose of hesitant scepticism carried in his steps.
---- The forge shop had grown dark in the early dusk. Ashtik and Evara patrolled the stands and oddities while the smith lit a set of oil lamps at his countertop. The room seemed much cosier by lamplight. The golden glow shimmered and danced from the cuirasses and blades. The wind seemed to swirl within the glass confines of the flame and brought a billowing shadow across the oak above them. A cast of Evara's little face reigned over a painting of the Conclave, while Ash's own skulked across the floorboards.
"I assume this is the sister then, Sparrow?" Toblik bowed.
"I am indeed. Evara, Ser," Ev returned a curtsey.
-- "A pleasure."
He drew from beneath his counter, a large rough leather wrap. He loosened a bronze buckle and unravelled the cover.
Beneath lay a beautifully ornate spear. Along its thin silver shaft, the forger had inlaid channels of shimmering iridescent black and violet. They wrapped around the shaft like the vines tattooed to the side of Ash's neck.
The spear tip itself was a vibrant silvery white shard, longer than thick, with deep serrations on one side and a straight edge on the other. Two smaller blades jutted out from the base of the tip, possibly to catch other striking weapons or to hook onto an opponent. The bottom end of the spear held a smaller tip usually found on pikes rather than spears. It was meant to be jammed into the dirt to fend off horses and bears.
Ash ran a delicate finger across the ornate, yet visually humble blade.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
"It needs a name," Toblik beamed, clearly proud of his work.
"I don't..." Ash muttered. She looked to her sister with pleading eyes, hoping she would have some meaningful title to bestow upon the masterpiece.
Ash couldn't help but groan. "Stabby?"
"It's cute," Ev giggled.
-- "It's not supposed to be cute."
-- "Well, it is. Get used to him."
-- "Him?"
--"Aye. A noble knight. Sir Stabby it is."
No words came, only disgust.
As unfortunate as the name might have been, it change didn't the fact that he was a piece of art. An absolute masterwork. She took it in her hands and lifted it for the first time. It was near as light as air, and thrice as nimble. She could slash it through a rainstorm and not catch a single drop, or she could thrust it forth and split a droplet in half.
"Look there," Toblik pointed. She noticed a small sparrow sigil set in the spear shaft's base. "Press it."
She did, and nearly lost a finger for her trouble. The tip had exploded out from the shaft and imbedded itself deep within the wall across from her. The tip and handle remained connected only by a thick thread of silver chain. The shock of the explosion loosened her grip enough that the shaft slipped from her hand and tore through the air back to the head of the spear.
"Explosive rune and dican steel chain. Press the sigil and the spear shoots out, release the sigil and it retracts," Toblik explained. He walked over to the spear and, with a valiant effort, extracted it from his wall.
"That's incredible!" Sujin gasped.
"It's terrifying," Ev corrected. She had covered her ears after the explosion and had yet to stop.
"Thank you, master Toblik. It's more than I could have ever hoped for," Ash muttered as he handed the spear back.
"That's just the start, remember?" He laughed.
He dragged out a wooden case from beneath his counter and kicked it open for her. Within was the rest of her order. At the top, above a fur lining, lay Evara's bow.
"That's pretty," Ev said as Ash removed the bow.
-- "It's yours."
"Fuck off," Ev gasped. "Truly? Thank you, Ash!" The child didn't know whether to take up the bow, or attack Ash with a vicious hug, so she did both. She gripped the dawn birch bow and wrapped her arms around Ash's neck, nearly knocking her to the ground as she went.
"I'll practice every day!" Ev swore.
"I'm sure," Ash laughed. Her sister scuttled off to string her new bow while Ash ruffled through the case. She drew two sets of travel gear contained within two great leather packs while Evara grunted and huffed and swore like a sailor behind them.
Ashtik turned to see her sister leveraging her entire bodyweight in an attempt to compress the bow enough that she could string it.
"Would you like some help?" Sujin offered.
"No," Ev snapped like a rabid dog protecting a bone. She carried on her display of athletic prowess and Ash left her to it.
The next item drawn she had believed to be a leather breastplate, but quickly she realised it was steel. Black steel, not all that dissimilar to her own gauntlet.
It was lighter than her leather armour, yet she could feel how solid it really was. A northern design, though the features of a huntress had been replaced with the features of a Champion.
Where her leather had been thick and padded, this was not a fingernail in width. Where her belly had been exposed, now the impression of a six-pack had been engraved into the steel. It seemed as formfitting as any tailored dress could hope to be. How the smith had guessed at her exact measurements was a thought best left buried.
At the top of the plate - at the neck hole - a large jut pushed forwards. A blade trap, meant to deflect slashes away from her head. The black shoulder pieces within also had juts of their own to protect her neck. This really was knightly armour rather than that of a huntress.
She could not don it here, but she placed the pieces to her body one by one. The armour had been riveted to a set of underclothes. It was another northern practice. Most plate steel would require two people to attach, but this armour could be worn like any other clothing. The leather pants were cut at her ankles as to make room for the boots. A chainmail skirt could be attached or removed with ease.
The armour was like nothing she had ever dreamed of wearing. Her lifelong aversion to steel and plate would soon be defeated by sheer awe at the perfect craftsmanship. When attached and bound, the armour pieces appeared almost seamless. The black steel, unlike the spear, held no shine. It was designed for shadows. It seemed to diffuse the lamplight as it was struck.
Finally, she found the book. 'A novice's guide to magics and arcana.' The true present for her sister. Ash turned to look at the girl as she continued to struggle with her new bow.
"Ev," she whispered.
"One moment," Ev grunted. She gritted her teeth and pushed one final effort and one grand mass of will into her bow. Finally, and just barely, did she manage to attach the crystal string to both limbs. "Yes!" Ev panted with one hand raised. The stranger, Sujin, gave a gleeful little clap for her perseverance, but quickly stopped when Toblik shot him a glance.
"Stand there, boy," Toblik ordered before disappearing into some back room. The remaining trio could hear some clanging and metallic rustling but had no idea what was happening. Ash knelt by the chest and silently admired her new equipment while Sujin stood perfectly in place.
"Hello," Ev eked after a moment of silence. "I'm Evara."
"Sujin," The other man bowed.
-- "Did you contract the forger?"
He shifted awkwardly. "No, I was hoping to be taken on as his apprentice. They say there's no greater enchanter in the world than he."
-- "You are an enchanter?"
-- "Indeed, or an aspirant I suppose. I completed my tutelage back home so now I'm searching the world for a great master."
--"Where are you from?"
-- "The Forgelands. Ravenfield, specifically."
-- "Oh, that's the capital, right?"
-- "It is. A Ducissa sponsored my pilgrimage here. It'll be a shame to tell her the master is uninterested."
-- "A Ducissa?"
-- "A newly minted Duchess. She's a first-generation aristocrat."
-- "I didn't know that was a thing."
-- "They try to be meritocratic back home. They fail... but they try."
The kindly small talk came to an abrupt end as the great Forgemaster came lumbering in, a black leather case slung over his shoulder. He plonked the hefty pack down on the counter. A torrent of sawdust and metal shavings exploded out from beneath and settled along the old countertop.
"Sparrow," Toblik grunted, "I have a... mutually beneficial proposition."
-- "You do?"
"Aye. This man, Sujin," Toblik motioned, "is a truly talented enchanter. He also happens to be on his pilgrimage. My offer is that you take him with you on your travels. He can maintain your gear and help guide you through much of this world."
"If he is so talented, why won't you take him on yourself?" Ash asked.
"Indeed, I'd also like to know," Sujin pressed.
"It isn't personal, boy. I have a young daughter and wish her to be my apprentice. By the time Callum's tutelage is complete, she will be of age to learn. I simply haven't the space to take you on," Toblik said.
"But why would I enter the service of this stranger?" Sujin asked.
"That's my end of the bargain," Toblik began. He drew out a strange sheet of iron with an ornate stamp over a thin seam.
"Is that-" Sujin stammered.
"My vouch. Each master is awarded two in a lifetime; one I shall keep for my daughter in case I pass before her training is complete," Toblik explained, more so for the benefit of Ash and Evara. He stepped forth, not to Sujin, but to Ash. "Take this," he said as he handed her the iron letter.
"Me?" Ash questioned.
-- "Aye. The boy deserves to be trained. A talent like his is a special thing indeed. Should he be of proud character – a steadfast ally and good-hearted man – then grant him this vouch. My word should ensure him tutelage under any master on the continent."
"Does he get any say in this?" Ash protested.
"My lady, this is an honour!" Sujin blurted. His whole face lit up at the sight of the vouch. "I will be of greater service than you could possibly imagine, I swear it!"
"I wouldn't be so sure. She stands to declare war upon the Conclave. Would you really be party to that?" Evara interrupted.
He paused at that. "I would do battle with the very gods should you wish it, my lady," Sujin bowed.
"You'll probably die," Ash grunted.
-- "There can be no death so sweet as a death in service of purpose."
"You don't even know where I'm going," Ash insisted.
-- "Yes, I do."
-- "Where?"
"Where you must, and I travel at your back," Sujin grinned.
"I'm headed west," she sighed.
-- "To the sea?"
"To the Forgelands," she corrected.
"Then you ought to head east, my lady, lest you intend to swim the whole way," he said.
-- "East?"
-- "Indeed, towards the portgate in Meomi. Tis' how your countrymen tend to go about it."
"Ash, did you not know the route?" Ev sighed.
"Well... it's west. I'd sail... West," Ash murmured.
"Gods..." Evara groaned.
"My lady," Sujin mumbled, "the expanse is too great to sail in a timely manner. It would be much more advisable to head to Meomi."
"Then I guess you'll have to show me the way," Ash sighed. "Oh, and it's Ashtik. Don't call me lady."
"Very well, Ashtik," he bowed.
She turned from the young man to the old and thanked him one last time before the party parted.
---- A beast sauntered through a parade thrown in her master's honour. Young, she was. A sumpter beast but closer to a bear than a mare. Scars lined her grey skin from where her 'trainers' had broken her by whip and cain.
"Sparrow," her master called from atop her back. "There you are."
"Baron," Ash bowed. His retinue parted the small crowd that his parade had earned. Once she was close enough, her hand glided over the sturdy flesh of the gorgeous beast.
"So?" the fat Baron impatiently urged.
-- "My lord?"
"Are you the bloody Champion or not, girl?" He excitedly asked.
-- "I- It's complicated, my lord."
-- "Complicated? Were you ordained or not?"
"My lord," Evara called, "My sister has been declared Champion of Black."
He knew what it meant. She could read the dread in his face, and so could his beast. She bucked against him, and he nearly fell.
The red face of an avid drinker came to be whiter than that of a ghost. The glee of the question had given way to the depth of the answer, and the gravity of the truth.
"Then... Why is that complicated?" he stuttered, trying to hold his balance.
"The Conclave will declare her a heretic," Ev answered.
"To stop the spread of panic..." Maren realised.
-- "Aye, my lord."
He seemed to take a moment to consider what he had been told. The whiskers atop his lip bristled into his nose as some great thought came through a deep sniff.
"Then I am afraid I must break our deal, Sparrow," he said as though it were a kind thing.
"What do you mean?" Ash asked.
-- "Your mother had demanded that I bring young Evara back home once you were declared. I assumed that was why you were here? I fear I may not take her along, nor can I host her in my home."
-- "What?"
-- "My... responsibility is towards my barony, towards my people. I cannot have Veytors marching through my lands in search of heretics."
-- "We are your people, Maren. You swore to protect her!"
"Aye, and now I must break that vow, else I will break my vow to all others," he said with all too little sorrow.
"And our parents? They still live in your lands," Ev interrupted.
"A fact that I will forget as a favour to you, Sparrow-Knight. They will blend in as simple villagers and remain unnoticed," he proudly stated. "But, Sparrow, your sister is too obviously your own blood. She cannot hide it."
"You don't think they'll find our parents?" Ash stressed.
"I do not. All they will find is a cancerous old man and a beautiful foreign woman. There will be no way to link them back to you," Maren promised.
-- "I beg you, Maren. Whatever you want, you shall have. Please, just take her back home. She needn't live in your keep, but it isn't safe for her with me."
"It will be no different at my side... Except that I not fightto defend her," Maren swore.
"I won't forget this, Maren. I swear," Ash threatened.
-- "You will have greater foes than I, Sparrow. I will be but a speck of a memory."