6
The second day of the festival went much like the first. Malea and Kurt kept their tables side-by-side, and a brisk flow of business kept them busy most of the day.
The villagers came out in force to purchase items from the caravan sellers, including Kurt’s bottles and figurines, and Malea’s sparkling jewelry.
Each of them took a few breaks throughout the day, leaving the other to watch their tables while they stretched their legs, sought the privy, or visited the food stalls, returning with snacks for both of them.
There wasn’t much chance for talk, since people were around almost all the time, but Malea found Kurt’s presence comforting, in a way.
She knew him. Or, at least, she’d known him from the time she arrived at Mistress Isolde’s.
He was older than her by about four winters, so they hadn’t worked together, as such.
He was ahead of her in almost all the glassmaking processes, and by the time she had advanced to the upper-level skills, Mistress Isolde had already introduced her to Master Goldman.
From that point on, she spent part of her day at the gem cutter’s hall. As she got older, more and more of her time was spent there, learning the gem cutting craft, rather than at the glass workshop. Eventually, she’d moved out of Isolde’s workshop and taken her place full-time with Master Goldman.
Really, the most interaction she’d ever had with Kurt had been when they were interpreting for the dragons.
Of all the children at the workshop, only Kurt, herself, and another, younger boy named Hunter, could hear the dragons when they spoke silently into their minds.
When Shera and sometimes Shilayla came over to play in the evenings, after work was over, the three of them were kept busy telling the others what the dragons were saying.
It was something she had in common with Kurt, but it wasn’t something that had drawn them together.
Not really. More often than not, they ended up on opposite sides of a game where one dragon was on each team.
That didn’t make them friends, really. And since they’d both been teenagers at the time, the difference in ages meant they were worlds apart in maturity and experience.
When the dragons first arrived, Kurt was already eighteen winters and just about ready to leave on his journeyman trials.
By contrast, Malea had only been about fourteen and had already begun spending a lot of her time in Master Goldman’s hall.
So, she didn’t really know that much about Kurt, after all.
Especially since he’d left as a journeyman only a few months later, and she hadn’t seen him since.
They’d both been off doing other things.
Learning new skills. Earning reputations within their own craft guilds.
But she knew enough about the younger man who had been so kind and understanding of the other children—the other orphans—that Isolde kept taking into her home, to know that he had been a man of integrity. She’d bet he still was.
Just the fact that a virkin had chosen to travel with him spoke volumes.
Every myth and legend about the infamously elusive creatures said that they only befriended good people.
Malea knew, from her own experience with Keera, that the little creature could see right down into her soul.
Or so she believed. Keera might be young in years, but she was an old soul inside.
And the magic that was part of her nature was powerful and discriminating.
Toward the evening, when the sun was beginning to show signs of setting, the two virkin caused a bit of a stir when they landed on top of a nearby wagon, in full view of the villagers.
There was a lot of pointing and murmuring as the villagers got a good look at the small creatures for the first time.
Malea had to hold back a laugh as she looked up at Keera, preening under all the scrutiny.
“You know you’re beautiful,” Malea sent her words to the Lady Keera.
“Why, thank you. Yes, I do,” came the quick, humor-filled reply.
A moment later, Arch landed on Kurt’s shoulder, causing the onlookers to gasp. Kurt reached up to scratch behind the virkin’s ears with clear affection, and Arch turned his head into Kurt’s hand as if he’d done so many times before. He probably had.
After the small creatures made their appearance, activity around Kurt and Malea’s tables picked up even more.
Everyone, it seemed, wanted to get a close-up look at the virkin.
As dusk was settling in, the virkin flew away, and so did the villagers who had lingered to get a look at them.
This gave Kurt and Malea time to pack up their tables before full dark fell.
Last night’s entertainment had been primarily the big bonfire.
Tonight, there would be a smaller bonfire on the village green, but the main attraction would be music and dancing.
The night would start with a concert of sorts, put on by the Jinn musicians, followed by hours of dancing as the musicians played on.
“Do you want to join me for dinner?” Kurt asked as they both finished packing up their wares.
“I’d like to, but I promised to help the Rasims. They are scheduled to perform early in the evening, and they wanted me to work the crowd a bit, to help move things along.
I’m not really sure what that entails, except to show enthusiasm for their performance and encourage those seated near me to do the same, but I promised I’d help.
Either way, I’d like to be there to support them.
The musical act is something they’ve been working on as we’ve traveled, and it really is very good,” Malea told him, a bit disappointed that she had to say no to Kurt, but she’d promised her hosts.
“Have they not performed before?” Kurt asked.
“Apparently, this is the first time they’ve included their youngest daughter, so they’ve rearranged what they normally do to accommodate her special talents. She’s got such a pure high voice. It’s really something.”
“I think I’d like to hear it,” Kurt said. “Shall I secure a table and some dinner? We could sit together, and both cheer on the family.”
Malea felt her spirits arise once more. “That sounds perfect,” she told him.
“Great. Let’s meet up by the pie cart, and we’ll go from there. Sound good?”
Malea agreed, and they both set off to divest themselves of their packs.
Less than an hour later, they had reunited and gone around to the various food stalls to procure a small feast. Kurt found them a good table from which to observe the entertainment, and they sat down to eat.
It was still early. The music wouldn’t start for another few minutes and would go on for hours.
As a result, the tables weren’t too crowded yet, so they had a few minutes to just breathe in the festive air and enjoy their meal.
Conversation was quiet because they agreed they’d both had a busy day and were feeling a bit fatigued.
The food revived Malea somewhat, and she noted that Kurt’s eyes seemed to regain their sparkle.
He really had the prettiest eyes, though she was sure he would be embarrassed to hear her say that.
Wisely, she kept her thought to herself.
But she couldn’t help gazing at him with new appreciation.
She’d never really realized how handsome he was when they were living under the same roof.
They hadn’t been close. She’d still been a child, and he, almost a man.
They didn’t run in the same circles, except when dealing with the visiting dragons, but even then, they didn’t really work together.
They worked for the dragons, to help them be understood by everyone else.
“Are you the one with the virkin friend?” a strange voice came to them from nearby. Malea gave up her perusal of her table mate and looked up to find one of the villagers approaching cautiously.
“Aye,” Kurt answered. “A virkin is traveling with me from Valdis Maj to see the ice dragons and their caves in the north.”
“Then I have something to say, and I hope you’ll pass it on to your little friend for me,” the man replied, looking a bit nervous if Malea was any judge.
“I’d be glad to pass along your message, sirrah,” Kurt replied politely, but Malea could see his body change, putting his muscles into a tense, on-guard state.
“I run the local tavern, and we get many travelers coming through on their way to the capital, or coming from it, if you know what I mean,” the man began.
“A week back, two travelers came from up north, and they looked a bit rougher than the usual folk who come from up that way. They spoke strangely too. Thick accents, as if they’d come from beyond the mountains to the east. I traveled some in my youth, and I’ve been to those lands.
I know what folk from up there sound like. ”
Kurt nodded, listening intently. “I believe you, sirrah.”
The man nodded back, seeming a bit relieved.
“Thing is, they got drunk in my tavern and started saying some very strange things. Stuff about diamonds and cutting through dragon hide like butter. Most of the regular patrons had cleared out by that time, but I heard it, and it troubled me. Then, after they’d left the next morning, I found that one of the men had dropped a knife under the table where they’d been sitting.
He never came back for it. I suspect he was too drunk to realize where he lost it.
Thing is… I mean, the thing is…” He hesitated before continuing.
“The blade is like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
It looks like some sort of crystal, but it’s stronger than anything I’ve tried against it, and it cuts just about anything with ease.
” The man ran his hand through his thinning hair in agitation.
“Putting that knife together with what they were talking about, well, it plain worries me. I’ve never met a dragon, but I suspect your small friend is similar in many ways.
I fear this knife—or any like it—could hurt such creatures, and I know from all the talk about them, that virkin are forces for good.
I just wanted to warn them—have you warn them for me—that such things are out here in the world. I want them to be careful.”
“Sirrah, I am a gem cutter by trade. I’m only a journeyman, but I know stones. I was wondering if maybe I could see the knife, then I might be able to tell you what it is made from,” Malea said quietly, keeping her voice low but not in an obvious way.
“I don’t know…” The man still seemed hesitant, but if he’d gone to the trouble of warning Kurt to tell the virkin, then he probably had a good heart.
“If it’s worth anything to the stone cutter’s guild, I might be able to purchase it from you, if we can come to an agreement,” she added, hoping the promise of possible income might sweeten the deal.
The man seemed to think about it for a moment before finally giving in with a shake of his head. “If you can come by tonight after the dinner rush is over, I’ll show it to you.”
“Thank you, sirrah. I’ll be there,” Malea promised.
“We’ll be there. Maybe I can coax my virkin friend to come by as well,” Kurt added, and the innkeeper’s mouth lifted with the hint of a smile. “I’m sure he’ll be grateful that you took the time to pass along the information.”
“That’s mighty nice of you. I’ve always wanted to meet a dragon, or see a virkin. I just never thought they’d come through Middletown.” The man left a bit happier and more at ease than he’d been when he approached, and Kurt turned to Malea, one eyebrow raised.
“That was well done,” he complimented her. “I was wracking my brain trying to figure a way to get him to show me the blade but didn’t come up with anything truly convincing. Your suggestion was very welcome and timely.”
She felt her cheeks heat at his compliment but hoped the lantern light hid it well enough.
“Well, when he said it looked like crystal, my ears perked up. Gemstones are my thing, after all.”