Town
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She dressed carefully—one of her nicer velvet outfits, deep blue with burgundy accents and her good boots. She braided her hair and topped it with a cute hat, trying to look presentable. Professional.
She loaded her purse with trade goods, checking her selection one more time.
The horse was waiting near the gate, patient and ready. The dandelions gathered around, clearly intending to come.
"All of you?" she asked.
Three golden-eyed stares. Yes, apparently. All of them.
"Alright then."
She mounted the horse—it took a couple tries, since she didn’t have a mounting block—and settled into position. The dandelions formed up around her, two in front, two on each side. An honor guard.
Or a very strange parade.
Walter appeared at the gate. "Safe travels, madam. And remember—be confident, and don't let them undervalue your goods."
"Thank you, Walter."
She rode through the gate and onto the main road.
The journey was short—she'd been right about the distance. Ten minutes at an easy pace, maybe less. The road was well-maintained, wide enough for carts. Protected by shield enchantments, just like Jin had said.
The town walls came into view quickly. Tall, thick, built from stone and reinforced with what looked like monster bone. Guards stood at the gate, watching her approach.
They stared as she got closer.
She couldn't blame them. A woman in velvet on a wooden horse, escorted by plant-lions with fluffy manes. She was quite the sight.
One guard raised his hand. "Hold there. State your business."
"I'm Wren. From the—" She hesitated. "From the farm outside town. I'm here to trade. The Marshall said he'd meet me?"
The guards exchanged glances. One of them looked nervous, eyeing the dandelions.
"Those... things. Are they dangerous?"
"Only to monsters," Wren said. "They're very well-behaved."
"Lieutenant!" one guard called. "Lieutenant Tanaka!"
Kenji appeared from the guard house, took one look at her, and grinned. "Wren! Right on time." He nodded to the guards. "She's expected. Let her through."
The guards relaxed slightly but still eyed the dandelions warily.
Kenji walked over, giving the horse an appreciative look. "Horse chestnut worked out well, I see."
"It did."
He glanced at her escort. "The lions are impressive, but they might cause concern in town. Would you mind if they waited out here? Just off the path, out of the way?" His tone was kind, apologetic even. "People aren't used to seeing creatures like that."
Wren looked at her protectors. Kenji had a point. Lion-sized creatures prowling through a crowded town would cause panic. "Can you wait here?" she asked her pets.
The largest one looked at her for a long moment. Then moved to the side of the road, settling into a watchful position. The others followed.
"They'll be fine," Kenji assured her. "The gate guards will keep an eye on them. No one will bother them."
Wren dismounted, suddenly nervous without her protectors beside her.
"The horse can come," Kenji added, seeing her hesitation. "People will stare, but they'll be curious more than frightened. A wooden horse is strange, but not threatening."
She nodded, confident the horse would follow. It was very good at sensing her intent.
"Ready?" Kenji asked.
She took a breath. Beyond the gate, she could hear the sounds of the town, people talking, horses clopping. "Ready."
They passed through the gate, and Wren's breath caught. The town was beautiful.
The lower level spread out before her, a wide marketplace with cobblestone streets, lined with shops and stalls.
Buildings were a mix of stone and timber, with colorful awnings and hanging signs.
The architecture was distinctly Asian-European fusion, with curved tile roofs beside peaked gables, paper lanterns hanging next to wrought iron fixtures.
But it was the cliff face that made her stop and stare.
Houses were built directly into the rock, climbing up in terraced levels.
Windows and balconies jutted out, connected by staircases that zigzagged up the stone.
Gardens grew on every available ledge, flowers, herbs and compact vegetables.
Water ran down carved channels, feeding the gardens and creating small waterfalls that caught the morning light.
It was like something from a painting. Practical and beautiful at once.
People were everywhere; merchants setting up stalls, shoppers browsing, children running between carts...and they were all stopping to stare at her and her horse. Whispers followed her as Kenji led her deeper into the market.
"Is that wood?"
"Look at its mane—those are leaves!"
"That's the woman from the cursed farm—"
"I heard she has trees that grow clothes—"
"Monsters escorted her to the gate—"
Wren kept her chin up, trying to look confident despite the attention. Her horse walked calmly beside her, unbothered by the stares.
"They'll gossip for days," Kenji said quietly, not unkindly. "Might as well get used to it. You're the most interesting thing to happen here in months."
"Wonderful," she muttered.
He grinned. "Come on. The Marshall's waiting at the trading post. And you'll want to meet Mei, the lady who runs the general store. Best prices, fairest deals."
They wove through the market. Wren tried to take it all in—the bakery with its window full of pastries, the blacksmith's forge sending up sparks, a textile shop with bolts of fabric stacked to the ceiling. A tea house with tables outside where elderly men played board games.
And everywhere, the gardens. Compact, intensively planted, every inch utilized. She understood now what Walter had meant about space being limited. The town was built up, not out, maximizing defensible land.
Kenji stopped at a large building with a carved wooden sign: Mei's General Goods—Trade & Supply
"Here we are. Mei's inside. She's direct, but fair." He paused. "And the Marshall should be here soon."
Wren tied her horse to a post outside—the horse settled immediately, patient as ever—and followed Kenji through the door.
The shop was packed. Shelves lined every wall, filled with tools, fabric, preserved foods, medicines, hardware. The organization was immaculate despite the density. A counter ran along the back, and behind it stood a woman in her forties with sharp eyes and graying hair pulled into a neat bun.
She looked up as they entered, and her gaze fixed on Wren immediately. "So," she said. "You're the one growing trees on cursed land."
Wren smiled, a little nervous. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Wren."
"Mei." The woman came around the counter, studying Wren with an appraising look. "I hear you have unusual goods to trade."
"I do."
"Show me."
It was actually a relief to get right to business. Wren pulled her leather purse around and reached inside. The magical storage made everything easy to access, and items appeared at her fingertips as she thought of them.
She laid out her offerings on the counter one by one.
Silk nightgowns and undergarments, embroidered with delicate flowers.
Velvet jackets in jewel tones. Soapberries in pink and white clusters.
Nested gourd bowls. Teacups with matching saucers in floral patterns.
T-shirts in soft cotton. Socks. The lipstick tubes. Strands of pearl-like beads.
Mei picked up each item, examining it with practiced efficiency. She held a silk chemise up to the light, checking the stitching. Smelled the soap. Tested a teacup's weight and balance. Applied a dab of lipstick to her wrist.
"Quality's excellent," she said finally. "Better than most of what comes through here." She set down a velvet jacket. "The silk and velvet especially. These would sell well to the wealthy families." She picked up the soap. "And these smell divine. How much can you produce?"
"As much as I have seeds for," Wren said. "Which is... a lot." She saved seeds from every specimen.
"Regular supply?"
Wren hesitated. "I... think so? The trees keep producing, but I'm still learning how it works. Some things grow back quickly, others might be seasonal."
"Fair enough. You'll figure it out." Mei nodded, calculating. "I can offer you fair trade value. Gold, or credit toward goods in the store. Your choice."
"I need some things," Wren admitted. "Metal cookware. Pots, pans, maybe a kettle. A metal bucket for heating bath water. Kitchen knives. That sort of thing."
"Practical." Mei approved. "Smart. Metal's valuable but necessary." She began pulling items from shelves—a sturdy iron pot, a ladle, a cast iron frying pan, a kettle for heating water, and several good knives. "This lot would normally run about fifteen silver."
Wren had no idea if that was expensive or not. She looked at Kenji helplessly.
"That's fair," he confirmed.
"I'll take two silk sets, three velvet pieces, a dozen soaps, and a set of your bowls," Mei said, gesturing at the goods. "That covers the metal work and leaves you three silver credits for future purchases."
"That seems—" Wren paused. Was that good? Bad?
"It's reasonable," Kenji murmured. "She's not cheating you."
"I invest in reliable suppliers," Mei said. "You bring me regular stock of this quality, we'll both profit."
The door opened behind them, and Jin stepped inside.
He took in the scene—Wren's goods spread on the counter, Mei's approved expression, the pile of metalwork.
"First trade?" he asked.
"Yes," Wren said.
"You'll learn." His tone was matter-of-fact. Not dismissive, not particularly encouraging either. Just honest. He looked at the metalwork. "Practical purchases."
"I need to be able to cook properly," Wren said. "The hot rocks method is... not ideal."
Mei raised an eyebrow. "Hot rocks?"
"Long story," Wren said quickly.
Jin's mouth twitched slightly. "You'll need other supplies. Tools, winter clothes." He eyed her jacket. “Though you might be able to grow those.”
"Winter's coming?" Wren's stomach sank.