Raya had always loved the art of Olston. Interconnected squares trimmed all the buildings, etched deep enough into the wooden frames to be clear. Sky blue paint adorned many of the doors, railings, and eaves, while a burgundy some of the children and women made from the shellfish of the Eremes River marked the road-posts and the occasional mural—usually drawings of animals that roamed the savannah—that decorated the town.
Yesterday, she’d taken her rabbits and hedgehogs into the market to sell them, while she had plucked the feathers off the bird herself, and had chopped off its claws, before taking the rest of the eagle to the butcher. She had sold most of the feathers to Arwis Unar, the main bowyer in Olston. He worked in a shop that overlooked half the town from one of the two hills it spanned, the North Rise.
It was a good walk down through the valley to the Sage’s School. The wise man taught the basics of working in the town to their youth, as well as telling historic stories. He was also a magician, and handled some of the more serious healing tasks for the populace. He had taken the claws in exchange for a few coins; a variety of bird claws were weaved into one of the three tapestries that hung near his magic font. Raya didn’t know if that was an actual part of his magic, or just part of the mysticism that separated him from the normal men.
This morning, she awoke to the sound of her mother’s cooking. After an omelet, a slice of dry seed-infused bread, and a handful of nuts made for a good breakfast, after which Raya went to the Eremes. There were a few different areas cordoned off, one for each gender to bathe in. She washed up quickly, dried off and dressed in a pair of rough trousers, but wore one of her nicest tunics, a steel blue woolen one. She had also packed a small hair clasp, so she combed her hair and clipped it up. She was not going hunting today. She was going to visit Melik Kama.
She passed Hemsten as she climbed Old Sun Rock, the taller of the two hills. From here, she could look down on the whole town. She saw smoke rising from the smelting pits near the mine, where metal was wrought to help the work there, and she saw the cleared grass around the exterior fence wall. Hemsten smiled when he saw her. “No hunt today?” he asked. He was in his interwoven leather hauberk, with his dark braid hanging down in front of it.
“Nope,” she said. “Melik asked me to help out.”
“Up there?” he asked.
She smiled. “No, out there.” She pointed into the wilderness. There were distant orchard communities visible from up here. A few were smoking from war damages—bandits prowling on refugees didn’t hesitate to seize a farmer’s crop. The massive city of Vagren was too far, blocked by the gradual rise of the horizon.
Hemsten blinked. “Oh. That sounds dangerous, but you always seem to know your way around. What, with all the refugees you’ve found since Elpan fell apart.”
“I hope so.” Raya nodded, and continued walking.
Partway up the slope, a small laneway connected a group of houses where a few of the councillors lived. They met at a longhouse closer to the top of Old Sun Rock, but usually in the evenings.
Melik received her with an excited smile. “Come in, come in,” he said, showing her a shelf for her boots. They padded barefoot through his house to a small sitting area on the porch behind it. “Can I get you anything? A drink or something to nibble on?”
“I’m fine,” Raya said. “But don’t hold back on my account.”
“Very good,” Melik said, and went to fetch himself something. She looked around his porch as she waited alone. Between two chairs rose a short table with a embroidered square cloth in its middle and an unlit candle on top of that. There was a small flower pot nearby, on a shelf against the wall, with bright turquoise flowers spouting out of it. Each had a dozen small, feathery pedals.
“It’s a royal rapture,” Melik said, returning. “My grandfather sent it to me before he passed. Hired a whole wagon just to make sure it didn’t get damaged. Apparently, the flower is worth a fortune. Hasn’t been found in nature in years.”
“Interesting,” Raya said.
The councillor sat down in the other chair. He had poured himself a small tea cup, and set one near Raya, despite her expressed satisfaction. “Thanks,” she said, and smelled it. Some sort of citrus.
“I apologize for skipping right to business, but my fellow councillors are becoming anxious, if we need to find another for our mission…” Melik said. “Have you thought about it?”
“It’s been all I could think about,” Raya confessed. “Just to be clear, I’m going to Vagren to find someone who can send us more guards to deal with bandits?”
“As well as construction supplies for refugee shelters or a home in Vagren for us to send our refugees,” Melik said. “Cavthur came to me yesterday, unfortunately, and wanted us to withdraw our request after the refugees you let in. He insists that Olston is a mining town and a tight community, not a charity and support center for foreigners. At some point, the council will be forced to agree with him. We simply can’t house or protect this many people anymore.”
Raya took a sip of her tea. It made sense, sad as it was. “I’d like to help out,” she said. “But what are the details? Who am I supposed to ask? What do I have to bargain with?”
Melik put down his tea. “We assumed one of the Ruling Houses,” he said, “but a large part of that is to be determined by your judgement once you get there. Speak with as many people in power as you can. Find someone you can trust, or someone who doesn’t ask too much.”
“So we don’t have anything to barter with?”
“Well, there’s the mine,” Melik said. “We sell our granite and rock to the highest bidder, now, but we could offer exclusivity to a patron. Or coin. Or even help in return, if we are able to. I expect whomever you find will send a delegate in return with you. They’ll want to speak with the council before agreeing to anything.”
“Where will I stay, then?” Raya asked. “If I’m to stay there for a while?”
“I’ve written ahead. I have a cousin in Vagren, runs a small bed and breakfast. He’s agreed to let you stay in one of his rooms, free of charge. You’ll have to fend for your own food though,” Melik said. “Another reason we’ve chosen you.”
Raya smiled. “Not much hunting to do in the city,” she said.
“You’ll find a way,” Melik said. “Can we count you in?”
Raya took a deep breath and put down her tea. “Yes,” she decided. “I’ll help out, however I can. I hope what we’re looking for is in Vagren. I’ll leave in a few days? I’ll have to talk more with my parents and…”
“Whenever you’re ready,” the councillor said. “I want to thank you, Raya. Not just on behalf of the council or Olston. I’ve known your father since I was a boy, and you since you were born. You’ve always cared for our people, and I consider that a quality of greatness.”
Raya smiled. She took another drink of the citrus tea. “I just want to help wherever I’m able to,” she said.