My Solemn Oath Pt. 04

"There you go. I'll be around here in case anyone demands to know where your escort is." Everett scratched his head.

"Thank you, Everett. I will call if I need you. Can you return to help me pack my wagon when the market closes?" I reached into my money pouch but he waved me off.

"Your money is no good here, just like your grandmothers. I'll come back later."

He turned to walk away and bumped into Temperance. She carried a basket of fresh eggs and a loaf of bread. Everett's face flushed red and he muttered a few unintelligible phrases.

"What's that, my boy? Speak up." Temperance was always one to put a man on the spot. "Said you'll come by to see me later." She winked and patted his arm. "No worries, I'll have your room ready."

Everett glanced at me. His ears were bright red too. He walked away embarrassed and Temperance had a good chuckle as she strolled up to me. "Looks like the young man has a crush on ye."

"Aye, I believe so." I rose to meet her, reaching my hand out. That was the hardest part of this whole thing. I had to pretend to not know anything about all of these people or they'd catch on to my act. "Name's Winter." I nodded at her and she nodded back.

"Temperance... Where's Kari today? Taken a fall or something?"

"Grandmother is ill. I am going to take care of things for a while." She set her basket and loaf down and I took the items and placed them into one of the empty crates for transport home.

"Ah... Well she usually has a few special things for me." Her eyes sparkled. I hated deceiving friends, but there were times in my life I needed to do things for myself, not to please others, and allowing my youth to return would allow me to make real connections in life again.

"I'm not sure what you mean, she never mentioned anything." I rearranged some of the items on the table closest to mine after Temperance put a few more things into her basket.

"Well, the witch hazel serum and lotions... I need those. Helps get the old nether region back in shape after birthing a baby, if you know what I mean." She winked at me and snickered. I knew exactly what she meant. I specially formulated that shrinking serum to help with tumor and growth removal, and when she learned it would tighten up certain other places, she had been sold on it.

"Ah, well take what you normally do. I'm sure you'll do fine with it." I sat back on the crates and watched as the young strawberry haired maiden found her way to my stand. Her eyes were searching, as if she expected someone different as well. She had Everett in tow, hanging off of every word she said. The boy was ridiculous, but I saw why he was after her. Beauty like that wasn't natural in Grafburg. She'd be taken in marriage faster than we knew it.

"Storm's comin' in later this afternoon, Winter. You sure you're going to be alright?" Temperance was considerate, I'd give her that.

"I'll be right. If it's bad, I'll find a room at the inn." My comment drew a round of laughter from her, though my eyes were fixed on Anna, the young woman with the arousal soap in her hand. She stood close enough to hear us talking and I hoped she would. If she knew I was in town overnight, perhaps she would stop for a visit, dinner maybe.

"Didn't that old witch of a grandmother teach you anything?" Temperance slapped her thigh and laughed more, but the word "witch" seemed to pique Anna's interest. She held a hand to Everett's lips to silence him and I saw her cock her head to the side, listening to Temperance continue. "The festival is in less than seven days. Men travel from all over Kilnshire to come. You can't think you'll have space at the inn, besides the fact that you're here without an escort. No one will let a room to you."

She didn't dissuade me, though she didn't know the full power of Kari's magic, only parts of it. And she didn't' know that Kari had only been a guise, a way to get into the city to sell my wares.

"What do you suspect I should do then?" I turned away from Anna and focused on Temperance's face.

"Well that old witch has done a few things for me. I owe her a favor. You come by the dirty fox and I'll find you a room for the night. No charge," she said as she winked. At the same time the loud voice of a guard announcing his approach halted Temperance in her tracks. She scowled, raising one eyebrow as the man bounded up to us.

"Ms. Temperance, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me. Unlawful use of vocabulary that is banned in the city is a crime against the crown itself." His stern features were matched with his stance, hand on the hilt of his sword. The action cause a ruckus, drawing attention of everyone around, except Anna.

I noticed she stood carefully with her back to the man, examining a soap as if she hadn't heard him.

"What because I said witch? Oh, Bartholomew, you know how magical my touch can be. These fingers are witches in their own right... Aye? Or should I go ask your wife if she can do it better than me?" Temperance pawed at the man's chest, a disgusting display in public, but it had him cowering.

"Uh... Tempy... You just... Don't say those words out loud. Not all the guards are as generous as me."

"And not all men tip as well either." She walked two fingers up his chest and touched the tip of his nose, red with embarrassment. "Now, where was I?" She nodded at the guard and turned back to me. "If you need shelter from the storm, come my way."

Temperance walked away and I noticed Anna's eyes follow her. The guard, however, didn't leave my side. He whipped around and glared at me, angry I supposed for being outed. "And you, where is your escort?"

"Here!" Everett called out, strolling up to my side and leaving Anna to fend for herself. "I'm her escort. This is the granddaughter of the elder woman who usually runs this stand. I'm helping her until her grandmother recovers from her illness."

Everett, always my savior. I patted his arm and smiled at the guard, whose face relaxed but he spoke. "Come with me then, aye? I have a job for ye."

Without another word, the two men walked away, leaving me with Anna. She seemed timid, shaking. Her face was pale as if she'd seen a ghost. She approached me with two soaps, the arousal soap and the healing soap.

"That all for you?"

"Uh, yes... Um... Where's Kari?" Her eyes nervously watched the guard's back as he disappeared.

"She's taken ill. I'm her granddaughter, Winter. I'm helping her." I tried not to lead on that I'd seen her before, but there she was in all her beauty, as stunning as the morning sun rising over Auvgaston.I smiled at her politely, reaching for her goods. She had a few soaps in hand and a tin of teas.

"Oh that's too bad." Anna's face fell, a forlorn expression in her eyes. She really wanted to speak to Kari, not me, but she didn't realize that I was she who could help. It made my heart ache.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked her as I calculated the total she owed me. Her eyes searched my face as if she were nervous to ask something. Her tongue flicked over her bottom lip; then she bit it.

"The woman who was just here..."

"Yes, Temperance. She owns the brothel across town. She's a right bit spicy. Kari warned me about her." I chuckled and placed Anna's items into a small basket. "That'll be three coppers."

She reached into her purse to pull out the coins and continued speaking. "She said Kari was an old witch." Anna's eyes were wider, eyebrows raised, but I could tell she was trying to hide her real intrigue. Talk like this around here was dangerous, and we had both just encountered the city guard to prove it.

"Yes, it's a play on words." I took her coppers and put them into my money purse. I almost felt like giving the goods to her without coin, her face too sweet to even think of charging her.

"But she said her fingers were magic. I heard her," Anna stuttered, glancing around. "I shouldn't say that word, but it intrigues me... I spoke to Kari about--" She bit her lip again and stopped abruptly. I knew about what she'd spoken to me; she was looking for the witch, and it was a dangerous thing. A lot of people had sought me out over the years for healing of one sort or another, for themselves and loved ones. This poor girl had a heart as pure as gold.

"About?" I asked her, wondering if she'd be brave enough--or foolish enough--to speak of the witch aloud again. When I raised an eyebrow and inclined my ear, she stepped away.

"Nothing... It's okay. Do you know what Kari may be back?" She picked up the basket and slid the handle up her arm. It dangled there as she fidgeted. I would have to be patient as she grew the courage to make her true desires known. Until then, I would bide my time.

"I don't know. She took ill a few days ago and I took over for her. Elder people take longer to overcome their ailments, you know. And Kari is quite old."

Anna frowned but nodded. "Thank you. If it's all the same, I'll wait until Kari returns." Her eyes flicked in the direction where Temperance walked and I knew she would approach the brothel owner next. My heart went out to her. I knew whoever it was that was ailing needed healing and I wanted to help.

I watched her walk away, headed after Temperance and wished I hadn't been so hasty when I released the spell over my appearance. Temperance would have no answers for the young woman, and she'd come back to me for sure. I just had to be patient.