Chapter 4: When I officially became a fishmonger

--SABLE--

The beginning of summer arrived when we had everything in order for selling fish at the market. While Lillie spent her days arranging all the correct papers and politics, we were able to sell fish to the neighborhood and others who knew of my fishing abilities, making deals, trades, and a few coins here and there. We purchased a small wooden stall in which Lillie helped teach me how to assemble and use for our future use. It was enough to appease Lillie’s parents who allowed me to stay on account of providing fish everyday, as well as Lillie’s foraged foods from outside of the city as we attempted to resupply the storage room.

Although Marie and Bene spent many days reminding me that I couldn’t live in their home forever, they still made no real efforts to completely remove me from their house—and Lillie reminded me that their threats of calling Keepers to remove me was simply a fear tactic. I didn’t want to leave Lillie’s side and thoroughly enjoyed spending every day with her, creating a life I could feel content about as I transitioned into living within a society, even if it was rather demanding at times.

Upon the discovery of my desire to help others, and exceptional strength, many people came looking for me, asking for help with odd things. A family wanted some wooden furniture moved up the stairs, and so I carried it directly to their front door from the ground. Another needed to dismantle a broken beam in their kitchen, and I helped tear it out. Nearly every day, a new person would arrive at the front door, asking for me to help. Marie insisted that I require a fee for my helpful-services, but I never did, but I also didn’t refuse when someone did offer me something in return. I liked helping the people of Cedrus City; their gratitude was enough fuel for my ego, for I liked the concept of proving the Sage wrong that the Tamarines were by far mere savages, but rather complex people seeking to provide for themselves and others.

Lillie spent her days working with Jadis at the shop for a few Den, arranging meetings and official things that I didn’t understand, but she often accompanied me to the lake while I gathered fish, and then we would wander the lands to find other foraged foods to bring back to our home. Although I knew Lillie’s part of life was filled with the complexities of the politics of the city, my part was simple and created a sense of satisfaction with my new life.

Although I was the neighborhood favorite and most desirable person—which significantly boosted my ego—I often wondered if Lillie was content with her life. She seemed happy with me, but often upon our return home, she was agitated, or annoyed. She constantly fought with her parents, and I realized even though she was doing everything she could to appease them, it never felt enough in their eyes. I knew this from her past stories while we visited in the meadow together, but living amongst her family dynamic created a sense that perhaps it was time for us to move out of her parent’s home. Perhaps it was time for Lillie to find a better environment for herself.

Our first day at the morning market went well, although many people tried negotiating too little for our fish. But Lillie was firm with her prices, and would send hagglers, as she called them, away if they were unreasonable. I stood next to her, unable to really help since most people just scoffed at my presence, or avoided me altogether, mumbling about being a demon or foreigner not belonging in the city. By the time we sold our last fish, Lillie was exhausted and in an irritated mood, and I felt ever so unwelcome by those within the public. We closed up our small stand, and moved it to its storage place outside of the main square.

“That was successful!” I said excitedly as Lillie counted through the coins in her purse.

“Yeah, we at least sold all the fish. You should gather a few more for tomorrows market,” she said stiffly.

“Okay, I can do that. Do you want to come with me?” I asked, and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and nuzzled her cheek with my nose. She slightly tilted her head away, and I removed my arm, feeling rather saddened at the lack of reciprocation I felt most days from my affection.

“No. I need to set up. You go in the morning, and meet me here.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Hey, I have an idea. Let’s go out tonight and celebrate.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, let’s celebrate our first day as fishmongers!” Lillie then looked up at me and tossed her hair over her shoulders. “I could use a drink.” I thought it odd for her to want to drink at a particular place, but enjoyed the new concept of “going out” and celebrating like a Tamarine.

Later, when evening had rolled through the city and we had finished the chores in which Marie had set aside for us, we walked to a tavern she called The Old Bowl, and Lillie stated that it was a pleasant way for hard-working honest folk to blow off steam after a stressful day. Upon entering. the low-bearing ceiling room was crowded with Tamarines smoking and drinking, and music was loudly being played by an instrument I had never seen before, yet by a Tamarine I was unnaturally familiar with, and he skipped over to us, annoyingly too happy.

“If it isn’t my favorite friends!” Jamie shouted while strumming a chord.

“What is this? Taking up a new hobby?” Lillie joked and placed her hand upon the neck of the lute, a string instrument I learned commonly used by the folk of Cedrus City.

“Something like that,” he replied with a wink. “Come on in! Join the fun. I’m ever so happy you two are here. Now I can really sing with joy.” He bounced away, and others cheered as he began singing and playing a happy tune. Lillie grabbed my hand, and she led us to a counter, and then ordered us drinks like a true patron of the vicinity. The city was always surprising me—Lillie, even more—and I accepted the new concept of drinking the pleasantly scented beverage in which Lillie handed me after clinking her cup against mine.

“Cheers!” she claimed, and she took a large gulp. I moved the chipped mug to my lips, and took a drink like Lillie. It tasted sweet and sour at the same time, and a tingling feeling tickled my throat. I narrowed my brows, feeling confused, yet slightly amused by such new sensations as Jamie’s strumming harmoniously filled the room, but the bartender gruffly called us to move away from the counter.

Lillie’s hand slipped back into mine as her cheeks grew rosy, and she led me through the crowded area and over to a small table in the corner. We sat down, and then she turned her attention towards Jamie, who was impressively engaging the crowd as he smoothly danced between standing onlookers, and pranced around the tables while calling out his melodious voice in songs in which were quite intriguing to my ears. Yet, as my eyes shifted around, I felt uncomfortable sitting in a small wooden chair meant for the Tamarine folk, constantly afraid that I would cause it to break with my large figure. I caught side glances of others, some snarling, others whispering, and I attempted to act more like Lillie, who only cheered and happily drank while watching Jamie perform.

Then again, the glistening in her eyes seemed to cause even more discomfort—it had been awhile since I saw her enamored state. And I hated that it was Jamie’s performance stealing her attention.

“I never knew that Jamie was a performer,” Lillie said after drinking the last of her beverage, and then placed the empty cup upon the table as she turned to face me. “He’s pretty good, don’t you think?”

“I guess,” I replied, then brought the cup to my lips, but envy was taking over the queasiness in my stomach, and the fluttering sensation of alcohol was making it worse.

“I guess he actually does commit himself every once and awhile,” she said with a laugh, and her irritated attitude had completely disappeared as her eyes stayed glued to watching Jamie perform. He pranced around, like a bird intending to win over a mate’s approval, but as his eyes darted over to Lillie’s, the repetitive winking and glances made her clapping and giggling in response more fuel to my envy. Then again, his music was impressive, regardless of my despise for him to cheer up Lillie on a momentous day in which I had hoped to be there for her.

Whence comes the darkness, yet love’s ever enduring presence

Hark cries the sounding drums of desire

Yet, the crushing weight of death cannot keep me from loving you

Oh, hark cries the sounding drums of desire!

Upon ending his song, Jamie bowed as he nudged with his boot a wooden bowl forward upon the ground, and the locals of the tavern tossed the metal coins in which I had begun to despise on account of being the very thing keeping Lillie from being happy, especially with me.

“Thank you! Oh, gratuitous folk of The Old Bowl!” Jamie cheered while flicking his wrist up. “You truly are too kind, but, please, keep the coins a coming.”

“Another song!” a person yelled.

“Yes! All in good time, my dearest fellow friends and honest folks!” Jamie announced. “But allow your favorite bard a simple break for desirable pleasures, for, I truly cannot strain my melodious voice for too long. Especially when I have much anticipated friends within the audience.”

While the crowd awed in disappointment, Jamie picked up the bowl and poured the overflowing coins into a pouch, and then drifted over to Lillie and I, causing Lillie to jump to her feet and throw herself into Jamie’s arms.

“You scoundrel!” she shouted, then hit his arm as she leaned back. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were a musician?”

“Oh, just wanted to keep myself a mystery to you,” he said while placing his hand on Lillie’s waist. “You were always keeping your secrets. Obviously I had my own.” Jamie’s eyes shifted over to me, and my glaring expression, hopefully, caused him to remove his hand from Lillie and he slightly tilted his head to the side.

“Hey, Sable my ginormous, overgrown boy,” he said smoothly, trying to appease my obvious anger, and leaned against the table, sticking his rear out rather obnoxiously. “What did you think? I must know what my master thinks of my musical abilities.”

“It was fine,” I said coldly, and he raised his thin brows.

“You’re a hard egg to crack,” Jamie said while flashing a charming smile. “Still a hatchling, are you? Don’t Teragane’s have music?”

“No.”

“Oh, you poor chicken. No wonder you left the mountain.” A low growl escaped as I snarled my teeth, and Jamie’s eyes widened from annoying amusement, but Lillie suddenly pushed against my shoulder.

“Don’t mind him,” Lillie said while eyeing me. “I think it’s brilliant. Are you doing this every night?”

“Yeah, took a while to secure a position here,” Jamie said while straightening up, speaking more serious, yet Lillie began swaying side to side, quite unserious, to be honest. “Wouldn’t believe the amount of progression a musician must take in account for moving through the entrainment field. I took your wise words to heart and decided to pull out my old lute and try music again. Started at some shifty establishments, which could be literally considered holes in a wall, but, thankfully, did some collaborations with Millie—you know, my favorite bard—but, bam, turns out, she already moved on to higher prospects, giving me her love and respect here at The Old Bowl.”

“So! There’s a trick to the trade after all, and not just all fun and games,” Lillie said and she began twisting her loose, white hair, and her cheeks had grown rather crimson, assumingely from the stifling warmth of the crowded tavern. “Glad you finally knocked some sense into that thick head of yours.”

“Yes! Rocks crashing against my head was enough to allow you to penetrate me.” His emphasis on certain words caused my neck to tense, for I was beginning to pick up on some of his rather audacious subtitles. Then, his mischievous eyes shifted again while Lillie swayed obliviously, and he cleared his throat. “So, how is the fish business?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Super boring and stressful, but it works.”

“At least you have something bringing in that Den—at least, for now, yes—at least for now.”

“What do you mean for now?”

“Well, I can’t imagine you doing this forever. Come on, magical forest nymph with the giant-winged boy at her every beckoning call.” He leaned towards Lillie, turning his nose up and he pouted his lips. I suddenly felt the urge to stand up, slightly moving the table in my effort. Jamie startled upon my sudden rise of stature, and stepped away from Lillie.

“Hey, it’s okay big boy,” he said while he moved his lute from his back into his arms, and began strumming a beat. “I mean no harm, no harm, no judgement. No worries, my dear Master. Please do not punish me this time.”

“Stop being so serious,” Lillie said, and took a side step in between Jamie and I.

“I’d like to go, now,” I said, feeling anger rushing to my fists as the unfamiliar sensation of discomfort overwhelmed my mind and body.

“Okay, whatever,” Lillie said, and rolled her eyes, then turned to face Jamie. “Good to see you. I wish you great luck on your new life-calling.”

“And I only wish the same for you and your glorious man, although being fishmongers is hardly a life-calling, say?” Jamie said, then twisted to skip back to his awaiting crowd. They cheered as he instantly broke out in a new song, and Lillie and I left the tavern, and, upon entering the street, I breathed heavily.

“What is your problem?” Lillie asked, obviously disgruntled. I simply grunted past the discomfort, and felt my wings twitch as we walked down the darkened area, but the city was still bustling as people were closing up shops, igniting lanterns, and moving quickly down the stone streets, laughing, or arguing—it was always a mixture of everything.

“I didn’t like the way Jamie was talking with you,” I finally said after we had walked a long way in silence. “I don’t like his indirect meaning. Or—sometimes I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

“I know. He’s a pain sometimes with his forward personality, but he’s this way with a lot of people,” Lillie said, then hiccuped while placing her hand over her mouth. “But, he is my friend—one of the few that actually truly care about me. He didn’t know what he was going to do after the mine incident. I was just excited that he isn’t returning to that death trap and is doing something else. He’s pretty good, yeah?”

She looked up at me, the redness in her face had calmed into her normal rosy pink hues, and I couldn’t help but admire the glistening green hues of her eyes, despite Jamie’s annoying behavior.

“Lillie,” I said, lowering my voice. “Does he care about you the way I do?” Her eyes widened, and her cheeks suddenly turned bright red, causing her to turn her face away, and my sense of jealousy was only confirmed.

I knew that they had been friends for awhile, close workers in the mine, and had more connections together that only enhanced my jealousy. Growing up, I hardly knew the concept of jealousy. Emotions were hardly explored within the Teragane world, and I had no true guidance of how to navigate.

“To be honest, he did,” Lillie said quietly, and the temperature in my body began to rise, regardless of my effort to control the new wave of unfamiliar emotions.

“Did?”

“Well, last year, it became known to me that he had strong feelings towards me. I told him that I didn’t feel the same and that he should forget about ever being more than just friends. At first, he took it well and didn’t treat me any different. But, after the incident under the mine, after he broke his leg—well, to be honest, it’s quite embarrassing. Worried because he thought he was going to die, he confessed his love for me, begging me to love him back.”

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My mind flooded with images of Jamie and Lillie being together, and sweat began to pile on my forehead as my neck tensed even more.

“Well, what did you say?” I asked with a hoarse voice.

“I told him a story. I knew that he was only acting on strong emotions and fears. So, instead, I told a story about love. Actually, it’s what calmed everyone down. I remember, I sat next to Jamie and Peak in the rocks. The two poor boys were terrified and stayed close to me, cuddling, actually.” Lillie stopped, then looked up at me as she took my hand in hers, but I avoided her eyes.

“I told them the story about our love,” she continued. “I told them about you, how we met, and used all our happy memories to fight off the dread of dying in the underground. It helped bring peace to my heart—it helped remind me of how much I love you.”

I smiled, but still felt uneasy with my anger towards Jamie. I didn’t want his feelings to be the same. I knew that Lillie was a wonderful person, but I didn’t want anyone else to feel the same way I did about her. I hated the sensation of jealousy of a man who I barely knew. Was this part of life in the city?

“I’m sorry that my interaction with Jamie tonight made you uncomfortable,” she continued, but began walking again, for a group of Tamarines began to whisper and stare at us. “I did talk with him again, the night you returned to the mountain actually. I reassured him that we are only friends and that my deep affection and love is only for you.”

“Does Jamie believe that to always be true?” I trusted her, but Jamie, on the other hand, seemed to be rather particular about playing and messing around.

“To be honest, I cannot be certain. He is a difficult person to know how honest he truly feels, let alone predict his impulsive actions. However, his audacious behavior is truly not only directed towards me. He seems to be this way with everyone he meets—I mean everyone. Young, old, big small, guy, or girl—Jamie doesn’t discriminate, as long as they are in his proximity. You should have seen the way he acted in the mines. He was so annoying that our boss forced him into a job that was in between others because he couldn’t be paired with one person at a time. He also cannot even work for his family’s businesses because he is so argumentative and distracting.” Lillie chuckled and I also gave a low laugh, and squeezed her hand as we turned the corner of the neighborhood. “Let’s just say the guy doesn’t know when to stop annoying people or being impulsive. Which is amazing for him to work as an entertainer. I can’t imagine a better suited job for him.”

“Yeah.”

“So, I truly don’t have control over Jamie, but I can try to not get too carried away with his bantering. Sometimes I just get caught up with annoying him back. But, I do think he respects you as my—oh, I guess we haven’t officially stated that we are boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Is that what you call someone you love?”

“It’s what you call someone who you’re in a relationship with. Like we are, right?” Lillie looked up at me, her eyes kind and loving, and the softness in her voice encouraging of her devotion.

“Yes.”

“So, I do believe Jamie respects our relationship, in his own way. But, you can always just hint at me if things are getting too carried away. Or, you can always push Jamie back.”

“Like physically beat him up?”

“No, not like that. Like, challenge him through your words—that’s how we do it in the city. Wit and sarcasm is how we battle. Like, when we joked about him being your slave. He was trying to irritate you, and in response, I turned him into the victim by stating that he was your slave.”

“So, how do I challenge him when he pushes into our relationship?”

“I—I don’t know—but when the opportunity arises, I’m sure you can find something witty to say. He also is incredibly intimidated by you. When you stood up, that was enough for him to take a step back. Just be clever with your words and use that profound mind of yours to catch him in his own silly games.”

“Yeah, until he starts strumming his lute and making up more games.”

“Yeah, well he does take immense pleasure in his acts. I guess you’ll just need to establish that you won’t shy away from keeping him in place.”

“How?”

“I don’t know Sable. I’m sure you’ll figure something out. For now, let’s not worry too much. We have much bigger things to worry about, and I’m absolutely exhausted.”

“Yeah, okay, then let’s go home.”

We walked past the closing shops, the homes where delectable scents of dinner drifted from opened windows, and towards the cob staircase leading up to Lillie’s house, but she then paused, and placed her hand upon my chest while taking a step up, making us eye-level.

“However,” she said profoundly. “Jamie can be reasoned with. I think if you talked with him, and spoke honestly, I think he would listen. I do believe he wants to keep my friendship, and he did express he’d like a friendship with you. Maybe all you need to do is just talk with him.”

Would that be enough to keep someone like Jamie within respectable proximity?

For, how does one reason with a man who loves to draw attention to himself and create songs on accounts of earning a living, even if they were clever and beautiful.

***

The following days selling fish at the market continued to progress successfully, although Lillie still constantly ended our time as irritated as ever. I spent my early mornings flying to the lake by myself, collecting fish, then would return to the market square to help Lillie sell the freshwater catch. We began gaining popularity, as the Tamarine folk lined up in the early morning light, and still requests for simple fixes and needs kept coming towards me. I still obliged, and spent my afternoons helping people with odd jobs. By the evening, I felt exhausted from spending all day with others, only to face Marie’s list of obligatory chores, and I suddenly grew regretful of offering myself wholeheartedly to her.

I did try smoking with Bene and the others who came to partake in the ritual, but I found it rather disgusting, and it made me cough, and Bene accused me of being too “weak” for the pipe, and Jamie simply laughed. However, I tried staying on the balcony with the men to appease Bene’s demeanor of my presence in his daughter’s life, but soon Jamie became too busy with his nightly performances, and Thabias was hardly one for company.

Then again, evenings were my only times to enjoy being with Lillie, but even that was limited, for we were both exhausted, she irritated, and we knew that we would wake up the next morning to do it all over again.

We rarely spent any time together doing anything we liked, and suddenly I began to question if this really was the life I wanted. Although I was happy and content with helping others, I hated how much Lillie and I were beginning to see each other as partners in surviving, and helping others, and spent way less time doing things we liked. When we would go to bed, I thought about trying to cuddle with her, or spending any sort of intimacy together, but was so exhausted, or dirty, and she would fall asleep before I could even ask for a good night kiss.

I began resenting the life we were building. I observed the tension between Lillie’s parents as they interacted. They never showed affection, physical nor verbal, and spent most of their time apart—Bene in the mines and Marie accomplishing a thousand household and social obligations. I began to fear the same for Lillie and I, even though we had only been officially in a relationship for a short amount of time. I often heard passive remarks about my willingness to help others as being a way to be “trampled by needy people,” but often did not understand depths of this being problematic. Yet, as time went on, I realized my inability to say no to pleading requests caused me to fill my time with strangers who were simply out to only fulfill their constant needs from a person who truly did not know how to say no.

“Do you think we could buy a house now?” I asked Lillie one morning as we stood in the market while she was counting the coins in her purse. She paused, then looked up at me, and frowned.

“Not for a very long time,” she said disdainfully, and then she turned her attention towards a customer who begged for a cheaper price if they bought two fish, and Lillie went right into negotiations.

I looked down at the ground, feeling dismayed at her remark, wondering if all the active work we were doing was hardly moving us forward. It felt as if we had been caught in a water current, desperately stroking forward, only to be exhausted and still floating in the same place, but unable to stop, for if one stops, one would slip under the surface and drown.

Was this new life what I really wanted?

“Hey mister,” a child said while approaching me, causing me to break away from my thoughts. “Can you really fly?” I smiled as the sweet little girl tilted her head, reminding me of a younger version of Lillie.

“Yeah, I can fly,” I said excitedly as I crouched down to her eye level and allowed my wings to partially extend.

“Can you fly me?” she asked, a sparkle glistening within her brown eyes. Feeling motivated to excite the child, I grabbed her armpits, and lifted her in the air, and simply drifted her around, imitating a flying sensation.

She shouted excitedly, and I felt encouraged that there was still glimmers of hope while easily impressing a little child. Suddenly, a group of children crowded around me, begging to also be flown around. I began picking each up, one by one, and lifting in fun expression. Their little pointed gray ears perked up with glee, their shouting enthralled the others, and they kept lining up and asking for more.

As my arms began to grow tired, and more people began to crowd Lillie at the stall, I felt guilty for entertaining children while Lillie was busy with the more tedious, stressful work. Then again, as the children continued to line up and ever so increase as if they were appearing out of thin air, I realized the flying adventure requests could be never ending.

“Okay, everyone only gets one more turn, okay?” I shouted to the crowd of children, who all immediately began to pout their lips, while others awed and others declared it was unfair. Their pathetic cries pierced my conflicted heart, but my arms were beginning to tire of the repetitive action, but, especially, the mere fact that I could easily spend the rest of the afternoon being bombarded by the request of children.

“Lift me higher!” the child in my arms cried.

“Is that all you got?” another cried.

“You’re so weak!” I heard a child scream. As usual, I felt shocked at the sudden change of demeanor of the very people who once were singing my praises turn to disapproval of my selfless acts. I began to resent the children as they began booing me, calling me weak and boring.

“Okay, no more!” I shouted, and then I felt a child jump onto my arm. Another tugged at my wing feathers and an onset of panic overwhelmed me. I tried moving backwards, but the crowd of unruly children began blocking my path. I then plunged over their short statures with a high jump, completely running away from the rowdy crowd. I heard their screams and malicious laughter behind me, and I desperately looked for a place to take refuge from their greedy hands. I saw the well in the middle of the square, then flew to it. I settled on top of the small little wooden structure, and the overwhelming crowd of demanding children encircled around me. They raised their arms, trying to climb towards me, and I realized I had made a terrible mistake at subjecting myself to their little whims.

“Go away, little children!” I shouted. “I am no longer giving flying lessons!”

“You’re such a meanie!” a child screamed.

“Boooo!” more cried.

Where did they all come from??

I looked where Lillie stood next to our fish-stall, who was crossing her arms and shaking her head while others in the market began yelling at me for riling up the street children, declaring that I would cause a scene.

I felt terribly guilty for leaving Lillie behind, yet I could not help but feel sorry for myself as I sat upon the small wooden roof over the stone well in the middle of the market square, surrounded by ungrateful children flicking their greedy hands up at me. Suddenly, I heard a creak from the wood, and my heart dropped, knowing that sound all too well.

Crash!

The little wooden roof over the well completely broke through and I fell straight down, only barely catching myself against the stone walls that made up the round well. The little children scattered away, evading the splintering wood, but others from the market came rushing over, screaming at my reckless behavior. As I heard the trickling sounds of wood falling into the water far below, I pulled myself out and landed onto the ground, breathing heavily as my wings unfolded in attempt to straighten the bent feathers. A group of people began to yell at me for destroying the structure, and I saw Lillie push through the crowd of angry Tamarines.

“Get over here,” Lillie grumbled, then grabbed my arm and dragged me back to our stall.

“Sorry, I was just trying to get away from those kids,” I said helplessly as she forced me away.

“You need to stop giving in to every single request that comes your way,” she stated angrily. “Kids can be relentless. Yes, they’re cute and sweet, but since they’re not used to people giving in to their requests, they can suddenly swarm.”

“I know that now,” I said as we arrived at our stall nearly depleted of its resources. “I’m sorry Lillie. I’m trying—“

“Stop apologizing. Just stop taking every request, okay?” Lillie dusted off my shoulders, drifting her hand over to my wings, and began helping smooth out the ruffled feathers.

“Okay.” I stood silently as Lillie picked off bits of splintered wood, feeling utterly idiotic, and I hated being the cause of Lillie’s frustration as her distressing eyes suddenly lifted as the crowd of marketers began to scamper, parting ways for untimely arrivals.

I looked over her to where the well had been broken and my heart began racing as three large, Tamarine men observed the broken mess, and a few villagers pointed over to Lillie and I.

“Oh shit,” Lillie mumbled as the three green-hued Tamarines known as the infamous Keepers took heavy strides over to us, causing vendors to suddenly cower behind their stalls, groups of buyers abandoned the trade, and Lillie and I stood helplessly as they inevitably approached us.

“What is going on?” one said with a terribly menacing voice. They snarled their yellowing teeth as their leather armor squeaked at each flex of their muscular bodies, towering well over my height and size.

“A fine day at the market,” Lillie said with a cheerful smile, unwavering as I stood behind her like the guilty bystander I truly was. “Need some fish, my good men? I’m sure your families had never tried fresh mountain Kaiuten fish. Freshly caught this morning.”

“A fine day, eh? Acting all innocent, huh?” the leader huffed, then swung a wooden mace from his belt towards the broken well. “Then what is that?”

“A well, sir,” Lillie said calmly, “obviously, in need of repair. Perhaps you know of a carpenter and a masonry?” The group of green Tamarines glared down at Lillie, their bulging muscles creaking as they huffed their chests, causing the leather armor to slightly squeak at each breath. Then, their eyes lifted towards me, causing my neck to stiffen.

“Show your papers,” the leader demanded while the other two continued to stare at me, and Lillie reached into a leather pouch along her waist, and retrieved a folded paper and presented it to them. The leader snatched it from her hand, and looked intently at the paper.

“What purpose does a Teragane show up in the city to sell fish?” one of the Keepers asked, their eyes upon me.

“What kind of reason does a humble fishmonger need other than to make a living?” Lillie replied. “Why would anyone want to leave their original homes to enter Cedrus City? Hmmm? Traveling from the West is a long ways, don’t you think? It is no different for a mountain resident.” While the leader still looked through the paper, the other two grumbled, and Lillie crossed her arms as she held her head proudly.

The Tamarine folk of the city were short in stature, but typically stockier and the older usually burly and strong with grey skin with cool undertones. Yet, as I eyed the men covered in studded leather armor, carrying wooden weapons, I wondered how they could be considered Tamarines with their drastically larger sizes and green hues, despite their pointed ears and bearded faces. Yet, from what I had learned, they were from a different part of the province of Ciimera, sometimes referred to as Barbarians of the West, and were notorious for obstructing people’s livelihoods on account of serving the “Masters.” I had been warned to stay away from them, and, if approached, to act calmly and attempt to leave when applicable.

Yet, as the lead Keeper released another snarl as he lowered the official papers, I felt suddenly very aware of my survival instincts being triggered as dangerous threats towered before Lillie and I, like agitated bears looking for a fight.

“As you can see, I have everything in order,” Lillie said as she reached her hand out to retrieve her official papers. “We may be fresh like our daily catch in the market, but I have already arranged everything, and there are no laws against Teraganes selling fish. Now, are you interested in fish or not?”

“Interesting,” the leader snarked, then tossed the paper over his shoulder. “I don’t see any permission to wreck public property.”

“That ol’ well?” Lillie asked while tilting her head to the side in attempt to see past the wall of Keepers, and my throat grew horribly achy as I knew I had been the cause of it all. Yet, she flicked her hair to the side as she confidently laughed. “That thing would have broken if you leaned against it. Anyone would know that. But, I’m sure we can find a group of—“

“You,” the Keeper said while pointing his finger at me, and Lillie took a step forward. “Who do you think you are, wing boy?”

“It was only an accident,” Lillie said, this time less confident, and the Keeper raised his mace over Lillie’s head, and my hands balled into fists as I readied myself as if bears were preparing to strike.

“Like this?”

As instincts overtook my actions, I lunged forward while pushing Lillie away as the Keeper thrust his weapon down, and I enforced a punch into the man’s gut, causing him to fly backwards, and the other two lunged at me after overcoming their initial stunned reactions. I jumped into the air, and kicked my feet at their faces, forcing both to falter onto their backs on either side of me, and I landed on the ground. I bent down and picked up the paper in which Lillie had worked extensively to retrieve, and shoved it under my tunic, but suddenly heard Lillie shout from behind me as the Keepers began to regain their stances.

With wooden weapons drawn and teeth snarling, all three came at me from either direction, and I quickly dodged each swing, then kicked explosively at a gut, sending one stumbling, the next onto his back. Another pulled himself up into a standing position, angling his weapon to attack as he roared while stomping towards me, and I flipped backwards as he rushed under me, and stumbled into the other Keeper attempting to stand up again.

“That’s it!” the leader cried, and I spun around and watched in horror as he crashed his weapon upon the fish stall, then smashed the remnants of what provided a sense of security for me living in the city. My eyes darted as I saw Lillie scamper away with other vendors taking refuge as fish and splintered wood flew into the air after the Keeper continued to swing the mace. I howled like a beast as I dove towards the leader, and smashed his face with my fist, and pinned him under my weight as I threw punch after punch, sending him deeper into the destruction of our fish stall as blood and fish flesh permeated the air.

“Sable! Look out!” I heard Lillie cry in between the groans of the man under my knee, but I was blinded by fury, angered by the cruelty of the men demolishing something that meant a livelihood for us.

Sensing further threat, I paused my beating in time to grab the weapon being swung at my head by another Keeper, but I failed to dodge the third sending a spiked gloved fist into my gut. The impact sent me flying to the side, and I abruptly faltered as I steadied myself while grabbing my stomach that felt warm and wet.

I wheezed, suddenly feeling weak as I moved my hand away from my torn up tunic and blood covered my hand as it oozed from the deep gashes across my stomach. But, the two Keepers steadied their weapons as they stood near their fallen comrade who barely twitched, and I coughed, but readied myself to evade their attacks, ignoring the queasiness overwhelming my body.

I saw Lillie from the corner of my eye shake her head and reach her hand out, and my inner ear rang with low muffled sounds of her calling my name, but anger still blinded my reasoning until another voice arose as a man stood between me and the Keepers.

“Enough!” I heard the tall Tamarine shout as he straightened his arm out, then looked over at me, and I blinked dramatically as my vision began to grow blurry, and my hand against my stomach caused me to suddenly cough, and I fell to my knees as blood poured onto the stone ground, and all sounds grew muffled as if I were sinking underwater, drifting slowly into a cold, early demise due to my reckless desire to fight for what little I had.