Hello, Everyone!
I hope you enjoy Mary’s story so far. There isn’t much action recently but there’s some mystery and I like it.
Last time, Mary and her friends went to Pamagos in search for the person who stole Mary’s manuscript and made it into a book. They went to the printing house responsible for the circulation of ‘Mary Windfiddle’s Grand Adventure’ and convinced the owner that there had been a case of plagiarism. He agreed to hold off the production of new copies of the book to let our heroes try and find the person responsible (a.k.a. ‘Flamingo’). However, he only gave them two days to do that before printing the books resumed.
They headed towards ‘The Gallery’, a place where artistic people gathered, presuming that if they found the person who drew the cover of the book, they might be able to get more information on who ‘Flamingo’ could be. They talked to the woman on the reception desk and she pointed them towards someone named Rafael di Pitoya.
Rafael di Pitoya was an older human gentleman with a set of magnificent moustaches. He wore a checkered suit and had a beret on his head. A smoking pipe hung from his thin lips.
He was currently in the middle of a lecture of some kind, talking among a group of men and women, all looking impecably artistic and soaking in his every word.
The trio stood by and waited. Aurum looked around, checking out the nearby statues and wondering aloud how much it would cost to have himself sculpted by a professional. Bruno seemed to like the current discussion and even threw in a few remarks which the rest of the artists seemed to like. Mary, however, felt more and more uneasy with every passing minute.
Finally, the discussion was over. The people complimented di Pitoya and one by one went away, some to other parts of the building, others leaving altogether.
"Hello," Bruno said. "We're interested in the Mary Windfiddle book. Do you happen to know anything about the artist who drew the cover?"
"I did," the man said. "The person who came with the order was very insistent that I get the faces exactly as he wanted them. As it seems,” he scanned Mary, Bruno and Aurum and nodded, “ I did quite a good job."
"What did the guy look like?" Aurum said.
"He was a perky fellow, short brown hair, a lot of bravado and seemingly not much to back it up."
"Could you draw him if we placed an order?" Bruno said.
"Of course I can!" he scoffed. “What do you take me for?”
They started settling the terms but Mary wasn’t listening. She was fidgeting with her fingers, trying to gather her courage and ask…
“Um, excuse me,” she said quietly. Di Pitoya turned to look at her. “What can you, um... tell me… um, about the book? Do you think it’s any good?"
She watched as the eyes of the artist travelled from her face to her toes and then back, focusing on her hands. He was silent for an excruciating half a minute, and then he spoke.
“I think it would have been better if you’d published it yourself.”
Mary raised her eyes in surprise.
“How did you know?” she gasped.
“A real writer wouldn’t write about themselves. And even if she did, she wouldn’t put her face on the cover.”
Mary’s mouth widened into a smile.
“Thank you!” she whispered.
The way back to ‘The Maimed Lion’ was joyful and pleasant. Mary felt like she’d suddenly grown wings and was jumping up and down the streets, talking of how much she’d liked Rafael di Pitoya and his compliment.
Before getting to the tavern, she went through a Bearers’ office to check how their attempts to locate Dorina Dwendel were going. So far, they’d looked in Zerakas tol, Livorda, Pamagos, Frinkeltong and even Ekoba, but Lord Dwendel’s daughter was nowhere to be found.
‘The Maimed Lion’ was bustling with people. Some of them were obviously there because of Mary and her friends (they cheered the moment the trio went through the door) but there was another attraction as well.
When Mary saw the ensemble that was setting up their instruments for the evening’s performance, her heart made a joyful leap.
“Professor!” she burst out. ”Professor Rascal!”
She opened her arms for a hug and hurled at the half-orc currently setting the stage. He turned just in time to receive her with recognition in his eyes and twirled her around, laughing merrily.
“Medlar!” he exclaimed, beaming with glee. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re on an adventure!” she said. “What are you doing here?”
“Performing. The troop is coming through Pamagos. How are you? How are Lilly and Bramble?”
Mary giggled. “They’re great, still in Frinkeltong with Leefie. Oh!” She pointed at the rest of her group. “These are my friends, Bruno and Aurum.” She gestured to the half-orc. “This is Professor Rascal, the manager of the troop Lilly and Bramble were part of when I was really little.”
“Pleasure!” the Professor said.
“Aurum is a bard as well!” Mary chirped.
“Really!” Professor Rascal said. “Will we have the pleasure of hearing you tonight?”
“Only if I play along with you,” Aurum grinned.
The rest of the evening went amazingly. The band performed and so did Aurum. After the initial stage of getting to know each other’s styles, they joined forces and continued playing together. The crowd went nuts. Money almost flew in the air towards the performers.
When Aurum was finally able to get back to the booth the others had found Paulina and her company in, he was grinning from ear to ear. For one evening he’d earned a solid wage.
“Next round is on me!” he shouted, raising his mug.
The tavern burst with cheers and Bruno grumbled inside his own drink. Something about the bard having to pay up the money he’d spent in Zerakas tol instead of treating a crowd of strangers.
Happy but tired of the people all around, Mary took her tea and sat at the corner of the booth where Asya was quietly sipping from a glass instead of a mug. Mary smelled camomille and instantly felt a kinship.
The woman’s hair was also different than it had been back in Belfast. Now it was bright green, like a meadow in the middle of spring.
They talked a bit about ‘the life’ and what it meant to each of them. It turned out that Asya’s reason for adventuring was quite different than Mary’s. Instead of the thirst for knowledge and experience, she was doing it to support her family.
“My daughter, Alexa, is the most adorable little girl you’ve seen!” she exclaimed. “But after I broke it off with her father, I’m the only one who can provide for her. She’s living with her grandma in Belfast right now, and I’m sending them money every way I can.”
Mary wished her all the best. She was well aware of what a mother’s sacrifices could be. After all, Lilly had quit her dancing in order to take care of her.
This was a nice little reunion, don’t you think? I love it when people from our heroes’ pasts appear in the story. It makes it so much fuller and grounded! <3
Hope you like it, too! And hope to see you next time!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide and the Glossary for the series. You're welcome!)