Preserving Hope Read online

  But there was one bit of justice in the situation. “She has Energy. Few others have any.”

  Eva nodded, her countenance brightening. “She knows what works and doesn’t, and I think she uses that… Energy to look as horrible as she possibly can, though I’m not sure why. She’s strong enough now that she can fight off any type of ailment she should get from what doesn’t work. It’s become a game to her. She’ll never point to that one thing or things that work. I know that she’s intentionally suggested that foods with… interesting side effects do work, however, and watches in silent laughter as the message spreads through the community.” Eva laughed, and Will smiled. “When people complain after they get sick, she’ll say it must mean they need to combine it with something else to work, but she’s not sure what that might be. Naturally, nobody actually pursues that elusive combination. She’s up to something; I wish she’d tell me what it is so that I can help. And I wonder if she is, perhaps, strong enough to leave and chooses not to do so.”

  “Why wouldn’t she leave if she’s able?”

  Eva shook her head, avoiding anything more emotive than that as she navigated a particularly challenging bit of road. “I don’t know, Will, and I’ve not earned the right to push the issue with her. I’m hopeful that she knows she can trust me, at least now, and will one day include me in her thinking.”

  He thought of the look he’d seen on Elizabeth’s face as she’d entered Eva’s room, and nodded. “She does know it, Eva, and I believe she’s kept you out of it for your protection. Your care and concern have resonated with her.”

  Her face brightened. “I don’t deserve it, but I’m glad that you think so. It gives me hope that I’m doing the right thing, even though it feels like so little. I hope she trusts me enough to let me help her more, though.”

  “She’s obviously trusted you enough to give you some pieces of the formula. You have some modest Energy as well.”

  He saw a brief flicker of fear cross her face before she snorted. “Not like her. And most certainly not like you. Exactly how much can you do?”

  Will considered. “Enough. Enough that I believe I can get her out of the village, once the time is right and I figure out the best way to do so. For me, the time was right when I showed up. If you’re correct, though, she’s not ready to leave yet, and I don’t know that I’d force her to leave against her will. Like you, I need to find out why she might not want to leave, and understand what’s holding her back. Hopefully, she’ll reach the point of being ready to leave before Arthur manages to put her in that box, intentionally or otherwise. And… I’m not sure that she’s ready, now that I think about it.”

  “She’s been ready for years.”

  Will shook his head. “Even if she was willing to leave, is she truly ready? That I can’t say. She would need to be prepared to deal with the world on her own. Could she, a sixteen-year-old girl, survive on her own in a distant town or city, and not suffer a worse fate than she’s experiencing now? She would need to have better training on how to use her Energy power. That would enable her to protect herself against nearly any type of harm. I will work with you to help protect her from Arthur and his cruelty, and look for the chance to teach her as much as I can so that she can protect herself, just as we are trying to protect her.”

  Eva sighed. “So she’ll get to continue the honor of being the Servant to all of us?”

  Will shook his head. “Never give in to the idea that what happened to her is somehow an honor, even in your words. If you call her a Servant, a title given to her by Arthur, you’ll lend credence to what he’s doing to the others. Call her by her name at all times. To do otherwise dehumanizes her into the slave Arthur wants her to be.”

  “I just want her to be free,” Eva sighed. “She deserves a better fate than what she’s been dealt.”

  “Perhaps what we can do is to silently help her build a small fortune,” Will said. “And then one day we break her out of here with that fortune, and the knowledge of how to use it. She’ll be wealthy in no time. At that point, she’ll likely be a young woman with a lot of money, and that should help her survive and thrive in freedom.”

  Eva nodded. “And with that money, she’ll be able to find a good husband on the outside.”

  Will stiffened. “Perhaps. Or perhaps she’ll meet someone who will love her for who she is, with no regard to money.”

  Eva snorted. “I wish. She wouldn’t find someone like that on the outside if she looked for a thousand years.”

  Will smiled. Little did Eva know that Elizabeth would do just that.

  VII

  Merchant

  They stopped for the night and made camp. There was loud chatter over the roaring campfire, and Will got better acquainted with the Traders. All five — along with Will — had joined this particular mission. They told Will that was unusual; normally, they only needed four Traders for each trip. However, the Stores had become so full that they’d needed all five wagons to carry everything.

  Will met Aldus, who was the oldest of the Traders; like all of the Traders but Eva, he’d joined the group after it had begun, after watching Arthur and Eva work their magic trading in his home town. Aldus was a farmer by trade, but found that he was skilled at trading when offering his goods for sale at the local market. He’d proven to be a challenge for even Eva in negotiations. She was the first person he ever felt had beaten him in the negotiation game, and he followed the two of them back to the fledgling community. The villagers were in desperate need of farmers, and eagerly accepted him as one of their own. As they added additional farmers, Aldus focused his time on Trading, and only practiced farming between Trading runs.

  Outside Elizabeth, Matilda was the youngest member of the community. She’d been the daughter of a noble, promised in marriage to a man thirty years her senior. She’d run away and, like Will, had happened upon the village in the forest by chance, intercepting them on the way to the morning bath in the Halwende River. Her story, one of running away from a noble determined to make her live against her own will, resonated with the group, and she was invited to join. She’d learned to knit as part of her studies in the noble’s household, and became one of the first weavers in the community. When she asked to join a Trading mission, she found her confidence and air of royalty an advantage in working with buyers and sellers. She could also charm others with her youthful exuberance.

  Gerald was an imposing man, one who’d run away from his life as a solider. His commander had ordered him to participate in the looting and burning of a village as they’d returned home from losing a battle. He’d been horrified at the idea of attacking the people they were supposed to protect. Though he made decent pay as a solider, he deserted, ripped up his uniform, and returned to the village after the soldiers had destroyed it. He helped the town rebuild, sleeping outdoors and earning money by picking fruits and nuts from the trees nearby and selling them. Eva’s team had heard of this courageous man from the villagers and interacted with him as they sought to buy his produce in the town’s market. They invited him to return with them to a community where he could be a full citizen with a roof over his head, and Gerald readily agreed. He learned how to work metal and became a smith, able to produce weapons and tools with metal heated in the blazing fires built each day in the Shops.

  Eleanor had lost her husband and two young children to a rampaging army, and felt understandable unease around Gerald. Eva had found her during one of their trading missions, offering to work at the vendor booths in exchange for food to help stave off starvation. One man, for sport, had set her to bartering with Eva and Arthur, and the woman had held her own. The man, showed up by Eleanor, refused to pay her for her work. She left the town with Eva and Arthur, and had proved to be an excellent baker and cook. She advised others in the community on improving recipes for bread, and suggested spices to use with meat and vegetables. She also proved to be a savvy trader for seeds and food staples the community could not grow or forage for themselves.
/>   They drove the wagons again the next day, and spent much of their time in silence. Eva refused to answer any questions about her own past; Will again became acutely aware of her emotions on the subject, and the pain and shame of her status as a slave. Unlike Arthur, though, she was determined to do what she could to free someone else from that bondage, rather than drive them further into it.

  On the morning of the third day, they reached the outskirts of the town. “The town is called Richland, home to perhaps a thousand people,” Eva explained to Will. “As we are so proficient at driving bargains in our favor, we try to travel in different directions and avoid going to the same location on a regular basis. Many merchants in these towns refuse to trade with us after our first encounters; we want to give them time to forget, or perhaps to increase their courage in dealing with us.” She smiled, and Will realized it was the first time he’d seen her do so. It was a radiant expression, and he imagined that such a smile could win many transaction negotiations.

  “Or perhaps they can be made to forget, or made to develop that courage,” Will mused.

  Eva glanced at him. “You can do that?”

  “Probably,” Will admitted. “But I don’t think it’s appropriate. If I force people to trade with us, and we know exactly what prices they’ll accept, buying or selling… well, doing both almost feels like stealing.”

  “Fair point,” Eva conceded.

  The caravan approached the gates of the city. Two guards, armed with prominent swords, scowled at them. “State your business,” one barked, nodding in Will’s direction.

  “We seek to trade our goods,” Will replied, unsure of the proper form of address or etiquette for such questions. The guards were suspicious, however. Will probed gently, and found that there had been a series of thefts perpetrated inside the walls over the past few months, and the thieves always posed as traders in order to gain entry. “You’re more than welcome to examine our cargo,” he offered.

  It seemed to work. The more senior guard nodded at his subordinate, and the second man loosened the tarp covering the wagon. “Why the covering?” the guard asked.

  “It provides a means to secure our goods within the wagon, and also protects them against damage from any rains which might fall,” Will replied. The guard pulled back the tarp, glancing through the goods. Will could hear the man’s nervous thoughts quite clearly. They have no one hidden in this wagon, so perhaps they truly are traders come to barter. If this group is together, however…

  “We come as a group with a large volume of goods to trade,” Will said. “If your city requires it, each of our wagons will be available for an inspection prior to entry.”

  Dishonest men would not encourage me to check for hidden men or contraband, Will heard the guard thinking. Aloud, the man said, “That will not be necessary, sir. You and your companions are free to enter.” Will nodded in the guard’s direction, and after securing the tarp back into place, he climbed aboard the wagon. Eva snapped the reins sharply, and the caravan of wagons entered the town.

  Will, wondering what, exactly, had caused the nervousness, decided to investigate. “Go on in. I’ll catch up.” He cast a knowing glance at Eva. Eva looked at him, nodded, and Will hopped out of the wagon. The other Traders gave him strange looks, but he waved them along as he walked back to the entry gate.

  Will walked up to the guards. “Hello there,” he said. The guards eyed him, less concerned than puzzled. They were unaccustomed to anyone addressing them, other than to request access to the city. “Might I inquire the purpose of the inspection earlier?”

  “It’s our city’s policy,” the more senior guard barked. “It’s not your business to question it.”

  “It seemed like it wasn’t a common activity in your city,” Will said. “For men of your experience, I’d expect less nervousness over a few horse-drawn wagons of goods with a few men and women.” When they didn’t respond, he leaned in a bit closer. “Is something happening here to cause you to be nervous? My friends and I… if there’s danger, we’d like to know so that we can protect ourselves.”

  The guards relaxed a bit, and the more junior guard glanced at his superior. The older man sighed. “That’s a fair sentiment, sir, and you have shown us good cheer in accepting our searches without complaint. It is only right that we alert you. Only recently, our fair town has been subjected to a number of violent robberies, and in each case, the brigands were comprised of three or four men, only one of which had ever been seen before. The victims were always heading home from our market after a day of trading, flush with coins. The unfamiliar men would maneuver the fearful victim into a trap, out of sight, and set upon him. The thieves would never be seen again, and we suspect they have been entering our town hidden in the wagons of strangers. That is why we searched your wagon, sir.”

  Will nodded, his face grave. “I can understand your concern and actions, my friends, and I appreciate your alerting me to this issue. I will warn my friends to be alert to such mischief.” He held out his hand. “Thank you.”

  The guards shook his hand and waved him through the gate. Will walked along, guided by the faint harp-like sound of Eva’s nascent Energy.

  “What was that all about?” Eva asked, as he rejoined them. The wagons circled around, enabling the Traders to plan their strategy. They had mentioned this to Will the night before. Since they never went to the same town twice in succession, they were uncertain of the method of trade available to them or if things had changed since their last visit. Would they find an open market where they’d be able to park their wagons? Would they need to visit the individual shops to buy and sell goods and supplies? Perhaps there were other systems in place. They would typically park their wagons together, have three members of the team stand guard — Gerald, the former soldier, always oversaw this part of each mission — while two others would travel into the heart of the city to ascertain their best next steps.

  Once the Traders had parked their wagons and gathered, Will explained. “They’ve had people pose as Traders cover their wagons, purportedly filled with goods for trade, which were actually filled with armed men. They enter the community, and while the men driving the wagons pretended to trade, the others would assault citizens and steal coins, jewelry, and other valuables. Our large caravan of covered wagons made them nervous; I wasn’t sure why but thought it would be wise to make sure we didn’t seem like a threat. I talked to the guards now and they told me what’s been happening. Neither of those men wanted to be responsible for another Trojan Horse situation.”

  “What’s a Trojan horse?” Aldus asked. “Is that a specific breed?”

  “No,” Matilda replied, laughing. “It’s a story of myth. The great, walled city of Troy could not be defeated, and as such their enemies offered a giant statue of a horse as a sign of peace. Once inside the walls, soldiers hidden within the statue emerged and slaughtered everyone.”

  Gerald stroked his beard. “Brilliant plan.”

  Eleanor gasped. “Horrible. Simply horrible.”

  Matilda shrugged. “It’s just a story. But I can see why they’d be nervous about unfamiliar people showing up in large groups if that’s been happening.” She nodded at Will. “That was a good idea, to talk to them and find out why they felt they needed to inspect our wagons. I’ve never seen that done before.”

  Eva and Will were nominated to explore the town. They walked around, observing. There was a large central market area of the town where local merchants were setting up shop. Will was able to sense that there was no cost to doing so, though Eva seemed interested in asking one of the merchants about the propriety. “Don’t ask,” Will advised. “They’ll all tell you that a large fee is required, and one of their cohorts will collect the tax. In reality, all it will do is discourage us from setting up all of our wagons at a time.” They located a pub near the central market area where they’d be able to eat at midday. They also located an inn, with the curious name of the Dented Sayler, where they’d be able to find lodg
ing for the evening. After prepaying for two large rooms — one for the men and one for the women — and ensuring they could have their horses cared for during the day, Will and Eva returned to their companions, and the wagons were hauled into the market and backed into place. The horses were trotted off to the inn, where the innkeeper, a jovial man named Nicholas, ushered them into stalls and fed them. Will tipped the man an extra gold coin, and could sense the astonishment at his generosity.

  The town sprang to life a short time later. Will, though uncomfortable with forcing people to buy and sell, used his Empathy “push” skills to lessen the reluctance the locals had in terms of trading with strangers. While he didn’t care to use his skills to guarantee that they’d get the absolute best deal all the time, he did want to make sure that the locals weren’t afraid to talk to them, especially after the recent attacks.. He moved from wagon to wagon, talking with the local merchants and buyers using the negotiating and people-reading skills he’d developed over his fifteen years of business transactions, and through the advanced classes on reading body language and eye movement he’d taken. He murmured such ideas to his friends, and watched as they each rapidly assimilated those skills and improved their trading success. The large volume of quality swords, daggers, knives, and shields were in incredibly high demand due to the recent armed thefts, and they sold out quickly. The tapestries, garments, fabrics, and beer kegs were quickly gone as well; the items were clearly of a high quality, and the townsfolk found them to be a good bargain. As per custom, the group also sold two of the five wagons, as they’d need less space to haul back the raw materials they’d buy the next day before embarking on their journey home.

  By midday, they’d sold all of their wares; Will could sense the thrill of his fellow Traders at the speed with which they’d completed the process. Though he did not manage a wagon and serve as a direct Trader, Will had become a true general Merchant, smoothing the entire process of selling for his friends, a service each received with gratitude. The other Traders were thrilled with the techniques Will had taught them, but he recognized that even without his help, the team had genuine skill. Eva in particular had an innate gift for negotiation, even without his lessons or her Energy. She’d started using her Energy to improve her reads of people, and used Will’s techniques as well, all to great effect. Will knew, because of his Telepathic skills, that they’d extracted nearly the maximum possible profit from their trades, and wondered if that news would lessen their eagerness to develop the “magical” abilities Arthur was preaching to them.