Keenin woke up, thinking he heard something. He turned his face away from the ceiling and lifted himself away from the hard wooden floor. His skin was uncomfortably chilled, and he quickly noticed why. The fireplace beside him was full of cold ashes.
He felt around, finding the matches and candle he extinguished before. He re- lit the candle, found some moss, and started to kindle the fire. With some light restored he picked up a book that Alaban insisted he study. The only problem was, he couldn't read. He was just using the book to write the names and was slowly labeling all the jars and plant bundles with Alebans help while he became familiar with the shapes, textures, and smells.
Keenin had thought that he could stay until he could replace the potion for Alaban, but the old guy was only making him memorize facts. It had been three days and today he would have to confront Alaban about what he wanted.
A knock sounded at the door. He realized it was this sound that woke him. Upstairs, the floorboards creaked as Alaban started to move and
came down to answer the door. Keenin could not see the visitor through Alaban’s massive frame , but he could hear a female voice.
“I only found a few wild Spindleum. I can’t promise any more Celiac, either. All of the wild types are doing poorly this year.”
Keenin sat with his book listening and tried to rub the cold out of his arms.
“All right. I’ll pay for what you’ve got. Maybe you should start a forest plot,” Alaban said, digging some coins out of his pocket to pay her.
“You know I’ve tried that already. I can’t force the plants to grow even if it is for you, so stop asking.”
“Emily, you know not to take me seriously. I just can’t stand to worry about my work,” he said.
There was the clink of coins as money changed hands.
“Heh,” Emily snickered. “It isn’t as though you're going to live much longer. Go take a vacation while you can old man.”
Alaban ignored the comment and turned to tie the bundles of plants to the nearest beam. Keenin finally got a look at Emily. She was a young woman in a mustard colored dress. Her hair was messy and blond, and freckles clustered around her nose.
“Wait…who is that?” Emily asked, raising a finger to point at him.
“A part-time worker.”
Emily laughed in surprise.
“So this is your new worry. I can’t say I disapprove, but that one looks a little starved. Are you sure you’re feeding him?”
“Why do you think I took him in? Gods, girl. Stop prying into my house and go get yourself some herbs before we both go out of business.”
She laughed again.
“If you don’t want me to pry, then close the door you old shut-in.”
That said, she reached for the door handle and pulled the door shut herself.
“Annoying woman,” Alaban mumbled as he finished tying the plants to the beams.
“Should I get back to crushing plants?” Keenin asked.
“No. I have a better job. Wait here,” Alaban told him.
Then he headed back upstairs. Keenin thought that he might get his chance to make the potion. However, Alaban came down with what looked like a patched blanket. When he held it up Keenin saw that it was a coat, well, sort of a coat, more of a multicolored vest.
“I’m not that poor,” Keenin commented. Ok, he was as poor as a person could get, but this style was weird.
“It’s not for good looks. It’s for attracting the customers. I had the old lady next door sew it just for you. You wouldn’t want her to know that you rejected her beautiful work, would you?”
“But...”
If he went out there the thieves would really think he was working for Alaban.
“I haven’t decided to be an apprentice,” Keenin confessed.
“Then more reason to see what it’s like,” Alaban said.
*
Keenin decided he liked sitting at the stall. Of course, he had to sit beside it because there was only one chair and Alaban had brought along plants for him to crush, but he couldn’t remember the last time people gave him approving glances.
Instead of comments about his sad state, he heard them talk about crops, of the new folk around town, and of an unholy war that seemed to be raging in the capital city Meladona. Some went so far as to say the enemy forces were comprised of demons and the undead, but Keenin supposed that all enemies would feel monstrous.
His attention became absorbed in his work and inner thoughts until he heard a group of particularly loud voices.
Raising his head to locate the source he saw that the speakers were some of his thieving friends. They were loitering across the street and speaking loudly, so he would hear their insults.
“The weirdo finally got caught.”
“Did you see that stupid jacket?”
“No sane person would have tried their hand against Alaban.”
Even after his old acquaintances were gone, Keenin sat looking after them, his work forgotten. He knew that none of them went a day without stealing, and probably never would. He too would have been over there if he didn't make such a mistake so he couldn't really blame them. He noticed Alaban looking down at him. “Don’t let anyone steal the merchandise. It’s your meals that will suffer.”
As the day came to a close, Keenin packed the plants and bottled powder into a small sack as Alaban stood waiting with his box of potions. Keenin had just straightened up to leave when a girl came running down the street towards them. Keenin was still thinking about thieves, and dropped his bag to go block her path, but then noticed that she was slowing down. She went up to Alaban.
“I need medicine for my mother. She’s having trouble breathing,” the girl huffed out herself, “I have…I have this much.” She held up a money purse.
“I suspect that money is your mother’s young lady. You shouldn’t take things,” Alaban told her.
“But it’s for my mother and you know me.”
“I just want you to be careful. Now you’re lucky, we have some cracked bottles that would be thrown out soon,” he said lowering his box onto the ground, “Right boy. You have small hands. Pull them out, but don’t cut your hands or the stuff will be ruined.”
Keenin undid the latch and found the broken bottles filled with healing water. They had cracked on the first day of Keenin’s employment when Alaban had stepped on his case in the dark and they had remained cracked since Alaban couldn’t afford to replace the bottles.
Keenin carefully pulled them out and handed them up to Alaban who put them in a paper bag.
“Now don’t run with these,” Alaban said handing them to the girl. “When you get home pour all this into a good jar or bowl over clear cloth so the glass doesn’t get mixed in. Give her a spoonful a day. You got all that?”
“Yes sir. Thank you.”
She turned and quickly stepped away.
“Don’t run,” Alaban called after her.
He turned to Keenin. “Please don't let me see you drop my merchandise again. Geez, it will be plants today and potions tomorrow.”
Keenin was hardly listening. He had something else to think about now.
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