The chair that Keenin stood on tottered dangerously as he tied the twine of another plant bundle to the rafters. Emily had arrived unexpectedly with a delivery that morning and Keenin had to clean up while Alaban went to the market. Keenin cursed his clumsy fingers and slow progress because for once he knew what he was missing, namely girls in blue dresses.

Tess had started to visit him at work and had even lent him a guidebook on plants. The chair wobbled underneath him again and Keenin scolded himself for his progress. 

With the last knot tied, he rushed to get out, hastily locked the door and...

“Crap.”

He was stuck. The now ripped sleeve of his colorful vest had caught in the door. He begrudgingly unlocked the door to get it out. 

Can't fix it. Let's worry about it later.

He ran.  The villagers did not seem to notice his passing. In the past they might have frowned or glanced suspiciously at his abandoned appearance, but that was the past. The new clothes were a tad large, but he was still a respectable apprentice.

He arrived at the stall out of breath. 

“A little late,” Alaban observed. “Were a few dishes that difficult to scrub?”. 

“Of course not. I'm late because your friend Emily came over. She told you to give her the money later.” 

“Did you mark down what I got?”

Alaban had taught Keenin how to count and receive payments in case he was away.

“I wrote it all down and she signed it to confirm,” Keenin said proudly. "Though, I don't see the point."

Alaban and Emily were friends so why could they not agree on prices later.

"Because business must be taken seriously and children are not the only thieves around here. Not to say that she has or ever will cheat me, but she complains so often that I wouldn’t put it past her.”

Maybe Emily would give him the money to pay back Alaban for some side work, Keenin thought to himself. Of course Keenin didn't say this, instead he took his seat on a blanket beside the stall. His ripped vest hung sadly off his shoulder.

“What happened to your sleeve?"

“It caught on something.”

“It looks terrible. You need to learn how to stop damaging things.”

And you need to learn how to not be grumpy Keenin thought back. He took the vest off and tied it around his head in an attempt to satisfy the old man.

“Does this look better?” he asked.

A girl laughed. He saw that it was Tess who had just approached the stall. Today her dress was charcoal with puffed sleeves and flowers stitched along the hem. The thin leather strap of a satchel crossed her chest and the bag rested against her left hip. Keenin pulled the patched vest off and hid it behind him.

“You certainly like to stand out,” she told Keenin.

“Uh, ya,” Keenin said. “But I think you’re doing that better.”

Her pause made him wonder if he had said something wrong.

Alaban cleared his throat. “Did you need something Tess?”

She looked up.

"Oh, yes," she said digging in her satchel.

She pulled out a folded piece of paper and a small bag of coins that she held out to Alaban.

"The payment for the medicine you’ve been giving me," she told him. 

"I'm sorry for the trouble before. The doctor came to see her and mother is doing better."

Alaban took the note first and left her with the money as he unfolded the paper to read. Tess held the money close to her and looked down nervously as Alaban read. Keenin felt for her. He noticed a thin book in her satchel.

“Are you reading that one?” Keenin asked in distraction.

“It’s…,” she paused, then pulled the book out to hold in front of him. “Probably not your type of book.”

He examined the title, but couldn’t quite read it. It reminded him of their position. He was still a boy who could do so little. 

“Looks like you’re right,” Keenin said to satisfy her.

"I am sorry Tess," Alaban finally said. “I still can’t accept your money.”

Tess looked up.

"But there should be enough.”

Keenin also looked to Alaban. He did not understand what was going on between them, only that it involved not letting Tess pay.

“How about another favor," Alaban told Tess. "My apprentice just ruined his vest. Do you still sew?”

At first Tess said nothing. Then she looked at Keenin who had not expected Alaban to give her another free trade.

"Oh," she said.

She replaced the money into her satchel and  rummaged until she pulled out a spool of black thread with a needle stuck into it. 

"I forgot it was in here," she admitted. "Mother said that good wives should never be without a bit of thread."

She looked to Keenin and now he felt embarrassed.

“You’ll need to hand over the vest,” Alaban prompted. 

Keenin reaching behind for the crumpled vest that he had been trying to hide.

“Actually, could you put it on. It’s easier,” Tess explained. 

Keenin put the vest on and turned to the side so she could sew up the sleeve. He tried not to think too much as she tugged at the fabric. He wondered how long Tess had been purchasing medicine for her mother for Alaban to stop charging her. 

“I’ll get you more medicine,” Alaban said unclipping his case.  

Turned as he was to face down the street, Keenin saw a dangerous looking man making his way through the market. The man wore leather armor decorated with strips of fur and a sword tucked into the left side of his belt. The man stopped in front of their stall to address Alaban and Keenin noticed a red painted bird with a cutout heart on his shoulder pad. Tess stopped her work to stare along with him.

“Is this what people call magic these days,” he said picking up one of the little bottles from Alaban’s table. “Can something this small even fix a paper cut?”

Alaban let his potion case close to address the man. 

“It certainly can’t cure that attitude, but it might ease digestion,” Alaban said. 

“Really,” the stranger said. “Anything to stop a man from bleeding out?”

“Depends if you're paying,” Alaban told him. 

The stranger pulled out his coin purse and took his time, seemingly counting the amount, before he gently placed a single copper coin to the counter. “Here, one for one.”

Alaban regarded the coin. Keenin had the urge to reach up and accept the payment so this man would leave. 

“I’m afraid that potion costs twenty percent more,” Alaban stood his ground.

The stranger smiled as though he had heard this joke before. He pulled his other hand from his pocket to reveal a knife which he twirled between his fingers. “Can you provide a loan?”

Keenin felt a slight tug and looked at Tess, their worried gazes met.  One stitch was left between them.

“Tess. You go on home,” Alaban said, still watching the stranger. “I’ll have your medicine delivered.”

Tess pulled the needle loose from the united thread, gave a slight curtsy, and ran off down the road. Keenin turned his attention back to the stranger, who briefly watched the girl leave, then looked to Alaban and ended his knife twirling with the blade pinched between thumb and forefinger.

“So where’s your money?”

“Here.” Alaban casually set a bag of coins on the counter.

Keenin locked his eyes on the money. Just last week he had watched Alaban pay off his thieving friends. This was certainly not something that the old man could afford. 

If Alaban had a problem with this guy, Keenin didn't understand why the old man didn’t use his fighting skills. Hadn’t Alaban been so confident? Keenin wanted to tell Alaban not to give in to this villain, but had no right to say so.

The stranger reached for the coin purse and was abruptly stopped. Alaban gripped the stranger’s forearm, yanked him forward off balance, and got behind him to slam his head against the table. Before the villain could stab, Alaban again slammed his head down two more times. 

“You bastard! Let go!” In a rage the stranger seemed to forget his advantage and dropped the knife to grasp and pull free of the hand that restrained his head. Alaban continued to restrain him. 

“Time to leave,” Alaban told him. “I won’t have a warmonger in my town.”

The stranger shot a menacing glance at Keenin. Alaban released and kicked him away. The stranger was ready to take revenge when an object flew by his cheek and warmth tricked down. He clapped his hand against the wound and looked behind to see a pair of scissors lodged in the house behind. And bringing the attention back to Alaban ,  he saw the old man had already picked up his dropped knife. 

“Would you like to try again?” Alaban asked. 

The stranger bit his lip to contain his anger. He turned and left. 

Keenin snapped out of his daze. “Who does that?” 

“A criminal. A head hunter who chose the wrong side in the war. But he won’t find what he’s looking for here.”

“Find what?”

“Magic. Elemental magic.”

“You mean…”

Keenin glanced at one of the crumpled posters. 

“Instead of that, don’t you have something to do?”

Alaban held out three vials of healing potion. 

“Right,” Keenin said.

*

By the time Keenin made it to the library, he was less concerned about the incident and was instead feeling nervous to meet Tess in her home. It had been a few years since he stood at the library’s arched wooden doorway. The place looked smaller than he remembered, a sign of his growing up. 

As a child he had sat on the front steps while his thief friends discussed the next target to steal from or what they would do after leaving the village. The books had interested him, though he didn’t tell the others. For a while Keenin waited for the library to open early in the morning and would flip through the text to look at pictures of heroes and distant places, but when books began to disappear and some children started to chip away the gold painted wood on the arch Keenin felt ashamed and no longer returned.

It had never occurred to him before, but maybe his small leaving at that time had been what made him so different. Keenin shook away stray thoughts and knocked on the door, only to correct his absurd act, by gripping the metal latch and pushing the door open. The door stopped it’s swing as Tess grabbed hold.

Tess had a stack of books tucked under her arm for shelving and must have come forward at the sound of his knock. Keenin smiled.

“Sorry,” Keenin said. “I forgot that you could come in uninvited. I brought the medicine.”

He held up his hand with the vials. Tess put the books down on the floor and accepted them.

“Are you alright?” Tess asked.

“Huh, of course,” Keenin said. “You should have seen the way Alaban beat the guy up after you left. Were you worried?”

He wanted her to feel better. 

“It’s just… I’ve heard rumors of a war and that guy had a crest. I don’t know what will happen if our village gets involved in another fight. Last time it became only me and my mom. What if it becomes only me or just my mom.”

She looked down gloomily.

“I'm sorry that happened,” Keenin said.

“But what am I saying? Nothing has happened yet,” Tess said. “And…you made it work by yourself so obviously I can too.”

It seemed the rumor about him moving down from the city to be an apprentice had spread.

“Tess, you’re thinking about this wrong. Alaban and I would find a way to support you if you needed help.”

She remained quiet and then looked up.

“I made things so serious,” Tess said. “I’m sorry you should get back to the shop.”

“It’s fine,” Keenin said. “Friends can talk.”

As he said it he thought of Lester. He had not seen his old friend for days and was worried that now they might not be friends at all.

“Actually, Keenin if you still have some time?” Tess asked. “My mom wanted to thank you.”

“For what?”

“I think, for putting up with Alaban. She was worried there wouldn’t be another potion maker to take over after him.”

“Oh.”

Was it really alright to see Tess’s mother? What if she was too unwell?

“It will just take a minute. Come on,” Tess said hurrying up the curving steps. She got to the top and looked back. “So slow. Come on!”

“A…alright. You don't need to yell,” he muttered.

“Mom, I brought a friend.” 

Tess ducked into a room, leaving the door open. He wanted to retreat in embarrassment, but eventually sighed and approached to push the door wider. 

The room inside was bright, lit by numerous lamps of odd designs. The wood paneling of the walls had been left unstained. A four-poster bed took up most of the space. Under a set of old lavender sheets rested Tess’s mother. Unlike her daughter’s dark brown hair hers was a light chestnut. 

“So this is your friend?” the mother questioned.

Tess looked at him. “Why are you standing so far?” 

“Any boy would be nervous Tess. I bet you dragged him up here for me.”

“I…I did not.”

Her mother laughed, but it turned into a wheezy cough. She held her hand to her mouth, willing it to stop until it did. Then she sighed. “I would talk longer but as you can see...”

A small cough escaped. She sighed and smiled. Tess went to the window to push it open. “Mom, you're supposed to keep this open for fresh air.”

“The neighbor’s dog wouldn’t stop barking.”

“Keenin. Tell this mom of mine that fresh air is worth a bit of noise.”

“But uh… I think both of you are right,” Keenin said. 

“What?” Tess accused, but her mother smiled.

“Thanks for putting up with my daughter. She worries a lot.”

“Mom.”

“And Keenin, come borrow books anytime you want.”

“I…it… it was nice to meet you. I should get back now,” Keenin said.

He wasn't used to this.

*

Tess led his way back down the stairs. “Alright. I’m sorry for making you visit my mom. She kept asking about you.”

“It’s fine. I knew you wanted her to feel better. Now she doesn't need to worry about us hanging out, right. I know what it’s like to worry about your family.”

“What’s your family like?”

Tess reached the front door and turned to face him to wait for an answer.

“My…family.” His words trailed off as she stood waiting. 

To her it was a normal question and she didn’t realize the problem. He had grown up with thieves. Even so, he wanted to be proud. 

“In my family I have a lot of amazing siblings. I’m going to prove that I can be just as successful and I want to be there to look out for them. So I should really get back.”