Elia wandered around the streets of Serendi to find work. Despite the promise she had made to Sable, she was not going to get information as soon as she wanted since she had no money or weapon. Recalling how she lost her sword, which was so valuable to her, made her angry. How splendid, Elia thought.
Not only am I getting upset, I'm also tired, hungry, and thirsty. Such a pathetic sight I am.
Her grayish-blue eyes gleamed at a shop with a painted sign of two swords clashed together. Perhaps I can get work here if they want my help. She had never seen the weapon shop in Serendi before, so she assumed it was newly opened. Without hesitation, Elia entered inside.
A tall, robust, middle-aged man in a grease-stained apron glanced up from the counter. He had short red hair and a long beard growing under his chin. There was some sort of familiarity in his jade green eyes. Elia gasped at the sudden realization.
"Elia, is that you?" the man exclaimed approaching the warrioress.
"Yes, Jaden! It's me!" Elia swung her arms to hug the man. He was her father's friend back when she was a child. He was the one who inspired her to hold a sword.
Jaden ruffled her sandy short hair. "I almost didn't recognize you, girl! Your hair has gotten shorter. What are you doing here? I thought you were back in Rayinton with your father."
The cheeriness dissipated from Elia's face. "My father died last year, so I moved out of the village," the warrioress replied, unwilling to speak about it; the loss still saddened her. She had to get out of Rayinton to start a new life by leaving the past behind.
"So sorry for the loss, girl!" the weaponsmith exclaimed with compassionate sympathy. "How did this happen?" Jaden could not believe that her father was dead. He was a strong skilled warrior, and it seemed impossible that he died at a young age.
"He fell ill," Elia answered. Changing the uncomfortable topic, Elia asked, "Do you need help around here? I was looking for work."
She's a strong girl, Jaden thought. He always knew Elia was the type of warrior whom rejected emotional expression since she saw it as weakness. Unfortunately, that was not a healthy habit for any person. Storing up emotions without expressing them could lead to emotional breakdowns. "Aye," Jaden answered. "I opened up this shop yesterday. Would you like to be my assistant?"
The warrioress nodded with slight enthusiasm. "Is it okay if… I also work for a sword?" Elia had been hesitating to ask this, but it was on her mind since she stepped foot inside the weapon shop.
"What do you mean?" Jaden asked. "What happened to the sword your father gave you?"
Elia briefly flushed. "I… I got it stolen by rogues along my money. They sold it at the market." Even thinking about it drove her angry. Her father crafted the sword just for her, and she foolishly got it taken away by the rogues she was trying to rob. She grimaced at the lesson she learned: Don't steal from others, and they won't steal from you.
Jaden tsked. "That's a shame, girl. I won't charge you for a sword, however. You are Vlasis's daughter after all," he replied, mentioning her father's name, as he placed an arm around her shoulder.
The warrioress had not smiled since her father's death. "Thank you! I am forever indebted to you."
"Don't even think about it, Elia. Come now." Jaden led her to a separate room as they passed through the sections of axes, spears, and bows. "The blades that are mostly crafted by me get a special room in the shop."
Elia gazed in awe at the varied display of swords. Longswords and broadswords with plain hilts to decorative jeweled hilts hung from the wall. Cutlasses, falchions, and shortswords stood on a stand. On a red-clothed table, knives and daggers spread out into rows. A lonely falchion in the corner of the room caught Elia's attention.
"This falchion looks just like my old one, except this one has a fancy gemstone in the pommel." Elia picked up the light-weighted sword with one hand by the black leather-wrapped grip. A round greenish-black stone dotted with red specks enhanced the mesmerizing dark sword. Elia fingered the steely single-edged blade to the curvy clipped point. She stared at her reflection and spotted Jaden behind her.
"That's bloodstone. It's said the gemstone boosts the physical strength of those who wield the sword," Jaden replied as he patted her shoulder. "Isn't she a beauty? I unfortunately didn't craft it. It's good for cutting and thrusting; perfect for you since I'd been familiar with your fighting style."
Elia grinned at him, experimenting with slicing and thrusting in the air. After a couple of swings, she lowered the sword with satisfaction. "Is it okay if I can choose this sword?"
Jaden winked at her. "Sure thing. Comes with its own back holster, but I'll give it to you later. Now let me explain to you what you have to do around here."
~~~
Jaden invited Elia to stay with his family until she was ready to support herself. He led her to a brown curtain in the end of the weapon shop. Pulling back the curtain, a door was revealed.
"Why so secretive?" Elia inquired curiously.
"The home needs to be carefully hidden," he replied as he opened the door leading to an upper staircase. "We don't want any thieves."
Clever, Elia thought as she climbed up the stairs. Though, her own attempt at thievery made her guilty. A delicious aroma of chicken floated through the air distracted her thoughts, making her stomach rumble.
"My wife is probably fixing up dinner," Jaden added. "Do you remember Ruby?"
Ruby. "Ah yes," Elia replied, smiling at the name. "How is she?" She remembered her childhood friend whom used to spar with her with sticks and pretend she went on adventures back in Rayinton. She remembered she awfully admired her too as well. Elia wondered if Ruby was still taller than her and had long red hair. She had always been the shortest one although she was the oldest; however, Elia was much taller now.
Jaden sighed which Elia could not tell if it was a good or bad sign. "My girl just turned nineteen last week. They grow up so fast don't they? She's doing fine, but… she has a physical ailment and refuses to go outside. She won't even come out of her room when guests are here."
Elia's grayish-blue eye widened. "She does not seem fine at all. Is she terribly ill?"
"No. It's harmless, but it makes her feel ashamed of herself." He went closer to the warrioress and whispered in her ear. "She's suffering from a severe case of skin blemishes. Please don't tell her I told you this; if she lets you see her."
The warrioress nodded understandingly. She remembered she used to have mild skin problems when she was an adolescent, but they disappeared as she grew older. However, Ruby should not be embarrassed by such a thing. It sounded silly to lock herself up inside all day.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Jaden tucked out a necklace of keys and unlatched the door. The aromatic smell of chicken bolted out. Elia tried not to be distracted by the smell and complimented the cozy home. She appeared to be in the lounge room since there was another doorway connected in the left. She analyzed the few swords hanging on the wooden walls as display, and near the hearth and staircase, a soft-looking green armchair and couch were by an oval-shaped table.
"Welcome to our humble home," Jaden said cheerfully as he closed the door behind him. "Not so bad, eh? It was the perfect place I found where I could use it for business at the same time."
"Is that you, Jady?" a voice called out from the left doorway.
"Yes, Dahlia. Guess who our guest is." Jaden grinned at the smiling warrioress.
A middle-aged woman peeked through the doorway. Her long dark brown hair was tied behind, and her blue eyes revealed a tint of surprise. "Is that who I think it is?" she managed to ask. She stepped closer to the warrioress revealing her plain brown dress.
Elia was about to introduce herself, but Dahlia suddenly threw her arms around her. Pecking a kiss on the warrioress's forehead, she exclaimed how much Elia had changed.
"Come sit down now," Dahlia said as she dragged Elia to sit on the couch beside her. "I want to know how things have been going for you."
Jaden chuckled at the two. "I'll leave you women to talk while I take over the kitchen." Before he left the lounge room, he whispered something very low to his wife's ear that Elia couldn't hear. Dahlia's face scrunched up with shock and nodded understandingly.
Dahlia resumed conversing with Elia. The warrioress was glad that the women did not mention her father, but she wondered what Jaden possibly whispered to his wife was about it. He probably spared her the discomfort by warning Dahlia. After Dahlia was satisfied with questions, Elia asked where Ruby was.
A frown formed on Dahlia's thick lips. "She's upstairs in the first room... Just remember to knock before going in, or she'll get furious." While Elia stood up, she added, "Did my husband tell you about her?"
"Yes."
"Well, I don't have to explain then. I hope she'll cheer up when she sees you," Dahlia responded with a slight smile.
Elia thanked her and headed up the creaky stairs. A short hallway led to two doors. The second door was opened, and she assumed it was Ruby's parent's bedroom. Knocking on the first door, Elia assumed it was Ruby's room.
"Who is it?" an irritated voice snapped.
Uh-oh. She's in a bad mood, Elia thought. Though I should have expected that. "Ruby, is that you? It's Elia," the warrioress began feeling her voice crack. She was excited but nervous at the same time to see her childhood friend again; mainly nervous because it was a bad moment to intrude her room.
A long moment of silence passed. "E—Elia? I'm sorry… I don't know anyone named Elia."
Elia stared at the door with confusion. Surely Ruby could not had forgotten her; they were once best friends. She knew Ruby was simply lying to avoid being seen. Pretending to realize her mistake, Elia apologized and returned downstairs with disappointment. She could not help feeling her heart heavy from being rejected.
Dahlia or Jaden were not in the lounge room, so Elia found them inside the kitchen. Seated, they had been expecting her at the dinner table. Food was already prepared on their platters, but Elia's appetite had faded.
Staring at the gloomy warrioress, Jaden asked, "Did you get to see Ruby?"
"She said that she didn't know me," Elia replied, taking a seat across from Dahlia.
Maybe it is possible she had just forgotten about me. After all, it has been years we've seen each other.
"Please excuse her impoliteness," Dahlia said, trying to lighten up Elia's mood. "I'm sure she was just pretending to forget you."
Jaden agreed with a nod. "Just forget about it. Ruby should be fine in a few days." Filling a porcelain plate with chicken in gravy, he slid the plate over to Elia. "You must be hungry after working, eh?" he began, changing the topic of the conversation.
Shrugging, Elia smiled weakly. Taking a fork, she forced herself to pick up a piece of meat.
"You just enjoy yourself, Elia," Dahlia said, standing up. "I'm going to bring dinner upstairs to our daughter hiding."
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