The bearded man ended up telling a story of great magnificence. Though, he needed a lot of my help, or more like my financial support to continue talking. I can't believe I was deceived by him, me, the great magician, the trickster of the most devious tricksters. But now just a bunch of phrases cost me the rest of my gold coins, my hard-earned gold coins. What a scam!
"So, Miss Jean, are you going to pay for the next part?" He asked without any remorse. I should not show weakness, or this man will trap me again.
I turned to see the others with big watery eyes, but they…
"You… hey, anyone…" the shameless freeloaders on the story I paid to hear looked the other way. Such a bunch of… greedy bad friends… you will see, the next time you see me will be in a puff of magic smoke and then your gold coins will be mine to enjoy again. Just you wait.
"Take it and tell me the rest…" I gave him my last coin of the week, "You old bearded shameless trickster man."
He smirked and laughed when the coin landed perfectly in his right hand. Goodness.
What I knew about him was not that much, for starters, the big man's name was Ben Durein, a well-known acquaintance of Mr. and Madame Tate, and also a great hunter, or so he said, though no one told otherwise. He had a small hut on the Green Forest near the border with Nertil, and his little farm over there was a strange appearance and a safe refuge for anyone daring to enter that dangerous Forest for good prey. It seemed that no animal dared to provoke the hunter. I wonder why…
Why would he choose that place to live? Well, that will be a question I won't dare to ask, he may try to rip off more of my precious money. I can't afford an extra letter from his mouth.
However, his words, of course, were less eloquent than the worst show and even less descriptive than the shortest pamphlets. They were crude and rude and if not for my crazy and natural pushy curiosity, then I would never get to know other than three words: battle, stones, and power. Although, the only words that mattered for me were blue mist.
It seemed that not only the Crown was attracted to this strange mine with powerful stones, but the other country, the Kingdom of Ferium, that was on the other side of the border. They were so interested in the fascinating things inside this strange mine that they began a cruel battle, more like a slaughter. They even risked the start of a war with Rillian to own those things inside that mine.
"The battle… that cruel carnage left many deaths, innocent workers and soldiers from the Kingdom," he said in a grave voice, "some of them were my friends."
His eyes looked vacant and with something I could distinguish well enough, anger. This time, when those words floated in the unusual quietness of the tavern, the farmers looked scared too, some of their families lived a few towns from there, and they also knew good friends who worked near or in that mine.
"What were those things? Did you see them?"
"I didn't see them directly, just the blue mist coming out of that deep mine as if enchanting and calling for mortals to enter. I just know that those elders and those from Ferium wanted those things with eagerness."
"Wait, then how do you know they were stones… power stones?"
"I heard one of the knights call them like that…" he frowned. "The elders and the generals that came with them really wanted those things inside the mine, little girl. It felt that they won't stop at anything to get them."
He looked up and scanned the people around. "It is not safe there anymore, I saw the many bodies that were left on the road to the entrance… and they were not only from the knights and workers but also from mercenaries and thieves that tried to sneak in. If not for the Dark Duke of Rillian and his knights coming to stop the battle, the slaughter would have already reached the nearby towns, maybe including this one."
The people around, who were hearing for free, well, they all gasped in fear. The tavern 'The Rotten Gentleman,' for the first time since it was created, had a moment of uncanny silence. No dances, no laughter, not even the clink of the glasses, nothing, but the gasping of the customers' mouths and then silence.
"That is all, little girl, I can't tell you anything else," then he turned to see the rest of the people, "there were many deaths, and the corpses are in the town of Corn, if any of you knew someone, you better go that way to claim the body."
Some people went out of the tavern with noisy and fast movements, they didn't even pay for the beer they drank. However, who would dare ask them for money. The horses and the smalls carts left the town the same as the news traveled to the other inns and bars.
"Madame Tate, I will stay here tonight..." the man stood up and the old woman nodded.
"Get some rest, dear," her words calmed the rest of the audience, waking them up from the fear and anxiousness. "You all should go and rest for the night. Tomorrow will be more work to do."
The tavern of 'The Rotten Gentleman,' was the shelter where friendly faces appeared even more friendly, companions of different places reunited to exchange rumors, to trade laughs, and to share living experiences. For many of them, it was a breath of fresh air, a distraction from suffering and fatigue. So the old couple always worked with a smile on their faces when they could alleviate the tiredness of the guests, their friends. Even when their daughter had married someone with enough financial ability to take care of them for the rest of their lives, they chose to stay in their comfy Tavern.
Maybe they were the reason why I stopped looking for towns, maybe their friendship and care made me stop too.
However… the stones, the mist, and the power, those words haunted my thoughts now. The blue mist, maybe they didn't know what that meant, but I did. I very much did, my heart was beating faster with expectancy. No fear, nor anxiety, but enthusiasm growing in my eyes. I could hardly calm down my hands from trembling.
"I should go," my whisper left without waiting for my mind to give them permission, though, I was not the only one who heard it.
The sound of jars on the counter woke me up from my plan. "Jane… what are you thinking?"
"What? I am not…"
"Sigh… are you worried about Matty and the old man?"
They were in a town near that mine, I should be worried. However, now I feel guilty, my thoughts were not in them. I was sure they would never be in any danger with the handsome Kian by their side, I don't know why, but that man gave me a safe feeling.
I knew he was not the usual guy. Even more, the old couple never had any trouble with drunkards or troublemakers, only because his presence here was overwhelming. If I had time I would like to discover more of him. However, right now I am more interested in discovering more of me, of my skills to raid a strange hole in the earth with precious stones. How far is Nertil by the way?