Harnisse was a quaint town known for its serene and peaceful ambiance. It was famous for its high level of tolerance and inclusiveness, where people of all social classes blended well together with little to no discrimination based on social status.
But it still surprised Yohana when she saw an upper-class lady chatting with a fruit vendor.
The lady had round cheeks and an innocent smile, playing with her umbrella on her shoulder.
The wagon drove forward and stopped in front of a tavern. Yohana disembarked, looking around to study the situation. She still had no idea where Harnisse Castle was located.
"So you've worked for a Margrave before?" the store owner asked Yohana, hands on her wide hips. Beside her was the wagon driver, lowering his gaze.
While he had kept his promise to put in good words for Yohana, he seemed to have exaggerated a lot, bordering on lying.
But Yohana did not deny it and simply said, "I am still quite inexperienced, ma'am."
The store owner was pleased with Yohana's humble answer. She wiped her wet hand on her apron and touched Yohana's chin to inspect her face.
"You've got quite a face. You would make a fortune if you were a whore."
Yohana's eyes widened. "I am not, ma'am."
The store owner chuckled, her belly moving with the rhythm of her snort. "I know. Don't give me that look, I'm just saying you're pretty. Pretty girls are good for my business. As long as you have a steel heart, you'll enjoy the tips. Come now."
Yohana was led into the still-empty and dark tavern. The chairs were upside down on the table, and the air was damp with a foul smell that made Yohana pinch her nose.
Noticing Yohana's reaction, Miksa said, "The brawl last night almost ruined my place. Be strong, you'll see them often from now on."
The wagon driver followed them with crates of beer in his hands. He dropped them once they reached the storage room, which was darker than any other spot in the tavern as there were no windows to provide natural light.
The store owner put the oil lamp on top of a shelf and pressed her back against the wall. The wagon driver squeezed himself through and put the crate on the floor before going back out to get all the goods the store owner had purchased from him.
With one hand on the doorknob and the other on her pouty hip, the store owner said, "I'm Miksa. What's your name?"
"Yohana, ma'am," she replied.
Miksa eyed the luggage in Yohana's hands and motioned toward the stairs with her chin.
"Drop your luggage in your room. It's on the fourth floor. You'll know which one when you see it."
Yohana nodded and went up to the fourth floor of the tavern. She noted that the second and third floors were for paying guests. The stairs were made of unpolished stone and were pretty high between each step.
There were hints of dried blood on the stairs, which could have been the result of fights or drunken falls.
The fourth floor had only three doors, each of different sizes.
The innermost door was an emerald color, the grandest of the three. Right across from it was a beige wooden door, a pale comparison to the green one.
The smallest door was right next to the stairs. Yohana opened it and found a rather modest living quarter with a small bed, a table, and a chair. There was no drawer available, so Yohana put her luggage on the floor beside the table.
She went out and took a peek at the other two doors. One led to what Yohana guessed was Miksa's room, which had a fluffy bed completed with thick blankets, a comfortable sofa, and a big drawer.
The other door was a spacious bathroom, which belonged to Miksa, judging from the dominant green color in the room.
After learning about each room's function, Yohana returned to the storage room. She was new in town, and getting a job at this tavern might allow her to study the people's faces and their importance to her mission.
"Did you find it?" Miksa asked, still holding the same pose, eyes following the wagon driver's movements.
"Yes, ma'am," Yohana replied.
Miksa then looked at Yohana and wore a teasing smile, "Did you look into my chamber?"
Yohana immediately bowed. "Please forgive me, ma'am."
She knew that in these circumstances, it was inevitable that a person's curiosity would be sparked. But Yohana was determined to play the role of a naive girl and pretend not to understand the owner's teasing.
"Hoof, you're funny too. I like you," Miksa burst out laughing, wiping the tears from the edge of her eyes.
"I reckon it's natural for folks to be lured by my chamber. What say you? Ain't the green color fine? Since I've got no gold to buy emeralds, I painted the entire room green. It makes me feel grand, you see."
Yohana nodded in understanding but said nothing.
"Here you go, fifty Pfennings. Nice doing business with you." Miksa handed a bag of coins to the wagon driver.
The driver smiled, showing his crooked front teeth, and before proceeding to his wagon, he removed his shabby hat and bowed at Yohana.
"Thank you," Yohana muttered.
"I pray the Saints with you, gal." was his goodbye.
***
On that very first day, Yohana started working by sweeping and mopping the floor. Before the evening came, Yohana put down the chairs while Miksa was preparing to open the tavern.
As soon as the sign changed to 'open', a crowd of people rushed in, most looking weary and in need of a drink.
However, their first point of interest was not the drinks or food, but the fresh face in the tavern.
With her silver hair neatly tied up in a bun using a fork, Yohana became an instant star, attracting the attention of all customers.
"Would ye look at this, Miksa? Where did ye scrounge up this fine lass?" one customer asked.
"Had she arrived earlier, you'd have been rolling in the dough by now," joked another customer.
"Tell me you ain't got no husband, lass. 'Cause I'm thinking of takin' ye to my place tonight."
In response to the harassment, Miksa slammed a mug onto the table, causing bubbles from the beer to splatter everywhere.
"Listen here, you scoundrel! Keep your dirty hands off my girl, unless you wish to part ways with them in a most unpleasant manner. I wouldn't mind taking a blade to 'em, so you best be walking away while you still have a chance to keep all your limbs intact."
The tavern was soon filled with boos, as guests were not happy with the threat. Yohana disliked being objectified, but she did not fear them. However, she had to appear timid to continue her pretense.
Miksa motioned toward the kitchen and signaled for Yohana to follow. Once behind the counter, she pointed at a table and advised,
"Listen carefully. You better keep your distance from them. That one with the braided beard, yeah? He's got hands as dirty as a pigsty. And the one cackling like a loon beside him, that's his brother. He's not much to fear on his own, but when his brother gives him orders, things tend to get real ugly, real fast."
Yohana noticed that the bearded man held the power while his brother held the money. She also observed the appearance of the weaker brother: thin, not too tall, but with a great sense of fashion.
The waistcoat underneath his long coat, as well as his cravat, were tell-tale signs that he was a tailor.
Then Miksa continued with the table near the front door. "That bloke is wedded, but his missus is a maid in the Harnisse Castle, so he's mostly alone during the week. And let me tell you, his missus is a right piece of work. She's as jealous as a cat with a mouse, and if she catches you sniffing around her husband, the whole town will be calling you a scandalous rogue before you can blink."
This was a huge piece of information, exactly what Yohana was waiting for. She made a mental note to investigate this man further.
She pointed at the largest table, the loudest among all guests. "That lot over there are nothing but a pack of ruffians. But once the moon is high and the ale is flowing, they turn into a woman's worst nightmare."
Miksa opened the bottom cupboard and showed me a rifle. "I allow you to use this if things get to be too much to handle."
Lastly, she looked at a lone man wearing a soldier's uniform. "That one's from the big city, and he doesn't seem too keen on being stuck in this backwater. I don't know much about him, but as they say, better the devil you know than the devil you don't. So I'd advise you to keep your distance and not go poking your nose where it doesn't belong."
Contrary to Miksa's intention, Yohana promptly created a plan in her head to infiltrate the Harnisse castle, involving all the people Miksa had warned her to stay away from.