Chereads / The Artificer and the Capricious Capital / Chapter 15 - Return to the Shop

Chapter 15 - Return to the Shop

Kleid was bouncing on the balls of his feet, nothing at all about his movements indicating he'd needed the rescue of two High Healers and three of their juniors. Or maybe it was because there had been so many that he was so healthy now.

He had slept all through the day before and woken up shortly after her that morning. Once Othia had finished her final healing session, both women were pleased it hadn't sent the artificer into a drowsy stupor before she was cleared to leave.

Outside they waited for a carriage Kleid had insisted they call for. He knew the area better and Kiava didn't disagree with his decision. He had been talking about his day to day as an aide to the duke as he bounced and waited. Kiava was confused by his nervous energy and the way he only spoke of general topics in the capital.

Then she noticed the portly man carrying a pictogrammer and watching them from a semi-shadowed alley. She could see the faint traces of a specialty ward but it was so drained that it was barely functioning, hence the strange half shadow only partially obscuring the man. He would likely not notice it had fallen until he was approached, but if he had any magical sensitivity he would have noticed it was starting to come undone.

Kleid was actively not looking in that direction so Kiava pretended to not notice the man as well and talked of the same subjects he brought up. When the carriage arrived Kleid opened the door for her and offered her a hand. She raised an eyebrow at the offered appendage before looking up at her brother.

"Miss, truly thank you for what you have done in service to the city. The Security Headquarters hopes you have a safe journey home." He offered her a desperate "play along" look.

"I was just doing what I felt was right," she demurred as she took his hand and got into the carriage. Kleid shut the door behind her, spoke to the driver, and she bustled off in some confusion.

Her confusion was quickly assuaged when the driver took her to the other side of the Temple. Several minutes later Kleid opened the door and entered. He sat opposite her and his face broke out in the silly grin she remembered as a kid.

"Look at you, Little Sis, all grown up and making your way," he enthused cheerfully. "I was so pleased when his Grace told me he had met you. How was the Matron when you left?"

"Retiring, she is making Halden her replacement," Kiava explained with a light laugh. "He thinks he's a constant disappointment to her but the way she gushes over him to anyone who will listen is legendary outside the orphanage. She told me to give her love if I saw anyone from the orphanage, by the way. How have you been? You were adopted by one of the soldiers after the Monster King was defeated, right?"

"Ah, he is actually a knight who swore fealty to the Levast family," Kleid explained. "I have been well, my father is a good man. You'll meet him when he finds out I was attacked. He's on a mission at the moment, his name is Sir Ollman Jester. He's even bigger than Sir Iaska."

Kiava vaguely remembered the mountain of a man, but he had not been interested in the girl with the strangely dull black hair and so she had lost interest in him quickly as well. Her attention was piqued when she found out that he was adopting Kleid after the war, but the adopter never came back to town. Kleid had left in a carriage with some of the other boys who were adopted by soldiers passing through.

She studied the adoptee. Kleid had been a pretty boy and he had grown into an elegant and graceful looking man. She was proud that he was able to grow up well, he had never suited the border.

"I'm so happy to see you again Kleid, truly." She grabbed his hands and looked into his face, her voice going serious but her eyes dancing. "Now, is the city always like this or are we very special?"

He laughed at the abrupt change in topic and tone. "I think we are very special."

Kiava laughed and leaned back. "I would be okay with a little more normalcy then."

Kleid chuckled but said, "Normalcy is overrated. If there is one person I know who can handle nonsense, it's you."

Why did it feel like he was trying to warn her to not expect an unremarkable life? A small frown formed between her brows, but Kleid seemed unfazed by his words. They began to talk of what they had been doing in the years since Kleid had gone away.

Kiava had continued to study and train as an Artificer, all the boys they had grown up with were adopted, she was the exception as it had been all her life at the orphanage. The only girl, the only mixling, and the only able to manipulate magic. She had worked hard, selling her creations and saving up with the goal of moving to the sparkling city in the hills, the capital.

Kleid had studied under his father as a knight while attending a local academy. He discovered a skill with academics and decided to become a Knight Scribe, a kind of bodyguard that doubled as an assistant. He joked that his father would take the attack as a sign he was slacking on his training and intensify his exercises, but his eyes were bleak enough as he said it that Kiava suspected he was trying to make light of his future reality. He had been busy working for Perrin since they both graduated from their respective schools following the end of the war and that had been keeping him very busy.

"The man has three aides - three! Do you know how many aides a typical nobleman has? One! One and a steward for each of their properties. He has three as well as stewards! And it's still not enough! It's like the ducal family has to have a line on everything or they feel as if they left out."

"Sounds exhausting," Kiava sympathized, glancing out the carriage window and feeling pleased that she recognized a few of the buildings as they neared her workshop. Kleid had been very right to hire a carriage, the walk would have taken them at least an hour. "We're almost there."

"I am excited to see where you settled here. You chose a good neighborhood, I'll help you move and do whatever you need." Kleid flexed an arm as he spoke with an expression that screamed, "Aren't I reliable?"

Kiava was surprised to see muscle bulge under his shirt. She had heard him say he was a trained knight, but he had such a slight frame. Besides that he was badly beaten the day before and she had done him the disservice of thinking him vulnerable. Something that the evident brawn argued against.

"I think you'll probably help me a lot," Kiava confided with a laughing sigh, "I don't even know where to get groceries here."

The carriage stopped and Kleid jumped out so he could help her out of the carriage. If the chivalry was offered by anyone but Kleid she would have found it awkward, but with him it felt more like the make believe games they had played as younglings. She waved at the store-front grandly.

"Welcome to my as yet unnamed workshop!" Kiava proclaimed boisterously. She led the man through the front door, still unlocked but warded enough that she was hopeful nothing had happened.

While she was ill the craftsmen had done their work well; the back wall of the shop that had the door leading to her live in area had been refitted with the shelves and drawers she'd requested, in front of that was her long workbench, the side facing customers a pretty strained wood and bronze and the back covered in drawers. Eventually she would buy a comfortable stool to sit on as she worked.

The rest of the front had display cases and shelves made to display various small magically imbued items she would be selling: jewelry, handkerchiefs, purses and bags, and other sundries. She had some stock already, made on her trip here, but it would still take her a while to make enough to fill the shelves. She walked through to the back door and checked the changes here and appliances she had ordered. As with the front room, the carpenters had done their work well.

Kiava stood in the middle of the empty kitchen, attached to an area for dining. "I forgot I needed furniture." She turned to Kleid, who had walked in after her, feeling foolish and at a loss.

With everything that had happened a lot of things had slipped her mind. She took a deep breath and refused to let the things she had yet to do overwhelm her. The only deadline she was on right now would be of her own making. There was no reason to feel overwhelmed.

Focus on the immediate problem. "Do you know anywhere that sells bedroom sets and can deliver today? Or I suppose we can find an inn?"