Following the mishap at the shop, Victoria's services began to be high in demand. A renewed interest in her products surged throughout the market district and beyond, as her exploits that night spread far and wide. Many wanted to see and interact with the now dubbed 'Ice Maiden' in person. Due to the increased work load, I was put to work with processing many of the lower tier ingredients for the more popular and cheaper products.
If it weren't for the firmly established routine of me studying from breakfast to lunch, then I'm certain that I would have been shanghaied into assisting with the needs of the shop first thing in the morning.
It was difficult enough to procure enough time to visit the blacksmith after lunch in order to get a more reliable weapon for myself. I felt that something beyond the simple harvesting knife that I had since the beginning would be necessary to set my mind at ease.
Victoria appeared to understand my strong desire and need to procure a defensive weapon for myself after last night's events. Only after obtaining a promise from me to return right after, to help as soon as I was done, did she let me go to visit the blacksmiths shop.
Departing the now busy shop, I made my way toward the faint sounds of a hammer striking metal off in the distance.
Upon arrival, I once again saw the blacksmith working away at the forge. His assistants this time weren't embroidered elbow deep in processing mass produced weapons this time. Maybe it had been some sort of mass order from the military or something last time. Currently the 2 assistants were in the main weapons display shop. The one with scales was speaking with a customer at the moment, while the stone like dwarf was working away at polishing the weapons and dusting their stands.
I decided to see if the dwarf was free enough to help me out with my request.
"Excuse me." I called out to him, standing a few paces away so as to not overly startle him.
As if unperturbed by my interruption, he turned to address me. His eyes slightly widened before he then gave a polite bow of his head. "This apprentice greets Apprentice Andrew. How may I be of assistance?"
*Groan* I felt somewhat weary at being so easily recognized and at the sign of deference. "How did you know who I am?" I asked while returning a similar polite head nod.
A humored twitch of his lips belied his entertainment at my question. "After last night, I doubt that there is anyone in this city who is not at least aware that Victoria has an apprentice." Setting down the latest weapon he had been cleaning he continued. "Such . . . Adventure as your master had last night, is rarely heard of within the city itself. She has become the topic of much conversation, and thus you as her apprentice are also widely discussed." Giving me a conspiratorial look, he asked. "Did you truly have the opportunity to experience a night with one of those fox beauties at Madam Callestro's?"
"What the . . . . !?" I sputtered in surprise at this inquiry. *Ahem* I cleared my throat to give myself time to think of a response. *Sigh* Finally I hesitatingly answered. "To be honest, I was offered. However," I forestalled his seemingly immanent outburst with a clarification. "I did not take them up on the offer." He visibly deflated at my disappointing reveal.
Feeling bemused at his response, I decided to clarify. "Heh! I will admit that I agree with you in saying that they were both real beauties. If I were to meet them in passing, get to know either of them well, and found us to be very compatible personality wise, then I definitely would not be opposed to developing a romantic relationship with either of them."
This appeared to reignite some of the fervor and excitement he showed before. "Haha!" He almost leapt with glee. "I can't wait to share that with my friends!" I smirked and rolled my eyes at is response.
As if seeing my desire to get to the point, he folded his hands in front of him, becoming more professional and gave me a once over before asking. "So, what brings you to Brutus' forge?"
Motioning to the display of staff weapons, I answered. "I'm looking to get a good quality staff for myself for self-defense."
Nodding his head as if in agreement at my choice, he spoke. "That is indeed a good choice for an apothecary. It can be utilized as a focus for magic, and as a good defensive weapon when also seeking to distance yourself from your enemies or wild animals."
"You look to be about 14 years old, if I'm not wrong?" Seeing my agreeing nod, he continued. "That means you likely have some more growing ahead of you, but not much." Holding up a seemingly random staff to compare against my height, he then asked. "Are you wanting a weapon just for now, and planning to upgrade eventually, or are you planning for a longer lasting and more permanent one?"
To be honest, I really hadn't considered such. I was pretty set on getting a staff for a defensive weapon. However, I hadn't thought much past that in terms of longevity.
I figured why not ask the expert. "To be honest, I hadn't really thought that far." I told him. "What would you suggest?"
In response, he handed me an unadorned metal staff that was about my height, asking me to hold it. Gripping the solid metal in my hands I lifted it to feel the heft. It wasn't unbearably heavy and it felt good to handle. Planting it solidly on the ground I gripped it like a walking stick.
"I actually like this height and weight." I told him. Then I pointed towards another shorter staff that had a dense, ribbed, spiral pattern running across its entire length. "However, I would prefer it to have a design like that."
"Hmm. That would be a better choice to catch bladed weapons on. Otherwise, you run the risk of the blade sliding down the length of the staff and cutting off your fingers." The imagery his comment made was more than enough for me to confirm my choice of getting a ribbed staff.
"Seeing as we do not have the staff of adequate height and form for you at this time, this means it will need to be special made." Holding up both staffs, the one that was taller than me by about half a hand, which I preferred the height of, and the other which had the desired ribbing, he continued. "If you want it in black iron then it would cost you 3 silver and a 1-2 month waiting period."
I felt more than a bit disgruntled at this development. "Is there a way I could get one much sooner?" I asked.
At that, he suddenly gave off the impression of someone getting ready to upsell me. I inwardly groaned, awaiting to see what he had to offer.
"There is a way." He said with an entrepreneurial smile. "If you were to upgrade the quality of the staff material to star steel, making it more worth my master's time to make, and pay an extra silver for advanced placement in the queue, you could knock the waiting period down to about 1 week."
I almost dreaded asking him. "What is this Star steel that you are talking about. I've never heard of it before. And how much would that come out to, in total cost?"
With excitement he began telling me about star steel. It ended up being a recently discovered unique creation of his master and his wife that worked together to get the metal ratios right. He wasn't at all privy to the details of what other metals were involved, except that the primary component was steel. It was a very new material that they were testing out in the market with careful releases of the finished product.
"As for the price, let me see here." He said before he began muttering aloud under his breath. ". . .A full two spans in height with ribbing, replacing the normal black iron with star steel, plus the advancement fee, that would come to. . ." He appeared to be doing mental calculations in his head. "That would be 26 silver and three copper." Then with a short pause he added. "But seeing as you are an apprentice of the renowned Apothecary, we could knock it down to 26 silvers even, as a discount."
I groaned inwardly at the cost. I suspected my face clearly reflected my feelings about the price as well, since the apprentice stepped back as if he had made an error in judgment. "No, no" I replied calming with my hands, as if to pacify him. "Give me moment to think this through." I spoke.
Sitting down on one of the lower displays that didn't hold a weapon, I contemplated the cost and benefit. I assumed that star steel was of much better quality when compared to black iron, based on the offered price. I didn't figure that Brutus, being the husband to Hanna, who seemed to be a close friend of Victoria's, would be someone prone to putting out faulty products.
In truth, I honestly hadn't really done anything with my money since I had gotten it. With all the deliveries I had done for Victoria, the money I had started out with from Monroe, and the bag of coins I'd gotten from the thugs in the red district, I had accumulated a grand amount of 30 silver, 7 copper, and 14 chips. Amazing food and board from Victoria, as well as the extra clothing from her past failed apprentices had me wanting for nothing. What else was I to spend it on if not for a good defensive weapon?
I did want to check one last thing before I considered agreeing to it. As such I spoke up regarding my request. "Before we continue, I would like to see an example of a star steel weapon."
Hope shone in his eyes as he dashed towards the forge, yelling out an excited. "I'll be right back!"
It didn't take long until he returned with a paper wrapped object about a forearm's length in size. Strangely, the way he handled it gave me a mental image of someone playing hot potato, but without a nearby person to pass it off to. Guiding me over to a more secluded corner of the shop, away from possible eyes, he then unwrapped the package.
'Oh . . My . . . Heavens!' The words sprang up in my mind as I beheld the beauty before me. While the dwarf appeared strangely repulsed by it, I in turn was unmistakably drawn to it.
It was a decent length dagger with a nicely shaped hand grip. However, that was as far as being ordinary that it went. The material itself was entrancing. Almost fully metallic black in appearance, it had little striations of silver that arced through the entire piece. Like a rare silver thread woven among a sea of black. It did somewhat shine like starlight; hence I'm guessing the name star steel. But there was something more to it. It was like an accompanying echo of that felt by the amulet, which I now always wore.
I was sold! If it weren't for my lacking funds, I probably would have asked to buy the knife as well. Unfortunately, after a large purchase like this, I needed to be more frugal for just in case if I experienced expensive and troubling developments. Admittedly the likelihood was small given my current living situation with Victoria, but it never hurts to be financially prepared to save yourself in dire circumstances.
"I'll take it!" The words blurted out of my mouth as I drank in the sight of the silver veined dagger.
Confusion colored the apprentices face. "The dagger, or the staff?" He asked.
Closing my eyes to the bewitching dagger, I said. "The staff, of course the staff." My hands twitched as I regretfully surrendered the dagger back to the hesitant awaiting hands of the apprentice.
I then pulled out my coin purse and began counting out the money. 25 silvers and three coppers poorer, I regretfully closed and put it away. Seeing the extra three coppers that he had received despite the offered discount; he extended his hand to return those three coins. "We agreed on it being a solid 25 silvers with the discount." He balked.
I shook my head in denial. Maybe Victoria was rubbing off on my spending, or maybe it was something else. However, I just felt that I couldn't accept the good will of a price reduction when it was in favor of my status as her apprentice. "No, you said with a discount it would be 25 silvers. I'm paying the full price of 25 silvers and three coppers."