The man nodded his head, a gentle smile playing up on his expression.
"Yes, I'm home. It wasn't too tough today, the harbour-master only had very menial tasks to offer. However, there seems to be a sickness going around. Barely anyone showed up for work today, so I was able to take most of those tasks for myself. I made quite a bit more than usual for simple work."
Eshent and Corrin brightened up as soon as he said this.
"Does that mean…?"
"Yes, indeed."
Masha reached into his jacket, procuring a small paper bag, which dripped incessantly from the bottom. His face paled as he saw this.
"Ah, sorry. It seems I was hasty in packaging them… Ma'am Frieze was too busy to do it herself. She let me have free-reign of the stall. Butter pastries, fruit-filled and cream-glazed… they all came at a discount. This was Ma'am Frieze's apology for the crowded state of her business…"
"It doesn't matter, not at all!" Corrin exclaimed, rushing to Masha's side as she grabbed the paper bag from his grasp, beaming.
This was a pleasant sight for Eshent, a distraction from her usual dreariness. There was no cure for the past, but one could bandage the wound. Even if one bled, they could do it with a smile sometimes.
"Ah, I met Mr. Graylise outside just a moment ago."
"Was he in good health?" Eshent asked, curiosity piquing him. He took a seat as Masha did after removing his rain-soaked jacket.
His older brother nodded his head.
"I've talked to Mr. Graylise about the fireplace. He said as long as we can come up with half of the money, he's willing to hire someone to clear it out, paying for the rest himself. Then, we can use it again instead of using all of these blankets to warm ourselves…" Masha smiled warmly.
"How many lucky days of other's sickness would you have to benefit from to earn half of the cost?"
Eshent grimaced. This wasn't very good news. Of course, Mr. Graylise's generosity far exceeded what was expected of anyone- much less their landlord. But even with that kindness, it was definitely far more than they could afford!
They could doom themselves to the cold, but then that would mean declining Mr. Graylise's generous offer. Of course, the elderly man would understand, knowing their situation. But for Masha, this was out of the question. He would do anything at all costs to make sure his kindness was not taken for granted. Sometimes, accepting a gift was the recognition of it. In order to make all parties happy, one should accept all generosities with a smile- that was what Masha believed.
"The person Mr. Graylise was in contact with was willing to do the job for seven silver Erers… that means I would need to come up with three silver Erers and four bronze Sin."
Isn't that all Masha makes in a month? Even the rent Mr. Graylise demands is only one silver Erer per month… is a cleaning job worth this much? If someone can make this much, perhaps this is the job I should try to take when I become fifteen!
Eshent's thoughts swirled with lust for monetary gain, almost forgetting the problem at hand.
"How will we raise this much in such a short time?"
Of course, there was little Eshent could do. He only talked as if he was included because he wanted to seem important in the matter. He knew his insignificance.
"I'm sure I'll figure out a way." Masha smiled. "Your comfort is quite important, Eshe. And you too, Corrin. I want you both to stay healthy. This sickness that's spreading, I'm sure it's due to the colder weather. If only we had the warmth of the West. Perhaps we should have gone to Margraves instead." He joked, chuckling slightly.
"It's easier to hide in the city…" Eshent's words trailed off, his vision blurring red.
"You can't deny that he has nothing to do with it!"
An illusory voice suddenly rang through his head at an almost indiscernibly loud volume, making his entire body quiver.
Eshent keeled over, grasping at his head as he let out a pained groan.
"Eshe? What's wrong?" Corrin exclaimed worriedly as she rushed to his side, forgetting her delicacies as she placed a hand on his shoulder, crouching down with him.
Flashes of colour flickered in his mind, faces and names appearing as if he should have known them. But he did not. Who were these people, these places?
"Shadowhaunt…" Eshent murmured. "That place… is Shadowhaunt…"
Masha's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he spoke coldly. "We should go to the Church. Demonic Spirits plague you still…"
Eshent glanced up at his older brother, hollowly nodding his head. Yes, his brother should know best, after all…
But what were these strange daydreams? Why did he suddenly speak out, when he had heard nothing at all? What were these names?
"Alright…"
Soon, after they had dressed for the rainy weather, Masha, Eshent, and Corrin adjourned from their home on Hale street. In the darkness of the street only illuminated by dim orange lamplight, Mr. Graylise looked at the family from his room high above, smiling warmly. He held a pipe in his hand, thick smoggy clouds of smoke bursting from its end as he relaxed in his seat.
This was typical of him, not because he had any aspersions that caused him to spy, but because he enjoyed the typicalities of everyday life that came from others. It was like a play to him, where he had no other to witness. Everyone thought it fine. After all, Hale street was where oddities gathered.
Rain poured in droves onto the flagstone street, nestling in its cracks in large, rippling puddles. It splashed against their boots and breeches as they made their way through the undercity.
Eshent suddenly turned towards Masha, grimacing.
"Do we know an August? An Artemis? Was their anyone involved in the Summerrich line or their allied parties with those names?"
Masha thought for a moment, glancing up before responding. "I only know one August. That is the current Witch-King, August Lunastre. I've never heard of anyone with the name Artemis. Why do you ask?"
"No reason." Eshent glanced back towards the ground. These were two of the names he had heard during his sudden daydream. Perhaps they were just specters of his imagination. But sometimes, he imagined that all things had a purpose. The consequences of coincidence were always blatant, that all things were orchestrated by an inalienable destiny. That was what Eshent believed.
Soon, they came to the Cathedral of Leylines, where the citizens of Henem would worship the Spirits that gathered there. Little glimmering wisps moved about in the air around the Cathedral, basking in brilliant light. At times, this was where those who could prove themselves capable in examination would Contract themselves with a Spirit.
This particular Cathedral also worshiped fables of people who had become great Spirit Users, those who had by some form changed their continent to a great extent. Those people were referred to as 'Saints'. The particular Saint praised at the Cathedral of Leylines in Henem was Saint Cade, the man who had settled the war between the Lightseeker and Runebranded factions. He was someone who was born from members of both factions, just like the three siblings who stood before his Cathedral now.
They entered its solemn halls, a preacher at the far edge of the hall looking reverently upon the worshipers who sat in the pews. This was Archbishop Castorias. In the whole of the Blackbaast, he was the only person who knew the true identities of the three siblings; he had been their protector in the matter, guiding them to the safety of Hale street when they had first arrived in Henem.
It was a perfect meeting. He knew well that these siblings too had been born from two factions, and so they were intensely alike the Saint he himself praised. How could he deny them his assistance? It would be unlike a follower of the Saint, Cade, should strive to be like.
Eshent, Corrin, and Masha walked through the hall, bathing in the light of the Spirits floating overhead as they sat in one of the pews, facing a large stone statue at the front of the hall. It was the countenance of the Saint, Cade. He had a long white robe that reached down towards his ankles, carrying a large wooden staff in one hand, and a broadsword in the other. He had a circular crown around his head of long hair which had been tied up, and his expression was solemn, as a Saint should be.
In unison as they stared at the statue, the three siblings began to chant the same lines as they always had, that which had been taught to them the moment Archbishop Castorias had taken them under his wing.
"Blessed Cade, Guardian of Accord, the Great Unifier, Child of two worlds,"
"May your legacy shine as a beacon in the darkest times, the horrid times."
"Hear our prayer and walk with us always, O saint of Balance…"