Nalcara's Shacles

Then

The fine black coach, pulled by two magnificent white horses pulled to a stop in front of the massive manor house. The carriage door opened, and Larenia climbed carefully out. She was of average height with a slender body covered in a plain, knee-length shift. The Mistress had asked specifically for this garment (and nothing else but shoes) as opposed to her normal household uniform and the young woman had a sneaking suspicion as to why. Her mid-length dark hair was wrapped in a messy bun at the back of her head, another of the Lady's preferences. and speaking of whom, she turned back to her transport, and extended her arm to the door to steady the other passenger.

A pale hand reached out and took her maid's. The Lady of Shimmering Ponds manor was supremely graceful and *required no assistance but moments like this were what servants were for. She was tall, slim and pale in a red silken sheath dress leaving her arms bare. Her nearly white blond hair tumbled down her back in a satin wave. It was impossible to guess her age (no one had ever done such a thing where she could hear), but it could believably anywhere from eighteen to fifty.

Once the Lady was safely on the paved drive, Larenia released her hand and moved quickly to the large, oaken front door to ensure it was open when The Mistress arrived there. It had been an odd day. The Mistress, who usually left the operations of her farms and plantations to Larenia, had roused her early and suggested a complete tour of the holdings. It had taken most of the day. Now the maid waited patiently by the portal until her Mistress entered. Then she closed the door and turned to face the Lady who was gazing about the foyer as if it was her first time there. Odd indeed. Finally she turned to her serving girl.

"You've done well." the Lady said in a voice as smooth and clear as mountain ice. "Everything is running like a well oiled water clock. The foremen and workers respect you and I sensed the barest bit of fear as well. The books are impeccably kept and yet you still manage the household staff to a high standard."

"Thank you, Mistress." Larenia replied. "I'm pleased my performance has met your standards."

"And beyond." Mistress said, smiling wistfully. "I recall the clever waif I took off the streets and look at you now. I'm leaving my holding in good hands."

Larenia blinked. "You're... leaving, Mistress?" A touch of panic twisted in her chest at the words. Just a touch.

Mistress turned and swept deeper into the house. "Walk with me, Pet." She paused as her maid struggled to catch up. "Yes, I must depart these lands. I have... other concerns through out the world that must be tended. This place was just a distraction; a vacation if you will, and now it is over."

Larenia swallowed her first reaction. The largest plantation and farm for a hundred miles was a hobby!? "But Mistress," she said instead, "What will happen to this place when you're gone?"

"I would have thought that obvious, Pet." The Mistress replied with a grin. "As of tomorrow, all of this is yours. You will be the new Lady of Shimmering Ponds."

"I.. you... what?" Larenia's mind failed her at the words and she slowed to a stop. She quickly noticed that The Mistress did not and had to rush again to catch up. "B-but Mistress! Where are you going? How will I reach you if--"

"You will not reach me. If there is an 'if', you will handle it." Mistress replied. "I have been grooming you for just this occasion and you have performed beyond expectations." She came to a room with a heavy steel door and opened it with an ornate key which she then handed to Larenia. "Tomorrow, *you will be the Mistress. And as such, for the next twelve hours, you may call me Seerynex."

Larenia's heart was pounding in her chest. Besides her sudden promotion, this was the room she's expected to find herself in when she'd received her dress code this morning: The Dungeon. She'd spent long hours trapped in this room, and at The Mi-- Seerynex's mercy. Not always fond memories, but never entirely bad either. She stepped through the heavy door and stood staring into the room, her brain still whirling. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

The Mi-- Seerynex stepped up behind her and placed an arm around her shoulders, guiding her forward. "This room will be yours too. You may use it as you see fit; as prisoner or jailor. But while it was still mine, I wanted to bring you here; to give us each something to remember."

"As if my mind isn't spinning enough... S-seerynex." Not referring to her as Mistress sounded alien but she forced it out. "But this will certainly... distract me."

"I thought so too, but there was another reason to bring you here as well." She gulided her former maid deeper into the room gently but inexorably. "All of this will be yours,"she placed Larenia's right wrist in a manacle on a post, pinning it rigidly in place, "but before I departed," the left wrist followed, still clutching her new key, in the opposite restraint, leaving her arms spread wide, "I wanted to remind you," Seerynex reached languidly forward, and with a single, swift action, tore the shift from her prisoner's body, leaving her in only shoes, "who *you belong to."

Now

"As you can see," the banker went on, "this is a prime location for a retailer and the foundation is quite solid. it has been appraised at twenty one hundred, but in order to encourage new commerce, I will let you have it for fifteen."

Terra was appalled. The shop front Sarah was looking at had burned to the ground some time ago, leaving only the foundation and a few charred timbers. She was standing slightly behind the mage, (with the ever-present Jix perched on her shoulder) so she couldn't see her expression, but she hoped this slimy moneylender wouldn't bully her timid companion into buying this wreck.

Jix was quite certain that if she tried to fly right now, she would be unable to separate her butt from Sarah's shoulder. The mage was anxious and uncomfortable, and the spell was probably reacting accordingly. That wasn't the only thing Jix felt though, and a grin crept across her face. This poor guy.

"Five hundred." Sarah replied

"What?" The banker did his best to appear incredulous. "For a piece of property as valuable as this, you would--"

"This" Sarah gestured to the ruined building, "is a burnt out hole in the ground. Your appraiser may need a trip to the healer to have his eyes examined. It will have to be entirely rebuilt. The main street is four blocks that way," she pointed, "and the market square is seven blocks that way." She gestured in a different direction. "Hardly 'prime' for a shop of any kind. The only reason my offer was so high, is that the foundation *is solid. If you can do better, by all means."

"I... well..." the man spluttered. He'd taken the shy, quiet girl for an easy mark, but clearly, he'd been mistaken. "Surely we can come to an agreement to benefit both parties."

"Surely we can." replied Sarah. "You will gain five hundred gold, and this nigh worthless piece of property will be out of your hair. And I don't allow you to take more of my gold than you're due. A fair exchange."

A moneylender knew a lost cause when he saw one, and he did very much wish to rid himself of this eyesore.. "Very well. Five hundred. But please don't let it get around that I was robbed here; it might lower property values further."

"Fine. Sure. Terra, please pay the man." Said Sarah. "Let's get this paperwork signed. We have lots of work ahead of us." She moved the the bankers wagon and stood waiting with an irritated expression for the deed to be produced.

Terra had to bite her lip to keep from giggling. She approached the wagon as well, reaching into the 'Handy Haversack' she was carrying. She withdrew several bags; placing them on a scale, and unfastening the ties to reveal the gleaming gold coins within. "Two hundred and fifty a bag." She explained, reaching into the bag a final time. "And two more for the paperwork." She laid two coins on the fold down table hanging from the cart.

The heavy-set man scowled, but nodded as he examined the currency. Then he produced a roll of documents from somewhere; flattening them out on the makeshift desk. He allowed Sarah to sign first, before sloshing his own exaggerated signature over several of the documents. Finally he slid the mage the deed and a copy of the bill of sale. "Welcome to Carpenden." He said, with much less enthusiasm then when he had first met what he mistakenly saw as a sucker.

"Thank you." replied Sarah, with equal enthusiasm. She took the paper and turned away to let the slimy merchant pack up his cart. "Well, Jix, here it is. Home. Eventually."

"Needs... a little work." Jix said.

"It does." Sarah agreed. "Really, the hard part will be obtaining building materials. Then, you know, customers."

"I've seen your stuff." said Jix. "I think we'll be fine."

"What is your trade, anyway?" The Banker asked as he secured his belongings. He was somewhat less than interested, but it was part of his job to ask.

Sarah glanced at him, then to Jix. Without answering she raised her arms and chanted briefly. The movements of her hands appeared almost martial for a moment. The last motion, a pulling back with her right hand, was accompanied by a loud crackling sound as the char and soot collapsed into the basement. Something flowed from the ruin and formed itself into a small pile of pristine lumber near Sarah's feet.

"She's a wizard." Terra told the dumbstruck moneylender. "This will be a magic shop pretty soon."

The street was not crowded, but everyone froze at the display. A few blinked and kept on about their business. Several others stopped to watch for anything further. At a safe distance, of course.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder at the banker. "Will there be anything else?"

The man shook his head to clear it. Magic was a lucrative business, and this mage clearly had some talent. This had been a missed opportunity. "No." He sighed. "Nothing else. Good luck with all your endeavors." At that, he moped away, leading his mule and cart behind him.

"Guh--!" Sarah sighed as well. "Finally! What a creep."

"You handled him though." Replied Terra with a smirk.

"He was a snake." Said Sarah, sticking out her tongue. "I knew what he wanted."

"And exactly what to do with him." Added Jix. "So what now?

Sarah exhaled. "Terra, take a few silver and see if those children over there can lead you to the trash collector. We'll get this basement clean today. I've got two more 'fabricate' spells for the soot an maybe a ladder. Then we'll find an inn that's close."

"Yes, ma'am!" Said Terra, offering a salute before turning toward her task.

"Hey, can I go with her?" Asked Jix.

"I don't know." Sarah smirked. "Can you?"

Jix lifted off and flew a couple of feet before being pulled to a stop. "No..." She groaned.

"You could end the spell." Offered Sarah.

"Maybe." Replied Jix. "I'm pretty tired. You two kept me up too late last night."

"In my defense, I couldn't move or speak." Sarah cast a spell, before lifting easily off the ground. She hovered slowly to her newly acquired hole in the ground and down over the side.

Jix followed carefully. "Uh, yeah! That's why I wasn't sleeping." She looked around at the disaster of a cellar. "So what's the plan here?"

"Once we pull the soot out, a few water elementals should polish the walls and floor up in a hurry." Sarah said. "We'll use the leftover wood up there for steps or something. Shouldn't take long at all once Terra gets back. Then, once we get some wood and stone, I'll 'fabricate' the building in a few days." She glanced around the basement. She'd pulled all the wooden debris out, leaving mostly blacked char behind. "We'll just have to see how many spells it takes."

The pair examined the cellar, really finding only a drain in the floor. They retreated to the street as Sarah's 'fly' spell was beginning to run out and waited for Terra's return. The did not wait long, as the girl soon appeared, leading another human in a rickety wagon, pulled by a pair of elderly mules down the street.

"You're three silver lighter, but boy, did those kids move." she said. "I had a little trouble keeping up." She gestured to the thin man on the cart. "This is Mr Tanner, the refuse collector." It was notable that she grimaced a bit at the introduction.

"What is it ye want now, lass?" he called in a gravelly voice. "Yur girl here wouldnae tell me and I be a busy man."

"I have a load of charcoal to get rid of." Sarah replied.

"All right then." Tanner clapped his hands. "Why did ye not say so? Where is it now?"

"In the cellar. I'll--"

"You'll be haulin' it up yourself!" scowled Tanner.

"Yes," said Sarah. "I'll haul it up. Now--"

"I haven't got time to be lollygaggin' around while you sort it out, Lass" Tanner cut her off. "I'm a busy--"

"A busy man, yes." returned Sarah. "It will take but a moment. Now where do you want it?"

"A moment, she says. Fine, Lass. I'll give ye a moment." Tanner pointed with a boney finger. "That barrel right there in the back. But in a moment, I'll be gone."

Sarah did not reply. Instead, she made the same gestures from before and spoke the same words. She looked back into the cellar, concentrating briefly. Then with a pulling gesture, a stream of black poured from the hole. It twisted in the air, forming itself into bricks of charcoal, and depositing them into the proper barrel.

Tanner jumped as the charcoal poured into his wagon. He blinked, looking from the barrel to Sarah and back to the barrel. "And a moment it was! Do ye hire yurself out, Lass? I could use a girl like you some days!"

"I might take an odd commission now and again." Said Sarah. "If the pay is right.Thank you for your service sir."

When the junk man left, Sarah turned and cast her final fabricate for the day. The planks she'd made from the ruin, lifted up and formed themselves into a crude set of steps leading down to their new cellar.

The mage, by this time, had drawn a crowd. The reshaping of the ruined wood was exciting, as were the air and water elementals, which she soon summoned to scrub stone of the foundation. The group of onlookers kept a polite distance, but there were twenty or more people gathered near the lot to watch the new wizard in town work. Most were still there later in the afternoon when the trio emerged from the cellar.

"For someone who doesn't like people, you sure can draw a crowd." Terra whispered.

"Magic is flashy." Jix said. "You don't see a house come apart by itself everyday."

Sarah sighed. "Terra, Maybe you can see if anyone knows of an inn nearby." Not long ago, standing on such a busy street might have sent the mage into a panic. As it was now, she was still terribly uncomfortable, but with Jix, and to a lesser extent Terra with her she felt she could manage. She wasn't going to go talk to anyone though.

"You got it, Boss." Terra said with a smile. She was happy to be useful in social situations for the shy wizard. She glanced around for a likely target, when a ripple went through the crowd. The group shifted and flattened on the edge of the street to allow a fine black coach pulled by two magnificent white horses to pass. It was being driven by what looked like a female gnome with vibrant green hair and dressed in a rather snug drivers uniform who pulled to a stop in front of Sarah's newly acquired property. She looked over and smiled, before banging on the roof of her conveyance. "We're here, Boss!" she called.

The door of the carriage opened and a woman stepped out and looked around. She was a little taller than Sarah with a curvier build. Her clothes were a finely made but relatively unassuming dress and her hair was tied into a messy bun at the back of her head. She studied the foundation for a moment before turning to the three females near the property. "It does, indeed, look much better. I am Larenia Silver, The Lady of Shimmering Ponds Manor. And to whom am I speaking?"

Terra opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again, glancing at Sarah. The mage closed her eyes and took a deep breath, raising a hand to Terra in acknowledgement.

"I am Sarah Wright." She said. "This property's new owner. This," she gestured to her shoulder, "is my partner, Jixia Bramblehome, and our companion," she indicated the blond girl at her side, "Terra Blacksheild. To What do we owe the honor of your visit?"

"There are a myriad of reasons for my visit." The woman replied, "Not the least of which is sitting on your shoulder. Partner, you say?" Her attention turned to Jix. "Tell me Miss Bramblehome, what sort of creature are you? A sort of fey, no doubt, but my knowledge is limited"

Jix grinned, as unfamiliar humans didn't often address her directly. And most went straight to 'fairy'. "I am an Atomie. We usually live in the forest, but mine was burned down. Now, no offense, but what can we do for you? You're making my Mage nervous."

The woman, Larenia, grinned back. "An atomie. Fascinating. But very well. As I said, there are several reasons, Curiosity first. A woman magically reshaping wood and a tiny green woman flying around are large news, and I wished to see for myself. You are opening a magic shop, I understand?" It wasn't really a question.

"We are." Jix was delighted to be spoken to and happily took over diplomatic duties. "Sarah is a Mage, and pretty good at it. She made the bag Terra is carrying; a handy haversack, she called it. It's bigger on the inside."

"I've heard of such a thing." Replied Larenia. "Very good. What else can you make?"

Sarah reluctantly took over as the conversation became more technical. "I can do weapons, though I'd prefer to cooperate with a local smith. I'll do scrolls of course. I hope to do some custom work, as I can do much of my own crafting, but I'll have to have the standard fair; bags of holding, enhancement belts and headbands, bracers of armor..."

Larenia's eyes twinkled as she listen. "Lovely. Now for the other reasons I dropped by. First, I am the owner of the largest lumber mill, tree plantation, and quarry in the area. You won't *have to deal with me or one of my employees to acquire building materials, but it will be so much faster and easier. Second, I am something of an investor in local business, and yours has sparked my interest, because third, there is really only one other competent mage crafter in town; a crotchety old elf, who only stocks the 'standard fair' as you call it." She turned to her carriage and driver. "Sini, is there a good tavern nearby?"

"Yes, ma'am." The gnome, Sini apparently, replied. "The 'Fish in a Barrel' is only a block up. It's not bad. We're also pretty close to the 'Shackled Maiden'. It is a bit farther, but if traffic's good, I could get us there in a few minutes."

"Yes, the Maiden will do nicely and shouldn't be to crowded this time of day." Larenia turned to Sarah and her companions. "Oh, but I get ahead of myself! Would you and your company join me for a late lunch Miss Wright? The Shackled Maiden is a unique establishment, but the fare is excellent and I am well acquainted with the proprietress. Another of my investments."

Sarah knew how helpful and lucrative a noble endorsement could be. Still, she paused until she felt a tiny hand on the skin above her collar. "We would be honored, my Lady. Please give us a moment to clean up. We've been working in a cellar and are a touch unpresentable."

"Well, you would hardly be the dirtiest girls every to attend The Maiden." The Lady's eyes sparkled at what had to be a private joke. "Still, there are washing facilities there if you wish to-- Oh!" Larenia blinked as Sarah muttered a short spell, and with a light brush of her fingers drew all the dirt and grime from her green companion. Terra took but a moment longer, as the same was pulled from the girl's clothes, with a few touch-ups to her face and arms. Sarah was last with Jix spotting her back for her. The cleansing took all of a minute, and left the three looking quite clean. "How practical." Larenia said with a smile. "I do believe it is going to be interesting having you in town, Ms Wright."