Misbegotten Memories

Chapter 281

“Three hundred and seventy major coins is mighty impressive for boxes of fertilizer,” Fiona said.  “Though you will lose twenty percent of that in taxes.  Which still leaves you with… just shy of three hundred, I think.  That’s enough to live comfortably for a whole year around here.”

Before Hector could respond, Darius was beside the woman with a leering expression.  “We are not staying in Bentley, so any interactions you wish to have must occur soon.”

That finally got Fiona to react.  Her jaw hung slack as she looked back and forth between Darius and Hector.  “Uh… yes, I see.  How about we all have a meal together to celebrate your windfall?”

“Not pay for you,” Mei announced.

Fiona was quick to respond.  “That’s not a problem.  I have my own funds.”

That promise did not seem to please Mei one bit.  Darius made a placating gesture towards the Zing woman and spoke in a firm tone.  “Allow her to join us.”

Hector scrubbed his head with both hands to work out some of his frustration.  He didn’t feel like correcting his friend was an option at the moment, not when the man was finally showing signs of emerging from his depression.  Yet this was veering deep into 'sleazy' territory.  It was hard to predict what Darius intended.  Hector had never seen this side of his friend.  Hopefully there wouldn’t be a monetary offer for evening companionship.

While they walked to a restaurant, Fiona took the opportunity to speak to Hector alone while Mei had words with Darius.  “Sorry about the awkwardness,” he said.

Fiona issued an awkward laugh.  “I understand how things get sometimes.”

That could mean just about anything.  Hector didn’t think either of them felt like clarifying their interaction, though, so he let it be.  The awkwardness mostly faded away by the time they were at the restaurant.  Once more, they had a moderately priced meal centered around soup.  Mei kept mostly to herself and Darius minimized his creepiness.  It was almost a pleasant time.

Until Isabel translated to Amaratti on behalf of their translator.  “Owam figured out the best place for us to buy Fufu flour.”

That caught Fiona’s attention.  “I work for a wholesaler.”

Isabel shook her head.  “You have said this before.  We do not want it made from yams.  We want the variety that is fermented cassava.”

Owam began to speak in the Zing language, which inspired Fiona to blurt out a counter offer.  “I know people in the industry.  I can take you to somewhere with a good deal.  Your interpreter probably wants to take a large commission!”

Isabel translated back to Owam, who glared at Fiona and began growling a response.  Which was duly translated.  “Owam says that your accusations reveal your own intentions.”

“Happy Family Farm, they only offer a one percent commission, never any more.”  Fiona nodded as if she’d secured her victory.

Isabel smirked as she listened to the response of Owam.  “It looks like both of you agree.  Happy Family Farm.”

Fiona’s outrage only grew.  “I’m your fellow countryman!  He will try to cheat you!”

Mei gestured towards Owam.  “Trust him more than her.”

Darius cleared his throat.  “I prefer the beautiful Fiona.”

Isabel looked to Dorian and then Hector.  “The three of us will have to make a decision here.  I think it would be prudent to have two translators in case one deceives.  Do we agree?”

Hector sighed.  He preferred going through Owam, the person they’d already contracted with, but given there were emotions involved he didn’t feel comfortable kicking Fiona out of their group.  Who knew how Darius might react.  “Fine.”

“I will keep him honest,” Fiona promised.  “For half the commission, of course.”

After a heated conversation, Isabel secured the agreement of Owam as well.  They adjourned for the night back to their hostel at that point.  Hector briefly turned towards Dorian, seeking a sympathetic ear to complain about the drama being caused by Mei and Darius.

“Hector, I of course refuse to speak poorly about my beloved.  I’m also not willing to behave poorly towards the son of my former victim.  So I think it best we do not speak on this matter.  We should face tomorrow well rested.”

Rather than take the advice, Hector went outside to sit on the porch stoop while the sun set.  The undue stress brought about during his time of questing might be gone, but it still felt frustrating to be on this unnecessary side mission instead of doing something meaningful.  Especially when it seemed like instead of helping a friend escape from a depressive funk he was instead providing fuel for a manic phase.

The subject of his musings appeared and sat next to him.  Darius patted him on the shoulder.  “Do not worry so much, Hector.  The boring night will be over soon enough and you can get back to fighting for your life.”

Hector snorted.  “How comforting.”

“Do you remember when we fought One-Shot Jerry in Stein?”

The incident loomed large in his mind still, impossible to forget.  At the end of it, Darius stumbled away with a head wound, unwilling to return to Union Central with Hector.  Before that depressing situation, it had been just terrifying.  “I try not to think about that encounter.”

“It was not so bad, was it?  You learned a trick to counter chaos bolts.”  Darius paused.  “Do you think you can still block them with your cables?”

“That goes without saying.  My domain is a lot stronger now.”

“Then it seems like a positive memory to reflect upon.”

Perhaps, given the history of his friend, gaining a new weapon added a silver lining that could be mistaken for brightness.  “I don’t feel that was a good day for me, Darius.  It caused a lot of stress and then you went away.”

The eunuch shrugged.  “Not a week later we were reunited.”

“I didn’t know that would happen at the time.”

“Anyway.  One-Shot caused me to tumble and strike a tree with my head.  I struggled to return to the battle and should have been too late.  Yet you stopped a chaos bolt.  That is a moment worth remembering.  You have a secret weapon against our kind, Hector.  Always remember that.”

Hector sighed.  “Sure.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane.”

“Memory lane?  I thought we agreed to speak without parochial references?”

“We did.  Though mostly because your allusions tend to be offensive.”

“Insults are meant to be offensive.”

“Yes, but when you explain in public that calling someone a ‘pouch’ means that they are a receptacle for certain bodily fluids, it gets mighty awkward.”

Darius rubbed his chin.  “I do miss calling people that.”

“What was the other thing you’d say?  The one about disemboweling people?”

“Throwing a zipper party,” Darius provided.  “It was a threat to open them up.”

Hector shook his head.  “You’re not going to be upset when we need to leave Bentley behind, are you?  I know you’ve been getting along well with Fiona.”

“Trust me not to hesitate when it is time, Hector.  For now, we should rest up.”

He did not sleep more than a few hours that night.  Which was plenty given the strength of his mind and body.  At dawn they checked out of the hostel and grabbed breakfast, paying with the last of the currency they exchanged for fish cores on their arrival in Bentley.  With that done, they went to the auction site and presented their ticket.  In exchange they received a purse filled with coins.  The purse had not originally been intended as part of their payment, but the clerk on duty rapidly tired of the multiple layers of translation and angrily waved them away.

Fiona’s arrival brought a sniff of disapproval from Owam that Mei echoed.

Darius linked arms with the petite redhead.  “Are we ready to go?”

They moved to the north.  Fiona up front, leading them while chatting away cheerfully.  Owam in back, being engaged in conversation by Mei.  Hector, Isabel, and Dorian remained in the middle.  There wasn’t much talk for them.  Though that wasn’t for lack of effort on Hector’s part.  Dorian had gone moody for some reason and Isabel nodded politely without listening any time he tried to engage her.  It made for a long walk just as the heat became uncomfortable.

The city blocks grew larger, then transitioned into farm lots with small storage buildings.  There were older kids watching the fields attentively, their heads turning on swivels to ensure the passing group didn’t linger.  Hector frowned at the suspicion.  Did they really expect strangers to run into a field and steal random vegetables from the ground?  Or maybe it was the dirt that was so valuable?

As things grew quieter, he looked back to see why Mei had fallen silent and noticed there were men on the road behind them.  They weren’t suspiciously close, but it was notable because of how few people were on the roads north of the city.  The men did not look friendly.  Their faces were stony masks with emptiness where eyes should be.

Hector swallowed.  Their plan was to travel away in his transit sphere the moment their trade was complete, which seemed wise given they seemed to have been followed.  Mei jerked her head to the side in a gesture he interpreted as ‘stop looking behind you’.

With a certain stiffness to his posture, he faced forward once more.

“Do you remember Jerry from Toll Burgh?”

Hector flinched at the sudden reminder of One-Shot Jerry from Isabel.  Why did people keep bringing that up?  It should not be a good memory for any of them.  “Funny you should mention him.  Darius brought that situation up yesterday.”

“The maidens did not stay long enough to see your new trick, but Darius told us of it.”

“That’s….”  Hector had begun the sentence expecting the rest of it to form on his tongue through the magic of inane conversation.  Yet as he glanced at their surroundings, noticing there were more men waiting on side streets, it seemed increasingly obvious this was not idle chit-chat.  “I remember my trick.”

Isabel was very serious as she made eye contact.  “Good.”