novelraw Chapter 803: Fact and Fiction
Chapter 803: Fact and Fiction
Noble ambled through the city streets, greeting those she passed.
The connections she felt to the community reminded her just how much her life had changed over the past few years.
Back in the NQSC, Noble had known a few of her neighbors well. Most of them she only saw when they passed in their PTV or as they headed out for their daily commute.
Here, everyone had to walk most places unless they wanted to take a cart or carriage. Those were few and far between even now.
So even though things were cold year-round in Ravenheart, Noble saw and interacted with far more of her community than she ever had in the waking world.
Before, most of her groceries were ordered by communicator, and they were dropped off with rarely a word from another human.
Now she knew the name of the local butcher, Diego, as well as the names and ages of his three children. Noble waved at him through the frozen window as she passed his shop. He hurried out to greet her as she passed.
"Master Noble! I wanted to thank you for the coat for Max. Being the youngest, he rarely gets anything that his siblings haven't worn."
Noble smiled. "Don't mention it! Blaze outgrew it two seasons ago, and it was still practically brand new. I am glad he enjoys it!"
That's what people did in the Dream Realm. They shared what they had. It was the only way to survive in the harsh environment. The community was better for it.
Instead of passing a million faceless residents of the NQSC every time she left her house, Noble was able to name and interact with many more people than she would have thought possible.
Granted, her status as a 'Master' made people want to avoid upsetting her, but most were genuine in their regard for the floating woman who tried to remember everyone's name.
At the same time as Noble was making her way through the streets, a second set of images overlaid her vision without interfering with it.
'Turn north.' Noble gave the mental command. The second picture shifted. 'Wait, the other north. Ugh, I mean south!'
The image shifted again as Nectar turned around. Noble could hear the little creature huff in frustration. Noble was irked at herself as well.
'One of these days, I will get the right direction the first time.'
While there had been improvement in Noble's guidance of Nectar, she still had room for improvement. The little creature dutifully followed the woman's instructions, even when they didn't always make sense.
However, over the past few weeks, things had become more natural, to the point that Noble could talk and walk while still monitoring Nectar's progress. She was beginning to understand what Sunless had told her about compartmentalization. Knowing what to pay attention to and when had freed up her mind to focus on important tasks without getting bogged down.
Being a Saint did have its perks.
Noble was pulled from her thoughts as she overheard a voice calling above the crowd.
The man wore a plaid skirt. A bag that had many long, wooden pipes protruding from it was slung over his shoulder. A group of young children surrounded the young Awakened, hanging on his every word. That wasn't notable. Kids often flocked to talented storytellers, making themselves late for school. His attire, though eccentric, would not have turned Noble's head either.
What was interesting was the story he told.
"And then Queen Bee cut her sword through the Monster, slicing it clean in two. The brave heroine then took the speeding tram, lifting it from the ground," the man acted out the story by raising his arms, "and then she hurled it at the Gate Guardian!"
The children gasped at his declaration, even though only a few of them had even a vague idea of how large a train really was. A few envisioned an echo cart, while others pictured something the size of Saint Kai flying through the air.
Noble didn't have to envision anything. She had been there with a front row seat. Now she stood at the back of the children with the few adults who had also stopped their day to hear the tale.
"Then, while the Guardian was distracted, Queen Bee used her mighty hammer, dealing a crushing blow to the Guardian and defeating him. The NQSC was saved!" The man spread his arms wide, welcoming the cheers of the children. "After the battle, Queen Bee flew over the city, giving hope to all who saw her."
"That's not how I remember it," Noble tilted her head.
The children turned around. Dozens of round, inquisitive faces sought out the source of the voice.
One immediately recognized her. "Master Noble!"
A look of surprise passed across the storyteller's face. "You're Queen Bee?"
Noble nodded. "As I recall, I fell into that Gate and disappeared, making me very late for dinner." She clapped her hands and looked down at the children. "Just like you all will be late for class! If you want to enter the Dreamer Academy someday, I expect the best possible grades!"
Noble's words galvanized the young students into action. They gathered up their books and scurried down the road, some dropping coins into the storyteller's hat as they left.
Noble strode forward and dropped a coin in as well. "While embellished, it was still a good story, Awakened…"
"I'm Rowan. I hope I did not offend you, Master Noble. I prefer cautionary tales that warn one away from complacency or ones that make people think twice, but happy endings are better for my coin purse."
The man shifted, and a set of tones came out of the bag at his side. Noble glanced at the inflated bag and frowned. It was an instrument?!
'I mean, it would make some sense for an entertainer to have more than one means of making a living, but what a strange choice.' Noble shook off her confusion and focused on Rowan.
He seemed to be awaiting her answer with an odd twinkle in his eye.
"I'm not upset. I like a happy ending as much as anyone else, though I would prefer a separation between fact and fiction."
Noble raised an eyebrow meaningfully.
"Ah, do you like fiction, then?" Rowan's expression brightened. "How about a story about fae or a child outsmarting a witch? Those are some of my favorites."
"I'm not in the mood for another story just now, thank you." Noble smiled politely and turned to go.
The man was diverting, but she had somewhere to be. Nectar wasn't making much progress, and a second set of eyes would double the amount of ground they could cover before sunset.
The storyteller squinted. A small smile appeared on his face.
"I can spot a woman on a journey from a kilometer away. Looking for something in particular? Perhaps I can help!" Rowan took a step forward on his makeshift platform.
"Goodbye, Awakened Rowan." Noble continued on her way.
The storyteller's eyes twinkled.
"No, you aren't looking for something. You are looking for someone…"
"A nice guess," Noble spoke over her shoulder. "Have a wonderful day!"
Rowan's smile broadened. "Funny, that's what the Hermit said to me this morning…"