Monthly Extra - Wren Bonus Story: Twenty Gold (female Wren)

It’s late morning in the market, and you can tell. Merchants barely even bother to hawk their wares this time of day – everyone’s already gone, or in a hurry to grab what they can and get home before the sun hits the highest point of the sky. It’s hot now, but soon it’ll be too hot to shop at all.

“Gods, today’s been brutal,” I groan, squinting as I look through the shops. “And it’s not even noon.”

“It hasn’t been the easiest day for you, no,” Wren frowns, and I have to agree. Between injuring my arm in training this morning, getting told off by the healer-on-duty for my carelessness, and then getting pulled into Adaan’s office for an emergency requisition job that’s had me out in the sun hunting for obscure items for hours among the crowds, I’m already exhausted. Wren volunteering to come along has been the only thing keeping me sane.

“I think that’s everything,” she says now, glancing at the list in my hand and leaving a hint of the spiced perfume she’s wearing around me when she pulls back. “Should we take one last walk around? You never know, we might get lucky and find those crystals you wanted.”

“Sure. Probably that way, if they’re here at all,” I point in the direction of some red and orange awnings, not feeling very hopeful. “Mavi gets some weird things in from the traveling merchants sometimes.”

“Mavi Kelasan?”

“Wait,” I stop just as we reach the counter. “You know her?”

“I met her a week ago when I was–”

“Wren!” an old woman stands from the wooden stool at the back of the booth, covering a plate of food before she crosses over to us.  “And my favorite agent,” she adds with a grin as she sees me. “What can I get you, love?”

“We’re looking for some water crystals,” I explain.

“How many?” she asks quietly.

“You have them?” my eyes widen in surprise. "Multiple water crystals?"

“Hush,” she says, looking around before motioning for us to wait. She heads to the back again and pulls out a small locked box. When she opens it in front of us I see, to my delight, three beautiful crystals with a blue glow. Their surface moves gently as I watch, like ripples in a glass of water.

“How much?” I ask.

“Three hundred gold apiece.”

My face falls again. I’m twenty gold short, and I know better than to ask Adaan for more. The Den’s supplies are not infinite, I can already hear him scolding. Make do with the funds you’ve been given for this mission.

“Well, I’ll take two,” I sigh. As she begins to wrap them up, I look between the two of them. “So how do you know Wren, elder Mavi?”

“She helped me out with some trouble last week. Zina... Oh, I don’t know what I’m going to do with that girl,” she shakes her head.

“Did your granddaughter get in another fight?” I ask.

“Right in the middle of the market,” she sighs. “Your friend there kept if from coming to blows, thank the gods. I owe you a favor, make no mistake about it.”

“There’s no need, I was happy to help,” Wren replies with a smile, though I can already see her dark eyes sparking with a thought. “But you know, your favorite agent is in need of something.”

“Are you sure?” I hesitate. “It’s your favor, not mine.”

“Let me treat you,” she gives my hand a squeeze and pecks my cheek. “You’ve had a hell of a day, darling.”

“Well...” I nod after a moment, and turn back to Mavi. “Any chance you’d knock twenty gold off that last one?”

As we leave the market the sun is blazing in the sky above and it’s so hot we have to duck into a library to cool down. But I’m finally smiling, whether it’s from the crystals in my pocket, or the fact that Wren still hasn’t let go of my hand. I lean my head against her shoulder where we sit together on a cushioned bench, and lazily scan the book she’s reading. Eventually my eyes fall shut, and I let my mind drift as I relax into the scent of her perfume.