World Sphere - 24 - Gareth Part 2

Chapter 24: Gareth Part 2

The next two days were difficult for Gareth as his mind was distracted. Callem kept pushing him, but it didn’t help Gareth refocus. Storme had scored multiple times in sparring and it made him insufferable. When the morning of the 6th day finally arrived, Gareth raced to Hen’s Hollow to bring back Freya. She would stay with Storme, Callem, and Wynna for the two days that Gareth would be gone. Callem thought Gareth was going to the capital of Titan’s Shield and not the capital city of Skyholme, Skyhold. It was not a lie as Gareth would have to stop in the capital on the way to Skyhold.

Gareth didn’t spend much time getting Freya and Monty, rushing them back to Callem’s farm. He talked with Storme briefly going over the plan as he eagerly took the purse containing 111 platinum, 6 large gold, and 25 gold. Gareth had plenty of time to get to the docks in Hen’s Hollow for the transport to the capital on Titan’s Shield. He arrived early and had to wait nearly 40 minutes for departure, which was very awkward as Storme’s father was there.

Caleb, Storme's father, kept trying to make conversation, asking what Gareth was planning to do in the city and asking how Storme was doing. Gareth felt guilty not telling the complete truth to his inquiries. Finally, the ship was ready to leave, and he paid his five large copper for transport to the capital. Thankfully, Caleb was not assigned to the trip. It would have been difficult to catch a skyship to the capital with him at the Aegis City docks.

Gareth made his way to the rail to watch as the ship lifted and drifted across the land. Gareth was hypnotized by trees, rivers, towns, farms, and roads passing below him. Other passengers also watched from the rails, and the trip ended far too soon for Gareth. The capital of Titan's Shield was much more impressive than Solaris, the city near Hen’s Hollow. This city had many more buildings, and they were much taller, some reaching ten stories into the sky. The large number of people he saw wandering the streets just before the ship landed in port mesmerized him. A typical day in the Aegis City was just as crowded as the carnival had been at its peak in Solaris. He looked for the dungeon entrances but could not orient himself quick enough before the ship nestled down between the buildings.

He was a bit lost as he disembarked, but since he was on the airship docks, finding the right ship to reach the capital island shouldn't be too hard. After asking a few questions, he found a passenger transport to the capital. There were actually three ships headed there today in the next few hours, two were headed to the lower city and one to the upper city. He figured the upper city would get him closer to the trade district with the best shops, so he got a ticket for that liner.

The cost was five large silver! That seemed excessive to him, but the dock master said the ship going to the upper city was faster and more comfortable, so he paid with Storme’s coins. He rationalized it would also save him a half-mile walk from the lower city to the upper city. He only had a rough map from one of his textbooks, and Storme said the best course was to walk straight to the trade district directly from the docks. Everything he needed to purchase would be there.

Even though Gareth was in his best clothes he got a lot of disdainful looks from the other passengers. He bore with it and went to the wide bow of the skyship, ignoring the pompous people denigrating his appearance. He planned to stay on deck the entire time, not going below deck to sit in the cushion seating.

He watched the island fall below as the ship took off the ground. His stomach dropped as the speed was much faster than his previous transport. Soon, the vessel cleared the edge of the island, and the vast world far below appeared. Gareth gripped the railing as his mind processed that he was not going to fall the impossibly far distance. A young man to his right snickered at him for his fear. He straightened and forced himself to relax and enjoy his first voyage off his island.

The features below were tiny, as they were miles up, but Gareth studied them with intense interest. A hunger for exploring the unknown lands below grew within him. Time passed too quickly for him again as he gazed, and the ship was flying over the capital island now.

The ship passed over large country estates. Some were academy compounds, and some were estates of the wealthy. A few small orchards, vineyards, and fields dotted the land. Even the forests and lakes seemed groomed to act as boundaries to various estates. The ship passed over a small city with white stone buildings and tiny people walking the streets. It was not the capital of Skyholme, just a vast urban expanse of the capital. Gareth looked up, and the capital city etched the horizon with impossibly tall buildings silhouetting the skyline.

From his lessons, Gareth knew magic reinforced the stone, allowing them to extend buildings hundreds of feet into the sky. The opulence and enormity of everything made Gareth envious, but he knew from readings that most buildings were left by the avian race that once inhabited the island thousands of years ago. The tall buildings had been renovated by the Skyholme people, but the architectural legacy could still clearly be seen.

The ship lowered and landed on top of a building near the trade district, one of the urban districts just outside the city center. Tall buildings surrounded Gareth, and he felt very small. A deckhand indicated the way, and Gareth disembarked and walked straight to the trade district.

Pairs of smartly dressed, large, and imposing city guards walked the streets. Dozens of well-dressed men and women hurried along the streets, and Gareth got looks of disdain. Gareth traveled as far off the main concourse as possible. At least the presence of the guard pairs made him feel somewhat safe carrying around the small fortune.

His goal today was just to get some new clothes to pass as a rich noble’s son. He would then stay in a fine inn tonight and enjoy the comforts of the city. Gareth refocused, ok Storme said the most important thing to impersonate a pompous ass of a noble was to act like one. Gareth straightened, started walking down the street, and soon found a tailor shop in the heart of the trade district that seemed to specialize in men’s clothing. The shop had a sicky sweet smell to it that almost made him sneeze. He entered the shop and found one man being fitted for a long coat by a male tailor, and immediately, another tailor approached him from behind a desk. The tailor was old and partially bald but had a friendly enough smile.

“What can we do for you today, young sir.” The man was evaluating Gareth, sizing up his potential sales. At this point, the man probably didn't think much of his possible fortunes.

“Good man,” Gareth said, clearing his throat and deepening his voice. “My family has sent me to the city to get some outfits for my sister’s wedding. I have been training in seclusion for three years, and just now, my father thought I should rejoin the family functions. I need an everyday outfit and one for the wedding.” It was a story Storme and Gareth thought sounded plausible. The man looked at him again, reassessing his initial appraisal.

“What is your budget?” he finally asked. Storme had told Gareth to spend at least 100 gold on each outfit. Gareth pulled out three platinum coins and placed them on the counter to which the man just raised an eyebrow. Was it not enough or too much? It was enough coin to buy half the houses in Hen’s Hollow.

Fighting back nervousness, Gareth added, “My father gave me a little more, but I wanted to see what you have to offer first.” The man nodded and smiled but it no longer felt friendly. He pulled the coins into his hand and quickly inspected the three shiny coins before placing them in his pocket.

“Okay, you want one formal outfit, and what about the second?” The man asked.

“Just casual clothing for going out in the city but something that I can move freely in for my morning training. I don’t know what the current fashions are, but I want to fit in with the capital’s aristocracy while I am here,” Gareth said while forcing a smile.

“Fit in, yes. Very good.” He said skeptically. “Let us start in the back room, with me, please, young sir.” Gareth followed him to a private room. “Please strip to your underclothes.” Gareth complied and stood in his underwear. The tailor looked at him, wincing slightly. “Ah, yes, new underclothes as well?” he asked, and Gareth nodded slightly embarrassed.

First, the man took many measurements, and sometimes, the man's hands across his body made him a bit uncomfortable. When finished, the man brought out three undershirts made of different materials for Gareth. “We have common cotton, trap door spider silk from the local dungeon, and dungeon linen from the lands below.”

Gareth was drawn to the spider silk shirt by the name and smooth feel. The tailor read his eyes, “Fantastic choice. The shirt has some elasticity and can be enchanted with silver runic thread. It is extremely durable and should last you many years. We offer the comfort enchantment and the temperature management enchantment. Are you interested in one or both?”

Gareth was tempted to ask how much, but that would reveal his ignorance, so he just said both. He decided on a light gray shirt, and somehow, he agreed to get three undershirts, four pairs of underwear, and eight pairs of socks in the same material. All the shirts would have both enchantments.

Next, the man brought out shoes, “The best way to build an ensemble is from the ground up. You will want light boots for the city walking and some good shoes for dancing for the wedding.” A parade of shoes in various styles and colors was shown to him. He decided on the simplest designs for both. The boots and shoes were made from dark brown leather that the man said was from the dungeon monster called the giant terror mole.

With the shoes chosen the tailor put together a complete dress outfit for the fictional wedding as Gareth tried to hurry him through the selection process. It included pants, a decorative belt, and a decorative scabbard for his dagger, a long-sleeved shirt, a vest, a long coat, a fashion scarf, a low-brimmed hat, and silver bands to go around the wrist and hold his sleeves in place. To the tailor’s disappointment, Gareth declined to get any of those items enchanted, saying he only planned to wear the outfit once.

The casual clothes the tailor selected were light brown pants in the current fashion made of a mix of leather and linen that made them heavy and durable. He didn’t get any embellishments on the pants but did get both enchantments they offered. For the shirt, he went with a loose-fitting white shirt that buttoned up the front. The buttons were made from silvery ivory bone. Well, he had a selection of buttons put before him, and those looked the most attractive to his eyes.

Gareth ordered both enchantments for the shirt. For a coat, he went with a long coat, similar to a duster from the old west. It was dark gray and made from the hide of a stone aurochs from the lowlands. It was thick and a bit heavy. With the enchantments, the tailor assured Gareth the coat would be extremely comfortable.

After going through about a dozen hats, Gareth picked out a hat that resembled a fedora made of the same material as the duster. After the long three-hour process, it was time to pay, and Gareth was extremely thirsty. The tailor moved to the counter and started to write the invoice.

Trap Door Spider Silk Under Shirt, Light Gray (3) 15 gold

Trap Door Spider Silk Underwear, Light Gray (4) 16 gold

Trap Door Spider Pairs Socks, Light Gray (10) 10 gold

Terror Mole Shoes, Dark Brown (1) 30 gold

Terror Mole Boots, Dark Brown (1) 40 gold

Yak Deep Blue Dress Shirt (1) 8 gold

Rock Wool Off Deep Blue Dress Pants (1) 10 gold

Giant Badger Leather Hide Dress Coat (1) 15 gold

Giant Silk Worm Black Vest (1) 5 gold

Tellomere Yellow Scarf (1) 25 gold

Constrictor Low Brimmed Hat (1) 3 gold

Fine Leather Belt and Scabbard (1) 11 gold

Silver wristbands (2) 8 gold

Durable Leather/Linen Pants (1) 3 gold

Linen Long Sleeve Shirt, White (1) 1 gold

Ivory Buttons (16) 8 gold

Auroch Long Cloak, Dark Gray (1) 20 gold

Auroch Brimmed Hat, Dark Gray (1) 5 gold

Comfort Enchantments, Standard Silver Thread 46 gold

Temperature Management Enchantments, Standard Silver Thread 42 gold

Multiple Enchantment Discount -21 gold

Total Invoice…………………………………………………300 gold

Gareth hid his astonishment and his nervously shaking hand. A fortune was spent in just a short time. Storme had told him to expect it, but now that it had happened, he was in slight shock. The total was exactly what he had given the man before the fitting and selection. He knew he was being taken advantage of; it was painfully obvious. The tailor said with a contented smile, “We can have the garments ready in three days and delivered to your residence.” Gareth was about to ask heatedly, “And how much for that service?” But he held it in. He was here to fit in.

“I need everything by tomorrow morning. Also add on another auroch long cloak.” His tone was firm and not voiced as a question. The tailor backed a step up, looking a little embarrassed.

“Sorry, good sir, but our weaver enchanter is quite busy. If you wish to forgo the enchantments, we might be able to have everything ready in the morning.” He was trying not to upset Gareth, that was obvious by his mannerisms. Gareth reached into his pouch and placed five large gold coins on the counter.

“And now?” Gareth intoned with an arrogance he didn’t feel. It was Gareth's attempt at being a rich pompous noble. The man was staring at the coin, and the gears in his head were turning.

“Give me a few minutes to discuss this matter with the master tailor and the weaver enchanter.” The tailor hurried out a door in the back, and Gareth had to wait twenty minutes for him to return.

When he returned, the tailor seemed a little out of breath but said, “I have excellent news. We can expedite the items you have selected and add on the additional cloak. The charge for the cloak with be just 20 gold, and the enchantments will be free. The expeditious completion of your order will be 30 gold as we will have all eight of us working overnight to complete everything.” Gareth nodded, not expecting any other result after seeing the greed in his eyes.

“Can you recommend a good inn nearby? I will stay there tonight and you can drop my clothes off as soon as they are completed.” The man didn’t take but a breath to reply.

“The Gentle Tauren is just three buildings down on the left. Tell the innkeeper, Broderick, that you were sent by Danlius. He will take good care of you.” Gareth thought, ‘Sure he will.’ He was quickly becoming cynical. “And your name, sir?” It was strange in the entire period, Gareth had not given or received the man’s name until now.

“Gaston,” Gareth said. He didn’t want to use his real name and that was the first thing that came to his head. Gaston was a fabled dungeon delver. Gareth left, finally free of the tailor, and planned to never go through that ordeal again. Shopping for clothes was exhausting, boring, and painful to the purse. At least the money wasn’t his.

He made his way to The Gentle Tauren. The inn was four stories tall and made of the same white stone common throughout the city. Inside the common room were neatly aligned tables, a bard strumming a small harp near a large, quiet fireplace, and three attractive waitresses waiting near the kitchen door to serve patrons.

A few patrons were eating and drinking throughout the room. A slightly overweight and average-looking man stood behind the bar. He had salt and pepper hair, but after just a moment of studying the man, Gareth knew he was a skilled warrior. The pudge on the man hid muscles, and his dark eyes were observing everything inside the inn’s common room, including Gareth. Besides the cleanliness and brightness of the room, it was what he had expected. Well, the serving women were more attractive than he expected. Gareth walked to the bar, “Broderick?” The man nodded, “Danlius sent me,” Gareth said.

The man laughed instantly, “Really? I am absolutely shocked that old fart sent someone to my establishment again. You still got your invoice on you?” Gareth nodded a little as he was caught off guard, and the man made a gesture to hand it over. Gareth did so reluctantly and the man scanned it.

After reading it twice, he handed it back to Gareth. “Not too bad, boy. In my younger years, I used to be a dungeon delver, and I supplied many monster and beast carcasses to tailors throughout Skyholme. The last man who came through here from Danlius—well, let us say I told him the truth about how much he overpaid.”

A pit was descending in Gareth’s stomach. Broderick continued, “Oh it's not too bad. The materials for what you have listed would amount to around 80 gold…well maybe a little more with the trouble we have been having getting imports from the lowlands. So, let's say 100 gold for the capital. The tailor should get around 40 gold for his work, and the enchanter about the same. So, a good price would have been 180 gold. I take it you didn’t haggle.” Gareth shook his head, realizing he had been so caught up in the moment and overwhelmed he had forgotten. People rarely haggled in Hen’s Hollow, but it was a game in Aegis City between the shopkeepers and customers.

The man laughed again. “Well, unless you are made of coin, take it as a life lesson, boy. Enchanting clothes is just a waste, in my opinion. It only takes a single thread to break to ruin the enchantment. Save yourself the coin next time.” He produced a glass mug and filled it with a foamy beer that Gareth drank immediately. The beer was excellent, cold, nutty, and flavorful. “My own brew. Well, it’s my own recipe, anyway. I don't dabble anymore.” The man said.

Gareth sat at the bar. He was embarrassed enough not to tell Broderick he had paid another fifty gold to get the clothes in the morning. A little timidly, he asked, “Can I get a room, dinner now, and breakfast first thing in the morning?”

“Sure! We are between lunch and dinner in the common room, but I have pheasant pies ready to go into the oven. Or you can order something. I would suggest our boar cheeseburgers.” Gareth had eaten dozens of burgers and was almost tempted to tell Broderick that his friend had invented the cheeseburger.

“The pheasant pie sounds fabulous, and two of your boar burgers as well,” the innkeeper's eyes rose in mild surprise, but he just nodded and went to the kitchen. He returned shortly and positioned himself in front of Gareth.

“So, what type of room are you looking for? The only rooms we have with a view are on the fourth floor, and two of them are open right now,” the man patiently asked.

“No, something simple is fine, but I would prefer a bath after dinner. Is there a bathhouse nearby?” Gareth asked.

“Bathhouse? Not in the upper district. All buildings here have their own running water, and all my rooms have showers…a few have baths, too.” Gareth felt he had just blundered. He was coming across as an ignorant farm boy who had never been to the capital.

“Just a room with a shower is fine. Can I get another ale?” Broderick smiled and got him the ale and a silver key. He noticed the three waitresses were watching him and talking to each other. What was that about?

Soon, a large dinner plate-sized pie was in front of him. He dug in, and the flaky crust, smooth, thick gravy, hearty meat, and vegetables filled him up. Before he realized it, two massive burgers were on plates to his right. Broderick had stepped aside to let him eat, and a short waitress with blonde hair had delivered the burgers. Gareth made it halfway through the second burger before reaching his limit. He had been receiving refills on his cup during the meal as well. He was feeling the effects of the alcohol.

“Room 6 on the second floor,” Broderick said as Gareth slid off the stool and stumbled a bit. He had enough sense to wander toward Broderick.

“Can I pay for the meals and room now? I might leave early in the morning.” Gareth felt the alcohol working. He had never drunk so much before, and he was fighting to control himself to appear unfazed. The most he had in one sitting before was splitting a liberated bottle of wine with Storme and he thought he needed four mugs to wash down the food. He thought he was doing a fantastic job of maintaining his composure.

“The room is 2 gold, and let's call the three dinners tonight 1 gold. Breakfast will be 20 silver…but maybe you will want a double portion?” he asked, amused at Gareth’s prodigious appetite. Gareth reached into his purse, fingered the last large gold there, and placed it on the counter. The shiny coin glinted in the aether lights lining the walls, and Broderick’s eyes furrowed at the sight of it.

“If I was a betting man, I would say that is a dungeon coin.” Gareth's stomach dropped, and suddenly, he was at risk of returning the pheasant pie and one-and-a-half burgers to Broderick. “Well, all coin is good at my inn, but you look young for a delver.” The coin disappeared.

He soon returned Gareth’s change, which Gareth started to put it away. “You forgot to haggle again. Call it another life lesson. I freely gave you drinks, hoping you wouldn’t contest my pricing—and you didn’t.” Broderick said with a smile. Gareth counted the coins in his hand, seven gold. Broderick winked at him as he had charged him 20 silver less than he had just requested. “A fair price would have been about 2 gold and 90 silver, but you did consume a lot of my ale.

Gareth’s mind was clearing from his alcohol buzz, but he was learning a lot of hard lessons. Broderick patted him on the shoulder. “You clean up and get some rest. My ale is quite strong. I would suggest avoiding Nina over there tonight.” He indicated the blonde waitress that had served him. “That is if you want to get a good night’s sleep.” Gareth blushed and unsteadily started walking to the stairs. He paused and returned to get the last half of a burger and went to his room carrying the plate. Broderick smirked at the young man.

It was a nice and simple room. The bed was ridiculously soft, and it had a flush toilet instead of a pot! He had read about them and actually flushed them three times before actually using them. The shower took a few minutes to figure out as well. There were two nobs, one for hot and one for cold water. He did the hot shower first and then finished with the cold shower. After the shower, his stomach had made enough room for the rest of the burger so he finished it. He was lying naked on his bed, ready to pass out, when a knock came.

Gareth got to the door with a towel around his waist and found the waitress, Nina, there. Seeing his muscular upper torso, she stumbled on her words: “Sir, I came to check on you and see if you needed any assistance with anything in your room and if your appetite was satiated.”

Gareth thought for a second. Well, if she had come earlier, she could have helped him with the shower controls. Too late now. “Will you need your clothes laundered?” she asked. No, Gareth thought. He would have new clothes in the morning, and his clothes were still fairly clean anyway. Seeing him not saying yes to anything, she tried again, “Are you interested in any pies, cakes, or torts to complete your meal?” Well, if he hadn’t just eaten the rest of the burger, he might have wanted something sweet.

Gareth finally responded, “I think I am ok. I just need to stretch out on my bed and dry off a bit. I should probably do my limbering stretches before bed as well.” Gareth was talking mostly to himself and didn’t notice the smile creeping onto the young woman’s face. He missed her face turn to shock when he shut the door. Gareth was feeling the long day and had missed stretching. Not long after, he passed into a deep slumber on the very comfortable bed. The only thing that bothered Gareth was the pillows, which had a faint vanilla aroma.