Heart of Dorkness

Terror Seven - Fancy

Terror Seven - Fancy

That was pretty good, I say as I set my fork down next to my plate. The inn served us a nice little meal. Some bread, cheese and a small cut of some sort of meat. The sauce was actually pretty good.

I lean back into my seat and look across to my... guest? Friend? Im not entirely sure what Felix is to me yet. I guess shes just a nice girl that was willing to give me a hand in exchange for a bit of help.

She looks a bit stuffed. I dont think Ive ever seen someone scarf down their food so quickly, even if it looked like she had a hard time with the whole fork and knife thing for a while.

Thank you, Miss Valeria, Felix says. Shes looking a lot nicer now that shes not in rags and has taken three baths.

No problem, I say.

If Miss needs anything from me, anything at all. Felix pauses, as if shes looking for the next thing to say, then she grins. Ill do my best.

I laugh. Thanks, I appreciate it. Sighing, I lean forward and put my elbows on the table then grab one of those tiny loaves of bread from a basket in the middle of the table. Ive noticed Felix hiding a few of them under the table already, but I dont comment on it. So! That was a good meal, and now I have a sort of base of operations, which will be good.

Felix tilts her head a bit. Is Miss planning something?

Its just Valeria, I say. And I dont know if I am planning anything, not yet. Someone burned the temple down, and someone delayed the shipment of my moms books. Thats two things I need to solve. Mom wont like having the temple destroyed.

Your moms temple? Felix asks.

Uh, I mean, the temple of the Dark Goddess. Who my mom... likes. Im really not good at this whole undercover thing. I blame the lack of good spy fiction. Anyway. I need to find Mister Jurez. Which means... I guess asking around about him?

Maybe Fancy could help? Felix asks.

Fancy?

She nods. Fancy is the person who runs the city. Well, the parts of the city where people who arent rich come from. The South Quarter, the Roughs, and the North Quarter. Basically, everything but Midtown is run by Fancy and his crew.

I have the impression youre not talking about an elected official here, I say.

Oh no, Mister Fancy is, ah, hes just the boss of the city. Felix shrugs.

Im imagining some sort of mafia-don kind of guy. Big and burly, in a nice suit and tie, with a few equally large bodyguards, of course. Where does Fancy stay? I ask.

In the South Quarter, theres a place with a lot of warehouses. One of those has a sort of inn inside it. Theres gambling and alcohol, and thats where Fancy rules from.

I stand while glancing out of the nearest window. Theres still plenty of light out, even if the sun is starting to dip. Lets head out then.

You want to go see Fancy? Just like that?

He might know things that I need to know. I wont learn any of that without asking. I stretch. Did you want to come?

Felix looks like shes thinking about it, but only for a moment before she stands up too. Ill come. Ive never met Fancy before, but hes supposed to be kind of dangerous.

Im kinda dangerous too, I say. It comes out sounding a lot cooler than I usually sound, which is neat. Mom once told me that the person I was most dangerous to was myself, but Im pretty sure I can hold my own in a fight.

Felix follows me downstairs, patting her belly which is a little distended with every step as if shaking it too much might make it burst.

The inns... keeper? Maitre d? The guy who stands near the door--greets me as I come down. Lady Valeria, is there anything we can do to assist you?

I dont think so, though maybe later. Well be leaving for an hour or two. If we dont come back by this evening, can you inform the guard that theres some sort of trouble? Well be down by the South Quarter.

He eyes me and Felix, one eyebrow perked. As the lady wishes. We could arrange for a guard to escort you, if you wish.

That might not be a bad idea. Can it be done fairly quickly? I ask.

Im afraid not. Its not a common request.

In that case I should be fine. Thanks though.

We step out into an evening thats turned a little cloudy. The wind has shifted and its coming in from over the nearby lake, thick with humidity thats turning the sky a dull grey. Its going to rain tonight, Felix says with bored certainty.

Youre the Joy mage, I say.

Joy mage? Felix repeats.

Your kind of magic, that youre using to see, I add.

Oh. I didnt know it was called that, she says.

I shrug a shoulder and take off, quickly leaving the inns courtyard and stepping out onto the not-so-busy streets of Santafaria. Its what the books call it. I never really studied it. Which way?

That way, Felix says while pointing to her left. Down the main road all the way to the Yellow Gate.

I nod along and start heading off that way while adjusting my cloak. If this Fancy person is going to be any sort of trouble, then I want my little friends to be ready to pounce. I can feel about all of them if I focus a bit. Little pinpricks of... something, nestled in close to me.

I think its similar to proprioperception, but not quite. None of the books Ive read cover anything quite like it, but then, it is a unique class.

Name Valerie Malvada Displayed Title Magus of Four Paths First Class Harbinger of the Dark Tide Class Rank Novice Displayed Class Bookworm

Mom put a spell on me that changes my displayed class. I think shes playing some sort of prank on me, giving me a class like Bookworm, but its not a mean sort of prank. I wouldnt mind the class that much, actually. Its probably really weak, but fun.

What can you tell me about Fancy? Other than his position and all that?

Felix tilts her head. Well, hes strong. I think he was a noble once. I heard people say that hes the forgotten prince of Santafaria.

Santafaria isnt a kingdom, I say. It doesnt have a king or queen to produce a prince. Theres a marquis, I think.

I dont know about that, Felix says. Sorry.

I wave it off. No matter. Its not important anyway. I dont think well be dealing with the local nobility, not unless things go very pear-shaped.

Pear-shaped? Felix repeats.

Uh, its a fruit thats sort of... not quite round? Actually, I dont know where the expression comes from. Some book I read, I bet.

Felix nods. I dont know how to read, so I wouldnt know, I guess.

Oh, right, you cant read.

Felix turns her head my way, but not entirely. If she had eyes, theyd be looking a foot past my shoulder. No one in the Roughs knows how to read. And you need to see the letters besides.

I nod. That makes sense. But I dont like it. Well, once we get your eyes fixed, Ill see about teaching you a little. I thought that the level of literacy here was pretty high, what with people having to read their system stuff.

You mean classes and skills? Felix asks. Mine sound like my voice when I listen to them.

Huh, I say.

Had any of my books mentioned how the system would function for someone unable to read or write? Or a person with no sight for that matter? I suppose the people writing those books arent the people with no eyes and an inability to write.

Maybe Mom had ulterior motives in sending me out here. The more I look around, the less I like the way things are.

I can meddle once things are fixed with the books.

Thats the Yellow Gate, Felix says while pointing ahead.

I snap out of my reverie and take in a gate that isnt very yellow at all. There are banners around it that are, though, so I suppose the name isnt entirely awful.

Getting out of Midtown is significantly easier than getting in. No one even tries to slow us down or ask any questions, though some of the guards watch us pass by.

The South Quarter isnt as bad as I expected. Its filled with little homes, all squished together and with no two alike, but the roads are only a little dirty. I take a few steps only to feel something tugging at my sleeve.

That ways the road to the South Gate and the Roughs, Felix says before pointing to her right. Fancys place is that way.

Ah, well, lead on then!

***