Tales of Valadris Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Monday, Day 1
Early afternoon
I casually strolled along a dirt road, taking in the scenery. The surrounding woods were relatively sparse, not thick enough to significantly obscure one's view of the landscape. I knew I was close to a town or settlement of some kind.
I was a light-skinned half-elf with a slender frame, wrapped in powerful toned muscles. My eyes were cobalt blue, and my snow-white hair hung down to my shoulders in the back. I stood at about average human height.
My clothing was basic; simple leather boots, dark pants held up by a tied drawstring, and a loose cotton shirt. On my back was a magical knapsack, enchanted to hold as much as I wanted. Not that it really mattered; as the author, I could conjure anything I wanted on the spot. But I like to mostly play by the rules.
I crested the top of a hill and saw a bell tower in the distance. The tower was made of stone, so there was probably a quarry somewhere nearby. The roof was made of darkly colored clay shingles.
As I got closer, I saw that the bell tower was part of a church. There were some houses nearby, and further out I saw markets and storefronts. I appeared to be heading into the market district.
People moved up and down the cobblestone streets, buying and selling and conversing. Most of them were walking alone or in groups, but I could also see the occasional wagon.
The population appeared mostly humanoid, with a few kitsune and wyrms sprinkled in. There were probably quite a few elves, but I couldn't be bothered to look closely enough to tell. I also saw at least one centaur.
The edge of town was marked by a 2-3 meter high wall, built from rough stone bricks. The crenelations on the wall were dotted with glowing light crystals.
The road I was walking led through a large stone archway, with a hanging wooden sign that read, "Welcome to Timbergate." Within the archway lay a shimmering barrier of pearlescent blues and greens like the surface of a soap bubble. But I knew it was as good as any set of iron bars.
A guard stood behind the wall at the top of the arch, watching as I approached the gate.
"Halt," he ordered calmly but clearly. "Please state your name and business." I stopped and cleared my throat.
"My name is Saric Silvertongue," I said. "I am a penniless traveler simply looking for work. If you expect to see documents of any kind, I'm afraid I don't have any." The guard shook his head.
"No need for that. We're a growing town, and we need all the hands we can get." He waved a hand in the air, and a moment later the shimmering barrier in the archway blinked out. "Head to the center of town; you should see a large job board out in front of Town Hall."
I nodded appreciatively to the guard and resumed walking.
As I came through the other side of the archway I was greeted by the cheerful atmosphere of a bustling marketplace. The road had transitioned to cobblestone at the arch, and the air was filled with the constant clacking of shoes hitting the hard street. My own boots added to the background buzz as I walked, and it made me feel like I fit in.
I discreetly marveled as a kitsune passed close by, his two tails bobbing behind him in time with his steps. His body was covered in short, reddish-orange fur, and he had large, perky ears which each dangled a trio of gold rings. He was dressed in an indigo silk shirt and pants with gold trim, and carried a canvas bag that appeared to be mostly filled with produce.
Apparently, I wasn't as discreet as I had thought. The kitsune looked in my direction and smirked, and the tip of one of his tails twitched. He stopped and leaned his back up against the wall of a wooden building, crossing his arms in front of him. His amber eyes seemed to pierce into me.
"See something you like?" he said in an accent that sounded like a cross between German and Dornish.
I looked him up and down, examining his figure. He had a wide, masculine face, but his silhouette was positively girly. Small shoulders and a rounded chest, a straight waist leading into a flat belly which was slightly bared by his shirt, and wide hips that looked perfect for grabbing onto. His legs were lean and well-toned. On his feet he wore an odd-looking pair of black boots that appeared to be custom-made for his digitigrade legs.
I smirked right back at him.
"I see a pair of boots I like. And the one wearing them isn't too bad, either." The kitsune looked me up and down just as I had done to him, and he snorted.
"You must have a lotta spunk to be that confident in clothes like that."
"Well, I haven't had a chance to go shopping yet. Perhaps you could direct me to wherever you got those fancy boots."
"Perhaps." He uncrossed his arms, putting his free hand on his hip. "Of course, there are activities which do not require one to be clothed."
My eyes wandered freely to his curvy hips, and I easily imagined him bending over and spreading those cheeks for me.
"I can certainly think of a few examples," I said breathily.
"My name is Katashi Shimizu," he said.
"Saric Silvertongue." At hearing my admittedly strange name, his eyes narrowed slightly. But he hid his suspicion well, quickly covering it with another flirty smile.
"I perform at the theater tonight after sundown." He walked slowly in my direction, his feminine hips swaying seductively. As he sauntered past me, one of his tails sensually caressed my leg. He spoke again, and this time his voice was inches from my ear.
"Perhaps I will see you there." The tone in his voice sent a shiver of excitement down my spine, and I barely managed to hold in a lusty growl.
"Perhaps you will."
Katashi returned to the path he had been following previously. Before I moved on, I stole one last glance at his rear as he walked away.
Both his tails were lifted high, and his ass stuck out behind him as if it didn't want to leave. His meaty cheeks jiggled with each and every step, and I had to resist the temptation to rip his pants off and bury my face in his cute little ass right in the middle of the street.
I could take as long as I wanted.
With much difficulty, I returned my attention to the task of finding a local job. Though I could have any experience or item I wanted in this world for no cost, it just wasn't the same if I got it the easy way.
When I reached the Town Hall I made a beeline for the job board, not wanting to get distracted again. There were a wide array of positions on offer. There were adverts for bartender, gardener, quarryman, waiter, and even teacher.
I grabbed the bartender flyer, rolling it up and placing it in my bottomless knapsack. As a bartender I could covertly observe the daily behavior of characters both simple and complex, and have stimulating conversations (as well as stimulating experiences) with a wide variety of tavern patrons. The pay would be good (because I said so), and the hours would allow me to explore the town during the day and the society during the night.
I headed in the direction of the tavern, a squat wooden building with green windows just down the street. As I approached the building, I saw a sign hanging above the front door with ornate text that read "The Redfire Tavern."
Before I went inside, I changed my outfit with a wave of my hand. I now wore a pair of fashionable black leather boots, an unremarkable set of brown slacks, and an off-white shirt that would fit right in with the rest of the population, topped off with a brown vest.
The door opened into a large bar, scattered with the types of people who might be prone to being drunk in the middle of the afternoon.
Behind the counter was a human male in his 40s who was dressed much like myself. He had wiry brown hair that was starting to thin, and the demeanor of a man who was quite content with his relatively boring life. He was using a rag to clean a mug which appeared to be made from a hollowed-out animal horn.
The man looked up at me as I approached the bar, revealing a pair of sharp hazel eyes that actually intimidated me a bit with their intensity. I got the feeling that this man would end up being quite a complex character in spite of his pedestrian life.
"Afternoon, stranger," said the man in a gruff voice. "You lookin' for a drink?"
"Actually, I wanted to ask about the bartender position you're offering. I saw your flyer on the job board."
"Aye, one of our employees left unexpectedly and we've been a bit shorthanded here. What kinda hours you lookin' for?"
"I'm fine with a standard evening shift. I just got to town today and I'm simply looking for some honest work."
"Sounds good to me. What's your name, good sir?"
"Saric Silvertongue."
"Well, Saric, we're gonna have to go through some basic interview procedures, make sure you know the craft and whatnot." He gave me a wry smile. "But I got a good feeling about you already." He turned and put away the mug and the rag, then offered a hand.
"My name's Darion, and I'm the owner of this establishment. Nice to meet you, Saric." I clasped his hand in mine and gave it a firm shake.
"Likewise, sir."
"That's a nice ring you got there. Where'd you get it?"
I looked at the aforementioned ring on my right ring finger. A round sapphire of a brilliant blue color was set in the front, attached to a wide metal band engraved with intricate runes.
"It's a family heirloom," I said. "Of all the things I've had in my life, it's the only one that's stuck with me."
"I hear ya," said Darion. "My oldest is gonna get this tavern when I kick the bucket. Been in our family for three generations now." He snorted. "Course, knowin' him, he'll probably sell it for brothel money... if he doesn't burn it down first."
"Brothels, you say?" My elfen ears perked up at the mention. Darion gave me a stern look.
"Now, don't you go spendin' all your earnings there. I'm no prude, but that place can drain your finances fast if you're not careful." I smirked.
"That may be. But I seem to have quite a knack for earning free sessions." I gave him a sly wink, and he just scoffed and shook his head.
"You kids are all so cocky these days."
"Comes with experience." Darion laughed.
"Alright, shut your smart mouth now so we can get you evaluated." He pointed a thumb at a door behind him. "Head back there and ask for Gideon. He'll get you trained up."
"Thanks." I slipped behind the bar through the nearby gate and made my way to the back room.