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Finding My Husband in Another World Season 1 Chapter 5: Merchant Street

I glanced back. The sandstorm would overtake us in minutes. "We've got to take shelter."

"There is no shelter!" The merchant yelled.

"Everyone out of the wagon. Chaza unhitch the horses. Everyone else help me flip the wagon over."

"But-"

"Just do it! No time."

We flipped the wagon and I had Star, Moon and Sky start digging the sand out of the small hollow. Chaza lead the horses to the back and tried to keep them calm." I watched the sand as it raced toward us. That's the best we can do. Moon and Star return. Everyone get in the hole. Chaza lead the horses as close to the opening as possible."

"What are you planning?" She yelled over the howling wind.

I grabbed the reigns, "Get in there!"

Chaza scrambled into the hole.

I exerted as much trainer influence as I could to get the horses to lay down. Then I slid into the hole. I reached out with a single command "Sleep." The horses were instantly unconscious. "Help me pull their heads as far into the gap as possible."

"Genius you're using them to block the opening and hopefully saving them as well." Rider said, doing his best to help me pull. The merchant had to push Gou and Chaza aside in order to help pull. Obviously I'd put more power than I expected into the command and knocked them out as well.

"Rider, if you can freeze the edges of the cart and sand together. Hopefully it'll keep the cart in place over us."

"Got it." He yelled.

I tied the reigns to the floor of the wagon. Well I guess it was our roof now.

"Done, we're as secure as we can get. Now please be as quiet as possible I've never done this before and I need to get it right."

"We need to sleep." I whispered to the merchant as I placed a bottle under his nose. The drug worked quickly and I put it back in my storage dimension. I slowed my breathing and thought of my husband. How we'd cuddle and fall asleep together. I could hear Rider talking. I hoped he knew not to use up all our limited air.

***

I woke up slowly. I could feel sand in places I didn't want to. It was dark but not suffocating. There was a fire burning, seemingly without any fuel. I looked around and found the cart was right side up again. The horses were on their feet but seemed to still be asleep or more likely asleep again.

"Good you're awake. I don't know what you did but I couldn't wake you and our merchant friend." Rider said, as he passes me a skewer with a bit of meat. "Desert leaper. Sky caught them I generated the fire and Gou cooked them. I'd have made a stew but all our supplies were lost. I did it though. I was able to catch and make a pact with a summon elemental. He isn't a primal, or even a lord, but I did it on my own. Not sure what abilities a sand elemental can provide though."

"I didn't sense any elemental influence." I said, as I took a bite of leaper. It was better than anything my paltry skills had created.

"Of course not. You can't see or hear spirits unless the summoner acts as an anchor."

"What do you mean? I've been able to see your partners every time you have them summoned. And I know you've seen Moon and Star."

"That's because we've been acting as an anchor."

"How exactly do I act as an anchor?"

"We went over this in class, weren't you paying attention?"

"I've been banned from the summoning classes."

Rider sighed, "You're telling me, after teaching me about being able to see and hear through your trained companion, and I remind you that you've made sure Sky was with me when you can't be, you haven't been using that link to attend class?"

I sat and just stared at Rider to stunned to speak. I honestly hadn't realized I could have been attending class this whole time. "I'm just stupid it seems. Wait, are you telling me I shouldn't be able to walk into a temple and talk to the spirit there?"

"Of course not. You enter plead your case and then the spirit either enters a pact with you or he doesn't. You don't just talk to the spirits."

"Have you ever tried?"

"No. I've never been in a temple. I wasn't even sure I could form a pact with Sable until I did it."

"Rider, I had a long conversation with the earth dragon. He didn't have an anchor, at least not an active one."

"Prowl is special. It seems he can speak with any beast spirit whether they are attached or not." Moon explained.

"Even when he first met us we were a bit surprised when he just started talking to us. You seem to be special as well. You see, Prowl lets us come and go as we see fit most of the time and he has rarely acted as an anchor. When He has it has been subconsciously. You're seeing us because you seem to have the same ability, but primarily with elementals." Star added.

"We have noticed this as well. It is Inferno's and my opinion that you two may just be a new type of summoner."

"I'm not special." Rider insisted.

"Special enough to pull me out of the sky and form a pact with me before I had a chance to think." a small dust devil appeared from the spot where the voice had originated.

"Sable I suppose, what ability can you grant your master?"

"I don't know. Maybe the ability to create and control sand." he said, smugly.

"Oh great that will be a real help." Rider mumbled.

"Don't be so quick to judge master. Do you know how difficult it can be for a mage to concentrate on chanting a spell with sand in their robes? Did you know concentrated sand blasts can shred a knight's armor?" Sable seemed to grow in size slightly, almost like he was trying to look bigger than he was.

"He has a point and if you can combine the sand with Inferno's fire you might be able to make glass weapons."

I added.

"Now you're just making fun of me." Rider said, angrily.

"No, I mean it. By adding in the right sands during creation you can make glass that's stronger and sharper than metal. Sable may not be a powerful elemental but if you're creative with your abilities he might be one of the most useful, especially since it's a good bet all your opponents will under estimate him."

Sable took on the form of a small rodent beast kin and smiled widely. "Like my form. I'm a grasshopper mouse. Most people just think mouse not realizing I'm actually a predator. I chose it after watching them hunting."

"Wait, that makes you a beast summon."

"No I'm an elemental that can take beast kin form. It's not like I can become a Demi-Human grasshopper mouse. Though that would be nice."

There were a few grunts from beside us as the merchant rolled over.

"I don't know what you dosed him with but it seems like he's out for the night." Gou said, as he joined us.

I pulled a couple of blankets out of my storage. "Get some sleep. Since I was the last to wake I'll take first watch."

"You need rest . . ." I glared at Rider causing him to trail off.

"This our job. He'll wake me for my shift later." Chaza ordered, giving me the same look as I gave Rider. I nodded. I'd wake her after mid-night for her shift. I'd be good and not stay up all night as I sometimes did.

I closed my journal and looked up at the stars. They weren't the ones I knew from my world but it didn't matter. Maybe it was just because I had a pact with both moon spirits but there was something comforting about this sky. I yawned as I woke Chaza and turned in for the rest of the night.

***

I walked down the main merchant's street. I really didn't want to be here but Chaza couldn't access my pocket dimension and the guild only dealt in monster goods. That left me to find an appropriate merchant to sell the glass we had collected to.

What made this worse was the fact I'd dressed as a low level noble. It was really the only way to make a sale without being questioned about my age. I blended in well enough, except for the eyepatch over my left eye. The more I used my appraising eye the longer it took to return to normal. For the ordinary person that wouldn't be a problem but my eye glowed a bright honey gold and changed into a cat's eye. On the up side I could see normally even with the eye patch in place.

There was a disturbance ahead of me and I was shocked to see the uniforms of my former life. I quickly ducked into an alley. I'd been stupid. My half-brother was only five years younger so of course he'd either be training with the Knights or at the Royal Academy. Since everyone had to wear the same uniforms and family crests were forbidden it was possible I could have even run into him if he was at the academy.

"Look at this. A little noble has made a wrong turn. How about you give us something and we'll provide some protection?"

I was confronted by three young men. With my eye active I could tell they meant to harm me if I refused. I glanced at the main boulevard. The nobles were still there.

"Don't bother yelling for help. No one is going to come what with a high noble making such a fuss out there."

I backed up feeling a door behind me. I ducked inside. I heard laughing as the door closed.

"Oh honey, are those nasty hooligans causing problems again? Hubert, be a dear and go take care of them."

I gulped as Hubert walked past me. He was a giant bear. Not a beast kin or demi-human type, but a human bear dressed in tight leather shorts and harnesses with a carved snarling bear codpiece. He was classed as barbarian, which meant he could get away with the look even out on the street. However, only one with very high appraisal would see that he was also submissive and was protective of children.

The Merchant behind the counter was another story entirely. She, thank you appraising eye, was a man in women's clothing. Not transgender, she just preferred to wear the clothing and be referred to as a lady.

"Don't you worry once Hubert is done running those nasty people away you can leave here safely. Just don't look too closely and you'll be fine."

Of course I glanced around. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised, but I hadn't expected to stumble into a fetish shop. "Now why shouldn't I look around with such impressive wears on display, Ma'am?"

She looked at me in surprise and then narrowed her eyes. "Just how old are you?"

"Old enough to know what I'm looking at but not yet old enough to really enjoy most of it . . . yet." After my long pause she gave out a loud laugh.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that."

I smirked, "True, but probably not as big as Hubert's."

"You know, I like you kid."

"I bet you say that to all the guys. Anyway, I really hadn't meant to enter your shop, but while I'm here there is something I think you could help me with."

She seemed quite surprised. "What would that be?"

"Well I have a demi-fox servant that is about to begin entering manhood. My father insists that I get him fixed. However I want to keep him intact in order to breed him once he is older. To that end I'm sure you would have a selection of chastity devices. However keeping him caste isn't the only problem I need the device and, if possible, his balls to become invisible incase my father decides on a visual inspection."

"The devise will be easy enough to provide, though it will be best if you bring your servant in for a fitting. Making the device invisible is also possible, though that will cost more since it will involve a double enchantment one for controlling the lock and the other for invisibility. Cloacking his bobs . . . that is . . . I'm going to have to get in touch with my associates to see if that can be done. Though I can see a market for such an enchantment. You'll need to give me a couple of months to work on it though."

"That's fine. Considering I can't use money my father can track it's going to take a fair bit of adventure work. I may not have enough until next fall considering I can't take any well-paying jobs until the Academy goes on break again. However as a show of good faith, even if your research finds it isn't possible I'm willing to offer you one gold for your efforts."

"You're paying us one full gold even though there is a chance what you're looking for can't be made?" Hubert asked quietly, alerting me to his return.

"I believe in paying my debts and often research requires more time and effort than crafting. I'll return with my fox for a fitting when I'm sure I'll have enough gold, but before my father's patients runs out."

"Don't you worry Sweetie, we'll get to work on it right away."

I gave a sigh of relief as I got out of the shop. It was a productive diversion and one that would likely be required if I did gain the regeneration skill. However, that was not a place I ever thought I'd have the courage to enter, on any world.

I hurried out of the alley, though I made a mental note of the location so I'd be able to find it again, and made my way to the jeweler that had been suggested. Again it was down a side alley.

The door gave a slight jungle as I entered.

"Hello, hello what can I do for you? A nice pendent for your girlfriend? Maybe an enchanted stone for your weapon?"

"I'm here to sell some glass?"

"Oh, you want the glass dealers; three streets down."

"No I want to sell magically infused glass that I collected out in the desert."

"Magically infused you say? Let's see it then."

The dwarf pulled out a jeweler's loop and my eye told me it used magic glass but I wasn't high enough level to see what the enchantments were. I removed a large slab. Honestly it wasn't the best. The color was a rather dull yellow.

"Hmm, yes that is a nice sized piece I could make a lot of baubles from that. He held it up and examined it through the loop. Oh my, you weren't kidding about it being infused. A high level fire elemental created this, possibly even a primal. The color still isn't the best, but once cut they'll hold one and maybe even two charges."

"Charges?"

"Oh yes, magically infused glass works like a magic gem. Though while a natural gem can be recharged with its spell; infused glass tends to break after a single use. I can give you ten gold for this."

"Um maybe I should have been upfront about it that piece is the largest but also the dullest. The rest of the pieces are much better quality."

"You have more and better quality? How much more?" The Dwarf asked, in excitement.

I started unloading our haul as the dwarf just looked more and more amazed. Once I finished I found he'd sat on the floor and was separating everything into categories.

"This is amazing with what you've collected there is over a thousand gold worth. I don't have the gold on hand for this sort of sale."

"How about we make a consignment deal. You keep all this and as you sell it off you give me what you feel is a fair amount for the glass. That way you don't have to come up with all that gold before you sell anything and I get a somewhat regular income flow?"

"You'd trust me with this?"

"If you swore an oath not to cheat me. You're a dwarf and I know you'd never willingly break an oath."

"You are wise and well versed in demi-human ways to know something like that."

"What can I say? I'm open minded, after all my partners are a demi-human fox and a beast kin dog. If anything I understand just how badly most humans treat kin species since they treat me as a race traitor."

"Aye, you have my oath not to cheat you. By the way, are you an elemental summoner?"

I laughed, "No, I'm a beast summoner. However you have caught me. My group was escorting an elemental summoner out to the desert city in order to try and capture the earth lord. There was some trouble and he summoned his fire primordial. He didn't care about the glass but I could see that it might have value. I'm glad I took the time to collect as much as I could."

"I think you must have a bit of beast kin in you because I must say you seem much smarter than the average human."

I wish that was so. I kept the best six bits out. I was going to have them mounted onto bracers to commemorate our mission. Now I'm wondering if maybe I should have them cut and enchanted."

The dwarf's eyes glittered as he looked at the six rainbow glass nodules. "What sort of enchantment were you thinking of?"

I screwed up my face as though I was really considering my options. "Regeneration maybe. Something that will let us regenerate once if we're stabbed, even if it's in the heart. For adventures a one-time get out of death free sort of enchantment.

"It can be done, but it isn't going to be easy. Leave them with me and I'll get them carved up. Now I can't guarantee the enchantment, but I have a human contact that has very good contacts in the church so I might be able to make it happen."

"How much will I owe you?" I asked.

He waved his hand to the side. There's no telling if I'll be able to pull it off. Even if I do I'm giving you this as a freebie just for making it such an interesting quest. Oh and because you walked into my shop. I haven't been this challenged or entertained in a long time. I'll try to have these done in a month but feel free to stop by any time. Especially if you come across any more of this glass in your travels." He winked at me as if knowing I would likely be collecting more infused glass.

***

As I walked down the hallways toward Rider's room I couldn't help but watch everyone. I knew there was a fifty percent change that my half-brother was training as a knight instead but I just had this feeling he was here, watching me. Just waiting to make his move.

"Hey Prowl, you're a bit late."

"Yeah!" I yelled, as Rider came up behind me.

"You're rather jumpy, what's wrong?"

"I just learned my brother might be here." I blurted out without thinking.

"Wait, you have a brother? The only way the two of you would be here at the same time . . . Prowl, are you actually a noble?"

"I clapped my hand over Rider's mouth and practically dragged him to his room.

Once I was sure the door was bolted I let him go. I took a deep breath. I was going to have to explain. I really didn't want to, but it would be better than having him jump to the wrong conclusions. "Listen, you can't tell anyone about this. I mean it. If you do my life will be over."

"You're being overly dramatic."

"Rider, I was sold into slavery but escaped when I was five. If anything I'm not being dramatic enough."

"Okay, explain."

"My birth was illegitimate, but since I was the only child I was raised to be the family heir until I was five. That's when my half-brother, who was legitimate, was born. I was sold to slavers. I escaped into the woods and was lucky enough to come on the temple where Moon and Star were imprisoned. I bonded with them and that's what saved me. I was able to survive into winter by finding an abandoned cottage and by taming Sky who was able to hunt for me. Eventually I made trips to the local village where I found Chaza being mistreated. Using my new illusion skill and the leaper skins from Sky's hunting I was able to purchase her. After that we traveled around, a lot. Settling where we could for the winters and always training each other to be adventurers. By the time Chaza was old enough to register she was already really good with a battle hammer and we focused on fighting bloody crabs."

"That's why they call her the bloody hammer." Rider said, smiling.

"Yeah one of the reasons. There have been times when the adventurers think they can take advantage of her and she shows just how powerful her Knockers is. Anyway I failed my first registration attempt since I tried to keep my real power hidden. This last time I went all out."

"And that is what got you a place here. Yeah I've heard those rumors. But now you think your little brother is here somewhere?"

"Yeah, I noticed the noble regalia in the market over the weekend. By the way your cut from the enhanced glass is going to take a while before it's available. The gem cutter is going to sell it and then give me a cut of the profits as it sells. As he does I'll divide the money evenly."

"Don't change the subject. Listen, if your brother is here he's probably about my age right?"

"Yeah."

"Well you've noticed I spend all my time with you. That's because all the nobles my age are stuck up idiots that only care about themselves. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about since it would mean he's been here the whole time and you have to admit you've been a large portion of the rumors going around. If anyone knew who you were I'm sure that would have been at the top of the rumor list, instead it's the fact that I'm walking around with an ex-student that was kicked out for disruptive behavior as my guard. As long as you act like everything is normal no one will ever know your secret. Except for me, and Chaza I'm guessing, and the last thing I want is to have you stop teaching me. Now, because you were late, our time for animal training and practice is almost up and Sky and I need to get to summoning class. I fully expect you to be there in Sky from now on. I can't tell you how foolish I felt that this whole time I've been whispering things to Sky thinking you were listening in."

I held my hands up defensively. "I'll be there. After all I do need to learn how to summon Moon and Star in their full forms."

***