SMITH

I

Dav took a bite out of his apple and turned the corner; and two lives changed for ever.

Before him a gang of local youths with nothing better to do were gathered closely round someone he didn't recognise. A tall girl aged seventeen or so, with striking red hair; clearly a stranger in town. She was backed up against a wall and there was fear in her eyes.

She wasn't in any actual danger, Dav knew; the worst that would happen to her apart from the name-calling would be to have her hair pulled or be tripped into some muddy puddle. The girl didn't seem to realise this, however, and kept glancing around for someone to come to her rescue.

Or so it seemed to Dav. A couple of years previously he would've been part of the taunting gang; but he was eighteen now, and above that sort of thing. Which is not to say that he was about to let slip an opportunity to impress a pretty girl.

"Nikos!" He called, "leave the poor girl alone."

The leader of the gang turned round. He was sixteen, whip-thin, and had a face overwhelmed with acne. "What's she to you?" With his gang to back him up, he spoke big; but there was no real fight in him, Dav knew. Nor malice, really.

"Just beat it."

"And if I don't?"

Dav flicked his wrist. A half-eaten apple sailed through the air and struck Nikos on the chin. Dav smiled to himself. A lucky shot. Perhaps it was an omen.

Nikos glared thunderously at Dav, then skulked off. In ones and twos the rest of his gang followed him. Dav paid them no further heed and approached the red-headed girl.

"Hello," he said, "my name's Dav. What's yours?"

"Sonja."

Dav was slightly disappointed. He'd expected some sort of thanks, at least, but the girl didn't seem any more well-disposed to him than she'd been to Nikos and his cronies. Still, early days.

"You're new around here, aren't you?"

"Just passing through."

"Where to?"

"Just passing."

Dav's heart began to sink. He hadn't expected the girl to throw grateful arms around him and smother him with kisses, though that would've been nice; but he had been hoping for a more generous reception. He tried again.

"Don't worry about them," he said, gesturing in the direction of the departed Nikos and his gang. "They wouldn't really have hurt you."

"I know; I was worried that I might have had to hurt them."

Now that was an answer he hadn't expected. Like most adolescents he knew all about boasting, but this girl sounded as if she was stating a plain fact. He looked at her more closely. Yes, she was pretty; or would be if she cleaned herself up a bit and did something about her hair. Her clothes were simple and boyish – no self-respecting local girl of her age would've been seen dead in britches – and were travel-stained. They showed signs of more than one hasty repair. There was caked mud on her boots.

"You're from Hyrkania, aren't you?" Dav asked her.

"How can you tell?"

"Your hair. Red-heads are common in Hyrkania, I'm told."

"Have you ever been there?"

A question; a contribution to the conversation. Good; let her keep it up. You could be in here Dav, old chum.

"No, but I've met people from there. Travellers, traders, that sort. They come here across the mountains. Did you cross the mountains?"

"Yes."

"On foot?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

A long pause. Then; "Yes."

"A long walk." Which it was. The mountains that separated Dav's village from the plains of Hyrkania weren't particularly high, and the passes were perfectly straightforward except in the severest of winters; but even so it was a long journey and not to be undertaken lightly.

"And what brings you here?"

"Just passing through, like I said. I'm looking for something."

"What?"

"I'll know that when I find it."

Pretty and mysterious. Better and better. Dav knew about girls, or at least he thought he did. Clearly this one was going to be a challenge, but that would make his eventual victory all the sweeter. His first move was pretty obvious, though.

"Look, are you hungry?"

Again the hesitation before answering. "Yes." The girl's tone suggested she'd said something shameful; admitted to a weakness.

"Well come along then. Mother Daffin's booth is just around here."

"Your mother?"

"What? Oh no; I don't think she's got a family at all. But everyone calls her Mother Daffin, and her cooking's not bad."

The girl hesitated. "I haven't any money."

"Don't worry about that."

"But -"

"But nothing. Look, you're a stranger in town; isn't it polite for someone to show you a little hospitality? Besides, from the look of you, you haven't eaten in some time."

The girl's eyes flashed as if she was biting back some angry retort; but evidently she decided to be practical.

"Alright, then."

"Good. This way."

Dav gestured. Before starting to follow him, the girl stooped and picked up some sort of bundle. It was long and thin, with furs wrapped tightly about it.

"What have you got there?"

"None of your business."

More mysteries; this promised to be fun. Mustn't rush it though. This one needs to be handled gently. Just make sure she doesn't leave town before you're ready to make your move.