Ice Witch
Disclaimer: roses are red, violets are blue, me no own, please you no sue!
Chapter 3: Of Werecats and Toads
Two months later
Angela hummed a little tune to herself as she hung the sign up in her shop window, and then pushed the plants aside so the passerby could see it. She stepped back to survey her work.
Help Wanted!
Must be able to work with plants, and must not be very easily frightened. Job not for the fainthearted. Hours/pay negotiable.
"That should work," she said to Solembum. "With luck we'll have a new hand soon."
Must be able to work with plants? Job not for the fainthearted? Who's going to go for that? The werecat was unimpressed.
"Oh, calm down, nobody can travel the Empire these days and have a faint heart. What with all the Urgals running around I'm surprised anyone would want to travel!"
But they do. And some of them would rather submit to the mad king then fight, if only because it is easier. Look at the world today. People stay huddled in their houses, thinking only of how to get through the next day. Only a few dare to defy the Empire and seek the Varden, when many more could. If the people of Alagaesia were stirred, we could overcome him! But they remain, coward like, drenched in fear.
"We can but hope," said the witch quietly.
Ice Witch
Miranda entered Teirm without incident, as the soldiers barely looked her way. She let out a relieved breath. "Come on, Evarinya, I know you don't like crowds, but you have to. I need to find a job."
Being free wasn't all fun and games, as Miranda had discovered. Hunting was never her strong point, and she was almost certain Galbatorix had put up notices asking people to report if they saw her.
It was nearly dark. She scanned the streets, until she came upon an inn, the Silver Arrow. Renting a room for the night, she allowed Evarinya to be taken to the stables and collapsed on a lumpy bed.
In the morning Miranda decided to explore. She wandered around the city until she came across a very strange shop. A sign hug in the window, almost obscured by the plants growing inside.
Compelled to find a job, Miranda nervously opened the door and entered.
A shaggy cat leapt off the counter and stood in front of her. It was the strangest cat she had ever seen—wait. This was no cat.
Miranda had seen werecats before. Her mother was friends with one named Justa. Justa absolutely hated Miranda, and was prone to insulting her in the most cryptic ways she could think of. Rather like her mother, come to think of it.
Oh gods. Her mother.
Miranda hadn't thought about her mother for quite some time. She was the real power behind the throne, and the name of Queen Riza was almost as feared as Galbatorix himself.
A woman emerged from a back room, returning Miranda to the present.
"Hello! Can I help you?" she asked cheerfully.
"Um, yes, the sign in your window said you were hiring?"
"Oh! Yes, are you applying?"
And within the hour, Miranda had a job with Angela and Solembum, for two crowns an hour and she would be staying in a back room.
The next day, Angela was standing at the desk holding a toad and taking notes, while Miranda chopped some herbs and watched Angela.
"Why do you take so many notes on toads?"
"Well you see," explained Angela carefully, "I'm trying to prove they don't exist."
"But you're holding one."
"Yes."
"How can they not exist if you're holding one?"
"No, no, no. If toads don't exist then this was never a toad, only a frog."
"Oh, I see. So that toad is actually a frog?"
"Yes! I'm glad you understand," said Angela happily.
"Do you know what house Jeod lives in?" a voice came from the doorway. Two men stood there, one with a flowing beard. The other was a young teenager.
"I do."
"…Will you tell us?"
"I will," said Angela evenly. She waited, and then laughed. "Of course I'll tell you! All you have to do is ask. Your first question was whether or not I knew, and the second was if I would tell you. But you never actually put the question to me."
"Okay then. Which house does Jeod live in?" asked the old man with a smile.
"Thank you! Jeod is on the right." The pair left.
"Well! That was interesting," remarked Miranda.
"It was," said Angela. "I like interesting people."
Solembum yawned. Did it ever occur to you that you have issues? He glared at Angela. And this one, here. He nodded at Miranda. She's going to be crazy soon, living with you. He padded off, shaking his head.
Look people, I am SO sorry it took this long to update. Its just I was busy, and then Word crashed, and then I just didn't have ANY inspiration whatsoever.
Adriannrod Svit-Kona Sama: yeah, I was just pissed that no one was commenting…
Darkstorm Mistystar's Legacy: Really? I wasn't sure what the reactions would be.
alsdssg: Isn't it! I would die if I had to marry and old fart (hee hee) like that.
Aneet: I know, I'm trying…
Azulcat: threats don't work; I don't feel threatened by them!
callernumber16onz100: yeah, they kinda hate each other.
Diamondchild: no! Sanity is evil!
Draye: it's all in the Author Alert list. Wait, you don't LIKE coming over to my house?
Ebz: NO! MURTAGH'S MINE!