Aberdon, Tortall

On the Great Road East near the crossing of the Tirragen River

End of fall, 458 H.E.

Roald wasn't about to complain, even in his thoughts, but he was very wet and very muddy. He couldn't seem to find even enough room to stand where the ground wasn't in the same condition, much less somewhere to lay down his bedroll. Well, he had decided to head southeast from Corus and it was fall, almost winter. Rain, he knew, was part of life. He walked further from the road but the ground slopped gradually down and just got wetter. Roald frowned. Lights in the distance represented a town that would be warm and dry, but Roald knew the risk was too great. The chance was too high that someone would see the black X's tattooed between his thumbs and forefingers that told the world he was a murderer. In the moonlight that filtered through the clouds the X's stood out bright silver against his skin.

"Hello?" Roald spun. Silhouetted against the moonlight was a thin, very feminine figure. Roald shoved his hands into his pickets and willed himself to disappear into the darkness. The woman didn't lose him, however. She stepped to the edge of the road and tilted her head to one side. Though she was only five or six feet away from him, the angle of the moonlight made her face impossible for him to see.

She, however, didn't seem to have any trouble seeing him clearly. "Roald Wilima." She said. Her voice was friendly and inviting. She came down the slope from the road, picking her way carefully over the soggy ground, until he could see her. She was as pretty as her hourglass figure had implied. Moonlight caught on the waves of her hair and reflected gold. Silver powder framed light blue eyes, and she wore more face paint than Roald thought was needed to accent her looks. Her coat was inexpensive, coarse wool, but her dress was fringed with lace.

"You don't recognize me, do you?" She asked. "Adalee Haffen, my uncle is…" She trailed off, seeing recognition on Roald's face. He remembered, maybe seven years ago, a shy, awkward blonde girl who liked to hang around the wagon.

"Didn't you live further south in Sampton or somewhere?"

"Mother married about four years back and we moved here. He's poor and a farmer, but a kind man. I was just on my way home from visiting them."

"Are you married? You—"

She smiled. "No, I just live where I work. I didn't know uncle was here. Mother sent—"

"He's not here." Roald interrupted. "I don't work for him anymore."

Her smile broadened. "You bought your way out. Congratulations. But why didn't he take you on as an apprentice? That doesn't sound much like Uncle."

Roald shrugged. "We didn't part on the best of terms."

Adalee tilted her head to the right, considering him. "Come on, you're coming back with me."

"No thanks," Roald said quickly, "I'm fine here."

"Nonsense," Adalee said, "it'll rain tonight," she dug the toe of her boot into the ground, "maybe even start the season's floods. You'd be miserable out here and Madam Brass loves strays."

Roald stepped back. The promise of a warm place to spend the night was so great he needed to put physical distance between himself and Adalee. "No, I really am fine."

Adalee didn't let him retreat. She put a hand on his elbow and started to lead him to the road. Roald couldn't help but follow. Her hand was warm and gentle. She smelled like earth and flowers. And he didn't want to sleep out in the rain again.

The rain started as a slight drizzle as soon as they reached the road. Adalee gave him a look that said 'I told you so' and let go of his elbow. They walked on in silence, and the rain got slowly heavier and the night darker. Through the gloom Roald saw the outline of a large house. The upper stories where all lit but the lower ones were dark. The house was built on stilts that raised it four feet off the ground and a wooden bridge connected the front door to the road. A wide porch wrapped all the way around the building.

Adalee led him inside and through a dark common room to a stair in the back. He followed her as the stair spiraled upward. When she opened a door on the third floor sound and light poured out into the hallway. Before she'd opened the door he'd been unable to hear even the slightest sound, which meant the floor was warded with expensive magic. Roald was impressed.

The room was a bar and dance hall nearly full of people. "Hey, where'd the handsome one come from, Ady." Someone yelled.

"He better be handsome, Jem. He don't look like he can pay much." Another girl added.

"Ignore them." Adalee whispered. "Where's Madam?" She yelled to the girls.

"In the back." The second answered.

Adalee started around the corner and down a hallway that led further into the back but stopped when she noticed Roald wasn't following. She turned and held out her hand to him. "I thought you went by Ada." Roald said, still hanging back.

She shrugged. "I did but that's a little girls nickname. Ady does better for work." She snapped her fingers and beckoned to him. "Come on now. You've got to meet Madam Brass or you can't stay the night." When Roald hesitated still and she clicked her tongue. Roald started down the hall without giving her his hand; he still had them in his pockets.

The hallway was short and narrow. Adalee pushed open the door at the end. Madam Brass was a tall, slightly rounded woman with thick gray hair in a tight bun. She had laugh lines on her face, and it was clear to Roald she'd been a real beauty in her youth. She was kneeling on the floor and unpacking several wooden crates. She glanced up for a moment but didn't cease her work.

"How's your ma doing, Ada?" Madam Brass asked.

"She's feeling a little better." Ada answered. "She's tired of being stuck in bed."

Madam Brass smiled. "I can imagine. I bet she was glad to see you tonight, though."

"She was. I picked up something on the road on the way home."

"I noticed."

"He used to be a bond servant for my uncle. I was hopping he could stay a bit."

"Rules are you get one week for free. After that we find you a job or you move on your way. You don't bother my workers. Keep you hands off my girls when they're on my time, and otherwise only if you're invited. That last rule is the most important. You break the others you're out, you break that one and you go to the guards. Understand?"

Roald nodded then said, "Yes madam."

"There's a cot in the corner. Drop your stuff then Ada will get you something to eat."

"Thank you, Madam Brass."

"Thanks." Ada said and, smiling, led Roald back out to the hall.