"Avery" AKA "Woe Is Me" AKA "The Countess Brismah" AKA "Hannah"

“A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.”

- Leonardo da Vinci -

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Woe Is Me - Book I

Prequel - Watch Tower [DRAFT]

Guard Master Michael resided on the top floor of the old militia watch tower to the South of Port Amarice. The building had been abandoned for several years, and debates had lingered as to whether it belonged to the military or the militia. Michael had pointed out that he was both military and militia, and in the end, nobody was brave enough to challenge him on that. He had claimed the building as his own, and his office, kitchen, living area, and bedroom filled the entire top floor.

In an attempt to offset the fact that he’d quite obviously used the tower as his retirement home, Michael had dedicated the first floor to a militia office and a weapons store, with a guard house on the ground floor. The basement served as a temporary jail, though it was rarely used (usually only for drunks to sleep it off after a bar fight, or when the Port Authority holding cells filled up).

Michael was pretty much retired, and retired to him had meant a desk job, where he got paid for pretending to do paperwork. However, it didn’t quite work out as he’d planned, given that paperwork seemed to be endless. It was well after midnight, and he was almost finished going through it all as he heard a knock on his door.

He was immediately alert because only Gerald had the spare key, and if it was urgent enough to require him at this time of night, he’d signal the alarm.

Michael stood up silently, unsheathed his sword, then crept across the office. He turned the handle, then kicked the door open!

There was nobody there?

Michael felt a rising sense of dread as he crept into the hallway to check the stairwell door. It was locked as usual, so something was seriously wrong. That was confirmed as he moved back to his office. There was somehow a man dressed all in black sitting reading the report at his desk?

Anyone on any floor could trigger the alarm. It was no more than a rope running between floors all the way to the basement and each floor had a bell attached. Michael reached across and tugged hard on the rope.

There was nothing but silence?

The man was dressed in lightweight black armour, marking him as a spy, a thief, or much more likely, an assassin. The intruder was thin, wiry, obviously well muscled and fit. He had black hair, cut reasonably short, and a long face that somehow sparked a memory for Michael.

Michael always kept a small loaded crossbow on the back of each door. Michael swapped his sword to his left hand, then took the crossbow and pointed it at the man at his desk. He whispered. “Who are you?”

The intruder frowned at this, then replied dismissively. “Good evening Guard Master Michael Sterilix. My name is Nine!”

Hearing that name, Michael had his answer, and a chill ran down his spine.

Nine! Assassins Guild! One of the best! But if Nine wanted me dead, I’d already be dead?

Michael whispered to the assassin. “Stand up, very slowly. If you make any sudden movements, I’ll shoot!”

Nine’s steel grey eyes glanced at Michael in boredom as he looked around the office. Given that it was an old watch tower, there were two huge windows to the South and East. Nine stood up casually, then strolled across to the Eastern window to look down over the docks, oblivious to the crossbow pointed at his chest. He said amiably. “You’ve really done the tower up well Michael. You have an incredible view from here. I’d imagine the sunrise must be incredible?”

Michael queried. “What do you want?”

Nine put his hands behind his back as he looked down over Port Amarice and the ships. “Straight to the point Michael, I like that. All the bluster and posturing can become so tedious sometimes. In answer to your question, I want the docks.”

Michael shook his head. “You want the docks?”

Nine nodded down towards the sprawling chaos laid out beneath them. “I want the Port Authorities. I want the gangs. I want the docks.”

Michael had lost his patience now, so lowered his crossbow, aimed at Nine’s leg, then pulled the trigger. Nothing happened! Glancing down in panic, he noted the trigger mechanism of the crossbow had been disabled.

Michael threw the crossbow at Nine, then switched the sword to his right hand as he lunged to stab the assassin in the chest.

Both his thrown crossbow and his sword thrust somehow missed Nine as the dark figure took a step to the side. Michael found Nine’s dagger at his throat, and as the assassin blinked, his eyes became pools of such a pure black, they seemed to absorb the light. As Michael tried to retreat in horror, he found his wrist was gripped tightly by Nine.

Combined with Nine’s dagger beneath his chin, Michael was held in place, utterly helpless. All it took was a slight twist from Nine, and Michael’s sword fell from his grip to clatter against the floor. Nine's grin was terrifying. “You should have taken the crossbow with your left hand Michael. Your reliance on your right is a severe weakness. You also over-extended your lunge, which is why you’re currently standing there like an idiot, held in place by only my index finger and thumb.”

As Michael grit his teeth in pain, Nine’s midnight black eyes regarded him in amusement. “An old injury Michael? It’s not a broken leg, a knee injury perhaps? Really, at your age, and with an injury like that, I’d recommend you don’t put punishment on your knee by over-extending your lunge. Otherwise, before long you’ll end up carrying a walking stick rather than a sword. Speaking of which Michael, I heard that your daughter requires a walking stick? It was a childhood accident I believe? She fell from a horse? I’m very sorry to hear about that.”

At those words, Michael pleaded. “Please, leave my daughter out of this!”

Nine nodded. “I’m glad we can both agree on that Michael. I really don’t see any reason to bring your daughter into this? Now, I can stand here all day, but within a minute, your knee will fail. I don’t even need to move; you’ll fall straight onto my blade. However, I think I’m starting to like you Michael because you don’t mess about. You immediately got straight to the heart of the matter. You asked me two perfectly sensible questions. You asked who I am?”

Michael grimaced. “You are Nine, of the Assassins Guild.”

Nine smiled. “I’m glad you’ve heard of me Michael, that will save us a lot of time. And then you asked me a second question. You asked me what I wanted..?”

Sweat was beading on Michael’s brow as his knee started to scream out at him in pain. He felt his body tremble at the effort of holding the position without falling onto Nine’s blade. Michael replied. “You want the docks?”

Nine replied in satisfaction. “Excellent Michael! I think we’ll get along just fine. My people will be in touch.”

As Nine let go of Michael his knee gave way and he collapsed to the ground in agony. By the time he looked around, Nine was gone...

Revelation

Avery was struck with a revelation as everything suddenly clicked into place! Good parents don’t control their children; they guide them. Her mother had been a good parent, unlike her father. She’d disowned her father years ago, and thought that she’d found a new father, of a sort. Despite the fact that he wasn’t her real father, she loved Bear, and Bear loved her? Avery couldn’t imagine that there was anything Bear could have done to change that?

That wasn’t strictly true, Avery had always known! It had been obvious from the second Reva joined the crew that Bear was just as attracted to Reva as Avery was. So it had always been there at the back of her mind. If Bear and Reva had gotten together back then? If it had happened before? Avery might have been jealous, but she’d also have accepted it.

But then everything changed, and Avery and Reva were together! Bear knew that Avery loved Reva! Maybe Bear was jealous of Avery? The one thing Bear could have done to crush Avery, and he did it. Bear stole Reva from her!

Avery didn’t want to think about it! She’d always considered Bear as her real father? It was twisted! It was wrong! Wait, where was she? Avery had a revelation? Ah yes. Good parents were children once, and they understood that sometimes the only way to truly learn a lesson is to learn it the hard way.

“Be careful, you’re going to fall off that wall!”

“It’s way past your bedtime, go to sleep or you’ll be tired tomorrow!”

“Are you sure you really want to do that?”

“I really don’t think that’s a good idea!”

“The fire’s pretty, but I wouldn’t put my fingers in it!”

Avery’s mother had died when Avery was four years old. Her so-called real father was still out there somewhere. She could remember her father laughing at her after she’d put her fingers in the fire. Her mother hadn’t laughed at her; instead, she’d wrapped Avery up in her arms. That was the only memory Avery had of her mother.

After that, Avery thought she had a mother, of sorts? She’d thought she had a father, of sorts? She’d thought she had a whole family, of sorts? The crew were all her big brothers or sisters, or her parents, of sorts. All apart from Reva! Reva was different. Reva was her lover! Avery loved Reva! Avery hated Reva!

If Avery ever saw her real father again, she would probably kill him. However, no matter how much she might want to kill Bear, she knew that she wouldn’t.

Avery thought back to the day that she’d first met Bear. Because that day she was furiously trying to escape her father, just as she was trying to escape her new father now. And, just like that day, she wasn’t sure if she was going to live through the day…

Meeting A Giant

Avery had to escape! She’d already tried to get passage on five ships, and they’d all refused her. She had no money, so she’d asked to join their crew and work for her passage. Some of them had shaken their heads, laughed at her, and one had just glared at her until she ran away.

Given how badly beaten Avery was, someone had reported her to the Port Authorities. The Porties were looking at her with a mixture of suspicion and concern. They knew full well that she didn’t have any shards, otherwise they’d already have extorted them from her. So for now, they were waiting to see what happened.

She was only thirteen years old, so if the Porties took her, they’d send her back to her father, and likely try to extort the shards from him instead. She’d be beaten again if that happened. She couldn’t go back to her father. Ever!

Avery was struggling to stay on her feet now as she stumbled through the docks, and this ship was her last possibility. Avery looked over the ship through the one eye that she could still see out of and although it was small, it was beautiful! However after taking one look at the captain, she knew that there was no chance that they’d take Avery on as crew. The captain was standing on the dock at the meeting point, where they picked up crew or passengers, or arranged trades. The captain was young, female and small. All three of those factors were surprising for a captain. She was short, attractive, fair skinned, lean, well muscled and had beautiful coppery red hair.

The captain was dressed in brown leathers, with a sabre at each hip, however she was also wearing a ridiculous tri-cornered pirate hat? Avery was confused by that and might have found the captain hilarious, given she was the exact opposite of every other captain she’d met. There was nothing hilarious about her though, the captain was terrifying.

Avery guessed that if any of the other captains were to laugh at her pirate hat, they might seriously regret doing so. Her green eyes sparkled with so many conflicting emotions, Avery found herself taking a step backwards.

The captain was scary enough on her own, but the man standing behind her was just as frightening! He was a giant, seven feet tall, and towered over the captain. He was as wide as he was tall and rippled with pure muscle. Combined with the sheer anger radiating from him in waves as he looked down at Avery, he was terrifying. Avery imagined that he could easily pick her up with one hand and snap her like a toothpick!

Faced with the captain and the giant, Avery closed her eyes in horror. She bit back her tears as blood streamed down her face, and wondered why she’d even come here? It was a stupid idea. She didn’t belong here! She didn’t belong anywhere! She was different! She was more than different, she was broken! She was wrong! She was a freak! Like anyone would actually hire her on a ship, especially given the current state of her, and the fact that she could barely walk! She was filthy, and covered in bruises and blood! She wasn’t a sailor! She had no money to pay for passage. She had nothing. She was nothing. She’d never escape from her father!

Avery took another step backwards and felt the world tilt. She staggered, reaching out to put a hand on a crate, and somehow managed to keep herself on her feet.

She closed her eyes tight as she felt a tear slide down her cheek, then felt a sob rack through her chest. Like any ship would take on a pathetic crying little girl? If her father saw her crying like this, he’d throw her down the stairs again. He’d lock her in the cupboard! She was pathetic!

Avery tried to fight back her tears, but failed as another sob shuddered through her. As she turned to leave, Avery paused as she heard a deep, but kind voice whisper to her. “I’m sorry girl, I didn’t mean to frighten you. My name is Bear, but I’m not really a bear! I know the other ships have refused to take you on, but today might just be your lucky day? I don’t think you heard the captain, but she was explaining to you that we’re willing to give you a trial aboard our ship? If you want to get away from here, which I think you might, we can help you do just that? You’d have your own cabin. A cabin you’d be safe in. A cabin with a lock on the door. The crew are friendly, and I think you’ll like them?”

Avery could only open her right eye, given that her left was swollen shut, and blood from the cut on her forehead was streaming into it. The giant was now down on one knee in front of her, and he no longer looked angry. However, even kneeling down, he still seemed to tower over her.

Avery knew people, and he looked kind. Avery knew that she could trust Bear. She glanced over the giant’s shoulder and saw the captain smile at her enquiringly. She knew that she could trust the captain. She looked over to the ship and it looked small, fast and sleek. There was a magnificent parrot perched on the crow’s nest, with beautiful blue and purple plumage, and maybe just a hint of green at the wing tips? The parrot turned its head sideways to look at her with one eye, and then did the same with the other. She knew that she could trust the parrot.

Avery bit back a frantic giggle at the fact that the captain had both a pirate hat and a parrot. She wondered if they were really pirates.

There was an old woman looking down at Avery from the side rail. She looked harsh and unforgiving, and seemed confused and highly suspicious. It was as if Avery was somehow a piece of a puzzle that didn’t fit in. That was pretty much how everyone looked at Avery, so that was nothing new. She didn’t fit in anywhere. The old woman was ancient, and her mouth was in a straight line as if deep in thought as she considered Avery. The old woman knew that Avery was wrong! Avery thought she could maybe trust the old woman, but that trust would never be returned. The old woman would never trust Avery, because she had taken one look at Avery, and knew that she was broken!

It was almost as if the old woman had somehow heard Avery’s thoughts? The grey haired woman shook her head sadly, as if to tell Avery she was wrong?

Avery was feeling dizzy now, but she had no choice. She couldn’t go back to her father! She had to escape. Avery looked at Bear and nodded minutely. The huge man smiled at her kindly. “What’s your name?”

Avery found that she couldn’t speak. She didn’t want to tell anyone her name! Instead she just shook her head.

Bear nodded. “That’s fine. Think on it. However, names are important. You need a name, but there’s no hurry in choosing one. You can pick any name you like? My real name wasn’t Bear. But now my real name is Bear!”

Avery nodded at this. Bear seemed like a perfect name for the huge man.

Bear whispered. “Girl, do you see the grumpy old woman up there on our ship?”

Avery glanced again at the old woman and quickly looked away. She frightened Avery, because the crone seemed to know too much. She somehow knew that Avery was broken! Well obviously Avery was broken. Everyone knew Avery was broken! She nodded to Bear suspiciously.

Bear continued. “Don’t worry, she’s always grumpy and glowering like that, but really it’s just an act. She’s actually lovely, and she’s also the best healer I’ve ever met in my life. She’ll check you over, clean you up, and stitch up that cut on your forehead. However right now I think you either have concussion, or you’re going to faint? I’ll explain the terms quickly before you fall over, because if you collapse before you reach the ship without being an official member of our crew, we’ll have to pass you to the Port Authorities. However, despite being corrupt, they will look after you and take you to hospital? Would you prefer it if we took you to hospital?”

Avery shook her head in terror at the thought of going back to her father.

Bear smiled warmly. “We don’t want that to happen either, so I’ll be quick. If you want to join our crew, all you need to do is nod your head. I suspect that you want to just get away from here, more than you want to join the crew? That’s fine. You can do a bit of work to pay your passage? You can clean the dishes, wash clothes, or whatever skills you have? After that, you can decide whether you want to remain on the crew? Whilst you decide, you’ll be fed, and you’ll earn two silver bits a week. If you work hard, you’ll earn a lot more than that!”

“You can get off at any port you like, at any time, and regardless of whether you decide to stay with the crew or not, we’ll send you on your way, with a few shards in your pocket. However, right now you are in a bad way, and I think you need urgent medical attention. Whether you join our crew or not, we can either see to your injuries or take you to hospital. However I suspect you want to escape? Given all I’ve just said, would you like to join our crew, and we’ll get you out of here?”

Avery nodded.

Bear smiled. “Port Authority law says you are not officially a member of the crew until you board our ship and honestly, I’m not sure that you’ll make it. I think it’s more likely you’ll fall off the gangway into the sea. What I suggest is that I pick you up, and take you to your new cabin, where you’ll be safe. However, that would involve me touching you, and I would only do that with your permission. If you think you can walk to the ship yourself, then it is best that you do so now before you fall over. Or, if you want, I will put you over my shoulder and take you aboard?”

Avery knew that she could barely walk and Bear was right in that she wouldn’t make it to the ship. The thought of going back home to her father was even more frightening than going with the huge man, so Avery nodded in agreement.

Bear didn’t pick Avery up as such, he just bowed forward and opened his arms, so she more fell onto his shoulder. As Bear stood up, Avery looked down in confusion as she realised just how high from the ground she was. She couldn’t believe how gentle the huge, muscle-bound man was. Her heart stopped as she saw the thin gangplank beneath her and the cold grey sea was so much further down than she’d expected. However Bear effortlessly walked across the strip of wood, and she sighed in relief as she saw the decking beneath her. Then the realisation settled over Avery as to what she’d just done, and she had second thoughts. How could she be so stupid?

Bear carried Avery to a cabin, and as he placed her onto the bunk, Avery panicked and screamed in terror. She snarled at Bear, then looked around for a weapon. There was nothing, so she backed herself defensively into the corner of the bed, and tried to make herself as small as possible. However Bear had already retreated to the doorway and opened it again. He smiled sadly at Avery. “Shush now girl. I can promise you that you’re always safe whilst aboard this ship and you have nothing to fear here. I’ll leave now, I didn’t mean to frighten you!”

An old woman’s voice hissed from the doorway. “Get out of the way Bear, you bumbling oaf. Go make yourself useful and boil some water. You’re terrifying the poor girl, and what were you thinking hoisting her over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes? The Porties looked about as impressed as I was you idiot!”

As the old woman came into the room, Bear left. Seeing the stern old woman glaring at her, Avery screamed in panic, again looking around for a weapon. Not seeing any weapons, Avery hissed at the old woman, who paused. She called over her shoulder. “Bear? Get yourself back in here right now!”

Avery calmed as Bear re-entered the room. The giant was looking at the old woman in confusion as she whispered. “Well Bear, it seems I was wrong. I think the girl might trust you, so she might feel happier if you were to stay with her for now? Is that right girl?”

Avery relaxed a little as she nodded her head in response.

The old woman shouted through the open door. “Varix? I need boiling water, a towel, and the med-kit. Now!”

The crone seemed to know Avery, she knew Avery was broken, and she’d tell the captain that, and then she’d send her away. Again the old woman seemed to know what Avery was thinking. She sighed as she saw Avery’s fear and her injuries, then whispered. “Why don’t you introduce us Bear?”

Bear whispered to Avery. “You’ve met Captain. That’s her name. Not ‘the captain’. Just Captain. I’m Bear.”

He nodded to the old woman. “You’ll never guess what her name is?”

The girl looked at them both suspiciously as Bear continued. “She got her name because she’s a sour and grumpy old hag!”

The old woman snapped. “I’m sure you think you’re being amusing Bear, but I asked you to introduce us?”

Bear sighed, and yet still had a half grin, as if he knew that he’d never have gotten away with saying something like that normally and had pushed his luck.

He pointed to Avery. “This is our newest crew member, and I don’t know her name. Maybe she hasn’t come up with her name yet. Girl, this is Witch, but she’s not really a witch, she’s just sour and grumpy. However as I said to you earlier, beneath it all, she’s absolutely lovely. Just don’t tell her that I told you that she’s lovely, she won’t like that! Witch will take care of you, and she’ll tend to your injuries, but only if you want her to?”

Witch snorted. “Very funny Bear!”

Then the old woman softened. “Girl, I have a suggestion. I need to check you over, because I suspect you have injuries that I can’t see? Your left leg or your hip is injured, and you likely have either bruised or cracked ribs. You’re cut, bruised, bleeding, and your clothes are filthy. We can sort all that out for you, but first I need to get you out of those clothes, get you clean, and check you over? I don’t think it’s appropriate for Bear to be here for that, and as you can see, Bear takes up half of your new cabin. I need room to work, and he’ll just get in the way. And if Bear calls me ‘sour and grumpy’ again, I might just have to throw him into the sea! So what I suggest is that Bear stands guard outside the door, and trust me, with Bear standing guard, nobody gets in here without his permission. Does that sound reasonable to you?”

Avery nodded.

Witch smiled. “Bear?”

Bear looked down at Avery, then winked at her. “Young lady, whilst aboard this ship, you are in one of the safest places in the New Empire. I shall guard this door with my life. As Witch says, you’re safe here.”

Avery tried to smile, wincing in pain as she opened the cut on her lip, then squealed in terror upon hearing a knocking on the door. Bear opened the door, took a large bowl of boiling water, and then placed it on the table. He whispered. “It’s just hot water to tend to your injuries and clean you up. And this is a med-kit. Witch needs it to treat you and stitch up that cut above your eye. I’m going to be standing right outside this door, and I’m not going anywhere. As I said, Witch isn’t half as grumpy and scary as she pretends to be, and she’s the best medic I’ve ever seen in my life. She’ll take care of you!”

Jumping Ship

Avery snarled at those memories.

Bear never once raised his hand to me! Bear never beat me! Bear never threw me down the stairs to the basement! Bear never locked me in the cupboard! Bear never left me in the dark overnight!

Bear put up with my ‘condition’. Bear didn’t call it a ‘condition’ in the first place! Bear understood me. Bear knew when the darkness was coming, and he’d trick me out of it. He’d distract me. And if he failed to stop it, he’d watch over me until it passed.

And when it all became too much, Bear would go down on one knee and open up his arms. He would hold me as I cried into his shoulder! Bear was more of a father than my real father ever was! Bear promised he’d never hurt me! Bear lied!

But what do I care anyway? Bear wasn’t my father any more than my real father was my father! I’ve never had a father! I don’t need a father!

Bear knew that I loved Reva, but why would I care? Bear can do whatever he likes, with whoever he likes! It’s not like we’re related! It’s not like I was married to Reva! It’s not like Reva would marry anyone in the first place, especially me!

But what if Reva married Bear? She wouldn’t! She’d never marry anyone! Would she? Please no!

How could they? Reva was everything to me, and Bear knew that! Reva knew how much Bear meant to me! They both knew how much it would hurt me! Well, they didn’t hurt me, because I don’t even care! They’re both welcome to each other! I hate them both! No, I don’t hate them, because I don’t care enough to hate them! I hate them both!

Forget Bear and Reva! I don’t care anyway! What was my revelation?

Avery’s revelation was that good parents realise that sometimes saying something is a stupid idea isn’t enough. Sometimes you had to let the child find things out the hard way!

Good parents advise, but they let their children make small mistakes. She’d always thought it was so they could say ‘I told you so’ later, but now she thought she understood.

The crew weren’t her real parents, or her real family, but they were her family all the same. They let her make small mistakes all the time. They put up with her tantrums, and her ‘condition’, they warned her, and she ignored their warnings. In most cases they were right, and they’d just shake their heads at her stupidity. But at the same time, they also knew that she’d learned her lesson. However when Avery tried to do something truly stupid or dangerous, they wouldn’t let her make the mistake in the first place. They’d stop her.

Avery’s revelation was that sometimes learning the hard way involved getting yourself killed. If somehow she survived this, they wouldn’t just say 'I told you so', they'd scream at her for being so stupid.

Faran hadn’t screamed at her and had somehow worked out that Avery intended to jump ship before she had. Faran was her big brother, sort of. Faran understood Avery better than she did herself. Faran didn’t scream at her, he tried to explain why it was a stupid idea. And yet all the time, Faran knew that he couldn’t talk her out of it. She wasn’t a thirteen year old little girl any more, she was seventeen now! She was an adult! She was an idiot!

The sun had been starting to rise as she’d snuck out of her room, and as she moved to jump overboard, Faran dropped to the deck behind her. Avery knew that Faran had been sitting on the cabin roof for the entire night, waiting for her to jump ship. In that moment Avery realised that Faran knew her better than she knew herself. It had taken Avery five hours to reach the decision, but Faran had known. Faran already knew that trying to reason with Avery was a lost cause and offered to go with her. He’d said it might be more sensible if they took the rowing boat and went together? Faran knew that she’d refuse however, so he’d prepared.

Faran was just going through motions in trying to talk her out of it, because he knew it was a waste of time. All the time he’d been speaking he’d been moving with a haste Avery rarely saw in the man.

Faran was brilliant. He was organisation on a level that Avery couldn’t even start to comprehend. He’d already prepared meticulously for her jumping ship, and talked as fast as he moved. Avery felt like a child again as Faran re-tied her boots securely, then double knotted them. He’d tightened her belt, then took her backpack and rifled through it. He’d sighed and shaken his head as he took her three daggers and placed them on the deck, followed by several other heavier items.

Avery couldn’t fail to note that after Faran had exchanged her gold and silver bits for much lighter shards, she was significantly wealthier than she had been thirty seconds before. She also knew that trying to argue with Faran on either the daggers or the shards was likely to end up being as successful as Faran trying to talk her out of jumping ship.

Faran had cleared enough room in her pack to place a water tight bag inside, however, strangely the bag was empty? Faran explained that it was full of air and it would help keep her afloat.

As Faran was doing all of this, he had been giving her precise instructions. He’d explained the currents, and finally made her repeat it all back to him. He nodded through gritted teeth and she could almost read Faran’s thoughts as he spoke. Avery knew people. She could see behind his eyes as he considered restraining her. She saw him take a deep breath in order to shout out to the rest of the crew in warning, so they would stop her instead.

However Avery saw the recognition in his eyes. She could read Faran just as well as he could read her, and he understood that. Instead he sighed in resignation and made her drink the contents of a sickly tasting yellow vial. Avery knew that he wasn’t trying to knock her out. He’d already accepted that this would happen and he was powerless to stop her in a way that wouldn’t make them enemies for life. He put a second yellow vial, and to Avery’s shock, a blue vial in her pocket.

Finally Faran nodded, and he had tears in his eyes as he hugged Avery fiercely, then kissed her forehead. The hug was briefer than Avery would have liked, but Faran told her that she had to jump ship immediately if she was going. She could also see Faran calculating? If Avery delayed, he knew that she wouldn’t make the swim, and he’d try to stop her. He’d shout out to the rest of the crew, and with every second, Faran was coming closer to doing just that.

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

Faran had (as always) been entirely correct on every front. Without the boost from his yellow potion, she’d be dead. Carrying the extra weight of her daggers, combined with her gold and silver bits, she’d be dead. Without the bag full of air, she’d be dead. Without his advice on when to rest and let the currents take her, and when to kick out as hard as she could and fight the currents, she’d be dead.

Avery had underestimated her abilities, the currents, and the swim, by some quite considerable margin. Swimming fully clothed whilst carrying both an axe and a backpack was a lot tougher than she’d expected.

Faran had told her to ditch her axe if she struggled, advice which she (of course) decided to ignore, just as Faran knew she would. At one point, she’d spent thirty minutes doing no more than trying (and failing) to prevent herself from being swept back out to sea. At that point she drank the second yellow potion, which gave her the boost she needed to fight the currents.

Nice Afternoon For A Swim

By the time Avery finally made it to the pier to grab the bottom rung of the ladder, she’d learned her lesson! But the trial wasn’t over. She was now so exhausted that she had nothing left. In the end, it took her a full fifteen minutes to drag herself up the ladder, and by the time she’d finally hauled herself onto the pier, she was trembling. She just lay there for several minutes, letting the seawater drain from her clothes. Somehow she then found the energy to stand up and shake herself off.

As Avery staggered towards the docks, she set her eyes on the closest inn. However, a Port Authority guard appeared in front of her, holding out his hand to block her. He queried. “Excuse me? Miss?”

Avery placed her wide brimmed hat on her head, then looked up at the Porty in a daze. “Yes?”

The guard frowned. “Might I ask why you just swam into port, and why you’re carrying an axe?”

Avery looked at the man as if he was insane. “Well, it’s a nice afternoon for a swim, don't you think? Why are you carrying a sword?”

The Porty bristled with anger. “Now don’t get cheeky with me. Let me explain how things work around here. You give me three shards, and I let you pass. Otherwise, you can swim back to wherever you came from!”

Avery shook her head. “I’ve been in this port four times previously and I've never had this?”

The Porty said. “Probably because you arrived on a trading ship? Your captain would have paid a lot more than three shards to ensure you didn’t have any trouble. But they’d still have had to pay. Everyone pays.”

Avery said incredulously. “You expect me to pay you for swimming into port? Are you joking?”

Seeing the look of anger on her face, the Porty signalled one of the other guards. “You can give me the three shards, or we can go through that backpack of yours, take that axe from you, fine you, and put you in a cell overnight? In the end, it’ll cost you a lot more than three shards, and a lot more trouble?”

Avery shook her head. “I want to speak to your boss!”

As the other guard came to see what the fuss was about, he laughed. “Amusing, but it doesn’t work that way. It is now six shards. Three for him and three for me!”

Avery pushed past the guard and started running, but the second Porty grabbed her arm. He quickly let go as she spun to punch him in the face. As she sprinted into the docks, the Porties whistles and shouts followed her in close pursuit.

Lost

After escaping from the Porties, Avery was looking for lodgings for the night, but during her escape, she’d lost her bearings. There was nothing but warehouses and closed buildings. It was a cloudy day, so she didn’t even know which direction she was heading in. After several minutes, she was aware of someone behind her, then heard a boy's voice. “Excuse me? You appear to be lost?”

Avery turned to see a friendly looking boy behind her. He was around her age, and his smile was warm, but something set her on edge all the same. She replied hesitantly. “I’m sorry?”

The boy continued. “You look lost? You really don’t want to be wandering through the docks at night; it can get pretty rough around here. Especially given that word on the street is the Porties are looking for someone matching your exact description.”

Avery was exhausted now, so she queried the boy in confusion. “The docks?”

The boy looked around. “Yes, the docks? You know where the ships come in? Where we are right now?”

Avery asked cautiously. “Who are you?”

The boy smiled. “My name’s Milko. I think it might be best if we get you somewhere safe?”

Avery nodded. “Safe? Yes. Thank you.”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

After a few minutes, Avery looked around suspiciously, given they seemed to be heading deeper into the warehouse district. The area was darker and seemed more run-down. She queried. “Where are we?”

Milko said plainly. “I’ve brought you somewhere safe.”

Avery replied. “Thank you!”

Milko whispered. “There’s no need to thank me. It was a service, and I do expect payment.”

Avery nodded. “That only seems fair. How much?”

Milko grinned. “Everything!”

Avery queried. “Everything?”

Milko laughed cruelly. “Yes! All your shards, that axe, your backpack. Everything!”

Avery looked around to see another four boys moving from the side alleys to surround her, and she felt a rising sense of dread. “That doesn’t sound very fair.”

One of the boys laughed. “Nothing's fair in this world princess.”

The largest of the gang members grabbed Avery’s hat and said cheerily. “I get her hat!”

Avery froze. “Give me back my hat!”

He laughed. “It suits me better. Give us your shards.”

Avery looked down miserably and repeated. “Please don't do this. I don't want you to do this. Please just give me my hat back!”

The boy with her hat laughed. “Oh look, I think she's actually going to cry! How cute!”

Milko grabbed her wrist. “Enough, you've had three warnings now!”

As one of the boys swung at Avery, she instinctively blocked his punch, and as she twisted her wrist to break free, she brought her knee up into Milko's groin. The boy collapsed to the ground in agony as another gang member punched Avery in the face, and another shoved her hard from the side. As her shoulder and head connected hard against the stone wall, old memories washed over her.

Avery knew this all too well. She knew all about bullies. She knew all about being beaten bloody! She knew all about being thrown down the stairs!

As Milko managed to get his breath back, he snarled. “We're going to have to go to town on you now little girl.”

I should have stayed on the Torch Flower! I’m not supposed to be left alone! I’m not allowed to be left alone! I need the crew! Where’s Faran? Where’s Varix? Where’s Captain? Where’s Bear? Where’s Raz’Kul? Where’s Witch? Where’s Reva? I hate Reva! I miss Reva so much! Where’s Talon?

As if in reply, there was a sound of wings as Talon descended from the sky. The parrot’s claws raked across one of the boy’s arms, and he dropped his dagger. As Talon attacked another of the boys, he batted her away and the bird collided hard against the wall, then fell from the air.

Seeing Talon lying on the ground, and the gang member wearing her hat, Avery's anger brimmed over. That wasn’t good, and Bear wasn’t there to calm her down. As the gang encircled her, she whispered. “You’re going to town on me? Woe is me!”

But there were too many for Avery and as the gang moved to attack her as one, she was soon overwhelmed. Avery was knocked to the ground as she screamed in fury.

After that, punches and kicks rained down on Avery from all sides.

Woe Is Me

Avery looked around in a daze. She was sitting on the ground, had her back to the wall, and could taste blood in her mouth. Her ribs, head, jaw, and pretty much everything hurt. Reaching up to her head, she realised that something was seriously wrong.

Where’s Talon? Where’s my hat?

Avery picked up one of Talon’s feathers in horror, but the parrot dropped down to land on her shoulder. Talon’s wing had obviously been damaged in the fight.

Avery sobbed. “Talon! Fly back to The Torch Flower before the ship is too far away!”

Talon shook her head, so Avery snarled and pushed her away. “Go Talon! Now! You’re injured.”

Talon hovered there for a second. “Man The Rigging! Climb The Sails! Sing Us A Song!”

Avery shouted. “No Talon! Thank you for coming for me, but I need to be alone!”

Talon grudgingly accepted this, and Avery was furious as she saw how Talon struggled to fly back towards The Torch Flower. The parrot had been injured defending her, due to Avery’s stupidity! Why did she always do everything wrong?

Avery immediately regretted sending Talon away! She regretted everything. She looked around in panic.

They took my hat! Where's my hat?

The five gang members who had attacked her were sprawled on the cobblestones around her, and there seemed to be quite a lot of blood. Avery checked herself over. Although she was bruised, had several cuts, and her mouth was bleeding, she wasn't seriously hurt?

It’s not my blood, it's their blood! Oh no, what did I do?

One of the boys was groaning, and his arm was at a strange angle, another had cuts on his ear, obviously from Talon’s claws, and two of them didn’t seem to be in any hurry to regain consciousness. The final gang member was the one who’d stolen her hat. He was sitting with his back against the opposite wall, and as their eyes met, he looked at Avery in terror. She suspected most of the blood was his, given that it was streaming from his nose. Otherwise he seemed uninjured, a fact that he proved as he rushed to his feet and ran away.

Avery winced in pain as she got back to her feet and realised just how badly she’d been beaten. She checked her axe, and with relief noted it was still attached to her thigh, and hadn't been used. That would have been really bad! She looked around the other boys and confirmed they were all still breathing.

I didn’t kill anyone! Just calm down! They didn't steal my shards or my axe! I didn't kill them! It's fine! Just stay calm! Where’s my hat?

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

After running away to join the crew of the Torch Flower, Avery had one of her ‘episodes’ as her father used to call them. He wasn’t her father! Avery hated him! She’d escaped, but she’d still had an episode all the same. Avery had hidden in the crow’s nest for two full days, refusing to speak to anyone. She had screamed at anyone who tried to climb the rigging, until they left her alone.

After Avery finally came back down, Bear had given her a massive hug, and she’d cried into his shoulder. Bear understood. Avery had been badly sunburned in those two days, so Captain had given Avery a hat to protect her from the sun. It wasn’t a new hat at the time, and was now even more sun-bleached than it had been back then.

It was no more than a simple, brown, wide-brimmed hat. Avery nearly always wore her hat.

Avery’s hat was her most important possession!

That was because Avery’s hat did more than just protect her from the sun. Avery’s hat protected her from people! Avery could tip her hat down in order to avoid people’s eyes. Everyone looked at Avery like she was crazy, because Avery was crazy. Avery was broken! Avery was wrong! Avery had a condition! Avery’s hat let her avoid everyone’s gazes as they looked at her like a freak! Avery’s hat shielded her! Avery’s hat made her feel safe!

Avery sobbed. “The crew never called me crazy! They never called me broken! They never called it a condition! They never called it an episode, but I’m having an episode right now all the same! But it’s fine! Where’s my hat? They stole my hat! Calm down! Everything’s fine! I just need my hat! Where’s my hat?”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

Avery managed to retain a semblance of calm, right up until she spotted her hat on the cobblestones. It was ripped, covered in mud, and quite a lot of blood. Her hat was wrong! Her hat couldn’t be fixed, just like Avery couldn’t be fixed! Her hat was broken, just like Avery was broken! Another sob escaped her as she fell to her knees in misery.

No! Please no! Not my hat!

She recognised the voice of the gang member who had stolen her hat. “That's her! She’s crazy! She broke Mauler's arm, and I think she killed Milko!”

Avery looked around to see that he’d brought another six gang members, who were looking at her and the four boys lying on the ground in amazement. One of the girls said fiercely. “You're going to learn not to mess with the Dock Side gangs girl.”

Avery glared at the gang. “You got blood on my hat!”

The girl replied. “Look at her! She's cracked! And look at that pouch of shards! We'll definitely be taking that! Take her apart.”

Avery got back to her feet. “Yes, I’m cracked! You’re going to take me apart? Oh really? Oh woe is me!”

Upon seeing the look on Avery's face as she stepped forward to meet them, the gang members fled in terror…

Did You Get Blood On My Hat?

Krakis again pondered the location of Palance's 'office'. After a few months, he’d grudgingly admitted that if he was half as paranoid as Palance, it might be a good choice. The leader of the dock gangs was all about showing off how much money he had, yet he’d picked an office that smelled of the sewers? But Palance's crumbling office had both a back door and a secret hatch leading down into the same said sewers.

If Krakis had been worried about being stormed by a small army, or assassins, it might make sense to pick the damp, smelly, and dingy room? Palance didn't have the sense to realise that if there were any assassins, they’d be waiting for him in the sewers. Neither did Palance have the sense to realise that he wasn't really worth the bother of hiring an assassin in the first place.

Krakis frowned at that thought as he wondered just why Palance was so jumpy. Palance might seem stupid, and he might act it, but he suspected that Palance wasn’t half as daft as Krakis thought. And, for some reason, Palance was protected from way up on high? Palance had connections with the Central gangs.

Krakis knocked on Palance’s door, and after a few seconds, and a muted reply, he entered.

Palance was pretending to shuffle papers, in order to make himself look professional. His annoyance was probably more likely due to the fact that he'd been woken up, not the fact that he’d been interrupted. Krakis knew the ‘reports’ Palance was pretending to read were meaningless lies if read the right way up, so it probably didn’t make too much difference that Palance was pretending to read them upside down.

Palance snapped. “Krakis, we're not due to meet until this afternoon? This had better be good!”

Krakis said. “Four of the West Side Dockers are in the infirmary.”

At that, Palance came to focus. “What happened?”

Krakis said quietly. “Woe Is Me happened!”

Palance queried. “What are you talking about Krakis?”

Krakis seriously disliked Palance, and he was in no mood to be overly helpful, so he replied plainly. “Some girl in the docks put them in the infirmary. They're all saying she's a Demon.”

Palance seethed. “Start talking sense Krakis, or I'll have your hide!”

Krakis shrugged. “There's a girl called 'Woe Is Me' prowling the docks. She swam into shore, refused to pay her dues to the Porties, then punched one of them. After that, she put four of the West Side Dockers in the infirmary.”

Palance shook his head. “I heard the Porties were looking for a girl, but the rest is nonsense. A Demon? Don't be ridiculous!”

Krakis said. “I’m just telling you what I heard Palance. The West Side Dockers being in the infirmary isn’t nonsense, I’m just back from checking on them. Detikus has a broken jaw, Pale a cracked rib, and Mauler a broken arm. Milko hasn't regained consciousness yet, and Massie has a broken nose.”

Palance queried. “So what did the rest of the gangs do?”

Krakis explained. “Massie was the only one who could still walk, so he rounded up the East Side Dockers. Apparently they all went to confront this girl, took one look at her, then ran away. They're saying she's a Demon!”

Palance shouted. “Don’t be ridiculous. Who is she? Is it a power play? One of the central gangs?”

Krakis sighed. “That's all I know Palance! After I heard, I went to the infirmary to confirm, then I came straight to you. Everyone I've spoken to is saying the same thing. I don't think she's from one of the gangs. Apparently she swam into shore, and she's cracked!”

Palance said. “So who is she?”

Krakis tried to keep the frustration from his voice as he repeated. “Woe Is Me?”

Palance laughed. “That's her name? Seriously?”

Krakis said wearily. “I don't think she left a calling card, that's what they're calling her.”

Palance got to his feet angrily. “So, where is she now?”

Krakis replied. “Last I heard, she was sitting at the fountain at Melik Street. I have eyes on her.”

Palance was obviously irritated about the fact that he might actually have to do something. “So let's round everyone up and pay her a visit?”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

Krakis nodded towards the girl sitting by the fountain. “That’s her. That’s Woe Is Me.”

Palance sighed. “Her? Seriously? She's just a little girl. She’s tiny.”

Krakis whispered. “Several people have confirmed it. That's her.”

Palance considered Avery. “She has an axe.”

Krakis commended himself on his restraint, and somehow managed to bite back the obvious response. “Oh Palance! I hadn’t noticed the fact that she has an axe strapped to her thigh, or the fact that axe looks like it belongs there! Well done, I can now see why you're the boss!”

Instead Krakis sighed inwardly and replied. “Apparently, she didn't need the axe. If she'd used that axe, there wouldn't be much left of The West Side Dockers.”

Palance shook his head. “There's no way that little girl took out five of the West Side Dockers. Or that the East Side Dockers ran away from her?”

Krakis again commended himself on his restraint. He couldn't think of any response that wasn't dripping in sarcasm, so thought it might be best to just keep his mouth shut and try to look serious.

However Krakis reminded himself that although Palance was stupid, he wasn’t completely stupid. Having all the gangs converge on this girl at once had sounded like utter madness, right up until Krakis had seen her with his own eyes. Now he was starting to think that maybe Palance wasn’t as daft as he looked.

Krakis watched Palance stroll casually over to the girl, and sighed in relief as that point was disproven. Palance was definitely as daft as he looked, given that he spoke to her like he would a five year old girl. “Hello? Excuse me?”

Avery looked up to Palance in a daze. “Yes?”

Palance queried casually. “What do you want?”

Avery paused at that question, as if somehow all the words made sense, but not in that order. She replied. “What do I want? Nothing. Well, unless you got blood on my hat that is?”

Krakis pondered whether Palance realised that this girl had already humiliated him in a few words. It seemed he had, given Palance hissed. “Quit playing the fool. Who are you?”

Avery frowned. “Well, that's a little rude. Who are you?”

Palance growled. “I'm Palance. I own the docks.”

Avery giggled, and in that moment did seem no more than a five year old girl. Krakis shook his head in wonder as Palance lapped it up and his confidence grew. Palance said. “Do you find something funny?”

Avery laughed. “Yes! You own the docks? That’s funny?”

Palance nodded. “Yes! I own the docks!”

Palance looked around the square, and Krakis was impressed with his self control, given that he hadn’t burst out laughing.

Avery continued. “You own the docks? The Port Authorities might disagree.”

Palance snapped. “We pay our dues to the Porties, though it sounds to me like you didn't. It's you the Porties are looking for, not me!”

Avery dismissed his comment as she riled Palance further. “Do you know, it's really quite hilarious that you think that you own the docks? However, I tell you what Palance? If it makes you feel better? Yes, you own the docks!”

Krakis wasn’t so impressed with his self control this time, given he snorted in amusement. To his relief, he was one of several who laughed at that comment so Palance’s glare wasn’t directed at him. Palance sighed in frustration as he tried to change tact and sound reasonable. “Look, what exactly is it you want?”

Avery replied plainly. “What do I want? I don’t want anything from you! Did I ask for anything?”

Palance obviously realised that he was losing control. “I'm sorry?”

Avery repeated slowly. “Are you hard of hearing, or are you just dim? I said. Did. I. Ask. For. Anything?”

Palance growled. “Right enough games. If you want to fight, let's fight.”

Avery said. “Did you get blood on my hat?”

Palance replied. “No.”

Avery nodded. “Then I don't want to fight you.”

Palance said quietly. “The way I hear it, it was you who got blood on your hat!”

At those words, Avery flinched. “I did?”

Krakis shook his head in wonder at Palance. He was clever enough to work out that the girl was quite annoyed about her hat, but not clever enough to work out that he really might not want to prod that open wound. Palance grinned at her. “Yes, you got blood on your hat!”

Avery again seemed an innocent little girl as she looked up and to the side and considered this. “So Palance, let me think about this. If you run the docks, that would make you leader of the gangs?”

Palance replied confidently as he repeated her words. “Yes! As I said before. Are you hard of hearing? Or are you just dim?”

Avery seemed confused, but then she replied. “I see Palance. Do you know what? I think I must be dim! However it’s all starting to make sense now!”

Krakis wasn’t the only one who realised that Palance was completely outclassed by this girl, and some sort of net was closing around him and wasn’t the only one hoping that net included quite a lot of spikes.

Avery looked around in puzzlement. “Yes, I really must be dim, but I remember now. The West Siders attacked me last night! So given that you own the docks, that would mean you're in charge of the gangs? Including the West Siders?”

Krakis was hoping Palance would remain oblivious, but it seemed that he had realised that he’d walked into that net, and it had quite a lot of spikes.

Palance’s confidence faltered. “Well, yes...”

Avery stood up, and somehow in that movement, and despite the fact that Palance towered over the tiny girl, she suddenly seemed eight feet tall. She pondered. “So, if you think about it Palance? You’re in charge of the docks? You’re in charge of the West Siders? So really, yes, I am dim amn’t I? The way I see it is that it is entirely your fault that I got blood on my hat?”

Palance was starting to get an inkling as to why everyone was so scared of this girl. She was crazy! Palance frowned. “Well...”

Avery didn’t let Palance finish as she took a step towards him. “No, I’m sure now. I was being dim. If we think about it, it’s your fault that I got blood on my hat!”

Palance took a step back as Avery advanced and pulled out his knife. Avery glanced down at Palance’s blade, then snorted in amusement at it. “Are you pulling steel on me little boy?”

The fact that Palance was both a lot bigger than Avery, and a few years older, didn't seem all that important to anyone at that precise moment. Palance paled. “Look, what exactly is your problem?”

Avery gazed up at the sky in confusion, then frowned before seeming to come to a conclusion. She looked at Palance and took another step toward him, completely ignoring his knife. “Now there’s a good question Palance! What exactly is my problem? You see I didn't have a problem yesterday. I wasn't bothering anyone yesterday, apart from the Porties, who tried to rip me off. Though, if you think about it, and given that you apparently own the docks, that would mean you’re in charge of the Porties as well? But that’s not really my real problem. My problem is that your gang tried to rob me, and they got blood on my hat. It doesn’t matter if it was their blood or not, and I can assure you that it was most definitely their blood. Don’t you see? The butterfly effect. You apparently own the docks Palance. You send your five little thugs to rob a little girl. They stole my hat. I loved that hat! Then they attacked me to try and steal my shards! Now if my hat had been sitting rightly where it belonged, which was on my head, there wouldn’t be a problem? My hat would have been spotless.”

“Then I came here to wash your gang’s blood from my hands and clothes, but not from my hat. There was so much blood on my hat, it just wasn’t going to work out! You couldn’t clean the blood from my hat! I loved that hat!”

“Then just as I’d succeeded in calming myself down, you turn up and pull steel on me? And as it turns out, it’s your fault I got blood on my hat in the first place?”

“So really, that tiny little event? That butterfly flapping its wings? That turned into a hurricane! And that hurricane was just starting to calm down. But oh no, you had to come along and flap your pathetic little wings, didn’t you Palance? You had to bring that hurricane back to full force?”

Avery looked around in confusion. “So, does that answer your question? That is exactly what my blasted problem is!”

Krakis looked around the square in shock. He was fairly sure that half of the square would happily marry Woe Is Me right there and then. The other half were considering running for their lives. Krakis was thinking the latter himself!

Krakis was disappointed that he couldn’t see Palance’s face at that moment, though that might have been for the best. He was sure if he could, he would definitely have burst out laughing.

Avery took another step forward, seemingly completely oblivious to the fact that all Palance needed to do now was push his right arm forward to stab her in the chest. “It seems to me that your gangs prey on innocent little girls Palance? The problem is that where you’re a little boy, I’m not a little girl! And I'm most definitely not innocent! You see, my innocence was taken from me, and I'm really not too happy about that fact. So if you want to play, let's play?”

Avery took another step towards Palance until his blade was centimetres away from her. “But here’s some advice little boy. You might want to think long and hard before you pull steel on me. I’m guessing it was just a mistake, because you’re a pathetic little coward? So I’ll pretend not to notice your pathetic little knife? I advise that you put your knife away before I forget to pretend not to notice it. Because as you might note, I have a much larger axe at my hip. And if you ever draw steel on me again, I’ll draw steel!”

If Palance tripped, he’d kill the girl. If he thrust, she’d be dead. But Palance’s hand was actually shaking.

Avery paused in thought. “I’m going to forget to pretend not to notice your knife fairly soon! I've never killed anyone before. Well, I don't think I have? No, actually I have. I did shoot that pirate? I’m not sure if she died there and then, but she fell into the sea. Either way, she was dead. I’m pretty sure. Maybe she survived, who knows? I don't think I killed any of your gang last night? Did I? Are any of them dead? Because there was a lot of blood! There was a lot of blood on my hat! I think I might have killed a few people three nights ago, but I’m not sure. Actually, now I think about it, I think I might have killed a lot of people. I don’t like killing people, but the great thing about it is that if I kill you, I won't even remember you by tomorrow!”

Avery was shouting at Palance now, who was slowly stepping backwards. “Do you ever remember killing anyone Palance? Do you remember that look as the light fades from their eyes? Do you remember the feeling as their warm blood washes down your wrist? Do you remember just how blasted difficult it is to wash their blood away?”

Avery was inches away from his face now. “I don't like blood Palance, and you got blood on my hat! So how about you put that pathetic little knife away, and we do this without weapons? That way I don't need to wash your blood from my clothes later? That way, I don't need to forget killing you? Because I'm not sure how many I can forget? And it's quite a lot more difficult to forget killing you when I'm covered in your blood!”

Palance took another step backwards. “You're cracked!”

Avery tilted her head, then again giggled like a little girl. “Cracked? Like an egg? You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs! Are you an egg? Will I break you? So what will it be little boy? Boxing? Wrestling? Little bullies pushing children around in the playground? Five little boys mugging a defenceless little girl? My father beating me, again and again? My father never used a weapon; he only used his fists. I know fists. But the thing is Palance, I will die before anyone beats me ever again!”

Avery took another step towards Palance. “You won’t get another warning. I’m about to notice that pathetic little knife. And if you draw steel on me little boy, I will draw steel, and I will not hesitate to cut you into tiny little pieces. I’m being patient here, though I’m not quite sure why. Actually, I'm just itching for a fight, because as it turns out, it's your fault that I got your gang’s blood all over my hat!”

Palance put his knife away. “Fair enough, calm down! There's no need for steel. But why don’t you look around you? There are thirty of us, and there’s one of you.”

Avery looked around the square in confusion. “Really Palance? Are you sure you know how to count? I can help you with your maths, if you like? Because the way I see it, there's one of me, and there's one of you! The rest of them? They aren't involved. The rest of them won't get involved. If you needed backup against a little girl, you'd only look even more weak and pathetic than you already do right now. It’s just you and me!”

Palance sighed. “OK, you've made your point. We’ll talk later when you’ve calmed down. I'm leaving.”

Palance turned to leave, and yet as he did so reversed his motion to swing a right hook at Avery. Avery casually knocked Palance’s fist to the side and let his own momentum plant his face on her own fist.

Avery squealed in pain. “Ow! You almost broke my hand you idiot. Look, my knuckle’s bleeding! I hate blood! Hey! Hello? Little boy? Get up! What's wrong with Palance? Why is he sleeping?”

Krakis couldn't help but laugh. “I think Palance might be unconscious?”

Avery looked at Krakis in confusion. “Well that's somewhat rude, given he really hurt my hand, and I was in the mood for a real fight. But it's your lucky day, I might need to use my left hand now. I'm not quite so good with my left. Who's next? Are you next?”

Krakis put his hands up defensively. “Whoa, I've no gripe with you! I think it might be best if everyone just calms down? I really don’t like blood either.”

Avery looked around then sighed. “What nobody? Woe is me!”

Then she looked around intently. “Wait, where are the boys who tried to rob me last night? I'll tear them to pieces instead!”

Krakis continued. “You already put four of them in the infirmary!”

Avery scanned the gang members. “There were five of them. Where's the fifth?”

Krakis grinned. “I think he just ran off, but if you're fast, you might catch him?”

No Deal

Krakis led Avery to the back room of the abandoned warehouse the gang used for storage. Given it was only the two of them, he was feeling somewhat nervous, so tried to put some crates between himself and Woe Is Me. Krakis enquired, with a hint of concern. “Look, I'm apparently in charge until Palance recovers. However the way I see it, you're in charge! After that display, the gangs will all follow you. I don’t much like Palance either, so what is it you want? How about if I see how I can help you?”

Avery shook her head. “I want something I can't have. I want something I'll never have. I want to take it all back! I miss Reva! I hate Reva! I want Reva back!”

Krakis said quietly. “Look, can you just calm down a bit? I don’t know anyone called Reva, and you're not making any sense. You're the boss for now, so where do we go from here?”

Avery looked at him. “I don't want to be the boss. I don't like Palance. You should be in charge of the docks.”

Krakis sighed. “Why do I get the feeling there's a ‘but’ in there?”

Avery nodded. “Because there is a ‘but’ in there.”

Krakis hissed in frustration. “Will you please just tell me what it is that you want? I can’t help you otherwise, and I am trying to help?”

Avery said quietly. “I need to get away from here! Far away from here!”

Krakis nodded. “Well the Porties are after you, but we're at the docks. We don’t smuggle people, but I can put you in touch with someone who does. Wherever you want to go, we can get you there.”

Avery nodded. “Nobody will take me! I’m broken! They all think I'm crazy!”

Krakis looked at her. “Really, and I wonder what gave them that idea? We can get you wherever you want to go, but in the meantime, could you maybe tone down the craziness a bit? The point of smuggling is to keep it low-key?”

Avery nodded. “Smuggling? I know all about smuggling. I can do that.”

Krakis continued. “But once we get you out of here, you don't come back! Understood? You'll either end up killing everyone, or everyone will kill you!”

Avery met his eyes with steel. “No deal!”

Krakis replied. “What?”

Avery said simply. “I'll be watching you. The next time the gangs find someone lost in the docks, you really are going to take them somewhere safe. You'll protect them and ensure they come to no harm. You’ll do so from the goodness of your hearts.”

Krakis shook his head. “But that's how the dock gangs make a lot of their money!”

Avery said harshly. “You can break the law all you like, but five thugs attacking a girl? That stops right now. Go rob someone who can afford to be robbed; from now on, your gangs will protect those who need protection.”

Krakis took a step back and queried. “Or..?”

Avery replied plainly. “Or I'll come back, and I won't be so forgiving next time.”

Krakis shook his head again. “Honestly, I agree with you completely. I don’t like the fact that the gangs mug people any more than you do, but it'll be hard to change their ways.”

Avery smiled. “No, it won't be hard to change their ways!”

Krakis replied suspiciously. “How so?”

Avery giggled. “Because if they don't change their ways, I'll come back, and I won't be so forgiving next time.”

Krakis couldn't help but laugh. “I like your attitude, and I’ll do what I can, because I agree with you completely. Look, the gangs don’t handle smuggling, but I can put you in touch with someone who can help. Come and meet me at The Rusty Anchor tomorrow night at 7pm, and we’ll get you to wherever you need to go?”

Avery looked around in a daze. “I don't even know where I am? I don't know where The Rusty Anchor is?”

Avery looked down at her clothes in horror, then bit back a sob. “All I wanted was somewhere to stay. I just need to get clean. They got blood on my hat!”

In that instant, all Krakis could see was a lost little girl, and he knew there was nothing fake about it. Krakis thought for a long time as he looked Woe Is Me over, then he sighed. “Listen, I think underneath all of that anger, we might find a good person under there?”

Avery looked up at Krakis suspiciously. “Don’t you dare try to manipulate me!”

Krakis backed off. “I’m not trying to manipulate you, I’m trying to help you. Look, it’s a simple question. If there’s a good person under there, I’ll take you to a hotel? You said you need to get clean? I’ll get you a discounted rate at the best hotel in Amarice. They have baths, they’ll clean your clothes, and they’ll mend those rips. I think that might help to calm yourself right down? However, there is one condition!”

Avery frowned at Krakis, instantly on edge. “Condition? I don't like conditions. What condition?”

Krakis sighed. “The condition is that there really is a nice person under all that anger? The owner of the hotel is a good person. I'm friends with his daughter, and she’s a good person. They're good people. All I need is for you to look me in the eye and promise me that you won't cause trouble, attack or kill anyone. I need you to promise me that you’ll tone down the craziness!”

Avery looked at Krakis in surprise. “Well as long as they don't try to rob me, why would I possibly want to attack or kill them? Will I be safe there?”

Krakis nodded. “Nobody else will know you’re there? If you promise not to harm or frighten them, I promise you will be safe there.”

Avery looked at Krakis in confusion. “Why would I possibly want to harm or frighten anyone? Of course I promise.”

Kaylee

Avery knew people. In most cases, she could tell just by looking at someone whether they could be trusted or not. There had always been exceptions however. People she might read wrong, or people she just couldn't read at all.

Avery had taken one look at Palance, and she knew that he couldn't be trusted. She'd taken one look at Krakis and knew that he could be trusted. However given she’d made a mistake the night before in trusting Milko, she was suspicious. She asked Krakis to take a circuitous route to ensure they weren't being followed, but Krakis seemed true to his word. However as they cut down a dark side alley, Avery paused.

Krakis turned to see why Avery had stopped, then he nodded. “Look, I'm pulling in a favour here. I can't take you in the main entrance looking like that? Covered in blood and bruises, with ripped clothes? Besides you're being hunted by the Porties? You want to keep a low profile? We will go in the servants’ entrance, which is that door right there!”

Avery shook her head, and Krakis sighed. “I tell you what, how about if you wait here and I'll be back in a few minutes?”

Krakis headed through the doorway as Avery looked around in suspicion, expecting an ambush; however it was all quiet. Krakis appeared a few minutes later with a girl of a similar size and age to Avery, with blue eyes, and long blonde hair tied up perfectly. The girl was wearing what appeared to be a uniform of some sort, and Avery relaxed as she realised the girl looked friendly.

Krakis introduced them. “This is my friend, Kaylee.”

Kaylee seemed a lot more suspicious of Avery than Avery was of her. Her jealous scrutiny, followed by her frown at Krakis told a story. Krakis and Kaylee were more than just 'friends' as he’d claimed. Kaylee was stunning, and Avery was a complete mess, so she withered under the girls’ inspection. Avery noted well Kaylee’s horror at the state of her. Avery was covered in bruises, blood and mud, and her clothes were ripped.

Reaching to pull her hat down over her face, in an attempt to hide from Kaylee’s glare, Avery realised that her hat wasn’t there. Avery bit back her tears, then took a step back from them both. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you! I’m sorry for the trouble! I don’t…”

As Avery turned to leave, Kaylee shouted after her. “It's no bother. It’s no trouble. This is my job, however I do have other work to do. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll get you cleaned up?”

Hearing the kindness in Kaylee’s voice, Avery turned round in confusion. She angrily wiped away her tears, then realised that all she'd likely done was smear mud and blood over her face. Kaylee was beautiful. She was perfect. She was clean. What must she think of some random girl turning up in such a state, covered in mud, blood, bruises, and rips in her clothes?

And my hair’s tangled, and I don’t have my hat! Where’s my hat? Covered in mud and blood! Just like me! And Kaylee is perfect! And her hair is perfect! And I am disgusting! She’s looking at me like I’m crazy! And I am crazy! And where’s my hat! They got blood on my hat! And...

Krakis tried to intervene as Kaylee took a step towards Avery, but she shrugged him off. Avery flinched as Kaylee placed a hand on her shoulder and met her eyes. Kaylee queried. “Krakis said you might want to get yourself cleaned up? Why don't you come with me, and we'll get you sorted out? There’s no need to worry about payment, if you're friends with Krakis, this one's for free. However I do have other work to do, so you need to make your decision now?”

Avery felt her tears come in a flood. “I just want to be clean! I’m such a mess! I can pay. I have shards.”

Kaylee forcefully guided Avery towards the entrance. “Never you mind about payment, why don’t you just follow me. This hotel has the best baths in the city. We have hot and cold pools, scrubs, a sauna, and we can get your clothes repaired and cleaned up for you...”

Krakis was looking on in amazement to see that beneath Avery's bad ass demeanour, she really was no more than a lost little girl. Kaylee snapped. “Krakis, don't just stand there gawping like an idiot. Go down to Ferria's for me. She’s around the same size as me. I want you to ask for two pairs of socks, and two full sets of undergarments. Ferria knows my size.”

Krakis turned beetroot. “Undergarments?”

Kaylee shook her head in exasperation. “Yes? Undergarments? Underwear? Now!”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

As the last few days caught up with Avery, she found herself in a daze. Kaylee had been talking to her constantly as she led her through hallways, though she hadn't heard a single word of it. She finally came back to herself as Kaylee shouted at her. “I said, sit down!”

Avery looked over at Kaylee in shock, and somehow found herself sitting down. They were in some sort of hotel room, but she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here? It wasn't a room someone would sleep in? Maybe a dining room? It had a sofa, table and chairs, and white robes hanging from coat hooks?

Kaylee snapped. “Are you listening to me?”

Avery nodded in response.

Kaylee whispered. “No, you are not. I have asked you three times when the last time you ate something was?”

Avery shook her head. “What day is it?”

Kaylee’s anger was growing now. “Seriously? It is Tuesday!”

Avery looked at her in shock. “It can't be Tuesday? Is it? I don’t know? I think I last ate two days ago?”

Kaylee nodded. “And when was the last time you drank water?”

Avery nodded. “This morning. I drank from the fountain. I was trying to get myself cleaned up. I couldn’t clean my hat! They got blood on my hat!”

Kaylee looked at her in horror. “Seriously? I’m going to kill Krakis!”

Avery came back to focus at the girls tone. “What;s wrong?”

Kaylee was glowering at her now. “You're Woe Is Me?”

Avery tried to stand up, then stumbled as she felt the room spin. “How did you know that? It’s not my name! Not really! I’m sorry, I don't want any trouble. Please just let me go. Please just leave me alone!”

Kaylee sighed. “Sit down, I think the entire docks know about you now. Krakis failed to mention you were Woe Is Me.”

Avery could barely see Kaylee now. She was no more than a blur. “I'm sorry! We didn't want anyone to know I was here. I don't even know where here is? I don't know..?”

Kaylee seethed. “Nobody knowing that you're here is the only sensible thing I've heard so far. But how can you be the Demon girl who took out ten Porties and two gangs?”

Avery frowned. “I punched one Porty and took out one gang of five. The rest ran away. Oh, and I took out Palance.”

Avery found herself wondering at Kaylee. Two dark lines had appeared between her eyebrows. She was beautiful, and she had the most impressive frown. She didn't like it when Kaylee frowned. Kaylee queried. “You did what?”

Avery winced. “I punched Palance. I think he's still unconscious. Or was that yesterday? What day was it again?”

Kaylee's frown lessened a little. That was good. “It’s still Tuesday. You punched Palance? Good for you, he's a weasel. But Palance is one of the best fighters in the gangs?”

Avery laughed. “Seriously? His punch was pathetic.”

Kaylee's frown deepened again. That was bad. “Palance punched you? Is that why you're covered in bruises and cuts?”

Avery shook her head. “No! Like Palance could have hit me, he just ran into my fist. I think the bruises are from the West Side Dockers? I don’t remember what day that was?”

Kaylee shook her head. “You’re telling me that you took out five of the West Side Dockers by yourself?”

Avery was lost now. “Yes?”

Kaylee queried. “Why?”

Avery replied. “Because they took my hat and they tried to steal my shards and axe.”

Kaylee seemed happy with that, which was good. “Well good for you! Robbing girls in back alleys? Disgusting.”

Avery was confused now. “Then why are you friends with Krakis?”

Kaylee said. “Because if Krakis robbed girls in back alleys, I'd kill him.”

Avery agreed with that. “Krakis has a good heart, that's why I put him in charge of the gangs instead of Palance.”

Kaylee snapped. “You did what?”

Avery couldn’t understand why Kaylee was so angry, or why the room was spinning. “Oh, sorry, I maybe shouldn't have said that. I… I don't feel very well. Where am I? What day is it?”

Sofa

Avery was being shaken, so blearily opened her eyes to see Kaylee glowering down at her. She was still in the same room, lying on the sofa. Kaylee snapped. “Wake up!”

Avery pulled herself up to a sitting position. “I’m awake! I wasn't sleeping!”

Kaylee was furious. “You've been asleep for four hours!”

Avery couldn’t understand that at first, but realised she had been covered whilst she slept. “You put a blanket over me? You let me sleep? Why?”

Kaylee was simmering in fury. “Because you obviously needed sleep? Sit at the table.”

Avery looked at the table suspiciously. “What is this?”

Kaylee’s anger grew as she said through clenched teeth. “That is called a table. That is called a chair. That is called beef stew. That is called bread. That is called a spoon. That is called water. That is called an apple. Sit down and eat!”

Avery wondered if her frown was as impressive as Kaylee's, though she very much doubted it. Kaylee didn’t know Avery! Kaylee didn’t understand Avery! Avery didn’t understand Avery! Avery was broken! Avery was different!

Avery shook her head in confusion. “I’m sorry Kaylee? I didn’t mean to? Please don’t throw me down the stairs! I don’t know why you're so angry with me?”

Kaylee’s fury dampened at Avery’s words, but then returned in full force. “No kidding I’m angry with you! I was furious when I heard Krakis was working directly with Palance, and now you try to put Krakis in charge over Palance? If Palance feels threatened, he'll kill Krakis!”

Avery pondered this. “Oh!”

Kaylee looked close to slapping Avery now. “Yes! Oh! You just wander in from nowhere, cause chaos, then throw promotions on people without any thought as to the consequences? Who do you think you are?”

Avery looked down in misery. “I’m not supposed to be left alone! I’m not supposed to be allowed on shore! Because I cause chaos! Chaos is what I do, but I don’t mean to cause chaos! All I wanted was to get away! I jumped ship and swam for three hours. Have you any idea how exhausting that is, fully clothed, carrying an axe and a backpack? I was just looking for an inn for the night? Somewhere to get dry? Somewhere to get food? Somewhere to sleep? But they tried to rob me! They took my hat! They got blood on my hat! Palance pulled steel on me. Palance tried to punch me. What was I supposed to do? Let them rob me? Let them take my shards? Let Palance stab me? I didn't come here looking for trouble. I just wanted to be left alone!”

Kaylee frowned, and somehow this time that was neither bad nor good. “You’re crazy! Just shut up! Eat your food, and drink your water.”

Avery nodded. “Yes, I’m crazy! I’m chaos! I’m different. I’m insane. I don’t draw people! I’ll never draw anyone ever again! I promise! I’m useless! I’m stupid! I have episodes! I’m having an episode right now! But the crew never called it an episode! The captain gave me a hat, so I could pull it down over my face! So people wouldn’t look at me like I was crazy! Like you’re looking at me like I’m crazy! Because I am crazy! But my hat was covered in blood! I’m cracked, like an egg. I’m wrong. I’m broken. I’m a freak! Things spin around in my head, and sometimes they won’t stop. I have tantrums, which is what I’m doing now! And when I’m having a tantrum, I get thrown down the stairs! I get locked in the basement! But just you try to lock me in the basement, and I will kill you! I’ll never be thrown down the stairs or locked in the basement again! I’m sorry that I don’t think like you, but I try! I try so hard! But I’m not like you! I’m not supposed to be allowed on shore by myself! Especially not when I’m like this!”

Avery sobbed. “But the crew never said that I was crazy! They just said I shouldn’t go to shore! They lied to me, and told me that I wasn’t crazy! They were nice to me! They never threw me down the stairs! They never locked me in the basement! They never beat me! So, yes, I’m crazy! I’m sorry for coming here Kaylee. I just wanted to get clean! They got blood on my hat! All I want to do is get clean! Is that so wrong? I promise that I won’t do it again! Please stop it! I won’t do it again!”

Kaylee looked at Avery in shock, then shook her head. “I don’t think you’re crazy. What I think is that you haven’t slept, eaten or drank enough water for a few days? I get a little crazy if I don’t sleep or eat. Everyone does. So maybe the best thing might be for you to eat some food, drink some water, and have another sleep?”

Avery realised that her hands were shaking, so she nodded. After Kaylee left, she wolfed down the food, drank the water, then fell back asleep.

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

Kaylee shook Avery awake again. “I'm really sorry Woe, but I can't let you sleep any longer. This room's for guests, and you're not really supposed to be here. I finish work in an hour, and I can't leave you here. Besides, we need to get you cleaned up as you requested?”

Avery queried. “What time is it? What day is it?”

Kaylee sighed. “It’s a little after 5pm, and it’s still Tuesday!”

Kaylee opened the door. “These are the pools. There’s a swimming costume here for you here. You have the pools to yourself.”

Avery frowned. “I don't understand?”

Kaylee pointed across to the far end of the pools. “Do you see that door at the far end? With the lantern above it?”

Avery nodded. “Yes?”

Kaylee explained. “There are five pools. Seeing as you can swim for three hours, fully clothed, carrying an axe, I think you can manage the pools in a swimming costume? You have one hour.”

Avery shrugged. “I can swim over those pools in five minutes.”

Kaylee’s anger seemed to come in waves that Avery couldn’t quite understand. “You can swim over that in five minutes, but you won't! In the first pool you will wipe the worst of the grime from you. In the second pool you have sponges, soap and scrubs. Scrub yourself! That will be the one you stay in the longest! I’d say half an hour should do the trick. The third pool is for rinsing, so rinse yourself properly. The fourth pool you will stay in the water until you think you're being boiled alive, and then when you can't take it any more, you'll stay in a little longer. If you last longer than twenty seconds in the last pool I'll be impressed. I'll be waiting at the other side for you.”

Avery queried. “What about my shards, my clothes, and my axe?”

Kaylee sighed. “They'll all be waiting for you at the other side. You have my word on that.”

Avery smiled. “Thank you Kaylee.”

Kaylee again seemed unsure whether to be angry, or something else. “Just take your time, it's going to be tough going to get your clothes looking semi-respectable in an hour. I'll get someone to mend the rips.”

There was a hammering on the door and Kaylee's face dropped in misery. “Uh oh!”

Kaylee slipped out of the room and as Avery crept up to the door, she heard a man shouting at Kaylee in fury. “Kaylee, apparently, you smuggled a beggar in the servants entrance? I’ve had two reports that she’s been sleeping in here for half the day? This girl was dropped off by Krakis? I told you to stay away from that boy because he's involved with the gangs. I won't have you bringing disrepute to my establishment. I want her out of here now, and you're fired!”

Kaylee replied. “I'm your daughter!”

The man shouted. “You're no daughter of mine...”

Avery opened the door, and Kaylee winced as Kaylee’s father frowned at Avery. He nodded. “You see! Just look at her! She's filthy, covered in mud, bruises, and is that blood? I won't have this in my hotel Kaylee! Both of you, get out, right now!”

Avery glared at Kaylee’s father as she put on a ridiculously posh accent. “How dare you! Do you have any idea whom you are speaking to?”

Then Avery paused in consideration. “Hmm, I guess you probably don't! Where is Joribil when I need him? Layabout!”

The man looked at Avery in shock. “What?”

Avery shook her head in fury. “Did you actually just say 'what' to me? Seriously? And I thought this was supposed to be a respectable establishment? Up until this moment I was thoroughly impressed with the staff here, but all you have to say is 'what'? I demand to speak to the manager this very instant!”

The man frowned at Avery's eloquence in confusion. “I am the manager of this hotel. My name is Jurin.”

Avery maintained an air of dignity as she drawled. “Well, it seems that you might learn something from your staff in that case, given that they have better manners than yourself? Now I have had a somewhat arduous few days, and I admit I am a little annoyed right now, so I’ll give you some wiggle room. I’m really not used to having to deal with people you see, so I will forgive you on this occasion for your rudeness.”

Jurin shook his head. “I beg your pardon?”

Avery nodded. “That's what I just said! You are pardoned, but just you dare say 'what' to me one more time and I'll not be so blasted forgiving. You see? I just swore! I'm already descending to your level. Joribil, grab my bags, we're leaving immediately! Pay this man whatever he's due!”

Avery looked around in confusion. “Oh, Joribil is in the infirmary! He usually handles all this nonsense. Very well, how many shards am I due you? I'll find myself another ‘more reputable establishment’ to get myself cleaned up in!”

Avery nodded to Kaylee in consideration, then queried. “You! Girl! Praylee! Would you like a job? Apparently you’re being fired for being excellent, so how would you like to join my staff? I’m sure I can pay better wages than this fool!”

Kaylee looked at Avery with something between horror, mixed with bemusement. She tried to shake her head in order to get Avery to shut up, then sighed in resignation. “My lady, I think there might have been some confusion here, and that is entirely my fault. I was somewhat busy this afternoon. I didn't let the manager know of your arrival!”

Avery looked at Kaylee in shock. “Praylee, are you telling me that you have duties with other customers? I thought you were dedicated to myself? So what were you doing all afternoon, and why didn’t you inform the manager of my arrival? Oh, I see!”

Kaylee queried. “Oh?”

Avery sighed. “I am sorry Praylee, I did request that I meet the manager after I looked respectable, which is exactly what you are trying to remediate. Not looking like this! All this servant handling is a lot more difficult than it seems. I must look a fright! Or like a ‘beggar’ as the manager claims?”

Jurin shook his head in confusion. “Can someone explain to me exactly what's going on here?”

Avery shook her head in exasperation. “Joribil? Oh, he’s not here. I apologise for being a little curt, but you really need to work on your management skills? I realise now from my vagabond appearance I might… Look, might we just start this conversation again? You see I would normally have been formally introduced, so I'm really not used to having to do all this myself! My mother says that I lack tact, so I will take a deep breath as she suggested.”

Avery took in a deep breath, that was more like a calm that had decided that fury might be a better option. “First, let me first thank you for the fine work of your employees. I’d also like to apologise for the somewhat unorthodox nature of my arrival, but like your good self, I am trying to maintain my reputation here? I mean, I could hardly be seen coming through the main entrance looking like this, could I? I'm sure you might agree with me on that front?”

Jurin looked at Avery in confusion. “I'm sorry? Who exactly are you?”

Avery looked at Jurin as if he was an idiot. “I'm The Countess Brismah? Of Anchorage? Is everyone here stupid? I am a little muddy at the moment, so I'll take no insult for you not kissing my hand. I had planned to meet with you after I was looking a little more presentable, and a little less like a ‘beggar’? It seems that bypassing protocol might have caused some disturbance. My butler, Joribil, usually sorts all this, and it’s all quite confusing. Maybe Joribil does more work than I first thought? Don't tell Joribil I said that, otherwise he'll only ask for a raise. And I’m sure you might understand that once I give Joribil a raise, all my staff will want a raise. And after the last few days…”

Jurin was looking at Avery in confusion. “The Countess Brismah?”

Avery looked at him in exasperation. “Yes! Are you deaf? Of Anchorage? Anyway, I'd like to offer my thanks to your excellent staff, both for their discretion and their hard work, and all that sort of thing? You know, whatever the usual lines are!”

Jurin was lost now. “I'm sorry?”

Avery stamped her foot. “Oh dear, I do so miss Joribil! Let me start from the beginning. As you can see from my attire, I was on a hunting trip, but we were attacked by brigands. They were after the Brismah jewel, and the scoundrels took it, after beating my men senseless.”

Kaylee put her hand to her mouth in what Avery guessed was supposed to look like shock, but was obviously more of an attempt not to burst out laughing.

Avery stamped her foot again as she glared at Kaylee. “I’m sure you might find it amusing Praylee, but I do not! But yes, admittedly, maybe I should have listened to Joribil when he suggested that I leave the Brismah jewel in the keep. But it matches my evening dress, which they also took! They actually stole my dress? Why? I mean its not like my dress would ever have fit any of them! Anyway I digress. I sent Joribil and my other two attendants, whose names I never could remember, to the infirmary. I had planned to head straight for the docks to hire a ship, then realised just how much of a state I must look. I couldn’t be seen returning home looking like this. Then I came across a most affable employee of yours named Kratis!”

Jurin queried. “You mean Krakis?”

Avery sighed. “Yes? That’s what I said! Kratis? That's the boy. I asked him where I might find the best hotel in the city, and some baths. Well he immediately replied that I could find them both in the same place, and offered to guide me to your establishment.”

“Now as you can see, I look quite horrific, and I do have my reputation to uphold. If anyone was to find out that I'd been waylaid, or worse still, that the Brismah jewel had been stolen, I'd be the laughing stock of court! I’d appreciate your discretion on that if you might? So your boy Kratis agreed to see me in the back entrance, where he entrusted me to this young lady, Praylee!”

Kaylee was looking at Avery as if she couldn't work out whether she wanted to cry, laugh or punch her. “It's Kaylee, my lady!”

Avery sighed in exasperation. “That’s what I just said! Praylee here was most helpful, unlike yourself!”

Avery pulled out her large bag of shards. “Look, I realise this is most irregular, and that I haven't paid for your services yet. How much do I owe you? I'm afraid the ruffians took almost all of my money. I think I only have around 150 shards left. I hope that will be enough to cover my costs? And I do require a room for the night? Otherwise I can arrange a credit note for you tomorrow with my solicitor. We have a small holding here in the city, but I let my mother handle all that. I'm afraid I don't know which holding it is. To be honest, I don’t really know what a holding is either? Joribil was muttering about it earlier, though I think he was just pretending to have concussion quite honestly, so he could charm the nurse in the infirmary! Typical! Anyway, we’ll deal with that when he's released from the infirmary tomorrow. I can put down a deposit of 150 shards?”

Jurin looked at the bag of shards in surprise. “150 shards? For use of the facilities and a room for the night?”

Avery hissed. “Yes? And I want to get myself clean, my clothes patched up, and some ice, some wine, and some dinner? I thought 150 shards would be more than enough? If not, might you recommend a good, clean and cheaper inn or hotel? With a manager who doesn’t say ‘what’? Look, these last few days have been most vexing. Joribil usually handles the finances.”

Jurin shook his head. “No, you misunderstand me. 150 shards is far too much! It will be a lot less than that! We'll come to an arrangement, and given the circumstances, we’ll sort you a discount. We’re somewhat busy at the moment, so all the best rooms are booked out I’m afraid. However I can find you our best available room?”

Avery nodded. “Honestly, I’ll take whatever you have available? And if you might arrange to pick up my baggage? Oh, they took my baggage! They took my dress! I loved that dress! I’ll buy some new clothes in the morning! If you could arrange for a bottle of chilled wine for me? Honestly I’m more interested in some ice for this bruise! They actually struck me! However I gave him a good scratch in return! I’m not sure how 150 shards is supposed to last me until tomorrow, however I'll be leaving a tip for both Praylee and Kratis, given neither of them would accept one. I'm sure, given that you're their boss, you can ensure it is added to their wages?”

Jurin seemed completely confused now. “Krakis doesn't actually work for me!”

Avery looked at him in surprise. “He doesn't? I was beseeched by guides at the docks trying to offer me lodgings, and sell me things, and some of what they were trying to sell me was quite inappropriate! Kratis looked like a trustworthy fellow, and he’s seen me right. I assumed he must be one of your guides at the docks, sending custom your way?”

The manager shook his head. “No! We don’t do guides! I agree with you on that front! I’ll have a word with Krakis!”

Avery nodded. “You do that! That’s why I singled him out! He was the only one who wasn’t trying to sell me anything! The boy did seem surprised when I approached him. After I’d explained myself, he recommended your establishment. I assumed you were paying him to promote your hotel? He brought me here. Are you telling me that boy walked me all the way here, without even working for you? Without even getting paid for it? I offered him a silver bit as a tip, and he refused! Honestly, I thought he might try to mug me at first, but he didn’t. I think he actually felt sorry for me. He was a very nice boy.”

Avery fumbled in her purse and took out a shard. “After all that’s happened to me the last few days, to see some genuine goodness warms my heart! You will make sure that Kratis gets this? And say thank you?”

Jurin was looking utterly baffled now. “Kaylee will ensure the boy gets this shard!”

Avery nodded. “And there’ll be a tip for Praylee as well. She said she isn’t supposed to accept tips?”

The manager nodded. “That’s correct, all tips are added to the bill and split equally between the staff. It’s fairer that way. It makes them all work a bit harder, and it means the staff working in the background get something extra. Nobody ever tips the chefs or the wash woman!”

Kaylee was looking on in amazement as Avery casually chatted away with her father, then shook her head in bemusement.

Avery nodded. “What a wonderful idea! Hmm, maybe I was wrong about you Sir. It’s nice to see there’s still some honest decency left in the world, as I just said! I have to say, I wasn't expecting this to really be the best hotel and baths in the city? I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels, but I’ve never seen one with five pools before?”

Jurin smiled. “We also have a sauna, and an outdoor pool.”

Avery frowned. “Why would you possibly need a pool outdoors? Anyway might I ask one more favour of you?”

The manager looked at Avery suspiciously. “Err, yes?”

Avery snapped. “Err? You need some elocution lessons. ‘what’ and ‘err’ are… oh never mind! Now I see what Joribil has to put up with. Back to the point. Praylee here was just explaining to me about these five pools, and I'm afraid, well I've never seen anything like this before? I was expecting a hovel of an inn with a copper bath and lukewarm water, but your hotel is incredible. However my memory isn't the best, and I’m somewhat confused. I will pay of course, but would you mind if I ‘borrowed’ Praylee for an hour. I actually thought she was already fully assigned to me, but it seems she has other duties? Perhaps she could join me in the baths and show me what to do? I mean, why do you need five pools? Though what’s even more confusing is the question as to why you'd need an outdoor pool? What happens if it rains?”

Jurin shook his head. “We don’t have our staff attend our customers in the pool. Kaylee will attend to you at the other side.”

Avery stamped her foot again. “So I'm supposed to remember what to do in each pool? I can read and write you know? Are there signposts? The girl was quite specific? I'm really not used to being denied. Joribil would normally arrange these things. I was in a spa once, and they had two pools. I can remember up to two! How much would it cost to hire the girl for an hour? Well, that’s only assuming she's willing of course? Surely 150 shards must be more than enough? If you need more, I can get you a credit note in the morning, once I work out what a holding is? And what a credit note is? Joribil was blabbering on about it...”

The manager was obviously losing his patience now, but seemed to realise he would be fighting a losing battle. “It is somewhat unusual, but I think we can make an exception in this case. There will be no extra cost. Kaylee is yours for the next hour, as long as she agrees!”

Avery looked around in confusion. “Who's Kaylee?”

The manager sighed. “Praylee?”

Avery nodded and shooed the man away. “Excellent. Now if you wouldn't mind, I really need to get myself cleaned up as I have a dinner appointment at 7pm. Perhaps we could reconvene when I'm looking a little less like a ‘beggar’ as you put it?”

The manager seemed desperate to get away from Avery now. “My apologies Countess Brismah, if I had been made aware of your arrival, I would have seen to you personally.”

Avery looked up sharply at this. “Well, I think that's somewhat direct, and I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate? If you wish to court me you can speak to Joribil, or put through an official request in writing!”

Kaylee somehow managed to turn her snort of laughter into a cough, then looked away.

Avery frowned. “However I am hardly one to talk now, given the subterfuge. I have to say that although I found it terrifying, it was rather invigorating. Tempers and passions are running high today it would seem. I would ask that you didn't mention to anyone that I was seen looking like a ‘beggar’? I do have the family name to uphold!”

Jurin nodded. “Of course not.”

Avery smiled thinly. “Thank you my good man, and I shan't mention your somewhat forward advances! You're old enough to be my father!”

Kaylee burst out laughing, then promptly had another coughing fit.

Swimming

As they got changed into their swimming costumes, Kaylee finally stopped laughing. “Are you insane?”

Avery looked at her in confusion. “How do you mean?”

“What if my father finds out you're not really a countess? I'll lose my job!”

“Well it seems to me that you’d already lost your job? Now you still have your job? That's an improvement?”

“I’ve never seen anything so hilarious in my life. I didn't know my father could turn beetroot! Looking like that, you actually managed to convince him that you were a countess?”

“Well I think the bag of 150 shards might have helped?”

“What if he'd taken your 150 shards as payment?”

“Well, at least you'd still have a job?”

“Are you serious, you'd have given him 150 shards in order to keep my job?”

Avery looked confused. “Of course I would!”

“So, you're telling me that you’re willing to punch a Porty for a few shards, or beat up five gang members for your 150 shards? But at the same time, you’re willing to then give 150 shards away so I keep my job?”

Avery replied. “Of course! Why wouldn't I?”

“You're actually being serious?”

“Yes?”

“You're insane.”

“I don't see anything insane about it? You got in trouble for helping me. I got you out of trouble?”

Kaylee queried. “And the swim?”

Avery's confidence drained away in an instant. “Look, you don't have to come for a swim if you don't want to. Honestly, I just wanted some company..?”

Kaylee interrupted her with a smile. “I'd love to.”

Avery resumed her posh voice. “Excellent. Come Praylee, show me how this works!”

“Getting everyone's names wrong was hilarious! Are you a spy?”

“No, but I was once, briefly. I had to pass a secret note and pinch someone's bottom. That wasn't so much fun.”

Kaylee shook her head. “You're crazy!”

“I'm glad we finally established that fact. So are you brave enough to come for a swim with a crazy girl or not?”

Kaylee grinned. “Let's go! Nobody's usually allowed in here over the dinner hours. We have the entire place just to ourselves.”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

Avery shuddered and hugged herself as they emerged from the final pool. “Why would you make the last pool freezing cold? You actually have blocks of ice in it? Surely you'd put the hot one last?”

Kaylee laughed. “Oh we're not done yet. Come with me!”

“What's this?”

“A steam room!”

“That was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had in my life!”

“I know, it's brilliant isn't it. My father books out three hours every Sunday for all the staff. Surprisingly few of them use it but I come every Sunday along with a few others.”

Avery whispered. “I think I'm going to faint.”

“You've barely eaten in days, you're low on salt, and you've not drank enough water.”

Avery frowned. “Ah yes, food, water and salt! Oops! I should probably listen to people a bit more. I think I was told I might need that?”

“You really do look faint, let's get you out of here.”

They went through to the next room and to their surprise there was snacks on the table, a bottle of chilled water, wine and chocolates. Kaylee laughed. “My father really bought your story. This is what they give to the most expensive rooms and for their private swims. That bottle of wine alone is ridiculously expensive.”

Avery's clothes were laid out for her along with new undergarments and socks. They'd done an incredible job of cleaning her leathers and had stitched up the massive rip on her leggings. They’d also beautifully patched up both elbows.

As they got dressed Kaylee sighed. “You look completely exhausted. I can see you to your room?”

Avery shrugged as she looked at the table. “I'm in no hurry if you’re not? And my hair’s a tangle.”

Kaylee grinned. “You look a lot better than you did an hour ago. You almost look respectable. You have a dinner appointment at 7pm? You’d better hurry!”

Avery resumed her posh voice. “You have a thing or two to learn about royalty Praylee. A countess is never late. She doesn't arrive fashionably late, instead she arrives whenever she blasted well feels like it. And it is always imperative that her hair is perfect.”

Avery giggled. “I don’t really have a dinner appointment. I made that up? Or I was confused? I think I have a dinner appointment tomorrow night? I’m a bit lost. Besides look at these snacks and chocolates. I was told I needed water, food and salt? I wasn't told anything about drinking wine however, so I'll assume that was implied. Would you like a glass?”

Kaylee laughed. “Well only if you insist Countess Brismah, I don't mind if I do.”

They both laughed and Avery nodded to her. “Thank you Kaylee. Seriously, you have no idea how much I needed that!”

Avery couldn't help but detect a hint of worry in Kaylee's voice as she whispered. “You've had a rough few days, but you look so much better now. In fact you look fantastic under all that grime. You're beautiful.”

Avery blushed furiously. “You were angry when you first saw me? I promise I'm not interested in Krakis. I'm not trying to steal him from you!”

Kaylee grinned. “Don't you worry, from the way you’re blushing, I know full well you're not interested in him. However I only have eyes for Krakis, even if he is frustrating.”

Avery's blush deepened further still as Kaylee’s meaning hit home, then their eyes met and they both laughed. Kaylee continued. “You're meeting at The Rusty Anchor tomorrow night. The barmaid is a good friend of mine! I think you might like her?”

Avery's flush of embarrassment turned to one of annoyance at Kaylee’s teasing. Kaylee laughed again. “You know, for a Demon girl who can take on an army, you sure do blush quite a lot. Look, I go to the Rusty Anchor every Wednesday night with Krakis anyway. Do you want me to come with you tomorrow night?”

Avery shook her head. “No, I've caused yourself and Krakis enough trouble already. I don't want to drag you into this. I just want to get away without getting robbed.”

Kaylee nodded. “I'll be there tomorrow night anyway. If you're still around, I'll buy you a drink?”

Avery placed five shards on the table. “I'll buy you a drink?”

Kaylee shook her head. “I don't want that sort of money.”

Avery whispered. “I worked on a ship. This is my wages. It's legitimate.”

Then Avery shook her head. “Actually, that's maybe not entirely true. It was a smuggler’s ship.”

Kaylee laughed. “It doesn't matter. Keep your money. I don't need it.”

Avery winced. “At least let me pay for the underwear you bought me?”

Kaylee was persistent. “Honestly, I don't need money. My father owns this place. He's rich. He makes me work here because he’s worked all his life and it's 'character building'. I love it here. Once I've 'done my time' as he puts it, I'll take over from him, then he'll retire. I don't want for anything.”

Avery put her shards away. “Your father, Jurin? He sounds like a good man.”

Kaylee smiled. “He used to be in the army so he's tough, strict and demanding. But that said, he's fair. If the staff work hard and do a good job, he takes care of them. If one of them falls ill, he pays for their medical costs. He looks out for them and their families. Once a year hosts a massive party for them. Because of that, they love and respect him as much as they fear him. He treats me like one of the staff when I'm working, and it wouldn't be the first time he's fired me. Within a week or two he'd take me back again.”

Avery was shocked. “He's fired you before?”

Avery knew there was more to the story as Kaylee whispered. “When I started dating Krakis, my father was furious. He knows all about Krakis and his uncle. However I have a dozen regular customers and they were not impressed when I wasn't available to do their nails, hair and make-up. He took me back within a week due to all the complaints.”

“So nothing to do with the fact your his daughter?”

Kaylee laughed. “He'd never in a million years admit to it, but I'm sure that might also have been part of it. But he knows I do a good job, and the customers love me.”

Avery nodded sadly. “Your life sounds perfect. It sounds wonderful.”

Kaylee frowned. “It's quite easy to look at someone else and feel jealous. Why do you think I was so angry with you earlier?”

Avery frowned. “You were jealous of me?”

Kaylee laughed. “Yes, you're Woe Is Me! You’re a demon? You’re the Countess Brismah? You took out five of the Dockers? I’m definitely happy that you took out Palance. You're a smuggler? You jumped ship? You're on the run? It sounds like an adventure? I work in a hotel, cut hair, do make up, make dresses, and do nails. I think you sound pretty awesome to me! So yes, of course I’m jealous!”

Kaylee smiled. “Not that I wouldn’t have guessed anyway, but you're not really a Demon are you?”

Avery shrugged. “I never said I was a Demon. All I wanted was to find an inn! Or this hotel! It’s awesome! But as always, everything just went wrong!”

Kaylee’s eyebrows narrowed. “Everything went wrong? Did it really? How dare you!”

Avery looked at her in fright. “What did I do?”

Kaylee whispered angrily. “Woe, tell me again that everything went wrong? Because if you do, I’ll reconsider whether or not you have yourself a new friend?”

─── ‡ ✦ ‡ ───

--LATER--

Jurin had spotted the woman in the corner having a quiet drink and knew she was an assassin, given he'd had several attempts on his life in the past. He looked out through the window and he caught a streak of black in the gardens? More than one assassin?

He'd only spotted them because they weren't focused on him. They were focused on the Countess Brismah!

One was usually enough, and they weren't here for him.

The Countess Brismah was in serious trouble!

Avery's story continues in 'Woe Is Me' and is currently planned as Book 1.5 in 'The Dark Is A Cold Lonely Shadow'. It can be read separately but is recommended to be read after 'Within That Dark A Single Flame'.