Original Stories Fan Fiction / Romance Fan Fiction ❯ The Crusade of the Quandary ❯ Shade's Merchants ( Chapter 5 )

The dawn broke, sending a few stray rays of sunshine into Cadeyn's musty room. A few assortments of clothing and blankets lay strewn over the floor. After a night of restless sleep, she pulled the straps on her boots tighter. Trying to forget all worry, she forced a smile as she thought of her journey ahead. As she stood, memories of her horse ride began to trickle back to her as a child, sitting behind Jaser. It only took a few moments for the forced smile to fade, a deep seriousness upon her face setting in. She slung her packs onto her back moments before walking through her door and towards the stables. But the memory would not leave her.

 

”Hey Cade! Watch me go!” Eleven summers old, Jaser galloped his horse around the field once, before letting his horse lift off the ground and jump straight over a wooden fence. With a grin, he repeated this process back towards Cadeyn, stopping with a wild grin on his face. It was their day off from training - and Jaser had taken the time to show off his horse. ”I bet you can't do that! Wanna try?” Jaser taunted. Frowning, Cadeyn merely shook her head, holding her face high.

“Why would I want to do that? That's boring stuff.” Tightening her fist, she glared up at Jaser. `He should know' she thought to herself `that I'm never with my father to be taught to ride. I'm too much of a `wuss' and mother wouldn't let me anyway because I'm a girl…and he doesn't know…I wish I could ride like that….' Jaser, slightly deflated from her reply started to sulk. Cadeyn merely glared at him, keeping her head high. However, slowly but surely, a blush crept onto her cheeks as she kept the glare. When Jaser knew his victory, his childish grin broke back out before he burst into a mad laughter.

“I know the truth! You can't ride at all can you?” Cadeyn immediately lost her glare and looked away, fixing her attention on a crow which had landed on gate.
”Can too.”
”Then why do you think it's boring! You wouldn't have learnt it otherwise!” Jaser laughed

Cadeyn simply threw Jaser a fake smile, her eyes staring straight at him.
”Because fa…father made me!” Jaser merely laughed, climbing off his horse.
”Let me teach you, Cade.”

A few hours later, much to Jaser's surprise, a determined eight year old girl successfully jumped the same wooden fence, the crows flying away from the field.

 

“Are you ready?” Cadeyn took her eyes off her boots to greet a young woman, no older than seventeen summers holding out the reigns to a black mare. Cadeyn, gulping back a surprised stammer, studied her. Dark hair and bright green eyes, she appeared many summers younger than she had the previous night. With a suspicious glance to the girl, Cadeyn felt her mouth slip open.
“You…you are that woman?” The young woman laughed lightly, her eyes dancing with brightness.
“Yes, I am the woman you spoke to last night.” A mischievous look flashed upon her face for a moment. “The night plays strange tricks on eyes, no?” Without a second word, the young woman swung herself onto her grey mare and stretched her arms above her head with a yawn. “The crusaders spoke of heading towards the merchant town for supplies, and then I suspect would carry onto Calenbree - if the plague has not wiped them all out yet. There's plenty of plague healers there, `tis once called the city of miracle makers.” With a minimal effort, the young woman grabbed a map from her saddle bag and tossed to the surprised Cadeyn who had only managed to mount the black mare, catching the parchment between two fingers.
“When you spoke to me last night…I assumed…you were much older.” Cadeyn shook her head sighing as the girl simply headed on her way, oblivious to Cadeyn's surprise. “How old are you?” She asked as she started her horse into a walk. “And what is your name?” The girl simply let out a small smile.
“I am of eighteen summers. My name is Saiena, preferably Sai. That is all there is to know.” She responded with a slight smile, increasing her horses speed. Cadeyn frowned, the feelings of uncertainty returning as she changed the subject.
“How far on horseback does it take to reach Shades Market? Compared to that of on foot?” Cadeyn yelled across to her as their horses gained speed into a gallop. Sai smiled softly, licking her lips. “On foot, upwards of a few days, on horseback, we will reach by nightfall. I know a place to stay and keep the horses during the night. We may then find details of the Quandary - the Crusaders rather, tomorrow and leave again at nightfall. From there...I have not traveled.” She cleared her throat, focusing her sights ahead. Cadeyn sighed, staring at the horizon, becoming accustomed to the idea of a long day ahead of her.

 

 

As the sun began to set, Cadeyn dismounted her horse, her legs aching. Feeling unsturdy upon the straw filled barn after sitting for hours, she streched her exhasted arms, then reached to remove her packs from her horse, developing a sense of guilt for working her mare so hard. Sai removed her two bags, slinging them over her shoulder with grace, heading outside to wait for Cadeyn. The stable boy eagerly smiled and took the coins Cadeyn managed to pass while stumbling to get the packs on her back. The merchant town didn't have an offical name, but to the wary traveller, it was known as Shades Merchants. Often it was merely noted as a town on the edge of the fields of the much larger city, Calenbree. However, it was often discussed at the Varshore inn - where trading was often challanged, and many deals turned into bloody fights. Cadeyn shook her head before deciding to be careful around the town. She didn't want to attract much attention to herself.
”Sai? When can we get to the market?” Cadeyn asked suddenly, feeling reluctant to stay in the town longer than nessisary.

“The merchants tend to set up stalls at daybreak - perhaps an hour after we could start to gather our supplies and continue on our way to Calenbree. We can speak to the men at the Inn tonight, get some food and rest.” Sai finished with a smile. “My mother used to know the innkeeper here, so perhaps I could get us a couple of cheap rooms. Just..pretend your my sister or something.” She smiled before opening the door of the Inn. Cadeyn followed with a wary frown, feeling eyes on her as she walked in. `something's not right' she thought to herself, looking about. Every customer within the inn wore cloakes, and it appeared that the women easliy outnumbered the men in the inn. She shook her head sadly and followed Sai. `So they've been here too. Jaser has probably been in this same inn, drinking beer with his comrades.' Sai broke her train of thought, introducing them to the innkeeper.
”Hello!” Sai smiled brightly, resting her bag on a stool. The Innkeeper smiled at her. “Saiena! Fancy seeing you here!” He let out a smile for a moment, before it started to fade. “I'm afraid its not on better terms however. Most of the men here have gone on a journey of sorts. Trade is lacking and most people are too out of pocket to come buy a drink or two. The best business is mostly lonely women.” He laughed lightly, Sai hesitated for a moment, noticing the weight he had dropped from his belly. He smiled at her. “Now...who's this beautiful friend you have, hmm?” Sai smiled a bright smile.
”Oh, this is my sister Cadeyn. Father's side of the family.” She smiled again. “We were looking for somewhere to stay, we need supplies from the market in the morning, a good feed and we will be off again. I'm sorry I can't stay for a good catch up - but we are chasing the Quandary for a few people.” She smiled. “Can you help us out?” She smiled at him again, looking at him through her lashes. He hesitated for a moment, but sighed, reached and took two keys from the wall behind him.
”Ah Saiena...you're much like your mother.” He smiled at her, shaking his head. “Heres two keys - one for you and your sister. Just return them to me in the morning.” He smiled and waved her off. “I'll orginise something for you to eat while your getting ready.” He shook his head again, walking back into the kitchen.

 

A few minutes later, Cadeyn had successfully dropped her things in her room, brushed down her cloak, and followed Sai downstairs, where she had taken seat up on the bar. Cadeyn sat on a seat next to her, looking at her quizically. She did look the part of being her sister, although her hair was much darker, her eyes softer. But her nose and mouth looked quite alike, and somehow familar. But there was no way she would have been able to have a younger sister, her mother made sure of that. When the inkeeper returned with two plates of food, she took her eyes way from Sai and smiled brightly at the innkeeper.
”Thank you for your hospiltality sir” He returned her smile.
”It is no problem, Cadeyn. Everyone has to eat.” He chuckled as she started her meal. “So why are you following the Quandary? Do you really want to catch that awful plague?” Cadeyn placed her fork down immeidatly, looking at him.
”What do you know about this plague? I have..friends on the crusade that needs to get back to Varshore - where I come from. I don't want to run after the plague itself, I just hope that they haven't hit Jaser and others.” The inkeeper frowned.
”I can not tell you who has died - but three have died in our borders, and fifteen others fell ill during their stay. I do not think it would be wise to follow. Now who did you know? Jaser was his name?” He frowned at her sudden interest.
”Yes, that his name. Did you know of him?” She slowly asked. He hesitated for a moment.
”Nasty person, he was. He slaughterd three men for refusing to join their crusade. All I can tell you is that he is much of their pawn.” He shook his head. “Is he one of your friends?”
Cadeyn stopped eating suddenly, her appetite gone, feeling Sai's curious eyes on her. She stood, her fists tingling, perhaps out of shock or rage.
”I know him well. However, that doesn't sound too much like him. Thank you again, sir.” She turned again, doing her best to calmly walk to her room. Sai sighed.
”Well,” she said “I didn't know she was in love with the guy” She shrugged as he chuckled for a moment.
”Does it run in the family, choosing bad men?” He joked, Sai smiled if not hesitantly, as a dark haired man took Cadeyn's seat.
”I wouldn't know” She smiled. “It seems that we never know until its too late. Then someone else comes to save us, being the damsil in distress we are.” She smiled at the new man suddenly, something familar about him. The innkeeper rolled his eyes, and reached for a clean mug.

 

 

An hour after daybreak, Sai and Cadeyn walked down towards the market to buy supplies until they reached Calenbree. Sai looked at Cadeyn.
”Why did you run off at the mention of your so called friend Jaser, Cadeyn?” She asked suddenly, ignoring Cadeyn flinching at the mention of his name. “Is he more then that? Was he your partner? Best friend? Did you like him? Brother? Husband?” Cadeyn ignored her for the first moment or two before looking at her, feeling a twinge of guilt.
”My mother insisted I learnt to fight - his father was the best around at the time, so I spent my childhood with him learning how to fight. After my parents died, I grew up with him and his father.” She hesitated. “We grew close, and he eventually proposed. We were intending to get married before his father grew too old, but he fell sick - about the same time the crusade first came.” She sighed and looked away, her heart starting to beat unusually fast. “Soon he was off to go with them - ignoring both his proposal to marry me, and the fact his father may die during his absence. When he left we were attacked by a neighboring village - his father died. I was then sent after our village men to insist on their return.” She fell silent. Sai smiled softly for a moment.
”Loves a funny thing. Makes us do things we shouldn't. I'm sure he didn't `slaughter' the men like old inkeeper told us. I'm sure there was a reason.” She smiled sadly. “In other news....I met a really nice man last night.” She smiled again, this time brighter “He's so kind and gentle...I really like him. I think I'll come back to this place when we're finished.” She sighed. “I think I'm in love!” Cadeyn turned to her as they reached the market.
”Already? But you've only spent a few hours with him?” She looked a little confused. “Can you fall in love like that?” Sai nodded. “It's called love at first sight!” She beamed. “Well you've led a shelterd life now haven't you Cadeyn!” She laughed lightly, turning her attention to the fresh bread at a stall, humming a love song under her breath. The Merchant behind the stall gave her a dark look, a cloak hung over their eyes.

”Do you wish to buy some fresh bread?” Cadeyn nodded, the smell of the warm bread making her stomach rumble. Sai stood up a tad straighter and smiled brightly at the Merchant.
”We are about to travel to Calenbree. We'll need four loaves. How many coins for them?” The Merchant stood tall, the hood of her cloak slipping back a tad.

“Twenty. No less.” Sai's eyebrows creased together “Thats far, far too high. I'll give you five.” The merchant laughed, her head shaking.
”Dear child, it is twenty or nothing.” Sai frowned some more.
”They never cost this much before, its just bread!” The merchant laughed again, shaking her head some more.
”Food is hard to come by these days dear child. It is a bad time for trade. I'll give you them for fifteen coins, just this once. Is it a deal?” Cadeyn frowned, grabbing her coins.
”I'll give you fifteen.” Sai looked shocked for a moment as they exchanged the coins and bread.
”But Cadeyn! Its not worth it! You're being cheated!” Cadyen shook her head as they turned from the stall, walking futher into the market.
”You wouldn't understand...it is hard for us in Varshore too.” Sai sighed again, approaching a thin man selling dried meats. From the shadows, a dark haired man watched their moves carefully, a sinister smile plastered across his face.