Of Thorns and Glamour

The Contracted Wish

Inchiki tells me he has to be somewhere, and I am left alone with just my faerie resting on a old but plush couch in front of the fireplace. I feel the house shifting now, it's very subtle, but it seems to do it every five hours. I didn't ask him what locations he had it set to, but I could hear rain again patter the rooftop and windows. I picked up a book that he had on his desk, it was about culture of a past civilization from the planet Trea from over a thousand years ago.

It didn't quite peak my interest so I put it down and started going through books in his library that he kept. Some seem so old I didn't want to disturb it for fear it would fall apart at the seems. I found a religious book of my mother's family, probably full of myth and nonsensical stories. I read some of it, some stories rang truth, such as my mothers parents having a mortal child that gained godhood, my mother being the child. That wasn't completely true as she was always a god, but had lived among humans at some point in her early life. I kept skimming it, nose deep while I sat down again at the fireplace. I realized that was similar to my situation, but more legends of her helping mortals and doing heroic deeds are what gave her godhood.

"If I do heroic deeds, maybe I'll gain more followers." I say to my faerie, who just shrugs. "But if I do something too big Nuir probably will catch on." She crosses her arms and nods her head in agreement with me. I sigh, exasperated with my plans, and told myself until then I'll need to train. I barely knew how to defend myself, only minimal training was given to me when I asked to be taught in sword fighting and archery. I didn't have weapons for either, but I can learn some majick from Inchiki surely.

I wonder if he kept anything like that in his basement, since that's where he seems to go for majickal items. I stood up and walk over to see if the basement door is locked. It has so many carved runes on it, along with bells and herbs and even bones hanging on the door knob. I start to turn it, slowly, but then a loud banging noise came from the front door. I yelp and let go of the door knob, some of the bells chiming from my sudden movement. I look back toward the front door and again loud banging noise came from it.

I knew it would be ridiculous to answer it, as I had no idea who was on the other side. "Inchiki, please, I need more medicine." I hear a man calling, I didn't recognize the voice. "It's a full moon, sir." I wondered what he meant, but he surely wasn't connected to a god, as he needed medicine. I walk to the door, and slowly unlatch it. As I open it he almost slams his fist on the door again, but catches himself. "Finally, I was wondering-" but he looks at me and stops, "oh."

"I'm sorry he isn't here," I tell him, and he looks in and scans both inside the shop to confirm and me. "I'm not sure if I can be any help, but if you know the ingredients I can try to figure it out." If it was medicine, I had knowledge of many different plants and their uses. It wasn't considered useful knowledge but if I were to be taught by my mother some majick then I would had needed to know.

He doesn't say anything for a moment and I get a good look at him with the light from the shop casting on him. He was a burley man, muscular and a three scars ran down the side of his face. His hair was long enough to pull back and curls loosely, some pieces not able to be held back. He had brown eyes that gleamed in the light unnaturally. "I guess you're my only hope then." I smile slightly and let him inside. He stood incredibly taller than I or even Inchiki, his steps heavy on the floor. I could tell he was trying to be careful of his body from touching anything, including myself. "I didn't think he had a misses. I'm sorry to barge in," he apologizes.

"Oh we're not married," I say, absentmindedly, "well I mean, I'm just staying here, for now." I explain awkwardly, as we walk to his desk where he seems to keep all of his herbs. "What was your condition?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"Lycanthropy," he tells me. My brows arch as that was more of a curse than an illness, "I've been dealing with it for a couple of years and normally the medicine he gives me works. Last time it didn't, and I barely made it to my holding cell. I can't work on the ship without killin' the whole crew, that wouldn't make me a good captain," he explains. "I know the smell, not the name, of all the herbs. I don't know if he does something fancy with it, but I'll take what I can get. I got the money too." I think on what could be used, something that prevents curses, or maybe something that keeps his body calm.