Ripples

The Life We Deserve

Five Years Later - Northern France, Summer 1353

Amicia approached an alehouse on the outskirts of Amiens, France as the sun set. The alehouse sign with the name La Tasse hanging above the door had seen better days. Not exactly the most original name she had ever seen. Looking around as she entered, she glanced at the alehouse owner, who nodded a hello in acknowledgement of her arrival. Several men stopped talking to look at her, but seeing the sword on her back, they quickly turned back to talk amongst themselves. Good, the weapons and short hair usually did the trick. Most left her alone seeing her light armor, weaponry, and the glare that often accompanied them. Those that did try anything barely lived to regret it... It paid to be prepared in this day and age.

Sitting at a small table towards the back of the dark room, the place was only lit only by the lingering light from the windows and a few lanterns. The portly owner came up to her looking weary. "Name's Eugene. What can I get for you?"

"Just ale and bread and whatever meat you have..." she didn't bother to give a name. Keeping a low profile was better. Almost as if she was a ghost floating from town to town.

He nodded and left to fulfill her order.

Amicia liked to enter local alehouses to hear news of the towns she was entering. Taverns would have better drinks, but she wanted to hear what the locals were saying, so the cheaper the better. Hoping for news of signs she was looking for, she often sat for hours at a table gaining several odd looks from fellow patrons but usually left alone. Fingering her short and rather unkempt hair, she sighed. She would need a bath tonight if at all possible...

"You hear about that upstart magister?" one man asked his fellows at a table nearby.

"Ah, the young one? Heard he's creating quite a fuss for Magister Baude." laughed another man.

"Youth these days! Think they know everything!" another man joked.

Amicia's mind went unbidden to a certain blue eyed young man who it felt like had all the answers. No, no, don't think about him! He's long gone!

"Whatever is going around has the people scared! We all thought we were finished with the Bite! Magister Baude claims to have the answers, but I hear many are going to the young man now..."

"Apparently the young Magister has experience in the Bite?"

Amicia's heart pounded in her ears. No, it couldn't be him? Could it?

"Yes, so he's told me! And he's quite good if I do say so myself! Helped me with a work injury the other week! Look, good as new!" the first man exclaimed, holding up a scarred arm and looking proud.

"You've met him?"

"Oh yes, and I didn't trust him at first, truth be told. When I did get a chance to speak, he was well spoken. However, I could hardly get a word in edgewise with all the ladies swarming him!"

"Ah, so he's good looking then?"

"A handsome lad, that's for sure! My daughter won't shut up about him! It was quite odd though. With a line of ladies, he hardly seemed to pay attention to them at all!"

"Perhaps he already has a lady back where he's from?"

"Not from what I've heard. Though my daughter thinks he has someone he fancies."

One man folded his arms and shook his head in disapproval. "He could probably stick it in whatever wench he likes! What's stopping him?"

"Come now, Alan, just because that's what YOU would do doesn't mean every man is like you!" another man jabbed.