The Unlikely Hero

Chapter 4. First Mission

The next morning, I was up with the sun and already on my way towards the mines east of Trarton. Oheli had asked me to run an errand for him and so I set out rather early. I needed to travel to the mines and give a letter to another magician staying there. The old mage was using me as an errand boy, err, girl, but, hey, who cares? It was an easy job. Of course, I thought the same about that damn sheep, but still, surely giving a letter to someone wouldn't be too hard.

I crossed the town plaza, ignoring the inviting calls of the local merchants. No matter how I wished for a new dagger or a protective amulet, I had no money to waste on it. My savings were not to be touched as I was trying to put up some money for my own house. That has been a long-life dream of mine. Ah... An own house. A spacious one, too. With at least 3 bedrooms, one for me, one for uninvited guests and one just because I can have it. Which I can't, really.

I frowned and shook my head. Stop daydreaming, Aleta, just stop. First, the money, then, the house. And even if I didn't buy a house, the sole feeling of having money was intoxicating. Sometimes I wondered why I was drawn to money like that. Was it because I was born into a poor peasant family? Given away to the Academy at a young age with nothing but the clothes on me? Was it because I could never afford the things that others could? I had never really found the answer. Perhaps, it was all of those things and more or, perhaps, it was neither. Still, the gold seemed to call to me and those shiny round yellow coins attracted me so much I couldn't let go of them. I mean, hey, people have various kinds of strange fetishes and some collect the weirdest things, so why can't I collect money? Is it a crime to be in love with gold?..

My musings though had to come to an end for I reached my destination. The eastern part of the town consisted of farms and fields of crops. I could already distinguish the entrance to the mines beyond them. I could see temporary huts built at the site and wagons with fireplaces formed a huge circle just at the foot of the mountain. I made my way towards the wagons and to the nearest person, who turned out to be one of the guards.

I smiled at him when he finally noticed me and greeted him politely, "Hello, sir. I have a message for magician Bour."

"O-oh..." The guard stared down at me as he was taller than me by some good 50 centimeters. "Um, he is down at the mines right now. Those damn rats. They've taken over the place!"

"Rats?" I echoed. Surely, such strong men as miners aren't scared of a few mice? Or are they?

"Yeah," the guard hollered. "Curse the beasts!"

"U-huh," I smiled politely nevertheless. "So, uh, could you direct me to Sir Bour?"

"Oh, but he's down, I told you so," the guard shook his head. "You'll have to wait till he's back."

"And when will he be back?"

"I don't know," he replied. "By nightfall, perhaps."

By nightfall? Had the entire world plotted against me? I had no time to waste if I wanted to achieve something substantial before I was whisked away to the far reaches of Amyron.

"Can I just enter the mines and find him myself?" I asked politely but the guard just laughed at me.

"No way, girl," he chuckled. "We can't let you enter the mines just like that."

"Why?"

For a moment, he stared at me as if I was a complete idiot and then laughed rather wholeheartedly. "Just wait till he's back, alright, girl? Or tell me the message and I'll tell him when Bour is back."

I shook my head. I could not give the letter to someone else. Oheli was pretty strict about that one. So, I smiled, nodded my head and wandered off around the camp. At least, until I was out of his sight. I needed to get into the mines, find Bour, give him the letter and get back to Trarton in time for dinner. Easy as a pancake.