Auris of the Thousand Names: A Weaver's Chronicle

Auris, Introduced

Everything is in place.  The final councilmember signed off on it this morning, and the trial of the other is only a few days away.  In some part of her mind, Auris knows she's anxious.  She can't feel it.  Or maybe she's only forgotten what it's like without it.

She spent the day with Alboba's crew, digging irrigation ditches.  The wizard is much faster doing it herself, moving tons of earth with a simple incantation, but simple has never meant easy, and she can only manage it so many times in a day.  There were more than enough of them willing to help anyway.

Auris takes a long sip of her tea, letting the steam wreathe her face.  The weight of a gaze raises the hairs on the back of her neck, and she turns only in time to see the door to the tavern kitchen swinging shut.  A moment later, Jakob exits, a skinny, freckled human Auris would be tempted to call a child if not for the fact he makes his own way in the world.  A smile flickers across his face as he approaches her, brushing his hands on his apron.

"I—think it's time to introduce myself," he says in his halting way.

"Ah, would this be about the name..."  The name the swamp called you, she doesn't say, trailing off as Jakob's brown eyes widen in fear.  "Perhaps a walk?" Auris asks instead, and he relaxes, sheepish, and nods.

It takes until they reach the jungle's edge, their path curving along Auris' usual route beside it, for Jakob to speak.

"I don't think," he starts, "I can make a proper introduction—feel right."

Auris hums thoughtfully.  "How so?"

"I'm hardly—proper.  It wouldn't fit.  I'm Jakob.  I'm just not sure where Druan went."

"I see."

Jakob stops walking, and tries to straighten up.  He draws a breath.  "My name is Druan Jakob Valestri, son of Lady Isadora Elena Valestri of House Valestri and her consort Heffrich Valestri."  He gives a stiff bow as he finishes.

Valestri...  "A pleasure to meet you," Auris says with a nod.

Jakob lets out a shaky sigh.  "That was horrible...  I'm never doing that again."

...Kanara.  Gathering stories.  The young woman with dark eyes too old for her, who never spoke in more than a whisper.  She worked for House Valestri, before the devils destroyed it.

"I, erm, usually assume people have—bad intentions if they call me anything but Jakob.  Oh!  And there's another thing—I should tell you."

"Yes?"

"Someone else with us," he says with a slight frown, "in the swamp, is being offered a lot of gold—to kill someone."

"What?"

"That's what I saw.  Through the reeds.  I don't know who, but everything we saw, and heard—it came from us, right?  My name.  Your mother..."

"It...does seem it would be from one of us.  Though we do come from, ah, varied backgrounds, and it seemed to draw out...old memories."

"It might be."

"Can you remember any details?"

"I couldn't see them—very well, but...they said three hundred gold, and some number—of months."

"What did they sound like?"

"I only heard one speak.  Erm...  Three hundred—"  Jakob halts, and clears his throat.  "Three hundred gold," he mimics in a fuller, slightly nasally tone.  "Take it or leave it."

Auris blinks.

"Something, erm, like that."

"I see.  Thank you.  I'll...be sure to look into it."  A pause.  "How accurate do you think your impression is?"

"How accurate do you think your impression is?" Jakob echoes back with surprising accuracy, and blushes.  "Erm...pretty good."

"I see.  I shall be glad I didn't recognize it, then."

Jakob nods.

Conversation fades, the air consumed by a symphony of insects.  The trees draw closer to the shore ahead of them, the forested coast stretching ever on.  A familiar sense brushes the back of Auris' mind: Gwrtheyrn.  She reaches out in greeting.  He's too far for words, but she catches a sense of satisfaction.  His hunt must have been successful.  She finds herself smiling at the thought of his return.

"Should we turn back?" Jakob asks.

"Hm?  Oh, yes, that's probably a good idea.  Ah...what did you mean earlier, something about assuming people have bad intentions?"

"Erm, well, it's really—just politics."

"Politics?"

"Druan is my public name, and so that is the name people use—when trying to find me."

"Who's looking for you?"

"I never usually—stuck around to meet them...but I know who wants me to be found."

"May I ask who that is?"

"...my uncle."

"Why does he want to find you?"

"I can't say for sure.  I've never met him before—but supposedly he's overseeing House Valestri's assets, so I can only imagine—that my continued existence is an inconvenience.  Since I should claim it—instead."

"That's the reason you assume?"  Auris shakes her head.  "No wonder you're here..."

"It seems to be working out fairly well."

"Yes, and we're happy to have you.  Though...do let me know if something were to happen, someone was to arrive..."

"If anyone asks for Druan, it means I never introduced—myself to them.  So keep that in mind."

"I see."

"It hasn't been a problem on the continent yet, but as this place grows..."

❂

Left on the desk of Lieutenant Oretharos:

Visitor: GASH

Reason for visit: L̶A̶I̶S̶H̶O̶ the "other"

Notes: Spoke with the other under supervision.  Odd conversation.  Offered grand fairy tale in exchange for lasting promise that the other won't mess with Valerian.