The Matriarch's Daughter

Chapter Four: The Unexpected Visitor

Thepa arrived at the dock shortly after the sun had risen above the horizon. The docks were not her favorite place in Goldale. As soon as her hoof found the final step down the spire, she was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people resting on the pavement, now alerted to her presence. Her previous visits to the first level hadn't gone unnoticed—not that she was easy to miss. She was the only person in Goldale who wore the green beret and, as far as she knew, the only Youngling of the Mountain in the Goldale army and, as far as she bet, the only upper echelon to visit the first level.

It wasn't the people's presence that bothered Thepa, though. In less than a minute, she had emptied her coin purse, giving away every bit of salary she amassed in the last two weeks. What troubled her more than anything was the smell. Sludge and refuse assaulted her senses, forcing her to breathe through her mouth. The entire level reeked of it, but the worst came from the people she was so desperate to help. It was so bad, she considered it a blessing she hadn't eaten breakfast when the rest of the crowd dissipated empty handed.

Now considerably lighter, she made her way to the docks to watch the ships come in. Vessels from the five nations and fishing towns crowded the harbor, each one a tapestry of colors, flags, and emblems that told stories of their distant lands. Towering masts from the Kingdom of Clayborn, sleek elven ships adorned in red and gold, stood out against the rugged, sturdy vessels of the fishing town of Pearlview. Human and Galak merchant ships, painted in blue and white, bustled with activity, jostling for space alongside the ornate, gilded boats of the third-level nobles. Even the longboats from the Federation of Wildehaven, with their green and red sails, mingled with the voices of sailors and traders, speaking in tongues from every corner of Sainta.

She was certain she had even caught a glimpse of a pirate ship from the Free Nation of Swampspell, but they made it difficult to be sure. The only nation that seemed to lack representation in the bustling port was her own, not that she was surprised. The Sisterhood did little in the way of trade, preferring to make it on their own.

Finding her way over to the ship with red and green sails, she boarded to see sailors unloading crates of exotic goods. The scents of foreign spices mingled with the city's stink, filling the air with an overwhelming blend of aromas. She started to approach the poop deck to ask the captain about her charge when a sight for sore eyes caught her attention—a familiar presence, currently engrossed in the task of offloading a bolt of silk.

"Claudia!" She squealed rushing to her friend.

Claudia turned, catching sight of Thepa and dropped the bolt in the process. Her face lit up, freckles stretching to the points of her cheeks. Thepa quickly closed the distance and hugged the woman she had deeply missed, only to get a mouthful of her blonde locks and a whack to the side from the small object Claudia had tied to her braid—a makeshift weapon she sometimes wielded as a whip. The padding of Thepa's tunic largely protected her, but it didn't stop her from wincing as she embraced her apologetic friend and sister.

"Sorry," Claudia said looking up with her large brown eyes. Her face fell allowing the tautness of her freckles to lax. But Thepa shook her head. A strong emotion of love welled up in her stomach threatening to escape from her eyes.

"You don't have to be sorry. If this is the Claudia I've been missing, I'd gladly let you beat the tar out of me."

"Well, that too." Claudia said giving her a second quick hug. "Just so you know, I was sworn to secrecy."

"Sorry about what then? Sworn by—" she froze. Claudia was a Sargent Major of the Ministry of Venya. Mentally she kicked herself. Between Einkidi's letter and the archduke's request, Thepa already had all the information she needed to know who was coming. She didn't even need to turn around to know the voice that now addressed her was exactly who she thought it was.