The Matriarch's Daughter

Chapter Four: The Unexpected Visitor

The next day, Thepa arrived at the lowest level of Goldale shortly after the sun had risen above the horizon. 

The first level was not her favorite place in the city, and today was no exception. As soon as her hoof found the final step down the spire, she was 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 female Youngling of the Mountain in the Goldale army and, as far as she believed, the only upper echelon of Goldale society to visit the first level.

People reacted instinctively. Some pretended to be preoccupied, others shuffled away, instantly repelled by her authority. And yet, a majority remained, plagued by desperation and homelessness. They surrounded Thepa in masses, their bodies pressed against the edges of crumbling walls and the filthy pavement. 

Then there was the smell. Sludge and refuse assaulted Thepa's senses, forcing her to breathe through her mouth. The entire level reeked of it, but the worst of it came from the people, most of whom she was sure hadn't bathed in weeks. She took out her bag of coins, pressing it into outstretched hands, both grateful for her own blessings and relieved she hadn't eaten breakfast.

Now considerably lighter, she clacked to the docks to watch the ships make berth. Vessels from the nations and fishing towns crowded the harbor, each one proudly displaying a tapestry of colors, flags, and emblems of their distant lands. Towering red and gold elven ships from the Kingdom of Clayborn stood out against the rugged, sturdy vessels of the fishing town of Pearlview. Blue and white Human and Galak merchant ships from the Republic of Lightmount bustled with activity, jostling for space alongside the ornate, gilded boats of the third-level nobles. Though smaller than the rest, Thepa could even see the red and green longboats from the Federation of Wildehaven, their merchant activity a vast cornucopia of sounds that filled the air.

Thepa was certain she had even caught a glimpse of a pirate ship from the Free Nation of Swampspell, but their lack of identifiers made it difficult to be sure. The only nation that seemed to lack representation in the bustling port was the Matron State of the Beachwick, not that she was surprised. Thepa knew very little about the Sisterhood, but one of the few things she did know was that they preferred life on their own terms.

Finding her way over to the red and green longboats, Thepa boarded one bearing a diplomatic flag to see sailors unloading crates of exotic goods. She started to approach the poop deck to ask about her charge when a sight for sore eyes caught her attention, currently engrossed in the task of offloading a bolt of silk.

"Claudia!" Thepa squealed, rushing to her friend.

Claudia turned, catching sight of Thepa, and dropped the bolt. Her face lit up, freckles stretching to the points of her cheeks. Thepa quickly closed the distance and hugged the halfling woman, only to get a mouthful of her blonde locks and a whack 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 protected her, but it didn't stop her from wincing as she embraced her apologetic friend.

"Sorry," Claudia said, looking up with her large brown eyes. Her face fell, allowing the tautness of her freckles to relax.

But Thepa shook her head. "You don't have to be sorry," she said, hugging her friend again. She hadn't even realized how much she had been craving Saintian's affection until a wave of dopamine hit her heart, daring never to let go. "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 in to the second hug. She squeezed tight, knocking the wind out of her. "So you know, I was sworn to secrecy."

"Sorry about what, then? Sworn by—" Thepa froze, realization hitting her midsentence. Claudia was a sergeant major of the Ministry of Venya. Mentally, she kicked herself. Between Einkidi's letter and the Archduke's request, Thepa should have already pieced together 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.