Newly Broke Heroine!

Ch. 27: Grand Opening, Part Two

Fiona smiled proudly as she, Bonnie, and Greg came out with the crowd breaking into cheers. She motioned after a moment to hold their applause and cleared her throat. All manner of people were here–lizardfolk, kitsune of various orange and red shades just like Bonnie, a few elves, a large gathering of humans, and others she didn't recognize. Fiefdala was a true mixing pot of individuals–and she barely even knew the history of it, or the culture!

What did she know? People here chilled out like everyone back at home, without much care for who everyone was. So, this should be easy. She took a deep breath, smoothed her hair, and with Bonnie by her side, motioned for a little bit of silence.

"Thank you for coming, everyone! I can see that we've got a pretty big crowd here, so I'll keep the speech short!" She glanced at the crowd, and the keen eyes. A few elven children stood waist-high compared to their parents, looking on with dazzling bright eyes and crooked smiles. "So, I came into the kingdom, and the first task I took was to be its hero! Now, I know, the poster board says 'looking for a hero' but I'm sure that was not intended to be on the nose! Or muzzle. Or snout? Sorry guys, I'm new to this speech thing!" she added, and elicited a few heartfelt laughs.

She continued on without skipping a beat. "Anyway, so I have to give my thanks to everyone who helped me get here–to Jake Pendelier, the Adventurer's guild master, who taught me a lot of the tricks of the trade on how to take down monsters, escort nobles...and beat up giant dragons with a massive hammer. Oh wait, he didn't teach me that last part! But, he should take credit for being the inspiration," she added with a sly grin aimed at him. He stood there as part of the crowd, with his muzzle set into a smug smile and he crossed his arms, looking proud.

"Now, thanks to the courteous donations of Douglas the Red–I mean, the nasty dum-dum who tried to burn everything–we're trying to give back a little something, to the community! We want the adventurers who made this period of peace to be recognized, and we want to see to it that the next wave will be equipped for the future! The dragon had a bunch of stuff that I think will appeal to a lot of people. Treasure, intrigue, fancy equipment, and an odd taste for paintings. Those are in the back–away from the kids," she adds, and a few mothers tried to shield their kids' eyes, out of instinct–while the husbands' hands drifted to their coin pouches.

"But, above all, I want this store to be a reflection on the people that inspired me–people from all walks of life. The people who helped explore, build, and defend Fiefdala, regardless of class, or stature, rich or poor! Along with my friend Bonnie, we've dedicated this place to be a service and reflection of those who work hard to give this city and surrounding countryside an identity. A place where we all walk in the door and we're all greeted with a big, courteous smile!"

She could see the excitement building in the crowd, and Bonnie gave her a subtle nod. "Alright, alright, maybe a little more speech than I planned for. Bonnie, wanna do the honors for me, so we can get this rolling?"

"Do I ever, darling. Alright, folks, for those of you who know me, I'm Bonnie Revere, I've worked with Fiona before, along with the adventurers guild. True to her word, our store is about being of service to all members of the city, regardless of class. Just stay classy!" she quipped to a bunch of heartfelt laughs. "So, Fi and I talked, because there is some overlap. If you make purchases at the store, we do offer a discount on additional rune work, so take advantage of it! As always, ten percent of our first-day proceeds go right back to the adventurer's guild, so that we can inspire the next generation of brave youth that have made this country the beacon it is!" she said with a fist held high.

"Thank you, Bonnie. I'd also like to introduce to you Gregory Lockheed. He's the one who secretly makes the magic happen," Fiona took over and gave a gentle nudge, where he tried to look a little less stiff. Even his smile is stiff–she needs to get this boy a training routine to look a little less stern! "He's good with numbers and good with keeping me and Bonnie on track. So, that's our immediate staff, we'll be adding more as we go. Bonnie, will you do the honors?"