Songweaver - Iron League Book 1

It's a Living

Chapter 1

We seek your appearance with all haste. Gray Star Tavern, Fallfell, was all the note said. It arrived with three rings, one made of wood, one of iron, and one of stone.

"Fallfell," Tomo said, "That's way down south, other side of the Great Forest."

"I know." Shar wondered why someone would send a message a hundred leagues to hire her. I'm good at what I do, yes, but not so famous to be known throughout the lands.

"Shar, it's time."

Shar took her place and looked out over the crowd. The inn filled this night. Every man looking at her, no, glaring at her with a lust, brought on by fantasies so shameful to border on the vulgar.

"Perfect."

There is one immutable truth to the world. Shar remembered it each time she went up on stage. When it comes to men in a tavern, for that matter, men everywhere, the smaller her dress, the more coins would be thrown in her collection pail. Maybe sleazy, even obscene, but Shariana knew the number of crowns she took is based more on how little she wore rather than how well she played.

The troupe started after dark, so the room was full and already many of the men drank past their body's ability to stay lucid. That too worked well in Shar's favor, for the more they drank, the less they cared how much they spent.

The other side to all this was the comments screamed over the din of the bar. Nothing that had not been shouted at Shar before, but still, it grew tiresome. The other problem occurred when she left to find a place to sleep. Without exception, she found one or two, sometimes more, of the braver and less savory characters waiting outside. Her scanty clothing and the cheap mead gave them evil ideas and poor judgment.

The troupe played until either the owner signaled to quit or when the place emptied. In this case, both occurred together. Tomo, owner of the "Tall Dwarf," waved his hands to signal the troupe to stop.

Only a few men still sat in the room, likely too drunk to stand. Instruments packed, Shar sought out Tomo for a glass of wine and payment. Tomo slid over a rich, sweet wine and a gold crown. A single gold crown isn't much money for a night's work; the real money came from the collection pail that sat at the front of the stage. Shar split the coins with the other three players, but still came away with nine silver and three gold crowns for herself. Enough to keep her from sleeping in an alley.

Shar had not built up a thirst for the wine. It is for wasting time. Slowly sipping the red sweetness would give those outside, waiting for her, time to sober up, wander off, or fall asleep as the case may be. If she didn't take the time to savor the glass, there'd be dozens of drunk, sex-crazed men waiting for her on the other side of the door.

Shariana was not being vain or arrogant, but it was obvious by those around her, especially the stares she would get from women, that her looks were more alluring than average. Shar didn't have a swelled head; it is just a fact of nature.

Taller than average, fair skinned, with long jet-black hair and bright blue eyes, she turned many heads both male and female. Still in her early twenties, her figure in its prime. She had ample "assets" as men say and the way she dressed it was easy to receive attention. Shar's exceptional features came from her mother who, having some Elven blood in her, had that cream complexion and stunning appearance that all Elves held.

After an hour, Shar lifted her instruments, and strapped on her sword 'Rhime'. The blade of the magical sword looked like a Glaive. It had a long square edge that came to a tip off to one side. Sharpened on both the short side and on the angle to the tip.