NOVEL NEXT 65. Council and Brothel
They left the guardhouse and headed to the plaza, leaving the guard to deal with the dead cultist. If the guards needed more information, they could find them later.
Bonny entered the Healer’s temple about midmorning and worked her way through the sick and injured that were waiting. Once done, she waited and made small talk with two acolytes that helped out. Their names were Altha and Helem and they dispensed bandages and herbs to people who didn’t need magical healing. They came from poor backgrounds and hoped to gain access to a healing class and become priestesses at the temple.
“I may be able to help you with that.” Bonny smiled. “I can teach anatomy and care, if you want. Besides, this temple needs a woman with power. Why are there only men priests here?”
Altha laughed and agreed. “Yes. I would love to learn.”
Helem was less certain, but agreed that it would be helpful. Bonny asked them to be there the next day and she would go over anatomy with them, during downtime between patients.
Just before noon, Bonny and her companions left to pick up mousy Mila from the main temple. They arrived at the town hall a few minutes later to find that Nestor hadn't shown.
“Should we wait for him or should I go check the tower?” Bonny asked, already mad at the incompetent, murdering wizard.
Mila replied, “No, I’ll get us in.”
Bonny and Mila went in, leaving the other three to watch the doors and plaza.
When they got to the clerk, Mila went to speak with him and Bonny heard the clink and glimpsed a glint of metal as the priestess passed the clerk a few coins. The clerk glared at Bonny again as he pointed to a door on the side of the room, but didn’t say anything to her.
“So, is that the secret? Just bribe everyone to get things done?”
“Not always. I think the clerk just doesn’t like you. If there is an invasion coming, he should not have blocked you. He’ll probably be reprimanded about it later.” Mila squeaked back.
“Oh. I hope so. I, uh, don’t know how money works here.”
Mila stared for a moment then shook her head. “I forgot. You’re an outworlder.”
Bonny nodded. “Should I keep that secret or tell the council?”
“We’ll probably just see a representative today. He won’t need to know, but you should probably tell the council when we meet them.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Now, about money.” Mila pulled out several coins and explained the relative values.
There were copper triangles, silver squares, and gold pentagonal coins, both large and small. Each step up was ten times the value of the former, both in shape and size, giving values of 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000 curn, which was the name of the local currency. Each coin had a hole in the center, in the same shape as the coin itself, to allow people to sort them on spikes or carry them on a string. They were also enchanted, to prevent shaving, altering, or counterfeiting the coins.
For larger values, gems or magical notes were used instead. The normal pay for a day of labor was five small silver squares or five hundred curn. A room at an inn cost one small silver square and a meal of bread and cheese or pottage would go for a large copper triangle. More elaborate meals would cost more, depending on ingredients and preparation time.
No one carried gold, except in very rare instances. Even large silver squares were uncommon in day to day transactions.
Bonny tried to calculate how much money Colette was spending on her and her companions. They had slept at her places for three nights and eaten at least two meals a day for those days. Adelina probably didn’t count, but Freja may count extra. It took her a few minutes, but she decided they cost at least 7 small silver per day. If the companions really were helping, maybe it was an equitable deal after all.
She sighed in relief and went back to paying attention to what Mila was saying.
“… so most people can’t donate much to the temples. The council helps support us, but more than three priests just isn’t possible.”
Bonny smiled, guessing that Mila was hinting that she wouldn’t pay Bonny for hanging around. “That’s fine. I don’t think we’ll be here long enough to interfere.”
“Interfere? You’ve already caused an uproar. The number of supplicants has tripled and most of them aren’t donating. Our workload has more than doubled with no additional recompense.”
“Aren’t you being a little greedy? Have you talked with Compassion? What does she think about the additional worshipers?”
Mila spluttered for a moment, then composed herself. “This is a merchant city. Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs to be justly rewarded for their labor.”
“Everyone? What about slaves?” Bonny couldn’t remember seeing anyone in chains or collars, but assumed it would be common in a medieval society. “Or whatever happens to people who can’t pay their debts?”
“Debtors are contracted into indentured servitude until their debts are paid off, but they are given a fair recompense for their time. Slavery is outlawed here, unlike the so called ‘holy’ Sunne nation.”
An average looking, middle aged, human man, with brown eyes and hair, opened a door and stepped in, sparing Bonny from replying. “Good afternoon. I am pleased to see you again, Priestess Mila. What brings you in today?”
“Hi, Cassius. I didn’t expect you to meet with us.” Mila stood to greet him.
“I came to see you, my dear.” He smiled, his eyes friendly and teeth sparkling white.
“Oh, my.” Mila blushed. “I’m just here to help my friend Bonny. She’s new to the city and has been trying to get a message to the council.”
Cassius turned to Bonny and flashed his brilliant smile again. “I’m Cassius, the chairman of the Merchant Council. What can I do for you today?”
She couldn’t help but smile back. He gave a sense of honesty and integrity, reminding her of some politicians back on Earth, but turned up to ten. Could he be using magic or skills to enhance that affect?
She hopped up and reached out to shake hands. “Hi. I’m Bonny. A bunch of monsters are going to attack in a few days.”
He looked at her hand in confusion for a moment, then realized what she just said. “An attack? What?”
She dropped her hand and explained briefly about Wrath’s earlier attack and the artifacts stored near the city. She ended with, “So, I’m pretty sure he’ll be here in a three or four days with an army of monsters.”
Cassius’ face had gone from astonished to disbelief as Bonny relayed her story. He glanced at Mila, who nodded, but didn’t add to the conversation. “So, from the North?”
Bonny nodded.
“Hmmm, Eris won’t like that. Most of her farms are to the north. Are you certain?”
Bonny nodded again, not sure who Eris was or if she should care. “I have some friends who can confirm what I’ve said.”
“No, don’t bother.” He stared off in thought for a moment. “I don’t want to disrupt people’s lives if we don’t need to. I’ll send out some scouts to check the forest though. How’s that?”
“But, …”
“No. I need confirmation, but will inform the rest of the council of your concern. Can you stay here for a few minutes? Tell Iolana what to look for and she’ll take care of the rest.” He turned to Mila, clearly dismissing Bonny. “Are you available for dinner this evening?”
Mila blushed again. “Yes.”
“Excellent. I’ll send someone to escort you when I leave. Thank you.” He turned and strode out without waiting for a response.
“Wow, he’s a little intense. What’s the deal with you two?”
“We, uh, used to date.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure. We just got busy and stopped making time for each other.”
“Well, I hope it works out. He seems nice." She paused, thinking back over the interaction, "Unless that’s an act. Is he nice?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “He’s very considerate, but strict with money.”
Bonny talked about her dating life before her life was upended. Actually, literally ended, but she didn’t want to say that.
A short while later, a reddish brown feathered harpy entered through the door they had entered from, not the door the Cassius used. The harpy’s talons clicked on the floor in an odd rhythm as she step-step-hopped in a funny skipping gait.
She wore a tight red tube top that covered her from breasts to upper thighs. She looked almost human, about four and a half foot tall, except for the talons and wings. As she got closer, Bonny realized the girl’s coloring reminded her of a red tailed hawk, but brighter. She also had only half of a hand, a thumb and two fingers, at one joint, with the other two fingers merged into the wings.
“I am Iolana. I have been told you have a task for me.”
“Hi, I’m Bonny.” Bonny hopped forward and held our her hand.
Iolana looked at the hand, then at Bonny, then at her wing.
Bonny looked at the harpy’s wing and dropped her hand, blushing. “Uh, sorry. An army of monsters will be coming from the forest in a few days. We need to prepare and warn the people outside the walls to come in for safety. I think Cassius wanted you to verify it’s coming before notifying anyone.”
“Is that all?”
“Uh, yes? I mean, I could tell you about the fight we had, but I don’t think it’ll help you locate them.”
“Fine. I will do this.” She turned and left, using the same step-step-hop clicking movement.
“Well, that was anticlimactic. I guess we can leave now.”
Bonny followed Mila outside, where they met up with Bonny’s companions, and waved bye to Mila. “Thanks for the help. I hope your date goes well tonight.”
Mila blushed and waved back before scurrying away.
After leaving the town hall, Bonny gave her friends a quick summary of what happened as headed to the docks, where Kama’s brothel was located.
About half the buildings in Beaverton were built over the lake, on long piers and docks, over the top of beaver lodges. The docks had channels dug out for shipping, but most water traffic were shallow draft boats or flat barges.
The buildings build over land were primarily made with stone and clay, while those over water were primarily wooden structures.
Bonny stopped and stared when the building came into sight. The brothel was a squat three story wooden building between two piers. The ground floor was the second level, with one above and one below, presumably extending into the water. There was a magical sign on the roof, an illusion that blinked and flashed in neon colors, morphing from the name “Busty Beaver” into an three dimensional image of a very well endowed beaver kin, then back.
Eloisss poked Bonny in the side. “Do you need to ssee breasstss, Bonny? Sshould I pull mine out?”
“No, uh, I was looking at the magic. How does that work?”
“An insscription, probably. They would need to charge it occassionally. Eassy, if they make enough money.”
“But the wizards here are useless. Remember?”
“Then assk. Maybe there iss ssomeone on sstaff with a sskill.”
Bonny nodded. “Okay. Let’s go on in.”
They entered to find a luxurious waiting room, filled with velvet furnishings and magical lighting. There was a raised stage with two scantily clad girls sitting on a comfortable couch chatting together. Several couches, tables, and chairs were available for customers as well, where two more women in revealing clothing circulated through the five or six other people sitting and eating.
One of the women came to greet them. She was a well endowed, middle aged human. “Welcome to the Busty Beaver. Are you here for wine, food, or companionship?”
“Hi, I’m Bonny.” Bonny stepped forward with her hand out.
The woman glanced down at the offered hand and tentatively reached her own out.
Bonny grabbed it and shook it lightly, smiling. She leaned in close and whispered, “I’m here about the disease.”
“Oh, for Nahia and Tamanna?”
“Yes.” Bonny nodded and released the woman’s hand. “I also want to check everyone else. Is that okay?”
“I think so. You can check me if you want. I would ask Kama about everyone else, but I’m sure it'll be fine. I’m Rion.”
“Glad to meet you, Rion. One moment. Triage! Spirit Triage!”
Rion was clean as were the two girls on the stage, but other woman circulating, as well as one of the men sitting in the waiting room, glowed with the black and red of the curse.
