As they walked, Almyra smirked at the passersby that gawked at her new hair. Cynthia walked on top of a nearby ledge, with her arms outstretched for balance. She sang a random song as she did so. Topher stared at an airship in the sky. He payed attention to nothing else, trying to take in every last detail in the ship's design. He was counting the number of propellers it had when he slammed his jaw into a lamppost. Cynthia and Almyra both stopped to laugh at his pain.
"Wotch where you're going, you twit." Almyra said mocklingly.
"You're supposed to be doing that for me!" Topher responded, rubbing his chin.
"You're not sodding blind, and I'm not your seeing hound!"
Cynthia looked into the sky at the airship. "What is your fancy with those things anyway? They're just a loud nuisance if you ask me."
"One day one of those 'loud nuisances' is my ticket out of this bloody town. There's nothing here for me except to become a factory employee just like my sister and father."
"They seem pretty well off to me," Almyra said.
"Yes, they have money. But they aren't happy I don't think. I know I wouldn't be. But if I could get out of her, I could become a beast slayer, an artisan, anything. I mean, can you two honestly say you want to live the rest of your lives here?"
"I suppose not," Cynthia replied. Almyra simply shook her head.
"Well, I'll tell you, some day the three of us are going to get out of here and see the world."
"I get you," Almyra said."As a kid, I've always wanted to pilot an airship. Its as if living one big adventure. But in any case, we're almost at the bazaar."
They walked a few more blocks before arriving in town square. In every direction were crowds of people dressed in all kinds of different fashions and small stands with striped tapestries above them. People shuffled in between eachother to get to the next stand and see what exotic new items there were to find. At the center of the square was a large fountain with a statue of a lion about to pounce with water gushing from its mouth. Small children were swimming around it, trying to find spare change in the merky water. They passed by a few pavillions containing trinkets and bits of jewelry and foreign clothes. Cynthia and Almyra were trying on various bangles, when across the way, a pavillion specializing in weaponry caught Topher's eye. He quickly walked towards it and picked up the first thing he saw. It was a silver sword in its sheath, with designs of dragons along the rims. The handle was guarded in a weave of metal. Topher had a fascination with beast slayers, and soldiers growing up. And over the years he wished to become one himself. So he studied the arts of combat through books, and taught himself every form and style that he could find. Topher pulled out the sword, and took several practice slashes at the air.
"You plan on buying that, son?" said a voice from behind the counter. A short obese man with wirey hair looked at him in irritation. He had a scraggly beard and an upturned piggish nose. Topher looked at the price tag.
"I can't afford it," he said as he put it down. "Do you have anything cheaper?" He scanned the rest of the items and found a peculiar instrument. It was shaped like a railroad spike, except the bottom part was thick and made of wood, while the top had a metal covering and several gears on the side. "What is that?"
"Ahhh, that's a Trinierang. Imported all the way from the Archelegos." The man picked it up and pressed a switch on the side. the wooden piece sprang to the side reveiling two more pieces. The man threw the item. It twirled through the air, leaving behind a trail of thick grey smoke, then arced back straight into the man's hand.
"It's a weapon used in hunting to stun prey. The smoke trail can be turned on or off."
"How much?!" Topher shouted in excitement.
"200 pence."
"I can't afford that either..." Topher said in disappointment. "Maybe those tonfa..." He picked up a pair of ruby red clubes with handle coming from the sides.
"Those aren't a very popular item, so it doesn't cost so much." The man said. Topher struck a fighting stance and swung them around.
"I read a book about these. They're harder to use than most weapons, but if you know what you're doing, they're just as good as any sword."
"So you'll take them, then?" Topher paid for the tonfa and put them in his satchel. "So what does a kid like you need a weapon for anyways?"
"Well, you know. Better safe than stabbed, right?" With that, Topher made his way through the crowd on his hunt for Almyra and Cynthia. The two of them seemed to had forgotten about him when he found them several booths down the sidewalk.
"Boo!"Topher yelled, clutching Cynthia's back. She jumped.
"Don't do that!"
Topher smiled." I couldn't help myself. Do either of you want to get some food? I'm starving."
"Me too, actually," said Almyra.
"There's a little cafe on the other side. Lets go there," Cynthia replied. The three of them wadded their way through the crowd to the cafe. A waitress was waiting for them at the entrance. She found them a table and handed out menus. Topher ordered a beef sandwitch, Cynthia a pasta salad, and Almyra got a baked potato.
"So, who wants presents?" Cynthia asked when the waitress left. Topher and Almyra looked at eachother.
"You didn't have to get us anything." She said.
"Don't worry. I got some good bargains." She proceeded to pull various items from her long sleeves. "If you want to fly ships, these will come in handy." She handed Almyra a brass spyglass and compass. Almyra took them, extended the spyglass and glanced inside it.
"Oh, I love them! Topher, you really should blow your nose more often," She said pointing the device strait at him. He put his hand on the lens and pushed it away.
"I also got you this," Cynthia said, handing her a necklace with a small skull as its pendant. Almyra put the pendant on, and got up to give Cynthia a hug.
"Thank you so much!"
"I didn't forget you either." Cynthia handed Topher a small black journal with a silver coat of arms on a flap that kept it closed. It also had a pen inside the spine.
"Oh, nice!" Topher replied, taking the book. He opened it and fondled through the pages.
"And this." Cynthia held out her hand, while pressing the switch making the Trinierang's prongs spring out. Topher's jaw dropped.
"How? When were you even there?!"
"I'm good at what I do." She said, smiling.
"This is amazing!" Topher took the device and flipped the prongs in and out like a child with a brand new toy.
"Is that Alyssa over there?" Cynthia asked, peering behind Topher's head. Topher and Almyra turned around to see a blonde girl walking across they alley, holding a parasol over her head. She stopped at a booth on her way to look over the merchandise. "I'm going to go over and say hi." Cynthia stood up and ran over to the girl with a skip in her step. They talked for several minutes, before finally setting off in the direction Alyssa was walking.
"She's not coming back, is she?" Topher asked.
"I suppose not."
No matter how much time Cynthia spent with Almyra and Topher, it seemed like she knew and befriended every single person in New Cambridgeshire. And because of that, she would often disappear at random times to visit them without another word.
Several minutes passed before the waitress came with their food. She handed out the dishes, but hesitated at Cynthia's empty seat.
"Where'd the other girl go?" She asked.
"Oh, she should be back any minute," Almyra responded. "Just leave it there." They began to eat their food, but by the time they finished, Cynthia was still nowhere to be found. Topher sighed.
"She always does this to us."
"Don't fret over it. I'll pay for hers." Soon, the waitress came back to take their dishes and deliver their bill. After paying their bill, the two of them left the cafe.
"So what now?" Topher asked.
"I'm tired of shopping for today. Let's just head back." Almyra and Topher headed off back to her loft. They walked several blocks before the roar of the bazaar faded from their ears. All that was to be heard were the faint sounds of a dog's bark off in the distance and nearby footsteps.
"Almyra," came a soft voice from behind them. "You've changed your hair. It looks nice." Almyra stopped coldly and turned around. Topher followed suit. Three men stood, watching her. The voice came from the man in the middle, whom stepped forward offering his hand. He was a tall slender man, with a short scraggly beard, and his thin hair tied behind his head. He wore a grimey pin-striped suit. The other men were dressed almost the same, except the one on the right had a shaved head, and the other wore a pork pie hat.
"It's time you came to be my wife, Almyra," the man in the middle said. His name was Morris Headley, Almyra's former fiance. Morris came from a wealthy noble's family, and Almyra's parents had arranged for the two to be married to gain that wealth. However, Almyra protested that she did not love him, but her parent's did not listen. Morris claimed that he loved her, but that did not keep him from indulging on his lust for local harlots. It caused tension between the two, and Almyra somehow managed to continuously postpone the wedding. Eventually, Morris's father lost most of his money to the gambling houses, and this was enough for Almyra's family to call the wedding off. But Morris could not move on from Almyra. He coveted her like a golden trophy, becoming obsessed with her. His advances pursued no matter how many times Almyra said no to him.
"I'll never marry you!" Almyra shouted stubbornly. "Why not find one of those town whores you fancy so much to be your bride?"
"I promise you, I've changed. I have a new job. I can take care of you!"
"No! No! A thousand time, NO! Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"
"Look. You're coming with me whether you like it or not. Grab her lads,"He said, gesturing to the men at his side." But don't hurt her. Do whatever you like to the boy if he's any trouble."
Topher and Almyra backed away slowly as if being hunted by ravenous wolves. Almyra turned to Topher.
"Do you think you could do me a tiny favour?" She asked sweetly. Topher sighed as he pushed his goggles over his eyes and pulled the tonfa from his satchel.
"You owe me. Big time." Topher said."Hold this." He pulled the satchel from around his shoulder and tossed it to her. The two men came closer, the man in the porkpie hat grabbed Almyra's wrist. The bald man held his hands out, ready to block any incoming attack. Almyra screamed. Topher quickly slammed the end of his tonfa into the porkpie man's chin sending him to the ground, a splash of blood following him. Topher then spun around, landing the heel of his foot into the bald man's chest. The bald man stumbled back a few steps, before pulling a thick chain from his pocket. He swung it in the air in a tight circle, before throwing it at Topher. The boy held out his arm, blocking the chain from reaching his head. It coiled tightly, making him wince in pain. Topher pulled the bald man closer by the chain, and let loose a quick punch to his stomache, followed by a knee to his crotch. Then he swung his tonfa into a high arc and smashed it against the man's shoulder, knocking him down.
The porkpie man was just getting up. He wiped the blood away from his jaw, and picked up a steel bar from the ground. He ran after Topher, and swung the bar in a clumsy arc. Topher jumped back, easily dodging it, then hit the man with several blows before he could recover. The bar fell with a clank onto the ground, and Topher kicked it away before the man could grab it again.
"What now?" Topher asked the man, jumping back and forth in his stance, ready for the next assault.
"Bloody hell, the girl isn't worth this, Morris," the porkpie man said, taking several steps back. "Get her your-damn-self if you want her so badly." The stepped carefully away before running off around the corner of the nearest building. Morris grimaced at Topher.
"You done yet?" Topher asked Morris. "Or do you plan on actually fighting your own battles, you bloody coward?"
"Very well," Morris responded, pulling off his heavy coat. He took a handle from his pocket, and pressed his thumb against the guard. A small blade protruded from the handle, then more chunks flipped out from the blade making it longer and longer until it was almost four feet in length. Topher's eyes widened. Morris held the sword in both hands, and ran after Topher, roaring with frustration.
"Stop!" Almyra yelled from behind him. Morris slashed at him as Topher jumped back. He saw a flash of grey shortly followed by a flash of red, as he fell, landing on his arse. Almyra screamed. All of a sudden, Topher's field of vision was shrouded in thick grey smoke. He heard a clank and a grunt coming from in front of him, and felt Almyra's hands grip his shoulders, lifting him up. Almyra grabbed Topher's wrist in one hand and the Trinierang in the other, and the two of them ran in the direction the porkpie man went. They ran for several blocks, Morris screaming her name in the faint distance, before they saw a bright red trolley. They climbed into it as it was about to take off. Topher fell into the nearest seat. He felt deep pangs coming from his chest for first time. He looked down to see his shirt covered in ruby red. Almyra gasped.
"Oh lord! Are you alright?!" She said, stairing at his shirt.
"He pulled a sword on me!" Topher said, utterly shocked. "That b*****d pulled a sword on me!"
"Don't worry! You will be fine!" She opened Topher's shirt, and looked at his wound. She then pulled a black ribbon from her hair and wrapped it around his chest. She then pulled off one of her gloves and pressed it against the wound. "Don't worry," She assured him again, more for her sake than for his."We have Stitchers at home. You'll be good as new."
Topher pressed the glove close to him. He could feel his heartbeat throb with pain. Almyra took the seat next to him, and apologized to him. Topher just stared out the window with a blank expression. He had never seen a sword before, except in books, much less the collapsable one that Morris had. New Cambridgeshire was a safe place. They had no need for them, unlike other cities where beast attacks were commonplace.
Almyra kept talking in an attempt to raise his spirits, but Topher paid her now attention until they arrived at her house.
They got off the trolley and walked up the cobblestone steps into her house. Topher stood at the doorway while Almyra ran off down the hallway. She came back seconds later with something in her hand, with Anne and Mrs. Rowley in tow.
"Topher. Lie down on the couch and take your shirt off," Almyra commanded. Topher did as he was told.
"What happened to him?" Mrs. Rowley asked with worry in her face.
"What's going on?" Anne said.
"Shhh! I'll tell you in a minute!" Almyra shouted. She held out a bronze egg shaped pod, pressed her finger agains the top, and pressed it against Topher's wound. A white cream spewed from the top, while the bottom broke apart into six pairs of spider like legs. They punctured Topher's skin and stitched back and forth like a miniature sowing machine. The cream felt like piercing cold on Topher's chest, but the needles seared with heat. She dragged the machine slowly across his entire wound. Topher sat up again and buttoned his shirt up. The pain seemed to be gradually fading from his chest.
"Are you sure you're alright? You haven't said anything."
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just...shocked I guess."
"What happened?!" Anne shouted stubbornly with a stomp of her foot. Almyra told them the everything. After she was done, Mrs. Rowley grabbed Topher and squeezed him in a deep hug.
"Thank you so much! You saved my baby girl! You're such a brave boy!" She proclaimed. Topher winced.
"Mother! You're hurting him!" Almyra yelled, pulling her off him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry dear!"
"But why would he do that?" Anne asked.
"Because he's a nutter!" Almyra answered. "I've been telling you that for ages!"
"I'm sorry I didn't listen sooner. After what just happen, I won't have him here again." Mrs Rowley said. "Topher, you must stay for dinner. I'll make you anything you like, then I'll have Byron walk you home. You've been through enough." That night Topher and the Rowley family ate a feast of lasagna and mozzerela sticks. Afterwards, Mrs. Rowley kept her word, and Mr. Rowley made sure Topher got home safely.
