I’m about to give up on the map quest when I spot a small Discerni boy throwing marbles into the road.
“Golem, I need a pen and paper. Might you have any?”
In a typical fashion that I’ve learned not to question, Golem reaches into his robes and produces a piece of parchment and pen. I nod in thanks and walk towards the boy, feeling guilty for what I’m about to do.
“Hello, little one,” I smile at the kid and squat down to his height.
“Hello,” is his only reply.
He looks at me in curiosity, watching as I rummage through my bag.
“I’m having the hardest time locating the mills in the forest,” I continue with a smile, pulling out a two cinerin, “and was hoping you could point me in the right direction?”
“What for?” the little boy stands up quickly in accusation.
“Well, it’s my first day of work!” I laugh, “silly me! I would hate to be late on my first day.”
The boy crosses his arms in front of chest and looks down at me.
“You dress funny. Not in the same colors as we do.”
“That’s because I’m not from around here and why I need your help in getting to the mills. I don’t know my way around.”
“Mommy and daddy tell me I’m not supposed to talk to anyone about the mills,” he shakes his head, sitting back down to play with his marbles.
“Ah, yes,” I nod with a smile, “we aren’t supposed to talk about the mills. But Prince Keane has specifically asked that I find my way there, and I would hate to disappoint him.”
Another chuckle,his chuckle, makes its way deep into my bones. I quickly glance around the road and look for him, seeing nothing but the shops around us.
What is going on with me?
“I’ve been staying at the inn with him for the past few days,” I continue and hold out the cinerin, “if you could just point me in the right direction, I would be in your debt.”
The boy eyes me suspiciously but ends up slowly taking the coins from my hand. I already know that asking him to draw a map will be too pushy, so I hope to settle with a general direction at this point.
“Go down the road towards Gaumond, past the village to the black pine on the left. Behind the pine you’ll find the path to the mills.”
“Thank you, little one,” I smile back at him, “I am indeed in your favor.”
“I’ll remember your face, Lady who dresses in funny colors,” he replies with narrowed eyes, “don’t think I won’t.”
I laugh and watch as he leans back down to reach for his marbles, continuing with his game.
“Did you get that?” I ask Golem as we walk down the road.
He nods in response.
“Then let’s play house for a bit at the library, just in case word makes it to the Prince that I’ve been asking around. We can sneak out after and try to find these mills.”
Golem nods again and walks next to me as we make our way to the village’s library. The Discerni working there is an elderly man, just like Margaret and the older innkeeper. He takes one look at me and the Knowledge of my shirt and nods, leading Golem and I past the doors and into the building.
This library is small, only two stories high with an open reading area in the middle. I let the man know that we’re not looking for anything in particular and just browsing, and watch as he remains determinedly quiet before walking away.
“Alright then,” I shrug to Golem.
We start on the first floor and slowly walk amongst the books, my heart settling in contentment at the smell of old parchment and leather bound spines. There’s nothing ominous about this library like there is with the others, and instead it’s just as calm and serene as the village around it.
Once we canvas the bottom level, Golem and I make our way up the steps to the second and start again. We take our time, making idle stops in front of some of the books whenever the Discerni walks by. He says nothing to us, doesn’t even acknowledge our presence, just continues walking on as if he wasn’t spying just moments before. By the time we make it to the stairs we quietly walk back down, the two of us out of the entry doors in a blink and back on the road towards Gaumond with determination.
