IGMS - Issue 19 by IGMS

Author:IGMS
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Hatrack River Enterprises
Published: 2010-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Not three days later, a young couple arrived in a rickety cart. They paid Aris three sovereigns to give the woman's sick father a merciful passing in the night. At midday the day after, an old man riding an emaciated donkey paid Aris to craft a fatal illness for his son's bullying employer. Late that same afternoon, three foreign noblemen rode up to his house and happily parted with thirty sovereigns to remove their wealthy father from the world. All these customers came from the west and all told him that a skinny girl with greasy blonde locks had engaged them in conversation and talked them into seeking a solution from the deathsmith.

News of him usually spread by past customers whispering his name and location when others complained to them of an unfaithful spouse or oppressive officials. But no one had ever gone about willfully spreading the news of the deathsmith as if it were the message of a new god.

On the fourth day after the trio of noblemen had visited, Aris was inside the house when he heard hooves. Poking his head out the door, he saw it was the peddler on his way home from Gammerstedt. On the back of his horse sat the girl. Aris frowned. She waved brightly. He nodded politely to the peddler and shut the door.

Moments later, her voice came from outside. "I found the woman whose husband you enchanted. He died. Before sunset of the day following your spell, a lone wolf came out of the forest and killed him while he cleaned his boots."

There came a soft and persistent knocking at his door, in tempo with the receding hoofbeats of the peddler's horse. She called out again, "You won't open to one who sent you trade? Surely I'm due something for my efforts."

Aris mumbled profanities to himself but found himself unlatching the door.

The two considered one another for a moment before Aris spoke, pointing to where bread and roasted onions and a half-eaten pigeon lay upon the table. "There. Eat your fill. Don't touch anything else in the house or you may find yourself dead. I'm not in a mood for carting away bodies, no matter how thin."

The girl smiled and skipped past him. She ate hungrily from his leftovers and watched him as he puttered aimlessly about his home, completely forgetful of what he had been doing before she had arrived.

Eventually, he asked simply, "Why?"

She swallowed. "Why did I sing your praises to the people of Gammerstedt, to each and every unhappy face I saw? I will not tell you. You refused to answer my questions; I refuse to answer yours."

"Childish."

Her eyes glittered beneath the fringe of lank hair. "In that case, so are you."

"Hmph. Have a care, girl. You know what I'm capable of."

She laughed.

He scowled. "Very well, you've eaten. Be off."

"Oh, I will be. I'll happily go and promote your services loudly in the villages and towns to the east. I've heard there's no longer a tax collector to inhibit people's travel this way, and they need to be reminded of the amazing mage who lives here.

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