4 Cold cash

Wendy rushed through the streets she knew by heart. Racing till her breath was short and her emotions finally calmed down. Leaning against a wall she looked at the sky as she caught her breath. The regular cloud cover was still unchanged, and the day had only just begun.

Wiping the frozen teardrops from her eyelashes, Wendy set off again leaving behind the cloud of vapor from her breath.

She slowed her pace to a more steady march now, and continued her trek to the west side of the Old city. Almost four hours later she started into the west side of the Old City. It seemed more bustling and alive then the west side, but filled with unfamiliar faces and clothing. Some of the clothing even had bright colors. Compared to her grey cotton clothes she felt like a shadow walking in a brilliant garden. She sped up her pace to one of the oldest taverns in the west side. If she could catch the locals during the lunch rush it would be even better.

Stepping through the doors she could see a good size crowd of regulars in dull colors and a few merchants or noble type people sprinkled into the mix. Wendy went to the Barkeep who waited at the counter for orders to come in from his hired hands. Ready to whip up a meal, or a drink at a moments notice this barkeep was well experienced and well known in Old city.

"Hello Sam!" a clear sweet voice sounded near the barkeep and he started as he looked around till he found the dazzling green eyes wrapped in grey lifeless colors.

"What.. Oh Gre... Wendy was it? the barkeep said in surprise. "What brings you to these parts?"

"I'm looking for people that need some mending done!" she said brightly.

"Oh I see." he said, then called out to the bar

"HEY YOU LOT! ANYONE HERE GOT A RIP IN HIS SHORTS? THIS LITTLE MISSY IS FAMOUS FOR MENDING EM UP GOOD!"

Wincing a bit from his loud voice she glanced at the crowd as a couple hesitant hands went up.

Wendy rushed over to the first of the ones that raised a hand.

"Hello, my names Wendy. I only charge 3 silvers for any mending!"

A gruff fellow with a beard reached into his pack bringing out an old coat with a noticeable tear on one side. "This old coat caught on a wagon in town and I can't bear to part with it... do you think it can be fixed?"

She carefully examined the coat and then smiled up at the fellow nodding confidently.

"Can you meet me here tomorrow morning?" she asked.

"Sure! Thank you! I leave it to you." he replied.

Wendy took a bag from her pack and put the coat in it. Moving to the next volunteer she repeated her rates and got more work. By the time she had finished, her bag was full and it was afternoon.

When she stepped out of the bar, she glanced at the sky as was her habit. Wendy saw a dark wave of clouds engulfing the light and plain grey clouds that normally filled the winter sky.

Sighing she rushed down the streets to a quieter part of the town. Fifteen minutes later she soon came to a cloister almost identical to the one she currently lived in. With one major exception it was completely abandoned.

Wendy entered the courtyard through the massive gate and went to one of the closest side doors.Before she opened the door she looked across the court yard to the other side. The buildings on that side were coated with snow, but you could still see they were demolished and shattered. Shaking her head Wendy entered the building.

Once she entered the familiar long hallway she turned around, and barred the entrance door. All the rooms in this building still had huge barring slots on each door. The individual bedrooms did too... but on the outside of each door.

Wendy tried a few rooms before she found one that was undisturbed. Other than a layer of dust over everything, the dim light from the ceiling Chrystal was the same as her normal room. Wendy took a few thin blankets from the beds and shook off the dust preparing the bunk nearest to the fireplace for her habitation. After the bed was ready, she put the kindling and firewood in, starting a small blaze. At the top of the fireplace was a small metal lever that she opened half way. Next she dumped out the bag and set to work with strong thread and needles from her backpack.

Halfway through her third garment the building groaned and distant maelstrom became audible. she hurried over and shut the flue. the coals would give her more than enough heat for the night.

The terrible blizzard continued to rage outside the building late into the night. Wendy finished the last garment, tying it off with a strong knot, then folded all the clothes and jackets and put them in the bag. She sat for a moment listening to the raging wind outside.

Speaking to herself she said.

"Wendy from Neverwinter can use wind.....I wonder if she could control this storm."

Her voice echoed in the empty room. Pulling some dried fruit from her pack, she ate it and drank some water before getting into the small bed still fully dressed and turned to the wall.

*********

Far away on the other side of the Old city. Only one person was worried about Wendy.

Lissa layed in bed trying to understand her slowly growing fear. She knew Wendy should be fine.

The torrent of wind and snow battered the walls of the cloister, no different from her past 15 years or so of life here. Lissa went over to Wendy's bed looking for something of Wendy's to hold onto.

She finally settled on Wendy's pillow hugging it tightly with her eyes closed.

Suddenly images flashed into her mind, and her eyes snapped open filled with fear. Only years of practice kept her from screaming aloud.

Her own quivering voice filled this empty room,

"What was that!?!" "What was...."

Suddenly she was overwhelmed with a bone deep weariness and staggered to her bed; unable to even pull up the covers before she passed into dreamless slumber.

**************

Morning came only to Wendy's mental clock, she opened her eyes to the familiar sound of white-outside the building. Occasionally accompanied by groaning rafters. She glanced at the bag nervously and thought about what to do.

She decided to just try to walk the courtyard and see how it goes....

"If it is too hard, i'll just wait for the storm to stop." She said aloud, but she knew.. some storms like this could go for months.

Wrapping up tightly Wendy left the room and went down the hall. She unbolted the outside door and took a breath before loosening the latch. A blast of snow and wind seemed to fill the hall and buffet her as she stood in the doorway. After stepping out, Wendy struggled to close the door again and then took cautious steps in the blizzard. Keeping her body low she trudged through the billowing snow.

About half way through the courtyard she saw a mound in front of her just out of sight.

Curiously she moved forward and found herself face to face with an open pair of jaws.

The sounds of her screams were muffled by the storm. And then she made a strange half laugh half crying noise, as she realized the frozen demonic beast in front of her had been dead since the beginning of winter. This was the flying Lion beast that had wrecked the abandoned cloister looking for food. The town guard and the garrison had flooded into the gate and gunned it down.

Wendy turned and trudged back to the door her heart racing. With this much adrenaline she could make it to the bar no problems.

After retrieving the bag and her pack she marched down the ways she had memorized, staying close to the sides of buildings and rushing through intersections. She finally arrived at the bar pushed through the door closing it tightly behind her.

The room was full of warmth but after the bright blizzard her eyes took a moment to adjust.

A Cheer went up in the room!

"HURRAY! SHE MADE IT!!! " Several voiced cheered.

"Awww common girlie... we wouldn'ta held it against you if ya couldn't come!" That first burly man who's jacket she'd mended commented.

Sam the bartenders voice came next sternly scolding.

"Wendy? Value your life a bit more... you're still a child."

Blinking her eyes for a moment she quickly went into action distributing her work and collecting her fees. when she finally came back to the bar to sit and rest, the barkeep laughed and looked at her bundled appearance still covered with snow with frost on her cheeks.

"Here Wendy, this is both a gift and a punishment."

He said as he put a cup before her and a reddish brown pill. She stared in shock at the pill for a moment,then looked up at him pleadingly. An almost sadistic grin filled his face as he slowly shook his head.

"If you don't ... I won't call you Wendy." He threatened.

Being the final catalyst, she snatched the pill tossing it into her mouth then draining the cup of liquid desperately. Within moments,a strong fishy smell rose from her stomach and gushed to her

head. A horrifyingly bad smell seemed to fill her throat. So rancid and disgusting, her body couldn't react fast enough to even retch. Unbearable tingling gradually spread to every numb part of her body from the stomach. All the chill was suddenly repelled. Instead, glowing warmth started to flow in her veins. Her body resumed its normal temperature while the frost on her face melted, and like sweat ran down. Her head began to steam even in the warm room.

The barkeep had a good laugh as he watched her countenance change. she probably would have been pale if the cold expelling pill hadn't made that impossible. Her face fully flushed she glared at him with her glowing green eyes.

"Good Job Wendy!" the barkeep said, "Now get home before the pill wears off."

Wendy gave a quick bow as she was unable to currently speak, and rushed back out into the storms comforting coolness.