23 Blood and Strength - Part 7

"And then, finally, the coat," she said. "Give that a try on and tell me what you think."

He did as he was told. Again, it fit perfectly, just like the rest of them. He grunted in acknowledgement.

"I can throw in some hats and gloves for ya, if you like. It'll bring it up to a full silver and five coppers," the woman said, looking at him from behind her desk. She had clever eyes to her. She must have been able to tell that there was more to his money than he was willing to say – but she was also able to tell that he did indeed have more of it. She was squeezing him for everything that she could.

The price was far higher than he wanted. He'd wanted to get a good amount of food supplies at another store once he was done here. Enough to make it to the next town, but he was running low on money already. He wouldn't be able to get as much food as he wanted. He could have left the hat and gloves, but the truth was, he needed them. None of his clothing had escaped the blood of his fights. All of it needed replacing.

"I suppose…" Vol said, though he made it clear that he was reluctant. "Can you not go lower? A silver and 3 coppers?"

The woman shook her head with an amused smile, as though finding his attempt at bargaining endearing. "Sorry, sweetheart. There's no room for negotiation with this…. Ah, but I tell you what? Are those furs on your back there? We could trade, if you're willing?"

Vol glanced over his shoulder at his pack, where the woman was pointing. A roll of furs stuck out the top. In truth, he'd been relying on those for his marching… but he could always trade them for wool.

"D'ya got wool blankets to replace them?" Vol asked.

She nodded, her smile widening as she sensed a trade. "I do. Give me all three, and I can knock off five coppers for you, and I'll throw in three wool blankets in turn. I was meant to be getting a delivery of fur a day ago, but my man's gone missing again, so today's your lucky day, kid. There's a demand here at Lydia's Clothier."

She flashed him a grin at that, a smile that Vol found himself returning.

"Well, alright," he said, shifting the back from his shoulders, and setting it down in front of the counter.

!! SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT!

CHARISMA +1

Lydia came around from behind the counter to join him, sparing him an odd look as he paused, hearing the System's announcement in his head. His charisma had suddenly gone up, but that was all that he was told. There were no reasons or explanations for the increase. Perhaps he had to fulfil some more conditions in order to unlock those?

"Now let's see here," she said, unbuckling the pack with him, and grabbing the first roll of furs. "Ooohhh, now this is good quality stuff." She spared him an appraising glance. "This is as good as what my husband usually gets me," she said. "No, in fact, I'd say it's even better. Did you come by these yourself? I might have a use for someone with that kind of skill, if you're interested."

Vol gave an awkward smile, but said nothing. His awkwardness did not seem to affect her, she rooted through the pack to pull out another roll. The knife came with it, landing on the wooden floorboards with a clatter. Vol had almost forgotten that he'd put it in there.

"Oh, sorry," she said, reaching down to pick it up, her dress rustling as she went. She came up with it and held it out to him, and then her eyes drifted towards the handle, seeing the owl that had awkwardly been carved into it.

Her expression shifted in an instant. Her smile faded like melting winter snow. Horror replaced it, as her eyes widened. She looked again at the blood on Vol's trousers. This time in a different light. She did not even have to say a word. Vol could already tell that she knew.

"Where… did you get this?" Lydia asked, her voice quiet, cracking.

"From a man," Vol said, calmly.

"These furs…" She said, looking from them, to the knife, to the pack. The dots connected, along with the blood, providing irrefutable evidence for her. She remembered the pack. Her husband's pack. She recalled him awkwardly whittling the owl into the handle of his knife as they lay together by the fire.

"You… you killed him," she said, the tears rising unbidden to her eyes. "Oh, Gods! You killed him!" She said it more loudly this time, snatching the knife from his hands, and drawing it from its sheath. She held it out towards him, in two hands, her shoulders hunched, and distraught anger written all over her face.

"You bastard!" She hissed. "Why!? WHY? Ferg would never have gotten into a fight! Never! The man was too kind-hearted for his own good. You robbed him, didn't you? You heartless, heartless BASTARD!"

Vol drew his axe from his belt with a sigh. Somehow, he was calmer now than when he had walked into the shop. The act of everything going wrong meant that no more could go wrong. He was simply once more in a situation where he had to fight.

!! SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT

GREATER QUEST DELIVERED

A SINISTER SERIES!

WHY SLAY ONE MEMBER OF A FAMILY WHEN YOU CAN SLAY TWO? THE CLOTHIER LYDIA HAS UNCOVERED THE MERCHANT OF HER HUSBAND. SLAY HER BEFORE SHE ALERTS THE GUARDS.

FUR MERCHANT SLAIN 1/1

FUR MERCHANT'S WIFE 0/1

REWARDS:

STRENGTH +5

CHARISMA -10

Even without the System and its rewards, Vol would have killed her. She was a beautiful woman – he recognized that now, seeing her fury. A Yarmdon woman through and through. Being a Yarmdon woman, she should have known what it was to raid and to be raided.