5 What's everyone talking about?

Ed had sat at the table long enough that he was worried about the glances in his direction. He decided now was the time to see Plim the merchant. According to Oscar he was just down the street and seeing as he was still recovering from over 24 hours of sleep, stretching his legs sounded like a fantastic idea.

Ed stood up and moved through the people towards the front door. Oscar waved, "Be safe, will you be back for dinner time?"

"Yes, I should be, save a plate for me!" Ed said back loudly as he headed out the door into the fresh cool air.

Ed stopped and stood on the edge of the street looking to the left and right. People were coming and going. For a town in the down season, they were very active. Ed could only imagine what this place was like during the busy merchant time. He was curious about what they sold here, what the town specialty was. Every town has one. Ed's old home was known for its glass of all things. It had an artisan in town who made amazing glass cups. The finest in the near lands. They had access to lots of clean sand and it made a perfect place for cups and plates. Occasionally he would make a colored class for the chapel whenever they needed a replacement or whenever a new one opened.

Oscar had mentioned heading towards the edge of town on the main road. So Ed turned right, away from the hustle and bustle that was the main road he had come in on. People were scurrying around like ants, active and excited. Soft conversations floated on the wind, people were excited about something.

"Rennish, can you tell what they are talking about? I don't know if we are supposed to stay here or what, but I can't imagine us being able too if we don't know more about it." Ed thought to him, he was walking behind quietly humming to himself.

"I can try, I don't think I will though. Look here comes someone now." Rennish replied, looking around the streets at people. They were talking with their hands and faces.

A young woman in farmers' tattered clothing ran up about that time, "Praise the Gods today!" She said and ran off.

Rennish giggled, "Which one, I suppose, do we pray too?"

Ed looked around and could see no gods or anyone resembling the divine. Just humans. But they were all glowing a kind of excited light blue. Ed guessed an aura's glowed based on a mood so he walked over to a group standing on a corner diagonally from him. They were only a block away from the Inn but the people were dashing about.

"What happened? Why is everyone so excited?" Ed tried to ask the person closest to the edge of the group of about 15-20.

A young man in muddy clothing turned around. He had a ruddy face and unkempt hair and hands that indicated a life of farming somewhere near the town. "It's amazing, the farms south of town are all sprouting fruit and vegetables faster than ever before. We are months away from the fall harvest. At this rate, we might get TWO harvests this year!"

"Oh, that's good. I'm a traveler and a little lost but isn't south headed out of town towards the chapel?" Ed asked.

"Yes, it is! And people have gathered there to provide offerings to the gods in thanks!" He said before trying to push his way forward into the crowd of people.

Ed looked at Rennish and thought. "You don't think they forgot to freeze the gardens when they froze the people do you?"

"It's possible. You can lock down a whole group of people. Freezing a planet or realm takes power nearly that of the Lord God." He said. "Either way I am sure it is just a coincidence."

Ed backed up from the street corner. He looked over his shoulder to get his bearings again. He found the Inn's sign hanging a few blocks behind them. Now that Ed was familiar with where he was, they could resume the trek to the store and buy supplies.

They walked on the side of the road the last few blocks because people were telling stories of the harvest. Ed had stopped by an elderly man sitting in front of what must have been a bank or hall of some kind. He confirmed that for most people the harvest is the biggest moneymaker of the year. The economy was mostly agriculture but with the natural springs fed nearby, they also made most of the beer, mead, and whiskey in the area using leftovers from the harvest.

As they made it towards the Edge of town Ed saw a sign that just said "Plim - Merchant". Ed had asked for a merchant, someone who could sell what was needed to travel and help spend at least one of these gold coins today to see if it would replenish in another day or two. And Ed needed some basic supplies if they were going to explore.

Plim, as it turns out, was a traveling merchant who really is known for keeping the largest warehouse in the area. Not only that but it was also the only cold storage warehouse in several leagues. He said it was odd that his warehouse was always near winter temperatures. When Ed peeked inside he saw what must have been two winter spirits sleeping inside. Plim had made a shrine to his luck from the gods and the spirits had moved in and made a bed. As they hibernated it kept his warehouse cold.

The gold coin went remarkably far with Plim. Due to the good fortune on the town today (and probably tomorrow if Plim was to guess) he could drop the prices knowing that he was about to flood the market with the first harvest of the area. Farmers would need carriages and bushels to help sort everything out and he wanted to be the one with the contract on the food when it came rolling in months before anyone else in the area.

Ed purchased a small cart and the animals to pull it. Next came food, supplies, two bedrolls, which Ed explained as needing to have a spare, and the basics for traveling. Ed had moved between towns before as a smith but figured moving around for a while would make some sense until he figured out what he was supposed to be doing.

Ed also bought a map of the area. That was the most expensive piece as it was magical and would change names and roads if anything happened and as they moved. Ed planned to tuck it in with the scroll of his name once he got it. It could only be opened by Ed, so if he lost it or got robbed no one would steal it.

Plim signed the contract and told Ed he would have his order ready in about a day and a half. So now they just needed to sit tight for the meantime. Ed decided he needed to get out of town and see what was going on for himself. He was becoming afraid of these miracles that seem to keep popping up.

He was afraid it was him. Or maybe it was a gift to make the villagers more at east after a month of being frozen. Plim's shop was towards the western gate of the town so maybe if he got just outside of town he could stop and talk and see what was around.

"Are you really the dateless wonder?" Rennish blurted out of nowhere, demolishing his train of thought.

"Uh yeah. Why did you have to ask that." Ed said hanging his head a little. "I was just getting ready to ask out my best friend when I was run over by that cart. I was hoping I could forget about that part of my life with all the new and exciting things going on..."

"Hmm well, I don't see why. You've been very forward, very... In charge of things for the last day. " He said smoothly, rubbing his chin and looking at me while walking through everything Ed was avoiding.

He's right. Ed's normal awkward shyness had sort of dissolved the last few days.

"I mean who am I supposed to be, he thought. He met two gods, was reincarnated with a face that looked like a better version of his own. Special powers were given to him from the gods and a new town to start over in. I mean I plan to travel a little bit but CunStead wasn't such a bad town. Lot's of people. Lots of ladies." he thought to himself now that he was paying attention to it.

Ed must have been blushing because Rennish started laughing it. "Oh, so you do remember the ladies. You have been such a cool cucumber today that you haven't even noticed that you're getting looks. The new man in town always gets a few eyes from the ladies who can't get dates otherwise... and a few who's dates you purchase by the hour."

Ed coughed on his own spit. Rennish was talking about the town's ladies of leisure, as they were called back home. He couldn't even get a date with them. His reputation was so solid at home that they would come to sit with him at lunch outside the shop. They considered that safe. That was it… to them, Ed was an emotional Eunuch. Safe, comfortable, and absolutely harmless. What a horrible joke. He was a man damn it... and it would be nice to hug a lady at least once.

They had walked out of town by the time Ed realized where he was. He could still see the town, but Ed was definitely past the gate and nearly to the start of the farm fields. Ed found a small space and sat down on a log to think and watch people.

"I am going to speak to that water spirit over there," Rennish informed Ed. "I know him and wish to catch up, and you've been rather boring doing all this thinking and pouting." He made scowl to poke fun at me and poked me in the forehead between the eyes. "I have all these things to show you, and you just want to think, think, think."

Ed waved him away. "Go Rennish. I will call you when I need you so don't go too far away." He planned to sit here and think. Too many things were going on. They needed a plan on what to do. Was he supposed to stay here, am I the cause of the miracles? What was going on? And people watching was his favorite way to sit and think and relax.

No one people watched better than Ed. And he was crazy accurate when it came to what was going to happen and what people were up to. Ed could usually tell you where people were going, what they were doing, and if they got along just by observing them for a while. The town constable back home thought it was creepy. He paid Ed to tell him if he saw anything too weird but thought it was a curse and refused my application to work for the town when Ed asked. He would have made an excellent guard in his own awkward way.

A small cart with a young woman about his age walked past. She was the fourth or fifth cart headed out of town with something loaded on it. She looked at Ed and smiled, put the handles of her cart down, and sat on the other edge of Eds log. "Are you lost?" she said extending her hand. "My name is Priya and I've never seen you before."

Ed smiled nervously. 30 minutes ago and he would have been cool as a cucumber, but stupid Rennish had to point it out and now it was gone. "Uh. Oh yeah, I got into town late the day before yesterday and I slept until this morning recovering. So many exciting things are happening in town and I needed to get out and get some quiet air." Ed put his hand out and shook hers. A soft yet firm grip and you could tell she was skilled at using her hands.

"Oh, you mean all the odd stuff happening around the town. Yeah it is, but the gods work in mysterious ways." she leaned back a little, kicked a pebble, and looked over at Ed again. She was wearing a peach-colored tunic and some sort of work breeches. Not unusual for a girl of a farm but pretty in a rustic sort of way and far more practical than a dress. Normally in the farm areas mothers wore dresses and sons and daughters wore pants or breeches until they were old enough to be considered of age.

If you had a large family, it saved money on hand me downs. Her hair was chestnut, her eyes the same brown color and skin a light almond brown except for small patches of red at the tips of her ears and nose. She was a well-developed young lady and it made Ed even more nervous. Her tunic was a little tight and tied in the back to help hold it in place. It looked like an oversized older brother's shirt. The way she was leaned back made it her body even more obvious. Plus, she smelled nice.

"I'm Erust, I've been traveling alone for a while now. The town seemed lovely, so I stopped to get new supplies and recover for a while. I won't have supplies from Plim for at least another day and a half so I guess I will be staying around here till then." Ed didn't think and too much information came spilling from him, he was nervous. She was pretty and he could just remember that he was above average looking and new to town.

"Well Erust, I get why you came all the way out here then. It is nice and quiet just before you get into town. Quiet and away from the sounds of the town, or the animals in the fields, who hate the carts and people. And everyone is buzzing about the new, early harvest. Four women are pregnant today. The church chapel candles won't go out. And Loraine the baker said that her loaves all smelled like cheese and garlic regardless of how she made them. But I'm pretty sure she was just drunk and made them that way."

Ed swallowed hard and tried to yawn and stretch. Acting as nonchalantly as he could, he searched for any spirits who could be causing mischief and none was found. He had the realization, that it is most likely that he was the reason that this is all happening.

"You know Priya, I could use some work to help buy some supplies before I leave." Ed was lying, he still had two silver and four bronze. More than enough to last for at least a week's worth of dried food supplies and more money coming day after tomorrow. "I used to be a smith before I traveled. Do you need anything repaired?"

"Hmmm, Maybe. Poppa is always complaining about little things here and there. Why don't you follow me and we can ask him? It's only a mile up the road and either way I am sure Momma will treat you to dinner." she smiled and pointed the way, away from town up a hill. Her smile was a bit mischievous. It made Ed a little nervous but not enough to argue. He swallowed without thinking, trying to decide what to do.

Well Oscar is going to be mad I missed out on the roast but Ed had to know. He needed to get out of town for a while. If some series of miracles fell on these farmers, who were far enough away from the place he appeared in, then he knew. It was me, not Rennish, not a rare random god, but me passing out miracles unwittingly.

"And poor Priya. You've sat here so long with me. If I am the cause of everything happening then I hope her miracle isn't some virgin birth or anything that will ruin her life," Ed debated in his head. "Maybe she will be blessed with a rare prince and a life as a well-cared-for duchess. I hope I'm not cursing these poor people."

Priya bounced up, she stood over him and put her hand out to help Ed up. "Well come on. If your so bored, you'd ask for work let's get you to my house. Mom will lose her mind when I bring home a man." She laughed as she said the last part.

Ed nearly choked on the air in surprise about being considered a catch to take home. He put on his best customer face and pretended he didn't hear. "Lead the way!" Ed said and grabbed the carts handles before she could. At least Ed could be useful this way while they walked if there really was dinner to be had later.

"Rennish, follow me in a little bit. I am checking a hunch. I will call out to you in a little bit when things are calm and then we need to talk." Ed thought out loud to him.

He heard him in his head a second later. "Okay, well don't take too long. I see you found a lady. Go get 'em!" he said, and Ed could almost hear the thumbs up in his reply. If he wasn't a spirit Ed might have choked him from sheer embarrassment. Ed walked behind while she led the way.

They went up two hills and a 30-minute walk later, they came to a simple stone gate. She turned to Ed and pointed towards the path. "That way is my home; the house is down the hill a little bit. Come on let's go I smell momma's bread from here!"

Ed followed Priya, staring off into the area ahead of me and trying not to stare at Priya while she walked ahead of me. She was cute, in the hard-working honest sort of way. "I hate to ruin this poor young ladies life," Ed thought to himself. "Dear Gods, if you can hear me, please don't ruin these poor people's life with miracles."