The fangs of a shadow

"What…?" Adelia voiced, her eyes filled with incredulity. "What are you talking about? I am neither of those things."

The seer tilted her head to the side inquisitively and teased, "You are not wise?"

Adelia subsequently blushed in embarrassment, realizing she had just deprecated herself. "That… that wasn't what I meant." She stuttered, "I'm not really wise… not in the truest sense but… but I'm not ancient or powerful either…"

The woman seemed to peer at her through her silk scarf, her smile unwavering. "You underestimate yourself…" she said and quickly changed the topic. "But then again, it wasn't you I was talking about."

The young lady frowned at her. "Who then?"

"Your future partner." The seer stated excitedly.

Adelia stared at her, astonishment evident on her visage. "...You're delusional."

"I am not."

Adelia shook her head with a disbelieving smile. "This was truly a waste of my time."

The seer hummed, "I assure you that it was not, Lady Adelia."

Adelia flinched and her eyes widened, then she quickly backed away. Her gaze had become more suspicious and wary of the woman.

"How… how do you know my name?" She asked anxiously. "I never told—"

"I am a seer." The woman interrupted. "It is my duty and gift to see both the past and future. What is a name in the face of that?"

Adelia furrowed her brows, seriously deliberating the woman's words when she heard someone call her from a distance.

"My Lady!" Edward was quickly making his way towards her, his face tight and his right hand on the hilt of his sword, threatening to draw it out of its sheath.

"Edward—" She started but he quickly interjected .

"Get back!" He commanded and came to stand between her and the battered stall as he peered at the acclaimed seer incredulously. "Who are you and what do you want from the lady?"

"Me…?" The woman asked nonchalantly and Edward furrowed his brows. "I am just a middle aged woman trying to make a living."

"Edward, it's fine." Adelia assured him. "I chose to come here on my own."

The Knight turned his attention to her. "After I explicitly told you to stay put?" He countered and Adelia fell silent. He sighed. "We should leave, my lady."

Then he turned and eyed the woman warily.

The seer smiled. "Oh, she's free to go." She said, "I am not a black magic practitioner if that's what you're thinking, so I have no reason to keep her here."

Edward nodded and tried to usher Adelia away.

"And oh, Lady Adelia?" The seer called again, halting his attempt. "One more fortune, if I may?"

Adelia faced her with question and expectation in her deep emerald eyes.

The woman smiled again, her demeanor even more mysterious now than it ever was. "A trusted shadow conceals fangs." She said simply.

Adelia furrowed her brows in confusion. "What does that—"

"We should really leave, my lady." Edward cut in. "Speaking to people like her is a waste of time…"

The young lady stared at the seer for a while longer before she reluctantly nodded at her Knight. Her eyes found the seer's mysterious smile one more time before she turned away and left, with Edward at her heels.

When they had gotten a substantial distance away from the stall, they stopped. Utterly clueless on where to go next.

That was when Edward faced her with a stern look on his face that reminded her of her father. "I had asked you to stay put." He stated calmly.

Adelia hung her head and began to pluck at the threads of her scarf again.

"Nothing happened, Edward," she told him. "She was just a swindler trying to make a living. I only indulged her a little."

"And if she was not?" The Knight asked sternly. "If she was a dark witch instead—"

"She was not and that is all that matters."

Edward sighed in exasperation. "Heavens, my lady," he huffed. "Are you always like this?"

Adelia smiled up at him. "Maybe."

The Knight returned her gesture. "Well, at least you seem to be in a better mood now…"

Adelia's smile faltered. 'Not really.' She thought.

Her mind was only now occupied by something different, that was all.

Now, what lingered were the words of the woman before she left. What did she mean by it? Surely, it wasn't something she should be worried about, was it?

'A trusted shadow conceals fangs…'

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't figure it out. But maybe it wasn't something she could figure out, it was probably the woman speaking gibberish like she had previously done.

Adelia nearly scoffed out loud. Her future partner? That seer was clearly lying. Her future partner was Raegan, and he was neither ancient nor wise, definitely not powerful, but maybe a little broken…

Still, the woman had known her name, not that it was too much of a surprise. A lot of nobles knew her. But what of commoners…? That woman didn't seem like a commoner…

She sighed and shook her head. There was little gain in thinking about all this now. Her Father had instructed her to clear her head.

She looked up at Edward again. "I don't really know Lavim, Edward." She began. "You spent a lot of time here didn't you? Where do you suggest I go?"

Edward tilted his head in deliberation as he looked ahead. There was a time when Dalniar was at war with Galiminea. It was a few years before she was born but she knew of it because of the countless stories she had heard.

Because Lavim was their stronghold, Knights like Edward had spent a lot of time in the city during that time. So she supposed that he would know a lot of places she didn't.

It was probably why her father insisted she take him.

"I do know a place…" The Knight finally said after a while. "Have you ever heard of Carinyne, my lady?"

"Carinyne?" Adelia echoed.

"Yes, Carinyne. It's a special tree that only grows in a particular territory in the Dominion of Galiminea." He told her. "The leaves have tremendous healing and calming properties."

"Healing?" The young lady asked, her interest apparently piqued.

Edward looked down at her and his eyes softened. "Yes, my lady." He affirmed. "During the war, a merchant would usually cross the borders with jars and jars of it. How he did it, no one knew, but taking just a cup of Carinyne tea could lessen the effects of a grievous injury."

Adelia turned away from him, seemingly disappointed. "I see… so it doesn't cure it completely."

"It doesn't and it only works on physical wounds." The Knight answered. "You've been rather gloomy today, my lady. Would you like to try it out?"

Adelia faced him again. "Do you know where it's sold?"

Edward grinned. "I do." He assured her. "Only one merchant in the whole of Lavim sells it, after all."

****

A few moments passed and they were walking down what seemed to be an empty street. Edward's hand was placed on the hilt of his sword, ready to face any threat that came their way.

Adelia looked wary as she scanned their surroundings. "Edward," she called. "Don't you think this place seems a bit… isolated?"

The Knight almost laughed. "It is," he answered. "We are not at war, so hardly anyone comes here anymore. Carinyne is known for soothing just wounds, after all."

Adelia nodded and they carried on, a few minutes later, they stood in front of what seemed to be a run down tea shop.

"This is where it's sold?" She asked uncertainly.

"Where it was sold, my lady." Edward corrected. "Hopefully, it still is."

Then he placed his hand on the dilapidated door knob and twisted it, the door opened with a series of loud creaks before the interior was fully revealed.

On seeing it, Adelia's jaw almost dropped. "What…" she faltered.

It was a cozy, small space, very different from its exterior. The tables and benches were made of fine oak wood and were still in good condition, the walls were adorned with small oil lamps graced with their candles alight.

There was an aroma of freshly brewed tea lingering in the air and Adelia inhaled and sighed in satisfaction.

Was this truly a tea shop meant for commoners?

She supposed, it was so… comfortable.

"Hmm… it has been a while, hasn't it?" Edward mused with a smile. "It's better than I thought it would be."

"It's lovely." Adelia added as she stepped in, her eyes darting around the tea shop excitedly.

Everything was perfect, except for the fact that it was entirely devoid of customers.

Her gaze soon fell on an old man a few paces in, who stood at the head of a table calmly brewing tea, he hadn't noticed when they entered.

Adelia took a seat closest to the door and quickly gestured for Edward to join her. They sat there, watching the old man make his tea in silence.

A few minutes into it, he raised his head and noticed them, then broke into a smile and began to hurry in his preparation.

"Is he the merchant, Edward?" Adelia asked without taking her eyes off the old man.

"Yes he is… he is rather old now, isn't he?" The question was more for himself than for her.

"He seems like an expert when he's brewing tea like that…" she added then rested her chin on her palm. "...Why doesn't he say anything to us? He has seen us, hasn't he?"

Edward pursed his lips, as his eyes trailed the old merchant. "... He… he can't speak, my lady." He told her solemnly. "Nor can he hear."