your forty trie .”
Trie were simple copper coins. However, that many coins would be unwieldy, and Lawrence reckoned that the two silver coins he gave her could be exchanged for forty-five trie .
He had paid Norah extra because he felt indebted to her. He and Holo had been fortunate not to encounter any wolves, but Lawrence was still impressed by the girl’s skill. Even Holo would concede it, and it was easy for Lawrence to see Norah distinguishing herself in the future. The extra money was just an investment to that end.
“Er, but, if I exchange this, won’t it come to more than...?”
“Call it an investment,” said Lawrence.
“An...investment?”
“Now that I know such a skilled shepherd, I might be able to turn a surprising profit on wool,” said Lawrence in a purposefully greedy tone. Norah laughed and grudgingly accepted the two silver coins.
“We’ll be at the Rowan Trade Guild for a while. If you’ve plans to take your flock afield again, come by there first. I might be able to introduce you to a merchant in need of escort.”
“I shall.”
“Oh, one last thing. The area where you can provide escort—is it just the route we took?”
“Er, I can go as far as Kaslata and Poroson. Oh, and also to Lamtra.”
Kaslata was a remote town with little to recommend it, and Lawrence was surprised to hear Norah mention Lamtra. Lamtra was one of the few places in the area not under the influence of Ruvinheigen, which controlled the rest of the region. It was not so very far north from the great city—Lawrence and his party could have gotten there by heading north from the midpoint of the road they had just taken. However, reaching Lamtra required passing through a dark and eerie forest, which even knights blanched at, so it had long resisted invasion from Ruvinheigen and was the only city where significant numbers of pagans still lived.
All the legitimate routes to Lamtra were incredibly roundabout, so Norah must not be suggesting she could provide escort along them. She clearly had confidence in her ability to navigate the forest.
If that was true, there were many merchants who would want to go with her.
“Lamtra, eh? I daresay you’ll have some business,” said Lawrence.
Norah’s face lit up. “Thank you very much!” she said, bowing low as if she was still living in an almshouse.
“My pleasure. Well, then, I’ll be entering from the southeast gate, so here’s where we part ways.”
“Certainly. I hope we meet again,” said Norah.
Lawrence nodded and reined his horse to the left as Norah rang her bell. Ruvinheigen was large enough to have no less than seventeen great gates. Between those were smaller gates used for large groups of sheep and other livestock, which Norah would have to use.
Also, given the city’s labyrinthine interior, it was common sense to enter via the gate nearest one’s destination—the city was just that big.
As they parted, Lawrence looked back over his shoulder at the girl and saw that Norah was still watching him and Holo. When she saw Lawrence turn, Norah waved wistfully to them.
He couldn’t very well not wave back, but he was afraid of being mocked by Holo. Lawrence stole a sideways glance at her, which the wolf girl noticed.
“You think me so ill-natured?”
Lawrence grinned, pained, then faced forward after returning Norah’s wave.
“Hmph. Well, now we’ll see how those honeyed peach preserves taste! I am surely looking forward to that.”
“Hm. So you remembered that, did you?” Lawrence said. As they approached the gate, he considered how much of his load of armor he would lose to the entrance tax.
“Surely you’re not saying you won’t buy any!” Holo was intimidating, despite her sweet smile and modestly tilted head.
Lawrence averted his eyes and muttered almost as if he were praying. “We can’t buy any if they aren’t selling any.”
“Well, naturally,” said Holo, as if entirely confident that the preserves would be for
Trie were simple copper coins. However, that many coins would be unwieldy, and Lawrence reckoned that the two silver coins he gave her could be exchanged for forty-five trie .
He had paid Norah extra because he felt indebted to her. He and Holo had been fortunate not to encounter any wolves, but Lawrence was still impressed by the girl’s skill. Even Holo would concede it, and it was easy for Lawrence to see Norah distinguishing herself in the future. The extra money was just an investment to that end.
“Er, but, if I exchange this, won’t it come to more than...?”
“Call it an investment,” said Lawrence.
“An...investment?”
“Now that I know such a skilled shepherd, I might be able to turn a surprising profit on wool,” said Lawrence in a purposefully greedy tone. Norah laughed and grudgingly accepted the two silver coins.
“We’ll be at the Rowan Trade Guild for a while. If you’ve plans to take your flock afield again, come by there first. I might be able to introduce you to a merchant in need of escort.”
“I shall.”
“Oh, one last thing. The area where you can provide escort—is it just the route we took?”
“Er, I can go as far as Kaslata and Poroson. Oh, and also to Lamtra.”
Kaslata was a remote town with little to recommend it, and Lawrence was surprised to hear Norah mention Lamtra. Lamtra was one of the few places in the area not under the influence of Ruvinheigen, which controlled the rest of the region. It was not so very far north from the great city—Lawrence and his party could have gotten there by heading north from the midpoint of the road they had just taken. However, reaching Lamtra required passing through a dark and eerie forest, which even knights blanched at, so it had long resisted invasion from Ruvinheigen and was the only city where significant numbers of pagans still lived.
All the legitimate routes to Lamtra were incredibly roundabout, so Norah must not be suggesting she could provide escort along them. She clearly had confidence in her ability to navigate the forest.
If that was true, there were many merchants who would want to go with her.
“Lamtra, eh? I daresay you’ll have some business,” said Lawrence.
Norah’s face lit up. “Thank you very much!” she said, bowing low as if she was still living in an almshouse.
“My pleasure. Well, then, I’ll be entering from the southeast gate, so here’s where we part ways.”
“Certainly. I hope we meet again,” said Norah.
Lawrence nodded and reined his horse to the left as Norah rang her bell. Ruvinheigen was large enough to have no less than seventeen great gates. Between those were smaller gates used for large groups of sheep and other livestock, which Norah would have to use.
Also, given the city’s labyrinthine interior, it was common sense to enter via the gate nearest one’s destination—the city was just that big.
As they parted, Lawrence looked back over his shoulder at the girl and saw that Norah was still watching him and Holo. When she saw Lawrence turn, Norah waved wistfully to them.
He couldn’t very well not wave back, but he was afraid of being mocked by Holo. Lawrence stole a sideways glance at her, which the wolf girl noticed.
“You think me so ill-natured?”
Lawrence grinned, pained, then faced forward after returning Norah’s wave.
“Hmph. Well, now we’ll see how those honeyed peach preserves taste! I am surely looking forward to that.”
“Hm. So you remembered that, did you?” Lawrence said. As they approached the gate, he considered how much of his load of armor he would lose to the entrance tax.
“Surely you’re not saying you won’t buy any!” Holo was intimidating, despite her sweet smile and modestly tilted head.
Lawrence averted his eyes and muttered almost as if he were praying. “We can’t buy any if they aren’t selling any.”
“Well, naturally,” said Holo, as if entirely confident that the preserves would be for
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