-Chapter Three-
Farport
The young red-haired woman tending the bar smiled thankfully as she began to scoop the leftover change into a pocket on her skirts. Her small pudgy hand reached for the last silver crown on the bar, but was stopped by the hand of another.
A hairy, coarse thing lay atop of her delicate fingers. Her green eyes flicked up to see the man opposite her; a greasy, leathery face met her gaze. "You get that one for a kiss, darling," he breathed repulsively through rotten teeth. The redhead bit her lower lip and yanked her hand away in disgust.
"Oh come now, I ain't that bad!" the man hollered, bursting into laughter simultaneously with two other men at the bar. The red-haired woman glowered and walked to the other end of the bar, where it had been much quieter this evening.
"They're disgusting. I can't believe you let me do this, Eve." The girl sighed, dragging her nails through fiery hair. She leaned against the bar, glancing over her shoulder at her friend. "How much longer do we have to stay here?"
Eve glimpsed to her left, her chestnut-coloured hair shifting to reveal pointed ears briefly. "It should not be for very much longer," her silken voice responded in almost a whisper. She watched as the man down the bar received congratulatory claps on the back from his mates. "Kipper said yesterday that he has found a man willing to sell us a horse."
The redhead spun on her heels and leaned forward on the hard wooden bench. "Yesterday? You mean we coulda been out of here by now?" Her sharp emerald glare met with Eve's similarly green eyes.
"No. We do not have the crowns to pay for it yet, Jessa." She replied plainly.
"Well," Jessa grumbled as she hooked her hand on her hip, "How close are we?"
Eve finished what remained of the yams she'd been eating. "We need thirty-five more silvers."
Jessa scowled. "Only thirty-five? Gods, Eve, you could have said it earlier." Eve gave her a smirk before Jessa stomped off to the other side of the tavern.
"Who wants tits?" Jessa called out commandingly. The tavern erupted in cat calls and chatter as Jessa fingered her blouse. "Fifty silver crowns and you'll get 'em." Not a moment later, countless silver crowns were bouncing off of the bar.
Eve rested her chin atop her curled fingers. Humans were so unpredictable, she noted to herself as Jessa freed herself from her top, prompting the tavern to howl in excitement.
The petite elf took to her feet and pushed the stool against the side of the bar. Strands of silky brown hair hung around her shoulders, concealing her ears sufficiently. Her suntanned skin hid under a tight pea-coloured corset, wrapped in a delicate black cloak. A long green and blue skirt clung around her thighs, and then funnelled outwards over her leather shoes. Tied tightly around her hips was a silk belt with a small black bag tucked inside. Her right hand hovered over the lump protectively, hiding it from sight under delicate fingers.
She casually made her way over to Jessa, who was happily shovelling coins off the floor and bar and into her pockets. "Are you finished?" Eve asked in a flat voice.
Jessa dumped a handful of coins into her skirt and smiled at the brunette, her ample breasts still bare. The warm light of the lanterns hugged her fleshy skin like a blanket. "In a minute, Eve!" she replied through a grin, before returning to her task.
Eve smiled at the redhead, keeping an eye on the crowd. The smile was short-lived; within seconds, she felt a strange warmth over her right shoulder. "Eve... That's a funny name for an elf," a raspy voice whispered, blowing sour air onto her neck. "I never heard a name that short off an elf. Sounds like a half-blood's name, if you ask me."
Her cheeks filled with hot blood, and she instantly turned to face the source of the words. An extraordinarily tall, unpleasantly fat man stood before her. Hair jutted out of his shirt at every opportunity, and he reeked of onions and body odour. His oily moustache lay out across his face like a dead animal.
"Why don't you join your friend over there? I'd love ta see what's under that top. I wonder if half-bloods have nice tits." His words snaked into her ears like venom. She felt his hand on the small of her back.
"You would be wise to remove your hand," she growled through her teeth. She felt a surge of heat pump through her body, racing through her. The feeling seeped into her palms through her veins.
"Or what? You'll poke my eye out with them ears? I seen them. They ain't that pointy." He chuckled, his grin a sneer.
Enough was enough. Eve's hand shot forward and grasped the collar of his shirt tightly. She pulled his stinking face down and lifted her free hand just inches from it. Effortlessly, a controlled flame burst from her palm. "I wonder what you would look like without a face," she whispered, tilting her head. Her eyes were ablaze.
"Eve!" Jessa's voice cried out angrily as she slid over the top of the bar heroically. Fleshy bumps pressed into Eve's back as Jessa's pudgy arm wrapped around her. "Eve, quit it."
The elf held the fat man closer to the flame, his pale face sweating. His eyes were wide with fear, fear that spread downward and caused him to empty his bowels.
"You've made your point. He's not worth it." Jessa warned, tugging Eve away from her prey. Hesitantly, the brunette extinguished the flame and released the man.
"You crazy moss-tosser." The man grumbled, backing away.
Jessa pulled her top up finally, and tugged at Eve's sleeve. "I've got the crowns we need. Let's go find Kipper," she urged.
Eve's eyes met with Jessa's and she gave in at last. There was no use in arguing. The pair walked toward the front of the pub, avoiding the crowd as they made their way outside.
The warm sun greeted them instantly, a sharp and almost blinding contrast to the almost cave-like darkness of the tavern. Slow, steady winds carried the salty-sweet scent of the Emoran Sea northward. A small fog of dust from the roads hung in the air, the dirt clinging to whatever surface it could find.
"So he's at the inn?" Jessa asked, pulling a handkerchief from a pocket and holding it over her mouth and nose. Eve pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and started westward on the pathway. Jessa spun in a whirl of red hair and followed her companion closely.
They walked in silence, breathing in the community like one would regard a well-cooked meal. The people were interesting enough; they hustled about the roads, pushing carts and hauling fish here and there. Several young women dressed in intoxicating ways lured men off of the streets and into houses.
About thirty feet ahead, they spotted a gaunt-looking man leaning against the building they had been staying at since yesterday. As they drew closer, they recognized his hooked nose and short black hair.
"Kipper!" Jessa cried out, waving her arm in the air enthusiastically. The slender man's jagged face turned and his dark gaze locked onto the redhead beside Eve. He closed the distance between them and stared at the elf.
"Have you got the crowns?" he asked, disregarding Jessa entirely.
"Yes," Eve replied, ignoring Jessa's hurt look. "We have more than enough now."
"Where did you get it, out of curiosity?" Kipper's nasally voice pondered as he glanced past Eve's shoulder.
"The Drunken Toad." Jessa replied curtly, a look of disgust on her face.
"A fine establishment," he snickered.
"For drunken toads, yes." Eve grumbled. "Are we ready to leave?"
Kipper's bony hand dove under his thick leather jacket and pulled out a small black bag. He carefully untied the drawstrings and wriggled a finger inside, pulling it open. "Put 'em in, then."
Jessa shoved her hand into her skirt's pockets, pulling coins out handful by handful and pouring them into Kipper's coin purse. He stared on in astonishment.
"All of this? After only a day?" His thick eyebrows looked like arched caterpillars.
"Jessa can be very persuasive," Eve said simply, glancing over at the busty young redhead as she finished fishing for the coins.
"And by persuasive, I'm guessing you mean she pulled off her top." Kipper said flatly with a sigh. Eve smirked and nodded.
The trio paused as a horse-drawn cart came up the road. A large, intimidating metal cage sat atop the wheels. Several men and women were inside, chained to the cage with thick iron clasps. They stared vacantly into nothingness as the cart rumbled by. A strong aroma of sweat and filth wafted behind it.
"What's that all about?" Jessa asked, suddenly feeling unclean. Her fingertips raked through her hair compulsively.
Kipper squinted his eyes against the sunlight. "Criminals, Jessa. Enemies of the Crown." A sombre look spread across his face. "On their way to Whalehead Island, no doubt."
Jessa furrowed her brows, her gaze following the cart intently. "What do you think they've done?" she asked curiously.
Kipper's lips became a very fine line as he turned away from the prisoners. Beckoning with his leathery hand, he and Eve started around the corner of the building, leaving Jessa standing on the street.
"Kipper, what do you --" Jessa turned in time to see Eve round the inn's corner. She scurried after them, catching them soon after.
"Thanks, you two." She spat venomously, a scowl across her face.
"We should be on our way," Kipper said solemnly. Jessa struggled to keep pace with him and Eve.
They passed through several houses, each built quite close together and with little privacy. Women stood outside in groups nursing infants, while young children chased cats through the tiny alleyways created by the buildings. They walked for about five minutes until at last they spotted the horse-breeder's home.
"He's allowed me to keep Lady Lightning in his stables," Kipper chirped, his sombre mood suddenly lost as they arrived at the fence surrounding an open field. Eve and Jessa leaned against the wooden fence, watching as the horses inside grazed lazily.
"Kipper!" a cheerful voice called out from behind the trio. The gaunt driver turned and smiled at the man behind them. The man was bald, with a grey moustache above his top lip. His face was round and jovial; his rounded gut poked out proudly.
"Carlo. I'm happy to see you." Kipper held out his bony hands, meeting the bald man's in a firm shake.
"I'm happy, too. Are you here for the draft?" He waddled toward the fence, leaning against it next to Eve for relief. She felt the structure buckle under his weight slightly.
"Yes, my friend." Kipper gave a teethy smile, a rare sight. Eve had never noticed how white his teeth were before now.
"You'll like 'er. She's a good horse. Right this way," Carlo gestured for a nearby gate, leading the group through. They passed by the grazing horses and entered the medium-sized stable. A wall of musty animal scent mixed with manure hit the group at once, and Jessa pulled out her handkerchief once again.
There were only three animals inside. Eve instantly recognized Lady Lightning: a tall, muscular black mare, very docile by nature. The other two horses in the stalls stood silent as well. One looked particularly old, with white hairs peppering its greying coat and a white crescent between two big brown eyes.
The other was a slightly larger horse. Its creamy tan coat covered thick muscles. The horse's long mane and tail were jet black in colour, as well as the feathery hair around its ankles. The black colour spread up its forelegs like the creature had stepped in a pool of mud.
"This is her," Carlo declared, stopping in front of the cream-coloured mare. "Rowan. She's almost five, strong as an ox. Got her off of some dwarf gentleman a few years back."
Kipper's face lit up. "She's beautiful," he cooed, stepping closer to the gate. The horse watched him carefully as he reached a hand in, resting it on her muzzle. His gaze turned to the mare's violet-blue eyes. "Strange colour there," he said, intrigued.
Carlo chuckled and reached a hairy arm over the gate, patting the horse lovingly. "That's part 'o the reason why I got her so cheap off that dwarf. He said it were haunted, something about a dwarven folk tale or something. Couldn't get no-one to buy her, til I came 'round."
"Haunted?" Jessa squeaked. She tugged on a tuft of red hair anxiously.
Carlo let out a barking laugh, his hoarse voice filling the stable easily. "Nah, o'course she ain't haunted. Who ever heard of a haunted horse?" He laughed again.
Kipper chuckled along with Carlo and pulled out his sack of coins. Jessa turned to Eve while the two men exchanged money. "Is it possible for horses to be haunted?" she asked nervously.
"Do not worry, Jessa. It is only a story," Eve replied reassuringly. The men talked excitedly to each other as she took in the sight of the mare once more.
Rowan's chest was broad and powerful, with strong-looking shoulders, and she stood upon massive hooves. Her silky black hair must have been brushed prior to their arrival, Eve figured. She felt drawn to the creature's strangely coloured eyes. The mare stared back, calm and at ease. Her tail whipped at her hindquarters in a flash of black, then returned to its resting place.
"Well that's it," Carlo declared as he tied a rope to the mare, handing the loose end to Kipper. "She's yours now, friend."
Kipper thanked the man and lead Rowan out of the stall while Carlo went to fetch Lady Lightning. "You two can head back to the wagon if you wish," Kipper said, glancing at the women. "I'll bring these two there in a little while."
Eve nodded and tugged on Jessa's sleeve, leading her from the stable much like Kipper was leading the horses. The redhead waved a goodbye to Carlo before leaving.
The sun was atop them once more, relentless and unforgiving. The only relief was the wind, blustering between houses. The pair started over to where the wagon was being kept for the time being, just on the other side of the breeder's house. They walked quietly, dodging piles of manure here and there.
"Rowan is a large horse," Eve said, breaking the silence. "She will definitely help us to reach Feora City."
"Yeah," Jessa agreed. The wind played with her hair; the fine strands somewhat resembled a flame. She waited, and then gave Eve a very nervous look. "Are you sure it's not haunted?"
Eve smiled and let a small chuckle escape her. "Do you know the story Carlo was speaking of?" she asked. Jessa shook her head 'no', her hair blowing across her face in streams.
"It is an old dwarven tale about the evils of greed." Eve responded, eyeing wagon ahead. "There was once a horse breeder who always bred perfect horses, and so he made the most gold out of all of the villagers. The villagers wondered why he had such fantastic horses, and decided to sneak onto his property one night." She paused as they reached the wagon.
Jessa sighed and leaned against the covered wagon's side. "Don't tell me," she interrupted, crossing her arms, "The breeder was a horse himself. There isn't a dwarven tale without some horse sex in it, I just know it."
Eve glowered at the redhead and took down her hood, revealing her thick chestnut coloured hair. "No, Jessa. That is not it at all."
Jessa grinned mischievously. "Of course it is. Dwarven stories are all the same – they're short, horses are tall, they're jealous and insane; of course they're going to try and—"
"Jessa. Do you want to hear the story or not?" Eve snapped, propping a hand on her hip, just over the hidden bag under her belt.
"I'm only teasing," Jessa pouted, hanging her lower lip out pathetically.
Eve sighed, ignoring the expression on the redhead's face. "The villagers snuck onto the breeder's property, and saw that he was nursing a strange creature. They startled him, and the creature fell to the ground, screaming. It transformed into a tall, beautiful woman—"
"Was she a horse?" Jessa interjected.
Eve hesitated, but continued after a moment of silence. "It transformed into a woman, with the ears and tail of... a horse."
Jessa barked a triumphant laugh.
Eve ignored it. "The woman then proceeded to eat all of the heads of the dwarven villagers, except the heads of the breeder and the village leader's daughter. She became a mist of shadow and took over the daughter's mind, and then the breeder and the horse woman became married. She fell pregnant, and later gave birth to a colt, with blue eyes."
"How unpredictable," Jessa giggled, still feeling victorious.
"There was a reason the dwarf who sold Rowan to Carlo did not want her. It was because dwarves tend to believe that horses born with blue eyes are the offspring of that evil creature from the story. They see it as an omen of death."
"That's unsettling," Jessa frowned, finally finished laughing.
Eve watched as Kipper walked into view, leading the two horses on ropes behind him. Lady Lightning eyed Rowan nervously, unsure of her new partner. "Do not worry about it, Jessa," the elf assured her, her hand cupped over the silk-covered bag on her hip, "It is only a story."
