He finally turned the head of his trison north for the last stretch of the only road into Pearl End.
He waited to let the two overloaded wagons pass him scanning the pines, it’d be a shame to have made it back after two months to get ambushed five minutes from town. As they approached the town, the remaining tower was manned by an archer who nodded in recognition to the trader as his drivers passed below.
There was once another guard tower, and apparently a gate, but these were long gone after a generation of neglect.
The settlement was a typical fishing village sprawling along the lakes edge; the streets were muddy and the town had little in the way of planning. It’s as if the town “evolved” as new residents built their cottages and huts seemingly wherever they were standing at the time.
They rode past the one cottage that was the only spot of colour in the drab settlement, it was the seer’s cottage and she was sitting out front, experiencing her colourful herb gardens however blind seers experience anything.
“Your wagon’s sound full, Kin-of-Bera” He had no idea of his ancient linage, but the seer seemed convinced he was part of the Lindwurm legacy, in fact she said he was a descendant of Bera herself. Bera was one of the Lindwurm siblings that apparently helped destroyed the Brudvir Empire their father took a lifetime to build. Not a legacy to be proud of if there was any truth to it.
He stopped at her gate as the wagons continued on, “you sure you are blind?” he said. “I notice what I need to” she said “it doesn’t take the spirits to tell me who is passing my house with two loaded wagons and one very smelly Trison”
He went to move on.
“You are needed here, and you need to be here” she continued cutting him off, “If you, and this place are to survive”
He could see that she was waiting for a reply, so he uttered, “This “place” is just somewhere I stay for now, not somewhere I plan to end up”
“Why do you continue coming here then?” she shot at him
“Its business, it’s central in Randale, I can trade with all of the counties from here, and it’s also easy to get to Grey Lands and Imperium for Neran goods – The richer traders trade by sea, but I can work the interior of western Aequitas”
“That’s not enough though is it” she replied “You are building a wharf at Inner Knoll for better sea access and you’re planning to build ships soon to expand” It irked him she knew of his plans when he’d kept them so secret, in case his competitors found out – he looked around to see who might be listening but they seemed to be alone.
The Seer continued “The smarter move for your planned “empire” would be to set up shop in Inner Knoll, that would make more sense, but you choose work from two nearby locations. Whether you like it or not it’s the spirits that guide you here”
He looked around the settlement, he wanted to argue but felt the hint of truth to her words. Pearl End was poor, its people were poor, and they consisted of nearly all Brudvir with a handful of Hrothi who mainly worked the tiny quarry and promise of minerals. Fish were processed too close to the majority of houses, it stunk. The Tavern with its faded sign that looked to display an image of an opened mouth kingfisher had only been patched up after the last fire and was neglected. As for defense, the sprawling town burst from any walls that were left long ago. A mess!
“See what can be and not what is” her words snapped him for his musings.
“I don’t see myself living permanently in a place like Pearl End” he answered, as he started getting uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Good!” she said, “as the first thing we need to do once we vote you in as Mayor is change the name, the spirits don’t call this place Pearl end, they call it by its ancient name, they call it Vargviken as they call you Beralindwurm”
The names struck him, he’d never heard them before, but they were somehow unmistakably familiar.
The seed had been planted; she knew that he was scanning the town with new eyes. Hope had returned to Vargviken.
