The Gift and The Curse

Chapter 1 - New Beginnings

"Get back here you mutt!"

I took flight, the beat of my boots against cobble my drum. The alleys were narrow, but that wasn't the issue, it was to my advantage. The Master blacksmith could barely fit through them. The northern district was a paradise compared to the west.

Shopping carts, market stalls, men and women dressed in colourful garments flew past. The sun was setting behind me, making my shadow long as I ran and ran. Soon, the shouting that sounded in my wake became a far away whisper.

The well built limestone of the Northern District warped into the plain gray rock of the West. The houses slanted and buckled, heaving under the weight of the multiple families living within. Streets grew even narrower, dirtier. Musky with the smell of piss and god knows what else mixed into it. It was not much, but it was home. Something familiar.

'The Ashes' tavern was my destination.

I had just run from my Master Blacksmith, my mentor and employer. My one way ticket out of the Western slums. And I blew it.

"Hey Aaron, back already from your apprentice training?"

I turned to face the girl behind me, and frowned. She was a whole head shorter, and dressed a little too well to be hanging around a place like this.

"Hello to you too, Sparrow. No, clearly I am a simulacrum and the real Aaron is still in training with Master Crim." Or so I dearly wished. The girl rolled her eyes and pushed past me to open the door.

"Don't tell me you're skipping class. Did they tell you to leave early? Who did you brush the wrong way this time?"

When I didn't answer, Sparrow turned to me, her eyes squinting as if she was trying to see straight into my soul. Then she doubled back and gasped.

"You got thrown out!" I grunted. "No way! Marcus is going to be furious. Have you told him already?" I shook my head. "He paid a lot for that apprenticeship, you know that?"

"As if I couldn't!" I snapped back. She was taken aback for a second, as I stared at her. Then she clucked and pressed on.

"Well, we can tell him together. He won't berate you too badly if I'm there. And anyway, I'll be there for tomorrow morning's lesson too." She pushed the door open, pulling me in by my shirt. Inside, the small room was dim, with silhouettes of visitors and drunks standing by small candle-lit tables. No one turned to look to see who came in. Everyone knew Marcus' whelps.

The Tavern was not large. 'The Ashes' was as good a name as any. No matter how many times Marcus forced me to scrub the place clean from floor to ceiling, dust hung in the air, giving it a dry and musty feel. It was never bright inside either, thanks to the small shuttered windows. Mainly, it was the establisher himself who filled its atmosphere with dread.

Marcus stood behind the bar at the far end, wiping away at mugs and bowls. He did slowly. Meticulously, as if nothing could disturb him from his work. It was hard to pin down exactly, but something about Marcus stood out from the rest of the slum dwellers. Like he didn't exactly fit in as a mere tavern owner in the dirtiest district of Argos.

His grey eyes looked up and locked with mine. Suddenly, my whole mouth felt parched.

"Evening, Marcus." Sparrow chirped, as though nothing was amiss. She plopped herself on the dingy stool that creaked beneath her and set her head on the bar. "Busy?"

Marcus gruffed. "Yes, unlike this one. Why back so early, boy?"

Maybe I should have slept on a rooftop for tonight. Too late for that now. "They let me off early." I said as nonchalantly as I could manage, sliding behind the bar to help him and quickly grabbing a rug to wipe the place clean. Better get on his good side now.