Broken But Unburnt

Chapter 6 - Calliope

Chapter 6: Calliope

Ped Ka Tyohaar, City of Vroifburg

Calliope and Sebastian waited until Gabriel had eaten his dinner and ordered a few drinks from the bar, until he had trudged upstairs to his rooms and they'd heard him snoring through the keyhole only half an hour later. By then, night had fallen on Vroifburg but the festivities were still in full swing.

The two of them stepped out onto the streets, dodging piles of slumped over men spewing the remains of the spirits they had been consuming since early that morning, and gazed around at the spectacle awaiting them, wondering where to begin their exploration.

They started with the food. The inn's kitchens had left a lot to be desired and, though Gabriel was satisfied with the same grey gruel as what they were always served back at the Dwelling, Calliope and Sebastian were hoping to try something with a little more flavor while they were away. So they purchased roasted meats and candied fruits from the street vendors and tried their luck at the carnival style games. They interacted with people who seemed kind and avoided those who did not. They laughed and joked and recounted tales of monster hunting adventures and training at the keep. But at some point, when they had passed through one street onto another, far more crowded one, they had become separated.

Calliope wasn't too worried. They had planned for this possibility. They were to meet again in front of the inn. She walked to the end of the street she was on with the intention of turning left but, once she reached the corner, she found that she didn't recognize the street as she thought she would. A few wrong turns later and she found herself lost, standing on a dimly lit street, well away from the bulk of the festivities, but with tents set up here as well. They weren't as brightly colored as the others. There was no scent of freshly cooked food or any jeering from the games. It was quiet here, extremely so. Something about it unsettled Calliope so she turned to leave, to go back the way she came and take a new route, hoping it would lead her to the inn.

But just as she turned, she ran straight into an old woman with flowing grey hair, holding a bent iron lantern.

"Evening, dearie," the woman spoke, her lips spreading into a smile which revealed her utter lack of teeth. "Come to hear your future?"

"What?" Calliope asked, blinking at her in confusion.

"I can tell you yours," another woman crooned from nearby and Calliope turned to see a younger woman emerging from her tent. "Only five pieces of silver."

Calliope backed away, drawn further into the ring of tents by the appearance of the fortune tellers now blocking the road back.

"Want to know when you'll fall in love?" another woman queried, rolling a crystal ball around in her hands.

"Or perhaps, who with? Is there someone you have in mind? Don't you wish to know if they love you too?"

"Do you want to know if you'll marry them?"

"If you'll have children?"

They just kept appearing. Calliope glanced about at the dozen of them approaching her now, eyes narrowed on the coin purse secured around her wrist with predatory gazes. She turned and ran through their little ring of tents, hoping to get to the street on the other side. She would find a way back from there. She had to.

"Don't be shy, dearie. Just a half a dozen silvers and I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"I can tell you when you'll die."

"I can tell you how."

Calliope gasped as she ran straight into something hard and fell backwards onto the stone below. On her elbows, she scrambled back, away from whatever she had struck, and took shaking breaths. When she looked up to see what she had run into, her heart stopped.