The Trader

~Talking To That Woman~

Freshly humiliated, I slipped away from the site of my embarrassment in order to avoid the unkind whispers that were beginning to rise up around me. All I wanted to do was return to the comfortable security of my room, and my box of Landian artifacts, but that would not be possible for at least another hour. So, I did the only sensible thing and rushed up the winding, richly carpeted staircase that rose up beside me, to the much less crowded second floor of the mansion.

Relieved by the fact that I now had room to breathe, I retrieved a book of Landian fairytales from my purse, turning to the dog eared page that marked the beginning of my favorite one.

"The Little Mermaid." I read the title aloud, placing my finger on the familiar, black-and-white image of a mermaid perched on a rock, gazing at the distant shore.

The story mirrored my own life so exactly that it was rather creepy. Unfortunately, there were two major differences.

Mermaids and magic weren't real.

And, I couldn't sing for the life of me.

I was soon distracted from rereading my favorite fairytale by a hushed argument coming from a nearby room. Too curious to stay away from what most certainly wasn't my business, I crept through the hallway out of sight, hugging a nearby wall. I paused just outside the doorway of the room, peering inside to see nearly the entire Council assembled around a table.

My father stood at the head of the table, his face hardened. Judging from the way the other Council members looked at him, they weren't at all pleased with whatever he had said.

This was going to be interesting.

"I do not think any of you truly understand the extent of the threat we are facing," he stated coldly, crossing his arms. "My wife died because of that thing! It must be destroyed...before it destroys us."

"My greatest sympathies are with you, Oren. You have suffered an unimaginable loss," crooned Lorianne Winters, Under's only female Council member. "Yet, that is no reason to take drastic measures." She placed an elegantly gloved hand on my father's shoulder, clearly in an attempt to calm him. "The Trader could be good for Under. We just have to give it a chance."

"The Trader is a murderer, Lorianne," my father replied harshly. "And a practitioner of black magic."

Peals of laughter echoed through the room. "Do you possess any solid evidence that would prove that the Trader killed Deirdre Emberwood?" Lorianne asked.

My father fell silent, his hands dropping to his sides.

That's right. You don't. And black magic?" Lorianne politely pressed her hand to her mouth to conceal a smirk. "Stop acting like a child."

"You can choose to believe me, or not," my father said through gritted teeth. "But I know what I saw that day."

That was the first time I had ever seen him lose his cool in front of the Council. He was usually so cold and commanding, that the sight of him getting so worked up was starting to make me very nervous.

"We are leaders, not priests!" another Councilman yelled. "We want to know the truth, not what you feel!"

This comment was greeted with angry murmurs from across the table.

"You are the Head Councilman, the ruler of Under," Lorianne said with a rather unnerving smile. "You are supposed to be setting an example for the rest of us, and, with all due respect, you aren't exactly doing that by accusing perfectly respectable people of murder and sorcery," she laughed gently, before leaning menacingly into my father's ear.

Her whisper was barely audible to me, but what she said was unmistakable.

"Now, we wouldn't want you to be...replaced."

"The Council is dismissed," my father nearly spat.

"Enjoy the party," Lorianne remarked politely as she picked up her mink coat from the back of her chair, sliding it over her shoulders.

One by one, the Council members began to file out of the room. I realized, rather late, that they would notice that I had been eavesdropping. Improvising, I opened my book, turning it to a random page and pretending to be absorbed in it.

My fake reading was soon interrupted by a delicate tap on my shoulder.

"Hello, dear."

It was Lorianne, staring down at me with her deep blue, nearly purple eyes. There was only kindness in her expression, with no evidence of the irritation she had just shown toward my father.

"Councilor Winters," I bowed my head for a moment in respect of her position, closing my book.

"Tales of Land," she read the book's title as I returned it to my satchel. "I hear you are quite fond of the world above."

My first instinct in the light of recent events was to deny this, but something told me that Lorianne Winters wasn't the kind of person who would judge me for my interests.

"Yes, ma'am."

The Councilwoman smiled warmly, before lowering her voice to an ominous whisper.

"You could go there," she said, now so close that I could smell her minty breath.

My eyes lit up as I thought about this prospect. "But...Underese aren't allowed to leave Under? Well, Underese who aren't my father."

"Exactly," Lorianne nodded. "Oren Emberwood...the master of his own little universe, and the only person who's allowed to leave it. Isn't it all just a little suspicious? One man in charge of it all. Can we really trust him?"

"My father is a wonderful Councilman," I said as firmly as I could.

"So he is," Lorianne nodded, her expression darkening. "However, I know that you are an independent young woman. You shouldn't have to depend on information you get from him. You should be able to experience Land for yourself."

"H-How?"

"Look at me, child." She placed a finger under my chin, raising it to force me to look into her eyes. They almost instantly made me dizzy, and a feeling of stupor washed over me like a warm blanket. The only thing that registered in my brain was her voice.

I was so tired...

"There is a person called the Trader, far, far away from here," Lorianne said, her words bouncing off every wall in my head. "The Trader can give you what you want...for a small price. However, you won't be allowed into its cavern without this." She handed me a small diamond pin, which I strung into my necklace.

"Goodbye, sweet child," she muttered quickly at the sound of my father's approaching footsteps. As she turned away, her mesmerizing grip on me was released.

"Arylline!" my father hissed angrily, grabbing me by the shoulder.

"Yes, Father?"

"I do not want you talking to that woman. Understood?"

"Yes, Father," I nodded.

"Good," the Head Councilman acknowledged me before hurrying off to wherever he had to be next.

I certainly didn't trust Lorianne Winters. There was something unnerving about her easygoing gait and secretive smile, like she was plotting something horrible. However, the possibility of a trip to Land couldn't be ignored.

I began to descend the stairs, Lorianne's pin pressed against my skin.