Aidryf

Chapter 1

Its been a long road to get here… to settle down... to have a normal life. With no drama, no stealing, and no death threats. My brother just moved in with me, living in the attic and helping me through my pregnancy. We live in a town off the Eastern shore called Aidryf.

It's been one big blur how we got here; all I know is that we are safe. It’s one of the safest cities in Aethier, after all, with have a brilliant sheriff. His name is Enzo, and he is one of the high nobles.

I walk into my house, observing it as always. It’s a simple house made out of brick and stone, standing three stories high. As I close the door while balancing two baskets of bread and meat in my arms, I see my brother running down the stairs. Probably coming to help me.

“Here let me get those baskets,” Ulric says as he walks through the room to take my baskets. “So how’s the baby doing?” he asks as he walks over to the kitchen area of our front room.

“It’s been getting harder and harder to carry heavy things and just do regular tasks,” I say with a sigh, rubbing my belly. The thing about me is I don't like not being able to do things. “Well I think it’s best for me to get to sleep,” I state with a sigh.

“Yeah, you could go to sleep, or you can come with me to the tavern... and socialize with people,” Ulric says with a chuckle as he puts the bread away in the wooden cabinets.

“Okay, fine,” I say with a small smile, agreeing with my brother for once. I haven't really talked to many people... mostly because I’m not in the best spirits, I guess. It's harder being eight months pregnant than most think.

“Now, remember... Doctor Edmen said no drinking,” Ulric says. As he grabs his grey button up vest, he continued to walk to the door to open it for me.

“Okay,” I say to Ulric as I walk through the door, stepping down the stone stairs of our house.

As I wait at the street for Ulric to close and lock the door, I see a figure of a humanoid on one of my neighbor's roofs. I turn around and tell Ulric to look, but as I turn back around the figure is gone…

“B-but there was a person there!” I stutter. Looking around at everyone's house to see if the person moved to a different roof... But I couldn’t find the mysterious figure in the dark.

“What person?” He looks around for the person, clearly not seeing him or her. “Seeing ghosts, are you?” Ulric asks with a laugh. He knows I don't believe in ghosts.

“You know they don’t exist,” I mutter, glancing over with a serious glare.

“You always have to bring down the mood with your disbeliefs,” He mumbles with a sigh. My brother has always been more… open minded than me. Believing in ghosts, that the world is round not square.. Things of that nature.

I apologize with sarcasm, “Well I’m sorry, but I just need the facts. Ghosts are just myths. Lore! They're just an excuse for psychotic people.”

“Oh I see Doctor Katrina,” he says in a mocking tone.

“You will be calling me that soon," I point out. "If Edmen is at the Tavern tonight I will be asking to be his assistant,” I state with pride. Not very many women have jobs in this town. So if I get this job, I will get a lot more respect in this town. Possibly improve our name a bit.

“Ah. Okay then, Doctor Katrina,” Ulric remarks with a sarcastic grin. We approach the tavern, with Enzo, Edmen, and a person that I don't know seated in sight at the bar.

“Ah! Katrina and Ulric, my two favorite elves!” Enzo says with his hands in the air, waving. The third is holding a bottle of whisky in one of his hands.

“Hello Enzo, Edmen. How are you?” I ask, nodding to each of them. “And who are you?” I ask, looking at the man standing behind the bar.

“Oh, hello. I am Ottair,” the man says as he puts out his hand for me to shake it. He is not the best looking man, slightly chubby with a round face, sporting dark brown hair and eyes.

As Ulric and I sit down at the bar, Ottair comes over to us. “So what do you want to drink?” He asks, clearly forgetting the fact that I can't drink. “I’ll have some water please,” I say, rubbing my stomach to remind him.

Ulric responds gladly with, “I would like some whisky please.”

“I think I’ll have another glass of wine.” Edmen sighs.

“So, Ottair, what do you do?” Ulric asks the bartender.

“Oh. Well, I am the owner of this inn and bar. It’s also where I live,” Ottair says with a chuckle under his breath.

We all sit around at the bar talking as the sun slowly becomes harder and harder to see. I still haven't worked up the courage to speak to Edmen about become his assistant... As the time passes by, I can no longer see the sun, and I'm starting to feel more and more tired. All the while, Enzo, Ottair and my brother are getting drunker by the minute. I finally work up the courage to ask Edmen about the job.

“I’ve heard that you need an assistant… And I would like to be it,” I tell him. “I was the medic in my village. I know I have a lot of different methods than you, but personally I think would make a pretty good team."

“Ah, I see! I would like some different methods on trying to heal people... because mine methods aren’t always the best ways, they just work,” Edmen says with a smile on his face. “You can take that as a yes, but you will have to tag along with me so I can see how we work together. So, I guess training starts once you are done with your pregnancy.”  

“Thank you, Edmen. I won’t disappoint you!” I exclaim with glee. “Well, Ulric and I best be off. I don't want him getting too drunk, even though he's clearly a mess already."

I walk home with Ulric drunkenly hanging on my shoulders. I feel accomplished... Feel like I am becoming apart of this town. A person that people actually care about, and not just taken advantage of. It’s nice feeling, come to think of it.

Once I get Ulric up to his bed, I head straight towards my own. While I slowly fall asleep, all I can think is 'Katrina you’ve made it… you're safe.'

I wake up right when the sun starts to rise out from the ocean... However as I take a deep breath in I smell smoke… There's a fire!