The Forsaken Hero

The streets of Heartland City transformed under the bright, hopeful light of dawn. The sinister shadows evaporated and the shady silhouettes revealed regular people going about regular days. The architecture of the city was simple, yet practical, with stone homes, paved roads, and tiled roofs. With a population of nearly twenty thousand, the streets were filled with people, but even in the busiest parts of the day, were never crowded.

”Come on,” Tana said with a laugh, tugging at my hand. ”Let’s go! We can stop at these places later.”

I tumbled through the streets, doing my best to keep up with her energetic pace. I’d been in many markets before, but this was my first time truly visiting one, and the sights, sounds, and scents were simply invigorating. A merchant was selling little glass ornaments, another with freshly baked pastries, and even one selling little, pocket-sized paintings. To further my delight, many of the vendors were Beastkin, allowing me to understand much of the language being spoken.

”I still can’t believe you’ve never been shopping before. What are you, fourteen? Every girl should’ve had a chance to have fun once by then, right?” Tana asked playfully.

I nodded uncertainly. By my reckoning, I was closer to fifteen, the threshold of adulthood, but it was hard to say for certain. All I had was the vague concept of a birthday around wintertime when I was summoned here. It wasn’t like anyone had ever bothered to celebrate my birthday even when I had one, so it didn’t really matter.

Tana was still chatting on, even as she hurried me through the city. Our destination remained a mystery, but she promised it was the perfect place to start my first-ever shopping trip. What I was more interested in was the way people parted for us, like minnows before a shark. As two young women traveling alone in a shady city, we should have been harassed and heckled, if not directly dragged into an alley. But even the roughest scum of the streets nodded politely and stepped aside, satisfying themselves with leers when they thought we weren’t looking.

”Here it is!” Tana cried, finally coming to a halt.

Panting for breath, I brought my eyes up, looking around. Instead of the open, vendor-based markets of the rest of the city, this seemed more akin to a mercantile district, with brick-and-mortar stores. The one before us was painted a deep purple with gaudy gold trim. Tapestries depicting magic and great battles served as curtains for the large glass windows, and a sign with the rune for ”Royalty” hung above the grand double doors.

Tana slipped her hand in mine once more, and we pushed through the doors. The inside of the store was just as pretentious as the exterior, filled with all manner of shining trinkets and baubles. I stared about in wonder, my eyes flitting about the velvety displays and shelves.

My breath caught the moment I glanced down an aisle displaying amulets, my tail giving an involuntary twitch. Tana squeezed my hand and gently pulled me away, stopping before the counter.

The merchant was a middle-aged woman with far too much makeup and wearing so many earrings, bracelets, and rings she looked like she might fall over at any moment. She brightened the moment she saw us, extending a greeting before we even arrived.

”Tana! How lovely to see you this day, although I was expecting Sorrin with you. Have you come for the piece we discussed?

”W-well, yeah, that too,” Tana said, turning red. ”But mostly for the commission I placed some time ago.”

The lady smiled, leaning across the counter. ”Is that so? I’ve had it ready for some time. Are you sure you’d rather not collect the other too?”

Tana quickly shook her head, stammering, ”No, I’m sure. It wouldn’t be proper, anyway.”

”Ah, perhaps you’d rather he pick it up? I think I’ll send him a message saying it’s been finished, then.”

The half-elf’s eyes widened, her blush returning full force. ”There’s no need to rush it. But...thanks. I-I’d like that.”

I looked between them, my brow creasing as I tried to puzzle out what they were talking about. My tail swished in confusion, the movement drawing the attention of the merchant.

”And who’s this darling girl? I don’t think I’ve seen her before, and there’s simply no way I’d forget such beautiful curls!” she gushed, coming around the counter.

I flinched at the sudden aggressive attention, hiding in part behind Tana. ”S-starlight,” I stammered, instinctively dropping a curtsy.

The woman lit up, clasping her hands together excitedly. ”And such wonderful manners! Your grace and skill would put a princess to shame, not something the typical adventurer should possess. You intrigue me, girl, where are you from?”

”R-Radia.”

She seemed to emit an overwhelming pressure, not of power, but of presence, that I answered without thinking. No sooner had I spoken than my eyes widened and I realized my mistake.

”Radia? A demonkin from Radia? Now that’s simply marvelous!”

Tana shot me an equally curious look but decidedly stepped between us. ”I think that’s enough now, Mistress Bella. Starlight’s rather shy, and even I find you intimidating. If you would be so kind as to show me the broach?”

Bella clicked her tongue and reluctantly withdrew, her gaze lingering on me. Even as she turned away, I shivered, goosebumps crawling down my back. Despite all my intentions of keeping my past a secret, this woman pried them out of me with a few simple words. Her presence was that of a ruler, at least equal to that of a Father, or some of the less charismatic princes I’d met. Obeying her felt only natural, a feeling that terrified me far more than anything else.

”Sorry about that,” Tana apologized when the merchant went into the back room. ”She’s a little bit...special. Claims to have lived among royalty on the southern continent, if you can believe it. But, she’s an extremely talented jeweler and craftsman, one of the best in the northern continent. Even the most powerful and influential men and women come from far across the land to purchase her wares. That’s what she says, at least.”

As she fell silent, I worked up the courage and asked, ”What did you buy from her?”

Tana went red and bit her lip, fiddling with a strand of hair. ”It’s, um, you know...just a little...”

It was rare to see the half-elf embarrassed, so I tried my best to remember what she always told me. ”It’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Tana smiled and reached out to ruffle my hair. ”Thanks, Starlight, though it’s not anything like that. I just want to wait for the right time to tell everyone.”

”Oh, there’s no need to be shy.”

I sucked in a breath as Bella returned, folding my arms protectively. She giggled like a child and set a small, paper box on the counter

”Here you are!”

”Thanks,” Tana said, quickly stuffing the item into her spatial ring. ”We’ll be going now. And, if you’d please, um, that is, if you wouldn’t mind...”

”I’ll tell Sorrin,” the merchant replied, smiling broadly. ”But I want to be there!”

Waving goodbye, we quickly left the shop. Clapping her hands together, Tana turned to me. ”I know just what to do next! Follow me!”

The next four hours passed in a blur. We bounced from shop to shop, buying trinkets, sweets, and supplies for the party. Chasing the buoyant half-elf around the city was exhausting, but my heart grew lighter as we walked and chatted, learning more about each other’s tastes and experiences. My heart shivered with warmth, an unfamiliar emotion that made my tail shiver. Experiencing it was like having an irrepressible itch I couldn’t quite scratch or a forgotten word on the tip of my tongue. No matter how warm or full I felt, I couldn’t quite figure out how to properly express it.

As the day drew on, we entered a large, multistoried clothing store. I stared about in amazement, lost in the colors, patterns, and cuts of dresses I hadn’t dared imagine. Some were revealing and racy, others smothering, and some seemed specifically made to accommodate various types of beastkin.

”Here, try this one on!” Tana said, holding up a bright yellow dress.

”I...I think that one’s a little heavy,” I whispered, clasping my hands together anxiously.

”Heavy? It’s made of silk, and-oh, sorry. I guess that’s why you love the off-shoulder style so much.” Tana fell silent as I shifted the cloak just enough to reveal my shoulder. ”Then...what about this one?”

We went for several more dresses until Tana finally convinced me to try one on. Stepping behind a divider for a moment, I reappeared wearing a beautiful, satin dress. The fabric was glossy and bright, white with red trim, the sleeves and skirt folded over in neat ruffles. The neckline was a bit low, exposing the curve of my breasts, but it was light and the skirt unrestrictive enough to accommodate my tail.

Tana gasped, her eyes lighting up. ”You look beautiful! I think Dyson might faint from a single glance!”

I picked at the skirt, blushing slightly. ”Do you truly think so?”

”Of course! Let’s buy it right away!”

I hesitated, doing a little twirl before the mirror. The skirt rose higher than I’d have liked, revealing the smooth skin of my thighs. ”It’s a little...”

”Fancy? Isn’t that good though? From what I’ve seen, you only have a few rough, simple dresses for adventuring. Every girl should have something to wear to a dance, party, or, um, wedding.”

”Really?” I asked.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like it. If anything, I loved it. But this was different from what I was used to, from the plain, grays of a slave gown or the dull colors of my other dresses. The bright red of the trim and the white fabric were a little bold, almost daring, not to mention the relatively tight and revealing cut.

Tana nodded vigorously. Her eyes gleamed, and she clasped her hands together, bouncing with excitement. ”I know it might not be what you’re used to, but just give it a try!”

The half-elf seemed so earnest, so, reluctantly, I nodded and changed back. Tana tried on a few dresses, checking various styles out, before speaking with one of the tailors. As they fell into deep discussion, I wandered through the store before finally finding a pair of satin shoes that matched the dress. Combined with the dress, it would strain the last of my coin, but I brought them to the woman at the front counter anyway.

Tana concluded her business and we left together, though only I purchased something. There was something wonderful about buying something that was mine with the money I earned. The fact that it felt frivolous made it all the more liberating, and I found myself humming, my tail swishing in tune.

”It’s getting a bit late,” Tana said, glancing at the sky. ”Should we hit the bathhouses and find a place to eat?”

”A restaurant?” I asked timidly. The idea was new and intimidating, but Soltair and Trithe had told me it was an essential part of spending a day in the town. I knew it was ridiculous, but I couldn’t help but wonder if someone like me could really go to a restaurant.

”I know a great place on the edge of the city you’ll love. They might even have Radian cuisine!” Tana said excitedly. ”Want to give it a try?”

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to nod. If I wanted to break free of the chains binding me to the past, I needed to take risks. Buying a dress was only a small step, and now it was time for another.

”Thank you, I’d like that.”