Emma pt. 4

Want to start at the beginning? - Emma, Part 1

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The quick gallop back to the camp was, if anything, better than the first one.  Emma felt like she was flying, like nothing in the world could block her. The liberating feeling she had always dreamed would come from riding a horse was nothing compared to the actual thing.  It seemed like her whole body was vibrating, ready to move and keep moving forever. 

When she finally saw the small fleck of camp light in the field she was tempted not to tell Lison so they could just keep going, but he saw it moments after she did and slowed Juniper so they could trot back.

“Thank you so much,” she said as they passed back onto the soft grass, “it was wonderful.”

“Glad you liked it. We plan to be camped here for at least a few days, maybe you’ll come back and try it in the day light?”

Emma instantly pictured herself in an open field, under the sun, racing past trees and houses, flying down roads as the dwin working crops stood gapping at her.  Her dreams stopped abruptly when she pictured her family watching her.  She knew they would never allow such a thing. 

“I’m not sure if I can come back during the day,” She didn’t know what to say; she didn’t want to sound like a child, begging permission from her parents, “I have a lot of obligations.”

“Well, maybe once you hear Deem’s plan you’ll change your mind.”

They rode in silence back to the camp.  Emma leaned forward again, this time burying her face in the horse’s mane, filling her lungs with the scent of it.  It was sweaty and dirty and reminded her of a hard run. But at the same time it had hints of breeze, of clean open air.  She couldn’t think of anything that had ever smelled so good.

Lison slipped onto the ground and reached to help Emma down.  After she was on the ground they smiled at each other and Emma thanked him again. 

“I think Juniper liked it as much as you did,” he said as he tied up the horse, “She probably didn’t even notice there were two of us up there.”

Now that they were back in the firelight Emma could see his face clearly.  His mouth was pulled into a grin and a few loose strands of his black hair hung just above his eyes. 

“Do horses like small riders?”

“Wouldn’t you?”

She laughed, “I guess so.”

He gestured to the camp and bowed to Emma, “After you, my Lady.”

She laughed again and started toward the camp, Lison falling in directly behind her. 

Conversation buzzed around the fire, too rapid for Emma to pick out any voices she might recognize.  As they approached there were smatterings of ‘about time’ and ‘let’s get on with this.’

Orange light danced over each person, first chasing away the creeping shadows of the night, then retreating, leaving faces dark and hidden.  The glare of the fire made it hard to see into the shadows.

A few people moved to the side, making room for Emma and Lison. He sat first, then patted the ground next to him.  Emma took a deep breath and joined him on the soft grass. 

“If Lison is done distracting our young Lady maybe we can get to business?”  Deem sat directly across from them, the flames of the fire reaching high enough to conceal the lower half of his face. 

“That’s no way to great our guest, Deem.” Emma turned toward the voice, it was a human woman sitting to her left.  She wore a white shirt and had long blond hair that ran down past her shoulders.  “Welcome Lady Laudriel, we are pleased you can join us.”

“It’s just Emma, and thank you for having me.”

The woman nodded, “And I am Parien, I’m Deem’s business partner, has he told you about me?”

Emma looked back across the circle of people, finding Rilen setting next to Deem.  She exchanged a quick glance with her friend, knowing this must but the woman Rilen had spoken so much about.

“I knew his partner was human, but not much more than that.”

“Well maybe we should introduce everyone,” she gestured to a dwin woman on her left and was about to speak when Deem interrupted.

“Emma will have more than enough time to meet everyone if she comes with us, for now let’s talk about our business.”

“I thought she might feel more comfortable with our offer if she knew us better.” Parien said, “We can’t ask her to throw in her lot with a bunch of strangers.”

As they spoke Emma looked around the circle, quickly glancing at each face in the firelight.  Besides Rilen, Deem and herself, there were two other dwin – the woman next to Parien, and a boy to Emma’s right who had his head slumped, not seeming to follow the conversation.  The woman looked older then Deem, maybe by a few decades, Emma could see where her brown hair was turning gray at the temples.  It was hard to know more about the boy with his face hidden, but he seemed small enough to be very young.

The rest of the group was human, nine in total, including Lison and Parien.  There were only two women beside Parien, and both shared her blond hair.  The rest of the humans varied greatly in appearance, some tall, some stalky.  They all looked about the same age as Lison, but Emma could not be sure how old that was, as humans always looked deceptively old to her.

Emma couldn’t take in details of everyone, but one man stood out.  He was thinner than the others, his face so narrow that sharp bones outlined his scowling face.  His hair was light, possibly red, but it was hard to be sure in the firelight.  Freckles overwhelmed his face, covering his nose and dotting all down his boney cheeks. 

Her gaze finally fell on Lison who smiled at her and rolled his eyes at the debate happening around them.  

“Let’s just talk about why we are here.” Deem said, his voice still calm, but his red eyes barring into Parien with intensity.

“You want me to be your Patron.”  Emma said, addressing Deem.

“Yes, Rilen has told you that much,” Deem nodded at his sister, “what do you know about the contract we’re after?”

“Just that you want to ship goods to Blue Coast.”

Deem nodded again, “Rorrick Hillsman is putting his contract up to bid at the Assembly of Merchants in two days. It’s the best steady work anyone hauling cargo could hope to get.”

“The stone he carves is world famous, every keep and castle in ten lands has a piece of his work on display.” Lison addressed Emma.

Emma nodded, she opened her mouth to say how Hillsman had always been compared to the dwarven carvers of old, but she caught Lison’s eye and stopped the words before they came.

“You are well respected, Deem,” she said instead, “everyone knows your reputation. I’m sure you’ll get the contract.”

The fire between them popped, a log slipped and sparks lifted up into the sky, completely blocking Deems face for a moment.

Deem scoffed, and when Emma could see his face again he was watching Parien.  “Maybe if it were just me I would have a chance, but you forget the other thing I’m know for, teaming up with a human.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been such an inconvenience to you.” Parien said, her tone flat and insincere. 

“Don’t start with that,” Deem waved a dismissive hand at her, “I know how good our partnership has been to me.  But that doesn’t stop Hillsman from distrusting every human he meets.  As it stands he won’t give the job to a team that’s made up mostly of humans.”

“That’s what we’ll be doing in Paldurain,” Lison leaned in a little closer to Emma, resting his hand in the grass behind her.  For a moment the scent of horses drifted off him and Emma took a deep breath, “recruiting more dwin. We’ll, that’s what Deem will be doing, I’ll be here watching after the camp and the horses.” He nudged her with his shoulder.

“Lison.” Deem gave him a look that clearly said to be quiet. Lison held his lips together tightly and inclined his head to Deem.

“We’ll need a big crew.  Blue Coast is a three week ride when you’re carrying a load, but Hillsman will have work to ship almost every week.”

“So you’ll need multiple crews.” Emma said.

“Yes, exactly, and the more dwin working for us, the more likely he’ll be to hire us, but I don’t think that will be enough.”

“That’s why you want a Patron?” Emma understood the plan, but not her role in it.

“A Patron from one of the noble houses in the Court would give us really legitimacy as a dwin operation.”

“What would you need from me, besides to speak for you in the Assembly?” Emma struggled to keep her voice calm. Her heart was racing at the thought of speaking before a gathering of the most influential dwin in the city.  Her eldest brother was on the board of Overseers who regulated the Assembly. She wondered what he would think of her working with humans.

“Traditionally Patrons pay investments in business ventures, but we won’t be asking that of you,” Deem said quickly, “Thanks to Parien we have a nice cushion of funds to work with,” he said the words with strange sharpness in his voice, then continued, “What we need from you is your name and your voice.”

“And for you to come to Blue Coast with us.” Rilen said, a small smile on her face as she watched Emma from across the fire.

“You would really take me all the way to the Blue Coast?” Emma asked, now not able to keep her voice level.

Deem nodded, “As a Patron, the Assembly would require you to inspect your holdings yearly, to make sure you are kept fully aware of how your investments are being handled.”

“When would I make the trip?”

“Whenever you like, though the sooner the better. Hillsman will have two months to pull out of the contract if he doesn’t like our work. If you came on our first run and returned with a positive report then I’m sure it would help him decide to keep us.”

Emma had been trying to picture Blue Coast since Rilen first mentioned Deem’s plan. She had seen illustrations in books and heard many stories of the port city, but she could never really make a complete image of the city in her mind, with its many-story buildings and its luminescent blue-sand beaches.

What she could picture was herself on horseback, riding down an open road that curved off into the distance.  She could also see riders beside her, Rilen and Lison, smiling and laughing.  She cast a quick glance up at the man beside her, he was looking down at her.  Though his lips were a straight closed line, his eyes showed a smile.

Emma was aware of his eyes, and the eyes of the others watching her as she turned to look at Deem.

“How soon would you leave?”

“Hillsman will have a piece to deliver as soon as we have the contract, so we would leave then. Three days from now.”

To be free of Paldurain in three days, it was a wish come true.  Still her stomach churned at the thought of speaking at the Assembly, facing her brother, then her mother. 

“It is a big decision, we understand if you can’t answer tonight,” Parien said, “Take a day, or even two.”

“You can meet us before the Assembly convenes, we’ll arrive early and wait near Ardent’s statue,” Deem said. “We will present a bid to Hillsman, with or without you, but we will greatly appreciate your voice.”

“I want to say yes, but there are things I have to consider.”

“We understand Emma,” Parien gestured around the fire, “if you wish to stay with us a while longer, feel free, we will all be up talking for some time.”

The thin, freckled man scoffed, “Some of you will, now that this is over I’m going to bed.” He stood and left the circle, his long, lanky frame hunched over as he walked. Parien followed him with her eyes, her smile slightly faded. 

“I think I should get back,” Emma stood slowly, and Rilen rose with her, "It is very late."

“Of course,” Deem nodded, “We appreciate your time.”

Lison nodded to her, “Come back tomorrow if you want, Juniper and I will be waiting.”

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Continue to Part 5