The Zoner Commission

Yvonne packed the last of the equipment into the trunk and latched the case. It had been a fairly simple job, but it had kept her busy for several days, and when Yvonne could just work with her hands all day, she was a content person. She would almost miss the stream of work, since she would now have to go back to individual orders.

Larger businesses and wealthier merchants had horse-drawn wagons to ferry their goods around town, but Yvonne had only a pushcart. Luckily for her, the effort of delivering even a loaded cart of metal was one that had become trivial to her with repetition. She still drew stares pushing it to its destination, but that was more on account of most doing this sort of labor being men and significantly taller than her.

Those stares had decreased over the years, as the city grew used to seeing the blacksmith moving her wares around on her own, and the path from her home to the Zoner Commission was one she treaded on a frequent enough basis to be on a named basis with the other merchants along the way.

The stares never came from her being Earthtouched though - this entire section of the city was mostly populated with her own kind, with the Zoner Commission sitting on the boundary to the Upperside wards where the nobles and wealthy merchants lived.

“Yvonne! Off making a delivery? Come visit on your way back, got some fresh fruit in!” called a grocer from his storefront. She waved at the Watertouched man and promised to drop in on her way back.

Everyone in the area helped keep each other afloat, lending their services where they would help. Yvonne had created and repaired no small number of tools and cutlery for the businesses in her neighborhood, especially when she first arrived, and that suited her just fine.

She arrived at the Commission and set her cart to rest in the alley next to it with a heave. After taking a small breather to collect herself, she grabbed the trunk from the cart and walked into the door, greeted automatically by the receptionist who worked there.

“Ah, Yvonne, wonderful to see you again!” The thin blond man at the counter beamed. “Is that the weapons and armor?” Gareth was Untouched, and that kept him to administrative tasks in the Commission, but his gentle nature made him a good fit for the role.

“Every last one,” Yvonne said, pulling out the tab for the work order and sliding it across the counter.

“Wonderful. You’re free to head on back and rest a bit while I get the payment ready,” he said, gesturing to a door that led to an area that normally only the Zoners were allowed in.

Yvonne thanked him and took his offer, opening the door and immediately hearing the cacophony of noise that came with the rowdy workers of the Commission. Bright, unnatural hair colors and eyes filled the room, each one of the people there one of the Touched, like herself.

Most were playing games of darts or cards or otherwise chatting amongst each other. A board near the entryway had a few tasks up that could be taken, but either work was completely dry at the moment, or nobody had the right gift to assist with them.

Assistance with farm work for Earthtouched or Watertouched was common depending on conditions, and if that person could compel the forces they were bonded to into a more favorable state. Magic was rare among commoners, as the education cost was quite high, but some Touched could get by with just their innate abilities; It was just a random chance of the affliction giving a useful gift. Yvonne’s had been more with metal than soil, and so she took to blacksmithing as her father had.

“Oi, it’s Yvonne!” one of the Zoners from the card table called, and there was a round of greetings in the hall.

Gaz came from one of the side rooms with a mug in each hand.

“Thanks for taking care of the order, lass,” he said, offering Yvonne one mug, evidently filled with water. “Though I wouldn’t have recognized you. Hair’s lighter than I remember. Missing the forge apron, too.” He smirked.

Yvonne snatched the water from his hand. She didn’t have a wide variety in her wardrobe, but she did keep a nice dark blue tunic for days like today where she had official business outside of the shop. “You act as if I keep covered in soot and ash. When have I ever come here straight off the forge?”

“True, if you tracked in anything, Gareth would probably have your head!” He cackled. He looked into his mug and took a drink. Yvonne couldn’t guess what might be in it this time, it was never the same thing twice with Gaz. “But in seriousness, thank you. Work came in and we’re being called for backup. Either a big Zone or a dangerous one, and they won’t tell us which, but work is work.”

“I know your crew will be happy for it,” Yvonne said. “Heading out soon then?”

“A couple of days, once the official Zoners are ready to move. I’d have told you about it sooner, but I trusted you to have things ready without stressing you out.”

Yvonne ran a hand through her short-cropped hair as she processed the compliment. “Well thanks. Means a lot. And hey, means more work for me when you get back if they get too banged up.”

Gaz laughed and slapped Yvonne’s back. “Don’t go wishing us too much damage, you hear? Can’t blame you for wanting some steady coin though. We all just got off that boat ourselves.”“At the very least, I have one more job before I’m back to banging out kettles. Noblewoman named Barton came in with a sword to fix up.” She found herself smiling at remembering Lirena, but her elation was cut short when she realized the entire room had fallen silent, listening intently to her conversation with Gaz.

“Barton, you said?” Gaz asked. “You’re sure?”

Yvonne crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow. “Sure as I need to be. Introduced herself, gave me a fancy but banged up sword.”

She heard murmurings of “sword princess” and the name Barton kept coming up in hushed tones as everyone switched to the same topic.

“The name didn’t tip you off?” Gaz asked sincerely.

Yvonne huffed. “Am I supposed to know every bloody noble in the city, when most of them won’t deign to come down from the Upperside? First one that’s stopped in my shop.”

“Well, if you play your cards right, you might have a big windfall in your future,” Gaz explained.

“The Bartons are the biggest weapon and equipment merchants in the country.”

Yvonne was taken aback. “What in the Elements is someone like that doing here?”

Gaz shrugged. “Seems you’ll have a better chance of figuring that out than us. Ask her if you want.”

Yvonne thought for a moment and tossed back the rest of the water and handed the mug back to Gaz. A call for her came from the front room as Gareth finished his task.

“I’ll figure it out,” she said. “Thanks, tell the wife and kid I said hi.”

“Good luck with the sword princess,” Gaz said with his characteristic grin.

Yvonne collected her coin from Gareth and counted through it quickly. It was merely a business formality, as the Commission had never once shorted her payment, even when money was tight. She nodded and wished him well, stashing the coin purse in her shirt as she went to collect her cart.

The route home was the same way, with a brief stop at the grocer as she had promised and to restock her food at home.

“Ah, a word of warning,” the grocer said in a whisper as she paid her coin. “There’s been a noblewoman walking around the district half the afternoon. Apparently she’s been looking for you. Not in any trouble, are you?”

She shook her head. “Not that I’m aware of. Redhead?” He nodded. “Client of mine, then. She showed up early, probably didn’t know I was out.”

“Oh, good, good. She seems nice enough, but… you know how the nobles can be.”

“I’ll be careful,” she promised as she packed her cart with the food.

Sure enough, Lirena was waiting for her, leaned against the wall of the shop. As the cart made itself known clacking down the cobblestone, she turned to face Yvonne’s direction and waved. The Earthtouched woman gave a small smile and wave back as she pulled the cart in front of her home.

“Apologies,” Yvonne explained. “I was out running a delivery if you’re here about the sword…”

Lirena waved off her concern. “Your neighbors filled me in. I spent the time exploring the area.”
I’ll say, you probably gave people quite the scare, Yvonne thought. “So what brings you around?”

“Oh, it’s not for the sword. But… do you think you might be able to finish it in the morning?” Lirena asked.

“Sure. Only outstanding order I have left, so I can make it a priority. Need it a little sooner than anticipated?” Yvonne asked.

“I suppose that’s true… but more than that, I wanted to see if your afternoon was free tomorrow after I pick it up!”

Yvonne blinked in bewilderment. “I… suppose? Unless some last-minute emergency comes up, I don’t have any plans beyond some cleaning of the place.”

“Then keep that clear and have a nice outfit ready. Honestly, the one you have now will work. Just not the forge gear.” Lirena said with a grin.

“I… guess I have something in the back of the wardrobe?” Yvonne said. The more this woman said, the more confused she became. “I should be ready around noon?”

“Perfect! Then I’ll show up a little before then. I don’t mind watching you work if I have to.”

Lirena had been cheery in all of their interactions so far, but her disposition now was bright enough to rival the sun, Yvonne thought.

“I’ll be off then and let you get settled back in from your delivery,” Lirena said with a polite and regal bow. “I look forward to our date tomorrow.”

Yvonne chuckled nervously and waved in response as the noblewoman set off back toward the Upperside.

The blacksmith put her cart away in the alley next to her house and brought the sack of food in to store away in her kitchen.

Quite the free spirit, that one, Yvonne thought. Maybe nobles were just quirky like that; Yvonne hadn’t met enough in-person to say for certain.

As she reflected on the encounter, a weight started to sink in on her mind.

A few moments of silence passed. Her mind began to race as she shouted in her own home.

“…Did she say a date?!”