Hibjørnen

I sized up my opponent. He was armed like me: a one-handed sword and a dagger. He lunged forward; I blocked with my left and countered with my right. He stepped back, I pressed with a thrust, he slipped to the right and deflected my blade with his own. I was wide open—his dagger sliced my arm.

«Damn it, I need more training,» I muttered, breathless. The sound of clapping drew my attention. «Sorry to disappoint you, but I lost.»

Nadia stared at the ground, sulking. «It’s fine,» I said, sheathing my weapons. «There’s always next time. After all, I’ve only been training again for a week, and fencing requires a good deal of luck along with skill.»

She stepped closer and handed me my sweatshirt. «Thanks.» Before taking it, my eyes lingered on the seam where the lake creature had torn it apart. “These trainings aren’t enough. If I ever face that thing again, overconfident as I was that day, I’ll die.”

«Okay?» she asked, watching me.

«All good!» I replied, ruffling her hair. «I was just thinking about how awful I am at sewing.» I slipped on the sweatshirt and tightened my belt over it. Grabbing the canteen, I took a swig. «That hit the spot. So, what do you feel like doing now?»

«Mmm… walking.»

«You want to take a walk?»

«Yes!»

«Alright, let’s see what this place looks like.» I took her hand and we started wandering. The streets were just as I expected: narrow and twisting, much like back in my world, built without considering urban growth.

We finally reached one of the main roads. To the left stood the gate we had passed through yesterday, while to the right, where most people were heading, lay the center.

«It’s too crowded, we might get separated. Come on, climb on my shoulders,» I said, kneeling down. She gave me a puzzled look and stepped back. «Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall. Use my leg for leverage.» Hesitant, she moved closer, planted a foot on my leg, pressed her hand against mine, and pushed herself up until she managed to climb onto my shoulder completely. «All good up there?»

«Yes.» At her reply, I gently held her legs and stood.

We weaved quickly through the crowd. "Ha! Take that, Grandma! All those fairs weren’t useless after all!"

As soon as we reached the main square, a warm, crunchy smell tickled my nose. I turned and saw the oven: a massive block of dark bricks and stones, smoking at the center of a small cobblestone clearing. Its shape was squat and rounded, with a plume of smoke rising lazily into the air.

A small group of women and children gathered around, waiting their turn to bake bread. Their wicker baskets overflowed with round loaves dusted in flour, lined neatly on the ground. A sturdy man in a stained apron handled a long wooden peel, sliding it into the oven’s fiery mouth.

I stepped closer for a better look. “Their black bread looks delicious.” My mouth watered after all that training. Something dripped onto my head. Looking up, I saw a string of drool dangling from Nadia’s chin before it splashed against my cheek. “Disgusting.”

«I see your daughter looks hungry,» the baker said, drawing my attention.

«What?!» I exclaimed, confused.

«Would you like a loaf?»

«Oh! Ah! U-uh… y-yes, thank you.»

He held out his hand. «Good, that’ll be eight fragments.»

«Fragments?»

«Yes, eight fragments. Money, coins, you understand?» he pressed, impatiently extending his arm further.

«I-I’m sorry, but I don’t have any coins with me.»

«Then get lost, I don’t have time to waste.»

Disheartened, I walked away. She kept staring at the shop, hand stretched toward it. «I’m sorry, little one, but we don’t have money.»

We sat against the wall of a house, both sighing, stomachs growling. A jingling sound caught my ear. I reached out and grabbed it. “A coin? Did someone actually throw us a copper coin?” I looked down at my clothes: dirty, worn, patched, some torn, one boot missing, and half a pant leg gone. Nadia’s clothes were no better—worn and shabby. “Well, can’t blame whoever tossed it at us. We do look like beggars… I wonder what Laila would do if she were here.”

°°°

«Please, my father, help! Very sick! Medicine!»

«Oh, heavens, poor child.» An old woman handed Nadia a copper coin, which she quickly slipped into her pouch.

«Thanks! You kind!» She turned to me. «See? Nice lady!»

Curled up on the ground, I lifted my head, trembling. «Thank you…» I said weakly. “What the hell was I thinking? I feel like trash tricking people like this. How do beggars and street peddlers even sleep at night?”

«I wish you luck,» the woman said as she left.

Nadia ran over. «Look! Many!»

I sat up straight, stretching and shifting my weapons. «Ah, finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.» Nadia unbuckled her belt and handed it to me. «It took a while, but we managed to get: one, two, three… twenty-three copper coins.» “Maybe I should’ve thought of a better solution than this. Spending too much time with Laila is rubbing off on me in the worst way… Maybe… if she were here, I’d actually be enjoying this. I miss her so much.” I strapped the belt on.

I crouched down, resting on my knees. «Remember, Nadia, never do this again. It’s wrong, understand?»

«Yes,» she answered, head bowed.

I patted her head with a smile. «Good girl. But what’s done is done. Let’s go eat something.»

«Mh!» she huffed, pouting, standing on tiptoe and raising her arms.

«What?»

«Shoulders.»

«You want to ride on my shoulders again?»

«Yes.»

“Damn, I’m still sore from training and carrying her earlier.” I knelt. «Alright, climb up.» Her face lit up and she scrambled on quickly. «How about we go to an inn with this money?»

«Mh!»

I made my way toward a sign in the distance: “Dobre,” with smaller writing beneath reading “ale ne tolik.” I pushed open the heavy wooden doors. A jingle of bells announced our arrival.

The air inside was thick, almost chewable, a mix of scents that wrapped around me: the acrid smoke of burning wood, the greasy aroma of roasting meat, the sharp tang of liquor, and the sweet trace of cider. A wave of heat caressed my face.

I looked around. The walls were blackened with soot. A few rough-hewn tables, scarred by countless mugs, were scattered about. People sat hunched over them, speaking in low voices, occasionally bursting into guttural laughter. A minstrel sat on a stool, plucking the strings of an out-of-tune lute, while in the corner an old drunk snored over his mug. “In hindsight, maybe this isn’t the best place to bring a little girl.”

The child squeezed my hand tight. Her large, red eyes, furrowed and curious, glowed in the bluish light of the fireplace. «Hungry…» Nadia whispered, her voice faint, saliva nearly dripping.

“Poor thing, she can’t take it anymore.” Guiding her between tables, I led her to a quiet corner away from the noise. I dragged two stools against a table. Nadia clambered up with some effort and sat, legs dangling and swinging. I sat opposite, elbows on the table, eyes caught by the hypnotic fire.

«Hello, can I get you something?»

«Yes, bring us some food and a jug of water.»

«How about sobizajits stew?»

«I think so.»

«Great, I’ll be right back.»

As the waitress left, I cupped my mouth to hide my voice. «What’s a sobizajits?» She shaped a small animal in her hands, a mix between a deer and a rabbit with stripes down its back. «Is it as small as a zajitak or as big as a cherveny roh?»

«Big.»

“Got it, so deer-sized… I just hope these coins are enough. I don’t know how these animals are valued in this world, but back in mine, this would cost a kidney.”