I Couldn't Stand Out, So I've Been Left On My Own

Glouces felt like it could barely be considered a town by your standards. The town square and a main street seemed to be all there really was to see. Quaint felt too generous of a label, but it was hard to judge it too harshly when Weistari seemed right at home. It felt like he hadn’t stopped talking the whole walk but for the life of you you couldn’t say what about. You hoped it wasn’t anything important because you felt bad that you weren’t entirely listening. You found it hard to allow yourself to enjoy his company when you were trying so hard to figure out what came next.

Silver decided she wasn’t coming into town and contented herself to roll around in the field, leaving you to pass under the archway that marked the entrance to town alone with Weistari. “Is it okay to let her wander around like this?”

Weistari waves off your concern. “Naturally. Anybody worth their salt knows she’s mine and anybody who doesn’t would sooner find themselves in jail than with extra coin in their pocket. Unicorn trade is illegal here.”

“But not other places?”

Weistari shrugs. “I could not tell you. I barely concern myself with the laws of this land let alone others. You just wouldn’t believe the headache I got when she came trotting down the north range and decided to affix herself to me. It took me the better part of a fortnight to convince the old deacon that I wasn’t involved in something nefarious…” Weistari sighs, his energy shifting slightly as you cross through the town square. You peer into a the fountain at the center, more symbols littered the bottom of the artificial basin.

“What are those?”

Weistari stops, casting a glance into the water. There was a moment between him realizing what you were looking at and answering, he seemed skeptical that you were asking in earnest. “Those are runes. Have you never seen them before?”

You shake your head slightly.

“These ones…” He leans closer to the water, murmuring to himself. “I think they keep the water clean. I must apologize I did not study these too closely. I never needed such things.”

“Are they useful to know?”

Weistari straightens, studying you critically for a moment. “I suppose that depends on what you want to do. I could recommend you to a school. Though it’s quite a journey. Of course you are free to accompany me, I will end up there eventually.”

You quickly shake your head and take a step back. “No, no it’s okay. I can’t ask you to do that, I was just curious.”

“You are not from around here I take it.”

Despite him posing it as a question it felt more like a statement, and you had trouble denying it. You wouldn’t even know where to say you were from if he did press the issue. Anxiety pricked at you as he parked you at a weathered table near the shade of what appeared to be a bakery. You could see him from where you were but it was hard not to worry that he wouldn’t come back. You had done something too strange even for a foreigner so he was going to craft some excuse to abandon you here.

Could you even call it that? He had agreed to treat you, he didn’t owe you anything more than that. This would be a lot easier if he wasn’t being so nice.

A couple women met at the entrance to a building that had some flowers in pots on either side of the door. They walked across the square to gather water, their laughter was the only thing you could make out for certain, but it made the hair on your neck stand on edge. They’re laughing at you.

You put the thought out of your mind as quickly as it had come. There was no reason to think that. They hadn’t even noticed you. Why would they?

Weistari returns with two plates and sets one in front of you. They were both very green. You weren’t sure you could call it a salad because it was warm, but it was the strangest stir fry you had ever seen if that was the case. Weistari had tried at several points to get some information about what you ate out of you, but not knowing what people ate on top of not wanting to seem picky, you claimed you didn’t want anything in particular. You were glad you hadn’t named something. You were also glad Weistari didn’t notice you planning your method for eating this.

“I must say it’s quite nice not always having to cook for ones self all the time. Caishen do you like cook?”

"I don’t know, I’ve never really done it.” You cram a forkful of what was definitely a warm salad in your mouth. Chunks of bacon buried in the dressing caught you more off guard than anything and you had to try harder than you should have to not choke. The second bite was easier now that you knew what you were expecting and you were a little annoyed that it was better than the idea sounded. You would be hard pressed to eat a normal salad let alone one that had been cooked.

“I must say that sounds quite nice. I’m rather fussy so it was either that or starve." Weistari’s attention was more focused on arranging his food than carrying the conversation. The silence was easy though so you wouldn't complain about it.

You noticed the older couple approaching the table before he did. They were leading a cart pulled by a horse which dashed any remaining thoughts you had about unicorns being normal around here. “Oh! We thought you'd be long gone by now with the way you went racing out the pasture this morning.”

Weistari’s eyes widen slightly. He swallows hard, forcing a friendly smile into his face. “I thought so too but plans have a tendency of changing.” He eyes the cart warily.

“Well we were just bringing this to the butcher. Really you should come with us so we can pay you more fairly. It's not right.”

Weistari raises his hands in mock surrender. “No, no I couldn't possibly. Besides I’m rather occupied at the moment.”

The man claps him on the shoulder, practically dragging him away from the table. “Nonsense. Besides, don't tell me you actually want Tilda’s lunch special.”

“No really I-”

The man gives him a friendly shake, killing any further protests Weistari had. “Nonsense, this modesty of yours isn't going to get you anywhere. Besides with all that stuff going on up north nobody gives a shit about an off shoot like this. It's nice to know at least somebody is looking out for us.”

Weistari glances back at you as their voices fade, giving no indication that you were supposed to follow him. You offer him a small wave, pretending you were going to finish your lunch.

A sigh escapes you the moment he was out of sight. You feel your smile evaporate and you fix your gaze on your plate. That man wasn't wrong…some things never changed. Getting left behind shouldn't be something a person could be good at but it seemed to be the only thing you excelled at. Someone better would always come along and you'd be left behind. Not even an after thought.

You were right back at square one and the disappointment weighing on you didn't put you and closer to an answer than you were before.

You refused to let yourself hope that he would come back. Nobody had before not and obviously now wasn't going to be any different. You'd have to do this yourself. You weren't stupid…just some place new. And you were in town now. You were better off now than when you had started even if it was only a little bit. I’ll look around. There has to be something here.

Finishing your lunch didn't make you feel better, but it was something. You hadn't been hungry to begin with and it sat heavily in your stomach, making you feel worse than you already did. You made a pointed decision to not go the direction Weistari had been dragged in, hoping you wouldn't run into him. Though that was easier said than done because the town was small and he had been dragged down the main street.

The houses didn't seem anything special; they were small and mostly looked to be made of the same wood and stone. The first one that somewhat held your attention was a two story building that seemed to be a bakery. It was closed for now, but the scent of fresh bread lingered in the air. A small wooden board listed some specials with ingredients that sounded mostly normal. You were thankful for that. While it was true you weren't really picky the thought of having to try a lot of new foods was a little overwhelming. You usually got the same thing every time you went out.

You made a mental note of the place and continued your wander. A general store. You poked your head inside and looked around. Part of you was hoping the prices would be listed on the shelves but they weren't so you couldn't gauge what your coins were actually worth. A young girl was chatting with the man behind the counter. You gathered she was running errands for her mother. “…says that there's a unicorn out in the fields. Don't you think that's a good omen?”

“A unicorn? Sounds like he's finally lost his mind if you ask me.”

“No! That dreamy paladin owns it.”

The man scoffs, placing a few coins on the counter that you assumed was her change. “That shady elf is neither dreamy nor a paladin. You'd better keep your valuables close with that one around?”

“Why? What did you hear? Wait he spent the night at the farm. Do you think they should check the stores?” she gasps, lowering her voice though the damage had already been done. A couple other people milling around seemed to be listening a little too intently for your liking.

“If they know what's good for them. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree after all.”

You slip out of the store as they continue to gossip, a feeling of dread knotting your stomach.

Was Weistari a bad person? You wracked your brain for anything that felt off about the way he had treated you and came up blank at every turn. His words and actions rang as sincere to you; even if they weren’t he had absolutely nothing to gain from getting you in his good graces. You had no notable skills, connections or even money. Though it would be just your luck that the first person you meet here is a criminal. The last thing you wanted was to end up in jail… or worse.

Maybe you were better off without him…

A sigh rises in your chest. Whether it was true or not wondering about him wasn’t doing you any good. What sense was there in missing somebody who you barely knew? He’d probably forget all about you by time he decided to leave town.

You circle through an apothecary. The herbal smell in the air lingered in the back of your throat long after you left. Despite the door being open nobody seemed to be inside.

A tailor was tucked away down an alley. Being in there felt wrong considering she was fitting a brown haired girl in a casual yellow dress. Neither of them paid you any mind so it didn’t help with the feeling of foreboding. You had hoped to gauge whether or not the clothes you were wearing would be enough for what you might face if you left town. There were a few linen shirts laying around that were similar enough to your own. Some had large patches on the arms, others you couldn’t tell what had been done.

You see yourself out.

The longer you walked around town, watching people happily chatting with one another the more you felt like you didn’t belong here. Everyone already had their friends and their lives and set routines, where exactly where you supposed to fit yourself in? Especially when nobody had said two words to you all day. You had been shunned before you even started. Maybe you were dressed weird. Or you were doing something wrong. Or maybe whoever this was had done something to warrant such little fanfare.

You weren’t sure you wanted to entertain that last train of thought… if Weistari was a bad person and this boy was a bad person then maybe things would have worked out okay. You sigh to yourself, glancing up at the sky as a cloud drifts over the street. Now what?