Chapter Seventeen - Renn - A Coin For a Dream

     "They're minted in the north?" I asked, holding the silver coin.

It was actually kind of pretty. It had neat looking trees designed onto it, and the other side had the name of the coin. The coin had a large P-Letter on its face, with the word penk below... and rounding the edges were the words 'Lenk, For God.'

The words were done in a rather fancy way, with little curves and loops on certain letters.

"The current market rate here is about eighteen renk to that single penk. Above the penk is a gold coin, but they only mint a few hundred of those so odds are you'll never see them. Here," Vim pulled another coin out, and rolled it across the table at me.

I hurriedly grabbed it, since I feared it rolling off the table and falling between the floorboards. Upon grabbing it, I was a little shocked at how much heavier this one was.

Like the others, it had trees on one side and the name on another. "Lenk," I read, this one didn't have a singular letter on the front face, but instead some kind of crest. An odd symbol that kind of looked like a flower, with a cross looming over it.

"That's the symbol of the Lenk family. A powerful merchant guild. They're the ones who ensure the value of the coin. Show that gold coin anywhere in their nation, and you can basically get whatever you want for free," Vim said.

"Wait? For free? Why?" I asked, rubbing my thumb along the coin's face. For some reason it felt... too smooth. Shouldn't I feel the ridges and bumps of the stuff stamped into it?

"Because the coin itself is worth so much. Show that coin, and sign your name, and the business you're dealing with can simply collect payment at any of the Lenk banks. At least, that was the idea for the coin when it had been made," Vim said.

"Had been," I stated, and recognized that look on his face. He was a little annoyed.

He nodded. "Problem is of course, people who weren't supposed to have them ended up getting them. Like yours truly," he said.

"Ah. So... what's it worth then?" I asked.

"Roughly a thousand of the silvers. That gold coin is worth enough to buy this building, and most the paintings inside it. Maybe not all, but one could argue that not all of the paintings could be sold in the first place... so maybe it could?" he said, raising an eyebrow as he thought about it.

Studying the heavy coin, I felt as if it was suddenly a little heavier.

This whole building? All the paintings?

All this happiness, and the feeling of home it brought, shrunk and contained in such a tiny little thing? It barely took up a quarter of my palm.

"Really...?" I asked softly.

"Really. There might not even be a single other one of those coins in this whole town," he said.

"How many do you have?" I asked him.

"Why?"

Rubbing the coin lightly, I smiled at him.

He smiled back but shook his head. "I might need it, so no. You can't have it."

I nodded, understandingly. I reached back across the table to give it back to him.

Although I readily gave it back, once I dropped it onto his palm... I felt as if suddenly I was poorer. As if it had really been mine.

"Take up the brush, and maybe you can earn one yourself," he said.

"Think they'd let me?" I asked.

"Doesn't hurt to try."

"Hm... maybe. I've never been very good at such things. I can barely sew, too," I said.

Vim shrugged as he stood up from his chair. "Understand enough for now?" he asked.

I nodded, thankful. "Yes. Thank you. I do appreciate it."

"Sure. Sure," he said gently, and headed out of the room.

Watching him go, I wondered if he put any value into those coins at all. He acted as if they were worthless.

In fact, he had even left some.

A handful of the bronze, and twice more of the silvers, still laid on the table. They had been his, but it seemed he had given them to me.

After all he had made sure to get the gold one back. Yet these...

Maybe he wanted me to have some, just in case?

Reaching out, I collected them all into my hand. As I did, I realized he had left me a rather small fortune.

Enough to have lived a whole year and a half at the Harbor Inn, if my calculations were correct.

A rather tidy sum, honestly.

Once I collected all the coins I hurried up the stairs to my room. To put them on my desk.

As I hurried to my room, I happily deposited the coins into one of the drawers of the desk. They made odd sounds as they clattered to a rest in the wooden drawer, and for some reason the sounds made me happy.

I had money. Again.

Vim had been true to his word. He had helped me understand them. I had long since known and understood the concept of money, but I had no idea what was worth what. He had been kind enough to not only explain the value of the coins, and their history, but also what one could do with them.

What one would do for them too...

It was a little odd to think such little metal pieces held such power, but I understood it.

After all, I had ran out of them.

If Lughes and Crane hadn't been kind enough to let me live here, I'd right now most likely be wandering aimlessly through the wilderness. Unsure of what to do with myself.

I would have not been able to experience this. I would not have...

Glancing around at my, still empty, room... I smiled happily at myself.

Someday I'd repay them. Somehow. Odds were Lughes and Crane found no value in those metal coins, just like I really didn't... but maybe that would work all the same.

Could I earn some for them, somehow?

"Someday," I said to myself, and left my room.

It was after dinner. The world outside was dark, and last I knew Lomi was with Crane...

Where were they?

I knew they weren't downstairs, since Vim and I had been there. Using the kitchen table... so...

Going upstairs, I listening closely. Yes. Noise, on the top floor.

Climbing another level, I found Crane. She noticed me, and nodded. She pointed to her left, lazily, to a room.

Amber's room.

She wasn't here. She was at that noble's house painting and...

Walking up to the door, I smiled softly at the scene.

Amber's room was larger than mine. Not by much, but noticeably so... yet all the same, it looked tinier. It was packed and cramped.

A single bed sat up against the wall, and that was the only section of wall that was visible. There were bookcases, trunks and chests, and even three easels... each with a half finished painting upon them.

Drawings, paintings, and paper were everywhere. It was honestly such a mess that it was almost praiseworthy that Amber could even accomplish getting her room so messy. How many years of junk were littered inside, I wonder?

Yet amongst all the color, and paper, was a small sleeping figure.

The little girl was curled up on Amber's bed, holding a small...

"Is that supposed to be a fox?" I whispered to Crane.

"I think so. Amber's one of the greatest painters I've seen, amongst the humans, but she can't craft to save her life," Crane said. Not as quietly as me. Lomi didn't wake, seemingly ignoring Crane's normal talking voice.

"To her it must be perfect," I said gently.

It looked more like a dog than anything... It had been made with yarn similar in color to Lomi's hair and looked, even from a distance, a little prickly.

She was holding it closely. Squeezing it. As if it was more precious than anything else.

"Hm. Come, let's let her sleep. Maybe now I can finally fix her socks without her bothering me," Crane said as she turned away.

Frowning, I slowly shut the door. Not all the way, but enough so that she'd not be awoken by any of us walking by or talking down the hallway.

"Socks?" I asked.

"She tore them the other day. Not sure how she did, but she did," Crane said with a sigh.

"Oh. Really?" I asked. I hadn't known. Must have happened when I was out elsewhere. Maybe when I was waiting for Vim yesterday.

"Really," Crane said with a sigh, as if it was annoying.

Maybe to her it was.

Did she not like kids?

Lomi was a little... rambunctious, but she wasn't bad. She was good-natured. Seemingly happy to just be alive.

Following Crane downstairs, I wondered if asking if she liked kids or not was rude.

After all, I would hate to ask it only to find out she had lost children before.

It seemed most of our kind had such history.

"I smell metal upon you," Crane said as we headed downstairs.

"Ah... I was messing with coins. Vim was teaching me about them," I said to her.

Crane nodded, but said nothing more.

She understood, maybe?

"Where's Lughes?" I asked.

"Asleep."

Hm... was it that late already? Both Lughes and Lomi? It didn't feel that late. Maybe it was their ages. Him old, she young.

"I'd offer to help you sew, Crane, but I'm horrible at it," I said as we reached the ground floor.

"That is good to know for future reference," she said.

Smiling at her odd tone, I watched as she gestured to the room where the main fireplace was. With the chairs, for sitting and talking.

I nodded, understanding what she meant. She planned to sit there and sew.

Walking into the room, I wondered if Vim had retreated to the guest room. His door was never fully closed, even when he was sleeping, but it did seem as if he would retreat to be alone often. Maybe he did it on purpose, as if he was aware that Lomi and Amber didn't like him much.

Rather instead of saying he was aware, he was not just aware but willing to do what he could to make them feel as comfortable as he could.

Or maybe he simply didn't like being bothered. Maybe he was as uncomfortable with them, as they were him.

Sitting in the same seat I've been using since arriving, I wondered if I should ask Crane if I had stolen one of theirs. Everyone always seemed to sit in the same chairs. Even Vim.

The fire was burning, but not too strongly. The world was still cold, but none of us were as affected by the cold as a human would be... and Amber wasn't here to complain and overfeed the fire.

"See? Hole as big as her foot," Crane said, stepping into the room.

Glancing at her, I realized she was somewhat kidding. The hole didn't look that big.

"Is... is this someone else's chair, Crane?" I asked as Crane sat in one of the chairs that was a little farther from the fire than most.

"Hm?"

"This one. I just want to make sure I didn't rudely take over someone else's chair," I said.

"Oh. No... Actually, maybe. Vim usually sat in that one. But he's not a resident, so you don't need to worry. You can have it," she said.

Vim had?

Glancing at the chair I sat in, I wondered why.

It wasn't the biggest. Nor the comfiest. In fact, the reason I had originally chosen to sit in it... was precisely because it wasn't the nicest.

I had been afraid to sit in any of the nicer ones, since I didn't want to intrude.

Though...

Thinking about it. That was most likely the same idea Vim had, when he chosen this chair.

Crane got comfortable, and went straight to work sewing up the hole in the sock. Her movements were swift, and a little...

Watching how quickly she moved the needle, I realized that even if I had been good at sewing I'd not have been able to help.

How was she so fast?

"So? Leaving with them, or staying?" Crane asked suddenly.

For a small moment my mind went blank, but I quickly composed myself.

"I uh... I... I'd like to stay, if that was.... If it's okay. For now," I said. Even I could hear how unsure I sounded.

Crane nodded. "I do not mind sharing my nest. Shelldon is fine with it as well, for long as you don't hunt inside the town's limits," she said.

"Huh? Oh... wait... hunt in the city's limits?" I asked, unsure of what that meant.

And she had spoken to Shelldon? And they had accepted to let me stay? I hadn't even asked yet...

Though maybe Vim had mentioned something.

Crane sighed with a nod, looking at me. Even as she looked away from her needlework, she still continued. In fact she seemed to even pick up her pace. She had already moved on to another hole. "He's being rude. He means don't kill or eat any humans, animals, or us, while inside the city. Do it outside it," she said.

"Oh... I'll not do such a thing, though," I said, this time sounding much more sure of myself.

She nodded. "I figured. You're a predator but not hungry. Probably your upbringing," she said with a huff, as if somehow it was a bad thing.

Had she wanted me to be... hungry...?

"Still... thank you, Crane. You too Shelldon... if you can hear me?" I asked, looking down at the floor.

Supposedly he was there. Beneath us. But...

"Hm," Crane nodded, looking back to her needle.

For a moment she paused, to study her work.

She must have been proud with it, for she put the sock down and then went to the other. Were there more than just socks in that pile? Looked like there were.

"So now all I need is Lughe's and Amber's permission... wait..." I realized something important. "Will I be able to get Amber's in time? Before Vim and Lomi leave? They're leaving in a couple days right?" I asked, worried.

"Amber already said yes. I heard her tell Vim," Crane said.

A small breath of relief escaped, as I relaxed.

She had? Really?

"Lughes... hasn't yet. But..." Crane shrugged, as if to tell me not to worry about it.

Somehow that made me worry even more.

"Vim?"

I turned, and found the little fox. She was rubbing her eyes, and as she did I noticed the gleam of tear streaks thanks to the fire. Her cheeks were reflecting strongly.

"Lomi?" I stood, and wondered what was wrong. She had been asleep hadn't she?

"Renn?" she mumbled my name, and I realized she was half asleep.

Had she woken from a nightmare? She was looking around, with a strange face. As if lost. Standing at the doorway, with groggily blinking eyes.

"Come on, want to sleep with me?" I asked her as I approached, worried.

She mumbled something I couldn't understand, but I understood the meaning of her head-shake. She didn't want me.

She wanted Vim.

She wanted to be protected.

"Come on," I gently said, and glanced back and nodded to Crane. She nodded back without a word, and went back to working with her needles.

"Vim...?" Lomi mumbled groggily as I gently guided her down the hall, towards the door near the stairwell.

"This way," I said softly, as I guided her to the guest room. Opening the door for her, I jumped a little as the door opened faster than I allowed it. It hadn't been closed, but I hadn't pushed that hard... it had nearly swung open.

Luckily it didn't startle the little girl.

"Hm," Vim stood there, holding the door open. He sighed as he bent down a little, and with familiar ease he picked Lomi up.

I noticed the way her ears twitched wildly for a moment as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Without a word, or even opening her eyes, she had recognized him. She quite visibly relaxed and released a deep sigh.

Without a word Vim turned around, and walked over to the bed.

A bed I noted was still made. Untouched. Not a crinkle. He hadn't been on the bed, and probably hadn't used it at all by the looks of it. Was he that good at making the bed, or had he not slept the entire time he's been here?

Had he been sitting in the dark? The chair however was tucked away under the desk. Unused as well.

Watching him, I noticed the way he gently sat on the bed. Resting back against the wall the bed was up against, he easily got comfortable. Lomi slid from his neck, as he allowed her to use the pillow to rest on his lap. Curling up, she took another deep breath, and then slowly released it.

Content.

Smiling at her, and Vim, I decided to step into the room.

Staying quiet, I ignored Vim's look or rather his glare as I knelt down next to the bed, carefully resting my arms and head on the bed's edge as I stared at Lomi.

She looked happy. Even though her cheeks were still a little glistening, even in the dark... I could see the relief on her face. The assuredness. The comfortable relief.

Poor girl. A part of her heart despised him... yet when a nightmare terrified her; it was he she reached out for.

That must be quite conflicting inside.

Looking up from the young girl, I found Vim staring at me. He didn't seem to be glaring anymore, but I could tell he was still bothered. Maybe though he might just be unsure of me.

What are you doing? His eyes seemed to say.

Well...

Looking back down at her, the little girl who was already deep into slumber...

Smiling, I got a little more comfortable. Crossing my arms, so I could rest my chin and head on them. So I could sit here for awhile. Resting against the edge of the bed, I felt as if this was the only place in the whole world to exist. As if nothing else, no one else, was beyond these few wooden walls.

I wasn't really sure what this was. I didn't have words to describe it.

After all, the source of this scene was sadness.

She was lonely. Scared. Worried. Terrified.

Relying on a man a part of her hated.

Yet...

It was wonderful.

It was memorable.

I wasn't sure if it was what I was looking for. I couldn't tell yet if this was what I had wanted, or still wanted.

Was this my dream? Was this what I had longed for? At the very least... it was a start...

I found it lovely...

And it made me happy beyond reason. For an unexplainable reason.

Thank goodness there was someone to protect it. Thank goodness it existed at all.

It was precious. Valuable beyond reason...

Vim's eyes finally left me, but they didn't close. He looked away, to the bed... as if tired.

Unable to contain my smile, I sat there and soaked in this wonderful moment.

Maybe staying here was the right choice. If it meant I'd get to experience this occasionally.

This was precious after all.

It was more valuable than all the coins in the world.