Friends of Friends (Part 2)

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He stuck his head into the shop to tell them he was leaving for a little while, then led Camellia and me through the town to a large house near where the buildings faded back into crop fields. I was surprised by the size of the place, which would have seemed more at home in Xyrus City than out here in the farmlands.
"Wow," Camellia breathed. "How many families live here?"
The young man frowned thoughtfully as he beckoned us through the front gate, which opened into a wide yard. "Just one. But there are quite a few of us."
We followed him along a gravel path up to the house. When he opened the door, the smell of cooked meat and the sound of conversation flowed out.
A deep voice came from the end of the entry hall. "Jarrod? If you're here for lunch, you better hurry before Cleo eats it all."
Our guide led us down the entry hallway, through a finely appointed sitting room, and into the dining room. Several people were sitting or standing around a long table. Most were young, between maybe eight and fourteen or so, but there were a couple around the blond young man's age.
The clamor of conversation ended when we entered the room.

 A heavyset man sat at the head of the table. He had short gray hair and a beard, and dark bags under his eyes. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but I couldn't place it.
"Jasmine Flamesworth?"
Our guide—Jarrod, I assumed—looked at me with recognition. "That's right, I remember now. One of the Twin Horns, right?"

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The bearded man stood and walked quickly around the table toward us. "Yes, but what are you doing here, Jasmine? Greengate isn't safe."
So much for secret identities, I thought uncomfortably. The fact that this man knew me by sight, and yet I couldn't recall him, bothered me.
"And you are...?" I prodded.
He looked surprised for an instant, then gave me a good humored chuckle. "I'm not surprised you don't remember. Helen and Adam were the talkative ones." I felt a shock go through me at his casual mention of Adam, and it must have shown on my face. "Sorry," the man added kindly. "I heard about his passing before...well, before the war went sideways."
"This is Halim Topurn," our guide said. "I'm Jarrod, these two little ones are Clara and Cleo." Jarrod went around the table, introducing the rest.
"Topurn..." I said slowly, racking my brain. "Oh, the Twin Horns used to run guard duty for some of your caravans, didn't we? That was a long time ago."
Halim laughed, a booming noise that made his large belly jiggle. "Not so long ago for one as old as me, but I'm glad you remember."
"So what's all this," I asked, gesturing to the table. It was clear most of these children weren't related to each other, or to Halim for that matter.
Halim grunted and looked away. "Well, ah—"
"We're orphans," the little boy, Cleo, said defiantly. "From the war."
Halim gazed at the boy for a moment, his expression difficult to read. To me, he said, "I am simply trying to use my resources to do some good before my time is up."
I was startled by a small hand sliding into my own and looked down to see Camellia's big green eyes staring up at me.

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"And is this your...?" Halim leaned down a little so he was about the same height as the elf girl.

 "This is my assistant, Skunk—"
"Jasmine!" she yelped, squeezing my hand.
I suppressed a grin. "Camellia, Halim Topurn, merchant king of western Sapin. Halim, Camellia Lehtinen, my ward. She's...an orphan of the war, too."
Somehow Halim managed to appear kind, embarrassed, and sad all at the same time. "Would you like something to eat, Camellia?"
She turned to me for reassurance. I nodded, and one of the boys pulled out a seat for her at the table.
"She'll be in good hands here if we want to go talk," he said softly.
My gaze lingered on Camellia shoving a whole buttered roll into her mouth as the other children began to pepper her with questions. Once I was certain she would be okay, I headed out into the sitting room. Halim and Jarrod followed.
"So," I started after we'd all taken a seat and Halim had given me a glass of some strong, sweet-smelling alcohol. "These aren't just orphaned children, are they?"
Halim looked embarrassed again, but Jarrod held my gaze. "We're mages. Some of us are orphans, that was true, but others are hiding from their families and the Alacryans both. Too many noble houses didn't even hesitate to throw their support behind the Vritra."
"Why risk staying out in the open then?" I asked. "Why not seek shelter in the rebellion's underground sanctuary?"

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Jarrod turned to Halim to answer. The old merchant took a slow sip of his drink before replying. "All I've heard are rumors, and the rumor about those rumors is that this underground sanctuary is just a trap, bait for any Dicathians who are foolish enough to look for a way to fight back."
I drained my glass and set it aside, then stood and began to pace. "So you don't know how to get in touch with anyone from the sanctuary? Don't know where it is?"
Halim's brows rose. "Are you suggesting it's real?"
I fidgeted with my armor as I thought. "Helen and the others are already down there. Commander Virion of the Council is alive and leading their efforts alongside the Lance, General Bairon."

 Both men gaped at me in surprise. Finally, Jarrod cleared his throat. "If Virion Eralith is alive, then is Tessia Eralith?"
I could only shrug. "I don't have a list. I was planning to take the girl there for safety, but..."
It would only get more dangerous as we moved farther into Sapin. We could get to Blackburn in a few more days, but a city of its size would definitely be entirely in the hands of the Alacryans by now. And what would we do once we were there?
Halim's home, I realized, would be a perfect place for Camellia to stay. He had already established an alibi for these children, even had some way to hide their mana signatures, and she would have children her own age to play with and learn alongside.
It would be a lot better than staying with me.
"You know," Halim said carefully, staring down into his drink, "Greengate could really use a talented mage around here, especially right now."
His statement caught me off guard, and I stopped pacing. "What?"

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He stood, filled my glass, and gestured for me to sit back down before taking his own seat again. I did as he requested, downing the drink in one gulp.
"The people here are frightened—terrified. A quarter of the town has already left, but for the rest, their entire lives are here in Greengate, and they all seem to think the Alacryans are going to show up tomorrow and rain fire from the sky."
He gave me a warm smile. "It would make a world of difference to have someone around who could fight back, who could lead the defense of this town."
I scoffed. "So you want me to be—what exactly? The sheriff of Greengate? I'm sorry Halim, that's not my—"
"Nothing official, or permanent. But I could find you a place where you and your ward could stay, make sure you have enough to eat, and in return, you let me spread some rumors about what a talented adventurer and mage you are."
I opened my mouth to decline, but...why?
I was a fugitive at the Wall, which was less than a day's march away, but it wasn't like they were going to send soldiers out in force to arrest me.
There was also the matter of Helen and the Twin Horns. If they sought me out, like Helen promised they would, then it would be easier for them to find me if I stayed close by.

 The sensation of being watched prickled at the back of my neck, and I turned to see Camellia standing in the door, staring at me hopefully. "Yes," she said firmly. "We'll definitely stay."
Clenching my teeth to suppress a smile, I turned to him and shrugged. "Well, there you go."

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