Chapter 13

Connections

Tshaya woke up with one thing on her mind, that tonight she would put on a better show than Ghizlaine and that she would do it with her clothes on. She remembered the previous night's show, how she and Damon had been out of step at times, and thought that maybe he was right. Maybe they needed practice. And so even though working was something that Tshaya never wanted to have to do in her life, she felt that it would be worth it to make Ghizlaine look like the tramp that she was.

Filled with a sense of purpose, Tshaya slipped into her clothes and went out to have breakfast. On her way to the dinning room she pounded heavily on Damon's door, waking him from a sound slumber. She waited for only a moment before going off on her own. If she had to do everything herself then that was fine with her. Damon awakened groggily, but quickly got himself cleaned up, making his way down to breakfast looking only slightly disheveled. He found Tshaya alone at one of the tables, waiting impatiently, and he braced himself for another day of jousting with the sharp-tongued Vistani. Fortunately for Damon, Jayeis arrived for breakfast at the same time as he did.

"Good morning.", Damon said lazily as he took a seat.

"Yeah, morning.", Jayeis replied, giving Damon a dreamy-eyed look as she sat down next to him.

Then Jayeis looked at Tshaya. "You were great last night.", she said with a smile. "Ghizlaine said that you could be big some day."

Damon's smile faltered somewhat at the mention of Ghizlaine's name.

Tshaya answered in Mordentish, "I already am big. It's just that no one else has noticed yet."

Damon blinked at Tshaya, surprised that she'd finally dropped the ruse of only speaking Vistani.

Jayeis laughed. "Yeah.", she agreed. "I loved the thing with the magic lights."

"It is something I learned performing in the villages.", Tshaya explained. "The locals were impressed with the simplest of magics."

"So you're a sorceress and a dancer?", Jayeis asked.

"Yes.", Tshaya answered, looking down her nose at the elf. "Most Vistani are adept at some form of magic."

"What other kinds of things can you do?", Jayeis asked eagerly.

Damon chuckled to himself. "Speak Mordentish, apparently.", he said with a sly grin.

"We Vistani learn languages quickly.", Tshaya explained. Then she smiled and waggled her finger at the elf. "I can't give away all my secrets. Though I will say that I have also learned to divine the future through the Tarokka deck."

"Could you predict my future?", Jayeis asked.

"What would you want to know?", Tshaya replied.

Jayeis glanced at Damon and then said in Vistani, "Is Damon someone who I can trust?"

Tshaya smiled at Jayeis and responded in kind. "I don't need the cards for that.", she replied. "You should only trust your family and your closest friends."

Jayeis thought for a moment. "So should I let him be one of my close friends?", she asked, again in Vistani and glancing at Damon.

Damon sat back in his chair. He could tell that they were talking about him and he was just a little worried at what slanderous things Tshaya might be saying.

"Trust should be earned and not given lightly. But, you already know this.", Tshaya explained. "Tell me what you really want to know."

Jayeis opened her mouth, then changed her mind about what to say. "But, I shouldn't trust you with that, should I?", she said in Mordentish with a mischievous grin.

"Now you are learning the Vistani way.", Tshaya said as she smiled back at the elf.

"I can show you around town.", Jayeis offered as they finished eating.

Damon smiled at the elf. "I was just going to suggest the same.", he replied.

"Alright.", Tshaya agreed with a shrug. "Damon and I were going to perform in the market today."

Jayeis frowned. "Well, if you want to.", she said. "But it's much better here."

"It's more a chance to practice.", Damon pointed out. "Besides, there are some errands I need to take care of today."

"So do I. But, they can wait until later.", Tshaya added. Then she remembered something that she had never forgotten before. "When do we get paid?", she asked.

"You can see Csain before you leave.", Jayeis answered.

"Is the pi…", Tshaya said, stopping herself. "Is he awake yet?"

"Gaje pig!", Jayeis said in Vistani and laughed. "Yes, he is.", she added.

Jayeis took the two performers to the manager's office. Csain paid them both a compliment, gave Damon and Tshaya one rose each, and told them that they could perform every night.

"You know, the crowd seemed to really like our performance last night.", Tshaya told him.

"You were great.", Csain said happily. "Now I have two stars."

"In fact they liked our performance just as much as Ghizlaine's.", Tshaya said. Then she whispered a few magic words and suggested, "You should pay us as much as you pay her."

"Not quite as much, but I agree.", Csain replied as he placed two more roses before them.

The spell had worked, and Csain was none the wiser, but Damon felt that something strange had happened. He looked at Tshaya curiously. Tshaya looked down at the roses and thought for a moment. She wondered if she could get more and if it was worth the risk. Then she picked them up and walked out of the office.

Damon and Jayeis caught up to Tshaya quickly. "Nice trick.", Damon said.

"That is how I shall pay him back for his insults to me.", Tshaya hissed in a whisper.

"Hmm. What were the words you used...", Damon began. "Yes, she used magic to make people like her performance. We don't have to enchant people." Damon said with a humor that bordered on the sardonic.

"That pig is a waste of my talent. He deserves to be enchanted and cheated.", Tshaya concluded haughtily. "Your whore uses magic to enchant the audience to make them like her performance. That is fine. But do not compare that to my performance."

Jayeis finally caught on to what they were talking about. "Did you just...?", she asked.

"What do you mean 'my whore'?", Damon shot back. The mirth was gone from his voice.

Tshaya ignored Jayeis and hissed at Damon in an accusatory tone, "Did you not sleep with her last night?"

"No, I didn't.", Damon said, looking flatly at Tshaya. Quietly he hoped that she wouldn't ask about Jayeis.

Tshaya looked back at him for a moment. It was clear that he wasn't lying. "No matter.", she replied flippantly. "She still acts like a whore."

"So, shall we entertain in the market square?", Tshaya said, once again changing her demeanor suddenly, as if by magic.

"It's too early.", Jayeis explained. "I'll show you around first."

Tshaya shrugged. "Fine.", she replied.

"Lead the way.", Damon seconded, letting the hostility drop. He wondered just how long he could put up with Tshaya, and decided that one more night was probably the answer.

Jayeis led them around through the richer part of town. She told them about some of the mansions and about the people who lived there. The Erekholms were the richest family in Mal Erek, and many of the houses and shops belonged to one of the clan. While the trio walked among the thick trees and rich houses and shops, they noticed a family of elves walking along the road. The elves ignored the three, being commoners, but Tshaya noticed the distinctive nose of the woman's oldest daughter, who looked no more than six. Tshaya wondered if she'd found another one of Adraiss' daughters.

"Who are these Erekholms that seem to own everything in town?", Tshaya asked.

"They're one of the richest noble families in all of Sithicus.", Jayeis explained.

"I have heard stories of a man named Erekholm.", Tshaya said, cleverly leading into her next question. "His name is Adraiss. I have heard stories that he is an elf that travels like a Vistani."

"Adraiss.", Jayeis said, letting out a sigh. "Yeah. But he's nothing like the Vistani."

"Of course not.", Tshaya replied, a little angry that Jayeis had beat her to saying it. She thought for a moment. "What is he like? Do you know him?"

"I met him once when I was here.", Jayeis said, looking dreamy-eyed again. "I wanted to know him better but he was so in love with someone else."

"Who?", Tshaya asked.

"I forget her name. But Adraiss was, well, it was a total surprise when he left her.", Jayeis answered.

Tshaya had heard that story before. She wondered about her father, and what kind of a man he was.

"I met a woman named Aliana who loved him and was left by him.", Tshaya said. "It seems that he does not love anyone for long."

"So he's done that before?", Jayeis asked. "I'll have to remember that about him."

Damon hadn't been paying much attention to what the women were talking about until the subject of love came up. He knew about falling in and out of love quickly. He knew about leaving women too. Sometimes it was his choice, sometimes it wasn't.

"I met her in a village in the eastern part of Sithicus.", Tshaya explained. "I wonder where he is now."

Jayeis shrugged. "Ask Silas.", she answered. "They're cousins."

Tshaya thought for a moment. "Perhaps I will.", she replied.

"I can translate for you.", Jayeis said with a wink. "Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Bah. I will speak to the…to him in his own language.", Tshaya answered. She knew that she didn't need his help anymore now that she had Csain wrapped around her finger.

Jayeis led them through the neighborhoods of the other noble families. The homes there weren't as nice as the Erekholms' but they were equally annoyed to see commoners walking through their streets. Tshaya just smiled at those she passed. She was used to the derision of others. But she didn't care as long as they kept showing up at the Old Oak to pay to watch her dance. Shortly before noon the three arrived at the market. The crowd had started to gather. There were a few soldiers walking around, looking as though they had just woken up. They looked like the ones from the previous night's show at the Old Oak.

"Why are all of these foreign soldiers here?", Tshaya asked Jayeis.

"Yeah. They come here now.", Jayeis replied. "Each time it seems like there's more of them."

"Is it a very slow invasion?", Tshaya joked.

"I think that they're just on leave.", Jayeis said. "Nobody wants to fight Azrael."

"I think that is supposed to bring me comfort.", Tshaya answered. "But, it does not."

"Borcan regulars mixing with Invidian mercs.", Damon pointed out. "That doesn't sit right with me for some reason."

Jayeis just shrugged. She didn't care for politics or war.

"Find us a place to perform.", Tshaya demanded of Damon.

Damon was shaken from his consideration of the soldiers and replied, "Yes, your majesty." He nodded to a relatively clear area. "Looks as good a spot as any. Shall we?"

"Sure.", Tshaya replied. Then she walked toward the spot and loudly beat out a cadence on her drum to gain the audience's attention.

The lunchtime crowd looked over to see what was going on. Tshaya started her magical music as she entered the opening. Damon ran through his usual street routine, adjusting around Tshaya's own routine when he had to. Damon's mind wasn't on his performance, but Tshaya made up for it. The crowd was happily entertained and Damon and Tshaya worked out some of the awkward parts of their act. After Tshaya passed the hat there were five silver and thirteen copper pieces in it.

"Take what you want.", Tshaya said, flipping back her hair. "I will be making my money from the pig Csain."

Damon plucked out three silver and six copper. He said to Tshaya, "I suggest you do so quickly. We won't be staying here much longer." Then he glanced at Jayeis.

"Really?", Tshaya said with a sneer. "Where are 'we' going?"

"Elsewhere.", Damon replied as he walked off to find the soldiers. Jayeis joined him.

Tshaya watched them walk away with her hands on her hips.


Damon whispered to Jayeis in Sithican. "Are you still interested in what we talked about?"

"Is she coming too?", Jayeis asked.

Damon glanced back to find Tshaya gone. "That will be her decision.", he replied. Then his voice softened. "But I hope so. She's tough and I don't think she sees it but this place is going to end up hurting her."

Then the bard laughed at himself and repeated what was becoming a mantra, "Or maybe I'm just getting old."

"Yeah.", Jayeis said. "If she steals more from Csain they're going to put her in jail."

"I know.", Damon replied. Having been a prisoner, of the civil authorities and of war, he knew all too well and it showed.

Damon approached the soldiers, who sat sprawled out in a few nearby chairs. They look tired from a wild night and they hadn't put anything into the hat that Tshaya had passed. Damon shook off his mood and put up a charming facade as he approached the men.

"Good day gentlemen.", the bard asked. "You look like you've had a rough night."

"Fuck yeah.", said one of the soldiers. A few of the others laughed as he said it.

"You were at the Oak last night, yeah?", Damon asked.

"Were we?", the first soldier asked one of his friends.

"The snake woman.", another replied. Then he grabbed his crotch. "I got a snake for her."

"She's quite something, eh?", Damon replied, trying to soften them up. "What about that Vistani girl before her? Something else too, no?"

The first soldier looked at him confused. "She put the snake on her.", the second soldier said. "And they danced together. Man, I was ready to go right then and there."

Damon laughed and said, "You weren't the only one, friend, I'm sure. Say, if it's not classified or anything, what're you boys doing down so far south anyway?"

"Getting drunk and laid.", the first soldier said.

"Mostly drunk.", said another.

"Noble goals indeed!", Damon replied, keeping the smile on his face and remembering when achieving those goals had been good enough for him too. "I just ask because, well, there've been some rumors going around. I've been hearing something about werewolves."

"Not when we're through.", the second soldier spoke up. He pulled out a silvered dagger and showed it to Damon. "Gonna wipe them out."

"Sweeping.", said the third soldier.

"Sweeping?", Damon asked.

"From the south to the north.", the third soldier explained.

Damon couldn't help but notice the Falcon emblem on the third soldier's forehead, but he kept his cool. "Sithicus?", Damon wondered out loud. "Or you mean the whole Core?"

"That's supposed to be a secret.", the fourth soldier said half-heartedly.

"What, he's going to tell the wolves?", the first soldier fired back. The others laughed. The first soldier turned back to Damon. "Nah, just Verbrek. We're going to clean out every village."

"Sounds like a big job. Who's heading this all up?", Damon continued to pry, happy with the results he'd gotten so far. "No offense but I don't often seen Borcans and Invidians working together."

"Let's just say that they have some common interests.", the fourth soldier said.

Damon held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Sure thing, just call me curious. But what sparked this off?", the bard asked. "Somebody important get eaten or something?"

"Nah.", the first soldier said. "Malocchio hates Vistis. The White Knights hate werewolves. So when they're done in Barovia, they're coming here."

"Woah, back up a sec.", Damon said with a start. "White Knights? Who's that?"

"Ezra's holy warriors.", the soldier replied. "Where have you been for the last year?"

Damon chuckled. "Trying to keep my head down and out of the Falcon's talons up in Falkovnia.", he replied. "Flow of information is a bit restricted, as you might imagine."

"He's part of the resistance!", shouted the former Falcon with a smile. "Impale him!"

"Yeah, that sounds about right.", Damon answered.

"Fuck that hellhole.", the Falcon added.

"Truer words were never spoken.", Damon replied. "No, with that, I need to be on my way. I hope you gents enjoy your stay. Be sure to stop by the Old Oak again when you get the chance. Luck to you!"

Damon waved and turned to go, but the soldiers were too tired to care.


In his store, "Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice", Tshaya found Silas showing his finest cloth to a rich customer. When he saw Tshaya he hastily closed the deal and walked over to see the Vistani dancer. Instinctively he said "hello" and then realized that Tshaya didn't understand his language. But she did, and Tshaya decided that this was the moment to let him know.

"So this is what you sell in your shop.", Tshaya said judgmentally. "I could not have guessed from the name over the door."

Silas looked surprised and a little embarrassed that Tshaya spoke his language. But it wasn't the first time that he'd been had and so he rolled with it. "Look around you. Sugar. Spice.", he said pointing out the bins and containers along the walls. "And everything nice.", he added opening his arms wide.

Tshaya nodded as she looked around. "Is this all you sell?", she asked. But she knew if Silas was running a brothel that he wasn't going to come out and admit it.

"Do you not see what you like?", Silas asked. "Imagine yourself wrapped up in this.", he said, showing Tshaya a soft and colorful fabric.

Tshaya felt the fabric and noticed how soft and luxurious it was. "Yes. Nice.", she muttered.

"I'll summon the tailor.", Silas said. "If you like you will have a new dress to dance in tonight."

Tshaya would have liked a new dress made from such fine fabric, but didn't want Silas to feel as if she owed her anything. So she just waved her hand.

"That is not necessary.", Tshaya said dismissively. "I came to talk to you about someone, my father."

Silas frowned for a moment then smiled again. "Very well. We shall talk about your father.", he replied.

"His name is Adraiss Erekholm.", Tshaya said, cutting to the chase. "I'm told that he is your cousin."

Silas was stunned. Tshaya felt that she could almost push him over with a feather. Then Tshaya smiled and turned her head from side to side.

"Did you not notice the nose?", Tshaya asked. "I have seen it everywhere in Mal Erek."

Silas leaned towards the young woman and took a good look at her nose. "Well, I'll be.", he said. "You're, another one."

"Another what?", Tshaya asked defensively. Trying to figure out if it was an insult, but it didn't sound like one.

"Daughter.", Silas replied. "He's...well..."

"I know. He gets around.", Tshaya said, letting Silas know that tact wasn't necessary. "I've seen people in eastern Sithicus that must be his children. But, I would like to find him."

"We'd all like to know where he is.", Silas said sadly. "The last we'd heard of him he had gone up north, maybe as far as Richemulot."

Tshaya looked a little disappointed at the news. "Oh. That far.", she said in a way that made it seem like it was a thousand miles away.

"We fear that he may never come back.", Silas continued. "Especially after the shame that he brought upon our family."

"What shame has he brought?", Tshaya asked. "I would like to know more about my elven family."

"Adraiss was to be married to a beautiful young woman in the Hrothveldt family.", Silas explained. "It was a grand occasion. Our families have never shared much goodwill, but the two were so in love that no one could stop them. It looked as though the ice between our families was finally going to thaw."

"Jayeis said something about this.", Tshaya interjected. "But, he left her suddenly, yes?"

Silas nodded. "The day before the wedding was to take place, Adraiss had second thoughts.", he said. "He left and told no one. We all showed up for the wedding but we were missing a groom. The Hrothveldts have never forgiven us. It is a blemish on our family name."

"Was that the last time he was in Mal Erek?", Tshaya asked.

"Yes. Five years ago.", Silas replied.

Tshaya looked a bit confused. "But he must have traveled before then.", she wondered out loud. "He met my mother many years ago. Seventeen to be exact."

"Yes, he did.", Silas replied. "We had hoped that he had finally decided to settle down."

"Oh I see.", Tshaya said. She thought for a moment, her eyes looking far away as she put the pieces together. Then it occurred to her that since she was a part of such a wealthy family that she was entitled to her share of that wealth. "May I meet the rest of my family?"

"I don't know if that's wise.", Silas countered. "They would not want to meet you."

Tshaya was taken aback. "Why not?", she asked.

Silas sighed. "I don't want you to be hurt, but those of noble blood must live up to certain, standards.", he explained. "If Adraiss would have married your mother, you would both be welcome here."

Tshaya just glared at him. Angry thoughts filled her mind and she could barely control her hatred. She was disgusted by her philandering father and by the greedy Erekholms who wouldn't share their fortune with her. But most of all she felt betrayed. She had sought out her family and they had turned her away. She was being punished for her father's sins.

Tshaya couldn't stand to be in Silas' presence for one second longer. She stormed out of his store, slamming the door behind her.

"Tshaya!", Silas shouted after her, but he couldn't think of anything more to say, and so he let her go.