Amborlaine

1. Pada-2

"Try those on and then come let me look."

Laine did as told. Respecting elders is the first lesson you learn as a Tinker. Besides, she was excited to be trying on women's clothes.

She found the pile of clothes daunting. She had never had so many options before. Some items were too big for her frame. Laine was on the petite side as humans go.

She found a set of light brown leather trousers that laced up the side. Laine thought that was odd. There was a bustier made of bone and silk that was almost the same color as the pants and a beautiful eggshell colored silk and lace blouse. She walked out of the changing room.

"Hazah!" Jelmiphe clapped her hands and jumped up and down. Until she saw Laine was bare foot, "Humph… that won't do, no that won't do at all."

"I only have my work boots and they—"

Jelmiphe waived a hand to dismiss Laine's thoughts, "Girl, this is Wonder Fest! Follow me. I know who to see."

"No wait! Jelmiphe, thank you. These clothes are wonderful, but I don't have the crowns and I don't want to ask my Pada."

"Crowns, shmounds, I saved these clothes for you. They’re a Wonder Fest gift."

"No I can't—"

"Now what did your Pada teach you about minding your elders?"

Jelmiphe had her stern, 'you're in trouble' look on her face, but Laine knew that she wasn't. It was the Gnome’s way of saying, "Take the clothes, and make an old woman happy."

Jelmiphe had a firm grip on Laine's wrist and was pulling her along as fast as the old woman's Gnome legs would go. She headed straight for a cart filled with leather clothing of all kinds.

"This is Qinan, dear. He comes to Wonder Fest every year. He deals in leather."

"Yes, I see that."

The Gold Elf made a deep bow, "Morning, ladies. How may I be of assistance?"

Jelmiphe still had an iron grip on Laine's wrist, "The girl needs a pair of boots. Something befitting a queen."

Qinan looked down at the girl's dirty bare feet, "Yes, well, of course. I have just what you need."

The Gold Elf pulled out a pair of dark boots. The color of black on a moonless night, deep and rich, you could almost drink the color. The boots were deer skin, soft and velvet to the touch. Laine slid them on up to her knees.

"Are they supposed to be that tall?"

The Elf chuckled, "Yes Milady." He reached down and pulled the strings in the back, "This will cinch them so they do not sag."

Laine loved them. Glee escaped her. She sounded like a small child eyeing a candy-cake.

"How much are they?"

"For you, young lady, eight crowns."

Laine went from glee to depression in an instant, "I have three."

"Oh I'm sorry young lady, I—"

Jelmiphe snatched the coins from Laine's hand and slapped them into Qinan's palm, "No quibble here, take what she has and I'll buy you supper tonight."

The Elf didn't get any chance for rebuttal; Jelmiphe strode off headed north, Laine, new boots and all, being dragged behind the old Gnome.

"We must make one more stop." The old woman said.

The sign on the post read, "Tailor - Large and Small Folk."

"Lady Jelmiphe, this all fits very well, I don't think—"

"The clothes do, like they were made for you. But we are not here for a fitting, girl. Winter will come and though weather is mild here in the forest, you would catch your death in that silk blouse."

The little chime rang on the door, and a Halfling, short even for a Halfling, peered up over a counter.

Laine had never been in this shop. It was like seeing double. There was two of everything. One for small folk and one for her size people. The Halfling climbed out from behind a tall counter, one Laine could rest her elbows on. Right next to it was a counter she could easily step over. A mannequin a little larger than Laine stood beside a mannequin less than half her height.

"Quinvias Meadrun, at your service, ladies." He took a bow, "Oh, Lady Jelmiphe, it's you. How can I assist you today?"

"A jacket," Jelmiphe looked at my current wardrobe, "Green I should think."

"Oh yes, I have something perfect." Quinvias ran into the backroom.

Jelmiphe turned to Laine, "Quinvias is an old friend of mine. His daughter was my apprentice for many years. He'll find you a coat."

"Jelmiphe, I can't pay for it. All my crowns went for these boots." Amborlaine felt embarrassed; she didn't like taking charity. Her Pada had always taught her to "Barter or buy."

Jelmiphe raised her hand, a scoff left her lips. Laine was appreciative of all the hard work the Gnome was doing but in the back of her mind, that dark place where all the negativity gathers in a woman's mind, a place Amborlaine didn't like to go, she wondered "Why is she helping me?"

"Here, this is perfect." Quinvias held out the jacket.

"It is beautiful." A deep green color with silver buttons. It was heavy like a frock coat but only came down to Amborlaine's waist.

Quinvias thrust his arms wide, "See a perfect fit."

"I don't have any crowns to pay for the coat. Maybe I could barter my skills?"

"Nonsense," Quinvias said, "The coat is a gift."

"But I—"

Jelmiphe locked her wrist again and as she pulled her out of the shop, she yelled, "Thank you, Quinvias."

"You look amazing, Laine. Simply amazing." Amborlaine thought she glimpsed a tear in the old Gnome’s eye, "I should get back to my shop." And without any fuss, Jelmiphe walked away.

Amborlaine stood in front of the window, eyeing her reflection. She never had clothes so pretty. She felt like dancing, and in Tinker Town, especially during Wonder Fest, people would have joined her if she did. However she was a lady now, fine clothes and all, and ladies did not create such displays in public. Laine wondered what her Pada would say. Not just about the clothes but about everything costing next to nothing. "Charity!" he would say, "And Tinkers don't take charity." Laine worried her Pada would make her give back the beautiful clothes.

Amborlaine decided she would enjoy the clothes for the day and not see her Pada until dusk. That way if she did have to give it all back, she got at least one day as a proper woman.

If Amborlaine wasn't going back to see her Pada, she needed something to do for the day. Fortunately it was Wonder Fest. That meant she could spend the whole day just traveling up and down Tinker Town, seeing all the new vendors and watching all the strangers in town.

Amborlaine loved to people-watch, one of her favorite pastimes, second only to tinkering. She was helping Old Man Podri tally a bill. Podri was never good at math. Then Laine noticed a woman riding by.

Laine grasped the horse’s mane. "Whoa! Wait, Mistress. Your cinch has torn."

"My… what?"

"Madam, your cinch here on the reins is torn. You could lose control."

The woman, an aristocrat, unaccustomed to being hailed in such a way was surprised. "Oh dear, thank you, young lady." The woman dismounted, "Would you know where I can get it fixed?"

"I can rig it so you're safe to ride. To get it fixed, you'd have to go back to the smithy at Marker 12."

The woman looked back over her shoulder, "Oh dear, quite a ways."

Laine was busy with a makeshift repair. "You can get a new one at Marker 109. A tack shop not far from my Pada's place."

The woman looked surprised again, "Your Pada!?"

"Yes, Madam."

The woman looked as if she was searching for words. "You mean you're a Tink—"

Laine smiled, "Yes Madam, I'm a Tinker."

"But you're not a—"

"A Gnome? No, I am not," Laine said, "There. That will hold you until you can get it fixed or buy a new one."

The woman reached into her purse, "Let me give you something."

"No thank you, it wasn't a problem."

"Oh, I must give you something." The woman removed her hat. It was black with bronze silk band wrapped around the crown. Amborlaine had never seen such a hat.

"You like this?"

Laine was a little embarrassed she was caught staring at the hat, "I've never seen… a… yes."

"Take it, it's yours."

"No Madam, I cannot."

"Nonsense, I have plenty more. Take it as p*****t for saving me." The woman rode off without another word.

Amborlaine loved her new hat. She did think that was an odd encounter. This woman wades through Wonder Fest, gives her a hat for such a small favor and then rides off. Wonder Fest brings some interesting people to Tinker Town.

Laine spent the rest of the day talking with friends, helping where she could and avoiding going back to her Pada. As the sun began to set, she knew her Pada would begin to worry. After all she should have been back in five minutes with feathers. Instead she would arrive ten hours later. She knew Pada would be worried some, but Laine never understood why. These were the eastern realms. Nothing bad ever happened in the eastern realms.

Finally she mustered the courage to confront Pada in her new "woman" clothes. The familiar whistle blew when she walked in his shop. Pada had created a whistle that would blow when you open the door instead of the standard bell.

Her Pada came out from the back room, "It’s well beyond time you came back, I know Wonder Fest can be an enticement, but girl, you have to let me know—" Pada dropped the crossbow he was working on, his tools and his smoke pipe and stood, dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry, Pada," Amborlaine stood in the doorway afraid to step forward.

"Wha… Girl… I…" Pada was still frozen in his spot.

"Do you like the clothes? Jelmiphe has been saving them for me. Girl clothes!"

"Girl clothes… yes, I can see that."

"Is it ok, Pada?"

Her father took a step forward. Laine saw tears in his eyes. "I wish only that my dear Marka, rest her soul, could see you."

At her father's request, Amborlaine took the wagon back to the house. Her father said he had more work to do and would walk home later.

Laine changed out of her fancy 'girl' clothes and into men's garb to take care of the horses and do her chores. She carefully hung her new clothes on hooks in her room. She lay in bed for some time looking at them and dreaming of the day she could wear them to a big city full of people and excitement. She was fast asleep when her Pada came home.

• • • •

"I've been thinking, maybe it's not such a bad idea for you to go with the caravan." Though it pained him to say it, Tanlen knew as a father he had to let go at some point. Seeing Amborlaine dressed in real women's clothing last night convinced him that he should let her spread her wings and explore the world. He still had reservations, and that is why he had two gifts for his daughter.

Amborlaine rocketed across the kitchen, slid down to her knees and gave her Pada the biggest hug she could. "Pada really?"

"Yes, I think you should experience more of the realm."

Laine was in a dream, it had to be, she pinched herself to check. The red bruise on her hand told her she was awake.

"Now I have a few rules," said Tanlen.

Laine knew, of course, a few meant many. But she was so overjoyed that she didn't mind. Her Pada spent the better part of the next hour laying down rules and guidelines for her adventure. He ended his monologue with, "I have two gifts for you."

"Gifts?" Laine thought it might be her embracing day, the day Pada adopted her. But that's the end of winter. So why gifts?

"To take on your caravan trip. I had invented this, oh, before I got you. I'd been saving it for… I don't know what, but it may come in handy."

"What is it?"

"I call it a Sparklight. It doesn't have any phosphorus in it now. Set it on a hard surface, the push this down. In about three heartbeats it will burst out a strong white light. Each time you use it you'll need to add more phosphorus. It might prove useful if you have to blind or scare somebody."

Amborlaine couldn't imagine what or why should would use it. She accepted the gift nonetheless.

"And here is the other gift."

"Pada, my…" Laine didn't have a name for her invention. But it rested in her Pada’s hands. Her magical lightning device.

"It is. I mounted it on a crossbow stock. No need to worry about losing an arm."

"But you said it was too dangerous."

"I replaced the water exchange with honing oil. And the capacitors are now silver instead of brass. That should eliminate the delay in firing."

"Pada, I—"

"The design works. It just needed a few adjustments."

Amborlaine gave her father another hug.

"Go ahead, try it."

Laine hefted the creation, "Pada, it’s heavy."

"Yeah, I changed out the glass in the focus ring. I used leaded glass instead. It should give the weapon a tighter beam."

"I love it, Pada. Thank you."

"Maybe you can fashion a strap to help take some of the weight."

• • • •

"I'm ready to go." Amborlaine had been unable to sleep the night before. She had packed and repacked her belongings a hundred fold.

Her Pada was quiet on the cart ride into town. To break the tension of leaving, Laine thought a sarcastic joke would be appropriate, "I hope I don't get slain on the trip." She smiled.

Tanlen chuckled, "What slays me is the helmet you wear."

"Pada, it's a hat. And I think it's beautiful."

"If you say it’s so."

The Caravan always left from Marker 70 so they had a few miles to talk. Tanlen could not think of a single thing to say to his daughter. He thought about the day he found Amborlaine in the woods. That cold cloudy miserable day. The same day he buried his wife. And now he would be alone again, if only for a month. She will be back soon, he told himself. I'll just work harder, the time will fly.

As the caravan pulled away from Marker 70, Amborlaine's Pada stood and waved goodbye to his treasured daughter. After the crowd had disbanded, Tanlen said under his breath, "I know Gnomes don't believe in gods, but if you do exist. Watch over my baby."

• • • •

The caravan rolled along the road eastward. Amborlaine sat on the buckboard staring into the Great Forest. Outside the canopy of trees that was her home. The sun beat down. Laine soaked in its rays. This would be the first time she had ever been away from Tinker Town. She had never been able to look up into the blue sky and not see tree limbs hovering overhead. This was her opening foray into an ever-expanding world, and it would be wonderful.

Laine was still musing. At first she didn’t realize what happened, being too busy blissfully watching a few deer run into the forest. The drover next to her muttered something, and she turned to ask what. Then she saw the arrow in the man's chest. Before she had a chance to scream, a second arrow stuck into the man. He made a wheezing sound through his nose and fell off the wagon.

The cart came to an abrupt stop. Amborlaine didn't know what to do. She jumped into the back of the cart, searching hysterically for some place to hide.