Cristin's Crossroads

Although Saga and Master Dorrin were ostensibly alone on their journey, in actuality they shared the road with several traders and other travelers. The way guards from the various caravans mingled and helped watch each others' charges, how passing traders would call out to each other in good-natured ribbing, and how some caravans included entirely families setting out for destinations unknown, the entire group felt like a mobile village. Mixed in with the conventional wheeled wagons favored by most traders, she could see a few floatwood wagons, the silvery wood coasting easily a couple of feet off the ground and pulled by horses.

Saga had been away from Beacon's Ridge before, but not much further than some of the surrounding farming villages and, once, to the southern mines with her mother. This journey was a trial for her in more ways than one, and she was excited by the opportunities it presented. She would go to Dove's Landing, find out what was holding up the lumber shipments, hopefully solve the problem, then come back as a hero. If she did well enough, maybe Master Dorrin would let her help him with his investigation!

She eyed the man as they walked along. He'd been acting strangely since they'd left, almost as soon as they'd pass out from the tunnel from Beacon's Gate to the flatlands below. It had taken him a while to catch up to her when she left him behind, but he hadn't seemed as annoyed as she'd expected when he finally did. He was even smiling! The sight made her want to smile in return, but also left her with some emotional whiplash. Master Dorrin didn't smile, he just didn't. She'd shared jokes with fellow apprentices that he'd likely break something in his jaw if he tried.

"What are you smiling at, girl?" His face bore his usual dour expression.

Saga blinked. Had she actually been smiling? "Just enjoying the sights, Master," she blurted, thinking quickly. "There's so much to see out here."

"We're barely an hour out, there's nothing here you haven't seen before."

"As you say, Master." She turned her head to give the old man his space. She thought she heard a low chuckle, but surely that was some loose stones under the wheel one of the surrounding trade wagons.

"Toby!" Master Dorrin called out suddenly, startling her, and she followed her mentor's gaze to one of the wagons. There was an older man at the reins, with a finely trimmed brown beard flecked with grey. The man looked back, saw who'd called him, and waved.

Master Dorrin jogged forward to have a word with the apparent trader, though from his clothes he must have been of modest means. A farmer, maybe? "Toby, my friend. Could we hitch a ride in your wagon until we reach Cristin's Crossroads?" Some coined exchanged hands, and Toby welcomed them aboard like long-lost family, even going so far as to offer food and drink.

Saga declined, having eaten a good breakfast at Miss Lessa's insistence, but her mentor gladly excepted a snack of bread, cheese, and water. The two men chatted at the front of the wagon while Saga listened in from the back, nestled among the various baskets and jars of trade goods.

"What brings you out, Dorrin?" Toby's voice was chipper, belonging to a man half his age. "You're gettin' too old for these long walks, I'd think."

Master Dorrin laughed. "Why do you think I flagged you down? I'm headed for Dove's Landing, hunting a song."

"Anythin' in particular?"

"Perhaps. I'm sure I'll know it when I hear it."

It was Toby's turn to laugh. "Bards. Wish I could just wander the world for a livin', bringing back tales and news to the city whenever I feel like. No, I've got to ride this same dirt road every week."

"What are you porting, Porter?" Master Dorrin looked down at the contents of the cart behind them. Saga had her head turned so that she could barely see the men in her periphery, pretending to watch Dapper dance on top of a nearby basket but still listening. He had his tiny hat in his front legs and was twirling it around, occasionally throwing it out and pulling it back with a near-invisible line of silk. A small crowd of children had gathered behind the wagon to watch, occasionally letting out gasps and cheers at the beatweaver's antics.

Toby shrugged. "The usual. Mostly leather goods from the Stitchers' Works, some metal fittin's from the Forge. A lot of the outlyin' farms in Balorn are still recoverin' after almost two decades, you know. They're finally gettin' the manpower they've needed, but they need materials to really get to work."

The plague. It had almost taken Lorana when she was pregnant with Epic. Saga was barely two at the time, and hadn't really comprehended how close she'd been to losing her mother. Lorana had survived, of course, but plenty hadn't. As badly as it had hit Beacon's Ridge, though, it could have been significantly worse if the Council hadn't taken early measures to limit the spread.

Balorn, their eastern neighbor, had fared far worse. Though the nation was large, the population was spread thin in the outer reaches, and word travelled slowly. The plague had a long incubation period, so by the time each farm and mine and village heard the news of the disease spreading through their country, it was too late to prevent getting sick. By ill fortune, it hit people of working age the hardest, and when all was said and done, Balorn's working population had suffered heavy losses.

This led to banditry and attempts at conquest in seek of resources in the years immediately following, and it was her grandfather's negotations with an invading Balornic force that prevented all-out war and saw the flow of workers and supplies to the empty farms of Balorn so that the nation could begin to recover. Two decades on, both sides were more than happy to maintain the arrangement, and caravaners like Toby and his partners were a common sight on the roads between Beacon's Ridge and Balorn.

Master Dorrin was nodding thoughtfully. "Makes sense. They've gotten plenty of help over the years, but Balorn's a big place. I'm not surprised they're only just now getting their feet under them."

"What about their oranges?"

The two men looked at Saga, confused, so she continued. "I heard yesterday that Balornic Oranges had a bad harvest this year. If the farms are getting better, what happened there?"

"You like to keep your ears open, miss," Toby said thoughtfully, shrugged again. "Bad harvests're a fact of life. Sometimes they just happen, but I'm sure they'll bounce back." He eyed her, then looked to the man next to him. "Are you goin' to introduce me to the young lady, Dorrin?"

Master Dorrin had been staring at Saga, but hearing his name - and getting an elbow in his side - got his attention. "Hm? Oh, yes. This is Saga, my student. She's on her journeyman trial to become a full Bard."

The trader looked at Saga again, then back to Master Dorrin, his brow furrowed. "You're, uh...travelin' with her?" There was some meaning in the way he said it, but Saga couldn't quite glean it.

Her mentor gave the man a sharp look, then shook his head. "No, no. We're both heading to Dove's Landing, but she's staying there while I press on."

Toby nodded slowly, then reached back to offer her his hand. "Tobias Porter, miss, but you can call me Toby. Any friend o' Dorrin's a friend o' mine. Do you have a second name?"

Saga took his hand, considering the question. This was her first real contact outside the city, and she didn't want her family name looming over her and changing how he looked at her if she could help it, but she was also hesitant to lie outright. Should I just tell him, but claim no relation? What if he thinks I'm trying to lord it over him? He'll probably insist I join them on the bench, but I'm fine back here...

"Saga?" Master Dorrin's voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she realized suddenly that she was taking too long to answer. Deciding quickly, she gave Toby's hand a firm shake. "Rose. Saga Rose. A pleasure, Mister Porter."

Master Dorrin suppressed a grin, but Toby's smile was more open. "I see. The pleasure's mine, Miss Rose, but please, Toby's fine."

With that, Toby turned his attention back to the road, engaging in idle conversation with Master Dorrin while Saga settled in among the cargo for the trip. Dapper continued to dance as she dozed off, the occasional cry of joy from his audience keeping her from falling into a deep sleep.

———

Around the time the sun began to dip towards the horizon, Saga smelled smoke. Alarmed, she blinked her eyes open and sat up, looking around.

"Easy, Saga." Master Dorrin was looking ahead, but had apparently noticed her moving. "It's just the Crossroads. They always have fires going, especially near the end of the day. Look."

He pointed, and Saga followed the finger. Sure enough, just coming over the horizon was what appeared to be a large campsite. Several columns of smoke drifted up lazily, most likely from cookfires. She recalled her notes about Cristin's Crossroads. "That's a trader camp, right?"

Toby nodded. "Yep. There's a few who stay there year-round, but most of the people you'll meet there are on one trip or another. That's where the major trade routes of the area intersect. You've got roads heading south to the mines, east into the forest, and north towards Balorn's outlying settlements. People are at this spot so often that someone had the idea of settin' up a permanent camp, and it's been goin' strong ever since. They even keep some guards on hand to deal with the odd monster or animal."

Saga listened as the man talked, watching the settlement as they drew closer. It was a field of tents of all colors, shapes, and sizes. The road itself was kept clear, but the numerous tents were packed so tightly together she couldn't believe they were mostly temporary. Some spots didn't even have a tent, just a parked cart with a horse or ox grazing nearby and a makeshift stall set up at the back for passing travelers to browse. The people were the same wide array of nationalities and trades as the group she'd been travelling with, though she didn't immediately spot any more Outliers.

"It's practically a village in its own right," she commented.

"Yep. There's frequent talk of buildin' a proper inn or tavern here, but no one's been willing to put in the time, effort, and cost to build one worth buildin'." He shrugged. "It'd have to be pretty solid to withstand some of the monsters we get out here."

"There can't be that many this close to the City, can there? At most a Snarewolf or two?"

Master Dorrin shook his head. "Normally, yes. But every once in a while something bigger comes out of that forest, and when a monster gets big enough, a gathering this big looks like a buffet."

She nodded her understanding. "That makes sense. I'll be on my guard then, just in case."

"No need for that." They were pulling into an empty space near the edge of the camp, and Master Dorrin got down from the cart to help Toby guide it into place while he spoke. "They have actual Guards here, they're a match for most of the beasts that might show up here. If you have to draw your sword, we have bigger problems."

Saga hopped out of the back of the cart and helped the men set it up for the night, putting a tarp over the goods and leading the horse to a nearby post with a feed trough. A group of children came down the path, their arms full of hay, and one of them stopped in front of their cart. "Hay for your horse, lady?" Saga smiled down at the young girl, then looked over at Toby. The trader ambled over and paid the girl, and Saga noticed he'd given her a silver coin for the bundle.

"That hay cost a silver?" she asked after the girl was out of earshot, on her way back to collect another armful of hay, travelers were constantly arriving from all directions, and Saga imagined she'd earn a few more coins before the night was through.

"Nah, but these children are the sons and daughters of traders who've been left here for safekeepin' while their parents go to places either too far or too dangerous to bring their families. Some of those kids your spider was entertainin' will end up staying here until their parents return. Most of us try to take good care of them as long as they're makin' an effort to earn their keep. Some of them have been here for..." he shot Saga a glance, and there was a hint of pain in his eyes. "...well, they've been here for too long. They're one of the reasons people keep talking about making an inn. These kids deserve a proper roof over their heads.

Saga eyed the children at work in a new light. Some of them were surely orphans, then. Her heart ached for them, but for the most part they seemed content with their lot. "What happens if they've been here for too long? Or if, you know, they get confirmation? Surely they don't spend their entire lives here."

"No, no. If we get word that one of them has lost their family, they usually get taken in by another trader or taken back to Beacon's Ridge so they can take up a Craft. We don't leave any of them out here if they don't want to stay."

She furrowed her brow at that last part. Did some of them choose to stay here at the Crossroads? Toby nodded, seeming to read her mind. "For some of them, this is as close to a home as they'll ever have. I expect if anyone actually builds anything here, it'll be one of them."

The three had been walking as they talked, making their way towards one of the cookfires. The people here seemed happy, some of them chatting loudly with friends and acquaintances while others kept to themselves, seated at makeshift tables with mugs of some drink or another. Music filled the air as they approached, and she spotted a group of musicians playing a wordless song for the people gathered around the fire. Every so often, a passing trader or one of the children would walk by and drop a few coins in a bucket before them.

Saga looked at Master Dorrin expectantly, and he sighed and shook his head. "Maybe later. We need to figure out where we're sleeping tonight, first."

"We can't stay with Toby?"

"I'm sure he'd let us, but it'd be better to distance ourself from him."

The trader in question nodded in agreement. "You two have a task to carry about, and the less I'm involved the better. That said, Dorrin, you let me know if you need anythin' else." He shook hands with Master Dorrin and clapped him on the shoulder before sketching a bow to Saga. "And you, Miss Rose. Safe travels to you both." Saga bowed her head in acknowledgment, offering him a smile, then watched him leave.

Once he was out of earshot, she leaned sideways to whisper to her mentor. "What did he mean by that?"

"He knows some of my wanderings can be...dangerous," he muttered. "He likes to keep himself apart in case I make any enemies, but he won't leave us hanging, either. Now," he turned to face her completely. "This is the first step of your trial. I suggest asking around discreetly about Dove's Landing. See if anyone has heard anything out of the ordinary about it. Remember, making friends is important in our line of work, so introduce yourself to as many people as possible, but don't tell them too much about yourself. Be familiar, but not close."

She tilted her head, confused. "You want me to make friends, but don't let them know too much about me? How does that make sense?"

He grinned, an unfamiliar expression on his usually grouchy face, but it somehow seemed natural on him. "I'm sure you'll figure it out, Miss Rose. Oh, here." He handed her a large coin engraved with the crossed keys of the Keepers Academy. "Take my Bard's Mark, in case you need to make some coin. If anyone asks, it's yours."

She accepted it, but before she could reply, he was gone, vanished into the crowd. She frowned, pondering his words. He didn't even tell me when or where we'd meet up. Ah, well. She'd just have to trust him to find her later. For now, she turned her gaze to inspect the crowd. "Make some friends..." she eyed the Bards as their most recent song, a slow, sad piece she recognized from school, came to an end.

A sad song on a pleasant day like this? Well, that wouldn't do.