Wizard of Jatte by Rowan Erlking (librera reader txt) 📕

The C.I.S., composed of a number of scribes who carved national bulletins and other things for the emperor in Serjiev, sketched Theissen’s and Theobold’s likenesses as swiftly as they could. The C.I.S. often were called the emperor’s civil spies. Most people didn’t like them. Overwhelmed by their attention, Theobold practically hated them. Fluffing his wings out furiously to protect Theissen and Emrit from their likenesses getting recorded, he scowled at them. He figured the C.I.S. might draw up wanted posters out of spite.

However, Theissen walked out of the building with Emrit as if on regular business. He held his head with dignity meant to impress their opponents—mostly to show that he would not be cowed by any threats, and to make it clear that Emrit was his friend.

They parted not long after they entered the docks. Emrit bowed to Theissen, and Theissen extended his hand for a good Jatte shake.

“Many thank,” Emrit said with another bow. He smiled as the other dockworkers excitedly approached him. “How I repay?”

Theissen just smiled. “No need. You already paid me by translating letters for me. I’m good.”

He was about to turn, but Emrit stopped him. “No. Must repay. I help. You ask.”

Shaking his head, Theissen merely shrugged and gestured to Theobold that he wanted to fly back home. Theobold had been rubbing his own arms. The strain from hefting Theissen around was finally getting too much.

“Just work on your Jatten and keep translating for me. That’s all I ask.” Then Theissen turned to go.

“Many thank!” Emrit called out again. He waved as Theobold flapped hard and grasped Theissen’s wrists again.

“It’s thank you, very much! Say that!” Theissen’s feet were already off the docks.

Emrit cupped his hands around his mouth. “Thank you! Very Much!”

Theobold flapped harder, and they were off into the sky again.

He grunted as they flew over the docks rising up until they descended again. Theobold had them land on a roof more inland.

“I’m sorry, but I’m tired.” He dropped to the housetop next to Theissen. Glancing at him, a smirk curled on his lips and he shook his head. “I know this sounds funny coming from me, but maybe we can walk a bit?”

Grinning, Theissen slid down the roof tile to the edge and dropped into the small stairway alley.

It was a long walk back to the tower, actually. Both men had little to say, though Theobold was a great deal more tongue-tied than Theissen was, mostly because he was exhausted. It took a while for them to reach one of the main roads that would take them to the tower hill with a direct route. They went up and down the hills in a pace just a bit faster than a trudge. Yet when they reached the top, they halted. Their eyes rested on Dobbis and two other former birdmen along with the goat cart full of feather stock, standing in their new business clothes. They were bickering with three other men, men who wore plumed hats and fancy coats. Quietly, they approached, listening to dispute.

“And I told you, you can’t sell feathers in Jattereen. You have to be human to do that.”

“They are human,” Theissen cut in, quickening his step. He then thumbed back to Theobold. “He’s the only one who is not.”

The hatted merchants turned, their critical eyes staring at him. “Who are you?”

It had been a long day of this, but Theissen gave a tired, yet formal bow as he said, “I am Theissen Darol M—”

“Forget that, who cares. Butt out. This is none of your affair.” The merchant, who wore a brown leather hat with a white feather plume, peered at Theissen a derogatory sneer.

Lifting up from the bow, a cold look rested on Theissen’s face.

“You can’t say that to him?” Dobbis burst out. He waved dramatically at Theissen. “He’s the Wizard of Jatte!”

“Yeah, and I’m the carpenter of Lumen,” one of the other merchants replied with a laugh.

“No, my father is the carpenter of Lumen,” Theissen said and moved over to the goat cart to make sure none of their merchandise was damaged. “And I can now see what they were saying when they told me you people are impossible.” He bowed to Dobbis. “My apologies.”

Dobbis grinned at him, standing a little taller. He then nodded to Theobold. “Did you hear that? The wizard apologized to me!”

Theobold hid a smirk, merely nodding back.

“He is not a wizard!” one of the merchants retorted.

“He looks like a petty merchant,” one of the others snapped.

Nodding to his pals, the brown-hatted one said, “You are going to sell to us at half the old price for even trying to sell over us.”

Their contempt tasted bitter on air. It was intolerable, really. And after regarding them for a moment, Theissen marched between his fellows and the feather merchants.

“No. They are doing nothing of the sort. Instead, we’re going to be selling under our own terms from now on. Demon feathers are not your market anymore.” He waved to the ex-birdmen. “Come on, Dobbis, let’s go back and set up shop for you now. We don’t need to start tomorrow. I’m in the mood today.”

“You can’t interfere!” one of the feather merchants barked.

But they could only watch as the former bird men turn immediately on Theissen’s word and head back towards the tower.

“This isn’t over yet!” The brown-hatted man shouted at them.

Theissen turned with a look over his shoulder, looking even more tired. “You know, I’ve hear that too often lately. Say something else, okay? Anything else.”

One pointed a finger at Theissen. “You’ll get yours!”

Nodding with a mischievous smirk, Theissen smiled. “That’s a new one. Thanks.”

He then promptly turned the colors of their hats and suits to bright orange with green stripes. With a snicker, he walked away.

“Is that legal?” Theobold chased after him.

The merchants were freaking out over their sudden clothing change.

But Theissen shrugged, hardly hiding his smile. “There’s no law against making people’s clothes change color. I checked.”

Theobold glanced back. Watching the furious scowls of the feather merchants, he cringed. Yes, it definitely wasn’t over yet.

Despite the threats from the feather merchants, Theissen had made his contacts with the right people in the city, and they soon were undercutting the merchants the feather profits with an enormous return. Most of their down feathers had sold to shops for bed and pillows, glad to have a discount. But also, Theobold arranged a trade agreement with a Westhaven merchant vessel willing to purchase and sell demon feathers abroad. Profit for the birdmen was not a problem. Their only real problem now was to fill demand for new orders.

Theobold had already packed his travel bag, scowling at Theissen like a sulky child being sent off to distant relatives for being naughty. He paused only a few times, peering out his window at the southwest horizon with a frown. Theissen handed him his knife and flint along with a few other things that the birdman would need on his journey.

“So, I should hire out carts to carry the loads back? Then what? It will take months of walking—”

“No walking,” Theissen said. He then handed Theobold his money pouch. “I’ve already hired a team of carts to travel with you. You can use the inn’s donkeys besides. It should take you a few weeks to go and come back. Bring a few others with you on the way back to guard the merchandise and enter the city safely. They can stay at the inn or here.”

Theobold examined him for a moment then shook his head. “But what if you need me around for helping out with the molemens’ problem?”

The reminder made Theissen cringe. The molemen had a similar problem as the birdmen, only it was somewhat worse. The molemen had sold their jewels to one house originally. Unlike with the feather merchants, the jewel masters of that one house really did control what people bought and sold within the city. They held a true monopoly. Even despite the minor sellers in the market places along the docks. That other market was mostly foreign items and designs, novelty junk. It was almost tyrannical. At present, the owners would not even see the molemen to talk to them.

“I think,” Theissen bit his lip as he really did think hard, “I have to meet with them, face to face.”

“Why bother?” Theobold asked, stopping his packing. “You already helped the molemen set up a smelting shop for their ore. Why not just do the same for their jewels?”

Sighing heavily, Theissen shrugged. “Because, none of them know how to cut stone. That’s why they sell to the jewel merchants. We need access to a master jewel cutter. Unfortunately, they all work for that company.”

“All of them?” Theobold regarded him with a skeptical look.

Theissen nodded. “Strangely enough.”

The birdman crammed the last of his useful things into his pack. “Fine. I just don’t feel like I should leave you just yet.”

“Why not?” Theissen peered at him. “I got you that job as feather liaison for the birdmen so you can go home if you want. You don’t really like it in Jattereen, do you?”

“Do you like it?” Theobold returned the question.

Shrugging, Theissen just heaved a sigh. “I don’t know yet. I miss Lumen. And I really did like Liptan Town. But I don’t think there is any going back. Besides, I really do like this tower.”

“Have you written your mother lately?” Theobold asked, smirking. He returned to his packing, looking for his water canteen.

Theissen blushed, his grin crooking across his face at his friend. “I wrote her last night. I even got a letter from her. She’s glad to know I’m alive and settled. I could tell. She started to express her regrets about Milrina’s engagement on my behalf and then went off on how I ought to seek out a social dance somewhere to find a girl.”

“What about that merchant’s daughter?” Theobold teased.

Shooting him a dark look, Theissen got up. “Enough of that.”

“Come on. She comes by and brings stuff for you all the time,” Theobold followed him out the door and up to the top of the tower, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder and under his wing. “And I’ve seen you stop by her house with gifts—”

“They’re thank-yous. That’s all.” But Theissen’s face went red, his ears going hot.

“And I’ve seen you out walking with her.” Theobold hopped onto the last step, glancing over at the edge of the tower. He gazed down into the now active cul-de-sac. It was full of renewed business and construction. “You even gave her that miniature rose bush.”

“Stop it, Theobold.” Theissen half glared at him, mostly feeling desperate. “She’s only fourteen. Barely a woman.”

“Yeah? Then how come you keep going back there? You like her.” His birdfriend leaned on the railing to peer into Theissen’s flushed face.

Theissen slumped over the railing himself. “I keep telling myself she’s only fourteen. She’s only fourteen, and yet….”

Theobold waited in silence, smiling.

“I