Chapter I: Commission

The day I met her was a normal day, for the most part. I walked out of my wooden, two room home. One, it was built on a small hill and had been expanded at some point when the previous owners wanted privacy from their children. Because the expansion was unplanned, they just built a small set of stairs that cut off the living room from a small, cramped bedroom, barely big enough for the bed I kept there. I walked outside and started down the compacted dirt road. I passed through town on my way. Buildings were built far apart, so that the farmers could get their carts through easily. Almost all of the buildings were wooden, like my house. Settlers had carved out a small portion of a forest well south of the capitol a few generations ago and widely, we were left alone.

An middle-aged woman named Ruth with salt-and-pepper hair greeted me as I walked past her setting up a small stand for the vegetables her husband had grown. They were just giving them away, as they had too many. I smiled to myself, knowing that most of them wouldn't get eaten. I passed a portly, balding man; Bill was the tavern keeper and he nodded to me, looking tired. It was one of the few buildings that was made of any stone at all. It had a cobblestone foundation, because it'd burnt down a decade or so back. Bill had wanted to make the entire thing out of stone, but there wasn't a good quarry nearby and he couldn't afford to go to the capitol to petition anyone for help.

I passed a few small houses and the Church of Pelor. I didn't attend myself, except during holidays. And even then, that was mostly for the feast. Sister Lily, a young redheaded woman smiled and waved at me. She was pretty and most of the men and a couple women were upset when she took the vows of celibacy, which weren't strictly necessary, as I understood it. Truth be told, I think she just wanted them to stop chasing her around. I waved back and she started gathering the children for her lessons. It was thanks to the church that everyone in the village was literate.

Daniel was talking to his wife, grinning at her like a madman. He was a thick, tall man, with a bushy black beard, just starting to get its gray. His cackling wife was tall and lanky, almost matching his height. Trying to catch her breath from whatever absurd joke he had just told, she hung off of him. It was hard not to smile at them.. Behind him was his purely stone building. The only thing made of wood was the sign hanging over the door and the door itself. He was the village's weaponsmith. Folk could make their own bows and arrows, but he specialized in anything more complicated than that. He made a decent enough living off it. Adventurers would come down, buying and selling anything not nailed down.

He nodded to me and I returned it. Walking down the road, I passed a dark skinned man wearing a gray long sleeve tunic in the middle of the summer's heat who was driving a cart with a large horse. I smiled up at him, He slowed to a stop when I called up to him, "Ahmed! It's good to see you."

"Johann, my friend. It's been too long."

"Yeah, it has. Are you just getting in?"

"Yes. I'm planning on setting up outside of Bill's."

"Good. Did you get any books?" I asked, eagerly.

"Of course, my friend. I knew I was coming to this part of the world. How is your library coming? Surely it must rival that of Bayfield."

"Maybe. They couldn't have more than ten books in the city, could they?" I asked, grinning at him.

"Come to the inn tonight. I'll save them for you, my friend."

At the edge of town, I finally arrived at the second and last fully stone building in the village. Like Daniel's weapon smithy, this was also a forge. Abovehead was a sign with a pot and fork painted on it. James' smithy was cluttered and small, but I knew where everything was. It smelled of coal and was warm until I got to work, when it became sweltering. Work was slow, but I managed to get a few projects done. The Jenkins came in and asked me to make some new horseshoes for them. The Stephansons came back and complained about the nails they had bought. When I asked them to show me the nails, they refused, but that's normal for Skyler and his brother. Just trying to get a little more for nothing. Stella came by again to visit her husband's old forge again. She cried and I held her for a while. She thanked me afterwards. Thanked me for making sure her husband's forge got used. I gave her a sack of coins, half my earnings for the week. She tried to refuse, but I said it was the least that I could. I called it a rental fee for letting me use her husband's forge after his passing. She did not like that, but she took it; she needed it. It was not the first time she visited and would not be the last. She would be back next week. Today's a good day, I thought. As I started to close the door to a forge, someone in a cloak walked passed the threshold and peered around.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm closing shop now. I need you to leave." The figure in the cloak walked around to one of the pieces I had been working on. It was a butter knife. A part of a set I had been working on. I walked up to the man and gripped at the cloak where his shoulder was and pulled them around. "I told you, I'm clos-"

I cut off. It was not a man standing in front of me, but a woman. She had large, bright green eyes and a pale face. She was about as tall as I was, which was not saying all that much. She looked at me defiantly, almost daring me to continue.

"Oh. I'm sorry, ma'am." I said sheepishly. "I didn't realize. But you still need to le-"

"I need a sword." Her voice was calm, but final. She left no room for argument.

"Um, well. I don't make swords. Terribly sorry about that. You can always get a sword from Daniel. He's a weapon-smith down the road. Does good work." Even as I finished the last sentence, she was shaking her head.

"No, it can't be him." She met my eyes again and spoke directly. "You. You will make me a sword."

"Lady, I can't!" I protested. "I make tools. Scythes and pitchforks and forks and meat knives. I don't know how to make a sword. If Daniel can't make you one, maybe you can buy from a merchant. I think the one that is staying at the inn has so-"

"No," She said, shaking her head again, a slender finger poking me in the chest. "It will be you. You will make me a sword."

"And why would I do that? You burst into my shop at the end of the day and demand I do something that I don't know how to do! I don't think I take kindly to you or your demand."

"You'll do it because I need it done and I will pay you well enough." She stalked past me. "I'll be back to check on your progress."

I watched her walk out of my shop. After the door closed, I muttered to myself, "I need a drink."

"What do you mean she told you to make a sword?" Daniel demanded. We were at the inn and it was a busy night. Most nights were busy, but a performer was staying the night. All six of the tables were full and there were people gathered around the single step that made the stage. I think everyone in town must be here. People were clapping and shouting requests in between swigs of ale. Daniel was a big man. Gray had started to color his black beard; he was older than I was, which made sense. I had only gotten past the apprentice stage when Stella's husband, James, passed away. I think he held on longer than he should have to make sure my training was done. "Neither you nor James knows which end to point a sword, much less how to make it. Why didn't ya send her my way?"

"I tried! I told her half a dozen times I don't know how to make a sword. I told her to go to you or to buy one from that merchant," I gestured over to the man at the corner of the bar who had gathered around some of the locals and was telling them tales from the lands he had visited on his way here. "She just told me I was going to do it and walked out."

Daniel guffawed, his belly jiggling. He was a big man and had put on a few pounds from age and the drink, but he was also strong. Every year at the festival, he had taken the contest for throwing the boulder the farthest. After he stopped laughing, he patted me on the shoulder. "You've just bad luck, lad. What are ya gonna do?"

"I think I have an idea. But I'll need your help." Daniel nodded, smiling.

After a few more drinks, we stumbled over to the merchant. He was a dark-skinned, tall man who spoke with a thick accent. He greeted us with a wide smile, his dark eyes flicking between us. "Danieel, Johann, it is good to see you!"

"Ahmed, it's good to see ya as well, old friend." Daniel said, clapping his hand over the merchant's and shaking it vigorously. I smile politely as they begin small talk. "How's the trade?"

"Oh, you know. Busy, busy, busy. But that's good. Could never stay in one place for too long!" He laughed musically, then looked between the two of us. "Not that there's anything wrong with staying in one place, you know. It's just not for me."

"Of course. We understand. Small town life isn't for everyone." I said placidly. Ahmed was always afraid of insulting us as though our feelings were made of glass. But he was nice enough. He regained his broad, white toothed smile.

"What can I help you fellows with tonight? Perhaps you came to hear of the world and have a drink? Or to toss some dice?" With the last suggestion, both Daniel and I met eyes and shook our heads, his infectious smile spreading to us.

"No, no. No dice tonight. My purse hasn't recovered from the last time we played." I responded.

"Nor mine," Daniel added with a hearty laugh.

"Oh? Then what can I do for you?" He said, his smile only faltering slightly.

"I was wondering if I could buy a sword from you." I asked. "Daniel's here to make sure that I don't make a fool of myself."

Ahmed's smile did fade this time. "A sword? Johann, my friend, why do you need a sword? Is there trouble? Do you need help?"

"No, I don't need help. Just got a customer who wants a sword and Daniel doesn't have any to her liking. I figured I'd buy her what she wants and send her on her way."

"Aye. The customer's always right, even when they're insane and unreasonable. Expecting Johann here to know a damned thing about swords." Daniel added in, shaking his head and clapping me on the shoulder. Which almost sent me into Ahmed.

"Oh, I see. Why not bring her directly to me?"

"She wouldn't come. I told her about you and about Daniel and she flat out refused." I said, exasperation coloring my tone. "She's insane."

Ahmed looked a little confused but nodded, before getting up. "Come, come. We will look at what I have. I'm sure that we can find something. Did she say what kind of sword she wanted?"

"Kind? Uh. No, I didn't think to ask." Ahmed and Daniel exchanged looks and shook their heads, smiling. My face reddened, but they did not notice as they took me outside to Ahmed's wares. I curled in on myself. Fall's already here. Hopefully the crops come in before the first full cold snap, I thought. He took out a small bundle and unrolled it, revealing several swords. One was large and curved, another slender and curved. Ahmed said those came from his homeland. He also had two that would not have been amiss in Daniel's shop. One was about the length of my arm and one was a bit bigger than that. I frowned down at them. I've never held a sword. I've never needed to.

As I reached for one of them, Daniel reached out and grabbed it first. He unsheathed it. It was the broad, curved sword. He swung it through the air and then held it up to the fire light, eyes tracing over the design. My eyes alternated between the blade in his hand and his face. For the life of me, I could not figure out what he was thinking. Didn't he try his hand at adventuring? I asked myself. I couldn't remember. If he had, it might've been before I was born. He replaced it in the scabbard and put it down, picking up the slender curved one and did much the same, examining it closely.

While he did that, I reached for the shorter straight sword and pulled a few fingers of the blade free from its sheath and looked at it, frowning. It was sharp on both ends. The two that Daniel was playing with were only sharp on one side. A hand reached out and grabbed the blade and took it from my hands. This sword looked tiny in Daniel's massive fist. But he deftly spun it and then replaced it into the sheath after a moment. Then he took up the longer sword and toyed with it for a moment or two, while I just sat there considering the three laying on the fabric before me. They're all so... plain, I thought. No filigree, no artistry.

Ahmed watched me appraisingly. Daniel replaced the last blade on the fabric and looked to me. "I say that short straight sword. She is a woman. Might not be able to lift the larger blades. Probably not trained for the combat of the continental east for the curved blades."

I nodded. That made sense. I picked up the short sword and looked at it, resting there in its leather scabbard. I turned to Ahmed, who looked scared. It was just for a moment and he quickly replaced the twist in his mouth with his broad smile, though there was a tightness around his dark eyes. Hesitating for a moment, I looked down at the blade again. "Uh... Well, how much for this one?"

It took a few moments before he spoke. "My friend, I must warn you. If you use that sword, it will change you."

"What do you mean? I'm not going to use it! I'm going to sell it to that woman and have her on her way and out of my hair." I paused for a moment. It looked like standard steel to me. Nothing special about it. "Why? Is it cursed?"

"Cursed?" Ahmed stared at the sword when he spoke. "No, no, no. My friend. I would not sell a cursed sword. Never. Especially not to you, my friend. But even swords not touched by magic do have a curse of sorts on them."

"What in the hells does that mean?" I looked from Ahmed to Daniel, who was staring at Ahmed with a serious set to his jaw. I could see the muscles tense under his graying beard. He did not meet my eye. "Is it cursed or not?"

"No, my friend," Ahmed sighed, sadly. "No magic has touched the sword. But swords are tools for violence, and violence is a curse. I hope you never have to understand that. I hope you never have to use the sword."

Ahmed stared at the sword for a while longer before snapping his head up and looking me directly in the eye. "I'm sorry, my friend. Two gold and it's yours."

I frowned at that, but took out the two gold. My last two gold, I thought ruefully, as I handed them over. Ahmed nodded and smiled. "Thank you, my friend. Have a good night and remember what I said."

I nodded and stared down at the sword. Violence is a curse of its own. I was not sure what that meant. Daniel patted me softly on the shoulder. "I'm going to turn in, myself. Have a good night, Johann."

I started to walk after him but his shoulders were hunched down and he muttered something to himself. Shrugging, I made my way back to my home, holding the sword carefully. I slept fitfully with it next to my bed. I had never brought a weapon into my home before. I did not like it. It was uncomfortable.

The next day was pretty normal, too. A few people here and there, asking me to make some filigree for a fence or some pitons for tents. I had almost forgotten that a sword lay under my table. Until about noon. The woman in her cloak and hood wandered in. I pretended not to see her and continued to work on another piece until she cleared her throat.

"Good afternoon, blacksmith." She said, making her way to the table that doubled as my counter. She set a large bag on the table and looked at me expectantly. I sighed and made my way over to the table, bent down, picked up the sword and put it on the table. She glanced at it and then back up at me, a small smile playing on her face. "What's that?"

"It's your sword. Take it and go. No charge." She picked it up and unsheathed it, examining the blade closely, then shook her head, putting it back on the table.

"No, that won't do. Not at all." She said, half to herself as she started digging through her bag. After a moment, she laid out three metal ingots. They were not iron or even steel. They had a strange sheen to them. They looked almost oily. Without asking, I picked one up and looked at it. It was a dark gray, but when light hit it, a rainbow of colors crawled over the surface. While I was examining the ingot, she had taken out five more and set them on the table, and put some strange, black leather down as well.

"What's all this?" I asked, skeptically.

"Your materials." She responded simply, meeting my eyes.

"I told you, I don't know how to make a sword. I don't even know what kind of material that is."

"You'll learn. You'll do it."

"Why can't Daniel do it? He knows what he's doing. I'll vouch for him. He's a good man who'll give you a fair price."

"No, it has to be you."

"Why?"

"Because I want you to do it." Her words had a soft lilt to them, but were final. She met my eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. She stared deeply, almost as if she was trying to memorize the details of my face. I knew I'd never forget hers, now. Vibrant green eyes, lined with dark black eyeliner. Full, pouty lips that were some dark red color. Black, carefully manicured eyebrows. I broke eye contact first, clearing my throat and gesturing to the ingots.

"I have other work I need to do. I can't be screwing around trying to make something that's a waste of both of our time."

She considered that for a moment and took out a purse and put it on the table. "This should be enough to cover your expenses while you do what I ask."

I stared at the purse then at her as she turned and left. "Wait! I'm not doing it! I'm not making you a damn sword!"

She turned back to me and smiled. "I'll be back tomorrow to check on your progress."