The Slime Farmer

The mayor of the Lowpool did not look impressive.

Sorza Mareble looked like the average elder to Defi; straight-backed, with white hair and the deep gaze of experience. She had a stern demeanor, but the lines on her face spoke of laughter as well.

But the specific aura of intimidating power that many of the higher ranked elders in the court was not present in her. Nonetheless, Defi knew that there were people who could hide their power and knowledge. So he met her with sufficient wariness.

As the younger, Defi served the tea.

Flower tea needed less time to steep than leaf tea. It was often offered during brief encounters which were expected to last less than an hour.

Serving it had many meanings. Defi hoped it meant this discussion was going to be short.

It was not an expectation though, as the water in the teapot could be refreshed several times without lowering the potency of the tea. Flower teas were also medicinal, and often made with vital water. There were many varieties.

For instance, government officials consumed a lot of ten-bloom tea in one day. For a person whose profession did not involve much physical exertion and needed much socializing, ten-bloom tea helped to ease digestion and mental fatigue, maintain the muscles, and refresh the odors of the body.

It was exactly that ten-bloom tea that Defi had to serve. There were numerous bowls of flowers and pots of spices arrayed on a tea-table, all before a glass teapot of clear water. He spent a moment to thank the Creator that he was not unfamiliar with this particular arrangement.

Samti used to do something similar.

He could not help a wry smile. How many Ascharonian things did Garun teach Defi and the people around him under the nose of a nation where the Teachings infused every single aspect of tradition?

Impressive, come to think of it.

The man had spent thirty years in Ontrea learning how to hide himself and still the openness of his Ascharonian heritage showed through. Defi understood, that yearning for familiar things and familiar customs. He had taught the children how to make samad, after all.

Defi placed the flowers from the rightmost bowl in the teapot, paused, then added the flowers from the leftmost bowl. Some small container-pots of spices were placed at intervals between the row of flower-filled bowls, and he put a scoop each into the teapot.

Left and right in turns, the progression of the tea-making was easy because it was the youngest in the room that had to serve. It was not uncommon for servers to be less than a decade old.

Too complicated and the server might serve something embarrassing. Taking from left and right, by the time of the most crucial step the server did not have to reach far for the needed ingredients and there was less chance of an accident.

Defi was not familiar with ten-bloom tea, and could only hope he got the intervals correct.

The water in the teapot bloomed into a pale rose color, with occasional gold and pale green swirling when certain flowers touched.

Defi tried not to look doubtful as he eyed the rather energetic tea. Was it even drinkable?

In Ontrea, tea that was so alive was in danger of being purified by priests of the Church. Alchemy was a difficult science after all. There were many accidents.

He poured two cups and turned the tea-table so that the teapot faced them and not the ingredient bowls. He served the tea and sat down opposite the woman who led the Lowpool.

The mayor sipped, and the lines of her face deepened as she gave a smile.

Defi held in his relief, sipping his own tea.

He inhaled deeply as the Current reacted, a now familiar effect of drinking vital water. The reaction had calmed over the months as he regularly drank it, but the ten-bloom tea once more caused the Current to surge. Not as strongly as that first time in Stahlchausses, but it was still surprising.

The scent and taste of the tea caused a cloud of pleasantness around him as he exhaled.

"Your ruse with the will won't hold for long."

Defi nodded at the mayor's observation. "Long enough for people to doubt the initial rumors. By then, whatever story Aire and Lergen put out will gain more supporters. Enough for most of the town to understand that the rumors are lies directed at me."

"Gaining sympathy for the others, but not for you."

"I will not have their origins thrown in their faces because of me. It's best that the gossip is between me and Madam Agreine. I am an outsider, my reputation will suffer from this even if Sarel and the children were not acquainted with me."

"They'll have other things to speak of soon. The news of the Gamber Blades has not had time to spread yet, for example. Your actions in the conflict would predispose the town toward you."

"All the more reason to be a shield. At best, they would be neutral. I have not interacted with many townsmen. Starting at neutral is good enough." He let himself sigh. "In any case, I am neither politician nor war leader; is reputation so important?"

The mayor's brown eyes laughed, looking at him over the rim of the translucent teacup. "Try buying even a piece of bread with your reputation in the pits."

He hoped his standing had not fallen so far. What would he have to do to recover? "Let's hope I do not have to win a war or cure an emperor's illness."

Her amusement deepened. They sipped their tea in silence, savouring the beverage.

Defi looked up. "Lady mayor, how long before the talk reaches beyond the Lowpool?"

"Oh? At least you are not complacent. Sarel's enemies are not likely to hear it."

Because someone else already poisoned most of them to death, Defi thought sardonically.

"There are always stories of hidden cooking masters circling around. It is a popular tale. As for the Count il Fandre, he will hear of his children sooner or later and send another pack of his men," the mayor continued. "In this matter, I have some influence. But not enough to keep the children here if they are found."

She met his gaze. "If they manage to keep hidden until the two older are fifteen years in age and in a favorable position, the Count's legal influence over their actions will cease."

Was she implying he should keep the children for three years? That was unreasonable. He could not even call himself a farmer now, considering the land he owned could not grow crops. He did not have the resources to place the three in any kind of favourable position. In fact, if his sister found him, they would be greatly disadvantaged.

The better solution was for them to leave the Lowpool altogether.

No, that was probably what the mayor was thinking.

He felt a slight regret. Even then, he only said, "I would like to say goodbye before they leave, if possible."

"Surely enough, it is dangerous for all of you if they stay at your homestead in the coming time," the mayor said.

That was true. If the children's pursuers showed up to verify the gossip that will spread sooner or later, then it really was best that the children leave.

"But even then," continued the mayor, "my town keeps its secrets well."

Defi met those neutral eyes, decided to chance it. "What secrets would a diligently ambitious noble know that would make him appear in the Lowpool?"

"The Asmovare family had a history of belligerence, do you know, hot-headed idiots that they were. At least three times in the last thousand years, the historical record shows that the Asmovares have risen up against the emperor and at least ten times gone to war against some other noble for some insult or other. Their standing in the kingdom has risen and fallen so many times it makes one dizzy. The last emperor was quite put out with them."

"An understatement." A noble family wiped from the pages of history surely was the result of more than some minor spat.

So Calor Ducan had something to do with the former Ascharonian emperor's seemingly mad destruction of the Asmovares?

As Defi thought, it was not something he wanted to get involved in.

"Yes. His imperial majesty decided to settle things so decisively that when the matter was done, he needed to quietly retire to prevent the nobles from distancing themselves from the Throne irreparably."

She shook her head. "But those are old matters and have nothing to do with us anymore."

Was she warning him not to get involved?

He agreed with the sentiment a hundredfold. Matters of dukes and emperors were not for him.

Was she telling him he should not look further than he already had?

Very well then. He would be satisfied as long as Agreine and Calor Ducan left the Lowpool and had no more to do with him.

The mayor must have sensed his agreement; she nodded in satisfaction.

In any case, today the support for Agreine would lower even in the Lowpool where her grandfather and mother had been born. Based on Defi's knowledge of the woman, she would not be able to stand the humiliation.

Defi's lips twisted. In Ontrea, just driving her off was the equivalent of a minor punishment.

Inadequate, his father would assess it.

To his irritation, he felt a small twinge at that thought, a familiar ache.

He rebuked himself internally. The lord of Rimet dictated his actions no longer.

His kept his thoughts off his face with the ease of long practice. Though it appeared he was getting less vigilant in that respect, the keen gaze of Mayor Sorza Mareble was something he was wary of.

He slipped a flower petal from his tea and gave it to Turq, who was lounging on the table. The thick, almost spongy petal easily entered the slime's body and started to dissolve. The brief action gave Defi time to wrench his thoughts away from Ontrea and Rimet.

If Agreine left in disgrace, Calor Ducan would not have a reason to publically give for targeting Defi. No matter what the man was doing in the small valley and the mountains to the west of the homestead.

Defi could relax a little.

"About the Gamber Blades…" He spoke the words reluctantly. If there was anything that might suddenly involve him later, he would rather know about it now.

"That is the problem of the provincial governor. Do not worry on that point. Still, some are calling for combat training to be reinstituted in the schools."

Ah. The people of the province of Havare, who had seen a dukedom fall, whose blood had recently been drawn by those who were supposed to protect them, were wary of official armed forces now. The governor and whoever replaced the Blades were going to have a difficult time.

He acknowledged her words with a nod. He was still faintly uneasy about the conflict, but it appeared he could put it behind him.

The mayor smiled faintly. "You are not much of a talker, I see. For a young man your age, you must at least learn to smile, you know. I am told that today's young women like a cheery fellow."

"I will keep your words in mind." He had no room to think of songs and romance.

What would he do, gain the affections of some young lady thrilled by an affair with a mysterious fugitive? He was not Baurd, who bragged to have once successfully pursued a girl from another town by hinting he was a highwayman and could ride a horse.

The mayor chuckled. "No need to sound so reluctant. Hm. Something that you might be more interested in then: the trade caravans and some of their passengers who were freed have pledged a portion of the insurance they claimed toward rewarding those who fought at the Cliff. You and the survivors will be getting ten crescents each. The families of the dead will be getting the same, not including the blood price that the Blades have to pay. You did well, saving the people."

Defi swallowed. How was it, that only by leaving the warrior nation of Ontrea was he embroiled in things where he had to kill?

The mayor's last statement eased his heart a little.

"Thank you. I—"

The door opening interrupted him. Lemat flew through, to loom over the mayor with bright eyes and his usual smile. "No one will ever know."

"Declined." The mayor sipped her tea calmly. "You just came out of your workshop?"

Defi's lips twitched.

He wanted to drop his face into a hand.

Despite Defi's gratefulness that the man interrupted such an awkward moment...

At least wait until the witness left before talking about shady things. Isn't that basic etiquette?

He swallowed the rest of his tea and tapped the flower petals that were left onto Turq, who was resting quietly on the table. The blooms were slowly absorbed. He put the cup down.

"If you have no more need of me, lady mayor, I will take my leave."

"One moment." The mayor rummaged in her desk.

Defi eyed the newcomer as he stood from the seat. From what he knew of the man, and the mayor's comment, Lemat had a habit of spending prolonged time in his workshop. So he just heard the rumors of Sarel and wanted to go kill whoever was threatening the hermit?

It was a viable supposition, considering the eccentric poisoner. He never thought Lemat would curb himself as to ask permission from the mayor though.

Sorza Mareble rounded the table to give him a small pouch of coin. She looked at him with brown eyes holding both warmth and sharpness. "I hope you know that like all the citizens of the Lowpool, I consider you one of mine."

The man who tried to stop Lemat from entering twitched, the same man who had met them at the gates, Edlar. Defi could read the expression that said: lady mayor, the sentiment is appreciated, but with the suspected assassin hanging over you like an expectant hunting hound, those words are not that comforting to others, you know?

But Defi grew up in the family of a Gate lord. The mayor of the town acknowledging the shadowy side of government only gave Defi an additional feeling of security.

He had wondered, but looking at the old woman before him he was certain that it was she and not some shadowy conspiracy that held the town in sway.

He sent her a small smile and bowed.

The gossip was not the only reason she called him to her office, Defi knew. Possibly she did this with all newcomers to the Lowpool, to probe their character and intentions.

He sighed. At the very least, he had gotten to know her a bit more. He had some confidence now that if his identity was compromised in the Lowpool or if his sister somehow arrived, the mayor would assist his escape.

He paused at the sight of a group of people gathered outside the door.

"So?" grumped Sarel. "Are you injured or not?"

Aire elbowed her and prevented Bree from squirming out of her hold to rush to Defi and Turq.

Lergen, Falie, and most of the orphanage children were there. Natan and a couple of the others from yesterday's conflict were there too.

He looked at all of them, feeling a little touched. "I'm fine. The free food at the night market later isn't cancelled if that's what you're all worried about."

"Of course it is!" came from more than one throat.

His smile widened.