Then the Rumors Started

Mina Monksbarn was a wanted fugitive. 

Here in the borderlands on the outskirts of the kingdom, that didn’t matter quite as much as it might elsewhere. There were plenty of wanted fugitives here, and her crime was hardly of the violent or dangerous sort. She may have liberated a few books and artifacts from a few disreputable sorts, but that was all.

That those disreputable sorts happened to be the Head Sorcerers of the Land was neither here nor there.

But all that summed up to say that she was a wanted fugitive, but not the sort that most people tended to care about.

Still, she wasn’t allowed to be reckless, which meant she needed at least the semblance of a disguise. 

She had worn her hair in the traditional styles of a sorcerer nearly her whole life, and so her first act was to remove the pins and ties that had kept her hair in its intricate patterns. It was strange to wear her hair down where it could blow into her face and get in her way, but the change was useful. Even she thought it made her look like a different person entirely and she spent perhaps a tad too long staring at herself in the cracked mirror she’d purchased for cheap. 

Next, she set aside her sorcerer robes and exchanged them for an outfit she’d bought off a trader. 

The trader had assured her that it would help her fit in, and she’d believed him. She was doubting him now. The tunic was long enough it reached her thighs and the laces in the front fell rather lower than she’d liked; the belt was not quite small enough for her, and so fell off one hip in a roguish slant. Dressed in the clothes now she thought it made her look a bit too much of a scoundrel when she’d been going more for farmer.

Still, a disguise was a disguise. No one would see her and think of Mina Monksbarn. Now she was just Mina.

She still had to keep a low cover; she knew that. She’d fled to her cousin Cara—or rather a cousin of a cousin, but family was family—for a place to hide, it wouldn’t do to ruin what she was building. 

But how hard could it be to keep a low cover? The borderlands were full of all sorts of colorful, interesting people. She doubted there was anything she could do that would make her stand out.

She was just one woman and a completely unremarkable one at that.

And then, unbeknownst to Mina, the rumors started.

“Did you hear about the inlander that settled out in the wasting desert?” the woman asked her friend as they examined the textiles set out by the weavers.

Her friend gave her an exasperated look. “Why would I care about some inlander?”

The woman sniffed, taking a moment to decide if she wanted to share her news if her friend was going to be like that. But the news was too juicy to keep to herself.

“Rumor has it she saved old Dram from a bad-tempered mercenary. Then she walked Dram home. Carried her bags, offered her arm, and even took the scenic route when Dram pretended to get lost.” The woman sighed. “I do wish someone would do that for me.”

Her friend rolled her eyes. “It’s because you’re an incurable romantic, even a good knock to the head couldn’t make you see sense.”

—

The man helped his wife into the carriage, glancing at the woman who’d just taken off on her barely-tamed and rather mean-tempered horse. “Did you see that inlander? Mina, I think she said her name was.”

His wife craned her neck to follow his line of sight. “The pretty one with the sad eyes?”

“Do you have to describe her that way?” the man asked, letting a hint of disgruntlement in his voice. The disgruntlement was mostly feigned, however, because his wife was right, after all, Mina had been very pretty. “Yes, that’s the one. I heard she tricked the Overseer into freeing one of his slaves.”

His wife raised an eyebrow at that, shock that quickly changed to skepticism. “What was she doing around the Overseer?”

“No one knows,” he responded, trying to think of a response that would be appropriately heroic. “She was just there, right when she was needed.” That, he decided, sounded properly mystical. He had no idea what Mina had been doing there and it would be far less grand a tale if she’d actually been in business with the Overseer hired by the king to keep them under control.

His wife was clearly skeptical. “That’s ridiculous and you know it.”

He knew no such thing. “It’s true. The girl Mina freed just got a position working at the tavern down the street, we can go ask her now!”

—

“Did you hear about the dragon sighting in the ravine?”

“There’s always a dragon sighting in the ravine,” came the irritated response. “It’s not all that exciting a bit of news.”

The storyteller didn’t let the uninterested response deter him. “Well, this time the Reever boys were there, stumbled right into a raging, hungry dragon. Ran for their lives,” the speaker lowered his voice dramatically, “they were as good as gone.”

Their audience of one was not impressed. “I saw the oldest Reever boy just yesterday.”

“That’s because Mina showed up and somehow led the dragon away,” the storyteller answered, a little peeved that they had to work so hard to get a reaction. “The Reever boys ran straight home, sure she was a goner, but then the next day, just as the mourning would have started, she appeared in the market!”

That, finally, elicited a proper response. “She outran a dragon?”

The storyteller dropped back into their dramatic whisper. “Well, she’s not dead, so she did something.”

Personally, they hoped it was more impressive than just running away. What a story that would make.

Sometimes Mina thought she felt people’s eyes on her, though she could make out whispers just on the edge of her hearing. But there was no malice or suspicion, and if anyone had realized that she was a wanted fugitive, they didn’t seem to care.

It was just people being people, she decided, and didn’t let it worry her overmuch.

She was new, that was all.

The attention would die down, she was sure of it.

“Rumor has it that you know the inlander Mina,” the words seemed innocent enough, but Cara couldn’t help the way her mind immediately jumped to the worst scenarios.

She still wasn’t quite sure what her cousin had done that had led to her fleeing here to the outskirts, her only belongings a small pouch of coins and a bag of books over her shoulder, and Cara wasn’t interested in asking.

Jana, unfortunately, was the worst gossip Cara knew. The woman seemed to have a nose for secrets. Cara was most definitely not interested in letting this conversation play out.

“Distant relation,” she hedged. “Cousin of a cousin, you know how it is.”

For some reason, Jana brightened at that. “You know where she lives then, right? Out in the wasting desert?”

Cara considered lying about it, but there didn’t seem to be much of a point. She’d already admitted to being related. “Yes, as I said, she’s family, even if it’s just a cousin of a cousin.”

Jana hummed, clearly already moving past the point. “You wouldn’t mind giving me directions, would you?”

Cara’s mind screeched to a halt. “Pardon?”

Jana shrugged, though the smile on her face was far from innocent. “I was just hoping to drop by with Johar, we’ve had a productive harvest and we thought we might share, the outskirts can be quite the adjustment for someone unused to them, after all.”

“You and your husband want to… offer to share a meal with her.” Cara couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that. There were different ways to share a meal with a person, some completely meaningless, but the way Jana had said it combined with the look on her face, meant that Jana was fully intending on sharing a meal.

As far as courtship rituals went, it was a sign of fairly serious intent.

Jana straightened her shoulders, looking defensive. “She’s a good woman from what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen. Brave, capable, tender.” Her eyes went a little dreamy. “Have you seen her with children?”

Cara blinked a few times, because she had, but she hadn’t considered what that might look like from an outsider’s point of view. “She’s helped out with Reina a few times.”

Jana gave her an unimpressed look, as though that should have been all Cara needed to know to understand Jana’s fascination. “Then you can see why I’m asking.”

Cara hesitated, not wanting to air Mina’s history, especially since she didn’t know all that much of it herself. “She’s got a complicated past.” That seemed to cover ‘wanted fugitive for some heretofore unknown reason’, Cara decided.

Jana didn’t seem surprised. “I thought that might be the case. You can see it in her eyes.” She smiled softly. “And yet whatever it is, she’s still good. There are too few people out there who you can trust will stay good when the world goes dark and the stars don’t shine. You can’t blame me for wanting that for Johar and me.”

“No, I suppose not.” Cara sighed. “You’ll have your work cut out for you; I don’t expect she’s used to the sort of courtships we use here on the outskirts.” Their courtships rituals were far simpler than anything you’d find in the inner kingdom, but it was also open in a way the inner kingdom simply wasn’t. But Mina had been some sort of sorcerer, and Cara knew that they could be a strange and confusing lot. Perhaps it would work out.

She wondered if she should send a message to Mina, just so she had a heads up. She suspected that two strangers showing up to initiate a courting would be quite the surprise.

It’d be best to send a message, just so Mina didn’t spook. After all, Jana and Johar were a good couple, solid, secure. Mina could certainly do worse than catch their attention.

Mina had always been good with animals. Well, almost always, she didn’t like thinking about that time she’d been chased by the mage wolves.

It was part of what made it so easy to befriend the herd of wild cows that lived near her small little home. 

She had not quite expected that general amicability with animals to cross over to the dragons that roamed the wasting desert just beyond the borderlands.

Or rather, the one dragon that had apparently decided to adopt her and who was quite staunch about keeping other predators away.

The herd by her home was not fond of the regular visitor, but after some effort, Mina had managed to persuade them that the dragon—who refused to be named—wouldn’t hurt them.

Still, she hadn’t quite realized just how remarkable her dragon visitor was until her cousin Cara stopped by.

The solemn, practical woman stopped short outside Mina’s home, gaze stuck fast on the dragon. “You realize those things eat mage wolves by the dozen, right?” Cara turned her head just a little to give Mina a narrow-eyed look that Mina recognized as someone concerned for her sanity or possible lack thereof. How rude—even if it was, just possibly, a valid concern.

“I don’t think there are any mage wolves around here.” Mina gave the dragon a concerned look. She certainly hoped her new friend wasn’t going hungry, lurking around here.

“No, there aren’t.” Cara had the sound of someone who was trying—and failing—to explain something simple. “In their absence, that makes you quite the tasty snack.”

Mina glanced back at the dragon who was curled up lazily in the sand behind her home. The creature opened one eye in a slit as she watched them lazily. “Well, it would be quick at least. Not the worst way to go,” she mused to himself.

Cara let out a despairing sigh. “I just came to warn you that you’ve created quite the stir. Certain people have decided that you make quite the prospect.”

Mina blinked several times, trying to get the words to make sort of sense. “Pardon?”

Cara shrugged. “Apparently, inlanders are in fashion these days.”

Mina frowned; she’d ventured out a few times, yes. But she couldn’t think of anything she’d done that would garner attention, particularly the romantic attention that Cara seemed to be implying she’d gathered.

“I see. Thank you for the warning.” Perhaps she would disappear into the nearby ravines for a few days to avoid potential visitors. It would be interesting to see if she could convince the dragon to take her for a ride. She’d always wanted to fly, but levitation magic had not been her forte.

Cara shrugged. “There are some good folk; it wouldn’t hurt to be a little less lonely.”

Mina pursed her lips. “None of those ‘good folks’ deserve to be saddled with the likes of me. Trust me on that.” Sure, she might be fine now, but if the Head Sorcerers ever caught up with her, she’d be distinctly less so, and so would anyone caught in the crossfire.

Cara snorted. “If you say so. But a word of advice, if you’re don’t want to catch attention, you might want to stop being heroic and charming.”

Mina had no idea what Cara was talking about, she was never more than polite, she was quite sure… but she’d consider it—just to be on the safe side.

Cara watched as Mina dithered. “I was wondering if… you might have any suggestions on, ah,” Mina hesitated as though looking for the right words. “How to gently discourage prospective suitors.”

Cara gave her cousin a long, considering look. “That’s not likely to be easy. You’ve built quite the reputation for yourself. What exactly is the problem?”

“I’ve had three couples come visit my home in the past month, four single men, and six women. I’ve been offered more meals in the past month than I think would be physically possible to eat.” Mina looked lost and confused as though she couldn’t possibly understand how this was happening.

“Did you share a meal?” Cara asked, curious.

The look Mina gave her was exasperated. “It was very clearly an offer to share a meal, and not just an offer of food.” She sighed. “I might not know much about the customs here in the borderlands, but even I know enough to know what that means.”

Cara watched her cousin for a long moment as she continued cutting the vegetables she’d gathered; Mina had stopped by on her way home to see if they needed anything and had accepted Cara’s suggestion that the two make dinner while Reina was down for a nap.

“Here in the borderlands, we don’t see relationships the same way much of the kingdom does. We don’t need any of that overwhelming passion or true love nonsense they like to talk about in the inner kingdom. Sometimes it’s just as simple as companionship, understanding, acceptance.”

Mina smiled a little, though there was an ache in her eyes. “That doesn’t sound like such a bad difference.”

“Here in the borderlands, we learn quickly that nothing lasts; life teaches us to enjoy it while we can.” She met Mina’s eyes. “I’m not saying you have to accept anyone’s offer to share a meal, but perhaps actually give them a chance before you run for the desert.”

Mina laughed. “I hear what you’re saying.” She shook her head. “But really, I’m not exactly looking to draw attention. All the visitors to my home doesn’t help with that.”

Cara decided not to mention that if Mina hadn’t wanted to draw attention then she shouldn’t have tamed a dragon, or stopped a mercenary who had somehow never learned what ‘no’ meant, or tricked the Overseer into freeing a slave, or any of the other things Mina had done that had inevitably drawn the attention of every respectable person—and a few that were less respectable for that matter—within rumor distance. “Do you really want to live in fear of what might happen in the future?”

Mina sighed.

Cara decided to drop it for a moment, instead going back to the initial question. “There is one very easy way to get your potential suitors to stop coming by.”

Mina looked at her, eyes bright and hopeful. “What?”

Between her competence, her general charming behavior, and a smile that Cara had been reliably informed could hit a person straight in the gut, it was no surprise that everyone wanted her cousin. Cara grinned at her, stealing the vegetables and dumping them in the broth. 

“Accept one. The rest will have no choice but to accept defeat.”

Mina sighed, but her smile was bright with amusement as she shook her head with a laugh. “You may be right, but you’re not exactly helpful.”