Newly Broke Heroine! [Book One Complete, Cozy Fantasy Adventure]

Fiona bit her tongue as the negotiations got underway and introductions were made. She knew she would hate the moment she shook this guy's hand.

Who were you before you decided that it was fun to kill people in droves? She pondered if this guy was just another imported psychopath from Earth, or was at least directing his efforts at people who likely had it coming, who traded people's lives for coin. Was he an office worker, tired of following a bland life? A criminal given a second chance? Maybe he'd been biding his time on Cepalune, born and raised...but she had doubts.

Or maybe a goddess gave him a mission, too. One, he was carrying out dutifully. Doug nudged her gently. "Remember, honorifics. None of the usual energetic Fiona…for now."

"You know, telling me not to do something is the fastest way to get me to do what you don't want me to," she whispered. "Bee-arr-bee, making my intro."

Doug sputtered a warning, but she was already in motion. Varith had spotted her, and Barry was wearing the stiffest smile she'd ever seen on him as she closed the distance. "Ah, Barrimeth, I see you have a plus one," the man said in a deep baritone voice. "You must be Miss Swiftheart. Always a pleasure."

Always a pleasure. The words resonated with her.

She bowed politely in response. "Greetings, King Varith. Yeah, the bright red hair makes me kinda stand out in a crowd," she laughed and offered a firm handshake. His grasp was about as firm as hers–this guy was strong. "I heard you recently were running some… internal reorganization. The palace looks lovely, by the way."

"Oh, you like it? Power used properly can do wonders," he said. But, she saw a twitch cross his face as he said it, and his grip faltered. "Still, progress can be...difficult. And many don't want progress to happen. I had to go smack some of the labor houses into line a few months back. The place needs remodeling, and the stench of the inadequate public works is unconscionable! And, the staff is still on holdout contracts that even I can't forcefully break. It's a work in progress, at best."

That twitch again. The moment passed, and he waved to the others. "I believe we'll have a proper round of introductions in due time. Still plenty of work left to do, doing spring cleaning. That has now extended to the fall."

Fiona's smile faded when she heard him speak as if he hated the place. "Uh, well, it may need a bit of spring cleaning, but–"

He gave her a dismissive wave. "I've spent six months cleaning up my predecessor's mess. I do appreciate that you think this is progress, though. Barry, your girlfriend is quite the charmer."

Fiona took one look at Barry, laughing. "Oh, I think you've misunderstood, Varith. I'm uh...well..." She put on a veiled smile that told Barry, 'I will murder you if you don't shut this down right now'.

Barry's face looked like it wanted to split at that mention. "The lady of the hour is attending to matters at home in my stead. Miss Swiftheart is a…recent veteran, known for deposing Douglas the Red and settling a territorial dispute." Doug said nothing besides her–how, indeed, had he moved so quietly? Barry gestured to him as soon as Fiona noticed him. "This is her…"

"Derek Kierfraag, historian and curator of the many artifacts and curios of Miss Swiftheart's emporium," Doug answered stiffly. "I am also somewhat familiar with the history of Salipol. It has changed hands as often as the tides of the ocean change directions." It was the most subtle version of 'Don't get cozy in that throne' that she had heard in a while.

Varith raised an eyebrow at that. "Oh, well then! I'll be the first to hang onto it, long enough to retire." He turned to Fiona, a faint smile emerging. "So that makes you…available again?"

Uh, no. I don't date psychopaths. Manic artists, maybe, and look how well that turned out. "I am currently spoken for," she answered politely. Theo was now competing against despotic kings–hardly a fair fight. It was probably a good idea not to mention his name until she was free and clear of this city.

"Oh, I'm sure you are. But what do they have that you don't already?" For some reason, his gaze shifted to Doug, who folded his wings tight against his back, an eyebrow raised, and a soft hmm sound coming from him. Wait. Does he think we're a couple? Uh, crap, wingding, panic response time!

Flap-flap. That was a distinct 'no' that she ignored as she glanced at Doug, wearing a puzzled expression. Fiona moved subtly between the two of them and cleared her throat. "We're, uh…no, someone back in Fiefdala."

"Yes. Ours is strictly business," Doug replied sourly. "I do believe we adhere to different standards up north."

"Yeah. I can see how being enamored with a business partner can lead to unfortunate outcomes." Varith looked disappointed, almost sad even. She hoped his emotional composure wasn't this unstable, and knew this was likely not the end of the discussion or awkward moments. "Well, we shall get underway shortly."

Twenty minutes into the discussions, Fiona knew Varith had an inkling about business. She knew, just by the gleam in his eyes, that Barry would be taken for a ride and out-negotiated. Barry knew it, because he kept wearing that anxious smile of his that she had seen, many times before.

He is in over his head, and he regrets his choices now. She weighed her options for the time being. She could let Barry sweat and let him get his karmic dose for an entire lifetime, or she could do something to take the pressure off of him. She could start by finding out what exactly Vale was bringing to the table. They must have offered something good for him to even attempt to take this opportunity. But, very had never specified what, exactly, it was.

For most of the next hour, it was a lot of small talk between the various diplomats, working in small groups. She did spot Barry, and the king of Vale, talking quietly to each other. The anxiousness and various mannerisms faded just a little, but if she listened in, as did Doug--she could tell by how he pivoted his ear crests subtly. Luckily, her ears didn't telegraph it quite as much.

"So, tell me about the red-haired one," the king whispered. "How did you convince her to come along?"

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"Like I said, we had an...internal issue about two months ago. She is...Brave, bold, possibly a little eccentric, but also dependable on getting things done."

If she didn't despise Barry for every fiber of his being, she might have almost found that to be a compliment. Doug rolled his eyes at this. Meanwhile, they reviewed their arcanist data pads, while continuing to listen to the palace intrigue. Most of it was not as flattering.

Distantly, she saw Varith lean in, whispering to Barry in an indulgent tone. "So, how is it that woman, an elven, managed to become one of your negotiators here, in a formal capacity? "

" Well, she was very convincing, and more important, she always manages to deliver, when given a challenge."

Barry, you were going to get smoked by your own mark if I didn't change the terms, and you know it.

"Hmm. She has the mark of someone quite feisty. This must be important for her to focus on something...a little less intense. Perhaps she and I could be properly introduced...I'd need to borrow her for a bit, twenty minutes, tops."

She tried to not react to this bold assertion; this was an obsession he was not going to let go of. Barry, sensing the danger of this discussion, redirected Varith.

"Varith, trust me when I say this, pursuing this one is not worth your time and effort." Barry growing a backbone, wasn't likely. He knew she'd use him for hammer practice if he left her hanging in the wind on this one. "She does what she wants. And no one in the universe can change her mind."

Varith scoffed at that. "Greater challenges, greater rewards. Not even for matters of money."

"Varith. She is part of the negotiations. Not the subject of them," Barry responded sternly. That edge to his tone was palpable.

Meanwhile, she began engaging in dialogue with the woman adjacent to her, all business and zero pleasure. She almost looked bored by this task. "So, you're telling me you run a shop."

"I run an emporium. We carry a variety of goods, catering to the exploration and protection of Fiefdala's finest adventurers! We've also branched out to more accessible goods."

"That sounds boring," the woman sighed. "How are you qualified for negotiations for entire nations?"

"Connections," she smiled. "We've started opening up dialogue with the dwarven barrows of the Arkentine mountains, and let me tell you, no one else has imported dwarven armor!"

This got her attention. "Go on."

After about five minutes of discussion, Fiona had her in–Vale was severely lacking in competent crafts. And then she made the pitch. "I have a mobile storefront with samples. Get me a few days, and I'll get you names of people who could certainly open up some routes to offer up north. With some provisions."

The woman's face firmed up. "Oh? Is that a challenge?"

"Yes, it is," she confirmed as she folded her arms across her chest, looking smug. "I know how to find and make fortunes."

****** ******

"Varith is a little unsettling."

"Duh. There is something off about him. Like if I didn't know the little Rikkard told me, I might not get that unsettled feeling." Fiona was in the midst of the market, with Lani and Doug accompanying her as she set up the inconspicuous backpack. No one seemed to be paying her any mind. "You know what's odd? his accent sounds something like home."

"Hmm, no. I've heard of a few people across the Aegortin sea, they have a similar accent," Doug commented. "I don't know, the theory they're a summoned? I don't think it holds water."

She couldn't help but get that nagging feeling again. and those sad eyes of Varith's, that didn't match the rest of his face. What was up with that? Do I have sad eyes? No. I treated monster slaying as a service to the kingdom. Maybe that's an acquired look. She focused on her task--no one was paying them any attention.

Except for the homeless person looking at her and licking his lips anxiously. He was a small time problem compared to Kings used to getting their way. "Alright, let's see if I remember how this goes. Bonnie said to tap the bracer…like so." She read the instructions from her arcanist pad, and she was rewarded for her efforts with the grind of gears and the sound of the unfurling canvas.

The mobile storefront started unpacking itself and popping out of the near-impossible compressed space, and Doug wisely padded a few steps backward, while Fiona let out a triumphant smile.

The displays all unfurled, the items magically popped into view with small poofs of smoke, and the kiosk activated with a small magical chime sound. Onlookers let out a small roar of applause at this spectacle, and Fiona cracked her knuckles for emphasis. "Derek, let me show you how it's done."

"Uh, Miss Swiftheart? What's my role in this?" Lani asked hesitantly, feathers ruffling from the light breeze of the mid-afternoon day.

"Lani, have you ever run retail before?"

She considered the question for a moment. "I accepted contracts and recorded documentation for sl–I mean, labor contracts, on behalf of my current taskmaster!" she beamed. Fiona's edged smile subtly conveyed how not okay she was with this notion. "Is that close?" she continued, tapping her claws together anxiously.

Fiona shrugged and waved Lani over. "It's close enough! Now, I've been at this for a while, so I'll walk you through it. Prices are negotiable, people get receipts for the items they've bought and paid for, all sales must be recorded, and most importantly? Don't ever leave the kiosk unattended. I'll be handling the sales, and you follow my instructions. Think of it as an apprenticeship to accelerate your labor contract to its conclusion. Meaning, as soon as humanly possible," she added for emphasis.

"What? Contracts don't end. We just get...renewed."

Her urge to burn this entire city to the ground grew just a little stronger when she heard that, and she turned to face the poor girl, with a poor attempt at keeping a straight face. "Let me get this right. You...keep working for the same guy?"

"Yes! They provide us with food, shelter, and a small allowance! That we must use at specially marked stores! They are also run by our contract owners; they make sure we get goods at affordable prices!" Lani's voice was so strained, it sounded like a piano wire about to snap.

"So you renew to keep a roof over your head...voluntarily, and they allow you to use your own money, to buy from places they have a vested interest in making profitable?" Fiona felt her blood pressure skyrocket. I hate this place, so much. Even Doug, sensing her murderous mood skyrocketing, put a hand on her sleeve.

"It's been one form of--"

"I get it, Derek!" She almost screamed the words out. She smoothed her frazzled hair, and smiled politely at Lani, now looking anxious. "How much does it take to buy out your contract?"

"Depends! Oh, they do put that provision in, as a point of fairness in case you're dissatisfied by the arrangement. It's only..." she started counting off fingers. then feathers, when she ran out of those. "Six thousand gold! I'm so close!" That look of delight in Lani's eyes, made Fiona realize that she might have to burn all of Salipol's labor houses to cinders.

Wingding, new plan. I'm finding that missing gold, buying out the contracts, and once everyone's free and clear of this sin against Cepalune? I'm going to take my hammer and turn this place into a pile of rubble. Hell, I might invite Rikkard to lend a hand, as one step in his path to earning my respect again.

[Good plan, Fi.] The morse code she flapped was as clear as day. The fact that Wingding was on board with this, only cemented her belief in it.

And if that doesn't work...I wonder if we can out-lawyer the contracts.

"Lani, let me ask you, is your whole family like this?" she asked quietly.

"Oh yes. Bulk discount for contracts for family members!" she beamed. "But, uh, not all contracts made the same."

"There are...provisions within the contracts that allow wiggle room. And some of them are...prone to exploitation that may favor the signee." Doug's subtle hint, was all the ammo she needed. She clapped her hands together and pointed to the kiosk.

"Lani, your enlightenment of the fairer folk of Cepalune begins today! Now let's get started." Fiona waved to the gathering audience, wearing a beaming smile of determination. "Alright ladies and gents, step right up! We've got the finest wares, directly from the Kingdom of Fiefdala! Who wants in on the finest adventurer wares in the northern continent?!"