Chapter 2; Amari

Amari stood on a chair near the back of the Inn, constantly looking at the sheet of paper, with the small gemstone drawn upon it by Agatha, moving the paper up and down, left to right, closely watching it from all possible angles.

Amari(Thinking) “Why are you so important….”

Agatha “Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm! Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm! Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm!”

Amari(Thinking) “Ahhhhh! I can’t think straight with her constant shouting.... I need to get some air… things are happening way too fast for me to process, Rian hasn’t come back yet either, *She gazes at a clock that was hanging on the wall a few meters away from her* Okay, think Mari, think…. How can I possibly find this stone… ”

Agatha “Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm! Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm! Viiirhahhhhhh Hiiiiirrrruuuuuum! Agramethhhhhaaa! Fahrammmm!”

Amari “Aghhhhhh! That’s it! I’m going to the town, who knows, maybe I’ll just get lucky and find it, I won’t know unless I try!”

---

20 minutes later;

Amari(Thinking) “That’s Rian…” She thought as she hid the sheet of paper in one of her pockets.

Amari “Rian!”

Amari(Thinking) “He seems unsettled…”

Rian “Ahhh! Mom! What are you doing? What brings you out this far into the woods?”

Amari “I need to go to the town for a few hours, are you okay with taking care of the Inn while I’m gone?”

Rian “What? What for? I just came back with everything on your list, I’m… Uhhh?”

Amari “I need to pick up something else… Uhmmm I forgot to write it down… Ahhhh… Carrots! Yes! Carrots! I need to go pick up some carrots! You know how Gregori gets when we’re out of carrots!”

Rian “I can just go back and…”

Amari “No! No! I know how to pick the best ones, the ones that he likes…”

Rian “Mom, they’re carrots, everyone knows how to differentiate a good one from a bad one, and he’s a horse, he’ll eat whatever you give him… Are you okay?”

Amari(Thinking) “He’s so cute when he’s concerned about me! Ahhhh! I’m sorry baby, mommy doesn’t want to lie to you, but… I should at the very least tell him half the truth…”

Amari “Not really… A few guards came earlier… they… Uhmmm… they trashed most of the Inn, I’m not sure what they were looking for, but of course, they didn’t find it… And, I know this is a huge ask, can you please just get the rooms sorted out, please, while I’m gone?”

Amari(Thinking) “That should buy me a few hours, I’m sorry that I have to make you clean up my mess baby, but I’ll make it up to you, I promise!”

Rian “I see what’s going on, you want me to fix the bedrooms, *Rian puts both of his hands on Amari’s shoulders from behind, pushing her* Come on, you’ve earned your free day, you don’t have to go to such lengths… I'll take care of everything..”

Amari “Ahhh! Thank you baby! I’ll make sure to grab something sweet from the town as well, just for you!”

Rian “Yeah sure…”

Amari(Thinking) “No… Please… Don’t look at me with those eyes, that sorrowful look, I know I can’t give you everything that you want, baby, just you wait! Wait, until I find this blasted thing, and mommy will buy you everything that you want. Ahhh! Wait! I still have…”

Amari “I’m not lying! Look!” She spoke, excited, as she grabbed two silver coins from her bag.

Rian “Silver!? What!? Where did you get that from!?”

Amari “From our new tenant, she paid upfront! She also said that we are not to disturb her… So, whatever you hear from the 3rd room upstairs, don’t go in, okay?”

Rian “Okay! Okay! Just go!”

Amari “Prooomise me, okaaay!?” Amari shouted out from a distance.

Rian “I promise!”

Amari (Thinking) “I guess that he bought that for now…”

---

10 minutes later;

Unknown “Mariiiiiii!”

Amari “Ahhhh! Lara?”

Lara “Mariii! Mwah! MwaH!” She forcefully grabs her hands, and kisses her cheeks.

Lara “What the hell are you doing looking through the grass?”

Amari “Ahhhh! Rian! Yes! He said that he dropped something from the bag on the way to the Inn. Hopefully I can find it, It’s not that important…”

Lara(Thinking) “Hmmm… I guess he didn’t tell her that those scavengers ran through his stuff… Good boy…”

Amari “Like I said it’s not that important, I’ll just go to town and buy it again…”

Lara “Company! Yey! Let’s go!” She attaches herself to Amari’s arm walking beside her.

Amari “What were you doing… In the forest? At this hour?”

Lara “Just reading…”

Amari “Reading? *She turns her gaze to her right, looking up and down at Lara* You don’t seem to be carrying any books with you,” she asked, slightly hesitant.

Lara “I have a little special place where I keep them, in the forest, by a lake, reading certain books should always be done only while gazing at certain landscapes, do you not agree?”

Amari “A special place? Where?”

Lara “Darling, If I tell you, it won’t be just my special place anymore, would it?”

Amari “I see… You seem to have something on your hand..”

Lara “Ahhh! This? Just a little bit of red wine,” she swiftly responded, immediately licking off the red wine from her finger.

Amari “Wine? At this hour? Ahhhh… Lara… You haven’t changed a bit have you?”

Lara “Too bad you did…”

Amari “I… Uhhhh… I’m sorry that we…”

Lara “Ahhh! Shuuush! My door is always open to you, you know that right?”

Amari “I… Uhhh… How’s Mia?”

Lara “Mia? She’s fine, why do you ask?”

Amari “It’s just that… she used to be coming over almost everyday… I’m not sure what happened between them and Rian won’t tell me…”

Lara “What happened between them it’s for them to decide and for us to support darling, we shouldn’t butt in on matters that do not concern us too much? Right? But if I may just share my thoughts, my daughter is just way too busy lately, with the academy… It’s no joke up there, trust me on that one, it’s either you’re fully committed to the cause, or you’re out…”

Amari “I see… First mage to be elected to join the Academy in the last 10 years… that must make you proud, as mother….”

Lara “Proud? Ehhhh… Not really, all I have lately is just headaches and don't get me started on all the secrecy, she’s barely been talking to me… Damn blasted Dolfo genes, I bet this is all his fault!”

Amari “Who knows Lara, *Shrugs* Maybe it’s your genes, not his…”

Lara “Archhh! *Starts Tickling Amari* I’m a 300 years old witch that feeds off people's hearts to stay young! Archhhh! Give me your heart Mariiiiii!”

Amari “Ahhhhh! Stop! That tickles! Larraaaa!”

Lara “Ahahhahahah! As if!”

Amari “Hahahah! You always know how to make me laugh! Ahh Lara! How long do we even know each other? Hahah!”

Lara “Well… Uhmmm? Hmmm? 18 years? 19 maybe?”

Amari “18 years…. Right….Ackhhhh! Ackhhh! *Amari drops down to the ground. Images start roaming through her head, images of a similar looking female as Lara, giving an red apple to a 5 year old Amari* Achhhh!”

Lara “Mari! Mari!” She drops down near her, squatting down, embracing her.

Lara(Concerned) “It’s going to be okay… It’s going to be okay… Snap out of it!”

Amari “Achhh! I’m good! I’m good..”

Unknown Soldier(Shouting) “Out of the way!”

Lara pulls Amari to the side of the road.

Amari looks up.

She notices the same 5 soldiers that were at her home, they were dragging a cart, upon the cart, lay dormant a dead soldier, a giant hole in his chest, his pants were dropped down, revealing an enormous penis, Amari quickly blushes and looks away.

Lara “Ohh! My!”

Liam(Looking at Amari) “This is what she does Amari, this is why we need to find her…” He spoke in a gentle tone, as he stopped for a brief second, before following the soldiers.

Lara “What was that about?”

Amari “Uhmmm… They came earlier to my Inn, thinking that some witch pass through…”

Lara “Mari, look at me, *She pulls her up* Please tell me for the love of God that you’re not harboring any witches at your Inn…”

Amari “No! What’s gotten into you!?”

Lara “You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Amari “No!”

Lara “Good… Now let’s go to town and buy whatever you need,” she spoke in a gentle yet unsettled tone, looking at Amari.

---

20 minutes later;

Lara “Yey! We’re here! Ahhhh! And I almost forgot, how silly of me, I need to pick up something for Dolfo from the blacksmith, care to wait a bit for me? Pretty Pwassseee!?”

Amari “Okay! Okay!”

Lara “Let’s go!” She shouts in excitement as she drags Amari by the hand.

5 minutes later;

Lara “Karan! *Leans over behind the giant Orc* And Cassian!”

Karan “Ohhh! Lara, long time no see, *He leans over and kisses her on the cheek* How have you’ve been? All good I hope?”

Lara “Yes! Yes! Everything is fine!”

Karan “And Amari? Ohhh! How long has it been since you’ve passed through my shop?”

Amari “Three years, perhaps a little more than that…”

Karan “Ahhh… I’m sorry, I didn’t want to bring up unwanted memories…”

Amari “It’s fine…” Amari replied with a dejected look on her face.

Cassian “Hello! I’m Cassian, I’m a friend of your son, Rian!”

Amari “Ohh! Yes! Hello, I remember you, you used to be in the same class as my son.”

Cassian “Yes! We got along great, pity that he doesn’t visit often…”

Amari “Ohhh! I’m sorry to hear that, I’ll talk to him about it, perhaps I’ll manage to persuade him…”

Cassian “I’m sure a woman as beautiful as you can work her charm into compelling anyone to do whatever she asks!”

Amari “Ohhh… Thank you, you’re such a cute little charmer, aren’t you?” Amari responded, gently caressing his cheek.

Karan “I’m sorry, but… What brings you to my shop today?”

Lara “She’s here with me, and I’m here to get that thing for Dolfo, you know? The thing we talked about before?”

Karan “I’m not sure…. Ahhhhh! Yes! The thing… Cassian!”

Cassian “Yes!”

Karan “Look after the store for me, will ya?”

Cassian “Of course father,” Cassian replied in an excited tone.

Lara “I won’t be late, just wait a few minutes for me, okay?”

Amari “Okay…”

Lara and Karan leave.