Visiting Friends

Chapter 58

After confessing and confirming our mutual feelings Henry and I were running late, literally. I’d all but totally forgotten my appointment with Jessica and there was no convenient spot to teleport to. An obvious oversight now that I needed it.

Henry was grinning as we dashed through the town and toward the bridge leading to the farm. He didn’t need to say anything before I felt certain Duex’s cheeks were blushing brightly. Not having readable expressions in my natural form really did have advantages at times.

Neither of us got out of breath or sweated, so by the time we arrived at the farm we were able to pretend to be dignified. Being careful to close the gate behind us we headed in and soon found a curious sight.

In the farmyard near a chicken coop were a series of odd arrangements of sticks, baskets, and strings. Nearby, Bessy was watching intently as chickens wandered close to them. It wasn’t until I noticed the bait that I realized I was looking at a series of traps.

“C-Chris might have a protegee,” Henry said wryly. We both watched curiously until the chicken managed to collect a few pieces of corn and waddle away safely.

“Hello young lady,” I called. Bessy jumped, pulling a knife out of her apron as she spun to look at me. Having a three-year-old pull a knife on me was new, but I kept my expression calm. Henry nudging me with his elbow meaningfully did not make that easy. Chris and a tiny murder baby was an adorable and disturbing picture.

“Tall,” Bessy said in awe as her eyes traveled up to meet mine. She still kept ahold of her knife but it was pointing at the ground now instead of at me.

“Giants’ kin usually are,” I said with a grin. I wasn’t one but it was true.

“I’m Bessy,” she blurted out as she made a half-hearted curtsy. It was hard not to laugh, but I kept a straight face and returned the gesture.

“I’m Quarante Deux, you can call me Deux or Miss D if you like,” I explained. Betsy nodded in reply, looking me over like a museum display.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again Miss Bessy,” Henry said, bowing as he did. Betsy did a double-take, apparently not having noticed him before.

“Enry?” she asked then nodded to herself. It seemed like she recognized him as she felt comfortable enough to put her knife back into her apron pocket.

“Catching chickens?” I asked as I gestured at the traps.

“It didn’t work, can you fix it?” Betsy asked hopefully. Looking at what she’d built, that was a solid no. I used traps, but I didn’t make them myself. Outside of the odd pitfall anyway. I had a basic understanding of the difference between a snare and deadfall but not enough to help her. I was also fairly certain her grandmother would skin the both of us. Jessica had been delighted by the chickens in particular when she moved in.

“Sorry, I’m not sure how to,” I said instead of pointing out the potential to get in trouble. Nobody liked a lecture from strangers.

“Would you please show us to your grandmother? We have an appointment,” I continued. Henry and I had turned up late, but not too much, so I wasn’t flustered anymore.

“Okay…can I... ride?” Bessy said the last part hesitantly as she eyed my shoulders. She even lifted her little arms and I picked her up before common sense could kick in. It was like a reflex, and she was already seated on my left shoulder before I realized it was probably a bad idea.

Despite that, I didn’t put her down. In for a penny, in for a pound. I’d take the scolding that would likely follow. Bessy giggled and pointed me in every direction but the right one as she enjoyed seeing things from a new vantage point.

“Bessy!” Jessica shouted, causing me to freeze. Turning around I helped Bessy down as her grandmother came running over to us. I blinked as I looked at Jessica up close for the first time. She looked like she was possibly in her late thirties, though I knew she was a bit older.

The painting in Elims locket really was crap. It had made her look closer to fifty and had gotten the blue of her eyes wrong.

“I apologize, she’s fearless,” Jessica said quickly, trying and failing to grab Bessy. The little imp was hiding behind me to dodge her grandmother.

“It’s fine,” I said and laughed at the situation.

“I apologize for picking her up like that,” I added. It was my fault as the adult, not Bessy’s, but I wasn’t going to explain that point of view. I knew jack shit about parenting conventions for local humans.

“Ah well… Bessy, go make yourself presentable for our company,” Jessica pivoted, shooing the little girl.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mayor Deux, please come in,” She added as she curtsied to me. Henry and I returned the gesture and followed her into the farmhouse. I’d designed every part of it, including the furniture, but it felt unfamiliar as we entered.

“Your home is lovely,” I said, genuinely complimenting her rather than myself. Jessica had rearranged, removed, and added things. It was interesting to see something I’d made become a lived-in space, but I tried not to stare. A difficult thing, as my mind automatically tried to sort out what was made by the local skeleton artisan population and what had been brought from outside.

“It was a gift from my son’s employer,” Jessica said diplomatically with a smile. It felt weird to hear her refer to something I’d done as if a third party was involved. Secret identities weren’t proving difficult to maintain so much as a bit awkward.

“What might I do for you mayor?” She asked once we were seated. She served tea that I pretended to drink by dumping part of it into my inventory. I’d sent a request to visit in advance, but hadn’t stated a specific purpose.

“About that… I wanted to welcome you and make sure you had everything you needed. I wasn’t able to do so when you first arrived due to personal matters,” I explained.

“Oh, that's very kind but we are quite well provided for,” Jessica said resolutely with a polite smile. Yep, secret identities blew.

“Well, about that. You see, I’m the hermit of Lorrel your son referred to as his employer,” I admitted. I trusted Jessica to keep a secret already so her knowing one more wouldn’t hurt anything.

Several moments passed as Jessica stared at me mutely. Thinking she didn’t believe me, I decided to remedy that.

[It’s true. Sorry for the surprise.]

The text was to the point and I could tell she was looking at it by the distance in her gaze. It was common among the dungeon denizens and hard to miss if you knew what it was. In the next instant, she was up and out of her chair, clasping my hands in hers and looking like she was about to cry.

“It’s really you!” Jessica said happily.

“Y-yes,” I agreed, taken by surprise by her reaction.

“I’ve wanted to meet you, but I didn’t want to impose. I’m glad I can thank you in person, you have no idea how much you’ve done for my family,” Jesica declared.

“Bessy! Get a move on, I have a surprise!” She added, shouting the way her granddaughter had gone earlier.

“Coming!” Bessy replied immediately, sounding close. I turned to look and found the little girl coming with arms full of what looked like shiny rocks and something yellow.

“Hold her please,” Bessy said, handing the yellow thing off to Henry. I didn’t miss the ‘her’ part but wasn’t sure what kind of toy she was referring to. It looked like a rubbery rope.

“Bessy, you didn’t!” Jessica squeaked, her face draining of color. Confused, I looked from her back to Henry. The yellow thing had wrapped itself around his forearm. The yellow thing was a snake I realized as my mind started moving at normal speed again.

Checking with the system it was a constrictor called a false lightning adder. Basically harmless, not that its lethal cousin would have been a problem for Henry anyway. A perk of being a skeleton was being immune to most toxins unless they degraded bone itself.

“It’s alright Jessica,” I said reassuringly, going over to take the snake from Henry. Since she looked scared, it was probably best I chuck it in my inventory.

“He doesn't mind getting a little wrapped up,” I added without thinking. The snake was strong and I was taking care not to hurt her as I unwound her coils.

“D-depends on wh-whose doing it,” Henry rebutted as he leaned in to whisper in my ear. My face had to look like it was on fire after that.

“Ahem… Well, uhm… I can take the snake,” I started only to find my tunic being tugged urgently.

“Don't hurt mustard! She’s a good girl, she’s just nervous!” Bessy said frantically.

“I would never, I’ll take her home with me and you can visit her later,” I said gently. Honestly, I didn’t care much about the welfare of reptiles, but I wasn’t one for animal cruelty either. I’d planned to let it go later, but it wouldn’t be hard to slap together a terrarium in a sunny spot.

“Okay, let me get her things!” Bessy said, dropping everything she was holding on the floor. I’d been correct, they were shiny rocks.

“I don’t know what to say. She has a way with those things and won’t listen to reason,” Jessica informed me. I had to raise an eyebrow at that. Curious, I took a look at Bessy’s information.

I couldn’t edit it like her father’s, but reading it wasn’t a problem. It took a few moments but I tracked down something odd.

“Has she always been good with reptiles? Erh, snakes and lizards?” I asked.

“Since she was in the cradle. It was like the blasted things came looking for her,” Jessica confirmed.

“Ah, well, they might have. She has an active blessing from a god, one of serpents,” I explained, as Jessica’s face lost its color again. She sat down heavily in her chair, looking morose.

“What kind of blessing?” Jessica asked.

“It says she can understand animals to a degree and speak with monsters. It also grants her their favor and lets her train them,” I explained, my voice growing smaller as Jessica’s expression darkened. In the end, she let out a drawn out sigh.

“Well, at least I know I wasn’t seeing things now. Her mother must have had it too, but tried to hide it,” Jessica explained. I nodded, grateful I didn’t have to break the news it was hereditary to a woman who clearly didn’t like snakes.

Henry nudged me and I nudged him back. I didn’t need his help to picture Chris’s delight at having a snake-charming apprentice.