The day a beautiful one. The golden trees near the town which got its name from them, were gently swaying in the wind. Even though their leaves were golden now, they’d be even more beautiful in Autumn. The few clouds in the sky were puffy and moving at an alarming rate, as if they were late to meet with a beautiful lady they had promised to meet in a garden at a specific time. It was midsummer, but it was a rather cool day, and with a gentle breeze, it felt like paradise.
Galin was taking his usual stroll of the village at a leisurely pace, unlike the clouds. A few more people had left a fortune in his rented room at the inn. Once they didn’t come back, he would sell their belongings and keep their coins. He wasn’t a miser, and he did not have the golden sickness, but that didn’t mean he didn’t love money or skipped an opportunity to make more when he saw it. No, he was Galin, greater than all the legends.
All of a sudden, a girl of about seventeen summers came running through the streets and bowled Galin over. They both tumbled down in two little piles of limbs and clothes.
Picking herself up and dusting off her dress, the girl looked at who she had run into. “Oh father, she said, helping him to his feet, “Forgive me for knocking you over, I did not mean that.” He really was a young man only in his twenties, but he really did look like an old man to everyone else. He wasn’t about to correct them.
Something had fallen out of her dress. Galin picked it up the little ring. And this particular ring belonged to none other than the mayor of Goldwood. “A pretty little thing,” he said, holding it.
The girl made a grab for it, but Galin pulled it away. “That’s mine,” she said, beginning to look around all worried, as if someone were chasing her. Galin had already put the pieces together by this point.
“Ah ah ah,” he said, taking a firm grip on her wrist. “I know whose ring this is.” She looked up, terrified. “This belongs to Mayor Wineglass, a good friend of mine. You must be his niece, there is a strong resemblance.”
The girl blanched. He had her right where he wanted. On the one hand, he really did need a helper, he couldn’t run his business by himself, and on the other he really did want to help her out since she must be in trouble.
“Please don’t tell him,” she begged. “I’ll do anything, just please don’t tell him. It’ll be terrible for me, it will.”
“I think I can think of something,” Galin said untruthfully. He had already thought of something. “You give me the ring, and I’ll tell him I found it. You will then work for me. I’ll get you your own little room, I have a nice shed near my place I can have fixed up, and you can have board as well. In return for that, you will help run my business.”
She looked a mixture of doubtful, scared, and relieved. “You won’t turn me in?” she asked with a shaking voice.
“Not at all,” Galin assured her. “As long as you keep up your end of the bargain. But if you keep making that face I’ll reconsider.”
“But we haven’t made any bargain,” she replied, trying to brighten up.
“Then you want me to turn you in?”
“No,” she said, getting flustered. “I’ll do it. What do you need me to do?”
Galin smiled, “come with me,” he said. He led her to his house on the edge of the village. It was more of a mansion than a house, Galin had grown rather rich from his ‘dragon business.’
“This is where you live?” the girl asked. Her wide eyes were taking everything in. She stepped forward, looking all around.
“Aye,” he said, leading her to a small shed which was currently unused. “This will be your new home. I’ll have it fixed up into a cozy little cottage for you. And you needn’t worry about anything, for anything you should ever want will be at your disposal, and not one will ever think to bother you on my land. I will have some windows put in for you.”
“You’d do that for me?” she said. “No, I can’t accept.”
“Oh, but you will,” he said kindly. “Remember, you will be working for me.”
“And what will I be doing?” she asked with a wary tone.
Galin closed the door, and lit a lamp so no one could hear him. “Allow me to explain. There is a dragon in the nearby forest.” The girl looked very nervous. “No need to worry,” he said with a smile. “I won’t have you go to steal it’s treasure. That’s not what I do. My business is getting travelers to leave their ‘unnecessary burdens’ behind while they go off and get killed by the dragon. I never make them leave anything they need. And once they don’t come back, and I am sure they won’t, I sell what they left behind, keeping any coins or anything else I like. That’s how I got this luscious little dagger.” He showed her the little green dagger he always kept at his side.
It was green, and the sheath had intricate silverwork on the outside. He had convinced an elf maid to leave it behind, knowing it was sure to have been lost. She had never returned, and that was one of the few times Galin had been sorry it worked out like that, because he had liked her and her friends.
“What does this have to do with me,” the girl asked, breaking Galin from his thoughts.
“Well,” Galin replied. “I’m not always here. I’d like you to run my business while I’m gone. I’d still sell the leftovers, of course, but I don’t see why you can’t run it. I’d help you get comfortable, then I’d let you handle it on your own. As you can see, the pay will be good and you will get food, drink and a roof over your head.”
“Isn’t this wrong?” she asked nervously.
“They are dead, so it isn’t stealing, and I never push for something they’d need to make them fall in battle. The dragon is very old and very strong. And I know better than to go after it. Very, very fer people actually slay dragons. And those who have never work alone, and they almost never do it more than once. I don’t believe I have gotten your name.”
“It’s Rosie Wineglass,” she answered.
“And I am Galin,” he replied with an elegant bow. “Now, if you don’t have any questions, I’ll be taking my leave. Make yourself at home.”
Not giving her any chance to ask any questions, Galin left for Rosie’s uncle. He found him, looking somewhat distraught, pacing in front of his house, which was smaller than Galins.
“Oh, Galin,” he said, taking notice of the man walking next to him. “I’m having troubles.”
“Do they involve a niece named Rosie and a ring by any chance?” Galin said with a wink.
“How do you know?” The mayor looked very surprised.
Galin tossed him the ring. “Don’t worry, she wont be causing anymore trouble.” The mayor tried and failed to catch it. It rolled a few feet before stopping.
“That’s good to hear.” Mayor Wineglass said, straightening up with the ring between his fingers. “She ran away from home, and no one has seen her since, until one of my guards saw her escaping from my house with my ring. What did you do to her?”
“I’ve employed her,” Galin said much to the mayor’s surprise. Looking at him, he went on, “Oh don’t give me that look. You know how charming and persuasive I can be.”
“You’d have the town if I weren’t careful,” the mayor agreed, half joking.
“Not the town, the whole kingdom,” Galin corrected. “The king doesn’t have any heirs, you know.”
“That’s getting off topic,” the mayor accused. “How did you do this?”
“She thinks I’m keeping her safe from you,” Galin laughed. “Told her if she works for me I’d protect her and give her a place to stay.”
“So,” the mayor mused, “You get an assistant, and she gets a place to stay, as well my brother having her taken out of his hands. He should like that; he never could figure out how to deal with her.”
“With a pretty maid, flattery usually works,” Galin said, with a wink.
They both heard a giggle and turned. Galin and the mayor each caught a glimpse of Rosie as she darted out of sight. Both laughed.
“You’ll have your hands full. Where is she staying?” the mayor said with a piercing look that had no effect on Galin.
“In my unused shed,” Galin said, putting on an injured air that was totally fake. “I’m not going to put her up in the stables or the inn. I might be a rogue and wealthy, but I’m a gentleman too.”
“And not as old as you look,” The mayor said out of the corner of his mouth but Galin still caught it.
“Are you saying I have aged poorly?” Galin said, looking hurt. “I’ll have you know I’m well into my ninetieth winter and I’m as spry as a child. Good day my friend.”
Galin returned home where he would begin to teach Rosie how to conduct his business. While he had been able to get some help with his business, he had been able to help the girl out when she might not have been able to get any. A large smile spread across his face like the suns light in the morning. Galin laughed, like he’d ever tell anyone which was his true reason for helping the girl.
The End, God bless
Galin is definitely up to no good. I hope Rosie gets away from him. Good post.