The Lesser Evil - 1. The Vanishing Act

Looking up from the amethyst necklace in his hands, Edwin took a deep breath as a refreshing gust of wind came through one of the cracked windows of his little trinket shop. It was another pleasant, chilly spring morning, which was quite usual for the port town of Ossvale. The young man gazed out the window, as if trying to predict the weather. It certainly seemed like it would be clear and sunny, which was just what he wanted. It was much less fun walking around town with his best friend in the pouring rain, especially since they had some errands to run. Well, he had errands to run. Ida would just be there to keep him company.

Snapping back to reality, Edwin realized he was still holding the lovely necklace in his hands. The clasp was broken and he was about to fix it. Its owner, Miss Montag, said she would come around noon to pick it up, he remembered. She could be very unpleasant when she had to wait, but she was one of his best customers, so he put up with it.

“Uh, where did I put it…” the young man muttered as he rummaged through the clutter on the large wooden counter, looking for the right tool. Even though the rest of his store was usually spotless and tidy, with crystals, jewelry and other trinkets neatly on display, the counter area was always messy. It doubled as a working space that Edwin used to clean and repair jewelry.

“Ah, there we go!” he grinned as he found the pliers he needed, getting right to work. It was certainly a beautiful piece, he thought, marveling at the intricate silver chain and the purple amethyst pendant embedded in it. If it weren’t a girls’ necklace, it would look beautiful on his black skin. Maybe he’ll have to make a similar one for himself one of these days.

It wasn’t long before he was finished, and the necklace looked as good as new. He placed it in the small box in which it came and put it on a shelf behind him. Just as he turned around, the tiny bell hanging on the door started to ring and his first customer for the day came in. He smiled, not surprised one bit when he saw the short, plump old lady who was one of his regulars.

“Mildburg, good morning. I hope you are well,” he greeted her cheerfully, noticing that she was wearing an old bronze chain with a large moonstone. He had crafted it for her nearly three years ago, back when he had just moved to Ossvale and opened his shop. It was just one of the many pieces of jewelry that adorned her neck and arms, clinking together as she moved.

“A very good morning to you too, Edwin,” the old woman spoke, her voice calm and deep, as if full of arcane wisdom that Edwin could not even begin to understand. He couldn’t help but notice that she called him by his name, rather than ‘my son’, ‘dear child’ or any of the myriad of nicknames she had for him. She would only use his name when something was troubling her.

“How can I help you today?” the shopkeeper asked, watching as the woman moved straight to the shelves lined with crystals, observing them as she hummed an unknown melody. She often did that, seemingly lost in her own world, muttering words in a language Edwin couldn’t understand.

“Oh! I’m in need of a nice, large onyx today,” she said, picking up one of the bigger specimens and examining it closely.

“Please, help yourself,” Edwin offered. He knew it was best to let the woman look around by herself since she always knew exactly what she wanted. While he was able to make the finest trinkets out of precious metals and stones, she was the one who knew all about their… alternative uses. As she looked around, she would often share her wisdom with Edwin, instructing him on how best to use the energy of each crystal.

“They are believed to bestow courage in battle to their wearer,” Mildburg said as she turned, and her eyes locked with Edwin’s.

“Ah, I see. Are you telling me you’re going to battle?” he asked, giving her an amused smile. She didn’t seem to find it funny.

“We are all fighting battles of our own, external or internal.”

“Well... I’m afraid that’s the largest piece I have right now. I’ll be going down to the docks to get a new shipment this afternoon.”

“This one will do,” the woman nodded, a satisfied look on her wrinkled face. Once she paid for the gem, she turned to leave, but stopped before exiting the shop. “Edwin… I have communed with the spirits, and they are quite perturbed today. I sense darkness coming, but also light breaking through. I do not know what will happen, but we need to be on our guard. Please, be careful.”

“When am I not careful?” Edwin gave her a playful smirk, puffing out his chest. He did not quite share the woman’s beliefs, whatever they were, but he was certainly not going to openly tell her that. He found her friendly and warm, but often also unnervingly strange. She was a good customer anyway.

Besides, he couldn’t be living a more boring life if he tried. The biggest risk he ever took was abandoning his home land of Ahrabet in the south and settling here, in the far north of the kingdom of Wisian – if that could even be called a risk. The port town of Ossvale had always been a peaceful place, even during the Knight Wars between the two kingdoms.

Still, the woman’s warning somehow stayed with Edwin for most of the day. It was only after he closed the shop that afternoon and made his way through the city that he managed to put it out of his mind. As he had been hoping, the day was warm and sunny, which always meant one thing – the street market at the town square would be full. It was one of his favorite places to visit. Rows of wooden stands lined next to each other, with farmers and merchants from the town and nearby villages selling their products. People were haggling, sampling the goods and chatting among each other, having a good time.

Edwin took the route through the west part of the market, wanting to pass by the large flower stand, tended by the young Florian. He decided to wear tight pants and a light, almost see-through shirt that clung to his body and made his black skin seem even darker. With sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his toned forearms, Edwin ran a hand through his long, raven hair, letting it fall freely down to his shoulders. He had to get the other man’s attention.

The handsome flower vendor was always in the same spot, selling a large selection of the most beautiful plants from across the region. As Edwin walked on by, he cast a glance toward the flower stand. Florian was there, his golden skin glistening in the sun, honey-colored hair tied into a loose ponytail. He looked effortlessly charming as he served a customer, with three others waiting in line - all young women. No doubt they came for the same reason as Edwin.

As if he sensed his presence, Florian looked up, his eyes meeting Edwin’s. Both men smiled and nodded, as if expressing their thoughts and desires without a word. “Maybe one of these days I’ll take him out for a pint in the tavern,” Edwin thought. “And then some dessert at my place.”

The Temple of Dawn was just around the corner, at the far end of the square. A tall, white building with golden arches and imposing spires that almost touched the clouds. For a newcomer to Ossvale, it may have looked out of place among the simple houses surrounding it, but the locals were used to it, visiting it every Sunday for worship.

As a priestess in training, Ida lived in the house on temple grounds with her father, High Priest Agilmar. Edwin often found it funny how they became best friends, since he was not a believer at all. A sceptic for all things religious, Edwin was far more interested in physical pleasures of this world - especially if they involved a good meal and an attractive man. Ida was like him in many ways - a free spirit that loved to laugh and have fun. That is why it took him by surprise when she told him she would be training with her father to become a priestess, one day replacing him as the leader of the Temple. Still, their friendship did not suffer for it, and they spent as much time together as before.

As he approached the Temple from the western side, Edwin looked around, observing the people walking by. He stopped in his tracks as his eyes fixated on a strange, hooded figure loitering near the back entrance to the building. The large man, whoever he was, seemed to glance around before reaching for the door handle, attempting to open it. He looked suspicious, wearing a heavy, dark gray cloak, certainly not as if he belonged at the Temple. Was he a burglar? They had many of those around town, and the royal guards seemed either unable or unwilling to get rid of them.

“Hey! What are you doing there?” Edwin shouted, breaking into a sprint toward the man.

The stranger took a second to look at him, before turning away and bolting off with surprising agility. Edwin chased after him fearlessly, but the man was too fast even for him. By the time the shop owner reached the Temple entrance, the mysterious figure had already fled around the corner, down one of the many narrow streets. It would be impossible to track him now.

Frustrated, Edwin returned, his chest heaving with exertion. Passing the Temple, he went over to the smaller building next to it, knocking the brass lion-shaped knocker on the door.

“Hey, you’re here,” a young, pale girl with long, brown hair opened the door after a few moments, her eyes lighting up. She wore a simple maroon dress and a white, wide-brimmed hat on her head. Edwin breathed a sigh of relief, glad to see she was alright. “Come on then, sailor, lead the way.”

The young man smiled as they strolled through town together. Ida was the only one calling him that. Back when they first met, soon after he arrived in Ossvale, she told him he was the first person from the neighboring kingdom that she had ever met. And as he came on a ship, she decided that sailor would be an appropriate nickname for him.

“Hey, have you had any visitors today?” he asked, the hooded man still on his mind.

“Only Giselle,” she rolled her eyes so hard, the man was scared they would get stuck in that position. “Another one of her lessons on priesthood... Why?”

“Hmm, it could be nothing…” Edwin replied. “I just saw this man trying to enter the Temple through the back door. I figured he must be a thief or something.”

“And you didn’t recognize him?” Ida asked.

“No, he was wearing a hood, so I couldn’t see his face. I ran after him, but I couldn’t catch him before he disappeared.”

“Edwin! You went after him?” the girl sounded shocked, placing a hand over her chest. “What if he was dangerous?”

“Of course I did. If he wasn’t doing anything bad, he wouldn’t have ran away. I had to make sure,” he spoke confidently, suddenly remembering Mildburg’s warning from that morning. Was this what the old woman was trying to tell him about?

“Or maybe you thought he was handsome and wanted to frisk him for… concealed weapons?”

The comment earned a hearty laugh from the shopkeeper. He had definitely corrupted her with his ways. She would have to mind her language once she became a priestess.

“I know you like to play the hero, but… Please, be careful, alright?”

“Ida, don’t worry about me, you know I can take care of myself. Now, how did the lesson go?” he asked, eager to change the subject. “Did the broomstick-up-her-ass actually teach you anything?”

“She tried,” Ida let out a chuckle at Giselle’s expense. The woman was one of the priestesses at the Temple, the right hand of Ida’s father. “She taught me about how to talk and relate to members of the congregation. As if I hadn’t been watching father do it for years.”

“Still, it’s one thing to watch someone else do it, and another to do it yourself. Do you think you’re ready… to become a priestess, I mean?”

“I hope so… I will have to be,” the girl shrugged, avoiding Edwin’s eyes. “Oh my, look at all these ships! They are beautiful!”

Ida stopped to stare at the line of majestic vessels in front of them as they finally arrived at their destination. The Port of Ossvale was always a sight to behold, with dozens of ships from Wisian and other nearby kingdoms sailing in and out, against the backdrop of azure sky and peaceful sea that seemed to stretch into infinity. Merchants and fisherman crowded the docks. Some were preparing for new voyages, while others were busy unloading crates of their precious cargo - be it fish, spices, cloth or other goods.

As much as Ida enjoyed the sight of the ships, Edwin was not impressed. They always reminded him of leaving home, cast out by his parents. They reminded him of failing his little sister, ruining her life. He had no choice but to leave in shame, having to spend the rest of his life knowing how much hurt he caused.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Edwin quickly made his way through people, Ida following closely behind. He needed new supplies for the shop, and he knew several traveling merchants who always had the best goods.

“Dagna, my love, did you miss me as much as I missed you?” he greeted a tall, olive-skinned woman with long, dark hair, giving her a smoldering look that always made her blush.

“Oh, Edwin,” she practically melted when she looked at him. The man could almost feel her undressing him with her eyes. “Do you even have to ask? I think about you all the time when I’m out on the sea.”

“That is all I wanted to hear,” he whispered seductively before looking down to inspect her goods. She had some quality amber, garnet and malachite, among other things. There were even some beautiful sapphires that he could surely put to good use. With his skilled eye, he selected the best samples out of the bunch.

“Of course, a discount for my favorite customer,” Dagna said, much to Edwin’s satisfaction. If being pleasant and giving a few compliments to the woman would save him a few gold coins, who was he to say no?

“Don’t look at me like that,” the young man said, casting a knowing glance at his best friend as they strolled through the port, moving away from the crowd.

“Like what?” Ida smirked. He knew she would never judge him, but they loved to tease each other.

“Like I’m some kind of a scoundrel robbing people of their livelihood.”

“Those are your words, not mine,” she shrugged. “As long as you don’t promise to marry her and then break the poor woman’s heart.”

“That won’t happen,” he shook his head. “Unless she is able to grow a penis,” he thought.

“Unless she can grow a pe-”

“Alright, so you know all my thoughts! Please, get out of my head,” the man cut her off before they both burst into laughter. “Besides, if I’m going to ask for anyone’s hand in marriage, it will be the flower vendor at the square.”

“Florian? Oh, he is so handsome, like a prince.”

“Hey, don’t get any ideas now. I saw him first, alright?”

“Don’t worry, I shall behave,” Ida winked at him, smiling playfully. “I don’t think he’d be interested in me anyway.”

After purchasing all the supplies Edwin needed, the two friends headed back to town. It was still daytime, but the weather had gotten slightly chilly, as fresh wind from the sea started increasing in intensity. Before she could react, Ida’s hat was off her head, the wind blowing it away down the street.

“Oh, wait!” she yelled as if that would make it stop, scrambling to catch it. While she ran off after it, Edwin turned toward the sea, his eyes falling upon a vessel docked at the port. It was on a ship such as that one that he arrived in Wisian a little over three years ago. He often wished he could go back home, at least for a while, but he couldn’t bring himself to even consider the possibility. No, he could not return there. Never again.

“Did you get it?” the man asked, turning around after a few moments, but there was no reply. Even worse, there was no Ida. Furrowing his brows, Edwin looked all around, but his friend was nowhere to be seen. He had only turned his back for a few seconds!

“Ida? Stop playing!” he yelled, running in the direction in which she went, but the street was empty.

Then he saw it - Ida’s white hat lying on the ground next to a small apple tree planted by the sidewalk. He snatched it from the ground and got back up, afraid she was going to show up and he would miss it if he turned for just a second.

“Ida!” he shouted desperately, the pit in his stomach growing. He was now starting to panic. How could she have vanished just like that? She would never have willingly gone and left him. Clutching the girl’s hat, he ran like a mad man from one end of the street to the other, searching for any kind of clue, but to no avail. There was nothing. No suspicious passersby, no trace of Ida. The closest people were the sailors and merchants at the docks, but they were all too far away. Whoever took his friend, they were somehow already gone.

~~

Edwin barged into the Temple of Dawn, pushing the large, heavy door open and rushing inside. The vast nave was almost empty, rows of wooden benches stretching all the way to the altar at the far end of the chamber. The few people that were inside turned to look at him, shocked at his abrupt entrance, but the young man didn’t care. His friend was gone, and he had no idea who took her or where.

“Where’s Father Agilmar?” he asked a churchgoer who had been sitting and trying to pray in silence. The old man looked at Edwin indignantly, clearly annoyed that his prayer was interrupted. He pointed at the far end of the nave, where a door led to another room. Edwin wasted no time in going over toward it. He never liked the high priest, or any church member for that matter, but then again, he didn’t know him very well at all. Still, he had no other choice. He had to inform him that his daughter was missing.

“The High Priest cannot see you right now,” Giselle, the priestess who was training Ida, appeared from one of the side chambers, striding over to Edwin. Her skin was almost as dark as Edwin’s, while her luxurious, black hair fell almost down to her hips. Edwin gritted his teeth as he gave her a death stare, unafraid to show his discontent.

“He will see me whether he wants to or not. It’s urgent.” Disregarding the woman, he knocked on the door loud enough to be heard even by the people outside.

“Excuse me, this is a place of worship, you can’t just-” Giselle tried to protest, but the door momentarily opened, a middle-aged man in white and gold high priest robes standing before them.

“Edwin, what is the matter?” Agilmar asked, observing the young man curiously.

“It’s Ida, she’s gone,” the shopkeeper uttered, trying to calm himself down. He realized he probably looked and sounded like a lunatic, having ran over all the way from the docks, but that didn’t matter at all.

“What do you mean, gone?” the older man asked, his face expressionless. It was as if he was frozen in time. Edwin fought the urge to slap him, make him come to his senses.

“I mean gone, vanished!” the young man repeated in frustration. “We were at the docks, I turned away for a second and when I looked back she wasn’t there. It was as if she vanished into thin air. This…” he offered the man the hat Ida was wearing, “this is all that’s left of her.”

Speechless, the high priest took the hat and looked at it blankly, as if it was a strange artifact he had never seen before. Planting himself on the simple wooden chair behind him, he looked up at Edwin, his face still frozen, his eyes glassy.

“My daughter…”

The young man knelt down next to him, suddenly feeling a wave of sympathy for the old man. No matter what he thought of Agilmar, the man had just lost his second daughter. Isolde, Ida’s older sister, had left home years ago after constant fights with her father - at least according to what Ida had told him. She refused to ever visit the Temple and only saw Ida on occasion. How would she react when she found out her sister was missing?

“We’ll find her. Whoever took her, we’ll get her back,” the young man spoke softly, trying to comfort the priest. “I’ll make sure of that. I’ll search the whole town if I have to.”

Agilmar didn’t speak for a few moments, as if in a trance. When he finally looked over at Edwin, he placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder, giving him a slight nod.

“Thank you, son. Forgive me, I am distraught. How… How could this have happened? My Ida,” his voice trailed off, barely a whisper. “I… I need to inform the royal guards. They have to find her, even if they have to search night and day. They have to find her... Edwin, I appreciate you telling me this, but I do not want you to put yourself in any danger. I know you care about my daughter, but I could never forgive myself if something happened to you because of this.”

Edwin immediately started to protest, but the priest shushed him. “Please, listen to this old man. Stay safe, and if you ever need to talk to anyone, do not hesitate to come here. I know you may not be… receptive to our beliefs, but you may find comfort in the most unlikely place. And please, pray for my Ida.”

When he left the Temple of Dawn, Edwin felt no better. He did what he had to and informed Ida’s father, but now what? He knew one thing - he had no intention of giving up. He may have failed his sister, but he would not fail Ida.

“To hell with the royal guards, and to hell with Agilmar,” he thought as he walked back home, nervously looking around as if his friend would suddenly appear out of nowhere. “I’m going to find her myself.”