Snow White, as in the fairy tale or is she using a famous story to elevate her own status? There’s been too much weird going on here for Mina not to suspect that past the ice walls of Antarctica, a whole new world thrives. But could it go so deep? Could the truth be so elaborate and unthinkable?
There is no time to ask as they hurry into the cart and race through the streets to the Garment District. This part of town looks like the junction between a cramped civilization and a scattered village. The line between the village and the woodlands blends with rooftops covered in moss. Giant mushrooms grow in clusters near the doorsteps and vines creep along the walls.
Ardan’s workshop hangs in the balance between both worlds and reminds Mina of an old-time shop inside Knotts Berry Farm’s Ghost Town. Small with a wood floor, little natural light passes through the square windows in the front. Bohemian Trades in white script painted across one of the windows seems out of place to Mina in a medieval-style town. Mina wonders if Ardan’s main focus of business is clothing.

But once inside there is no indication of textiles being the primary offering and now Mina is not sure what it is he sells here. A bookshelf lines the wall behind a desk but it isn’t filled with books. Rows of jars take up space on the shelves. There are a few empty shelves and a section of binders crammed together and stacked atop each other as if there is no more room to put them anywhere else. Ardan greets them warmly. He’s dressed much like everyone else in town, wearing a mid-length tunic of red with grey sleeves and grey stockings.
“Rodrigo,” a smile brightens Ardan’s face, “it’s been a long time.” They embrace like old friends. “We have much catching up to do.”
“We do, but unfortunately we can’t stay long. Not with this conflict you have on your hands.”
Ardan sighs, “Ah yes, it was only a matter of time. We’ve been dancing this dance a long time it seems and it's finally coming to a head.”
Ardan moves on. “My dearest Mina,” he says like they’re old friends and even takes her hand and covers it in his long fingers. “I am relieved you made it here alive and well although the circumstances have changed much. My apologies if I am not as good of a host as I intend to be. With war on the horizon,” he stops and clears his throat, “we can discuss it in detail later.”
Before she can say anything, he moves on to Marcel with a hefty pat on the back and a handshake. Then he stops and says to Mina while looking at Yvette, “And who is this lovely creature here that looks like you?”
“My sister,” Mina says. It is at this moment that she notices his ears are pointed at the tip, just like the others in town although, not as pronounced as some of them.
Yvette extends her hand and Ardan kisses the back of it. Mina can’t help but roll her eyes. Is he trying to flirt with her sister?
“Well,” he says and he clasps his hands. “We shall get on with it then. I have made arrangements for your stay as well. A day or two, correct?”
“Yes,” Mina says.
“I’ll take my leave now. Fisher has a list for me nearly ten leagues long,” Rodrigo says with a chuckle which makes Ardan give a half smile at the comment.
As Rodrigo leaves, the door closes with a soft shut. There is little to see here, leaving Mina feeling insatiable with the two-room shop. The main room houses the large bookshelf of hardly anything, a desk with various stacks of papers, and two black feathered ink pens standing erect in their stands. A jar of ink is close by and Mina can’t help but scoff at such rudimentaryness. Ardan is nothing like the person she met at the restaurant and she wonders if her current impression of him is summed up with his attire. Or perhaps it's his ‘rudimentary’ workshop full of nothing.
On the other side of the main room are two burgundy armchairs. They’re oversized and plush with a single round end table between them and a decorative rug of floral-type embroidery. Oil lamps are everywhere. There’s one on the desk, two on various levels of the bookshelf, one on the windowsill, and one on the round end table. Only the lamps on the bookshelf and end table are lit. They create a mediocre glow throughout, casting long shadows resembling people.
The back room is even more lackluster. Full of cobwebs and the scent of mildew. Wood crates are stacked in rows like a warehouse layout on a much smaller scale. They nearly touch the thatch roof and Mina wonders how Ardan got them up there. It’s obvious to her that this town is living in some kind of ‘dark ages’ or has a medieval theme to it. Not one car, not one truck, not one sign of an electricity pole or wifi tower.
“What kind of product are in the crates?” she asks, “Whelemina hair, I hope.”
The corner of Ardan’s mouth twitches. “Not exactly. I procure many objects and materials for other merchants throughout the Outer Realm as well as the core.”
Ardan clasps his hands behind him and purses his lips. “I believe it’s time I show you where you’ll be staying.”
With that, he directs them back outside where people are going back to their semi-normal lives. A man nails a flyer to a post. Mina glances at it but all she can pick out is a bunch of letters written in Old English script.
Ardan leads them back the way they came but they head down the next street and stop at a two-story building. He knocks on the wood door. “The accommodations here are modest,” he says with a sideway glance at Mina.
The door opens before he can speak another word and a tall, slender woman answers it. Her hair is long and braided. It reaches the bottom of her belt purse tied at her waist.
“My guests are here,” Ardan says. The woman nods and gestures for them to enter.
“This way,” she says in a low, feathery voice. The inn is bright and a faint scent of honey and bread lingers in the foyer as they climb the stairs. While the woman and Ardan’s steps make no sound at all, the clomping and creeks of each footfall of Mina, Yvette, and Marcel are like the stomps of an elephant in an otherwise quiet inn.
“I have two rooms available,” the woman says as they reach the top. She opens the door of the first room and Mina peers in. It is even more plain than she could ever imagine a bedroom to be. A single queen-sized bed, an end table, a dresser and a small mirror hang over a tall table with a large, white, ceramic pot and pitcher.
“This one is the smallest. The other room is a bit larger with two beds.” Her voice is small like a mouse despite her tall frame. Her pointed ears are more pronounced than some of the other ears Mina has seen in town and her irises are disturbangly voilet, enhanced by her greenlong dress.
“No worries,” Marcel says from his place in the back, “I can take this one.”
“Certainly.” She moves to the next room and opens the door. “If you need anything, my name is Fauna. I run the inn with my sister, who is currently on an errand for the queen and will not be with us this evening.”
“Thank you, Fauna,” Mina says as Fauna brushes past them and descends the stairs with silent steps putting an abrupt end to their meeting.
“She is not much for conversation, but her other sister, Flora, now that’s one who never lost for words,” Ardan says, then changes the subject. “I trust you all may want to freshen up before dinner so I will take my leave. I apologize that your visit couldn’t be under better circumstances and will have to be brief. War is a terrible ordeal, one in which we haven’t seen in over 1000 years.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Ardan,” Mina says and she genuinely means it, “I understand. I only hope that our relationship will continue for many years to come.”
He smiles, “Indeed, so do I but I will take my leave now. We can discuss this later. The Merryweather Hall is a few shops down and that is where we will dine.”
Thank you for reading! My apologies for not posting sooner. If you like this story, please share, like, or leave a comment. Cheers!