Monsters and Humans
“Please sir, can you help me?” Agnes entered the tavern, the only one she could find. Frost collected at her lip. Underneath the gray cloak lay a small knife, the only weapon she could find.
The tired man at the counter looked her up and down. “So, what’ll it be?”
She shivered, shoved her fist in her pocket and handed him a silver. “I need s-something warm.”
The man plucked the silver, examined it and said, “That’s enough for one stew unless you got more.”
Agnes shook her head. She flopped herself on the chair, laid her head on the counter. The man noticed her collapse. He shouts for someone called Fey to cook up a beef stew.
A moment later, Fey comes into view. Upon seeing the girl, the fairy dashes over. “Oh goodness, child are you okay?”
Agnes looked up and gasped. “A fairy!”
The fairy gave her a reassuring smile. It was a comforting smile, like a fireplace. “Yes, child. I am a fairy you need not fear. I will prepare your stew straightaway-” There was a pause Fey notices Agnes’s blue face. “And your room!”
The man, who was preparing a Cyclops a drink, stopped his brew. “Hold it, Fey. She doesn’t have enough for a room.”
He groaned. “One silver does not mean a meal and a room. Fey, this isn’t how we run things!” He went up to the stairs, leaving the Cyclops blinking an eye in irritation.
Agnes lifted her head to face the stairs. She took a moment to look around. There were humans and monsters around the room. A variety of monsters and humans sat or stood. The monsters interacted with each other and the humans with each other.
“What happened t’you?” The Cyclops suddenly spoke to her. It was not out of concern, just curiosity.
Agnes, her senses dulled from her fight against snow, did not jump. She turned her head over to him. “I… survived an avalanche.”
The Cyclops blinked. He gazed at the girl as though examining her. “Musta been in loads of them if you’re still looking like this.” He remarked. “Y’know, where I come from, anyone that survives something that like that is remarkable. They are the ones who lived through traumatic events. They’ve survived through events where everyone else died. It is they who need to live and tell their stories.”
The Cyclops paused and turned his head to the counter. “You and I, we survived some terrible things. Can’t say the same for my family though.”
“So you survived through something too? You’re, by your definition, a veteran?”
He nodded. “I suppose. The only one of my family who survived though. They don’t deserve to live the way veterans do in life.”
Agnes starts up. “That’s an awful thing to say about your family!”
“You don’t know what I’ve been through. Keep your judgments about em to yourself.”
He gazed at the other monsters and humans of the tavern. Reddened cheeks, belly-deep laughter, everyone except the girl and the Cyclops were content in the world. Agnes continued to look at him. She remembered the tall women warriors of her village. The way the women stood proud, undefeated by any obstacles that came in their way. After a pause, she asked, “But what about heroes?”
The Cyclops glanced over the stairs. “What about them?”
Agnes wrapped her cloak around her shoulders. “Heroes are people who overcome odds and help others. In my village, we had a group of strong women warriors. They protected us, helped in hunts served as role models for the children.”
The Cyclops shifted in his chair towards her. “These warriors don’t sound like heroes. They should have helped you and your village survive and it sounds like they could not do that.”
Agnes’s eyes widened. “They did not fail! The avalanche got them too.”
“There aren’t heroes. Just people out for themselves, doing what they deem fit to survive on their own. What happened in your village does not concern me. It’s a dangerous world out there. You cannot trust anyone out there. Not the monsters, not the humans, not the so-called “heroes”. If you want to make it in this world, you need to survive.”
And with that, the Cyclops left the tavern. The man and Fey came back down with a steaming bowl of stew. The man handed Agnes the stew, and she ate it, overcame by her hunger. Soon as she finished, the man told her, “Pay us back for the extra services and then we’ll be even. Follow Fey.”
Soon Agnes followed Fey up the stairs to her room, prepared with soft sheets and blankets. Fey coaxed her into sleep and Agnes found herself in a restful slumber.
She awoke to a glow from the sun. Agnes shook her head. For a moment, she thought she was in her bed. When she noticed that nothing looked familiar, reality greeted her. It all happened. The avalanche. The deaths of her family, the villagers. It all flooded back to her at once.
Agnes took some deep breaths, tears fell. She sobbed as horrible recollections came flooding back. There was a light tapping on her door, and Fey entered.
“Child, what’s wrong?”
Agnes shook her head, as though it may make a difference to get herself out of this nightmare. “Yesterday was awful. I lost everything yesterday.”
“Everything?” Fey inquired her.
The sobs came back full force. “I lost my family, my people, the Daughters of the Mountain, and my home. It’s all gone, buried away in an avalanche.”
Fey gasps. “That’s terrible! It’s so good we helped you when we did.”
“That man-bartender-whoever he does not help much.”
Fey crossed their arms. “That’s Gregor. Our boss is away so she put him in charge. He is so determined to keep everything in order.” Fey gave Agnes a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.
“What am I going to do? I don’t have anywhere to go.” Agnes turned to look at Fey. “I can’t stay here. What should I do?”
“Erm,” Fey cleared their throat. “That child is entirely up to you. It would appear you are in charge of your destiny.”
Agnes looked outside the window. It must have snowed last night because there was white over the browned ground. There were already children outside, tossing around a stone.
“Maybe that’s what I need to do. Travel around, go places. See where the river current takes me.”
“I am so glad to hear about it, child.”
“Fey, are you a guy or a girl?”
“Neither child. Fairies do not label themselves off like this.”
“Oh.” Agnes did not know that. “I have met no fairies before. There were a few monsters in my village who seemed nice. There was a family of centaurs, a harpy, and a grumpy goblin. We would get traders occasionally, both monsters and humans.”
“Be careful out there!”
“Come back and pay-” Gregor started to say. He noticed a glare from Fey and added -” soon as you have the coin.”
Agnes waved to them as she left. She’ll find a new home somewhere. There should be plenty of nice monsters who can help her find a new home.
The girl neared the crossroads. A sign was in its stance. Proud and knowledgeable in showing travelers which way they want to go. Guess I’m a traveler now, Agnes thought to herself. She tilted her head towards the sign but found she could not read the tiny calligraphy.
Sighing she examined the paths ahead. The left path was conquered by vegetation unruled by the laws of nature. The right path had dark cobblestones. The trees bent to the ground in a way against age. Both paths stretched far in the distance. The only way Agnes could see where the paths lead is if she chose which path to take.
Agnes recalled what Fey said about how she is in charge of her destiny. Those words are enough to give the girl the incentive to take a chance and take the dark road.
