The Girl and the Bath

Baldo pushed open the double doors and sauntered into the gants1.

A man who looked to be the shopkeeper was preparing food behind the counter.

He stole a glance at Baldo but continued his work nevertheless.

These actions were quite an affront to a knight, one of the noble class.

Of course, though there was a sword at his waist and armor on his person, both were old and covered in grime.

Certainly this knight did not look the part.

Baldo himself wished not for the attention.

Though not far from the Pacra domain, he had never before set foot in this town.

He wanted to see just what kind of place it was before leaving these lands behind.

Pacra was but five days away, and yet it took him a month to arrive, for there was much that caught his attention on the way.

It was a strangely peaceful place for one so close to the gap in the Great Wall.

Baldo showed the man behind the counter two corlulose and negotiated their price.

He was in fact the shopkeeper after all.

Compared to other wild fowl, the corlulose was not in the least bit gamey and tasted quite fine.

They were hard to catch, being few in number and so timid.

Their feathers were beautiful and prized as accessories in the city, it was said.

The two corlulose were deliciously plump.

Not a scratch could be seen on their hide.

Not a drop of blood remained inside.

After a moment of discussion and with the promise of two nights of shelter, food, alcohol, warm water aplenty to bathe his body, horsefeed, and dried meats and bread, Baldo handed the shopkeeper the two corlulose.

This place was a gants, a shared dining hall and inn.

They were often built by the owners of mines or farms.

Occasionally were they funded by a collective of those who wielded authority in their respective towns.

Laborers were provided a set number of meals a day there.

For a certain price, travelers would also have access to the food and board.

“Clean yourself off before going up to your room, sir,”

said the owner, so Baldo left the building.

A girl thirteen or fourteen years of age followed him outside and proceeded to brush him off.

On his month-long journey through the mountains and fields, a great deal of dirt coated his clothes.

So too were his shoes caked with mud.

The girl continued to help him, and soon he was clean enough to go inside.

The rooms were all on the second floor.

Baldo ascended the stairs, belongings in hand, and went to his room.

He placed the items on the floor; he removed his armor and cloak.

He sat down on the bed; he took off his shoes.

Slowly he massaged the soles of his feet.

With the flow of blood came pain and fatigue.

Though his horse joined him on this journey, rarely did he ride it.

The horse came with him in tow and carried his belongings.

Baldo’s horse was even further along in its years than he was.

Years ago, it had retired from service.

Any longer, and it would surely be slaughtered for its meat.

For that reason, he had chosen this horse to be his travel companion.

2

In a small corner of the continent’s eastern frontier, the two houses Coendela and Norra had fought for many a year over the Great Lord’s seat.

House Coendela had recently triumphed over the Norras, claiming the title of Lord of the greater Giguenza region.

The house Telsia that Baldo served too had no choice but to acknowledge their rightful authority.

The Coendelas called a meeting of lords and demanded that the earnings of the Zaliza silver mines be used in the reconstruction of the areas ravaged by the conflict for the next ten years.

A preposterous demand, truly.

The bounty of the Zaliza silver mines and Repozia bronze mines had both been under the jurisdiction of House Telsia since time immemorial.

As those who ruled over the Pacra domain—located at the gap in Jhan Dessa Roh2—it was their duty to repel all manner of cursed beast that might attempt entry.

The thought that one might try to plunder the coffers of the house tasked with that burden was absurd.

Not to mention, the lands ravaged by the conflict had been razed by the very Coendelas no less, so to claim that it was for “reconstruction” seemed laughable.

All they could do for now, however, was silently yield to the Coendelas’ insistence.

Baldo served four generations of Telsia lords, and deeply he respected the strength of their will.

So too did these lords generously reward Baldo’s bravery and loyalty.

However, Baldo declined every of their offers of additional land.

No longer did he have family.

Never did he marry.

Upon hearing of what came to pass at the meeting of lords, Baldo wrote a letter to his lord conveying his intent to retire from service, surrendering his estate and finances thereupon.

Without so much as waiting for a response, he paid each of those employed by him a handsome bonus, secured their livelihood thereafter, and then left on his journey.

The sum that Baldo left behind was to give the house Telsia a moment of respite.

This journey had no destination.

It was but a trip for Baldo to meet the end of his life.

3

The water’s ready! he heard the girl shout, so he retrieved his equipment and headed downstairs, to the area behind the gants.

Next to the well was a gravel-laid washing basin, and further behind it was a large barrel filled to the brim with warm water.

Heavens, it seems they have a bath at the ready.

This will be much appreciated.

He leaned his sword against a small fence beside him and took off his clothes.

As he did, the girl handed him a wooden pail and said, Use this if you’d like.

He scooped some of the barrel’s water with the pail and poured it over his head.

Over him came a sensation of pure bliss as the water flowed down his hair, beard, and body.

He scooped water once more and used it as he scrubbed himself clean.

After this, he lowered himself into the washing barrel.

Copious amounts of water spilled over the edge for Baldo possessed a towering figure.

Wow, your body is so large, the girl exclaimed with wide eyes.

With a great crackle did his his legs, hip, back, and shoulders all loosen up.

It can be said a knight’s most essential of qualities is that of withstanding pain and suffering, yet it seems a month of walking and camping will still certainly take a toll on the body.

The pain he had repressed, ignored, and eventually forgotten came to life once more throughout all his body.

This is what it means to be alive, however.

Though Baldo reveled in the happiness of his receding exhaustion, the oncoming pain caused him to wince.

Does it sting? the girl asked him.

Baldo’s body was covered with scars.

Doesn’t the water hurt with those wounds? the girl worried.

Baldo smiled softly and said back to the girl,

These wounds are ages old—long since have they hurt.

The bathwater felt divine, and it gave my body a jolt is all.

A scrub fashioned from a dried porpos fruit lay nearby, so he used it all across his body.

The water grew ever so dirty.

Cleaning this will be troublesome I’m sure, he thought apologetically towards the girl.

She washed his boots and garments atop the gravel.

While scrubbing the boots back and forth, back and forth, she asked him for the name of his horse.

It goes by Staboros,

he responded, to which the girl asked, What does it mean?

Someone I know bestowed upon it the name.

I never asked the meaning,

he answered.

I’ve already fed and given it water, she said, and I’ll be sure to wash it later, though is it alright that its horn is so small?

Horses possessed horns, and so did many livestock.

They became smaller with age, and once they became too small for the eye to see, occasionally they brought with them a fit of madness.

There’s nothing to fear,

Baldo replied.

Once an excess of dirt and filth had piled up at the bottom of the barrel, the girl opened it partway to release half of what was inside and once more filled it to the brim with clean water.

Baldo watched her carry the barrels of water around behind the gants, grunting as she did with her sleeved rolled up, and the scene brought no shortage of peace to his heart.

Truly, what a fine bath.

Hah-hah-hah!

The girl seemed happy as well to witness Baldo’s merriment.

He stepped out from the bath, returned to his room, and laid flat on the bed, quickly descending into slumber.

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