The Devil's Trap

Fresh Air

Silvana had just arrived in town, but it didn't take long for her to adjust. She was from the city, and it always gave her a sense of relief to get away. Miles away from the hustle and bustle, she found peace in the smaller towns. Not everyone got that chance, nor did they want to take it. They took comfort in the rush of the world they knew, and anything beyond that was of little interest to them. That was fine with Silvana. Their choice left more beauty to those that wanted to get away from the strife of the city.

Drawing in a breath, the first thing she could note was the clean smell of the air. The air wasn't thick with the sticky, bile-raising smell of people that didn't care for themselves. There wasn't an overpowering smell of their homes or the machinery that pumped oil and gas into the air and water. The smell that replaced it was the smell of the many stalls that served as the workplace for the town's occupants. Silvana could pick out specific scents, some of meat and vegetables, as well as fruits and fresh flowers.

Turning to watch the horse-drawn carriage as it rumbled away for the stable and to offload the goods it had been out to collect, Silvana's thoughts drifted away from the city and to the bustling stalls. As she began to walk, she adjusted her long leather gloves. As Silvana brushed a bit of dust from her corset and white top, her stomach growled, reminding her she needed to eat. It had been a little while since she had had anything of substance. The last meal she had had before leaving the city had been something overprocessed and bland. She had been lost in thought when a vendor called out to her, surprising her. He was selling what looked to be a soup of some kind, or maybe a stew. The smell of it as Silvana neared the stand made her mouth water. "That smells wonderful," She whispered, smiling as she looked up to the burly figure behind the stall. The man returned her smile, motioning toward where he kept the ingredients. 

"Everything is prepared right here. You look as though you could use a bite to eat," The words that reached Silvana's ears were thick with the local color. Hearing the accent made the woman wish that she could place its origin. She smiled once again, nodding once.

"You read my mind... or heard my stomach. Regardless, it does sound like a great idea," Silvana hummed, reaching into her pouch for money. As she tried to hand the coins to the man, he shook his head. Silvana furrowed her brow a little in response. 

"Take this one on me. You are new here, and you look hungry," The man's kindness was foreign to Silvana. She was used to paying more than what something was worth, and if she was short on change, she was used to fighting about it. Slowly, she put her money away and waited while the man prepared her meal. He paused, however, wanting to show her the crafted bowl. "My granddaughter makes these. Each one has its shape, its hue, and is made from a special that changes from year to year," He spoke, handing the bowl to Silvana to inspect.

Knowing the bowl was crafted by hand, she was extra careful with it, turning it over gingerly in her hands. As she ran her gloved fingers over the sides, something snagged ever so slightly against her glove on the underside of the bowl. Turning it over, she half expected to see a chip. However, she was pleased to see the hand-carved symbol, its edges raised and brushing against her glove. From there, she admired the dark color of the clay, taking in its earthy red tone. 

She looked up when the man began to speak again. "If you see that symbol on any of the bowls around here, it's from this stand. Consider it the mark of a friend," Silvana smiled at his words, looking from the man to the bowl again as she held it out to him. She watched from there as he poured the stew into the bowl. The steam rising from the fresh food billowing up from inside the bowl and twisting through the air gave Silvana a further sense that she had made the right choice in leaving the city. Finally, the vendor placed a wood lid over the bowl, and on top of that, a freshly baked roll. "This should keep you until lunchtime. Why don't you come on back here then, and I'll show you what we make here for lunch, and possibly, dinner," he offered.

Silvana's cheeks tinted with a light pink blush at the offer. "Thank you. And thank you for the offering. I might have to take a raincheck, however. As you said, I'm new here. There is a lot that I want to see and explore," She responded, the man smiling a bit brighter. 

"Not to worry. We are here every day. Take care of yourself first. A little sleep looks as though it might be in order as well, huh?" He asked, chuckling a little as Silvana yawned. She looked up at him, smiling as she laughed some herself.

Stepping away from the stall, Silvana took her food to find herself somewhere to sit. She decided to take a spot just past where she had gotten out of the carriage, settling herself in the grass at the base of a large oak tree. Tucking into the stew, Sivana had to stop after the first bite to savor it.

The flavors were unlike anything she could find in the city. It was savory, without being overbearingly spicy, the vegetables and meat cooked to perfection. Losing herself in the meal, Silvana almost forgot where she was until she took the last bite. Humming contently, she placed the spoon into the bowl and got up, brushing her dark brown pants free of a few blades of grass. Approaching the stall she had bought the stew from, she once again thanked the vendor. "I very well may come back for lunch. That was fantastic!" She crooned. The vendor gave a hearty laugh.

"I'm glad you think so. The recipe has been in my family for several generations. I can't make it anywhere near as well as my great grandmother and grandmother made it, but it's always nice to hear from someone that it's done right," The vendor smiled as he spoke. His expression showed pride in the backstory. After he had taken the bowl back from Silvana, he turned to face her once again. Holding out a hand to her, he introduced himself. "My name is Wolfram Hann. Most people around here call me Wolf," Silvana took the man's outstretched hand in her own, his handshake friendly but firm. The light grip of his shake caused the leather of her glove to creak softly. 

"My name is Silvana Cossey. I go by Silver or Silvana," She responded in kind. Wolfram beamed at Silvana from across the stall's display.

"Silvana, huh? Not a name you hear around here. Welcome to Myrefall," He began, gesturing toward the rest of the town with an outstretched hand. "Don't let her name fool you. This little town is brighter than a sunlit diamond," Wolfram informed, giving her hand one more firm shake before he released it. "Mr. Morow, what can I do for this morning?" He spoke as he turned to help another customer that had arrived. Turning, Silvana gave a pleasant smile to the man that stood just behind her, his smile returning kindness. It seemed, so far, that Wolfram had been telling the truth. Everything about the tiny town seemed pleasant. It would be hard to leave this when her time to return to the city came. If she ever wanted to go back. Nothing bound her there, and it wasn't like she enjoyed her time in the city.

Giving Wolfram one more friendly smile, Silvana turned away and began to explore the rest of the market, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells around her. She even stopped at one of the stalls to buy herself a hand-crafted necklace made of well-made glass and bone beads. After a little more exploration, she began to feel tired. Stopping for directions to the inn, Silvana listened as the vendor told her where to go. Turning away from the vendor, she started on her short trek to the inn. She could hear her boots on the cobblestone path, the road that leads to the inn was a little quieter than the marketplace. Silvana was just about at her destination when someone stepped out into her path from one of the side streets. She gave a startled huff before she looked up at the man, her skin prickling with a fresh wave of goosebumps.

He was a rather imposing figure, his ice-like blue eyes seeming to drill right into her from behind the dark spikes of hair that fell over his forehead. His jawline was heavy, giving him a strong face. Silvana felt like her breath had stopped in her chest as she returned his gaze, her own gold-flecked green eyes locking with his. His shoulders were broad, and beneath the tight tunic, she could see he was well built. His clothing was a sign of his line of work as a field laborer, the fabric being sturdy but comfortable. His tunic was tight, though when he shifted the way he stood, Silvana could see that it was easy enough for him to move. She hadn't gotten a good look at his pants, as she was afraid to look away from his face for too long. 

Silvana wore a belted leather corset that framed her curved figure beneath a long, dark jacket. She also wore a sleeveless blouse made of white, ruffled material. Below this, Silvana wore a pair of leather pants that hugged her hips and framed her legs before disappearing into a pair of knee-high boots. Rested on her waist was a black pouch, where she kept her money and a few odd items that held sentimental value to the young woman. Peeking from beneath the sleeves of her jacket, and covering her hands and fingers, were leather gloves. Thinking about the difference in their clothing made Silvana feel like she stuck out like a sore thumb, making her uneasiness grow stronger.

Silvana felt her breath hitch in her throat when the man took a step toward her, a low growl of words leaving his mouth as he neared her. "You would do well to watch where you are going around these parts..." He grunted. His accent reminded her a little of Wolfram but with a not-so-nice tone to it. Silvana shuddered, unable to speak. Something about the way he watched her, like a predator eyeing their prey, made her feel greatly unsettled and nearly rooted to her spot. Even as he inched closer to her, she found she couldn't move. Hell, she could barely breathe. "People like you tend to go missing when they don't pay attention..." 

"Leave her alone, Raoul," Silvana heard another voice speak up. The suddenness of the words made her jump, a shocked squeak leaving her lips. Raoul turned away from her to see who it was. When he did so, Silvana felt like she could finally breathe. She could see past Raoul, and standing between him and the inn was another man. He stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, a careless expression on his face. It was as though he and Raoul made a habit of going back and forth at each other, and he had grown tired of it. He was a little shorter than the first, his voice a little friendlier. His features weren't as chiseled and defined, leaving Silvana to guess that he was a bit younger. The man's skin was a light tan, the doe brown eyes that peered out from under the honey-colored hair that fell over his forehead keen and sharp. A soft breeze tussled his messy hair, though he didn't pay it any mind. "Keep this up, and this sleepy little town won't have many visitors,"

Raoul sneered at the newcomer. "Fine by me... the less city filth that comes this way, the better. Before we know it, more of her kind will show up, and we'll be just as overpopulated and disgusting as the city," He snorted, looking at silvana over his shoulder. The way he turned his head, looking at her just over his shoulder, sent another cold chill up her spine. That look was all it took for Silvana to move again. She rushed past Raoul for the inn, passing the stranger as well. She didn't spare a glance in their direction until she reached the inn, and by that time, Raoul had gone on his way. The other, however, had turned to start toward the inn as well. Feeling her face pale a little, she quickly went inside. In her panic, Silvana ran into one of the inn's owners. The impact as they collided, drawing a shout from the man.

"Hey! Easy!" He spoke, steadying her as she nearly fell over. She had tripped on her boots, making herself stagger. "What's going on?" Before she could answer the question, the stranger stepped into the inn. Silvana righted herself from her stumble and shoved away from the innkeeper, moving quickly to get past him and to the tables that made up the dining area. The innkeeper frowned, looking from her to the man who had entered. The two exchanged glances for a moment before the stranger's brown eyes flicked back in her direction. She had placed herself between the tables, prepared to use them to block his path if she needed to. 

"She had a run-in with Raoul. I don't think I made it much better by the looks of it. I think I gave her a bit of a scare when I was making my way back here," He spoke, his gaze shifting back to the innkeeper. 

"Raoul is the one you have to watch. Jael here wouldn't hurt a fly..." 

"If the fly is named Raoul, then that might be reconsidered," Jael broke in. The innkeeper rolled his eyes. "Are you going to get her a room, or are you going to stand there rolling your eyes? I don't think your wife would appreciate it if you rolled them right out of your head, Lucas," Jael's words were light and teasing as if the two had been friends for a time. 

Lucas, an older man that reminded Silvana of one of the old farmers from a story she remembered hearing as a child, waved his hand at Jael before making his way over to the counter. Silvana watched the two of them cautiously before she slowly moved from around the tables toward the counter. She ignored Jael as he sat on one of the stools that lined the counter. 

Once given a price, Silvana paid Lucas and took the key. Giving Jael one more glance, she turned and left for her room. Taking the stairs, Silvana followed the directions to get there, opening the door and going inside. The room was small, but it held a gentle air to it. It reminded her of the small cabins she had seen as a child and served to help her forget about the run-in she had had. She looked to her hands, smoothing her thumb of the right over the palm of the left. She sat this way, a small smile forming on her lips before she rested back against the bedsheets. Closing her hand around her thumb, she set her hands on her chest and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before she fell into a well-needed sleep, all thoughts of Raoul and the others leaving her mind and leaving her at ease.