Getting Settled

Things finally seemed to be going well. It was evening, and Mythrite was winding down for the evening. The golden glow, sound of crackling, and gentle heat from the fireplace had a cozy feeling, one that had long been foreign to Katie.
As she sat by the fire, Katie reflected upon the last week. She had set up shop in the Marketplace, where she met with a young man named Fabre Adesso. A man of similar background and wealth, the two found a beneficial partnership in which they pooled together both their wares and earnings, with Katie providing the materials while Fabre produced hardware. On top of that, Katie had managed to yet again display her excellent fortune in discovery, procuring a sizable quantity of Star Metal on one of her first excursions beyond the gates of Mythrite. She had decided to keep a small amount in case Fabre could produce a capable weapon with the rare material, but by selling the rest, Katie had made enough to take a few days off from her shop.
Katie’s mood darkened a little when she recalled her previous evening in the town plaza. Feeling confident for once, she had decided to try to socialize with the townsfolk in an attempt to make new friends. It still seems as though her social skills could use a little work, as she was largely ignored and even scorned by her fellow townspeople for bragging about her recent fortune.
Perhaps I laid it on a little too thick, Katie mused. Besides, if I tried to maintain that extroverted personality and ended up making friends that way, it wouldn’t feel like I’m being true to myself. No, I think if I want to make real friend, I just have to put myself out there more, not put on an exaggerated persona.
With that thought, Katie felt a little better. Maybe she hadn’t succeeded this week in a social sense, but it’s not like she’d be run out of town for bragging, right? She started to feel a slight twinge of unease as echoes of her past anxieties started to flare up.
No, no, it’s fine this time. The people here are nice, and I have a business partner this time, he’d back me up if people start accusing me of stuff. Unless, of course, Fabre is planning on throwing me to the wolves and reaping the benefits from selling my materials without me. Katie made a mental note to continue to avoid sharing where she found her wares, even with her closest friends.
Putting out the fire, Katie decided it was time for an early bedtime. After her arrival in Mythrite, Katie had realized she was much happier when she had a decent sleep schedule. Her anxiety always seemed to crop up when she was sleep-deprived, so she had started using them as a sign that it was time for bed. As she lay in bed, she shook away the doubts she had about the townsfolk and her new business partner as baseless. These people had been good to her so far, and for once, Katie had set up shop in a new town without having run away from one.
Katie turned to her side and thought back to her time in Keczulla. It wasn’t the worst place she had lived, but it certainly wasn’t interesting. She ended up selling the remainder of the merchandise from her prior shops, and since she hadn’t yet found a stable new means of income without having to pick up a pickaxe and start mining, she simply used most of her profits to start up a more prosperous life in Mythrite. For once, Katie had left a town that she could easily return to if she wanted.
The journey was long, but Katie felt like her horizons were expanding with every mile she traveled. By the time she had arrived, she was just in time to set up shop before the Claws of Sunsets Festival, a merry time for many. No settlement had greeted her as warmly as Mythrite, and for that, this new city held a special place in her heart. Katie really hoped she wouldn’t have reason to leave anytime soon.
Morning came quickly, and although she couldn’t recall her dreams in great detail, Katie could’ve sworn they elicited an elating feeling she hadn’t felt in quite some time. Excited for the prospects of a new day, Katie practically leaped out of bed to make herself a fried egg on toast. Unimportant though it may have been, Katie had built up quite the streak of preparing herself that meal every day since leaving home, and she dreaded the day that streak was broken.
Today was particularly interesting for one important reason. It was the day she would go beyond the walls of the city in search of new wares. Her shop naturally sold the same imports as most shops in the market did, so Katie had to go out of her way once a week to find something to help her store stand out. Besides, the market didn’t seem to be as bustling on this day of the week, at least for her store. She didn’t have any weapons of course, but a small vial of Haste spell would certainly get her away from danger in a pinch. It also made it easy to traverse the land much faster, so she had been taking little bits of it from time to time during her excursions. It was nearly empty now, so it would probably be wiser to save the rest for a real emergency.
Heading out, she looked around to decide which direction she would take today. Last week she had found the Star Metal in a field just North of Mythrite, so this time she figured she might give the Southern fields a shot this time. There were mountains off to the distance as well, which were worth considering. They’d certainly be more interesting than these fields, but they’d likely have their fair share of danger as well. Maybe she’d poke around and if she hadn’t found anything of interest by the time she reached them, she’d give them a shot.
Katie took her first step into the unknown territory, confident that it would be worth her while.