Morning all and welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Here I take the start of a story idea and work on it for fifteen minutes a day. I started with an old writing prompt that interested me, cleaned it up a bit to fit the basic outline of the story I want to write and then set aside fifteen minutes each week day to see it grow. Each morning’s writing starts with the last sentence of the day before. And so now we have the story of Kasca…
Day 126: He gestured to his office.
He gestured to his office. Kasca stood and followed him back to his office, the clerk returning to his duties. Once in the office, Kasca took a seat as the magistrate moved behind his desk.
“I have heard many good things about you since you took over the shop,” the magistrate began.
“Have you?” Kasca asked.
“Most certainly and I know everyone is relieved to have a healer once again settle in the district,” he continued. “Some of the districts aren’t quite as lucky.”
“I suppose it has been a difficult time,” Kasca said. In her search she hadn’t found any other healers in any of the city’s districts. As the magistrate began telling her how thrilled he was with her work and her good reputation in his district, she began to realize something.
‘He is proud that he had a healer when the other districts don’t,’ Kasca realized as she smiled and nodded. It was all the response he seemed to need until he reached the important questions.
“Now, we can’t have our healer discomfited for lack of a shop clerk. What is it you will need?” he asked.
“I will need someone who can talk to customers and assist with dispensing the premade items. As well as help with the general tidying up, sweeping at the end of the day, helping with inventory that sort of thing. Even if they don’t have magic, if they are interested in learning to mix the basic potions that would be helpful as well.”
Given that no one responded to her sign she was not hopeful in finding someone who wanted to be an apothecary themselves. If there was anyone in the district then she was certain they would have come to her before this.
“Yes, I see,” the magistrate nodded. “An assistant who could possibly be trained.” He nodded. “That would be helpful as we could always use more healers.”
Kasca could see him thinking himself as the way the city recovered it’s typical number of healers, his name going down as in charge of the program. She could fairly see the ambition radiating off him in waves. He wanted to be someone whose name lived on well after their time.
Kasca didn’t care if he bathed himself in glory as long as she got a competent shop clerk.
“The potential assistant may take some time, but I am certain we can put the word out about a general shop keep,” he said. “Just lave it with me and I will send word when we have applicants for you to sort through.”
The line had he air of dismissal and Kasca nodded and stood.
“Thank you, sir,” Kasca said. “It is most appreciated.”
She left his office and nodded at the clerk as she made her way to the main doors. She walked back towards her shop. She hoped the magistrate’s desire to secure a public legacy would be a help instead of a hinderance.
‘There is nothing else I can do now,’ Kasca thought. ‘No one is responding to my sign.’ She hoped to be put into contact with a collection of those seeking jobs and not the magistrate himself. She shook her head. Even though her errand hadn’t taken long, Kasca saw several men lurking about in the street around her shop.
