Ardara stepped out into the drizzle of the Seattle streets and flipped open the clear umbrella. She had been in too many battles where rain in one’s eyes had determined the fight to walk without something covering her, even in this light drizzle. The tall thin woman’s eyes were the same dull grey as they sky overhead.<br/><br/>Ardara was disgusted by this city and wished she had chosen anywhere else, but Seattle was about as far as you could get from St. Louis, where the sithen entrance was, and still be in the continental United States. She hated Andais for her exile, but was determined to live away from the sidhe and their courtly ways. In many ways, the humans were better. Few of the denizens scurrying about in this world preferred trickery to violence. In fact, Ardara had discovered that most humans were willing to take arms before they resorted to deception and cunning.<br/><br/>Ardara sighed as she turned down a quiet street. She longed for sweeping battles and massive open-field conflicts, but that was locked safely in the past as her powers were within the Nameless.<br/><br/>“Good morning, ma’am.”<br/><br/>A passing pedestrian smiled and greeted Ardara and she scowled at him. She long to rip away her glamour and show him that he had no right to speak to her, as if they were equals. Instead, she tromped on her way.<br/><br/>Ardara reached the small store and closed her umbrella under the awning. The green and black, gaily striped awning had a small sign hanging above it. “Sidhe Steel,” it read it hand-lettered calligraphy. Ardara pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the door. She stepped through, into the dry air of the shop and hung her long green coat near the door.<br/><br/>Ardara had purchased the storefront when she moved to Seattle. She promptly set up a small shop and used a contact in the goblin mound to supply her with beautifully tempered goblins blades. For whatever reason the name “Sidhe Steel” encouraged more customers than her more truthful title “Goblin Blades” had. Ardara’s clientele were wealthy collectors that wanted a fey masterpiece in their collections. She acted as a go between for standard pieces and commissions alike.<br/><br/>She flipped on the house lights and watched display cases light up and steel shine. Ardara loved that, even in this era of powder and bullets, she was constantly immersed in the world of bright edges. The iron, being tempered with carbon, did not affect Ardara.<br/><br/>Ardara hit the last switch and revealed a case of three swords. These were different than the shining blades everywhere else. They were dull and very old. So far, no collector had wanted or been able to pay for these precious artifacts. The swords had dull ivory blades, made from the long leg bones of a warrior Red Cap. They handles were sidhe-carved in exquisite silver. Ardara looked over the blades, wishing she could open the case and run through the streets hacking and slashing with one of those mystical swords.<br/><br/>Instead, she flipped the “Open” sign over and started to flip through orders that had been placed through the internet. Ardara hired a human girl to help her “go online.” Since she had, her sales had doubled. Ardara was beginning to wonder if the girl would be available full-time. Ardara didn’t like or understand the computers. Being a warrior sidhe made her untrustworthy of devices that stored information like sniveling monks.<br/><br/>A phone ringing cut through the silence of the shop and Ardara snatched the phone from the counter.<br/><br/>“Yes…” her voice was clipped and precise.<br/><br/>“No, I don’t maintain the website. She’s not in. You can call again tomorrow.” Ardara pressed a button and the laid the phone back down.<br/><br/><em>A once powerful warrior goddess transformed into a shopkeeper. I’m beyond hope.</em><br/>