The sun came up and burned the sky red with the spent gunpowder and yesterday's violence. Even in the mountains, far away from the city, Coal observed the remnants of the battle inside the silence. That morning, the birds didn't sing, nor did the trees whisper, but the air held still as Coal and Pearl followed an Agate higher up along the mountain path.

"It's only a little further, Miss Coal. Thank you so much for coming to help."

"Of course, Agate. Please don't worry about the distance. We're quite used to walking."

"Still, thank you so much, Ma'am. We were so glad you happened to be nearby." Agate's voice came out uneven, and she wiped around her eyes. Despite one of Coal's bags against her back, she kept a steady, quick pace. Some of the contents inside it clinked each time she took a large step forward and her white bun bobbled with each determined stride.

"I'm glad we could be of service." Coal's feet tapped against the flattened Earth of the path and all three continued.

They reached the village when the enormous sundial in the middle of town read about seven in the morning. All of the farmers and the few business owners had stopped to circle around the Agate with numerous gashes stretching across her light pink arm, sitting crooked upon the ground.

"She fell down the mountain when we were cutting wood—" the one at Coal's side had told her this once before, but recounted the story again. "I think she broke her arm, and she was bleeding—" They came closer to the injured woman.

The crowd moved to give Coal enough space to get through, even though she towered over all of them and could already see. Remaining still, the Agate inhaled and exhaled slowly as her body quivered. Upon the dirt and the mat beneath her, a puddle of dark blood accumulated, dyeing part of her stark white hair dangerous crimson.

"Pearl—" Coal set all of her bags down and kneeled in the dirt next to the body, who inched closer and closer to becoming a corpse. "Can you please prepare a serum for her pain? I'm going to work on her arm."

"I'm on it." Pearl began to gather ingredients while Coal took two very straight sticks from her bag and set them near the Agate's broken arm.

"May I have some water?" Someone handed her a glass bottle and a wooden bowl. Pearl poured some fluid into the container she had produced from their own baggage, and Coal worked with her herbs and vials of powder, pouring exact measurements into her hand before tossing them into the bowl. Upon adding the water, a small cloud of sugary purple expanded from it, and the crowd gasped. Pearl handed her a fistful of gauze, some of which she had already taken and shoved into the Agate's mouth.

Working quickly, both Coal and Pearl affixed the long and slender sticks to the Agate's arm. The smaller gem held them in place while the larger ran the gauze through the paste and wrapped up the limb. As gently as possible, Coal set the arm into a natural position.

Even through the gauze and the pain medication, the Agate screamed, and Coal and Pearl continued as if she lay there tranquilly. Everyone in the crowd covered their mouths.

Once they had set the arm, Coal took in a very deep breath and held both of her hands over it. Exhaling slowly, she traced her palms downward from the top of the shoulder to the wrist and performed this ritual numerous times until the bandages began to pop and glitter. Like a sparkler, they gave off heat, and through the pastel smoke wafting upward, the pain left the Agate's face until she lay still. When the haze grew white, she opened her eyes and looked directly at Coal.

"How do you feel, Agate?"

She sat straight up and spit the gauze into her lap as the crowd remained silent. Most of them didn't bother to breathe. Agate wiped the tears from her eyes and the saliva from her mouth and swallowed to flush the salt from her throat. "I thought for sure I was done for."

"Sis!" The Agate that lead Coal and Pearl into the mountains rushed forward and embraced her. She returned the gesture with two perfectly normal arms and a cast that broke clean off.

The entire crowd applauded, chanting for Coal and Pearl. When they finally died down, one of the elders raised her hands, announcing, "This calls for a celebration!"

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Nonsense, Miss Coal." Any protest that followed came too late, as the villagers gathered food, and barrels of alcohol, and music began to lifted Pearl and passed her around, who laughed and begged them to stop, shouting playfully each time she changed hands.

Once the party began, it didn't stop for several hours. While all the gems, especially Pearl, danced, drank, and sang, Coal sat with the village elders and watched.

Several inhabitants came to thank her, always bringing some kind of offering in their striped hands. Coal shook her head each time, but they insisted, filling her bag with uncooked potatoes, carrots, corn, spices, soap, shampoo, and many bottles of wine.

"You're too generous."

"What do you mean?" they said. "You saved Agate's life! We would have been heart-broken if she hadn't made it." Then they shoved a loaf of bread into one of her sacks, which already spilled over. "You let us know if you need anything more, Miss Coal."

The Agate, who only a few hours ago sat at Death's door, came with a bashful look upon her face and something in her hands. She took a knee before Coal.

"Madame, I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me."

Although several small cuts still covered her body, none of them bled. The blood had been cleaned from her flesh and washed from her hair, making her look more like she fell down in the street than off of a mountain.

Coal placed her hand upon Agate's crown. "Please don't worry about it. I'm just glad I was able to help you."

"Will you at least accept my gift, Madame?"

Inside the bag sat a number of gold coins. Coal heard them jingle as she approached.

"I can't, Agate. I won't take that from you. I don't have much use for money anyway."

"Well—" Her cheeks burned pink. "Is there anything at all I can do to repay you?"

"I suppose, if you must, I would appreciate a lock of your hair. But even that won't be necessary."

"That's all you want, Miss Coal?"

"Yes, but only if you wish to offer it."

"Please, give me a few minutes." Agate excused herself and ran back into the crowd, not returning for a while. Within the party, the shouting grew louder until she came back. Upon a beautiful golden cloth, Agate had set a long braid of her hair, which had been freshly cut, stopping just around her jaw.

"Oh no. I only wanted a lock." One of Coal's gentle fingers traced along the thick white braid. It resembled snow in fine strands, and reflected an incredible luster.

"Please don't worry, Madame. It's only hair. Within a few months, it'll be back to the same length."

"Truly, Agate?"

"Truly."

"Then I'll accept your beautiful braid. Thank you."

"No, thank you, Ma'am. You saved my life."

They embraced, and Coal and Pearl made preparations to leave before all of the Agates began giving up their hair as gifts. The villagers asked if they wanted to stay, but Coal mentioned they needed to head out. The Agates asked if they needed anything else, but Coal replied that her bags were already full. They asked if they could help her get down the mountain, but Coal already knew the way. So the pair left the party, heading down the same path they had climbed hours ago.

"That Agate really gave you a lot of hair. What will you use it for?"

"I haven't decided yet." Coal sighed. "I had a feeling she would cut off a lot. It really is lovely, though. Did you get a look?"

"I did. I'm sure she was grateful you saved her life."

"It wasn't so difficult."

"Not for you, My Lady."

The bags shuffled around them as they walked carefully down the rocky path. Most of them were affixed to Coal's shoulders and back, but Pearl carried a full rucksack as well. This time, the bottles didn't clink against one another. None had enough space to move.

"Where will we head next?"

Coal stopped walking for a moment. "Well, we haven't been to town for a while, and it's been some time since we've seen Topaz. Why don't we do that?"

"If we were going to town, why didn't we accept that Agate's money?"

Coal touched Pearl's head gently, halfway to a slap, but harmless. "We don't need her money. That's why," and continued walking with her companion grumbling behind her.