((A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I updated this story. Working Tech support can be hell on Muses. They tend to take long extended vacations from you to avoid having to isten to the Customers on the line. Besides... do you know how hard it is to write something in between calls?? Working on Chapt 14 currently too ))

Chapter: 13 Big Trouble in a Little Town

It had been several days since she had agreed to help the bard locate his half-brother. As far as the widow was concerned though, she was just staying longer then planned. In that time there was only so many times one could go through their gear and make repairs or have repairs done. Soon she would have to leave her room to find something to do around the town. And for a Drow aboveground, it could prove to be interesting.

Phantom decided that she had better become more familiar with her surroundings since she was going to be staying. At night when everyone else was asleep, she would explore the house, finding the odd nooks and crannies. She also found several of the squeaky boards that were scattered throughout the house. In her explorations, she was almost discovered a time or two by the children and once by the bard. She was lucky in the most part in hiding, but some skill was also involved in it. What she discovered about the house only confirmed the ideas in her head. The Widow was not well off enough to afford to have the house repaired and had been using, at best, third hand material and just what skills she had learned.

The next time the Widow and the children went to market, Phantom accompanied them. She planed on speaking with several people about having the widow's house repaired before the coming winter. It was already mid fall, and the weather was changing more quickly then Phantom was use to. And if she was going to be stuck in this town through the northern winter, she damned well wanted a place that stayed warm when it was freezing outside!

The neighbors had not become use to seeing Phantom about, even at least at a distance. It was quite something else when she was seen, up close within blade reach. Most of the children that saw her were curious. They tended to ask why she was a different color then the other elves that they had seen. That is, until their parents would snatch them away in fear that the Drow would do something to them. Phantom tended to roll her eyes at the action and continue on with what she was doing.

Once in the marketplace, the widow went about her business of purchasing food for the next few days while the children went from booth to booth looking things over, trying to decide on what they wanted to spend their coppers that they had earned on. Phantom though took her time in looking over everything offered that day, ignoring the fearful or hostile looks she received. It depended on the race of the seller as to the looks she got. Those with any elven heritage tended to give the more hostile looks. The few Dwarves in the town gave her some mixed looks. Not hostile, friendly or fearful, just wary. Having seen no carpenters about, Phantom decided that the Smith was going to be the first place to check for goods needed in repairing the widow's house.

Following the scent of hot metal as well as the sound of metal striking metal, Phantom made her way to the Smithy. She paused in the doorway, letting her eyes adjust from the bring fall sunlight to the dimmer interior of the building. Splashes of hellish red could be seen from the forges as hot cold metal was added and hot metal removed from the fires and put on the anvil to be worked over. She stood there watching the smith at work for several minutes before she noted that the other workers were starting to notice her presence and stop their work.

The Master Smith also noted the slacking off of the other workers. "What are ya lolly gagging about for? Ye got's work ta do!" He turned to look over at what was causing all the problems in his smithy. His eyes widened a moment then narrowed. "Whatcha be wanting, ye black skinned elf, in me forge?!"

Phantom just arched eyebrow slightly at his attitude, but otherwise ignored it. "Good day Master Smith,"

"Cut the fancy talk and get ta yer point." The Dwarf cut in.

Phantom Chuckled softly to herself, at least this fellow cut to the point and wasn't afraid of her. "I'm looking for building supplies. Nails and hammers. Hand axes for cutting, saws for trimming. Can you supply them for me?"

The dwarf settled his hammer over one shoulder and he squinted an eye, his other hand stroking his long lavish beard. "Maybys I could, Drow. Buts why shoulds I?"

"Because I'm willing to pay honest coin for it, and because it's going to be used to help out Widow Rebecca." Phantom smiled. "Even if she doesn't know it. And it will put a bur in the councilman's backside.

The dwarf snorted, tugging his beard as he thought of what the Drow standing in the door way of his smithy had just said. A sly dwarvish grin appeared amidst the wild growth of hair. "ya know Drow... I kinda likes that. Ne'er could stand that feller. Something about him don't sit right with me." The last part muttered more to himself then her. He looked at her again, one eye still squinted. "So, when ya gonna need the stuff yas wants?"

"I will need it by the time I have enough people to ensure the work is done fast but thoroughly." Phantom said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Any suggestions as to who to look for, for the wood work?"

The dwarf once again started running fingers over his beard in thought. "Nots of the tops of me head, I don't. Buts I do knows who ye not be wanting ta give ye a hand. Elses ye gonna have more holes in that place then ye started out wifs."

Phantom nodded. "I'll accept your judgment on the people to choose Master smith." She let a small smirk cross her lips. "I'd believe a Dwarfs judgment on a person faster then any other race."

The Smith raised a bushy eyebrow, opening both eyes this time. "Oh? And whys that?"

Phantom chuckled. "Let's call it past experience." She glanced over her shoulder a moment as Robyn's came around one corner, looking for her. "I must go now. If you need me, I'm staying at Widow Rebecca's home. Good day Master Smith." The Dwarf just grunted and went back to work, yelling at the others to get to work also.

"There you are...." Robyn said as he turned around and started walking with her. "... so.... what were you speaking to the Smith for?" he asked.

"This and that." Phantom answered as they entered the marketplace again. "Nothing of importance." She stopped at one booth and looked the fruit over. Red apples were pilled up in a basket. "How much for them all?" She asked.

The farmer was staring at her, eyes wide, mouth hanging open slightly.

"The apples, how much for the basket?" Phantom said again, this time a little slower. After several minutes passed with the farmer just gapping at her, Phantom rolled her eyes with a sigh and pulled out a hand full of coppers, along with a few silvers mixed in. She grabbed the farmer's hand, put the coins in it then picked the basked up and walked off.

Robyn watched, slightly amused, slightly bewildered at her action. He had to hurry to catch up with her because of her long strides. "Why did you do that?"

"What? Pay the farmer more then the apples are worth? or not even bother to haggle for them?" She asked as she picked an apple out and bit into it, savoring the cool crisp taste.

"UUmm...." Robyn stopped and scratched his head a moment.

"Quite eloquent with the words are you not?" She said after swallowing.

The half-elf bard blushed slightly then caught up with her. "Well... I don't have much experience in dealing with a Drow....."

"You and everyone else it seems." she shot back with a smirk.

"Indeed......" Robyn muttered and followed along behind. He could tell this was going to be quite an experience for everyone in this town.