Alys bent over the stand, scrutinizing the small bottles and tins of wares under the purple canopy with a curious look. What does this do? Where do I start? She had always dismissed cosmetics out of hand for their outrageous price per weight, so now she had no idea what to do. The labels were staring at her, but stubbornly not imparting any knowledge. Any other Trainee could ask her Companion... She quickly shook that idea out of her head. It didn't do any good to be resentful-and it definitely didn't make you feel better. Anyway, she had already devised a clever system to communicate with Lani. If she wanted to say something, Lani would write in the dirt or point at words Alys would bring. Normally though, Alys would just talk at length about her day and ask yes or no questions, to which Lani would respond with a nod or a shake of her head. Besides, would Companions even know anything about facial powders? All in all, she wasn't missing much-not really.

"Miss, how can I help you?" Save for his unusually fair skin, the seller seemed like a typical merchant of higher end goods-well clothed, well spoken, and strangely slick. Well, my bond with Alberich is such that it cannot be shaken by such charms! Unfortunately, only she seemed to fully realize their bond-so she had set out to change exactly that.

"I'm looking for something that will make me look older," she replied hopefully. Yes, surely the problem was that he didn't see her as a potential partner at all-not only was she his student, she was also half his age. Obviously, any decent man would not think he was feeling any further affection than a protective one; therefore, all she had to do was look more his age, just to get him thinking-then their bond would do the rest of the work.

Now, it would be pretty difficult to keep the look up during weapons class, with all the sweating and whatnot, so she would simply have to match his schedule instead and try to run into him between classes.

"Are you...is that you, Alys?" he would say, when they pass each other at sunset, the most romantic time of the day.

"W-Weapons Second Alberich?" she gasped, and smiled warmly. "This is she. Is anything the matter?"

"N-no..." he trailed off, trying to understand the strange sensation in his chest. "You...different look, today."

"O-oh is that so?" She put a hand to her forehead, covering up the possible perpetrator. "I hurt myself earlier riding-even with a Companion's support, I'm helpless-"

"No, it is not that," he reassured quickly, his dark eyes gazing at her. "You just look-look lovely." He blushed and looked away, unable to believe that he had said something so embarrassing.

"Er-oh-thank you," she said awkwardly, a flush coloring her face as well. They stood in silence, and finally he spoke up-

"Miss, so what do you think?"

"Yes I-! I mean, what?" She looked at the boxes and creams the merchant displayed before her.

"This collection will give you the perfect complexion to turn you into a mature lady. If you are the one using them, miss, I'm sure you'll be able to charm any man in Haven!" Well that sounded quite lovely.

"How much are they?" she breathed. As he responded, she discovered that this small line of powders and creams were a strangely expensive assortment, and at each figure her eyes widened a little more, until her eyelids nearly reached her temples.

I can't, she mourned. I couldn't possibly buy this and still get presents for the littles back in the orphanage-actually, I couldn't possibly buy all of these no matter what! What is this mineral from the sea? The sea is apparently salty if I recall correctly-how could salt possibly be good for my skin? Or maybe it was? Perhaps she needed to experiment-no, if that were true, then her skin should have been beautiful after her first few weeks of cooking at the orphanage. But there was no choice but these wonderful wares in front of her...well, if she worked some extra hours-

"That's too much." She jumped at the sound next to her, and looked up. It was the newest Trainee, a weathered boy who bore a remarkable resemblance to the gallant Alberich (though not nearly as handsome) with a perpetually serious expression on his face, and just behind him was an unfamiliar boy who looked on questioningly. In contrast to the dark features of the Trainee, the latter was sandy haired and light skinned, the type that would sunburn before he tanned. As the Grey scrutinized the collection by himself, his companion's face lit up with a wide, jaunty grin, and he stuck out his hand to her.

"Name's Dieder-and you?" Alys took it, forgetting her confusion about the development at the sight of friendliness.

"I'm Alys. Are you Trainee...Keren's friend then?" Dieder snorted.

"Kerchen, ya mean. Ain't Keren a girl's name?"

"Oh you're right!" She supposed she should have taken more time to memorize a Trainee's name, and-now that he mentioned it, there actually was a female Herald Keren-well, the important thing was that she knew now.

"I am sorry that I am minding your business, but what would you need all of those for?" Kerchen crouched down and studied the labels, and Alys imagined that the seller recognized him as well, as he gave a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples. Alys had the distinct impression that the merchant wouldn't try to persuade this Trainee of anything, though doubtless he had tried in the past.

"I'm trying to look older," she replied absently, more focused on watching Kerchen test out other makeups on the back of his hand, the furrow between his brow never disappearing. Dieder tapped his foot impatiently.

"Oi Ker, d'ya actually like makeups or somethin'? Y'made it sound like it were a job-"

"It's my duty to help my fellow Trainees," Kerchen replied matter-of-factly. He looked at Dieder askance, raising an eyebrow in mock disdain. "Are you that worried that someone is going to say we're shaych again? How self conscious of you."

"'ey you!-if ya didn't keep stoppin' t'look at makeups and flower teas, mebbe I wudn't hafta worry 'bout that, huh?"

"I am trying to give Grandma Magdee a gift that she would like," the other boy retaliated. "Maybe if you could get your head out of your stomach, you would think of something too." Dieder made a face.

"Kernos' tits, ya don't know anythin' about tea anyhow! Just pick the firs' one ya see an' call it a day!"

"That's just like you, putting the first thing you see into your mouth-"

"Oi, that's not even-an' I'm a growin' lad, 'course I need t'eat. That's why I ain't a shortie like you-"

"I'm hardly short!" Watching them exchange retorts, Alys began to laugh, much to the surprise of the boys. As far as she knew, Kerchen hardly ever said a word, and to think that such a taciturn guy would act like that-the contrast was just too funny. Though we've practiced together, I don't think I've even talked to him yet-I wonder why? They stopped their argument to stare at her instead, and the merchant decided to speak up into the lull, a touch impatiently.

"Pardon me, but what shall the miss be purchasing then?" Alys looked to Kerchen, who took the cue to choose for her. He pondered the stand, and selected a much smaller assortment of powders and a cream.

"These will do for the cosmetics. Do you need a brush or cosmetic cloths as well?"

"Um, I need everything I guess-" Alys trailed off as Kerchen immediately pulled a few more items off the stand. Even with the applicators (which Alys hadn't thought of at all), the total came to much less than the original package, so she happily bought everything. As they left, Kerchen looked at her quizzically.

"You could have bargained," he pointed out. "With some work, we could have helped you cut the price by at least ten percent." Dieder wrinkled his nose.

"I see yer already takin' my help fer a given, huh." Kerchen raised an eyebrow that seemed to ask, so you wouldn't? Dieder gave a grunt as if to say, why am I surrounded by all this girly stuff? Alys laughed and held onto her purchases affectionately.

"There's no need! It's already a lot better than what I was about to buy."

"Are you not in need of money? A coin saved is a coin earned." Alys looked at him questioningly.

"How did you know that?" she asked quizzically. "Are you a Foreseer? Thoughtsenser?" Kerchen dismissed these ideas with a wave of his hand.

"We visit your Lounging Hollow tavern sometimes. Surely you would not be working there if you did not need the money. I am impressed that you work and manage still to keep up in your courses." Although "keep up" was an overstatement, Alys didn't bother to correct him.

"Wow, now that I think about it, I think I have seen you guys before!" How strange that she never even recognized a Trainee at her own tavern-well, it wasn't something she was normally looking out for, so it was only to be expected. Dieder scratched his head.

"Really? Mebbe once 'r twice, dun really remember..." Kerchen sighed.

"We went several times. You are normally just too drunk at that point to remember anything." He shrugged with a slight air of superiority. "Your gross misconduct is appalling-will you ever learn how to act civilly?"

"'ey, now don't go actin' all high 'n mighty 'cause yer a Trainee-"

"If not drinking to the point I cannot stand without aid is called acting high and mighty, I say your standards are too low." Alys laughed as they resumed sparring verbally.

"How did you two meet each other? You're so different!" Immediately abandoning the quarrel, Dieder then took the stage with a gallant flourish.

"Well, that all started when I was a poor lil waif, tryin' t'scrounge up sum food fer my sick mother. But suddenly! A demon whirls in front o' me, knife at m'neck-"

"One day I caught a thief," Kerchen corrected sharply, "who was stealing nonstop in the middle of the day from a kind old lady-"

"-A murderous look in his eye-"

"-He was stuffing so many apples down his shirt, he like a fat chicken was-"

"-"What yer doin'" growled he, a sinister look in 'is beady eyes-"

"-When I called out to him, he scurried off like a rat-" They continued to tell their own versions of their first meeting, occasionally pausing to refute a point in the other's. Alys wasn't quite sure which one to believe, but she at least knew it was funny so she laughed instead. When they were finally done, they gave her a look which seemed to ask which side she was taking. Instead of choosing one, she said,

"Wow, that's so interesting! Oh, are you both going to the Collegium then? That's where I'm headed!" Kerchen shook his head.

"No, we need to shop some more-are you sure you do not need an escort back?"
"Haha, oh Kerchen! What could possibly happen to me during the day in Haven?" He frowned.

"It is starting to be dark. Besides, there are pickpockets, kidnappers..." he rattled off a list that irresistibly reminded her of one of Elyssa's lectures. Dieder rolled his eyes.

"Ya think too much. Well, I guess this is where we say bye-'twas nice to meet'cha. We'll stop by again sometime, yea?"

"I'd love that!" After they waved goodbye, Alys bounded off back to Companion's Field, where Lani waited. There was a lot she wanted to tell her today-not least of all the things she learned about her new friend Trainee Kerchen.