Several days of the road were spent in silence, with the events of the Byhills Bridge hanging over their heads. Gauth knew it was a matter of survival, slipping out when the enemy was engaged with another target, but he still felt dishonor at failing to kill even a single chemically crazed goblin before Jayce had come to his aid. Al did his best to distract himself, mostly by maintaining his tools and equipment, especially his boots, whenever he had time, and had even taken to polishing his knives as they walked. Jayce felt sick to his stomach every time the matter came to mind, and it did so often, but he knew when to walk away from a fight, and that one would have been suicide.

Dahlia kept her feelings to herself, walking stoically on Jayce's arm, as had become the norm. Her companions were unaware she shed tears for the caravan for the first few nights, and had been praying almost constantly along their walk since then, asking for forgiveness for abandoning those in need.

When the silence between them had become almost unbearable, the grasses on the east side of the road stretched into tilled farmland, with wheat, cotton, and other vegetables softly perfuming the air. The Bramblewood still menaced over them to their left, but here it was marred from the constant efforts of the locals to turn the forest into lumber, clearing large swaths of the impossibly thick wood to reveal pockmarked clearings. In a way, it was encouraging to see the threatening facade of the Bramblewood bow to the might of man.

"We must be getting close," Dahlia mumbled, the first of them to speak in four days. "I can smell...wheat, and green beans… and I think some barley."

Al looked over, impressed, and Jayce shot him a smile full of pride for his friend.

"Not bad, Dahlia. We're passin' some farms."

"How do you smell the difference between wheat and barley?" Al asked, genuinely amazed. "They aren't even harvested yet!"

"Wheat is...sweeter?" Dahlia shrugged, unsure herself. "It smells a lot like the bread it becomes, but without the...leavening smell. Once we get to a bakery I'll try to explain it better."

Al tried to walk with his eyes closed, taking in a deep sniff of the air and internalizing the smell. Gauth snickered when Al nearly tripped over an errant root in the road, but the half-elf caught himself easily.

"Okay, so we just learned I can't walk blind…" Al mumbled, trying to save the situation. "But, I did notice that vegetable smell. I think."

"It does take practice. I've been blind for decades, and it took almost ten years for me to get comfortable with it," Dahlia reassured him. "Granted, I didn't have anyone to show me the tricks of the trade, so to speak, so it may not take you as long."

"Are you offering?" Al chuckled.

"For someone who prefers to stick to the shadows, it may be useful," Dahlia shrugged.

Dahlia began by explaining the intricacies of echolocation, the skill she found most useful, to the best of her ability. Gauth and Jayce only half listened, but Al gave her his full attention.

As they walked, Gauth glanced at the new scars on his arm. Jagged, puffy streaks were exceptionally pale against his usual, slate-grey skin, and had interrupted the tattoos that denoted the strength of his limbs. Five little creatures had done more damage to him than experienced warriors of his own kind. They fought with such frenzy and bloodlust that Gauth wondered if his own even compared.

"How long to Westruun?" he asked suddenly, startling most of the group.

"Uh, another day?" Jayce shrugged. "I think we'll get there probably early evening. Lookin' forward to a bed?"

Gauth shook his head. "Better weapons, and potions. I will not be caught like that again."

It had been four days, but they all knew what he meant.

"Speaking of arriving, we're almost at the academy," Dahlia said softly, turning toward Jayce. "You may get your answers soon. Are you excited?"

"I wouldn't call it excited…" Jayce huffed nervously, running his free hand through his hair. "Ain't sure I'm gonna like the answer, is all."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Al said, rolling his eyes. "It's not like we can help; we don't even know the question."

"That's true," Gauth added.

Jayce sighed and thought over the past week. There had been some disagreements between them, of course, but the way they had reacted to Dahlia's "curse" made him believe they may be trustworthy.

"Alright, fine; I got it on good authority I might be...watched by a demon, or somethin'. I'm hopin' to find out which one, and why."

Al gave out a low whistle. "No wonder you two bonded. You're both cursed."

Dahlia shrugged and Jayce rolled his eyes. "Bright eyes there, Al."

Al smirked. "It's my job to notice things."

"How long have you been friends?" Gauth asked, practically sticking his head between his friend and the other couple.

"Just a day longer than with you," Jayce snickered. "Although, accordin' to Al, not that you'd notice."

Gauth definitely looked impressed, to the point where Jayce had to stifle a laugh. Dahlia was confused, but said nothing.

"I thought you were old friends!"

Al actually did laugh. "That's what I said!"

"I think the reason for the misconception is the fact that Jayce is exceptionally courteous and accommodating of my limitations," Dahlia cut in. "Quite unlike literally anyone else I had ever met, may I add."

"I-I can be kurt-us and a-com… What do those words even mean?!" Gauth grunted.

"Kind and aware, big guy," Jayce smiled, trying to hide the swell of pride in his heart. "I'm just treatin' 'er like I'd wanna be treated, and thinkin' about how the world might be like for her, and workin' around that."

"Exactly," Dahlia smiled. "And if the compensation for such treatment is the occasional medical or magical assistance, I consider it worth it."

Gauth grunted in another pout, which Dahlia caught this time, and she quickly rephrased herself to use the words "payment" and "healing". Gauth hated being a simpleton.

"So, we already know Gauth is going to look for weapons and health potions, even though he doesn't have much cash," Al said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Any other shopping plans?"

Gauth grumbled. Again with this stupid "money" business.

"Well, I might look for an enchanter," Jayce mused, his eyes scanning the sky as he thought about it. "Actually look into that portable fire thing I mentioned. Could be useful if it's possible."

Al nodded sagely, already thinking of several entertaining misuses for such an item. "And you, Dahlia?"

"I...may check out the enchanter as well, but I'd be interested in restocking my medicine and alchemy stores. I've gone through quite a bit of it, making medicine and potions-"

"You make potions?!" Al gasped in shock. "Like health potions?"

Dahlia's head ducked down from the sudden attention. "Y-yes. I...don't normally make them, as they can be kind of expensive-"

"Oh I can't imagine they're as expensive as an actual fucking healing potion!" Al said excitedly, eager for any opportunity to save some coin. "How much does it come out to?"

"Uh, about twenty-five gold worth of materials-"

Gauth recognized the moment to throw in some math he had learned. "That's half off!"

Jayce shot him a smile with a thumbs up, and Gauth beamed.

"-and several hours of work on my part, plus a spark of magic. So...yes, it may be cheaper, but it isn't quick."

"I say the party funds go toward getting Dahlia potion materials!" Al called out, even raising his hand like it was a vote.

Jayce had to laugh at the outburst. "What party funds?"

"The gold you won at the Maiden's Kiss!" Al smiled, then gave Jayce a sly look. "How much was that, anyway?"

Jayce shook his head, still chuckling to himself. "Oh hell no. You ain't got a call in that. I won it, fair 'n square, after you lost so much ya almost landed in prison!"

Al cleared his throat awkwardly. "Okay, while I won't deny that happened, I'm still guessing you gained quite a chunk of change. I vote that should be the party funds."

"I vote with Al!" Gauth smiled, also raising his hand briefly.

"Well damn!" Jayce smiled. "One more and it's majority. Dahlia?"

"I can use my own funds…" she mumbled quietly.

All three men were caught off guard, but Jayce spoke first. "Dahlia, you ain't gotta do that. It's for the good of the party, so the whole party'll chip in. It's only fair."

Dahlia was quiet, her face turned toward the road they traveled. She did not respond.

"Okay then… I'll vote, providin' I remain in charge of the funds," Jayce finally said, mostly to break the awkward pause.

"I approve of this," Gauth said quickly.

"Now hang on, what if I-"

Gauth dropped his heavy hand on Al's head. "Maiden's Kiss."

Al wrestled his friend's hand off his head and grunted in annoyance. "Okay, fine. I'll just have to ask for a budget, huh?"

Jayce shrugged. "Or we can look for work."

"Hell no! You got enough for months, at least!" Al said, briefly wondering where on Jayce's person he kept all that gold. "Probably years. I don't want to work if I don't have to."

"Oh, good, so yer lazy," Jayce teased. "Good t' know."

"Not lazy, just…" Al couldn't think of the word.

"Squishy," Gauth chuckled.

Jayce barely suppressed a laugh and even Dahlia cracked a smile.

"Ha ha ha. Fine, we'll go with that." Al huffed and crossed his arms. "Seriously though, I'd rather not test my luck against something particularly nasty, especially if it's similar to the Ravagers."

The mood immediately soured at the mention of that monstrous group. Jayce cleared his throat in an attempt to change the subject.

"We could try findin' somethin' specifically in town, like guardin' a shop or helpin' haul goods. It ain't gotta be monsters," Jayce added helpfully. "Then we all got skills that ain't killin' things; Obvious first point, Dahlia's a goddamn doctor. There's gotta be someone in town lookin' for a helpin' hand."

"That will help offset the burden I cause," Dahlia mumbled.

They all heard it, despite Dahlia's attempt to keep the comment to herself.

"Dahlia, your curse is talking again," Al said, trying to sound sympathetic. "Yeah, it's hard walking around blind, but you're not a burden."

"Exactly," Jayce smiled kindly, hoping she could hear it in his voice. "Yer talents an' magic are fuckin' useful, and worth the effort t' keep ya around."

"And I've already learned things!" Gauth beamed. "I have learned large words, and how to make jam. It's been...a week. And I will learn to read soon."

Dahlia smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. "Thank you. You were right, Al; I was...fighting off that darkness again. It comes and goes, and sometimes it's hard to notice when it creeps up on me."

Jayce thought quickly for a way to improve the mood. "Hey, Al."

Confused, Al looked at Jayce as they continued to walk. "What?"

"Do you have a sense of humor?"

Dahlia could hear it. That mischievous smile. She tried hard not to start smiling from the anticipation.

Al cocked an eyebrow in deeper confusion. "I like to think I do. Why?"

"Because I tried tellin' a joke to a thief once, and it didn't go over well." Jayce was fighting to keep his own face straight.

Al sighed. "We're all different people, Jayce. I bet I'd laugh."

"I dunno…" Jayce mused, tilting his head playfully. "It was pretty hard explainin' the pun. Kleptomaniacs tend to take things literally."

Al shot Jayce a death glare as Dahlia nearly folded in half from the suppressed laughter that threatened to escape.

"Don't you ever do that again," Al hissed with all the venom he could muster.

Jayce didn't hear him. He was laughing too hard.

xXxXx

As Jayce had predicted, they arrived at the southwestern gate of Westruun in the early evening, and for Al, it was none too soon. After learning the definition of "kleptomaniac", Gauth had been giggling at random intervals, whenever he recalled the joke, and Al was completely sick of it. Now that they had passed the guard and were fully inside the city, perhaps there would be something else to distract the goliath.

The southwestern gate opened directly into the Market Ward, one of six sections of the city that were loosely divided by thinner, less impressive walls than the ones that surrounded the city. In truth, there were only five wards above ground, as the sixth was a remnant of Westruun's occupation by Umbrasyl, the Hope Devourer, the ancient black dragon member of the Chroma Conclave. He was killed fifty years prior by a famous band of traveling adventurers, and the Underwalk Ward, the bastion-turned-hovel, sat beneath the city as its crumbling, underside twin.

Jayce took a moment to describe the streets of the Market Ward, as lamplighters traveled down the streets, activating magical charms that caused the street lamps to glow a soft white. Nearly every building was multi-storied, and with the exception of inns, seemed to be a store on the first floor and housing on the next. The cobblestone street was neat and well maintained, with walkways for pedestrians so smooth Jayce assumed magic was somehow involved. Cheery signs in several languages both hung from bannisters and stood propped up next to doorways, offering everything a traveler might need, from equipment to lodging. Many stores offered exotic goods from all corners of Tal'Dorei, and even beyond, and when Jayce saw a particular eatery's advertisement, he couldn't help himself.

"I know where we're eatin' dinner," he beamed.

"I'm assuming it's the place you were just about to describe," Dahlia smiled, shaking her head.

"And which one is that?" Al asked, his patience already thin due to Gauth's incessant mirth.

Jayce pulled Dahlia toward an open eatery that was little more than a kitchen separated from the street by a serving counter, where the smell of spiced meat and onions drifted heavily past them. After days of dry, cold rations, the smell of cooked food was almost too much for their patience to handle.

"Come on, you two!" Jayce called out to Al and Gauth, who jogged to catch up. He turned to face the older man at the counter, whose dark, tanned skin, black hair, and dark eyes declared his true heritage from across the sea.

"Iyi akşamlar," Jayce beamed, immediately getting a smile from the older man, who then began jabbering in a language no one in the party could understand. Jayce laughed and held up a hand to stop the man from continuing. "Mighty sorry, sir, but that's about all I know."

The older man smiled and nodded, some sadness in his eyes, but it was quickly dismissed. "It was still good to hear the words from my home. You must be a traveler!"

Jayce nodded, quite excited over what he saw cooking behind who he assumed was the eatery's owner. "Indeed I am. Been to the Bay of Gifts many times. Now I gotta ask, those kofta?"

The man laughed, motioning behind him. "Of course they are! You're familiar with them?"

Jayce couldn't believe his luck. "Got 'em every damn time I was in port! Ya got the special ones with the eggs inside?"

The man nodded, beaming with joy. "I have a batch of nargisi kofta that just finished. Sit! Enjoy! I will serve!"

Jayce led a confused Dahlia to one of the tall stools by the counter as Al and Gauth, also confused, took seats as well.

"Jayce, I have no idea what's going on, beyond we're about to eat something with eggs in it."

Jayce laughed to himself as the man began plating their meals. "They're kinda like meatballs, Dahlia. They're sold on the street out in the Bay of Gifts, across the Ozmit Sea. Every time we hit port there, I'd make sure t' stop by the same ol' vendor an' buy a few. Fuckin' good eatin', especially with some rice or flatbread."

"Just how far have you been?" Al said, awe evident in his voice. Jayce couldn't have been much older than him, and yet he had a very clear feeling that Jayce had seen far more of the world than Al had even assumed existed.

Jayce shrugged. "Ain't been far inland, but I hit a fair number o' ports across the whole Osmit Sea an' the Lucidean Ocean. When ya sail, you go where the work is, and sometimes that meant the Bay of Gifts, or Port Damali...although gotta say I've only been to the latter once." Jayce added under his breath, "Thank the gods for that…"

"Now I'm interested in Port Damali," Gauth said as plates were doled out, having heard Jayce's comment.

"Let's just say 'law' is kind of a foreign concept there," Jayce chuckled nervously. "Had t' bribe my way out of jail 'cause some bloke didn't like my face."

"Wow… I'm glad you made it out okay," Dahlia said sympathetically.

"Yeah, well, I'm damn lucky silver n' platinum look so similar," Jayce laughed awkwardly.

"Don't try to pull that trick on me!" the owner teased. "I'm watching you, now!"

Jayce laughed and held up both hands. "Swear on my honor, I ain't even thinkin' of it. Speakin' of, how much do I owe ya for the four of us?"

"A silver," the man smiled. "You eat at a discount, your friends full price."

Jayce reached into the magical pouch and mentally called for anything silver, and found two pieces in his palm. He slid both across the counter.

"As thanks, for bein' a damn blessing this far inland," Jayce smiled warmly.

The man stammered his thanks, trying to slide one silver back, but Jayce wouldn't hear of it. Soon, the group had nearly finished their meals, enjoying the flavor of beef, onion, spices exotic to Tal'Dorei, and a perfectly soft-cooked egg over fermented rice.

Even before the others finished, Gauth ordered seconds, and nearly went for thirds, but Al pointed out they still needed lodging for the night, and the sun would be setting soon.

"Hey, sir, know any good places t' stay 'round here?" Jayce asked the owner of the eatery.

The man finished serving another traveler at the other end of the counter as he mulled it over. "Are you looking for good, or cheap? You can have one or the other. You can't have both."

Jayce gave a knowing nod. "That's fair. Good then."

"The Riversong is a one, and I've heard many good things about the Epiphany, although that one is in the Scholar's Ward," the man said, wandering to their end of the counter. "The Riversong is closer, just three blocks down the street, and left two."

Jayce stood and mimed tipping his hat. "Worth every gippy, sir. Thank ya kindly."

The man beamed in response, quoting a blessing in his home language with a nod of his head. Once the others were out of their seats, they all began walking down the road. With the hustle and bustle of a prominent trading town, there was always something to see, and Al happened to notice a little store tucked into a corner.

"Look at that!" Al called to grab his companions' attention. "The Illustrious Artiste. It's got to be either a painter who is really full of himself or someone selling magical items."

Jayce shrugged, trying not to show that the image amused him. "Eh, might be worth a look before we bunk down for the night. Dahlia? Gauth? What say you?"

"I would be interested to see if they can improve my axe, or boomerang," Gauth smiled.

Dahlia tilted her head curiously. "What's a boomerang?"

Jayce was so glad she asked, because he wanted to ask too.

Gauth pulled it out of his bag and handed it to her, as he was making a conscious effort to be accommodating. "It's this. If I throw it, it will come back to me," Gauth explained.

Dahlia traced her fingers over the entirety of the design, fascinated with the concept. "And it's designed as a weapon? Or a toy?"

Gauth laughed softly. "It could be both. If thrown with purpose, it can kill, but thrown lightly, it's simply fun."

Dahlia smiled and held it back to him. "Gauth, you just taught me something. Thank you."

Gauth felt a swell of pride and joy in his heart, but the habit of his culture prevented him from showing it beyond a small smile.

"So, are we going in or not?" Al asked, obviously intrigued by the shop.

"We're goin', we're goin'," Jayce smirked, leading Dahlia inside. The interior of the shop was softly lit by magical lamps, which were reflected off the polished hardwood floor wherever beautiful, woven carpets left it bare. Velvet lined shelves held a plethora of items, from polished weaponry to beautiful, sparkling jewelry and decorative ornaments. In a place of honor behind the sales counter, a decadent silver shield, set with black stones, gleamed in a more focused light.

"Nice place," Al whistled, mostly to himself. Everything in there looked incredibly expensive, and would probably fetch an impressive price to the right fence.

Gauth, well aware of Al's intentions, placed his hand on Al's shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze of warning.

"Good evenin'!" Jayce called out, looking around for the proprietor. As of that moment, he hadn't seen anyone. "We're curious about yer wares!"

Dahlia's head tilted, her ears perked. "He's on his way."

Al turned to her, confused. "How…?"

Dahlia pointed up, and with the direction, they all heard the soft footfalls of someone running across the floor above them. Sure enough, the sound quickly became the patter of feet descending some unseen stairs behind a closed door, and what appeared was a haggard looking man in an impressive leather jerkin and...red skin, milky red eyes, and dark horns growing out of his black hair. A teifling.

"I'm so, so sorry," the man said, ducking behind the counter, trying to put on the face of business when he was still attempting to catch his breath. "Welcome to the Illustrious Artiste! I am Caril Karmeros, the owner of this establishment, and the creator of every item you see here."

Dahlia, completely unaware of the man's heritage, was the first to speak. "Sir, could you describe your work? My companions have yet to tell me what's on your shelves."

Caril gave a wry smile. "Of course, madam. I'm an enchanter, and my shelves are stocked with magical wares of my own design. I have jewelry to extend your life, make you nimble, or increase your perception of the world, and I also have weapons designed to be especially cruel to their targets, or armor that are designed to keep the wearer under magical protection."

"Could ya improve items too? Like take things for commission?" Jayce asked, recovering before Gauth or Al could.

"Of course!" Caril smiled more warmly this time. "It may take me several days, but I do take orders."

"Then I want to improve my axe," Gauth said, pulling the weapon before anyone could tell him otherwise. "How much?"

Caril visibly winced when Gauth pulled the massive blade, but swallowed his trepidation. "I can improve the blade with magical sharpness for seven hundred gold."

Gauth clipped the weapon back on its holster behind him and counted his coins.

"I do not have that many," he said simply, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Before I offer anythin'," Jayce cut in, stepping forward, "Do ya have somethin' that's like a portable campfire? Ain't gotta be special, just somethin' to use when there's nothin' t' burn nearby."

Caril crossed his arms and tapped his chin, thinking. "No…" he mumbled, before inspiration struck him. "But I could design something by the end of the week. As I would have to invent an enchantment, would fifteen-hundred sound fair?"

Jayce had never spent that much money in his life, and swallowed hard from the shock. "Uh, just t' be clear, that's gold, right? Not, say, platinum?"

"Or better yet, copper?" Al mumbled.

"That's right," Caril nodded. "Everything here is priced in gold."

"I gotta think on it," Jayce smiled awkwardly.

"I understand," Caril said, uncrossing his arms to fold them politely on the counter. "In the meanwhile, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"I…" Dahlia began, but stopped herself. "Uh, Jayce, Al, Gauth? Could you wait outside for me?"

The three of them were confused. "Why?" Jayce asked.

"You're aware of my vow, and in an effort to avoid questions I don't want to answer, I would like to speak to him alone," Dahlia explained, fidgeting with her glove.

Caril looked just as confused as Dahlia's companions as they looked between each other.

"Dahlia, I'm all for givin' ya space, but before we go," Jayce said, stepping toward her, "now's probably a good a time as any. Back in Kymal, I got ya somethin'-"

"Is this that mysterious object you kept hiding from me?" she asked.

"Sharp as any blade," Jayce smiled. "Yep. Can ya hold out yer hands for me?"

Curious, Dahlia did so, holding her palms flat and face up for whatever Jayce had for her. She heard Jayce shift through his backpack, and then all she felt was a significant weight placed upon her arms. She had no idea what it was, but from Al, Gauth, and Caril's shocked reactions, she knew it was rare.

"What am I holding…?" she asked hesitantly.

"About five-ish pounds raw gold," Jayce replied.

Dahlia nearly dropped it. "You're kidding."

"Swear on Pelor himself, I ain't," Jayce said, a hand on his heart.

"Uh, might not want to mention you follow Pelor-" Caril tried to cut in.

"And this is for me?!" Dahlia asked, completely flabbergasted.

"You got it. Get yerself somethin' nice," Jayce beamed. "Come on, you two. Dahlia, we'll wait outside."

Before Al or Gauth could protest, or Dahlia could ask him to confirm her disbelief, Jayce gave the two of them a gentle shove to get them walking out the door, leaving Dahlia alone with the enchanter Caril Karmeros.

Caril cleared his throat. "I would like to mention, again, that Pelor isn't exactly a favored deity here, so if that's your faith, please keep it to yourself."

Dahlia turned to face the voice, quite numb. There was no way she was worth the chunk of gold she was currently holding in her arms. "...What?"

"The main deities of Westruun are the Wildmother, the Lawbearer, and the Platinum Dragon," Caril explained. "While you're free to express whatever faith you like, please do so privately; Since the attack of the Conclave, the Lawbearer's followers have almost reached a zealous fervor, and they tend to lash out at anyone they disagree with."

"Th-thank you," Dahlia mumbled, still unsure of what she was holding. "Am I...am I really holding a solid chunk of gold?"

Caril came around the corner and gave it a close look. "Well, it seems to be gold ore at the very least. I will admit I could find something like that very valuable in my work, so I'm willing to trade anything on my shelves for it."

"I...Could you…" She had the opportunity. She had to go for it. "Is there a way to make a glamor that would change my skin and hair to be flawless, of the hue I request, in a way that would last longer than a spell's usual duration of an hour? Ideally, until the charm was dispelled? And could it be recast at a whim?"

Caril was about to speak when she added, "And a way for me to feel whether or not it was active? Due to being blind and all."

Caril paused half a second, and then a second more, just to make sure there were no more stipulations to this strange elf's request. "I do believe I can make something along that line, but to carry enough power to last near indefinitely, it would have to be a very simple change. I couldn't make anything to change your shape or size-"

"That's fine!" Dahlia said quickly. "I just want to hide some scars and oddly colored hair, that's all."

Caril took a very close look at this odd woman. "Is that why you're wearing greasepaint?"

Dahlia winced and turned her face away. Caril had heard enough and decided to agree.

"It'll take me three days. I'll take the ore, and on Day'leysen, just stop on by and I'll have something for you."

Dahlia did some mental calculations. "The 27th?"

Caril was briefly at a loss and ducked behind his counter to check a small pocket calendar. "Indeed it is. Wow. It's almost the end of Fessuran already. When did that happen?"

Dahlia let out a weak laugh. "Probably when you weren't looking."

Caril chuckled. "Now, before I begin, I need to know some details. Is there a particular hue you're looking for?"

Dahlia almost couldn't think with all the freedom this little magical object may possibly afford her. "I...I would like a pale skin, something similar to my paint but...less artificial? Does that make sense? I don't want it to be obvious that I've switched over to something magical."

Caril nodded, humming he understood as he wrote notes on a pad of paper specifically for that purpose. "And your hair?"

"Just...just black is fine. It doesn't have to be fancy."

Caril nodded again, briefly mumbling through his shorthand. "And your eyes?"

Dahlia was startled, and turned to face Caril again. "I'm sorry?"

Caril looked up at her. "What color do you want your eyes to be?"

"I can…?" She couldn't believe her ears.

"If you don't want them changed, that's fine-"

"Green!"

Caril wasn't expecting the outburst and nearly dropped his pen in the surprise. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Green! Please. Green eyes," Dahlia carefully walked forward and gently put the gold ore on the counter. "I'd like green eyes, please." Her voice was quieter with every word.

Caril nodded, wondering what would cause someone to be so reserved as to backpedal on their excitement like that. He made a small note to make them as gorgeously green as he could afford for the spell. A little gift for a woman who needed a sparkle in her life.

"Alright...so you want flawless skin, of a pale hue, with evenly black hair, and green eyes, correct?"

Dahlia felt she might cry, and managed to nod without choking on a sob.

"Then we're finished," Caril smiled. "I'll see you on Day'leysen, and I'll see if I can work in a physical trigger for the jewelry. That should make it easy for you to check if it's active without asking someone who can see."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Dahlia nearly squealed, and then she covered her mouth in shock. She was doing it again. She cleared her throat. "I...know I've technically paid you, but I am well versed in healing magic, and a doctor by trade. If you should ever need my assistance while I'm in town, I'd be absolutely happy to help you."

Caril let out a tired chuckle. "I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't want to sound rude, but the help of a cleric is not the kind of help I'd hope for."

Dahlia let out a dry laugh. "I understand. It's better to avoid trouble in the first place."

"Indeed. But I'll keep your offer in mind. It's very sweet of you," Caril smiled.

"Thank you again," Dahlia beamed, smiling genuinely for the first time since she entered the shop, and she bowed to Caril to show her respect. Caril was deeply touched by the gesture.

"If there's nothing else…?" Caril asked.

"No, and I'm aware it's getting late. Good evening to you," Dahlia said with a wave, turning and exiting the shop as Caril replied in kind. Predictably, her companions were right outside, and making a show of how they were not attempting to eavesdrop on her conversation.

Dahlia sighed and crossed her arms. "You know, the inconspicuous whistling is very suspicious."

"Obviously it isn't, because I don't even know what that means," Gauth huffed.

Jayce and Al barely contained giggles as Dahlia nearly touched her face in frustration. "Did you even hear anything?"

"Truth of it is, not a word," Jayce said. "Caril must have some enchantment on the door t' keep sound from gettin' out."

"Clever…" Dahlia mumbled, turning back toward the shop. "Anyway, to the Riversong? My shopping is done, and so as long as I can come back in three days, I don't care what we do next."

"What about the potion components?" Al asked. Healing potions were far too useful to simply forget to purchase.

"We can do that in the mornin'," Jayce said, motioning toward the sky. "Sun's settin' now, and I'm fuckin' tired from walkin' for a over a solid week. Riversong should be another block up, then two over, right?"

"That's what I remember," Gauth said, nodding.

"Great. Then let's go."

The four of them walked to the Riversong, and Dahlia's step was noticeably lighter. Despite repeated attempts to question her purchase, Dahlia would say it was a woman's right to keep some things private, and when pressed, she simply stopped answering. Al and Gauth then learned of Dahlia's vow, and Jayce made them swear not to abuse the knowledge. Neither had a problem with that.

The Riversong was another multi-storied building, with a tavern below and several floors of rooms above, all facing the market square. The facade was friendly and open, with unusually wide windows open to the street, and a small stage inside that was currently occupied by a local bard. With the joy already in her heart, Dahlia couldn't help herself when she heard the song, and started swaying to the music, and at one point even twirled, completely oblivious to her companions around her.

"Whoa! You almost hit me!" Al cried out when her arm came dangerously close to his own.

Dahlia immediately yanked in all her limbs, going stiff and shrinking into herself again. "I'm sorry!" she squeaked, her shoulders almost around her ears.

"Al!" Jayce spat, shoving the man back a step. "She's already got that damn curse to worry about; let the woman have her moment of joy!"

"What the hell?!" Al nearly shouted, almost shoving Jayce in return, but Gauth got between them. "Don't-Gauth, get out of my way!"

"No," Gauth said simply, standing his ground. "You are fighting like siblings again, and we are tired. I do not want to break up another fight; I want to sleep. We will get rooms, and we will sleep. Then you can fight in the morning."

"There's no fucking way that man's a brother of mine," Al hissed under his breath. "So, who's buying the rooms?"

Jayce shot Al a glare of warning before turning toward the Riversong. "Party funds, of course. And Dahlia's got 'er own room."

Al rolled his eyes but didn't press it. "Fine. Two or three then?"

"I want my own room again!" Gauth beamed, smiling like a giddy kid.

"No. Last time I had a room with Al, I didn't even get my own bed," Jayce sighed. "You two are bunkin' together."

"Then I guess you get your own room, unless Dahlia deigns to share," Al spat, still cross about Jayce's outburst.

The group looked toward Dahlia, who was gripping her arms and facing away from them. Despite his attempt to hold a grudge, Al did feel sorry for ruining her fun like that. He didn't realise she'd have such a visceral reaction to his own outburst.

Jayce unintentionally spoke for the group when he declared, again, that Dahlia got her own room, and gently took her arm to lead her inside. She followed willingly, as if she had no other choice but to obey his touch. It unnerved him.

Inside, the Riversong was just as friendly, with solid oak tables lined with bench style seating and the heavy wooden beams above painted with local flowers. The tables were nearly full with travelers both near and far, although they were mostly human. A group of gnomes stuck to themselves in the back of the room, chattering in their insanely fast language.

Jayce led Dahlia to the bar, where a plump and pleasant woman was serving vegetable tarts to a large gathering of people who seemed to be confused about their drink orders. Realizing an interruption would be detrimental, Jayce settled in to wait his turn.

Once again, Al had no qualms interrupting.

"Ma'am!" he called out, practically leaning over the bar before Jayce could stop him. "We'd like to order some rooms!"

"Just a moment!" the woman called back, refusing to pause her work. Al drummed the bar with his fingers, annoyed that he'd have to wait. The woman did notice, and so when Jayce gently got her attention with a wave, she intentionally bypassed Al to head to the other end of the bar.

"Pleasant evening to you!" the woman smiled at Jayce, as Al voiced his indignation just a few seats over. "How can I help you tonight?"

"We're lookin' to rent a few rooms, probably for a few days," Jayce said, returning the smile. "Three, if ya've got 'em. An' one of us is seven feet all." Jayce motioned over his shoulder where Gaugh was having to duck past nearly every beam in the ceiling as he slowly picked his way over to the bar.

"Oh! Goodness, he's a big one!" the woman gasped. "I can't say we've got a bed his size, but I can send an extra quilt to whichever room he has. Let me check my ledger and see what's available."

The woman stepped away and Al sidled up to Jayce. "Go figure she'd skip me for someone like you," he grumbled.

"Al, ya know you can be fuckin' rude," Jayce whispered back. "Ya catch more flies with honey and all that."

Al rolled his eyes and settled back into his seat.

"I'm terribly sorry," the woman said as she returned with a large leatherbound book. "I only have two rooms free tonight, but if you're planning on staying for several days, I can let you know as soon as one opens up."

"That'll be fine," Jayce smiled. "How much do I owe ya, if we stay three nights?"

The woman counted on her fingers. "Two rooms, three nights… One gold, eight silver."

Jayce ducked his hand back in the magic pouch and mentally called two gold pieces, which he handed to the woman in exchange for two silver in return. He had to laugh at how he ended up with the same amount of change at the end of the day.

The woman handed him two keys and asked him to fill out the ledger while she tended to other patrons at the bar. Al, still annoyed, twisted out of his seat and was about to speak to Gauth, who had just arrived at the bar, when he noticed something.

"Jayce?"

"Mhm?" Jayce hummed, once again pausing to spell Gauth's name correctly.

"Where's Dahlia?"

Jayce and Gauth immediately whipped their heads about, looking for the elf in question. Jayce, almost in a complete panic, couldn't even think of where she could have gone.

"I'm starting to see why she considers herself a burden," Al grunted, also scanning the room.

"Don't you fuckin' dare. You know it's her curse," Jayce hissed, shooting Al a dangerous glare. "You probably started it, just outside!"

"Oh come on! She nearly hit me!" Al spat.

Gauth physically pulled the two men apart. "Enough! Fight in the morning! She's by the stairs."

Jayce and Al both looked over to the stairs in the back of the Riversong, and barely visible behind some barrels tucked under the stairs was Dahlia's boot. Not even waiting for a prompt, Jayce slipped himself out of Gauth's grip and almost raced over, but then came to a hard stop.

"Excuse me, ma'am!" Jayce called out to the bartender, unable to keep the urgency from his voice. "Please, this'll sound right strange an' I wish I could explain, but have ya got any cinnamon?"

"The fuck?" Al asked, mostly to himself.

The woman sighed and shuffled over, having found just a short moment between orders. "Cinnamon? You mean the spice?"

"Yes, please, I'll take it however it comes," Jayce practically begged. Despite the strange, slitted eyes of this patron, the woman could tell Jayce was genuine in his need.

"Alright! I'll get you some cinnamon! Please wait a moment." She huffed and puffed as she ducked into a back room, out of sight.

Gauth slowly picked his way over to Dahlia, being careful not to bump into patrons when he could help it, and finally made his way to an open area by the stairs. He had to kneel to look into the little space Dahlia had pressed herself into, but he did manage to find enough space to do so.

Oh the trials of being too big for a little world.

"Dahlia?" he asked softly, completely unsure what was going on. Was this part of that curse Jayce had talked about? It if was, her curse was especially cruel. The minute he found the man who cast it, that man would cease to live.

Dahlia did not respond.

"Gauth, I need ya to back up," Jayce said, patting a hand on his shoulder.

Gauth looked back over his companion. "...You intend to help her with a stick?"

In Jayce's hand was a small, curled piece of smooth brown bark.

"Not quite. It's cinnamon, a spice she likes. I...don't know if it'll work, but I'm hopin' it'll snap her out of it."

Gauth looked over the half-orc. He seemed nervous. "Do you even know what you're doing?"

Jayce shrugged, looking unsure. "Hell no, but it's the best shot I've got."

Gauth watched the man slip past his hulking form into the little alcove Dahlia somehow found and then take off his glove. Reaching just under Dahlia's nose, which was a feat as her head was buried in her arms, Jayce scratched the small stick with one of his dark, thick fingernails. Almost immediately, Dahlia began to stir.

"You back with us?" Jayce asked quietly.

Dahlia squeaked, but she nodded. She seemed unable to speak.

"Okay, let's get ya to the room then. Come on…"

Gauth stepped back as Jayce got Dahlia to her feet. So that little stick, cinnamon, was important to bringing her back from her curse. Gauth internalized the lesson, just like so many others, and made a mental note to grab some cinnamon of his own.

Al finally made his way over as Jayce and Dahlia disappeared upstairs. Gauth sat with a heavy thump next to the storage Dahlia had tucked herself into just a moment before.

"...Is it just me, or does traveling with Dahlia sound more like a bad idea each time she has one of these…" Al rolled his hand, trying to find an appropriate word. "Moments?"

Gauth looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow, clearly in annoyance. "You would have preferred being Yosxim's puppet?"

"Okay, no, not the issue here," Al grunted, one arm across his chest and a hand on his face in frustration. "That's not the first time I've seen her...do that. She did it at the cave with those kobolds Jayce slaughtered. If she goes… 'numb' in the middle of a fight, or when one of us really needs healing-"

"Why are you blaming her for something she cannot control?" Gauth asked, his limbs tense. He could already feel his temper threatening to boil his blood.

"Are you serious-?! No! I'm not blaming her!" Al rubbed his face with both hands, unable to find the words he needed. "I'm just concerned this curse of hers is going to get more than just her killed, that's all. I mean, you saw what happened outside! She nearly hit me, I yelled because I got startled, and suddenly she's more timid than a dormouse and hiding in corners! How is that even the same person?!"

Gauth deflated, unable to find an answer in his own experience. He hadn't learned enough.

"I don't know, Al. I do know curses are evil, and Dahlia is good. Jayce wants to protect her, but I don't know why." Gauth sighed. "Perhaps Yosxim was right, and they are lovers."

Al shook his head, taking a seat next to his friend. "No, I asked him back in Kymal. They aren't intimate with each other. Honestly… Don't tell Jayce this, but I've seen their version of intimate. It's completely platonic. Hell, they even bathed in the same room together and it didn't sound like there was any interest between them."

Gauth turned to his friend, a teasing smile on his face. "You were sneaking again."

"Some habits are hard to break…" Al grumbled, a hand on his face.

Gauth couldn't help himself. "Is it because you hope a certain someone remains unclaimed?"

Al could feel a chill crawl up his spine as his friend's friendly teasing hit a cord. "Absolutely not! I don't go for blind women! She may be an elf, but that doesn't automatically-"

Gauth laughed quietly under his breath and patted his friend on the shoulder. "You know who I meant."

The sudden realization hit Al like one of Gauth's punches to the face, and he buried his face in his hands to hide the deep shade of red. Somehow, Gauth's ability to clue in on his particular preferences didn't surprise him. "...How long have you known?"

"Oh, since you got completely drunk in Emon and blurted out how you thought I was attractive, but not pretty enough to actually bed you."

Al wished the world would just open up and swallow him whole. "Gods above… That was three months ago! Why didn't you say anything?!"

Gauth shrugged. "Because I don't care."

Al looked at his friend in confusion. That actually surprised him. "You don't?"

"Of course not. I could snap you in half with one hand, and as long as you keep your… What did Yosxim call them?"

Al snickered at the thought. "Conquests."

Gauth nodded. "As long as you keep them private, I don't care."

Al was about to comment when he heard boots coming down the stairs, despite the din of the tavern. Jayce had returned.

"Alright, she's settled in," Jayce sighed, running a hand through his hair as he came around the foot of the stairs. "Sorry about that, you two."

"Sorry for what?" Gauth asked as Al returned to his feet.

"Specifically, sorry to you," Jayce said, unable to look Al in the eye. "I...get defensive, around Dahlia, and I shouldn't've pushed ya."

Al crossed his arms, putting on a face of feeling vindicated. "Apology accepted, and I have noticed you're on a bit of a hair trigger around her."

Jayce grunted in embarrassed frustration, his arms crossed and still unable to look either of them straight in the eye. "Damn it all, I ain't even sure why I get so worked up. I just know she ain't got a fair deal in life-"

"And you just want to help," Al sighed.

Jayce shrugged, a little embarrassed. "That's pretty much it, far as I figure."

"Trust me, I get it," Al said, glancing toward Gauth. "People in my profession tend not to get very far by adopting strays and being bleeding hearts, but something about her just makes you believe she'd literally do anything for you, and...you want to return the favor."

Gauth nodded his agreement.

"Now that that's settled," Al huffed, arms still crossed, "we need to lay some ground rules about that woman."

Jayce nodded, his exhaustion from the day beginning to show. "Y'all mind if we do this in the room?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to a drink, and those tend to be harder to order while up in a room," Al said, trying to avoid letting it slip that he had ulterior motives. "How about you?"

"I'm game," Gauth smiled.

Jayce looked over them both, but settled on Al. Something about how Al said that made him a little uneasy, but he knew calling him out would just cause more problems. "Normally, I would be all for a little imbibement, but I'm fuckin' tired. Maybe tomorrow."

Gauth and Al paused, disappointment evident on their face.

"Come on, you two. It's our first real bed in more'n a week. Dahlia's got that order in three days; we got the time in town to spare."

That was enough, and with Gauth's agreement, Al begrudgingly conceded the point.

"Fine. We'll head upstairs. Which room is ours?"

Jayce pulled the keys out of his inner coat pocket. "Let's see… I got Dahlia in three...so the free room is eleven."

"On the upside, we won't be able to hear her if she starts screaming in her sleep," Al mumbled.

"For fuck's sake, Al. She's cursed, not possessed," Jayce grunted.

On that note, they all headed upstairs and found the room in question, a modest room with two single, simple beds covered with quilts in the local style, and a small table and chair. Al immediately rushed over and claimed the right side bed, sprawling across it without even a second thought. Jayce remembered Dahlia's habit of checking the beds and tried not to grimace as he headed for the second bed.

"You okay with the floor, Gauth?" Jayce asked, sitting on the second bed.

Gauth shrugged. "Yeah. Unless Al wants to share a bed."

Al nearly choked on his own spit as he suddenly recoiled from the shock of the statement. Gauth didn't even try to hide his own chuckles as Al coughed and Jayce looked on in absolute confusion.

"Uh, no thanks. I ain't a fan of sharin' a bed," Jayce said, trying to understand what he just saw.

"I'd offer to share," Gauth smiled, unfurling his bedroll across the floor, "but I'm too large for the puny beds in these lands."

"Gauth, you're an asshole," Al wheezed.

Gauth stretched across his bedroll and cushioned his head with his hands, obviously at ease. "I know. Now, ground rules. What are they?"

"You askin' the definition, or…?" Jayce was too confused and tired to think and refused to guess.

Gauth rolled his eyes. "I know what they are. What ground rules are we making for having Dahlia in our group?"

"Right. First off," Jayce leaned on his knees and steepled his fingers, "when she's havin' an attack, she seems completely blind an' deaf to the world, so ya gotta get her attention another way. Smell really seems t' work, and so far, I've used cinnamon an' chestnut. Cinnamon's easier t' smell, so I figure we each carry a piece on us."

"What does cinnamon even look like?" Al asked, having finally recovered.

Jayce pulled the strange curled bark out of his inner coat pocket. "This."

Gauth giggled while on the floor.

"What's got you laughing?" Al asked.

"We could be the Cinnamon Men. The Cinnamen!"

Gauth burst out laughing as Al groaned heavily, but Jayce had to appreciate the joke. He fought the urge to laugh loudly, and nearly failed.

"Gauth, that was fuckin' brilliant!" Jayce wheezed.

Gauth sat up, rubbing his face in his mirth. Puns are fun!

"I hate you both," Al hissed.

Somehow, Al's ire made the joke even funnier and the two of them shared another round of laughter before Al could get their attention again.

"Alright! Alright! Enough!" Al rubbed his temples and tried to keep his own temper under control. "Is the cinnamon thing the only rule we need?"

Jayce had to catch his breath and calm himself down. This was serious.

"Wish I could say yes, but there's a coupla other things you two should know," Jayce said, forcing himself to stop smiling. "She ain't a fan of touch, at all. Unless she knows yer comin', she assumes it's an attack."

Gauth nodded. He had personally experienced such a reaction.

"Okay. Anything else?" Al asked.

"Yes. That thing in her head, that curse," Jayce said. He tried to play off the correction as if it was part of the idea all along. "It talks her down, makes her doubt herself. If ya listen, you'll hear it. She called herself a useless cripple right to my face."

"What? No. By definition, clerics are not useless," Al huffed. "She's already saved lives, and she's done it literally blind. Hell, I'm sure if she wasn't wearing the blindfold, you'd barely be able to tell she couldn't see a damn thing."

"I don't even know what color her eyes are," Jayce mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

Al almost mentioned how he knew the two of them bathed in the same room and were obviously naked together, and how he was completely unconvinced that Jayce truly didn't know what Dahlia's eye color was, but he managed to remember he shouldn't know that information.

"So, make sure to mention it, if ya hear that kinda talk from her," Jayce said at a normal volume. "We all agree it ain't true, and anythin' we can do to keep that demon at bay, we gotta do it."

Gauth nodded, going through all the rules so far. "So we must carry cinnamon, do not touch her, and speak if she speaks of herself with venom."

Jayce nodded. "That's it, save for one last thing."

"Ugh! This is becoming a damn burden-"

"Don't you fuckin' dare," Jayce hissed, causing Al to jump. "She already thinks she's a burden, and I ain't takin' a single chance she might hear us say it. She is not a burden, and you get that through your fuckin'-"

"Jayce!" Gauth snapped, more to shock him out of the train of thought than to scare him. "Al spoke badly, and I've said three times now that I don't want to break up another fight before bed!"

Jayce dropped his head into his hands. "Right. Sorry. Probably ain't a shock, but I've...got some problems with my temper."

Al, still tense as a taut bow string, looked over Jayce's green skin and dumbly nodded. "Yeah… Not surprised."

"So...what is the last thing?" Gauth asked. He was beginning to wonder if sleeping between the two of them was really the best idea.

Jayced sighed, exhaustion clearly readable on his face this time. "When she's having an attack, she ain't always aware what she says or does. She may ask you to kill her, she may lash out, hell, she may even say somethin' deeply hurtful… Just remember it ain't her. If she can't remember it, that'll be the sign it wasn't her talkin' right then."

Al grimaced. "The more I hear about this curse, the more diabolical it sounds."

Gauth tilted his head curiously.

"Sorry. Evil. The more evil it sounds," Al clarified.

Gauth nodded, satisfied. "I agree. There must be a way to remove this curse from her."

"If there is…" Jayce said, turning toward the one window in the room, "we better hope the academy's got answers. If they don't…"

Jayce trailed off, unable to finish his thought. He didn't even want to entertain the possibility that there could be no hope for someone like Dahlia. There had to be something, somewhere, that could help her.

Unable to add anything else to the conversation, Gauth quickly reiterated the ground rules, had them confirmed with Jayce, and made Al repeat them just for the sake of being prepared. The implications of those rules sat heavily on them, and they all settled in for what they hoped would be a deep and restful sleep.

Although Al did try to remain awake to see why Jayce seemed insistent that he was going to read before settling in for the night. The half-orc pulled out some little novel and flipped through page after page, reading with surprising speed, as the oil lamp for the room slowly burned lower and lower with the passing hour.

Just as he was about to give up, Jayce whispered, "Goodnight, Al," across the room.

Busted, Al rolled over, his back to his companions, and tried not to feel embarrassed. Jayce was more observant than he thought.

Jayce, on the other hand, truly wondered what Al hoped to accomplish, with his creepy, half-lidded, eyes-almost-rolled-back look, staring at him in the gathering darkness. Jayce shuddered, read another chapter of The Black Wings at Dawn, and finally gave the bed the sniff test Dahlia had taught him. The bed, thankfully, smelled of laundry soap and dust, and he felt much more comfortable climbing in to finally sleep.

xXxXx

Dahlia laid on the floor of her room, her head and hair in the wash basin that had been stashed under the bed. She didn't trust it to be clean, and so had used the spell in her enchanted ring to make it so before she poured the wine into it. Raspberry and blackberry. She couldn't remember what color those berries were, and hoped blackberry truly was black.

She just had to wait, let it soak, and she could pull down her hood again. Or maybe she should just leave it up for the next few days, until she could pick up the ring from Caril's shop. That way, if her hair took on a reddish hue, it wouldn't be so noticeable when she switched to the magical disguise. She should have asked Caril for a red tint to her hair, like a deep wine. That would have been smart. Why didn't she think it through? She was such an idiot sometimes.

Most of the time. Probably all the time.

Dahlia counted the minutes, and found herself thinking over the new freedoms she might be able to afford herself. She could touch things without her gloves, wear less covering clothes, feel actual sunlight across her bare skin-

She winced at the thought, and nearly sobbed. She hugged herself, repeating over and over that she needed this disguise, that the five pounds of gold was given directly to her, that...she wasted it. She could have used it for medicine and potions. She could have bought a new bag, one that actually carried all her supplies, including a bedroll. She could have used it for food and lodging, Gauth's weapon, Jayce's fire...something useful. Something usable. Something less frivolous than a pretty trinket for herself.

If Jayce ever learned what he nearly died for, what that gold went to, what she decided to get for herself...would he forgive her?

Or would he be the fourth?