"Is that so?" Ariel responded, oblivious to what was under Lorag's tone. "It sounds nice that you have set your community there."

"It is not as good to farm, but we have found...other ways to sustain ourselves," Sabine said.

Fendros leaned forward onto his forearms. "Last time we were here, you seemed to be doing well with your cosmetics. Are they still your main products? Have you come up with anything else unique?"

Ariel's eyes went up to the ceiling. "Well, the pigments are still quite popular. The cosmetics have been going steadily, but there isn't an awful lot more in the range. Well, apart from a few tweaks." Ariel levelled her head. "I have had some success with a defoliant. A kind of alchemical plant poison for making sure that gutters do not get blocked by roots before floods. The trick was to make sure that it didn't affect any people living in the area, and of course not to do any harm to Hist roots."

[hr]
"Yeah," Gallus said without joy. "I did lose my temper. That does not often happen, I just...I thought I could help." Gallus lifted his hands and looked down at his palms. "After all that pain I saw. From Dar-Tzesa, and from Yizan-Lei back there, I thought I could help somehow." He sighed and closed his hands. "I feel like I've failed them both."

Gallus had slowed to a stop at this point. He simply stood, open mouthed and staring at his lightly closed fists. He stayed that way for an uncertain while, disconnected from the all the bustling of the street around him.

Taking on a stronger face, Gallus swallowed hard, lowered his arms, and lifted his head to keep on walking.