[center][h1]Nailah, Lynn and Talise[/h1][/center]
Tali noticed the woman that requested her music leave, so she decided to give it a rest and give the instrument back to her servitor. The others likely went out to the market. Many seemed quite keen on burning money. She got up, walked over to the bar, paid for her meal from the night before, and left.  As she started toward the market, she got bored with the rather bland scenery and began to sing freely, relaying stories of heroes to any passerby. She was in a surprisingly light mood given her previous annoyance, but she was generally easy going. Her feet settled into the timing of her singing, so she appeared to nearly have a dancing gait as she walked briskly.

She reached the market after it had opened. She planned not to buy anything, but as a member of the Alliance, she expected she was to be at least within earshot for her companions. They would hear her coming long before they saw her walk into the area. Tali found a nice place to sit and sat, crossing her legs. She tapped her finger on her thigh to keep the beat, changing the song to a slower, almost hypnotic aria.

With the influx of new patrons the merchants who held each stand within this grand cathedral of wares began eagerly awaiting their interest. But like any good merchant they let the mystery encapsulate their gaze first. Foreigners were sometimes tricky, but an easy sell if they know little of the market. Judging by Lynn and Nailah's appearance they are both from very different places, the cost of travel would be fair. So the merchant assumed their money was good and approached with a smile. It was a man with small wings and a tail. His hat was with a feather on it and his silk attire was white and orange in hue. "How are you two fine young women doing today? I couldn't help but notice you've taken to these items here." He pointed to the two necklaces. "This one is a special import from the mountains. You see there is snow on Gaia's mountains that is considered the purist source on this world. Even Tearians envy it. Fotians thirst for it. It truly is diamond water." He Carefully threaded together the words. His short brown hair, green polished horns and emerald green eyes gave him a dashing appearance of intellect and a poets allure. Yet he dangled the necklace before them. "It normally goes for much more but I'll sell it to you my dear for only 6 gold pieces." He hummed. Winking at Lynn

Lynn smiled to the man who approached and gave  a cute little half bow in greeting. [color=7FFFD4]"I haven't seen water this pure before, though, I can't say I have even seen snow before either,"[/color] she said with a little smile. [color=7FFFD4]"You said six gold? That sounds like It's fair, I think."[/color] She said as she brushed some hair behind her ear and looked down to the pouch on her hip to start looking for her money.

The merchant was clearly agreeing with Nailah. Though he was agreeing for his own sake. "Those necklaces are the best we have in stock too. They have special enchantments you see. Also vastly sought after." He couldn't help but see part of Nailah's chest. But cleared his throat. "These others are also just as rare, but may cost a bit more." He said with a grin. He was taken back a bit as Nailah moved in closer. Certainly she was not making an advance on  him? He was not into scantily clad Fotian women who were not nobles or higher. Who knows where she came about. 

Though she was sizable woman and he a man on the low end of six feet. What would normally make him cautious was surprising calming. Relaxing even as he lost sight of his goal of acquiring wealth. Instead as Nailah spoke he could only nod in agreement. Not noticing the gentle touch on his neck, he was more nervous about the heat she was giving off and how she was leaning in. Though he could tell she was not aiming for his face. After her whispered words his eyes firmly placed on her warm chest he could feel getting closer, given the height difference it was near his face. His cheeks turning red and eye lids drooping he nearly drooled at the thought of having Nailah and Lynn for himself. A fantasy spun by his own greed. 

"Why certainly... Worthy jewels such as yourselves deserve the best a man can offer. So I'll price it at getting to know you two better." He was nearly drooling as he said it.

Tali got rather tired of just waiting to see her companions, so she moved into the market proper, humming quietly and skipping in beat. The first she saw was the rather obviously soiled Garrett trying his best to pick up a bath companion. "Boring. Anyone else? Ohhhhh, that looks tasty."

Seeing Lynn and Nailah doing their best to haggle with a merchant and him practically drooling over the two rather revealed women, Tali couldn't help but get an impish thought. She decided to add in a touch more pressure to see how badly they could get him to practically melt. She skipped up surprisingly quietly behind Nailah and Lynn, squeezing herself up beside Lynn, wrapping arm around her shoulders, and doing a very seductive pose, showing off her already precariously covered bosom. "And what have we here? Are the dealings going well, my dears?"

Lynn watched as Nailah approached the merchant, and approach she did. She continued to get closer and closer to the man to the point she was on top of him. Lynn was not sure what the point of all this was and wasn't sure what the man meant by the 'price of getting to know you two better'. And why was he drooling? And what was with the blank stare? Was he alright? What happened to-.....and then look of realization swept over her face as she put two and two together. Nailah was using herself to influence the man!  And his eyes were locked onto... her chest! And from the sound of it Nailah's antics would drag her along for whatever that man was fantasizing about. Lynn's tail coiled around tighter as she drew closer to her with her left arm and covered the lower half of her blushing face with her right hand, covering her face with her sleeve. [color=7FFFD4]"I-I can pay, really, its not that bad-"[/color] but just then Tali had shown up,  squeezing in and putting her arm around her. Not knowing she was there, it surprised Lynn with a quiet little yelp of surprise. [color=7FFFD4]"Oh, its just you Tali. You surprised me,"[/color] she giggled, [color=7FFFD4]"But, as far as dealings go, they are going, uh... well..."[/color] she looked over to the man who seemed to be solely focused on Nailah's chest, [color=7FFFD4]"uncomfortably,"[/color] she quietly admitted as her ears and the tip of her tail drooped a bit.


Tali's smile widened as she saw Lynn get uncomfortable. It added a new layer of fun she could have. The teaching a lesson to the man was not lost on her, so she decided to up the ante. She was also prepared to publicly embarass the man if he tried to get hands on or tried to get too lecherous. Before anyone could stop her, Tali spun Lynn a bit and snuck in a kiss, giving it just about all she had to make it be real and enjoyable for the young girl while still being enticing to their audience. The poor innocent girl made a mistake showing Tali an opening, but it might yet result in a good price and no strings attached.

While she kissed Lynn, her eye watched the merchant somewhat. It was hard given her position, but she wanted to know how much pressure it was applying. Her arms both looped around the Lassa girl to give her a secure hug. She was trying to make her uncomfortable, but she also wanted her to know there was no ill intent. Whether she conveyed that or not was a different story.

Lynn had a look of hurt and disappointment when she heard that the man was trying to butter her up for more money. Her ears lowered even more after what Nailah said,  [color=7FFFD4]"what? I...I didn't know,"[/color] she said quietly as she looked down to the floor, a little crestfallen. How could she be so blind? It was awfully simple looking at it now, wasn't it?

Her train of thought was broken however as she was suddenly spun around by Tali, and before she could even exclaim some sort of surprise, it was muffled into a squeak as she was pulled in for a kiss. An honest to goodness, full fledged kiss right on her soft delicate lips. Lynn tensed up quite a bit, and even started to try to move out of it but was then embraced fully by Tali and was drawn in closer, their bodies now pressing together. Her tail was now nearly standing straight out in surprise, though as Tali's warmth and embrace continued, Lynn slowly started to relax, even seeming to melt in her arms a bit as time went on and the heat traveled through her, her tail slowly starting to curl back down. Lynn was still a bit stunned, but there was really nothing should could do about it now, save for wait for her to let go.



Tali broke the kiss just as Nailah gave her ear a nip. Her arms loosened from Lynn as she let go of the other woman. She gave a smile to the innocent girl. "That was fun. Maybe you should consider doing it more often. With lips like those, I bet any girl would want to kiss you." She looked to Nailah to see her say yes to the merchant's price. Tali, however, shook her head. "I will pass. I think we should just get a good price."

She then stepped up beside Nailah, pressing in close to give her a private whisper. "I am not into men watching me. I'm not interested in men in general. So, if you want to give him a show, go ahead. I'll make sure Lynn stays safe and sound."

Lynn was completely tuned out from what was going on around her. For the moment, she wasn't even quite sure how the deal was going. Tali's radiating warmth had spread through her, seeming to lure her in and calm her down. While she was put off by the whole situation, she couldn't say she sensed and hostility, it actually felt oddly safe in her embrace. Just as she was starting to be used to it though, and a fleeting thought of returning the gesture, she was released. It wasn't until that moment that she realized how much she had ended up leaning into Tali's embrace until it wasn't there. She slightly stumbled, but nothing serious as her staff was close enough to reach her in time.  She had moved it , the staff bobbing a bit to cushion her fall as she landed on it in a seated position.

Lynn still had a half surprised, half curious expression. She was blushing deeply as she reached up, her fingertips lightly touching her lips as she sat there taking in what just happened. She had never been kissed before, well, not like [i]that[/i], maybe a peck on the cheek or forehead from her parents growing up, but definitely not that.  And as for what Tali said, about doing it more often and that other girls. It only seemed to make her more uncomfortable, but at the same time, she kinda... appreciated the compliment. She slowly got back up, her staff going back to where it was beside her. Her tail was wrapped a little tighter around her than before, and she was to embarrassed and shocked still to know what to say, on finger playing with her hair as she stared at the floorboards lost in thought. In truth, she just wanted to finish shopping now and soak in a nice body of water to relax.

The merchant attempted to usher them into the lounge. He led the way and those who followed, followed. Once there it was a decently sized area. With fresh red carpet, the walls were lined with hundreds of white cushions. A few large tables sat in the middle, within reach were hookah pipes that stretched far enough to be used whilst laying back. Melo opened his arms up, his long silk sleeves flowing like fins in water as he approached the hookah container. Placing fresh dark colored herbs inside from his pouch. "I hope you don't mind the smoke." He chuckled. "After all you are the hottest thing I've seen in a while." He began to try and light the flame with a flint. "Hmm... Perhaps you could aid me with this." He motioned for her to help.

Tali did not follow and lightly nudged Lynn away from following as well. Despite being a trickster, she did not want to actually scar the poor girl. "Come on darling, let's finish your errands and then get you a nice lunch, maybe a bath." Her hand slipped into Lynn's, giving it a light squeeze and pull to try and draw her forward.

The Tyro/Lassa woman did give a light kiss on Lynn's cheek as she passed by. "Thanks for being a good sport about the kiss. I like fun, but that merchant wants far more than that. I'd rather you not get stuck in that situation, exposing yourself for his enjoyment."



Tali blinked a bit in surprise when Lynn mentioned never kissing anyone before. "Well, I hope you weren't disappointed by it. I did give you a real and proper one, so hopefully it was a good first kiss." As they did her errands, Tali did her part to be good company by singing quietly and walking nice adn close to the other girl, keeping her warm and entertained as best as the magical bard knew how.

After the errands, Lynn's thoughts turned to food and a bath. "Well, their food is good. I personally feel I cook better than they do as far as what I had, but their meals are very much worth it. The baths are unlikely to be enough for you and I to have a good swim." She was giving a very thinly veiled invitation for Lynn to join her in the baths. She could use some time to soak and spend time chatting with someone else in private. The town seemed to be full of one type of craziness after another.

[center][h1]Aste[/h1][/center]
A young merchant. Almost a boy but clearly wise for his age witnessed Aste take out her purse. Seeing the gold on said item his red eyes lit up. His hair was soft and white and his horns were like small antlers. His yellow and black silk attire and white feather was firmly fit on his thin body. He carried himself like a royal and smiled to Aste. "This  will be 3 Gold pieces. May I interest you in some of our tailored attire. Destined to make you a gem in the eyes of all those who come across you." He placed a finger to his chin. Observing her further, up and down. "Are you a Healer for the Taxis?" Her white attire looked similar to what the healers wore in the Taxis HQ. Who too were mostly Sol in blood. But few ever were trained under the Magoi.

3 gold, about 30 bronze, counting money was second nature to her. That merchant was younger than she had expect from one of the merchant guild, especially form the scuffle previously. Probably a one that is fresh out of apprenticeship. But his ways of weaving words have impressed her for one, she was glad that the man wasn't one of her suitors, those letters from her family about when she was going to find a husband was starting to irk her, she’s not interested in settling down yet, for she still have ten years to find one. She hasn't even started on her research on ancient magic studies.

And that boy asked on whether she was in the guild of the taxi.

"Healing wasn't of my speciality, dispelling curses are more of my forte," Aste replied without hesitation, "I'm a mage of the Magoi guild, those guild politics are sure frustrating to begin with."

She doubted that it will do anything if she were to tell the truth, its best not to get on that vrondi bad side by faking as a part of the taxi. Also that merchant guild wasn't an everyday sight, and she is sure that they have rats for any corner of their line of work, not saying that her guild doesn't still. 

It’s not like she is the only mage in town. She recalled on the bard of the tavern, and she still found it hard to think that she is part of the magoi. That tune  sounded familiar, Aste thought.

"Curses?" He spoke softly. "I apologize for bringing it up." He bowed gently with his left hand over his chest. "May I interest you in anything else? Perhaps I can interest you in this." He motioned for her to take a look at a glass box elevated by a wooden stand. Inside the box was a sparkling diamond looking ring. It was very beautiful as the sunlight from outside. It twinkled with multicolored lights. "This.." He approached the box and lifted it up. Bringing it off the stand and before Aste. "Is the Divine Element Ring. It's 15 Gold pieces. I can throw this in with two divine potions for 20 Gold. It will certainly be useful in both aesthetic and in your spell casting." He held the box up for her to have a closer look. "What do you say?"

The divine ring looks beautiful to her. It’s just another 15 gold, as much as her gold she brought this time. Sounds like a good value to her, but she wanted to go on a longer shopping trip, it would be better for her to buy a bit more. Little did she know that she is getting the bad end of the deal, but that diamond is still pretty nonetheless?


Right... and that is enough shopping for the day. That was just supposed to be a short trip. She swore to herself not to spend too much on stuffs like that ever again.

She placed the 33 gold on the table nonchalantly. 

As much money as she had, she wouldn't forget that she only brought travel expenses, and her access to her house or even her guild funds are a couple hundred miles away. Those merchants sure had a honeyed tongue, she thought, grabbing any of the items following the losing of her spare changes. "Thank you ~"

The diamond ring, as usual, she made sure that she had enough distance from the stall. She wouldn't want those magic to be rebound by those stray artefacts from those merchants. Aste held her ring by the back of her wrist.

Letting loose a flow of magic, Aste let her magic flicker a bit before checking for the curses inside any items. Letting her Illusions dance around the constructs of Divine Ring was what she could do without thinking. No foul curses or anything. Once she is sure of that, she put on the diamond ring that she wanted to wear so much. It was only for a few moments, but she wasn't even trying to hide that use of magic, most mages will think that it’s just one of those strange shop artefacts.

That was when she had the grasp of the current situation. A young man had gotten her to wear a ring... Her cheeks flushed red at that realisation. That’s it, she is so going to feed that guy to the pigs. To dare ask for a lady's hand like this without her realising. Aste turned back towards the inn with heavier steps, she had enough of those merchants' guild.

As Aste made were way back into the inn the people of the town were all outside exploring the damages from the day earlier and searching for any more to fix. Many were flying up and down the rooftops. With freshly healed wings many simply flew for the joy of it. It was not like in Vrondi where all walked on land or rode a steed. It was similar to the Magoi who sometimes rode on levitating magical artifacts. 

The scene of the morning was rather uplifting, winged descendants that weren't much of a sight on her hometown. She had seen worse the last time she saw those winged beings. Those chains and collars are of an annoyance to dispel with. A serious situation back from her time as an apprentice.

She had wanted to send those pigs to the headsman, but a pity that she had lost her claim for the noble family head. She slammed the door of the tavern, "Ah, sorry about that," Aste apologised to the tavern keeper once she realised that she lost her cool just for that mere moment.

She took her belongings that she left in the table, not before realising that that tavern was quite empty now. Her temper was still one thing that she had failed to outgrow with...

Easing herself from the table, she looked around to see if there's anything before she were to move away to the baths.

[center][h1]Aeden[/h1][/center]
"Hm? Shalright shunny." A elder merchant spoke to Aeden. His magical items made up the most simple of items, yet their use was nothing to scoff at. He opened a wrinkled eye to gander at the boy before ringing him up by taking a look at his price book. "Ah this. Might be cheaper to just walk. Haha. But this will getcha where ya need to go. I get the sense you're an important fella. Not often we get Seraphim around these parts." The old man stroked his beard. He was shorter than most and wore comfortable silk attire mostly brown in color. His feather was black and red and his horns curled back like a representation of his age. "Ah I know. Old man talks too much." He took the scrolls from their shelves after rolling out a ladder and went back to the counter. "Alrighty there. This will equate to 30 Gold pieces."

Aeden smiled at the old merchant’s comment about it being cheaper to walk, but said nothing. He knew very well the cost of being loose tongued around a merchant. He pursed his lips thoughtfully as he heard the price for all three. That certainly sounded about right for these valuable tools. There were a few more items he felt he’d need, so he scanned the shop a bit further.

[color=ffd700]”Thirty gold,”[/color] Aeden clicked his tongue as his eyes settled on an used spellbook. [color=ffd700]”Well, that’s a start. There’s a few more things I will need today, so let’s get that out of the way first before I purchase everything. What’s that spellbook there?”[/color]

Honestly, he hated spending large amounts of money, but anything that could be a solid investment to his future would be worth it. Also, if he could swing a bulk purchase deal all the better. Nyph waited next to Aeden with silent excitement at the prospect of what he thought was Aeden’s brilliant plan.

The old man looked at the spell book. A bit puzzled himself before putting on a small pair of glasses. "Ahh that is some old book of ethereal manifestations. If you're serious about getting into that sort of thing. This will do the job." He smacked his furry dry old lips as he walked over to it. "You seem like a good lad but not a mage, no offense. For you I'll sell it for 10. If you were a mage I'd sell it for more ya see... heheheh." He chuckled.     
Nyph approached Shye and nuzzled against her leg. He then sat down and looked at her directly in the eyes. [color=yellow][i]"When it comes to the Sunfire Orphanage and Aeden. It gets personal. You don't mess with those kids. I mean... you don't mess with kids in general, but Aeden will go to war for those orphans. No one I know will put a greater effort than him."[/i][/color]

The old man watched as the tiny dragons played about in the store. IT was not strange to see people with their pet dragons in Gaia. So he payed it no mind. Though he did have a treat in his attire for some reason that he tossed to the ground for them. A delicious cooked bone, though small and tender for the beast's protein intake. He looked at the two items the halo'd man asked for. He eyed them carefully. "Ahhh that orb is a container of essence. Used by mystical Seers of fortune, or by a rare mythical creature hunter. As for it containing a flesh and blood being I'm not too sure about that. Regardless it would take a pretty nifty spell to get something inside of there. Might be more useful as a container of essence for later use." He shuffled over to his little counter. Taking the ink he had on it and his feather on his hat he began writing up the prices total. "Uhhh hum.. Lets see.." He grumbled under his breathe. "Ah I see.. So the total will be 53 Gold pieces. Would you like anything else young lad?"

Aeden bowed his head to Shye respectfully. [color=ffd700]"I respect your resolve."[/color]

This mission was personal in a large way. If he learned any other way about an assassination or any other attack on the Orphanage he would be there with a vengeance. He cared for those children as if they were his own. It was possible some of them were in fact his own. Several of the orphans there had been rescued from the Therosi and their customers. He had been used to breed their "livestock" when he came of age, so it was entirely possible.

Aeden considered the overall price of 53 gold. It was definitely more than he was used to spending at once. The cause was good. [color=ffd700]"Can you do, 45 gold? These items will be used to protect our future generations."[/color]

Aeden's expression went from firm and confident to slightly offended as Shye stepped in on his haggling. Half the fun of shopping was haggling. The competitive nature of it. The power struggle between vendor and customer. Her coming in to cover the difference completely shattered the dynamic and any incentive for the vendor to accept anything less than full price.

[color=ffd700]"No,"[/color] Aeden pulled out ten gold, a sapphire, and a letter of credit from the Bank of Sunfire. [color=ffd700]"This will cover the full price."[/color] Irritation stitched the edges of his voice as he worked to maintain his calm.  If he were not on edge he may have considered accepting Shye's offer to cover the difference. 

As soon as the letter of credit was approved he would take his goods and begin preparation for his rescue of Bidzil.

The merchant took a finger to his chin as he hummed. His allegiance to the Aion's cause was indeed tested. He was a wise fellow  and not only because of his years. With a gentle smile he was pleased to be haggled with. A bit of sportsmanship he felt it were. Given his age and wealth it was little more. However the young girl approaching to aid him made him open a wrinkled eye to get a good look. She was a bit worn. Possibly from the earlier fray the day before, given those weapons on her hands. He chuckled as Aeden refused her funds. "Oh hoh perhaps.. " He stroked his beard. "You are helping this young woman I presume." He began to put two and two together. Though he could not put together their entire plan or what reason he trusted his intuition. "Alright. But I'll have to do 48. That's a final offer." He folded his arms and nodded.

Aeden felt a slight pang of regret at Shye's reaction to his snappy shutting her down. He realized that his rejection of her help was a small cruelty to someone already in a difficult place. The merchant chimed in before he could apologize and placed down a counter-offer. Aeden turned his attention briefly to the old man with a nod. [color=ffd700]"That is acceptable. You have a deal."[/color]

After the exchange of currency and receiving the goods, Aeden followed after Shye in hopes of catching her before she made it to the inn. [color=ffd700]"Shye!"[/color] He paused to wait for her attention. [color=ffd700]"Bidzil will be saved, and you will be freed. Your 'masters' don't deserve you."[/color]

He had to consider exactly where he would arrive with his first scroll. Anyone in the orphanage itself could be considered a threat. He did not want to reveal the location of the Aion base by accident if it was just a coincidence that the Dolofon were there. This also meant he could not go in his Aion armor or use any of his Aion gear. He wished he had more time to plan, but the urgency of this situation would force his tactical and improvisational skills.

[color=ffd700]"Nyph, get ready. We're going."[/color]

[color=yellow][i]"Gotcha!"[/i][/color]


[center][h1]Shye[/h1][/center]
 Shye noted the price on the belt to be 120 copper, well within her budget if she were to buy anything. She delicately picked up the belt, feeling its weight as it seemed quite sturdy. Nix chirped on her shoulder, cooing a bit in curiosity herself. Nix then turned around and started  looking at the other things in the room, all very shiny, but there was one thing that seemed to catch her eye at the other end of the group of shops, her pupils dialing in on it like a predator once she saw it. She hunkered down and then jumped off of Shye's shoulder, surprising Shye as she turned to see what excited her. Shye tried clicking her fingers together to call to her, which she always obeyed, but Nix was too exited to stop. Nix made two songbird sounding notes as she tackled Nyph, purring as she latched on same as before, gnawing on one of his horns.

Shye turned a bit red in embarrassment, Nix never really ran off like that, but she never met another dragon either. Shye turned to quickly pay the shop what she owed. Hopefully able to pa before Aeden made his way to her.

While Nix continued to gently nom on Nyph's horn, Shye finished her purchase. She breathed deeply before heading over to get her young dragon. It was quite uncomfortable feeling. She knew that Nyph had come back to tell Aeden what he saw. She didn't make eye contact straight away, clicking her clawed gauntlets, this time Nix paid attention and hopped off of Nyph, chirping happily with the sound ending off in a birdlike whistle. Shye's arms were loosely crossed as she looked to Aeden, "I'm sorry, she normally listens better," she said quietly. There seemed to be a bit of an awkward silence until she continued. "I know, after knowing what I am, I'm probably the last person your alliance wants to help.....But....is it true? Do you really have a way to save my son?" She was doing well to still be as composed as she was, but her voice betrayed her as it was wavering close to the end of her question. First and foremost, she wanted to make sure her son could be saved, even if she may not be after this ordeal was over.

Shye nodded slowly, pulling some of her hair behind her ear. The whole situation made her feel weak, even to the point it was hard to stand. She found a small bench close to the stall they were next to and took a seat. to be honest, though she was able to walk back to town, she was still trying to calm her nerves, but she was a wreck, as any mother would be after hearing such a harrowing thing. She found it hard to concentrate on something without the vision of Bidzil's limp body haunting her mind. When he mentioned a request, Shye looked up to Aeden from where she sat, her hands clasped together to keep them from shaking. [color=DC143C]"I would do anything to assure Bidzil's safety. Even if it doesn't guarantee my own."[/color] She said to him her eyes locked with his. It was dim, nearly squandered even, but there was still an ember that burned in her eyes that was holding out for just one last chance, and she was placing it in in their care. She didn't know why the alliance seemed to want to help her, and it was a strange feeling she hadn't felt from anyone else before, but if they could pull this off, and she could finally be free with her son for only a moment, it would be worth all the pain.

Shye gently pet Nyph's head when he came by and nuzzled her, [color=DC143C]"Thank you, knowing that helps a lot,"[/color] she said, giving a weak smile. Nix gently hopped from  Shye's shoulder when she saw the merchant pull out a snack. She glided over to the merchant's table and sniffed it, then backed away. SHe flattened herself against the table eyeing the treat befor hopping up and pouncing on it, scurrying back to Shye's lap as soon as it snatched it up. Nix leaned forward from Shye's lap looking down at Nyph with her prize. Nix then broke the snack in half with her mouth and then dropped half of it to Nyph for him to have as she curled up in a ball and finished her half. 

This brought Shye's attention up to Aeden's puchases, noticing he was having some trouble. After her earlier purchase, she still have seventeen and a half gold and thought to help. [color=DC143C]"Please, I'll cover the difference for you,"[/color] she said as she opened her coin pouch and took out  an holding it up to him. She knew she couldn't do much to help, but wanted to try to help any way she could from here. The eight gold in value he needed came in the form of an emerald, three gold coins and one silver coin.

[color=DC143C]"O-oh..."[/color] Shye uttered, a little taken aback. Her hand gently curled around her offer as she took  it back and placed it in her pouch, [color=DC143C]"My apologies..." she said, her eyes downcast again. She gave Nyph a light pet once more before scooping Nix up on her shoulder and standing up. [color=DC143C]" I should be heading back to the inn for the time being."[/color] She looked up to Aeden one last time like she was about to say something and then stopped. She gave him a short bow instead and then turned to leave.

[center][h1]Garrett & Raquel[/h1][/center]
Garrett looked at Raquel, then towards a window to check the approximate time, then back to Raquel.

"[color=a0410d]Bathe me then.[/color]"

 He smirked, utilizing a power move for her to follow him into the bath and give his body a dutiful scrubbing. He waltzed his way towards where he could get a nice, relaxing, and warm bath, hoping she would follow in order for him to get a wonderfully well-needed cleaning.

With a tilted head Raquel was surprised by his request, but more puzzled by it. She then warmly laughed, unable to control her giggling. "You're a fun Knight. But you're a grown man. Wash your own hide. Besides I've got to bathe myself." She walked past him, lightly bumping into him with her hip and tail. "There should be room for two." She smiled over her shoulder before lightly running to the room. Once inside their previously used room she locked the door to the bathing room. Running the water herself she watched as the water fell from the upper part of the stone wall. Fresh water from outside was used every day within this town. Water often kept well stocked by using melted snow. Though it warmed before entering the bath through coals that emitted heat within the Inn's walls. A trick learned from Fotians long ago and used nearly around this world. She didn't open the locked door until the large bath was filled with steaming liquid. Once the door was opened she was already stepping into the bath. Submersing herself quickly and emerging with a relaxed sigh. She would not be able to afford such a room on her own. But the luxury of being with a Knight was starting to make her forget how sad she was the day before. 

There was not much for Garrett to take off in terms of the clothing he wore once the two arrived to their well-used room. He was ready for a bath, both because he required one, but because he would be able to share one with a significant other. Nude, he would wait for the bathroom door to reopen from its locked state. 

Entering, his bare body would once again be seen to those who could see him in the bathing room. Quite fitting to be nude in one. He stood by the bath, testing the water with a hand before entering and submerging his body, directly across from Raquel, facing her. He smiled as he relaxed into the bath.

"[color=a0410d]Wonderful. A bath is a great place to talk about things with each other while we properly clean ourselves.[/color]"

"I suppose" She muttered, submerging her body neck deep into the waters. Raquel's tail grabbed a bar of soap and she began to rub it against her cheeks before submerging it away from her face. She then began to wash the rest of her body. Her form, raised out of the water, was covered in soap bubbles. Covering her delicates. Her scales were shining under the purifying soap and water. She then smirked at Garrett. "There only seems to be one of these.." She began to sink in the water whilst walking toward Garrett. Disappearing under the waters she soon appeared next to him from beneath. Holding the soap. "Lets talk." She said, placing the soap on his chest and rubbing it slowly in circles. "What do ya honestly think of me? Ah common farm girl from this small town." She sighed. "I'm sure you been looking at much more refined lasses. Smaller too." She pouted.

Garrett let her start to wash him. It was what he wanted in the first place. He watched her, listening to her words and considered them. He closed himself, allowing him to relax further in the bath.

"[color=a0410d]You doubt yourself too much, Raquel. If someone other than me saw what I see in you, they would not know what to do with themselves other than love you. You are hard working, you have a real heart. You look, and you act perfect. Your class, your rarity, how refined you are, it has not affected the decisions I have made.[/color]"


After a little longer than what necessary. Raquel and Garrett were finished bathing. She emerged from the bathroom with a white drying robe made from wool and silk. Something the Inn provided and expected to be returned once the patron was done using it. "It feels so good to enjoy what the fancy folk who step in here do. Though I work here I can hardly afford the best room like you can." She giggled. Stretching with little concern of what she revealed and grabbed her own attire. "I should head home. Make a change of clothes. I live only down the road so it won't be long. Will you be waiting for me here?" She asked Garrett. Turning from the open windows light that illuminated her in the dim room. "Hm?"

[center][h1]Dremmick & Mason[/h1][/center]

With Mason's body being forced to heal itself and recover Amaiah trusted he would be fine. She turned to Dremmick with a surprised expression, not expecting to be asked such a question. Given Dremmick's appearance he didn't come off as an alchemist. "I had an organic substance that reacted to the aura of the one who healed the town. It began to grow constantly, with enough of that aura it would of grown nearly infinitely. I encapsulated that infinite regrowth. Luckily I had this." She pulled from her pocket a container with glowing enchanted writings on it. "A true containment bottle. It contained the effects of the spell cast on the town and keeps its infinite growth inside." She smiled. "Two magical items, and a third magical spell that not many can even cast. That's what it took to make this elixir. Now I can keep developing a cure forever, but it takes time for the growth to resupply the initial bottle."

Dremmick raised an eyebrow at her apparent surprise, though he reached back in his pack and pulled out a small notepad and charcoal pencil, jotting down what she had said. [color=A52A2A]"What was the organic material? I doubt its something I would regularly come across, but it would be nice to have notes on it. If I can get my hands on another one of those true containment bottles, we shouldn't have to worry about needing to come back for more periodically. And did you need to do anything to prep the organic substance? Or did you simply let it dry and crush it with a mortar and pestle?"[/color] His eyes were trained on Amaiah, though occasionally looking to Mason to check on him, one of his eyes still glowing and streaming out a silvery aura, but he was still listening intently to her instructions.

"Ah that would be Slime from Tearia's depths. There's a strange sea creature that reacts to spells and can feed on essence to grow. It got a huge helping of aura, and a special one that let it grow for as long as it had the spell washing over it. Filling it up. Being a simple creature it decided to grow, to reform itself over and over." She walked to a jar. Poking it a transparent slimy creature moved inside it. "Tearia has so many neat little sea creatures like his guy." She said.

Dremmick scribbled the notes down and a sketch of the creature, though being a slime it was fairly easy. [color=A52A2A]"Maybe by the end of this it will be easier to get a hold of one, but I doubt I'll be coming across any of these things soon." He closed the book and stuck the pencil in a loop that held it to the book. He reached back and stored it, and if Amaiah was paying attention to it, she would get a glimpse of the inside of his bag before he closed it. Everything was neatly filled to the brim with all sorts of vials and ingredients, safely stashed to keep from clanging around and breaking.

With the curse purged from his body, Mason shuddered somewhat violently as a strange feeling of..... connection to [i]something[/i] he'd never been able to fully take hold of-- like part of a dam had been lifted, freeing up the stemmed flow.  It wasn't necessarily a good or bad feeling.  Just..... New.  A sigh of relief escaped Mason's lips as his mind drifted to other things, he'd heard that this town had quite the market for magical goods, spellbooks, etc.  and could further help him better understand his strange circumstances. But he needed money......

[Color=darkorange]"Hey, Amiah-"[/color] Mason hesitantly interjected, [Color=darkorange]"You're an alchemist right?   I was wondering if you'd be willing to test my blood to see what I am....... If it's something you could use for potions and stuff would you be willing to buy some?"[/color]

Amaiah blinked in confusion at first to Mason's words. She looked him over. "I suppose it couldn't hurt... But well we can't tell what your bloodlines are exactly here. We can only do so much here. I've been mostly focused on healing medicines and elixirs." She showed him the alchemy table where mostly plants and other natural remedies from Vrondi were available. "I'm well aware that looks can be deceiving. But you look entirely seraphim. Maybe your blood can be used in making a divine potion. I can test its effectiveness within an hour." She took a fresh extracting needle in preparation to take some of his blood. "If it's good I'll pay you ten gold for a bottle."

[Color=darkorange]"Alright then,"[/color] Mason said as presented his arm to Amaiah; excited to find out what he really was....  He knew for a fact his mother was a pure seraphim, but his father-- well, no one knew anything about his father, not even his mother herself knew,  [Color=darkorange]"But like I said, I've got absolutely no clue about my heritage other than the fact that I'm not pure seraphim;  so I'm rather unsure if it would be particularly useful in that.... Then again, I can't say I know much about alchemy..."[/color]

"There's lots you can learn about alchemy." Amaiah spoke as she tenderly placed the needle on his bare arm. Examining its scale like structure. "Hmmm..." She hummed. Taking the blood sample to her table. After a few minutes she was startled by way the blood was still very active. "Hmm..." She went again. Eyeing the blood carefully with a puzzled raised brow. "I see... Good news is this won't take as long now. I can tell the rarity of this blood just by looking at it. You are one of the few to have the 'original' bloodline. Seraphim and Dragon alone." Her words made Lucius even raise a brow.

Mason quietly drifted close behind Amaiah as she analyzed the sample watching her work with intent curiosity; very noticeably intrigued by the craft.  However once she mentioned the 'original' bloodline, and that he was part dragon, Mason's already curious eyes turn to saucers, [Color=darkorange]"Wait-- REALLY???"[/color] he excitedly asked, [Color=darkorange]"How much of each? Does this mean I can breathe fire??? CAN I TURN INTO A DRAGON????  WHAT KIND OF DRAGON AM I???"[/color] With each question, the young knight became more and more excited, practically bouncing with excitement.  He HAD to know more! It was AWESOME news, and the fact that he was in Gaia made it even better-- it was a perfect opportunity to find out!(edited)

"Uhhmm" Amaiah was visibly irked by Mason's sudden outburst. "Well those things will require actual bloodline history. If you know nothing about your family bloodlines though I'm afraid there's nothing more I can do." She folded her hands down and sighed. "But you do seem to have a decent amount of Dragon blood. Perhaps you could try learning about your dragon half." She walked over to a dusty book and wiped it off. "This is pretty useless to me. But you might like it." It was a book of the Dragon cult. Perhaps a bit preachy in wording, trying to allure those to worship the Dragons as they do. But lots of information was stored on Dragon physiology and even hybrid Dragon physicality. Such as the way the lungs can be used to breathe fire. Or how the heart is placed in their center chest rather than their left side.

Dremmick smirked at the outcome of the blood test, the soul sight in the one eye he activated it in fading out as he had seen Mason take the elixir well. [color=A52A2A]"Looks like my 'wild guess' wasn't so wild after all."[/color] Dremmick made his way towards the door, but he didn't quite leave yet as he turned to wait on Mason. [color=A52A2A]"Your help is appreciated,"[/color] he said, with a slight bow of the head to Amaiah. [color=A52A2A]"If you'd like, I can bring back more samples if we run across more of the venom, so you can run more tests on it in Vrondi."[/color]

"That's quite alright" Amaiah spoke frankly. "I've enough samples from all over the lands. It's hard not to see the stuff here and there while traveling in the forest." She bowed herself slightly and awkwardly. She was not a royal or noble but was instead recognized for her intellect. "I hope to see you again."

She hoped to see him again? That was something he didn't hear quite often. He smiled to her a bit, [color=A52A2A]"I hope to see you again as well, hopefully on some better circumstances. Have a safe journey back to Vrondi."[/color] He then turned to Mason. [color=A52A2A]"I'm headed for some supplies,  and some new clothes it would seem. I'll meet back with you at the inn."[/color] He then nodded to them one more time, mainly towards Amaiah, as he left out the door towards the market. However, he had a completely different market in mind to pay a visit to.

Calming down as Amaiah explained that she could do no more, Mason gladly accepted the book from the alchemist.  [Color=darkorange]"Thank you Amiah, you have no idea how much this means to me."[/color] Mason said with a beaming smile as he turned to exit the tent, pausing at the doorway.  [Color=darkorange]"Oh wait! I almost forgot!  Even if with my blood not being very pure? Would you still perhaps be willing to buy some?"[/color]