Uncertain whether they should turn and leave the adults to their conversation or press on and pretend they had not heard the incensed exchange the two boys hesitated, Caleb especially wishing he wasn’t there. Jake wore an unusually embarrassed expression, and he tugged on Caleb’s sleeve. “C’mon, we shouldn’t be here. It’s not polite to eavesdrop.”

	Caleb did not resist and let himself be led to a different part of the garden. Jake was subdued as he explained how to gather and bundle the herbs. The task at hand was not difficult, relying mostly on a good eye to identify the correct plant, and whether it would survive harvesting. They would then pluck a leaf, or bit of root and add it to a small bundle and wrap it up using nettle vine. Jake even explained some of the plants, some familiar like goldenrod and yarrow, and others strange or exotic like dragonstem, and bargoro vine. Roger of course did not plant his earthly remedies in any organized manner, so the process took a fair amount of time, just searching amongst the massive garden of different flowers, bushes, and weeds. Working diligently the pair soon fashioned together several of the herbal packets, Caleb managing to complete two, and Jake who was far more experienced putting the finishing touches on his fourth. The younger boy, stepping gingerly to avoid crushing any of the precious plants underfoot stepped closer to inspect Caleb’s offerings.

	“These should do. You do not need to wrap them up so tight, you want enough space between the vine to allow the juices to leak through when we crush and wet them, but not so much that any plants escape. Nicely mixed though, especially on this second one. This should be more than enough for Roger’s purposes.”

	They exited the herb garden and began the march back to the rear of the house, Jake unobtrusively taking the long way around to avoid the mysterious man and Sara, if they were still there.

	“So…” Caleb began, treading carefully lest he offend or embarrass his younger friend. “Was that your uncle earlier?”

	“Hm? Oh, yeah. That’s Uncle John.”

	“Sara didn’t seem to happy about seeing him?”

	“Grandma doesn’t like his gambling.” Jake explained a little to quickly. “Says its either a roll of dice or cheating.”
	“Is gambling illegal in Thorn city?” Caleb asked, and then immediately wished he could take the words back as Jake’s face turned red, and he spluttered angrily.

	“No! He doesn’t do anything illegal at all and I don’t have any criminals in my family! He’s a good man, who just wants to do good by his family.” He glared daggers at the older boy, crossing his arms across his small chest. “Just drop it alright, they had a disagreement. What does it matter you anyway?”

	“Nothing, sorry.” Caleb gasped a little shocked by his outburst. He decided to leave the obviously sensitive subject to rest. They rounded the corner to find the entire Nieve family gathered. Including another stranger Caleb could only assume was John and Sara’s youngest son Marrathew, a thinning man in his early twenties. A heavy atmosphere hung over the small gathering, and Caleb guessed Roger had just finished relating the news for a second time. John was standing a bit apart from the others, as if he was unwelcome but couldn’t necessarily be denied his right to grieve amongst the others. There was a thoughtful air to his mien as he watched his daughter Kayden pet a compliant Edward’s gilded mane. He glanced up as the two boys approached, a surprised but genuine smile breaking the shroud of sorrow that hung over his features.

	“Ah, you must be the Caleb I’ve been hearing so much about.”

	Caleb nodded, passing off his herbal bundles to Jake. The younger boy looked rather pensive, but said nothing, gathering the packets together and ambled towards Roger who was still diligently working on Flower’s numerous injuries. John stepped forward, encompassing Caleb’s hand in his own, larger calloused palm. They shook once before parting, John stepping back to examine this strange youth further.

	“I would like to thank you, on behalf of all my family for bringing this news to us. We never knew what occurred, we could assume of course for the ocean is a dangerous and unpredictable force. But we might have been forever uncertain as to his fate. You have done us a great service today. And returning Ribbon to her home as well, such kindness cannot be easily repaid. But I would like to offer you anything in my power to acquire. Say the word, and I will see what I can do.”

	“John, don’t make promises we cannot –“ 

	“Mother,” John released a trouble sigh cutting Sara’s warning off. “Please, I told you I will handle everything.” He looked back to Caleb. “You need not make your request now. It can wait if you require.”

	“Actually, there is something.” Caleb said, chewing thoughtfully on his lower lip. “But I meant to ask it of Doctor Roger.”

	“Oh, well, erm. I cannot speak for him per say, but I will do my best to convince the good doctor to heed your desire.”

	“My home, the reason why I departed on my journey originally was to find a healer who could cure the Black-Eyed-Blight. It has stricken so many of the good folk and threatens to wipe us out. If not from the disease itself, then from the quarantine the kingdom has laid upon us.”

	John seemed caught off guard by this, and he glanced uncertainly towards Roger. “What do you know of the Black-Eyed-Blight?”

	Roger paused in his ministrations, running two skeletal fingers across Flower’s feathered head as he searched through his four centuries of medical knowledge. Diseases, ailments, cures, and practices changed over the years, evolving with the knowledge of the afflictions themselves. “I do not recognize the name, though if its symptoms match it’s rather descriptive title it could be one of ten different plagues known more professionally under different monikers, or a new one altogether. I cannot say for certain without a detailed inspection of a victim. Of course, I will bring several texts on the known diseases with that particular symptom, and a blank one should it prove undocumented.”

	“You’ll come back with me!” Caleb cried in excitement, despite the somber mood.

	“I could not say no at this point.” Roger admitted, returning to his work on Flower’s wing. “Though, it would be wiser for you to remain here in Thorn, where you are less likely to become infected. I may not need be concerned with the worries of the living, but you are still vulnerable.”

	“You could stay with us.” Sara offered. “Heavens knows this house is large enough to keep you, and we have a nice stable for your horse as well.”

	“Hippocampus.” Edward interjected, making Kayden nearly jump out of her skin. The poor girl having not realized the beautiful golden horse she had been petting for the last half hour had been sentient enough to speak. “And I’d prefer to go back to the ocean but thank you for the offer.”

	“We have a ship docked at the forest district,” Caleb explained as the members of the Nieve family who had not been aware of Edward’s uniqueness or sentience stared openly at the amused Hippocampus. “Rainbow, Flower, Edward, and I will be perfectly comfortable there, and we wouldn’t want to intrude on your hospitality. But as he said, thank you for the offer.”

	“Of… Of course.” Sara said regaining her composure. “And where is Rainbow? I would have liked to see him again.”

	“I don’t know.” Caleb admitted, feeling his heart sink at the loss of his friend. “He’s been missing for hours now, ever since we docked. And after the state Flower found us in, I hate to think anything bad has happened to him.”

	“Not to worry.” John crossed his arms, a rather pleased expression on his face. “I have some friends who know this city like the back of their hands, and everyone in it. If they cannot find a foreign Rablin wandering the streets, no one can.”