“Hey Napier.”

“Hi Jase. Did you enjoy your time in the big city?”

“I didn’t stay in the city.”

“You what?”

“I found a nice cozy ruin and stayed in it.”

“You’ve got to be joking.”

“Nope,” I replied pulling my pack off my back.

“Where did you get that pack?”

“In the ruins,” I answered pulling out a folded sheet and offering it to the wagon driver.

“What’s this?”

“A sheet from the ruins. Feel it.”

Laughter sounded from above us. We both looked up and saw pixies watching us. Lily waved.

“Blasted pests,” Napier muttered reaching out and touching the blanket. His eyes widened in shock. “I’ve never felt the like. Do you want to sell it? If not, you better hide it.”

“I’m willing to sell it or trade it to you,” I replied.

“Are you sure you don’t want to keep it?”

“I found a few others that I’m willing to sell and keep one set for myself.”

“Keep what?” Bob Greene asked as he walked up. “What do you two have there?”

“Jase explored some ruins and found some loot,” Napier informed his boss.

“Is that so?” the merchant asked with a gleam in his eye. Lily and the other pixies laughed again. I looked up. Some were acting out people making a trade. The other pixies were watching the ones acting. I laughed. Bob frowned and looked up as did Napier.

“What are they doing?” the wagon driver asked.

“Pretending to be us,” I replied.

“Mocking more like,” Bob said.

“Perhaps, but they just seem to be playing around,” I replied.

“You actually like them?” Bob asked.

“Yeah, I do,” I answered after a moment. I sent feelings of love to Lily over our bond. She returned them, which made me smile. I shrugged and focused on Bob and Napier. “So, want to buy the bedding?”

“Yes,” Bob and Napier both answered.

“You did say you have more, right?” Napier asked. I nodded in answer.

“How much more?” Bob asked. I made a show of looking in my pack.

“The rest of that set and a half dozen more.”

“Let’s talk price,” Bob said. Lily cheered and the other pixies cheered. We looked up and the pixies had arranged themselves into flying numbers.

“100,” Napier read. I coughed to cover up a laugh.

“You could have just told me that,” I said to her through the bond.

“Where is the fun in that?” Lily countered. “Oh yeah, I want to give my kin some of the clothes we found. I don’t like them all and couldn’t wear everything anyway.”

“I wonder what they mean by that,” Napier said bringing my attention back to the men.

“I think they think 100 is a good price for the bedding.”

“Now see here. We are not letting vermin determine our trade.”

“That’s right,” Napier agreed.

“I’m not,” I hotly countered. Lily sent soothing thoughts and feelings my way to calm me. “I’m agreeing with them though. 100 for each set of bedding.”

“You can’t be serious,” Bob protested.

“I am. You’ll get more for it when you turn around and sell it.”

“Fine,” Bob replied. “But if you run out of food on the way to Stonecroft, I’m charging you double!”

“Works for me,” I agreed.

“You’re charging me the same amount?” Napier asked. Bob perked up as he started counting out coins.

“Yeah,” I answered.

“Figures,” Napier sighed. He pulled out his purse and started counting out coins as well.

“We leave in half an hour,” Bob said as he handed me the money and I gave him six sets of bedding. The merchant left without another word. Bob paid me and I gave him the rest of the bedding set.

“Just enough time for me to go hide this and get back,” the wagon driver said and took off. He called over his shoulder, “Make sure you have enough food!”

“I do,” I muttered.

*

“Jase, quickly get the storage out so I can give the others some of the clothes,” Lily told me as she flew to me.

“As you command Ms. Lily,” I replied.

“Pfft!” Lily gave me a raspberry in reply. I grinned and she returned it. I subtly pulled out the storage box and let Lily remove the clothing she did not want. Several pixies nervously flew down just out of my reach to watch. Thankfully, people weren’t paying attention to the end of the caravan where I was.

“Gold leaf, come here and take all these boy clothes,” Lily ordered a male pixie. He did as my familiar instructed and took off quickly once he had them. Lily then instructed a few female pixies to come take the girl clothing she did not want and some ribbon as well.

“Where did the ribbon come from?” I asked.

“It was in one of the boxes of cloth I had you get.”

“Oh. I was just wondering. We took everything that wasn’t nailed down and some that was,” I replied and laughed. The pixies laughed too. Several of the females started to touch and thank me. “I didn’t do much,” I protested.

“We still appreciate it,” a pixie named Tulip said. She darted in and kissed my cheek. A few others followed suit and then burst into giggles as Lily glared at them. She chased them away as I put the storage device away.

“Jase, are you ready to go?” Napier called out as he approached. “What the?” I heard him start running.

“I’m here and ready to go,” I told the wagon driver as I stood in the back of the wagon so he could see me.

“What are all those pests doing?” he asked.

“I think they were watching me,” I answered with a half-truth.

“What were you doing to make them want to do that?”

“Sitting here going through my stuff,” I answered giving the truth. “Maybe they thought I would drop some ribbon or something.”

“Perhaps. But what would you be doing with ribbon?”

“Something to give to a girl,” I replied thinking of the ribbon I had given Lily before we left home.

“That’s smart of you lad. The ladies do like that sort of thing.”

“Yep,” I agreed.

“Anyway, let’s get this show on the road,” Napier said climbing up onto the driver’s bench. “Want to ride up here?”

“No thanks. You’re not mad about the price I charged for the bedding?”

“Nope. I was hoping to get it for less,” Napier replied with a shrug, “but 100 is still a fantastic price for the quality of it.”

“Going to sell it?”

“I’m not sure yet. I deposited it in the bank since it’s the safest place to hide things you don’t want others to steal.”

“That’s smart.”

“Aye lad. It is,” Napier agreed snapping the reins to get his animals moving.