The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.

- Leo Tolstoy

‘What is this?’ Mireille touched her pocket. They were just entering the great building as she felt the edge of something in her pocket poke her side. She took it out and it was a folded note with a green wax sigil depicting a hooded cobra and some strange symbols that did not seem to be spell-glyphs, though she did not think herself an expert. ‘Mh. Best not to open it here, I will discuss it with the others when we get back’.

The building housed shops on different levels with stairs connecting the walkways. There were even some glass skylights that let in natural sunlight augmenting the magical illumination. Their steps echoed on the polished stone floor.

They entered ‘Staffs and Wands for your daily Needs’. “Welcome back your Highness, good to see you again so soon.” The attendant from last time saw Lieseleta and greeted her with a bow.

“Thank you, today we mostly visited because you had an orb capable of strengthening void magic.”

“Yes, I remember.” The older man with the dark-brown hair nodded. “Mrs. Avery told me about it. We do not usually carry such gear so it was somewhat surprising for me.”

“Is it so difficult to get? Is there no demand?” Alyssa inquired curiously.

“We mostly carry useful wands for either the more well-off to serve their specialized needs or for people who simply need some utility to ease their lives. Our shop is named ‘Staffs and Wands for your daily Needs’ after all. And pardon my saying it, void tools are not usually a daily need.” The attendant spoke the last in a somewhat dry tone.

Alyssa had to grin a bit at that. “Makes sense”

Mrs. Avery who had been called walked up to them. “Greetings. Your Highness. Esteemed customers.” She nodded towards them in turn.

“I wanted to buy the channelers orb and…the locket. If I bought both, would fifty gold be enough?”

Mrs. Avery cupped her chin and thought a moment. “That is satisfactory. We have not had much call for both and to simply let them take up space in the vault is not good business practice.” She smiled. “I will get them for you along with the necessary documentation accrediting their origin.”

Alyssa received a bag holding two small wooden chests. Asandria inspected both and nodded at her companion.

“A pleasure doing business with you.” Mrs. Avery radiated good cheer as she received the agreed-upon payment and then bade them goodbye.

“What now?” Mireille looked around curiously. “I think I am getting hungry.” As if on cue her stomach growled.

Alyssa laughed, Lieseleta grinned, Jera was stoic as always and Alea shook her head.

“What? If we had eaten at the skewer stall I would not be hungry at all!” They had denied her this simple pleasure after all citing their planned lunch at the Inn. 'As if I could not eat more after one small skewer...or two.'

Laughing they went back towards the Inn they had stabled their horses and carriages.

Lieseleta leaned towards Alyssa and Alea who were walking side by side. “I will have to make a small detour. Two of my guards will accompany you to the inn and I will soon follow.”

Alyssa looked a bit confused but nodded. “I will tell Mireille. I hope you will still be in time for lunch? Should we wait for you?”

“I might have eaten already, I am not sure- Please don’t wait for me before eating. But I hope you will wait in the inn until I get back.”

“Certainly. Thank you for coming with us again. It makes for a much more pleasant experience.” Alyssa looked at the bubble of clean air surrounding them courtesy of Jera and the space around them that was kept free of passerby through the efforts of their guards.

“Most days I take it for granted. I will make sure to thank Jera properly when we get back.” There was this mischievous glint in the golden-haired princesses' eyes again. Jera looked suitably skeptical.

Alyssa walked up to her red-haired and freckled friend. “Mireille, what are you looking at?”

“Oh, it's you.” Mireille was looking at some embroidered scarves. “Those here are done with a complicated chain stitch. I was learning it when I was a lot younger and sometimes even got it right.” She smiled nostalgically.

Alyssa smiled and leaned forward. “How much for the scarf?” She pointed at the one Mireille was admiring, a lime green and pale rose-red creation made of soft-looking linen or something very much like it.

“Ah, a true connoisseur of beautiful things.” The dark-haired and tanned young man manning the stall came over to them and looked at Mireille as he said that. “Only two gold pieces!”

“One!”

“One and a half. And I will throw in this handkerchief.” He smiled while pointing at a bright red handkerchief with embroidered edges.

“Deal.” Alyssa counted the necessary coins into her hand and then let them fall into the waiting hands of the merchant.

“May Meloris keep you safe! Have a nice day.”

Mireille looked a bit bashful. “Thank you. I did not know when or if there was an occasion to wear it so I was hesitant to buy it outright...thank you. I think it makes me happy having something like it.”

Alyssa hugged her. “What are friends for.”

Lieseleta looked at them and grinned while nudging Alea. “Anything you would like around here?”

Alea turned her spider to the golden-haired girl. “I would really like another look at ‘Willibalds Clocks and Clockwork’ but did not want to prolong our trip too much.”

The other girl gave her a reproachful look. “You are here with us to enjoy yourself, we should have gone there too.”

“Thank you for being so considerate. Perhaps we can come again in some week's time.” Alea smiled and the edges of her blindfold creased a bit.

“Certainly. I like having excuses to shield myself against other more onerous invitations.” Lieseleta laughed. “And now I feel a bit bad asking you, but you already did agree.” She drew a deep breath. “Do you have some time tomorrow evening? I don’t know if our two friends over there would be best served by accompanying us. It's a nobles gathering, a noble girls gathering – mostly first and second years.”

Alea looked a lot paler suddenly and her breath hitched. “So soon?”

“If you would like to be excused I could arrange it, but it's like with a bandage, removing it quickly is most likely the less painful option.” She grinned.

“Are you the host?”

“No, thankfully not. This time it is one of the Turswachts. Nicoletta? Yes Nicoletta von Turswacht. She is the niece of our water teacher.”

“Would you accompany me?” Alea probed and then softly added. “If I would be alone among a group of strangers I don’t think I would manage.”

Lieseleta looked at her a bit wonderingly then put an arm around her shoulder. “Please be careful who you admit that to. Even some so-called friends would probably use that against you someday. I will make sure to not leave you alone.”

Soon they reached the road leading to the inn.

“Here we must part ways for a short while.” Lieseleta waved at them. “I will hurry, don’t eat everything. Leave at least one piece of cake. Strawberry if they have it.” And then she was lost among the crowd with Jera following close behind.

“What was that about?” Mireille asked the others.

“I don’t think we should talk about it. It is most likely not something she wants others to know.” Alea mused.

Alyssa nodded.

The inn was crowded and a harried-looking server was just about to formulate an apology as one of the guards, an older man with black hair and a neatly trimmed goatee clad in leather and chain, armed with a longsword slung across his back walked up to him and said some words the others could not understand over the din of the common room.

The server looked relieved and gestured for them to follow. They soon arrived in the private room they had been in the last time.

Mireille plopped down into her seat and then threw a folded note on the table.

“What is that?” Alyssa looked at it more closely.

“A note I found in my pocket as we were walking away from buying the Io-berries.”

“Iseret Sekesh’s shop?” Alea questioned.

“Where we bought the red berries that are good with sugar, yes that was her name- probably.” Mireille rubbed her forehead. “Can’t think well on an empty stomach” She looked longingly at the door.

“Some bread and butter should get here soon.” Alyssa comforted her. “Should we open the note?”

“Perhaps we should wait until we are at home?” Alea proposed.

Meanwhile in an alley leading away from the main street.

“Princess, I still think you are being reckless.” Jera looked at her charge who was preceded by two of their guards. “If something were to happen we would not get to even call for reinforcements. You should wear the tracking bracelet at all times!”

“Not when I have a clandestine meeting, I don’t.” Lieseleta had a stubborn set to her shoulders.

“If something happens I will delay them, you go with Horas.”

“Yes, I know. But if you die I will get you back even if I have to wait for Alyssa to become a proficient necromancer.”

“Don’t even joke about that!”

Tervellin was leaning against an old well-house and looked up as they came near. “Sister dear, good to see you.” He went towards her and motioned for a hug.

“Half-sister.” She took a step back. “And I think we should first get to know each other a bit better.”

“Aw. And here I was hoping for a heartfelt reunion. We have not seen each other properly for years.”

“I...I don’t think we met before the academy?”

“You were a lot smaller but do you really not remember? You and your father were visiting Deeplake and I played in the hedge maze with you.”

A memory from long ago. A bright summer sun shining down on an intricately designed garden with a maze made of brambles and spellcraft. Illusions cloaking secluded bowers were dark fey played with their mortal morsels.

“I am unsure if that is a recommendation.” She furrowed her forehead.

“Ah, see? You remember something. That is good.” As if it were natural he linked arms with her and pointed at an unassuming building. “Let us talk there” And before she could protest he drew her with him.

Jera looked at her, a question in her eyes but she shook her head and let him pull her along.

Inside was a spacious room with comfortable chairs around a table. There was neither an entranceway nor the normal trappings of a lived-in house.

Tervellin pulled out a chair for her and as she was seated asked. “Wine?”

“Water please.”

“Tsk. Worrywart.” He grinned and took a decanter pouring some water into a crystal goblet before doing the same with another goblet and some wine from an unmarked clay flask.

“Cheers.” He clinked the glass with hers.

“Cheers.” She reciprocated. “What did you wish to talk about?”

“So direct. You spoke about getting to know each other first.” His eyes seemed to shift and the color turned towards a deep reddish gold.

“You are part fay.”

“That is one truth.”

“Did you want me to know?”

“Naturally. Leonhard Poroskar deals with Bluestone and has some connection to Jamila von Nordstrom. What that connection is I cannot say.”

“Why tell me this?”

“I hate those crude, destructive drugs.” Tervellin leaned back his shirt grew tight, displaying his muscled chest. “And I do like Illimen.”

“What has he got to do with this?”

“Oh, Lieseleta don’t play me for a fool. You should know better than me that a council and a vote are coming up. Jamila is opposed to Illimen and the connection to this Poroskar idiot is a potential weakness. Illimen was always open-minded and even let me attend the academy." He emphasized the 'me', "even though it is clear as day that I am trouble.” He laughed in a deep baritone that brought goosebumps to her arms.

“And that is what you wanted me to know?”

“Yes. You should be able to take this thread and unravel it from the fabric, take it to its source and it will be helpful I am certain.” He leaned towards her again and presented the flask. “Some wine and relaxation after the dry facts?” His eyes were still red-gold.

With a dry mouth, she quickly drank a bit of water. “No, thank you- To both.”

“I had heard of the prudish ways of the south. But until you turned me down I did not lack for company...it has been quite the ride indeed.” He lifted one eyebrow.

“Do tell. I will take my leave and thank you…”

“Just not in a way that would please us both…” He looked deeply disappointed.

“...if you need something perhaps I can arrange it for you. Call on me if there is need. Goodbye.” The slightly flustered princess stood up, smoothed her dress, and strode to the door.

“Until our paths cross again in candle-light or in rain, be safe my sister sweet, a secret and a warning for when next we meet.”

Meanwhile at the Inn.

“The snakes want to meet Vanessa?” Mireille looked flustered looking at the open note.