A small beam of light filtered through the drapes and slowly crawled up David's face as the sun rose, reaching up to his closed eyes. He grunted, trying to swat away the offending disturbance.

  His brain begrudgingly woke him up to properly deal with it. Blinking a few times and moving his head away from the sun shaft spearing into his eyes, he looked around the room bleary-eyed, before rubbing his eyes and getting up, working the kinks out of his back.

  In the silence of the room, the sound of sobs reached his ears. Uncertain of what he'd find, he prowled to Samuel's bedroom, its door slightly ajar. Peeking through the slit, a smile drew on his face.

  Samuel was awake in his bed, colour having returned to his skin, smothered by the embrace of his parents and sister, everyone shedding happy tears.

  He stepped back, careful not to disturb them, and made his way outside, finding a nearby bench to sit on, shut down his brain, closed his eyes, and soaked in the morning sun.

  The city around him was slowly waking up, but the hubbub felt distant, his mind busy processing the events of the last few days.

  Before long, he heard someone shuffle and sit beside him. Creaking open one eye, he saw Niala, eyes still crusted over, bed-hair on full display, one ear still asleep, blankly staring into nothingness through half-closed eyelids.

  Not a morning person.

  They sat in companionable silence until Niala began stretching, waking up for real, letting a few moans of contentment escape her lips.

  David spoke. “Niala, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

  She stopped mid-stretch and stared at him, blushing a little and looking at her hands. “It's... well, I'm not going to say it was no problem, but I'm happy I could help. This is why I love alchemy after all, being able to help people,” She said with warmth.

  “Hmm-hmm, I saw that. You went the extra length...” He turned his head in her direction. “So what brought you all the way here from Majestic?”

  She glanced at him before watching her hands again, remaining silent.

  David's features creased for a second. “Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious. You don't have to answer.”

  “I ran away.” She blurted out.

  “Did something bad happen?” He asked.

  She shook her head. “Not really. My mom died early, but Dad always did the best he could for my sister and me. Dad's business was doing really well, of course, with him being the All Brew and all that... Everyone who's anyone wanted my father's time.”

  She sighed.

  “I guess that's the reason why. It wasn't really about brewing anymore.”

  They sat in silence for a moment before David spoke up.

  “Too much pressure to represent the name?”

  She let out a long breath.

  “Yeah... I just wanted to make the best potions I could, and help people, but dad started having me accompany him to whatever balls and receptions he was invited to, saying it was to build connections,” She explained, making air quotes with her fingers.

  She turned her head toward him. “Do you have any idea how awful it is having to straight-up lie about anything and everything to stuck-up rich people who think they're owed the world, just to make sure you don't insult them somehow for some reason you can't make sense of?” She finished with agitation, her ears pointed straight up.

  He kept silent, his eyes offering sympathy.

  She broke off her gaze to look elsewhere, exhaling deeply. “It was the worst. And dad said I had to do this if I wanted to take over the business when his time came. Said success came with burdens that I, as the eldest, had to learn to cope with.”

  Her ears twitched, a bitter-sweet veil descending upon her expression.

  “The worst is that my sister was way better at it, too. She isn't nearly as good an alchemist as me, but the few times dad brought her along with us, she was like a noble-born, buttering everyone up and getting into their good graces...”

  David let her words settle. Silence between them returned for a short while.

  Eventually, he spoke up. “Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.”

  She waved a hand dismissively.

  “It's ok, doesn't really matter. I'm more concerned with what I'm going to do now.”

  “Hmm. What do you mean? You're an alchemist, a good one, you have an alchemy set now, and a place in Riverwall you could turn into a shop.”

  She harrumphed. “Sure! If Brenson wasn't trying to screw me over! ” She shook her head. “It's annoying! I just want to be able to live off my trade without dealing with pig-born idiots!”

  “What happened with him? He did seem pretty greedy, but...”

  “Sure, he's greedy, but the worst is that he's a lying bastard!” She said with a fair amount of venom.

  “I travelled to Riverwall because I'd heard they didn't have many alchemists but still needed a lot of potions, with all the people showing up to go explore the Ruindlands, so I went and offered him my services. Told him I could brew anything.”

  “He got me to make a few potions, for free, mind you, but I was kind of desperate. Still, I showed him that I DID know how to brew just fine, so he asked me to help train his waste of space of a son.” On saying that, a shiver ran down her spine and up her tail.

  “That little pervert was more interested in trying to cop a feel than learn anything about alchemy! No matter what I tried, he just didn't care! I brought that up to Brenson, but he said that it was my fault, that I just had to teach him better.” She balled her fists, her ears flattened backward.

  “That went on for a while, until he decided to have his son start making some of his stock of potions. He had him make a simple digestive aid. Said it was a test, to see how well I'd taught him.”

  She turned to look at David, eyes narrow. “Do you know what happened? He failed. He utterly, completely failed. At one of the simplest, nearly impossible to fail potions. He made a pitting laxative. An explosively laxative potion.”

  She stood up, too agitated to sit anymore. “And then! When I looked at the brew, saw its colour, its smell, I told Brenson he shouldn't sell it; he said it was fine, that it was almost impossible to fail a digestive. So he sold it, and, of course, people got sick! They came back to complain and ask for a refund!”

  She turned toward him, positively angry now. “And then he blamed it on me! He told them he'd hired me recently and that he was trying to teach me how to do alchemy, that the digestive was my first attempt. He told them he was going to fire me and used the salary he owed me to reimburse them!”

  She took a step towards David, entirely livid at this point. “I went to complain at the town hall. They brought Brenson in to testify, and he LIED AGAIN! He told them the same ox-shit! And he went further, saying I'd tried stealing from him! And then he said that he was fine with letting it go if I only paid a fine for besmirching his good name.”

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  She panted for a few breaths, ears and tail erect in rage.

  David was leaning back on the bench, entirely taken aback by the vociferous outburst from the little catkin woman.

  Eventually, she calmed down and sat back next to him. “The mayor wasn't sold.” She said, sighing. “I guess he had an idea of what kind of man Brenson was, but that pig bastard had already convinced the people in town, so he ruled in his favour after they pressured him. I had to pay the fine, he kept all of the salary I was owed, and since I didn't have enough money, he confiscated the few alchemical tools I had with me.”

  She closed her eyes in frustration for a moment, letting out a long breath before speaking again. “That's where you met me. I'd went to ask him for my tools back, I needed those to do anything. I guess he didn't want to take the chance that I'd expose his lies by showing I actually knew what I was doing. He pushed me out of his shop right away.”

  She looked at him. “So yeah. I hope he and his son rot in the blood pits.”

  Her ears perked up then. “But!”

  She pointed at him. “But! Now I have a full set thanks to you! I can... I can make potions! I can prove to everyone I'm a good alchemist!”

  She deflated a little, ears flattening. “That is, if the townspeople will give me a chance.”

  She sighed.

  “Is it even worth it? Maybe I should pack up and leave...”

  This girl...

  David reached into his jacket and brought out a small pouch, weighted it, nodded, and offered it to Niala.

  “What's this?” She said, eyeing the pouch.

  “Your pay, for the anti-venom.”

  Giving him a side eye, she slowly picked up the pouch. Opening it, her eyes went wide. “What is this! There must be at least 40 princes in there!” She looked at him. “This is a small fortune! No way that anti-venom was worth this much!”

  He shrugged. “In my opinion, my nephew's life is worth even more, but that's most of my remaining savings; that's all I can give you right now.”

  “I can't accept this, it's too much!” She made to give him the pouch back.

  David took her hand with both of his and folded hers back over the pouch, looking her in the eyes.

  “Niala, you are the sole reason my nephew is alive. Take the money, please. I already feel foolish enough for having run myself ragged throughout the region with an incomplete formula.”

  She blinked, looking at his hands holding hers, blushed, and pulled back.

  “It wasn't your fault, you didn't know...”

  “Exactly. I needed you.” He smiled.

  “Guh! I mean. Yes! I mean, you're welcome!” She said, looking straight ahead, her ears wiggling.

  He couldn't help but mess with her. She was way too easy to fluster. Very endearing, though he'd never admit to purposefully doing so. He was a gentleman after all.

  “Now that you have money and a full kit, what do you want to do?”

  She sat in silent thoughts for a short while.

  “I'm not sure. Riverwall is a really nice place. Apart from that pig bastard, the people are nice too. After I got robbed and kicked out, a few kind couples offered me a place to sleep and some food.”

  She bounced the pouch in her hands a few times.

  “And there really is good demand for potions, ample enough for a second alchemist. From what I could gather, they regularly have to order potions from Bellharbour. I'm certain I can fill that need.”

  She sighed. “It's just... I don't know. I never really dealt with the finance or logistics side of things. I just brewed potions...” She stared off into the distance, deep in thought.

  “I'd still like to try, though. I really like the town, especially the little shop I found. I'd like to try renovating it, but... will I be able to do all that by myself?”

  David nodded. “You won't be alone, at least at first.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You'll have my help.”

  She spun her head at him. “What?! Why!?”

  “Because I still owe you, because I have a bone to pick with Brenson, because I want to help. Pick whichever you want.”

  “But, but, but... why!?”

  “I just said why. Now, are you set on the idea of setting up shop in Riverwall at your squat?”

  “It's not...” she pinched the bridge of her nose, ears flattening. She let it go and looked at him, eyes determined. “Yes, I would like to try.”

  “Very well.” David stood up, rubbing his chin, thinking. “Stop me if I say anything that doesn't make sense to you.” He said, turning to face her.

  “Firstly, you need new burners to replace those old ones, and a steady supply of glassware, common herbs, and other consumables. Correct?”

  She nodded, unsure where this was going.

  “Second, you need a stable revenue stream as a foundation, maybe a supply contract?”

  “That... makes sense.” She said with uncertainty.

  “Third, you'll need a way to acquire the rarer ingredients, the ones for the special orders.”

  “Ah... sounds logical?”

  David nodded. “Fourth, we'll need to renovate your squat, preferably after buying it properly from the town hall.”

  “Ok, wait, it's nice to make a checklist and all, but I can't just snap my fingers and make it a reality, though... I guess getting new burners will be easy with the small fortune you gave me...”

  He grinned. “For number one, my brother, the one whose son you just saved, owns a general goods store. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to provide you with a supply contract.”

  She looked at him, then over her shoulder at his brother's house, then back at him, started to say something, but he cut her off.

  “For number two.” His grin grew wider. “My brother owns a general goods store. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to sign you up for a potion supply contract.”

  “Ok! Fine! We can exploit your brother's goodwill. What about the rest? Where are you going to find an herbalist ready to go sniff out whatever rare ingredient I need?”

  He pointed to himself and smiled.

  She blinked once, ears wiggling. “... You? But you're a Free Courier...”

  He frowned. “What do you think Free Couriers do?”

  She tilted her head. “They... deliver mail?”

  He scowled. “No, those are mailmen and messengers. Free Courier make things go from point A to point B.”

  “Isn't that... the same thing? You... deliver mail from point A to point B?”

  “I didn't say mail. I said things. A good third of the postings on Free courier boards are from alchemists, apothecaries, healers, and all sorts searching for rare or special ingredients. Our job, MY job, is to find where point A is, and then bring it back.”

  He put his hands on his hips. “In other words, I find things, including rare ingredients.”

  Niala stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head, resigned. “Ok. Ok, fine, I'll trust you on this.” She paused for an instant. “About number four... is that going to be you as well?”

  “Is that going to be me, what?”

  “I mean, are you going to help... renovate the shop?”

  He inclined his head. “Are you asking me to?”

  “I! I mean! It just seemed like all the answers were you or yours! I didn't! I'm not! Raah! Just forget it! I can hire people to do it with this money!” She turned her head and pouted.

  He chuckled. “No, it's fine, I was going to help with that too. You'll have to provide food and lodgings. I'm rather poor at the moment, after all.”

  She glared at him, cheeks puffed out. “You meanie.”

  “I don't know, I thought I was being rather generous...”

  “No! You're a meanie! But you're also a good person! You're annoying! But thank you! Aargh!”

  She buried her face in her hands and took a few moments to reset her thoughts.

  She was smiling sweetly as she came back up. “Thank you, David. I'm... actually getting excited about this now. I'm not sure how, but I'll find a way to repay you.”

  He slowly shook his head. “Niala, I feel like I'm the one who's repaying you here. So just accept my help, alright?” He finished with a smile.

  “Al... alright. Yeah. Ok! BUT!” She pointed at him. “We're going back on an auto-car! I'm not riding you again – Ah!” Her eyes went wide as her brain caught up to her mouth.

  He stared at her.

  She buried her face in her hands again, red as a tomato.