The rain was a steady downfall, and within minutes of being outside my entire frame was soaked, clothes hanging to me heavily. I let out a snarl of frustration and pushed wet hair from my face. It didn't help that I felt a bit strange still - after her finger had - had…Crimson. She was right, I did do it to her frequently. She definitely seemed to like it, so - so of course the woman who loved me would want to see if I enjoyed it.
Crimson. I stopped and stared up at the sky above, not really seeing the rain that was falling down into my eyes. I felt strange because it had felt damn good. In a way I was not ready for. That seemed to be the case with several things she did or suggested - just recent cases were this, and the whole blood thing. Bah! So what if it felt good? It felt good because it was Eteri. I headed down the street.
There, ahead on the right, it was a store that claimed to be an herbalist. Not quite as good as an Alchemist in my, admittedly biased, opinion, but they might have what I was looking for anyway. I shoved wet strands of hair back behind my ears, and moved inside. The door chimed - and I was confronted by a short, plump woman, waving a mop at me.
“OUT! OUT YOU ROAMING VAGABOND! THIS IS NOT A SHELTER FROM THE RAIN, OUT!” She sounded Salvaran, but her accent was heavily muted by time. She jabbed the mop into my stomach, and with a sigh I caught ahold of it, wrenching it from her hand. I plopped the mop head on the ground and leaned on it as the woman stared at me.
“Unless you have another cleaning implement to threaten me with?” She squeaked - the sound nowhere near as attractive as when Eteri let out similar sounds - and scuttled backwards, ducking behind her counter. Fantastic. “You're an herbalist?” I could just barely see the bob of gray hair on top of her head move as she - I guess nodded, from the way her hair moved. I rolled my eyes.
“Look. I'm here for a potion. I'll stay here, not tracking water in, and you bring it to me.” Cautiously, she peered over her counter. Seeing me still standing in the same spot, leaning on her map, seemed to embolden the woman. She stormed back over to me, and began speaking in a rush - and it took me a second to process she was speaking Salvaran, not Tradespeak.
<“You big burly man think you can come here and intimidate Helga no! Helga is on to your tricks. You are waiting until Helga goes to find your potion, then you will ransack Helga’s shop! No no, will not happen! Helga will just give you a random potion. Yes, maybe a laxative! That seems good. Make you shit yourself for scaring me.”> I waited to see if she switched to Trade, but she never did. Not until she cleared her throat and plastered a sickly smile on her face.
“Sorry. Tradespeak no good. What you need?” Oh, sorry lady, but I'm onto you every step of the way. I smiled pleasantly at her. She grinned, nervously. My smile turned vicious, and she stepped back.
<”Not too much. I just need a couple of potions to increase blood production for a donor.”> As I spoke to her in Salvaran, she froze, her eyes wide as saucer plates as she stared at me. <”Boo. I have magic.”> That did it. She let out a terrified squeal, like a frightened pig, and dove back for her counter, cowering behind it. I let out a large sigh. Why was someone who reacted like that living outside of Salvar? With a shake of my head I began walking through the store, my feet sloshing wetly on the floor as I moved around, examining the bottles she had on display.
It was a decent selection actually. As an herbalist, she was skilled. But like many Salvar natives, she had disdained magic, so she quickly ran into a wall on things she could produce. But - but what I was looking for didn't need magic. Good, she had it. A few bottles even. I took the bottles down from the counter and walked towards her - and she began shaking like a leaf. I took pity.
“I know they're worth less than this. But three gold on the counter. Next time, don't attack a customer when he walks in the door.” I dropped the gold coins on the counter, then headed back out into the rain, heading for the inn again. I paused - there was a peddler, selling two rather unusual objects. I stopped, my eyes widened and I hurriedly tested them then purchased them. The peddler left several hundred gold coins richer and I, I had alcohol.
I made it back to the inn, and the in keep had food ready for me. I'd asked for a lot of meat for Eteri, and a more balanced meal for myself, before I left. With a grin I carried the try upstairs, balancing the bottles on one until I reached the room we were staying in. With a quick glance around, threads snaked out and snatched the bottles.
I walked into the room. Good, Eteri was still in the bath, though I could hear her finishing up. I grinned widely, and set the food down on the table - and seasoned her meal with the potion. I'd warn her… after. I sat down to wait for her to come out, hiding the bottles from sight.
