"Emmy. Do you know anything about Milton's wall? That palisade doesn't match the size of town. I can imagine it is limiting the town's development."

"Oh, you must have come from the East. They are in the process of switching it to stone on the Westside. I heard from some of the older adventurers that the palisade is a remnant from when this town used to be a small outpost. They never got around to changing it, as they prioritized other public works projects."

Emmy was relaxed as she spoke.

"Most guards are posted on in the west while construction is underway, but monster attacks don't come around too often. There are some migrating herds that we need to steer clear, like the Bowling Oxen or the Flapping Frogs that come out of Lake Opli directly North, which is relatively tame to other bodies of water. Other than that, the surrounding area is all farmland and grazing pastures."

Violet tilted her head.

"I didn't see any farms outside."

"The Eastside was cleared a year ago in preparation for expansion; everything and everyone was relocated with considerable remuneration. One of my friends lived in a shack on that ground, but afterward, he was relocated to this huge living complex in the south where the meals are free with rent. He doesn't go hungry anymore."

"Aww. I am glad for your friend Emmy."

"She is happy, so I am happy too."

Daire held a different opinion but didn't speak it on account of not understanding the full scope of the situation. It's possible that those who lost homes were better off, but it is equally likely that the opposite is true.

"What about to the South?"

"In the city? It is mostly living space. Outside, there is a small stretch of farmland before running into the ocean.

"Why wasn't the city built on the coast, or even near the lake's edge? Being landlocked limits travel, trade opportunities, tourism, etcetera etcetera."

It took a moment for Emmy to think back to her lessons as a child. Her parents were obstinate in her learning history, and the history of the area was apart of it. She never appreciated it until a few months ago when other E-ranked adventurers started coming to her when they had questions.

Smiling, she was glad it all came in use.

"Mom told me that forty years ago, when they decided to build the outpost, they wanted it away from water because of the chances of Shen or pirate raids. They have a lookout post, but the founders wanted to avoid making themselves a raid target. Their decision ultimately led to the village growing while other coastal settlements suffered constant raids and pillaging. Here, we are close enough to the water in either polar directions to escape from disaster, while also serving as a meeting point between most of Meist and the more unpopulated eastern areas, where mostly nonhuman settlements dwell."

Emmy took a drink from a water pouch.

"I was born in the East before my parents came here, like many of the nonhumans who visit and choose to inhabit Milton. Milton technically considers itself on the border of Meist. The kingdom declares its land cover much farther, but we don't see it that way and no one from the capital cares enough to check."

Daire tripped; his foot got stuck in a pothole. Quickly righting himself, no one noticed.

Emmy then looked back.

"Most of us in Milton aren't worried about Meist or Shen. We live relatively quietly."

Daire's smile would be considered sheepish, but luckily it came off as natural since no one saw his blunder.

"So there aren't any threats?"

Emmy started to count on her fingers.

"There is Shen, but the blockade is still in place, and they don't try to come up here as often as I portrayed. Pirates are more likely, but they don't like traveling inland."

"There was the cattle plague; I wouldn't consider that a threat as much as a natural occurrence."

A third finger, fourth and fifth finger.

"The worst we get is the occasional bandit groups, roaming monsters, or territory disputes."

Violet asked

"Territory?"

Emmy nodded, stopping her walk.

"Different species and tribes have different views on territory. Some believe all land is free. Some believe that all land is free for their own species and no other. There are bound to be clashing viewpoints when you have a melting pot of all the neighboring races, species, and cultures. That is what Mom says, anyway."

"You are a font of knowledge, Emmy."

Emmy blushed.

"Thanks. I try."

They continued walking. Daire and Violet assimilated the history lesson best they could.

Many of the questions and concerns Daire originally had were answered. The few, or many, oddities he noticed turned out to be easily explainable.

Like the architecture.

He grimaced, not wanting to think about it right now.

"You mentioned they are building the new wall in the West. Does the reason have to do with humans?"

Emmy flinched.

"The West... Mom and Dad told me not to travel West."

"Because of humans?"

Emmy didn't want to answer Violet's question, but her brief silence ended up speaking for her.

"The East is mostly non-human territory. I was born in an Eastern village that got along with humans. But I know there are still villages and wandering tribes that hate humans to the bone."

She glanced at Daire apologetically.

"I know you aren't all bad. But the nonhumans in the Northeast only ever encounter your soldiers, criminals, or the bad ilk. Milton is likely the best example of inclusiveness because we are all forced to get along and trade. Oh. But you asked about the West...."

She took a deep breath.

"The west is worse for non-humans. My parents are adventurers who travel all over; they told me stories of Lamia being treated terribly in other cities. Poverty, conscription, being forced into indentured servitude, or even slavery. And it's not just Lamia. Any race that is not completely human is segregated or discriminated against. Even if they share human blood, all they can see is the nonhuman in us.

Her fingers brushed against the scales connecting her waist.

"Some races have it better than others, but for the most part, the way my parents tell it, we are generally disdained. They dropped me off here when I told them I wanted to be an adventurer like them, saying I need "to see both sides" before traveling further west."

Trinket's huffing and the wheels of the cart rolling across segmented stone filled the air. There was a distant chatter of the town as they traveled down an isolated side road.

Emmy's speech became distorted, becoming louder and then softer inconsistently. Unsure of herself and wanting to remove the awkwardness.

"I've learned that there are faults on both sides. Most problems arise from ignorance or the lack of being open-minded... Anyway. Yeah. Um... The west. The wall? The leaders of Milton have been trying to discretely separate themselves from the western human settlements. The wall is going up in the west because some are fearful of reprisal."

The average citizen was generally good-natured, only caring about living day to day in peace. Discrimination only appears due to fear of the unknown, sown through propaganda or word of mouth. Differences can be overlooked or outright forgotten as long as it isn't deeply rooted in childhood.

Daire was getting depressed and didn't want to continue thinking. Thankfully, Violet spoke up after a minute of walking in silence. Glancing at Daire.

"Emmy, you said to the South was the ocean. What about, I mean, isn't there a forest in that direction?"

Violet wasn't sure how to phrase the question. Daire previously mentioned that they shouldn't give away where they came from.

"Hm? Oh. Yeah. There is one. No one goes there, though. Adventurers say there's nothing worth hunting, and getting turned around is easy."

Daire gave a side nod to Violet, following up with another question.

"What about fishermen or boats? Is the coast well-traveled?"

Emmy frowned.

"I don't really know anyone who goes out to sea. Adventurers stick to land. Some of the tribes specialize in fishing, but I was never associated with them. I don't believe Milton is involved in fishing."

Daire smiled despite Emmy's lack of knowledge in this area. If it was true that Milton didn't have a fishing industry, it meant seafood was another untapped market!

And from the sound of it, Willow's forest might be on a small peninsula...

Emmy interrupted Daire's scheming.

"Wait a moment. The ocean? Why don't we fish? With the lack of meat recently, the seafood could feed us. Do people not know about this?"

Emmy was a smart cookie.

"I will have to ask around the guild later. This could change everything!"

Daire realized he would no longer have a chance of being an exclusive seller. So, as the group merged onto a busier street, Daire asked the most important question.

"Emmy, do you know of a place called Orlin?"

=

Pockets...

Holders.

Hand warmers.

A blessing in disguise!

"So... You can't do it?"

Violet drooped, addressing the plump lady.

"Oh dearie, I'm sorry, I just can't stitch together anything for your size."

Currently in Leecy's Laces, a small seamstress shop that tailors to many different races, Violet was trying to request normal pants with pockets. It was just... Violet was too small.

Miss Leecy was a plump lady of middling age with a caring and charming demeanor who acted sweeter than a little old lady. A fancy oversized wide brim hat adorned her head even though they were indoors.

"I said I couldn't, but I can call over Misses Foster and have her take your measurements. She is a delightful little gnome who caters to little ladies like you. She'll also love to see that Lil' sundress of yours."

"Really?"

Violet performed an awkward jig of excitement.

Leecy's whole body moved with her light laughter.

"Of course, dear. I wouldn't turn a friend of a friend away. 'Specially one as adorable as you."

When they entered, Miss Leecy and Violet got along immediately. There was a huge fuss over how Violet made a dress that could literally change colors like a mood ring. Miss Leecy didn't pry into how it was made but was extra excited to talk threads. The girls chatted for a while, leading Violet to ask about custom ordering pants with pockets. Daire was sitting patiently in the corner writing in his book, not having been noticed yet.

"When Emmy told me you made her clothes, I got overly excited."

"My parents introduced me to Miss Leecy. They get their clothes from her as well."

"How are your parents, by the way? Are they still traveling?"

"Yes. They should be somewhere along the Bezari mountain-side, hunting for a Roc egg. That is what they detailed in their last letter.

While their conversation continued, Daire thought back to Emmy's overreaction to the word Orlin. To say she had a fit would be an understatement. The teenage lamia had trouble keeping composure, stuttering uncontrollably one moment then going completely silent the next, then gesturing wildly in all directions, her tail uncontrollable.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, there was a runaway carriage at that moment that almost bowled over a passing family. The driver was a thief attempting to get away with stolen goods. Emmy honed in with a hawk-like vision, picked up a rock, and launched.

The malnourished horses swerved, breaking their restraints and leaving the cart to crash in the road. Emmy slithered over, swiftly proceeding to capture the man. He resisted, of course, but quickly gave up after a few repeated punches to the groin.

Emmy handed the man over to the guards and was applauded by witnesses and sincerely thanked by the family. She got a small reward and was beaming when she returned to the group.

The whole event happened so quickly Daire didn't have time to process it. Afterward, Emmy explained...

Orlin is a slave hub. Hated by all those not human.

"I'm here; who needed to get measurements taken?"

"Right over here, Misses Foster."

An elderly gnomish lady. One could assume her small stature was a result of age if it wasn't so extreme. She was somewhere between two and three feet tall, but her proportions were normal as anyone else. She carried what looked like a tackle box packed tight with threads and various tools of her trade.

More greetings. Pleasantries. Shared jokes.

Daire wasn't really listening.

"You want pants with pockets?"

"Yes! Please. Can you help?"

Violet chewed her lip nervously, awaiting an answer. Misses Foster circled the fidgeting pixie, examining her from all angles. Violet resisted the urge to spin with her. When the cursory examination ended, Foster's words came as a shock.

"Did you want underwear too?"

"Eep!"

"Misses Foster, please lower your voice. There is a man in the room."

"So? He ain't listening."

Indeed, Daire hadn't heard. He was busy putting together a rough map based on information he gained from Emmy. A rugged outline of town. A small sketch in the corner depicted landmarks like the Lake to the North and ocean to the South.

"Still..."

Emmy continued stage whispering.

"You embarrassed her."

Violet was sitting on the hardwood floor, face hiding in her hands and shielding her burning complexion.

"I'm not the one flying around without any panties. Imagine how breezy it must be."

Violet crumpled.

"Misses Foster, you know other cultures aren't as open about these things as gnomes are. Do you think you can tone it down a bit?"

The small gnome woman eyed Miss Leecy, eventually relenting.

"Bah! Alright. Get off the floor, young one. I need to take your measurements, and then I'll make you some of those fancy pants you want. Complete with underwear and shirt too. Shoes I can't do, but I'll make sure all of ye' is covered."

It took a minute of heavy breathing to calm herself and decide that she needed to go through with this if she wanted to correct the huge oversight of her dress design.

Violet picked herself up, using her wings to compensate in places, and moved over to a lowered table suitable for the gnomes' height. Misses Foster got straight to work, pulling out a thin piece of thread, roping it around Violet at a dozen different angles.

"Do I need to make holes for your wings, or..."

"They are slightly above my hips. I made holes in my dress, but they're flexible enough to where I can slip them out of a shirt as long as it isn't tight-fitting."

"Did ye' want multiple tops?"

"I was really just hoping for pockets. A pair of pants and a complimenting shirt is enough for now. I don't think we could afford more."

Miss Leecy wrapped up her piece of marked thread, counting.

"You oughta eat more young lady. A woman needs a little more meat on her bones than you."

"I just started eating recently."

The reality of the comment whizzed past the other girls.

"Your measurements are..."

As the numbers were rattled off, Violet squeaked.

"Wait! Don't say it out loud."

She glanced with fright to the waiting area. Thankfully, Daire remained too entranced in his notes to pay attention.

With a straight face, he examined the gem he wrote.

"3.21, 2.44, 3.39"

Drawing next to the numbers was a silly face with a tongue sticking out and a speech bubble saying. "And you thought I wasn't listening."

He restrained the smirk from spreading across his face, not letting his lips twitch a muscle. The numbers meant nothing to him, especially because of the reduced size. Violet was only six inches tall, and Foster didn't even mention her units of measurement. Daire would never gleam anything from such obscure numbers; he only knew that the numbers seemed to bother women.

Violet knew the meaning of the numbers, and Daire would pay when Violet examined the book. But it would be hilarious when the time came.

=

Violet negotiated her own price taking into account the extent of their current funds. She also negotiated the acquisition of some material to create some much-needed underwear. She made it herself in under ten minutes.

Don't ask how. It is a lady's secret.

All done, Misses Foster bid farewell and returned to her shop, which was attached to the back of Leecy's Laces. Violet would have to wait a couple of days since her clothes would need to be made from scratch.

Violet noticed that while she'd been busy thanking the seamstresses, Emmy started up a conversation with Daire. He seemed stressed, running his hands through his hair and constantly retying his hair. Freed up, Violet floated over.

"What's wrong, Daire?"

Daire threw an arm towards his notebook.

"Time. I am trying to plan everything we need to do and our route to Orlin, but there is too much to do and not enough time. We sit in the middle of a stretch of land sandwiched between a huge lake and the ocean."

Daire turned his notebook around, showing his sketch of the surrounding area.

Apparently, they had to travel through two small villages and three outposts to get to Orlin. Numbers were written out next to the map. Eraser marks clearly visible.

"All things considered, the minimum travel time by foot is over a week. If we get accosted by bandits, sidetracked, or lost, we may not make it in time even if we were to leave right now."

That was worrying...

"Can't we take a boat? I heard that is faster."

Emmy chimed in.

"Boat travel is difficult in this area because of all the tribes and cultures with differing rules and boundaries. Going along the ocean coast is risking interference from the navy, and the lake would require a guide to navigate and negotiate safe passage."

"Emmy's convinced me that it would be more hassle than it is worth and is likely to slow us down further. It would be a different story if we had time to negotiate with the tribes or procure a permit from the Meist Navy, but that line of thought is redundant."

"What about flying?"

Daire looked up from his map.

"Can you carry the two of us with your Air magic?"

Violet shook her head, forlorn.

"Not yet."

"Me either."

Daire and Violet could spend time training their magic, but there was no telling how much progress they could make. Flying might be faster, but they would easily stand out and cause other problems.

"I could go by myself-"

"No!"

Daire cut her off.

"To a slave hub? No. I won't allow it. Not to mention the dangers while traveling. How would you find Iris? Heal her? Carry her back? No. It's too much of a risk."

The group went quiet.

Daire realized he yelled. Seeing how Violet shrunk in on herself made him feel horrible.

Lowering his voice, he tried to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Violet. I didn't mean to yell."

She glanced up from her wringing hands.

"I just can't lose you in the process. It would make it all feel so hollow."

Violet nodded, clutching her dress in her palms.

Two weeks. I'll be strong by then. No more powerless Violet. It is time to grow up. To be useful...

"Why don't you just ride a carriage?"

Miss Leecy added, being drawn by the shout.

Daire plopped his face in his hands. Groaning.

It was his fault for getting too caught up in the possibility of failure. The solution was elementary.

"Going to Orlin by foot is asking for trouble."

There was an odd, sucking noise when Daire removed his face from his palms.

"How much do you charge for hand-me-downs."

The change in conversation put everyone off-kilter. Miss Leecy, for her worth, adjusted quickly.

"Well, let me see. I have an assortment of old clothes in odd sizes in the back. What are you looking for?"

"Some normal clothes that would blend in, as well as some plus-size options. Do you sell cloaks?"

"If you don't mind the quality, you pick several pairs for a few silver. It will cost more if you pick nicer threads. And I do have these old cloaks I let the children practice knitting on. They're about half a silver per cloak."

"Deal."

In the end, Diare paid three and a half silver for three shirts, two pairs of trousers, a dark green cloak, and one oversized outfit. A steal in Daire's book.

Daire used a room to change. The shirt was a bit itchy, and the pants scratched his legs a bit, but they weren't intolerable. They would help him look more normal and he wouldn't have to worry about damaging them. Bundling up his other clothes, he walked out.

"These are clean, right?"

"I wash them often, so they should be. Why? Do they smell?"

Daire pulled the fabric to his face, getting a whiff that reminded him of Goodwill.

"Nah. I'll get used to it."

He would. Eventually.

Walking out with his normal clothes bundled up, Miss Leecy tried to offer him a deal, highly interested in the smooth fabric, even though one arm of his shirt was burnt. Daire kindly rejected the offer, not ready to part with the pieces of home quite yet.

They had many other places to visit before evening, so he bid Miss Leecy goodbye before they got too held up.

The next stop was a few doors down, a cobbler. Daire spent a little too much time finding a comfortable pair of shoes. Getting them fitted would take too long, so he settled for the best pair that didn't hurt his feet.

Daire brought them back to the butcher to sell a few rabbits. Gaining actual gold. Violet wanted to ooh and ah, but was unable. The gold held the dullest of sheens, not shiny at all.

Moving on, they sold more pelts to the tanner. Daire visited the only Jeweler in town. He wanted to learn if there were enchantment magics, but wasn't let in the door. Sturdy-looking men guarded the store and Daire didn't want to push it. Giving up, for now, they went to the market to buy more ingredients.

They sold the barrel of rabbit blood to a cloaked man for a handful of gold. The man was excited, agitated, quickly leaving after saying he would buy anything else Daire had the next day. Daire showed his teeth the entire exchange.

Violet gave Daire a sideways glance, to which he mouthed the word "plans".

Since he let the cloaked figure take the barrel, Daire created three new barrels in the private alley and fitted them to Trinket's cart.

Violet was about to ask about how rare magic was but encountered the gnome who sold most of the ingredients they used last night, including the aphrodisiac leaves. Daire argued with the man, but the coot was sticking to his Gnome's Rules approach to bartering. Daire decided it didn't really matter if he had to purchase the aphrodisiacs. It wasn't like he was forced or obligated to use them.

After restocking on ingredients, Daire found water to fill the rest of the barrels and bought more tangerines from the nice beastkin woman.

Sharing them with the girls, the fruits managed to give them a second wind.

Chewing, Emmy became reinvigorated. She looked up at the ever-blue sky.

"Dusk is close. What time do you set up your stall?"

Daire threw a tangerine to Trinket, who caught it deftly in his maw. The bear chewed, letting the juices spurt out his mouth with each bite. The others made sure to stay a few steps away.

"Soon. Our last stop for today is the Blacksmith."