Miss Laira and I set out a few days later. Everyone sees us off by the Palace. Little Ether seems troubled...

“Ether;” the Miss crouches down by the boy; “I'll be back soon, don't worry, ok?” The little one hesitates and lunges in for a hug. Somehow that tugs at my heart strings...

“I'll take good care of him, don't worry.” Sir Marcus says, patting the boy’s head.

“I know.” The Miss nods.

“We all will take care of him.” Sir Crile reassures the Druid.

“Oh, I have no doubt he'll be spoiled.” She laughs. “Right, we should get going then.”

“Right.” I agree. “See you later.”

“Have a safe trip.” The Lady waves at us. The Miss and I get into the carriage and set off.

“Worried?” I ask her after a little while.

“Somewhat...”

“You’re getting attached to the little boy, aren’t you?”

“That’s what worries me... I know that finding his parents would be the best thing for him but...” She doesn’t finish.

“But you’re leaning toward the idea of wanting to keep him and raise him yourself?”

“I feel like a thief...” The Miss says. I giggle.

“You shouldn’t though. We can’t be sure that he would be better off with his relatives, if there are any in the first place. Sometimes blood relations aren’t the best thing for a person...” I bite my tongue.

“Yes. I'm aware...” The Miss agrees with a sad expression on her face. “I’m simply torn over this.”

“Perhaps I can help to distract you in the meantime?” I ask her.

“Sure. How about you tell me more about yourself. I'd like to know how the boy wonder came to be.” She finally smiles at me.

“Have you always been this fatherly?” I ask Marcus, watching him put Ether to bed.

“I can ask you the same.” He throws me a look. I laugh under my breath.

“Right.”

“I did have a sister, once. Long ago...” He whispers.

“Did?”

“She got sick and died. The quack healer was more interested in booze than actually doing his work. He gave her the wrong meds. By the time we realized it, it was too late...” He backs away from the bed. “I left my village after that.”

“My condolences.”

He shakes his head. “I blame myself. Should have done more for her when I had the chance...”

“Is that way you’re so careful with him?” I ask pouring a drink.

“Perhaps.” He takes the glass from me. “Thank you. Although, if I have to be completely honest, I’m pretty sure you two are to blame for this.” He gives me a stupid grin. I raise an eyebrow.

“I watched the two of you back at the cabin. The vibe you gave off was so different from what I’ve seen before... Especially after we found out that Deathbreeze was pregnant... Watching you guys from up close made me rethink a few things about my life...”

“This feels like a confession.” I take a sip of my drink. The Mage laughs.

“Yeah. In a way.”

“I’m not sure if I should apologize to you or say you’re welcome.”

“Both.” Marcus says with a sad smile.

“You can always leave her, you know. I’m sure she'll understand.” I tell him.

“I thought about that.” He admits. “But what I want more than anything is her... She's not a child. She doesn’t need me looking after her. A child, however... I’d hate to leave a child behind... The thought of some other man raising my kid... Yeah, no thanks.” He takes a gulp of his drink.

“You love her that much, huh?”

“More than life...” He says, staring into the glass...

The Headmaster in charge of the Vine-yards greets us at the gate. The area seems outwardly peaceful here...

“Lady Evergreen, such an honor to see you again.”

“Headmaster, it has been a while, hasn’t it?” The miss bows her head. I follow her lead.

“Percival Skyrider, pleased to make your acquaintance.” I extend my hand.

“Headmaster Sarrio, pleased to meet you. I heard quite a bit about the young prodigy.” He shakes my hand. I stare at him dumbfounded. “Zaltem is my nephew.” He adds. Aah.

“Surely you gest.” I avert my eyes.

“Your last name proves it.” The Headmaster gives me a coy smile. I look over to the Miss for help but her expression is exactly the same as the Sir's. I clear my throat.

“Shall we get back to business, please?”

“Of course.” Sir Sarrio nods. ”I understand you wish to know more about the Vines. However, not that I mean to pry, but knowing you Lady Evergreen, I fail to see the need for you to come over all this way? After all...”

“Yes. I understand your confusion. However, I am here on official business from Araneum as part of our RRD research division. On top of that, mister Skyrider personally needs to take a closer look, as being second in command of our department. That is why we are here.” The Miss explains quickly. I can’t help but notice how her tone feels colder than normal as she speaks...

“The RRD?” The Headmaster seems puzzled.

“Rebirth Research Division.” I step in.

“That's right. Zaltem did mention it. Never the abbreviation though. Are we to expect an official inquiry from Existara as well?” Sir Sarrio gives the Miss a look.

“Possibly.” She agrees. “Hence why we had to make an appearance.” The Headmaster nods, taking the hint.

“Now then, would it be possible to look around? We won’t cause any trouble. Promise.” The Miss presses on.

“But of course, it is no trouble at all. It's always a treat having the Priestess's apprentice visit us.” Oh? Oh! I remember...

“I spent quite some time studying here, as part of my Mixology training.” She tells me.

“Fascinating.” I say. Suddenly the mood shifts again. How nerve wrecking. Mixology, a study based on principles of Alchemy with Herbology as its main branch. Basically, the study revolves around improving the qualities of herbs and potions, among other medicinal items. Nothing less of someone standing on equal terms as the Commander. The Headmaster leads us inside a glass corridor. There are Vine greenhouses on both sides. I see. This way we can observe the process without contaminating the workplace or intruding with the workflow.

“Noxians with the green robes purify the soil and the seeds. The ones in the darker green get up take care of their growth.”

“Somewhat like gardeners?” I ask and immediately regret my question.

“Exactly like that.” Sir Sarrio agrees. “There is no shame in taking care of plants. It is for this reason that our uniforms range in the colors of green.”

“Is there anything special you add to the water or the soil after the Vines are planted?” I pose another question.

“Yes. Of course, as a rule, everything is purified and cleansed, before it comes in contact with the Vines. Usually, it is type of growth supplements, like vitamins for the plants, to strengthen them and their qualities.”

“Then you must use Enchanted Herbs?” I keep going.

“Yes. Those are seeped into the water streams. See there.” We stop and I look to my right. A tank of water stands at the top of the greenhouse. A couple of Noxians pour some mixtures in. The glass tank changes slightly in color. The water begins to flow through the glass tubes downward, toward the gardens. Hmm...

“It is to my understanding that the Ravos here have been experimenting with new breeds of Vines some time ago?” I ask again.

“Yes.” The Headmaster nods.

“How long has it been since the testing seized?” The Miss steps in.

“Quite some time, I’m afraid.”

“Would you be interested in restarting them?” She asks.

“Nothing would please me more. However.” The Sir seems grim.

“Yes?” Miss Laira presses the man.

“The reason why we fail to make progress with new breeds of Vines is that the more mana is infused into the living seed, the bigger it grows. Enchanted Herbs are harvested herbs. They are dried and prepared for the infusion. Essentially, it is the same as Cleanser casting. You simply chant the spell, pouring your mana outwards your body and into the object, like when healing a cut on the flesh. Unlike Mages, Cleansers do not have the visual associations of their Force. It is similar to Assassins and their shadows. That's the basics of how this works. Now, because the herbs are no longer attached to the living body - they do not expand in size. The chants and the magic power remain contained. The chants are dormant till used.” Sir Sarrio explains.

“Meaning…” The Miss begins.

“Meaning that whatever was enchanted into the herbs, stay there, without fading till the herbs are used, releasing the spell.” I jump in.

“Exactly.” The Headmaster nods.

“That is why the more time is spent infusing the spells, the more powerful the effects of the herbs. The ability is similar to the Anchors – they store the mana inside, that’s why even a tiny amount is able to produce a powerful spell.” I add.

“Precisely. I see you are well versed with your knowledge.”

“I try my best.” I smile and continue organizing my thoughts...

“So, then basically you're telling us that it is virtually impossible to cross breed Vines into something new?” Miss Laira asks.

“I'm afraid so. We have tried enchanting the seeds, before planting them, however, unlike the leaves, the seed is essentially a living thing. As soon as mana is being poured into it, it begins to grow. Over time, the magic begins to accumulate, with no escape route it bursts out, causing the seed to grow. Leaves, that are used for the herbs are the last stage of the plant, so to speak, so they do not transform. They simply wilt when too much mana is used on them at once. The process of making the Enchanted Herbs is quite delicate.” The Headmaster explains. “Nowadays we purify the soil on a regular basis. We have a separate growth area for the cleansed Vines, specifically for growing seeds. We don’t cleanse the seeds that much anymore. And even before, the purification spell is quite simple and does not require a lot of magic, so there weren’t any changes to the seeds.”

“Have you considered infusing the soil with the same enchantments, used for the herbs? The same way you purify it now?” I ask looking at the trenches. I hear a soft giggle.

“Clever. Nothing less from a Primerian. Yes. We have done that, sadly the effects of the enchantments lessen during the growth of the Vines. They seem to be able to absorb some of them but…”

“But they aren’t as powerful, requiring more of the Vines for the same effect, unlike when using regular Enchanted Herbs?” Miss Laira cuts in.

“Precisely.” The Headmaster agrees.

“That way the Vines are wasted more...” Miss Laira says.

“Yes. Sadly so.” Sir Sarrio agrees… Not even water plants would work... It's not like they grow from the water itself... But…

“Thank you for everything. I think we’ll be taking our leave now.” Miss Laira bows. I follow her lead.

“It is great honor to serve the royal family.” The Headmaster bows his head to us. We leave the Vine-yards without saying anything much. Both of us are lost in thought.

“Percival, do you mind if we go straight to Cobalus without stopping?” The Miss asks me.

“No, of course not. I'd prefer it even. Though, it seems we hit a dead end...”

“Not necessarily.” The Miss disagrees. “We still need the Enchanted Herbs. Of course. It'll be a gamble, since we won’t be able to get an answer from Araneum before we get there but we should be able to leverage the Rebirth and the RRD to strike a deal with the local providers there. I don’t dare claim we'll get half the usual Araneum price but it's worth a shot.”

“Oh. I see. Yes, that may just work...”

“Mistress.” Arra greets us at the carriage.

“Please, if it's not too much trouble, may we go straight to Cobalus?” She asks our escort.

“Of course. The Celodians have been fed and are rested. If we go full speed, we'll make it there before nightfall.”

“Appreciate it.” The druid nods getting in.

“It may be a bumpy ride, though. Pyro yells to us.”

“We'll manage.” I answer and shut the door.

“Working hard I see.” Crile comes over to me. I remain laying on the ground, panting.

“It keeps me busy.”

“You miss her a lot, don’t you?” He mocks me. I see a tiny face lean over me. Ether has brought me my water pouch. I take it from him.

“Thank you.” I smile and take a gulp. “I do.” I answer the Assassin. “We haven’t been apart like this for a long time... Least thanks to Percy I have something to focus on.”

“And it seems the little one is quite fascinated by the show too.” Crile nods to Ether.

“It's like he's glued to me.”

“Perhaps it's because out of all of us here, you resemble him the most?”

“I figured...” I gesture to the boy to come over closer. He doesn’t hesitate that time. I pat his head.

“You want to keep him, don’t you?” Nailed it. “But you’re not sure if that's right?” Double points.

“What gave me away?” I ask smiling at the boy.

“Seems like the little one trusts the two of you. Despite his shyness. We don’t know what happened to him but by the looks of things, you two might just be the next best thing that happened to the boy. You seem at ease with him around, yet at the same time you worry. I know, because I'm like that now too. A child changes a man. Usually.” He adds the last word at the last moment.

“It's not my decision alone to make.” I tell him.

“You wouldn’t have picked him up if either one of you would have been against it.”

“Laira's not the kind to abandon a child in the street like that.” I glare at the Assassin.

“I didn’t mean her.” He nods to the boy. Oh... “However. I have to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Do you realize what you are doing to her?”

“By leaving her behind and dying?” I answer looking up at the blue sky... “Think she'll mourn me?”

“Dumbass. I'll mourn you. For her - it'll be the end of the world.”

“But at least she'll have all of you to look after her...” I whisper quietly.

“Which would you rather have: a lover or a cousin?” I feel Crile stare at me. My shoulders twitch.

“Point taken...”

“Just so you know, last time it took the three of us keeping watch over her around the clock for two years before she got back to reality.”

I look at Crile. “Was that after her parents died?”

“Yes.”

“She never did tell me what happened...”

“A tragic incident. They were Diplomats sent on a mission. Her mother had no magic and her father was a Stone Mage. The carriage was ambushed on the way back from Cobalus. Some people back then wanted to restore the glory days of war and mayhem... It backfired. The peace was established the following weeks. The Priestess was furious. They were dear friends of hers... She took Laira in and we cared for her. She was a handful and suicidal. We'd even keep watch over her when she slept... It was a rough time for her. No surprise she doesn’t talk about it...” He falls silent...

“Don’t tell her I told you any of this. She'll snap my neck.” He says. I giggle.

“Roger that.”

“Come on. It's almost dinner time. We gotta get you two cleaned up.” He stands up and offers me a hand.

“I feel like you’re spoiling us.” I tell him, getting pulled up.

“Please. You guys took care of us plenty, it's the least we can do.”

“You can’t compare a cabin in the woods with a royal palace. That's like two different worlds we're talking about here.” I disagree.

“Shut it and enjoy it.” He slaps me on the back and I stagger.

“Yes, sir.” I answer and we laugh.

“I was thinking. What if we plant trees around the crater of the Castle? If we use Ravos to speed up their growth it wouldn’t take so long to grow them.”

“You mean regular trees? Not Vines. “

“Yes. Well, Vines would get contaminated anyways.” I say.

“Ok, why though?” The Miss asks.

“To ease the work of combat Ravos. We could even use them as a last defensive resort or something like that. I got the idea earlier. Medical Vines wouldn’t be wasted for battle and I think Combat Vines would be sturdier conjured from a living tree rather than with mana only straight from the ground? What? No good?” I see the confusion on the Miss's face.

“Well one, I think that Combat Vines would simply be the same Vines, just not cleansed, they would be cheaper and easier to replace. I got that idea early on when training to fight with my Vines. Of course, at the time there wasn’t any time to think about that, that's why we divided our forces into Combat and Medical units. Anyways.” She pauses. “Two. You’re not wrong thinking that conjured Vines straight from the ground up are weaker than when fused with a living tree, so using Vines from trees as a defensive option would work better, yes. Three. I think if we rearrange the inside of the trees, we can make something like pipes, that would reach deep into the ground. If we can’t use the Vines themselves against the poison, then we can at least provide the others with access.”

“Yes! I see! Simply pouring potions and mixtures into the ground would take too long to have an effect, plus, we'd either need enormous amounts of them or a ton of Water Shamans to force the liquids into the deeper layers of the soil, but this way, we could attack it at the source. Where the malice is concentrated. That should help with the curse too.”

“Yes. That's what I thought too. Of course, this way the trees would also act as a barrier to prevent the spreading of the poison.” The Miss agrees.

“Of course, worst case scenario, that will be the last line of defense should we fail.” I say.

“Let’s not think of that right now. Besides cleansing the curse. Which, at this point, seems to be the easiest part, we may have come up with a precaution and a counter measure for the poison. So, that's a lot more than we had this morning.” The Miss smiles at me.

“Yes. I agree.” I look away a little.

“Seems we are here.” The Miss announces. I take a look out the window. The border. The lights from the lanterns zig zag along the dim road, almost like fireflies, dancing in the night…

“Looks like we'll be here a while.” I sigh.

“No, we won’t. Arra!” The girl appears next to the window.

“Mistress.”

The Miss takes a scroll out of her bag and hands it to the guard. “Find whoever is in charge and get us moving.” Miss Laira says uncharacteristically harshly...

“Understood.” The girl vanishes.

“I’d rather not waste time with border patrol. We are on a mission here.” The Miss tells me. Rather, herself. I nod and remain silent. The sound of galloping mounts reaches us from the outside.

“Lady Evergreen! Such an honor!” A middle aged Balli man shows himself in the window. “Pardon the hold up. We shall escort you to the Capital now.” He nods again.

“Much appreciated.” The Miss smiles. Our carriage moves and we continue on. I can’t shake the feeling there's more to having Miss Laira come with me... Whether it is my instincts or my intelligence, something tells me that minding my own business is for the best right now…

I notice a tiny horn peeking from behind the bed post on the other side.

“Ether?” I call out softly. The horn disappears. “It's ok. Come out.” I wait a moment. He shows half of his face.

“Would you like to take a closer look?” I pat the bed next to my pillow nest. Rei's already passed out, whereas Xan's appetite has increased. I shift my weight a little, holding the mini munchkin. Ether hesitates. I pretend not to stare at him. He slowly walks over, closer to us. I watch him with the corner of my eye, as he slowly climbs on. He crawls over and stops a few inches away from Reina's pillow. His tiny eyes double in size, watching my daughter. The face gives his curiosity away. He reaches for her, slowly, almost fearfully. A fingertip lands on Rei's puffy cheek. She makes a sound and Ether retreats his hand. I smile. I take my hand and carefully stick a finger right into Rei's tiny palm. She grabs it. I watch Ether get closer again. He sticks a finger out and pokes at the other palm. Reina grabs him. He flinches but doesn’t back away. I slowly slip my hand out of her grip and let the two of them sort it out. The little Cornutese seems rather captivated by the tiny creature. I’d like to pat him on the head but I don’t want to disturb the moment. Xander begins to fuss.

“All done?” I look down. “Alright.” I fix myself up and wipe his tiny mouth clean.

“Would you look after her for me for a bit?” I ask the boy. His face turns all serious and he nods. Too cute. I carefully stand up and take Xan into the bathroom to change him.

I reach for Crile. “Ether's here with us in the bedroom if you’re looking for him.”

“Shoulda told us sooner.” I hear a frantic voice.

“Sorry. I got lost in the moment. He's quite precious.”

“Tell me about it.” Marcus's voice sounds so proud it makes me laugh softly. I finish fixing Xan up and step back out to the bedroom. The door opens carefully and the two men enter the room. I nod toward the bed. Marcus takes a peek and freezes. Crile comes over to me, takes our son into his arms and a kiss from my lips. He sways in place, putting the boy to sleep. I return to the bed. Ether hasn’t moved. I see the Mage watch the boy from a far in awe. I crouch over our girl.

“Good job, Ether, I'll take her now, ok?” I wait a moment for him to respond. The boy nods and slowly takes his finger out of the tiny hand. I lean in and pick Rei up. She opens her eyes to me.

“Did I wake you? Sorry, honey.” I smile. Ether crawls off the bed.

“You did good there, Ether.” Marcus crouches down and praises the boy. The child grins proudly.

“Told you he's cute.” I tell the Mage.

“No kidding.” He answers. I watch Crile put our son down into the cradle. He looks to our daughter and subtly gestures to Marcus. I stare at my husband for a moment.

“Marcus? Would you like to hold her?” I ask the man.

“Huh? Me? Are you sure?” He studders.

“Of course. Come here.” I sit down on the sofa by the end of the bed and pat next to me. The Mage clumsily sits down.

“Put your hands together like so.” Cri shows him how.

“Ok.” He makes the effort.

“A bit wider. She's bigger than she looks.” Cri adjusts the Mage's hands.

“Got it.” Marcus nods nervously.

“Relax. You'll be fine.” I tell him and gently pass Reina over into his embrace. I make sure he has a good grip on her and pull away. “See. You’re doing great.”

“She's heavy.” He says.

“I believe you just called our daughter fat.” Crile throws a quick glare at the Mage.

“What! No! That's not...” He studders and I laugh quietly.

“Don’t pick on the poor thing, he hasn’t taken a single breath yet.” I tell my husband.

“Sorry sorry, couldn’t help it.” He shrugs it off.

“It's like I’m holding a mini Laira...” The words finally slip out. I glance over at Cri. He has the same sad yet warm expression on his face...

“You really do want one, don’t you?” I ask carefully.

“Now, more than ever before...” Marcus whispers... Teardrops fall onto the girl's face...

It takes the authorities till noon to gives us permission to enter the greenhouses. Considering that we spent all that time getting here anyways, doesn’t seem like much of a waste. Least I got to enjoy the view on the way here. The entire Capital resembles an array of giant sandcastles. Giving of the impression of a fragile power.

“Would you like to take a look around the city on our way back? I plan on staying the night to let the mounts rest.” The Miss tells me.

“If that’s an option then I’d love to!”

She giggles at me. “You do get easily excited...“

“Finally, you smiled like your usual self.” I gaze warmly at the Miss. She shudders.

“Seems I’ve been more on edge than I realized... I’m sorry for worrying you.”

I shake my head. “No worries at all.” We stop. The door opens. Pyro stands with his hand to the Miss. She easily ignores it and steps out on her own. The guy seems quite devastated.

“You can help me get off, if it’ll make you feel better?” I whisper to him stepping down.

“That would probably be the end of me...” He answers quietly. I chuckle. A delegation of Balli Masters greets us. I gaze over them. A sea of glass greenhouses ripple through the sandy dunes, as far as the eyes can see... I see where the Noxians get their inspiration from... The structure looks familiar.

“Lady Evergreen. We've received word you wish to speak to our Headmaster. I'm afraid it is not possible at the moment. The Master has yet to return from the Capital himself.” A senior looking Balli woman in a bright red robe speaks to us. I nod politely and continue observing the situation...

“Good day to you, yes. I am aware of it. Would it cause any inconvenience if we wait for his return while looking around to keep us busy?” And there it is again. The unusual harshness covered with a deadly smile.

“For what reason should I allow you two to roam freely?” The old lady does not seem pleased with our visit...

“You are free to give us an escort. We merely wish to look around as we wait. However, if it is authority issues you have, then feel free to get in touch with Zaltem Gramen at the Araneum. You'll be able to contact the King's advisor in charge of our Research Division through him. They will be able to confirm that we are here on official business regarding the Rebirth. Would that suffice?” The Miss is scaring me.

“No need for that, I have been thoughrully informed already. Thank you for greeting our guests, Rovah.” A senior Balli man approaches us on a sand colored Camelli. They can carry quite the weight and journey quite far with little food. A mount perfect for the dessert. Their facial features resemble those of a sheep, at least to me they always did.. Yet in size they rival even the Tiger-horse mixtures... I must admit, the humps do not seem to be too comfortable to sit on... Especially for extended periods of time...

“I am the Headmaster Harrenis. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Evergreen, Sir Skyrider.” The man bows. So do we.

“If you would, this way, please.” The man shows us the way and we follow suit.

“Now then, how may I be of service?” Sir Harennis asks.

“Would you be willing to directly supply our Research Division with Enchanted Herbs?” Miss Laira does not hold back.

“Isn’t there any over at the New Continent?” The Headmaster says.

“Cobalus has monopoly over the import of most of the magical herbs. Some are grown locally here and there but everyone knows that the best ones come from here. It should be no surprise to you that Noxanda has already signed a deal to be the direct supplier of Vines. Both Medical and Combat orientated. You can think of this as contributing to saving our world as we know it. If that's more to your liking.” Wow. She's terrifying...

“It comes as no surprise to me that Noxanda is so willing to offer assistance. No offence.” Sir Harrenis turns his head to us just bit.

“None taken.” The Miss holds his gaze with ease.

“And what have the rest of them offered to add to your noble cause?” He's mocking us.

“Repperi has already done more than enough. It is thanks to their Archives that we have been able to obtain invaluable information regarding the matter, as well as come with up with counter measures.” I speak up. “We wouldn’t be here otherwise.” I try my best to keep the pressure going. The Headmaster takes a moment.

“I see. Am I to understand that we are the only ones left?” He graces us with a full revolution. We stop a few steps away from him.

“No. Venatus is next on the list. However, unlike you, they will have to convince us of what is it they can offer us, should you accept our offer. You see, there is also an audience going on there, right this very moment. If they agree first, then you'll be the only ones left out of the alliance. I don’t suppose I need to explain what will happen to Cobalus reputation should that be the case, now do I?” Ooohhhh Miss Laira is full of surprises.

“We aren’t doing this out of the goodness of our hearts.” I step in. “The Rebirth is all of our problem, not only Existara's alone. One should be quite, well, intellectually challenged, not to understand the severity of this union and what glory it brings. Not to mention the future prospects for expansion...” I throw the bait and wait.

“Nice one, Percy.” The Miss's voice reaches me.

“Likewise.” I answer.

“Very well. What type of Enchanted Herbs are we talking about here? Do you have somethings specific in mind?” Wow.

“The majority should be focus for poison manipulation.” Miss Laira answers.

“That won’t be a problem.” Sir Harrenis turns around again and continues down the glass corridor.

“Sir, if I may make an observation?” I ask carefully.

“Of course.”

“I cannot help but notice how cool it is in here. Considering the climate and the angle of the glass, I expected to be a roasted chicken by now... So to speak.” I add quickly. The old man roars with laughter. He sounds like Tonso...

“I’m surprised a novice like yourself noticed.” He continues to chuckle as he turns around to us. “As a matter of fact this is not glass, it's ice. Reinforced with enchantments as well as regular supply of mana from our Mages.”

“Ice! Aah. I see. The enchantments prevent it from melting and the casting help sustain it. Ingenious. Is this how you are able to regulate the temperature needed for the plants?” I ask touching a pane.

“Indeed.” The man agrees.

“Fascinating... And the soil? Obviously you can’t grow anything in the sand.”

“Correct. Unfortunately for us, we are forced to import the soil. Or rather. Were. For the time being the greenhouses have not been expanding much.”

“Isn’t it expensive?” I ask.

“It is. But it is worth the trouble.” The man explains.

“Sir, with all due respect. You’d be wise not to underestimate Sir Skyrider here. He may look like a novice but he's the brains behind the entire existence of the Rebirth Research Division.”

“Miss! What are you!”

“Hush. Trust me.”

“Is that so?” The Headmaster stares me down. “I see. I shall keep it in mind then.” Sir Harrenis redirects his gaze from me to the Miss. “I assume you already have your prices in mind?”

“We'd appreciate half the usual ones.”

“Preposterous!” The man shakes his head. “Transportation alone cost as much!”

“Araneum will be providing that. You already have your trade routes laid out. One of which goes straight to Crepitus, does it not? We'll meet you half way. If you can deliver the herbs there then we'll take them the rest of the way. Along with the rest of your merchandise. That will cut your travel time and expenses in half. No?” Miss Laira stares the man down.

“Can you guarantee protection? The Rebellion tends to use the waters between Existara and Crepitus as their hunting grounds.”

“Not a problem. We have a state of the art security system and a fool proof way to deal with that.” I speak up again.

“What might that be?” He glares at me suspiciously.

“Ravos and their Vines. Did you know that it is even possible to submerge an entire ship underwater, without getting the goods wet and or damaged? As well as having all of the crew safe and sound?” I step forward.

“Ha! Is this the best nonsense you can offer?” He gives me a smug grin.

“I understand why you wouldn’t believe me. However. If you know the name Deathbreeze Skyrider then you know that possibilities are endless. Just ask around at the docks over there. Stories like that spread like wild fire.” I casually shrug my shoulders.

“And how is it that you know it's possible?” The Headmaster steps forward, glaring at me.

“I was there. I’ve seen it happen.” I hold his gaze and keep my voice low and calm. “If you’d like to trade war stories, I’d be more than happy to tell you in great detail what the Castle of Despair and the Rebirth truly are.” I watch the look on his face change. Gotchya.

“We'll also need a variety of Medicinal Herbs too, of course.” Miss Laira breaks the silence.

“Of course.” The man agrees. “Will that be all?”

“No. If you would, I’d like some herbs for Shamanic spell casting as well.”

“Which element and purpose?” Sir Harrenis asks. “Or would you prefer more diverse ones?”

“Care to elaborate, seeing how you’re the expert here?” I answer.

“Enchanted Herbs may seem like a cloud of dust, however, each Shaman has an element they control and a purpose they use it for. The herbs are divided as such as well. Simple. Now, there are herbs of higher quality and pricing that are infused with a variety of enchantments, making them more diverse in their uses.”

“What is the usual price for such herbs?” The Miss asks.

“One to five. Five times less the amount with...”

“Five times more the price. Explains how you can afford Ice Mages casting spells around the clock all year round.” I finish his sentence for him. He gives me a grin.

“Include those in the deal as well. For the moment I'll take a few pouches of herbs for Water, Air and Fire. Healing and reinforcement as well as half a pouch of your finest diverse ones.” I tell the Headmaster. He takes a moment.

“You'll be able to collect them on your way back at the entrance.” He says. That was fast.

“Much appreciated.” I nod.

“To whom I should address the future shipments to?”

“Laira Evergreen.”

“Evergreen?” The man furrows his brow. “Don’t tell me...”

“The same one.” Huh? I steal a glance. The Miss's face is unreadable... I have so many questions!!

“I was hoping to avoid the subject. It's not exactly something the Balli nation is proud of?” What is going on here! The Headmaster does not answer.

“I'll see to it that we have your first shipment ready by next month. How does that sound?”

“Perfect.” The Miss smiles.

“Is there anything else I can do for you?” Sir Harrenis looks the both of us over.

“That will be all.” The Miss bows. As do I.

“Thank you for everything. We appreciate your cooperation.” I add.

“It is an honor to be able to play our role in the matters of Rebirth.” The Headmaster bows his head. “Will you be able to find your way back?”

“Straight down, correct?” I ask.

“Yes.” He nods. “Now then, if you'll excuse me, I shall take my leave here.” He bows again.

“Thank you for your time.” The Miss smiles and we leave.

“I have so many questions...” I whisper.

“Try your best to wait till we get out of here.” Miss Laira whispers back. “Frankly, so do I. That thing about the ship being submerged. Was that true?”

“Wait are you telling me you don’t know?” I stop at a halt. “They didn’t tell you?!”

“Shh! Keep it down.” She hisses at me. I catch up to her. “So it is true.”

“Oh it.. it was... I’m at a loss for words… You bluffed! There isn’t any delegation in Venatus! We're the only ones who got sent out!” I break and use the stone...

“Percival, you’re even loud inside your head when you’re excited... Yes. That was a bluff. But they don’t know that. Besides. I had to say something to spark his interest. It's not like he made it easy for us.”

“True. But still, that was one heck of a bluff.”

“It was a gamble and I took it.” The Miss's expression remains solid and unreadable. “Though, if I may, you weren’t so bad yourself.” She finally looks at me. I blush and turn away.

“I try my best to keep up... What about the Vine supply? When did you manage that?”

“Oh, that was a bluff too. We'll make a quick stop on the way back and talk it over with Sarrio. Hopefully he'll agree to it.”

“You’re full of surprises. And the trading route?”

“Oh that's common knowledge.” She answers.

“I see. Oh! May I ask what subject you were talking about? The one that Balli people aren’t proud of?”

“The death of my parents.” She says and a veil of grief rolls over the Miss. I continue walking with my mouth gaping wide as nothing decent comes to mind. We approach the exit of the greenhouses.

“Don’t forget your herbs.” Miss Laira reminds me.

“Oh, yes, thank you.” A young Balli girl greets us as we step outside. Damn its hot here.

“Sir Skyrider, your herbs, as you requested them.” She tells me showing a tray with pouches.

“Excellent. How much will that be?” I rustle for the money.

“These are complimentary, as per the Headmaster's instructions.” The girl answers.

“How generous of him.” The Miss's voice has a hint of irony in it...

“Much appreciate it. In that case. Here.” I take a few silver coins and leave them on the tray, as I collect my herbs. “For your troubles.” I smile at the girl. She blushes and bows.

“You’re too kind.” She whispers as we walk away. We get in our carriage and take off.

“Aren’t you going to ask me?”

“Ask what?”

“About my parents.” Miss Laira stares out the window.

“Not unless you want to talk about it.”

“Some wine would be nice...” She giggles quietly.

“I’m starving.” I agree.