Chapter Twenty

Herbal remedy

The tall curtainless windows let the morning light flood into the room unheeded, though it didn’t stir Warren. However, his fidgeting fledgeling, who lay asleep on his chest, had woken him around four am. With no will to move Karou, he lay awake cradling her while pondering over her sleeping face and enjoying the closeness.

The bright orange sun had lifted from the horizon just enough to peer at Warren through the room’s east-facing window. Squinting into the light, he got the feeling it was now around eight in the morning. Now, Warren gave Karou a slight nudge to which she merely wriggled, grumbled, and nuzzled her face into his chest, all without waking. Defeated by her unwillingness to get up, he gently manoeuvred her from himself and slipped away.

Warren ruffled his flattened ‘bed head’ hair as he wandered around the large bedroom, looking for the adjoining bathroom. Once he’d located it, he took the liberty of having a shower and left his clothes in a tidy pile on a purposefully placed cabinet. He was swift under the water that morning, as he didn’t want Karou waking and interrupting him midshower. It wasn’t out of modesty or prudishness. There was nothing to hide and nothing worth concealing when she’d seen him before, albeit a while ago, but he’d gotten it into his head that their reintroduction to intimacy was better to be gradual. He didn’t want any unnecessary naked encounters to be a catalyst to something sexual. It had crossed his mind that their relationship might not even take that turn this time around. It was unlikely and hard to imagine. It was even harder to resist the urge to be intimate when they touched, especially because the spark was still there. The evening last, things had begun to take a turn before they were interrupted by Cassandra and Samir’s brawl. Still, the right moment would present itself without force, and Warren was willing to wait for now.

Released from the steam of the humid bathroom, Warren wrapped his waist in a towel and walked over to kneel before the couch where Karou still slept.

He whistled a quiet two-note tune before her face, mimicking the song of the birds who leisurely took part in the morning chorus. Her eyelids fluttered - it was working - so he continued whistling and stroking the hair from her face.

“Ka-Rou,” he sang her name in tune, his fingers tickling under her jaw as he pestered her awake. She grumbled and tucked her chin into her chest tighter. “- it’s time to wake up,” Warren insisted.

When her wings ruffled, he reached to brush his fingertips over her feathers. When her leg stretched itself out from where it had been tucked up near her chest, he trailed his fingers down her thigh, which caused her to twitch and moan.

“Ten more minutes,” she mumbled, barely conscious. “Don’t want to, don’t wanna work. No.”

Karou rolled over from her stomach and onto her back. Her arm flopped over to drape itself across her eyes. She’d almost completely forgotten that Warren was there for a second, but she recognised the lack of warmth from where he had been all night. Reluctantly, she moved her arm enough to open one eye and peer up at him.

She heard him say, “I’ve decided you won’t be working today. You’re going to take me out. How’s about that?”

Liking the sound of his idea, she quietly mumbled something that resembled a yes, and slowly propped herself up.

“Good morning, by the way,” Warren smiled and brushed his damp hair back from his face, not yet styled.

Karou stretched her arms up over her head with a big yawn, and behind her, her wings followed suit, flexing and ruffling their plumage. She shook her head in an attempt to wake herself up further, sending a spray of dark hair into her eyes. “Mmm, morning,” she said sleepily. “Okay. Where do you want to go?”

Warren stood from kneeling before the couch and moved to lounge in the armchair, giving Karou some space. In the position of a thinker, his palm supported his chin as he gazed at her. “Well, I was thinking we could go back out into the city. I’m in need of some new clothes, you see.” Warren said and gestured to the towel about his waist. He had no fresh clothes to wear. “I thought we might go for another one of our ‘walk and talks’. Maybe take coffee, brunch perhaps?”

“Ooh, sounds like you wanna take me out on a date.” Karou giggled, rolling over onto her side so that her arm propped up her head. Warren considered her silhouette; she lay striking a seductive ‘draw me’ pose and wiggled her brows suggestively.

“You said you didn’t want this time to be like last time; I figured dating might be a good place to start. I remember how excited you were when Ebon took you out on your first date.”

“Wow, you remember that? You remember him?”

“Yes. Vividly. I hated that boy.” Warren admitted bluntly.

“Were you jealous?” Karou smirked and slinked off the couch to prowl over to him. She combed her fingers through Warren’s damp hair when she'd straddled his lap successfully. “Well? Were you?”

“So what if I was? Are you mocking me?” Warren asked and looked up at her with a mildly unimpressed expression on his face.

“A little. It’s cute.” Karou stroked her hands down his cheeks as if she might smoosh them at any moment.

“Cute, am I?” Now, Warren feigned offence and set about tickling her.

Once the fits of laughter and tickling had finished, Karou flopped forward against Warren’s bare chest, panting as her exhilaration waned and asked, “So… Are you gonna take me on a date or what?”

“Yes, I am. Let's get ready and go out. I hear that a day off once in a while doesn’t hurt.”

Standing from the armchair, Warren walked away from her, only stopping to brush back her hair to kiss her forehead before disappearing back into the bathroom, presumably to get dressed.

“Whoa, you’re really putting effort into ‘this not being like last time’ thing, huh?” Karou began to say in a humorous tone but softened to say something genuine, “I appreciate it, though. Thank you.” She smiled sweetly.

Karou had followed him into the bathroom. Shameless as usual, she turned the shower on and began stripping off her pyjamas.

Smiling back in response, Warren looked up from his own reflection to glance behind him through the mirror; he saw Karou remove her clothes and climb into the shower. Spellbound by these moments of mundane intimacy, Warren paused, combing a hairbrush through his damp locks to watch her a moment before tearing his eyes away.

I really am trying, but you’re going to keep making it difficult to play by the proper rules of engagement, I see. He thought privately to himself, considering first base, second base, third base and so forth. He was apprehensive about his stamina to resist her - considering first and second base had already been reached quite quickly.

Meanwhile, Karou had continued to chat from behind the glass while waiting for the water to get to the right temperature, “It used to be a nightmare getting you to take a day off work.”

Warren followed suit when Karou had her eyes closed to the water flow, dropped the towel from his waist, and began to redress in his two-day-old clothes. The first thing he planned to do was buy new ones!

With Shampoo lathered into her hair, Karou remembered something, “Oh! I have to go into the city to pick something up today, so today's a good day to go shopping.” Once her hair was rinsed and she was lathering her body in soap, she continued, “I just need to let the relevant people know that I’m taking a ‘personal day’.”

At the door, Karou grabbed her phone off the side table, briefly checked her messages and then put the device away into her purse. She turned to Warren to indicate that she was ready to leave.

Once they were outside, Warren noticeably relaxed. He felt that he had to hold himself in a certain manner when out and about around the Palace. It wasn’t that he felt unwelcome, but he was aware that his presence was still a talking point amongst the staff. He didn’t want to inadvertently fuel any scandalous rumours about the Queen’s love life, so he presented himself accordingly and didn’t appear overly friendly toward Karou as they wandered side by side towards one of the Palace's many exits.

Now, the sun beat down onto the sandstone beneath their feet and warmed his face. For now, they’d paused on the pavement while Karou dug around in her purse and eventually produced a pair of white-framed way-fairer sunglasses and slid them on over her face. They went well with her outfit, which seemed to please her. “Have to look a little inconspicuous,”

Warren unbuttoned his shirt collar a little while assuring her, “I think we look inconspicuous enough.”

“Uh-huh, I know, but don’t you think I look good in these?” Karou giggled and peered over the rims of her shades at Warren with a twinkle in her blue eyes.

Chuckling, he opened his lips to speak, but Karou diverted her attention back to her purse and her cellphone ringing from within it before he could get a word out. “Oh, I’ve got to take this,” She excused herself. Then, she answered the call, “Hey, sweetie, you alright?”

Warren's eyes wandered about the street while he waited for Karou’s phone conversation to end, and when it finally did, she tugged on his sleeve to gain his attention.

“Uhm, Warren, do you mind if Alice meets up with us?”

Tapping a finger to his chin in thought, he rolled his eyes and with a huff, he said, “Oh, fine, I s’pose it’ll be alright,” while a thick layer of sarcasm riddled his tone.

Karou smirked and snorted, catching a laugh in the back of her throat. Watching a man so usually composed make attempts at humour was funny, joking aside. Luckily, Warren didn’t care if he was being laughed at or with, seeing as it was Karou.

Suddenly, he took up her hand as if to lead her away. It was a surprise but pleasant one; it wasn’t like him to hold her hand voluntarily. “Where are we meeting Alessandra?”

Playfully, she bumped her hip into his. “I told her to come find us. She’s good like that.”

It only took them about ten minutes to get to the part of the city where there were some higher-end clothing stores. Now that they’d come to a busy street with an array of stores, their pace slowed while they walked hand in hand and browsed. Warren noted each store and perused the window displays. Smirking at the tourist attractions displayed in one window, Warren pondered back to when he was given his first snow globe back in the 1960s - it had seemed to be of such mortal interest - insignificant but fun nevertheless.

When he and Karou were first acquainted at the compound, that had been a time in Warren’s life where he'd clung to his humanity fiercely for fear of losing appreciation for life in his immortality. Years later, and at least eighty of those segregated from Karou, Warren had almost let go of his longing to be mortal. Several things had helped him make up his mind to savour the time he had been granted.

For a while, Warren was lost in thought until he was brought to when Karou spotted a place that looked like it might have what he needed.

“How about here? They might have something for you?”

Karou noticed that Warren had wandered off into his own little world but didn’t mind - she had the same habit sometimes - as long as he was there, holding her hand, she felt safe to get lost in her own mind as well. Watching him be so contented made her happy. Patiently, she stood by him, though she did squeeze his hand after a moment in an attempt to draw him back into the real world.

A sensation ran up his arm, which he quickly realised was Karou squeezing his hand. It stirred him from his wandering thoughts, and he looked back down at her and focused on her eyes. “Sorry, I was somewhere else. Just thinking. You said Alessandra is meeting us -” Warren glanced about as if looking for her as he had come to. “- here?”

“Hmm, maybe.” Karou shrugged; she had no idea when her daughter would show up but didn’t doubt that she’d find them. The empath had her ways. “She’ll probably meet us around here somewhere. Let’s get your shopping done first, and then when she shows up, we can go run her errand with her. It shouldn’t take too long.” Karou said as she nodded towards the clothing store they’d stopped out the front of.

“Alright.” Warren agreed, “This place will do. I won’t take long.”

Hurriedly Warren fled her side and into the store. He stood a moment and took in the many racks before expertly moving along them, going to the items that caught his eye at first glance. Running his fingers over the fabric, he assessed the quality and texture of the cloths, looking at sizes, shade, colour, pattern and such. As particular as ever, Warren picked himself out five or six very different outfits, with precision and speed, even down to socks and underwear, nightwear. And, of course, a new tie!

Karou had come to lean in the doorway while Warren shopped. She watched him busy himself with the task of buying clothing and was reminded of just how organised he could be when it came to these sorts of things. It was a little compulsive but adorable in its own way and so very opposite from herself. She would buy items of clothing on a whim and then wind up struggling to match them to what was already in her wardrobe. Luckily, her new “profession” and the titles that came with it provided her with ample money so that she never felt she had nothing to wear.

She remembered for a moment how out of her depth she’d felt when she was first at the Compound with Warren when he’d mindlessly showered her with gifts that he saw as necessities. To her, it had been excess and luxury. The fact that his generosity was so bountiful bewildered her. Then, she didn’t know how to comprehend his wealth, but now she was the richer of the two.

Warren arrived at the registers, his arms coated with his chosen items, and the cashier's eyes lit up. When it came time for his purchase to be bagged, he took charge and looked to the saleswoman with a warning for her not to interfere with his next ritual. Asking for four separate bags, Warren showed his desire to package everything himself. He took his time and folded the items, neatly separating them into the outfits they were assigned to, and then lent her all the price tags. Taking out his wallet, he paid her in full, with a little more as a tip or perhaps he wasn’t interested in carrying around change.

Across the way, Karou smirked at his interaction with the saleswoman. She tried not to giggle at how regimental he was about keeping everything together just as he wanted.

Warren thanked the saleswoman with a friendly smile. Her expression edged on bewilderment.

“That was quick,” Karou noted, eyeing over the brown paper bags he now clutched in his hand, when he was back at her side.

“Yes, it was easy enough. All I need now are shoes, but that can wait. You have business to attend. Alessandra hasn’t found us yet, so how about we go see if we can’t find her, instead?”

Just as Karou and Warren had turned to join the stream of pedestrian traffic, Karou spotted a head of dark brown hair cloaked in a white hood that she recognised as her eldest daughter. “Uh, no need, there she is.” She waved the girl over to the storefront, and she was there within moments, eyeing over the bags Warren had.

“Oh my, It looks like someone’s had fun on their shopping spree.” Alice smiled, looking at Warren’s hands laden with the many bags.

“Ah, fun? Hardly! I enjoy dressing a certain way, but the purchasing process is tedious. A band-aid situation that’s less painful if done quickly.” Warren explained. “Buying clothes is just necessary. It’d upset people, I think, if I were to roam around nude, don’t you agree, Karou?” He nudged her upper arm with his own, grinning down at her with insinuating expression, hoping to make her blush.

His attempt at getting the gold to rise to Karou’s cheeks worked, and she timidly looked down at her feet for a moment, trying to hide it from view. When she looked up, she un-tucked the hair from behind her ear, hoping it might cover her embarrassment; that tactic didn’t work very well.

It made Alice laugh, which she didn’t try to hide, “Wouldn’t be the strangest thing ever to be seen in Enoch,” she said, stepping away from the storefront and into the street. “You should see the things people dare to wear during the Summer Solstice festival, or rather not wear... Still, there are all kinds of crazy costumes, too. Speaking of which, I do hope you’ll both be dressed to the nines at my birthday party next month.”

Karou opened her mouth to protest, but Alice stopped her.

“No, mom, you have to come, even if it means you’ll be up past your bedtime. You’re going to come and get very drunk with everyone else and have a good time. Promise? Work can wait. That will be your present to me.”

Before Karou could reply, Alice stepped ahead of them, leading the way to wherever they were supposed to be going.

“Sometimes I think she thinks she’s the parent,” Karou mumbled, just loud enough for Warren to hear.

Warren chuckled at her complaint, but he agreed with Alessandra that maybe it wouldn’t harm her to have fun and go to her daughter’s party. “You have to go. Your daughter commands it. As a matter of fact, so does your Sire.” Taking hold of her hand with his free one, he pulled her along with him as he followed Alessandra’s lead.

“You ‘re going to get all dressed up and go with me then?” She arched a brow at Warren as she pushed her sunglasses back over her eyes. “It’s quite a fancy occasion, but my personal favourite part is the food.”

“Dressing for the occasion won’t be an issue.” Warren smiled down at Karou, nodding at her question. Yes, he intended to attend along with her, assuming he was invited. He hadn’t taken it for granted that he was by default. “Seeing as it’s your birthday, I’m sure a gift is required?” Warren enquired of Alessandra; he was surely fond enough of her to get her something for her birthday.

Alice turned, so she was walking backwards. While wearing her white cloak, people moved out of her way when they saw it, giving her space so she would not accidentally knock into anyone. Sometimes its stigma was helpful. “No, no, gifts aren’t required. Gods know, I have enough stuff already. Last year Cassandra presented me with a stray cat she’d found, knowing full well that I’m allergic. She only did it so that way she could keep it when I politely declined to accept it.”

Karou remembered the incident, how Alice’s eyes had gotten all red and watery with irritation from the feline. Still, Perdita had been an incredibly cute kitten. It was typical of Cassandra; she was always finding sneaky ways to get what she wanted.

As they moved through the streets, they seemed to be moving out of the nicer part of the city and into one that looked a great deal less wealthy - the buildings were old, derelict, and some were crumbling. The people walking around weren’t dressed in bright colours but rather in simpler clothes. Some looked underfed or sickly and glanced at the trio, who were now very out of place.

At Karou’s side, Warren fell quiet as he took in the new district of Enoch they were entering. Mostly, he felt uncomfortable around the sick-looking, but he was no stranger to poverty. Rundown areas were where he’d once done his hunting - hunting on behalf of REDford, though, not for personal gain. Many of his most reliable donators were those found in areas such as this. Of course, the blood wasn’t always of the best quality - it was often polluted with drugs and, or alcohol. Still, after finding out how well bloodletting paid, most people upped the anti and donated as much as they could physically afford.

Alessandra wandered on as if she hadn’t noticed the change. She didn’t need to look around to feel the difference in the atmosphere. For the sake of her mental health, she had to block out the melancholy and misery that hung in the air like a foul smell. Her empathy informed her of the quality of people's lives in this area of town without having to scan or focus too heavily.

Meanwhile, Warren felt a little uncomfortable because he remembered what it was like to be poor. Indeed, he felt his discomfort was hypocritical and discriminatory, and he didn’t like that. Where are you taking me? He thought for Karou to hear.

Karou squeezed onto Warren’s hand a little tighter. She hoped to reassure Warren. Never before had they had any trouble with people in this area, and they had been making the trip here ever since Alice was six. This district is called The Pit. We have to pick something up for Alice. She doesn’t like going alone, so I usually go with her. Are you okay? You seem uneasy.

Truly, it was an area that Karou only ever visited when she had to, and it was generally on occasions like this.

When they finally came to their destination, it was in the worst part of the city. Though Enoch as a whole was very wealthy, this one section of it never seemed to improve, no matter how much money the Court dumped into it. They were constantly battling against the mindset of the district's residents, and some simply didn’t know how or want to alter their lifestyle. The ways of the empoverished had become ingrained into people’s traditions and passed down from generation to generation.

Alice went ahead to the porch of an old stone building with a large piece of driftwood in place of a door. Instead of curtains, towels hung in the windows as a shield against the sun.

I’m alright. This will be educational, if not a reminder of my childhood. The house we lived in on the ranch wasn’t all too dissimilar in its, how to put it, decoration.

Her thumb ran against the back of his hand, again in reassurance, to remind him that they weren’t in any danger. This was proven when the “door” creaked open, and small and frail women appeared from behind it. She looked to be in her late fifties or early sixties and was undoubtedly not celestial. Instinctively, Warren sniffed at her, and by her scent alone, he discovered that she was an elemental, probably with fragile abilities at much the same grade as his mother had. If anything, she was more mortal than mythical but had a very kind face that seemed happy to see Alice and Karou at her doorstep.

“Alice,” she greeted cheerfully in a slightly hoarse voice. She didn’t use the girl’s title, nor did she seem to be affected because Enochian Royalty had just knocked on her door. “I’m just finishing up in the kitchen, but you’re welcome to come in,” she explained and opened the “door” wide to allow them to enter.

“Thank you,” Alice said and started into the house.

The older woman started to turn as well, just as Karou and Warren would have started into the house but paused at the sight of the unfamiliar vampire. “Who’s this?” she asked, suspicious of the male stranger before her. “Is he here for something, too?” She wondered, suddenly worried that she may have come across as prejudiced rather than just cautious, so she continued to excuse herself by saying, “- because I’m short on supplies this week and barely had enough to finish Alice’s order?”

Karou smiled and looked up at Warren. “No, he’s not here as a customer. He’s here as a friend. Gretchen, this is Warren, Warren, this is Gretchen.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Gretchen, I’m sure.” Warren’s tone was polite enough but seemed dry; his social façade was sometimes prominent when meeting new people, especially those that seemed hostile toward him. “I hope you don’t find my presence uncomfortable.” He asked, alluding to the fact that he could be a threat if he had wanted since she had asked if he was rather indelicately, but still, he dropped his hand from Karou’s and held it toward Gretchen.

She didn’t welcome the gesture but relaxed, knowing that this vamperic stranger wasn’t a danger to herself or her home.

She’s a little shy around strangers, Karou explained when the woman turned into the house, having beckoned them inside with her. And she’s very aware of the fact that she’s as close to human as people get these days.

Karou urged Warren into the house with her, and, surprisingly, it was better looking inside than outside. The furniture was mismatched, but it was tidy, and well looked after. The walls were painted a calming light shade of violet and dotted with old photographs, which Warren correctly assumed were the woman’s family members.

Now, in closer confines, Karou reached for Warren’s arm and touched it's inside with her fingers as they followed the woman into a large archway that opened up into the kitchen. The room was spotless, too, and painted sage green in contrast to the rich terracotta tiles. However, there was little colour to be seen because the walls were lined with shelves hosting an array of little bottles and vials containing various chemical substances, herbs, roots, powders, and tinctures. Indeed, the place smelled pleasant with homemade cooking and botanicals, and they seemed to be in the home of an apothecary. Warren was slowly realising something about the woman whose house they’d entered.

“You pair feel free to make yourselves at home,” she said. “But don’t touch anything.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it...” Warren mumbled a little louder than what could be considered under his breath as he eyed about the house curiously.

Meanwhile, Alice had made herself right at home and had sat down at the kitchen table in front of what looked like a sophisticated chemistry set that belonged in a laboratory and not upon some little old lady’s kitchen table.

Alice was peering into one of the glass cylinders while Gretchen went over to the stove to finish working on something, and that was when Warren spotted the large cauldron-like pot sitting on the stove, with something simmering away inside it.

He’d come to lean in the archway of the kitchen and had propped his shopping bags neatly against the wall by his feet. He patted Karou’s hand, which clung to his upper arm, and opened up a telepathic connection with her by which to converse. You’ve brought me to a witch's house.

Well… Yes, but you have to keep that a secret. Witches aren’t officially permitted into Enoch. As you know, the Court aren’t fond of anything powerful that’s non-celestial in nature. Karou explained with a faint roll of her eyes.

Warren watched the woman, seeing her in a new light. His eyes flickered between Gretchen and Alessandra as the feaish witch examined the girl’s aura by motioning her hands about Alice’s head, apparently, that was how she sensed things.

“You’ve not had a good month, Alice. I can sense a great tension within. I don’t think I can mend this with medicine alone, dear. You need to take some time to recuperate.”

Alessandra merely nodded in agreement with Gretchen’s diagnosis.

Karou now continued her explanation of the apothecary. Gretchen’s father smuggled her and her mother into the city when Gretchen was a young woman. They’re originally from Germany. He was a quarter fae, and her mother was a witch. His power was not enough to pass down the genetics for her to be fae, but enough so that she’d have some of the mild faeish gifts. She can primarily detect energies. Mainly life force within plants, though she can’t will them to grow. She’s quite skilled when it comes to feeling out people’s auras. I think her magik fills in the gaps. She’s also good with coming up with an elixir for just about anything. She’s very good with Alice.

Karou paused and looked over at the woman hunched over the counter. She was measuring something out into a little graduated cylinder, her dark eyes squinting to ensure she had just the right amount.

She was very, very well known about thirty years ago when more mortals were around. She made all kinds of medications that human pharmacists couldn’t. But when the mortals started dying off, she lost customers and had to relocate here to find any business. When her sons all died, she spent a fortune to make sure her grandchildren were taken care of. So now she lives here and makes medications you can’t get anywhere else.

What exactly does she help Alessandra with? Warren asked while focused on watching Alessandra watch Gretchen. Her head turned around when he thought her name, and their eyes met. It spooked him for a moment - he flinched, and his brow had furrowed but relaxed when Alessandra’s face lit up with a friendly smile. When he returned the gesture, she looked away quickly and back to Gretchen. Her shyness was hidden by Gretchen’s interaction with her when she handed her a teacup of something to drink.

Alice took the cup with a nod of gratitude and sipped at the brew quietly. She had been very aware that her mother and Warren were communicating. Her empathy let her know that someone in the room had formed a link with another. She’d quickly sensed that it had been Warren and her mother. Though she hadn’t breached their conversation, the feeling she got from Warren when her name had entered his head was very distinct to her. He also felt a very particular way whenever he had Karou on his mind, too, and Alice enjoyed leeching off of that feeling if she were honest.

She’d guessed that Warren was most likely very curious about why they were there. As if by magik, or as though she’d read his mind, she met his eyes from over the rim of her teacup and said, “I’ve got epilepsy,” she said, though not with any embarrassment. “Gretchen’s medicines help me through my rough patches in ways that celestial doctors can’t.”

Gretchen turned from the counter and filled a small blue bottle with a handful of capsules she’d made up and then set it before Alessandra.

“Thank you, Gretchen, and for the tea, too. It was delicious,” Alice said, appreciatively slipping the bottle into her pocket and setting down her empty teacup. The brew had settled her nerves a great deal.

“It’s not a problem, dearie,” she said, smiling and stroking a caring hand over the crown of Alice’s head endearingly.

Alice rose from her chair, ready to leave when the others were, but as Warren gathered his shopping bags from his feet, Gretchen appeared before him and offered a bottle of capsules.

“For your bum leg,” Was all she said in explanation.

How does she know about that? He wondered. He wasn’t in any pain today.

“Uh… thank… you.” Warren took the bottle from her and nodded appreciatively. “What’s your price?” He asked, his hand hovering over his pants pocket for his wallet.

“If it works, I’ll charge you when you come back. If it doesn’t, it’s free. I find it unfair to charge people if the product is useless. Plus, it’s an incentive for you to come back for more.” She arched both thin, grey brows, smiled and tottered back to tidy up her workspace.

“Sounds fair enough.” With this, Warren left his wallet in his pocket and looked at Karou and Alessandra as if to ask if they were ready to leave. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Gretchen.”

“Thanks again, Gretchen,” Karou said politely. “We’ll be back again in three weeks for a refill.”

Alice turned and led Karou out of the little house by the arm. When they were back in the sun, she let go of her mother and made room for Warren to exit, explaining, “I’ve got to head back to the Palace now; it’s too busy for me to stay out too long.”

“Alright, sweetie, I’ll see you at dinner then,” Karou replied. Alice nodded and took off in the direction from where they had come, leaving Karou alone with Warren.

“So,” she said, looking up at him. “Where would you like to go now?”

“Where ever you’d like to...” Warren took hold of her hand once more and stepped down from the porch, waiting for her to lead him in a direction.