We settled in the next town. I used some of the gold to buy a small shop on the main road. I turned the small shop not into a smithy, but a simple watch repair shop.

Chryssie still only sat around with a blank look on her face all day. I wasn't sure what I should do to help her. She ate food, and slept, but not much else. It was as if her soul had been drained out of her.

The watch shop did well. There were no other repairs nearby, and I made a type of wood watch that became increasingly popular among the townsfolk, as the work was cheap and it told time well. Small wood gears, and fine water work. A small reservoir dripped into another reservoir that turned a set of small gears. It had to be refilled about every two hours, but I made it so that they were adjustable and could be changed to the correct time. When you thought about it, everyone around had a watch or two; someone was bound to have the right time. And water clocks were a thing. Just change to the right time.

People always love low maintenance, high functionality.

I didn’t earn much, but it was enough to keep me and Chryssie from having to rely on the supply of money from Mitriel.

About a month after we settled in the town, the same troop of soldiers came knocking around. I answered the door to a duo of armored foot soldiers. They muscled their way around me and into the shop.

“Ah. Good morning sirs. Can I interest you in wood watches?”

“Shut up peasant.” The younger of the two spoke with an irritable arrogance.

“Now, now, Michael.” The older man looked at me with a fake smile. “We’re looking for a running pair of elfs, one of which is a child, and the other which is about in his teens to twenties. Have you seen them around?”

“No sir. It’s just me and my watches here, sir, I don't know about any elves.”

“Really? Is there an upstairs here, lad?”

“Yes sir. Would you like to take a look?”

“Lead the way.”

I led them through the house. They looked in every room, knocking on walls and floorboards. When they came across a creaky floorboard, they were sure to pry it up.

“Sirs, sirs. No need for that, this is my home - “

The young one swiveled around with his sword half drawn.

“Yeh got a problem?”

“No…it’s only - “

“What is this?”

The older man held up a small pouch of silver.

I took on a worried expression. “Sirs, please - that’s my father’s inheritance. It’s all of his saving of a lifetime, I pray you spare me - “

“Now, now boy. Listen to me here. We take this pouch here, and you don’t tell none about this eh?”

“Sirs - that’s my father’s saving of a lifetime, I-”

The younger one pulled out his sword and pointed it at me.

I pretended to quiet. “But…but of course, i’d be willing to part with it - to ah, supply you with a bit of a tip!”

“Good lad.”

They took the money and walked out of my store. I shrugged. I’d cursed the silver. They’d find that the silver would be a nice tip, but their demise.

I roused Chryssie to eat some breakfast. We should prepare to leave within the next week. The arrival of soldiers was not good for either of us. There would be more to come.

About three days later, I had packed everything and was prepared to leave. Chryssie and I had dressed appropriately for the onslaught of winter.

As we walked out of the town, We bumped into a lone traveler dressed in a green cloak hurrying into the town. My nose picked up the sharp scent of blood.

I hurriedly dipped my head and apologized to the traveler. However, the second that I raised my eyes to look at the stranger's face, I was shocked to see…

A pair of jade green eyes staring back at me. Skin smoother than a calm lake, and paler than the first snow. Cherry colored lips, and delicate features.

“Jade…” I breathlessly whispered.