"You should really try thinking about the big picture." The Attendant offered.

"Which is?" I asked.

He turned from Deanne as if I materialized out of thin air.

"The honor, the business," he stopped to put another handful of mixed nuts into his mouth. "The privilege."

"You lack any honor." Deanne spat out, clearly frazzled.

The Attendant rose to his feet as the guards braced themselves with hands on their hilts.

"Hold on now, everybody, calm down," I said, setting a hand on Deanne's shoulder. "Can we have a day or two to talk about this?"

"Who are you to make requests of me?"

"He's my partner," Deanne replied. "And the one making the clothes you want so badly."

"Oh, Mersault, the Wizard of Hearston, I've heard so much about you." The Attendant's aggression swapped very quickly to fascination. "I thought you'd be taller."

"Well, I'm not a Wizard, so don't believe everything you hear."

"Right," he replied, sounding unconvinced.

"So, a day or two to talk it over?"

The Attendant paused for a second, looking over at his guards with hands still on their hilts.

"Fine. You have until tomorrow to convince your 'partner' of the move."

"Or?"

The Attendant smiled. "See you tomorrow, Wizard of Hearston."

The guards followed their portly master out of the shop. Only once they left the building did I drop whatever sense of composure I was clinging to.

"What the hell was that?!" I demanded of Deanne.

"The Salinel Assembly wants us to move out of Hearston and into their city."

I followed Deanne upstairs to the family's apartment. It was a modest 3-bedroom apartment with the attic space I converted into an extra bedroom. Everything was wooden like all of the buildings in Hearston. The attic was tight but had everything I needed, ignoring the stray bird or insect that tried to share the space with me.

She entered her kitchen and grabbed some semi-clean glasses out of a cabinet. Pulled up a chair and grabbed a bottle of liquid off of the topside of a lower support beam.

"Why not move? There's probably more money for us there."

"Hearston is my home. It's where I raised my daughters and met their father. I was born here, and I hope it's where I die."

"Okay, so Salinel is a no-go. No big deal, but is saying no even an option for us?"

"Did it seem like an option?" She slid a glass of clear liquid towards me.

"Not really," I pulled the glass up to my mouth and was overcome by the smell of jet fuel.

I think my distaste might have been noticeable as she laughed. As much as I didn't want to be laughed at, It was nice to see a change in her demeanor, as brief as it was.

"Maybe we could offer them a deal?" I asked.

"What kind of deal?"

"Not sure, maybe custom clothing, exclusive designs, but only if we're allowed to work out of Hearston."

"Maybe." She sounded unsure and took a long pull from her drink.

"What other options do we have?"

"None, I suppose."

"How about I talk to them tomorrow?" I asked. "It seems like it might be a sore subject for you."

She downed her glass of incredibly flammable liquid and nodded her head slowly.

"Thank you."

"It's just a conversation. I can't guarantee they'll say yes."

"No, thank you for helping me, my family."

"We helped each other. Plain and simple."

She looked back at me through tear-filled eyes, looking grateful but scared.

I decided to take a trip to Salinel to gain insight into our competitors. The streets were bustling as vendors shouted at people passing on the road. I made a point to avoid the shop I had inadvertently stolen from earlier and specifically went to some of the higher-priced shops. Though I wore a cowl in case that shop owner shared my likeness across any other shops.

I learned that our shop didn't have the nicest clothes, just the most fully stocked. It took other tailors days to do what I could accomplish in several seconds thanks to my skill, and if I knew what the customer looked like before purchase, it would be perfectly fitted to their frame. Throw in our low cost of operation, and even the town's beggars could afford to look dapper. It seemed our business model had become quantity over quality.

A series of bells rang out as I entered The Gilded Hare. It was comparatively the most expensive store that I had entered. The smell of potpourri and rich incense filled the shop, accosting my sinuses as I entered. As I entered, a clerk looked up from tidying tables, pointed ears struck through strands of her auburn hair. I wanted to inquire about her ears but suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed, was it impolite to ask about ear shape?

"Good morning." The clerk said as she observed all aspects of my attire. "Are you lost?"

"No?" I replied, deciding it was probably best to leave the ear questions alone. "I'm looking for some new looks."

"Well, if you can afford it, you've come to the right place. Starting price for a complete ensemble is about twenty-five Nyra."

"No issue," I lied, knowing that was the entirety of what I've made in the month since the shop opened. "I'll just look around if that's okay?"

The shop was laid out somewhat familiarly. Porcelain mannequins stood on tables dressed in society's modern fashions. It's probably the only time I've felt like I've been home since I showed up in this unstable city. I ran my hand through an ivory jacket that felt like a silk wool blend and noticed a corner of the shop that aesthetically did not match the rest. A twin set of battle axes hung across the support beams of the shop while the mannequins looked like metal and wood instead of porcelain.

I ventured over curiously when the shop keep stopped me.

"That's our Voyager section." She started. "Tear-resistant cloth, lightweave, beast repellant fabrics. Perfect for your average beast banisher or battlemage."

"Interesting."

I ran my hands through a cowl laid across the Voyager table. A layer of smooth satin covered with a light fuzz only perceptible through touch.

"That's one of my favorite pieces." The clerk said, suddenly appearing by my side.

She took it from my hand, holding it closer to one of the candles around the shop. I was slightly offended before I realized what she was trying to show me. Holding the garment directly above the flame caused no effect whatsoever. The cowl didn't catch or even char slightly from the candle.

"See? A lot of beasts or mages weaponize fire. A lot of our Voyagers love this fabric for its resistance."

"Remarkable," I replied, an idea suddenly popping into my head. "Do you make your clothing in-house?"

"Yeah, we have a shop upstairs. Why?"

"Could I buy some of your scraps?"

I skipped home with a smile spread across my face. The clerk cut me a great deal on the scraps, and I tested my theory once I exited the city. Breaking down and reforming the fabric clippings into a sheet of workable cloth. I made plans to buy up all the scrap fabric from the tailors around town, getting rare materials at an extreme discount. I applauded my genius, patting myself on my back and laughing. That was until I noticed the crowd gathered around The General Muir for the second time today.

Katherine sat at the doors to our shop, holding a weeping Colter and Jessica in her arms. The crowd split as I approached the shop. The windows were bashed in. As I peered through the shattered glass, I could see all our merchandise and tables had been destroyed.

"Katherine, what happened?"

"They took her," Katherine replied, maintaining her composure.

She handed me a letter and a small sack that jangled like it was filled with Nyra.

Wizard of Hearston,

Deanne is comfortably resting in your new shop at the corner of Butcher and Limegrind. Apologies for the mess; my men had some accidents on the way out. Even good help can be so clumsy sometimes! I have no doubt this is enough Nyra to cover the damages.

Looking forward to our meeting tomorrow,

-Degrasse Le Montaine, Attendant of the Salinel Assembly

I was filled with rage. I didn't think they would return so quickly or ransack Deanne's home, my home like this. I underestimated them, but more importantly, they underestimated me.

I handed the gold back to Katherine and pocketed the letter. Then headed into the fields surrounding Salinel to prepare for my meeting the following day.

"Where are you going?" Katherine asked.

"Hunting."