The rest of the day passed in a blur. Or maybe it would be better to say that I was in a daze. As the Arcanist's assistants returned they started taking my measurements in earnest. And it wasn't just the usual measurements one might have taken to have some custom tailored clothes made. They thoroughly analyzed my movements as well as they had me go through all kinds of exercises. In the end they even had me fight against one of their number with training weapons. When the master crafter was satisfied I was once again covered in sweat. I was just about ready to drop back into bed as well. The sweltering heat of the forge hadn't helped either.

As I left the forge I left it without my armor. I had come to wear it so often that I really missed my trusty wyvern scale mail. I felt downright naked as the forge's gates closed behind me again despite sill wearing my tunic. And while the cooler air out here felt pleasant on my sweat covered skin at first it quickly had adverse effects. Goosebumps spread over my arms and I couldn't help but sneeze.

Gib didn't seem to mind though. He just chuckled. “A common reaction for many after their first day in the forge. It can happen to those going out on patrol as well as they return. Let us get ye some tea on our way to yer quarters. The alchemists and apothecaries have all kinds of cures that don't actually manage to cure the coughs and sniffles but at least they make them a little more bearable.”

I laughed although I could already feel my throat ache a little. Maybe that was only because I was parched despite having regular breaks to have a drink in there. Yes, some tea really sounded good about now. “Tea sounds good, but don't tell me they made ye wait out here all day?”

He waved me off and flashed me a grin. “No. I would have brought a book if there had been even a remote chance of that happening.” He offered me a bundle of cloth held together by plain ribbons as we started to make our way back out into the city. “They rushed me off to the tailors to have some thing made for ye as soon as they had the necessary measurements.” He rubbed the back of his head, blushing a little in embarrassment. “I wouldn't usually dare to comment on matters of fashion but ye tunic is starting to show a little wear and tear.”

I blinked dumbly and looked from the bundle in my hands to the clothes I was wearing and back. Well, the assessment wasn't entirely inaccurate. In the end I just nodded. “It is showing a little wear and tear.” I poked my finger through one of the more recent holes the garment had developed. “The rough washing back at the hot springs probably didn't help either. And neither did being on the run from a dragon.”

He raised an eyebrow and looked up at me again while running his fingers across his beard. “Ah, that was it! I had been wondering about the scorch marks! It must have been a pretty close call at some point!”

I laughed out loud at that exclamation. He wasn't wrong. Now I was the one scratching at the back of their head in embarrassment. “More than once. Roaring in its face in deviance probably didn't exactly help. But then again, it bought others some time to get away.”

He listened with rapt attention as I talked and actually looked impressed. “Well, ye are alive and can tell the tale. That is not something many who have ever come face to face with one of those beasts can claim. Teeth, claws, scales, flaming breath, wings and a temper to match it all. They are real nasty pieces of work, them dragons. The one ye faced probably was the one who usually makes her home in the Eye of Gondragar, a nearby volcano. Our scouts reported that she left a little while ago! There are entire tomes in our library telling the tales of the cities and kingdoms she already destroyed!”

I blinked and almost missed a step as he told me about the dragon. “Ye seem pretty well informed about things happening outside ye city and its immediate environs.”

He blushed again. “Well, I can't really tell ye how. Matters of security. But it shouldn't really surprise ye that we keep a tight watch on great threats like that, especially when they make their home to close for comfort.” He laughed out loud. “Ye know, our ancestors made sure to purge the city of every last grain of gold when they first became aware of that dragon's presence! Ye know, just in case. Ye really don't want to draw its attention by accident.”

Soon after we were back into the lively streets, tunnels and galleries of the city with plenty of its inhabitants crowding close to get a look. Apparently I still was an attraction of sorts. For a little while we walked in silence as I pondered how Gash'zur might have fared today. Had she drawn crowds like that as well? Had she even left our suite of rooms? Well, I would find out soon enough.

I would have kept walking if Gib hadn't held out a hand all of a sudden, stopping me. He pointed at a sign over the door of one of the nearby shops. “That is an apothecary. Let us get ye some tea and medicine for the cold ye are developing.”

By now my nose was a little runny thus I didn't disagree with him. I looked up at the sign once more before entering after him. Herbs, some other plants and a potion bottle? I would keep it in mind if I ever needed to get some medicine on my own during our stay here, even if that was rather unlikely. I ducked a little as I entered. The ceiling wasn't actually that low but it still was lower than outside. There wasn't a whole lot of room to move around inside either. Not for me anyway. My goblin escort had not trouble moving in between the shelves and tables. I on the other hand had to be careful not to knock anything over.

An old couple was minding the store. Their ears were as big as any goblin's but the drooped a little lower and their faces were more wrinkly. They wore heavily ornamented robes. I couldn't say for sure but these robes probably denoted them as medical professionals of some sort. I bowed carefully as they looked me over and cleared my throat but in the end it was Gib who spoke up in my stead.

Or at least he wanted to speak up. The old woman just held up a hand though, silencing him before he could even get started. I could feel a spell being cast and a moment later a tingly feeling washed over me. Curious, I had never seen magic used like that. Kaele probably do just about everything to a learn a diagnostic spell like that, if I was right in my assumptions about the spell at least.

The tingly feeling kept washing over me whenever the old woman looked at me. And as she looked at me she kept scribbling notes on a piece of paper. Or was it cardboard? I wasn't quite sure. Either way I couldn't make any sense of what she wrote. Should I learn to read their script? Would we even stay long enough to do it?

Finally the old woman was done though and she started gathering herbs. Some she ground only roughly before filling several metal bins with them. Once they were filled she sealed them with what I assumed to be bee's wax. That wasn't all though. Without pause she started gathering even more things which she started grinding up much finer before filling them into similar containers.

Gib started shifting his weight nervously as she kept going and I bent down to speak to him in hushed tones. “What is up?”

He scratched his nose before answering. “Ah, she is preparing a few more things for ye. Spices and other nutritional supplements. Apparently ye haven't been eating right.” He glanced at the old woman's notes. "She wants ye to eat more in general as well." He sounded a little nervous. As I raised an eyebrow he continued. “And she is scaling up the portions liberally since ye are bigger than her usual patient.”

I blinked confused. “Well yes, our diet hasn't been terribly balanced since we came down here and maybe not before either. When you move with an army through enemy territory your meals tend to be a little one sided at times.”

He nodded at my words but apparently he was still nervous. Finally another thought occurred to me as I looked at the containers which started piling up on the counter. “Its going to be expensive, isn't it?”

He nodded again. “A little but I think we can manage.” He looked at one of the other guards who had once again accompanied us. That one had grown a little pale as well but nodded anyway. “Well, I'll have to speak with my superiors later about providing some additional funds. It shouldn't be a problem really. It is just that we are lacking a little in experience regarding guests of yer stature. I'm terribly sorry about that.”

At long last the old apothecary was finally done. Gib and the other guard paid for the purchase and we started gathering up the things the old woman had prepared. By the time we made our way back out of her shop we all had our arms full.