"I have some sturdy shoes and with you weighing almost nothing I will endure until you sorted your feet out." Abomentolor replies turning Niamh in circles.
Gwenhwyfar snuggles up to Jimmy's breast as he draws her close. She enjoys the slow movement in Jimmy's embrace.
"Do you practised dancing before?" Niamh asks in admiration of his dance performing.
"Not really but I enjoy it anyway." the gnome answers.
Jimmy kisses the top of Gwen's head as they sway in time to the music
Outside the room
________________________
Tauriell walks after the waiter into the massage room. She takes off her clothes and lies down on the bed.
Two masseurs kneed through every muscle in her body and her mood rises quite a bit.
As they are done she puts on her clothes again readying herself to go back. But she decides against that and with all her stuff she leaves out another exit. She walks over to washers row and seeks out the tent of the 'Great' Zograthy. She walks in without knocking.
The Great Zograthy greets the elf with his standard offer. "The Amazing Zograthy sees all and knows all. A double fist of silver for a turn of the cards or a vision in the crystal; a treble fist of gold for the secrets of the multiverse."
"Save your breath." Tauriell replies. "I'm here for business. I have some stuff I want to sell and you seem to be in the business for that stuff."
Tauriell takes down her backpack and puts the stuff on the table. 3 doses of id moss, 2 doses of striped toadstool, 10 doses of flayleaf, 8 doses of pesh, an elixir of love and an elixir of truth.
"What are you paying for that?" Tauriell asks.
The Great Zograthy takes a look at the different items stacked on his table. Taking some of the containers in ihs hands he checks on the contents. "Well. I don't know you and can't be sure what quality you bring me here. But I had a good day so far. I'd say 500gp for all that."
"Cut the crap. I know what it is worth. I want 100pp." Tauriell states.
"You want to rob me of my hard earned money! 600gp and not more." Zograthy replies.
"I want a serious offer. If not I can force feed you that love potion. And then sell you the rest for 100pp" Tauriell suggests.
"You're a particularly tough negotiator." Zograthy says and grabs a bag from under his seat cushion. He counts out 81pp. "That's my last offer. If you don't like it you have to sell it somewhere else."
Tauriell takes the coins. "Next time you can simply start with that and save us both some time." She puts the coins in her pouch and holds it tight in her hand, the other hand on the handle of her blade.
She leaves the crowded lane and walks to the Most Excellent Order of Smiths. She approaches Thomas who is standing at the reception. "Hi Thomas. I'm back for some armor." She greets him.
"Nice to see you again. What kind of armor would you like to have?" Thomas replies leaving out all niceties as the elf seems to be all business.
"The best light armor you have." Tauriell answers. "Or the best I could afford" she adds remembering what she was offered last time.
"I guess standard items are not interesting? Then mithral chain shirt it is. With or without enchantments?" Thomas asks while walking Tauriell to the shelves.
"How much is it? And what do the enchantments cost?" Tauriell asks.
"It is 110pp and the enchantments start at another 100pp" Thomas informs her.
"Then the unenchanted shirt it is." Tauriell replies grabbing one in her size from the shelf. Her face brigthens as she holds the light weight shirt in her hand. "Where can I try that on?"
Thomas shows her the cabin.
Tauriell drops her stuff in the cabin and takes off her leather armor and her blouse. She dons the shirt over her tank top and puts on the blouse again. She closes her blouse up to the last button. Th shirt doesn't show any more. She picks up her stuff and walks back to Thomas again taking out the pouch. "Here is the money." she says counting out the coins. "I also need some arrows. Like 40 of them."
"I'll get you some." Thomas replies and fetches two quivers full of arrows. "It's a pleasure to do business with you." Thomas says and collects the coins.
"Same to you." Tauriell replies. "Please take care of that for me." she says handing him the leather armor and turns and leaves the building again. "Where to now?" she asks herself.
Tauriell decides to go to Heidmarch Manor. She grabs some kid on the way offers it two copper and tells it "Go to the Gilded Cage and tell them you have a message for Jimmy Fiddle. Tell him Tauriell went home to the Manor. Mr. Fiddle will then give you two more copper."
Sending the kid off she walks through the city and after a relaxed stroll through the sun she walks to the Manor House and knocks.
Margaret opens the door and seeing Tauriell she asks "Good afternoon. What can I do for you?"
"Good afternoon to you too." Tauriell answers doing a curtsey. "I expect some reward from the city guard to be delivered here for Gwenhwyfar. Did that arrive already?"
"Indeed. But you are not Miss Yongisdottir. Please follow me." Margaret replies and leads Tauriell to the office of Mrs. Heidmarch. She gestures Tauriell to wait and walks into the office.
Shortly thereafter Margaret comes out and holds the door open for the elf. "Mrs. Heidmarch receives you now."
Tauriell walks into the room and stands in front of the desk. "Good afternoon." she says with a smile.
"Good afternoon." Mrs. Heidmarch replies. "You seem to be in a good mood today."
"Take a seat please. Margaret informed me that you're here for the reward sent to Gwenhwyfar?"
"Yes that is correct." Tauriell replies. "You have it?"
"Yes. The reward, my share and a letter from Officer Kasadei thanking the Pathfinders and especially the group led by Miss Gwenhwyfar Yongisdottir for solving the mystery around the disappearances."
"That is quite an achievement. These disappearances damaged the mayor's reputation as the rumors led many folks to believe the city guard is not willing or not able to take care of it. She also mentioned an orange haired elf who did all the bidding but didn't tell her name."
Looking at Tauriell Mrs. Heidmarch asks "It's none of my business. But I'm wondering what's the reason for that?"
"They don't need to know it. And I prefer to keep a low profile. The last thing I need is the guard running around and asking people if they have seen an elf named Tauriell. They have a name and an address to bring the money to. That's sufficient." Tauriell replies truthfully.
"If you keep solving the city's greatest mysteries that low profile thing will not work. But that's up to you." she says putting a pouch on the table. "That's 100 platinum. Please give them to the designated recipient."
"Thank you very much." Tauriell replies and takes the pouch. "I'll make sure it is delivered. Have a good day."
She then gets up and leaves Mrs. Heidmarchs office.
"To you too." Mrs. Heidmarch replies. Shaking her head she goes back to her work.
Tauriell walks to the guest house. Looking at the pouch she states "That would have been the enchantment on my armor. She puts the pouch on the table and herself to bed.
She enjoys the silence listening to the singing of the birds and humming of the insects through the window.
On the dance floor
________________________
The band stops playing, bows to the audience and leaves the stage to the next act. From behind the curtain a large champagne glass is pushed on stage by two muscular guys in black pants and bow ties. In the glass sits a scantily clad girl that starts with lascivious gymnastics. Two gnome girls with blue and yellow hair come out and cast lights in different colors for the ambience and some other effects that might be illusions covering or revealing parts of the girl behind large flowers in the water and butterflies in the air.
As the music stops Gwenhwyfar looks at the stage with a sad expression on her face. "Why did they stop?"
As the next act starts Gwenhwyfar has mixes feelings. The lights and flowers and butterflies are amazing but looking at the girl is embarrassing to her and she can't decide if she wants to look or look away and freezes unable to decide.
"Shall we head back to the table?" Jimmy says looking at her, seeing she is uncomfortable with the dancer he says, "The music was much better than this. Is there something else you would prefer to do?"
"Yes please." Gwenhwyfar says following Jimmy to their seat. Sitting down she asks "Why does she do this? I mean she doesn't seem to care but why show that to an audience?" she asks unable to look away.
As the music stops Abomentolor leads Niamh back to the table too. He is fascinated by the performance. "Look at these gnome girls. They really know what they do! It's no fire magic but they are real artists."
He looks in awe as they throw around the lights and scenery on the stage.
"Wow. You find that beatiful without fire in it. Are you sick?" Niamh teases Abomentolor sitting down.
"If everyone would dabble in fire that would be boring."
"Have you see their beautiful hair?" Abomentolor asks. Obviously he has been too long without other gnome company. He has a hard time to keep himself on his seat.
"Well yes. They have really.. interesting coloured hairs. Maybe you can meet them after the show, you fidget." Niamh replies.
"They show it because people watch it. You are watching too I notice." Jimmy says watching Gwen
Gwenhwyfar hides her face in her hands. "It's fascinating. But isn't that bad?" she asks unsettled.
"Why do you say that?"
"You never see people doing that in public. At least not in Sandpoint. And it definitely feels like a guilty pleasure." Gwenhwyfar replies.