Tom froze.

I love you, Tom Walker, she said.

Tom tried hard not to react.

It's a language problem. She doesn't mean it. Does she? Did Joan teach her the word “love”? No. Maybe. No. Wishful thinking. Tom was struggling to think with the blood roaring in his ears. Diavla seemed to realize that Tom was stressed by her words. Her face fell. Tom took her wrists and, gently but firmly, pulled her hands away from him.

“Eubexa no sleep, we talk, Diavla. I like you. I like you very much. Big, big words. We wait. Eubexa help.”

“I say bad?”

Tom hesitated. “Maybe? I don't know. We wait for Eubexa.”

“Tom…” Diavla paused, then nodded. “You are right. We wait for Eubexa. I say bad, I am sorry.”

Tom nodded back, and took a deep breath. “We go now. We come back here soon. Uh, we go here soon.”

“I understand. Good…good get,” Diavla tried. I think she means “good luck”.

“I understand. Thank you.” Tom tried to smile for her so that she wouldn't worry, and from her expression, he failed. Nothing for it, for now. He opened the door and walked out. The other elves were waiting. “We go now,” he told them, and led the way down the stairs. Varga seemed puzzled at his expression, but Tom didn't look back until they were out of the building.

He walked over to their wagon, still outside from when he had carried Eubexa in. He tossed the little girl watching it a copper, and she snatched it out of the air. “Thank you, little one.” He made sure she was looking, and tossed her a second copper. This time she dropped it, but immediately dove for the coin.

“Thank you, sir!”

Tom pointed at the wagon. “We use wagon, we go to Oak Mill. We need what?”

“Blankets,” Kervan said at once. He gave a rapid translation in Elvish for the others.

“Food,” Orvan added.

“Wine,” Varga suggested.

“No wine,” Tom told her. “You drink in Oak Mill.” Varga scowled at him, but didn't reply.

After a bit of discussion, they went in search of a wheelwright, and got the wagon maintained, including buying a spare wheel in case of another mishap. They also got a nice new replacement cover to protect them from the elements. Tom paid extra—a lot extra—to get one that was waterproof.

Next, they went for general goods like blankets, ropes, and a new hatchet for chopping firewood. Tom was careful to avoid Hooper and Drum, but they were not the only general store in the city. When they started shopping for provisions for the trip to come, Orvan took charge, with Kervan translating and reading the prices. A casual question asked of a merchant in the food market told him that Oak Mill was twelve days away on the roads. They got plenty of food, since Tom didn't know yet whether all of the elves would be coming along or not. They also avoided foods that spoiled very quickly, since they weren't sure exactly when they were leaving, yet.

On the way back to the rooms, they bought a meal from vendors. Tom cautioned himself to be aware of how much he was spending; freeing Eubexa alone had taken nearly five gold out of his seventeen, and he had plenty of other things to buy. I'd really like to treat the elves to a fancy dinner before we go, but I don't know whether that will be possible.

When they returned, Eubexa was fighting with Diavla over taking her medicine. “You need (something something) pain,” Diavla was saying.

“I need (something something) translate (something something).” Eubexa's veil hid details that might have been helpful for him to understand. She held herself fairly still as she sat up in bed, propped up by a small bundle.

Tom didn't know how long they had been fighting, but decided to step in. “Hello, Diavla. Eubexa and I talk, please? You wait, please?” Diavla looked ready to argue with him for a moment, then lowered her gaze and nodded.

“I go here soon,” Diavla promised in Western, getting up to leave with a jar of medicine.

“ ‘Come’, Diavla,” Eubexa reminded her.

“Yes. I come soon,” Diavla tried again. Tom blinked, then did his best not to smile at the quirk of language. Eubexa said something quickly to Diavla on her way out, and she nodded in acknowledgement before closing the door behind her.

For a moment, they looked at each other in silence. Eubexa actually spoke first. “Hello, Master. How may I serve you?”

“Well,” Tom began, sitting in the room's only chair, “I want you to answer a few questions for me and translate for a minute, then I want you to take your medicine. I invested in you, and I don't want to lose my investment. Don't undo the healer's good work.”

“As you wish, Master.” Tom repressed a sigh at the title. The sooner I get this done, the sooner she takes her medicine. Not worth fighting over right now.

“First, I should tell you. Within a day or two, I will be leaving on a journey south. I would like all of you elves to come with me, but I will not insist upon it, because it is dangerous. There is a new, serious hazard in the Great Oak Forest these days.” Tom decided to go slowly while revealing the facts, since he knew almost nothing of Eubexa's nature yet.

“What would we do, if we stay?”

Tom took a breath. “I would do my best to find someone to take care of all of you who wish to stay. I've met a few good people since coming to town. It's risky, because I don't know them as well as I'd like to, before offering to sell you to them.” Eubexa didn't react, and Tom wondered if that was because she was alarmed, or secretive, or what.

“If we go, what would we be doing?”

“I'm going to travel to Oak Mill, and set up a place there. I will be searching in the woods for something, making day trips, along with any of the elves who want to help. If you come along, you will be staying in town with one or more of the other elves. Once I find everything I need, I suspect we will be moving on, though I need to figure out our next destination.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“You will not be returning to Rivermarch, Master?”

“Not if I can avoid it. I've drawn too much attention already.”

Eubexa's head tilted slightly. “May I ask how?”

“I had to speak with Lord Rivermarch and a few prominent people in the city. I'd rather avoid some noble taking an interest in you elves and taking you away from me without my consent. That's why I want to get moving sooner rather than later. Also, there's some urgency to my search of the wilds. I'll tell you more details when I can.”

“Understood, Master.”

Not worth arguing about the title right now, he reminded himself.

“Anyway, when you have the opportunity, I'd like you to explain that much to the other elves; they know a bit more than I'm saying now. I want you to make clear that no one has to come and I will respect their wishes, and take them into account when finding them a new home, if need be. That said, I hope they choose to come along because I will be better able to protect them, and I still have the goal of getting you all safely on a boat to Salathin.”

“I will, Master.”

Tom tried to think of his most urgent translating needs. One popped up in his soul right away. “On…another matter…”

“Yes, Master?”

“Diavla has learned a lot of Western, but we still have a long way to go. Earlier—please keep this in confidence between Diavla, me and yourself—Diavla said, ‘I love you, Tom Walker.’ ” Eubexa stirred slightly at that. Tom swallowed, a bit uncomfortable. “I don't know whether or not she understands what that can mean in Western. I'd like you to explain the language issue, and help her to express whatever she did mean, later.”

“Certainly, Master. I see that that is very important.”

Tom nodded. He took a deep breath. “There's one other thing I'd like to know, before we leave the city. Um, it's about elves, and the way you do things.”

“Yes, Master?”

“I, um…I am wondering whether giving a small gift…I mean, a man giving a woman—a woman elf—a gift…um…well, whether it means something very significant. I don't want to accidentally say something with a gift that I didn't mean to.”

“I…see. If I may ask, Master, what do you want to convey with the gift?”

Good question. Tom took a deep breath, thinking. “I want to give a symbol of…friendship. One that doesn't…rule out…someday…um…romantic interest.”

Eubexa was quiet for several moments. “This…has some subtlety to it, Master. Elven courtships have a number of different forms, with different goals in mind. Some are aimed at dalliance, others at what you might call marriage among humans, and others at procreation.”

Tom furrowed his brow. “What's ‘procreation’?”

“Babies.”

“Oh.” Tom grinned a little. “Not relevant in this case.”

“Indeed.”

“So…what would you recommend?”

“Well…” Eubexa paused.

In the silence, Tom heard a little gasp, and looked at Eubexa more sharply. “Are you in a lot of pain, Eubexa?”

“Master, I can—”

“I didn't ask what you can do, I—you know what, never mind, it's obvious. You need your medicine for the pain.”

“Master, I—”

Tom held up a hand. “No arguments, Eubexa. I didn't mean to push you too hard. With the veil, I can't see as easily when you are hurting. I'll get Diavla.”

“A silver ring,” Eubexa said quickly, as Tom stood.

“What?”

“A silver ring, with either engraved knotwork, or a small… stone to match her eyes. That's… my recommendation.” She was clearly having more trouble speaking through the pain.

“Thank you, Eubexa. You did all the most important things I wanted. Rest now. I'll need you more later, but for now, focus on healing.”

“Yes, Master…”

A couple of minutes later, after a brief Elvish conversation, Eubexa was asleep again and Diavla carefully packed up the medicine. While she was doing that, Tom searched through his packs. Speaking of rings…aha! He found the correct pouch and sure enough, Davis the Knife's ruby ring was there. Tom put it on, rather than drop it into a pouch that might get pickpocketed.

We've got a lot to do, yet… Tom tried to think of how to be efficient. “Who stay here?” he asked in Elvish.

Kervan raised his hand. “I sleep.” The elf looked dead on his feet. That's right, he had an all-night adventure. I'll have to hear about that later.

“I will stay,” Orvan declared. “I will watch Eubexa.”

Tom looked around. That leaves me and the lovely ladies. Split up? Tom didn't like the thought of the women wandering around Rivermarch without him. We've been lucky so far, but…better to stay together.

Tom fumbled his way through freeing Kervan and Orvan from their collars, then turned to the other elves. “We go?”

Diavla and Varga both smiled at him and nodded. For a moment, Tom got distracted, looking at the two of them. Varga's green eyes twinkled, and she playfully preened for him a bit in her green dress. Diavla's amber eyes shone and her smile lit her face like a sunset. When she mimicked Varga, turning sideways to show off, Tom's mouth went dry.

They let that dress out. I know they did. Diavla's been eating extra, and apparently, it has all been going to the best of places. Gods above, the fabric is straining and it is a beautiful sight.

And, for all of that, her smile hits me just as hard. And the wit behind those eyes of her is—

Varga cleared her throat loudly to get Tom's attention. He looked at her face, guiltily; she wore a slightly sour smile. “Saa, I can't (something) your (something), Tom. Diavla is very (something something) dress.” She put her palms over her modest breasts. “Dee, you (something something) me how you (something). I am no good.”

Tom couldn't leave that be and call himself a gentleman. He had been rude, and he should fix it. He stepped closer, looking her in the eyes. “Varga, you are beautiful and.” She furrowed her brow. Tom tried again. “You are beautiful more.”

“What?” Diavla exclaimed, mildly shocked. Varga covered her mouth and snorted a laugh.

“I no remember the word!” Tom exclaimed, realizing he had messed up. “Diavla is beautiful. Varga is beautiful. Diavla is beautiful and Varga is beautiful. Varga is beautiful…too!” he finished in Western.

“TOO, Tom,” Diavla reminded him, sharply. “Varga is beautiful, TOO.” Varga was still covering her mouth with one hand, but her eyes were dancing with gleeful mischief.

“Thank you, Tom. You are beautiful, too,” the redhead teased.

“Humans say a man is handsome, and a woman is beautiful. Both mean ‘beautiful’.” Diavla lowered her voice and added, “(Something something something) sexy.”

“Saa,” Varga murmured in a tone of understanding. “Tom, you are very sexy. Is Diavla very sexy, toooo?”

“Varga…” Tom growled. Diavla's eyebrows went up and she started looking hurt and disappointed. Tom sighed, exasperated. “Yes, Diavla, yes, you are very sexy. You know I see you are very sexy.” Diavla smirked contentedly, dropping the act. “And yes, you are sexy, too!” Tom snapped at Varga before she could get farther into her own pretend outrage. He shook his head.

“You two are going to drive me crazy,” Tom declared. “Come on!” He stalked towards the stairwell. When he got to the first step he glanced back, and saw that Varga and Diavla were passionately kissing in the hallway.

Tom missed the next step and fell down half a flight of stairs.

∘ ⛥ ⛯ ⛥ ∘

Both of the women were horrified and apologetic, at least, until they found out that he had escaped serious injury. Then Varga doubled over, laughing. Tom was so tempted to shut her up, somehow, but the collars they were wearing were a stark reminder of why he shouldn't. So, Tom led them outside and started up the street, determined not to look at them again for a minute or two.

His soul scrambled to figure out where they were going next. Not wanting to look indecisive, he kept going in the direction he had started. After a couple of minutes, they were in a part of Rivermarch Tom hadn't explored yet. He looked around at the buildings and realized that it was probably Crafter's Row.

“Excuse me,” he asked a man passing the other way. “Is there a…curios shop around here?”

“Morgan's Curios, you mean?”

Tom recognized the name Edge had given him. “That's the one.”

“You want to turn left into that alley, and it's the shop with the green door. Keep a good hold of your coin pouch, mind you.”

“Understood, and thank you for the warning.” Tom nodded and walked on, slowing as he approached the alley.

“Varga, Diavla,” he murmured, “dangerous. Man get you coin. Watch. We go.”

Tom led the way into Morgan's Curios.