"That is not a baby! That is a taken."

At the mention of the taken Horace turned around and walked over.

"I thought you were gonna go on and become some hoighty-toighty guild leader."

"Well, about that..." After Po-boy explained the situation to them then they rushed to the back.

Horace picked up a crowbar along the way.

"What're you going to do with that crowbar?" Po-boy asked.

"Smash." Horace said affirmatively.

"Smash? What do you mean smash?"

Horace answered with actions, not words.

The crowbar swung in a blur and smashed the crate with the portal, for a split second you could see a floating circle thinner than paper. It disappeared with a quiet pop that was practically unnoticeable.

"Why did you need to do that?"

"Standard protocol, if something infiltrated the hall it could come back here." Helga explained, "Alright, now, hand over the thing."

"Why?"Po-boy said, clutching the baby closer.

"Because it needs to be put down. Now give it." Helga said sticking her hand out.

"No."

"Why not? You're just extending its' pain."

"She's... different. I don't know how to explain it, but she's different."

Helga sighed, and put a hand on the bridge of her nose, "Fine, but at the first sign she's feral, there'll be a hole in her head, and I mean any signs. Excessive nibbling, just screaming, never sleeping."

"You do realize that's what infants do, right?" He asked her.

"Do not talk to me about what infants do and do not do. I've raised 15 grandchildren and they are all angels!"

Horace spoke up, "If you raised 15 infants and they didn't scream or refuse to go to sleep, they might be the ones we need to watch out for."

Helga shot him a withering glare as Po-boy doubled over.

"Have you at least fed the thing?" Po-boy shook his head no, "Well I'm not going to feed it for you so you need to get some baby formula."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Alright, but can you watch her while I go get some from the market?"

"I'll do it." Horace said.

"Thanks."

Po-boy left the store and wandered towards the market.

"What does this one do that the others don't?" He asked the vendor.

The salesman got a gleam in his eye, "Well you do want your child to grow big and strong right?"

"Er... Yes?"

"Well this formula has all the vitamins and nutrients to help your child. Do you want to know the best part?"

Po-boy leaned in, "What?"

"It's been blessed by the church to make sure they don't get sick and if they are sick it'll cure them right up!"

That was a deal breaker for Po-boy. He didn't know if the Churches "Holy blessing" would hurt her.

"Sorry, but I just realized how late it is. I really need to get going."

"Why don't you want it?"

"Well what do you mean?" Replied Po-boy, getting antsy.

"Well I mentioned that it was blessed and had all these vitamins and you suddenly got antsy." He explained.

Po-boy leaned in, "None of your business." He turned and angrily marched away.

He was talking about baby formula with a different vendor when two men stopped behind him.

"Is that him?" One of them asked.

The vendor stopped talking and looked between the two parties.

"Depends on who you're looking for." Po-boy replied.

That solicited a chuckle from the older of the two guards., "Just someone who caused a ruckus. Something about not wanting to buy baby formula from him?"

"Really? The guards getting called out for an unhappy customer? What has this city come to."

"If you don't mind we do need to ask you a couple questions, you alright if we do that?"

"Not a problem at all, I did nothing wrong and have nothing to fear." Po-boy replied crossing his fingers for luck.

"Why didn't you buy the baby formula from him?"

"It looked too expensive. Anything else? I was going to but some from my friend here and go back to my kid."

"He said you stopped as soon as he mentioned it was enchanted by the Church. Any particular reasoning for that?"

Po-boy improvised on his feet, "Don't want my kid to have to go work in the church because he developed magic from their formula. I like my kids normal."

The two guards shared a look, "why do you think that would happen?"

"I listen to the grapevine in the local taverns." He explained.

"Funny, so do we and we haven't heard that at all."

"I'm involved in a different crowd from them, your men are big and bulky, flashing their coin to buy drinks or information."

The older man sighed, "I can't say you're wrong on that, those informants are idiots. What did you say you did for a living?"

"I didn't mention my livelihood, why do you ask?"

"Because that," He pointed to fat coin pouch on the counter, "intrigues me. So, enlighten me if you will."

"I collect bird eggs for a living."

"Where?"

"Cliffs of course. Where else does the church get their eggs?"

"Alright, that's reasonable."

The guards waved goodbye as they walked down the street.

"Now, can I get some baby formula?" Po-boy turned around only to see that the vendor had left during the discussion, "Crap."

He decided he would get some baby formula tomorrow morning and grab some meat from the butcher to make some stew for dinner.

"How much can I get for 20 copper?

The butcher's cleaver made a loud thunk as it hit the butcher's block, "What animal?"

Po-boy thought about his mother's rabbit stew, "Rabbit."

The butcher looked at the board, "4 rabbits."

"Alright." Po-boy gave him his money and received four rabbits.

He walked towards the hat store with the rabbits hanging by their ears.

"Where's the baby?" He was promptly shushed by Horace who pointed to the corner.

Helga was asleep in the corner with the baby in her lap, sleeping peacefully.