The landscape of Keenstone Isle seemed to go from gloomy to downright depressing. It was as though the island was experiencing the season of winter and all the leaves had fallen from the trees, their bare branches stark against the sky. The weather wasn’t freezing but it certainly lacked any friendly warmth and Judd was all too aware of how bright their campfire looked in the barrenness.

“Where are we?” He asked, leaning over Caste who was flanked on either side by scrolls and maps.

Caste held up the map of the isle and pointed. “We are here. We should make Fort Sol by midday tomorrow, if not sooner unless we’re ambushed by some hideous beast.”

“Now, now,” Giordi chortled, reclining lazily by the fire, “don’t go being all cheerful, Caste. We wouldn’t know how to handle you.”

“I do not require handling,” Caste said tersely, “and my remark is not an unreasonable one if you consider that this road we are on ought to be a thoroughfare from the ferry to the fort.”

“I think we have all realised that.” Judd looked around. “It is a gloomy place…perhaps no one lives outside of the fort?”

“If the threat of the orthros was a bad one, Sir Bobellion might have called all isle residents inside the fort.” Verne had his arrows out and was counting them. He winced and shook his head.

“You’re low on arrows?”

“I fired a score into the water at those sirens…usually when I hit something, I can retrieve the arrow but they all disappeared into the water.”

“Can you make your own?”

“I can but it’s a bit of a task and would hold us up.” Verne admitted.

“We should be able to buy arrows at Fort Sol.” Judd hoped.

“With what?” Caste asked brittlely. “In case you had forgotten, we’re down to our last few coins and I need more quills and ink.”

“Is that really necessary?”

“I am the cleric assigned to your quest,” Caste fired up, “and if you want it documented accurately so that your knighthood is not in question, then yes.”

Judd held up his hands. “Fair enough, Caste.”

“I could do with new shoes.” Giordi lamented, looking at his feet.

“We all could.” Verne sighed. “Mine are practically worn through.”

“There is still mud caked on mine from that hideous swamp.”

Judd rubbed his face. “I promise we will work something out. Even if we stay a few days longer than we intended at the fort. Sir Bobellion may have work for us.”

“Other than killing monsters?”

“Giordi…can you please move?” Aalis asked, trying to reach the fire.

“Apologies…”

“What’s for supper tonight?” Caste asked.

“Bread and whatever is left of the stew I made.” Aalis explained, setting her pot over the fire. Judd noticed she was looking tired, shadows smeared beneath her eyes. “I am afraid there has been no game to hunt and our provisions are thin. Thankfully the well is not dry and I was able to confirm that the water is clean.”

“Time to refill my water pouch.” Caste announced, standing up.

“Take mine too, would you?”

“And mine.” Caste groaned and grasped the strings on all of the pouches and lugged them towards the well, muttering something about having no upper body strength.

“Giordi, could you please help him?” Aalis asked.

Giordi held up his lute as some kind of excuse. Verne made an annoyed noise and stood up.

“I’ll go.”

Aalis put her hands on her hips and gave Giordi a rather irritated glare. “We all pull our weight when camping out, Giordi Gavoli. You drink water, you can fetch it when required.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Judd raised his eyebrows, stunned by Aalis’ sharp tone. It only reinforced his concern that she was looking tired and weary.

Giordi stood up and with an elegant flourish, bowed towards her. “Fair maiden, for you I would move both the heavens and the earth upon which we stand just to make you smile for in your radiant countenance, I am blessed.”

Aalis blushed but folded her arms. “I like the heavens and the earth upon which I stand as they are, thank you but if you would be so kind…”

Giordi nodded his head and walked past her towards the well. As he did so he looked back at Judd and gave a wink. Judd frowned and Giordi gave a strong head nod towards Aalis then nodded before moving away. Judd swallowed, his palms starting to sweat. He stood up and wiped his hands on his trousers, his armour removed so he could sleep. He wandered hesitantly over to where Aalis knelt, plucking green leaves from stems and throwing them in the pot, dropping the red berries into the mortar between her knees.

“Nettle stew again?” Judd asked lightly.

Aalis didn’t look up. “I would not recommend drinking this.”

“What’s in it?”

“I am boiling mistletoe leaves and grinding the berries into a pulp.” She explained.

“And that’s…bad?”

“I asked Caste if there were any instances where mistletoe was found to be a deterrent to monsters,” Aalis pounded the berries as hard as she could with the pestle, “and he said there was some evidence to support it. I spotted the mistletoe in the forest where you killed the cockatrice and picked as much as I could carry. I thought a monster repellent might come in useful.”

“How did you know about mistletoe? Was it a lucky guess?”

Aalis glanced up at him, her dreadlocks shifting like water over her shoulders. “The witch who taught me all about plants and animals said mistletoe was toxic to her.

“But it doesn’t bother you?”

She shook her head, turning the hard round balls into mush. Judd glanced nervously over at the well and saw Giordi’s pointed look. Judd shrugged helplessly and Giordi rolled his eyes…then deliberately ‘accidentally’ spilt the water pouches. There was a round of curses from Caste and Verne. Giordi waved his hand at Judd furiously. Judd nodded and cleared his throat.

“Well…uh…ahem…you…” He cleared his throat several more times.

Aalis looked up. “Are you coming down with a sore throat?” She stood and, after wiping her hands on her apron, put one against Judd’s forehead. “You are a little warm…perhaps you need a tonic.”

“Fair maid…den…your attentions would send me delirious…”

“Excuse me?” Aalis stared at him.

Judd swallowed, pulling on the collar of his coat. “I mean…when I am with you…I feel hot.”

Aalis’ eyes were wide. “I beg your pardon?”

“No, no, no,” Judd waved his hands, trying to erase all that he had said, “you…I mean…fairen maidest…no, wait…fairest maiden,” he suddenly knelt awkwardly before her, “I would slay a mighty beast for you…est.” Aalis was too stunned to react as he took her hand. “You are as fair as…wheat and you shine like…a polished sword…and your figure is…ah forget it!”

Judd got up and threw his hands into the air just as Giordi, Verne and Caste approached the two of them, Verne and Giordi roaring with laughter and Caste sniggering.

“I told you,” Judd said accusingly at Giordi, “I’m not good at the…saying of words…”

Caste snorted, unable to stand upright and Verne was wiping tears away.

“We might need to work on your metaphors.” Giordi laughed.

“I half expected you to start comparing poor Aalis to a fish!” Verne’s shoulders continued to quake in hysterics.

Caste was too overcome with laughter to say anything.

Judd put his hands on his hips. “I tried my best, alright?”

“What exactly were you trying to do?” Aalis asked fearfully.

Judd faltered but Giordi piped up. “Flirt with grace and dignity.”

“What dignity!” Verne half collapsed, snorting as he tried to breathe.

Aalis’s jaw dropped. “You were flirting with me!”

“No…I mean…”

“Judd asked to learn how to be more eloquent in speech and I suggested it would help if he practiced on a young woman such as yourself.” Giordi said tactfully.

“How was that eloquent?!” Caste blurted.

“Giordi said to compare parts of Aalis to beautiful things.”

“And you came up with a polished sword and wheat?”

“Stop, please stop!” Verne was clutching at his ribs.

Judd sat down in a grump and put his hands over his head.

“Judd,” Aalis went to him and put her hand on his shoulder, “you were trying to compliment me?”

He refused to answer.

“Perhaps I started at a too advanced place,” Giordi mused, hanging the water pouches from a tree, “tomorrow’s lesson shall be describing the world to me and we will simply begin by expanding your descriptions of things around you so as to develop your complimentary metaphors.”

“No,” Judd muttered, “I quit.”

“Oh thank Terra…” Verne finally dragged himself to his sleeping mat and lay down. “My ribs couldn’t take another session like that. Ow…”

“I’d tell you to stick to what you know but you’ve never listened to me before…” Caste admonished lightly.

Aalis gazed at the humiliated form of Judd. “I think you should continue to listen to Giordi and work on your vocabulary.” Judd grunted from the recess between his knees and chest. “No, really Judd,” she put her hand on his arm, “I think it is a fine thing to want to increase your learning and develop who you are.”

“You do?” Judd peeked out from behind his fingers.

Aalis nodded. “As long as you promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

Aalis smiled. “Always be sincere. Never lure a woman with frilly words just because you can. Our hearts may be strong, but they are not unbreakable.”

Judd lifted his head fully. “I would never want to do that.”

She patted his arm and stood up, returning to her mistletoe brew. “Then you are welcome to practice on me again in the future.”

Giordi sat next to Judd as Aalis continued to work, speaking with Verne who separated the leaves from the berries, discarding the branches themselves, helping her make her strange potion.

“Somehow, despite completely failing your first attempt at flirtation, you managed to come out more endearing and likeable. Aalis even agreed to allow you to flirt with the in the future.”

Judd sighed. “Yes but you see the problem, now, don’t you?”

Giordi nodded. “Unfortunately I do…”

Judd gazed at Aalis. “She’s never going to really think I’m talking about her…”