The guards that had stationed themselves on the Willet central hub had seemed bored and slightly annoyed. They were large muscle-bound men, with crooked noses and set jaws. They wore chainmail and had swords at their hip, but they seemed like they’d been picked for their jobs based solely on their size. They stopped the group of five and had given Julie and Ravenhair a quick look over before waving them on. The group made their way across another bridge to the westward harbor of Willet. There were flat bottomed boats of all shapes and sizes, and Julie didn’t have to wonder for long which boat belonged to Tertius.

Tertius Feld’s ‘boat’ was a great deal larger than the house that Julie grown up in. It was three stories, though the belowdecks were filled with simple hanging beds for the crew and most of the space was occupied by a team of oxen walking on a track to power the giant paddle that propelled the boat through the water. The trio seemed thoroughly unimpressed. Sevil refused to accompany Tertius on the tour. Julie was awestruck.

The hull was gilded, and Tertius had explained the boat had been a floating casino at one point. He explained that he had wagered so much gold on a round of roulette that the only way the casino owner could cover the bet was to surrender the entire boat to Tertius. He spoke casually about such things. He was constantly mentioning his family's vast wealth in an offhand sort of way. It had impressed Julie at first, but was beginning to tire her by the end of the tour.

There were four very small but very nicely furnished bedrooms on the top floor that was built above the massive cabin. Tertius had offered to sleep in the belowdecks with the crew, so that each of the four might have their own room, but Ravenhair wouldn’t hear of it. She said that Julie and her would take one of the empty rooms, explaining that the beds in each room seemed more than roomy enough for two. Sevil, Toby and Tertius would each have their own room. For some reason Julie didn’t quite grasp, this seemed to nettle Tertius but he couldn’t argue with the logic.

Sevil had adjourned to his room as soon as he could. He seemed anxious to get away from the group. After showing off the upper bedrooms, Tertius delighted in showing off the massive cabin that had once housed the casino. He said he had converted it into a spa for the purposes of maintaining his vitality on his travels. All the walls were lined with mirrors, and Julie could see clearly even through the dirt that her hair was actually black.

Tertius spread his arms high above his head as they walked into the cabin, and said, “This is my little home away from home. Let me show you around the facilities, as it were.” He was leading the way to the first station in a row, marked with a plush, comfortable looking white chair.

As he approached the chair, a white fog began coalescing into a vaguely humanoid form. He put his arm around Julie’s back, and gently pushed her into the chair. As soon as she sat down, the humanoid shape solidified into the most beautiful person Julie had ever seen. The being had porcelain white skin and white hair, a youth of indeterminate age and gender, appearing both handsome and beautiful at the same time, and incomprehensibly young. She looked up into eyes with rainbow irises and felt her heart skip a beat.

In the voice of the purest crystal bell being struck, the being asked, “Does the mistress desire the complete facial moisturizing procedure?” Then without the slightest hint of derision, “Mistress must seek an audience with the bath attendants first, I am not sure I can moisturize skin through so much mud.”

Julie felt her face flush at the creatures reminder of her filthy appearance, and began to wonder longingly if there was the possibility of a bath anywhere in her future. Things unfolded very quickly around her though. Violence startled her out of her introspection. Toby, who had been silent as a mountain since they’d set foot on the ship, was holding Tertius up against the wall by his throat and Ravenhair was at his side.

She nearly shrieked into Tertius’ face, “Faelings! You have Faelings bound to you as slaves! I knew you were a scumbag, but this is unacceptable!”

Tertius was struggling to speak, Toby was holding him firmly against the wall with one hand, and looking to Ravenhair for direction. Tertius managed to sputter out a few choked words, “Not. Bound. Employed.”

Ravenhair looked at Toby, and he dropped Tertius to the ground. Tertius immediately started coughing and when he stopped he picked up his tall hat and returned it to its jaunty place on his head. Ravenhair said, “Explain.”

Tertius looked from face to face. Julie still hadn’t moved from the plush white chair and was craning her neck to watch. The faeling, if that’s what it was, was still looking down at Julie with its strangely beautiful rainbow eyes. Tertius said, “They are employed. They are free to go any time they like,” his usual haughtiness was gone from his voice and replaced with a dull sullenness.

Ravenhair did not seem to be mollified by this. She looked tense and ready to spring like a cat stalking a bird, “Prove it,” she commanded.

Tertius said, “Arleth, you are free to go. You may leave, I relieve you of any bonds and oaths.”

The angelic creature’s face took on a horror stricken appearance that clashed terribly with its magnificence and Julie felt herself shudder at the transformation. Arleth said, “Master, are you firing me?”

Tertius smiled gently and said, “No, Arleth. You are free to stay or go as you so choose.”

Relief washed over Arleth, and they said, “Thank you, master Tertius. I will stay,” and then after a pause, “I still can not perform the moisturizing routine on the mistress's face until she is cleaned.”

Julie was beginning to feel very confused, she asked, “What’s a faeling?”

Arleth’s smile was like the sun breaking through the clouds on a dreary day, they said, “We are the wind beneath the sea. We are the sea above the sky. We are the light beneath the ground.”

Tertius quickly interrupted, “That’s enough, Arleth. My gratitude is always yours,” then he leaned close to Julie and said “They’ll go on for hours like that. I’ve listened.”

Ravenhair said “So have I! And I’ve never heard of them willingly working for anyone. What could you possibly be paying them, they’ve no use for gold or any other worldly treasures.”

Arleth whispered offhandedly “We are the gold in the clouds.”

Tertius gently grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her from the white chair, as soon as she was standing Arleth was once again a vaguely humanoid shape floating in the air. Tertius said, “I pay them with stories,” he rubbed his throat that still bore the mark of Toby’s hand, “they love stories.”

Toby and Ravenhair exchanged a glance, but seemed to accept this. Julie decided to take the chance to speak up, “So, there was some mention of a bath?” She gestured with her hands from the top of her mud caked head down to her waist. She looked and smelled every bit like she’d trudged through a swamp and then swam through pond scum.

“Of course! Right this way my dear.” Tertius led the way through the spa to a back corner that was screened off from the rest with a partition that appeared to be made out of paper. He slid a panel open and Julie saw the largest bathtub she’d ever seen. It was even bigger than the one at the inn in Kentvale. “Tis not much, but I hope that it will suffice considering we’re abroad.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

As Julie walked into the bath area, two more of the faelings appeared. These ones were called Liriel and Lale. Tertius stood in the threshold, expectantly. Julie said, “Well, thank you!” and she started to slide the panel shut. He stepped out of the way with a small bow.

Julie had never had a bath with attendants before, but she couldn’t bring herself to dismiss the faelings. They spoke in angelic voices and seemed to radiate pure kindness. She knew that she would never have been able to take a bath with human attendants, but the faelings made her feel perfectly comfortable. The tub itself was magnificent, with running hot water and the soaps were the softest she had ever used. Almost an hour passed and she finally emerged from the bath area wearing a luxurious white robe that seemed tailored perfectly for a woman her size. She had asked the faelings for her clothes but they explained they were being washed.

In the spa room she saw no one. She wandered past the various beauty stations, and decided that it couldn’t hurt to try a few. The faelings all seemed to genuinely enjoy preening and grooming her. She let Arleth moisturize her face, which involved some sort of thick, gloopy cream, and then she went to another station and her feet were massaged and rubbed down with a pumice stone. She was just on her way to a third station to see what the faeling there would do for her, when Ravenhair walked in.

She sauntered over to Julie and asked, “We need to go explain everything to Tertius.”

Ravenhair led Julie back out onto the deck. Sevil, Toby and Tertius stood near the edge. Sevil was smoking his meerschaum pipe, the smoke streaming in the wind. Toby stood motionless, but his eyes moved constantly, scanning the horizon. Julie felt a chill. All she wore was the white robe and she felt incredibly exposed. The sun had set during her luxuriant bath, and the deck was lit with the light of torches placed all along the rails.

Ravenhair broke the silence, “Listen, Tert. We don’t mean you any harm, and we’re not the type to normally strongarm our way onto a boat, but we’re in the midst of a desperate situation. Some rat bastard is trying to pin the tax thefts on our companion here,” she gestured to Julie, “and we needed to get out of Willet and away from the capital as fast as possible.”

Julie was flabbergasted. She looked from face to face in confusion, and was trying to think of something suitable to say. She felt like she had always felt when she was little and her older siblings or parents would talk above her, about her, rather than to her.

Tertius seemed to consider this and then he said, “I appreciate your candor. Alas the truth of things may elude you my dear, for you did not ‘strongarm’ your way into my care,” he smiled at each of the four in turn and then said, “I carry a fair number of enchanted objects, and I have the permits to use them. I fear no one.”

Sevil burst into laughter. Julie had never even seen him smile before, and there was something strange and unnerving about his laughter. It put her in the mind of a snake, if snakes could laugh. She wished she was dressed. He hissed, “Is that true?” Julie felt her skin crawl with goosebumps. A flame sparked from Sevil’s fingertip and he lit his pipe with it. Then he said through the smoke he exhaled into Tertius’ face, “You wear a class C ring of protection, and a class D ring of fireballs. Five minute recharge time on that, if I’m not mistaken. And an amulet of,” he paused and sniffed the air, “thorns?”

Tertius flapped his hand back and forth in front of his face to clear the thick white smoke. He was trying hard to retain his dignified look. Even in the low light of the torches, Julie could see his face had gone a shade of crimson.

Ravenhair said in a severe tone, “Sevil, be nice. Tertius is our host. And knock it off with the cantrips. Julie’s hair is bad enough, they might be triangulating.”

Sevil cast her a glance and then looked as if he’d just remembered something. Julie had a strange feeling for a moment, “I’d know if they were. They are not,” he took another draw on his pipe, the ember in the bowl lighting his face with an eerie glow, “Regardless, maybe we should hear him out. Tertius Feld, why is it that you think you ‘allowed us into your care’.”

Julie was really starting to feel cold now, she spoke before Tertius could, “Can you perhaps tell us inside? And um, maybe after I put some clothes on?” She gestured to the robe.

Ravenhair laughed, a hearty belly laugh. She said, “Julie’s right! We should all get inside. Besides, didn’t you promise us an eel dinner, Tert?”

Ravenhair and Julie adjourned to their shared bedroom and Julie looked around for her bag. She had a change of clothes in there that she had hoped would still be clean and dry, but her bag was nowhere to be seen. When she asked Ravenhair about it, she said that she’d sent the bag and its contents off to be cleaned by a crew member. Julie was cautioned that some of her things were probably ruined by the water. Ravenhair started rummaging in her own pack and produced a tiny piece of black fabric.

“Old dress of mine,” she tossed it to Julie, “Hardly get a chance to wear it anymore though. Barely ever go anywhere without armor. Try it on.” She looked at Julie expectantly.

Julie was waiting for her to turn around, but she seemed like she was intent on watching Julie put the dress on. Julie had shared a room with two sisters growing up, and so with a shrug she disrobed, and quickly pulled the black dress over her head. It didn’t cover much. There was a standing mirror in the corner, and she made her way over to it to get a look at herself. In her reflection she saw a slightly skinny girl with long blonde hair wearing an extremely low cut and extremely short dress. Her bust failed to fill out the top, and her young legs looked gangly. She frowned.

“Oh you look beautiful!” Ravenhair was standing by her side in the mirror and the comparison only enhanced Julie’s frustration with her appearance. Ravenhair was gorgeous. She had long flowing locks of jet black hair that curled wildly around her face. She wore shimmering black armor that fit so tightly that it looked like a second skin. Her body had a very healthy, strong, womanly look about it. Robust hips and bust. She was powerful looking, with broad shoulders and muscles that seemed to vie for attention when her arms moved, and even this seemed to enhance her appearance. “It’s all in how you carry yourself.” Julie smiled at this, and in her reflection the smile seemed to change her appearance entirely.

They made their way back down, and found the tiny dining room behind the spa. It was lit by candlelight, and the table looked like it was designed for two people. Julie and Ravenhair crowded in around it, squeezing in between the three men that were already sitting there.

Tertius said, “I do apologize for the cramped quarters, I usually never entertain more than one person at a time.”

“I bet you don’t, Tert.” Ravenhair said, elbowing Toby under his ribs. The large man gave a grunt that may have been a laugh.

“Right, well then,” Tertius began, “While we await our dinner perhaps I can offer some enlightenment. As I said, I am Tertius Feld, of the Southern Felds. We own a vast swath of land in the southern wetlands and fields. The land has been in the family for generations.”

Ravenhair cut him off, “Get to the point, Tert. I don’t care about your pedigree and neither does anyone else in this room.”

Tertius cleared his throat heartily, “Right, well then. A sinkhole opened up in our land some time ago. I am the third son, you see. My eldest brother is the heir, and of course the second son is a ranking general in the king’s army,” Ravenhair made an annoyed noise, and Tertius began again, “Sinkhole, yes. Ordinarily this is the kind of thing we’d send off to the University to deal with,” at this Sevil let out a hiss of air between his teeth.

Two crew members, one man and one woman, started bringing in plates of food. They also placed five tall wine glasses in front of each of them and filled them with the promised Arbois Traminer . The room was so so small that they kept having to reach over each other to get the five plates of food onto the table. By the time they did the plates were crowded so close together that they were all touching and trapping all of the stemmed glassware. This didn’t seem to bother Toby or Ravenhair, who both began eating vociferously. Julie was sitting between them and she felt trapped by their elbows.

Tertius took a delicate bite of his eel, and then said, “We sent off to the University, but no one has responded to ring or letter. Creatures have been emerging from the sinkhole. My eldest brother, Barron, asked Simon to send a platoon, but apparently the king needs all hands on deck in Puissant city right now.”

Ravenhair had finished all the food on her plate and was looking at Sevil and Julie’s untouched food. She looked up and said, “So you want us to solve this problem for you, eh?”

Tertius cut another tiny piece from his eel with his knife and placed it gently in his mouth. He chewed it and swallowed it almost timidly, and then he wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin before saying, “Well, the three of you are obviously adventurers, right?”

Ravenhair looked offended, she said, “What do you mean the three of us. We’re all adventurers,” she struggled to free her arm from the table and clapped Julie on the back, “I’ve watched this woman strike a man’s head from his shoulders with a battleaxe!”

Tertius looked stunned at this, he said “Oh, my apologies! I thought she was a runaway that you took in.”

Ravenhair laughed, “Runaway, yes. She’s definitely on the run. Why do you think she trudged through the mud and swam into Willet. Crafty girl she is, eluding the guards like that until she could meet back up with us.”

Julie’s head was swimming right now. She was struggling to keep up with the conversation. She tried her eel finally, and found that it was actually delicious and much different than the eel she’d eaten in Chalkstone. She decided that she’d ask Ravenhair to explain everything later.

Tertius took another tiny bite, and then pushed his plate in front of him. He crossed his knife through the tines of his fork in a particular way, and shortly thereafter the lady crew member came and took his plate away with most of its contents untouched. Ravenhair eyed the food longingly as it went, and then she said, “Tert, let’s get down to brass tacks. You want us to dive into this sinkhole, figure out what the problem is, we’re going to need to get paid. Giving us a ride down the river is all well and good, but you were going to do that regardless, even if you don’t want to admit it to yourself.”

Tertius seemed to be considering this shift in the conversation. His shoulders dropped and he finally said, “How much?”

Ravenhair was swapping her plate with Sevil’s, she said, “How much Sevil, for a dive like that? Unknown monsters, unknown risk, wha‘dya think?”

Sevil raised his right hand and began tapping each of his fingers to his thumb as if counting, “Seventy-five hundred platinum. Half before and half after, obviously,” he hissed, and then he looked across the table at Tertius and said very solemnly, “of course, should we die you can recover the first half if you can get another crew to go after it.”

Tertius choked on his Arbois Traminer, and dabbed at his mouth with his gold edged napkin, “You could purchase a small barony for that!”

Ravenhair drank her entire glass of Arbois Traminer in one long pull and said, “Is that all your barony is worth then? I thought you were rich, I’ve got rings worth more than that.”

Tertius looked around furtively and said, “Well, we shall have to consult my brother at the family estate. When we arrive.”