[x]Before leaving, see how Minnah is doing. What is she up to? Is she happier now?
[x] Follow Keeper to the city. Act like Tour Guide! Meet Perl, not as negotiator, but as Fairy and Keeper and Third Wheel! YAY!~
-[x] See if we can rope in a few more Hunters, definitely some Crafters and Gatherers. If we're going to be negotiating trade, having some experts on WHAT we can trade would be smart. And more Fairies needs more Guards.
--[x] Suggest this to Keeper.
--
The keeper wants to do a few things before she leaves, so you decide to stay awhile and take it easy while she does so. You technically don't have a place to stay while you are there, but it's easy enough to get a room with one of the others around the place. You relax for a time, and get yourself rested. Then, decide it's time to check on Minnah.
This takes a lot of tracking. Apparently the red fairy spends most of her time out in the forest, and doesn't like to be in the city. It's a phase you are actually pretty familiar with. Most hunters go through something similar. You want to protect after all.
You find her resting in one of the larger trees. She's picked up a fairy chain somewhere. The thing is resting nearby her, and you note several barbs along the length. This is more for grabbing and tearing than the typical slashing that you favor. Considering the fairies strength, it's a good choice.
"Hey hey-y!" You sit next to her with a smile, and she looks at you with a grunt.
"Hello Oma." She finally mutters and flops down on the tree. She looks pretty tired. "How you be?"
"I'm good." You frown a bit at her. "I'm wondering about you though. You don't look very happy-y."
She rolls her eyes at you in response. "The keeper says I have a lot of anger to be working through. I be doing that by going after the things that like to kill dreamers."
"Ah." You look over the chain again, and note the blood. "Good hunting then-n?"
Minnah gives a tired smile. "Lots of it. It be cleansing I think."
You look over the fairy again. She does look a lot calmer at least. You would have to watch her a bit more to get an idea of how she's doing, but you think that she will be fine.
"Well, if you need help, please talk with me-e." You finally offer, and the red fairy nods at you.
That done, the next day Ruwaydah is relatively ready. You see that she has quite a few items on her, but you can't identify anything but the pack. You frown a bit as you get ready.
"Should we bring a few others-s?" You ask her opinion on this.
She frowns as well in thought. "On one hand, it would make things easier to show. On the other, I can run down the standard things our people like to make, and I would prefer not to have half a dozen of you all to track down should something happen. We can bring more later if this goes well-l."
"Fair enough-h." You shrug and begin to lead the way.
As usual the trip takes most of the day. You go at a fair clip that doesn't tire you out too much, but you note that the keeper is keeping up with you almost casually. In fact, when you reach the city while you need to rest, she's as bright and as chipper as she first left.
"Your endurance needs a bit of work-k." She teases you cheerfully as you rest your aching wings.
You grumble a bit, but lead Ruwaydah to your home, and shove aside some room for her to rest. Then you pass out on your bed as she hums cheerfully. Your last view is of her pulling out several glass bottles, each of them filled with something.
The next day you find the fairy wide awake and quietly sewing something as she waits for you. You aren't even certain she slept to be honest, but her business is her own you think.
"So where shall we go first?" She asks you calmly. "I believe that their 'king' wished an audience tomorrow, so I have today pretty free."
"Well." You think for a moment. "I think we can go visit Pearl. She could handle a lot of the trading stuff, and she hasn't met a keeper yet-t."
Ruwaydah laughs a moment. "That's the white one that Minnah was speaking of? That sounds like a good idea considering that you likely made a mess explaining the facts of life to her-r."
"I did pretty good I thought-t." You mutter quietly.
"I've not met a non-keeper explain how we reproduce without stuttering and trailing off-f." The keeper states simply, and you flush.
"She didn't need to know that one-e."
Ruwaydah laughs out loud.
That embarrassment done, you both go to where Perl is. The guards at the house are quite used to you by now, and wave you in without issue. They do look at the keeper with a more suspicious look, but with you vouching for her they don't particularly see an issue. You think they find you relatively harmless, which is always mildly amusing.
"Hello." Perl meets you in front of the door to Athena's room. "Athena's sleeping, so I would prefer not to wake her."
Ruwaydah flits in front of you to examine the fairy. "Oh my." She states and smiles softly at the fairy. "I remember you. You are just as lovely as you were first born, and I see your Charm matches your appearance-e."
The white fairy moves back, slightly uncomfortable. "I be sorry, but have we met?"
You cough. "This is Keeper Ruwaydah."
Pearl blinks at you and then looks at the keeper with confusion. "They be the ones very old right?"
"Be still." The Keeper's voice goes flat, and you see Perl freeze in place. "Yes, we are the one's who's age measures in centuries." Ruwaydah circles the white fair a few times to examine her. "You aren't eating right." The Keeper stops in front of Pearl and frowns. "Your skin is a shade too pale, and you hair is starting to dry. Not enough water and meat I would think."
Perl opens her mouth to protest, but meets the Keeper's eyes and freezes even further. You back up a bit yourself. She doesn't look happy.
"I will state the dress is lovely, but it's hitting your wing muscles wrong. You are going to have to let it down a hands length otherwise you will cripple yourself trying anything strenuous." The Keeper continues and take's Pearl's chin in her hands. "You also aren't exercizing enough. You look to be a mental type, so you don't have to be extremely fit, but understand our people are fragile in this world. Sometimes you will have to fly away."
Pearl jerks away and glares at the keeper. "You be finished now?" She looks disturbed, and rather angry now.
Ruwaydah flares her wings as she floats in place. You shiver a bit. That's not a pleased signal. Pearl flits back even more, keeping her back to the door. You've never seen a keeper truly displeased, but just that glimpse of it is enough to make you want to run right now. For a moment, that's all you can think of. Then the feeling cuts out as the keeper smiles.
"Well, I will state that your charm is top notch. It's hard to hit a keeper with it, but you almost did me. I'm also impressed that you are keeping between us and the door. Your charge is Athena correct-t?" You take a deep breath, and you note that Pearl is doing the same.
"Y-yes." She stutters out and clears her throat. "She's my friend, and the first thing I saw when I woke."
"That's good." Ruwaydah nods at the fairy. "If you like, I can teach you a few simple things to better protect her later. Right now, I think we have trade to discuss-s."
Pearl nods hesitantly at the keeper. "I suppose so?"
"Good!" The Keeper chirps. "Lets find a place to sit. There are lots of things to talk about-t."
The next few hours are spent discussing the various things that can be traded, and the expected prices. You fall asleep about ten minutes into it. You wake up as they finish off, and get the impression that some sort of deal has been made. Pearl at least seems to have gotten over her initial encounter with Ruwaydah, but you don't think she's going to forget it.
You also think that Ruwaydah has explained a few things since Pearl still has a bit of a flush, but you aren't going to comment.
[] You have half the day left. Where else to go?
