The steppes were always beautiful this time of year. The last batch of wildflowers were in bloom before the gusts of Venti gave way to Glaciem. The fields were rolling with marigolds, downy blossoms of chamomile, and the angelica flowers were beginning to wane. The roots should be about ready to harvest, excellent when dried or used fresh. If she was lucky, perhaps the mallows would still be left. It was difficult to compete with the local fauna when it came to gathering. Once the herds passed through very little was left. Liselotte was picking whatever caught her eye today, cutting with shears and digging up roots with a spade. It was too sunny to find any mushrooms, and she didn't want to venture out too far from the city. Sviet was an alchemist's treasure trove with the minerals brought up from mines and rich pastures around. It was easy to buy just about anything in common ingredients–from hartshorn to raw powders for distillation. 

It was a beautiful day out, so she had brought Basilius–her Harenian lizard along. He was sunning himself on a rocky patch while unintentionally keeping the grazing animals from coming close. Being as big as a horse they might mistake him for some large carnivorous lizard. He was more of an omnivore, preferring eggs more than meat. The half-elf alchemist was busily cutting through bundles of arnica flowers. "There's some dandelions even here. Most of them have already heads full of seeds, what a pity." Basil liked dandelions along with other edible greens. The flowers were his favorite. The leaves were still good, so she pulled a bunch to save for later. Once she was finished she would steep the herbs and flowers in some gin, or anything stronger than beer that could be bought in the stalls. Making medicinal wine wasn't difficult but it was fun to do. The alcohol had a way of drawing out the flavors of the plants as they steeped, infusing some of their herbal properties. The sun was getting lower, so it was time to head back and clean the harvested bounty for preparation.

Jadira rode on her horse through the Mo'Mey Steppes. The horse was going at a slow trot while it's rider was able to enjoy the scenery surrounding them. Long blades of grass swayed from side to side in the soft wind. She hopped off of her horse in order to walk through the field herself. Lovely marigolds, chamomile blossoms, and angelica flowers covered the field. The sky was a mixed shade of blue and orange as the sun began to creep down the sky.

Jadira reached down and picked up a particular flower that had attracted her attention. It was a reddish purple flower that gathered together in a cone shape. If she could remember correctly, it was called a Celosia. She didn't know about what plants could do or their medicinal properties, but she did remember her sibling used to talk about flowers all the time. Jadira put the flower in her bag so it would be safe. She continued onwards with her horse. Up ahead she could see the silhouette of a person.

As they got closer, she could see the person was a girl and there was also an oversized lizard. The girl and her lizard could be a threat but it seemed as though they were just minding their own business and gathering flowers. Jadira was not too concerned. However, it was getting rather dark and Jadira still needed a place to stay. There was nobody else around to ask so she went over to Liselotte.

"Hello. I'm new to this area. Do you know where the nearest village is?" She awkwardly asked Liselotte.

Jadira knew that it was better to ask than to end up wandering around lost for the rest of the night. And knowing her own record, that would probably end up happening unless she got some detailed instructions. Jadira noticed that Liselotte had a whole bunch of herbs and flowers. It was obvious that the lady was a healer of some sort. The lizard must have been her pet. Or her friend. Apparently some animals were pets and some were friends. Some were both. It was very confusing to Jadira. 

"I'm Jadira." She said suddenly holding out her hand.

Why was talking such a difficult thing to do? Despite all of her lessons as a child, it still didn't make conversing any easier. 

Taking a brief pause to wipe her forehead with the back of her hand, a voice quite close spoke to her. The half-elf turned to see a tall elf woman. Her posture was straight and poised, it would make any governess proud. She didn't seem to be from Endapano by the accent. Likely her family had put down roots in a city than in a reclusive commune. The blonde lady gave Jadira a pleasant smile. "A pleasure meeting you Miss Jadira! I'm Liselotte, though my professor and siblings prefer calling me Lise. Why yes, Sviet isn't too far off from here. There aren't any villages this way if I recall. This area is a perfectly pristine stretch of pasture, and orc warbands tend to pass through when hunting season comes. Which reminds me, I've gone over my intended gathering session." Dusting off her gloves, she tucked them away and began heading towards Basil. The great Harenian lizard was mounted with a saddle, and was beginning to rise from his afternoon doze. The warmth from the long hours had woken him up from the early morning chill, and it would be best he started moving before his blood cooled. "Basil, time to go! I'm so sorry–I was so caught up that I completely lost track of time. The chill will soon set in, so we'll need to ride back to the city posthaste."

Taking out a bundle of dandelion leaves, she let him snack on those as a consolation. Patting his side, she mounted and the great lizard began a quick trot in Jadira's direction. Waving to the elf, the alchemist flashed another smile. "Dusk will soon be nipping at our heels. Basil and I are heading back to Sviet before it gets any cooler. You are welcome to come with us if you like." The lizard looked up at Jadira while chewing thoughtfully. To most a large lizard for a mount would be considered highly unusual. But unlike horses, Harenian lizards were hardy enough to travel through hot and arid environments. The only places she couldn't bring him would be past the treeline on mountains or snowy regions. Reptiles of his type were sensitive to the cold. 

Jadira intently listened to Liselotte speaking. She could tell that the blonde maiden before her was some sort of healer or at least used herbs on a daily basis. However, she was picking up quite a lot of herbs so she must have been selling them. Or making them into products.

"It is a pleasure to may your acquaintance Miss Liselotte." Jadira said politely, giving her an elegant bow.

Wait, Jadira was a lady. She was supposed to curtsy. Jadira ignored that and stood straight up again. Hopefully the lady Liselotte would not notice that small error on Jadira's behalf. A cool wind had blown in suddenly. The wind was soft and not too cold but cool. The wind caused Jadira's black wavy hair to flow in the wind for a few moments. The elf was glad to know that Svet was close by. Well, close enough to be able to ride there. Jadira noticed that Liselotte seemed to be concerned about the cold air that would get worse by nighttime. It made sense, seeing as her mount was a lizard and all. But this stranger had been kind enough to give Jadira directions and was even offering to let her come with them. Jadira took out that red purple flower she had seen earlier, the Celosia. She walked up to the lizard and Liselotte then held up the beautiful flower. 

"A thanks for helping me get to a city." She explained, "And traveling together would be a good idea." 

Perhaps giving Jadira directions seemed like a simple thing. But she got lost. A lot. And very easily. One time she had gotten lost trying to get to Endepano and ended up at Apoy Island somehow. Jadira could hunt a giant boar across the Bohar Plains but for some reason, couldn't get to any of her destinations even if her life depended on it. If Liselotte accepted the beautiful flower, then Jadira would give her a small nod. Then she whistled for her horse. A gorgeous brown horse came running over towards Jadira. The leapt onto the horse then got ahold of the reigns. She was ready to go. 

"Do you live here?" Jadira asked as her horse began to go to a medium pace trot. 

She was careful so that Liselotte would not be left behind or have difficulty keeping up. 

Taking the flower from Jadira, Liselotte carefully held it by the stem as she inspected the bloom. "Celosia, they're quite lovely this time of year. I might have a little something that could make it last a little longer." A few enchantments could preserve even the most delicate blossoms so they stayed vibrant for a year. Yet, it was nothing compared to what she had heard of when it came to Egjora's Glen of Eternal Blossoms. Even without enchantments the color of the plants never faded and lasted for years. Visiting such a place was on her list of things to see. Perhaps she could unravel the mystery behind that fabled glade. The lady had herself a beautiful steed, a healthy chestnut mare bred for speed and endurance like the ones her brothers used in racing. They were making their way towards Sviet when the elf asked her if she was a local resident. The lady alchemist shook her head. "Oh no, I'm just spending a few weeks before moving on to Sularia. The minerals are much less costly when bought at the source than elsewhere. Import taxes I assume. I'm running low on stock and I plan to return before Glaciem slows down travel."

Realizing she hadn't given much of an explanation, she added. "How thoughtless of me! I'm an alchemist, you see. Those who work in my field always are in need of odds and ends for making tinctures and reducing concoctions. Some ingredients are easy to obtain like hartshorn, shells, and salt. Others are more difficult–and more deadly. Mandrakes for example, an alchemical staple that can render an experienced harvester permanently deaf or dead." Liselotte had a bad habit of showing too much enthusiasm when it came to introducing someone to the wonders of alchemy, part of which resulted in mentioning rather disturbing facts offhand. Despite the grim mention of the simple mandrake's lethality the half-elf's face was beaming with a lovely smile. Basil snorted, reminding his owner not to say too much. "And what about you Miss Jadira? Spending a little time away from home?"

Listening to Liselotte's story about where she was from, was comforting to the elf in a way. Few times did Jadira get a chance to just sit and talk. Especially with a stranger. Liselotte seemed very nice and certainly had enthusiasm for her work. Alchemy was a foreign topic to the elf but she knew how important it was. Jadira used health and mana potions often during her battles. It was nice to meet a creator of those potions.

The elf continued to listen quietly to Liselotte's rant about the ingredients and the danger of retrieving them. Although she didn't always know what the lady was talking about, like her explanation on Mandrakes, she enjoyed hearing it. Passion filled Liselotte's voice when she talked about alchemy. Jadira could tell that Liselotte cared deeply about her work. Now the lady asked Jadira a question. 

"I have been sent by my teacher to complete seven quests." Jadira explained, "They are long and detail quests so I haven't finished them yet. But I will in time. Do you know if Sviet has any libraries? I would like to read them." 

Although Jadira had a straight back and noble posture, her answers were direct and to the point. She held a happy demeanor but didn't really show much else. Her voice lacked the sort of passion that Liselotte had. Instead her voice had a steady determination. Jadira suddenly became alert. Something seemed to have caught her attention. 

"Miss Liselotte. I don't suppose you have any enemies?" Jadira asked. 

Her voice remained the same but her eyes were not looking at Liselotte. Instead she was looking straight ahead. Nobody was in front of them. She wasn't really looking but rather listening. 

"Sviet…well I'm not sure but the locals should be happy to help. The thought never occurred to me until now since I tend to stay on the market side of the settlement. Sviet is a city of craftsmen and tradesmen as far as I've seen. The mines are what allowed the Adorany to thrive and build Sviet in contrast to the more nomadic orc warbands. Though Sviet's current population is much more diverse now; dwarves, humans, and elves have taken up their areas in the districts in a sort of healthy four-way competition. You know how craftsmen are when it comes to a contest of skill–nobody wants to admit that someone might be better." That was why no one thought it strange when she went through the stalls on the market streets. The most exotic to expect would likely be drow or a beastman. "Ah quests, I haven't heard of something like that in a while. It's almost nostalgic! I wish you the best of luck in completing them."

Pleasantly they chatted, though she was doing most of the talking. As the city was in sight, Jadira asked her a rather curious question. The lady alchemist was thoughtful, tapping a finger against her chin. "That's quite an unusual question to ask an alchemist. In general most people tend to be more wary of alchemists than the other way around. I don't suppose I have any enemies. My personal affairs have never involved themselves with politics or the like. Studying in my field you might have the rare stubborn rival during one's schooling, but I must tell you we are typically far too busy with monitoring distillations to bother with petty things. You are more likely to be killed by a poorly calculated reaction than by a jealous fellow graduate." Liselotte's tone became more professional as she explained a few details from the mind of the common alchemist.

Shifting back to a more lighthearted note, she added: "And I doubt I have any need to worry. Most of my colleagues are old enough to be my father's elder brother! Not many scholars choose to become alchemists. It's not a very glamorous job, spending hours waiting for reactions to take place. You need to be very precise and very focused, but not narrow-sighted. That is how you miss potential uncontrolled variables." 

She listened to Liselotte as she explained some facts about Sviet. It was all very fascinating to listen to. She usually didn't have the chance to stay in one place and observe the people who lived in the town. Jadira sometimes wondered what it was like to live in a town. To have neighbors, friends, and a regular life. Distance between regular people and her was something she had dealt with ever since she was born.

If she had stayed in a home she would be able to make that life for herself. But it was never really a life she wanted. Obviously she thought about it. Parts of it was appealing. However she knew that she had to go on adventures. Staying in one place would become dull. The rush of adrenaline when she entered a battle or dangerous challenge. Knowing that Jadira could fail at any wrong move. Using her wits and strengths to stay alive. At the same time she wondered what it would be like to have a different job. 

"I know it's a strange question." She said in a hushed voice, "Don't look, but in the forest to the left of us is a group of mercenaries. If they aren't after you, then they might be after the town or me. It'd be better to warn the town than to fight them. I'm sure we could take them on but there might be more. I plan on using a fog spell to cover us. Then I will go diagonally left. You can go diagonally right. I will be firing at them to draw their attention to me. You will need to get to the town and warn them as fast as possible. And don't worry about me, I have a teleportation spell in case. Are you ok with this plan?"

She was careful to explain the situation to Liselotte. Jadira genuinely wanted to know what she thought of the plan. After all she would have to participate if this was to work. Besides, Liselotte might have a better idea than Jadira did. 

She had been so preoccupied with chatting that it was Jadira who mentioned the mercenaries nearby. Sure that they weren't after her, Liselotte was less worried than her companion. It made her wonder why anyone would send hired mercenaries after the elf. Even if she was a woman of status, it was hardly a civil way to resolve differences. Agreeing with the idea to warn the city, she gave a nod. "Agreed, that seems wise. Though I believe we can both force them to split their numbers and reduce them gradually. Archery was one of my pet hobbies along with studying alchemy." Leaning to whisper to Basil, she told him they would be entering indirect combat. He didn't need to worry about her, only to focus on running to avoid the enemy. Patting the top of the lizard's head, she pulled out her enchanted bow and a quiver full of special arrows. The lady alchemist briefly considered dipping the tips in a mild poison, but decided against it. Had she been facing these mercenaries on her own, she would have used it straight away. Best not to raise the elf's suspicion on the nature of her work.

Turning to the other woman, she smiled. "These are a special set of arrows I'll be using. A small prick and it induces a temporary paralysis which will wear off with time, and once the quiver is empty it replenishes itself immediately. Now, shall we?" With a slight slap of the reins, she signaled the Harenian lizard to prepare to sprint. Notching an arrow to the bow, she pulled the string taut and waited for Jadira to cover them with fog. With her experience and the bow's enchantment, she wouldn't miss her mark. Ah yes, she had to remember to aim low and only graze them. First she would target the mounts and then focus on the riders.