Two nearly identical, fur bearing heads swung around to face the merchant, then both girls stood up on their hind legs, crossed their arms at him, and scowled-- though the posture could well have done for both Erwin, and Mr "So-called GoodEnough".

"S'CUSE MEH, Did uh JUS' hear 'at righ?!"
"Misteh, how long you been runnin' trinkets?!"
"You KNOWED dere's RULES--"
"You don' ask OUR business--
"---An we don' ask yours!"

The heads swung to Erwin's direction
"Stop hasslin' da man! Part-a da problem whys em shittin' thangs so dayum 'spensive's on accounta people givin' legit dealers a bad time!"

"We's onleh pick' on -em tuh tes' 'im out-- Wit high prices, comes dem damn theivin scoundrels sellin horse-shit, an' claimin' it cure cancah!"

"Nei'er smart buyahs-- Likes us---"
"Nor good merchan's, Likes him---"

"Puts up with dat shit."
"Puts up with dat shit."

The girls once more finishing in that otherworldly synchronous staccato of a final statement, like they had done at the earlier meeting.

Ignoring the bares for a moment, he smiled at them and went back to looking at the merchant.

"But those wares aren't from a dangerous area are they, it's a short boat trip to get them here, relatively inexpensive process. But, that isn't twenty percent, that is more like forty or fifty depending on where you got them. Those didn't come from Meche or Tregador, they came from slightly farther, but far more peaceful and tame.

"But still, I am sure they are not that expensive." he said looking at him, "And to the northeast towards the passes to Tregador, then heading west word to each of the other passes. Hopefully, we can catch someone coming over the border, going either way. We don't want anything going to or from that place so war isn't declared. But, the border towns are our first areas to the East."

"You know what? This kinda reminds me of something."

Leaving Doctor Solomon, Jazdia the elf walked steadily toward her so-called team members who had been flocking there for quite some time now. Her eyes focused on Erwin and the bearded man, staring at them in utter displeasure, especially when the words 'diplomatic' and 'where' sprung out.

Once she got there, Jazdia immediately regarded Erwin and Louise. "Enjoying your shopping spree I see..." she paused. Fatigue from that long journey had rendered her patience worn and thin, but she managed to rein in an urge to snap and smile faintly.

"The old man is looking for you. Yes, you Mister Euluine. Best to see what it was all about. Miss Ironside, Louise, would you kindly escort him?"

She then shifted toward the twin bears and stood straight. Blue eyes coldly glared at them as if their gargantuan size meant little.

"Girls? What do you say after receiving gifts?"

He looked at the woman, and raised his eyes, "Not shopping, working... Don't forget that we are looking for those who are trading, contraband from the war to the north..." he said sighing a bit before he took a few steps away, and just sat there staring at them.

He made sure his rifle was in his hands, as he just looked at those in front of him, "But he is cleared by me... His things seem legit, only thing that concerns me is his spare stock of mana potions and the direction he is travelling. If we were a larger group, I would saw we split off some to escort him to his trade and back south once he was done, but... since we need all those here to head to the pass we need the full company."

He hoped the woman would be smart enough to play along with him and his the few falsehoods he told, but so far he did not have faith in that seeing as how everyone was acting he did not believe that anyone would be competent enough to investigate.

The two heads swung toward the newcomer, very displeased with her tone. They were grownups now, and talking to them like they were still 3 was beyond rude.

"Lis'n lady-- we's grown assed bears."
"--cool it Lil, lemme handle dis- ma'am, we was aready plannin' how best ta thank da nice blonde girl ya dun runned off--
Without skipping a beat, Lily chimed right in, on synch.

"--We dunno what she want yet, but we gunna find ou'--"
"--den we's 'll thanks 'er proper-like."
"Mmm-Hmm!"

Seeing them speaking in unison like that was quite refreshing, so Jazdia smiled back, genuinely this time, before answering them teasingly. "If you say so big girls. Don't forget to follow the lady then and say your thanks, okay?"

Back to Erwin.

Working huh? Jazdia muttered inaudibly, letting the man finish explaning his reasoning. Whatever reason he had, Jazdia simply believed now was not the time.

"But he is cleared by me... His things seem legit, only thing that concerns me is his spare stock of mana potions and the direction he is travelling. If we were a larger group, I would saw we split off some to escort him to his trade and back south once he was done, but... since we need all those here to head to the pass we need the full company."

There was a pause. Erwin looked at her searchingly probably asking her to play along.

She wouldn't.

"Well if he is clear and legitimate, then we have no reason to take more of his time." Jazdia shifted to the merchant, who ever-jovial. "Right, Sir Goodenough?"

"Yes, ma'am! But I don't mind the questions. Pardon, but I overheard the concern about my stock and my destination. I have explained my stock, so regarding my destination that would be Blizz Plain in Great Westernant. Long journey eh? That's why I take me time roamin around first to add something more for me capital. So you want to buy, miss? Name your stuff I and I might ave them!"

Jazdia shook her head. "Thank you, but I am all set."

The merchant Goodenough now looked genuinely dejected.

"Are there any more questions, then? If all's clear, then 'fraid I can't spare time for more questions. I did say to that pretty miss over the that I intend to rest here, but feels like I ain't welcomed, or-or disturbing. Then I would, again, say pardon, and move me cart somewhere else. Now if ye would excuse me!"

Swords, blades, and spears, all gathered and tied. Jewelry and collectibles were collected, neatly, systematically and ready to be stored back. The merchant was closing up his shop now.

Louise made herself her usual nature on the scene. Innocently glare on whoever had been spoken on the people's conversation. Holding her purchased box both of her hands.

"The old man is looking for you. Yes, you Mister Euluine. Best to see what it was all about. Miss Ironside, Louise, would you kindly escort him?" Said by Jazdia.

Louise gave Jazdia her usual stare for in exact of eight seconds. ”Before I go back there, please take this.” She replied to the elven woman and give the box. ”I would like you and Sir Chandrar to take a look on this elven made stuff in this box. I'll be back on you two when it's done." She continued.

Take what?

Shifting back to Loise, the blonde squire presented a box for her. Quite posh for a mere wooden box, so it had to be precious trinkets or jewelry.

And she asked her to take it...

Take? It took a while for Jazdia to decrypt what kinda of 'take-this' she meant and simulated them in her mind. Unfortunately, drowsiness made her decision-making slightly impaired, so she picked the least likely one, and added a healthy dose of sarcasm in it.

"Is that for me?" Jazdia said coyly. "Thank you! I will treasure this gift. Can you tell me what's inside or should I open it myself?"

The blonde human stared at her for exactly eight seconds before shaking her head.

”No, but I would ask you and Sir Chandrar to take a look on this elven made stuff. I'll be back on you two when it's done."

Jazdia's face twitched only slightly. Though she couldn't help but feel bewildered by her bold and unusual request, she managed to appear composed.

"You will be fine."

The elf said thoughtfully when she rejected the box.

"You will be fine." The elf said thoughtfully when she rejected the box.

"I see... Louise replied. Gave her usual glare at her, this time it was a half of the last time. She then sort out something on her pouch while the other hand still possessed with box. She then gave her something on the elven woman's hand. "Besides reading books, I have other one that kill my time during my breaks

Take this with you."

It is a handmade hair accessories made with a high quality materials along an artistic floral design. It would definitely make match along with her blonde hair.

Erwin looked at the woman at his side, and he pressed his lips together as he just stood there, he had no trust in the woman in front of him, nor the trader trying to make his hasty escape. He just slowly looked at the Jaz as if she was an idiot, and pressed his lips together for a moment before composing himself and looking at the man in the cart.

"I don't mind if ya sleep here, I just wonder why you approach a camp at the middle of the night to sell things." he said looking at the man, "It is more or less my role to my uncle to keep his lands safe, to keep his people from harm, even from those whom he has allowed relative ease of access to travel. I am thankful my grandfather and his bookkeeping has some form of civility to my uncle's plans."

"But... again, it is not wise to push goods at night... some consider that peddling, and on private crownland is something else. But, I know you aren't who we are looking for, just... someone with some odd wares, again I ask that you stay to the south. Other lords, and squires, specially puritans like myself do not take things lightly further north close to the border due to how fragile it is there with the warring parties. The stock of mana I would suggest selling around the capital before heading north, or wholesale it to someone there in case you run into any other sherrifs, tax collectors, or diplomatic and or trade envoys. Also, I suggest finding a boat around Meche and Tregador. Your goods will get you killed in Meche, and in Tregador, well... You are more likely to be arrested at the border before you reach it with your current goods no matter how lesser the magical imbuement."

His vision went over to the woman, and he pressed his lips together before he held his rifle about still hung to his chest slanted down.

While Erwin kept prattling about his 'concern', the Merchant was in the process of rolling and hauling his carpet back to his cart, finishing his preparation to leave the place. He had paid the man no heed, nor actually appreciate his so-called concern. They were spoken with thinly veiled threats, and half of them served nothing but to impugn his credibility. He was honestly offended by it, perhaps as much as when the bears brazenly pushed him away from his own merchandise.

But he said nothing. It was better this way. Debating a noble in the middle of nowhere was unproductive at best. He had earned quite amount of gold from this awkward encounter, and his papers were legitimate this Erwin would have no reason to arrest him any longer.

A triumphant smile curled on his face when he climbed up to his cart and bid everyone but Erwin farewell. "Auf wiedersehen, Do vstrechi, until we meet again, lassies, ma'am, miss and lady!"

And with that, he started rolling slowly toward the main road.

Erwin stared at the man, and he stared at everyone else, "Do no one else see that this man is a spy? He is heading towards hostile area's that either give a side a declaration of war, or is illegal and gives more right for those around us to declare war? Our traders may have free stakes, but, this man is smuggling goods to either a warlike people, or people that hate us and want a reason to declare war."

He looked at Jaz, and moved closer towards her, "The man, is travelling in the middle of the night when horses should be resting, he is several miles from a town we passed, which means he was likely waiting for us. I came over here to confirm it, and I just did because while he answered the questions, his reasoning would still go against the realm and it's laws of safety he is doing something illegal and punishable by almost every court in these lands and that reckless endangerment of the realm through allowing a provocation of war. There are always three questions you ask, who are you and do you have the authority to do such a thing, what goods do you have, and where are you going. He is going to pass through an area where his wares are illegal or through an area that is a warzone that likely wants to invade this land. Would you let that happen if you were me? Would you let that happen to your home that you want to do everything to protect?"

With that, and with the man now on his cart and in a nice elevated sight picture, he slowly placed his hand upon the trigger, "If you have any reason for me not to do this, tell me right in the next five seconds while I aim." If no answer was given or if nothing got in his way, he would fire for the man's back.

At this point, the whole thing has become a nasty piece of business. On one front, Jazdia had to deal with Loise and her impulsive, not well-thought gifting. Behind her, Erwin started to call her out. It was long speeches spewed with unadulterated hatred, and quickly developed into a wholesale gesture for violence.

Jazdia only had one thing in mind.

"What the hell is he doing?!"

"Erwin. Put your gun down," she demanded. Taking a step closer carefully to not agitate the frenzied musketeer. Are they really going to murder the man? Out of unproven suspicion?

Good enough was barely taking a few yards from his initial position when he heard the warning. Even in the middle of clanking and creaking, he heard the warning, so he jumped down and casually faced the nobleman.

"Good sir, did you simply get carried away with your dramatic gesture, or-or are you pointing your weapon at me with lethal intention? Is that even legal for you to do so? Or do you just want to yank my chain some more?"

Long-winded speech answered with another, and Goodenough spent exactly five seconds.

Erwin looked at the man, "five seconds she-elf." he said before pulling the trigger. His finger slowly wrapped from the padding of his forefinger to middle crease as he breathed out slowly through his mouth. The mechanism pulled forward, and released the hammer, flint flew forward on the lever and struck a small spark of metal lining the pan as it ignited the powder within, leading down into the barrel as sparks fizzled from both the small pan, and out with a cloud of smoke and flame came the ball towards the man.

His eyes closed as he moved the weapon down to his side, and moved it to his left hand where it was beside his sword, as his right went to hold the underside of the barrel should he have missed or other action caused the shot to miss.

A thunderous boom of a discharged firearm echoed in that small valley. The bullet traveled true and cavitated Goodenough's neck. Bluish blood splattered from its entry and exit wounds.

The man's face contorted in pain, yet he was standing still. And finally, he hunched, but not to fall. From his back, four tentacles sprouted out and stabbed themselves into the soil. Myriads of wormy things suddenly squirmed in his wound, his beard blacked, weaving itself together in a series of disgusting phlegmatic sounds as it crawled up to cover his elderly face. It formed a black chitinous visor and finally spread and evolved into what seemed to be a full helmet and armor that covered his head and neck. Several red tentacles squirmed out from the gap where the eyes should be.

And now, as the shadow engulfed his entire presence, he suddenly grew bigger and taller. Underneath his torn human clothing, emerged a dark-blue exterior protected by tightly assembled scales. His lanky limbs grew additional tentacles and spikes. and as the spike grew longer from his shoulder, it formed into a lance as tall as himself, made of what seemed to be a somber coral with a bluish end.

Menacingly, he drew his lance and stood there, waiting for Erwin to prepare his human toys.

Two sets of large brown eyes showed white incredulous rims, within stunned, silent furry faces.

Moments later, a click, then a bang, as the brazen man in the tin trousers opened fire on the receding merchant.


"HOLEH SHEEIT MISTAH!?"
"DA FUCK YA THINK YA DOIN!?"

Blurted the pair, almost on top of each other. Within moments, the peddler man's transformation became apparent.

"NO TIME FER 'A NAOW! DUMBSHIT 'ERE DUN STIRRED IT UP!"
"YOU SAID IT, SISTAH!"
"ROSEH?! YOU KNOWED WHAT TUH DO!"
"ON IT!"

Lily once more returned to all fours, and assumed a tactical blocking position in front of her sister Rose, the later of which crunched forward on her front legs, closed her eyes, and seemed to be straining very hard. Moments later, an strange.... "gust" of something unseen passed through nearby people.

"TRY AN PUSH ANUTHANG HE THROW AT US OFF, ROSEH!"
"UH CAIN'T HANDLE TOO FER AOU' SIS, YOU KNOWED AT!"
"UH KNOWS!"

Lily turned and bared teeth at Erwin

"YA HAPPEH NAOW DUMBSHEEIT!? 'TIS WHY YA DON'T HASSLE **LEGIT** MERCHANTS!"
"ONLEH DA 'SPECIAL' ONES AS COMES OUT REAL FAR!"

With that, Erwin wished he had dressed appropriately and that Thernous was awake with fire. But he slowly drew his sword, and he let the rifle drop to his side as he stood in front of Jaz defensively. Both hands on the handle, he stared at the creature in front of him, "Next time... please do not give someone I am fixing to shoot a warning."

He looked at Rose and Lily, and wanted to facepalm, "he is obviously not a legitimate merchant if you look at him now. If you use basic deductive reasoning, you would have figured you were being played for fools, and have some form of demonic creature in front of you. It is my job to point out and deal with situations, and finding out if someone is who they are is relatively easy. I did not expect this, but for my people I will do anything to protect them from creatures such as this."



The old man finally awoke and slowly stood stretching due to a loud noise, "oh not another one... Fire... just burn it you brash idiot or do I have to come over there and deal with it again?"

"LISSEN YA DUMB FUCK--"
"WE'S AREADY SUSSED HE AIN'T NORMAL!"
"BU' LOOKS AT US!? WE AIN'T NORMAL EI'ER!"
"DIFF'REN' AINT WRONG, YA DUMB SHEEIT!"

The two glowered at the incomprehensibly thick man.

"LIKES WE JUS' DAMN TOL' YA! ONLY DA *SPECIAL* ONES AS COME OUT FAR!"
"LIKES WE JUS' DAMN TOL' YA! ONLY DA *SPECIAL* ONES AS COME OUT FAR!"

" 'SPECIALLY WHEN DEY AINT GOT GUARDS!"
"MMM HMMM!"

A gunshot in the middle of the night was startling enough. Yvonne all but jumped, body moving on instinct before the mind catch up. Stand up, drop everything, grab a weapon, survey the area for threat. Not quite difficult with all the yelling, and the lightshow - or well, the exact opposite of a lightshow - where the commotion came from. There a thing wreathed in shadows that wouldn't look out of place next to Solomon's summons stood, thrumming with baleful aura and near-palpable pressure of magical power. Her face scrunched in distaste, noting that the way the damned thing stood next to the merchant's carriage while the bearded man himself was nowhere in sight.

"Come ON, we BARELY even left the city!" She complained as she moved as fast as her legs could carry her, not quite toward the fight but to the king's envoy that only now was very rudely woken up. Yvonne had to resist just hauling the old man off and create some distance away from the budding confrontation, but there's still some decorum to be had. Some. "We need to move, sir! Chop chop!"

She had no context on what's going on, best to ensure that the VIP was protected. Quite literally anyone else were expendable, they'll just have to hold on until Thernous was safe-ish.

The Not-So-Goodenough waited until the time ran out, He tiled his faceless head once before swiftly lunged forward and swung his lance upward toward Erwin. With no defensive stance (as if it could do much) and no preparation to move away, the blow connected on his side ribs and threw him away.

"Law you said!" he boomed, coarse and hard as the coral. "Spell not your law in front of me. Human! Before you even walked this land my people ruled it." toward the now-landed and knocked-out noble he walked, and pointed his lance.

"Stay down! Lest you want to be humbled some more."



Jazdia could feel half of her hair rising up like being carried away by a strong tide when a heavy thud of metals clashed in front of her. By the next moment, Erwin had already changed in position and landed a few meters away.

She already knew this could happen and the noble totally had it coming.

Sighing, the elf walked between Goodenough, his lance, and Erwin. Staring at the gargantuan, twice taller and bigger than a certain bear. Eyes activated, glowing violet with a tinge of red. Power was the true language they understood.

"Alright, that's enough. Leave now in Peace, Casdegar!" She said, bow already held firmly.

The merchant acknowledged it quickly. With a swift motion, he retreated his lance and stabbed it onto the ground.

"Pardon the roughness in my voice, Friends. For The wound from this fool's marble hasn't healed yet."