In the Blade's Hilt |A tale from Triterra|

Chapter 43 - Pickpocket

"Woah, you were not kidding" exclaimed Acid.

Acid, Blue and Jenna were clustered around a small bed in the back of Acid's shop.  On the bed, lay Ty.  His skin was worryingly pale and his breathing was irregular.  Beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Do you know what he's sick from?" asked Blue.

Ty leaned over and placed his hand on Ty's head.

"Well, it's definitely a bad fever.  But it's not the worst I've seen.  Nothing a little bit of this can't help"

He produced a vial of green liquid from his apron.  He pulled out the stopper, releasing a sickly-sweet odor into the room.  He opened Ty's mouth and poured the liquid down his throat.

"That'll take a few minutes to take effect.  In the meantime, I'll give you this"

He pulled a bottle of deep blue liquid from a shelf.  It had a stopper in the shape of a dragon's head.  He handed it to Blue.

"You look like you need it.  Unfortunately, I can't afford to give things away for free all the time.  This mana potion might be on the house, but I'm afraid the healing poultice that I gave your friend there, is not.  It'll cost three gold" spoke Acid.

Blue frowned.  "I'll find the money somehow.  But first"

He pulled the stopper out of the bottle and took a large swig of the potion.  Jenna noticed that his veins glowed for a few seconds before dimming.  She thought about the payment.  How could she get the money?Blue wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"There we are.  Believe me, there is nothing worse than realising you're running dry when in a tight spot.  So, Jenna, got any idea about the... Jenna?"

But she was nowhere to be seen.

Jenna slunk in and out out of the crowd.  The sun was beating down hard upon the residents of the City and it seemed that everyone wished to get inside as quickly as possible.  She surveyed the scene around her.  People were walking to and fro, their boots stomping against the stone tiled ground.  At the other end of the small market square she spotted a large stall.  It appeared to be selling fabrics.  It was run by a portly man in fine clothing.  A sly smile appeared on Jenna's face as she made her way towards the stall.

"The finest silk from Glastop only five gold a roll!" the merchant yelled.  Various fabrics of various qualities adorned the displays around him.  Jenna sneaked up behind him.  There was a faint sound of jangling from his back pocket.  As quiet as a mouse, Jenna slid her hand into the pocket, hoping the fabrics vendor wouldn't notice.  Her fingers clasped around a small coinpurse.  Silently, she pulled it out and looked inside.  There were seven golden coins and around ten silver ones.  She put of the gold coins into her pocket.  As she quietly left the scene, she noticed a beggar sat against a wall.  She dropped the remaining coins into his lap.  He watched her walk away, dumbfounded by her generosity.  Jenna couldn't help but smile as she returned to the alchemist shop.