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Helsik is in need of some ingredients and hates that she has to go to Bonecloak's Apothecary. Baelen has made far too many inappropriate comments to her over the years, but the shop is one of the few places that is reliable for what she needs. They could be a competitor of hers, but their stock is much more mundane than Helsik's.
She walks down to the shop and is thankful to see that only Derryth is inside.
"What can I do you for?"
"Where's the old man?"
"Probably chasing some skirt at the Mermaid, as if he has anything to offer," she says with a sigh, looking around the lonely shop.
"Amazing that you have so many ways to poison him and yet he lives," Helsik says in a low voice.
A look crosses the other dwarf's face that she can't read.
"Anyways, I need a Vitriol of Oleander, please," Helsik states, and pulls out her coin purse. The two haggles over the price. Maybe I misjudged her, the diabolist thinks.
The next day, Derryth walks into The Devil's Fee. She looks around, appraising the wares.
"You know, for all these years that you have frequented my shop, this is my first time inside," she says, as Helsik looks up. Helsik's eyes soften and Derryth's cheeks flush slightly.
"Well, then, welcome to my humble curio shop," Helsik says, sweeping her hands wide, bowing slightly. Derryth giggles and then puts her hands to her mouth, embarrassed. The diabolist wishes she didn't, her laugh is such a pretty sound. Her hope is soon rewarded as the other dwarf starts laughing again. Helsik cocks an inquiring eyebrow.
"You know, my husband told me you own the Bevel-dee," Derryth says. "I thought I was slow for having never heard of it. Apparently, I shouldn't have been giving you a discount every time you bought from us."
"If those were your discount prices," Helsik starts to say, but before she can deliver a punchy reply, the floor above them pounds as if two large statues had been tipped over. "Pardon me, I believe some customers will be down in a moment. Do you mind waiting while I go check on them?"
Derryth nods. The apparent diabolist walks up the stairs. Derryth takes the time to look around more, looking at well-locked treasures. After a few minutes, she hears steps and looks up. A white dragonborn with blood on his face carries an inconspicuous box, stepping with purpose. On his side is a man with dark hair. He has a joyful gait, despite the glower on his face. He holds a folder in his hands. Neither seems to notice her as they walk past.
Helsik closes the door behind them. "Remember that face," she says. She notes Derryth's confused look. "Some day, you'll get to tell people that you ran into Lord Gortash doing his errands. Now, how can I help?"
"I was going to ask if you could help me source some id moss, but I might have a better request now that I've seen your real business. Do you have any dirt from the bottom of the River Styx?"
Helsik raises her eyebrow. "Any why would a simple herbalist need such a rare item, let alone know of what it can be used for?"
"If I can get some of that dirt, I can maybe free myself from my husband," Derryth replies.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, I do have the id moss but I'm fresh out of soul-filled dirt. I'll let you know the next time I come across it?" Helsik asks. Derryth nods. There is more to that woman than she thought. "This isn't a cheap ingredient, you know."
"My grandma passed along a particular recipe for an aphrodisiac that's like nothing else. If you sell it, we can go 80-20 on the profits."
"I will not take less than 50-50," Helsik says.
"80-20 and I'll give you a sample for free," Derryth replies.
"60-40, free sample, and can renegotiate after the first round sells."
"65-35 and you got yourself a deal," Derryth says, holding out her hand.
Helsik shakes it. She takes in the other woman for the first time, noting all the scars and laugh lines on her face. Her eyes blaze with business. Perhaps, some day, Helsik can convince her to join in worship of Mammon. She certainly seems shrewd enough, which is Helsik's favorite quality in a person.
A few months later, Helsik hears the ring of the shop door. She goes downstairs.
"Sorry, still out of stock on your item request," she says to Derryth. "I'm very eager to try it, though! Have been waiting to check out the Librarian at--"
"Do, do you have somewhere private where we can talk? " Derryth says, her voice quivering. Barely audible, she continues. "It's about Baelen." The woman is paler than normal, a shade of white that no one should be able to achieve without magicks or powder.
She's on the verge of tears. Helsik reaches for Derryth's hands and holds them. They take a few breaths together.
"Of course, follow me," she says, dropping the hands hitting a few buttons to lock up her shop. She takes the herbalist to a private room. "What is it?"
The dwarf's hands shake as she pulls a letter out of her pocket.
My lady Bonecloak,
After examining your husbands condition, it seems clear that he's suffering from a degeneration of cognitive capacity that is quite treatable with the mushroom Noblestalk. As I know your shop to do considerable trade in the fungus, I expect him to be healed imminently. Congratulation on this happy news.
Doctor Hagerty
Helsik cocks an eyebrow. "Doctor Hagerty is well-regarded, why is this bad news -- oh Dumathoin, why did you let him see the husband you are presumably poisoning?"
"I want to blame you," Derryth says, voice shaking. "But it was me who started adding id moss to his food. I'm the one who listened, who had thought of it before. You didn't write a note to your ex-boyfriend from a hundred some years ago daydreaming of what life would be like if you had chosen him. I chose Baelen. He chose to hit me. I choose myself over him."
Despite the drying tears, Derryth eyes are full of pride. Breaking up a family in their culture was hard. Helsik had helped many escape their marital woes. Not all of them had as good of an excuse as Derryth, but Mammon doesn't care how his gold is gotten, as long as Helsik does get the coin.
"We are out of Noblestalk, thank Dumathoin, but the good doctor knows that we go to the Underdark every so often to get fungi and other ingredients. He can't... he can't be healed. He'll kill me," Derryth says, barely above a whisper.
"I won't allow that to happen. But why did you let the doctor see him?"
"I didn't mean to! Hagerty prefers to trade with Baelen and was asking after him. Hearing his name, the dolt wandered downstairs and the doctor offered to examine him. Hagerty is one of our regular customers and we're barely breaking above even as it is..."
"By Mammon, you sell noblestalk and aren't raking in the gold?" Helsik knows there's more important things to ask, but her mind always goes to business above all else.
Derryth looks down in shame. "Even before the moss, Baelen has been using some of our products. We also haven't been able to expand our customer base well. He doesn't like me going out on my own, saying that I'll just be tricked by the first attractive person that is willing to do business with an ugly, old nag like myself."
Helsik puts her hand under the stubbly chin of the other dwarf, and gently pulls her head up. Her hand moves up the jaw and cups the face. "You are beautiful, my dear."
She leans her head in, their foreheads touching. She wants to kiss those tears away, but she sees that the woman had put on make-up. There are dark bruises around her eye. Instead, she keeps her hand on Derryth's face while she asks, "How can I help you?"
"I... I don't know," Derryth replies, nuzzling her face into the hand. How long had it been since she had an affectionate touch? "We'll have to go to the Underdark."
"All sort of things can happen there, and just because you are searching for it doesn't mean that you will find it, right?"
Derryth nods. "I suppose."
"If you do find it, I would not let him have it. Bring it back here, and then decide what you want to do."
Derryth nods in agreement. Helsik sells her a few supplies for the Underdark with only a mild markup.
"Good luck, gorgeous!" Helsik says as Derryth walks out the door. She blushes ferociously and walks out.
Helsik glances to the side as she hears heavy footsteps on the stairs. The duo who had paid handsomely to go to the Hells is back, all their limbs remaining.
"Welcome back," she says kindly.
The orcish man comes to the front of her desk. "Here's the rest of your payment," he says, handing her a heavy bag. Pointing to his companion, he asks "Do you sell anything that can fix them?"
The gnome is wandering in circles, seemingly unaware of anything. Following their friend around like a lost animal.
"Did they touch the water?"
The orc nods.
Helsik sighs. "I warned you not to do that. I can arrange for a caster to heal your friend, but it will cost at least 500 gold."
"That's outrageous! Quickel only reached in to get you that stupid dirt!"
Upon hearing their name, Quickel comes over next to the counter and looks up. Helsik can't tell if it is an expectant look or just an empty one.
"That stupid dirt covered the costs to get you to the Hells! If you want to pay me 5000 for the trip, I'll be happy to discount the caster's fee."
The orc grumbles something and walks out. The gnome toddles on after.
Helsik updates her records. She now has four jars worth of the dirt. Every time she walks by, the note Gone shroom hunting is still out front. Helsik has to remind herself that the Underdark isn't as quick of a trip as it is to the Hell, as it feels like it has been far too long since the Bonecloaks had departed.
Helsik is on her way to enjoy a nice lunch at Bloomridge Park when she does her usual pass by Bonecloak's Apothecary when she sees that the note is gone. She quickly walks in and her heart hurts as she only sees Baelen.
"I've only been back open for three days and you're already here? Did you miss me that much?" he says, his eyes racking up and down her body.
"You are a sargh," she says, spitting at his feet, leaving before he can even reply. She does not regret it, but as she stands in the square, Helsik realizes she doesn't even know if Derryth survived.
All sort of things can happen there, she had said. She hadn't even considered that Baelen could think the same thing. He had been so out of it before they left, but he seemed back to normal, now. He must have gotten that damn mushroom.
Helsik wanders back to her shop, in a slight daze. She had dreamed of the money from the sales, of Derryth being free from that louse, of testing the aphrodisiac. None of these match the nightmare Helsik is currently living. As she slowly walks up to her shop, a dwarven woman stands tall, waiting outside.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm closed for the rest of the day," Helsik says.
The woman turns around.
"Even for someone with some outstanding business?" Derryth asks. Helsik's heart skips a beat.
"You're back! You're alive!"
"You doubted me so? I'm insulted, Helsik," Derryth teases.
Helsik takes a deep breath. She has just gone through every emotion. The herbalist is back, she is alive! There is a new air of confidence about her. Helsik opens the doors to her shop, and waves in the other woman, in a stunned silence.
"I just walked by the Apothecary and saw Baelen," Helsik says. "He seems well."
"On the way back, I realized something. Now he's back to his old self, and his old self isn't someone I want to be around. I've taken a room at Elfsong to start a new life," Derryth says. "I don't want to pretend to know everything you do or say that I will be with you until the end, but I would like to perhaps set up a shop or alchemical line here."
Helsik nods, still digesting everything the other had said. She has a million questions, but settles on, "When will the aphrodisiac be ready?"
"Two weeks from whenever the next new moon is," Derryth answers.